Post by Akio Naito on Dec 30, 2017 0:39:49 GMT -5
[Training for 10 TTP, then SP]
Another late night, path through the subtle winds that wound between buildings. It was an activity that gave him time to think about how things had changed, in the last few days. He thought about a lot of things before and after the sudden blaze he'd caused. The first thing was of course, himself. Before the incident, he was a human, of no spiritual significance. He used to be an ability user, sure, but that was sealed away a long time ago, for his own good, of course. While holding that watery star of the earth, blazing brighter than anything in the sky, he was a sort of would-be geomancer, wielding the power of the planet itself. And after that beautiful star collapsed, he was a burn victim, also a pure quincy, but the reason for that second bit was a mystery, even after consulting the old books again. The only thing that was clear was that he'd need training in his new ability.
Akio was on his hands and knees, in some secluded space he'd managed to find along what he knew to be the path of a dragon stream before his spiritual senses were left all but nonexistent. An ideal location to train his only working technique. "Earthly serpent..." He couldn't carry a bow and quiver with him. "Flow to the mountain peak." He knew his strength or speed wasn't going to be enough to save him from another close encounter. "First Fuusuishi Art." So this would have to be his main method next time he saw one. The reiatsu from his arm sank into the ground, and waited there. "Hashira!" His arm pulled back, snapping the reishi string that held back the spell. There was a moment to take a deep breath, before the gyser burst from the black asphalt of an alleyway, spiritual water gushing in the distinctive pillar Hashira always made.
He thought back to the watery star. Before, he'd seen reiatsu as something like water. Humidity, clouds, and rain, the way water was part of the air around him, and just the same, the saturation of spiritual power in the air that was thicker in some places than others, it gathered, clumped together into clouds, and sank deeper into its environment if not expended from there. Groundwater, rivers, and lakes, that same power sank into the earth, ran through lines in vast natural flows, and pooled in certain places underground. But once he pulled something from one of those underground lakes up to the surface, it was more like a holding a star in his hand. A flame that tore everything apart indifferently warping and melting things just by virtue of being so radiantly powerful.
The Fuusuishi were part of that 'water' theory, the practical application of it. "Earthly serpent..." He repeated the incantation aloud, as he had every time he'd used it before. "Flow to the mountain peak." Using the meager spiritual power he had to direct the much greater power of the world around him, making up for the difference. "First Fuusuishi Art." A revival of an ancient art, in simplified form for the modern world. "Hashira!" He lifted his arm again, another string breaking. He made the long breath an exhalation this time, finishing before the watery spire he'd triggered hit the surface. Not quite in the same spot as the first, his aim had slipped in the faster casting. Bursting up against the wall of the alleyway, it hurled an abandoned can into the air for a moment before it landed with a hollow 'Ting!'. He'd have to keep steadier next time.
He thought back to the customers he'd had earlier; The first, an older woman who shone from within, quite literally. They had bought one of butterfly crystals that were so popular with the semi-aware. The second had been a young man who would have been rather interested in the replica hollow masks, though he lost that interest once he realized they were just replicas. He wondered where they learned about the spiritual side of the world, who handed down the common terms. It seemed clear the shinigami organization could have named themselves such, or been named that by whoever first appointed them the title. Hollows however, didn't seem to have that.
He thought back to his goals. The reasons why he had to perfect Hashira. "Earthly serpent..." He wanted to understand what was going on, what he was. That would be a dangerous path if he kept it up. "Flow to the mountain peak." He wanted to reassure himself that there were no such things as immortal emperors in mundane universes, or divine beings that ruled people's lives while unseen. He may never do that, but to try would take power. "First Fuusuishi Art." He wanted to reconnect to the dragon stream, to wield the power of earth to defend others and heal himself... He had to do that much, at least. "Hashira!" The water was less than half a meter from his body, closer than he'd ever launched a Hashira before, but closer to his intended target than the second one. Still not a worthwhile improvement though, it would be a long night before he'd be ready to quit practicing.
