Chapter 4 - A Few Years Later
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Some years had passed with Shadow now part of the Omatikaya clan and though many were mistrustful of him, most of the clan had quickly warmed up to him thanks to his friendly personality and his helpful nature.
But no one was as close to him as Sylwanin, Neytiri and Moat were. Almost everyday at anytime you would see Shadow right beside them either playing or helping them with whatever they need. The only time he wasn't beside them was when he was hunting for the clan.
The clan had learned that Shadow was from the Sky-people later and they thought about killing or exiling him but Moat had calmed them stating that Shadow may have come from them but he is choosing to be apart of the Na'vi, not to mention she also reminded them that he had saved her and her daughters.
With Moat defending Shadow everyone began to calm down but they still keep their eyes on him to ensure he doesn't endanger them. After this Shadow was very thankful and he and she became much closer after the incident.
With Sylwanin and Neytiri, they didn't care that the Sky-people brought him because they were thankful they could have a new great friend and protector like him. And so Shadow and the girls grew closer as well.
Afterwards Shadow regrew most of the clans trust again and so now here they were Shadow laying beside Moat as she mixed some plants and herbs to make some medicine when Neytiri, 14 years old now rushed into the tent.
"Mother come quick!" She yells scaring Shadow out of his sleep.
"Neytiri? What's wrong?" Moat asks as Shadow springs to his feet at the possible danger.
"Sky-people are here, they're speaking to father right now" Moat intrigued at the fact alone Sky-people here and that they wish to speak to them had a grip on her curiosity and left the tent with her daughter.
But Shadow was still in the tent frozen at the fact Sky-people we're here.
Were they here for him? Did they wish to take him back and further experiment on him? Or did they not know he was here? What did they want with the clan? So many questions and only the Sky-people had the answers and so making sure no one saw him he snuck out and stayed hidden in the grass outside the home tree.
He found them, Eytulkan, Moat and a few warriors for protection and the Sky-people talking in a small meadow with one of their flying metal machines next to the water and the rest of the Na'vi near the home tree. The Sky-peoples soldiers were in a defensive circle on their side. Shadow crept closer still hidden by the long grass as he begin to hear their conversation.
"Yes that's right we wish to teach your young about our language and our culture" A female Sky-woman speaks in perfect Na'vi which surprised Shadow. She had orange hair she was in her early thirties and she was surprisingly good looking for Shadow.
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But next to her set his blood pumping because next to her was another Sky-person but he had a white coat. A coat he knew all to well.
He was a scientist.
Shadow new he didn't kill all the scientists in his birth place and he wasn't sure if this one was at the base but he did look familiar somehow. Disregarding them he focuses back to the conversation.
"And what shall this 'school' provide for our and your clans?" Eytulkan asks unsure about this idea.
"It will provide a chance for peace amongst our and your people and get a chance to learn about each other" The red headed woman replies hoping for a chance to learn about the Na'vi but before Eytulkan replies the male scientists pulls her aside and starts speaking to her in English witch Shadow thankfully still remembers.
"Look stop trying so hard, if these animals don't want to co-operate then let's just leave before this becomes an even bigger disaster" The red head glares at her partner and wishes she could slap him for calling them animals but before she replies one of the soldiers who heard their conversation snorts in amusement.
"At least it won't be as big of a disaster at sector 3 site 2" he says with a small laugh which also made the scientist grin.
"True I suppose it wouldn't be as bad as Asset 6" he laughs and turns back to the Na'vi while the red head looks confused at what they were talking about...
But Shadow had gone absolutely still.
Asset 6.
It was at that moment Shadow felt that same rage when he was imprisoned, when he was a tool...
When he was a Slave.
And unable to keep this down or let this go Shadow snuck past the defence circle and got behind the scientist.
"I'm sorry for that but back to-" the red head started but stopped when she saw the Na'vi eyes widen. She was confused but then she hears a hissing sound and turns around to a terrifying site. A eyeless domed head and a skeleton body with a long tail.
But the site of this creature didn't scare her as much as her companion who when turned to the hissing immediately began to heavily breath and he uttered a word and number in complete fear.
"Asset 6?" He said wide eyed and right there was the confirmation Shadow needed.
Shadow screeched at him and grabbed him by the throat and he screamed, the soldiers now noticing Shadow aimed at him but were terrified at the creature.
