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galaxyquakeflakes · 1 month

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A Daughter for a Daughter (3)

*Thank you to the people leaving likes and even reblogs! Glad you like it so far!*

Pairing: Neteyam x fem|human OC

Summary: A year after the Sky People return and life on Pandora can never be the same.

Word Count: 3375

Links: (Previous) (Next)

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*One Year Later*

Ever since the Sky People had returned things on Pandora had only gotten worse. It was not just about mining anymore. It was a full scale invasion to terraform the planet for human colonization since Earth was dying. They were making too much progress too fast. Jake had started a guerilla campaign against them to slow down their progress and hopefully one day drive them off. But it was slow going and none of it easy.

The clan had moved into the flying mountains for safety. Na’vi and humans alike were all crowded together. It was good for Pixie since she didn’t have to go far to see her friends but she hated the circumstances.

There was a shipment heading out on a train the Sky People built that the war party were heading out to stop and raid. Lo’ak and Neteyam were being allowed to go this time as spotters. It was the safest job for them but it did not mean that they weren’t going to be in danger.

Lo’ak was painting himself with war paint like the others. Pixie was sitting with Neteyam helping to sharpen his arrows and knife. She didn’t know how much he really needed her for that but it calmed her down to have this time with him before he left. To say she was always scared for everyone when they went on these missions was an understatement. There was never any telling who would make it back or not.

“You sure you don’t want some war paint too?” she gestured to the little bowls of paint near them. “It’ll make you look fierce.”

“Not a chance. The last time I let you put war paint on me you gave me whiskers.” he flicked a little green paint at her.

“Excuse you, those were battle stripes. I don’t know what you’re going on about. I don’t even know what whiskers are.” she smiled, flicking some yellow paint back at him.

“Sure you do, they’re those little hairs on your upper lip.”

“You shit head!” she slapped him. “I’m gonna go hang out with Kiri and Tuk since you’re being mean.”

“No no, stay please.” he laughed. “I’m sorry. Just tried to ease the tension.”

“It never gets easier, does it?” Pixie sighed, looking around at everyone else gearing up. “I wish there was more I could do to help.”

“You’re great help here with the wounded. This is where we need you most.” Neteyam assured her. “Who else is going to kiss my boo-boos when I get back?”

“Stop referring to injuries as boo-boos. Besides, I can’t kiss them anyway, mask is in the way.”

“Excuses excuses.” Neteyam tucked his arrows into his quiver. Pixie handed him his dagger. She folded her knees up to her chest.

“Are you really that worried about the raid?” Neteyam asked.

“I’m worried about you and Lo’ak going into the raid.”

“We’re spotters. We’re gonna be fine.”

“You don’t know that. If you try to do some big hero thing or if Lo’ak gets cocky and does something stupid--”

“I’ll keep an eye on that idiot so he doesn’t do anything stupid and I am not going to attempt any big hero moves if I don’t have to. We’ll be back before you know it.” he squeezed her shoulder. “Wish me luck?”

“Good luck out there. Come back in one piece, golden boy.”

“Will do, bite sized.” he got up and joined everyone as they grouped up to leave. Jake gave a quick speech about what they were going to do and what he expected of everyone. Get in. Get the stuff. Get out. No heroics. No stupid moves.

With that they were gone and the wait for their return started. Pixie settled down with Kiri and Tuk who were already preparing medicines and bandages for the wounded when they returned.

Pixie had been right about Tuk. In a year she had already grown taller than Pixie. Granted she only measured one inch taller but it still sucked a bit that the seven year old was taller than the sixteen year old.

“Need me to do anything?” Pixie asked.

“I think we got it.” Kiri said, hands on her hips. “Pixie, your hair is a mess. Did you even try brushing it before you twisted it into that sorry excuse of a braid?”

“Everyone gets on my hair. Do I just need to cut it?” Pixie had been considering just chopping it all off.

“No! Don’t cut off your hair!” Tuk came running over. “Then we won’t have matching braids anymore!”

Pixie didn’t have the heart to say they were hardly matching in the first place. Tuk’s was jet black and had a queue at the end. Pixie’s was blonde and there was nothing at the end of hers except for split ends. Still, she couldn’t tell that cute little face no.

“Alright. Okay. Care to fix it for me so it’s pretty like yours, Tuk?” Pixie sat down.

