Players:
Summary: Kaji seeks some mental guidance.
Date: April 15, 2011
Log Title: Ripples in a Pond
Rating: PG
Stark Towers
Roof Garden
Way above the New York city streets is a roof garden enclosed in glass save for a rather large squared off section. Tonight the water of the man made creek is disturbed by a light rain and the plant life sways with the accompanying gentle breeze. Amongst the greenery, the Japanese structures and the bridge in a section beneath the opening in the glass is Tony Stark. The man is slowly moving through a kata wearing naught but a pair of loose black pants that seem to flow with the movements. Bare feet grasp at the wet blades of grass then flatten out when a step is taken.
With the roof garden way on top of the roof, it's the perfect place for someone to go up there and think. Just as Kaji thought to do, he already knew that Tony could be up there. He hadn't see the inventor for a bit that night. The anthro slowly made his way through the roof garden, his eyes half closed as he partially paid attention to his surroundings. Only making sure that he didn't run into anything as he let the ambient noise carry him. It's only when Tony moved that his eyes focused and the wolf quirks a brow. Muttering softly to himself, "So this is where you've been."
Concentration is the key in something like this so the appearance of the wolf does not distract the man from continuing the seamless movements. "I needed a time out." More or less. The next move has Tony changing directions so that he is facing the direction his friend is in. There's a nod of the head, a slight smile, and a questioning eyebrow raised. "Were you intentionally looking for me?"
A half smile crawled onto the anthro's muzzle before he moved to sit on the inside corner of the open area. Letting the rain fall upon him as he looks over at Tony. "Kinda. More like mindlessly wandering around as I let my mind mull things over." He sits cross legged with his forearms on his knees as he tilts his head back up to look at the sky. "Been thinking on going back to see Emma for another mental check up. Even if I can't feel anything wrong."
Tony closes his eyes as he continues to move through the space as if his feet were barely touching the ground. That Kaji was wandering about was no big surprise to the inventor though the desire to visit Emma again is in part. "If you feel it is necessary then you should." Both hands are drawn upward in front of his bare chest with fingers open then both are pushed away from the body towards where the wolf has seated himself.
Kaji lets out a bit of a laugh before he closes his eyes, listening to Tony for a moment before he listens to his little internal dialogue. "It's not really me. It's more him." He tilts his head down to look at Tony for a moment. "Ever felt like something is within your grasp, yet you don't know how to grab or even know what it is?"
"All the time?" Tony laughs while shaking his head spraying droplets of rain about a small area. "Have you ever considered that you and the spirit within think too much?" The kata slows to a stop then hands are placed to the ground in preparation for a hand stand. Legs raise as slowly as his movements from before. Once he is stable there is no more movement to be seen. "If you are open and listening the answer may come to you." One hand lifts from the ground stretching out for balance as a leg moves towards the outstretched arm. "Sometimes the stillness is its own messenger."
Kaji blinks a bit before he shakes his own head. "Shoulda figured you'd say something like that." After all, he is an inventor. He quirks a brow at that last bit before he just watches Tony perform the handstand. "I guess you've a point there. I think I may think too much. He seems to just run on instinct. But that isn't the right mode of action all the time."
Tony brings the leg back up at the same time the hand touches the ground then shifts to the other side to repeat a similar move. "Some times, there is too much noise, too much clutter, for the obvious to float to the surface." Once the extension is complete his legs come back together and he bends in such a way that shows incredible strength before he draws his knees towards his chest and winds up touching down to the wet grass with both bent legs. "Hrm…if your mind is a pond full of brightly colored koi with the water disturbed continually by heavy rain, your thoughts, you will not see the beautiful fish lurking below but should the pond still what you seek will rise to the surface." A bit of a shift has Stark sitting in a modified indian style motioning with a hand for Kaji to join him. "Sometimes it is good to stir things up a bit but if you can not settle things back down again you are likely to miss something."
Kaji quirks a brow as he listens. He has never really heard Stark sound philosophical like this. But he gets up, and walks a bit closer before he sits back down in front of the man. "You make a good point. But, there're just too many things to think upon. I rarely get a moments respite." Cept those moments where he's experiencing hangtime while doing something stupid off of a cliff or out of an airplane.
A look of disbelief is sent the anthrowolfs way. "You do realize who you're sitting with don't you?" For Tony quite possibly has the worst possible case of having too much to think upon. His mind has always gone a hundred miles an hour coupled with numerous distractions, and things to be monitored it's lucky that he even has a moment to stop the chaotic whirlwind to clear his mind. "If you want for something you can bring it into being. Have you considered that if you can not still your mind that you quite possibly may have ADD?"
Kaji chuckles softly. "Ah, sorry bout that. Slipping my mind." He smirks a bit before he hms a bit, closing his eyes to just listen to the rain hitting him an the surroundings as he thinks. "I don' think I've ADD. I just think that I need to … get in better touch with the wolf inside of my head to actually let that pond settle for me to enjoy it."
Tony breathes in deeply then slowly releases that breath. "I still believe you are thinking far too much. You are causing more ripples in the pond so what you seek remains out of sight." Out of sight; out of mind.
