AC: Firefly Chapter 16

Rating: Mature
Languages: English, Na'vi
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
2nd Genre: Romance
Character A: Harry J. Potter
Character B: Tsu'tey
Summary: When they went to sleep, they hoped of a better future. But with Gaia insane and Magic as dead as his friends, Harry has no reason to stay. Escape and exist was all he had in mind when he stowed away on a ship to Pandora. Not another war. Slash.

WARNING: Slash, Character Death, AU, OCs, Dark Themes.

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Unrest was growing within the Omaticaya. The Warriors dedicated to watching the Sky People had reported the strange creatures they controlled going on the move, heading in the direction of Hometree. Harry was so glad he had advised Eytukan to keep an eye on the Sky People even if he did not wish to have anything to do with them. The question Harry now had was, why?

The machinery was quite clearly for clearing away trees and undergrowth, but that was the stuff in the lead, diggers and other excavation machinery were bringing up the rear along with quite a number of muggle Soldiers in metal power suits like out of those Japanese cartoons Dudley used to like so much. Only without the panties and breasts. This wasn't an attack on the Omaticaya it was something else. Harry just didn't know what. And it brought him to another thought. Why where the muggles even ON this planet? The little girl he met briefly in the hospital said it was to bring back 'miracles', medicine and other advances in science obviously, but why the digging stuff? They couldn't be digging for crude oil, after Earth's supply ran dry they changed pretty much everything to run off alternative power-sources. It would cost too much to switch back to a power supply that would just run dry again. None of the Omaticaya knew and while Harry had a feeling Neytiri may know, she wasn't there. She had gone off on a hunting trip for Yerik and Tsu'tey, the next most likely person to have an idea, was prepping the Warriors to go out and investigate the advancing Sky People.

Harry wasn't sure how to feel about all this as he stripped himself free of his clothing and clenched his knife between his teeth at the edge of the river. All he knew was that things were about to change in a big way, all thanks to that one muggle in the wheelchair who may, or may not, be a Dream Walker.

He sighed through his nose as he dove into the water, slipping through carnivorous weeds with the ease that his smaller frame allowed him. None of the Na'vi swam in this area due to the plant life, Harry was faster than they were when swimming and smaller, capable of twisting away. There had been something shiny in the water the last time Harry had passed by, probably more of Mother's Bone which was why he was diving. They were going to need as many weapons as possible for the future.

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Tsu'tey seethed and grit his teeth as he led Neytiri and the Dream Walker back to Hometree, Hari's words echoing in his head. The injured Warrior in a False Body, signs from Eywa, the Sky People moving and acting strangely. He did not like this. He made his displeasure known as he roughly dismounted from his Pali and stalked into the Commons with his tail lashing angrily behind him.

"Ma, Eytukan," he called, catching his Olo'eyktan's attention. "Neytiri returns to us, she brings a Dream Walker." Eytukan's golden eyes widened in disbelief and a little anger. His youngest daughter perhaps had all of his worst traits and her mother's best, a bad combination in his opinion. "Where is Hari?" Tsu'tey asked in an undertone. Their Brother had enough difficulties with Teacher Grace whom was known to them as non-violent, non-combative, Tsu'tey did not wish to see how he would react to the presence of a Warrior. It would awaken memories best left untouched.

"I'm here," the Magi stated, appearing at Tsu'tey's elbow, his arms wrapped in bandages and poultices.

Tsu'tey frowned and caught his wrist, pulling his arm out for inspection, "What happened?" he demanded, running his fingers gently down the overly warm bandages.

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes, most of the Omaticaya treated him like glass due to his size and lack of physical strength but Tsu'tey of all people knew that he was quite capable of defending himself. After all, apart from Eytukan and N'deh, Harry was now one of the only people in the Clan who could put the Olo'eyktan in Training on his ass during practice. "Remember the section of river full of Ionataya weed? I saw something shiny, thought I'd check it out. Turns out it was a nursery for Swizavtzep," he explained as he frowned and looked over to the crowding Omaticaya and the calls the Warriors were making. That wasn't the 'successful hunt' call, it was a distinctly more warning one. "What's going on?" Harry asked before blanching as Neytiri pushed her way through the crowding Clan with a muggle in tow.

