AlteredTundra

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Yoshino Denji (The serious twin)

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Full Name - Yoshino Denji Age - 25 Gender - Male Occupation - Hunter - // PERSONALITY P E R S O N A L I T Y Traditionalist Denji is a stickler for tradition after learning of his uncle's death. Having to watch his twin brother constantly shirk his duties feels Denji with untold dread. This has led the man to constantly act within the traditions, never once coming close to breaking them. Any breaking of these traditions will cause Denji to "discipline" the guilty party. Praying is vastly important to the point he prays at every turn. This traditionalism brought a level of fear toward Yokai that Denji has yet to rectify. Stalwart Thanks to growing up alongside a hyperactive twin, Denji is rather the silent type. He does not use many words to express himself nor, does he often go out of his way to befriend anyone. Anything that would get in the way of keeping the village safe and fed is seen as non-important; this does NOT mean that Denji avoids every get together but, that he chooses to be friendly after all tasks are finished. Selfless Denji is constantly helping those around the village despite his own personal wants and needs. This does not extend to those he considers harmful to traditions but, instead he is willing to patiently help those in need. Even so, Denji will not go out of his way if he thinks it will harbor on harming the traditions set in place. // SKILLSET S K I L L S E T Tracking Denji is an expert tracker. He has trained extensively underneath his father and grandfather, acquiring secrets that even his brother has yet to learn. Tracking is a hobby to Denji despite seeing it as a necessity, practicing his skills during his free time. The thrill of the hunt excites the man; hiding that excitement for his brother doesn't tease him. Using every sense, Denji can track with the best of his clan. Sojutsu To make a long story short, Denji is rather experienced when using a spear; specifically learning sojutsu to support his brother's affinity with archery. He has no love for using the spear, but it allows him to stay out of danger when hunting. He has practiced tirelessly to strike and kill animals in a single strike so as not to invoke the wrath of the yokai. Cook A trait learned from their mother, Denji has an affinity for cooking. He thoroughly enjoys mixing herbs, and spices to find the best combinations, marinating his meat to perfection. There is not much to say but, he has a specific eye for grilling. Cooking family meals has been a tradition for Denji for as long as he could remember.

Physical Description Considering that Denji is a identical twin, he shares a set of features with his older twin that classifies them as pleasing to the eye. The younger twin does attempt to differentiate himself from his brother, keeping his hair semi-straight in comparison to Denki's spiky look, and growing his hair out into a ponytail that reaches his lower back. Physically his body matches Denki almost identically, his muscles being more defined and pronounced due to his rigid training. Notably there is a scar across his left cheek from a failed hunt. Character Conceptualization Denji has not had a interesting life up to this point. For years, he was the responsible twin, despite being younger by a few minutes, that had to keep Denki in line. His stalwart and rigid personality being a result of his fear of Yokai; a fear crafted from losing his uncle to a yokai when Denji was 5 years old. This fear is a big part of the reason why he keeps to tradition so fervently, even explaining why he comes down so hard on his older twin so often, the fear of losing someone else swims through his mind every hunt. But also this fear has lead to a fascination with the old world and the relic that Takamori Kenji keeps at his side. Denji would be content with keeping things the way they are but, a part of him remains curious of the past. Other Information Denji constantly has to prepare Denki's meals and remind him to eat The shoulder pad on his kimono is a reminder of his Uncle Daiki, the same shoulder pad he died wearing Denji knows the signs purify, heat, and slow It is a rather known bit of info that Denji is afraid of Yokai but, only Denki knows how much

@Taka

Ju-V

^{INTERACTIONS: Aegis Agent, Mountain Man and Freshwater/Saltwater Otter, everyone who heard him
LOCATION: San Francisco International Airport → HOP ON THE BUS → Boats n Hoes~ → Fun Playroom}

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

"What a total bummer."

Those words echoed in the usually empty head of one Skylar Vass as he flew on a commercial flight, escorted by a couple of Aegis agents, no less, from Kahului Airport to San Francisco International. Flying coach with special circumstances or something to that effect made no sense to Kyle, but it wasn’t because he was looking too much into being escorted by these agents but, honest to god, he wasn’t even thinking about it. His mind was elsewhere. It was back on Hawaii and he kept thinking about what led up to this moment.

When he got his powers, Kyle didn’t know what to think or feel about it. He had always been an agile kid. His parents were the best and let him find his own way. He was homeschooled, which gave him the freedom to learn at his own pace. He wasn’t the kind of kid who would go on to be a big time scientist or even become a teacher. Kyle passed with average marks and made use of the free time. He loved to surf. He loved cliff-jumping. He loved swimming and skating. Extreme sports was not just part of the soul of the island but it was his lifeblood. Both of his parents were famous for their talents on a board. His mom was a famous skater while his dad was for the water.

So somewhere along the lines, Kyle developed a love for both. Excelling at speed like his mother did on land but took after his father for a love of water. Combine that with friends who often encouraged Kyle and his bad habits of doing some insane, crazy stunts that often led to broken arms, bruises all over his body, and an impressive amount of trips to the local clinic. It got to the point that Kyle was on a first name basis with every nurse and they didn’t need to bring up his information. It could be assumed by his injury at that time.

But getting his powers was a totally different story. Kyle didn’t change when he got it. One might say that his stunts grew in scale and so did the attention he brought on himself. The friends he kept encouraged him to go big or go home.

As it turned out, going big wouldn’t let him go home. Because within half of a fortnight, Aegis came-a-knockin on at his home, explaining the reason for their visit. One of Kyle’s bros convinced him it would be a good idea to use his powers on them and the other filmed it. That’s how he wound up on a plane to San Francisco.

Not your brightest idea, Kyle. Not at all…

When the plane landed and Kyle retrieved his singular luggage that wasn’t the backpack he had as a carry on, he waited with the good agents of Aegis, thinking about his life choices, but as he did, the simple-minded Hawaiian felt whelmed by his environment. No matter the reason, the fact remained that he was in a city that he always wanted to visit. He loved the idea of California. To a lot of his ohana back on the Island, California was like the distant cousin of Hawaii. The cousin that didn’t do everything they could but had enough of the working pieces. Plus, Beverly Hills 90210 and Katy Perry always made it seem like its own paradise. Even though Kyle wanted to think about the reasons that brought him here, all he could do was enjoy finally being in Cali. He wanted to see some California girls, with daisy dukes and bikini on top!

As he started to board, dressed in shorts and a tank, big hoverboard under his arm, Kyle found himself humming California Gurls as he took a seat in the back. Despite everything happening, Kyle was just happy to be here. Happy to be able to keep his board. It didn’t even occur to him until he heard a commotion that there were some interesting people on the bus. He spent so much time gazing out of the window like the tourist he was, taking in the sights of San Fran. It only really clicked when someone made a big deal about an otter.

Brown eyes glanced at the little critter and he mused, “Ay brada, you think that’s freshwater or seawater otter?” He asked the Aegis agent that sat next to him.

The man shrugged. “No clue. My knowledge of otters is nonexistant.”

“Shoots.” Kyle responded before returning to his previous activity of gazing at the sights that they’d pass. There were others that came aboard or that he had only just realized such as the man made of stone and the winged angel, but he was still going through the motions of jetlag that Kyle kept to his own devices.

By the time the bus came to its destination, Austin, the name of the aegis agent that sat near Kyle who didn’t give him his name technically, but Kyle estimated that he looked like an Austin, had gestured to him to get up. “Roger dat, Austin!” Kyle saluted Austin with the hang loose hand gesture.

“My name’s not Austin. It’s Steve.”

“Really? Roger dat, Not Austin, It’s Steve!” He gave Not Austin, It’s Steve a simple grin and descended off the bus and the dark-haired Hawaiian felt at home when he saw where they were. He looked around and couldn’t help but feel at peace being near water.

Then came the ferries to carry off them off in batches of two to the giant island in view. Kyle was in group two because they had to account for Mountain Man. “A hui hou, Mountain Man and Otter!” Did they actually acknowledge Kyle’s simple farewell to them as they boarded their ferry? Probably not, but Kyle did it anyway because he didn’t know what else to do.

