cyclicality | 003 - January Catch-all

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003 - January Catch-all

[Bolin has been busy. In fact, his social calendar has pretty much been jam-packed for about the last month, and it shows no signs of easing. Every once in a while he won't be present in Republic City as he's off to Zaofu with the love of his life on what he thinks ought to be a life-changing field trip, but it actually turns out to be a boring, boring thing since he barely gets to see Opal while he's there. Meanwhile, when he's back in Republic City, he's splitting his time (perhaps marginally unsuccessfully) between training at the arena, getting the Fire Ferrets on their feet for the upcoming tournament, potentially working with Varrick on a new mover idea, and... well, he's helping the poor, needy foreigners by buying food and supplies for them. With the last of these, he's practically prioritising them over himself.

And so, if you catch Bolin, he's going to be looking a little tired, thinner, and perhaps more than a little stressed and frustrated.]

A. At a café [Open]

[You might find Bolin in a small ramen shop in one of the less expensive districts in town. While Bolin's got some money stashed away, it's not like he's making a steady income quite yet with the pro-bending thing or the acting gig, so he's been a little more thrifty on himself, especially since some amount of food is going to help others.

[The meal he's eating will look a little meagre, and while he hasn't asked any of his more well-to-do friends for help (because this is something he's doing on his own for now), he will probably still be a little hungry when he finishes. After all, he's the equivalent of a pro-sports athlete in the middle of training.]

B. Air Temple Island [Open]

[In his few moments of spare time, he will try to get to Air Temple Island, but he'll remember about halfway there that Opal's not at home, and he'll look kind of dejected and sad. There's a lot on his mind, and he could totally use a friend to talk to him, though he's not exactly going to be rushing to perfect strangers to spill his guts.

[That said, he's got his fire ferret Pabu and his adopted turtle duck Kitsi with him, and he'll be feeding them in the attempt to make himself feel a bit better about life. He'll just say that he's taking them out to enjoy nature, especially since the turtle duck seems to have taken a liking to him.]

C. Pro-bending Arena [Open]

[Bolin is working out at the gym. Yang and/or the ~~NPC~~ waterbender that are officially on the Fire Ferrets might be with him as well, and he's explaining how things go. However, he doesn't seem ridiculously into it, and he's just not quite hitting the bricks like he's used to. But the last thing he wants to do is disappoint the fans ~~like last year~~, his sponsors, OR his teammates, so he's keeping at it, trying to get a rhythm going.

[But he's clearly distracted, and occasionally he'll just miss a target outright. It's not like he's doing overly badly--he still manages to do decently. But it's not his usual thing.]

D. Republic City, near a Pet Shop [Open]

Turtle ducks, turtle ducks for sale! I've got 26 of them looking for a good home!

[Yes, Bolin happens to have a large box full of turtle ducks that had been deposited in his apartment by the spirits' good(?) graces. He's adopted one, the smallest of them, and of course Pabu is on hand to "help" him sell some turtle ducks. But it seems like there's not many takers for them, seeing as how so many other places got plastered with turtle ducks for some reason. And so he's just having one of those moments.

[Help a guy out?]

E. Varrick's Studio/Yacht/Wherever [Closed to Varrick, Dove, and/or Ty Lee]

[And after enough hiatus, Varrick has finally started the plans to make a new mover, and Bolin's of course going to be attending the meetings, you know, since he's going to be one of the stars in the new film, of course. At the very least, there will be talk about what's going to be happening along with a general meet-and-greet with all of the actors. Bolin will be dressed up a little for the attendance (at Lord Varrick's insistence, of course; he doesn't want any low-class people in his presence), and otherwise Bolin will be looking around somewhat awkwardly, waiting to figure out what exactly is going to be going on.]

F. Zaofu [Closed to Opal]

[Bolin is off for his one-week pilgrimage to Zaofu with Opal, and at the very least he'll be travelling there with her. However, Bolin isn't looking forward to it as much as he was the first time last month as, despite their best efforts, Bolin didn't really get to have much Opal time given that she was busy with meetings to actually help run the city. So perhaps Bolin's not going to be quite so fond of the place now. I mean, just how many times can you go around the city appreciating the "fine" "sculptures" created my Skrillex Beifong?

So Bolin's going to be bored to tears, but he's still going to try very hard for a brief bit to see Opal when she's hopefully less busy. If there's such a time?]