"What is that thing!?" One yells out.
"I don't know!" Another calls out.
"How did it get past us!?" A third also yells.
But the soldier who made a comment to the scientist was staring wide eye at Shadow in disbelief and absolute fear. Shaking himself out of the trance he yells out to everyone.
"Max level threat! Max level threat! Shoot! Before it kills us all! And don't worry about the scientist, he's already dead!" And with that they all ready their weapons.
Before they open fire Shadow spins throwing the scientist at the ordering soldier knocking them both down but while he was spinning around he used his tail to knock back the red head to the Na'vi. He then pounces on the nearest soldier and stabs him with his claws and throws him at another soldier and runs at the third who now opened fire at Shadow but he dodges the shots and uses his tail to swipe at him and slashes his stomach, spraying blood everywhere and drops the ground screaming. The second soldier pushing his dead friend off him tries to get up but Shadow pounces and grabs his head starts smashing it to the ground but stops when he hears a whirring sound and looks the flying machine and sees it starting up with the final soldier and the scientist in it. They notice him staring and the soldier moves to the mounted gun on the side and open fires at Shadow, he runs on all fours and charges at them but the machine lifts off the ground and starts going higher but Shadow was determined. He jumps at the machine and latches onto the bottom, he can hear the scientist panicking asking where was he but he got his answer when the pilot cries out when he sees Shadow at the nose of the machine. Rearing his head back he brings it down on the glass smashing it and he grabs the pilot and throws him out, killing him, and causing the machine to spiral out of control. Shadow jumps off the machine and into the water while the scientist and the soldier crash land in the machine and unluckily survive it. The soldier shaking the fall off grabs the scientist and tries running to the Na'vi for protection or canon fodder doesn't matter he reaches about halfway before he hears a screech and spins around to see Shadow atop the crashed machine and now running at them. He pushes the scientist away and pulls out a pistol and fires but misses and Shadow uses his tail to impale his hand, he screams in pain and is lifted up off the ground and brought face to face with Shadow who then puts one claw into his chest and another claw in his stomach and lifts him above his head and rips him apart in two and blood covering Shadow and he tosses the two half's away. He turns his gaze on the cowering scientist who was on his butt with his back to the Na'vi tries crawling back but Shadow takes a few steps and he stomps on his stomach, stopping him from moving, he brings up his tail to strike.
"SHADOW!" He then screeches at them and he instantly regrets it when he realises who he screeched at.
Moat stares wide eye at what she seen but she's not the only one, the entire clan had witnessed Shadows brutality on the Sky-people and they were all terrified. Moat didn't really care for the Sky-people but she was scared at how angry Shadow seemed but when he screeched at her, she knew something terrible had happened to him.
"Help me! Help me please! He'll kill us all!" The scientist cries out in Na'vi reaching out to them and Shadow pushes his foot down on him harder and snarling at him, shutting him up quickly.
"Shadow I don't know what is wrong but please calm yourself, this isn't you" Moat pleads to him but the scientist gives her a look of confusion.
"What are you doing!? You can't reason with this thing! It was designed to kill and that's what it will do unless you kill it first!" He cries out again and Moat looks at him confused then someone shouts.
"What!? You created him!?" The red head, despite being hit by Shadows tail, approaches looking very pissed for some reason.
"You told me none of you had created any weapons here! You told me you came here to study the planet!" She yells at the scientist.
"We lied ok!? We had a lab testing new weapons and it was one of them! Now kill it! Now!" The red head looks even more pissed but before she says anything Eytulkan comes forward.
"Created? What are you talking about?" He asks but the scientist stays quiet so the red head speaks for him.
"This man helps create new weapons for our warriors to use against our enemies, and it seems he was one of those weapons" she says gesturing to Shadow who growls at the scientist.
"Exactly! This thing knows no mercy, it kills and kills so will you now please kill it and help me!?" He begs again and the red head turns to him sharply and glares.
"If you open your mouth again I will rip that mask off and watch you suffocate to death!" That finally shuts him up and Shadow looks at her, she notices his gaze on her.
"What? He's my friend as much as he is yours" She states to him and he tilts his head to the side before she turns back to the scientist.
"Where is the lab he was created in?" She asks him but it was Shadow who answered when he points to the forest.