Tuk jumped up and down and went to grab a comb. Kiri was watching her with amusement. “You know she’s gonna try and braid in a bunch of feathers and vine bits and it is going to take her an eternity.”

“I know but I can’t tell that face no. It’s unjust.”

“It’ll keep her busy while the war party is away at least.” Kiri sat down across from her. “You doing okay? Saw you talking with Neteyam earlier. Things seemed a little tense.”

“Just the normal amount of worry when two of your closest friends go out on a potentially deadly mission.” Pixie rubbed her face. “I am so scared that those two idiots are gonna get themselves killed.”

“Hopefully they’re not that stupid.” Kiri said.

“I’m back!” Tuk called. She had a comb and a basket full of various other odds and ends. “You’re gonna love your hair after it’s done, Pixie!”

“I am sure I will.” Pixie made eye contact with Kiri and the girls stifled their laughter.

An hour or so later Tuk had detangled Pixie’s hair and rebraided it with feathers, bits of vine, some flowers, and even a few pieces of bone here and there. She tied off the end with a bow and flipped it over Pixie’s shoulder to see. “Do you like it?”

“I love it, thank you Tuk.” Pixie said. Tuk ran off with a gleeful smile to go cause chaos somewhere else.

“Kiri, be straight with me, how does it actually look?”

“Not that bad, actually. A little too much going on but if you got rid of the feathers that would help even it out a lot.” she inspected the braid. “Awe, she even put little braids inside the big one.”

Tuk came running back shouting. “Kiri! Pixie! They’re back! The war party is coming back! Come on!”

Kiri and Pixie raced after her to the drop off point. They were immediately loading off supplies and the wounded. Pixie, Kiri and Tuk pushed through till they found Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak and-- “Neteyam!” Pixie shouted when she saw him bleeding and hunched over.

Neteyam looked up and held up a hand to stop her from coming closer. His eyes looked back at Jake who looked livid. Oh for the love everything good and holy, what had those idiots done?

“You’re supposed to be spotters.” Jake said, eyeing his two sons with barely contained rage. “You spot bogeys and you call them in from a distance! Does any of this sound familiar? Get here!” he snapped at Lo’ak who had been hanging back a bit.

Pixie moved slowly towards the ikran and started untying the saddles while Jake continued to chew out the boys. “Jesus, I let you two geniuses fly a mission and you disobey direct orders!”

He took a deep breath, turning to Kiri who was inspecting Neteyam’s wounds. “Kiri, can you go help your grandmother with the wounded?”

“My brother is wounded.” Kiri defended.

“Tuk, go with her. Go!” Jake tried to dismiss them again.

“Father,” Neteyam spoke up. Pixie paused to try and get a better look at him. He was pretty banged up but it wasn’t anything much worse than what he got hunting. “I take full responsibility--”

“Yeah you do. That’s right. Cause you’re the older brother, you gotta act like it!”

Pixie turned back around and slid the saddle off Lo’ak’s ikran. When she looked back Neteyam was walking off towards the rest of the wounded. Pixie wanted to follow but she had already made herself busy getting the saddles off so she could eavesdrop and she couldn’t switch tasks now.

Jake’s voice had dropped to not shouting but the anger and disappointment was still there as he addressed Lo’ak. “You understand that you almost got your brother killed?”

“Yes, sir.” was Lo’ak’s paltry reply.

“You’re grounded. No flying for a month.” Oof. Rough but warranted. “Now help Pixie see to the ikran. All of them. And get that crap off your face.”

Jake left and Lo’ak meandered over towards Pixie as he helped take the saddles off of the other ikran. “Lo’ak?” Pixie sidled up next to him. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” he shrugged.

Pixie hugged him. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

He hugged her back for a moment. “Thanks, Pixie.”

She looked back to make sure Jake was out of earshot. “So…you gonna tell me your first war story?”

Lo’ak smiled briefly. “I felt like such a big man for about ten seconds and then it all went to shit.”

“Well, tell me about the ten seconds.” she told him. He lightened up a bit as they went from ikran to ikran removing saddles and he related the raid. Apparently he had gone down to grab supplies with the others and Neteyam went running after him to stop him. A ship came around the bend and started firing. It crashed and Neteyam got caught in the crosshairs. It was only by the grace of Eywa that he came out of it alive.

“Then we will thank Eywa that you were both returned safely despite your dumb decision.” Pixie slid off the final saddle. “Also, give your dad some time to cool down. I can tell you that a lot of his anger right now is just worry.”

