tushanshu | Video

[ and he laughs good and loud at that. ] You can say "old." It's not untrue, Goddess knows.

But believe it or not, there was a time when I was a teacher -- like you -- to students of my own. [ many times, in fact. many times over many, many lives. ] We've all been brought here for a particular reason, so I wouldn't be surprised if many of us had similar qualifications.

[ The word had lingered the air when she paused and an icebreaker like that causes Korra to chuckle a little bit too. Anyone who was that honest about their age deserved to smile more often.]

Well this is my first time teaching anyone anything. I’ve been studying under different people since I was four, so this is all new ground to me. There are some pretty unusual things I’ve heard about what other people can do so whatever that reason is it must be really important.

"Unusual" is only the half of it. [ from people who can manipulate people's emotions to... people who can manipulate people's bodies...

--well, people here are all rather controlling, aren't they? ]

Patience... Patience helps-- if you don't mind a little advice. [ he smiles. ] It's easy to feel frustrated when your student can't pull off something you believe they should be entirely capable of. The worst thing you can do is let them see that frustration.

Advice would be a huge help. [Especially from someone older who has experience in teaching.]

Since we’d just be starting with the basic of basics, I really don’t have any expectations. But I’ll keep that in mind if we have to get into advanced material, even then though it’d be hard of me to do that.

[Head tilt time.] What did you teach?

Oh, many things. The history of my people, our sciences, the way our universe worked...

[ a dismissive little gesture. ] And not infrequently, I was called upon to instruct our younger warriors in the art of combat-- though normally that was a task better left to my brothers.

[ fighting is nice and all, but the thrill of new knowledge and discovery is just something that can't be replicated... says the through-and-through scholar. not everyone would agree with him. ]

[Korra’s eyes widen as he just casually lists off history, science, universal theory, and lastly combat. There’s a quiet pause as she just takes all that in.]

That’s amazing! No offense, but I never would have guessed you for a fighter. So do you still teach here in Keeliai? [There was nothing aside from curiosity in that question. Did anyone instruct others on their home worlds and it’s cultures or was everyone so absorbed into the day to day struggles that there wasn’t enough time for that.]

[ he holds up his hand, once again on the verge of laughter. ] None taken.

I haven't been, no. As you said, the level of what most of us here are capable of is... Well, impressive enough that they hardly need lessons from an old relic like me. [ but hey, if there're people out there who need lessons from a young girl... ]

That being said, I'm not against the idea.

Well there are some of the foreigners here who could probably learn to defend themselves, especially against some the gangs that I’ve heard about. [That was a city wide problem she’s been wanting to tackle for a while now.]

People like Pete, Mark, Vanessa, Damian, [Oh gawd Korra, no. STAHP.] and a few others probably could use a couple of lessons so they can handle themselves with how some of the kedan are. Especially since Mark had some rocks thrown at him once. [Nope, she’s never going to forgive an instance like that.]

It’s pretty much what I’m doing with one student [Sort of student. It’s complicated.], but I don’t think I could teach more than one at a time.

[ girl's persistent. qilby shakes his head, almost in disbelief -- disbelief mostly at himself and what he's considering. it's one thing to offer help, but quite another to actually give it. one makes him come off as a good person -- better than he actually is, you could say -- and the other?

he sighs sharply, but a smile yet remains on his face. who knows? perhaps the benefits will outweigh the inconveniences. ]

The neighborhood certainly has its share of bullies, I'm afraid.

... If you're asking for my assistance, I'll be glad to provide it.

[She knows that sigh, it’s what she thrived off of from her former masters and her current one. Poor Tenzin.]

Well I don't exactly have a school or anything and this little work-out set up I've got at home isn't going to be done until I can get all those things together. But if I come across someone who does or a good place to use I’ll definitely let you know Qilby! [Yeah, she’s happy to have that support.] Should I have any trouble with instructing though you’ll be who I’ll be contacting for advice.

I learned martial arts while I was doing my training. What kind of combat did you teach?

A style unique to my people. As it fully utilizes our-- [ ahem ] --other abilities, it's not something you're likely to see from anyone else.

But our principles of combat remain the same whether you're an Eliatrope or not. [ and he ticks them off on the fingers of one hand. ] Stay ever in motion. Strike decisively, but never to kill. And most importantly-- don't get hit.

[ his tone's not a little wry. ] Simple enough when put like that, isn't it?

Really? That's kind of how we do bending. Each bending style focuses on using one element but is still effective when you take away the bending and apply it to bare fighting.

It sounds simple outside of combat, but you can't predict everything your opponent can do. Those are pretty sound though, especially keeping in motion. And of course the "no killing" one. That's pretty pretty important too.

Element? [ yeah, yeah, "no killing--" whatever. this is far more interesting! ] As in the four elements?

[ the world of twelve had changed a lot in the ten thousand years he spent away from it. apparently while he was gone, its natives had learned to harness the elements... just as this girl's people seem to have done. ]

[Korra’s entire face lights up at his recognition of the elements. Finally someone knew what she was talking about!] Yes! Earth, Fire, Air, and Water!

Some people are born with the ability to bend one and usually get trained by another bender. It’s seriously the coolest thing ever on my world. [Pro-bending included in that.] So you have that on your world too??

[Excited Korra is excited.]

[ well that certainly was a reaction. this girl reminds him more and more of young nora with every passing minute.

there is fathomless patience in his smile. ] Not exactly-- I don't think. And it's not technically my world.

