oxi. why we work so hard
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GRACE entered the camp first, starting up the old generators and turning on the lights, flipping switches and many other things. She removed her mask and the others filed inside with their own things that they had chosen to bring.  "Welcome to camp." Grace announced as everyone placed their things down wherever was closest.

"Ouch." Odessa walked into a small table, the pointy side poking her in the stomach. She rested her hand over where she had poked herself, the small pressure feeling very nice.

"So, this is my bunk." Grace said, glancing over towards where Jake was laughing at Odessa. She placed a cigarette between her lips, lifting it up and releasing a puff of smoke.

"This stuff is nasty." Trudy grimaced, opening the fridge and looking at the options she could eat right now. Flying made her hungry, she was snacky.

Odessa chuckled, pulling a protein bar from her her back pocket. She tossed it to Trudy who caught it with ease. "Might be better than anything in there." She gestured to the small fridge that had old old food,

As the door closed, Odessa caught a glance of the pictures messily tapped to the glass. Grace in her avatar, arms wrapped around many other Na'vi children who smiled brightly. There were serious pictures, some silly where everyone stuck their tongues out, pictures that had probably been taken when no one was looking.

And then there was a picture with Grace, Niave, and Neytiri. They were all huddled up together, bright smiles and eyes full of light.   Odessa reached out, gently touching the picture as if it would bring her to that moment. It didn't.

"Norm, you go under." Grace instructed, pointing to the bunk where Norm would go.

"All right." He agreed, quickly swinging his bag onto the bed and placing anything else of his on the bed.

"Trudy, you take the top one." Grace tilted her head towards the bunk above Norm, the helicopter driver being quick to jump on and relax.

"Grace didn't miss a thing. She knew I was talking to the Colonel. But I had what she needed. A way back in with the Clan, so she's playing nice. Odessa didn't know though, or at least she didn't or wouldn't say anything. She was finally feeling like this was her own mission, and not her sisters. I know that if I don't tell Odessa, and the mission goes wrong, she'll hate me. And the dead twin club will break."

"All right. Jake, hang a left. Dessa, you're at the end of the hall, okay?" Grace told the two, walking away and towards the link room of the camp. More the area, but Odessa wouldn't say anything. "You two can fight over the link at the end. Unit one. Beulah. She's the least glitchy. Loser takes unit two, the second best."

🌍.

NEYTIRI pulled Odessa along with her. She was taking her to the top of home tree, where she would show her what would come if she stuck through all her lessons and worked hard. Odessa needed to know why Neytiri was training her so hard, and why it was so important.

Neytiri jumped, pulling herself up a branch and then crouching and moving through a hole in the wood. She stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

Odessa breathed in, just like the person in front of her had. She allowed the cool air to flow through her lungs. She looked over the edge, eyeing the ground that was way to far away. If she slipped, she'd fall to her death and then she'd wake up to Grace shouting at her for being so careless.

Odessa turned towards Neytiri once she calmed herself about how high up she was. She looked towards the true Na'vi woman who smiled and turned around, letting out some sort of call that.   Odessa gazed around her, eyeing the Mountain Banshees, or Ikran as the Na'vi called them. They were large flying dragon looking creatures with sharp jaws, large teeth and large wings.

A teal green Ikran with black along her skin, flew out from the branches, screeching in response to Neytiri. Neytiri smiled up at the Ikran and walked closer, no fear present.

"Oh, woah, okay." Odessa stepped back, hands out as if it would protect her.

"Do not look in her eye." Neytiri warned quietly. She pulled a piece of meat from her belt, offering it up to her Ikran. She cooed at her, reaching for her chin and gently rubbing it with a large smile. "Ikran is not horse. Once a Tsaheylu is made..." She said quietly and softly as she started to attached the bonds.

"Once it's made?" Odessa asked, standing on the balls of her feet and leaned forward, less scared now.

"Ikran will fly with only one hunter in the whole life." Neytiri adjusted her Ikrans harnesses and fixed her saddle before jumping up onto her. "To become Taronyu, hunter, you must choose your own Ikran and they must choose you."

"When?" Odessa asked curiously, eyes wide with excitement.

"When you are ready." Neytiri smirked and lowered whatever was on her forehead, letting out a yip.