Pandora's Hope

[MidnaPhobia]

Nearae turned back to look at Ethan as he began to say how he had found the ride before he stopped and she giggled softly, turning as the many faces turned to look in a different direction as three older looking Na’vi began approaching. The crowd parted for them and slowly began dispersing. Nearae looked to Illarion and was considering leaving as well when one of them seemed to know what she was planning and held up a hand for the girl to stop and she winced slightly. “So,” The clear leader of this particular group said as he turned to Ethan. “Nearae tells us that you saved her from the palulukan?” He questioned.

“I feel it safe to inform you that not many of us are as... adventurous as this one, it is not a habit you should get yourself into.” The female beside him said, basically saying that Nearae was probably a bad influence on him.

“Come.” The first male said again as they turned and began walking away. “I fell we have matters to discuss in private, Nearae has told us much about you but these are things I would like to hear from your mouth, Ethan.” He said, turning to look at the boy as he said the name. “Nearae will stay here.” He then said to the girl firmly, causing her to pout slightly.

[Draco_James]

Ethan’s gaze shifted briefly to the Na’vi girl as she giggled, and then back to the crowd when he saw that something was happening. From the reaction from the others, it seemed apparent that the three Na’vi who approached definitely held respect, and he guessed that they might well be the clan leaders. Then the man spoke, Ethan’s brow furrowed very slightly as he tried to decide how to respond, and ended up just nodding slightly. He supposed it was true, but saying he had saved her just sounded odd when he tested the words in his head.

The words of the female didn’t surprise him all that much, really. The male who had come with her today had said basically the same thing about Nearae. The fact that her first trip to see him had been, by her own admission, against the clan leader’s wishes also spoke to the truth of the statement. Ethan, for one, felt he would never have a problem with her adventurous side. He wouldn’t be here if she didn’t have it, after all.

And then he was being told to come with them, to speak alone. He was a little surprised to hear his name used. Nearae had called him by it a few times, but for some reason he hadn’t expected it from this man. “Of course. I will tell you anything you want to know,” he replied, then frowned slightly, glancing back at Nearae as she was ordered to stay behind. He dipped his head in a small nod toward her before he turned back and sped up his pace a little to catch up to the three older Na’vi. He was fairly sure he knew some of what he’d be asked, but wondered what all they wanted to know, exactly.

[MidnaPhobia]

Ethan was led along the main, thick branch for a time before they arrived at the main trunk of the tree. There was a large natural gap in the trunk and the three leading Na’vi led Ethan inside it. Inside it was revealed that almost the entire tree was hollow and the inside was covered in a strange luminescent moss, accompanied by an assortment of glowing fungi and mushrooms. This was where the Na’vi seemed to decide that they wanted to speak to Ethan as it did provide quite a lot of privacy. “My name is Kyuan.” The larger male said, indicating to himself. “I am the leader of the clan.”

He then indicated to the female beside him. “This is Rozera, our Matriarch and this is Rurick, my son and our future leader.” He indicated finally to the boy beside him who was also the one who had taken up the leader position amongst the group that had first investigated Ethan’s ship. “But tell me, Ethan, how is it that you came to be here? And what is it that you seek of us? You carry no hostile machines on you, or at least do not have the knowledge or skill in how to use them and so do not, or so Nearae has told me, this indicates that you are either a deceptive being or you have come here for a peaceful purpose.” He stated, more than asked that last part.

[Draco_James]

Ethan couldn’t help but look around in awe as they stepped into the tree’s trunk. Though he had seen the glowing plant life of Pandora from his ship’s window, it was different seen this much closer up, and the scene was beautiful. He looked back to the Na’vi male as he introduced himself and the two others. “It is an honour,” he said, lowering his head a little out of respect, and then he quickly repeated the names a few times in his mind. Rurick was familiar, and it took a moment to place him as the one who had chosen to leave him that first time a group of Na’vi had shown up at the ship.

As the leader spoke, Ethan realized that he didn’t think he’d mentioned the pistol to Nearae, and worried that they’d see that as a sign of deceit. In actuality, he had simply never felt the need to carry it in the presence of any of the Na’vi. “As I have told Nearae, I have no intention of deceiving or harming your people, Kyuan. I give you my word on that as well, in hopes that, though it may not mean anything to you now, one day it might. I do not carry anything destructive now, nor have I, or felt the need to in the company of any of your people. There is one weapon in my dwelling – the... sky people equivalent of a bow with arrows. I had it only for protection against the animals of your world when I was alone. I’ve never used it, nor do I have any skill with it, and I would gladly see it destroyed.”

He paused for a moment after this, and then told the story of his illness and his failing body, of his parents going against the laws of their people to send him here in secret in an attempt to give him a life, as he had told it to Nearae. “What I ask of you is a chance to prove that... I am what I say I am, and that you can trust me,” he added, “And only then, I would ask that your people attempt to help me make this my true body, to live as one of you rather than die.”

[MidnaPhobia]

Kyuan looked to the others as they listened to Ethan’s story. Whilst the two older Na’vi seemed fairly relaxed and calm about the situation, whilst and look Rurick gave Ethan was an angry, distrustful glare. Finally, after a few long minutes of discussion Kyuan finally turned back to Ethan and nodded slightly. “I believe that you are not here to harm us.” He confirmed, nodding slightly. “So you will be allowed to stay with us and learn our ways until we deem that you are trustworthy enough to become one of us or we decided you cannot be trusted, at which point you will have to leave and you will not be allowed to return.”

