I've been lurking, but I have some plans for a Cethleann Crest user.
Edit: and a Riegan but I'm fine with any other Leicester region one
and I've had Riegan and Gloucester in DMs as well as Charon.
If Gloucester refers to me, feel free to take on that one. I've got a grand plan for my application their crest and it involves a random number generator. Ya'll can place your bets now because you've got as much of a clue as I have ;p
Nonetheless, I am working on a Golden Deer member. Been a while since I played Three Houses but I'll be damned if I give up on the chance to ride a wyvern.
A shrill cry pierced Jana’s ears and she knew; one of the monsters had gotten on her tail. Instinctively, the thrusters on her feet flared up. Jana stretched her arms outward as blue flames erupted from one hand’s palm and the other’s back, rolling in the air to position her for a half loop. She made her descent barely in time as her assailant’s bone scythes grazed her jacket, the shredded fabric stumbling down like first snow. Jana rapidly propelled herself in the opposite direction to gain some distance and perspective on what her assailant even looked like.
The grotesque beast bent the vectors of its dive into a wide turn, readying itself to re-engage. This time, however, Jana had the advantage in altitude. As her opponent charged towards, she spurted upwards safely out of its weapons’ range. With a bird’s view, Jana took in the monster’s anatomy. It had a round body and its erratic flight was supported by five wings. In other words; it lacked the agility to do a quick roll of its own. Pressing her advantage, Jana dive-bombed the beast! Another violent shriek ringed in her ears as she attempted to tackle its back. She clutched onto its feathers, plasma sprouting from every fingertip. But the monster would not have its wings clipped so easily. It shook like a rodeo bull, slamming the self same wings into Jana’s side. The mage was flung off, but alongside Jana the second digit of one of its wings had been cut off. It screeched out in pain as it left a trail of blackscorched feathers in its path.
Now with only a single wing on its left to balance out the three on its right, the monster began its retreat. It rapidly descended, trying to find cover between the buildings of Mahoukyo. Jana followed suit, but the wounded beast extended one of its arms to tear through the windows of the office block. The successive bursts of shattering glass kept Jana at bay, as the monster endured the brunt of it. There were only so many reasons Jana could think of for why a slower opponent would further wound itself: the beast was buying time with its blood.
Jana, still above her foe, accelerated. Her destination was a vertical mock-up sign higher up the building. Landing on the company advertisement, she grabbed onto the steel bars holding it in place. Her plasma melted through, dismounting the big heavy plate just in time to have it snipe and collide with her target’s predicted flight path. The sudden impact smacked the monster out of the air. It crashed onto the asphalt, with the mock-up sign following suit. The monster barely had time to crawl out under its heavy constraints before Jana dove a second time, landing on the makeshift platform between her and her prey. Now without its wings in her way, she could go straight for the killing blow. The beast screeched as if possessed; a shrill noise that was painful to bear. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jana’s hand and forearm enveloped with a bright blue spike of energy which she thrusted into the monster’s skull. The noise finally died down, but even as the ringing faded from Jana’s ears she couldn’t exactly sigh of relief:
“Um. Good luck.” Jana nodded towards Kizuna and Maya as she undid her shoelaces in preparation. With this little information to go on, Jana worried about what might be facing their resident combat team. She bagged her shoes, then separated herself a few steps from the group. “Be safe out there, okay?” Jana said, squatting like a frog about to leap. “I’ll let you know if I can find anything.”
For a split second, the air around her feet turned hazy. With a single push, she sprung up as a spark sizzled and a stream of jetblue energy thrusted Jana up in the skies. She only left the scorch marks on the sidewalk in her wake.
Mahoukyo had quickly gone dark in Zero Time. The air was cool, but windstill, and there was but a glimpse of moonlight layered upon the city. The lanterns and room lamps in the city were dim, grey glows. Rather, swarms of white brightened up the streets; they were monsters headed towards what Jana knew were the soul veins. Whereas normally colours would fade and overlay one another, soul veins distorted and separated the light in individual blocks. The closer you came to one of these roots, the more the surroundings reminded her of 8 bit graphics. The exact shapes were to tell from a distance… Yet one stood out clear as day; a blocky, pulsating white light to the north.