“Worry?” Lo’ak scoffed.

“Lo’ak.” Pixie stopped him. “You could have died out there. That ship could have crashed right on top of you and you’d be with Eywa right now. It’s terrifying to contemplate. Not just for me, your friend, but even more so for your family. We could have lost you. We could have lost both of you. Don’t take that lightly.”

“I’m sorry, Pixie.” Lo’ak sniffed. “I just…I wanted to prove that I could help out more.”

“You help out by doing your part. You do your best and that’s the best that anyone can do. Reflect on this as a learning experience but don’t beat yourself up too badly about it.”

“You know, if things with you and Neteyam don’t work out--”

“Gross! Shut up! Get moving, moron.” she shoved him. Lo’ak cackled and Pixie threw a rag at him to wipe the paint off his face. She charged ahead so he couldn’t see how bright red her cheeks had gotten.

Why did he insist on making jokes about her and Neteyam being a thing? They were in a time of war. There was no time to be worrying about stuff like that. Not that anything would be going on anyway. She got enough interspecies romance jokes from her brother. She didn’t need to hear more from Lo’ak.

They probably wouldn’t make so many jokes if there was any human her age around. But no. The closest was Ian but he was for one, her brother (step-brother or not it was still gross), and two, eight years older than her.

It was dark by the time they got back to their tent where Mo’at and Kiri were helping patch up Neteyam still. He wasn’t a critical case so they must have left more in depth care for later. Jake was standing outside. Lo’ak quickly moved past them into the tent.

Pixie paused. “Uncle Jake?” she stepped closer. “You got a second?”

“Sure, sweet pea.” he gruffed, setting the gun he was looking over aside. “Whatcha need?”

“I talked to Lo’ak. Told him that what he did earlier was stupid and he understands that.” she said. “I also told him that the reason you were so mad was because you were worried about them getting hurt. I don’t know how much he believes that coming from me but I know it’s the truth. So maybe take a second to, y’know, tell him that yourself?”

Jake sighed and wrapped an arm around Pixie. “You’re a good kid, Pixie. Perceptive to a fault. You don’t need to worry about that though.”

“I just know that things were kind of intense earlier so…”

“You got a good heart.” Jake gave her a little squeeze, “I’ll talk to them. Promise.”

“Thanks Uncle Jake.” Pixie smiled.

“Ahem,” Neytiri walked over. “I need to have a word alone with Jake.”

“Sure thing, Aunt Neytiri.” Pixie stood up and went to join the others.

“Ow! Ow!” Neteyam winced as Mo’at rubbed some salve into his wound. Kiri and Mo’at were arguing about what was better to use on the cut.

“Aw, need a little kiss on the boo-boo?” Lo’ak teased.

“Shut it!” Neteyam snapped at him.

“Bet he’d act like a big man if there was a pretty girl around.” Kiri teased.

“Pixie! Get in here so Neteyam stops acting like a big baby.” Lo’ak pulled her into the tent.

“You are such an ass.” Pixie slapped his arm. “Neteyam is injured, he’s allowed to behave like a whiny little baby.”

“Whose side are you on?” Neteyam stared at her. “Ow!” he winced again. “Grandma!”

“Stop whining.” she turned his head back around.

“Hey big man,” Pixie squatted down next to him. “How you doing?”

“Besides the feeling that acid is being poured into my back? Never better!” he tried to smile through a grimace. He was still cracking jokes. That was a good sign.

“Glad you made it back in one piece, golden boy.” Pixie stood up. “I’m gonna go see if my parents need anything. You can find me later when you’re all fixed up.”

“You going to the labs?” Kiri asked, “Can I join?”

“Sure.”

“I’m coming too.” Lo’ak said.

“Oh sure, abandon me.” Neteyam called as they started to leave. “Ow! Grandmother!”

“Stop fussing!” Mo’at snapped at him.

Kiri, Lo’ak, and Pixie left the tent and wove through the camp towards the labs. Norm and the other avatars were coming out of stasis as they entered. Pixie removed her mask, happy to freely breathe some air that won’t kill her.

“I didn’t say anything earlier but what in the world is going on with your hair?” Lo’ak picked a feather out of Pixie’s braid. “Looks like you braided an entire bird in there. You even got its bones--”

“I let Tuk do it.” she swatted his hand away. “Say another word about my hair and your ass goes down to the ground.”

