Tenzin-Charles.

[spiralmovements]

Tenzin is still getting used to the whole concept of a bar at the end of the universe.

But that doesn't mean he cannot enjoy a quiet moment outside by the lake. Even living on an island in the middle of Yue Bay does not diminish how calming the surface of the water is, and the air dragging ripples along the reflections there.

So there he is, all beard and arrows and temple robes, eyes closed but mind alert.

(Milliways is still very new, after all.)

Comments

[spiralmovements]

"I do not mind sharing, son."

Spoken from a perfectly maintained position with his eyes still closed.

After, he cracks one open. "Do you?"

[balancingminds]

"No, I just didn't wish to disturb you,"

Were his thoughts and feelings that loud? Perhaps they were, he's still adjusting to what Cerebro does to him.

[spiralmovements]

"I appreciate the consideration, but if you are here, and I am here, there is room for the both of us."

Without any visible assistance, Tenzin maintains his pose while seemingly floating off the rock in order to scoot over for Charles to have room.

[balancingminds]

The movement is subtle and Charles smiles as he comes closer, "I see there is. Thank you."

He sits down on the rock and adjusts into a comfortable position before opening himself slightly as he clears his mind.

[spiralmovements]

Charles and Tenzin, while ostensibly doing the same thing, approach it in different ways. Tenzin is all formality and settled-in habit. He may even straighten up a little when Charles settles in - feeling for a second as though he should be a good example.

You are not a teacher here.

It's a helpful reminder.

Silently, Tenzin returns to his own meditations, active consciousness eventually slipping away to a solitary image of Tenzin himself - moving his hands in front of him in his mind, pulling and pushing the very air around him in a powerful blue swirling pattern.

[balancingminds]

Meditation is something for which Charles has never had a formal teacher, its still a rather new idea in his time.

Instead he found his ways to put what he's lead about into practice in a way that made sense for him. Its all about focus and centering release, he always knows where he is amongst the swirl of minds.

Tenzin is a peaceful counterpoint and he observes the pattern with a part of his mind but not fully focusing on it. Where he is, there's a sense of stillness and openness, a place of silence connected to the world around.

[spiralmovements]

The push and pull changes, shifts, surrounds Tenzin in his mind, but the rush of it around him does not change the solidness of his position within the near-storm he pictures.

He bends the air, and the air effects him - but he does not move.

(Tenzin likes this, this space in his mind. It's easier here.)

[balancingminds]

Once Charles feels himself safe within his mind, he watches Tenzin and wonders about the storm around him.

His grip on solidity and peacefulness is incredibly powerful as he moves the air in his mind.

[spiralmovements]

This is where Tenzin stays.

Safe.





Until it is time for the storm to clear, and Tenzin blinks his eyes back open and rolls his shoulders.

[balancingminds]

When Tenzin opens his eyes, Charles has shifted position to watch the slight waves on the lake and nods to him.

[spiralmovements]

"Were you successful in your endeavor?"

[balancingminds]

"Yes, I feel like I can face the world a little more calmly now. What about you?"

[spiralmovements]

"Much the same. I must admit, I had not been expecting many here who work with such practice."

[balancingminds]

"It's not terribly common in my time but I find it helps me immensely with balancing the world."

[spiralmovements]

"I do not need to ask then if you are from my world."

A bow of the head. "I am called Tenzin."

[balancingminds]

"Charles, no, I didn't think we were from the same world,"

There are monks in Nepal who wear a slightly similar habit but they don't have tattoos and can't control the air.

[spiralmovements]

"Do you have much opportunity to come to Milliways, Charles-no?"

[balancingminds]

"A good many opportunities and its Charles,"

He replays the last sentence in his mind, he didn't realize the sounds fit together that way.

[spiralmovements]

"Oh. Charles. Excuse me - it is not a common name at home.

"My daughter found this place before I did - I am still unsure what I think about that."

[balancingminds]

"The doors can be rather strange. I first found it and then showed my sister."

[spiralmovements]

"Jinora would have preferred keeping it her secret. There is very little in the way of privacy on the island."

[balancingminds]

"I wanted to share it with my sister and its become rather useful for us and others we know," The CIA facility can get rather cramped but Milliways is an escape.

[spiralmovements]

"You live with your sister, or is she far?"

Kya is not exactly close to where Tenzin is, at present.

[balancingminds]

"She's quite close. We've rarely lived far apart,"

They help each other and there were some moments when he was an undergrad but never too far.

[spiralmovements]

"That is a lucky thing you have.

"Unless you were related to my brother - I waved happily when he joined the naval forces," Tenzin jokes, cracking a smile.

[balancingminds]

"It is, quite lucky. Oh why was that?"

He's had times of being annoyed with Raven but never enough to wish her not there.

[spiralmovements]

"Bumi and I are very adept at infuriating one another.

"But as the youngest, I'm sure he would say that I am just unwilling to heed my elders."

[balancingminds]

"Ah, yes, I know how that goes. I'm the older brother and Raven enjoys pointing out when I'm over doing things or being old-fashioned."

[spiralmovements]

"You seem perfectly in your twenties to me."

Says the fifty-something monk, parent of three.

[balancingminds]

"Thank you, according to her I can sometimes be too much of a professor. Perhaps its all a matter of setting."

[spiralmovements]

"Perhaps you should remind her to attend to her studies."

[balancingminds]

"I stopped doing that in our teens, it never worked with her. She always gets things done in her way, which isn't like mine."

[spiralmovements]

Yup. Siblings.

"You mentioned you were a professor?"

[balancingminds]

"Yes, my work's in genetics. Are you familiar with the term?"

It's a polite question and one that will help Charles know how to best answer.

[spiralmovements]

"I understand only that it is some sort of work with gens...if I'm going by etymology."

[balancingminds]

"It's about identifying where our traits and abilities come from. Genes on my world are the cells that dictate are innate abilities. Though that's not everything since so much comes from environment as well. There's so much we don't know."

[spiralmovements]

"I wonder if your genes would be able to define who developed bending abilities in my world."

Flashes of Tenzin's brother Bumi appear in his mind. Why is he different?

[balancingminds]

"Bending, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that,"

Though from Tenzin's thoughts, it looks as if it would connect.

[spiralmovements]

Bending is always easier to show than to tell.

Tenzin's hand gets extended slightly towards Charles, and a ball of air swirls and hovers in his palm.

"I am an airbender."

[balancingminds]

"Ah, that explains what you did before. Is the ability inborn?"

[spiralmovements]

"I manifested at about one year old. Some demonstrate bending earlier; some later."

[balancingminds]

Charles smiles at some familiar terminology,

"I have an unexpected ability that manifested when I was about five. I'm not sure exactly when my sister's did, I think even younger. Though we're not the norm on our world. Is bending common among your world's population?"

[spiralmovements]

"They are certainly not uncommon, and depending on the culture and the time period, bending abilities are praised."

[balancingminds]

"Could you explain more? It's an area of great interest to me how perceptions of various abilities and differences evolve over time. My sister and I along with fellow mutants must still hide to be safe. We hope to not always have to."