Tapping her temple, Jana took a deep breath as she reported back to Hector and the team. “Jana here.” She broadcasted through Hector’s telepathic link. “Spotted the big target up in Issumachi, near Sunadake banchi. We’ve got more monsters incoming from the north and east, but um… I’ve never seen the place so distorted before. It is hard to get a visual on the real thing. The place looks like a Pacman maze from up here.”
Suspended in mid-air, snapped a picture with her phone and sent it to Kizuna. The poor lightning made details difficult to tell, the image would give a general idea of the activity in the area. Jana scouted the other blocks. As Hector had reported, she counted seven Pacman mazes spread across the city. Each and every single one distorting in tiny blocks of colour.
“Hector, Takugo, the vein closest to your location is south in Takaoka chōme. You’ll be intercepted by monsters if you take the main road. Most of them are splitting off from the east highway, but there shouldn’t be many in the alleys.”
For what it was worth, Jana took pictures of the overlay of the city and sent them to their squad leader. It was difficult for Jana to cross reference their positions on the map, but if they had the luxury of time, Hector might better know where to head next.
“I’ll try to get closer to get a better look. Meet you there.”
Though she knew had been taught in the basics in Zero Time ecology, the casual manner Hector went over the phenomenon almost sent Jana’s head spinning. “Um… Do you think they’re like root aphids?” She whispered to Kizuna, hoping the more experienced between the two could make sense of Hector’s descriptions. “Like the bugs that sucks the sap out of roots.”
Hector’s rushed explanation left Jana with more questions than answers, which was unusual for their squad leader. The moment he grimaced, Jana noticed his jaw muscles tense. Hector’s fleeting expression wasn’t the only ominous foreboding. On his lonesome on the other side of the room sat Warugaki Cassius. Jana could swear he made an active effort to obscure his eyes behind the square frames of his glasses. Between the snake tattoo running up his neck and a near permanent scowl, Cassius gave Jana the creeps.
“Has he been like that all briefing?” Jana asked Takuto, the current fixation of Cassius’ cold glare. Jana kept her voice down as much as possible. She didn’t even make eye-contact as she rummaged through her pockets, searching for her stone. The smooth oval felt soothingly cool in her palm. “Don’t worry about it, he won’t do jack while Hector’s here.”
“Oh, so you did notice.” Deke smirked back at Dunkas. The straight-laced guys were always the most fun. Alas, as Whina began, Zeke knew better than to further engage the Rikimaru bodyguard. He shrugged and turned his attention to Whina, mimicking her sheepish smile as she went on about the blouse, before listening to her rather… brief briefing..
“That’s all, then?” Zeke sighed, dropping his shoulders as Whina forced her laughter. Some days it seemed there was just no helping that girl. At this point, he thought he might as well play along. And so Zeke stood up and clapped his hands together. “Boss certainly has faith in our abilities, if that’s all the intel we get. Very well.”
First, Zeke popped the button on his bag. Under the lid was a small collection of combat knives, sheathed in brightly decorated cases. “Art, would you be a sweetheart?” Zeke took out one of the knives and presented the handle to the young man on the beanbag beside him. “Just the one copy, if you please. In exchange, I’ll prepare some, how do you say… Sauerkraut, when we get back, yes?”
“Of course, if anybody else needs a little bit of my magic touch,” Zeke turned to the rest of the group, as he rubbed some ethereal grains between his thumb and index finger. “- I’m at your service. However...” Zeke’s playful demeanour suddenly shifted, the shade of his cap darkening his visage as he leaned forward and sought eye contact with the blood clad lady from downstairs, Saori. “I have some interests in these monsters of my own, as you’re well aware. I would… Prefer, if we could come to an agreement as to how to distribute the spoils before we go in.”
With one towel still wrapped around her hair and the other around her torso, Jana stepped into the changing room. It was difficult for her to tell if her heart was still pounding from the treadmill challenge earlier, or the fact she’d just beaten her personal best. She grinned from ear to ear and a soft cyan hue radiated from her cheeks.
