Balance between us (Tsu'tey)

Balance between us 3: into the jungle

In the morning, it was time for me to link up with my Avatar.

After getting some breakfast, I walked into the Link Room and sat in front of my unit while I waited. I looked through the adjoining chamber, the ambient room, and saw my Avatar laying on a gurney and being tended to by a med.

Norm was sliding into his link chair and already getting himself hooked up. It wasn't hard to tell that he'd done this before. Personally, I hadn't done any training and was a little nervous, but who cared?

Grace came. "Norm, have much Link time have you done?" she asked.

"About five hundred and twenty hours," he replied.

She looked at me and Jake. "How much time have you both done?"

"None, but I read a manual," We replied at the same time smirking slightly.

She stared at us in disbelief. "Tell me you're joking." I just smirked and followed one of the scientist to one of the link beds. She made me lay down and smile softly at me.

"Just let your mind go blank sweetheart and don't sit up." She instructed with her southern accent. Doing as she told me I let myself go.

The feeling of having my consciousness transferred to another body was exhilarating. I could feel myself moving, yet my body remained still. In my mind's eye I saw streams of light in a tunnel and then everything became a blur.

Suddenly, I felt like I was waking up from being under anesthesia. My vision was blurry until I blinked a few times and I saw more clearly. Slowly, I sat up and looked at my Avatar body. It was so amazing, yet terrifying at the same time. There was a tapping on the glass. I looked up to see Max gazing at me with concern.

"Jake!, you're not used to your Avatar body! This is dangerous..." looking to the side I noticed Jake was already on his feet smiling like a kid on Christmas.

Something brushed against my arm and caused a crash. I looked to see that it was my tail. Wait, my tail? Oh, holy crap! I laughed in spite of myself and then began walking towards the door after Jake though we both were a bit wobbly. I heard Max yelling at us as we moved passed the stunned scientist. "Jake! Suzaku, wait! We have to run some tests! You may not be feeling okay!"

Jake walked up to the glass and pressed his palm to it, smiling. "I feel great," He told him. I ignored everyone's protests to stop and I ran out the door after a wobbly Jake. The feeling of the sun on my face felt glorious. I looked around and saw the area was a compound for the Avatars.

Near me were two Avatars playing one-on-one basketball, while others were going on their daily activities. People called for me and Jake, but I ignored them as I ran after Jake, freedom finally in my grasp, I was no longer a tool or weapon. I was actually doing what I wanted without anyone stopping me. I felt so free. There was so much beauty to take in, the sights, the smells, everything.

"Hey, Marine, Kid!" a voice yelled.

I stopped moving and saw Avatar Grace coming towards me. She seemed so much younger and stronger like this. "Grace?" I said, half-surprised at the same time with Jake.

"Well, who'd you expect, numbnuts? " She said sarcastically while picking up something from a bush "Think fast!" She tossed me a Pandorian fruit, which I took and ate. I'd never tasted anything like it before. It was perfect.

"Ohhhh" Jake moaned in pleasure of the fruit. I nodded in agreement smiling as I continued eating it.

She nodded. "Motor control is looking good on you both."

"Thanks," I said, as I wiped my chin.

Grace was impressed enough to show us around the compound and then she took the both of us to a tropical-style hut. The other Avatars were shutting down and heading back to their human bodies. But I didn't want to go, not just yet. I fingered my soft black braid and was almost freaked out when the ends opened up and revealed wriggling pink-tentacle things. "This is so freaky," I murmured along with Jake who did the same as me. We glanced at each other, then started chuckling in amusement.