"You remember where it is?" She asks surprised Shadow had answered her and how he understood Na'vi, and she is more surprised when he nods.
"Can you take us there?" He goes still at this seemingly debating about it but nods in the end and grabs the scientist and drags him to the lab.
The red head, Moat, Eytulkan, some Na'vi warriors and, after some arguing, Neytiri and Sylwanin follow Shadow into the forest.
It takes roughly an hour or so to reach the base and they see it half destroyed. They enter the base following Shadow as he leads everyone through the abandoned base. Everyone is surprised by the devastation Shadow had caused here when they see it burnt, bloodied and some claw marks on the walls.
Then they reach the room...
The room where he slept.
They look around and see the dried blood splattered and broken glass all over the floor, the red head moves to one of the computers and to her luck it still has power and she goes through it and sees why he was created and it sickens her stomach. She leaves the computer and walks up to the still restrained scientist and punches his stomach.
"You bastard! You were gonna use him against the Na'vi!" She yells getting everyone's attention, especially Shadow.
"Your damn right, we needed something to use against the tree hugging freaks. It was going to be the perfect weapon against you all! But the fucker broke out before we could make him more obedient" He tells them and everyone looks at him with hatred but he keeps talking.
"If the sedative's kept working then we could have beaten it till it did nothing but follow orders" he states as he turns his head to Shadow.
"But no, you just had to resist. No matter how many times we had to beat you, shock you, cut you, you just kept fighting back, you couldn't just be the obedient killer we created you to be! You were created by us! You should be following our orders! Killing the Na'vi! Not become their pet! A killing machine! A monster! That is why-" Had enough Shadow stabs him through the back of his head with his tail and drops him to the ground.
It's very silent as everyone looks at Shadow conflicted. Throughout the years he had stayed with them they had grown an attachment to him but now they know how and why he was created they fear him some more. The first to do anything was Neytiri, she walked up to Shadow who was looking down in shame. She stops in front of him and looks at him for a moment...
Before she throws her arms around him, surprising everyone, especially Shadow.
"You aren't a monster. Your my friend and you always will be" She tells him and if he could Shadow would probably be crying right now, he wraps his arm around her and rest his chin on her head. He then feels another pair of arms around him and sees Sylwanin hugging him.
"If you were a monster then you would have killed us when we first met but you saved us" She says as Moat joins the hug.
"You have been a great friend to me, to my daughters, and to my clan, you are Omatikaya" She says as the four hug tightly, when they separate Shadow looks at Eytulkan who gives a smile.
"They are right, you are not a monster, you are Omatikaya, and we are proud to have you as one of us" He says and Shadow lowers his head in respect and thanks to him. They leave the room and back to the outside but before they leave Shadow turns to the red head and everyone follows his gaze.
"I take it you'll kill me too?" She says fearfully and she closes her eyes as he approaches her but is surprised when Shadow licks her mask and chirps happily and rubs his head on her.
"I think Shadow does not blame you for what happened here" Eytulkan says and Shadow chirps louder.
"Thank you" She says as she pets his head which for some reason makes Moat narrow her eyes at.
"But I'll assume after this you don't want to do anything with the school" She says sadly but before anyone says anything Shadow moves behind Sylwanin and Neytiri and nudge them forward to the red head.
"You want the school to happen?" Moat asks him to which he chirps. Everyone is surprised by this but they trust Shadow and the girls speak up.
"It would be interesting to see what they could teach us" Sylwanin says siding with Shadow.
"And it would give us all a chance for peace" Neytiri says next but looks at Shadow.
"But why do you want us to go to the school?" She asks and he responds by running up to the red head and starts licking her and Sylwanin giggles.
"You just want to keep seeing her don't you" And Shadow chirps happily.
"Or maybe he's just bored with us sister" Neytiri jokes but is shocked when Shadow chirps louder.
"Wha-! Hey! Shadow!" She yells and Shadow makes a sound that almost sounds like laughter which ticks the girls off and they start chasing him around. This makes the adults chuckle and smile at their behaviour. Moat turns to the red head.
"We shall allow the school to be built but should any harm come to the children then you will pay for it" She says sternly to her and the red head nods.
"I won't let anyone or anything touch them" Moat smiles at her response.
"I do not believe I learned your name" she says and the red head smiles.
"I'm Grace Augustine" She tells Moat and they leave the base and the horrors behind them.