Welcome to Götterdämmerung , where the cutthroat race to write your name in the annals of history has never been so marketable! Act as a hero on TV to earn the crowd's affection by day and engage in faction wars by night as you unveil the roots of a supernatural threat spurring World War III into motion.
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Fandom Götterdämmerung, A Mythical Superhero War | characters
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
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Welcome to the Velvet Room.
Haz.
Mask? I wear no mask.
But most notably, there was that ambient aria - an elegant soprano knifing through the harsh sounds that surrounded. For each pounding of molten metal, the woman’s voice grew, telescoping out to unseen lengths, never cracking or grating, accompanied only by the wistful chords.
The electric-blue candle-glow shone dimly across the mead hall and where it rarely couldn’t reach the furnaces would light with the pulsing of their flames. The centerpiece table, a long stretch of bronze and lacquer-shot wood lined on all sides with velvet chairs, was furnished with many a manner of fruits and roasts - yet, despite all the fish and fermented honey, waft only a scent that was vaguely nostalgic.
Then there was the lord, sat hunchback at the far end, hands interlocked, bearing a great, rictus grin like the naked blade of a guillotine; sickle-nosed, eyes of veined light bulbs, hair a wispy, slicked-back streak of silver. His suit and gloves were silken, without wrinkle and far too modern for this longhouse, yet moreso still a contrast to his raggedy, doll-like figure. For a second, one could question if he was even alive and not just a lifelike prop set where it didn’t belong.
But he furrowed his brows, untangled his fingers and looked ahead with that smile unflinching.
Directly at you.
“Welcome to the Velvet Room.” Nasally. High-pitched. So why did he sound so soothing? His tone was almost fatherly, unbridled with sincere, eccentric warmth.
“My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between mind and matter - it is the realm which separates dream and reality. You have been brought here upon the waves of a most unusual fate, along with many others like you.”
The room fell with tension as the pounding quieted. The man, who spoke so eloquently yet appeared so otherworldly, remained utterly at ease. His body never shifted, his grin never wavered.
“Though you may not be aware of it, a remarkable ordeal awaits you. The potential to enact your ultimate beliefs is now within reach. Should you choose to pursue it, death may await. When confronted by this decision, please keep my words in mind.”
Beyond a pause, Igor continued unbothered, “... That being said, perhaps it may be too early to present you with ultimatums. I believe introductions are in order.”
Wordlessly, he took a hand to the air. With a snap of his fingers, that ambient hammering ceased fully and innumerable footsteps began to fill the room. Youthful figures fell into rows on each side, silver-haired with braids and unblinkingly golden-eyed, then halted with a single, sweeping stomp. 10 on the left, 11 on the right - each seemed identical to the last, equally androgynous, but different in the subtlest of ways. Some bore scars, others burn marks, few had stitches on their gloves or aprons, yet all moved like cogs in a machine, a platoon trained to perfection.
“These are my Attendants, fellow residents of this Room. They are to observe and aid you in your campaign, no matter your standing. Whether you are to succeed is to be seen, but so long as you remain vehement in your ideology, they will assist you unquestioningly.”
The blacksmiths bowed out promptly and dispersed without word.
“Ah,” Igor blinked suddenly and shook his head - for a moment, it seemed as though his smile grew impossibly broader, “pardon my rudeness. Why don’t you introduce yourself?”
* means a field is optional.
Human
Name: Kanji, hiragana and romaji are all allowed for Japanese names. Use either katakana or their native alphabet for foreign names.
Age: The character’s age and/or date of birth.
Gender: Their assigned/preferred gender.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation.
Physical Appearance: Written descriptions, drawings and face-claims are allowed.
Biography: The character’s backstory and all relevant events up to their appearance in the story. Persona awakenings are strictly optional and should only be attempted with proper context - otherwise, assume your character has yet to awaken their Persona.
Nationality: Status of citizenship and/or place of birth.
Occupation: ‘Student’ or ‘Unemployed’ if none.
*Place of Residence: Where they currently live. Suggested, but not mandatory. If you don’t know any locations in or around Osaka, use Google Maps or a tourist guide.
Name: Kanji, hiragana and romaji are all allowed for Japanese names. Use either katakana or their native alphabet for foreign names.
Age: The character’s age and/or date of birth.
Gender: Their assigned/preferred gender.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation.
Physical Appearance: Written descriptions, drawings and face-claims are allowed.
Biography: The character’s backstory and all relevant events up to their appearance in the story. Persona awakenings are strictly optional and should only be attempted with proper context - otherwise, assume your character has yet to awaken their Persona.
Nationality: Status of citizenship and/or place of birth.
Occupation: ‘Student’ or ‘Unemployed’ if none.
*Place of Residence: Where they currently live. Suggested, but not mandatory. If you don’t know any locations in or around Osaka, use Google Maps or a tourist guide.
Anti-Shadow Weapon
Codename: Anti-Shadows are given codenames after words, objects or figures of Greek mythology - ‘Aigis’, ‘Labrys’, ‘Metis’, besides their standard three-digit Unit Designation number.
*True Name: The original name of the person whose consciousness was transferred into the Anti-Shadow’s frame.
Date of Creation: The Anti-Shadow’s production date. For reference, the Memento Mori program has existed since 2021.
*Age: The host’s age upon death.
*Gender: Their assigned/preferred gender. This will more often than not mimic the original host’s gender, but exceptions do exist.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation. As impulses are transferred with the psyche, sexual/romantic preferences will remain despite the lack of any biological functions or pheromones.
Physical Appearance: Written descriptions, drawings and face-claims are allowed. For reference, the standard body type of an Anti-Shadow.
Biography: The circumstances detailing the host of the Anti-Shadow and all relevant events up to their death and transferral.
*Nationality: Host’s prior status of citizenship and/or place of birth.
*Occupation: Anti-Shadows are allowed to have occupations relevant to their field of work and, if necessary, to enroll in schools when their education is lacking.
*Place of Residence: Anti-Shadows may occupy retrofitted apartment quarters if requested to, but will otherwise remain in one of the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department’s operating bases.
Codename: Anti-Shadows are given codenames after words, objects or figures of Greek mythology - ‘Aigis’, ‘Labrys’, ‘Metis’, besides their standard three-digit Unit Designation number.
*True Name: The original name of the person whose consciousness was transferred into the Anti-Shadow’s frame.
Date of Creation: The Anti-Shadow’s production date. For reference, the Memento Mori program has existed since 2021.
*Age: The host’s age upon death.
*Gender: Their assigned/preferred gender. This will more often than not mimic the original host’s gender, but exceptions do exist.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation. As impulses are transferred with the psyche, sexual/romantic preferences will remain despite the lack of any biological functions or pheromones.
Physical Appearance: Written descriptions, drawings and face-claims are allowed. For reference, the standard body type of an Anti-Shadow.
Biography: The circumstances detailing the host of the Anti-Shadow and all relevant events up to their death and transferral.
*Nationality: Host’s prior status of citizenship and/or place of birth.
*Occupation: Anti-Shadows are allowed to have occupations relevant to their field of work and, if necessary, to enroll in schools when their education is lacking.
*Place of Residence: Anti-Shadows may occupy retrofitted apartment quarters if requested to, but will otherwise remain in one of the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department’s operating bases.
Cognitive Entity
Name: CEs will often identify themselves with single words or names they relate to on an emotional level.
*Age: Their age and/or date of manifestation.
*Gender: Likewise, CEs can assume gender/s and alter their external appearances to match this.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation.
Cognitive Appearance: The physical form of a CE will reflect the circumstances of its creation, such as the emotions/concepts it was born of and how it desires to be perceived.
Real-World Appearance: Without the influence of the cognitive world, CEs will be forced to assume a mundane form that can feasibly exist in reality. This is typically a human or animal body which closely resembles their cognitive form.
Biography: The circumstances of their manifestation.
*Occupation: If applicable.
*Place of Residence: CEs can remain in the Frontier for extended periods of time without anything to anchor them to the reality, allowing them to reside there. If they choose not to, fill as normal.
Name: CEs will often identify themselves with single words or names they relate to on an emotional level.
*Age: Their age and/or date of manifestation.
*Gender: Likewise, CEs can assume gender/s and alter their external appearances to match this.
*Sexuality: Their sexual/romantic orientation.
Cognitive Appearance: The physical form of a CE will reflect the circumstances of its creation, such as the emotions/concepts it was born of and how it desires to be perceived.
Real-World Appearance: Without the influence of the cognitive world, CEs will be forced to assume a mundane form that can feasibly exist in reality. This is typically a human or animal body which closely resembles their cognitive form.
Biography: The circumstances of their manifestation.
*Occupation: If applicable.
*Place of Residence: CEs can remain in the Frontier for extended periods of time without anything to anchor them to the reality, allowing them to reside there. If they choose not to, fill as normal.
Personality: A general description of the character’s personality. The stat ranks shown below can be renamed freely depending on how you wish to convey your character’s facets.
Motivation(s): Their goals, objective and reason for participating in the Frontier War.
*Likes:
*Dislikes:
*Clothing/Style:
Relationships: Their interactions with NPCs and pre-established relationships with other PCs.
- Intelligence: 0 (N/A), 1 (Oblivious), 2 (Learned), 3 (Scholarly), 4 (Encyclopedic), 5 (Erudite)
- Wisdom: 0 (N/A), 1 (Imperceptive), 2 (Keen), 3 (Deductive), 4 (Hawk-eyed), 5 (Clairvoyant)
- Guts: 0 (N/A), 1 (Milquetoast), 2 (Bold), 3 (Staunch), 4 (Dauntless), 5 (Lionhearted)
- Kindness: 0 (N/A), 1 (Inoffensive), 2 (Considerate), 3 (Empathetic), 4 (Selfless), 5 (Angelic)
- Charm: 0 (N/A), 1 (Existent), 2 (Head-turning), 3 (Suave), 4 (Charismatic), 5 (Debonair)
Motivation(s): Their goals, objective and reason for participating in the Frontier War.
*Likes:
*Dislikes:
*Clothing/Style:
Relationships: Their interactions with NPCs and pre-established relationships with other PCs.
The hook-nosed proprietor nodded with yet more satisfaction.
“Are you aware of the concept of the ‘Collective Unconscious’? It was part of a complex system of psychology originally penned by Carl Gustav Jung, but its roots trace back farther than that. Beyond the scope of man, there exists a continuously-expanding realm of thought and emotion, where the souls of humanity reside unconsciously. Everyone is interconnected through this reality, memetically inheriting and developing their most intrinsic ideas, values and archetypes - culture as we know it is the direct result of this ‘Collective Unconscious’, as it has come to be known by the few aware of its existence.”
With a deft flourish across the tabletop, Igor conjured a Tarot card and slid it across the surface. It shimmered and flickered with a dainty glow, but held firm upon the touch. It bore a man of a pentacled crown riding a chariot driven by two steeds, one black and one white. Above him was inscribed the Roman ‘VII’, and below, in French, ‘LE●CHARIOT’.
“It’s said that the Major Arcana of Tarot each represent the fundamental archetypes all inherit upon their birth, making it the most widely-understood system of personality categorization. Figures of history, fiction and religion alike often fall under the Arcana, even if only in ephemeral aspects or states of their existence. And so, it would stand to reason that we as well would find root in the Arcana, but more crucially, in the figures and facts that shaped our personality development. This is the fundamental basis behind a ‘Persona’ - the culmination of all elements and borrowed ideas that forge a person’s character. Gods and demons of primordial tales, heroes of folklore and fiction, even remarkable individuals of ancient history who shaped the world as we know it.”
Devoid of sarcasm in his tone, the man briskly added: “Do you wish to see your own Persona?”
Note: Anti-Shadows cannot possess summoning conduits or Frontier Armors.
Arcana: One of the 21 Major Arcana (Fool-Judgement) which best reflects your character, symbolically.
Contract: A sworn oath taken upon a Persona awakening which reflects the user’s beliefs. To break it is to forsake one’s ideology and face absolute destruction.
Alter-Ego: The pseudonym your character will assume in combat to hide their identity.
Frontier Armor: The supernatural garb which manifests around them in the ‘other-world’ upon their Persona’s awakening. A costume not dissimilar to the ones worn by superheroes of modern fiction.
Bladed Ideal: The conduit for their Persona Summoning - a weapon, accessory or other tool which can be conjured to invoke one’s Persona.
Equipment: Any tools of the character’s possession which they can use in combat. Includes any in-built Anti-Shadow equipment.
Abilities: Any personal talents or supernaturally-augmented skills known to the character.
Source: A brief description of who or what the Persona is based on and how it reflects the user.
Appearance: Personas manifest as inhuman familiars regardless of their inspiration, though they may be humanoid in some regards. Their skin (if any is visible) will often be discolored or of an odd hue, their height and proportions will be distorted and unrealistic, and they will incorporate cultural elements relevant to the user even if the Persona’s source material has no such symbolism or motif. Robin Hood may manifest as a barrel-chested Superman-lookalike clad in medieval armor, the Necronomicon may be a gothic flying saucer kitted with eldritch tentacles while Pope Joan may just be a nuclear motorcycle. The sky is the limit and also the floor.
Stats: A set of combat parameters shared between the character and their Persona. Stats are to be listed by their numerical values, between 1 to 99.
- Strength: Lifting strength, striking force and attack potency of all kinetic abilities.
- Magic: Aptitude with magic and attack potency of all non-kinetic abilities.
- Endurance: Physical durability and resistance to assault.
- Agility: Movement speed, reaction time and dexterity.
- Luck: Monetary fortune and resistance to metaphysical assault (mental, temporal, spatial, causal, etc.).
When describing the effects of a skill, refer to the character's own applications of it or their modifications to it. Feel free to include any miscellaneous changes such as the appearance of the ability or the conditions of its activation.
Igor dispelled the familiar with a flick of his wrist and began to speak again.
“Your Persona will be the guiding light with which you navigate through the haze of fury that has overtaken the masses. It is in your best interest to nurture this power and, more crucially, trust in it,” he spoke with a voice yet softer, then nodded to his Attendants in the shadows.
“It seems we no longer have the luxury of time. But, please do return if ever you require our assistance. Should you choose to, the doors of this Room will make themselves known to you.”
Upon his word, the card of The Chariot pulsed and contorted, twisting upon itself into the shape of an ethereal key.
“With that said, until next time.”
The lights began to flicker and fade, one at a time, sinking the Velvet Room into darkness. The furnaces, the candles, the gleam of the cutlery and the luminesce of Igor’s eyes; each vanished as with the sounds, and the dream dissolved back into reality.
“Your Persona will be the guiding light with which you navigate through the haze of fury that has overtaken the masses. It is in your best interest to nurture this power and, more crucially, trust in it,” he spoke with a voice yet softer, then nodded to his Attendants in the shadows.
“It seems we no longer have the luxury of time. But, please do return if ever you require our assistance. Should you choose to, the doors of this Room will make themselves known to you.”
Upon his word, the card of The Chariot pulsed and contorted, twisting upon itself into the shape of an ethereal key.
“With that said, until next time.”
The lights began to flicker and fade, one at a time, sinking the Velvet Room into darkness. The furnaces, the candles, the gleam of the cutlery and the luminesce of Igor’s eyes; each vanished as with the sounds, and the dream dissolved back into reality.
Last edited:
ThatGuyWithSouvlaki
Lucky Laki Malakis
WIP
Name: Takiyama Toru
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Physical Appearance:
Biography: Eldest son of a high ranking officer within the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department , born with a silver spoon but with the benefit came great expectation. Not only did his father expect him to take over the family business but also train and prepare to become an anti-shadow weapon himself and lead the efforts of the Persona user unit within the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department in time. To do this his father put him through intense training and experimented on both his own physicality and the use of his persona at a young age.
This constant expectation and training meant, he had little time for fun or make friends and such and Toru became resentful to the life that was chosen for him. He began to rebel against the training and instruction he was given to him and often argued with his father. The arguments became so bad that Toru was cast out, dishonoured and disinherited from the Kirijo family and Toru was that all too happy to obey. As his father found a new protégé with Toru's younger sibling, Tory struck out on his own trying to find away to live without the resources of the kirijo group which still going to school and such. His training growing up allowed him to get job in a dojo aiding training in kedo another martial arts. He befriended the dojo owner enough to be allowed to stay there temporarily. He aims to get his own place but funds were slow to accumulate.
When the Frontier was discovered and gained in popularity, Toru saw a chance to use what he learned growing to truly make his mark on this world without his parents aid. He presented himself to BAM Entertainment suggesting them the single lead protagonist they once wanted.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Student/ Dojo assistant
*Place of Residence: Lives in the gym he works in.
Personality: A general description of the character’s personality. The stat ranks shown below can be renamed freely depending on how you wish to convey your character’s facets.
Motivation(s): Gain glory and purpose via his own means and prove the virtue of going at it on ones own
Likes: Swordmanship, cooking, freedom, sushi, tea
Dislikes: being told what to do, his family, robots, wealth
Clothing/Style:
Relationships: Their interactions with NPCs and pre-established relationships with other PCs.
Arcana: Tower
Contract: Do not bow to those in power who abuse what they have, be the decider of his own fate.
Alter-Ego: The Ronin.
Frontier Armor:
Blade of Idealism: Takiyama Katana
Equipment: Katana and prop revolver.
Talents:
Source: Great Hero of the Trojan War
Appearance:
Affinity: Physical and a little support.
Stats:
Skills:
Name: Takiyama Toru
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Physical Appearance:
Biography: Eldest son of a high ranking officer within the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department , born with a silver spoon but with the benefit came great expectation. Not only did his father expect him to take over the family business but also train and prepare to become an anti-shadow weapon himself and lead the efforts of the Persona user unit within the Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department in time. To do this his father put him through intense training and experimented on both his own physicality and the use of his persona at a young age.
This constant expectation and training meant, he had little time for fun or make friends and such and Toru became resentful to the life that was chosen for him. He began to rebel against the training and instruction he was given to him and often argued with his father. The arguments became so bad that Toru was cast out, dishonoured and disinherited from the Kirijo family and Toru was that all too happy to obey. As his father found a new protégé with Toru's younger sibling, Tory struck out on his own trying to find away to live without the resources of the kirijo group which still going to school and such. His training growing up allowed him to get job in a dojo aiding training in kedo another martial arts. He befriended the dojo owner enough to be allowed to stay there temporarily. He aims to get his own place but funds were slow to accumulate.
When the Frontier was discovered and gained in popularity, Toru saw a chance to use what he learned growing to truly make his mark on this world without his parents aid. He presented himself to BAM Entertainment suggesting them the single lead protagonist they once wanted.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Student/ Dojo assistant
*Place of Residence: Lives in the gym he works in.
Personality: A general description of the character’s personality. The stat ranks shown below can be renamed freely depending on how you wish to convey your character’s facets.
- Intelligence: 3 (Scholarly)
- Wisdom: 4 (Hawk-eyed)
- Guts: 5 (Lionhearted)
- Kindness: 3 (Empathetic),
- Charm: 1 (Existent),
Motivation(s): Gain glory and purpose via his own means and prove the virtue of going at it on ones own
Likes: Swordmanship, cooking, freedom, sushi, tea
Dislikes: being told what to do, his family, robots, wealth
Clothing/Style:
Relationships: Their interactions with NPCs and pre-established relationships with other PCs.
Arcana: Tower
Contract: Do not bow to those in power who abuse what they have, be the decider of his own fate.
Alter-Ego: The Ronin.
Frontier Armor:
Blade of Idealism: Takiyama Katana
Equipment: Katana and prop revolver.
Talents:
- Kedo
- Cooking
- Showmanship
Source: Great Hero of the Trojan War
Appearance:
Affinity: Physical and a little support.
Stats:
- Strength: A
- Magic: C
- Endurance: A
- Agility:B
- Luck: D
Skills:
- Cleave
- Blade of fury
- Evil Smile
- Taunt
- Matarukaja
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CapRock
Character arc enthusiast
The teen sat at the metal table of a simple, sober interrogation room, unscathed apart from a slight bruise around the wrists caused by the handcuffs tied to the table. From the calm, poised demeanor to the well kept rich clothes, one wouldn’t be blamed for assuming this arrest had been an honest mistake, soon to be corrected. The Osaka police department, however, knew better than to act solely based on assumptions.
A police officer entered the room and sat across, staring deep into the arrested teen’s eyes. Without saying a word, the man pulled up a few files and began reading them, a disgruntled expression on his face that neared that of boredom.
“Lark… Fuller, is it? Related to the Harrison Fuller, from the american base here in Osaka?”
“I’m his grandaughter, yes.” The man looked up for a second, then back at the sheet. “You may also know my Aunt, Rei. She’s been around a headline or two.”
“15 years old, raised in a full, functional family, with plenty of money to spare. Not many people get an entire apartment just for themselves in the middle of Sonjei at your age, do you know that?”
“I fully plan on paying back my expenses once I have enough money.”
“Since you’ve moved?”
“Since birth.”
The police officer stopped for a second, dropping the sheet. He furrowed his brow, but Lark did not seem to waver on her statement, so he returned to his normal, calmer tone:
“Either way, it seems to me you’ve had a pretty privileged life. Which makes it all the more strange that you’re locked up here. And you did so for breaking and entering into a jewelry in the middle of the night, no less!”
“You’re wondering if I’ve been threatened into doing it? It would make sense, but that isn’t the case. I can assure you, everything I did, I did out of my own volition.”
“Alright then kiddo, let’s play along. Tell me what made you do it, and if I believe it, I’ll call it a day and send you to juvie.”
“Sounds like good terms. Where should I start?”
“Let’s begin with your family. What do you think led to you being so estranged from them?”
“Well, it’s no secret that the Fullers are a prestigious family amongst the american military living here, with a sizable heritage to go along with it. With that, there were… Expectations. Of a strong, brave and boisterous boy to keep the family name going strong. I am clearly not anything like that, and I could never be that, no matter how hard I’ve tried to.”
“Well, that explains some things.”
“You pick up fast, I’m glad.” Lark replied with a slight smile. “After that, I’ve been determined to be the smallest burden I can to the Fullers. It’s the least I can do to make up for my shortcomings.”
“If you wanted to divert attention from yourself, getting arrested doesn’t seem like the right move.”
Lark’s lip twisted.
“Point taken.”
The police officer then took one of the sheets and revealed it to Lark. It had the mugshots of other, scarier teenagers, as well as brief descriptions of earlier felonies they’ve committed.
“Next up, Hibiya and his gang. Other testimonies claimed you’ve been hanging with them for 2 years by now, despite the fact they treat you more than poorly. One source even told me they call you ‘bitch’ on a regular basis. Why do you put up with them?”
“It all began when they noticed my grades were pretty high and requested my help cheating on a test. It worked, and they asked more favors after that, so I stuck around. In a way, my ties with them felt… Refreshing. Their treatment of me was pragmatic, but it was also the most honest I’ve had.”
“Bullshit.” The sudden answer made Lark gasp. “Do you think this is some game, Kid? Lying in an investigation is a serious crime. It could get you into even more trouble.” Silence ensued. “Admit the truth, Lark Fuller.”
“I… Couldn’t say no to them.”
“There it is.” The officer got up from his seat and leaned on to the table to stare deep into Lark’s trembling eyes. “You’re no criminal or delinquent. Just… A pathetic, spineless fool, hiding behind excuses.” Lark averted her eyes, giving him no answer, so he continued: “...But I’m not your parent. If you want to keep your little self-sabotage cycle until it gets you dead or worse, be my guest. I’ll go call your parents and tell them the news.”
With those words, the man returned to an upright position and rearranged his documents. Lark stood still, suddenly finding herself hyperventilating. Why was she panicking now, of all times? She knew exactly what she was walking into through each and every step she took. And yet, it took but one stranger laying out the bare truth in front of her to crumble the foundations of her confidence. As Lark leaned over and grasped her own head, she could’ve swore she heard a voice inside her head, a man’s, speaking simple words to her:
“Do it.”
Questions piled up rapidly, but Lark’s time had run out and a decision had to be made. The police officer’s hand was over the handle already when she looked up and yelled:
“Wait!”
“Hm?”
“You… You’ve said I’m not a criminal, right? You suspected of manipulation and pried into my motives until you proved it. Saying that to the jury would lessen my penalty, wouldn't it? Maybe even get me free of Juvie since I’m a first offender.”
“Theoretically, yeah.” He turned back towards Lark. “But what for? Isn’t this what you’ve wanted?”
“I-if I broke the cycle and promised to stray away from the low-lives, could you give me a chance? To start again, on a clean slate. Make things right.”
The man slowly walked around the room, measuring up Lark’s new desperate expression as he did. He suddenly approached her and, grabbing her by the collar, pulled her face to force them into staring eye to eye, Lark’s entire body squirming and trembling in response.
“You better understand the weight of your promise, kid. If I do this and I ever catch you stepping out of line again, I will turn your life into a living hell. Are we clear?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
The man let go of the teen and resumed his exit, Lark doing her best to recuperate and tidy up from the sudden outburst. He was already at the door when he made a final question:
“In that case… Who should I call?”
“...No one.”
The man smiled and closed the door behind him.
Shortly after the door closed, an eerie aura took over the room, as if the light itself was being sucked out of it from the corners. Lark had to blink twice at what she was witnessing. Was that a tarot card floating in front of her? XII - The Hanged Man, it read under the rather shocking high-contrast illustration of the card..
“You’re the voice, aren’t you?” Lark asked. “The one who got me to do this.”
“I am thou, and thou art I… Lark, I am nothing but your true self. After taking your fate by your own hands, the answer you’ve been searching for so long is finally at your grasp. Are you ready to witness yourself?”
Lark’s eyes widened and she leaned over the table, hands fighting the handcuffs to push herself closer to the card. Such a wild claim couldn’t possibly be true… Then how could it feel as though it was? The teen’s face turned into that of determination and she gave a nod to the card.
“I’m ready.”
The card began to shine and grow in size until it overtook the entire room. When it was over, it had taken a shape. It appeared as a tall, somber, lumbering figure, with skin made of shattered mirrors and a body that ended just below the torso in sharp edges. It wore a king’s garb that has been worn and tattered, left hanging sadly from their shoulders. Lark squinted and noticed it still had patterns of lions and dragons woven into it with gold fabric.
From the entity’s throat, a wide gap offers a glance into the void, rugged chains dark as a moonless night erupting from its deepest reaches to wrap and float around its entire body, its hands each holding on tightly to a different loop of the chain as if to try and keep them from pulling in tighter. Its head had the shape of a chainmail coif armor, with a jaw of porcelain and a golden crown melted around the head and over the eyes.
“My name is Offa of Angel, and I am your other self.”
“...Looks about right.” Lark noted sadly.
“If you accept me, you may reach your true potential and cease repulsing at your own image.”
“But there’s a price for it, I’m guessing.” Lark added.
“As it always must. You must sign a Contract with me, a promise that you may never break. You know what the promise is already, so should you accept the terms, give them voice.”
Lark nodded, swallowing hard. No use giving up now. She said:
“I will never help others to my own detriment again.”
“Thou hast taken upon a contract, and shaped thou’s beliefs into an unbreakable blade. Fight with it until your last breath!”
When Lark came upon herself again, she was alone. This seemed to be some long, winding dark corridor, ending in a door made of pure light from which an elegant aria invited her to take a step closer.
And while she would in a moment, there was one last matter she wanted to settle - a strange weight just around the chest that had bothered her ever since the police officer had taken a hold of her. She quickly found with her fingers that a business card had been dropped in the gap between her sweater and her shirt’s collar. What would this “Kirijo corp” be? It couldn’t be a coincidence, that much was certain, so she’d best get to the bottom of that. With a couple of goals already laid neatly laid out ahead, Lark pocketed the card, took a deep breath and ventured into her brand new life.
A police officer entered the room and sat across, staring deep into the arrested teen’s eyes. Without saying a word, the man pulled up a few files and began reading them, a disgruntled expression on his face that neared that of boredom.
“Lark… Fuller, is it? Related to the Harrison Fuller, from the american base here in Osaka?”
“I’m his grandaughter, yes.” The man looked up for a second, then back at the sheet. “You may also know my Aunt, Rei. She’s been around a headline or two.”
“15 years old, raised in a full, functional family, with plenty of money to spare. Not many people get an entire apartment just for themselves in the middle of Sonjei at your age, do you know that?”
“I fully plan on paying back my expenses once I have enough money.”
“Since you’ve moved?”
“Since birth.”
The police officer stopped for a second, dropping the sheet. He furrowed his brow, but Lark did not seem to waver on her statement, so he returned to his normal, calmer tone:
“Either way, it seems to me you’ve had a pretty privileged life. Which makes it all the more strange that you’re locked up here. And you did so for breaking and entering into a jewelry in the middle of the night, no less!”
“You’re wondering if I’ve been threatened into doing it? It would make sense, but that isn’t the case. I can assure you, everything I did, I did out of my own volition.”
“Alright then kiddo, let’s play along. Tell me what made you do it, and if I believe it, I’ll call it a day and send you to juvie.”
“Sounds like good terms. Where should I start?”
“Let’s begin with your family. What do you think led to you being so estranged from them?”
“Well, it’s no secret that the Fullers are a prestigious family amongst the american military living here, with a sizable heritage to go along with it. With that, there were… Expectations. Of a strong, brave and boisterous boy to keep the family name going strong. I am clearly not anything like that, and I could never be that, no matter how hard I’ve tried to.”
“Well, that explains some things.”
“You pick up fast, I’m glad.” Lark replied with a slight smile. “After that, I’ve been determined to be the smallest burden I can to the Fullers. It’s the least I can do to make up for my shortcomings.”
