A New Mission: Happiness is Simple

Human

The Kwarìtses were winding down and eating dinner inside their home, the sound of the nighttime rain droplets hitting the dirt ground outside. The gemmed doorway curtain was open so they could feel the cool breeze and hear the storm. They were seated on cushions around their indoor fire pit, a small raised circle of bricks that they could cook over inside, and with great ease as Miles had an outside-connecting ceiling vent installed a few years ago using RDA excavation tech. A simple, battery-powered wall switch connected via a wire would turn on its fan which would draw the smoke up and out.

Miles loved living like a Na'vi and Zu did too obviously, but their post-War fusion of Na'vi and human technology made things much easier and comfortable. Miles was happy that the Ash People were embracing of such technology—one of the many fundamental differences between them and other Na'vi. And a cause for great conflict. But there were generational differences of course. Ka'uwe could take it or leave it. She lived her whole life knowing how to cook inside without such a vent if she needed to; what fuel and food would smoke the least, leaving the doorway open, etc. And in general, why cook inside? Outside was sufficient. If it rained, there was food that didn't need fire to eat... Oh well.

These combined bloods and their odd customs, she thought.

Sky People were strange beings and their strangeness did emerge in her son-in-law and even her grandchildren from time to time. Weird facial expressions they made. How they walked and carried themselves. Their scents. The way they would sometimes share words that did not capture reality.

As they ate, Miles kept making glances down the hallway, hoping that Lex would emerge and join them. But Zu had taken her a plate of food earlier. Miles loved his mate with every fiber of his being, but he disliked how she had been enabling Lex... If he had it his way either she ate with the family or she didn't eat at all; but he wasn't about to call Zu out on her decisions and risk receiving a big-fanged snarl or worse. Zu had her reasons for supporting her daughter through this family conflict.

Miles turned his attention to other matters. "You excited for your match tomorrow, son?"

Zem just nodded. "I will beat him, Dad."

Miles reached out and gripped his son's shoulder. "I know you will."

Zem and Zu then glanced at each other and she gave her son a gentle smile, her orange eyes radiating love for her strong boy.

Ka'uwe then said with firmness, "Do not forget, My-ulls, that your son's match is not the tournament. It is just friendly spirit... riiigghht?"

Miles gave his mother-in-law and co-leader a side eye, but then expressed a few quick nods of forced agreement. "I know, I know. And Kuzo and I are friends, Ma. He's got a great boy."

Zu chimed in with a cheeky, almost mocking tone, "Oh, you think he is a great boy, My-ulls?"

Miles just pulled his lips in. Ka'uwe tilted her head a bit, looking at her daughter for clarification.

Zu grinned at her mother. "Kuzo wants Ke'zam to meet Aleksìs, Mother," she quietly remarked with a tone that Ka'uwe understood.

Ka'uwe slowly leaned her head back, narrowed her eyes, and pulled the corners of her lip back. "Ah. Of course he does..." She paused. "But he is strong. Handsome. Seems to have a nice way about him... nicer than his father."

Miles, unwilling to discuss the subject further then interjected, "Alright... let's... can we just eat, please?" and he took a big crunch of a crisped pan-fried tuber from his plate.

Zem was looking down at his food and smiled imperceptibly, rolling his lips in. Lex was gonna looove this, he thought. Zu and Ka'uwe gave humored smiles too, both much more obviously. The family quietly continued to eat, and Ka'uwe was preparing a little dessert for the four— delicious, ripe slices of a pitaya-like fruit that had a seed-filled, gritty blue flesh and drizzled with a tree-derived syrup that tasted like honey.