Alex Summers is no hero (hesnohero) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-15 21:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, alex summers (havok), avatar aang |
Renewals, Part One - Spirits of Awakening
Who: Aang and Alex
Where:the Danger Gym
What: Aang and Alex train, and somehow, things change.
When: During the bodyswap time
Warnings/Rating: PG
Status complete
Alex had decided to hang out with Aang more recently, and after they were bodyswapped, it only made more sense, really. So he had taken time to go to the danger gym today, and meet Aang there. After some obstacle work, and regular working out, they had cooled down in the pool and were now working on stretches and meditation.
He was hoping it would help them both.
Aang was getting better at meditation, and getting in touch with his spiritual self. He was somewhat pleased to find he could still tune in to the spirit world, even this strange, new body--but he supposed it was little different than if he had been reincarnated. New body, new inherent abilities; same soul.
Besides, he was getting to know both himself and his friend a little better, and he considered that to be a good thing.
Alex enjoyed getting to know Aang and exchange stories about life here and in the dream worlds. Aang’s life seemed pretty awesome there, and Alex was pretty amazed. Alex had been careful to avoid even trying to access Aang’s powers.
Today, though, when they were moving through some low level martial arts moves, part of the Jing Tai meditation movement, he wondered what bending was like, especially like fire, which seemed a lot like his own powers, in a way. “What is it like to firebend?”
Flowing through the movements, Aang felt closer to the elements, even if they were just beyond his grasp. He was still surrounded by so much energy. “It’s hard for me to describe,” he said, “I haven’t fully mastered fire. But it’s exciting. A little scary. It’s like...like holding passion in your hand, and turning it into a living, breathing thing. Hold it too tightly, and you snuff it out; but get too careless, and it will run away with you.”
“Sounds kinda like how my powers worked when I had them. And, it’s weird,. but I sort of feel like I can almost feel the fire, when I am in your body... odd.” He held up a hand, staring at it as he move through the motions and as he came to one where his hand flung out away, he felt something surge, and for a moment, flame flickered along his fingers, but not flame, it almost looked like... plasma.
Aang was going to suggest that maybe Alex could feel the fire. Just because Aang had been born with an affinity for air didn’t mean that Alex’ spirit would resonate most strongly with that same element. In fact, it seemed to make sense to Aang that Alex would be stronger in one of the other three. But just as he opened his mouth, the energy leaped from Alex’ fingertips, manifesting in its own, unique way.
“Well, I guess that answers that!”
Alex laughed. “I guess so! “ He smiled to Aang, and shook his head. “This whole body swap things is weird, but it doesn’t bother me as much, really. You’re a good guy, and if I had to be stuck somewhere, your body is better than most, you know? At least I know you and you’re not like, evil.”
"Right?" Aang chuckled. "I imagine it would've been more awkward switching with a random stranger. I guess that happened to quite a few people."
Alex nodded. “That would be very odd.” Alex smiled as he moved and exercised, before coming to a halt. “You’ve been doing a good job of keeping yourself fit. Your body is very limber.”
“Probably not as fit as yours,” Aang mused, “Or at least I haven’t earned quite as many calluses yet.” Before working at the zoo, Aang had probably done more mental gymnastics, but he’d come to realize he wasn’t going to be a mathematician or a concert violinist. Now, he tried to play to his strengths. “I guess we’ll see if I toughen up once Toph puts me through earth-bending and iron-palm stuff.”
“I believe you can do it. If I still had my powers and if they were controllable, I’d offer helping with the fire type training. But they vanished a few months ago.”
Aang nodded, knowing a few people seemed to have lost their powers permanently around that same time, though most seemed to have gotten theirs back. “It’s funny,” he said, “Sometimes, while we’re meditating, I feel like I could almost reach my bending, but something--some important channel or chakra--has been blocked. But now I have to wonder. Maybe it’s your bending that I’m sensing.”
“Maybe. I thought it lost, but there might be some shred of it left. I wouldn’t object if you want to look.” even if it would mean a hell of a life of being ensheathed in his costume forever again.
“I could look,” Aang said, “But I probably shouldn’t touch anything. I mean...I don’t want to cause any harm, even unintentionally. I’m still just training.” The question was, was it even possible for Aang to look, but not touch?