The room was empty, save for Jana and some strung up clothes. Jana could tell from the steam rising from the shower stalls that Kizuna was taking her sweet time. She could hardly blame the girl, the gym’s large glass windows had cradled a perpetual noon temperature. Still, the alert on Jana’s phone must have been meant for both of them. Kizuna and Jana were on standby today and a message from the boss could only mean one thing.
“Hurry up Ki, Hector’s waiting” Jana called out to the one occupied shower tall. “I don’t want to get scolded again.”
Kizuna casually came out from the showers. “You could speed up by giving me my towel, please and thank you.” Kizuna hid a smile, but its genuinity caught Jana's attention. She did as her friend asked and tossed her the towel on her head.
“Well aren't you a bold one? Hector literally lives up to interrupting comfort, which reminds me, we would have met him earlier if you didn't make that stupid bet!" Kizuna referred to the earlier treadmill challenge. “You must really like amassing lectures from Hector, even from me.”
“Not as much as I enjoy leaving you in my dust.” Jana snickered, though the boldness of those words was accompanied by an even brighter blush. Jana had outrun Kizuna on the treadmill and between the two of them, most exercises were a contest. This time, the stakes had been their towels. A trail of water and soap followed the usually composed and elegant Kizuna from the stalls to the middle of the changing room. The smile suggested Kizuna took the punishment game in stride, but Jana knew that was only so long this information stayed between the two of them. A word to their superiors and Kizuna would have her head.
The evening hadn’t set in yet, but her phone warned Jana 17:53 was dangerously close to it. The streets grew more crowded by the minute and Jana’s heart began pounding for a completely different reason. “I don’t think we’re going to make it if we have to make it past all these people.” Jana pulled on Kizuna’s coat. “But I know a way around.”
Jana led Kizuna around the corner, into an alleyway that ended next to a storage place fenced off with mesh. The gate was closed off and the fence was topped off with barbed wires, but there were a few empty crates lying around and the building on the other side was less than a meter away.
Jana let go of Kizuna’s coat to take a few steps back. She took a deep breath, lining up her vision with her path. Jana sprinted up, using her momentum to leap onto the first box. The next step she pushed herself off towards the second, then off onto the wall. Her sneakers kicked off against it - and as she pulled up her knees, Jana barely scraped over the fence before landing with a roll.
“See, easy as one-two-three.” Jana puffed, as she knew stunts like that after her work-out would come to bite her in the morning. She dusted the dirt off the back of her coat then pointed towards a ladder. “Come on Ki, we can skip a few streets if we take the scenic route.”
Kizuna sighed and rolled her eyes, having expressed yet another one of her hidden smiles. “Show-off.” Chains sprouted out of her body and it slapped the ground, causing Kizuna to propel mid-air. There were lesser strongholds to grapple but it didn't hamper her from reaching Jana immediately.
“Easy as negative one-two-three.” Kizuna jabbed at Jana's head-start. There was no time to play around, Kizuna suggested that they should get to their venue in an instant, without drawing the public's attention. She tied her hair ponytail-style, her chains dissipated with platinum glitter. “I need you to cling to me, bridal-fashion.”
“Eh, again?” Jana stammered. This wasn’t the first time they were late. Kizuna’s ability to move with or without standing out was the one magic Jana was most jealous of. Not to mention the way she dismissed them. Even in short bursts, it was as if watching performance art and felt like the kind of show Jana herself didn’t belong in.
“ASAP.” Kizuna emphasised impatiently.
Jana wrapped her arms around Kizuna’s shoulders. In one swoop, the chains took them to their destination. The air pressure coursed alongside their bodies. Jana clutched her grip as the chains pulled them up to the building.
Kizuna announced their landing as if she were their stewardess. Her eyes were filled with concern when she looked down at Jana. “Um, you can let go of me now.” Jana said. Kizuna promptly dropped Jana and looked the other way. Though no stranger to flying, Jana was glad to put her own two feet back on the ground. “Don’t worry, Ki. Look, I’m fine.” Jana jogged in place, trying to pull Kizuna’s eyes from whatever she was so fixated on. “No jetlags here. Now let’s go we just have-” Jana checked her phone. “Four minutes left!”