Tsu'tey bared his teeth at the Dream Walker as Hari paled and tensed.

"Release him. Release him," the girl ordered the Warriors, who glanced at Tsu'tey for guidance. He wrinkled his nose as he gently pushed Harry behind him but nodded all the same. A second later, the Warriors had stepped back, forming a protective line between the Demon and The People. "Father, I See you," Neytiri greeted, touching her forehead with her knuckles as her father gave her a look of tempered disapproval.

From the corner of Harry's eye, he could see Ninat rushing into the upper-reaches to collect Mo'at from where she was teaching Songs to the Young Ones.

Eytukan stepped away from Tsu'tey and Harry, making sure to position himself closer to the Demon than his daughter or the Magi he had come to view as a son in the past few years. He gave the Demon a small quirk of the lips to see how he would react. He smiled back and nodded his head. Well, he was non-hostile at least. "This creature," he began, circling back to his daughter now that he knew the Demon would not be attacking. Neytiri was clearly comfortable having him behind her, Hari was having difficulties with just being in front of him. "Why did you bring him here?" he asked, eyes flicking around as he threw his voice so the whole Clan could hear.

Neytiri stepped forward, hand on her chest as she explained herself, "I was going to kill him, but there was a sign from Eywa," she told him.

"I have said: 'no Dream Walker will come here'," he reminded her sternly. He had said this many times, every time one of the children asked when Teacher Grace would be back. This was for their safety. In all honesty he had expected better of his daughter, she cared greatly for Hari and yet she brings one of the subjects of his night-terrors here into the heart of their Home.

"What's he saying?" the muggle asked in a whisper.

Eytukan's lip curled unhappily, "His alien smell fills my nose," he sneered with a grimace.

"What's he saying?" the muggle repeated, an edge of demand in his tone. One that Neytiri could not ignore.

"My father is deciding whether or not to kill you," she told him harshly.

He glanced between the two, wetting his lips, "Your father..." He stepped forward, hand outstretched, "Its nice to meet you, sir," he began even as almost every Warrior that surrounded him lunged forward with weapons flashing.

Tsu'tey moved with a snarl even as Neytiri shoved the muggle backwards with a bark of "No!"

"Release this creature!" Mo'at's voice rang out, causing all activity to cease as she stalked down from the upper-reaches. "Step back!" she commanded, "I will look at this alien."

Tsu'tey growled under his breath but stepped away none the less, tail flicking minutely as he felt Hari against his back, peering out from behind him, fingers knotted into his armbands. The two watched as the Tsahik stepped forward in a wary form, circling the Dream Walker with careful eyes, checking the texture of his Tswin braid, the strength of his tail before looking him in the eye. All the while, Neytiri explained in English just who the woman was and her role within the Clan.

"Who's Eywa?" the Warrior asked making Harry's eyes widen. Surely Grace wouldn't have sent someone to them without telling them even the slightest thing about their culture?

"What are you called?" Mo'at asked, being better versed in the ways of the Sky People than her mate due to the time she spent speaking with Teacher Grace and the children who learned from her.

"Jake Sully," he said, looking a little nervous as he glanced from Eytukan back to the woman in the red and yellow beads that he was allowing to take over without question.

Mo'at's tail flicked a moment before she removed her bone-knife and pricked him in the chest, testing the flavour of his blood. The taste was... different to Teacher Grace, stronger. "Why did you come to us?" she demanded, eyeing the powerfully built male in front of her.

"I came to learn," he admitted softly, as if he were unsure of the answer.