After the ferry came back and he rode on it himself, he pondered about how it would have been easy for him to just go across the sea with his board, but due to reasons of if he tried to do anything with his powers and Austin/Steve might attack him for it, Kyle knew that wasn’t a good idea. He didn’t have his bros to convince him it would be, either, so that meant he had to ride it out.

If only people would have told him all hell would break loose once they got to the island. People bled, a feather was used as a weapon, some cute Japanese girl got hit with pepper spray after she started to disappear (Wow that was killer!). But the worst of it all and probably the one thing that lingered in Kyle’s mind was his board being confiscated. He felt naked without it. He felt incomplete. What was a surfer, a kid from the island who spent his entire life on a board, without one? Whether skate, hover, or surf, him and his board was the closest thing he had ever come to finding his soul mate.

And now that he had to be without it, no matter how overdramatic it was, Kyle lost part of his free-spirited soul. Not even the residual hummings he tried to focus on of California Gurls could mend his broken heart. No amount of activities he saw as they went further into the facility, not the pool nor sauna nor steaming room could take his attention off the fact that he really needed to know where his board was.

But then everything changed when the activity empire attacked.

Okay, maybe more like a small battalion, but Kyle soon found himself in better spirits. A twinkle lit up his eyes when he saw the consoles. Something to know about Kyle: while he was an avid gamer, he didn’t play a wide variety, but he loved skating games. Skate, Tony Hawk Pro Skater - you name it. He loved playing those. He lived for those to an extent. He even liked Shaun White’s snowboarding game.

Honing in on the part of the rec room where the consoles were, both of the boys who were playing it went up and left and, Kyle being the kind of guy who never let a situation pass him by, he made a beeline for the console, making himself comfortable and continued playing whatever racing game it was those two were having a ball with. “Kinda wished it was Skate but a game is a game.” Kyle understood he was talking to himself. Most might find that weird, but then again, Kyle wasn’t necessarily the kind of person people looked at and thought ‘wow that kid is someone who totally fits society’s definition of a tool’.

Kyle was not a tool. He rode the waves and often crashed and burned when he went too high up.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Yoshino Denki

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Full Name - Yoshino Denki Age - 25 and loving life Gender - The malest of males Occupation - Village hunter-gatherer (shared with Denji) - // PERSONALITY P E R S O N A L I T Y Positively Entertaining Some might call Denki a positive person. Some might even call him a beacon of hope (because he sure will), but truth be told, he's someone who just knows how to have a good time. Whether this is cracking jokes with the other guys in the village (or whomever will listen), smiling and generally, enjoying himself, Denki is someone that has the tendency of looking at life through a much simpler, less chaotic and not as serious gaze. In his heart, there is the pain of feeling the pressure from his family and the hunter legacy, but he tries not to let it bother him. On days when he can prevent his demons from ruining his good mood, Denki tries to spread his unique brand of positivity (not to be confused with Haruhi who is her own brand of sunshine). Denki shows his light in a different way. He does it through vibes that are more about enjoying the moment rather than uplifting everyone by being in their face (Denki respects that approach more than anyone would know). But honestly, for him it's more about not being reminded of the harsh realities that come with being part of the Yoshino family and the legacy that comes with it. Chill as an autumn breeze Despite being one of two hunters for the village, Denki is someone who enjoys the little things in life. Maybe too much if you were to ask his younger twin brother, who always seems to be picking up his slack and catching just as much heat for it. He isn't irresponsible, but Denki has a philosophy in life. What point is there to do all you can to contribute to the development of the village if you can't enjoy it too?. This is a philosophy that always ends up being his excuse for the minimal amount of EXTRA work he takes on. Again he's not irresponsible nor would be seen as lazy. He lives for the moment and sometimes that moment is taking a nap in the fields. Keeping a brave face is hard There's a certain sadness to Denki. A self-criticizing, self-doubting mess that stems from the bad history and bad luck the Yoshino family has had for some odd reason. Pressure placed on them by mother and father because they were the first pair of twins in nearly a century, so the pressure added to always feeling like he failed his brother by not taking everything so seriously has taken its toll on Denki. He tries to brave it out. He tries to put on a smile and not worry those around him, but some days it is hard. Maybe this is why he enjoys the little moments in life, sniffing the flowers, taking naps in the fields, or taking leisure strolls through the village. Denki needs his space to think and center himself and he knows that can be viewed as him being "lazy", but it's the only thing he can do to ensure that his mind is at peace and he doesn't bring even more shame to the family. // SKILLSET S K I L L S E T Tracking Half a skill that all those in the YOshino family were taught and half a hobby of Denki's, he knows how to track. He might not be as skilled as his younger twin when it comes to tracking but that's mostly due to Denki's habit of being too laidback and not putting in all the work that he could. That being said, he's still fairly capable when it comes to tracking animals by their prints, the time of day, and he has a general knowledge of other things. It's just not as finely tuned as his brother's tracking abiltiies are. Archary Ever since he could, Denki has known how to weild a bow. He's been taught out to aim effectively, value accuracy over supposed "trick shots", though if we're being compeletely honest here, he's worked in some style with his accuracy. In addition to winning soem stylistic points within himself, Denki also knows where to aim just as much as he does how to aim. He has a good range when it comes to giving a swift killshot, as all hunter should be able to do. A mercy kill is a respectful kill and the hunters have been taught, above everything else, that the wildlife and those that they slay deserve respect. Level-headed There is something to be said about Denki's more lax approach on life. To be a hunter and tracker (and a rather effective one, at that) one must also be patient and know when the apt time is to take affirmative action. Denki being able to be composed for the most part and exercise patience is a skill that applies to his every day life just as much as it does when he's out in the land.

Physical Description Whether it's Denji or Denki, one can't deny that the Yoshino genes are rich with an aesthetically-pleasing face to behold. Sharply-angled jaws, crisp spikes in the hair, and equally as beautiful eyes to draw you in. In Denki's case, his looks differ just slightly from that of his younger twin's. Denki's hair is spikier and his eyes are golden like the rays of the sun above. Nobody can explain why he and his brother have different colored eyes. It could be due to their difference in personalities. Amber being a friendlier color than red, or it just might be one of those phenomeona that nobody can explain and it just is. As a hunter, while Denki stands at an average height of 5'8" (just like his brother), it should be assumed, as well as pointed out, that he boisters a signficiantly larger build than most in the village. This is mostly due to the fact that hunters are always on the go and need to remain as agile as their movements need to be. To do this, Denki can't allow himself to fall short of a strict exercise regime...though somehow he does. His skills, as well as his overall physique might be slightly inferior to his twin brothers. But where Denki might be slacking in the physical refinement of his build and skills, he more than makes up for it in being fashionable, something he personally believes his brother doesn't prioritize as much as he should. It's always "hone your skills, Denki. Stop slacking off, Denki". What about "dress for the job you want, Denji?" That's what he does. More often than not, he sports a red kimono with a blue bottom part tied together with white cloth. He has a few but that one is his favorite, seeing it as a bold statement. He has other kimono's for casual wear, but he just feels the most line himself in this one. It's very him. Relaxed but bold and vibrant. One might say it chose him rather than him choosing it...if you were to believe in that sort of thing - which Denki absolutely does! Character Conceptualization Life for the hunter family of Yoshino hasn't always been the easiest. Dating back a century, in this family of hunters, there's always been something of an emphasis on good luck and bad luck. Maybe it's just thier close relationship with the animals and the respect that one must have for them and life itself and that in itself has prompted the family to prioritize luck and prosperity above all else. It's hard to say, but what is known as a pure fact is that for the current generation of the Yoshino family, they brought good luck and fortune to the family. For so long, the Yoshino family had viewed twins as a symbol of good luck. To have two children at the same time was seen as the Kami looking down on the Yoshino family in favor and blessing them, but for several decades, the family heads were seen as cursed. Even if that wasn't even close to being true, the fact remains that they weren't blessed with twins for over fifty years until the twins, Denki and Denji were born. Things started to change. The outlook from their parents began to change. Positivity and prosperity was at long last feeling as though it wasn't just a hope but a reality. On Denki's side of things, no matter how it may have seemed from the outside, at a certain point, he began to feel crushed by the pressure laid on him by his father, the head of the family. His father had a brother, but when both Denki and Denji were five, he died. Denki didn't have many memories of his uncle that he could recall. Honestly, it became a blur after a while. He just remembered a man with chocolate-colored eyes smiling at him. Maybe it was that Denki wasn't as close to the man as he remembered. Not like his brother was. Denki is the first-born of the two. It's only by a few minutes, so it may not seem like an important deal, but according to their father, Haruto, it was. Even though the better hunter was his brother because Denki wasn't as hard-working as Denji was (or rather he always found himself preferring to nap or relax than put in the work), it always felt like he was pushed harder. Denki always tried to see the positive, though. He maintained it through adolescence and into his young adulthood. He became a respectable hunter in his own right, being able to be proud to be a Yoshino. But at the same time, he still felt the immeasurable weight that came with being the eldest brother of the current generation of hunters. Really, somedays it seemed like Denji was the older brother with how much of Denki's slack he made up for. Father really must prefer him over Denki. Yeah, that's definitely what it was. It was okay. Denki was okay with not being seen as the favorite. Whether he had his father's approval or not, honestly, didn't matter to him as much as it did when he was a young kid. What Denki wanted was to have his brother's respect and he liked to think he did. No matter how many headaches his twin got because of how many times he must've found him napping or relaxing when he probably should have been studying, Denki could see it in his brother's crimson-colored eyes. He was his twin brother for a reason. Those kinds of siblings were truly lucky to have each other. Their bond couldn't be tainted, not even by the demons in one's head. Other Information Denki is older than Denji by three minutes Loves anything mochi related and hates soba noodles Denki knows the signs Beckon, Quicken, and Reinforce. In his free time, Denki loves to take naps (usually in open fields or somewhere relaxing) and loves cloud-watching. He can do the latter for hours and never get bored. He's deathly allergic to red bean paste.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

