Intangible

3: Tìtsyul te tsam

In no way shape or form am I fluent in Na'vi I'm going based off of what little knowledge I have, sorry.

"Kaltxì aynumeyu![Hello students!]" Grace greeted her students. 

"Kaltxì karyu.[Hello teacher.]" I heard a number of them reply. There were only twenty or so students. and a little over half are Grace's. Less children have been joining due to the rising tension in our borders and their clan. 

"Fìtrr, oe kem seri zamunge amip karyu fìsärawn.[Today, I bring you a new teacher(Literal translation:Today, I did bring new teacher replacement]" She introduced me.

"Hello, I am Eyohi Bailey, you can call me E or Eyo." I smiled brightly at their curious faces, questions written on their mouths, waiting to be said, "I will be taking Kip Bailey's place." 

Immediately, a hand shot up.

"Did something happen to KipBailey?"  one of the younger children asked.

"No, Kip is going to try learning from you and the Omatikaya." I explained. More questions which Grace answered. 

We began simple with nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs and how to string together a simple sentence. They were good, and fast. They learn so fast. 

Throughout the lessons of this week, the students began warming up to me. They called me ean for green since I wore green often and it sounded like my name. But everyday, there were older students who stared and kept their eyes on me. Always watching me from the corner of their eye. Never letting me relax. 

Soon I came to know them as Sylwanin, Tsu'tey, and Re'kxutu. Sylwanin was shorter than me but much prettier. Her green eyes were very pretty and she was always well kept. Tsu'tey was much taller than most in the class, he was intimidating and large, kinda judgy. Re'kxutu was somewhere in between pretty and strong, always wearing red and beaded neckpieces. They were all prideful and strong. They were also very eager to learn. 

"The smaller one...yeah....she's.....no...." Always whispering. Tsu'tey is cocky and rude to me.

"Yes karyu... Yes. I understand your simple question." Sylwanin is kind and polite, but Re'kxutu is the worst. He's crude, a prankster, but he gets away with it every time. 

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"Grace, I'm really concerned." I clutched my papers to my chest as we walked away from the link chambers.

"There's nothing to be concerned about, kid. He just likes his fun, Syl likes to talk over people, and Tsu'tey is... well rude, but the point is that, they're kids." She chuckled. I smiled briefly.

"I suppose so, but what if they get into trouble? Re'kxutu will cause it, Tsu'tey will get them in deeper trouble and Syl will have to get them out of it."

"I understand that, but Selfridge made a deal to keep those grunts out of our way."

I took a deep breath. I knew there wasn't anything I could do. 

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"Ean, Oel ngati kameie.[Ean, I see you.]" (Ean means blue, like their skin tone)

"I see you, Sylwanin." I greet, "What's up? You know you can go home, and you should! We don't want your father to get upset."

"I need help with your alien phrases. I really like them, but I don't know what they mean." Her high pitched voice rung in my ears. And I was surprised! 

"I'm surprised you want to learn English phrases, which ones are you confused about?"

"Kill two birds with one stone, beat the dead horse, cat's out of the bag, When in rome do as the romans, and... that's it." 

"Well killing two birds with one stone is... accomplishing multiple things in one action."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. We don't have a phrase for that. Maybe I should come up with one."

"I'd like to hear what you come up with!" I encouraged, "Beating the dead horse is like making the same joke one too many times, or... picking all the fruit off of the same tree continuously until all the fruit are gone."

"So... overdoing something? Doing something too often too late."

"Yeah, that sounds right. Cat's out of the bag is like keeping in a secret and then accidentally letting it out."

"I still don't get it but It's interesting?" She laughed.

"Yeah, it's an old saying. and when in rome do as the romans... It's like this body. To you, I am this, but before this body and this language, I was a different person in feeling and mental state. being here has changed who I am."

"What do you mean before this body?"

"Well, my mind belongs to another body. But I can't survive out here like you can, so while I sleep I come here." I tried to put it simply, "I can try to explain it to you another time, but it's hard to describe." 

"Is that why we call you a dreamwalker?"

"It appears so!" I chuckled. 

"I wonder what it's like to dream and be in another body."

"It's a little weird to be honest. Not in feeling, but in my mind."

"Ean, are we friends?"

"Yeah, we're friends if you want to be."  I smiled.

"Then we're friends!"

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Kip didn't know Sylwanin like I do, but he knew Re'kxutu. He described him as a trouble making nosy boy who is very interested in the opposite gender. Which, was a light way to put it.

He is a fuck boy who has questions for everything and often one of those two things get Sylwanin and Tsu'tey in trouble with him. Of course, Tsu'tey always gets him out of it. They're friends.

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"Ean. I must speak with you." It was Tsu'tey.

"Uh sure, what's up?" I put down the books and drawings from the students.

"This has nothing to do with learning, but Re'kxutu is planning something foolish." He clenched his fist, "I ask your help to persuade him." 

"What is it he plans to do?"

"The tawtute have attacked a nearby clan. His father was visiting the clan and he was caught in the battle and died. Re'kxu plans to take revenge." I dropped my things and grabbed Tsu'tey's hand and rushed out the door and then realized I had no idea where I was going.

"Which way?"

"Follow me." He took lead and we went off into the forest. I was much slower than Tsu'tey but I could keep up well enough. We arrived at Kelutral to find him already painted for war. 

"Re'kxutu, no! You will die!"

"Then I will be with my father."

"He won't want you to have thrown your life away!" I manage to tear the bow from his fingers while his mother yells at him through tears to stay. It was a great commotion which ended with No one hurt. 

But of course, he was never the same again. He stopped showing up to class, and Tsu'tey came less. Sylwanin looked sadder.