Another late night, path through the subtle winds that wound between buildings. It was an activity that gave him time to think about how things had changed, in the last few days. He thought about a lot of things before and after the sudden blaze he'd caused. The first thing was of course, himself. Before the incident, he was a human, of no spiritual significance. He used to be an ability user, sure, but that was sealed away a long time ago, for his own good, of course. While holding that watery star of the earth, blazing brighter than anything in the sky, he was a sort of would-be geomancer, wielding the power of the planet itself. And after that beautiful star collapsed, he was a burn victim, also a pure quincy, but the reason for that second bit was a mystery, even after consulting the old books again. The only thing that was clear was that he'd need training in his new ability.
Akio was on his hands and knees, in some secluded space he'd managed to find along what he knew to be the path of a dragon stream before his spiritual senses were left all but nonexistent. An ideal location to train his only working technique. "Earthly serpent..." He couldn't carry a bow and quiver with him. "Flow to the mountain peak." He knew his strength or speed wasn't going to be enough to save him from another close encounter. "First Fuusuishi Art." So this would have to be his main method next time he saw one. The reiatsu from his arm sank into the ground, and waited there. "Hashira!" His arm pulled back, snapping the reishi string that held back the spell. There was a moment to take a deep breath, before the gyser burst from the black asphalt of an alleyway, spiritual water gushing in the distinctive pillar Hashira always made.
He thought back to the watery star. Before, he'd seen reiatsu as something like water. Humidity, clouds, and rain, the way water was part of the air around him, and just the same, the saturation of spiritual power in the air that was thicker in some places than others, it gathered, clumped together into clouds, and sank deeper into its environment if not expended from there. Groundwater, rivers, and lakes, that same power sank into the earth, ran through lines in vast natural flows, and pooled in certain places underground. But once he pulled something from one of those underground lakes up to the surface, it was more like a holding a star in his hand. A flame that tore everything apart indifferently warping and melting things just by virtue of being so radiantly powerful.
The Fuusuishi were part of that 'water' theory, the practical application of it. "Earthly serpent..." He repeated the incantation aloud, as he had every time he'd used it before. "Flow to the mountain peak." Using the meager spiritual power he had to direct the much greater power of the world around him, making up for the difference. "First Fuusuishi Art." A revival of an ancient art, in simplified form for the modern world. "Hashira!" He lifted his arm again, another string breaking. He made the long breath an exhalation this time, finishing before the watery spire he'd triggered hit the surface. Not quite in the same spot as the first, his aim had slipped in the faster casting. Bursting up against the wall of the alleyway, it hurled an abandoned can into the air for a moment before it landed with a hollow 'Ting!'. He'd have to keep steadier next time.
He thought back to the customers he'd had earlier; The first, an older woman who shone from within, quite literally. They had bought one of butterfly crystals that were so popular with the semi-aware. The second had been a young man who would have been rather interested in the replica hollow masks, though he lost that interest once he realized they were just replicas. He wondered where they learned about the spiritual side of the world, who handed down the common terms. It seemed clear the shinigami organization could have named themselves such, or been named that by whoever first appointed them the title. Hollows however, didn't seem to have that.
He thought back to his goals. The reasons why he had to perfect Hashira. "Earthly serpent..." He wanted to understand what was going on, what he was. That would be a dangerous path if he kept it up. "Flow to the mountain peak." He wanted to reassure himself that there were no such things as immortal emperors in mundane universes, or divine beings that ruled people's lives while unseen. He may never do that, but to try would take power. "First Fuusuishi Art." He wanted to reconnect to the dragon stream, to wield the power of earth to defend others and heal himself... He had to do that much, at least. "Hashira!" The water was less than half a meter from his body, closer than he'd ever launched a Hashira before, but closer to his intended target than the second one. Still not a worthwhile improvement though, it would be a long night before he'd be ready to quit practicing.
