Towards Love

22.eywa

Lola arrived in a new vision. She was in the same clearing where she had last met Eywa. It was still dark. The same figure stood before her, still smiling and comforting except that this time she addressed Lola in Na'vi. "Hello again Lola. I see you're back for a reason this time."

"Yes Great Mother. I wish to be an integral part of your people. Living with the Omaticaya has made me realise that I no longer belong on Earth but here."

"What about your people on Earth? Why don't you want to meet them again? Are you aware that by abandoning this body -Eywa pointed to her human body, the one with which Lola had joined the vision- there will be no going back? It will be impossible for you to return to your planet." Lola squirmed a little. She knew that her family would be sad not to see her anymore, that they would find it hard to accept that she was staying on Pandora. But she could not abandon these people. And especially Neteyam. "I know. I will be sad, obviously but ... I have never felt more at home than when living with them."

"Are you refering to someone in particular?" We could not hide anything from Eywa. Of course she knew about her and Neteyam. The spirit was still smiling, unperturbable, but Lola knew that she was analysing every answer she could give her. "Yes. His name is Neteyam. He taught me almost everything I know about the Na'vi. He taught me the ways of his people."

"And a little more isn't it?" The young woman blushed. "And a little more, yes. We mated."

"So it would be easier for me to accept your transfer?" Unsettled by this unexpected question, Lola did not answer immediately. "... No! Of course not! We fell in love. We just wanted to prove it to each other."

"How can I be sure that you're not telling what I want to hear?" 

"I... I don't know, it's just the truth. Neteyam became important to me. When he was injured during the raid, I thought I was losing him and the feeling was unbearable. I wanted to be in his place so that he would not suffer anymore. If I could have absorbed his pain I would have done so. I think that says a lot about my love for him, doesn't it?" Lola knew she had to stay calm but how could Eywa question her feelings for Neteyam? She saw everything, felt everything, she knew the young woman was sincere.

In spite of her somewhat virulent response, the spirit continued its interrogation. "Do you think you are worth becoming a Na'vi?"

"Well... You told me I was ..."

"What if I hadn't? What would make you worth staying with us?" Lola thought about that question. "Hum... I am doing everything I can to help you. I don't want the sky people to destroy your environment. It's unfair and selfish. I want to do my best to protect you even if it puts me in danger. I care about you. As I said, I feel at home and my family is not being attacked without finding out the consequences."

"I heard you chose a Na'vi name, what is it?"

"Tarya. My full name is Lola Tarya now." Eywa moved for the first time since they had gotten here. She put her hands on Lola's shoulders, an intense light growing behind her back. "Lola Tarya, welcome home." The light became so powerful that it blinded Lola. Then everything went black.

***

At the same time - Neteyam pov

Everyone was moving and singing in sync. The biouminescence was pulsing in rhythm. Neteyam kept his eyes fixed on Lola, waiting for the moment when the filaments connecting her bodies to the ground would go out meaning that the transfer was complete. The boy was praying for it to succeed. He didn't know how he would react if not. Closing his eyes, he sang lowder as if it would help Lola in her journey. 

Suddenly there was a thud above them. At first Neteyam thought it was a passing animal, but it persisted for several seconds. The singing stopped and looking up followed by the other Omaticaya, the boy's eyes widened in amazement as he discovered two military helicopters, coming dangerously close to the tree of souls. Shouts began to ring out from the crowd. For this ceremony, no one was armed, so they were at the mercy of the dreamwalkers. Jake stood up abruptly and shouted "Take cover, get out of here!" They did not hesitate and those who could jumped onto the first available ikrans. Others ran towards the forest. 

Strangely, the helicopters did not open fire. They seemed to be trying to get closer to the tree. Or to Lola. Neteyam understood and rushed to her side to protect her. The filaments were still illuminated, indicating that the transfer was not yet complete. "Dad, what do we do??" Leaning over his mate, the boy was ready to attack anyone who came after her. "Spider, take Kiri and Tuk away. Lo'ak, stay with Neteyam and Lola. Neytiri, we have to attack them from above." Everybody nodded understanding their role. Neteyam watched his parents run towards their ikrans, taking out their knives. They didn't have strong enough to win against those helicopters, they knew that. But they would do everything they could to save Lola.

Unfortunately, the soldiers in the helicopters had firearms. The Sullys couldn't do much about it. Jake and Neytiri tried to get close to the flying machines to do as much damage as possible, but the bullets began to fly, keeping them at bay. The first helicopter was now almost at Neteyam and Lo'ak's level, positioned in front of Lola's Na'vi body to protect her. A soldier was holding a cannon attached to the craft pointed at them. The boy could feel the end approaching. At least he would have protected Lola and she would have a good life with her new family.

The soldier fired. But it was not bullets that came out of the gun. It was a net, which came to wrap itself around the human body of the young woman. Its ends came together, sealing the trap on her. The helicopter began to retreat, gradually pulling Lola off the ground. Neteyam shouted in anger. They wanted to kidnap Lola. The boy followed by his brother jumped on the rope connecting the net to the ship. They tried to cut it with their knives but without success. Lola was being pulled further and further away from the ground, the filaments stretching more and more dangerously and beginning to detach from her body. "We have to do something!" Neteyam was now desperate to save her. He didn't know if the transfer was complete. If not, it was likely she was going to die. Lo'ak tried to climb the rope to untie it directly into the helicopter, but they started shooting at him too, forcing him to let go. "I can't reach it!" 

The last of the filaments gave way and Lola's human body was now dangling in the air, held in place by the net attached to the helicopter. Neteyam heard the soldiers shouting to retreat. Furious, he rushed after them, whistling his ikran. He heard his dad thanks to their communication device. "I'm going after them, take care of her avatar." The boy stopped immediately and turned towards the Lola still linked to Eywa. 

No light escaped from the filaments connected to it, which could mean one of two things: either the transfer was complete or the separation had ended abruptly. "Lola!" He crouched down beside her and took her face in his hands. "Lola, wake up." Nothing happened, the young woman did not open her eyes. Neteyam shook her slightly. "Please Lola, wake up." Neytiri arrived at her sons' side, pushing her eldest son to access the young woman's inert body. She examined it carefully. "Did it work?" Neteyam couldn't help but ask even if he knew his mother needed more time to tell for sure if the transfer had worked. "Mom, did it work?" A single tear rolled down his cheek. "I don't know son. We have to wait a bit. The link was broken abruptly, it could have given her a shock and put her in a coma or killed her."

"But is she breathing??"He had practically shouted his question. Neytiri leaned close to Lola's mouth, listening carefully. "I think so, yes. But that doesn't mean that she is out of danger." The boy huffed. It was a start, she had not been stuck with Eywa.

Jake came back ans hoped down from his ikran to join them. "I couldn't take her back. I don't have any weapons and they had guns. How does it look?" 

"She is breathing but very weakly." Jake crouched down and stroked the hair of Lola's avatar. "Let's take her home and pray that the transfer was complete."

Author's note
Do you think Lola will make it?? Don't forget to vote and comment :)