LOG-027.“And this, is how we’re going to keep the RDA off of our backs for the time being, at least until your little ape boyfriend can convince them of the other things I can provide without lobotomizing myself.”I stared at the (for lack of a better term) wireframe, noting that when I stopped focusing on any one point, it did actually resemble a volcano and its surrounding environment.It was something I struggled to take my eyes off of, even as the blackened Na’vi that had directed a series of bioluminescent bugs into forming the shape continued to point at certain sections of it, each corresponding piece lighting up in a bright blue compared to the soft yellow whenever her finger made contact with it.Staring at the glowing cerulean pieces with rapt attention, I crossed my arms, before tilting my head as I once again took in the entire image as a whole.“Unobtanium. Those are unobtanium deposits?”There was a sharp clack as Eywa snapped her fingers, the vicious claws that grew out of each digit smacking against each other to produce the noise.“Precisely. It isn’t the first time a volcano has burst upon my surface. It happens occasionally, kind of like a pimple popping honestly. But during that initial period, most life dies within their immediate vicinity."The faux Na’vi shrugged after a second, staring at the wireframe as she continued.“Of course I’ll come back later. The soil gets especially fertile in the aftermath of an eruption, great for new growth. But for the moment, I’m not using the stones within that region, nor connected to them in any way.”I nodded along with her words, noting the rough ring that grew blurrier the further from the volcano one got, likely representing other environments.“Meaning they’re entirely up for grabs for the RDA. The only issue being the local Mangkwan clan.”My counterpart huffed slightly at that, before eventually ducking her head and sighing.“Yes, them. It’s a shame that they didn’t just…move.”My eyes narrowed slightly as I lowered my arms and stepped up behind her, peering over her shoulder as I did so.“You could have spoken to them. A pimple popping tends to be painful, surely your attention was drawn to the mass of people screaming for your guidance?”The question earned me a side eye, before Eywa turned her golden gaze back to the mass of glowing bugs, which scattered at some unheard command, filtering away into the surrounding trees.“Even if my connection to their spirit tree equivalent hadn’t been rather abruptly severed due to a sudden influx of, you know…lava, it’s…not my job to baby the Na’vi, Opal.”Frowning heavily at that, I lifted a hand and planted it onto the obsidian shoulder.“Yet you benefit from their presence. You prevent them from innovating with your laws. Doesn’t that net some amount of responsibility?”Once more, I found a slit pupil turning to stare at me, even as the sheer bluntness in the fungal network’s voice left me more than a little speechless.“I like you Opal. I like the Na’vi. But would you let your gut bacteria kill you?”Working my jaw slightly, I finally managed to spit out something coherent enough to serve as an answer to her question.“I…no, I probably wouldn’t. But I would also definitely take medicine or something if a portion of my gut was…you know, dying.”Silence passed between us both for a long moment, before I found my hand shrugged off by the false goddess, who stared forward as the mist surrounding us began to close in.“That’s a decent point. I suppose I’ve just been rather lazy about taking care of myself, then.”I stepped back, even as the previous sensations my body had been feeling, simulated or not, began to go numb, Eywa turning to watch me with a small smile as the world grew blurrier and blurrier.“I’ll have to work on that at some point. But for now, you’ve got your own job to deal with. Until we see each other again, Opal.”—I woke up with a snort, eyes snapping open in time to spot a blue finger, right before it poked my nose.“Oh, are you awake?”Shaking off the lethargic remnants of sleep, I lifted a hand, planted it against Neytiri’s face, and promptly shoved her to the side, sending the girl tumbling off of me with a surprised squawk.“I am now. Is it safe to assume that you woke up before me?”The Omatikayan child’s response was a vaguely affirmative grunt which I nodded at, even as we both got back to our feet, the soft, gentle luminescence of the spirit tree that still surrounded us briefly taking my attention away.A distant but familiar screech had me looking towards the direction that I could vaguely sense Alfa from, the ikran apparently more than a little impatient now.“Hey, did you get to talk to some of your family too?”Turning to glance down at Neytiri as she strode up to stand beside me, tail swishing behind her and just barely dodging around one of those floating woodsprites that seemed to dominate the forest, I slowly nodded, staring out into the trees.“Among other things, yes.”Quirking a brow as another impatient screech filled the air, I brought up my hands, rubbing at my eyes for a moment before lowering them, letting out a breath as I did so.“Alright, let’s go and get back in the sky before Alfa chews off his own saddle. Pretty sure he misses the cushions I got him, the spoiled baby.”Smirking slightly as my companion giggled at the thought of a fully grown aerial predator whining about pillows, I began to move forward, keeping my pace slow until Neytiri began to follow along as well.Born on the shore or not, I was still a Na’vi, one whose body was still more than accustomed to moving through the trees, even if I still needed a bit more practice to keep my protege from constantly outrunning me.