Chapter Text
"I just say whatever in these video-logs?"
Jake questioned. The monitor flickered to life to reveal the scarred and scruffy twenty two year old on a defective wheelchair. His hands felt the ridges of the tire as he rolled the push rims. He wheeled himself closer to the monitor and tried to get comfortable being recorded.
The lab was cluttered with scientific equipment. Jake has never seen any of this, more or less has handled it before. This was out of place for him. He's been thrown into trenches and survived gunshots, but never stepped foot in this sort of research facility. Scientists paced back and fourth, speaking a language foreign to him that contained a bunch of numbers. Peace seems to be a luxury in a facility like this.
"You just need to get in the habit of documenting everything - what you see, what you feel - it’s all part of the science. Good science starts with good observation."
Max, one of the scientists Jake learnt to love, spoke off screen and nodded at Jake before walking off and leaving Jake to his own devices.
"I'm Jake Sully, uh, Jacob Sully, technically, but I don't think it matters much."
Jake shrugged, a little awkward. He moves the visualiser to show the avatar in the background and to have his face out of frame."I'm supposed to 'drive' this tomorrow. It looks just like Tommy."
Jake chuckled softly, adding air quotes to 'drive'.
His smile slowly fade at the mention of his twin. The pain feels raw and rigid. Grief stills tastes bitter. He despised and detested any smidge of sympathy shown towards him. Jake attempted to not let the disappointment in people's eyes affect him when they realise it's the other twin. Yet, Tommy's death is the hardest thing to swallow.
"It's supposed to link the mind to the body, transferring the conscience or some bullshit like that. "
Jake scratches the back of his neck, his mind clearly somewhere else. He was supposed to be in the ground first. Every now and then, Jake wished he never made it back from Venezuela. This was one of those moments.
"I need to know some na'vi, basics and stuff but I clearly missed that memo."
He sighed. He could feel someone's stare burn the back of his off his head. Dr Grace Augustine. Ever since it was a marine walked through those automated lab doors rather than the scientist who had years of experience and who she had specially chosen, she felt nothing but disgruntled resentment towards the veteran.
"What are you doing Jake.."
He mumbled quietly. He ran both of his hands through his grown out buzz cut before dragging them down his face. He tapped at the desk for a while before grumbling and hit a button which made the holographic screen to freeze like the signal has been interfered.
Each of the teenagers were stunned. After years and years of trying to find out who Toruk Makto really is, they have all the answers at their finger tips.
"Is that.. it?" Kiri asked, the first one to get over their initial shock. She looked over his shoulder to Norm who stood there grinning ear to ear at each of their reactions. He knows he's going to get his ass handed to him by Jake so might as well enjoy the moment now, right?
"There's thousands of videos, knock yourself out," Norm laughed, seeing the na'vi kids discover who their father was is definitely a treat.
"It's so weird seeing dad so.. pink.."
Neteyam muttered. He leaned closer to the monitor to gawk at the freeze frame of Jake.
"Move it, asshole, I'm getting squished." Lo'ak hissed as he felt the crushing weight of the mighty warrior on him as Neteyam tried to get a closer look.
"You'll live," Neteyam rolled his eyes.
"What kinda of name is Jacob?" Spider raised an eyebrow.
"Better than Miles," Lo'ak remarked smugly. Spider narrowed his eyes at the na'vi boy.
"Spider, put on the next one!" Kiri shook spider's shoulders impatiently.
"Give me a minute!" He scoffs.
"Norm, who's Tommy?" Neteyam asked whilst Spider tinkered away to find the next part. The image of his father looking dissociated ingrained itself into his head.
"Oh Tommy? That's Jake's twin brother.""Dad has a brother?" Lo'ak's head snapped up and his ears perked up."Had." Norm corrected, a twinge of remorse in his voice. "Died and never made it to Pandora, it's why Jake came here instead."
"What?" Kiri muttered, shock over whelming her. All the Sully kids fell quiet. Despite never meeting their uncle, it was still sorrowful to discover their father lost someone so obviously dear to him.
The next vlog snapped the children out of their melancholy as their ears were filled their father bragging.
"Guess who's got a date with the chief's daughter?"