“If you wanted to divert attention from yourself, getting arrested doesn’t seem like the right move.”
Lark’s lip twisted.
“Point taken.”
The police officer then took one of the sheets and revealed it to Lark. It had the mugshots of other, scarier teenagers, as well as brief descriptions of earlier felonies they’ve committed.
“Next up, Hibiya and his gang. Other testimonies claimed you’ve been hanging with them for 2 years by now, despite the fact they treat you more than poorly. One source even told me they call you ‘bitch’ on a regular basis. Why do you put up with them?”
“It all began when they noticed my grades were pretty high and requested my help cheating on a test. It worked, and they asked more favors after that, so I stuck around. In a way, my ties with them felt… Refreshing. Their treatment of me was pragmatic, but it was also the most honest I’ve had.”
“Bullshit.” The sudden answer made Lark gasp. “Do you think this is some game, Kid? Lying in an investigation is a serious crime. It could get you into even more trouble.” Silence ensued. “Admit the truth, Lark Fuller.”
“I… Couldn’t say no to them.”
“There it is.” The officer got up from his seat and leaned on to the table to stare deep into Lark’s trembling eyes. “You’re no criminal or delinquent. Just… A pathetic, spineless fool, hiding behind excuses.” Lark averted her eyes, giving him no answer, so he continued: “...But I’m not your parent. If you want to keep your little self-sabotage cycle until it gets you dead or worse, be my guest. I’ll go call your parents and tell them the news.”
With those words, the man returned to an upright position and rearranged his documents. Lark stood still, suddenly finding herself hyperventilating. Why was she panicking now, of all times? She knew exactly what she was walking into through each and every step she took. And yet, it took but one stranger laying out the bare truth in front of her to crumble the foundations of her confidence. As Lark leaned over and grasped her own head, she could’ve swore she heard a voice inside her head, a man’s, speaking simple words to her:
“Do it.”
Questions piled up rapidly, but Lark’s time had run out and a decision had to be made. The police officer’s hand was over the handle already when she looked up and yelled:
“Wait!”
“Hm?”
“You… You’ve said I’m not a criminal, right? You suspected of manipulation and pried into my motives until you proved it. Saying that to the jury would lessen my penalty, wouldn't it? Maybe even get me free of Juvie since I’m a first offender.”
“Theoretically, yeah.” He turned back towards Lark. “But what for? Isn’t this what you’ve wanted?”
“I-if I broke the cycle and promised to stray away from the low-lives, could you give me a chance? To start again, on a clean slate. Make things right.”
The man slowly walked around the room, measuring up Lark’s new desperate expression as he did. He suddenly approached her and, grabbing her by the collar, pulled her face to force them into staring eye to eye, Lark’s entire body squirming and trembling in response.
“You better understand the weight of your promise, kid. If I do this and I ever catch you stepping out of line again, I will turn your life into a living hell. Are we clear?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
The man let go of the teen and resumed his exit, Lark doing her best to recuperate and tidy up from the sudden outburst. He was already at the door when he made a final question:
“In that case… Who should I call?”
“...No one.”
The man smiled and closed the door behind him.
Shortly after the door closed, an eerie aura took over the room, as if the light itself was being sucked out of it from the corners. Lark had to blink twice at what she was witnessing. Was that a tarot card floating in front of her? XII - The Hanged Man, it read under the rather shocking high-contrast illustration of the card..
“You’re the voice, aren’t you?” Lark asked. “The one who got me to do this.”
“I am thou, and thou art I… Lark, I am nothing but your true self. After taking your fate by your own hands, the answer you’ve been searching for so long is finally at your grasp. Are you ready to witness yourself?”
Lark’s eyes widened and she leaned over the table, hands fighting the handcuffs to push herself closer to the card. Such a wild claim couldn’t possibly be true… Then how could it feel as though it was? The teen’s face turned into that of determination and she gave a nod to the card.
“I’m ready.”
The card began to shine and grow in size until it overtook the entire room. When it was over, it had taken a shape. It appeared as a tall, somber, lumbering figure, with skin made of shattered mirrors and a body that ended just below the torso in sharp edges. It wore a king’s garb that has been worn and tattered, left hanging sadly from their shoulders. Lark squinted and noticed it still had patterns of lions and dragons woven into it with gold fabric.
From the entity’s throat, a wide gap offers a glance into the void, rugged chains dark as a moonless night erupting from its deepest reaches to wrap and float around its entire body, its hands each holding on tightly to a different loop of the chain as if to try and keep them from pulling in tighter. Its head had the shape of a chainmail coif armor, with a jaw of porcelain and a golden crown melted around the head and over the eyes.
“My name is Offa of Angel, and I am your other self.”
“...Looks about right.” Lark noted sadly.
“If you accept me, you may reach your true potential and cease repulsing at your own image.”
“But there’s a price for it, I’m guessing.” Lark added.
“As it always must. You must sign a Contract with me, a promise that you may never break. You know what the promise is already, so should you accept the terms, give them voice.”
Lark nodded, swallowing hard. No use giving up now. She said:
“I will never help others to my own detriment again.”
“Thou hast taken upon a contract, and shaped thou’s beliefs into an unbreakable blade. Fight with it until your last breath!”
When Lark came upon herself again, she was alone. This seemed to be some long, winding dark corridor, ending in a door made of pure light from which an elegant aria invited her to take a step closer.
And while she would in a moment, there was one last matter she wanted to settle - a strange weight just around the chest that had bothered her ever since the police officer had taken a hold of her. She quickly found with her fingers that a business card had been dropped in the gap between her sweater and her shirt’s collar. What would this “Kirijo corp” be? It couldn’t be a coincidence, that much was certain, so she’d best get to the bottom of that. With a couple of goals already laid neatly laid out ahead, Lark pocketed the card, took a deep breath and ventured into her brand new life.
Name: Lark Fuller
Age: 15
Nationality: Japan
Occupation: Trainee Kirijo Agent
Place of Residence: Small 1-person apartment airbnb on Soneji, Hirakata-shi
Biography: Lark was born into a rich, respected, conservative family from the american military station in Osaka. From a young age, she's felt out of place in it, developing a powerful inferiority complex that causes her to have an extremely hard time saying 'no' to others. This has led Lark through a slew of problems with delinquents, culimating in a near-arrest after they maniplated her into comitting a felony. She awoke her persona not during combat, but by taking matters onto her own hands and arguing her wait out of Juvie. She didn't know yet, but a member of Kirijo corp helped her on the matter, taking the opportunity to add a brand new member to their ranks.
Motivation: Lark sees working for the Kirijo group as an opportunity to begin on a clean slate and sever her ties to the past. For the opportunity, she’s willing to defend their ideals however she can.
Contract: "I will never help others to my own detriment again"
Arcana: XIII - Hanged man
Persona: Offa of Angel
Persona appearance:
Offa appears as a tall, somber, lumbering figure, with skin made of shattered mirrors and a body that ends just below the torso in sharp edges. It wears a king’s garb that has been worn and tattered, left hanging sadly from their shoulders. If you look closely, you can still spot patterns of lions and dragons woven into it with gold fabric.
From Offa’s throat, a wide gap offers a glance into the void, rugged chains dark as a moonless night erupting from its deepest reaches to wrap and float around its entire body, its hands each holding on tightly to a different loop of the chain as if to try and keep them from pulling in tighter. Its head is in the shape of a chainmail coif armor, with a jaw of porcelain and a golden crown melted around the head and over the eyes.
Age: 15
Nationality: Japan
Occupation: Trainee Kirijo Agent
Place of Residence: Small 1-person apartment airbnb on Soneji, Hirakata-shi
Biography: Lark was born into a rich, respected, conservative family from the american military station in Osaka. From a young age, she's felt out of place in it, developing a powerful inferiority complex that causes her to have an extremely hard time saying 'no' to others. This has led Lark through a slew of problems with delinquents, culimating in a near-arrest after they maniplated her into comitting a felony. She awoke her persona not during combat, but by taking matters onto her own hands and arguing her wait out of Juvie. She didn't know yet, but a member of Kirijo corp helped her on the matter, taking the opportunity to add a brand new member to their ranks.
Motivation: Lark sees working for the Kirijo group as an opportunity to begin on a clean slate and sever her ties to the past. For the opportunity, she’s willing to defend their ideals however she can.
Contract: "I will never help others to my own detriment again"
Arcana: XIII - Hanged man
Persona: Offa of Angel
Persona appearance:
Offa appears as a tall, somber, lumbering figure, with skin made of shattered mirrors and a body that ends just below the torso in sharp edges. It wears a king’s garb that has been worn and tattered, left hanging sadly from their shoulders. If you look closely, you can still spot patterns of lions and dragons woven into it with gold fabric.
From Offa’s throat, a wide gap offers a glance into the void, rugged chains dark as a moonless night erupting from its deepest reaches to wrap and float around its entire body, its hands each holding on tightly to a different loop of the chain as if to try and keep them from pulling in tighter. Its head is in the shape of a chainmail coif armor, with a jaw of porcelain and a golden crown melted around the head and over the eyes.
Other details not included in the text:
Relationships: Harrison Fuller (Grandfather), Rei Fuller (Aunt), unnamed Kirijo recruiter (acquaintance), Ambrosia (Kirijo partner)
Personality:
- Intelligence: 4 (Nerd)
- Wisdom: 3 (Astute)
- Guts: 0 (Ball-less)
- Kindness: 4 (Solicitous)
- Charm: 1 (Boring)
Alignment: Lawful Good
Likes:
+Reading
+Hot cocoa
+Peace and tranquility
+Pleasing others
Dislikes:
- Hostility
- Showing skin
- Spicy foods
- Exercise
Clothing/Style: Comfy and discrete, with lots of woolly fabric, androgynous clothes and gray shoes.
Sword of Idealism: A locket with a picture of Lark's family in it. To activate, Lark must pull the locket and snap the chain, which always regenerates afterwards.
Frontier name: Queen Artemis
Frontier Armor:
Equipment: Mental chains
The mental chains are a weapon of varying length that Lark can control with superhuman precision by issuing commands on it. While they don’t hit particularly hard in impact, they can wrap themselves around targets on command and are remarkably hard to break, especially if your movements are being restricted. In a pinch, Lark can also cover herself or an ally to mitigate damage.
Persona’s Source: From Germanic Mythology, Offa was the son of an old, blind king who turned mute after tragedy struck his wife to be. He would later find his voice again and stand up for his father’s name in a time of great need.
Talents:
- Reading
- Logical puzzles
- Cooking
Affinity: Psychokinesis
Stats:
Strength: E
Magic: A
Endurance: C
Agility: B
Luck: F
Trait: Mirror world - When Offa remains in the same area for a few moments, it gradually begins to form a lilac, holographic juxtaposed version of all the surfaces within 10 meters of its eyesight. Lark can then use psychokinesis skills and Hidden Link to move and manipulate those shapes without affecting the original surface and with greater ease. If Offa is around in the same place for long enough, it can even alter the properties of those surfaces, making them heavier or sturdier than usual or breaking them apart in specific points.
Skills
Hidden Link - Allows Lark to create a connection between two targets she recently touched with her body or her chain, or between one target and herself. Once active, an ethereal, untouchable connection will form between the targets, which now can’t be separated any further unless under extreme effort. Lark may also contract those connections one a time to force objects to move closer to one another, an effect that can be quite violent if channeled for long enough.
- Mind Charge
- Sukukaja
- Diarahan
- Apt Pupil
- Spell master
- Resist ice
- Alertness EX - If Lark picks up on a surprise attack, Mirror World will instantly apply at max rank on the surrounding area.
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Count Gensokyo
Yell "Dead Cell"
エウリュディケー
「長沢 霧子」
Eurydice
(Nagasawa Kiriko)
「長沢 霧子」
Eurydice
(Nagasawa Kiriko)
Date of Creation: The 6th of December, 2024
Gender: Female
Biography: The circumstances behind Eurydice's host have been lost to time. When the unit awoke, she found herself incapable of responding to her given name, let alone emulating human speech. After weeks of retuning and speech-therapy sessions, these communication issues began to fade over time. Peculiarly, this unit's first mannerisms and sentences resembled those of a child's, which required months of accelerated learning to remedy. These unique needs, combined with the unit's insatiable curiosity for new experiences, caused Kirijo to determine that enrolling Eurydice in a nearby high school under the guise of a human student would prove beneficial for her. She's currently in a balancing act between having an active social life and participating in "hero" work, both in the Frontier and in the real world.
Nationality: Japanese (presumably)
Occupation: Full-time high-school student; part-time anti-shadow operative
Place of Residence: An apartment complex that's close to both her school and the local Kirijo Metropolitan Justice Department operating base. She can reach either in less than 10 minutes by walking.
Personality: Eurydice is an enthusiastic learner capable of generating endless ideas. She doesn't want a single moment of life to go to waste, preferring to expand her horizons by meeting new people and experiencing new things as often as possible. She is a natural conversationalist who has no preference for either deep topics or small talk among friends or strangers. She doesn't mind being the center of attention, either.
While she may be a natural-borne friend-maker, Eurydice often finds it difficult to keep a proper schedule, keep commitments beyond her duties to the Kirijo Group, and focus on specific tasks for too long. As such, she is a rather mediocre student, and she has often landed in trouble with people who have expected her to show up when she said she would.
Additionally, Eurydice tends to overanalyse the things that others say and do, trying to decipher any hidden meanings that could be behind these kinds of actions. This can prove a consistent source of stress for her, and stress only exacerbates her naturally sensitive emotions. As Eurydice cares deeply about others' feelings and problems, she often associates theirs with her own. This often only results in even more stress for her, as she becomes disheartened when she finds herself unable to say "yes" to someone's requests when she has prior commitments.
- Intelligence: 1 (Oblivious)
- Wisdom: 1 (Callow)
- Guts: 1 (Average)
- Kindness: 1 (Inoffensive)
- Charm: 1 (Plain)
Motivation(s): To honor the Kirijo Group, who created her and granted her life, and to discover more about her fractured past.
Likes: Photography & drawing, snacking (the newest generations of anti-shadow units have improved quality-of-life features, allowing them to emulate humans much more effectively)
Dislikes: Hunger, bodies of water, the colour purple, being alone for long periods of time
Clothing/Style: Eurydice sees no reason to change out of her school uniform unless she has to enter the Frontier.
Relationships:
- Ambrosia (アンブロシア): Senpai at work
- Lark Fuller (ラーク フラー): Fellow classmate, co-worker
- And many more...
Arcana: The Fool
Contract: "I won't forsake a friend in danger."
Name on the Rankings: Mistery
Equipment:
- A steel whip attachment which, thanks to anti-shadow units' superhuman strength, Eurydice can swing around as if it was made of leather. It can be used to attack or ensnare enemies. Deals Slash damage to one foe.
- Additional attachments can be affixed to the unit by Kirijo if deemed necessary for a mission.
- Student: As a Fool, Eurydice is capable of ranking up her social stats through continuous development.
- Photography Club: Guts and Charm increase by 1 rank for any attempt at photo-taking or recording something (in writing, video, etc.).
- Foodie: Knowledge receives a boost in development whenever Eurydice studies or talks with a knowledgeable person at a place that serves food (restaurant, cafe, food stand, etc.).
- [Shallow Roots]: Eurydice becomes 20% more susceptible to mental afflictions when fighting alone.
Cassandra
Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam of Troy and Hecuba, and twin sister of Helen. She was famous for her prophesies of bad events.
The god Apollo gave her the gift of prophecy so that she would love him, but Kassandra did not want him. This made Apollo angry, but he could only change his gift and not take it away. So he made it that Kassandra could only foresee bad things, and that no one would ever believe her.
In the Trojan War, Kassandra knew of the trick with the Trojan Horse, but no one believed her, and so Troy was destroyed. After the Trojan War, she became a slave of Agamemnon. She warned him that his wife Klytaimnestra would kill him. But he would not believe her, and so Agamemnon was killed, and Kassandra shortly after him.
The god Apollo gave her the gift of prophecy so that she would love him, but Kassandra did not want him. This made Apollo angry, but he could only change his gift and not take it away. So he made it that Kassandra could only foresee bad things, and that no one would ever believe her.
In the Trojan War, Kassandra knew of the trick with the Trojan Horse, but no one believed her, and so Troy was destroyed. After the Trojan War, she became a slave of Agamemnon. She warned him that his wife Klytaimnestra would kill him. But he would not believe her, and so Agamemnon was killed, and Kassandra shortly after him.
Stats:
- Strength: 25
- Magic: 25
- Endurance: 25
- Agility: 25
- Luck: 77
- Foresight: Cassandra is a Persona which reacts instinctively to certain stimuli, allowing Eurydice to occasionally act without thinking. Cassandra is capable of accurately predicting two upcoming moves that would fully incapacitate Eurydice (reducing her HP to 0) or otherwise lead her to such a state (abilities, such as status effects, that would prevent her from acting before an attack that drops her HP to 0) per battle. Once Eurydice is made aware of an attack like this, Cassandra releases a mist that will dissipate after one turn, granting Eurydice a 20% boost to evasion in the process. At this point, Eurydice is only capable of taking action to mitigate her own incapacitation, whether through dodging, healing, or escape from battle via Trafuri. She cannot counterattack based on predicted information. Lastly, due to her contract, Eurydice cannot escape from battle without first being ensured that all of her immediate allies will be able to escape as well.
Skills:
- Snap
- Garu
- Agi
- Dia
- Patra
- Rakukaja
- Trafuri
- Cool Breeze
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Bixir
Cape Connoisseur
Name: Nash
*Age: Older than you
*Gender: Male
*Sexuality:
Cognitive Appearance: Nash’s Cognitive Form is something of an enigma. While it is most certainly removed from reality, appearing as a towering, blood-red, two-horned monstrosity, it is not entirely accurate as to his original self. Despite being upwards of seven to eight feet tall and weighing in at several hundred pounds, Nash remains a far cry from his true form, even if the details of that continue to escape him. This anachronism has caused much of his original identity to become lost in the proverbial mix, often allowing for his mundane clothing to transfer over to his appearance in the Frontier, up until he activates the aforementioned armor. It is a thoroughly urban and grunge attire, his wide-brimmed hat and leather jacket giving him more of an old-timey mobster appearance than the would-be yakuza you would expect from a member of the Kamikakushi-kai. And Nash knows it. And Nash hates it.
Real-World Appearance: Nash’s affiliation with the Kamikakushi-kai is the only reason that he ever bothered to invest in a human-seeming appearance in the first place. Forced into a veneer of anonymity, his “human” appearance is not too different from his approximated Cognitive version. He is six feet tall, towering over most Yakuza, wearing the same clothing that conceals most of his demonic features. What may risk being shown is instead given a cartoonish shadow over his features to prevent people from seeing his face completely and the monster that lies beneath. It would not take much for Nash to do away with the disguise entirely, or for others to see that there is much more than a high school delinquent under the 1920s gangster clothing.
Biography: Whatever Nash was, immeasurable ages ago, is not as relevant anymore. It was an archaic, monstrous thing, ill-defined by modern notions of myth and history, though irredeemably, irreconcilably, a monster. A terrible, wretched beast, whom no sane person would have any dealings with, let alone throw themselves behind. And yet, that was exactly what happened. An estranged cult, known only in the little they left behind as the “Devourer’s Children” in common tongues, sought to manifest this Demon into reality, and fulfill generations of mad heresy towards this apocalyptic vision. As with so many of these tales, it ended in tragedy, in many different forms.
The foremost of these disappointments was the fact that the ritual was not performed correctly, perhaps deliberately so. Whatever the case may have been, from within or from without, the creature that spewed forth was hardly the juggernaut titan that they were hoping for. Rather, a displacement of improper magics and the aesthetics of the Children at the time instilled in this Entity a sense of the world a century prior, leaving it dumb to the way of things as they were now. The cult would not have a chance to repudiate their mistake, as their newfound creation saw fit to devour them all, some divine prank for what they had failed to invoke in the first place. As it gnashed its teeth on their fetid remains, its sentience glimmered in that moment, and with it, the Cognitive Entity’s name.
With no guardian or personal instinct beyond that of a base monster, Nash wandered the streets of Osaka for some time, first crossing paths with the likes of the Kamikakushi-kai. A woman whose name Nash can no longer remember (much to her frustration) quickly took him in, dressing him as best she could while keeping to his strange insistence on wearing things that were older than she was. She and the others in her part of the organization did what they could for Nash, though it quickly became evident that he remained his own “person”, as loosely as something like him could be defined as such. As soon as the notion of a Frontier War and what it stood to mean entered Nash’s mind, however, he suddenly became invested in something, for the first time since he had given himself a name. Eager to use this as a means to rediscover himself and come to terms with what he was now and what he had been then, Nash at last has a means to his meaninglessness.
*Occupation: Street Punk
*Place of Residence: For reasons Nash has yet to understand, he is unable to reside within his Frontier domain, nor can he recall what that domain was. He has since found a home with the Kamikakushi-kai, dingy apartment and all.
Personality: Nash is one of the most stubborn, bull-headed, belligerent people you will ever meet. He has no filter, likely never will, and will never cow to any kind of authority, least of all a holier-than-thou one. He is a natural fit for the Kamikakushi-kai, even though he has little respect for them and their ways beyond what they have to offer to him and his single-minded goal. Anything that threatens to get in the way of that, even if it may be helpful or friendly or other ways, may as well be another obstacle for Nash to overcome.
Friendship isn’t something that comes easily to him - or at all - the Cognitive Entity too mired in his own identity crisis to think about anything else. It’s easy to get on his bad side, yet also fairly straightforward to get him to do what you want, provided you don’t manage to provoke his ire in the process. If he’s pointed at a target, chances are good he’ll simply go for it, given his proclivity for violence and chaos in general. In his own way, Nash can come off as charming and daring given his antics, but he never means to be someone to be interested in or to admire. He’s interested solely in being himself, and getting closer to who he was in the first place. If people appreciate that, then good for them. He couldn’t care less. He definitely couldn’t care less if people started worrying about him.
The most striking thing about Nash, though, is his complete indifference to modern language, least of all the Japanese lexicon. He never bothered to learn proper Japanese, only coasting off of what his Cognitive abilities offered him and whatever his Kamikakushi-kai “superiors” drilled into him as one of their street men. Instead, Nash speaks in the bygone dialect of the Roaring 20s, speaking in phrases and terms that have been out of style for a century. While part of his (un)natural self, Nash has also become fond of the various mannerisms and sayings that are a part of this quirky identity, and is quick to lash out at anyone who tries to belittle the persona he has made for himself out of his unfortunate circumstances.
- Brains [Intelligence]: 2 (Learned)
- Sense [Wisdom]: 3 (Deductive)
- Guts: 5 (Lionhearted)
- Courtesy [Kindness]: 1 (Inoffensive)
- Spunk [Charm]: 2 (Head-turning)
Motivation(s): Nash is interested in the Frontier War solely as a means to reconnect with his former self and to get back at the people that he thinks made him like this (re: everyone). He isn’t concerned with anything else.
*Likes: Personal agency, alcohol, fighting, punk culture, the 1920s, vigilantes
*Dislikes: Law and order, goody two-shoes, modern society, contemporary slang, pranks, heroes
*Clothing/Style: Nash’s fashion sense is both very much within and at odds with his Kamikakushi-kai membership. He only knows how to dress like a ne'er-do-well street punk, with grunge chains, black leather, and distinct bling… only that it is the kind of leather and chains that you would find in 1920s America. He immediately stands out, even among his fellow Kamikakushi-kai, refusing to dress differently from how he has always dressed, in spite of its association with his bitter origins in this current form. Don’t even try asking him to wear a uniform. It won’t work.
Relationships:
Murakami Hara: Nash’s introduction to the Kamikakushi-kai, and his self-appointed caretaker. She tries to keep him out of too much trouble, and keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t cause too much of a sore for her and the organization as a whole. She’s a
Ursus: The fucking enemy. Don’t ask how. Don’t ask why. You’re only going to get Nash into a (more) angry mood. For reasons unclear to Ursus and the others, Nash has a blood grudge against him, and refuses to explain his animosity to anyone.
Arcana: Devil
Contract: “Uproot the established order. Depose the kings, and feast on their spoils. Let nothing get in the way of your carnal desire.”
Alter-Ego: Cain
Frontier Armor:
Blade of Idealism: Cognitive Choker (Gold Bracelet)
Equipment: Nash uses his natural body as a weapon. Nothing else.
Talents:
- Intimidation [Guts]
- Breaching [Strength]
- Street Smarts [Sense]
Persona: N/A
Source: N/A
Appearance: N/A
Affinity: Physical
Stats:
- Strength: A+
- Magic: D
- Endurance: A
- Agility: C+
- Luck: F
Skills:
- Life Drain - Nash surges forward and clasps one of his large, ogre-like hands around their throat or lower face. Once he has established contact, he jerks forward and sinks his teeth into them, tearing out a considerable chunk of life while healing himself by the same amount.
- Lunge - After standling idly for a few seconds, Nash launches himself like a human cannonball, crossing several meters in an instant in a high-velocity high-impact strike against a single opponent.
- Power Charge - Nash channels his Cognitive angst, making his [physical] attacks considerably stronger for a short time, or longer if he expends more energy into this Skill.
- Tarukaja - Nash chooses a single target (which may include himself) and imbues them with a fragment of his Demon origin, giving them an increase in attack power roughly that of his Power Charge Skill.
- Enduring Soul - Whomever Nash was as a Demon, it was one of the most resilient of its kind. If he is struck fatally, he is able top maintain consciousness and continue fighting for five to thirty more minutes, dependent on the state of his Endurance.
- Immunity - Nash is extremely hard to take down with toxins, paralysis, and other afflictions. If anything, he seems to have built up an immunity to most of them.
- Bloodbath - Nash takes a couple steps back, unhinges his massive jaw like a cobra, then exhumes a deluge of infernal blood. It spreads quickly and consumes anyone caught in its wake, enveloping them in massive Physical damage. While it will not necessarily slow people down physically, it has a secondary effect of triggering deep trauma of the Demon this power was originally associated with, and is liable to instill Fear in anyone caught in the blood.
- Ghastly Wail - Nash lets out an agonizing shriek that could only be uttered by one of the most powerful Demons. Though it has no effect in ordinary circumstances, Shadows already stricken by Fear will become overwhelmed and instantly succumb. Though this has yet to be used on non-Shadows, it is likely to simply knock them unconscious due to Nash’s power being greatly limited as a Cognitive Entity.
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Count Gensokyo
Yell "Dead Cell"
Name: Who said I have to tell you my name, Sport? . . .Fine. Give it a guess, then! I'm waiting.
Cognitive Appearance: That's personal, Squirt. Buzz off!
Real-World Appearance: Wouldn't you like to know, creep? What, can't go on vacations now without someone spying on me?
Biography: Yeah, I guess I can tell you a little about myself without it getting too weird. Let's see...how long ago was it? I kinda lost track after 500. Well, anyways, I'm just a lonely guy who's been cooped up in a cave for years! And every time I show my pretty face, there's always some palooka not wanting me around. Not sure why. I'm thinking they're just jealous! What's a guy to do, huh? Now I'm just hanging around somewhere empty in Osaka. Gets a bit lonely here, I'll be honest. Wish I had some company.
Personality: I'm a party animal, hear? Can't sit still in one place! Hit me up, and I'll show you a wild time around town.
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Motivation(s): I just wanna cut loose a little and have some fun, y'know? See how the world's changed and all that jazz. Does it have to be anything more than that, or can we just move on with this formality, Chief?
Likes: Long walks on the beach, Gyoza, You
Dislikes: Mondays, Daytime, Also you
Relationships: [REDACTED]
Arcana: The Moon
Contract: "I will never attempt to kill a human being."
Alter-Ego: The Shadow
Frontier Armor: Even ???'s cognitive form is shrouded in secrecy. "The Shadow"'s costume is a deep, pale-blue trench-coat, cape, gloves, slacks, boots, and funny-looking bowler hat. Also wears a long, dark-violet scarf that acts as a mouth cover. Underneath all of this lies a draping aura of indigo-coloured shadow that conceals all but ???'s general shape. Yeah, Taki-tan, I took your getup. What're you gonna do about it?
Bladed Ideal: A long arcane staff with a gleaming blue gem housed at the tip.
Equipment:
Persona: Spoilers this early? Talk about an early climax! Hope you don't mind me skipping this one, Chief!
Source: It's a little on the old side, Kick. I wonder what it is? Even I might've forgotten!
Appearance: Stop asking me so many damn questions, Chief. Haven't I answered enough already?
Stats:
Skills:
Oh, right! And one more thing.
New Relationships:
Cognitive Appearance: That's personal, Squirt. Buzz off!
Real-World Appearance: Wouldn't you like to know, creep? What, can't go on vacations now without someone spying on me?
Biography: Yeah, I guess I can tell you a little about myself without it getting too weird. Let's see...how long ago was it? I kinda lost track after 500. Well, anyways, I'm just a lonely guy who's been cooped up in a cave for years! And every time I show my pretty face, there's always some palooka not wanting me around. Not sure why. I'm thinking they're just jealous! What's a guy to do, huh? Now I'm just hanging around somewhere empty in Osaka. Gets a bit lonely here, I'll be honest. Wish I had some company.
Personality: I'm a party animal, hear? Can't sit still in one place! Hit me up, and I'll show you a wild time around town.
- Intelligence: 5 (More than you)
- Wisdom: 5 (Biblical)
- Guts: 2 ("Practical")
- Kindness: 0 (Soulless)
- Charm: 4 (Steal-your-girl)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Motivation(s): I just wanna cut loose a little and have some fun, y'know? See how the world's changed and all that jazz. Does it have to be anything more than that, or can we just move on with this formality, Chief?