The two girls hurried across the rooftops, jumping and slinging their respective ways across the city of Mahoukyo. Without the roads and the people in them to be worried about, Jana and Kizuna soon found themselves in the Akechi district. With a little more help from Kizuna’s chains, the two touched the pavement right in front of the Akechi residence.
“We're here and we're not late. Let's go meet Hector.” As she let go of Jana once more.
“Just by a minute.” Jana sighed of relief before putting her phone back in her pocket. She hurried to the door, ID card already in hand as to satisfy the security system.
“By the way, you felt soft.”
In her rush, Jana didn’t hear what Kizuna was saying. “Come on.” Jana prompted as she held open the door. Kizuna hesitated, but soon followed suit, though once more her eyes attached themselves to ambiguous points in the distance.
The Akechi had installed safety measures in the forms of guards in addition to doors. Passing the reception, the guard acknowledged Kizuna with a short bow. “Welcome back, miss Enichi.” The guard spoke formally. The outer residence was, of course, Kizuna’s family’s residence. Jana flashed her card at the man, she merely received a stiff nod.
The meeting room was on the ground floor and despite Kizuna’s protests, “Not so fast.” Jana blitzed through the outer residence’ corridors. The door to the meeting room was left open and before she’d even put her first foot in the room, her eyes darted to the clock on the wall.
“... 17:55...” She muttered, the strips of cyan glow quickly returning to her cheekbones. Jana checked her phone, which clearly read 6 ‘o clock. There were just two other notifications: “This device’ date and time are no longer in sync with the network-provided time.” and “PrelimaryCorrection.exe (as written by H. Johnson) has been successfully installed and executed.”
“Hector, you’re kidding me...” Jana whispered to herself, her eyes still glued to the display. “Again?”
When he closed his eyes, he could already smell it. The contents of his pockets rattled in rhythm with each of Zeke’s jittery steps. The next ingredient would soon be at his fingertips, he could not help but smile, hum and skip the occasional step.
Evening was about to set, as the last of the sun’s shine krept over Mahoukyo’s buildings. The city’s streets filled with white collars returning home to trade their desks for dinner tables. Some headed home. Others headed towards the cafes where work was just now ramping up. Zeke found himself going in the same direction, the street lead into a road littered with food stalls. Each aroma attempting to grab the crowds by their noses, but one in specific caught Zeke’s attention.
“Excellent balance as usual, Kinzo-san.” He nodded at a white-haired stall owner immersed stirring and seasoning his noodle soups.
“Compliments don’t pay my bills, O’Brien,” The old man didn’t bother to look up or pull a single muscle in his face. “A patronage, now that would be a better way to pay your respects.”
“Ah, such bitterness. Make sure it doesn’t spill in the soup.” Zeke leaned his elbows into the stall’s bar. “You know I would if I weren’t on the clock.”
Kinzo’s decor hardly stood out. The once scarlet paint had faded off the wood, the name on the sail was lettered in what Zeke liked to call the comic sans of katakana. Most of his clientele was similarly old-fashioned, or loyal as Kinzo himself preferred. One of whom, an elderly lady about half Zeke’s height, unabashedly giggled as two exchanged banter.
“That boss of yours still lets you work in that kind of get-up?” Kinzo lifted a single brow, briefly glaring at Zeke’s loose-fitting outfit.
“The boss cares about results, not appearance. Much the same as yourself, in that regard.” Zeke gestured at the yatai’s neglected paint job. “It is not just the stomach you feed, Kinzo, you would do well to serve the eyes a little something as well. Maybe put your granddaughter in front to take the orders, yes? She has just the right smile to make this place popular.”
“She’s busy with school.” Kinzo sighed. “School and the clarinet. She hardly has the time to help out these days - and I can smile plenty charming myself. Ask Kana over here.” Kinzo’s permanent frown lifted into a toothless grin, inelegantly framed with droopy skin. The elderly lady’s giggle burst into a hysterical laughter.
Zeke too, had to wipe a tear from his eyes. “Be careful, friend, you might scare away even your most loyal customers.”