The world I come from is not my own, and there is but one energy that my people knew how to... Bend. An energy of life, one we called wakfu. [ and he demonstrates by tracing a line of light in the air, blue and clear like clean water. ]

The natives of the world we eventually traveled to, however, knew how to take wakfu and manifest its power as the four elements you know -- earth, fire, air, and water. I'm afraid I don't know the trick of it. [ and, curiously-- ] Do you have this ability to bend, then?

So being on Tu Vishan isn't anything new to you, is it?

[Her eyes become wide and lush with interest when he mentions "energy of life". That was exactly how she would describe-] The Avatar State.

[While it wasn't the same color, his glowing demonstration seemed like it was related to it.] Yes! Bending has been my whole life, I'm the Avatar.

[Time to use those history lessons the White Lotus had given her.] A very, very long time ago the spirit of the planet incarnated itself into a human form and was the only being able to bend all four elements, using them to keep balance between the four nations. One for each element. When the Avatar dies, the spirit passes on to another bender from the next nation in the cycle: Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, then Air Nomads. The Avatar is also the connection from the physical world into the Spirit World, almost like an ambassador.

[Normally she's tired of explaining that since it was too much for most of the fellow foreigners to take in. Now though, she is happy to be talking about it since Qilby has a firm understanding of these things.] I've learned to bend all four of them, but only mastered three. Air is the last one I learned when I got here. I mean I can't do any of the advanced moves, but I'm hoping to work on it here in Keeliai.

[ he shakes his head. no, this is far from the first new world he's explored, but the circumstances of arriving here are certainly the strangest. and hearing about all these other universes and the way they work... it's as if they too are at his very fingertips.

he listens with rapt attention; stories like this are to him what water is to a man stranded in an endless desert. at "spirit of the planet incarnated," his first thought is goddess. this girl must be absolutely worshiped by her people (his certainly would've been gullible enough, anyway.) his second is... ]

So your spirit's walked the earth for ages, but when you reincarnate, you must learn everything all over again?

Yes, but when the Avatar can achieve a true meditative state, each spirit of the previous Avatars can be contacted. In fact the last Avatar, Aang's spirit, has helped me before.

[Whatever thoughts of training had been thrown out of the window of her mind.] Technically I'm a fully realized Avatar because Aang passed on his knowledge of the Avatar State and how to bend the energy within ourselves. Like exactly what you said earlier, energybending!

But I think the way it works is it's best for the current Avatar to learn all the new things that happens in their lifetime instead of just constantly channeling the previous Avatars. That way there's new information going I guess. Never really thought about it. [She half shrugs.] I'd rather finish learning my airbending though, it's part of my duties as the Avatar.

[That is when she slowly looks at Qilby as if she had seen him for the very first time.] So you can't bend any elements, but you can bend energy? [That just brings a slew of questions to her mind.]

[ so what she's saying is she has access to generations and generations of experience without having to live through everything that comes with that.

well, some people just have it all, don't they? ]

In a manner of speaking, yes. [ his reply's slow, careful. "bending" is still such a strange term, and he's not yet sure they're talking about quite the same thing. ] Wakfu is an energy that permeates our entire universe, present in all living things. Without it, there is no life.

My kind are capable of manipulating this energy, using it to fuel our other intrinsic abilities-- in some cases, amplifying them far beyond their original capabilities. [ a slight hesitation. ] Under solely my own power, I'm as powerful as the next adult Eliatrope. But it's my mastery of wakfu manipulation that sets me apart from my peers.

[ there's no bravado, no self-congratulation in his tone. what he says is merely fact. ]

[Korra, lucky? Oh yes, very.]

[Wakfu sounded exactly like the elements in their raw, natural state.] If I didn't know any better, I'd say you must have been to my world at least once. So as far my understanding goes, you're able to do the one thing only the Avatar can do and nothing else. [She scratches her chin while inclining her head.]

Only some are born with the gift to bend, but what about yours? Was your control over Wakfu something you learned?

[ it's not in the realm of the impossible! if there are an infinite number of planets in an infinite number of universes, it stands to reason he could've traveled to ~~and destroyed~~ a version of her world...

he shakes his head, afterwards adjusting his glasses. ] It's an ability all Eliatropes are born with, although -- as with you and your bending masters -- it's one that benefits from a teacher's instruction and cultivation.

[ a kindly smile! ] If you'd like, I can show you what I mean sometime. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in seeing this bending of yours for myself...

Everyone has it? Hmm. [She's not even going to try her hand at pronouncing Eliatropes. However, she does find it interesting thinking of what a world would be like if everyone could bend. Wouldn't that make it the exact opposite of Amon's ideal? Shakes that thought from her head.]

That sounds like a an idea I can get behind. I'd love to do a show and tell of the elements! [She can't help but reciprocate that smile, finally someone who makes complete sense on the turtle.]

[ if "eliatrope" is a challenge for her to pronounce, he'd like to introduce her to his brother grougaloragran... ]

Then it's decided. Let me know when you have a spare moment in your training, and I'll be sure to set some time aside.

[ life of a professional know-it-all, and all that. studying never ceases! ] I look forward to it, Korra.

I do too Qilby! This is going to be great. Keep an eye out for a text from me soon.

Until then.

[ and blip! off he goes, presumably to do important things and such. ]

((ooc: maybe after the event, anytime you want to do a log or action thread or something, just let me know! :) ))

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