Guardian of the Shadows

A cold temperature room, filled with tech, a few weeks after Maya's recovery.
(Maya is sitting, sketching in a small notebook. Alex is nearby, programing.)
Alex: (Without looking up) You know, I still have trouble picturing you as a kid... tearing around in that... whirlwind you described. It just doesn't fit with how... calm you are now.
Maya: (Chuckles, putting down her pencil) Calm? I wouldn't say calm. More... contained. It's a learned skill. Besides, the wind didn't always listen then. I had more... accidents. Remember that time I accidentally blew the roof off Grandpa's shed?
Alex: (Smiling slightly) Ah, yes. The "Great Shed Incident of '21." You left out the part where half the town's laundry ended up in the tree across the street.
Maya: (Groans playfully) Okay, okay, I admit it. I wasn't exactly a stable force of nature. What about you, Mr. Stoic? You were always this serious, even as a child?
Alex: Serious? No. Disciplined. My father... he instilled in me the importance of control. He said my power was like a wild fire, beautiful but dangerous if unleashed without purpose. He always had me practicing, focusing my energy. Never a moment for childhood antics.
Maya: (Looks at him with a hint of sadness) That sounds... intense. So, not many laundry-in-trees moments for you then?
Alex: (A faint smile plays on his lips) More pushing boulders around and meditating with a mountain. Not quite as colorful.
(A comfortable silence settles between them for a moment.)
Alex: Speaking of control, have you tried that focus technique we were talking about? The one that helps channel your wind into a more contained blast?
Maya: (Sighs) I've been working on it. It's still... unpredictable. It's like trying to hold a handful of smoke and water. I can feel the power, but it's hard to direct.
Alex: It's alright, it takes time. I spent years trying to hone the way I channel earth's energy, to create solid barriers rather than just... rockslides. We all have to learn the nuances, the limitations and the strengths.
Maya: (Looks up at Alex, a determined glint in her eyes) I will get it. It's not just about control, is it? It's about protecting Lumina. We both understand the importance of that.
Alex: (Nods, meeting her gaze) More than anything. Lumina is the only place that offers balance, and we are the guardians. We owe it to everyone who lives here, to the land itself. All our abilities, all the things that make us different, they need to be focused on this.
Maya: (Closes her notebook, her gaze unwavering) Then we use them wisely. Together.
(They share a brief, meaningful look, a silent understanding passing between them. The tension of their shared responsibility hangs in the air, mixed with the growing strength of their bond.),