Mo'at hummed a little in the back of her throat as she slid her knife away. "We have tried to teach other Sky People. It is hard to fill a cup which is already full," she told him sagely. Attempting to show Teacher Grace their ways had been difficult, she wished to know how and why things happened instead of just accepting that it was just the way they were and would continue to be.

"My cup is empty," he smiled a little as if sharing a joke as he glanced uncertainly to Neytiri. "True me, just ask Doctor Augustine, I'm no scientist."

"What are you then?" Mo'at asked, unmoved.

Jake shifted a little, uncertain, "I was a marine, a Warrior of the uh, Jarhead Clan," he explained and Harry bit his lip at the expression that quirked his face a split second later as if asking himself 'did that really just come out of my mouth?'.

Tsu'tey sneered, "A warrior? I could kill him easily!" he exclaimed to the rousing cries of approval from the surrounding Omaticaya Warriors. Harry's grip on the Warrior tightened as anxiousness set his stomach fizzling, as good as Tsu'tey was, he didn't think he would be able to handle a Marine. Especially one as good as this Jake Sully seemed to be. They wouldn't send just anyone out into the jungle and expect them to reach Hometree, the False Bodies had to cost a pretty penny so this guy had to be good otherwise they wouldn't take the risk of losing it.

"No!" Eytukan commanded, silencing the cheers. He then did something unexpected, "Hari, what do you know of this Jarhead Clan?" he asked, looking directly at the tiny form attempting to hide behind his daughter's intended. The Navi was quite honestly surprised the Magi was still present, perhaps it was a sign of his recovery or his trust in the Omaticaya present, either way, Eytukan was glad.

Jake found himself staring.

With the situation being what it was, he had been too high-strung to notice the small form trying to hide itself behind the Warrior who seemed to be in charge. It, he looked almost human. Standing almost level with the Warrior's shoulder he was several feet taller than a human should have been with the large almond shaped eyes that the Na'vi had but an almost alarming shade of vivid green, smoky blue-grey markings striped his body. His dark chocolate black hair hung down past his shoulders in wild strands, he didn't possess the long freaky braid that the other Na'vi had so Jake had to assume that he was actually human. The four fingers and thumb, plus five toes were a big clue as well. Tiny pin-points of white light patterned his body as he slowly shifted into view. He was dressed differently to the Na'vi as well, armguards that looked to be made of some kind of over-lapping plates, a kind of sarong and loin-cloth. He was injured as well judging by the leaf patches on his forearms and legs. He went barefoot like the rest of the Na'vi.

"The Jarhead Clan," he said, taking Jake a little by surprise by how easily he spoke the words and by the way he looked at him with such a knowing gaze. "Have many different branches in different disciplines. But there is one thing they have in common, they take only the best Warriors. It is not a Clan you are born into, you are chosen to join based on how well you fight and kill. Some fight in the water, some in the air, some on the ground in the wild, others in villages like the Cold Place where the Sky People live, only more and bigger. This one, Jake Sully, if he has been sent here then he is good. One of the best otherwise they would not have chanced the False Body being destroyed." There was a pause, "A better example of their ability would probably be this: The Jarhead Clan killed the majority of my people in only three years."

Angry cries and howls went up amidst the Omaticaya, Tsu'tey hissing as he roughly pulled Hari back behind him, Neytiri leaning back with wide eyes as she chirped in distress.

"QUIET!" Eytukan roared, the Clan falling silent almost immediately. Jake's eyes were wide, his ears folded back as he licked his lips and shifted uncomfortably, clearly actually quite concerned to be surrounded by so many hostile gazes. "This is the first Warrior Dream Walker we have seen. We need to learn more about him and the Warrior ways of the Sky People so that we may face them better in the future," he explained loudly to his Clan, they looked unhappy but the Warriors were nodding and exchanging sad looks as they remembered the failed attack of Sylwanin.

"My daughter," Mo'at spoke, approaching her little girl who turned to her with large golden eyes, still stunned at what she had just learned. "You will teach him out ways... to speak and walk as we do," she told her as the girl hissed and bit her lower lip.

