In memory of that blessed hour during which James Cameron take the time to offer us character development and world building in the amazing waterscape he designed - have a Avatar : the Way of Water fic!
Didn't you wonder what the everyday life within the Metkaniya community looked like? I did. And I was very frustrated at the end of the movie. So after a week of frustration, here's my humble guess on what the Sully kids (and co) are doing on their freetime!
[Title after this song]
The sea was not as blue as expected. First of all, it was not as blue as them – the kids would call it Omatikaya blue. The closest thing to their blue was the night sky, a dark blue lit only by the distant blessing of the stars. However, when reflected in the sea, even that blue would seem as black as the eclipse itself. Tuk didn’t quite like it when the sea was dark, and as soon as the colours of the reefs would vanish in the tar, she hid back into the marui. Her older siblings were not very long to join her. Although it could take some time to fetch Kiri from her “evening observations”, her brothers would never go to bed without making sure she was at home too. For home had become any place the six of them could snuggle peacefully.
However, when daylight came through, the sea still wasn’t that blue. Depending on where you looked, it barely had any colour, the Omatikayas mused. From the shore, the translucent veil almost seemed a mere reflection of what lay underneath. White sand, shiny pebbles, blazing corals – hidden treasures through the magnifying glass. And as they lay, quiet in the morning sun, the vast richness of the submarine canopy waved at the watchers. They waved their silent, mesmerising waltz, and along the nimble and soft bodies, ran countless currents, some carrying long-lost memories, others dashing towards the future.
Tsireya had told Lo’ak that these currents were the best to start with. You would jump in, confidently, then follow the flows as if you had been born in the cradle of the waves. These currents were cheeky, though, and you should keep your eyes alert and your limbs ready to avoid the reefs or their hosts. Not that the fauna wasn’t used to Metkaniyas swimming around – but at the first ray of light, even submarines creatures would expect some privacy. However, it did not occur Lo’ak that fishes and crustaceans had a sense of privacy. And whenever Tsireya was encouraging him, he dashed through the algae as if pursued by a tsurak.
Leaning on the reef, the other boys were deeply involved in the Forest Boy’s performance.
“Two beads that he crashes against a rock,” offered Rotxo.
“Three”, added Aonung.
“Four beads that he crashes against a rock and a fish.”
The Metkaninyas gazed at Neteyam with wonder. A slight smile curved Aonung’s lips.
“Five beads that you leap to rescue him.”
“Six that your sister does.”
The smile vanished on Aonung’s face. Tsireya wasn’t paying much attention. A few feet away, her face in the water, she followed her apprentice’s wanderings. Her gaze was as tender and patient as Neteyam’s and Lo’ak’s father’s had been when the boys rode their first ikran. Then he witnessed Lo’ak’s first stunt, and the patience left the way to worry, and worry never left him afterwards. Lo’ak never gave him any reason not to worry, anyway, Neteyam thought. And Tsireya had better be ready for the menace Lo’ak was.
There he flew, past the standing rocks, around the shoal of pincer fishes, round the rock again… The boys saw Tsireya shudder. The next moment, in a strong leg stroke, she dove towards Lo’ak.
Neteyam turned to Aonung. He was greeted with a knowing look. Neteyam held his gaze, and the other boy smiled back, but didn’t flinch. The other boys were laughing as if the Forest Boy was the funniest thing they ever saw. And although Neteyam regretted to ridicule his brother, he liked the smile of the Mektaniya. The thought occurred to him as sort of weird. He never sought the approval of people his age. Come to think of it, he had never spent so much time with people his age than since they joined the Metkaniya. For some reason, it didn’t feel unpleasant at all.
Aonung was still staring at him. Down the reef, Tsireya and Lo’ak had not resurfaced. So Neteyam chuckled, looked away, and leapt after the two.