Likes: Long walks on the beach, Gyoza, You
Dislikes: Mondays, Daytime, Also you
Relationships: [REDACTED]
Arcana: The Moon
Contract: "I will never attempt to kill a human being."
Alter-Ego: The Shadow
Frontier Armor: Even ???'s cognitive form is shrouded in secrecy. "The Shadow"'s costume is a deep, pale-blue trench-coat, cape, gloves, slacks, boots, and funny-looking bowler hat. Also wears a long, dark-violet scarf that acts as a mouth cover. Underneath all of this lies a draping aura of indigo-coloured shadow that conceals all but ???'s general shape. Yeah, Taki-tan, I took your getup. What're you gonna do about it?
Bladed Ideal: A long arcane staff with a gleaming blue gem housed at the tip.
Equipment:
- An unhealthy amount of smoke bombs
- [REDACTED]
- Acting: Provides one rank-up to Charisma when lying or performing sleight of hand.
- [Pragmatism]: Temporarily decreases Guts by 1 rank for one day if ??? successfully flees from a battle.
Persona: Spoilers this early? Talk about an early climax! Hope you don't mind me skipping this one, Chief!
Source: It's a little on the old side, Kick. I wonder what it is? Even I might've forgotten!
Appearance: Stop asking me so many damn questions, Chief. Haven't I answered enough already?
Stats:
- Strength: 6
- Magic: 63
- Endurance: 13
- Agility: 40
- Luck: 44
- Names're powerful, aren't they? Everything gets one when it's born or discovered, but not me!
- [REDACTED]
Skills:
- Unshaken Will
- Psiodyne
- Mapsiodyne
- Psy Break
- Makajam
- Alertness
- Apt Pupil
- Spell Master
Oh, right! And one more thing.
New Relationships:
- Takiyama Toru: "Inspiration"
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CapRock
Character arc enthusiast
Name: Yurei
Age: 3
Gender: Male
Sexuality: N/A
Cognitive Appearance:
Yurei is 1,20m (just over 3’11”) tall and weights about 30 kg. His skin is shadowy and indiscernible, doll-like under his clothes and his eyes are simply two white glowing pits capable of caricature-like expression. His tail can vary in length depending on his mood, growing longer and bristling when he feels threatened.
Real-World Appearance: A realistic-looking tanuki. Yurei’s still capable of talking to Persona users, CES and ASUs while in this form, but not much else.
Biography:
Occupation: Personal Assistant
Place of Residence: Etsu’s apartment.
Personality: Yurei is curious, energetic and prone to thinking out loud, always eager to participate in what interests him instead of talking about it. His unusual upbringing led him to having flawed knowledge of human etiquette and norms and often leads to confusions and misunderstandings. No new discovery or idea of his goes without getting written over his diary, which he guards intently from other's eyes. He also has a penchant for referring to himself in third person, a tic he isn’t interested in explaining nor changing.
Intelligence: 1 (Caveman)
Wisdom: 1 (Dumbass)
Guts: 4 (Gutsy)
Kindness: 3 (Amicable)
Charm: 3 (Endearing)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Motivation(s): To clear Nakamura's name, both within Kirijo's ranks and audiences alike.
Likes:
+Noir flicks
+Junk food
+Meeting new people
+Hoarding trinkets
Dislikes:
- Wolves/Dogs
- Having his diary read
- Injustice
- Cigarette smoke.
Clothing/Style: Yurei likes heavy, baggy clothes for rain, such as overcoats and parka jackets and rubber boots. He’s also never seen without his hat.
Relationships: Etsu is Yurei’s main relationship, acting as his teacher and offering him guidance is exchange for assistant and secretary functions. He’s often seen with him and they’ve become absolutely experts at getting in each other’s nerves other time, but he’d risk his life for his sensei in a heartbeat.
Arcana: Judgement
Contract: "I will strive to have people be seen for who they truly are."
Blade of Idealism: Umbrella Keychain. To activate it, Yurei slides the umbrella’s runner upwards, going far past the keychain’s size and increasing the size of the prop as it does until it is real-sized.
Equipment:
Umbrella blade - An umbrella with a hidden blade that can be unlocked with a flick of the handle. Whenever the blade comes into contact with a body of water, it causes the liquid to expand rapidly, harming anything in the vicinity. Yurei can harm himself with the explosion if he triggers it within one meter of himself.
Creepy detached doll head - This doll head has been in the center of many a scary midnight story and is said to be cursed. Once deployed, it shuffles around, trying to search for a friend; anyone who makes eye contact with it becomes afflicted with fear.
Fluid Dynamics handbook - This heavy book has been hastily tossed away after flustering an army of engineering students during its life. Its pages can be torn and glued to surfaces like seals, activating confusion on all nearby targets when activated.
Talents:
Parkour
Trash scavenging
“Volunteer” test subject
Persona: Prospero
Source: Prospero is a character from the Shakesperean play “The Tempest”, who used magic and conjured storms to right the wrongs caused upon him. Like Prospero, Yurei is looking for reparation over a great injustice.
Appearance: Prospero is a large, hunchback, lumbering torso made out of a dark, dirty mass of ground mixed up with bones, rags and worms that turn out in a vague human shape, with pieces of trinkets and scraps making up his nails, eyes and face features. It leans out of a wooden boat, with the other end of the torso disappearing in a puddle of muddy water that covers the hull’s floor.
As for the ship itself, it’s small, humble and composed of drenched oak, splattered with smudges of dry blood and with a flickering lantern hanging from the edge of its bow. On his hand, he holds a twisted iron wind vane that has a Tanuki silhouette instead of a rooster and, on Prospero’s head, there’s two halves of a crown of deeply rusted iron.
Affinity: Ice
Stats:
Strength: B (80)
Magic: D (20)
Endurance: C- (40)
Agility: C (50)
Luck: B (80)
Trait:
Endless rain: When fighting, Yurei is constantly surrounded by a ring of rain that moderately reduces the power of ranged and fire-based abilities it comes in contact with, besides enabling some of his skills.
- Usually, the ring starts at just over 1 meter around him (enough to comfortably hit with the edge of his blade) and ends 3 meters away, but he can contract and expand it on command; when contracted, the rain becomes more intense and increases its defensive capabilities; when expanded, the rain’s volume of water increases. While not a skill outright, controlling the ring’s area will spend a bit of stamina.
- The rain droplets aren’t random, but instead follow a specific pattern that Yurei is accustomed to follow. Thus, when he’s dictating the pace of the fight, he’s capable of reliably hitting droplets with his blade at will.
Skills:
Blade Rain (unique) - Yurei summons several spectral blades of the water property to strike at the target (2-10m range). The blades stick around for a few seconds, restricting movement and reacting with his umbrella blade on contact.
Lunge
Cleave EX - Cleave’s slash triggers the same effects of Yurei’s umbrella blade upon contact with water.
Spirit Drain
Amrita Drop
Analysis
Ali Dance
Immunity
Extra: Theme song
Age: 3
Gender: Male
Sexuality: N/A
Cognitive Appearance:
Yurei is 1,20m (just over 3’11”) tall and weights about 30 kg. His skin is shadowy and indiscernible, doll-like under his clothes and his eyes are simply two white glowing pits capable of caricature-like expression. His tail can vary in length depending on his mood, growing longer and bristling when he feels threatened.
Real-World Appearance: A realistic-looking tanuki. Yurei’s still capable of talking to Persona users, CES and ASUs while in this form, but not much else.
Biography:
Ezume Nakamura was an upstanding Japanese citizen and Kirijo corp member, leader of a respectable response team with years of successful missions and honors. All it took was a single unsuccessful mission, one unjust circumstance to take his life and soil his reputation forever between both his fellow Kirjo members and the audience alike.
Yurei is a manifestation of Ezume’s last wish to clear his own name, and that’s his ultimate goal. He still has much to learn about the world and the organization he means to face. Thankfully, he was picked up by Etsu, a wandering sage who gave him a home and taught him how to get his bearings until he’s find his big breakthrough and - presumably - fullfill his purpose.
Yurei is a manifestation of Ezume’s last wish to clear his own name, and that’s his ultimate goal. He still has much to learn about the world and the organization he means to face. Thankfully, he was picked up by Etsu, a wandering sage who gave him a home and taught him how to get his bearings until he’s find his big breakthrough and - presumably - fullfill his purpose.
Diary Entry, #226 - The introduction.
Hello, this is Yurei writing. Lately, it’s been a little difficult keeping all the information inside of my head, so sensei has suggested writing down some of the main points. Says it’ll “jog the memory”, whatever that means. Hopefully, his hunch is right.
To explain my identity, the most important part is to explain where Yurei came from, because his story is also the story of someone else. There was once a man known as Ezume Nakamura. Ezume was a good man, very good indeed. Family man, worked the grind without fail to provide for them. If that wasn’t enough, he also worked as a member of the Kirijo corp, leading a respected team of agents. People would trust Ezume with anything since he was very correct and hated lying. Sensei says these people are called “earnest.”
Ezume was also a man of justice. He’d always try to uphold the law and use it to help others, since that was his contract. Yurei thought those two goals seemed to go well along with each other, but apparently, it’s not always like that. Enter mr. Katsuragawa. He wasn’t like Ezume, he was a bad, bad man. But he was also really clever. Instead of breaking the law, he’d bend it, use it to his own benefit to commit horrible things and threaten Kirijo corp.
This was a big problem, because Ezume couldn’t catch him without breaking his oath. Mr. Katsuragawa could do whatever he wanted, even mock Ezume’s face and threaten his team, but he could never do anything about it. The bad man was so confident about being untouchable that seeing a Kirijo member try made him mad, and in his anger, he threatened to hurt Ezume’s family..
That was, like they say, what broke the Camel’s back. Many people say many things about what Ezume did next, but Yurei dug and found the truth; he tried striking a deal with his worst enemies, the Chaos faction, to get rid of Mr. Katsuragawa. It went bad. They backstabbed Ezume, followed him back to his hideout, took out all of his own teammates. Horrible stuff. The good man was blamed for their deaths and executed. He died the opposite of his life, a traitor, a coward and a liar.
This is where Yurei comes in. Sensei called me a “Cognitive Entity”, a being born out of a powerful desire from someone’s heart. Yurei’s mission, his reason to exist, comes from the wish to clear out Ezume’s dirty, dirty name and right the wrongs done to him. Because he was not a traitor, a liar or a coward. He was a family man, trying to protect his family. And Yurei will prove that to everyone, no matter what.
Diary Entry, #227 - The plan.
Now, with my goal set, it’s important to think about how to get there. Being a cognitive entity, Yurei is just a talking Tanuki whenever he’s in the real world, staying the heck away from dogs and wolves and going across the city’s rooftops in search of dumpsters. You wouldn’t believe the stuff people throw away! All sorts of shiny and interesting objects and charms, each one with its own story. They can be useful for me whenever I’m on the other side.
That’s because, in the Frontier, Yurei changes into his true shape. Yes, it may not look like it, but Yurei is a boy, because Ezume was a man. Yurei tries to copy Ezume a bit. He dressed like a detective sometimes and went on uncovering big truths, so Yurei watches lots of american detective movies to try and get that right. Meeting people can be a bit stressful at times, but Yurei likes it a lot, because he learns a lot with them. The more he can become a human, the more people will believe him when he clears out the good man’s name. That’s the only reason why he does it, you have my word!
Until he can get there, though, Yurei needs lots of training. Thankfully, he has met his sensei Etsu. He’s a little weird, even mean to me at times, but he was very nice to let me stay and teach me lots of things. In exchange, Yurei runs all sorts of errands for him, and sometimes lets him try out his scary trinkets on me... Never tell Etsu Yurei’s said this, but he’s a good teacher and Yurei is very thankful to have met him.
Now, Yurei must find a way to get the bottom of the truth. Any lead, as small as it is, could be the big breakthrough! So Yurei won’t ever, ever give up. He’s ready for anything that could be waiting at the end of the tunnel. For the sake of Ezume, he has to be.
Hello, this is Yurei writing. Lately, it’s been a little difficult keeping all the information inside of my head, so sensei has suggested writing down some of the main points. Says it’ll “jog the memory”, whatever that means. Hopefully, his hunch is right.
To explain my identity, the most important part is to explain where Yurei came from, because his story is also the story of someone else. There was once a man known as Ezume Nakamura. Ezume was a good man, very good indeed. Family man, worked the grind without fail to provide for them. If that wasn’t enough, he also worked as a member of the Kirijo corp, leading a respected team of agents. People would trust Ezume with anything since he was very correct and hated lying. Sensei says these people are called “earnest.”
Ezume was also a man of justice. He’d always try to uphold the law and use it to help others, since that was his contract. Yurei thought those two goals seemed to go well along with each other, but apparently, it’s not always like that. Enter mr. Katsuragawa. He wasn’t like Ezume, he was a bad, bad man. But he was also really clever. Instead of breaking the law, he’d bend it, use it to his own benefit to commit horrible things and threaten Kirijo corp.
This was a big problem, because Ezume couldn’t catch him without breaking his oath. Mr. Katsuragawa could do whatever he wanted, even mock Ezume’s face and threaten his team, but he could never do anything about it. The bad man was so confident about being untouchable that seeing a Kirijo member try made him mad, and in his anger, he threatened to hurt Ezume’s family..
That was, like they say, what broke the Camel’s back. Many people say many things about what Ezume did next, but Yurei dug and found the truth; he tried striking a deal with his worst enemies, the Chaos faction, to get rid of Mr. Katsuragawa. It went bad. They backstabbed Ezume, followed him back to his hideout, took out all of his own teammates. Horrible stuff. The good man was blamed for their deaths and executed. He died the opposite of his life, a traitor, a coward and a liar.
This is where Yurei comes in. Sensei called me a “Cognitive Entity”, a being born out of a powerful desire from someone’s heart. Yurei’s mission, his reason to exist, comes from the wish to clear out Ezume’s dirty, dirty name and right the wrongs done to him. Because he was not a traitor, a liar or a coward. He was a family man, trying to protect his family. And Yurei will prove that to everyone, no matter what.
Diary Entry, #227 - The plan.
Now, with my goal set, it’s important to think about how to get there. Being a cognitive entity, Yurei is just a talking Tanuki whenever he’s in the real world, staying the heck away from dogs and wolves and going across the city’s rooftops in search of dumpsters. You wouldn’t believe the stuff people throw away! All sorts of shiny and interesting objects and charms, each one with its own story. They can be useful for me whenever I’m on the other side.
That’s because, in the Frontier, Yurei changes into his true shape. Yes, it may not look like it, but Yurei is a boy, because Ezume was a man. Yurei tries to copy Ezume a bit. He dressed like a detective sometimes and went on uncovering big truths, so Yurei watches lots of american detective movies to try and get that right. Meeting people can be a bit stressful at times, but Yurei likes it a lot, because he learns a lot with them. The more he can become a human, the more people will believe him when he clears out the good man’s name. That’s the only reason why he does it, you have my word!
Until he can get there, though, Yurei needs lots of training. Thankfully, he has met his sensei Etsu. He’s a little weird, even mean to me at times, but he was very nice to let me stay and teach me lots of things. In exchange, Yurei runs all sorts of errands for him, and sometimes lets him try out his scary trinkets on me... Never tell Etsu Yurei’s said this, but he’s a good teacher and Yurei is very thankful to have met him.
Now, Yurei must find a way to get the bottom of the truth. Any lead, as small as it is, could be the big breakthrough! So Yurei won’t ever, ever give up. He’s ready for anything that could be waiting at the end of the tunnel. For the sake of Ezume, he has to be.
Occupation: Personal Assistant
Place of Residence: Etsu’s apartment.
Personality: Yurei is curious, energetic and prone to thinking out loud, always eager to participate in what interests him instead of talking about it. His unusual upbringing led him to having flawed knowledge of human etiquette and norms and often leads to confusions and misunderstandings. No new discovery or idea of his goes without getting written over his diary, which he guards intently from other's eyes. He also has a penchant for referring to himself in third person, a tic he isn’t interested in explaining nor changing.
Intelligence: 1 (Caveman)
Wisdom: 1 (Dumbass)
Guts: 4 (Gutsy)
Kindness: 3 (Amicable)
Charm: 3 (Endearing)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Motivation(s): To clear Nakamura's name, both within Kirijo's ranks and audiences alike.
Likes:
+Noir flicks
+Junk food
+Meeting new people
+Hoarding trinkets
Dislikes:
- Wolves/Dogs
- Having his diary read
- Injustice
- Cigarette smoke.
Clothing/Style: Yurei likes heavy, baggy clothes for rain, such as overcoats and parka jackets and rubber boots. He’s also never seen without his hat.
Relationships: Etsu is Yurei’s main relationship, acting as his teacher and offering him guidance is exchange for assistant and secretary functions. He’s often seen with him and they’ve become absolutely experts at getting in each other’s nerves other time, but he’d risk his life for his sensei in a heartbeat.
Arcana: Judgement
Contract: "I will strive to have people be seen for who they truly are."
Blade of Idealism: Umbrella Keychain. To activate it, Yurei slides the umbrella’s runner upwards, going far past the keychain’s size and increasing the size of the prop as it does until it is real-sized.
Equipment:
Umbrella blade - An umbrella with a hidden blade that can be unlocked with a flick of the handle. Whenever the blade comes into contact with a body of water, it causes the liquid to expand rapidly, harming anything in the vicinity. Yurei can harm himself with the explosion if he triggers it within one meter of himself.
Creepy detached doll head - This doll head has been in the center of many a scary midnight story and is said to be cursed. Once deployed, it shuffles around, trying to search for a friend; anyone who makes eye contact with it becomes afflicted with fear.
Fluid Dynamics handbook - This heavy book has been hastily tossed away after flustering an army of engineering students during its life. Its pages can be torn and glued to surfaces like seals, activating confusion on all nearby targets when activated.
Talents:
Parkour
Trash scavenging
“Volunteer” test subject
Persona: Prospero
Source: Prospero is a character from the Shakesperean play “The Tempest”, who used magic and conjured storms to right the wrongs caused upon him. Like Prospero, Yurei is looking for reparation over a great injustice.
Appearance: Prospero is a large, hunchback, lumbering torso made out of a dark, dirty mass of ground mixed up with bones, rags and worms that turn out in a vague human shape, with pieces of trinkets and scraps making up his nails, eyes and face features. It leans out of a wooden boat, with the other end of the torso disappearing in a puddle of muddy water that covers the hull’s floor.
As for the ship itself, it’s small, humble and composed of drenched oak, splattered with smudges of dry blood and with a flickering lantern hanging from the edge of its bow. On his hand, he holds a twisted iron wind vane that has a Tanuki silhouette instead of a rooster and, on Prospero’s head, there’s two halves of a crown of deeply rusted iron.
Affinity: Ice
Stats:
Strength: B (80)
Magic: D (20)
Endurance: C- (40)
Agility: C (50)
Luck: B (80)
Trait:
Endless rain: When fighting, Yurei is constantly surrounded by a ring of rain that moderately reduces the power of ranged and fire-based abilities it comes in contact with, besides enabling some of his skills.
- Usually, the ring starts at just over 1 meter around him (enough to comfortably hit with the edge of his blade) and ends 3 meters away, but he can contract and expand it on command; when contracted, the rain becomes more intense and increases its defensive capabilities; when expanded, the rain’s volume of water increases. While not a skill outright, controlling the ring’s area will spend a bit of stamina.
- The rain droplets aren’t random, but instead follow a specific pattern that Yurei is accustomed to follow. Thus, when he’s dictating the pace of the fight, he’s capable of reliably hitting droplets with his blade at will.
Skills:
Blade Rain (unique) - Yurei summons several spectral blades of the water property to strike at the target (2-10m range). The blades stick around for a few seconds, restricting movement and reacting with his umbrella blade on contact.
Lunge
Cleave EX - Cleave’s slash triggers the same effects of Yurei’s umbrella blade upon contact with water.
Spirit Drain
Amrita Drop
Analysis
Ali Dance
Immunity
Extra: Theme song
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Refaulted
The Very Tired Man
和奏 内山
Wakana Uchiyama
Appearance:
Wakana's appearance isn't anything to write home about. A generically good-looking face, with large eyes and full lips, her skin is slightly tanner than the average Japanese woman. She keeps her natural brown hair short, cutting it typically right at her jawline. Over the years of helping move musical equipment, she's developed from a thin frame to one more toned, which, coupled with her height and her tendency to wear baggier clothes when she's performing, makes it hard to distinguish if she is female or male most times.
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Biography:
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Guitarist for Gone Wild
*Place of Residence: Azul Esaka 3rd Apartments Room 1401 F15, Esakocho, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan
Personality:
In all regards, Wakana is completely content with never having to utter a word in her life, usually just offering small gestures to escape whatever social interactions she's forced into. Despite her appearance, her quiet nature tends to make her blend in with the common crowds of major cities. Her knack for blending in to her surroundings is something she considers a blessing. Her confidence in herself is shaky at best, making it difficult for her to share her own ideas unless provoked to the point where she feels over-pressured by those around her. She struggles with commitment on her own, usually having trouble going all in on something she wishes to unless she has others there to push her and make her do it, which has developed into a tendency to rely too heavily on others.
Once comfortable enough with others, she is seen as much more lax. She isn't much more talkative than she already is, but she is more open about her feelings and her past. She's someone who truly enjoys reminiscing and remembering where she came from, as it helps keep her grounded, whereas the social aspects of her work has her feeling like she is merely moving with the tides as she goes from place to place. Where she lacks passion, she makes up for with determination to see what she has started through until the end.
Wakana Uchiyama
Appearance:
Wakana's appearance isn't anything to write home about. A generically good-looking face, with large eyes and full lips, her skin is slightly tanner than the average Japanese woman. She keeps her natural brown hair short, cutting it typically right at her jawline. Over the years of helping move musical equipment, she's developed from a thin frame to one more toned, which, coupled with her height and her tendency to wear baggier clothes when she's performing, makes it hard to distinguish if she is female or male most times.
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Biography:
In the wide spectrum of colorful characters in Osaka that can be found on almost any street corner, Wakana is and never has been one of those memorable faces. Born to a middle-lower class family, who could live comfortable enough within their means on a good day, she was always aware of the lengths her family took, be it opting for candles over electric lights in exceptionally hard times, or opting for corner store snacks when a full dinner was out of the question. Despite this, she always believed she lived in a good environment, with parents who loved her and merely wished to see her succeed in life. They offered her unconditional love and praise, so why would someone like her ever complain when there were those who had so much less than she did?
When it came to academics, she was placed in the middle of the spectrum, with no exceptional talents outside of her aptitude for home economics classes, where she found herself rather good with her hands, prompting praise from her teacher, one Mrs. Kimura. Due to Wakana's tendency to shy away from getting close with other students, she spent a lot of her time aiding Mrs. Kimura with tasks after school. She pushed Wakana to try and branch out and make some friends, though the girl struggled striking up conversations with others, and even if she did manage to get one started, it would just fizzle out like a dying fire, leaving just awkward silence between anyone involved. Wakana didn't mind this, though, as she wasn't so much one to wish for the attention of others, instead happy to stay at the sidelines and focus on herself and her future, dreaming of one day opening up a florist shop with her mother, due to their combined love and interest for the process.
One Christmas, she was surprised to receive a gift from her parents in the form of a guitar. As they had a good year, being able to save up plenty of money, they thought to buy her a simple acoustic one that they had found at a yard sale. Wakana at first was confused by the gift, but they explained that learning to play would give her a pass time, aside from studying and helping with chores around the house. She was entirely grateful to them, but for the better part of a few weeks, she allowed it to collect dust in the corner of her room, not thinking much of it as she helped them prepare for the next year. But over time, when she would sit idly on her bed, she would brush her fingertips over the strings absent-mindedly as she let herself get lost in thought. This steadily turned to plucking the strings, to strumming, to looking up lessons online at the library and printing them to bring them home, to looking up sheet music on the family computer to try out. As the school year began to go on, she found herself devoting just as much time to practicing as she did to studying. By the time she entered high school, she was practicing into the wee hours of the night, which garnered quite a few lectures from her parents.
Eventually, Wakana said goodbye to middle school and moved on to high school, where she found not much to be different. She still stood off to the side in the hallways on break, and walked home silently once the final bell rang, and ate her lunch without making even a peep. She blended in to the rest of the student body, which she was happy for. However, her family began to find themselves settling in for a bad year financially. While they normally were able to tough through it, Wakana didn't want her parents to burden it all by themselves, and so began to figure out how to help them to the best of her abilities. She remembered seeing plenty of street performers when she would go out for walks or errands at night. However, she struggled with the idea of going out and just playing the guitar for others, for fear of her classmates seeing her, and so she went out to buy a mask to cover her face, deciding on an orange fox one. On her first night, after slipping out once her parents were asleep, she only made eager earnings, bringing back only a handful of yen. But, as nights passed, steadily she drew more and more of a crowd, sometimes playing the requests of others. She brought home more and more money, stashing it in a box under her bed so her parents wouldn't become suspicious.
One night, however, things would change for her completely. While performing one night, she was approached by a student she recognized from school, one of the resident delinquents, Kenta Kurosawa. He introduced himself and invited her to buy some food, which she hesitantly accepted. At the nearest ramen bar, he stated that he knew who she was and was impressed with how she played. Stating that he was starting a band with some friends from his middle school, he invited her to join, to which she replied simply...
No.
For the next eight nights, whenever she was out, he found her and asked her, over and over, to reconsider joining them. Each time, she shot him down, and even if she relocated to a new spot to play, he always ended up finding her. Realizing she couldn't escape him forever, much less move to a new spot every night, she finally relented, stating she would give them a chance. The next day, after school, Kenta brought her to the abandoned building where they practiced, where she met fellow band members Hikari Moto, the drummer, Yuuto Fujita, the pianist, and Yoshi Suzuki, the bassist, with Kenta being the vocalist. They all welcomed her, and while at first she felt out of place, over the next few sessions they had, and actually playing with them, she began to open up, little by little. At school, Kenta stood up for her when others talked behind her back, and would pester her like an abandoned puppy. He even bought her a new electric guitar, to better fit the rock-pop sound the band was going for. Over time, Wakana found herself feeling more and more indebted to him, and put more of herself into the band, with Kenta naming her his right-hand man.
The biggest problem they faced was getting themselves out there. Wakana was uncomfortable going out without her mask, and the boys wanted her to go without it, but Kenta helped midiate it to where they would all wear masks, to help Wakana feel more at ease. They each adopted a different animal for themselves: Hikari a gorilla, Yuuto a mouse, Yoshi a frog, and Kenta a canary. They then moved their operation out onto the streets of Osaka, setting up in whatever public squares they could find and playing their hearts out. They received numerous noise complaints from annoyed passerbys, but that didn't stop them, and they began to amass a small following in the younger audience. It wasn't long before they were offered a gig at a small local club. They signed on as regulars for the club, and while they balanced school during the day, at night they immersed themselves in the Osaka night-life. This was the start of the band known as Gone Wild.
They played at the club for the next few years, right up until they graduated from high school. Wakana, now graduated and using her earnings to help her parents, began to think of looking into an actual career, like cooking from when she was younger, but Kenta kept persuading her to continue playing with them, promising it was just 'one more time'. As her faith in the band continued to wane, and she became close to quitting overall, they were offered the big break they needed. An American talent agent offered them a contract to come to America and jumpstart their career there, which the rest of the group jumped on. Wakana, nervous about leaving her family, knew she couldn't keep her secret job a secret if she took the deal, and so she came clean about what she had been doing to her parents. To her surprise, however, they said they already knew about it, as Kenta had accidentally let it slip when he ran into them in public. They encouraged her to do what she wanted, and after negotiating with the agent to be able to come back and visit her family, the band was shipped off to the land of the free.
Over the next near decade, Gone Wild became a household name in both countries, and reached others as well. Not just for their talent, but also their mysterious personas they always kept up, with Kenta, whose stage name was Mega Melody, being the only member of the group to ever talk in interviews and performances. They toured the likes of the US, Japan, Korea, Canada, Europe, and even China. They played in music festivals all over the place, while always making sure they made it back to Japan for the major ones. While she enjoyed her time and the money she made, Wakana still felt unhappy at times when she was far from home. When flying over the great expanses of land, she would fell a twinge of pain in her gut as she saw large plots of farms and fields. However, she never had much time to think about it, as Kenta would rope her back in, setting them all back to work on their next international hit.
When it came to academics, she was placed in the middle of the spectrum, with no exceptional talents outside of her aptitude for home economics classes, where she found herself rather good with her hands, prompting praise from her teacher, one Mrs. Kimura. Due to Wakana's tendency to shy away from getting close with other students, she spent a lot of her time aiding Mrs. Kimura with tasks after school. She pushed Wakana to try and branch out and make some friends, though the girl struggled striking up conversations with others, and even if she did manage to get one started, it would just fizzle out like a dying fire, leaving just awkward silence between anyone involved. Wakana didn't mind this, though, as she wasn't so much one to wish for the attention of others, instead happy to stay at the sidelines and focus on herself and her future, dreaming of one day opening up a florist shop with her mother, due to their combined love and interest for the process.