"Why me?" she murmured, "That is not fair," she told her mother who lifted a hand, stemming her protests.

"It is decided."

"Damnit!"

"My daughter will teach you our ways, learn well, Jakesully. Then we shall see if your insanity can be cured," she told the muggle who nodded hesitantly, looking as though he were now regretting what he had just gotten himself into.

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"Well, that was interesting," Harry muttered as he handed off a leaf of food to Mo'at.

"You were shaking like a newborn Yerik in the cold season," Tsu'tey told him flatly, picking at his food as he glowered up at the Magi. Harry had to agree but that didn't mean he would do it out loud, instead, he stuck his tongue out at the Warrior who snorted and pulled him down by the back of his clothing, prompting a mixed squeak of surprise and discomfort from the smaller male. The Warrior sighed as he began to pick at his food again, "I still say we should kill him rather than take the risk," he muttered.

Harry sighed, "He has yet to do anything wrong, Tsu'tey. I'm not going to kill him simply because of what he is. That would make us just as bad as the Sky People," he pointed out quietly as he listlessly began to peel his fruit.

"I can request Neytiri teach him outside of Hometree if his presence disturbs you so much," Eytukan offered. He was still very disappointed in Neytiri for not considering the feelings of everyone in the Clan before bringing such a disruptive influence into their home.

Harry shook his head, "No, I'll be fine. I'm going to need to get over this silly fear of mine if I'm ever going to completely recover."

And in that moment, the singing stopped and everyone looked up to see Neytiri leading the newest member of the clan into their midst. The silence was incredibly awkward, awkward enough for the muggle to try and lighten the atmosphere with a joke that flew as well as a lead balloon given how no one actually understood English and the custom of standing up when someone entered the room at meal times was one the Na'vi had never even heard of. Harry shifted uncomfortably and proceeded to hand Neytiri his uneaten food when she went to go and collect some.

"Not hungry," he said as he swiftly left the hall, stomach churning.

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In all, Jake's presence was not overly felt in the following days. The children pointed and stared before being ushered off to where they were supposed to be, snide comments were muttered over food and weapons and the loom, but all in all, he and Neytiri kept themselves to themselves as she taught and he learned. Slowly though. Her frustration was quite visible to those who knew her, apparently Jake was a slow learner, clearly more suited to physical pursuits than mental ones like learning their language.

It was a little alarming for Harry to climb out of the river, flicking globes of mud from his forearms as he carried a basket of Mother's Bone and see both Neytiri and Jake watching him from the shore. He flushed very horribly and very visibly when he realised just where Jake's eyes were, and it was definitely lower than his belly-button. Dear god if he said anything about his junk then Harry was not going to be held accountable for his actions!

"Do you mind?" Harry snapped, severely uncomfortable as he hustled toward his clothing and belongings, setting the basket down to reclothe himself.

"Nope," the Marine told him, sounding entirely too cheerful for Harry's comfort.

"Well I do, eyes up and off the goods. Geez, I thought the Marines had that whole 'don't ask don't tell' thing," he muttered, forgetting that while Jake was a muggle, he was currently in a Navi's body and thus quite capable of overhearing him.

"Don't ask, don't tell? They abolished that back in 2068," he pointed out, sounding confused. "And I'm not like that!" he added, sounding a little more indignant as he glanced worriedly at Neytiri. Harry just rolled his eyes and made sure everything important was out of sight before gathering up his basket again. Jake however, found his eyes drawn to the shiny metal nubs inside, was that... His eyes widened in surprise to see such a precious metal being fished out of a goddamn river! He knew this area was rich in Unobtainium but he didn't think it was quite so abundant.

"Hari," Neytiri began, looking uncertain.