He gave this message with a very grave face, showing that there was every possibility that he still believed that Ethan may be untrustworthy. “As for who will teach you... for now I am uncertain on that. For the next few days just relax and regain your strength. We shall see what you can do after that and who would probably be best to help you. For the mean time...” He sighed, as if reluctant to say what he was going to say next. “I believe Nearae will be able to help you find your way around and show you the basic routine and order around here. I wouldn’t hold my hopes high that she is where we left her, however.”

[Draco_James]

Ethan waited in silence as the Na’vi seemed to be discussing what to do with him, and he caught Rurick’s look. It appeared that was one vote that wouldn’t be in his favour – but fortunately it seemed that Kyuan was willing to give him a chance. “I understand,” Ethan replied to Kyuan’s judgment and let out a nearly silent sigh of relief, and added, “Thank you.” He was being given his chance, his chance to prove that he was trustworthy – the chance that could lead to a new life or, if he messed it up, his death.

He was saddened to hear that it might not be Nearae who would be teaching him – she’d already taught him some, and thought that they got along quite well. For the moment, though, he’d try not to dwell on that, because for now, he’d received good news. And he would be seeing Nearae again to have her get him started on understanding how to live here amongst the Na’vi. Ethan took this as a cue for him to leave. “Thank you again, for your kindness,” he said before backing out of the hollowed section of trunk they’d been in.

When he got back outside onto the large branch, though, he really wasn’t sure where to go. He could see the place where Illarion had landed, where he’d last seen Nearae standing, but she wasn’t there any longer. He took a moment to walk closer to the edge of the branch, being very cautious about getting too close to the edge as he peered over, wondering how many meters above the ground he was right now. The fact that he was actually in a tree was hard to accept, given the size of it. Pandora truly was different from Earth in so many ways.

[MidnaPhobia]

Nearae had waited for a few minutes as she had been told to do but got really bored after a while and left Illarion and began descending the tree to the base. She already figured the outcome was going to be good, or else they wouldn’t have bothered bringing him all the way out here. Once on the forest floor however the girl was unsure of what she wanted to do. It had been fairly late when they had gone to get Ethan so straying too far from home tree right now would likely be dangerous so the girl decided against it.

There was a small heard of direhorse, however, that she knew grazed nearby. The creatures had always held a small fascination for Nearae, as they were just not something her clan particularly involved themselves with and yet there was a clan she knew of that did not ride ikran at all but solely rode the earthbound creatures. It was a little too strange for her to comprehend. Above her Illarion began calling and Nearae guessed that this meant Ethan was finished. She was eager to see how things went and get a solid confirmation that he would be allowed to stay with them. Quickly the girl turned and began climbing up the tree once more, her mount guiding her towards the dream walker.

[Draco_James]

As Ethan was still looking over the edge of the branch, he heard an ikran cry out, and turned to see that it was Illarion. He cocked his head to the side curiously as her, wondering what was causing her to sudden start doing so. He stepped back from the edge, and thought that the ikran’s gaze was actually following him. He couldn’t help but be curious as to why, and after watching her for a while, noticed that she seemed to lose interest him in. It took him a few moments of searching to find what her gaze had now landed on before he spotted Nearae coming up the tree.

He jogged over to meet her, smiling. “They’ve agreed to let me stay for now. Until Kyuan decides whether I can be trusted or not,” he told her, clearly in a good mood, “He also said that you could show me around for now, but... they haven’t decided who will teach me yet. Oh, and... I still don’t think Rurick likes me very much. I got the feeling I wouldn’t be here if the decision were his decision.”

[MidnaPhobia]

Nearae looked up as Ethan came over to meet her and the girl smiled slightly to herself as he told her the good news. She had suspected as much but it was still always good to hear it for certain. “I wouldn’t hold your breath for having me as a teacher.” Nearae told him first off. “I mean... you may have gotten this feeling from them already, but they don’t like me much. Not to mention I’ve only just become independent myself and they think I’ll be a bad influence on you.” His comment about Rurick caused her to giggle softly.

“No, he doesn’t. He’s probably the reason it took so long for them to approve you in the first place and if it were up to him... you’d be dead.” She said with a small smile. “He thinks this is all a trick by the sky people. I’m not exactly sure what he thinks you’re supposed to achieve but he thinks you’re up to no good all the same. He’s going to have his eyes on you Ethan, I’d be careful around him.” The girl warned carefully. “But hey, you’re allowed to stay, that’s amazing news!” She added on a happier tone.

[Draco_James]

“Well, whether it’s likely to happen or not, I’ll still hope they have a change of heart and let you teach me,” he told her, “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve done a great job at it so far.” It seemed that Rurick might hate him even worse that Ethan had thought if Nearae was right that the leader’s son wanted him dead. It shouldn’t really surprise him, Ethan realized, and it wasn’t a good feeling knowing someone would be keeping an eye on him like that, even if he did have nothing to hide. Good news could never really just be good news, could it? Lately it always seemed to come with at least a hint of bad.

He let out a small laugh and smiled slightly when she tried to end on a more cheerful note. “Yeah, trust me, I’m glad about that. And thank you again, for helping me get to this point,” he said, and was silent for a few moments as he glanced around, “So... this is home to your entire clan? It’s hard to believe... even when trees were abundant on Earth, none of them would even have come close to the size of this place... They’d be sprouts by comparison.”