One Christmas, she was surprised to receive a gift from her parents in the form of a guitar. As they had a good year, being able to save up plenty of money, they thought to buy her a simple acoustic one that they had found at a yard sale. Wakana at first was confused by the gift, but they explained that learning to play would give her a pass time, aside from studying and helping with chores around the house. She was entirely grateful to them, but for the better part of a few weeks, she allowed it to collect dust in the corner of her room, not thinking much of it as she helped them prepare for the next year. But over time, when she would sit idly on her bed, she would brush her fingertips over the strings absent-mindedly as she let herself get lost in thought. This steadily turned to plucking the strings, to strumming, to looking up lessons online at the library and printing them to bring them home, to looking up sheet music on the family computer to try out. As the school year began to go on, she found herself devoting just as much time to practicing as she did to studying. By the time she entered high school, she was practicing into the wee hours of the night, which garnered quite a few lectures from her parents.
Eventually, Wakana said goodbye to middle school and moved on to high school, where she found not much to be different. She still stood off to the side in the hallways on break, and walked home silently once the final bell rang, and ate her lunch without making even a peep. She blended in to the rest of the student body, which she was happy for. However, her family began to find themselves settling in for a bad year financially. While they normally were able to tough through it, Wakana didn't want her parents to burden it all by themselves, and so began to figure out how to help them to the best of her abilities. She remembered seeing plenty of street performers when she would go out for walks or errands at night. However, she struggled with the idea of going out and just playing the guitar for others, for fear of her classmates seeing her, and so she went out to buy a mask to cover her face, deciding on an orange fox one. On her first night, after slipping out once her parents were asleep, she only made eager earnings, bringing back only a handful of yen. But, as nights passed, steadily she drew more and more of a crowd, sometimes playing the requests of others. She brought home more and more money, stashing it in a box under her bed so her parents wouldn't become suspicious.
One night, however, things would change for her completely. While performing one night, she was approached by a student she recognized from school, one of the resident delinquents, Kenta Kurosawa. He introduced himself and invited her to buy some food, which she hesitantly accepted. At the nearest ramen bar, he stated that he knew who she was and was impressed with how she played. Stating that he was starting a band with some friends from his middle school, he invited her to join, to which she replied simply...
No.
For the next eight nights, whenever she was out, he found her and asked her, over and over, to reconsider joining them. Each time, she shot him down, and even if she relocated to a new spot to play, he always ended up finding her. Realizing she couldn't escape him forever, much less move to a new spot every night, she finally relented, stating she would give them a chance. The next day, after school, Kenta brought her to the abandoned building where they practiced, where she met fellow band members Hikari Moto, the drummer, Yuuto Fujita, the pianist, and Yoshi Suzuki, the bassist, with Kenta being the vocalist. They all welcomed her, and while at first she felt out of place, over the next few sessions they had, and actually playing with them, she began to open up, little by little. At school, Kenta stood up for her when others talked behind her back, and would pester her like an abandoned puppy. He even bought her a new electric guitar, to better fit the rock-pop sound the band was going for. Over time, Wakana found herself feeling more and more indebted to him, and put more of herself into the band, with Kenta naming her his right-hand man.
The biggest problem they faced was getting themselves out there. Wakana was uncomfortable going out without her mask, and the boys wanted her to go without it, but Kenta helped midiate it to where they would all wear masks, to help Wakana feel more at ease. They each adopted a different animal for themselves: Hikari a gorilla, Yuuto a mouse, Yoshi a frog, and Kenta a canary. They then moved their operation out onto the streets of Osaka, setting up in whatever public squares they could find and playing their hearts out. They received numerous noise complaints from annoyed passerbys, but that didn't stop them, and they began to amass a small following in the younger audience. It wasn't long before they were offered a gig at a small local club. They signed on as regulars for the club, and while they balanced school during the day, at night they immersed themselves in the Osaka night-life. This was the start of the band known as Gone Wild.
They played at the club for the next few years, right up until they graduated from high school. Wakana, now graduated and using her earnings to help her parents, began to think of looking into an actual career, like cooking from when she was younger, but Kenta kept persuading her to continue playing with them, promising it was just 'one more time'. As her faith in the band continued to wane, and she became close to quitting overall, they were offered the big break they needed. An American talent agent offered them a contract to come to America and jumpstart their career there, which the rest of the group jumped on. Wakana, nervous about leaving her family, knew she couldn't keep her secret job a secret if she took the deal, and so she came clean about what she had been doing to her parents. To her surprise, however, they said they already knew about it, as Kenta had accidentally let it slip when he ran into them in public. They encouraged her to do what she wanted, and after negotiating with the agent to be able to come back and visit her family, the band was shipped off to the land of the free.
Over the next near decade, Gone Wild became a household name in both countries, and reached others as well. Not just for their talent, but also their mysterious personas they always kept up, with Kenta, whose stage name was Mega Melody, being the only member of the group to ever talk in interviews and performances. They toured the likes of the US, Japan, Korea, Canada, Europe, and even China. They played in music festivals all over the place, while always making sure they made it back to Japan for the major ones. While she enjoyed her time and the money she made, Wakana still felt unhappy at times when she was far from home. When flying over the great expanses of land, she would fell a twinge of pain in her gut as she saw large plots of farms and fields. However, she never had much time to think about it, as Kenta would rope her back in, setting them all back to work on their next international hit.
Born to a less than well-off family in Osaka, Wakana lived much of her life under the radar of others, being wholly average in almost every regard, only getting attention from her home economics teacher. One day, her parents hoped she would find a hobby to find more enjoyment in life, and bought her a guitar inn hopes she would be able to keep herself entertained with it. She steadily got better and better, and when he family began to fall on harder times, she took to the streets to perform for passing citizens, collecting whatever cash she could for when things took a turn for the worse. She was soon approached by a fellow classmate, Kenta, who pestered her into joining his rock band Gone Wild that he formed with his friends. This was the gateway into stardom for Wakana, as over the next few years they gained a steady following until an American talent agent offered them the chance to make it big in the States, and from there they took off internationally, becoming more and more famous with each passing year. While the money was good, Wakana's heart just wasn't able to stick with it, only able to keep on with the band due to her internal conflict over how much she felt indebted to Kenta.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Guitarist for Gone Wild
*Place of Residence: Azul Esaka 3rd Apartments Room 1401 F15, Esakocho, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan
Personality:
In all regards, Wakana is completely content with never having to utter a word in her life, usually just offering small gestures to escape whatever social interactions she's forced into. Despite her appearance, her quiet nature tends to make her blend in with the common crowds of major cities. Her knack for blending in to her surroundings is something she considers a blessing. Her confidence in herself is shaky at best, making it difficult for her to share her own ideas unless provoked to the point where she feels over-pressured by those around her. She struggles with commitment on her own, usually having trouble going all in on something she wishes to unless she has others there to push her and make her do it, which has developed into a tendency to rely too heavily on others.
Once comfortable enough with others, she is seen as much more lax. She isn't much more talkative than she already is, but she is more open about her feelings and her past. She's someone who truly enjoys reminiscing and remembering where she came from, as it helps keep her grounded, whereas the social aspects of her work has her feeling like she is merely moving with the tides as she goes from place to place. Where she lacks passion, she makes up for with determination to see what she has started through until the end.
- Intelligence: 2 (Learned)
- Wisdom: 3 (Deductive)
- Guts: 1 (Milquetoast)
- Kindness: 3 (Empathetic)
- Charm: 2 (Head-turning)
Alignment: True Neutral
Motivation(s):
"To plant my feet down and stand for what I want, and take it, even if no one else stands with me."
*Likes:
- Quiet spaces
- Reptiles
- Exercising
- Flowers
*Dislikes:
- Sweet food
- Snow/rain
- Video games
- Cats
*Clothing/Style:
Wakana's typical attire is primarily casual, consisting mostly of hand-me-downs from her mother she can't bear to get rid of. From old T-shirts of pop culture references too outdated to dresses that are just a size too small for a height, her wardrobe is the polar opposite of what one would expect from a music star. She also has a tendency to buy baseball caps from other countries, usually with words on them that she doesn't fully understand, with ones from America being her favorites, typically. While she has a prescription for glasses, she typically wears contact lenses so she doesn't have to worry about her glasses flying off her face when she is moving around.
When performing, Wakana's outfits tend to be unorthodox, usually due to the wishes of Kenta. While at first she wore a simple plastic fox mask, she has since upgraded to a full helmet-like headpiece, which surrounds her entire head to hide her features and is more realistic to a Japanese fox, with it being the only consistent part of her outfit. While at first she just wore baggy sweatshirts and sweatpants and gloves, she has slowly evolved her style to be more "outlandish", from vibrantly colored leather jackets with bedazzled jeans to a full-on Antarctic snow suit, and even a full metal knights suit when they toured through England. One more than one occasion she would pass out after a show was done due to poor clothing choice in the conditions she played in, which extended guitar solos didn't help.
Relationships:
- Kenta Kurosawa (Friend) - The person considered to be Wakana's closest friend, whenever he is doing an interview, she is typically the one who joins him, despite not really wanting to be there. She feels indebted to him for allowing her to rise to the position she is in today, able to support not only herself but her family as well. Some may say that Kenta is rather controlling over her, but Wakana just believes that he is looking out for her.
- Hikari Moto, Yuuta Fujita, Yoshi Suzuki (Friends) - Her fellow band members, while she doesn't feel as close to them as she does with Kenta, she knows that they all have each others back if things go south. The three of them all grew up together prior to meeting Kenta and Wakana, and so they all have a rather brotherly relationship with one another, with Yoshi treating Wakana almost like his own sister.
- Yuina and Mori Uchiyama (Parents) - Wakana's only family, she always makes time to for them when she is back in Osaka. If not for them pestering her to have her own place when she was back in town, she would simply stay with them. They all lived in harsh conditions when Wakana was little, and for what her parents did for her, she is and always will be eternally grateful to them.
- Byron Mrozeck (Manager) - An American talent agent, he switched careers to be Gone Wild's full-time manager, helping them arrange performances and getting them sponsors. While mostly in it for the money at the beginning, he has developed a deep bond with the band, using 'aggressive business tactics' to typically get whatever is in the bands best interests. While Wakana has trouble trusting him, she can't deny he has helped them in more ways than one.
Arcana:
Temperance
Contract:
"Someday, I hope I can find my own happiness, and live for myself."
Alter-Ego:
CrossRoad
Frontier Armor:
When in the Attraction state, Wakana's Armor takes the form of a loose, deep blue tracksuit with black accents that run along the length of it in winding patterns, almost like air currents. Her footwear is opposite, black with blue accents in the same patterns as the tracksuit. Covering the bottom half of her face is a black bandana, while the top half has her eyes covered with a pair of brown aviator goggles with tinted lenses. Her hair is also tied up in a tight bun to prevent it from getting in her face.
When in the Repulsion state. her Armor takes on a wildly different appearance. Instead of the athletic look of the tracksuit, it completely morphs into a more formal looking pinstripe suit, with white stripes on a red jacket and similar pants. Underneath the jacket is a white vest and black undershirt, all brought together with a bright red tie with a blocky black design on it, looking much more rigid. Covering her face now is a silver mask with two square holes where her eyes can be seen. Her hair is also loose, though it always seems to be faintly moving away from her head, as if pushed by a gentle breeze.
Blade of Idealism:
An oak shield with a crest depicting a griffin wielding a broken sword in one talon and a wilting white poppy in the other.
Equipment:
A pair of metal knuckledusters.
Abilities:
- Stealthy
- Quick Learner
- Bilingual
Persona:
Frau Holle
Source:
Frau Holle comes originally from old Scandinavian and Germanic stories, with some versions of her even predating the Norse pantheon. She is mostly portrayed as a spirit of fertility and rebirth, as well as snowfall and rewarding those that work hard. In some stories, she is described as a toothless hag who punishes those who are lazy and rewards those who help others or work hard for the sake of others. She is also occasionally portrayed as a young, beautiful woman who helps women during the harsh winters. One variation of her, the goddess Hulda, is named the goddess of women and their crafts, such as spinning and weaving. She is most famously known for the Grimm brothers fairy tale, Frau Holle, where she rewards the stepdaughter of a wicked woman for working hard to help her after falling into a well and ending up in her home, while punishing the greedy biological daughter for being lazy and refusing to work for her share.
Appearance:
Frau Holle's manifests as a feminine humanoid figure draped in heavy black robes that obscure much of their physique, tattered at the ends as if worn down through harsh climates for eons. The face is covered by a thick sheet of ice, rising up above the head like the horns of a crown, shattered at the end in jagged pieces. Frau Holle sits precariously in the large opening of a snowflake suspended in the air, the only part of it's appearance that seems to not be broken in some sort. While one frost-covered arm is typically sprawled over her breast, the other hangs limply, with a black, tar-like substance dripping from her fingers into the grooves of the snowflake, dripping down until it reaches one of the tips of the flakes points, where it simply hangs precariously, threatening to drop at any point.
Trait:
Flip the Switch:
A trait that causes Wakana to switch between two different "modes", caused by her current feelings. If she is experiencing a positive mood, she gains the ability of Attraction, allowing herself to pull objects to her, or, in the case of the object having a much larger mass than she does, pulling herself to said object and sticking to it for as long as her trait is active. When experiencing a negative emotion, she loses Attraction and instead gains Repulsion, which has the adverse effect of Attraction, giving her the ability to force objects away from herself, or herself away from a dense enough object.
Stats (Attraction):
Strength: 30
Magic: 45
Endurance: 65
Agility: 90
Luck: 10
Stats (Repulsion):
Strength: 55
Magic: 90
Endurance: 35
Agility: 50
Luck: 10
Skills:
~ Bufu
~ Bash
~ Dazzler
~ Sukukaja
~ Attraction
~ Repulsion
Motivation(s):
"To plant my feet down and stand for what I want, and take it, even if no one else stands with me."
*Likes:
- Quiet spaces
- Reptiles
- Exercising
- Flowers
*Dislikes:
- Sweet food
- Snow/rain
- Video games
- Cats
*Clothing/Style:
Wakana's typical attire is primarily casual, consisting mostly of hand-me-downs from her mother she can't bear to get rid of. From old T-shirts of pop culture references too outdated to dresses that are just a size too small for a height, her wardrobe is the polar opposite of what one would expect from a music star. She also has a tendency to buy baseball caps from other countries, usually with words on them that she doesn't fully understand, with ones from America being her favorites, typically. While she has a prescription for glasses, she typically wears contact lenses so she doesn't have to worry about her glasses flying off her face when she is moving around.
When performing, Wakana's outfits tend to be unorthodox, usually due to the wishes of Kenta. While at first she wore a simple plastic fox mask, she has since upgraded to a full helmet-like headpiece, which surrounds her entire head to hide her features and is more realistic to a Japanese fox, with it being the only consistent part of her outfit. While at first she just wore baggy sweatshirts and sweatpants and gloves, she has slowly evolved her style to be more "outlandish", from vibrantly colored leather jackets with bedazzled jeans to a full-on Antarctic snow suit, and even a full metal knights suit when they toured through England. One more than one occasion she would pass out after a show was done due to poor clothing choice in the conditions she played in, which extended guitar solos didn't help.
Relationships:
- Kenta Kurosawa (Friend) - The person considered to be Wakana's closest friend, whenever he is doing an interview, she is typically the one who joins him, despite not really wanting to be there. She feels indebted to him for allowing her to rise to the position she is in today, able to support not only herself but her family as well. Some may say that Kenta is rather controlling over her, but Wakana just believes that he is looking out for her.
- Hikari Moto, Yuuta Fujita, Yoshi Suzuki (Friends) - Her fellow band members, while she doesn't feel as close to them as she does with Kenta, she knows that they all have each others back if things go south. The three of them all grew up together prior to meeting Kenta and Wakana, and so they all have a rather brotherly relationship with one another, with Yoshi treating Wakana almost like his own sister.
- Yuina and Mori Uchiyama (Parents) - Wakana's only family, she always makes time to for them when she is back in Osaka. If not for them pestering her to have her own place when she was back in town, she would simply stay with them. They all lived in harsh conditions when Wakana was little, and for what her parents did for her, she is and always will be eternally grateful to them.
- Byron Mrozeck (Manager) - An American talent agent, he switched careers to be Gone Wild's full-time manager, helping them arrange performances and getting them sponsors. While mostly in it for the money at the beginning, he has developed a deep bond with the band, using 'aggressive business tactics' to typically get whatever is in the bands best interests. While Wakana has trouble trusting him, she can't deny he has helped them in more ways than one.
Arcana:
Temperance
Contract:
"Someday, I hope I can find my own happiness, and live for myself."
Alter-Ego:
CrossRoad
Frontier Armor:
When in the Attraction state, Wakana's Armor takes the form of a loose, deep blue tracksuit with black accents that run along the length of it in winding patterns, almost like air currents. Her footwear is opposite, black with blue accents in the same patterns as the tracksuit. Covering the bottom half of her face is a black bandana, while the top half has her eyes covered with a pair of brown aviator goggles with tinted lenses. Her hair is also tied up in a tight bun to prevent it from getting in her face.
When in the Repulsion state. her Armor takes on a wildly different appearance. Instead of the athletic look of the tracksuit, it completely morphs into a more formal looking pinstripe suit, with white stripes on a red jacket and similar pants. Underneath the jacket is a white vest and black undershirt, all brought together with a bright red tie with a blocky black design on it, looking much more rigid. Covering her face now is a silver mask with two square holes where her eyes can be seen. Her hair is also loose, though it always seems to be faintly moving away from her head, as if pushed by a gentle breeze.
Blade of Idealism:
An oak shield with a crest depicting a griffin wielding a broken sword in one talon and a wilting white poppy in the other.
Equipment:
A pair of metal knuckledusters.
Abilities:
- Stealthy
- Quick Learner
- Bilingual
Persona:
Frau Holle
Source:
Frau Holle comes originally from old Scandinavian and Germanic stories, with some versions of her even predating the Norse pantheon. She is mostly portrayed as a spirit of fertility and rebirth, as well as snowfall and rewarding those that work hard. In some stories, she is described as a toothless hag who punishes those who are lazy and rewards those who help others or work hard for the sake of others. She is also occasionally portrayed as a young, beautiful woman who helps women during the harsh winters. One variation of her, the goddess Hulda, is named the goddess of women and their crafts, such as spinning and weaving. She is most famously known for the Grimm brothers fairy tale, Frau Holle, where she rewards the stepdaughter of a wicked woman for working hard to help her after falling into a well and ending up in her home, while punishing the greedy biological daughter for being lazy and refusing to work for her share.
Appearance:
Frau Holle's manifests as a feminine humanoid figure draped in heavy black robes that obscure much of their physique, tattered at the ends as if worn down through harsh climates for eons. The face is covered by a thick sheet of ice, rising up above the head like the horns of a crown, shattered at the end in jagged pieces. Frau Holle sits precariously in the large opening of a snowflake suspended in the air, the only part of it's appearance that seems to not be broken in some sort. While one frost-covered arm is typically sprawled over her breast, the other hangs limply, with a black, tar-like substance dripping from her fingers into the grooves of the snowflake, dripping down until it reaches one of the tips of the flakes points, where it simply hangs precariously, threatening to drop at any point.
Trait:
Flip the Switch:
A trait that causes Wakana to switch between two different "modes", caused by her current feelings. If she is experiencing a positive mood, she gains the ability of Attraction, allowing herself to pull objects to her, or, in the case of the object having a much larger mass than she does, pulling herself to said object and sticking to it for as long as her trait is active. When experiencing a negative emotion, she loses Attraction and instead gains Repulsion, which has the adverse effect of Attraction, giving her the ability to force objects away from herself, or herself away from a dense enough object.
Stats (Attraction):
Strength: 30
Magic: 45
Endurance: 65
Agility: 90
Luck: 10
Stats (Repulsion):
Strength: 55
Magic: 90
Endurance: 35
Agility: 50
Luck: 10
Skills:
~ Bufu
~ Bash
~ Dazzler
~ Sukukaja
~ Attraction
~ Repulsion
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MoonageDream
local musical heck!
Name: Cass Saito
Age: 19, August 15th
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Panromantic
Physical Appearance:
Standing at a simple 5'7", with shoulder-length black hair cut to a bob, and very slightly tanned skin, Cass isn't much to look at in a single glance, especially with how much she often keeps concealed with a jacket. However, easily noted is the bandage covering her right eye, as well as her much less concealed lower half. Overall, she's surprisingly toned, well-built, though this isn't immediately obvious to those who haven't seen all of her. Given her tendency to keep to the back of the room, it seems she's inclined to keep it that way.
Nationality: Mixed (American/Japanese)
Occupation: University student, street musician
Place of Residence: A small 1-person apartment near Osaka University
Personality: Cass has never been one to take over a conversation. She’s rather quiet, if one were to put it bluntly. She’s perfectly capable of it, even excelling, but ultimately she chooses not to. Despite this, she’s a brilliant conversationalist, using this in combination with her talent in observation and knowledge of people to pick up exactly how a person ticks. To say that she's observant enough to gather information on people at a glance would be fairly accurate, given she’s been practicing this observation for quite a while. Using this, she often plays to people’s natures fairly well, to the point where you can consider her subtly manipulative by how much she uses this skill to her own benefit. However, she’s not malicious, simply wanting to stay off people's bad sides. She's had enough of that. On the surface, Cass is intelligent, graceful, and charismatic. Ever the artistic mind as well, if the songs she’s written are any sign, combined with her aptitude with the guitar.
Underneath this mask, however, is a girl scarred by the world she was raised in. She’s naturally distrustful of those she doesn’t know, choosing to remain closed off and under the guise of a quiet yet charming wallflower to most. Her manipulation is but a coping mechanism to shield her from the rest of the world. Even with her that, she’s more open around the people she comes to trust, showing them more of what lies under the surface layer. This trust is hard to come by, but once the bond is formed, breaking it is rather difficult.
Intelligence: 2 (Learned)
Wisdom: 3 (Deductive)
Guts: 3 (Staunch)
Kindness: 2 (Considerate)
Charm: 5 (Debonair)
Backstory:
Alignment: Neutral Good
Motivation(s): To finally restore her damaged self-worth, and to find herself in the heat of the moment.
Likes: Music, quiet places to relax, people who keep an open mind, approval
Dislikes: Rumors, overly loud places, hatred with no cause
Clothing/Style: Closed-off, generally fairly dark. Fits in rather easily with the crowd, without sacrificing every drop of her own individuality.
Social Links: TBA
Arcana: The Fool
Contract: "I will never let the words of others tear me down ever again."
Alter-Ego: Lune
Frontier Armor:
Bladed Ideal: The mask covering her face in the other world. Tearing it off her face invokes her Persona, setting her face alight with blue flares.
Equipment: A butterfly knife, and a silver six-shooter revolver.
Abilities: Lune is a notably quick-footed fighter, oftentimes able to flip around and over her opponents with ease, and this skill also transfers to parkour. While not classically trained, Lune's had enough practice to be sure of herself in every move she makes.
Persona: Templar
Source: The Knights Templar were an order of knights sworn to protect their home from invaders, with strong belief in their ideals and in their honor, hidden behind masks. The Persona represents Lune's own hiding behind a mask, and her will to find her own belief.
Appearance: Templar manifests as a large wraith-like creature, wearing a cloak of black shadow that seems to fade into a ghostly transparency near the bottom. Underneath the hood is a single eye glowing purple, and a smile that never seems to fade, but that’s the only visible thing about it. He speaks with a deep yet refined voice, belying his genial nature when not chasing his goals.
Stats:
Strength: 50
Magic: 65
Endurance: 40
Agility: 70
Luck: 30
Trait: Silent Killer - When her presence is undetected, Lune strikes much harder than she would otherwise, dealing twice the damage she does when she's in sight. This is due to her being undetected giving her time to line up more accurate shots and deadly strikes.
Skills:
Quick Draw
Lune rushes forward with her knife, slashing into her opponents multiple times at blinding speed before finishing with a charged nuclear blow.
Freidyne
Mafreila
Evil Smile
Speed Master
Rising Slash
Snap
Setback
A combination of Dia and Conceal, backing her away from the fight for a while, and also healing her a little bit to keep her from falling in battle.
Age: 19, August 15th
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Panromantic
Physical Appearance:
Standing at a simple 5'7", with shoulder-length black hair cut to a bob, and very slightly tanned skin, Cass isn't much to look at in a single glance, especially with how much she often keeps concealed with a jacket. However, easily noted is the bandage covering her right eye, as well as her much less concealed lower half. Overall, she's surprisingly toned, well-built, though this isn't immediately obvious to those who haven't seen all of her. Given her tendency to keep to the back of the room, it seems she's inclined to keep it that way.
Nationality: Mixed (American/Japanese)
Occupation: University student, street musician
Place of Residence: A small 1-person apartment near Osaka University
Personality: Cass has never been one to take over a conversation. She’s rather quiet, if one were to put it bluntly. She’s perfectly capable of it, even excelling, but ultimately she chooses not to. Despite this, she’s a brilliant conversationalist, using this in combination with her talent in observation and knowledge of people to pick up exactly how a person ticks. To say that she's observant enough to gather information on people at a glance would be fairly accurate, given she’s been practicing this observation for quite a while. Using this, she often plays to people’s natures fairly well, to the point where you can consider her subtly manipulative by how much she uses this skill to her own benefit. However, she’s not malicious, simply wanting to stay off people's bad sides. She's had enough of that. On the surface, Cass is intelligent, graceful, and charismatic. Ever the artistic mind as well, if the songs she’s written are any sign, combined with her aptitude with the guitar.
Underneath this mask, however, is a girl scarred by the world she was raised in. She’s naturally distrustful of those she doesn’t know, choosing to remain closed off and under the guise of a quiet yet charming wallflower to most. Her manipulation is but a coping mechanism to shield her from the rest of the world. Even with her that, she’s more open around the people she comes to trust, showing them more of what lies under the surface layer. This trust is hard to come by, but once the bond is formed, breaking it is rather difficult.
Intelligence: 2 (Learned)
Wisdom: 3 (Deductive)
Guts: 3 (Staunch)
Kindness: 2 (Considerate)
Charm: 5 (Debonair)
Backstory:
Cassandra Luna Saito was born into a small family, to a businesswoman from New York and the former owner of an instrument shop from a small Japanese town. Though perhaps a strange combination, it was love nonetheless, and the girl lived a comfortable life for her first years. Even school had started off rather nicely, unlike some other stories. Life was good, right?
This all changed one day, when she was 10 years old. A dark July night, traveling home with her father after a visit to a friend, and a drunk driver that happened to be on the road at the same time. They rammed into the driver’s side of their car, flipping it over a few times. While Cass survived by the skin of her teeth, her father wasn’t so fortunate. He died that night, among the sirens of police cars.
When the girl awoke in a hospital bed, she was given a few pieces of bad news. Her arm had been broken, but that would heal. What wouldn’t? Her father’s demise, and the right eye, surrounded by bandages. A bone fracture damaged it, they said. It would be blind for the rest of her life. The thought hurt her deeply, to the point where she retreated from the world for a bit, focusing instead on her studies… when eventually, she finally caught onto the rumor being passed around. The crash was her father’s fault, he was crazy. Maybe she’ll be the same way. Untrue, of course, but…
One by one, the people she called “friends” slipped away, citing excuse after excuse, until there was nothing left.
She was alone.
Now left to her own devices, her mind shifted to her father now. What would he do? He always said to trust her own instincts, and… hm. Maybe. Picking up an old guitar he carried with him, she plucked at the strings, noting the perfect weight in her hands, the sounds coming from the guitar… Already, she was hooked. Immediately, she was begging her mother to let her take guitar lessons, which was met with a bemused smile and acceptance.
Through the rest of her days in school, she had begun to learn the craft her father so loved, the guitar serving as her only companion as the rumors surrounding her grew harsher. And slowly, she came to accept this, deciding simply to ignore them and push away people instead of struggling to draw them in. It would be easier for everyone, right?
Upon making it up to high school, she enrolled in the newly opened Yugure Academy, beginning there for her first year. To little surprise, it wasn’t a warm welcome, given the rumors surrounding her. That said, her grades remained good, her practice with the guitar continued, and one day the idea struck her. What if she played in the street to make a little bit of extra money? This plan seemed to be a very good one, given the support she began to receive after slowly becoming a fixture in the streets of Osaka.
People became regulars to her weekend shows, word started getting around, and soon she was getting offers to play as live entertainment in little establishments around the area. Of course, she couldn’t turn this down, could she?
Time passed, and she was doing well for herself.
Third year. Her last year in Yugure, and she’s made a name for herself. While she may have been alone, she had still become a rather popular local performer on her own, despite her reputation off the streets. Life is good, but she still couldn’t shake that bite of loneliness in her heart.
Of course, as all good stories begin, it started with a dream. A visit to a darkened room, plenty of eyes trained on her. Ahead was a man unlike any she had ever met before, by the name of Igor. The corruption of the world that she had hated for so long had apparently been noticed, and she was chosen to fight against it. Assisted by visions of a war, identification as the inheritor of the Fool tarot as well as the power of the Wild Card, and the promise of more on the way, she was left like that… And that was it. As far as she knew, a strange dream and that was that.
...That is, until one night, she stumbled into the Frontier. Alone, and up against someone who preyed on her own fears and insecurities, setting out to break her, she was very much outclassed. That is... until something spoke to her, deep within the recesses of her mind. The self that she'd buried long ago, offering a contract. Not seeing another option, she took it... and Lune was born. A figure cloaked in darkness, hooded and dangerous. She won that fight... then another. Then another, until eventually... word started to spread over months regarding the unknown fighter winning fight after fight against both known and unknown faces in the Frontier Wars. Enter Lune, known for her sharp tongue, even sharper movements and suave personality. Slowly, she became a fan favorite across watchers of the wars, despite her neutral stance.
And that's the way things were for months. A dark figure, an alter ego, and a promise to herself. That is, until one day, she was finally tracked down by BAM, and given an opportunity. Given her strength, she held the potential to truly shine in the right hands.