“Ooh, I’m so scared.”

Pixie waited till he turned to grab a mask and yanked his tail. “Hey!” he turned around to try and whack her. She easily dodged out from underneath him and rolled between his legs. She yoinked his tail again and sped off. “Pixie!”

“Can’t catch me loser!” Pixie said as she slid around equipment and took sharp turns around the lab to avoid Lo’ak catching up.

“Will you two stop before you break something!” Kiri raced after them.

Pixie had been waiting behind one of the tanks to surprise Lo’ak and tackle him when her mom came around the corner and saw her. “Millie, what are you doing?”

“Not now. Go! Shoo!” Pixie tried to shush her but it was too late. Lo’ak jumped on top of the tank she was hiding behind.

“Yeah, Millie, what are you doing?” Lo’ak teased.

“You know damn well you don’t get to call me that!” Pixie tried to swipe at him but he jumped out of her reach.

“Hey!” Pixie’s mom snapped at them. “I believe Kiri already told you, stop messing around before you break something.”

“Yes ma’am.” Lo’ak said.

“Sorry mom.”

Her mom’s eyes narrowed. “What is all that in your hair?”

Lo’ak stifled a laugh. “For the love of--” Pixie started taking out the feathers. “I was just trying to make a little kid happy!”

Pixie freed the multiple bits of feather, vine, and flowers from her hair. She kept the bits of bone in since they were pretty wound in and she couldn’t get rid of them without completely undoing the braid. When she got back Kiri had stationed herself in front of one of the computers and was watching one of Dr. Augustine’s video logs. Pixie knew that she had already watched them all. But it was the closest thing she could get to talking to her biological mother without using the Tree of Souls.

Pixie settled into the chair next to her to watch. She had also seen all of Dr. Augustine’s logs but she liked to rewatch them sometimes, hoping to pick up a tidbit of information that she missed. Maybe find a link in her work that opened some big revelation about Pandora that they were missing.

“So…” Lo’ak came up behind them, “Who do you think knocked her up? Pretty sure it was Norm.”

“Lo’ak!” Kiri and Pixie groaned at the same time.

“No no! Think about it!”

“You do not deserve to live!” Kiri rounded on him with an insulted fury.

“I mean,” Pixie shrugged, “Kind of makes sense.”

“Pixie!” Kiri turned back to her.

“It does though! I mean look at the facts.” Lo’ak gestured to the screen, “He’s the teacher’s pet. He’s out at the lab with her all the time--”

“I would kill myself! I would drink acid.”

“Come on, look he is like in every single shot! Right now, he’s like giving her a look!” Pixie couldn’t help but laugh.

“You two are terrible!”

“You see, my thinking is,” Lo’ak started to explain, “their two avatars are together out in the woods all alone…”

“Gross!” Kiri shoved him.

“Norm is not the worst possible baby daddy you could have had.” Pixie shrugged. “You could have got stuck with a human equivalent of sandpaper with a history of attempted genocide like me.”

“Yeah, I think Pixie wins worst dad of the year.” Lo’ak nodded.

Kiri deflated some, guilt washing over her. “Pixie, I didn’t--”

“No. Don’t apologize. If I can't make jokes about it then it's just sad.” Pixie put on a brave face but there was a part of her that always got a bit cagey when it came to talking about her birth parents.

She had no real qualms with her bio-mom. She’s wasn’t a good person either but she was just a cog in a terrible machine. It was her dad that was the operator. Pixie had grown up not shielded from the atrocities her bio-parents committed. She knew what they did and how badly it hurt the people and the land. She was relieved they were dead and that she got to be raised by good people who respected the planet and the people who lived on it.

Still, it didn’t lessen the thought that maybe the reason she could never be close to the Na’vi like she wanted wasn’t because she was human. It was because when they looked in her face, her father was staring back out at them.

Pixie knew it was the reason Neytiri kept her distance from her. Pixie liked Neytiri. Called her aunt. Neytiri didn’t hate her but they were not exactly friends either. She didn’t blame Neytiri or the others for having mixed feelings about Pixie. It was a lot to ask them to forgive all the trauma they endured in a time of foreign colonization. All she could hope for at this point was that one day they could look at her and see just Pixie. Not Mildred Quaritch.

#atwow #avatar #avatar way of water #fanfic #neteyam #neteyam sully #neteyam x human girl #neteyam x oc #way of water rewrite

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