Kaji gives Tony a bit of a flat look before he quirks a brow. Even an ear flicks in mild agitation before he inhales deeply and closes his mind. "Maybe I should take some mediation tips from you. You seem to have it down pat."
"Appearances can be deceiving my friend," a heavy sigh issued for that. Tony rests his hands upon his knees as he regards his friend with a rather neutral expression. "I have struggled with racing thoughts since I was a small child. Nothing ever moved fast enough for me so I found a great many things to be interested in to channel my thoughts." Reaching off to the side Tony snags a small stick that he uses to draw a pattern amongst the blades of grass though no imprint is left behind to tell exactly what that pattern is. "I drew constantly. Anything from fantastical beasts to how to turn a common ordinary toaster into a robot. There were other things as well but that is an example." The stick hovers in place for a moment then seems to reverse the image that was drawn before. "It is not easy to slow and sort ones thoughts but it can be done. Thankfully I had been taught various ways of reigning in myself before I added in more complexity with my technical abilities. I believe you could learn to bring things under control but…" points the stick at Kaji. "It is not an instant gratification thing. It took me years upon years."
Kaji smirks slightly at the stick pointed at him, and he looks over at the man as the anthro shrugs a bit as he says, "Nothing in this world is instant. It all needs to be taught. But, thankfully, I'm willing to learn. That is if you're willing to teach me some things."
"There are instant things in the world," Tony laughs. For a time the man grows silent as the light rain continues to drop down through the opening in the roof of the glass structure. The trickle of the creek can be heard, there is a susurration of leaves from nearby trees, and the occasional tapping sound all around as rain hits glass or stone. An explanation is given on how one must physically calm oneself, the principals of meditation yet having to find a balance that works for each individual. "For me I use movement that is calm and steady. You must also watch out for becoming hyper focused on something. It may not occur to you but I have a tendency to be so intently focused on one thing that the rest of the world seems to fall away. For mediation? Excellent. For the rest of life? Not so much."
Kaji chuckles and nods. "Aye, I was born on the west coast. Rain was something that was common. I lived on the northern part of California. So we got a good portion of rain down from Oregon." He listens a bit more, his ears twitching as drops hit glass and metal. "Thunderstorms were fun to watch, and listen."
Tony sets the stick down between himself and Kaji to reach over taking a paw. One paw to a knee then the other paw treated the same. "Classic seated posture," is told to the wolf. "You've done this before but perhaps not experienced it the way it should be." A moment is taken to allow a hand to pass over his face to wipe the water away. "Your mind must go elsewhere, Kaji. The rain is but the focus to begin the process. When you've attuned yourself to the sound, to the feeling it brings to you then you can find the stillness you seek." Metabolism will change, blood pressure will slow, and stress or pain will fade into nothing just like the multitude of thoughts. "You are still aware of your surroundings though you are simply being. Have you seen Last Samurai?"
Kaji moves his hands to his knees, flexing the hands for a moment before he relaxes them with a soft breath. He quirks a brow before he says, "I've only seen parts of it, never the entire movie." He closes his eyes as his ears flick once more, he takes in a deep breath before he lets it out slowly; letting himself try and settle his mind down. Or at least send it elsewhere.
"There is a sequence," Tony begins while stretching out his neck. "Where several try to teach the main character how to clear his mind. That when he is able to do so he will be able to fight in such a way that is impossible to achieve when the mind is constantly thinking and over thinking actions." The stick is then picked up again to trace another pattern in the space between the two men. "You should sit down and finish the film. If not but for seeing the struggle he undertakes to learn what you are attempting to learn and then to see the result. It's just an idea even if it is from a film."
Kaji opens an eye with a hm. "Good idea." He stays silent for a moment before he puts a hand to his stomach as it gurgles in the silence. "Though, I'm also guessing I shouldn't meditate, or try to, on an empty stomach." He shakes his head, making his fur floof out slightly before it's matted back down by the water. "Have you eaten today?"
Tony cocks his head from side to side as if he's uncertain. Clearly the delay in response means, no. Alas, the man is forever hopeless when it comes to remembering important things like eating and sleeping. "I seem to have forgotten the necessity for food somewhere between a board meeting, and searching for Mr. Toad." Unfolding his legs Tony climbs to his feet while brushing a hand across his chest spraying water in a downward arc. "I doubt there is much to be had in the kitchen. I do believe you and I could perhaps find ourselves at a Japanese Steakhouse to continue the current motif."
Kaji stands up with a shake of his head and a laugh before he walks over under the cover of the garden's enclosure. "Agreed, I think I'm in the mood for some of that right now. Maybe we could come back here and watch the movie. Or I can watch it while you work on something in your lab. Whichever works." He smiles a bit before he drops down onto all fours and just shakes all the water off of him. As he stands back up, his fur is all floofed out before it starts to flatten back down. And everything around him is soaked.
Thankfully Stark was not all that close to the wolf when he shook himself though it wouldn't have made much difference as Tony had been out in the rain for some time. "Feel free to watch the film. I am unfortunately extremely busy with the various issues with the drug situation. I merely needed a moment to clear my thoughts to see if I might find another angle I have not perused." Leading the way towards the elevator the pair will ride down a floor to enter into the apartment where they can prepare to go out and enjoy a good meal.