...With nothing to lose, she accepted.
This all changed one day, when she was 10 years old. A dark July night, traveling home with her father after a visit to a friend, and a drunk driver that happened to be on the road at the same time. They rammed into the driver’s side of their car, flipping it over a few times. While Cass survived by the skin of her teeth, her father wasn’t so fortunate. He died that night, among the sirens of police cars.
When the girl awoke in a hospital bed, she was given a few pieces of bad news. Her arm had been broken, but that would heal. What wouldn’t? Her father’s demise, and the right eye, surrounded by bandages. A bone fracture damaged it, they said. It would be blind for the rest of her life. The thought hurt her deeply, to the point where she retreated from the world for a bit, focusing instead on her studies… when eventually, she finally caught onto the rumor being passed around. The crash was her father’s fault, he was crazy. Maybe she’ll be the same way. Untrue, of course, but…
One by one, the people she called “friends” slipped away, citing excuse after excuse, until there was nothing left.
She was alone.
Now left to her own devices, her mind shifted to her father now. What would he do? He always said to trust her own instincts, and… hm. Maybe. Picking up an old guitar he carried with him, she plucked at the strings, noting the perfect weight in her hands, the sounds coming from the guitar… Already, she was hooked. Immediately, she was begging her mother to let her take guitar lessons, which was met with a bemused smile and acceptance.
Through the rest of her days in school, she had begun to learn the craft her father so loved, the guitar serving as her only companion as the rumors surrounding her grew harsher. And slowly, she came to accept this, deciding simply to ignore them and push away people instead of struggling to draw them in. It would be easier for everyone, right?
Upon making it up to high school, she enrolled in the newly opened Yugure Academy, beginning there for her first year. To little surprise, it wasn’t a warm welcome, given the rumors surrounding her. That said, her grades remained good, her practice with the guitar continued, and one day the idea struck her. What if she played in the street to make a little bit of extra money? This plan seemed to be a very good one, given the support she began to receive after slowly becoming a fixture in the streets of Osaka.
People became regulars to her weekend shows, word started getting around, and soon she was getting offers to play as live entertainment in little establishments around the area. Of course, she couldn’t turn this down, could she?
Time passed, and she was doing well for herself.
Third year. Her last year in Yugure, and she’s made a name for herself. While she may have been alone, she had still become a rather popular local performer on her own, despite her reputation off the streets. Life is good, but she still couldn’t shake that bite of loneliness in her heart.
Of course, as all good stories begin, it started with a dream. A visit to a darkened room, plenty of eyes trained on her. Ahead was a man unlike any she had ever met before, by the name of Igor. The corruption of the world that she had hated for so long had apparently been noticed, and she was chosen to fight against it. Assisted by visions of a war, identification as the inheritor of the Fool tarot as well as the power of the Wild Card, and the promise of more on the way, she was left like that… And that was it. As far as she knew, a strange dream and that was that.
...That is, until one night, she stumbled into the Frontier. Alone, and up against someone who preyed on her own fears and insecurities, setting out to break her, she was very much outclassed. That is... until something spoke to her, deep within the recesses of her mind. The self that she'd buried long ago, offering a contract. Not seeing another option, she took it... and Lune was born. A figure cloaked in darkness, hooded and dangerous. She won that fight... then another. Then another, until eventually... word started to spread over months regarding the unknown fighter winning fight after fight against both known and unknown faces in the Frontier Wars. Enter Lune, known for her sharp tongue, even sharper movements and suave personality. Slowly, she became a fan favorite across watchers of the wars, despite her neutral stance.
And that's the way things were for months. A dark figure, an alter ego, and a promise to herself. That is, until one day, she was finally tracked down by BAM, and given an opportunity. Given her strength, she held the potential to truly shine in the right hands.
...With nothing to lose, she accepted.
Alignment: Neutral Good
Motivation(s): To finally restore her damaged self-worth, and to find herself in the heat of the moment.
Likes: Music, quiet places to relax, people who keep an open mind, approval
Dislikes: Rumors, overly loud places, hatred with no cause
Clothing/Style: Closed-off, generally fairly dark. Fits in rather easily with the crowd, without sacrificing every drop of her own individuality.
Social Links: TBA
Arcana: The Fool
Contract: "I will never let the words of others tear me down ever again."
Alter-Ego: Lune
Frontier Armor:
Bladed Ideal: The mask covering her face in the other world. Tearing it off her face invokes her Persona, setting her face alight with blue flares.
Equipment: A butterfly knife, and a silver six-shooter revolver.
Abilities: Lune is a notably quick-footed fighter, oftentimes able to flip around and over her opponents with ease, and this skill also transfers to parkour. While not classically trained, Lune's had enough practice to be sure of herself in every move she makes.
Persona: Templar
Source: The Knights Templar were an order of knights sworn to protect their home from invaders, with strong belief in their ideals and in their honor, hidden behind masks. The Persona represents Lune's own hiding behind a mask, and her will to find her own belief.
Appearance: Templar manifests as a large wraith-like creature, wearing a cloak of black shadow that seems to fade into a ghostly transparency near the bottom. Underneath the hood is a single eye glowing purple, and a smile that never seems to fade, but that’s the only visible thing about it. He speaks with a deep yet refined voice, belying his genial nature when not chasing his goals.
Stats:
Strength: 50
Magic: 65
Endurance: 40
Agility: 70
Luck: 30
Trait: Silent Killer - When her presence is undetected, Lune strikes much harder than she would otherwise, dealing twice the damage she does when she's in sight. This is due to her being undetected giving her time to line up more accurate shots and deadly strikes.
Skills:
Quick Draw
Lune rushes forward with her knife, slashing into her opponents multiple times at blinding speed before finishing with a charged nuclear blow.
Freidyne
Mafreila
Evil Smile
Speed Master
Rising Slash
Snap
Setback
A combination of Dia and Conceal, backing her away from the fight for a while, and also healing her a little bit to keep her from falling in battle.
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Haz.
Mask? I wear no mask.
—lit. "forked river, pruned valley"
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Appearance: Kariya stands unfathomably tall and unfathomably wide - or, so would most people think on a first impression. As a matter of fact, he's far from either, but still unquestionably memorable in appearance for what it's worth; tough and heavyset, with ginger hair spiked like a beastly mane and rigging muscles like steel cables, but padded with inconsequential paunch that gives him the proportions of a would-be mascot. His eyes, naturally hazel, flash a vivid maroon when adrenaline gets the better of him. His beard is well-groomed and surprisingly pleasant to the touch. Though his features seem round and gentle at first glance, they clench firmly when resting, giving his moments of contemplation an obvious tell. Not seen, he has several faded scars and bruises along his body - namely, his left arm, upper back and chest, and the skin of his fingers is particularly coarse.
On a weekday, Kariya smells of tuna and pickled ginger, an unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on who you ask) consequence of his occupation.
- Height: 5'11 (180cm)
- Weight: 220 lbs. (100kg)
Biography: That day was excruciatingly mundane. He hated that - nothing to do, nothing to distract him. And with his mind set to wander blankly, it would fold upon itself to find some manner of thought.
He thought about many things. His parents, bless their souls, had sent him off to pursue his ideal. They weren't gifted people, but good-natured, of kind hearts; to watch their son grow up and, with poise, say "I want to help people wherever I can" like a proud declaration of purpose allowed them to settle down without regrets.
To most, it would seem like a melodramatic ambition. Not many would consider firefighting a job worthy of a 'hero of justice', yet Kariya could hardly disagree more. Since he was young, he burned at the sight of others' pain, idolizing the heroes of western fiction who sought to become more than mere people and bring hope to the innocent. And, though he held no superhuman strength or powers of divine flight, that same will resonated within him.
So why was it impossible?
Why couldn't he just save people?
Why, for everyone he rescued, would another lose their life in turn?
He knew from the start that his own life would be put at risk. Yet it never dawned on him, the implications of that. That others like him, friends and coworkers alike, had also come to terms with the fact... and that some weren't so lucky to make it out with him.
He'd save couples and hear them cry out for their children, but when he rushed back inside he'd find nothing but burned schmattes amid graves of rubble. And they'd sob into his arms while he stood still to think to himself, if only for a moment--
"This is what you signed up for."
That day was no different. They'd seen it coming weeks prior; the newly-elected mayor of Osaka, Tokisada Satoru, had commissioned the construction of a skyscraper in the Umeda district in celebration of his sweeping victory against political rival Isobe Yasushiro, under an impossibly strict deadline.
With that in mind, it was inevitable that the workers would be forced to take shortcuts to meet his conditions. When Kariya's crew received a call of a potential gas leak and structural instability in one of the upper floors just a week shy of the building's opening, they thought they knew what to expect.
But by the time they had arrived, it was already far worse than they could have imagined. A third of the building, the east corner, had collapsed upon itself - ten straight floors caved upon each other, creating a domino effect that left the complex gaping like an open wound. The red of blood dyed the clouds, where burnsmoke had waft high and dispersed across the sky. The windows, or the ones that remained, glared hot flame like a million dotted eyes across its walls.
And the screams-- he'd heard many before, but had never arrived so soon as to hear them unfiltered by the absence of distant sirens.
They rushed into action, hosing down the fires, but it scraped higher than they could hope to reach, let alone climb. A helicopter was dispatched, but by the time it would arrive, any then-lucky survivors would be caught dead in the fumes. They did what they could, but it wasn't enough. Anyone caught above the eighth floor would collapse from heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation before they could make their way down the emergency exit.
The warden ordered a withdrawal, but Kariya had no response. He acted in the spur of the moment. It was suicide, but the guilt of not trying would kill him either way.
Now or never, with nothing to lose but his own life, he rushed inside and scaled the site. For floor upon floor, there was no one, and the exits had long-since collapsed behind him.
This was where Kariya Kadokawa would die. Shattered by his own hopes and ideals, choking to death on the suffusion of his breath, with no one by his side but the venomous bite of regret.
And then he heard a cry. The fuse reignited in his legs, he sprung towards the source and found a nook between the dislodged walls. A small girl, practically a toddler, huddled half-conscious in the air of a small blanket with a teddy bear in hand. Her time was drawing close, and the only way out for Kariya sealed itself the moment he entered.
The rope wasn't long enough to reach their truck ladder. It was a several-floor plummet from even the lowest height. At best, his body would completely shatter from the waist down with high risk of death and even higher risk of permanent paralysis. A suicide for him--
--but not for her.
He abseiled the burning building and made peace with his end. With the child held to his chest, he leapt, striking the aerial ladder shoulder-first and careening down the steps, then toppling over the roof of the truck to meet the cold embrace of solid asphalt head-on. His helmet nearly cracked from the impact, and the collision alone caused him to black out.
Yet, she was alive, breathing in his arms. And, miraculously, so was he.
The girl's parents could not be identified amidst the survivors and were presumed dead. Though her lungs were damaged, her exposure to the smoke was heavily minimized, mitigating the risks. She was admitted to an orphanage after making a full recovery.
Meanwhile, Kariya suffered a shoulder fracture, multiple broken ribs, a severe concussion and saw a chance of carbon monoxide poisoning; but he survived. And, in spite of everything, he saved someone. Not everyone, not even close - but saving just that one life liberated him.
Years later, he would go on to adopt the girl, Katsu, by that point 8 years old. Even without his bunker gear, she recognized him.
In order to provide for her, Kariya retired from the fire service, opting instead to open a sushi bar using the training and experience passed down to him through his apprenticeship with his father, a chef. The name 'Katsushi' was not only an oral play on the name of his daughter, but also written with the kanji for 'victory' (勝). In a way, she was his very own victory.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Firefighter (formerly), chef at the Katsushi (presently)
Place of Residence: 530-0022 Naniwa-cho, Kita Ward
Attire: Kariya dresses nicely, often in thick coats lined with fur or pressed button-ups with matching ties. Though in no way lavish, it's comfortable to wear and professional for looks.
Alignment: Lawful-Good
Personality: An idealist who hates idealism, and a cynic who hates cynicism. A good man, but one so torn and distrustful of the systems he upholds that he stands forever apart from the rest of the world, unable to accept help when he needs it.
That is Kariya Kadokawa. A hero that resents the selfless sacrifices that come inherent to heroism, who wishes to build a world where the very concept of "loss" becomes a preventable unnecessity.
Upon first glance, Kariya appears the farthest thing from pessimistic: jolly, broad-grinning, yet solemnly respectful of others' boundaries. He's both one to laugh heartily at a dry joke and politely defuse confrontations wherever they may arise, and is very approachable in that sense.
Yet, he's a man with one foot always out the door. Kariya remains constantly detached from those around him, never putting his emotions before a black-and-white sense of right and wrong. While he does everything in his power to make others feel comfortable and accepted, he never truly settles around them, always fronting to hide his fears. And though it may seem like he does it for the good of others, to give them a shoulder to cry on, in truth...
... The losses he's endured, the sacrifices he's made, the uncountable "why"s and "what-if"s weigh on his conscience like anchors on his feet. However hard he attempts to realize his ideals, to help everyone he sets out to save, his mind is burdened with the guilt and trauma of failure after failure, leaving that desire a hollowed-out plea that has been buried amid a sea of regrets. Kariya swims against the insurmountable tides and scorns himself when they plunge him lower each time, cursed to never see the shoreline.
--Except, that is no longer Kariya Kadokawa. Now, he has someone to fight for. Not just a mere desire or ideal, but an innocent life he's sworn to shield. What Kariya wishes for isn't "a reality where no one suffers or dies", but a world brimming with hope and prosperity - a world worthy of his beloved daughter.
- Intelligence: 2 (Earnest)
- Wisdom: 3 (Insightful)
- Guts: 5 (Indomitable)
- Kindness: 5 (Altruistic)
- Charm: 4 (Inspiring)
Dislikes: Processed food, the Internet (he doesn't really understand it), "people who just can't slow down".
Motivation: To become a symbol of hope for Katsu Kadokawa.
Relationships:
- Katsu: Kariya's adopted 11-year-old daughter. A noisy rascal, but otherwise well-mannered. As a result of the Frontier broadcast's recognitive barrier, she hasn't realized that her father is actually the hero Ursus - yet, she idolizes the character nonetheless, and has drawings of Beowulf plastered across her room.
- 'Cain': A member of the Kamikakushi with an inexplicable grudge against Ursus. The feeling isn't reciprocated-- however, Ursus sees him as a threat to human life that should be eliminated at all costs and, being only a materialized entity hailing from beyond the Collective Unconscious, holds nothing back against him.
- 'Power': A reckless, homicidal hot-shot with no functioning self-preservation instincts and another member of the Kamikakushi. He feels strangely familiar, yet Ursus can't seem to place it.
- Anti-Shadow Weapons (Ambrosia, Eurydice): [to Doctor Sawano] "You've 'overcome' death? You've incentivized death! There's no great Valhalla, no glory in suffering - the people who die stay dead, and we're the ones who have to grapple with and suffer from that fact, yet you see it as a 'necessity'? Something to be done for the greater good? Those were once living, breathing children, but the moment they kicked it you saw the opportunity to... what, just 'repurpose' them? Like spare parts? Those aren't people; they aren't 'alive'; they're the desecrated hearts of kids who should've been put to rest. You've done nothing but devalue life in the pursuit of your disgusting ambition."
Alter-Ego: The Unyielding Ursus
Contract: "I will never allow harm to fall upon the innocent."
Frontier Armor: Ursus' "Macho-Champion Attire" is a plated leotard with blue spandex leggings and a pelt of white bear fur forming a wrestling mask that flows into a fluffy short-cape. His knee-high greaves and metal gauntlets alike wield solid, claw-like protrusions from their tips which allow Ursus to find leverage even in solid steel. An extravagant, golden championship belt branded with the shield of a roaring bear loops around his waist, serving as the conduit for his Persona summoning.
Equipment:
- Lindiskjöldr: A round, white shield made of linden wood. The iron rimming allows it to be used both for striking and parrying.
- Teddy Bear: Protects from a fatal blow once. A small stuffed bear that belongs to Katsu. The fur around its snout was burned during the Tokisada building fire; Kariya attempted to restore it, but his poor handiwork left distinct stitches around the replaced panel. In spite of this, it remains sentimental to his daughter. He carries it into combat in a pouch as a reminder of her and his objective.
- Powerlifting: The infallible might of the man who bears the world on his shoulders. Lifts up to thrice one's own weight regardless of factors such as strength or stamina.
- Endure: An inability to be brought down in spite of all odds. Should even the body itself shatter beyond repair, the mind endures.
- Protect: Disregards all conditions, restraints or confinements to save those in need; a hero's mentality made manifest.
Persona: Beowulf
Arcana: XI - Strength
Background: The eponymous hero of the oldest surviving English epic, who repelled the attacks of the fearsome giant Grendel and claimed its severed arm as trophy. His name means 'bee-wolf', a kenning for 'bear'.
Appearance: A burly, mammoth figure closed in skin-tight scale-mail. The warrior's body is laden with thirty coats of armor, the plunders from his battles, the one foremost carved with figures of his feats on its chest. His legs are caged in great, studded cylinders, like tree trunks worn, his feet flat stumps beneath them. A sword and shield are sheathed along his back, ancient heirlooms showing wear through their dull hues. His fists, huge themselves, lift overhead a giant's severed arm, the shoulder bone still protruding oddly from its sizzling wound. Most radiantly, the princely helmet he wears is a tin of beaten gold bearing eyebrows, a nose and mustache that create the image of a soaring dragon with outstretched wings rising from the visage.
Stats:
- Strength: 73
- Magic: 45
- Endurance: 91
- Agility: 40
- Luck: 50
Weak: Fire
Skills:
- [Trait] Load-bearing Sky: Reduces damage received from targets of equal or greater physical size by 25%. Damage resistance scales up proportionally to larger threats.
- [Ice] Bufudyne: Pitches a great glacier to strike the target.
- [Ice] Mabufudyne: Shrouds the surroundings in a blistering hailstorm that impairs vision and mobility.
- [Physical] Megaton Raid: Bludgeons the enemy with Grendel's severed arm.
- [Physical] Deathbound: Stomps the ground, summoning vile tremors.
- [Support] Thermopylae: Temporarily increases all allies' attack, defense, speed and accuracy when ambushed, surrounded or outnumbered.
- [Passive] Firm Stance: Halves damage taken from foreseen attacks. Does not work when immobilized.
- [Passive] Unshaken Will: Imparts immunity against all psychological ailments.
- [Passive] Ice Boost: Strengthens Ice attacks by 25%.
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CutieBoop
Junior Member
Name: Yukine Shizuyo
雪夢 (snow dream) 静夜 (quiet night)
Age: 22
DoB: Dec 20th
Gender: Female
*Sexuality: Not quite discovered yet.
Physical appearance: As herself, she stands at 5’5. Long black hair with sideways bangs. C cups breast size, fairly attractive. Fairly physically active (not an expertise in some sports, though). Fairly white skin, dark blue eyes.
Faceclaim/Inspiration (before I actually go make her real design, the colors in the pics will not match the physical description):
![__scathach_and_scathach_fate_and_1_more_drawn_by_crimecrime__3ab6b329389b4582d75481888aa0be46[1].png](https://www.rpnation.com/data/attachments/756/756526-3ab6b329389b4582d75481888aa0be46.jpg "__scathach_and_scathach_fate_and_1_more_drawn_by_crimecrime__3ab6b329389b4582d75481888aa0be46[1].png")
(Regular: Scathach from Fate, with a bit of color changes to imagine it better)
Personality:
Intelligence: 3 (Scholarly)
Wisdom: 4 (Hawk-eyed)
Guts: 2 (Bold)
Kindness: 3 (Empathetic)
Charm: 4 (Charismatic)
Biography: She used to be an average human doing what she can to make a change that can benefit the world. The war had changed the ways things are, and it is up to Yukine (alongside others) to make things right and fair. Making a contract with Skadi would be one of the influences that would help Yukine embrace her ideals, but to also make those changes in the world possible.
Besides being a student, she works at a cafe to make money for the next bus trip (or gifts, if she even wants to), and will gladly offer deals/cafe talk for classmates and friends. It is a part of developing who she is, and a part that her persona can understand amongst others. She'll eventually have to take a sort of excused absence from the cafe to do what is right for her friends (starting small) and the rest of the world (going bigger). If there is conflict, it is better to do what would seem to be the right thing, even if it isn't the best choice in life. The only choices she'll refuse are ones that involve betrayal of an innocent/hero, as she is relatively smart to know who could be revealing their true intentions.
Occupation: As a cafe worker in Kyoto, a barista to serve warm drinks and coffee, for the sake of financial stability to pay for bus tickets
Alignment: Neutral-Good
Motivation: Such cruelty can be stopped with the right amount of kindness and teamwork with her allies and friends. The lawful side have motivations that harm the humans, and if there were no protectors the world would be affected within the chaos and various evils lurking in the world...
*Likes: Winter, warmth in cold weather, hot chocolate, ballad, ice skating, sharing kindness and fairness with the world
*Dislikes: Cruelty on either side (will find a reason to make things kind and fair), any unfair aspect that does harm than benefit
*Clothing style: Usually wears black or blue lacy clothes, longer dresses and jackets in winter. Aurora has more colorful, flowy, long sleeved dresses.
Place of Residence: Kyoto, at a house near the garden roads and shrine
Arcana: Empress
Contract: A sworn oath to provide protection and comfort for the innocents following Yukine’s beliefs. To break it means going against those ideals and causing major consequences.
Alter-ego: Aurora (as supposed to relate to a Aurora Borealis)
Bladed ideal: A tiara made with crystals
Equipment: A whip for combat damage that has a colorful ribbon (Borealis)
Abilities: Skating and Ballad, some physical attributes, can happen on land. The skating part? For the sake of mobility, even if there is or isn’t any body of water, and it could help with some puzzles.
Persona name: Skadi
Source: The origin of Skadi comes from Norse Mythology.
Appearance: A snow queen decored with icicles and crystals showing a veil and a dress. Her mask made with icicles. The legs are sharp and pointy (like icicles), with a side of elegance as it represents Yukine’s skating talent (rather than Skadi’s original talent for skiing). She wields magic glowing within her hands and her wand for primary skill casting.
Stats:
Strength - 50
Magic - 90
Endurance - 65
Agility - 75
Luck - 25
Trait: Defensive support: teamwide defense resistance every 5 seconds from physical attacks
Skills:
Mediarama
Mediarahan
Marakukaja
Bufudyne
Mabufudyne
Ice breath
Alter Ego attire:
![EYqqTs_WkAEA7AW[1].jpg](https://www.rpnation.com/data/attachments/756/756527-773285aa6ac20b58c7085450018dee95.jpg "EYqqTs_WkAEA7AW[1].jpg")
(Scathach-Skadi from Fate Grand Order is a ref material for alter ego and persona)
雪夢 (snow dream) 静夜 (quiet night)
Age: 22
DoB: Dec 20th
Gender: Female
*Sexuality: Not quite discovered yet.
Physical appearance: As herself, she stands at 5’5. Long black hair with sideways bangs. C cups breast size, fairly attractive. Fairly physically active (not an expertise in some sports, though). Fairly white skin, dark blue eyes.
Faceclaim/Inspiration (before I actually go make her real design, the colors in the pics will not match the physical description):
(Regular: Scathach from Fate, with a bit of color changes to imagine it better)
Personality:
Intelligence: 3 (Scholarly)
Wisdom: 4 (Hawk-eyed)
Guts: 2 (Bold)
Kindness: 3 (Empathetic)
Charm: 4 (Charismatic)
Biography: She used to be an average human doing what she can to make a change that can benefit the world. The war had changed the ways things are, and it is up to Yukine (alongside others) to make things right and fair. Making a contract with Skadi would be one of the influences that would help Yukine embrace her ideals, but to also make those changes in the world possible.
Besides being a student, she works at a cafe to make money for the next bus trip (or gifts, if she even wants to), and will gladly offer deals/cafe talk for classmates and friends. It is a part of developing who she is, and a part that her persona can understand amongst others. She'll eventually have to take a sort of excused absence from the cafe to do what is right for her friends (starting small) and the rest of the world (going bigger). If there is conflict, it is better to do what would seem to be the right thing, even if it isn't the best choice in life. The only choices she'll refuse are ones that involve betrayal of an innocent/hero, as she is relatively smart to know who could be revealing their true intentions.
Occupation: As a cafe worker in Kyoto, a barista to serve warm drinks and coffee, for the sake of financial stability to pay for bus tickets
Alignment: Neutral-Good
Motivation: Such cruelty can be stopped with the right amount of kindness and teamwork with her allies and friends. The lawful side have motivations that harm the humans, and if there were no protectors the world would be affected within the chaos and various evils lurking in the world...
*Likes: Winter, warmth in cold weather, hot chocolate, ballad, ice skating, sharing kindness and fairness with the world
*Dislikes: Cruelty on either side (will find a reason to make things kind and fair), any unfair aspect that does harm than benefit
*Clothing style: Usually wears black or blue lacy clothes, longer dresses and jackets in winter. Aurora has more colorful, flowy, long sleeved dresses.
Place of Residence: Kyoto, at a house near the garden roads and shrine
Arcana: Empress
Contract: A sworn oath to provide protection and comfort for the innocents following Yukine’s beliefs. To break it means going against those ideals and causing major consequences.
Alter-ego: Aurora (as supposed to relate to a Aurora Borealis)
Bladed ideal: A tiara made with crystals
Equipment: A whip for combat damage that has a colorful ribbon (Borealis)
Abilities: Skating and Ballad, some physical attributes, can happen on land. The skating part? For the sake of mobility, even if there is or isn’t any body of water, and it could help with some puzzles.
Persona name: Skadi
Source: The origin of Skadi comes from Norse Mythology.
Appearance: A snow queen decored with icicles and crystals showing a veil and a dress. Her mask made with icicles. The legs are sharp and pointy (like icicles), with a side of elegance as it represents Yukine’s skating talent (rather than Skadi’s original talent for skiing). She wields magic glowing within her hands and her wand for primary skill casting.
Stats:
Strength - 50
Magic - 90
Endurance - 65
Agility - 75
Luck - 25
Trait: Defensive support: teamwide defense resistance every 5 seconds from physical attacks
Skills:
Mediarama
Mediarahan
Marakukaja
Bufudyne
Mabufudyne
Ice breath
Alter Ego attire:
(Scathach-Skadi from Fate Grand Order is a ref material for alter ego and persona)
Count Gensokyo
Yell "Dead Cell"
"Let's rock, bitch."
久保 和也
Kubo Kazuya
久保 和也
Kubo Kazuya
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Biography:
Born the son of a well-off executive and his loyal wife, Kazuya grew up with no real problems in his life. A natural risk taker, talk-backer, and notorious skirt chaser, Kazuya quickly gained a reputation for his limitless, crazy, high-energy personality, for better or worse. Few, if any, could rival the sheer "in your face" factor that Kazuya often brought to the table.
. . .
But on one fateful day, Kazuya was forced to grow up too soon. He returned home that afternoon to find his father, Daisuke, staring blankly on the other side of the dining table.
. . .
Part of Kazuya today still wishes he never asked his father what was going on.
When he heard the news of his mother, Mayumi, being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, the sudden flip of his feelings would come to frighten many of the people in his life who thought they had him figured out.
In that moment, Kazuya flew into a blind rage over the doctors' inability to discover the tumor sooner. He got into verbally abusive fights with his father during this period of his life, who was not only coping with the news but also swamped with problems at work that often left him drained every afternoon. Kazuya refused to go back to school until he was forced to two weeks later.
As time dragged on, it became clearer that Mayumi was losing the battle against the disease, even when she was receiving the best treatment that money could buy. Kazuya drew distant from his old friends and hobbies as chronic stress began to consume him. He attempted to wash it all away with drinking, which required indirectly purchasing the alcohol by striking a deal with a homeless man on the way back. In the end, this habit only would come to be a vice looming ominously over Kazuya's adult life.
. . .
But on one fateful day, Kazuya was forced to grow up too soon. He returned home that afternoon to find his father, Daisuke, staring blankly on the other side of the dining table.
. . .
Part of Kazuya today still wishes he never asked his father what was going on.
When he heard the news of his mother, Mayumi, being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, the sudden flip of his feelings would come to frighten many of the people in his life who thought they had him figured out.
In that moment, Kazuya flew into a blind rage over the doctors' inability to discover the tumor sooner. He got into verbally abusive fights with his father during this period of his life, who was not only coping with the news but also swamped with problems at work that often left him drained every afternoon. Kazuya refused to go back to school until he was forced to two weeks later.
As time dragged on, it became clearer that Mayumi was losing the battle against the disease, even when she was receiving the best treatment that money could buy. Kazuya drew distant from his old friends and hobbies as chronic stress began to consume him. He attempted to wash it all away with drinking, which required indirectly purchasing the alcohol by striking a deal with a homeless man on the way back. In the end, this habit only would come to be a vice looming ominously over Kazuya's adult life.
3 years later, not long after he had entered university, Kazuya learned of his mother's passing over the phone. Stricken with shock and grief, Kazuya would never come to forgive himself for failing to say goodbye to his mother. He spent six months of sleepless nights, tasteless meals, and suffocating apathy before being brought home for a break from his slipping grades in school.
Kazuya took this extra year at home as an opportunity to come to terms with his grief, and when he realised he was beginning to have more good days than bad ones, he resumed his higher education the following school year. Nevertheless, his feelings weren't something he could "fix", but rather something he had to learn to cope with. He still had plenty of moments in university when he found it hard to carry about life like normal.
