( he bites that out. it's sharper than he means it to be. he's frustrated too. trying to learn lightning is worse than playing with (metaphorical) fire, because he knows zolt's taken an interest in him because of how easily he gets it. he's not perfect. but he's good enough that he knows he's being groomed for a bright future in crime, and he also knows that he and bolin are going to have to cut and run before that happens. it doesn't matter how many times he says he's not interested in the seedier goings-ons of the triple threats, one day they'll stop taking no as an answer. whenever they feel like they're owed more than what he can pay up with the way he casually skirts around their establishments and business, running the books and doing the occasional courier job.
softer, )
I know, I know. We'll find you a teacher. Maybe we should try the library, see if there are any earthbending scrolls under public domain. I can learn the moves with you.
( he knows there can be some crossover between elements. redirecting lightning is a waterbending move. and he's seen firebenders who move like earthbenders. it's less that the style is tied explicitly to an element and more that that's just... how it was taught, and how it's been taught for thousands upon thousands of years. tradition.
but the world is changing. republic city is really the first place in history where you can't throw a rock without hitting one of the three disciplines. there aren't enough airbenders to really count, but the only ones in the world are here, too. even he and bolin are evidence of the times — earth nation father, fire nation mother. something that would have been a rarity a hundred years ago is now... actually pretty common. where there's less isolation, there's bound to be more amalgamation.
no subject
( he bites that out. it's sharper than he means it to be. he's frustrated too. trying to learn lightning is worse than playing with (metaphorical) fire, because he knows zolt's taken an interest in him because of how easily he gets it. he's not perfect. but he's good enough that he knows he's being groomed for a bright future in crime, and he also knows that he and bolin are going to have to cut and run before that happens. it doesn't matter how many times he says he's not interested in the seedier goings-ons of the triple threats, one day they'll stop taking no as an answer. whenever they feel like they're owed more than what he can pay up with the way he casually skirts around their establishments and business, running the books and doing the occasional courier job.
softer, )
I know, I know. We'll find you a teacher. Maybe we should try the library, see if there are any earthbending scrolls under public domain. I can learn the moves with you.
( he knows there can be some crossover between elements. redirecting lightning is a waterbending move. and he's seen firebenders who move like earthbenders. it's less that the style is tied explicitly to an element and more that that's just... how it was taught, and how it's been taught for thousands upon thousands of years. tradition.
but the world is changing. republic city is really the first place in history where you can't throw a rock without hitting one of the three disciplines. there aren't enough airbenders to really count, but the only ones in the world are here, too. even he and bolin are evidence of the times — earth nation father, fire nation mother. something that would have been a rarity a hundred years ago is now... actually pretty common. where there's less isolation, there's bound to be more amalgamation.
and if it would help bolin, he'd be all for it. )