“Keep your criticisms to yourself, O’Brien.” Kinzo retorted, his cheeks flushed brighter than the color of his stall. “Or I’ll have you pay double for the next meal.”
“A thousand apologies.” Zeke wiped the smirk from his face. In the same movement, he pushed himself upright to make ready to leave. ”I’ll let you get back to it.” Zeke tipped his hat at the old owner and then his customer. “I might even swing back tonight for that patronage.”
“Takoyaki, extra spicy. Don’t make it too late.” Kinzo replied solemnly, as if he had rehearsed that line.
Zeke nodded. ”You know it, friend.”
With the scents of the Yatai markets trailing behind him, Zeke continued to his destination. A modest cafe owned by the boss who cared more about results than appearances. With a tip of his hat towards the bartender as he entered, Zeke quickly found himself down the stairs to Gang 13’s actual meeting place.
“Dunkas, looking out for the lady as usual?” Zeke first greeted the large man down the stairs with a modest if sly smile. ”Do button up, please.” He traced the yojimbo’s inked skulls in the air in front of him, ”Us Rikimaru folk are not well-known for our… Self-control, after all.”
Lingering for not a moment, Zeke stepped into the room, ”Whina, radiant, as ever. Is that blouse new?” He asked the Rikimaru heir, before seating himself on a beanbag next to Artemis. ”It contrasts beautifully with your hair.”
WRITTEN APPEARANCE: Sporting a lean build, smooth skin and jetblack, neck-length hair, Zeke might as well come straight out of a fujoshi's dream journal. He carries himself somewhat nonchalantly, favouring baggy clothes and having a bit of sway to his movements. Zeke stands a generous 6.3 feet in height, which means he often has to look down or bend his knees to speak to Mahoukyo residents.
Zeke prefers whites and light but warm colours in his clothes. He feels naked without some kind of headwear. Zeke owns as many hats as he does shirts, ranging from baseball caps to cowboy hats. He has a bit of a weakness for accessorising as well. You should see his keychains.
Personal
PERSONALITY: Zeke is prideful, arrogant even, when it comes to his prestigious art of cooking. He pursues his goals with a passion and conviction beyond human recognition. Calling it an obsession would be putting it lightly. When it comes to reaching his goals, all of Zeke’s other values go out of the window.
His culinary passions aside, Zeke is earnest and amicable, if eccentric. He enjoys cooking for others, even if he prepares dishes begrudgingly below his caliber. To him it is of utmost importance that his allies are well-fed. Zeke supports those who wish to freely express themselves and is quite the flatterer. Having known defeat, Zeke is also more merciful than your average Rikimaru. He believes that as long as the spirit is strong, it does not matter how often the body breaks. This can have him act in secrecy and nurse allies back to health on the down-low. He’s generally well-liked and respected as a result.
LIKES:
Finally, Some Good Fucking Food: Zeke is a picky eater, but when he gets his pick, he is in bliss. Knives: Zeke’s grandfather was an avid collector of weapons and he enamoured Zeke with his collection. Knives were his favourite. Baseball: More fond memories of his time with his grandfather. In fact, Zeke used to play ball. Classical Music: Beethoven is his jam.
DISLIKES:
Culinary Standards: “I wouldn’t eat that even if you cut out my tongue.” His Parents: How was his childhood, how is his relation with his folks, where is he from? All kinds of questions Zeke will never answer. Untidiness: Zeke cannot stand messy rooms and much less messy eaters. Like, do they want ants? Because that’s how you get ants. Religion: Church leaves a bad taste in his mouth.
STRENGTHS:
Fighting Shape: Zeke is a tough customer. He’s a bro who lifts. Courtesy of his grandfather, Zeke is skilled with knives and guns. Bloodhound: Zeke’s nose can recognise people by their scent and… Oh my, so that’s who you saw last night. Iron Chef, Iron Stomach: Zeke does not acknowledge there’s such a thing as food poisoning. Teamwork: Zeke’s magic does not suit a vanguard position, so he learned the importance of supporting the team. He works well with others… Most of the time.