“Of course. You do what you feel is best. I’m not going to tell you what to do, here, Aang. Your powers are at least partially in your spirit or mind if I understand what you have told me. I know nothing like them. Just don’t kill my body, please, or my wife will kill us both.” He grinned.
“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself,” Aang said, settling down in a butterfly pose. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, to see what he could see...
He let his body and his mind relax, sinking down into meditation. Feeling the energy flow in, and around, and through him. When he had a good idea of where it was getting blocked up and stagnant, he opened his eyes--staring unfocused as he stretched his awareness and intentions toward Alex, to see what sort of impressions he could gather from the other man’s aura. Looking inward only showed him part of the picture, but looking at both sides, something clicked--and suddenly, he was seeing Alex’ past. Alex’ dreams.
A threat. A murder. A young boy’s panic. A well of power, like a fire hydrant--or rather, a fiery furnace--blown wide open, and no way to close it down. And something else--
He gasped as his mind rushed upward, toward consciousness, and looked to meet Alex’ eyes. “I think I know how to help you...but if I push too far, too fast, I’m afraid I’ll blow the channels wide open again.” He felt sure they could do it. But it would take finesse. And they’d have to work together.
Alex blinked. then nodded. “Tell me what to do.” He had no idea what the other had seen or what the other meant, but he trusted Aang.
"Would you let me...I don't know if I can bring you into the Avatar state with me, or if I will even be able to reach it in your body, but I feel like if I could, I might be able to redirect your energy. But I'd like to meditate with you again, once we switch back, to make sure it sticks. Does that make sense?"
He met Alex' eyes frankly. "if you'd rather I wait to try this on you, or guide you through it externally, when I've more fully mastered my powers, I completely understand."
Alex paused for a moment, looking at the other, then nodded slowly. “I’m willing to try. I’d rather not wait, truthfully. With how this place is, Dire Wraiths could invade next week. Don’t ask.” He nodded. “Lets do it.”
Aang nodded, and took another deep, cleansing breath. He hadn’t mastered the ability to enter the Avatar state at will, yet, in his dreams. It usually only happened when he, or one of his friends, was in trouble. But since he was doing this to help a friend...
He cleared his mind, and turned his focus inward once again; aligning his chakras, and reaching for that place of mind-body-spirit connection. He didn’t know how long he sat like that, just breathing, but all at once, he felt a strange sort of tingling, and knew that something was happening. He opened his eyes, and saw a glowing aura of light around himself; his skin illuminated from within as he stretched out a hand toward Alex.
He touched the man’s forehead, and a phantom image of an arrow, drawn in sacred symbols, glowed blue beneath the fall of dark hair as something resonated between them. He was operating purely on instinct now, the knowledge of his own past lives guiding him as he directed that energy where it needed to go.
Alex started up, eyes wide as a rush of energy filled him, and something sang in his mind, and deeper, in his spirit. Somewhere behind his eyes, something opened, and he saw, for a moment, a million, million other Alex Summers; and felt the touch of them in his mind and heart, before the door slammed again. He shuddered, and his body sang with the energy that Aang was making happen.
Aang gently withdrew his touch, hands cupped before him as if to catch something--but instead of catching something, he called a flicker of plasma to life. He was thankful, now, that he had taken time to begin training with Zuko, in addition to being able to channel the knowledge of Avatar Roku.
He stretched out his cupped hands, and offered that candle of flame-like energy to Alex.
Alex reached out, and somehow his senses connected to the plasma, and then it flared as he took it in his hands, dancing into the form of a solid, hot blue flame. And then he looked up at Aang. “What do I do?”
“You know what to do,” Aang said gently, echoing some inner prompting. “You’ve trusted me this far. Now trust yourself.”
Alex looked down at the fire, and then following an impulse, lifted it to his lips, and breathed, and just like that, it vanished. “Holy moley.” He sighed and shuddered.
“That was... odd.” Then he grinned. “But not wrong.”
Aang smiled, a peace settling around him as he exited the Avatar state and the light dimmed. “Feel better?”
“I am! I feel really good, actually.” He nodded. then grinned at the other man. “Want to go get a burger, after this? We can chat along the way?”
Aang nodded, and rolled his shoulders. He felt pretty good, too. “Sounds like a plan to me!”
~fin~