Jake & Norm discuss Kailua's condition with Ronal & Tonowari.
Kailua severely struggles with the loss of her legs.
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https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ypdkGuQnq83SSSw5JmJzU?si=b659a404fbef4619
Feels like forever, stargazing, stick together
~
Lo'ak stood in the healing hut, listening from behind the open door. Ronal and Tonowari sat inside as Norm broke the news of Kaliua's recent decline. "I knew this sky person healing was dangerous!" Ronal exclaimed. "It is not the way!" She cried. Tonowari stood, and even though Norm was in his avatar form, still towered over the man. "You said this was a safe route. Why is my daughter unconscious again?" Norm twisted the chart. "It's a common complication. More often than not, in GSW patients, the spleen will be knocked and bleed. Jake did when he was shot on Earth. You can live without your spleen, healthily," Tonowari took the chart and read it.

"She will be ok?" He asked and passed the chart to his wife. "The spleen wouldn't have caused any problems at all, no," Lo'ak noted the apparent avoidance of the question. Ronal noticed as well. "We didn't ask that," She said. Norm hesitated. "It...s a lot.... on her mental health." He began. "In less than two hours, she was told she'd never walk again and that her daughter, who she didn't even know of, had passed away."

Lo'ak shut his eyes briefly in prayer for his unborn daughter's safe passage. Neteyam would look after her.

"We are well aware of the trials and tribulations of losing a child, Eywa knows we know," Ronal said. "We want to know if will she recover. Physically," Tonowari added. Norm sighed. "It's hard to say. Until she tries to use various walking methods, we won't actually know how bad the paralysis is. Because, as I said a week ago, the bullet only chipped L4 and L5, it could be as simple as monoplegia or could be as severe as complete paraplegia, maybe even quadriplegia,"

Lo'ak frowned. What the hell did all that mean?

"She could have anything from the loss of one limb to the loss of everything," His dad's voice suddenly cut in. What the hell was he doing here? "Jake Sully. You survived paralysis. How?" Tonowari's voice said. "I didn't. Had I not transferred into my avatar, I'd still be paralysed. It's not something that can be cured; not without multiple surgeries." His dad sighed. "And that can take months, probably years."

"Why?" Ronal interrupted. "Because her body will need to heal in between each op. She'd need at least six weeks, if not more. Plus the month of physical therapy," Dad said. "So at least 10 weeks minimum in between each surgery," Lo'ak looked away. If he hadn't insisted on going to Spider, everything would be ok. Neteyam would be alive, his daughter would be alive, and his ex would still be walking.

All he did was ruin shit.

~

Time jump; 6 months

It took Kailua a while to adjust to the loss of her daughter, despite not knowing about her. She knew it bothered her mom and dad as well, even though they had their own baby to worry about now. Yeah. Her mom had given birth a few days after the war; to no surprise, a little boy, as Kaliua had said many months ago. Aroh. It was a cute name. Ao'nung was smitten with him, always offering to feed him and change him. A lot of the time he'd settle him to sleep as well.

He'd make a good dad one day.

On the topic of dads, her mind often drifted to Lo'ak. Sure, she'd been given a shite hand by the great mother. She'd lost the use of her legs and her daughter, all in the span of twenty minutes. Lo'ak had lost his brother and daughter. It made her feel like a bitch when she replayed the last words they shared. Jake and the healer Norm had made her a "wheelchair" to help her move around in.

She appreciated the gesture but hated it at the same time. She'd always get strange looks when using it; rightly so. A water na'vi shouldn't be chair-bound. They should be moving, running, jumping, swimming. If it wasn't for her water-breathing gift, she wouldn't be able to do that. Currently, she'd wheel herself to the edge of the dock and throw herself into the ocean. She'd sink to the bottom and stay there for hours at a time. It kept her sane.

For the sixth time in the week, she found herself at the stargazing spot she used to visit with Lo'ak. Intially, she wanted it to just be a "them" thing. But on a few occasions, she'd seen the Sully brothers watch the stars together and fall asleep. She thought it was nice that they found a sense of peace within the storm of change and war. She shared a few things with her siblings too. Hers and Tsireya's would be coral exploring. They'd climb through the thick branches of coral, snapping pieces off to make jewellery for close friends and family. Ao'nung's was scaling the mangrove trees to grab various fruits from as high as they dared go to make into various food options.

She laid there, silently watching the stars. The feel of emptiness and loneliness never quite left after Lo'ak called off the courtship; and Kaliua found the feeling was stronger when she watched the stars. Everytime a twig snapped, the daydreamer inside begged for it to be her dark blue five fingered na'vi. But no. Such hopes were dashed immediately as a small animal moved out from the brush.

As she drifted off to sleep, tears rolling from her eyes, she prayed to Eywa. Oh great mother. I will do anything, anything, to walk again.

~

"I may be able to help you," Was the greeting Kaliua received. "Eywa," She bowed deeply. "Child, if it were up to me, you would still be walking, and your child would be thriving," Eywa cut to the chase immediately. "We do not have long together. You are in a fitful sleep once more, and I may be able to help you with it," Kailua cleared her throat as she frowned. "How? By making me walk again?" Eywa paused in her movements. "Not quite. There is a legendary exchange of power; succeeding far beyond me. One of the ancient ones, from hundreds of millennia ago." Kailua wheeled alongside the great mother, dutifully. "To gain what one has lost; one must give something of equal value." She said. Kaliua nodded. "My mother says that to my siblings and I all the time,"

Eywa nodded. "You must choose, young one. To gain what you have lost, you must give something of equal value. I cannot tell you what that equal value is; it must be your own choosing," Kaliua knew immediately. She bowed her head. "I have to sacrifice my powers... don't I?" Ewya sighed. "I am afraid so. They are the only thing of equal value," Kailua puffed out a breath of air. "However." Eywa began. "In these exceptional circumstances, I have been told there is another choice you can make."

Kailua narrowed her eyes. "What though? My powers for my walking again. There's nothing else to it.... at least I don't think so," She frowned, thinking. Eywa crouched low, placing her soft hand upon Kailua's head. "The ancient ones are presenting you with a choice. One you must make to wake."

She frowned deeply, masking the thud as her heart fell into her numb legs. "For the sacrifice you gave to save the Sully boy, they are offering this." Eywa's form shimmered for a brief second. "Wait, don't go!" Kaliua grasped at her form. "You are waking. The choice is this: Relinquish your gift for the use of your legs, or the revival of the Sully boy!"

~

Lo'ak wandered up to the stargazing cliff again for the final time. Mom and Dad had decided to return home, unwilling to cause any further pain or destruction to the Metkayina can. Now Quaritch was dead; dad could regain his title as Olo'eyktan... and begin training Lo'ak as the next chief. Kiri would become Tsahik after mom. As he broke the crest of the climb, he jolted in shock. He hadn't expected to see Kailua asleep. Poor thing; her arms must've ached something chronic after that hill.

Lo'ak walked over and gently pushed her with his foot, making sure she hadn't died in her sleep. He couldn't help the small traitorous smile pierce his lips when she slapped his leg with a grumble. "Goodbye, Kailua," He said, sighing at her sleeping form. "Where did it all go so wrong?"