WEAKNESSES:
Food Critics: Insult Zeke’s mother all you want, he’ll probably agree, but touch his cooking and the knives start flying. Please Take A Shower: Because of his strong sense of smell, Zeke is quite sensitive to bad stench. Where’s The Cavalry: When monsters are his superior physically, Zeke’s tool-set isn’t as effective one-on-one. Obsession: Zeke lets nothing stand in his way when it comes to his goals of preparing the most extravagant monster dishes the world has ever seen. This can ruin anything from tactics to relationships.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Theodore Junior O’Brien: Zeke has a great fondness of his grandfather. This old veteran influenced many of Zeke’s passions and though gave little Zeke a means of escape from those-who-shan’t-be-named. Frieda Necromantia: Zeke finds himself drawn to Frieda’s freedom-loving attitude. Zeke envies how she doesn’t let anyone stand in the way of her passions… Though he can get fussy with her if she ruins good meat. Rikimaru Whina: When it comes to their respective passions, Zeke gets along wonderfully with Whina. Unfortunately, Whina can also be a bit of a killjoy in Zeke’s eyes. Rikimaru Akio: There's a lot of urban legends featuring the Rikimaru head, most of them having more in common with warnings than actual stories. Zeke hasn't dealt with the head directly, which most his peers seem to believe is best to keep that way. Artemis Rin: Zeke admires Rin's steel grip on his composure; not exactly common in their surroundings. However, Art could really use some more greens in his diet and sneaks a number into the sniper's meals. Perhaps a healthier balance will make the gunman more ambitious as well, yes? Saori Asakura: That dedication to her goals reminds Zeke of himself, he's quite fond of the mad scientist as a result. They may bicker over the best use of their Zero Time spoils, though. Saori seems to share a distaste for religion, which somehow makes the crazy doctor lady one of the easier Rikimaru people for Zeke to emphatise with.
BACKSTORY:
Zeke, an up and coming star chef, opened a new restaurant.
Zeke’s choice of dish was a little too extravagant to his guests’ tastes.
Most of his guests died of Zero Time-food poisoning.
Zeke, insulted and desperate, seeks to create an even more extravagant dish.
Zeke demonstrates his power to convince Frieda to let him join the Rikimaru’s hunting grounds.
“Like the composers ahead of their time and the master painters who die in poverty, I too suffer the drab of my contemporaries. These mundane critics and their frivolous, so-called reviews. You wouldn’t believe what they wrote, no. Here, let me read this printed trash to you. Tell me it does not make you sick to your stomach.
When Ezekiel O’Brien graduated at the top of his class, many culinary connoisseurs in the know of his previous achievements flocked to the grand opening of his restaurant. I found myself amongst the few who had managed to secure themselves a table. We all awaited with bated breath and fully expected O’Brien to close that night with five brand-new stars plastered to the entrance. There was no menu, the chef’s choice was our only option. A bold move. My hands trembled with excitement, but it would not be long before I instead trembled with disgust. O’Brien’s choice for the first serving was akin a carpaccio, it glowed in a sinister purple light. My gut warned me of what was about to happen, yet I misguidedly decided to be brave.
As I am writing this (recently discharged from the hospital) a mere bite of this infernal appetizer was enough for my stomach to twist and tie into shapes not even the most decorated of boy-scouts can knot. The mix of flavours was out of this world - and I don’t mean that in a good way! O’Brien, if you are reading this, you deserve to rot in jail. I and the other four survivors of your miscreation will not rest until we’ve put an end to your career!