After returning to school, Kazuya picked his hobby of kendo back up, which he'd practiced since junior high. Through continued training and adaptive learning techniques, he proceeded to accomplish something he knew his late mother would be proud of by placing third in the prefectural championships. Even with how great his results were, Kazuya was left with a bitter taste in his mouth from not being able to take victory over all of his competition. The closeness of the victory drove him to work even harder on his swordplay, but he was never able to replicate the results a second time.
During his second year of university, Kazuya learned from his father that he was seeing a much younger foreign woman in the wake of his mother's passing. Kazuya was disgusted by the very idea of Daisuke "forgetting mom ever existed", yet Daisuke continued all the same, marrying the young woman after a year and having a little girl a few months after. Kazuya would come to meet his new stepmother, Dorotea, and his half sister, Hitomi, face-to-face for the first time during the summer break of his third year in university. He came to visit during every other school break after.
Kazuya took this extra year at home as an opportunity to come to terms with his grief, and when he realised he was beginning to have more good days than bad ones, he resumed his higher education the following school year. Nevertheless, his feelings weren't something he could "fix", but rather something he had to learn to cope with. He still had plenty of moments in university when he found it hard to carry about life like normal.
After returning to school, Kazuya picked his hobby of kendo back up, which he'd practiced since junior high. Through continued training and adaptive learning techniques, he proceeded to accomplish something he knew his late mother would be proud of by placing third in the prefectural championships. Even with how great his results were, Kazuya was left with a bitter taste in his mouth from not being able to take victory over all of his competition. The closeness of the victory drove him to work even harder on his swordplay, but he was never able to replicate the results a second time.
During his second year of university, Kazuya learned from his father that he was seeing a much younger foreign woman in the wake of his mother's passing. Kazuya was disgusted by the very idea of Daisuke "forgetting mom ever existed", yet Daisuke continued all the same, marrying the young woman after a year and having a little girl a few months after. Kazuya would come to meet his new stepmother, Dorotea, and his half sister, Hitomi, face-to-face for the first time during the summer break of his third year in university. He came to visit during every other school break after.
Even with the new additions to the family, Daisuke still felt like the same always-negative, prone-to-hurtful-outbursts-of-anger salaryman that Kazuya had spent his childhood under. It had only been a few weeks since Kazuya had returned home, and he was already reminded of what used to make him so afraid of Daisuke in the first place. Had anything really changed with that man?
Kazuya began searching for employment while living in the lavish home he used to see his mother in. He managed to snag a position with a reputable corporation in a stable industry (no thanks to his father's connections) while being able to work from home and learn to understand the new family that had been pushed upon him. He saved and invested almost all of his revenue, considering he had no bills to pay at the time.
Once Kazuya's new half-sister, Hitomi, grew to be a little girl, she slowly became less intimidated by her half-brother and began to absorb some of his hobbies as her own, namely video games and anime. The two spent more time bonding as the years went by until they became nigh-inseparable at the hip. For a time, it felt like Kazuya could truly start over, and this time with someone whom he knew was looking up to him.
...But for Kazuya, it always seemed that whenever life was beginning to reach a new peak, it would always come crumbling down.
White Day, 2023
Given the fact that Kazuya never got any Valentine's Day gifts from anyone outside his family, he really didn't have anyone to spend White Day with besides his family, either. When Daisuke and Doroteya left for a date that night, neither of their children could have expected what cruel fate lay in store for them.
On that night, their parents didn't return.
Instead, Kazuya and Hitomi saw a cop on their doorstep the next morning.
The officer, clearly hesitant on how to word this in front of a little girl, had to explain it in a way that wouldn't send her into shock.
On the drive home that night, their parents' car was rammed by a speeding driver. Both of them were rushed to the hospital, where they had spent the entirety of the night being evaluated. The officer offered to take the two children to visit them.
When the children arrived, the officer pulled Kazuya aside to a point where Hitomi wouldn't be able to overhear the news.
Daisuke was found to be drunk, and thanks to his delayed reaction times and relaxed muscles, he didn't sustain any lasting injuries in the crash.
Doroteya, however, was not so lucky. Not only was she found to be sober, but she was in the driver's seat where the crash originated from. Both of her legs were badly injured from the initial impact, and it was unlikely she'd ever be able to fully walk again.
Kazuya, while taken aback by the news, knew he wasn't going to be nearly as affected as a girl who had spent her entire life with Doroteya. Thankfully, the staff concealed Doroteya's injuries when Hitomi visited, but she was nonetheless clearly shaken by the...suddenness of it all.
That night, Kazuya and Hitomi had dinner together without their parents.
With no warning whatsoever, Kaz had to be the parent here. He had to be the one to console, and he had to be the one to teach his 5-year old sister about death in a way that might not hurt her feelings even more.
Teaching moments like these were what Doroteya used to be there for.
...But Kazuya didn't exactly get a fair deal with his mother, either. The idea of Hitomi having to go through the same thing he did, frankly, terrified him.
But how could he do this when he was so unprepared? Half of him considered trying to avoid the subject altogether, or even eating in silence.
Kazuya caught himself before he could sink any deeper into thoughts like that. He reflected on the way his only male role model had tried to deal with his emotions when he was Hitomi's age, and that was all it took for Kazuya to realise the consequences of his inaction.
If he didn't say something, didn't do something, then he'd be no better than his own father.
It disgusted him.
This moment with Hitomi, to him, was an opportunity to be there for his childhood self.
And so, nervous as Kazuya was, he took the first step.
Was the execution perfect? No.
Could Doroteya have done it better? Yes.
Yet despite that, it felt therapeutic for both of them. For the first time in a long time, Kazuya had a deep, meaningful conversation with someone in his family.
Kazuya began searching for employment while living in the lavish home he used to see his mother in. He managed to snag a position with a reputable corporation in a stable industry (no thanks to his father's connections) while being able to work from home and learn to understand the new family that had been pushed upon him. He saved and invested almost all of his revenue, considering he had no bills to pay at the time.
Once Kazuya's new half-sister, Hitomi, grew to be a little girl, she slowly became less intimidated by her half-brother and began to absorb some of his hobbies as her own, namely video games and anime. The two spent more time bonding as the years went by until they became nigh-inseparable at the hip. For a time, it felt like Kazuya could truly start over, and this time with someone whom he knew was looking up to him.
...But for Kazuya, it always seemed that whenever life was beginning to reach a new peak, it would always come crumbling down.
White Day, 2023
Given the fact that Kazuya never got any Valentine's Day gifts from anyone outside his family, he really didn't have anyone to spend White Day with besides his family, either. When Daisuke and Doroteya left for a date that night, neither of their children could have expected what cruel fate lay in store for them.
On that night, their parents didn't return.
Instead, Kazuya and Hitomi saw a cop on their doorstep the next morning.
The officer, clearly hesitant on how to word this in front of a little girl, had to explain it in a way that wouldn't send her into shock.
On the drive home that night, their parents' car was rammed by a speeding driver. Both of them were rushed to the hospital, where they had spent the entirety of the night being evaluated. The officer offered to take the two children to visit them.
When the children arrived, the officer pulled Kazuya aside to a point where Hitomi wouldn't be able to overhear the news.
Daisuke was found to be drunk, and thanks to his delayed reaction times and relaxed muscles, he didn't sustain any lasting injuries in the crash.
Doroteya, however, was not so lucky. Not only was she found to be sober, but she was in the driver's seat where the crash originated from. Both of her legs were badly injured from the initial impact, and it was unlikely she'd ever be able to fully walk again.
Kazuya, while taken aback by the news, knew he wasn't going to be nearly as affected as a girl who had spent her entire life with Doroteya. Thankfully, the staff concealed Doroteya's injuries when Hitomi visited, but she was nonetheless clearly shaken by the...suddenness of it all.
That night, Kazuya and Hitomi had dinner together without their parents.
With no warning whatsoever, Kaz had to be the parent here. He had to be the one to console, and he had to be the one to teach his 5-year old sister about death in a way that might not hurt her feelings even more.
Teaching moments like these were what Doroteya used to be there for.
...But Kazuya didn't exactly get a fair deal with his mother, either. The idea of Hitomi having to go through the same thing he did, frankly, terrified him.
But how could he do this when he was so unprepared? Half of him considered trying to avoid the subject altogether, or even eating in silence.
Kazuya caught himself before he could sink any deeper into thoughts like that. He reflected on the way his only male role model had tried to deal with his emotions when he was Hitomi's age, and that was all it took for Kazuya to realise the consequences of his inaction.
"Come on...it's not really that bad. There's no need to get so upset."
"You don't really feel like that. It'll all go away soon."
"I'm sorry...I can't right now. I just have so much work...maybe later. OK?"
"You don't really feel like that. It'll all go away soon."
"I'm sorry...I can't right now. I just have so much work...maybe later. OK?"
If he didn't say something, didn't do something, then he'd be no better than his own father.
It disgusted him.
This moment with Hitomi, to him, was an opportunity to be there for his childhood self.
And so, nervous as Kazuya was, he took the first step.
Was the execution perfect? No.
Could Doroteya have done it better? Yes.
Yet despite that, it felt therapeutic for both of them. For the first time in a long time, Kazuya had a deep, meaningful conversation with someone in his family.
Daisuke returned home the next day.
Doroteya's situation wasn't great—she'd have to spend the next couple of years in a rehabilitation hospital.
Although Daisuke was back to provide for Hitomi, that moment the night before had changed Kazuya's perspective for good.
With Doroteya no longer capable of being there for her daughter, Kazuya had no faith in leaving her to be raised by Daisuke. She'd might as well have raised herself, in that case.
No...Kazuya was going to take her with him when he inevitably had to move out of the house for his job. He'd sooner quit than leave her there.
The only problem, however, was finding out how to wrestle the control out of his father's hands.
And so, Kazuya hatched a scheme to get revenge on Daisuke.
He'd do everything it took, even if it had to come to fabricating evidence.
Kazuya secretly petitioned to become Hitomi's legal guardian, and against his father's knowledge, he began to collect evidence to prove his father was unfit to raise Hitomi. He stored over 2 hours worth of footage of drunken stupors, furious episodes, and any possible instances of him ignoring Hitomi when she was upset.
When Kazuya finally confronted his father, he asked plainly if he could take her with him to Osaka, where his job was asking him to relocate. Daisuke reacted like Kazuya had expected—the two of them got into a shouting match.
This adamant refusal was a declaration of war.
Kazuya hired a lawyer, which would end up destroying almost all of the money he had saved up over the past 3 years. For him, though, nothing could have been worth more than Hitomi's freedom.
Against so many odds, Kazuya won the mediators over and proceeded to take both legal and physical custody of his sister. From that point on, he would be responsible for Hitomi's education, health care, and everything else needed for a healthy, happy life.
Doroteya's situation wasn't great—she'd have to spend the next couple of years in a rehabilitation hospital.
Although Daisuke was back to provide for Hitomi, that moment the night before had changed Kazuya's perspective for good.
With Doroteya no longer capable of being there for her daughter, Kazuya had no faith in leaving her to be raised by Daisuke. She'd might as well have raised herself, in that case.
No...Kazuya was going to take her with him when he inevitably had to move out of the house for his job. He'd sooner quit than leave her there.
The only problem, however, was finding out how to wrestle the control out of his father's hands.
And so, Kazuya hatched a scheme to get revenge on Daisuke.
He'd do everything it took, even if it had to come to fabricating evidence.
Kazuya secretly petitioned to become Hitomi's legal guardian, and against his father's knowledge, he began to collect evidence to prove his father was unfit to raise Hitomi. He stored over 2 hours worth of footage of drunken stupors, furious episodes, and any possible instances of him ignoring Hitomi when she was upset.
When Kazuya finally confronted his father, he asked plainly if he could take her with him to Osaka, where his job was asking him to relocate. Daisuke reacted like Kazuya had expected—the two of them got into a shouting match.
This adamant refusal was a declaration of war.
Kazuya hired a lawyer, which would end up destroying almost all of the money he had saved up over the past 3 years. For him, though, nothing could have been worth more than Hitomi's freedom.
Against so many odds, Kazuya won the mediators over and proceeded to take both legal and physical custody of his sister. From that point on, he would be responsible for Hitomi's education, health care, and everything else needed for a healthy, happy life.
Kazuya and Hitomi moved into the Osaka Bay Area in late 2023. Kazuya's funds had been greatly diminished from paying constant legal fees, but he was willing to work longer and harder than ever to make that up.
He immediately set to work setting aside money for Hitomi's schooling, and in April 2024, she started attending Umarekawari Elementary as a first grader.
However, midway through Hitomi's first semester, Kazuya was caught in a round of layoffs at his job, and suddenly, he had found himself out of work. After a month and a half of being unlucky enough not to find work, he was in dire straits. If he couldn't find a source of income soon, he'd need to find someone else to take care of Hitomi or start taking loans from the government.
Finding himself in an upsettingly similar situation from high school, Kazuya took Hitomi to sleep over at a friend's house for the weekend before meeting a co-worker from his old job at a bar and getting wasted. The two of them ended up separating, and Kazuya's hazy head took him on a few too many wrong turns after leaving the bar.
When Kazuya woke up for his hangover the next morning, he was leaning on an alleyway dumpster next to three downed men and plenty of scrapes and bruises of his own.
It was only when he got home and took his jacket off that he finally noticed a slip of paper sticking out of the internal pocket. He took it out and read the note:
And being the desperate idiot he was, Kazuya gave the guy a call with a proxy number, hoping to get some kind of money out of this. At worst, this just had to be a prank, right?
"Ohh-ho-ho-ho. Can't believe you actually went through with it," came a man's voice over the line.
"Yeah, so I picked up. Got something for me, or are you just shooting the shit with me here?"
An annoying chuckle.
"Relax, man. This isn't a scam."
"...Huh. Well? What's the gig?"
"Tell you what: meet me at that same bar. I can't let you know here for, well...security concerns."
"'Like a Dragon?' How'd you even find me there? Is this a setup or something?"
"Believe me if you want; it's your choice. I guess I'll just—"
"I'll take it," Kazuya interrupted. Another chuckle tickled his eardrum, making him squint in irritation.
"I'll be at the corner-table on the left at 4:00 PM. Don't keep me waiting."
And with no further platitudes, the mysterious man hung up.
"There you are, Goto-san!"
"Almost thought you stood me up. You're the one who kept me waiting, asshole."
"Well, good thing I showed up, eh?"
The man sat down across from Kazuya.
"So, about that job..."
The man leaned in, his eyes narrowing.
"Have you ever...taken a life?"
"Can't say I have, no."
"Usually people walk out when I say that. Your eyes are telling me a very...interesting story."
"Yeah? And what's that, mister fortune teller?"
"You...are curious."
"I thought everyone was at least once in their life."
The man laughed rather forcefully. "Well said, my friend!"
"Hey, 'buddy', I'm not your friend. What're you trying to ask me here?"
"I want you to whack a snitch for us. We've gotten word that he's been leaking 'company secrets' over the internet, and I'd like you to take him out. Think you can do that?" he whispered.
"And if I refuse?"
"No harm, no foul. Given the fact that you haven't threatened to call the police by this point, I'd be willing to say you're a bit of a freak. You must be desperate, huh?"
"Sure, whatever. What do I get if I do it?"
"How does one million yen sound? That should help you pay the bills."
"And how am I gonna do this without getting caught?"
"Oh, it'll be simple. All you have to do is get rid of him without anyone else seeing you leave his apartment. You see, he's a nobody now. No one would notice he was gone until days after."
The man swept back his hair.
"And who would they start investigating first? Family. Old friends. Neighbors. Not some faceless man who came in the middle of the night. Just wear different-sized shoes and clothes that cover all your skin and hair, and you'll be set."
"How do I know I'm not just gonna be jipped out of the money?"
"Well, I can't exactly prove that without putting some kind of deposit down first, and if I did that for every person I met with, I'd have to quit this business. I'm not made of money, you know."
"I'm not really convinced here. You said this wasn't a scam, and you aren't even willing to put something down beforehand? You suck as a salesman!"
"That's fine. I guess I'll just take this cool million over to someone else who needs i—"
"Damnit, I'm in."
What the fuck am I doing?
The man cracked a sly smile before he had the chance to stand up.
"Excellent. He lives at 4-16, Kawaramachi-itchome, Chuo-ku, Apartment 4C. I'll call you within a couple of weeks to ask you 'how that thing is going' with a different phone number. Make sure not to refuse any 'spam' calls you might be receiving in the future. Once you finish the job and we can confirm the hit, we'll set up a new meeting."
The man stood up, dropping enough yen on the table to pay for Kazuya's tab.
"Have a nice day, 'Goto-san'."
. . . . .
Kazuya left for the place in question the following weekend, carrying little more than some new clothes and his katana on the drive there. Thanks to the owners' laziness in keeping the gates' locks functioning, Kazuya was able to slip into the apartment complex, knock on the guy's door, and stab him through the throat before he could start screaming when he opened up.
After pushing his target's legs away from the doorway, Kazuya closed the door and made a mad dash back to his getaway vehicle. His heart was pumping intensely the entire half-hour back, and when he arrived home again, he hardly got a wink of sleep.
. . . . .
"Hey. How's that thing going?"
"It's going well. You?"
"Oh, I'm great. Thanks! Say, do you want to meet at Jonny's at 8:00 on Saturday?"
"I'm game! See you then."
He immediately set to work setting aside money for Hitomi's schooling, and in April 2024, she started attending Umarekawari Elementary as a first grader.
However, midway through Hitomi's first semester, Kazuya was caught in a round of layoffs at his job, and suddenly, he had found himself out of work. After a month and a half of being unlucky enough not to find work, he was in dire straits. If he couldn't find a source of income soon, he'd need to find someone else to take care of Hitomi or start taking loans from the government.
Finding himself in an upsettingly similar situation from high school, Kazuya took Hitomi to sleep over at a friend's house for the weekend before meeting a co-worker from his old job at a bar and getting wasted. The two of them ended up separating, and Kazuya's hazy head took him on a few too many wrong turns after leaving the bar.
When Kazuya woke up for his hangover the next morning, he was leaning on an alleyway dumpster next to three downed men and plenty of scrapes and bruises of his own.
It was only when he got home and took his jacket off that he finally noticed a slip of paper sticking out of the internal pocket. He took it out and read the note:
I don't know how you threw those guys around like it was the fucking NJPW while you were drunk, but damn if I'm not impressed. Give me a call at the number below if you want a job. I just want to see if you're for real or not.
M.S.
M.S.
And being the desperate idiot he was, Kazuya gave the guy a call with a proxy number, hoping to get some kind of money out of this. At worst, this just had to be a prank, right?
"Ohh-ho-ho-ho. Can't believe you actually went through with it," came a man's voice over the line.
"Yeah, so I picked up. Got something for me, or are you just shooting the shit with me here?"
An annoying chuckle.
"Relax, man. This isn't a scam."
"...Huh. Well? What's the gig?"
"Tell you what: meet me at that same bar. I can't let you know here for, well...security concerns."
"'Like a Dragon?' How'd you even find me there? Is this a setup or something?"
"Believe me if you want; it's your choice. I guess I'll just—"
"I'll take it," Kazuya interrupted. Another chuckle tickled his eardrum, making him squint in irritation.
"I'll be at the corner-table on the left at 4:00 PM. Don't keep me waiting."
And with no further platitudes, the mysterious man hung up.
I'll go ahead and speed this up for you.
So I'm back at the bar, and here's where I meet this guy. I'm expecting this thug, but he shows up late, and he's a lot more well-dressed than I'm expecting.
So I'm back at the bar, and here's where I meet this guy. I'm expecting this thug, but he shows up late, and he's a lot more well-dressed than I'm expecting.
"There you are, Goto-san!"
"Almost thought you stood me up. You're the one who kept me waiting, asshole."
"Well, good thing I showed up, eh?"
The man sat down across from Kazuya.
"So, about that job..."
The man leaned in, his eyes narrowing.
"Have you ever...taken a life?"
"Can't say I have, no."
"Usually people walk out when I say that. Your eyes are telling me a very...interesting story."
"Yeah? And what's that, mister fortune teller?"
"You...are curious."
"I thought everyone was at least once in their life."
The man laughed rather forcefully. "Well said, my friend!"
"Hey, 'buddy', I'm not your friend. What're you trying to ask me here?"
"I want you to whack a snitch for us. We've gotten word that he's been leaking 'company secrets' over the internet, and I'd like you to take him out. Think you can do that?" he whispered.
"And if I refuse?"
"No harm, no foul. Given the fact that you haven't threatened to call the police by this point, I'd be willing to say you're a bit of a freak. You must be desperate, huh?"
"Sure, whatever. What do I get if I do it?"
"How does one million yen sound? That should help you pay the bills."
"And how am I gonna do this without getting caught?"
"Oh, it'll be simple. All you have to do is get rid of him without anyone else seeing you leave his apartment. You see, he's a nobody now. No one would notice he was gone until days after."
The man swept back his hair.
"And who would they start investigating first? Family. Old friends. Neighbors. Not some faceless man who came in the middle of the night. Just wear different-sized shoes and clothes that cover all your skin and hair, and you'll be set."
"How do I know I'm not just gonna be jipped out of the money?"
"Well, I can't exactly prove that without putting some kind of deposit down first, and if I did that for every person I met with, I'd have to quit this business. I'm not made of money, you know."
"I'm not really convinced here. You said this wasn't a scam, and you aren't even willing to put something down beforehand? You suck as a salesman!"
"That's fine. I guess I'll just take this cool million over to someone else who needs i—"
"Damnit, I'm in."
What the fuck am I doing?
The man cracked a sly smile before he had the chance to stand up.
"Excellent. He lives at 4-16, Kawaramachi-itchome, Chuo-ku, Apartment 4C. I'll call you within a couple of weeks to ask you 'how that thing is going' with a different phone number. Make sure not to refuse any 'spam' calls you might be receiving in the future. Once you finish the job and we can confirm the hit, we'll set up a new meeting."
The man stood up, dropping enough yen on the table to pay for Kazuya's tab.
"Have a nice day, 'Goto-san'."
. . . . .
Kazuya left for the place in question the following weekend, carrying little more than some new clothes and his katana on the drive there. Thanks to the owners' laziness in keeping the gates' locks functioning, Kazuya was able to slip into the apartment complex, knock on the guy's door, and stab him through the throat before he could start screaming when he opened up.
After pushing his target's legs away from the doorway, Kazuya closed the door and made a mad dash back to his getaway vehicle. His heart was pumping intensely the entire half-hour back, and when he arrived home again, he hardly got a wink of sleep.
. . . . .
"Hey. How's that thing going?"
"It's going well. You?"
"Oh, I'm great. Thanks! Say, do you want to meet at Jonny's at 8:00 on Saturday?"
"I'm game! See you then."
So I went where I was supposed to, and there he was. He asked if we could step outside for a moment, and to be honest, I thought he was about to put me on ice.
But, nope, he just handed me a clean stack of bills in the palm of my hand and patted me on the back like I was some high-school athlete.
And get this: he asks me to sign on for his whatchamacallit organisation, says it'll be good for me.
Considering the economy had just gone to shit and I didn't have much else going for me, I took his offer. These guys had me running around to clean up their spills every month or so, and by that point, I was already on their payroll. They started giving me money, merch, reservations...you name it!
And that's how I got to where I am today. If I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm really fucking good at what I do now. Gotta say, they've really got me used to this. I clean up their shit, and they give me a paycheck. It's great!
Once I get enough of this saved up, I'm gonna have it all. Crystal pools, fast cars, beachside view...that'll be the life. And the best part of it all? My baby sister's never gonna have to worry about anything again.
But, nope, he just handed me a clean stack of bills in the palm of my hand and patted me on the back like I was some high-school athlete.
And get this: he asks me to sign on for his whatchamacallit organisation, says it'll be good for me.
Considering the economy had just gone to shit and I didn't have much else going for me, I took his offer. These guys had me running around to clean up their spills every month or so, and by that point, I was already on their payroll. They started giving me money, merch, reservations...you name it!
And that's how I got to where I am today. If I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm really fucking good at what I do now. Gotta say, they've really got me used to this. I clean up their shit, and they give me a paycheck. It's great!
Once I get enough of this saved up, I'm gonna have it all. Crystal pools, fast cars, beachside view...that'll be the life. And the best part of it all? My baby sister's never gonna have to worry about anything again.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation:
Assassin for the Kamikakushi
Place of Residence: A two-bedroom apartment in the Osaka Bay Area that he shares with Hitomi. It's also just a short distance away from Japan's largest ferris wheel and the Supernova Studios theme park.
Personality: A natural risk taker, talk-backer, and notorious skirt chaser, Kazuya quickly gained a reputation for his limitless, crazy, high-energy personality, for better or worse. Few, if any, can rival the sheer "in your face" factor that he often brings to the table.
Kazuya is a lean, mean, killing machine who often displays indecent and immature behaviour before his enemies. He has killed enough people over the last year to become calm about the whole thing, allowing him to really play it up each time he is sent on an assignment.
Despite the grisly nature of his profession and his own hedonistic pursuits, Kazuya is still able to relate to others (even if he does have a couple of screws loose nowadays). He's come to meet people at his local laundromat "HAND-ME-UP", the Junes supermarket, and Umarekawari Elementary while waiting to pick up Hitomi from school, and it's not rare for him to hang out with the people who "click" with him.
He likes to take Hitomi with him on journeys to new restaurants and clothing stores, and whether they go back usually tends to hinge on whether Hitomi ends up being a fan or not. He wants to continue his yearly pilgrimmages to Comiket in Tokyo, but with someone else to take care of now, Kazuya has put the trips on hold until Hitomi grows up a bit more.
Kazuya's daily life revolves around indulging in his hobbies and doing chores while Hitomi's at school, hanging out with his sister after school is over, and occassionally stalking and killing men when the guys upstairs ask him to. Kaz gets paid once a month, and the Kamikakushi occasionally give him bonuses in the form of tangible valuables for jobs well done to keep him incentivised.
Kaz has come to enjoy this routine where only 20% of his life is dedicated to his actual job, and Hitomi really seems to like how often Kaz gets to stay home.
- Intelligence: 2 (Learned)
- Wisdom: 2 (Trial and Error)
- Guts: 4 (Dauntless)
- Kindness: 1 (Offensive)
- Charm: 2 (Head-Turning)
Motivation(s): To provide enough money for him and Hitomi to live in luxury, and to fight his way to the #1 spot or die trying.
Likes: Hitomi's approval, attractive women, hard cash, adrenaline highs, strong opponents, sci-fi movies, limited otaku memorabilia, Destiny Land
Dislikes: Hardasses, old men, formal attire, the Chinese, exhaust fumes
Clothing/Style: Kazuya tends to sport t-shirts one size too big, and far too many have designs or jokes on them that one would never be caught dead wearing in public. Designs usually tend to revolve around anime/manga, nonsense English phrases in ALL CAPS, or jokes so juvenile that one could gain second-hand embarrassment from reading them.
Above all else, he always wears a pleather/leather jacket (his favourite is a black one with red highlights and a dragon pattern on the back side). It's usually unzipped so he can flash off his garish t-shirt of the day.
He exclusively wears jeans, either with or without intentional tears. He finishes off this ensemble with riding boots, a toolbelt, gloves, tinted sunglasses, and lots of hair gel to give it that ideal "shine-to-spike ratio".
Relationships:
- Kubo Hitomi (久保 ひとみ): Younger half-sister (age 7).
- Kubo Daisuke (久保 大輔): Father (age 58).
- Kubo Doroteya (久保 ドロテヤ): Stepmother (age 30), crippled.
- Kubo Mayumi (久保 真由美): Mother (age 46), deceased.
- Toshiaki Tooru (俊明 徹) , "Power": Rival assassin.
- Kadokawa Kariya (角川刈), "Unyielding Ursus": Perhaps one of the greatest representations of everything Kazuya aims to overcome and topple on the road to #1—widely worshipped. The old guard. Always looking down on everyone like some self-righteous asshat. People like that are getting what they deserve when young rookies like him come to strip them of their titles and power.
- Katsu Kariya: Hitomi's senpai at school.
Arcana: Justice
Contract: "From this day on, it's me against the world. I'll destroy anything that comes between us!"
Name on the Rankings: Darkshot
Frontier Armor: Skin-tight black spandex with large, whited-out areas for his eyes and just enough room at the top of the head for his hair to stick out.
Equipment:
- Tyrfing: Ordinarily a custom-forged katana in the real world, Kazuya's trusty sword transforms into a blow-torch-like blade of burning plasma in the Frontier. This also functions as his "Bladed" Ideal.
- Handgun: A real, working pistol that Kazuya more often keeps stowed away back at the apartment (illegally) than carrying with him on killing missions.
- Big Fucking Nerd: Intelligence increases by 2 whenever pointless media trivia is involved.
- Bat Out of Hell: Agility increases by 10 whenever Kazuya is fighting his way out of a location.
- Hardcore Parkour: Kazuya can do sick flips, slides, and run along walls for short periods of time.
- [Hard Times]: Kazuya has a crippling aversion to seriously harming a woman in a fight.
Svafrlami
Svafrlami was the king of Gardariki, and Odin's grandson. He managed to trap the dwarves Dvalinn and Durinn when they had left the rock where they dwelt. Then he forced them to forge a sword with a golden hilt that would never miss a stroke, would never rust and would cut through stone and iron as easily as through clothes.
The dwarves made the sword, and it shone and gleamed like fire. However, in revenge they cursed it so that it would kill a man every time it was drawn and that it would be the cause of three great evils. They finally cursed it so that it would also kill Svafrlami himself.
