ʙᴀʀʀɪᴄᴀᴅᴇꜱ | Jake Sully X Reader (Book 1)

| Chapter 3 |

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Italics: (Na'vi language or Jake's inner thoughts or narration)
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The moment Jake's eyes snapped open and realized that he was back inside the pod, he sighed in disappointment and sullenness at the fact that he had his old body back, which meant that he was now with his old legs that he still couldn't move at all, as opposed to the Avatar body he just had the time of
his life in just a few minutes ago.

When the pod opened back up, Max was there to greet him. Jake still felt incredibly woozy and dazed, but the memories of his experience were still fresh in his mind. "Welcome back," Max said, verifying if Jake was stable after coming back to his human body. "You okay? You alright?" Max asked him, earning a nod in return from Jake as he sat up.

"Yeah, I'm okay" Jake replied, maneuvering his body to sit back down on his wheelchair and then moving his legs as well.

Later on that day, Jake was led to the hangar where most jets, aircraft, and helicopters were held, whether it was for storage or future departures. "I'm Trudy," A woman that was leading Jake through the hangar introduced herself to him. "I fly all the science sorties. And this here is my baby" Trudy explained, patting the window on the front of her helicopter.

Before continuing her conversation with Jake, Trudy powered off something on the helicopter and walked over to a soldier nearby. "Hold on a second," Trudy said to Jake, then she turned back to the soldier. "Hey, Wainfleet! Get it done! We bounce at zero-nine" She said to him, seeing as he was slacking off a bit.

Wainfleet, at the same time, was loading a gun onto the helicopter's door while Trudy climbed up on it to check if there was anything wrong. "Yeah, I'm on it Capitaine," Lyle said sarcastically, causing Trudy to roll her eyes at him for his attitude, but she paid no mind to Wainfleet and continued talking to Jake.

Hopping down from the helicopter, Trudy turned to Jake and resumed their conversation. "Vine strike's still loose," She started, turning back to set her eyes on the aircraft.

"You guys are packing some heavy gear, huh?" Jake said, following after Trudy in his wheelchair as she walked away to another part of the hangar. Before she could reply to him, Jake stopped as he saw a transporter almost crash into him.

"Watch it!" Trudy said to the man driving the cart, wanting no accidents to happen. She turned back to the ex-marine and said what she wanted to tell him in the first place. "Yeah, that's 'cause we're not the only thing flying around out there. Or the biggest. I'm gonna need you on a door gun. I'm a man short" Trudy explained to Jake.

"I thought you'd never ask" Jake joked and chuckled, earning a laugh from Trudy. Eventually, they both reached their destination and Trudy pointed to a gym across the hangar where the man he was supposed to speak to was laying down on a bench press.

"There's your man," Trudy gestured to Colonel Quaritch. "See you on the flight line, marine" Trudy finished, fist bumping Jake and then headed back towards her helicopter.

Jake wheeled himself over to where the Colonel was lifting weights in the built-in gymnasium in the hangar. "You wanted to see me, Colonel?" Jake asked, slowing down his wheelchair right in front of Quaritch.

Noticing his presence, the Colonel stopped what he was doing and paid attention to the man in front of him. "This low gravity will make you soft. You get soft," He paused for a second, placed the weights onto the bench press, and sat up to face Jake. "Pandora will shit you out dead with zero warning. I pulled your record, Corporal. Venezuela, that was some mean bush. Nothing like this here, though. You got some heart, kid, showing up in this neighborhood" Quaritch finished speaking.

Jake simply shrugged and said; "Figured it was just another hellhole," He said, earning a chuckle from Quaritch. The Colonel stood up and continued speaking while walking around him and back toward the busy hangar. "I was the first recon myself. A few years ahead of you. Well, maybe more than a few. Three tours in Nigeria, not a scratch. I come out here? Day one" Quaritch paused, pointing to the three slashes on the side of his face.