Avatar: What if you were there?

15: Hometree

Grace drank some whiskey.

"This is how it's done," Jake said. "When people are sitting on shit that you want, you make it your enemy." He threw a Na'vi book. "Then you're justified in taking it."

Trudy jogged in. "Quaritch is rolling the gunships. He's gonna hit Hometree."

"My god." You, Grace, and Jake ran up, wheeled up, to Parker. "Parker. Wait. Stop. These are people you are about to..." you fought off a marine who was trying to get you out of the room. The scene in front of you was bizarre. Quaritch had a gun held to Parker's head.

"Those are fly-bitten savages that live in a tree," he said. "I don't know about you, but I see a lot of trees. They can move." He excused the marines.

"There are families in there," you pleaded. "There are children. Babies."

"Are you gonna kill children?" asked Grace.

"They are savages," he said simply. "You won't convince me like you did Parker here." He nudged Parker with the gun.

"Just let me try to talk them out. They trust us," said Jake.

You were given one hour. Tsu'tey was there when your avatar woke up. Jake rushed down and you followed him. "Eytukan," he said. "I have something to say."

"Speak, Jakesully," he replied.

"A great evil is upon us, The Sky People are coming to destroy Hometree," he turned to Neytiri. "Look, tell them they're gonna be here soon." she translated. "You have to leave, or you're going to die."

"Are you certain of this?" asked Mo'at

"Yes," you said

"They sent me here to learn your ways so one day I could bring this message and that you would believe it," said Jake.

"What are you saying, Jake?" asked Neytiri. "You knew this would happen?"

"Correction," you intervened before Jake messed it up anymore. "We tried to stop them. They warned this would happen but we begged for them to stop."

Neytiri was still upset with Jake. "I trusted you,'' she cried. "I trusted you!"

"Trust me, now please," begged Jake.

She shoved him away. "You will never be one of the people!" she shouted.

"Neytiri, please." She turned away, not wanting to look at us. You caught Tsu'teys' betrayed look. 

"Bind, them," said Eytukan. As you were tied you begged them to leave, to save themselves. But instead they shouted a war cry. There was nothing left to do.

They had knives held to your necks. Jake and Grace pleaded with them to leave but you stayed quiet, you closed your eyes and tried to go back.

You opened your eyes and you were back in your link unit. "What happened?" asked Norm.

"They're going to fight," you choked out. You went to see what was happening through the cameras. As soon as you entered the room, Quaritch had you bound and placed next to Parker. "Why are you all tied up?" you whispered.

He made no answer and just looked at Quaritch. You nodded and helplessly looked at Hometree being destroyed. You wanted to cry out but only your silent tears gave away your emotion. Parker looked horrified at the destruction.

Then Grace and Jake were pulled out. You all struggled against your captors. Norm actually punched somebody and was handcuffed. Then you were dragged away.

_ _ _

The five of you, Jake, Norm, you, Grace, and Parker, were put into a closed room with a glass door. There was a single guard there as well.

"What's going on, brother?" You turned around to see Trudy. "Long time no see."

"Hey," said the guard.

"Personally, I don't feel these tree-hugging traitors deserve steak."

"They get steak? That's bullshit. Let me see." he kneeled down to see. Trudy chuckled and took out a gun.

"Yeah." she said. "You know what that is. Down. All the way down." She knocked him out and called for Max. Max rushed in and let you all out. Trudy and Norm went to get the helicopter ready.

Max stayed behind, someone on the inside you could trust. You put on your masks and quickly started to board. It was slower than expected though. Someone was shooting at you. Then Trudy took off and you were free.

"Yeah!" shouted Jake.

"All right! Yes!" joined in Norm. Parker sighed in relief. You were all laughing. All but Grace.

"Crap," she said. You looked down at her bloody hand. "This is gonna ruin my whole day."

"Grace is hit," Norm said.

"Get the trauma kit," said Jake.

"Trauma kit!" Norm called out.

"Trauma kit's forward, on the bulkhead," said Trudy. You went to get it and passed it to Parker, who claimed to know how to use it. You watched on worriedly. It was nice of him to help though.

You reached area 26 soon enough. Parker helped you carry Grace to a bed.Then, Norm went in and linked with his avatar. You didn't know where yours was.

He instructed Trudy to pick up the link cabin thing. "Take it up!"

"Hold on. I'm pulling pitch." she said through the radio. You were lifted from the ground.

"You're clear!" He called out.

"Just keep going north," Jake said through the radio. "Get us deep in the mountains."

"Copy that," replied Trudy. You went on for some time.

"Norm, you good up there?" asked Jake.

"Yup, still here," said Norm.

You sat next to Parker. "How are you doing, Parker?" you asked.

"Accepting my grim fate," he replied and you laughed. He gave you a genuine smile.

"At least they can't track us up here," said Trudy. "Not this far into the vortex."

"It's strongest at the Tree of Souls, right?" asked Jake.

"Yeah."

"Good, 'cause that's where we're going."