In The Pursuit Of Knowledge

“Considering demons are allowed within the Reich, I doubt your upbringing will be of any concern. My Liege does not care for the whole, but learns of the individual in question before passing judgement. Calm your worries and simply stand before her with the same enthusiasm you’re showing me.”

The Sugiura are a people that Helle knows little of. Even as she goes about the processes required to learn of the world’s current settings, her duties have interfered greatly. With such, she does not have much knowledge on the Sugiuran people, but she knows they exist and wonders why Saisei worries about his upbringing. He seems like a good kid. However, Helle knows that even good people can harbor great secrets: bad or good.

Funny enough, Helle couldn’t help but imagine the surprise that may occur when they meet Cyrus. Yes, as the leader of the Vandenreich, Cyrus is a rather powerful individual, but Cyrus is also far from an intimidating figure in Helle’s eyes. Blame such on her own strength or strange attraction to her Liege, but Cyrus showed a surprising amount of mercy to the Demon’s during their assault on Washington D.C. and has turned the Reich into a more open organization, the very reason Saisei is even able to satiate his curiosity so easily. Now isn't the time to dote however, but Helle does wonder if Cyrus will be in his female form or not.

Mentally chuckling at Saisei’s attempt to look more presentable, Helle’s eyes fell onto the building before them. It did not take long to reach the main building where Cyrus and hers’ offices are located. However, she did dread the wait required to reach the top floor once they entered.

“Ah. Yes. Let us hurry before it gets too crowded. Stay beside me Saisei.” They are in a rather populated area considering many of the Reich enter and exit this building regularly performing duties and assignments. It is best they stay close to one another which should not be too hard considering Helle is a hard person to lose sight of in her armored state. Surprisingly, to answer Saisei’s thoughts from before, many of the Quincy about lack any form of armor proving that Helle’s form isn’t something that is exactly normal for the Reich. However, it doesn’t matter as Helle makes her way towards one of the elevators without giving attention to anyone despite many of them moving, specifically, to stay out of her way.

Pressing the button to the elevator, Helle finally takes the time to check that Saisei kept up while tapping her foot on the floor impatiently. This leaves the young male a few moments to speak his mind if he so desires before they step into the elevator and rise to meet the head of this organization, him or herself.

Into the elevator they step. Saisei couldn’t see it, but Helle allowed for a small smile to play on her face after hearing him speak. In all honesty, Helle figured Saisei would give a splendid first impression despite the many warnings she gave him. Helle remembered her first time meeting Cyrus: a little time ago after exploding a small chunk of Russia. Now, unless Saisei could and does replicate such, Helle has little worry for how this meeting will go.

Without any words, she clicks the topmost button, floor 30, and straightens moments before they begin to rise. Of course, as with public services, they are stopped multiple times as they rise allowing people to enter and get off while others stay seeing that they also have business on the 30th floor. Eventually, however, they do reach the 30th floor, and Helle wastes little time stepping off, as does everyone else, hurrying down the hallway before taking a turn. Down this hallway is what appears to be a desk with a woman sitting there; her hair a silvery white with glasses adorning her pretty face, two furry ears sprouting from her head.

“Ninsianna. I’ve come to see my Liege, and I have brought someone who wishes to speak with… her. Is my Liege busy?”

Helle had not taken the time to ensure that Saisei had followed her, but she had also fully expected the young lad to keep up. It would be a shame if something as simple as following the leader had interfered with his desires to meet someone he obviously thinks highly of. Though, now that she is here, Helle did allow her head to turn slightly as Ninsianna reported that Cyrus is free for visits and that she’ll let her know that Helle has arrived with company. With that settled, Helle would nod and give her appreciation for the information before ushering Saisei to follow as she moved to open the doors that led into the room that the leader of the Vandenreich is in.

“Now is your time, Saisei.”

Behind the desk was not the motherly, effeminate figure of Kouroush Atar Urvazishta, but rather of Kouroush Atar Vohu-Fryana; Cyrus of the Affectionate Flame. Once more his masculine countenance was upon the Earth, though who was to say how long this was to last? So long as he was concerned, such matters of gender were trivial at best when compared to necessity. No matter appearance, he was but Cyrus, Ahura Mazda. Looking up with the pleasant smile that seemed as natural as the very air itself, he gestured across to the chairs across from his desk, and spoke in the deep, authoritative baritone which had not been heard in the City of Lights for many moons now.

"Good day to the both of you. Subcaptain Armstrong, it is quite fortuitous that you should find yourself here. I have a bit of business to discuss with you, but naturally I would not delay this meeting for those ends."