G. Create Your Own?

[OOC: Want to plot? Have I not given you enough options?? Ping me on Plurk. Or send the journal a PM if you like, either or.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Okay, this is perhaps the most awkward conversation Bolin has ever had, and that's including all of the ones with Varrick. And Bumi.]

Yeah, I guess you have. I mean, I wouldn't know much about that though. Because I don't really meditate, so I'm not an expert at that.

So...

Okay, I think I'm going to be just... backing away now.

[Bumi sighs, his shoulders slumping spectacularly as he does so. ]

It's no use, I'm not going to get the hang of this today.

[He looks back up at the retreating Bolin and Pabu.]

I think there's a batch of rice pudding that's finally cooled in the kitchen. C'mon, let's go.

[Bumi rolls up to his feet and stands, his joints popping and creaking as he does so.]

[Oh, Bumi. Now you're going to make Bolin feel rather bad at having interrupted and having ruined the attempt. At least there's going to be a partial thought on Bolin's part that he's semi-responsible. After all, Korra usually needed quiet too.]

Well, maybe next time, you'll be able to finally get it! And you'll have it figured out! With a bit more peace and quiet, right?

[But that said, Bolin isn't going to turn down food.]

But rice pudding sounds better than meditation right now, anyway.

Not likely.

[Bumi moves towards the door, but pauses at the doorframe to give his left leg a shake. Damn thing's fallen dead asleep.]

I've been trying to get meditation down since I was a kid. I just don't have the aptitude for sitting in one place that long. Thought maybe being an airbender would change that....nope.

Guess you really can't teach an ol'polarbeardog new tricks.

[Bumi claps a hand on Bolin's shoulder.]

C'mon. Pudding awaits. Pudding and whatever it was that brought you to the island today to begin with.

You've been trying to learn meditation for that long? Even when you weren't an airbender?

[That thought is one that Bolin can't even conceive of.]

I mean, I get bored after five minutes when Opal's trying to teach me that.

[And then the topic of Opal just hits him once more.]

Well, really, just pudding then.

[Other people might take offense at Bolin's inadvertent slight against their age, but Bumi can only laugh. He's old, and he knows it. Plus, one of the things he likes most about Bolin is how honest the kid is. Even in the face of crushing adversity Bolin manages to keep his upbeat attitude.

Dad would have loved him.]

Amazing isn't it? That they even had meditation that long ago.

[He continues to chuckle as he pads his way towards the kitchen.]

[To be honest, Bolin wasn't even making a slight about his age. He can actually relate because he's been trying to figure out how to metalbend for about as long, really, all with no success. He was just surprised that Bumi would even want to learn meditation when he wasn't an airbender.

[But sure, Bumi is kind of old, let's be honest.]

Well, I mean, of course they did. Avatar Aang was all about it. Meditation, that is. [Yes, he is kind of the Team Avatar fanboy; he's read a lot of stories.] I mean, even if you weren't an airbender, did Aang try to teach it you back then still?

[Because he wants to know all the details. You're just lucky he knows who both your parents are, Bumi.]

[Lucky is one word for it...
Kya would no doubt have some rather choice alternatives already picked out. She...is hands down one of the most imaginative artists of profanity that Bumi has ever met, and he was in the Navy.

Bumi snerks.]

Oh he tried. He tried, mom tried, Sokka tried...everyone tried to get me to sit one place for any reasonable amount of time. Only Toph succeeded, and she had to use earthbending to do it.

[Bolin can't help but laugh a bit.]

So it wasn't meditation for meditation, but meditation to try to get you to behave?

A little from Column 1 a little from Column 2.

[Bumi's expression shifts to one more bemused than anything. These memories are rather bittersweet.]

I think my father always held out hope that I'd become an Acolyte, but monastic life never really suited me.

[Monastic life? For Bumi? That much seemed obvious.]

You and me both, [Bolin says, kind of ignoring that bittersweetness for the time being.] I've heard about some of what Tenzin was trying to teach the airbenders, and yeah.... I mean, don't get me wrong, that's a totally cool way of lifestyle, and I'm all for the Air Nomads to resurrect that sort of thing! I'm just glad it's not my way of live, that's all.

[There's a look Bumi gets when ever his baby brother is brought up in conversation. According to Tenzin it's one of his more infuriating expressions. It's not Bumi's fault though! How else is he supposed to react when he remembers changing the diapers of the Holy Man of Republic City?]