@Supermaxx With a day to spare, here's one of two hunter twins dabs

Yoshino Denki

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Full Name - Yoshino Denki Age - 25 and loving life Gender - The malest of males Occupation - Village hunter-gatherer (shared with Denji) - // PERSONALITY P E R S O N A L I T Y Positively Entertaining Some might call Denki a positive person. Some might even call him a beacon of hope (because he sure will), but truth be told, he's someone who just knows how to have a good time. Whether this is cracking jokes with the other guys in the village (or whomever will listen), smiling and generally, enjoying himself, Denki is someone that has the tendency of looking at life through a much simpler, less chaotic and not as serious gaze. In his heart, there is the pain of feeling the pressure from his family and the hunter legacy, but he tries not to let it bother him. On days when he can prevent his demons from ruining his good mood, Denki tries to spread his unique brand of positivity (not to be confused with Haruhi who is her own brand of sunshine). Denki shows his light in a different way. He does it through vibes that are more about enjoying the moment rather than uplifting everyone by being in their face (Denki respects that approach more than anyone would know). But honestly, for him it's more about not being reminded of the harsh realities that come with being part of the Yoshino family and the legacy that comes with it. Chill as an autumn breeze Despite being one of two hunters for the village, Denki is someone who enjoys the little things in life. Maybe too much if you were to ask his younger twin brother, who always seems to be picking up his slack and catching just as much heat for it. He isn't irresponsible, but Denki has a philosophy in life. What point is there to do all you can to contribute to the development of the village if you can't enjoy it too?. This is a philosophy that always ends up being his excuse for the minimal amount of EXTRA work he takes on. Again he's not irresponsible nor would be seen as lazy. He lives for the moment and sometimes that moment is taking a nap in the fields. Keeping a brave face is hard There's a certain sadness to Denki. A self-criticizing, self-doubting mess that stems from the bad history and bad luck the Yoshino family has had for some odd reason. Pressure placed on them by mother and father because they were the first pair of twins in nearly a century, so the pressure added to always feeling like he failed his brother by not taking everything so seriously has taken its toll on Denki. He tries to brave it out. He tries to put on a smile and not worry those around him, but some days it is hard. Maybe this is why he enjoys the little moments in life, sniffing the flowers, taking naps in the fields, or taking leisure strolls through the village. Denki needs his space to think and center himself and he knows that can be viewed as him being "lazy", but it's the only thing he can do to ensure that his mind is at peace and he doesn't bring even more shame to the family. // SKILLSET S K I L L S E T Tracking Half a skill that all those in the YOshino family were taught and half a hobby of Denki's, he knows how to track. He might not be as skilled as his younger twin when it comes to tracking but that's mostly due to Denki's habit of being too laidback and not putting in all the work that he could. That being said, he's still fairly capable when it comes to tracking animals by their prints, the time of day, and he has a general knowledge of other things. It's just not as finely tuned as his brother's tracking abiltiies are. Archary Ever since he could, Denki has known how to weild a bow. He's been taught out to aim effectively, value accuracy over supposed "trick shots", though if we're being compeletely honest here, he's worked in some style with his accuracy. In addition to winning soem stylistic points within himself, Denki also knows where to aim just as much as he does how to aim. He has a good range when it comes to giving a swift killshot, as all hunter should be able to do. A mercy kill is a respectful kill and the hunters have been taught, above everything else, that the wildlife and those that they slay deserve respect. Level-headed There is something to be said about Denki's more lax approach on life. To be a hunter and tracker (and a rather effective one, at that) one must also be patient and know when the apt time is to take affirmative action. Denki being able to be composed for the most part and exercise patience is a skill that applies to his every day life just as much as it does when he's out in the land.

Physical Description Whether it's Denji or Denki, one can't deny that the Yoshino genes are rich with an aesthetically-pleasing face to behold. Sharply-angled jaws, crisp spikes in the hair, and equally as beautiful eyes to draw you in. In Denki's case, his looks differ just slightly from that of his younger twin's. Denki's hair is spikier and his eyes are golden like the rays of the sun above. Nobody can explain why he and his brother have different colored eyes. It could be due to their difference in personalities. Amber being a friendlier color than red, or it just might be one of those phenomeona that nobody can explain and it just is. As a hunter, while Denki stands at an average height of 5'8" (just like his brother), it should be assumed, as well as pointed out, that he boisters a signficiantly larger build than most in the village. This is mostly due to the fact that hunters are always on the go and need to remain as agile as their movements need to be. To do this, Denki can't allow himself to fall short of a strict exercise regime...though somehow he does. His skills, as well as his overall physique might be slightly inferior to his twin brothers. But where Denki might be slacking in the physical refinement of his build and skills, he more than makes up for it in being fashionable, something he personally believes his brother doesn't prioritize as much as he should. It's always "hone your skills, Denki. Stop slacking off, Denki". What about "dress for the job you want, Denji?" That's what he does. More often than not, he sports a red kimono with a blue bottom part tied together with white cloth. He has a few but that one is his favorite, seeing it as a bold statement. He has other kimono's for casual wear, but he just feels the most line himself in this one. It's very him. Relaxed but bold and vibrant. One might say it chose him rather than him choosing it...if you were to believe in that sort of thing - which Denki absolutely does! Character Conceptualization Life for the hunter family of Yoshino hasn't always been the easiest. Dating back a century, in this family of hunters, there's always been something of an emphasis on good luck and bad luck. Maybe it's just thier close relationship with the animals and the respect that one must have for them and life itself and that in itself has prompted the family to prioritize luck and prosperity above all else. It's hard to say, but what is known as a pure fact is that for the current generation of the Yoshino family, they brought good luck and fortune to the family. For so long, the Yoshino family had viewed twins as a symbol of good luck. To have two children at the same time was seen as the Kami looking down on the Yoshino family in favor and blessing them, but for several decades, the family heads were seen as cursed. Even if that wasn't even close to being true, the fact remains that they weren't blessed with twins for over fifty years until the twins, Denki and Denji were born. Things started to change. The outlook from their parents began to change. Positivity and prosperity was at long last feeling as though it wasn't just a hope but a reality. On Denki's side of things, no matter how it may have seemed from the outside, at a certain point, he began to feel crushed by the pressure laid on him by his father, the head of the family. His father had a brother, but when both Denki and Denji were five, he died. Denki didn't have many memories of his uncle that he could recall. Honestly, it became a blur after a while. He just remembered a man with chocolate-colored eyes smiling at him. Maybe it was that Denki wasn't as close to the man as he remembered. Not like his brother was. Denki is the first-born of the two. It's only by a few minutes, so it may not seem like an important deal, but according to their father, Haruto, it was. Even though the better hunter was his brother because Denki wasn't as hard-working as Denji was (or rather he always found himself preferring to nap or relax than put in the work), it always felt like he was pushed harder. Denki always tried to see the positive, though. He maintained it through adolescence and into his young adulthood. He became a respectable hunter in his own right, being able to be proud to be a Yoshino. But at the same time, he still felt the immeasurable weight that came with being the eldest brother of the current generation of hunters. Really, somedays it seemed like Denji was the older brother with how much of Denki's slack he made up for. Father really must prefer him over Denki. Yeah, that's definitely what it was. It was okay. Denki was okay with not being seen as the favorite. Whether he had his father's approval or not, honestly, didn't matter to him as much as it did when he was a young kid. What Denki wanted was to have his brother's respect and he liked to think he did. No matter how many headaches his twin got because of how many times he must've found him napping or relaxing when he probably should have been studying, Denki could see it in his brother's crimson-colored eyes. He was his twin brother for a reason. Those kinds of siblings were truly lucky to have each other. Their bond couldn't be tainted, not even by the demons in one's head. Other Information Denki is older than Denji by three minutes Loves anything mochi related and hates soba noodles Denki knows the signs Beckon, Quicken, and Reinforce. In his free time, Denki loves to take naps (usually in open fields or somewhere relaxing) and loves cloud-watching. He can do the latter for hours and never get bored. He's deathly allergic to red bean paste.