The dwarves made the sword, and it shone and gleamed like fire. However, in revenge they cursed it so that it would kill a man every time it was drawn and that it would be the cause of three great evils. They finally cursed it so that it would also kill Svafrlami himself.
Stats:
- Strength: 65
- Magic: 20
- Endurance: 51
- Agility: 60
- Luck: 50
- Luck of the Gacha Draw: Every time Kazuya attacks or uses a skill, an invisible slot machine is rolled. If three numbers match (a 1 in 36 chance when rolling three six-sided die), Kazuya is able to activate an ability tied to the number in question by shouting its name.
- Dora! Dora! Dora!: When three 1s are rolled, Kazuya sprouts scales, horns, sharp teeth, claws, and flaming breath to become the Dragon of Osaka! (For 30 seconds).
- Perfect☆Pretty☆Shin☆Buster: When three 2s are rolled, Kazuya basks in sparkles and flashing lights as he wields the power of love to defeat evil! Every swing of his sword shoots forth a stream of energy arrows, his wounds heal faster than his enemies can deal damage to him, his sword will ensnare any enemy upon contact, he creates two illusory duplicates of himself, and his reaction times increase tremendously. (For 30 seconds).
- GAME ENDERS: When three 3s are rolled, Kazuya sports a plugsuit and becomes able to construct hardlight structures on command. He can lay them down flat, at a sloped incline, and straight up like a wall. These constructions are unaffected by gravity, allowing Kazuya to build as high or wide as he desires without worrying about a support foundation. However, each plank of hardlight can still be destroyed through continuous attack. The only limits to this power-up are Kazuya's own running speed, thinking capacity, and a 1-minute time limit. Once the time limit is up, Kazuya's constructions begin to disappear one after the other, starting with the oldest one. Finally, Kaz gains access to a state-of-the-art jetpack that grants him increased mobility during this period.
- Power of the Dark Side: When three 4s are rolled, Kazuya becomes a shadow of his former self and gives into his more violent urges. For a short time, he becomes immune to all pain, automatically induces anxiety in surrounding enemies, and becomes much more maniacal and erratic in his movements.
- Zen Tea: When three 5s are rolled, Kazuya enters a trance-like state, obtaining a "sixth sense" in the process. He is able to sense any incoming danger for 2 minutes, including any attacks that he normally would not have been able to sense.
- Pull My [Redacted]: When three 6s are rolled, Kazuya becomes Devil Kaz and gains access to Curse skills (including Mudo), a flaming skull for a head, and a phantom motorcycle he can summon at will (for 1 minute).
Skills:
- Agi: Light fire damage to 1 foe. Low chance of continued burn damage after landing.
- Zio: Light electric damage to 1 foe. Low chance of paralysation.
- Giant Slice: Svafrlami swings its long sword in a single direction, and if the blade only strikes empty air, a wave of harmful energy will shoot out from the swing and travel forward until it hits something.
- Assault Dive: Svafrlami speeds forward and grabs an enemy, throwing them towards Kazuya, who often gets a chance to follow up with his sword or a throw.
- Taunt: Forces all surrounding enemies to target Kazuya with nothing but physical attacks.
- Tarukaja: Increases the power of all attacks temporarily.
- Counter: 10% chance of reflecting any physical attack.
- Regenerate: Attacks that do not result in dismemberment or a fatal injury will be healed within a few minutes so long as Kazuya isn't in combat.
Last edited:
Hououin Kyouma
"I'm the great mad scientist, Hououin Kyoma!"
Name: Tooru (徹) Toshiaki (俊明)
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual
Physical Appearance:
Biography
Born the only child to Airi and Hideaki Toshiaki, Tooru grew up absolutely idolising his father, a renowned daredevil who risked life and limb in his career as a stuntman. The consequences of such a life would eventually rear their head when on live television when Hideaki’s greatest stunt, a massive leap through flaming hoops would ultimately cost him his life in an event that would permanently leave his mark in the annals of history as a true daredevil in every sense of the world. For his family, such an event would surely have shaken them to the core and let them grief-stricken.
But Tooru Toshiaki felt no grief.
What was instilled in the boy in that moment, rather than pain or sadness, was an even deeper idolisation for the man and a desire to follow in his footsteps, to die in a blaze of glory on his own terms. Alas, a painful lack of skills as a motorcyclist and a mother who refused to watch her child walk down the same path as his father led to his dream being shut off from him in favour of working in construction.
The monotonous loop that came with the safe, normal life bored Toshiaki to tears, but breaking out of it left the question of *what* to do afterwards. For now, the aimless rogue bided his time toiling away, finding what entertainment he can in daily life in meaningless fights and momentary thrills as he awaits the moment he finds something worth breaking the cycle for.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Construction Worker
Place of Residence:
Personality
An obnoxious dumbass, a showboating simpleton, a part-time stud. There are many ways to describe Tooru Toshiaki.
And they’re all true.
A man with more personality issues than yen to his name, Tooru marches to the beat of his own drum and no one else’s. He’s constantly fickle, going after whatever interests him in an entirely self-motivated fashion. A man who seeks thrills almost obsessively and does so without a hint of shame. Saying that he had a few screws loose would be wrong as it would imply he ever had any fully tightened screws to begin with.
Arrogant, boastful and with a sense of showmanship he inherited from his father, his attitude often puts him in the crosshairs of those he interacts because of his absolute refusal to bow down to others. His flashy, cocky nature routinely lands him in trouble that he’ll always dig himself out of or die trying.
Even so, Tooru has his own sense of honour, from his refusal to ambush others to an insistence on repaying any favours, there's some good in this hot mess that vaguely resembles a person.
Intelligence: 2 (Dense)
Wisdom: 2 (The entire circus)
Guts: 5 (Daredevil)
Kindness: 1 (Insufferable)
Charm: 3 (Like a 7/10)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Motivation(s): Power’s main motivation is to go out on his own terms, blazing his own path. He wants to throw himself at every challenge in his path until either it breaks or he does.
Likes: His bike, daredevils, sushi, thrills, challenges, coffee, beer, flashiness, cool weapons, competition
Dislikes: Authority, condescension, cowardice, the very concept of boredom
Clothing/Style: In real life, Power’s goal is “hot, but not trying too hard” which he aims to accomplish with the tried and true open-shirt over t-shirt combo being the main set piece for his casual wear whenever possible.
Relationships:
Hideaki Toshiaki – Tooru’s father and the man he idolised. Deceased.
Airi Toshiaki – Tooru’s mother and probably the reason he hasn’t killed himself in a stunt related accident.
‘Ursus’ – An uptight, overbearing bastard with a stupid outfit. Power singles him out as a rival for him to overcome.
Kubo Kazuya, ‘Darkshot’ – A rival of Power’s.
Arcana: VII - Chariot
Contract: “Never back down, never surrender.”
Alter-Ego: Power
Frontier Armor: Power’s frontier armour is as obnoxious and loud as its wearer. To hide his identity he wears a red motorcycle helmet. He wears no shirt, preferring the “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mentality, but does wear a dark blue cloak with a red fur trim that serves as the conduit for summoning his persona. Tight, black leather pants and red, spiked combat boots complete the ensemble.
Blade of Idealism: The cloak of Power’s outfit serves as his summoning conduit, his persona being summoned upon the act of removing the cloak, typically with as much flair as humanly possible.
Equipment: None.
Talents:
Licensed Motorcyclist (By no means skilled)
Master beer chugger
Persona: Cu Chulainn
Source Description: An iconic hero of Irish mythology, the son of the god Lugh and the mortal Deichtine. He would go on to take up arms unaware of the prophecy that any who did so on that day would be destined for greatness but would also die young.
Appearance: A chariot and its rider with a focus on style above all else. A white chariot with a golden trim and ornate curves giving it the beauty a celebrated champion deserves. The front of the chariot’s frame slants back and the small window shield curves further back and around the sides. Coming from the sides of the chariot are silver exhaust pipes that extend backwards from their origin, ending just beyond the back of the chariot.
The rider is as handsome as he is flashy, towering and strong and the very image of chiselled perfection. Ashen-grey skin is covered by a skin-tight white bodysuit adorned with the same golden trim as the chariot he rides and blue fur lining the sleeve cuffs and popped collar, the only exception being his chest, which is exposed by a heart-shaped hole in the bodysuit. His hands and feet are clad in sleek, silver gauntlets and greaves, designed to be protective but not bulky. Covered by a thin, transparent hood is a wild mane of dark blue hair that extends to his lower back, braids mixed in amidst the wild mess as well and swept back bangs keep ethereally glowing blue eyes unobstructed.
In his hands is the infamous spear, Gae Bolg, the handle a brilliant blue only outshone only by the shining steel that marks the death-dealing tip as something to be avoided at all costs.
Stats
Strength: 90
Magic: 30
Endurance: 40
Agility: 85
Luck: 35
Skills
Trait: Spear of Mortal Death – Power’s physical attacks have a 25% chance of ignoring resistances.
[Physical] One Shot Kill – A powerful throw of Gae Bolg. Deals severe damage to 1 foe with a high crit rate.
[Physical] Swift Strike – Cu Chulainn rides his chariot into the fray, going in circles and hitting everything in his path. Deals miniscule damage to all foes 2-4 times.
[Fire] Agidyne – A powerful flame shot from the exhausts on the chariot. Deals heavy damage to 1 foe.
[Support] Power Charge – Cu Chulainn lets out a powerful war cry. Power’s next physical attack deals +150% more damage.
[Passive] Arms Master – Grants the user the ability to turn whatever they wield into a weapon with absolute mastery in its use.
[Passive] Apt Pupil – Doubles the crit rate of Power’s attacks.
[Passive] Fire Boost – Increases the damage of Power’s fire attacks by 25%
[Passive] High Counter – Power has a 20% chance of reflecting physical damage.
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual
Physical Appearance:
Biography
Born the only child to Airi and Hideaki Toshiaki, Tooru grew up absolutely idolising his father, a renowned daredevil who risked life and limb in his career as a stuntman. The consequences of such a life would eventually rear their head when on live television when Hideaki’s greatest stunt, a massive leap through flaming hoops would ultimately cost him his life in an event that would permanently leave his mark in the annals of history as a true daredevil in every sense of the world. For his family, such an event would surely have shaken them to the core and let them grief-stricken.
But Tooru Toshiaki felt no grief.
What was instilled in the boy in that moment, rather than pain or sadness, was an even deeper idolisation for the man and a desire to follow in his footsteps, to die in a blaze of glory on his own terms. Alas, a painful lack of skills as a motorcyclist and a mother who refused to watch her child walk down the same path as his father led to his dream being shut off from him in favour of working in construction.
The monotonous loop that came with the safe, normal life bored Toshiaki to tears, but breaking out of it left the question of *what* to do afterwards. For now, the aimless rogue bided his time toiling away, finding what entertainment he can in daily life in meaningless fights and momentary thrills as he awaits the moment he finds something worth breaking the cycle for.
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Construction Worker
Place of Residence:
Personality
An obnoxious dumbass, a showboating simpleton, a part-time stud. There are many ways to describe Tooru Toshiaki.
And they’re all true.
A man with more personality issues than yen to his name, Tooru marches to the beat of his own drum and no one else’s. He’s constantly fickle, going after whatever interests him in an entirely self-motivated fashion. A man who seeks thrills almost obsessively and does so without a hint of shame. Saying that he had a few screws loose would be wrong as it would imply he ever had any fully tightened screws to begin with.
Arrogant, boastful and with a sense of showmanship he inherited from his father, his attitude often puts him in the crosshairs of those he interacts because of his absolute refusal to bow down to others. His flashy, cocky nature routinely lands him in trouble that he’ll always dig himself out of or die trying.
Even so, Tooru has his own sense of honour, from his refusal to ambush others to an insistence on repaying any favours, there's some good in this hot mess that vaguely resembles a person.
Intelligence: 2 (Dense)
Wisdom: 2 (The entire circus)
Guts: 5 (Daredevil)
Kindness: 1 (Insufferable)
Charm: 3 (Like a 7/10)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Motivation(s): Power’s main motivation is to go out on his own terms, blazing his own path. He wants to throw himself at every challenge in his path until either it breaks or he does.
Likes: His bike, daredevils, sushi, thrills, challenges, coffee, beer, flashiness, cool weapons, competition
Dislikes: Authority, condescension, cowardice, the very concept of boredom
Clothing/Style: In real life, Power’s goal is “hot, but not trying too hard” which he aims to accomplish with the tried and true open-shirt over t-shirt combo being the main set piece for his casual wear whenever possible.
Relationships:
Hideaki Toshiaki – Tooru’s father and the man he idolised. Deceased.
Airi Toshiaki – Tooru’s mother and probably the reason he hasn’t killed himself in a stunt related accident.
‘Ursus’ – An uptight, overbearing bastard with a stupid outfit. Power singles him out as a rival for him to overcome.
Kubo Kazuya, ‘Darkshot’ – A rival of Power’s.
Arcana: VII - Chariot
Contract: “Never back down, never surrender.”
Alter-Ego: Power
Frontier Armor: Power’s frontier armour is as obnoxious and loud as its wearer. To hide his identity he wears a red motorcycle helmet. He wears no shirt, preferring the “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mentality, but does wear a dark blue cloak with a red fur trim that serves as the conduit for summoning his persona. Tight, black leather pants and red, spiked combat boots complete the ensemble.
Blade of Idealism: The cloak of Power’s outfit serves as his summoning conduit, his persona being summoned upon the act of removing the cloak, typically with as much flair as humanly possible.
Equipment: None.
Talents:
Licensed Motorcyclist (By no means skilled)
Master beer chugger
Persona: Cu Chulainn
Source Description: An iconic hero of Irish mythology, the son of the god Lugh and the mortal Deichtine. He would go on to take up arms unaware of the prophecy that any who did so on that day would be destined for greatness but would also die young.
Appearance: A chariot and its rider with a focus on style above all else. A white chariot with a golden trim and ornate curves giving it the beauty a celebrated champion deserves. The front of the chariot’s frame slants back and the small window shield curves further back and around the sides. Coming from the sides of the chariot are silver exhaust pipes that extend backwards from their origin, ending just beyond the back of the chariot.
The rider is as handsome as he is flashy, towering and strong and the very image of chiselled perfection. Ashen-grey skin is covered by a skin-tight white bodysuit adorned with the same golden trim as the chariot he rides and blue fur lining the sleeve cuffs and popped collar, the only exception being his chest, which is exposed by a heart-shaped hole in the bodysuit. His hands and feet are clad in sleek, silver gauntlets and greaves, designed to be protective but not bulky. Covered by a thin, transparent hood is a wild mane of dark blue hair that extends to his lower back, braids mixed in amidst the wild mess as well and swept back bangs keep ethereally glowing blue eyes unobstructed.
In his hands is the infamous spear, Gae Bolg, the handle a brilliant blue only outshone only by the shining steel that marks the death-dealing tip as something to be avoided at all costs.
Stats
Strength: 90
Magic: 30
Endurance: 40
Agility: 85
Luck: 35
Skills
Trait: Spear of Mortal Death – Power’s physical attacks have a 25% chance of ignoring resistances.
[Physical] One Shot Kill – A powerful throw of Gae Bolg. Deals severe damage to 1 foe with a high crit rate.
[Physical] Swift Strike – Cu Chulainn rides his chariot into the fray, going in circles and hitting everything in his path. Deals miniscule damage to all foes 2-4 times.
[Fire] Agidyne – A powerful flame shot from the exhausts on the chariot. Deals heavy damage to 1 foe.
[Support] Power Charge – Cu Chulainn lets out a powerful war cry. Power’s next physical attack deals +150% more damage.
[Passive] Arms Master – Grants the user the ability to turn whatever they wield into a weapon with absolute mastery in its use.
[Passive] Apt Pupil – Doubles the crit rate of Power’s attacks.
[Passive] Fire Boost – Increases the damage of Power’s fire attacks by 25%
[Passive] High Counter – Power has a 20% chance of reflecting physical damage.
Cephrys
VIII La Justice
Name: Katsuro Himura - 勝郎 日村 (Lit. Son of victory of the scarlet village), alias Kichiro Yamashita - 吉郎 山下 (Lit. Lucky son beneath the mountains.)
Age: 22 (Born September 15th, 2003)
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Physical Appearance:
(Artist credit: Nase_Nikyuu)
Nationality: Japanese, 2nd Generation Zainichi Korean
Occupation: Office worker/salesman at Kansai Stationery Co. (Home - kansai), wannabe professional dancer
Place of Residence: Toyosaki, Kita Ward, Osaka.
Personality: From his troubled past, Katsuro suffers from undiagnosed Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or C-PTSD. He has difficulty controlling his emotions, struggles to trust new people, is frequently paranoid of new people and new situations and expects the worst, and has incredibly low self-esteem, among other symptoms. He is especially touch starved from years of neglect, though unfortunately tends to gravitate more towards those who are emotionally unavailable or liable to hurt him. With those he is close with, he will often make small gestures of contact for reassurance when anxious, such as patting on the shoulder, high fiving or hugging, or a gentle brush past them.
Separately from this, but also undiagnosed, Katsuro is on the autism spectrum, which further impacts his ability to perform socially—though it is also the source of his ability and preference to plan carefully ahead of time, as well as his special interest in dancing: he possesses extensive knowledge of not just methods and moves of dance, but also the history of various types of dance, famous dancers, the history of music, and the cultural significance of dance and music, among other things.
The Kichiro alias attempts to suppress these traits to an at times unhealthy degree, compensating for them by assuming a façade. In many ways, Kichiro is a paradox: he is hyper flirtatious and charming, yet eases off significantly when such behaviour is enthusiastically reciprocated and is seemingly terrified of commiting to his words. He is cheery and optimistic on the outside, yet is wrought with fear and constantly on guard for catastrophe inside. He seems incredibly social and encourages fairness, yet often avoids meaningful engagement in social situations and can come across as spiteful and petty when faced with a perceived injustice. He presents an aura of composure, yet fidgets with anxiety frequently and loses focus. Altogether, Kichiro is a nice lie, but ultimately untenable—eventually, the mask cracks, and the emotion from a breakdown is only further exacerbated.
Katsuro is the true self, and is thus a more accurate reflection. Unlike Kichiro, the trauma he has faced neither rules or defines Katsuro—Katsuro is the original identity, his own person, whereas Kichiro was crafted as a response to and defense against trauma. Katsuro is mellow and quiet, at first appearing withdrawn but revealing himself to be surprisingly chatty when a topic of interest arises. He can at times be blunt, but is overall friendly and well-intentioned, and does his best to find the best in people—regardless of what his anxiety may be trying to tell him.
Intelligence: 2 (Is trying his best)
Wisdom: 2 (Wisened-up)
Guts: 4 (Determined)
Kindness: 4 (Conscientious)
Charm: 5 (Groovy)
Alignment: True Neutral
Likes: Dancing, music with a groovy rhythm, cooking (usually with meat and fish), bubble tea, matcha, caffeine, fashion, positive reinforcement.
Dislikes: Fast food, serious-looking stern people, losing control of the situation, feeling exposed, being yelled at or scolded, being restrained, expectations from others, sudden and/or loud noises, excessive sensory input (flashing lights, unwanted touching, etc), having his hair touched or pulled.
Clothing/Style: While operating under the Kichiro Yamashita pseudonym, Katsuro’s wardrobe looks exactly like how you’d expect a hyperactive hip-hop dancer’s wardrobe to look like: Flashy, with lots of bright colours that have no right to work as well together as they do. He has a keen eye for the hippest trends in streetwear, and many of his fits are assembled with the keen eye of a fashion artist and the support and input of like minded peers on Internet forums. Though it can vary, Katsuro will generally wear loose fitting and light clothing such as tank tops or light coats, favouring the colour blue and its many variants. He also wears silver piercings in his ear when not performing, and blue contacts, which he insists are definitely not contacts.
Katsuro Himura’s outfits are far more bland, however. His blues are more subdued, and he tends towards black rather than white when it comes to complementary colours. He loses the contacts and the piercings, swapping them out for thick lensed, round framed glasses. His clothes are baggier and cover far more skin, and he’ll usually throw the hood up if whatever he’s wearing has one.
Relationships:
Orochi Himura - Katsuro is heavily conflicted on his feelings towards his father. On one hand, he caused his mother no end of suffering which trickled down to him, and was willing to involve himself with the villainous Antisocial Force. On the other hand, he seemed to genuinely care for his son and wished to see him grow into a strong man, though perhaps he projected his own desires too strongly. Katsuro acknowledges that what Orochi did was unforgivable—and yet, he can’t help but long for another chance with his father. He wishes he could go back to the start, and fix his perceived failings to keep the family from falling apart—though if Katsuro was to ever be pressed about what his “failings” were, he would likely deflect the question. The blame he feels for how his family fell apart is an irrational one, and he has no solid evidence to back up the guilty verdict he has assigned to himself.
Yoshiko Himura - Like his father, Katsuro has a variety of very mixed feelings in regards to his relationship with his mother. He feels anger over her supposed resentment of him, but also believes that it was ultimately his fault, and that she can thus be absolved of blame. At the same time, he resents her for selling his father out to the Conspiracy, but also understands that he was a manipulative abuser who had caused her much harm, and figures that there was no other way out of that situation. He can’t forgive her for how she pressured and emotionally manipulated him when it came to dancing, however, a factor which further contributes to his distaste towards his mother.
Chaos [Alignment] - Katsuro holds a strong disdain for the Kamikakushi-kai and all those who would align themselves with it, blaming them for the downfall of his family. His hatred for them has begun to consume him, and he fears allowing it to dictate his life will mean he will never be able to live it.
Arcana: VIII - La Justice
Upright - Karma, clarity, rationality. A call for one to step back and examine a situation with the lens of logic, setting aside emotion and taking into account the hard facts to decide the fairest outcome.
Reversed - Unfair outcomes, unbalanced partnerships, the inability for justice to be enacted. A call for one to move on and lay down their sword—not every situation will have a fair outcome, and sometimes nothing can be done.
Contract: “See better, and let thy justice remain the true blank of thine eye. Bring clarity, and free thyself from the storm of lies and mystery which cloud thy vision and judgement.”
Alter-Ego: Vivace
Frontier Armor:
Also included is the upper half (down to the cheekbones) of a Pierrot masquerade mask.~
(Art by NTT Solmare)
Bladed Ideal: The Himura family pendant: a heart shaped locket that traces its origins back to the Edo Period, with a tiny ruby serving as the latch holding two halves together. To summon, Katsuro yanks it from his neck, snapping the chain—though placing it against his chest will reconstitute the chain.
Equipment:
Steel Staff - A steel, collapsible pocket staff. Good for blunt force persuasion, and can be weaved into dance routines for elegant attacks—additionally, Katsuro’s adept agility allows him to be particularly precise with his strikes, jabbing at sensitive or pressure points.
Rucksack - Lightweight and easy to tote around, this rucksack is filled mostly with plastic bottles of water and healthy snacks like dried fruit and nuts.
Phone + wireless earbuds - For dancing, of course!
Abilities:
Tiny Dancer - At just 5’5 and 60kg, Katsuro is light on his feet and impressively agile—and, as a trained dancer at nigh-Olympic levels of proficiency, deceptively strong. As well as allowing him to fit into smaller spaces and move about stealthily, his stature can also throw off enemies who aren’t expecting him to be able to support over twice his body weight while hanging from that staff of his.
Groove is in the Heart - Katsuro can dance, and dance really well. His extensive training in the field affords him a boost to agility when performing acrobatic feats, and some mighty flexible joints for holding even the most awkward of positions and slipping out of tight grips or tricky traps. He’s also gonna fuck shit up in Götterdämmerung: Dancing In Daylight
Performing For an Audience - Katsuro receives a small boost to his agility for every person on the battlefield that isn’t him—allies and enemies included.
Lightweight - Physical ailments, such as Burn, Freeze, Shock, Poison and Hunger, have a higher rate of success against Katsuro, and he receives -15 to all stats when inflicted with one.
Persona:
VIII LA JUSTICE
EDGAR
The deuteragonist from “King Lear”, a play by William Shakespeare. Framed by his illegitimate brother, Edmund, for conspiracy to murder their father, the Earl of Gloucester, Edgar is forced to flee the kingdom and go into hiding as a beggar known as “Poor Tom”. With the support of the French armies, he returns during Gloucester’s darkest hour to rescue his now blind father and defeat his villainous brother Edmund.
Edgar manifests as a large, slender male-presenting humanoid with four arms and purple skin. On its body, it wears a tarnished and dirty suit of silver armour with gold trimming, swaddled in a flowing, light brown cloak and hood. It’s face is soft, its eyes obscured by a bloodied bandage blindfold. In its lower left hand, it clutches a gavel, and in the right, a battered gold sceptre. Both of its lower hands are severed, and hover slightly away from the wrist. In its upper two hands, it dual wields two silver rapiers. While its upper body is quite thin, Edgar’s lower body is thick and muscular, the armour gradually regaining its lustre as it reaches the greaves. On its back, it carries a large stick that cranes down in front of it, upon which a lantern hangs.
Affinity: Edgar balances physical offence with Bless bombardments and blitzing speed, making him an ideal main damage dealer for a team—but a team is what he needs, as he lacks any supportive skills and must rely on others for assistance, especially due to his lack of strong multi-target skills.
Resists: None
Weak: Curse
Stats:
Strength: 78
Magic: 53
Endurance: 47
Agility: 80
Luck: 58
Trait: Follow The Beat - Teammates that attack the enemy that Edgar attacked last turn will receive a -kaja independent boost to their power and agility for that one attack, which gradually increases the more that one enemy is targeted by the team. The streak is broken and thus reset when Edgar attacks another enemy, and does not apply in the case of multi-target moves.
Skills:
“Let’s dance, Edgar!”
Sword Dance - Edgar flings forth his swords, creating after images that follow along with the real ones. The after images align to the sides of the real swords, each one shooting off to surround the enemy, and once they have all gathered, they all dart inwards blade-first to strike one foe with a high crit rate. A critical hit will Mark an enemy for death.
Flash Bomb - The sky above Edgar crackles and flashes with lightning, and strikes the ground at the enemy’s feet to explode in a blinding light. This attack only does a medium amount of damage to all foes, but has a chance to inflict the Dizzy ailment, further supplementing Katsuro’s evasive power.
Kougaon - Edgar’s lantern rocks back and forth, and unleashes a holy damaging light upon one foe.
Hamaon - A heavenly light descends from above, slamming down onto one foe that has been Marked and claiming their soul—or just knocking them out, if they possess the basic level of willpower needed to resist.
Charge - Edgar and Katsuro move in sync with each other, focusing for a powerful physical strike to deal 2.5x the damage they would normally do for one attack.
Bless Amp - Edgar’s Bless attacks receive a 50% boost to their damage output, a nice compensation for the lack of Concentrate or Mind Charge.
Apt Pupil - Katsuro’s finesse and precision increases the rate at which he can land critical hits.
Ali Dance - Thanks to his sweet moves, Katsuro’s evasion is doubled against all incoming attacks.
Age: 22 (Born September 15th, 2003)
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Physical Appearance:
(Artist credit: Nase_Nikyuu)
Katsuro Himura was seemingly an inordinately lucky child. A silver spoon baby from the moment of conception, Katsuro was born to parents Orochi and Yoshiko Himura—the former of which a wealthy and successful politician and the latter a high ranking prosecutor who worked in conjunction with the SIU.
The father was overjoyed to have a son to raise as his own, though misunderstood how exactly to show this love: he often showered Katsuro in material gifts, expensive toys and sweets, but rarely showed much affection or offered any validation. Still, he doted on him constantly, and Katsuro hung around him frequently.
Though she would never admit it, Yoshiko despised her son: due to cultural pressures in Japan, it was unlikely she was going to be able to continue working with a child she was expected to rear. She was absent for a considerable length of time due to maternity leave, causing her to miss much of an important case—her superiors had pressured her after getting married to resign, and now they intended to continue that campaign even more fiercely. As a result, Yoshiko avoided her son when at home and was away often. She hasn’t chosen this willingly: Katsuro was an accident, and both Orochi and the pressures of the wider Japanese society barred her from exploring alternative options. Orochi criticised her heavily for this, and it became a topic of contention among the couple, with arguments frequently breaking out over her apathy.
Without any affection or validation, Katsuro became a lonely, longing child: he desperately sought to form friendships and bonds with all those around him, but as the son of two people who had made plenty of enemies during their careers, and a minority subject to much scrutiny and judgement in Japan, he had no one to reach out to but the house servants and his private tutor. Meek and withdrawn, he spent most of his time watching TV or surfing the web on the (heavily restricted) family laptop.
It was around this time that Katsuro discovered dancing: he was entranced by it at a young age, and often attempted to mimic the moves he saw in music videos or online. It became an artistic medium for him, allowing him to vent his frustrations and channel his emotions through his performances as he grew older—but such a hobby was not popular with the old-fashioned Orochi, who insisted Katsuro pursue more manly endeavours. Yoshiko, whether out of genuine care for her son, or spite for her husband, insisted the boy be allowed to do as he pleases, and Katsuro once again became a topic of fierce debate among his parents.
Their fights became more frequent, louder, less hidden—and as they did, Katsuro overheard more and more. Learning that he was the source of the couple’s marital strain, overhearing the truth about his accidental conception, took a heavy toll on the young Katsuro—and when his parents began to sleep in separate rooms, the guilt soon became immense self loathing. Actually watching the arguments unfold was his breaking point: He became terrified of his father, slowly growing to despise him as the conflicts became driven less by words and more by actions. Once he had seen it, there was no going back—even if he were to hide in his bedroom, every sudden smashing sound, blunt impact, yell and cry contextualised itself in Katsuro’s head, as his mind began to fill in the blanks against his will.