It was a totally cool way of living for some of the Air Nomads. They didn't all live like they do in the histories. They didn't all shave their heads or get their arrows. Heck, some even ate meat.

[Though he hasn't really said so aloud yet, Bumi intends on being that kind of Air Nomad.]

[Well, duh. Bumi has already started to live that sort of life.]

Well I guess. I mean, we already showed that a lot of the new airbenders weren't exactly... thrilled to shave their heads and leave their families, right? I mean, if it wasn't for Pabu here, we'd never have even gotten Kai on board with us!

[See? Bolin helped.]

But how would you know that though? I mean, if it's not written down in the history books, then...

[This isn't the first time that Bumi's heard the name Kai. Of all the people he's heard he'll meet at some point in the future, Kai is the most interesting. And not just because Jinora blushes so when he's mentioned.

Bolin's sentence is cut off by Bumi's laughter.]

Because I grew up hearing the stories first hand, that's how. And more than once...even before Kya and Tenzin came along. You learn to read between the lines when you hear a story that often. What you've got to understand, Bolin, is that my father's practices were the idealized sort, and not just because he was the Avatar. He was twelve when Sozin attacked, and so he was still living at the Temple full-time.

Temple life was so much different than wandering life. Not unlike how different Base Life is when compared to Underway Life.

[Clearly, Bolin didn't really know all that much about the Air Temple life. Then again, Bolin's knowledge on that was all what other people said... well, other people who weren't named Bumi.]

Well, I guess...

[Still, he would have thought someone would have written it down in books, especially the airbenders themselves.]

So not all of the airbenders lived at the Air Temples all the time? But I thought...

[Bumi stops walking, turns, and looks at Bolin.]

But you thought... [He repeats, only this time he raises a single questioning eyebrow.]

Oh, it's probably just all the stories that I've read, but I thought that the Nomads always lived at the Air Temples. And that really all the four nations mostly kept to themselves?

[Ah.]

Well they all did at some point in their lives, but...if they only ever stayed there not only would they be terrible nomads, but...there'd be no baby Air Nomads. The temples were segregated by gender.

Well I knew that much. But I just figured...

You mean... the Air Nomads went... elsewhere to have their kids?

[Is this information going to be relevant for him and Opal at some point?]

The way I see it...[Bumi continues walking towards the kitchen again.] ...they kind of had to. Right? Temples are sacred spaces. Places of enlightenment and learning and blah blah blah.

[Bolin pauses to contemplate this for a moment before asking what is clearly the obvious question.]

That doesn't seem to stop you from...

I mean, uh

They don't really... segregate the guys and girls from one another now.

[Oh Bolin, you sweet summer child.
Bumi tries his darnedest not to look smug, but...it happens anyway.]

One of the many radical changes that had to happen for my father's attempt to jumpstart his culture back from the dead. There just weren't enough acolytes initially to separate them that way.

Not to mention he'd have to live by example, and...Well, let's just say that my father would've given up just about anything to have his people back, so long as that anything wasn't my mother.

Well, I mean, I totally get that. And it totally makes sense.

But doesn't it just seem then like the Air Nomads of today... aren't really the Air Nomads from before? I mean, sure, part of that is all because the Spirit World just POOFED all these airbenders into existence, and they're not up to snuff on all the meditation and candles and rites and history stuff from before.

[Where is this conversation even going? Bolin ~~or his mun~~ doesn't even know any longer.]

So what that means is that you shouldn't feel too bad about not being able to have meditation down solid.

[And by now, they should have reached the kitchens. Please say they have reached the kitchens.]

So is it rice pudding time now?

[Bumi opens his mouth to argue, but...finds that he can't, and so he closes it again.]

Good point.

[Then his face breaks into a wide, beaming smile.]

I knew I liked you for a reason. [He proclaims this loudly, and then claps Bolin on the shoulder.]

It is totally rice pudding time now.
How do you take yours? With or without raisins?

[For a surprisingly roundabout argument, there's almost as much a surprise on Bolin's face when he ends up getting things right in the end. Though really, he's just as much happy because Bumi feels good about that.

[Just nobody tell Tenzin that Bolin is eroding his precious Air Nomad culture one bit at a time!]

You think so? I mean, thanks! Just glad that makes you feel better about it.

... and with raisins, please.

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Will they ever not talk about sex? Nope.

Probably not, no.

Bolin does something right (for once!)