𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 - 𝕷𝖔'𝖆𝖐

𝕾𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓

Naya'il was woken abruptly from hee slumber. He brings her hand into a fist and punches whoever dared to wake her.

She jolts and gets up as she sees it is Lo'ak.

"Lo'ak?!" She whisper-shouts at the boy groaning on the ground.

"Damn," he groans. "When'd you learn to punch so hard."

"Ao'nung taught me when we were younger." She recalls. "But that's not the point, why are you here?"

Lo'ak grunts as he gets up and faces the girl.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come and hang out with Payakan." He offers and Naya feels bad.

"Oh, of course." She says, getting up. "Let's go."

Both of the boarded the Ilus but not before Naya says,"Sorry about your nose, Jungle Boy."

Lo'ak and Naya were enjoying their time and swum around with Payakan.

Both of them hop up on his fin when Lo'ak speaks up.

"Hey, you never told me what happened to your fin."

Payakan doesn't answer.

"Lo'ak, come on, leave him alone." Naya says.

Lo'ak ignores the girl and continues talking to Payakan.

"Look, you can trust me. I promise." Lo'ak says. Payakan motions for Lo'ak to get off and both of them do. Lo'ak swims in front of Payakan when he opens his mouth wide for Lo'ak to go in.

Lo'ak looks over to Naya first, to check on her. She simply nods her head no. This was a bonding between Lo'ak and Payakan that he had to do alone.

Lo'ak nods at her and then swims into Payakan's mouth. After a moment, Payakan shuts his mouth, Lo'ak inside.

Naya'il had full trust in Payakan, but was still wary of him with all of the rumours and legends about him being a killer. Even though she was sure he wasn't, Naya still worried for Lo'ak.

About 5 minutes later, Lo'ak came back out and both Na'vi resurface.

"I knew it! You're not a killer!" Lo'ak says to his friend and Payakan just makes a throaty noise. "I'm so, so, so sorry what happened to your family. You didn't deserve that."

After another bonding moment between the two, Lo'ak turns to Naya.

"What did you see?" She questions.

"Naya, I-I was right! Payakan didn't kill all of those Na'vi. His whole family was murdered in front of him by the sky people. He-he gathered up the Tulkun and Na'vi to fight back against them. He lost his fin and was the only one left!" Lo'ak exclaims and Naya's ears move back.

"Oh Payakan," she cries, swimming next to him. She signs sorry and then, I see you. Payakan nods and says it back.

"We have to tell everyone!"

To say telling everyone was a bad idea was an understatement.

Tonowari and Ronal had forced Lo'ak, Neteyam, Tsireya, Ao'nung and Naya to his Marui, with Jake and Neytiri behind them. He was angry and as was Ronal.

"You let him, bond with the outcast?!" Ronal shouts at her adoptive daughter. Naya flinches at her words which only Lo'ak caught.

"I-I am sorry, mother." Naya'il says quietly.

"You knew of the consequences, yet you still let him do so?" Tonowari scolds. "Shame on you, you disappoint us."

Naya was filled with tremendous shame and guilt. It was all her fault.

"It's not her fault!" Lo'ak defends Naya but she can barely even look at him.

"No, she knew what she was letting you do. She has brought shame upon this family." Tonowari says as a tear runs down Naya's cheek.

"Look, it's not Naya's fault. And Payakan's not a killer, he's my friend. I saw what really happened." Lo'ak argues.

Tonowari paces and then says, "Sit down."

Only Lo'ak and Naya sit down first until Tonowari yells it this time.

"Sit down!" Everyone quickly does so this time.

"Hear my words boy," both of them make intense eye contact. Tonowari goes on to tell a story about Payakan and how he was a killer. Naya couldn't seem to focus on her father's words yet his previous ones stuck with her.

Shame on you, you disappoint us.

It was all her fault.

Her thoughts were brought back by Lo'ak speaking.

"I'm sorry sir. But I know what I know." He says and Neytiri scolds him.

"Lo'ak!" She hisses.

"Payakan isn't a killer. He showed me what really happened." Lo'ak explains. "His family was killed in front of him. He gathered the Tulkun and the Na'vi to fight against them. It was just a mistake, he would never do it again. Why should he still be punished for it?"

"Boy-" Tonowari's words were cut off by Jake.

"I can take it from here." Jake says and grabs Lo'ak by his shoulder. Naya sucks in a sharp breath as she sees Lo'ak being taken away by his father.

Naya looks up for once and looks to Ronal. "Mother, I-"

"Enough from you, Naomi."

Those words hit harder than ever. She was never going to be good enough. She was always truly going to be a human. She wasn't a Na'vi. She was forever an outcast.