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

[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.

One with raisins coming up. [Bumi gestures dramatically, before turning on a dime and heading off towards one of the coolers where the rice pudding awaits.]

So what's on your mind, kid? Pudding for your thoughts.
[He calls over from the cooler.]

[Well, at least it's rice pudding time. That would have continued to be a continued distraction from Bolin's own personal problems, but it seems that that's the next topic of conversation for the two of them, and Bolin just wilts a bit as he comes over to the cooler to fetch his pudding and raisins.]

Well, it's all about Opal... and me. We had a pretty nasty fight before coming back here from Zaofu.

[Bumi doesn't so much stand up at that confession, as he does slide back into the frame, a single bushy eyebrow already raised in question.]

Oh?

[He's holding two bowls of rice pudding, but he hasn't yet passed Bolin's to him.]

[Bolin just sighs a bit, putting his hands on his head.]

I care so much about Opal. She really is like the most important thing in my life. And so I want to be there with her to support her, do everything I can for her. But she's just so... busy with everything. She's practically swamped whenever she's in Zaofu, either dealing with meetings or touring the city with people or paperwork, and when she's not... it's all about airbending. And I totally understand why she's into those, but...

I never get to see her these days. And when I told her that, she just got frustrated with me and told me not to go to Zaofu with her.

[Bumi's expression shifts from distrustful to dubious to compassionate as Bolin's story rambles on at a breakneck pace...as Bolin stories often do.]

Here.

[He forces the bowl of pudding into Bolin's hands, and then gestures towards the larger dining area.]

Go. Sit.

[Bumi will follow as soon as he's returned things to their proper place and closed the cooler.]

[

[It seems like almost everything has been just misery for Bolin ever since that fight, and he's recounted this tale so many times, and yet he's not at peace. Yet he does exactly as Bumi instructs, hoping that this time something's going to take from it.

[He finds one of the tables in the dining room area and sits down, looking at his rice pudding.]

Don't forget the spoons.

Don't worry. I won't. This isn't my first trip to the rodeo.

[Bumi pads his way into the dining area with his own bowl, spoons, napkins, and a shaker of cinnamon in hand.]

Start at the beginning, son.

[It certainly isn't. And thankfully Bolin doesn't have to wait too much longer for Bumi. As Bumi sets things down, Bolin does his part to divvy up the spoons and napkins. And then he'll even allow Bumi the first chance at the cinnamon.]

Okay. Well, you know how Opal and I are dating, right? Well, things have been going great... up until the Spirit Barrier that went up suddenly went down. Opal went down to Zaofu, where her family is, and she discovered—much like here—that a lot of people were missing. Like her entire family was missing.

Which... understandably upset her.

[Why, that's awfully chivalrous of you, Bolin to look out for your elders that way. Or as Bumi prefers to frame it: his Superior Officers.]

I sense there's a but coming. Is there a but coming, Bolin?

Hold on! I'm getting there. Geez, the but isn't there yet.

[Because Bolin's chivalry doesn't just extend to just Bumi.]

Well, she came to tell me about it, and so I told her that I'd be willing to go to Zaofu with her. To help in any way I could. And support her. I mean, she's the last person of Suyin's family, so Opal thought it came to her to help run the city. And so I thought, well, it'll all work out. She'll be there half time, and I'll visit her, and we'll spend time when she's got it.

[Ready for it?]

Buuuuuut...

Running the city takes practically all her time. Even when she's back here in Republic City to visit me. And when she's not doing paperwork all the time, she's got it in her head that she has to work on her airbending. And I know that it's important to her... just like earthbending is to me. But she's exhausted by the end of the day. And so I only get to see her right before she's ready to go to bed. A simple "good night," and then I don't see her until the next evening for the same thing.

[Bumi holds up a hand in surrender, expression apologetic for his attempt at getting ahead of the story. Once Bolin continues Bumi begins to tuck into his rice pudding, brow furrowing as he listens.]

And this would be about the time when you told her this and she got frustrated and told you not to visit, do I have that right?

[Well, at least Bolin is now explaining the story in a comprehensible way for a change.]

More or less. We were on the way back from Zaofu on one of the airships, and she came to wish me good night, and... I just blurted all my feelings out.

And that went over like a lead war balloon.

[His face scrunches up in a wince.
He's been there. Oh how he's been there.]

Yeeeeeeah, she got... a little upset about that.

[Understatement.]

I mean, I am worried about her, and that's good, right? But still, I just feel... left out.

So yeah, she told me not to come back to Zaofu with her the next time. And... I... don't know how to take that.

[Bumi swallows his mouthful of pudding, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand before responding.]

That's rough buddy.
And I'm sure it hurts, but...there's a bright side.

Really? There's a bright side to this? Could've fooled me.

[Yeah, he'll just mope in his pudding, thanks.]

There's always a bright side, Bolin.

[He turns his attention to his pudding, an excuse to avoid eye contact.]

My father used to tell me that sometimes, life is like a dark tunnel where you can't always see the light. But if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place. And if you can learn what got into the tunnel in the first place, you can avoid it all together next time around.

003 - January Catch-all

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Will they ever not talk about sex? Nope.

Probably not, no.

Bolin does something right (for once!)

Re: Bolin does something right (for once!)

If there is a sex talk NOW, this will top it all... just saying.

Well NOW the expectation is too great...

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