He shook his head, shooting her a smile, "Don't worry about it Neytiri, I understand. If you need help explaining something in a language this moron can understand, just ask," he told her and he was both amused and concerned to see the pole-axed expression on Jake's face when he saw the bright smile that lit up the young Navi's face. This had the potential to be very bad if it went in the direction Harry feared that it might. "You have mud on you," he told the muggle, breaking whatever moment he was having just staring slack jawed at the younger girl.

Jake scowled, "Yeah, I noticed. Thanks," he grunted sourly.

"You're welcome," Harry returned pleasantly with a smile that was just one shade short of insulting before turning and making his way back to Hometree.

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Jake wasn't sure what to think about the Omaticaya, they were happy the way things were even though there were a hundred things that they could do just to make things easier on themselves. He had seen the metal that Harry had been fishing out of the water and yet instead of using that to tip their arrows they used the bones of their prey, ground down to a point and affixed onto reed shafts with glue and fibre. They even thanked the things they killed for dying, they didn't store food or even farm, the only kind of live-stock they kept were those tapir/elephant things but they just wondered in and out as they pleased, no one even tried to prevent them from vanishing into the forest.

He had only been with them for two weeks but he felt he had begun to pick up on how things were run. There was no kind of separation amongst them, no real kind of problems that you would expect from a lot of people living in one area. Sure you got the occasional scuffle between children and Warriors, but mostly after a quick fight they were back to being the best of friends, laughing and joking. Children did chores in the morning or learned from the Tsahik but in the afternoons they were allowed to play and have fun, quite often Jake saw them chasing after the tiger patterned human, Harry, begging him to let them play with someone called Zeus.

It wouldn't be until a few days later he met the massive Banshee, Zeus was the same size as Trudy's Samson! But he acted like some strange kind of mixture of cat and dog, playful and overly affectionate toward his human and allowing the children to crawl all over him and put their fingers in places that were rather uncomfortable but he suffered through, much to Harry's amusement as he laughed until he got pinned down and his hair chewed on.

When it came to Neytiri, she had thrown him in head first and expected him to pick it up immediately or at least very quickly and insulted and smacked him when he didn't. He must have been developing some masochistic issues because once or twice he purposely messed up just so she would, it was almost cute how she would get bent out of shape over it.

Tsu'tey would make a point of popping up at least once a day during his training with Neytiri, the rest of the time the Warrior was more likely to be overseeing the training of the younger Warriors or heckling Harry. Eventually Jake learned that the three of them, Neytiri, Tsu'tey and Harry were very close friends and the two boys were concerned about leaving her completely alone with him. He tried not to be insulted but when Harry explained what happened at Grace's school, he couldn't blame them, in fact, he was actually amazed at how merciful and open minded the Omaticaya were. He knew that had the same happened on Earth, they would have murdered any Navi they stumbled upon, regardless of whether or not they had been involved.

On trips out into the forest, Neytiri shows him plants and explains them, which ones repel insects, lower fevers, help move your bowls, kill infections, improve fertility, lower fertility, make better bait for fish, what scares them off, even what ones pretend to be other kinds of plants. They crouch in the undergrowth and watch as Viperwolves play with their young and she takes him swimming with Harry where he watches the tiny human twist in and around plants and weeds and insect-like fish with maws full of nasty looking teeth to pick up nubs of Unobtainium, which they call Mother's Bone, the size of a child's clenched fist.

He sits in the forge and watches as Zuleika, a stunningly beautiful Navi woman who's skin was darker than all the others from soot staining and burns prowled through looking like a panther as she hammered out a knife for him and repaired weapons for the other Warriors. Harry working leather and those plates which he learned were fish-scales, and made tiny decorative beads and glass things with tiny clever fingers.

He honestly didn't know what to think or feel about the Na'vi, about the Omaticaya. They lived in a way that was so alien he couldn't even begin to say if it was better or worse than the one he left behind everytime he lay down in that pod of whirling lights.

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Chapter Fin...

Firefly Archive Finished. New Chapters to be posted in future.

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