Ju-V

Of course the Smut Duchess herself, @Venus, had to claim the 69th post.

@Kuro

Ju-V

Wave Rider

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^{Skylar “Kyle” Vass ◼ February 19th ( 18 ) ◼ Male}

^"Aloha!”

▼ A P P E A R A N C E:

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^{"Wanna touch my hair? It’s soft. Like a cloud."}

//STATS:

◼ HEIGHT | 5’7

◼ WEIGHT | 153lbs/69kg (nice)

◼ BUILD | Think Slender Man’s body but with muscle

◼ HAIR COLOUR | Dark brown || Soft like a cloud

◼ EYE COLOUR | Brown

◼ 'VOICE' TEXT COLOUR | Aquamarine/#7fffd4

◼ OTHER | Kyle has his earlobes pierced. Also he's bisexual! *dabs*

//DESCRIPTION:

Kyle is someone that doesn’t typically dress out of comfort. He isn’t a formal kind of guy and doesn’t like to wear physically-restricting attire. At the very most, you might catch him in a pair of jeans but only when it’s on a cold day. His wardrobe, whether it’s the clothes he has on his back or the clothes that he might pick up while at some thrift shop almost exclusively consists of tank tops, shorts, some sweatpants, a lot of beanie caps and windbreaker jackets. He has a lot of hair ties to, well tie his hair up in a manbun - his preferred style to wear his hair other than down in its natural, silky form.

▼ B I O G R A P H Y:

---

^{"I need better friends."}

There are a lot of wonders in the world that nobody understands how they can be so perfect. The feeling of getting that one trick shot on Rocket LEague that cements a person's legacy in the hall of fame. Being able to eat a whole five-course meal at the local buffet all by yourself. But the one that tops it all for a one Skyler Vass, often nicked Kyle by his friends, is the ability to find inner-peace before you turned ten by just embracing life to its fullest and not giving a care in the world.

And honestly, that's just what he did.

Kyle has always been a carefree kid. He was born on the Island of Maui. His mother was born there and his father was too. They met through their careers. She was a skating icon and he was a surfer who went mega famous before he was thirty, so naturally Kyle has been active most of his life too and embraced that as a key part of his identity. The lax environment of the Aloha state, for one, allowed him to grow up stress free. Akoni and Suki were the kind of parents who let their child find out who they wanted to be instead of pushing some kind of agenda on them of who they thought he should be. So there was going to be no tragic backstory for this kid.

His first love was surfing and his second love was food. One might argue his third love was enjoying life, but the first two are most important. Kyle was homeschooled for the majority of his adolescence. Another thing his parents believed in heavily. He wasn't without friends because when he wasn't studying for half the morning, he was always by the beach. Always in the water. Always being himself. Even with all the discourse around the world surrounding metahumans and anyone who didn't like that, Kyle was free to be who he wanted to be.

Well, that was until he developed his own powers. It was quite fitting for someone who just went through the motions of the world, someone who became so carefree and oblivious to the harsh realities of the world. He was out surfing one day when he was eighteen and he was facing the largest wave he'd ever encountered. He had been slowly working himself up to The Big One, but he wasn't quite at that level at this point. But Kyle was always a bit reckless when it came to being out in the water. He swam deeper into the great blue than he should. On this day, he caught a big one and rode the wave as much as he could, but as it would turn out, he wasn't ready and he wiped out.

Or, he should have.

By the miracle of whatever deity was looking out for him. By Johnny Tsunami himself, Kyle wasn't just surviving the big one, but as wind itself gathered around him, he began to ride the wave from the top, floating over it all the way into the ocean. This caused quite the stir. His ohana was willing to protect him, but there was only so much they could do to prevent the word of a literal flying kid from the Paradise in the Paciific riding a two-story wave on a specially-made hover board that was definitely waterproof that carried him to safety.

Speaking of safety, Aegis agents came to know about his new-found feats due to a rather accidental posting of the video. See, in addition to having unconventional parents who raised him through unconventional means, Kyle surrounded himself with friends who never thought that far ahead. He never did, either, so they didn't think twice when posting the video on Tik Tok and it went crazy viral. When they approached his family, there was a lot of it that went over Kyle's head. There was a lot that went over their heads too.

Junior Vigilante Program.

What was that? Kyle didn't know. Akoni nor Suki had any idea what it meant either, but even though he had technically didn't do anything illegal per se, Kyle was also a bit at risk, too. He literally had just developed these abilities of his within the last few months and in those few months, if you really wanted to be technically truthful, he did hurt a few people when showing off. Nobody cared because, again, Kyle and his friends weren't the brightest of bunches. They were the kinds of boys that would get inside a giant bubble and Kyle would use his powers to make it fly into the ocean. It's makes sense why they would want to get Kyle far away from irresponsible people that enable that kind of recklessness.

Well, suffice to say, Kyle was packed, took his special hoverboard, and was on a plane to California.

Pretty sick considering he's always wanted to see California girls. Now he had his chance!

Cowabunga dudes!

▼ M O T I V A T I O N / O B J E C T I V E:

---

^{"Where are the california girls at? Daisy dukes optional."}

Kyle doesn’t want to hurt the people around him. He had a bad experience with how his powers got just a little out of hand and he saw this as an opportunity to learn how to get stronger. But a personal motivation, while somewhat materialistic on his end, he just wanted to see California girls. Is that too much to ask? It was a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so he went with the flow. Riding the wave of life.

▼ A B I L I T I E S / S K I L L S:

---

^{"Be like the wind, brada!}

//ABILITIES:
◼ Aerokinesis| Kyle has the inherent ability to generate and manipulate air.

◼ Wind Generation| Kyle is able to generate his own source of wind. It comes quite natural to him as he can turn it on and off almost like it’s an instinct…though controlling the rate he generates wind is a matter altogether.
◼ Wind Aura | Simply put, for a very limited amount of time, Kyle is able to wrap himself in a constantly-spinning “aura” of wind. It not only helps him control certain hard-to-manage feats, but grants him a significant boost in his speed and offensive, as well as defensive, capabilities. Control over it is great despite how long he can maintain it.
◼ Aerokinetic Surfing| Though typically done through the use of his hoverboard, Kyle can surf using the wind around him. Its easier with his hoverboard because it gives him a vehicle to move around on and it’s significantly easier for him to control since he had spent nearly his entire life surfing. It’s no different than if he was on water with his normal board.
◼ Wind-aided Jet Propulsion | Another case of “it’s easier with his hoverboard”, Kyle is able to manipulate the wind he generates by riding through the air currents and move at faster-than-normal speeds. On his board, it’s easier cause he can control how fast he goes and drift to avoid any major collisions, but when he’s not using his board (or can’t), he surrounds his body with an aura of air and TRIES to control his movements, but it’s a major WIP.