Steepling his fingers as he rested his elbows atop the desk, Cyrus gave the two some time to take their seats, naturally not wanting to seem overbearing in his hostility.

"I should ask your name, young man. I am Grandmaster Cyrus ast-Auramazda, though I suspect that the fine subcaptain has already informed you of my name. Might I ask yours for the sake of a proper conversation? Ah, and is there anything you might require? A drink? It is getting to be rather warm of late."

Stepping into the office, Helle’s mind immediately focused on the man sitting behind the desk, not the woman she was expecting to meet. Now, this is a surprise, but it is a pleasant surprise for the blonde Quincy. While Cyrus’ female side held a grace and beauty that would captivate her emerald gaze at times, this form of Cyrus demanded much more attention from Helle’s body. And, it wasn’t just her body that reacted strangely to her Liege. Ever since their shared moment back within that room on Minatumi Harbour, Helle has felt a longing. It’s a new and strange feeling for her, but at times she finds herself wondering more and more about Cyrus and his upbringing, what he likes to eat, his favorite pastime. It’s weird and distracts her from her duties at random. Being someone that Cyrus relies on greatly doesn’t help Helle keep him/her out of her mind, and the idea of being called upon always gravitates around her annoyingly, pleasantly annoyingly.

With her mind suddenly bamboozled with distressing thoughts such as hand holding, the sudden bass of Cyrus’ voice that she had not heard in a while snapped her out of her thoughts. Cyrus has something he wishes to relate with her? Her mind is already buzzing thinking of what she is needed for, but there is something immediate they both must deal with. Luckily, no one can read her thoughts, for, in that short amount of time, she had forgotten all about Saisei’s presence beside her. Troubling… What also troubles her is the fact that she can’t remember if she even told Saisei’s Cyrus’ name. She can only recall referring to the man as her Liege. If she weren’t wearing armor right now, everyone would be able to see her face flush in slight embarrassment because of the expectancy placed upon her. Surely, her legs would have bucked just a bit were it not for her training and ability to keep a calm exterior.

“She- I mean, He… Ah… This is my Liege Saisei. My apologies for not elaborating on my Liege’s gender fluidity. I am just as shocked as you are. Let us take our seats, and you may ask all that you desire. I am sure my Liege will show capable of answering all your mind has to offer.”

Though her shock is probably greater than what Saisei may be experiencing, she’s not going to show it at all. Thank the Heavens for helmets. She would move forward herself, but the sudden noise outside of the door catches her attention. It sounded as if one had crashed into a wall or something of similar build. Someone planning something right outside Cyrus’ door? Surely, they must be mad. However, it could just be simply that: someone bumping into the wall for whatever reason. Still, it is her duty to make sure the City is safe from any mishap that could prove catastrophic.

“My apologies. There seems to be something going on in the hallway. I shall return shortly after investigating.”

She quickly transitions from fangirling to a more guarded air as she steps away from Saisei and moves to the door to open and look out into the hallway turning her head left and right before spotting someone on the floor. The table next to them and the way they held their head proved enough to convince Helle that an accident had occurred. Giving Ninsianna a look that is hard to tell under her helmet, the armored 6ft Quincy takes quick strides over to the downed woman kneeling. She speaks, but her voice is warped by her helmet and sounds much more masculine than her natural voice giving off the idea that a male existed underneath the armor and not a female.

“You should be more careful. Do you require assistance?”

Though the commotion outside caught Cyrus' attention, he let Helle handle it and returned his gaze to the pink-haired young man sitting in front of him. He sized the boy up almost in passing, faintly curious as to what Helle might have brought him here for.

"Ah, the nature of my sex is inconsequential. It is simply a consequence of my partiular aspects, but I will not inundate you with the specifics. I imagine that is hardly why you are here, after all."

Listening carefully to the young man's words, Cyrus offered a small smile of understanding at his mention of the appearance on television. It seemed that ever since then, people had been flocking toward the City of Light in a new rush of interest. Naturally, such interest in the Vandenreich was far from outside of Cyrus' ideals.

But the young man's gaze spoke many more volumes than the words he had spoken. There was purpose behind it, and he suspected that this boy did not even fully realize the full scope of it. Of course, Cyrus could hardly know the answer to that either, not so soon, and certainly not without greater context. But, he knew, that was the sort of purpose that he very much wished to have at his side.

"'Normal' is a quite relative term, Saisei. I do not think it necessary to constrain yourself by it, or measure yourself against it. But it is assuredly within my power to help you, even if it may take time to understand."

His request for a drink brought a bit more of a smile to his face, and he moved his finger to the button on his desk to contact Ninsianna, though he waited a moment longer.

"Is there any sort in particular you wish for?"