𝑀𝓎 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝐸𝓌𝓎𝒶

Chapter Two

Raya couldn't believe it.

Ionia abandoned her seven years ago and now she thinks she can just show up and play 'mother' to her and Zara?

She shook her head. "No."
"Raya-"
"No! She left us! She left me and Zara!" She was yelling now, and she was sure the entire village could hear what was happening.

"Raya you're mother wants to make things right." Ka'i knew his daughter was upset so he tried to remain as calm as possible.

"No! She didn't care about us when she left! Why does she care now?" Raya stood up and took a step closer to her father.

"Raya you don't know that!" Ka'i was yelling now. And it caught the attention of the Sully family in the tent beside them.

Jake and Neytiri walked into their tent, Neteyam joining them seconds later.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jake asked looking at Raya and Ka'i but neither of them answered.

"I know enough about Ionia to know doesn't deserve to come back!" Raya yelled in her fathers face.

"You don't know anything about your mother!" Ka'i yelled back at her.
"Yeah because she was never here!" Raya was crying now, but she wasn't gonna stop yelling.
"Your mother was a beautiful, smart, fragile, wonderful woman!"
"She deserted us!"
"She loved us!" There were only a few inches between the two as the continued arguing.

"That was love?" Raya scoffed at her father.
"Yes, it was!"
"Okay!" She yelled, "then why did she leave?"
"You don't know what your talking about!" He yelled as he put his hands on top of his head.

"If she loved us so much, then why wasn't she here?" She was trying to catch her breath, trying to stop the tears from falling.

"She tried! She always tried!" He yelled back as he too had tears forming in his eyes. "She wants nothing but the best for you both!"

"She wasn't here! She was never fucking here! She left us!" She paused looking around the tent, trying to compose herself.

"I was nine, NINE, and taking care of Zara! Taking care of us! And most of the time, We were alone! We were left with the Sully's! They treated us better than you or Ionia did and their not even our parents!" She put her hands over her eyes as she wiped her tears, trying to catch her breath.

"Raya, she deserves a second chance." He whispered to his daughter, trying to avoid having to yell.

"No. I trusted you, Dad. I trusted you. And I need you to be my dad right now, and you can't even do that." She said looking at her fathers teary eyes.

"I am, Daughter."
"No you're not." She was struggling to catch her breath now, "Jeez dad. Maybe if you had been there more."

He was at a loss of words, he knew she was right. But he loved Ionia and he just wanted to help make things right.

Neytiri, Jake, and Neteyam just stood there. Not knowing what to say.

Neteyam wanted to say something, but this wasn't his argument. So he just turned around and left. And headed back towards their tent, his mother and father following him back.

Raya walked around the tent grabbing her head, crying.

"Raya." Her father said going to grab her.
"No! Don't fucking touch me!" She yelled yanking her arm away.

Neteyam heard her yell that and ran back into their tent to make sure she was okay. He ran to Ka'i and pushed him away from Raya.

"Don't touch her!" He yelled at Ka'i who had fallen on the floor, putting his hands up.

Jake stormed in and grabbed Neteyam by his arm, "This is not our fight, you hear me boy?" He said as he took Neteyam back to their tent.

Raya just looked at her father who hadn't even tried to get up.
"I can't be here right now." She said turning around and calling for her Ikran.

She made the bond with Na'yi, her Ikran, and flew away.

Neteyam saw her leaving and he followed her.

"Raya!" He yelled down to her, "I'm coming with you!"

She just nodded and they just flew. They flew to the spirit tree.

They both got off their Ikran as they walked to the base of the tree. Raya just sat down. Not saying a word.

Neteyam came up behind her and place his hands on her shoulders, trying his best to comfort her.

"Why?" She asked, "why after seven years does she just wanna show up." She looked up at the tree.

"I wish I knew, Raya." He said as he started to massage her shoulders which he could feel were very tense.

They've known eachother for what felt like their whole lives. He'd never met Ionia, but from what Raya had told him she wasn't always the best mother.

"I just don't get it." She stood up and paced back and forth, snapping her fingers like she does she she gets very upset.

Neteyam walked closer to her and gently grabbed her shoulder, turning her to face him.

"Ri, I know you love your father. But even if you don't want to see her, don't let that stop him from seeing her. Don't take away the chance for Zara to meet her." His voice was calm, and gentle.

She shook her head. "I just wish she never left, it was all my fault, Tey." She was crying again. She hated crying, especially in front of Neteyam. But she didn't care anymore.

"Raya. It wasn't your fault. You are not responsible for your mothers actions." He gently lifted her chin up so she was looking at him. "You don't have to let her back into your life that easy, but we both know you can't keep her out forever."

He was right. And she knew it. No matter how hard she tried, Ionia was still their mother.

"I have an idea." Neteyam smiled, "why don't me, you, Lo'ak, Kiri, and Spider all head back down to the forest tomorrow?"

"Really?"
"Yeah really. We can go to that little lake you like, with the glow in the dark rocks." He knew she loved the bioluminescent lake. It was her favorite place to be, especially after eclipse.

She nodded, "Yeah. I'd like that."
"We'll go a little before eclipse so we can watch it light up." He said smiling.

He wanted nothing more than to see her happy. And he was gonna do everything he could to make sure that happened.

Even if it meant staying out until after eclipse and getting in trouble, but to him it was worth it.

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