//SKILLS:

◼ Acrobatics| For his entire life since he could walk, Kyle has always been an athletic kid. It’s been part of his life for as long as he could remember. And especially growing up in Hawaii, it’s part of the culture. He has trained his natural feats to be able to move quite efficiently, which makes his meta ability very fitting. When he’s not using his ability, he can move around easily by flipping all around, jumping over rocks, jumping long distances, maneuvering like a stuntman, and above all else, embodying what it means to be a spider monkey.
◼ Stormwatcher| Being able to know when a storm was coming and when it was long gone is almost as second natured to Kyle as breathing is. Kyle can tell when it’s going to rain by the positon of the clouds. Are they bigger ones? Is it going to be overcast? Partly cloudy with a chance of meatballs? Clear skies? All of this became second natured to him through trial and error. Because he always preferred to surf when the storm was just about to hit so the waves were slightly more chaotic and larger. At a certain point, he became something of a meteorologist himself. If Surfing didn’t pan out like the way he wanted and if was allowed to go back into his normal life, he might do that. Be the hottest weatherman in paradise sounds nice.

//LIMITATIONS:

◼ Lack of total control without his Hoverboard| As impressive as his feats have come in just months of having his abilities, Kyle lacks a fundamental control over them. He’s like a plane that has lost its landing gear as it comes in for a landing. He might somewhat have a grasp on how to land safely, but the ability to guarantee complete safety when landing is out of his hands when he is going with pure wind. The speed prevents a clear line of sight when trying to land and he mostly has to hope for the best.
◼ He’s only human, after all While he has impressive feats physically and metahumanly, Kyle is still human. He doesn’t have any super resistance or anything like that. Hit him hard enough and he’s bound to bail terribly. Like they say, all it takes is one lucky punch.

//WEAKNESSES:

◼ Fire = Bad | Simply put, pit him against a pyro head or in a place where a lot of fire or heat is bound to be present, Kyle is bound to totally bail! Fire will suck out any of the wind he might generate and make it into a WILD FIRE!
◼ Ice = Also bad| | Kyle sucks when it comes to ice too. Anyone who can freeze things can also, theoretically, freeze the air, too. And considering that’s his main gimmick, if it’s cold as balls and someone is intentionally trying to make everything below freezing, Kyle might be in trouble. Simply put, hot or cold, Kyle no likey.

▼ N O T E S:

---

//SUPPORTING CAST:

▼ ALLIES

◼ Akoni Vass | One part of my Ohana! Pops always pushed me to follow my dreams and that’s what I’m doing now, makua kane!
◼ Mitsuki “Suki” Vass (nee. Watanabe) | Makuahine always believed in me and I couldn’t ask for a better mom!

▼ FRIENDS

TBD

▼ ENEMIES

◼ Too many to count| Kyle surrounded himself with way too many enablers of bad habits. It’s how he wound up getting checked up on Agent Bubbles…”I mean Aegis agents.”

//STOMPING GROUNDS

◼ USA | The Island of Maui, Hawaii

//PARAPHERNALIA

◼ Hoverboard | Isn’t technology grand? Kyle was never one to ask for anything too fancy outside of the variety of boards he has collected over the years. He’s had a skateboard and obviously had plenty of surfboards, but the one that he cherished above all else and what, honestly, has been the best investment, has been this highly expensive and highly innovative hoverboard that responds perfectly to his needs. Even before he developed powers, he used it to get around. Now that he does have powers, it’s DEFINITELY been a godsend. It’s also a nice minty green color.

Ju-V

Kyle Vass AKA Wave Rider

Wave Rider

---

^{Skylar “Kyle” Vass ◼ February 19th ( 18 ) ◼ Male}

^"Aloha!”

▼ A P P E A R A N C E:

---

^{"Wanna touch my hair? It’s soft. Like a cloud."}

//STATS:

◼ HEIGHT | 5’7

◼ WEIGHT | 153lbs/69kg (nice)

◼ BUILD | Think Slender Man’s body but with muscle

◼ HAIR COLOUR | Dark brown || Soft like a cloud

◼ EYE COLOUR | Brown

◼ 'VOICE' TEXT COLOUR | Aquamarine/#7fffd4

◼ OTHER | Kyle has his earlobes pierced. Also he's bisexual! *dabs*

//DESCRIPTION:

Kyle is someone that doesn’t typically dress out of comfort. He isn’t a formal kind of guy and doesn’t like to wear physically-restricting attire. At the very most, you might catch him in a pair of jeans but only when it’s on a cold day. His wardrobe, whether it’s the clothes he has on his back or the clothes that he might pick up while at some thrift shop almost exclusively consists of tank tops, shorts, some sweatpants, a lot of beanie caps and windbreaker jackets. He has a lot of hair ties to, well tie his hair up in a manbun - his preferred style to wear his hair other than down in its natural, silky form.

▼ B I O G R A P H Y:

---

^{"I need better friends."}

There are a lot of wonders in the world that nobody understands how they can be so perfect. The feeling of getting that one trick shot on Rocket LEague that cements a person's legacy in the hall of fame. Being able to eat a whole five-course meal at the local buffet all by yourself. But the one that tops it all for a one Skyler Vass, often nicked Kyle by his friends, is the ability to find inner-peace before you turned ten by just embracing life to its fullest and not giving a care in the world.

And honestly, that's just what he did.

Kyle has always been a carefree kid. He was born on the Island of Maui. His mother was born there and his father was too. They met through their careers. She was a skating icon and he was a surfer who went mega famous before he was thirty, so naturally Kyle has been active most of his life too and embraced that as a key part of his identity. The lax environment of the Aloha state, for one, allowed him to grow up stress free. Akoni and Suki were the kind of parents who let their child find out who they wanted to be instead of pushing some kind of agenda on them of who they thought he should be. So there was going to be no tragic backstory for this kid.

His first love was surfing and his second love was food. One might argue his third love was enjoying life, but the first two are most important. Kyle was homeschooled for the majority of his adolescence. Another thing his parents believed in heavily. He wasn't without friends because when he wasn't studying for half the morning, he was always by the beach. Always in the water. Always being himself. Even with all the discourse around the world surrounding metahumans and anyone who didn't like that, Kyle was free to be who he wanted to be.

Well, that was until he developed his own powers. It was quite fitting for someone who just went through the motions of the world, someone who became so carefree and oblivious to the harsh realities of the world. He was out surfing one day when he was eighteen and he was facing the largest wave he'd ever encountered. He had been slowly working himself up to The Big One, but he wasn't quite at that level at this point. But Kyle was always a bit reckless when it came to being out in the water. He swam deeper into the great blue than he should. On this day, he caught a big one and rode the wave as much as he could, but as it would turn out, he wasn't ready and he wiped out.

Or, he should have.

By the miracle of whatever deity was looking out for him. By Johnny Tsunami himself, Kyle wasn't just surviving the big one, but as wind itself gathered around him, he began to ride the wave from the top, floating over it all the way into the ocean. This caused quite the stir. His ohana was willing to protect him, but there was only so much they could do to prevent the word of a literal flying kid from the Paradise in the Paciific riding a two-story wave on a specially-made hover board that was definitely waterproof that carried him to safety.

Speaking of safety, Aegis agents came to know about his new-found feats due to a rather accidental posting of the video. See, in addition to having unconventional parents who raised him through unconventional means, Kyle surrounded himself with friends who never thought that far ahead. He never did, either, so they didn't think twice when posting the video on Tik Tok and it went crazy viral. When they approached his family, there was a lot of it that went over Kyle's head. There was a lot that went over their heads too.

Junior Vigilante Program.

What was that? Kyle didn't know. Akoni nor Suki had any idea what it meant either, but even though he had technically didn't do anything illegal per se, Kyle was also a bit at risk, too. He literally had just developed these abilities of his within the last few months and in those few months, if you really wanted to be technically truthful, he did hurt a few people when showing off. Nobody cared because, again, Kyle and his friends weren't the brightest of bunches. They were the kinds of boys that would get inside a giant bubble and Kyle would use his powers to make it fly into the ocean. It's makes sense why they would want to get Kyle far away from irresponsible people that enable that kind of recklessness.

Well, suffice to say, Kyle was packed, took his special hoverboard, and was on a plane to California.