As he grew older, he regressed even further back into his cocoon, bottling up his emotions to unleash in fierce displays of dancing prowess.
Dancing with his dance group should have been the perfect way for Katsuro to make friends and grow as a person, and yet he was still just as withdrawn as ever. Outwardly, he was friendly and outgoing, hanging out at practice and achieving much in competitions—but such friendships were surface deep, such accomplishments were hollow. The bonds he formed were not true bonds: they were conditional, and would be stolen away the moment he could not accomplish what was expected of him. Thus, he found it difficult to get attached, his view on the world gradually distorting to become more depressive and cynical. He felt empty, as though he was a puppet merely being strung along by others—soulless. Still, a silver of joy presented itself to him: while he failed to engage with the social aspect of dance, the act itself was immensely cathartic for him, and he found his worries and troubles disappearing for those few minutes of a performance.
Katsuro despised the situation he found himself in—of course, he was affluent; he had no worries about his future, about not being able to afford necessities and missing out on opportunities—but none of that mattered to him if he couldn’t fulfil the most base of needs. He had no self-esteem, no feeling of belonging or love: Katsuro was secure, but not free. He just wished for life to change—but as his father would say, wishes don’t make riches.
The strain on her relationship combined with a son she despised had put Yoshiko under great stress, and her performance in her job as a prosecutor—and showing up to work with visible marks and wounds only served to raise further questions. Eventually, after years of loyal service, she was let go under the pretence of “downsizing”, and ushered out the door with a measly severance package and a wave goodbye.
Now twelve years of age, Katsuro saw less and less of his father as time went by: supposedly, he had a series of very important meetings with an up-and-coming politician who showed great promise, and Katsuro began to see him more frequently on television than in person. While Orochi was out organising the rise of the United Future Party, his wife was at home jobless—thus, she figured she had no choice but to attempt to bond with her son. Perhaps driven by her resentment for him, she began to project heavily onto him: she lived vicariously through his dancing success, and felt his failures at a magnified intensity. She was scathing and critical of him if he did not succeed, and seemed to view his victories as her own, offering Katsuro little praise. This took a further toll on the already emotionally ruined boy: every failure caused him to berate himself and withdraw himself even further, and he grew to despise all around him—his mother, his hobby, himself. Gradually, however, her words began to get through to him, and she began to coax him towards her side in the marital dispute. Further conflicted, Yoshiko’s attempts to win her son over only made him distrustful of both parents.
Still, of course, he found a way to blame himself for the death of his father a few years later.
The official cause of Orochi’s death was blunt force trauma in a car accident: supposedly, he was drunk, consuming large amounts of alcohol to cope with the stress from endless nights of overtime at the United Future Party—and frequent arguments with a certain Representative Shido about how exactly the Antisocial Force should carry out its executions. His sympathy for their personal hitman troubled the Conspiracy, and they would see to it that he was taken care of, just happening to fall asleep at the wheel and swerve down the wrong lane on a highway. Furthermore, several servants came forward with detailed accounts to corroborate Yoshiko’s allegations of abuse, and the public image that Orochi once held as a famous politician was forever tarnished, even in death—though that death received little news coverage, despite Orochi’s status of fame .
Inversely, things were looking up for Yoshiko: she had been rehired and promoted to a high ranking position in the SIU, her moods had improved considerably, and she bounced back from Orochi’s death in a few short days. Katsuro had never learned how to trust people, suspecting the worst from all he met—and this sudden turn of fortune would too be subject to his scrutiny. Anxious, he theorised that it was his fault—perhaps Orochi had been out working so much in an attempt to avoid him, or the strain on his marriage because of Katsuro’s birth had disrupted his sleep. He never put two-and-two together until much later—how Yoshiko’s luck had improved so greatly at the exact point Orochi’s had run out.
Such fortune would be short lived, however, as those who had gifted it to the family were quick to take it away when the SIU proved no longer useful. The old guard were dealt with—the commissioner, several high ranking officials, and, of course, Yoshiko. The investigation into her death was open and shut in a matter of weeks: overdose on illicit drugs, supposedly. It was thus concluded that not only had Yoshiko been using illegal substances, but she had also been behind the abuse that Orochi had been accused of. The servants from before claimed they had been pressured by Yoshiko, who at the time was their employer, to give false testimony: it was in fact Yoshiko who perpetrated the abuse, and she had groomed her son over time to lie in order to defend her—anything he revealed regarding Yoshiko’s work or home life, anything that might implicate the Antisocial Force, was not to be trusted, and he was not of sound mind.
Ushered off to live with his grandparents, Katsuro managed to salvage one thing: the family laptop, where he had first learned of dancing through the net. He never saw much of it once Orochi began to work under Shido, as it had become more of his father’s computer than one for the family—and later, his mother’s. Having become a total shut-in thanks to the repeated bevy of trauma he had endured, Katsuro spent much of his time on the laptop in his room. He recalled better times, when he became inspired by videos online of intricate and passionate dances, and when he too could dance his cares away. A cursory scan of his system for viruses, however, would reveal what part of him had always secretly feared.
The virus software discovered a keylogger had been installed on the laptop, and all that was typed on it was tracked. When Katsuro investigated the files, however, he found that the keylogger was from many years ago—specifically, around the start of 2015. Additionally, it was not difficult to find: in fact an installer that made no attempts to hide its true nature was found in a folder in the “Downloads” section.
From there, he discovered much more—word documents and notepad files detailing diaries and reports, mentions of “list of targets” and “falsified evidence”, “The Conspiracy'' and “Kamikakushi-kai”. The Conspiracy he was aware of—the cases of Masayoshi Shido and Jyun Owada had been publicised since then, his crimes revealed. Kamikakushi-kai was new, however, and the details on the group he found on the laptop shook him to the core. They had been contracted to kill both Orochi and Yoshiko—and one of their assassins had fabricated the story of Yoshiko’s abuse to discredit her and make her appear unreasonable.
He closed the files quickly and didn’t open the laptop for the next week, allowing the information he had learned to stew.
He knew the truth of everything: Orochi had furthered his involvement with the United Future Party in order to protect his wife, once he learned they planned to infiltrate and take over the SIU. When he began to show signs of sedition, the Conspiracy approached Yoshiko and requested she install a keylogger onto his device, so they could track him and search for possible hints as to his Palace keywords, and if he planned to betray them.
For her service, Yoshiko was rewarded with a high ranking position at the now Antisocial Force-controlled SIU, and the Conspiracy would arrange for Kamikakushi-kai to fake crimes for her to solve. Yoshiko intended to use this to earn enough money to retire early, then flee the country to avoid the potential wrath of Shido’s forces. With the manipulative Orochi dead, they could finally escape Osaka—though much of Orochi’s inheritance had been used to pay off the family’s servants as severance, as well as organise his funeral, so Yoshiko had to work that little while longer.
With this knowledge, Katsuro received some degree of closure—but it only further spurred a rage inside of him. This group was responsible for ruining his family, his chance at a normal life, and they remained active? The assassin behind the deaths of his parents could still be at large, and may never receive punishment for their crimes. Meanwhile, he had been consigned to live with his grandparents, every bit as emotionally distant as he was, and with little money beyond Yoshiko’s inheritance—meaning the dream of Katsuro’s future as a professional dancer was ruined, if the public tarnishing of the Himura name hadn’t already destroyed that opportunity for him already.
He found himself conflicted—he had to find some way to bring these killers to justice, but was he sure he wanted to devote his life to this? What was left for him afterwards? What was going to be waiting for him once the Kamikakushi-kai had been brought to Justice? He had a choice to make: did he devote what was left of his life to destroying the ones who had caused him so much pain, or did he attempt to move forward and forge his own path? Was taking the enemy down a fruitless endeavour, or the only thing left for him?
Katsuro paused to look at the situation with clarity: he needed more information before he could fully decide. That would mean investigating the Kamikakushi-kai...something that could possibly land him in the ideal spot to take them down.
Following a lead to Osaka, Katsuro took an interim job at a stationery company and signed the lease to a small apartment, determined to find answers and decide his ultimate fate. Now Kichiro Yamashita, he took the new name for several reasons: to escape his past, for one. To protect himself from the Kamikakushi-kai’s (outdated, but he didn’t know that) method of Metaverse assassination, and to escape the eyes of scrutiny that the name of his disgraced family would attract. He would find the truth he sought—or throw away his life trying.
The father was overjoyed to have a son to raise as his own, though misunderstood how exactly to show this love: he often showered Katsuro in material gifts, expensive toys and sweets, but rarely showed much affection or offered any validation. Still, he doted on him constantly, and Katsuro hung around him frequently.
Though she would never admit it, Yoshiko despised her son: due to cultural pressures in Japan, it was unlikely she was going to be able to continue working with a child she was expected to rear. She was absent for a considerable length of time due to maternity leave, causing her to miss much of an important case—her superiors had pressured her after getting married to resign, and now they intended to continue that campaign even more fiercely. As a result, Yoshiko avoided her son when at home and was away often. She hasn’t chosen this willingly: Katsuro was an accident, and both Orochi and the pressures of the wider Japanese society barred her from exploring alternative options. Orochi criticised her heavily for this, and it became a topic of contention among the couple, with arguments frequently breaking out over her apathy.
Without any affection or validation, Katsuro became a lonely, longing child: he desperately sought to form friendships and bonds with all those around him, but as the son of two people who had made plenty of enemies during their careers, and a minority subject to much scrutiny and judgement in Japan, he had no one to reach out to but the house servants and his private tutor. Meek and withdrawn, he spent most of his time watching TV or surfing the web on the (heavily restricted) family laptop.
It was around this time that Katsuro discovered dancing: he was entranced by it at a young age, and often attempted to mimic the moves he saw in music videos or online. It became an artistic medium for him, allowing him to vent his frustrations and channel his emotions through his performances as he grew older—but such a hobby was not popular with the old-fashioned Orochi, who insisted Katsuro pursue more manly endeavours. Yoshiko, whether out of genuine care for her son, or spite for her husband, insisted the boy be allowed to do as he pleases, and Katsuro once again became a topic of fierce debate among his parents.
Their fights became more frequent, louder, less hidden—and as they did, Katsuro overheard more and more. Learning that he was the source of the couple’s marital strain, overhearing the truth about his accidental conception, took a heavy toll on the young Katsuro—and when his parents began to sleep in separate rooms, the guilt soon became immense self loathing. Actually watching the arguments unfold was his breaking point: He became terrified of his father, slowly growing to despise him as the conflicts became driven less by words and more by actions. Once he had seen it, there was no going back—even if he were to hide in his bedroom, every sudden smashing sound, blunt impact, yell and cry contextualised itself in Katsuro’s head, as his mind began to fill in the blanks against his will.
As he grew older, he regressed even further back into his cocoon, bottling up his emotions to unleash in fierce displays of dancing prowess.
Dancing with his dance group should have been the perfect way for Katsuro to make friends and grow as a person, and yet he was still just as withdrawn as ever. Outwardly, he was friendly and outgoing, hanging out at practice and achieving much in competitions—but such friendships were surface deep, such accomplishments were hollow. The bonds he formed were not true bonds: they were conditional, and would be stolen away the moment he could not accomplish what was expected of him. Thus, he found it difficult to get attached, his view on the world gradually distorting to become more depressive and cynical. He felt empty, as though he was a puppet merely being strung along by others—soulless. Still, a silver of joy presented itself to him: while he failed to engage with the social aspect of dance, the act itself was immensely cathartic for him, and he found his worries and troubles disappearing for those few minutes of a performance.
Katsuro despised the situation he found himself in—of course, he was affluent; he had no worries about his future, about not being able to afford necessities and missing out on opportunities—but none of that mattered to him if he couldn’t fulfil the most base of needs. He had no self-esteem, no feeling of belonging or love: Katsuro was secure, but not free. He just wished for life to change—but as his father would say, wishes don’t make riches.
The strain on her relationship combined with a son she despised had put Yoshiko under great stress, and her performance in her job as a prosecutor—and showing up to work with visible marks and wounds only served to raise further questions. Eventually, after years of loyal service, she was let go under the pretence of “downsizing”, and ushered out the door with a measly severance package and a wave goodbye.
Now twelve years of age, Katsuro saw less and less of his father as time went by: supposedly, he had a series of very important meetings with an up-and-coming politician who showed great promise, and Katsuro began to see him more frequently on television than in person. While Orochi was out organising the rise of the United Future Party, his wife was at home jobless—thus, she figured she had no choice but to attempt to bond with her son. Perhaps driven by her resentment for him, she began to project heavily onto him: she lived vicariously through his dancing success, and felt his failures at a magnified intensity. She was scathing and critical of him if he did not succeed, and seemed to view his victories as her own, offering Katsuro little praise. This took a further toll on the already emotionally ruined boy: every failure caused him to berate himself and withdraw himself even further, and he grew to despise all around him—his mother, his hobby, himself. Gradually, however, her words began to get through to him, and she began to coax him towards her side in the marital dispute. Further conflicted, Yoshiko’s attempts to win her son over only made him distrustful of both parents.
Still, of course, he found a way to blame himself for the death of his father a few years later.
The official cause of Orochi’s death was blunt force trauma in a car accident: supposedly, he was drunk, consuming large amounts of alcohol to cope with the stress from endless nights of overtime at the United Future Party—and frequent arguments with a certain Representative Shido about how exactly the Antisocial Force should carry out its executions. His sympathy for their personal hitman troubled the Conspiracy, and they would see to it that he was taken care of, just happening to fall asleep at the wheel and swerve down the wrong lane on a highway. Furthermore, several servants came forward with detailed accounts to corroborate Yoshiko’s allegations of abuse, and the public image that Orochi once held as a famous politician was forever tarnished, even in death—though that death received little news coverage, despite Orochi’s status of fame .
Inversely, things were looking up for Yoshiko: she had been rehired and promoted to a high ranking position in the SIU, her moods had improved considerably, and she bounced back from Orochi’s death in a few short days. Katsuro had never learned how to trust people, suspecting the worst from all he met—and this sudden turn of fortune would too be subject to his scrutiny. Anxious, he theorised that it was his fault—perhaps Orochi had been out working so much in an attempt to avoid him, or the strain on his marriage because of Katsuro’s birth had disrupted his sleep. He never put two-and-two together until much later—how Yoshiko’s luck had improved so greatly at the exact point Orochi’s had run out.
Such fortune would be short lived, however, as those who had gifted it to the family were quick to take it away when the SIU proved no longer useful. The old guard were dealt with—the commissioner, several high ranking officials, and, of course, Yoshiko. The investigation into her death was open and shut in a matter of weeks: overdose on illicit drugs, supposedly. It was thus concluded that not only had Yoshiko been using illegal substances, but she had also been behind the abuse that Orochi had been accused of. The servants from before claimed they had been pressured by Yoshiko, who at the time was their employer, to give false testimony: it was in fact Yoshiko who perpetrated the abuse, and she had groomed her son over time to lie in order to defend her—anything he revealed regarding Yoshiko’s work or home life, anything that might implicate the Antisocial Force, was not to be trusted, and he was not of sound mind.
Ushered off to live with his grandparents, Katsuro managed to salvage one thing: the family laptop, where he had first learned of dancing through the net. He never saw much of it once Orochi began to work under Shido, as it had become more of his father’s computer than one for the family—and later, his mother’s. Having become a total shut-in thanks to the repeated bevy of trauma he had endured, Katsuro spent much of his time on the laptop in his room. He recalled better times, when he became inspired by videos online of intricate and passionate dances, and when he too could dance his cares away. A cursory scan of his system for viruses, however, would reveal what part of him had always secretly feared.
The virus software discovered a keylogger had been installed on the laptop, and all that was typed on it was tracked. When Katsuro investigated the files, however, he found that the keylogger was from many years ago—specifically, around the start of 2015. Additionally, it was not difficult to find: in fact an installer that made no attempts to hide its true nature was found in a folder in the “Downloads” section.
From there, he discovered much more—word documents and notepad files detailing diaries and reports, mentions of “list of targets” and “falsified evidence”, “The Conspiracy'' and “Kamikakushi-kai”. The Conspiracy he was aware of—the cases of Masayoshi Shido and Jyun Owada had been publicised since then, his crimes revealed. Kamikakushi-kai was new, however, and the details on the group he found on the laptop shook him to the core. They had been contracted to kill both Orochi and Yoshiko—and one of their assassins had fabricated the story of Yoshiko’s abuse to discredit her and make her appear unreasonable.
He closed the files quickly and didn’t open the laptop for the next week, allowing the information he had learned to stew.
He knew the truth of everything: Orochi had furthered his involvement with the United Future Party in order to protect his wife, once he learned they planned to infiltrate and take over the SIU. When he began to show signs of sedition, the Conspiracy approached Yoshiko and requested she install a keylogger onto his device, so they could track him and search for possible hints as to his Palace keywords, and if he planned to betray them.
For her service, Yoshiko was rewarded with a high ranking position at the now Antisocial Force-controlled SIU, and the Conspiracy would arrange for Kamikakushi-kai to fake crimes for her to solve. Yoshiko intended to use this to earn enough money to retire early, then flee the country to avoid the potential wrath of Shido’s forces. With the manipulative Orochi dead, they could finally escape Osaka—though much of Orochi’s inheritance had been used to pay off the family’s servants as severance, as well as organise his funeral, so Yoshiko had to work that little while longer.
With this knowledge, Katsuro received some degree of closure—but it only further spurred a rage inside of him. This group was responsible for ruining his family, his chance at a normal life, and they remained active? The assassin behind the deaths of his parents could still be at large, and may never receive punishment for their crimes. Meanwhile, he had been consigned to live with his grandparents, every bit as emotionally distant as he was, and with little money beyond Yoshiko’s inheritance—meaning the dream of Katsuro’s future as a professional dancer was ruined, if the public tarnishing of the Himura name hadn’t already destroyed that opportunity for him already.
He found himself conflicted—he had to find some way to bring these killers to justice, but was he sure he wanted to devote his life to this? What was left for him afterwards? What was going to be waiting for him once the Kamikakushi-kai had been brought to Justice? He had a choice to make: did he devote what was left of his life to destroying the ones who had caused him so much pain, or did he attempt to move forward and forge his own path? Was taking the enemy down a fruitless endeavour, or the only thing left for him?
Katsuro paused to look at the situation with clarity: he needed more information before he could fully decide. That would mean investigating the Kamikakushi-kai...something that could possibly land him in the ideal spot to take them down.
Following a lead to Osaka, Katsuro took an interim job at a stationery company and signed the lease to a small apartment, determined to find answers and decide his ultimate fate. Now Kichiro Yamashita, he took the new name for several reasons: to escape his past, for one. To protect himself from the Kamikakushi-kai’s (outdated, but he didn’t know that) method of Metaverse assassination, and to escape the eyes of scrutiny that the name of his disgraced family would attract. He would find the truth he sought—or throw away his life trying.
Nationality: Japanese, 2nd Generation Zainichi Korean
Occupation: Office worker/salesman at Kansai Stationery Co. (Home - kansai), wannabe professional dancer
Place of Residence: Toyosaki, Kita Ward, Osaka.
Personality: From his troubled past, Katsuro suffers from undiagnosed Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or C-PTSD. He has difficulty controlling his emotions, struggles to trust new people, is frequently paranoid of new people and new situations and expects the worst, and has incredibly low self-esteem, among other symptoms. He is especially touch starved from years of neglect, though unfortunately tends to gravitate more towards those who are emotionally unavailable or liable to hurt him. With those he is close with, he will often make small gestures of contact for reassurance when anxious, such as patting on the shoulder, high fiving or hugging, or a gentle brush past them.
Separately from this, but also undiagnosed, Katsuro is on the autism spectrum, which further impacts his ability to perform socially—though it is also the source of his ability and preference to plan carefully ahead of time, as well as his special interest in dancing: he possesses extensive knowledge of not just methods and moves of dance, but also the history of various types of dance, famous dancers, the history of music, and the cultural significance of dance and music, among other things.
The Kichiro alias attempts to suppress these traits to an at times unhealthy degree, compensating for them by assuming a façade. In many ways, Kichiro is a paradox: he is hyper flirtatious and charming, yet eases off significantly when such behaviour is enthusiastically reciprocated and is seemingly terrified of commiting to his words. He is cheery and optimistic on the outside, yet is wrought with fear and constantly on guard for catastrophe inside. He seems incredibly social and encourages fairness, yet often avoids meaningful engagement in social situations and can come across as spiteful and petty when faced with a perceived injustice. He presents an aura of composure, yet fidgets with anxiety frequently and loses focus. Altogether, Kichiro is a nice lie, but ultimately untenable—eventually, the mask cracks, and the emotion from a breakdown is only further exacerbated.
Katsuro is the true self, and is thus a more accurate reflection. Unlike Kichiro, the trauma he has faced neither rules or defines Katsuro—Katsuro is the original identity, his own person, whereas Kichiro was crafted as a response to and defense against trauma. Katsuro is mellow and quiet, at first appearing withdrawn but revealing himself to be surprisingly chatty when a topic of interest arises. He can at times be blunt, but is overall friendly and well-intentioned, and does his best to find the best in people—regardless of what his anxiety may be trying to tell him.
Intelligence: 2 (Is trying his best)
Wisdom: 2 (Wisened-up)
Guts: 4 (Determined)
Kindness: 4 (Conscientious)
Charm: 5 (Groovy)
Alignment: True Neutral
Likes: Dancing, music with a groovy rhythm, cooking (usually with meat and fish), bubble tea, matcha, caffeine, fashion, positive reinforcement.
Dislikes: Fast food, serious-looking stern people, losing control of the situation, feeling exposed, being yelled at or scolded, being restrained, expectations from others, sudden and/or loud noises, excessive sensory input (flashing lights, unwanted touching, etc), having his hair touched or pulled.
Clothing/Style: While operating under the Kichiro Yamashita pseudonym, Katsuro’s wardrobe looks exactly like how you’d expect a hyperactive hip-hop dancer’s wardrobe to look like: Flashy, with lots of bright colours that have no right to work as well together as they do. He has a keen eye for the hippest trends in streetwear, and many of his fits are assembled with the keen eye of a fashion artist and the support and input of like minded peers on Internet forums. Though it can vary, Katsuro will generally wear loose fitting and light clothing such as tank tops or light coats, favouring the colour blue and its many variants. He also wears silver piercings in his ear when not performing, and blue contacts, which he insists are definitely not contacts.
Katsuro Himura’s outfits are far more bland, however. His blues are more subdued, and he tends towards black rather than white when it comes to complementary colours. He loses the contacts and the piercings, swapping them out for thick lensed, round framed glasses. His clothes are baggier and cover far more skin, and he’ll usually throw the hood up if whatever he’s wearing has one.
Relationships:
Orochi Himura - Katsuro is heavily conflicted on his feelings towards his father. On one hand, he caused his mother no end of suffering which trickled down to him, and was willing to involve himself with the villainous Antisocial Force. On the other hand, he seemed to genuinely care for his son and wished to see him grow into a strong man, though perhaps he projected his own desires too strongly. Katsuro acknowledges that what Orochi did was unforgivable—and yet, he can’t help but long for another chance with his father. He wishes he could go back to the start, and fix his perceived failings to keep the family from falling apart—though if Katsuro was to ever be pressed about what his “failings” were, he would likely deflect the question. The blame he feels for how his family fell apart is an irrational one, and he has no solid evidence to back up the guilty verdict he has assigned to himself.
Yoshiko Himura - Like his father, Katsuro has a variety of very mixed feelings in regards to his relationship with his mother. He feels anger over her supposed resentment of him, but also believes that it was ultimately his fault, and that she can thus be absolved of blame. At the same time, he resents her for selling his father out to the Conspiracy, but also understands that he was a manipulative abuser who had caused her much harm, and figures that there was no other way out of that situation. He can’t forgive her for how she pressured and emotionally manipulated him when it came to dancing, however, a factor which further contributes to his distaste towards his mother.
Chaos [Alignment] - Katsuro holds a strong disdain for the Kamikakushi-kai and all those who would align themselves with it, blaming them for the downfall of his family. His hatred for them has begun to consume him, and he fears allowing it to dictate his life will mean he will never be able to live it.
Arcana: VIII - La Justice
Upright - Karma, clarity, rationality. A call for one to step back and examine a situation with the lens of logic, setting aside emotion and taking into account the hard facts to decide the fairest outcome.
Reversed - Unfair outcomes, unbalanced partnerships, the inability for justice to be enacted. A call for one to move on and lay down their sword—not every situation will have a fair outcome, and sometimes nothing can be done.
Contract: “See better, and let thy justice remain the true blank of thine eye. Bring clarity, and free thyself from the storm of lies and mystery which cloud thy vision and judgement.”
Alter-Ego: Vivace
Frontier Armor:
Also included is the upper half (down to the cheekbones) of a Pierrot masquerade mask.~
(Art by NTT Solmare)
Bladed Ideal: The Himura family pendant: a heart shaped locket that traces its origins back to the Edo Period, with a tiny ruby serving as the latch holding two halves together. To summon, Katsuro yanks it from his neck, snapping the chain—though placing it against his chest will reconstitute the chain.
Equipment:
Steel Staff - A steel, collapsible pocket staff. Good for blunt force persuasion, and can be weaved into dance routines for elegant attacks—additionally, Katsuro’s adept agility allows him to be particularly precise with his strikes, jabbing at sensitive or pressure points.
Rucksack - Lightweight and easy to tote around, this rucksack is filled mostly with plastic bottles of water and healthy snacks like dried fruit and nuts.
Phone + wireless earbuds - For dancing, of course!
Abilities:
Tiny Dancer - At just 5’5 and 60kg, Katsuro is light on his feet and impressively agile—and, as a trained dancer at nigh-Olympic levels of proficiency, deceptively strong. As well as allowing him to fit into smaller spaces and move about stealthily, his stature can also throw off enemies who aren’t expecting him to be able to support over twice his body weight while hanging from that staff of his.
Groove is in the Heart - Katsuro can dance, and dance really well. His extensive training in the field affords him a boost to agility when performing acrobatic feats, and some mighty flexible joints for holding even the most awkward of positions and slipping out of tight grips or tricky traps. He’s also gonna fuck shit up in Götterdämmerung: Dancing In Daylight
Performing For an Audience - Katsuro receives a small boost to his agility for every person on the battlefield that isn’t him—allies and enemies included.
Lightweight - Physical ailments, such as Burn, Freeze, Shock, Poison and Hunger, have a higher rate of success against Katsuro, and he receives -15 to all stats when inflicted with one.
Persona:
VIII LA JUSTICE
EDGAR
The deuteragonist from “King Lear”, a play by William Shakespeare. Framed by his illegitimate brother, Edmund, for conspiracy to murder their father, the Earl of Gloucester, Edgar is forced to flee the kingdom and go into hiding as a beggar known as “Poor Tom”. With the support of the French armies, he returns during Gloucester’s darkest hour to rescue his now blind father and defeat his villainous brother Edmund.
Edgar manifests as a large, slender male-presenting humanoid with four arms and purple skin. On its body, it wears a tarnished and dirty suit of silver armour with gold trimming, swaddled in a flowing, light brown cloak and hood. It’s face is soft, its eyes obscured by a bloodied bandage blindfold. In its lower left hand, it clutches a gavel, and in the right, a battered gold sceptre. Both of its lower hands are severed, and hover slightly away from the wrist. In its upper two hands, it dual wields two silver rapiers. While its upper body is quite thin, Edgar’s lower body is thick and muscular, the armour gradually regaining its lustre as it reaches the greaves. On its back, it carries a large stick that cranes down in front of it, upon which a lantern hangs.
Affinity: Edgar balances physical offence with Bless bombardments and blitzing speed, making him an ideal main damage dealer for a team—but a team is what he needs, as he lacks any supportive skills and must rely on others for assistance, especially due to his lack of strong multi-target skills.
Resists: None
Weak: Curse
Stats:
Strength: 78
Magic: 53
Endurance: 47
Agility: 80
Luck: 58
Trait: Follow The Beat - Teammates that attack the enemy that Edgar attacked last turn will receive a -kaja independent boost to their power and agility for that one attack, which gradually increases the more that one enemy is targeted by the team. The streak is broken and thus reset when Edgar attacks another enemy, and does not apply in the case of multi-target moves.
Skills:
“Let’s dance, Edgar!”
Sword Dance - Edgar flings forth his swords, creating after images that follow along with the real ones. The after images align to the sides of the real swords, each one shooting off to surround the enemy, and once they have all gathered, they all dart inwards blade-first to strike one foe with a high crit rate. A critical hit will Mark an enemy for death.
Flash Bomb - The sky above Edgar crackles and flashes with lightning, and strikes the ground at the enemy’s feet to explode in a blinding light. This attack only does a medium amount of damage to all foes, but has a chance to inflict the Dizzy ailment, further supplementing Katsuro’s evasive power.
Kougaon - Edgar’s lantern rocks back and forth, and unleashes a holy damaging light upon one foe.
Hamaon - A heavenly light descends from above, slamming down onto one foe that has been Marked and claiming their soul—or just knocking them out, if they possess the basic level of willpower needed to resist.
Charge - Edgar and Katsuro move in sync with each other, focusing for a powerful physical strike to deal 2.5x the damage they would normally do for one attack.
Bless Amp - Edgar’s Bless attacks receive a 50% boost to their damage output, a nice compensation for the lack of Concentrate or Mind Charge.
Apt Pupil - Katsuro’s finesse and precision increases the rate at which he can land critical hits.
Ali Dance - Thanks to his sweet moves, Katsuro’s evasion is doubled against all incoming attacks.
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