The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:11 pm

Saisei | Mr. Vandenreich Himself

Antarctica was quite the sight to behold. It was midday, the sun rather high for most. Within the abandoned quincy facility stood a lone human, his pink locks gently swaying with the wind filtering through the building. Strewn with holes, the research station was all but abandoned by it's previous owners. The Vandenreich, at least the one known before his beloved organization now, held this territory for quite some time. Despite that, it was overran with dilapidated buildings and the quiet manmade roads that connected them.

"Interesting place..."

Saisei muttered to himself, slapping his hands together to bring feeling back to them. He looked to the sky above, the roof of the building having disappeared entirely. For a 'town' that was treated so carefully, it seemed the previous ownership failed to meet real standards around here. He scoffed, digging his foot into the snow below. The Vandenreich of old seemed like a distant memory, especially for one who never truly knew them as they were before.

The young man exited the building's premises, stepping into the bright sun once more. He had come to Antarctica as a means to learn about their past. As it was now, Saisei had barely begun any type of training to become a quincy. Frankly, it was a mess that he had failed to manage well given all the time in America as of late. Nevertheless, he strived to better himself. The barren wastes of an icy little town weren't just for show. If Saisei were to become the quincy he knew he could, this would be his first step.

Hoping he had given Ms. Armstrong the correct coordinates, he set off to the center of the research town. Though it was a short trek, very little was in the way between the station and center of town. The only true obstacle was the abundance of snow, the boy's feathered clothing leaving him as warm as warm could be in such climate. Shortly upon arriving, Saisei looked to the sky once more before finally having the dread settle in.

"I guess this is goodbye, isn't it?"

While waiting for Helle, the boy mumbled to himself. His goodbye was a sad one, one filled with immense pain. Though no one stood around, he had clearly been talking to someone specific. That person would be his inner self, or well, his inner energy. The energy he had grown to love would be left to it's own devices once all was said and done. Saisei knew that. There was still a sense of somberness that left him feeling dejected, however. It was sad, really. As sad as it may though, he knew it was for the better.

Waving himself off, the boy tossed the bag slung over his shoulder to the ground. It was time to get to work. Without a second thought, the boy dropped down to his knees and buried his boots into the ground. So it began. Try as he might, the boy failed over and over to pull enough reishi from the air to bring anything meaningful outside of himself. Though he held the building blocks, Saisei was far from ready to be considered even a fledgling.

That, of course, was where Helle would come in.

"Any day now, Ma'am."

END POST | Finding A Way Forward

Fri Mar 12, 2021 10:59 am

The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle ZnehDGG

Helle Armstrong

From the heavens, she would descend, her mastery over the simplicities of Reishi and its workings allowing for one to simply use it as a means of travel whenever they pleased. Saisei, in his attempt to master his own control over the building blocks of life, would feel its existence react to Helle as commonly as old friends reuniting. Her heavy boots crunch against the snow as she finally reaches the ground, her appearance similar to every other time he has witnessed her, fully clad in armor. One may think it unsightly to wear metal in an environment such as Antarctica, but the heat that surrounds Helle begs to counter any claims that she may feel less than comfortable. However, it seemed not to perturb the snow about her, allowing it to remain in its perfect solid state.

“Your attempts are crude at best, Saisei.”

She can see the Reishi around him swirl as he tries and calls to it, but his forcefulness is working against him, acting as a counter force that makes the reishi react volatile. So, this is the reason she has taken a break from her duties. Her emerald eyes could not help but examine the environment, a relic of the past, Antarctica a simple history lesson. Eitherway, they have no time for pleasantries. They are working on borrowed time.

“Instead of focusing and charging headfirst, meditate and release any thoughts in your head. Do not try and make the Reishi bend to your will, use your own energy to coax it into letting you borrow it.”

Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:02 pm

Saisei | Mr. Vandenreich Himself

Pale skin met the ice cold snow of Antarctica, Saisei's hands digging into it's recesses. The young man was frustrated, nothing in his life had ever been so hard. Energy bent to his whims without question yet Reishi refused to exist codependently with him. It was like fighting with a child, the energy and his being were simply feuding without question. It was an unexpected outcome for someone of Saisei's stature. Energy was second nature, after all.

As he molded the snow around his little digits, the reishi he had so clearly tried to manipulate shifted. Moving as if disturbed by God himself, the reishi swirled and answered the call of one Ms. Armstrong. Her signature suit of armor looked uncomfortable yet there she stood, crunching the snow beneath her heavy feet. It was clear that she had grown accustomed to it's nature. Standing from his crouch, the boy dusted snow from his knees and gave her a rather rude look, pouting.

"Crude is better than nothin', right? I ain't got the gifts like you do, or anyone in the Vandenreich. I'll make do, though. Always have."

Though Saisei pouted, his words confirmed everything Helle would need to know. He wasn't a quincy, not like everyone else. That didn't keep him from knowing the path set before him, however. Helle Armstrong was a woman everyone could look up to, he wouldn't let his commander catch him slipping now.

"Better than nothin'. As you command, Ma'am."

As quickly as he stood, Saisei found himself dropping to the ground again. Giving himself the chance to breathe for what felt like the first time in months. the young man let his lungs empty. Before breathing in once more, the faint orange tone of his energy began to find itself molding to the snow around him. Rather than spiking and enveloping everything around the two figures, the tint simply sat dormant. Like the boy, the energy refused to force itself upon the environment.

Without hesitation, the energy began to shift and sway. It went without notice to the boy, his chest simply raising and falling with repeated breaths. Before long, reishi and his own spiritual pressure began to mold together, swirling without faltering. He peaked, an eye jerking open as he watched the process unfold. The visual nature was clearly a mistake, however, as the energies began to dissipate and falter entirely once seen.

"Why do I gotta be calm? When was the last time I was ever calm? That ain't me. I've always got a mission. If I don't fulfill it, it's a failure. Can't I just butt heads with it until it gives up?"

Saisei sighed, laying back against the snow as he watched his commander. Learning wasn't always so easy.

END POST | Finding A Way Forward

Thu Mar 18, 2021 2:43 pm

Helle Armstrong

“The answer is simple, isn’t it? Brute strength can only do so much without a mind trained to handle it. Every punch, kick, arrow, and shot becomes worthless as soon as one’s mind is lost. How sure are you of your techniques when your thoughts are blinded by rage? Even if you do not suffer as others with such things, it is a valuable lesson to understand and remember, Saisei.”

He wishes to perform the duties of a Quincy, yet refutes having to practice the disciplines that all Quincy are forced to understand. She shall not permit him to tarnish all that is necessary for the ability to bend the spiritual energy of the world. Too many have suffered greatly for these teachings. She has suffered greatly for these teachings. It was seen as a mockery when the Reishi moved the way he desired after he cooled his rambunctious thoughts. His control over energy is fine. His temperament is not.

“Crude or pristine, I expect you to meditate everyday, Saisei, an hour at a time. Focus entirely on mending Reishi with your energy and hold them together for the full length of time. You wish for a rushed perfection and I shall not allow it. Even if all you can create is a mediocre bat, I desire for its construction to be none other but perfect.”

The friendly woman he is used to is not here, a figure more akin to the monstrous being that had battered his body before. Yet, she lacks any of the pretty charm she held then. No. Right now, she is Helle Armstrong of the Sternritter, Saisei’s superior. If he wishes to take her time away from her personal duties, then she shall make sure she makes the most out of every second.

She moves closer to him, taking a seat on the snowy ground before him, her knees underneath her as she places her hands on her laps and stares at him, her expression as cold as the falling snow and as bare as the white expanse around them.

“If you wish to butt heads, then I ensure you, you will regret every second. Now, return back to your meditative stance and focus.”

Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:46 am

Saisei | Mr. Vandenreich Himself

While Helle spoke, Saisei couldn't help but feel a tinge of frustration boil over. Turning in the snow, the subordinate stared into the empty void of snow surrounding them. She wasn't wrong, Saisei knew that all too well. Despite that, he couldn't help but be angry. Though young, he had spent all his life trying to perfect the thing he was born with. Now that he was somewhere else, with someone else, the world expected a second round of perfection. All the time he spent was wasted now, even if it was for the greater good. No one liked having their time wasted.

"I understand, Ma'am."

Saisei knew better, this wasn't Helle Armstrong his friend. Turning back to his commander, the boy sat up and shuffled himself to his knees. Commander Armstrong was present, he should make himself presentable for her. It was a poor decision to disrespect her and the Vandenreich by being rather prude, he thought.

"An hour? R-Right. Yes Ma'am. Crude or otherwise, perfection in the creation of something. Got it, I'll do as expected."

The frustration from before had melted away with the cold wind, Saisei finding himself at peace for a moment. His childish nature had quietly taken a backseat to the boy's responsibilities as a member of the Vandenreich. Without Helle and the others he wouldn't be where he was today. It was disrespectful at the very least to not give his all, especially when Ms. Armstrong could have been doing far more important things.

Heeding her instructions, Saisei closed his eyes and began once more. There was nothing left to lose, no butting one's head against an immovable object. If Saisei was going to get the training he wished for he would have to do it under Helle's rules. Taking a deep breath in, the young man did as he was told.

Meditation put one in a state of calm, heightening their focus and ability to think. For Saisei, he struggled to ever sit still. Sitting still meant that he lost time. Lost time meant lost knowledge, so on and so forth. Alas, he could not deny Helle her instructions. Starting from square one, he began gathering the reishi around the both of them.

Focus, focus, focus.

"You're right. I'd rather not regret the time I've earned with you."

The reishi swirled, his own spiritual energy beginning to seep from his being. The orange tint to it's appearance was rather dull compared to its usual vibrancy. Saisei may have had the building blocks but working with reishi was still entirely new to him. He was a child at best, his techniques would only aid him when he understood reishi and its nature.

Mingling with the particles of the Earth itself, Saisei's energy began to take to the reishi. It was subtle and was from an amateur. Even if that were the case, it was still a sight to behold. It spoke volumes at the work he had done prior with his own energy. If it were seen by a teacher, one could even say it was well above what a beginner could achieve. At his core, Saisei knew exactly what was necessary to rule the energy of the world, he simply had to train as his teacher wished for him to.

With closed eyes, he reached out to Helle with his voice.

"How am I doin', Ma'am?"

END POST | Finding A Way Forward

Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:19 pm

Helle Armstrong

“I can only judge by what I see, Saisei. I am but a guide. It is up to you to define your own perfection. Then, it is up to you to surpass even that.”

What could she say? She expects more? This is enough? It is implausible to apply an end to something that has no end. Where is Saisei going? Only he knows that answer. She is only here to facilitate his growth and direct him with a better direction when he begins to stray. Her chastising him for his lack of patience is not her forcing him to abide by her laws, but without patience he would find his struggles in vain. The world will not move simply because one yells at it. It requires power and control over oneself to a degree that many never reach. Saisei has potential, but he reminds Helle of her former self: a show off that requires the praise of those around him to feel special. His bravado and thirst for attention has been evident since their first meeting.

Sadly, she can provide him no assistance. Only he can sway the way he lives his life. Already, it is evident that with a simple change of pace, he has already progressed leagues beyond his peers. Why must he reach such heights at an expedient pace when slow and steady proves beneficial? She wished to chastise his youth, but she fears she is not at the correct age for such. So, silently, she simply watches the Reishi move about Saisei as he calmed himself and focused. It is an interesting experience, always has been. Her having the ability to bend the world to her will, she can’t help but feel a bit antsy herself with watching a novice. However, she must remember that she did not gain her abilities without great sacrifices.

“Just continue focusing. Try creating something.”

The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

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Re: The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

Re: The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

Re: The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

Re: The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle

Re: The Awakening Of A Prince | Saisei/Helle