Pretty sick considering he's always wanted to see California girls. Now he had his chance!

Cowabunga dudes!

▼ M O T I V A T I O N / O B J E C T I V E:

---

^{"Where are the california girls at? Daisy dukes optional."}

Kyle doesn’t want to hurt the people around him. He had a bad experience with how his powers got just a little out of hand and he saw this as an opportunity to learn how to get stronger. But a personal motivation, while somewhat materialistic on his end, he just wanted to see California girls. Is that too much to ask? It was a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so he went with the flow. Riding the wave of life.

▼ A B I L I T I E S / S K I L L S:

---

^{"Be like the wind, brada!}

//ABILITIES:
◼ Aerokinesis| Kyle has the inherent ability to generate and manipulate air.

◼ Wind Generation| Kyle is able to generate his own source of wind. It comes quite natural to him as he can turn it on and off almost like it’s an instinct…though controlling the rate he generates wind is a matter altogether.
◼ Wind Aura | Simply put, for a very limited amount of time, Kyle is able to wrap himself in a constantly-spinning “aura” of wind. It not only helps him control certain hard-to-manage feats, but grants him a significant boost in his speed and offensive, as well as defensive, capabilities. Control over it is great despite how long he can maintain it.
◼ Aerokinetic Surfing| Though typically done through the use of his hoverboard, Kyle can surf using the wind around him. Its easier with his hoverboard because it gives him a vehicle to move around on and it’s significantly easier for him to control since he had spent nearly his entire life surfing. It’s no different than if he was on water with his normal board.
◼ Wind-aided Jet Propulsion | Another case of “it’s easier with his hoverboard”, Kyle is able to manipulate the wind he generates by riding through the air currents and move at faster-than-normal speeds. On his board, it’s easier cause he can control how fast he goes and drift to avoid any major collisions, but when he’s not using his board (or can’t), he surrounds his body with an aura of air and TRIES to control his movements, but it’s a major WIP.

//SKILLS:

◼ Acrobatics| For his entire life since he could walk, Kyle has always been an athletic kid. It’s been part of his life for as long as he could remember. And especially growing up in Hawaii, it’s part of the culture. He has trained his natural feats to be able to move quite efficiently, which makes his meta ability very fitting. When he’s not using his ability, he can move around easily by flipping all around, jumping over rocks, jumping long distances, maneuvering like a stuntman, and above all else, embodying what it means to be a spider monkey.
◼ Stormwatcher| Being able to know when a storm was coming and when it was long gone is almost as second natured to Kyle as breathing is. Kyle can tell when it’s going to rain by the positon of the clouds. Are they bigger ones? Is it going to be overcast? Partly cloudy with a chance of meatballs? Clear skies? All of this became second natured to him through trial and error. Because he always preferred to surf when the storm was just about to hit so the waves were slightly more chaotic and larger. At a certain point, he became something of a meteorologist himself. If Surfing didn’t pan out like the way he wanted and if was allowed to go back into his normal life, he might do that. Be the hottest weatherman in paradise sounds nice.

//LIMITATIONS:

◼ Lack of total control without his Hoverboard| As impressive as his feats have come in just months of having his abilities, Kyle lacks a fundamental control over them. He’s like a plane that has lost its landing gear as it comes in for a landing. He might somewhat have a grasp on how to land safely, but the ability to guarantee complete safety when landing is out of his hands when he is going with pure wind. The speed prevents a clear line of sight when trying to land and he mostly has to hope for the best.
◼ He’s only human, after all While he has impressive feats physically and metahumanly, Kyle is still human. He doesn’t have any super resistance or anything like that. Hit him hard enough and he’s bound to bail terribly. Like they say, all it takes is one lucky punch.

//WEAKNESSES:

◼ Fire = Bad | Simply put, pit him against a pyro head or in a place where a lot of fire or heat is bound to be present, Kyle is bound to totally bail! Fire will suck out any of the wind he might generate and make it into a WILD FIRE!
◼ Ice = Also bad| | Kyle sucks when it comes to ice too. Anyone who can freeze things can also, theoretically, freeze the air, too. And considering that’s his main gimmick, if it’s cold as balls and someone is intentionally trying to make everything below freezing, Kyle might be in trouble. Simply put, hot or cold, Kyle no likey.

▼ N O T E S:

---

//SUPPORTING CAST:

▼ ALLIES

◼ Akoni Vass | One part of my Ohana! Pops always pushed me to follow my dreams and that’s what I’m doing now, makua kane!
◼ Mitsuki “Suki” Vass (nee. Watanabe) | Makuahine always believed in me and I couldn’t ask for a better mom!

▼ FRIENDS

TBD

▼ ENEMIES

◼ Too many to count| Kyle surrounded himself with way too many enablers of bad habits. It’s how he wound up getting checked up on Agent Bubbles…”I mean Aegis agents.”

//STOMPING GROUNDS

◼ USA | The Island of Maui, Hawaii

//PARAPHERNALIA

◼ Hoverboard | Isn’t technology grand? Kyle was never one to ask for anything too fancy outside of the variety of boards he has collected over the years. He’s had a skateboard and obviously had plenty of surfboards, but the one that he cherished above all else and what, honestly, has been the best investment, has been this highly expensive and highly innovative hoverboard that responds perfectly to his needs. Even before he developed powers, he used it to get around. Now that he does have powers, it’s DEFINITELY been a godsend. It’s also a nice minty green color.

Ju-V

This seems dope. Consider me interested

Eye wants to write // Craving Digimon

Been a hot minute but the digimon cravings are real, so digitize me captain!

That means me bumping this thread out of its graveyard

Edenridge

_{Morning - What If
Featuring Mr. & Mrs. Mikhail & Elaine O’Hara}

______________________________________________________________________



______________________________________________________________________

Elaine and Mikhail O’Hara were proof of how a combination of determination, drive and a sprinkle of nepotism could help you achieve your dreams in record time. Upon graduating from high school, Lanie had wasted no time in diving straight into the family business of real estate sales. Just like her cousin Diana had done fifteen years before her, she obtained her real estate license, secured additional certifications specializing in luxury real estate, and started the process of building her network, her clientele and her personal brand. Under Di’s and her parents’ tutelage, Elaine had polished her skills and become a wealth of knowledge in her regional markets. Her charisma, optimism, enthusiasm and genuine interest in ensuring her clients had only the best made it easy to rise up the ranks and earn a name for herself. Thanks to her hard work, she was currently listed as one of the top 10 luxury realtors in the New England region, with a six-figure annual salary. She was expected to take the top spot of the list before her 30th birthday.

Her husband hadn’t settled for less, either. Right after finishing high school, he decided to pursue higher education by attending Boston U with a major in exercise science, a minor in health education and working on an associates in nutrition, where he balanced his studies with his point guard position in the school’s basketball team. Throughout his time in college, he fell in love with not only his choice of major, but with the idea of mentoring and developing young athletes in the sport he cherished so much. Fortunately for him, the opportunity of accomplishing his dream arrived sooner than he’d expected. Coach John had used his influence and O’Hara charm to convince the Edenridge High principal that an assistant coach position should be opened, and the candidate selected had been none other than his nephew.

When Mika had started, it wasn’t an easy job at first. Mika had prestige from his time as the second coming of Duke, and with that prestige, as well as having the foundling name, came pressure. This kind of pressure was something that he thrived under. There was no luck but what you made, and with those words etched into Mika’s soul since he first joined the Edenridge Celtics as a player, as the literal successor of his uncle and older cousin, Mika etched that into the kids who he helped coach. It wasn’t an easy thing to manage because Coach was hard even with Mika. He had to find the perfect balance between being a motivating, defensive coach (which he started out on) and the encouraging, yet oftenly-harsh, coach. Three years in and Mika had never felt more secure and confident for his job. His progress was going according to the life plan he set out for this part of it. Making a difference in his kids’ lives. Talk about a hell of an accomplishment.

The news they had received? That was something they hadn’t planned on accomplishing so soon.

A deafening silence hung in the air as the white Mercedes SUV drove down the streets of Edenridge on its way to the pristine neighborhood of Scott Street. The figure of a slim blonde dressed in casual designer wear could be seen in the passenger seat of the vehicle, staring blankly at the world rolling past her. A tall man with broad shoulders was beside her in the driver’s seat, his eyes fixated on the roads he was driving them on. The faint sound of music could be heard coming from the speakers, but neither the driver or the passenger made any efforts to turn it up or down. Instead, they both remained silent and lost in thought while crossing the gate to Scott Street, pulling into the garage of their home (formerly Lanie’s parents’ house, which became a wedding gift to the young couple) and letting the SUV come to a stop.

As soon as Mikhail had cut off the engine of the Mercedes', a silent Elaine was nearly leaping out of the vehicle and rushing into her home. She sped through the kitchen, down the hall, up the steps, down the corridor and straight into the master bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She needed a moment alone to process the overwhelming amount of thoughts, feelings and emotions threatening to swallow her whole.

She made a beeline straight to the bed, where she kicked off her shoes, settled in the middle of the mattress, and grabbed her purse. With shaking hands, Lanie pulled out an envelope from inside the purse, retrieved its contents, and slowly began to flip through the images. Tears fell on the surface of the black and white screen captures of what looked like two small beans with two nubs on the sides and two at the bottom, with a string attaching each of them to the sac surrounding them. On each image, the same context could be found in top left corner: O'Hara, Elaine | 08/27/2001 | GA=10w2d. The photos and the document that remained inside the envelope confirmed the news she hadn’t anticipated to receive just yet: that she was ten weeks pregnant with twins-- merely three weeks away from the completion of her first trimester.

“Lanie was really quiet the whole drive home.”

Mika sat just as in silence, still in the Mercedes while his partner of nearly a decade hadn’t wasted any time. Actually, it wasn’t unlike her. Both of them had never been able to sit still for very long. Every day, they rose with the sun. Every day they always went for runs, or just went to Asgard Fitness and did whatever day workout was set for that day. Mondays and Fridays were cardio while Tuesdays were arms. Wednesdays and Thursdays were legs and core respectively. Every day, they went together. With her busy schedule as realtor for the rich and him an assistant coach, they barely had enough time by the end of their days to do much of anything. So those morning workouts and always going for a bite to eat. Some days it was Dolly’s. Some days it was the Hole and some days they went to Kori Plaza and got some street food. But it was always together.

Ever since they found out they were pregnant, Mika was honestly not sure how to process that piece of information. Their life revolved around their jobs and each other. They had a routine, but now with this news, that wouldn’t exist anymore, or at least not in the version of itself that had existed before getting this life-changing news.

It weighed on Mika’s mind as he reached into the backseat and finally went inside the home, the sound of the garage door closing seeming like a welcomed white noise as he just stood with one foot still in the garage and one in the house. He knew how he felt about it, which was numb to it. He couldn’t imagine what his wife was feeling, though. The way she rushed into the house and as he went to the kitchen, it was clear to him she didn’t waste any time. Where did she always go when she needed alone time? Their bedroom.

Mika went to the laundry room and put his bag on top of the dryer and headed upstairs. He walked at a slower pace than he thought he would all because he was trying to figure out what he might say and how he would approach this. He softly knocked on their closed bedroom door, slowly opening it, saying “Lanie..” loud enough so that she could hear him but quiet enough to be a safe space in human form. Truth be told, it was all he could muster without letting his own emotions swallow him up. Being a father was always in the cards for him, but he never thought it would be something that wasn’t planned ahead of time. Such was life.

Upon hearing the sound of her name, the tearful blonde looked up from the ultrasound photos and at her husband. The fear she felt in her heart was reflected in the soft features of her delicate face. She tried to find the words to respond, but all she could manage to do was take a deep breath and resume her silent crying.

It broke his heart to see his wife like this. To see her in such a state. He had always and only seen Elaine as strong. A force. A literal hurricane to everything that came in her path. She’d knock it down with the confidence of someone that couldn’t be beaten, but she looked defeated. This force that was his wife, the love of his life, something happened. It was a shock to find out they were pregnant and that some of the things they had mapped out for the next few years might be altered in some way, but he didn’t expect to see it take such a toll on her.

By her side, Mika just put his arms around her. He didn’t even think. There was a part of him that just knew what to do. Years of building their relationship and all those years of his own therapy, there were some things Mika picked up along the way and one of the most important things was comforting and just being there. He wasn’t sure what to say at this moment, so he just held her, gently guiding Lanie into his arms so that her head was placed gently yet firmly on his chest, lowly repeating “it’s going to be okay” even though he didn’t even know what it was in this case or if it would be okay, but she needed to know that. She needed to believe that he believed that. For so long she was the rock for both of them, especially when he found out his father had killed himself, she was that anchor in his life.

Now it was his turn to be that for her.

Lanie allowed herself to melt into Mika's embrace, using the rhythmic sound of his heart beating against her chest to find her center. It was a melody that made her feel peaceful, calm and safe since they’d first started dating. “I feel so ungrateful,” Lanie croaked out, wiping away the mascara-stained tears from her cheeks. “There are so many women out there suffering and wishing for a blessing like this to happen to them every day, and here I am making a big deal crying about it,” she chastised herself with a scoff. “And it’s not that I’m not happy about it: I am, I really am. We always talked about how great it’ll be for us to have kids someday. But not right now. Not so soon.” she told Mika with a defeated shrug, blue eyes filling up with tears again as her voice broke at her last sentences.

“From the minute I wake up to the minute I go to bed, I’m always on the go. I have calls, I have meetings, I have showings, networking dinners, mixers, fundraisers… We pay people to prep our meals and clean our house because of how little time I have left to even think about those things. Sometimes I’m so busy we don’t even see each other after our workout in the mornings, and I have to schedule our dates in advance just to make sure I’ll be able to make it. We got pregnant in the first place because I was so busy I forgot to schedule the birth control appointment, and it took me this long to even realize that I was pregnant because I kept brushing all the symptoms off with how caught up I was with everything else going on. If I barely have time for myself, how will I be able to have it for two whole kids?”

Mika hated hearing Lanie criticize herself so much. It gutted him that this was what she felt at this moment. He was no stranger to it himself, but he had always seen Lanie as this strong woman. When they met, even back in that first impression, there was something about her. Something about Elaine Lancaster that caught his attention. He was a stupid kid who was mad at the circumstances that brought him to Edenridge in the first place, so it took him a while to swallow his own ire and go seek her out. That sealed them always being by each other’s side. From getting into trouble in the southside to school dances, house parties and occasionally skipping school (sorry Mr. Beau), Mika always held his now-wife in the highest of regards. That’s why it broke him to hear her say such horrible things.

He held Lanie as close as he could, looking at her and this time making sure she could see him say the words and not just hear them. “No person in history ever felt they would be a good parent and it’s okay to feel like that. But I know you’ll kill it, Lanes. Take it from someone who has experienced at least four different kinds of mothers in his life. I’ve seen how circumstances make or break people and you are one of the strongest people I know. We barely are given the time to spend with each other, but we find a way. Having kids is one hectic task and we’ve had more than a few years of practice.”

“Dealing with other people’s kids isn’t the same as having your own, Mika. I can be the Cool Aunt to our family and friends’ kids any day. I can babysit them, take them out, take care of them, keep them clean and fed and happy and entertained. But a few hours of a day or even a couple of days of that is nothing compared to knowing you’re responsible for a whole child 24/7. Or, in our case, going from zero to two.”

Mika understood more than anyone how doubt could creep in at any moment and without warning. So he could understand a lot of what she was feeling, but he did want to make one thing clear, so he temporarily moved from holding her and gently gripped her shoulders as he shifted himself on their bed. “If you ever feel like you can’t give your 100%, I’ll make up for it by doing 110%, 130%. Doesn’t matter. Our vows were more than that. Me making that promise in front of your family and mine was more than just words.”

“I know you will. You’ve always been the best boyfriend and husband ever,” Lanie reassured Mika, momentarily offering her husband a little half smile. “And I don’t doubt for a single second that you’ll be anything less than a present and supportive parent. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still scared that I'll bring kids into this world and end up traumatizing them and you because I wasn't present enough. Or that I'll be away from my job too long and end up losing my clients and going into debt and then we'll all be in a really bad situation because any of our basic needs are not met. And I just… I don't want to disappoint anybody, Mika. I don't want anyone to hate me."

She had a point. Not about hypothetically traumatizing their future kids. That was something Mika knew wouldn’t happen. They were decent people at least and had their heads on right. No, what Mika could understand and even partially agreed with was the fact that they were very active in their respective fields-- her with the realtor empire she was foraging for herself in the New England area and him with the Celtics at EHS. They barely had enough time for each other outside of the mornings they spent working out.

As he thought about it a bit more, Mika came to understand and even feel similarly, though he wouldn’t show it on his face. “I’m not saying it’ll be easy. It’ll be an adjustment for both of us. Our lives will be different. Sacrifices might be made, but we have had so many things test us. I mean, I had to fend off your cousin Chelle's suggestive comments for God’s sake.” Mika couldn't help but laugh, thinking about Rochelle Casey and just how very forward she was. It was all in fun and games, but that was an experience that he wasn’t sure he wanted to have again. “We both have had life test our relationship so many times. It’s not that we were ever out of sync, because not even Timberlake can tear up our hearts. It’s because we’ve always been ambitious to succeed and I know we’ll succeed at being the best parents to our future children.” Above anything else, he wanted to assure her. Mika was terrified, just as she was, but he had to be strong for her. For both of them.

"You really think so?" Lanie heard herself asking Mika, uncertainty ringing clear in her voice and reflected in her eyes.

Somewhere deep down, Mika was uncertain himself, but maybe that’s what every new parent felt. He wondered if his mom had the same doubts. Did David have the same doubts when he found out Caitlin was pregnant with JD? Mika was terrified by the idea of being a father because of his own. If it hadn’t been for Sergei, Big Rey and Coach, how would Mika have turned out? The thought was more frightening than being a father himself. But looking at Lanie, he realized that he didn’t need to be afraid because they both were going to be first-time parents. That was a frightening thing to comprehend, but Mika knew they had a support system. He knew they wouldn’t be alone.

“I really do.” His certainty was reflected in his voice. His resolve that they really were going to be fine. Challenges were what they thrived on as a couple. Nothing was a bigger challenge than the notion of parenthood.

Lanie had been Mika's partner in crime long enough to have the ability to read his emotions and see right through him. Although she knew that her husband was trying his best to put on a brave face for her, it wasn’t hard to tell that he was just as nervous about this recent life development as she was-- the tell-tale way in which he scratched the back of his neck was evidence enough. But just like she could sense his trepidation, she could also hear his wholehearted conviction when he said that they would make it all work out in the end like they always did. They were a team; had been since that day they decided to give their teenage love a try when they were still freshmen in high school. They had grown up together, seen each other at their highs and lows, been each other’s rocks and centers whenever the going got tough. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, Lanie and Mika were in this together till death did them part. Parenting was just another opportunity to help each other grow. As long as she had Mika, Elaine knew that everything would be okay.

"Okay." Lanie eventually murmured after a long silence, taking in and slowly exhaling a deep breath. "Parents, huh?" she asked Mika with a nervous, shaky laugh. "Twin parents." Another nervous laugh, this time followed by a sigh. "That's gonna take some getting used to."

“I blame my side of our genetic lottery. Between David and Jamie and then my sisters, we were bound to have twins at some point.” But Mika didn’t think it would be their first batch of kids. The universe always loved to prove him wrong. Back when he was still a troubled boy who didn’t know what he wanted, it had put Lanie in his life. He was too confused about his feelings for not only her but about being a fish out of the sea he was used to. He adapted and it was all because of his wife of three years and the mother of his future…children.

As Lanie lamented on their new normal, he cracked a grin while making sure she was looking at him. “On the bright side, you’re gonna be one hot MILF!” He remarked teasingly, nudging his wife in the shoulder lightly and shooting her a wink.

Mika's comments earned him the first wave of laughter and genuine smile of the day from Lanie, and she could feel her worries easing away as she laughed. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? I'll probably need to ask Chelle to teach me a few tricks to fight off any moms at the playground that make passes at you!" she joked right back, wrapping her arms around her husband and holding him tight as she guided both their bodies to lay down on the bed, letting herself rest her head on his chest. "You're going to be a great dad. There's no one I'd rather do this other than you."

An expression of dread crawled itself onto Mika’s face like a spider was on his skin, color lost from his complexion. In the moment after that, he realized that Lanie was merely jesting and he mentally wiped the sweat from his forehead. When they were laying down, he looked down at her, running his hands through her soft, golden locks that felt like a field of sunflowers, gentle and to be treated with the utmost care. There was no doubt she could feel the elevation of his heartbeat the very second after she said she didn’t want to do this with anyone but him.

Instinctually, Mika made a sound, seemingly agreeing with his wife. He didn’t want to let her on -- at least, not make it too obvious -- but she had to know where his mind was. He kept thinking about his own father. How that mentally scarred him for so long. Despite not living with the old bastard for years until the time of his death, Ivan was fresh in his mind. It’s been close to five years since Ivan killed himself and Mika had to make peace with that. Ivan was a bad father and a worse husband and human being, but he was Mika’s father. It shouldn’t matter because he had two men who helped him see the light that was in him this entire time, but Ivan was still his father.

So that made Honey Badger doubt his ability to be a good father. What if… No. You’re not like Ivan. You were given a chance to live. Now you will. Mika calmed the demons that wanted him to doubt himself and refocused his energies on the positives.

Mikhail was deep in his thoughts for a few moments longer before he finally broke the silence. “Our kids won’t know what I experienced. My dad was a poor excuse for a father, but five of his six kids turned out to be good people… Even though I sometimes doubt my own goodness.” He laughed at his own expense, but sometimes you needed to laugh at yourself to balance the weight of your creed. “They’ll know they’re loved. I told you this when we first talked about the idea of children-- though granted, I never thought it would happen so soon. But whenever I found out I would become a father, I made a vow to never be the kind of father Ivan was. I have my own demons and bouts with them, but our kids will never feel small or like they aren’t valid in feeling a certain way. I will make sure they know they’re loved and respected.” He spoke as if making a promise to his unborn twins. If it was true that, even at this stage, everything said and felt could be heard and sensed by the kids, then Mika wanted to get an early jump at being a good father. A father like Coach. Like Big Rey. The two men who helped Mika see he wasn’t who his father was. He was his own man. He wanted to instill those values into his twins as well. Whether they were both girls, both boys or one of each, he would give them the same values that he himself picked up much later.

The blonde had listened to her husband’s words in silence, allowing him the space he needed to voice his own worries about the upcoming change in their lives. In times like these, Lanie could imagine how the fears of repeating patterns with his future children could strike fear in her husband’s heart, and how he was just as afraid of messing up as she was. When the O’Hara boy had initially opened up to Lanie about his family, the subject of his father had been the first one they had covered. The shadow of Ivan Zima’s legacy and the negative consequences he’d had on his family members loomed over his youngest son for as long as Lanie had known him. Many of the behaviors and decisions Mika had made in his life had stemmed from the harrowing experiences from his upbringing, and the promise he’d made himself to be a better man than Ivan had been his motivation behind his accomplishments. So far, he had done exactly that: becoming an honest man with a job completely unrelated to the life, who treated his wife like a goddess and valued his family above everything else. There was no question in Lanie’s mind that Mika would be the father he wished he had-- the one he had found in John O’Hara and Reynaldo Gonzalez.

Elaine shifted around the bed so that she could rest her chin under Mika’s clavicle, her face inches close to his own. “I know you will,” she reassured the man, offering her partner a soft smile. “I don’t doubt for a single second that you’ll be the best dad ever. And just like you said to me earlier: if you ever feel like you can’t give your 100%, I’ll make up for it by picking up the slack. You’ll never be alone on this journey, ever. We’ll do this together, as a team: just like we’ve always done everything else. When I tell you there’s no one else I’d rather do this with other than you, I mean it.” She reiterated, planting a kiss on her husband’s lips. “I love you, Mika. We got this. I’m scared shitless about it, but we got this.”

“And we got that, too~” Mika jokingly gestured to Lanie’s stomach, planting a kiss on her lips as well when her eyes diverted away from his. It wasn’t to make light of anything about this situation. It was very serious, but they had to be able to joke about it. Mika was afraid enough for the both of them and even without saying it, he knew she knew it. All they could do was be brave for this blessing that was about to change their lives forever.