Those plebeian swines do not deserve my genius. Granted, they took my restaurant, but to end my career? My career is about to soar! I wish to extend my formal invitation to you and the Rikimaru family to join me on this venture. My next creation shall amaze and bewilder all. Connoisseurs from all over the world shall fight to the death to even catch a whiff of my masterpiece. I seek ingredients suitable for my ambitions, ingredients sealed away in Zero Time. And that, good madam Necromantia, is why I cut up these fellows of yours. We understand each other, yes? I need access to your hunting grounds and you need members who have a few more… Fingers on their hands. I beg you to consider my application.“
Magic
MEDIUM/EXPERT/TALENTED
Zeke adds a little extra flavour to spells by coating them with what he calls spell seasonings. His magic takes shape as if he’s throwing fairy dust at a caster or spell. Additionally, it works on enchanted items. Zeke can season spells with the following flavours:
SWEET: Boosts the initial potency of a spell but decreases the duration and/or durability. A sugarcoated energy blast gets bigger but dissipates after a few meters worth of travel. A barrier will be able to absorb bigger attacks but can’t take as many hits. Sugar also makes the spell seem heavier. If a spell is an energy blast, it decelerates and drops sooner. If the spell is a barrier, it will weigh down the user. Casting a sweetened spell makes the caster briefly feel happy and excited. Too much exposure, however, will make their mood crash and spiral within minutes.
SOUR: Gives a spell a lingering effect. Even after hitting its target, an energy blast will continue to exist as if you just threw a ball at someone instead. The same applies for the barrier, though spells under the influence of sour seasoning do become susceptible to the forces of nature like gravity. The caster might feel a little disgusted with these spells, because they change color to a more sickly green and begin to generate tiny acidic bubbles. It is best to never touch these bubbles, because they eat through organic tissue.
SPICY: Heats up the spell and decreases casting time. An energy blast becomes a fireball. Touching a spicy-seasoned barrier feels akin touching melting metal. It isn’t just the targets that will be playing with fire. Spicy spells make the caster sweat; draining physical stamina. Their tongue might also feel like it is burning, depending on how they feel about Curry Madras.
SALTY: Creates a white layer of grains that contains and preserves the effects of a spell depending on how much seasoning was used, but renders the spell ineffective while it is being preserved. When the seasoning wears off, the spell's potency is approximately 70% of the original. The caster will get thirstier the more salty seasoning is applied to their spells. If they don't drink enough while the effects are active, this may even lead to dehydration.
BITTER: A touch of bitter can 'wake' a spell up like a good cup of coffee. The spell gain minor intelligence. An energy blast will bend to home in on their target, a barrier may shift its soul mass to defend a weak point that's being targeted. Large or repeated instances of bitter seasoning makes a spell go crazy, requiring an aptitude two levels higher than the caster’s capacity to keep them under control. The more bitter a spell is seasoned, the more it makes the caster’s body feel like the spell is toxic to cast. When overused, bitter seasoning will cause symptoms like dizziness and nausea. Also, the caster might not be able to sleep well that night.
SAVOURY: Every spell becomes juicy. An energy blast will explode like a water-balloon, a barrier will get really slippery. Spells will also start smelling delicious. Maybe that evasive monster now wants to eat your energy blast. Literally. The caster also starts smelling delicious. Making them a priority target to monsters and easier to track.
WRITTEN APPEARANCE: Though only 5'4 tall, red goggles on top of green hair make Jana easy to pick out of a crowd. She usually wears skirts and on occasion shorts, as she does not feel comfortable in jeans or long dresses. On the other hand, her tops vary from sweater vests to summer dresses. She prefers her colours soft over flashy and has a thing for plaid patterns.
Jana has a number of blemishes thanks to her reckless parkour hobby. Most are just small scratches on her hands and elbows, but one in particular is a scar that runs across the side of her thigh up to her hip.
Strips of her skin can light up as neon. This happens when she uses her powers, but the patterns also light up when she is blushing from embarrassment, exercise or intoxication. Jana is not in control of this trait.
Personal
PERSONALITY: Jana’s kind but needy, a people-pleaser and a thrillseeker at the same time. She comes off a lot more reserved than her flashy appearance would suggest, up until there’s something she wants to climb or tag, that is. Her shy demeanor then makes place for a bashful grin… But you’d have to be a good friend of hers to catch a glimpse of that. Or a Zero Time-dweller. That’s where things get crazy!
Within the Akechi, Jana’s a contradiction. She frets about the strict values and commonly cold interactions, her own feelings and values being the complete opposite. Knowledge and tradition is fly and all but… You could also not spit on people outside the family. Still, Jana (mostly) abides by their rules because the Akechi are the closest thing to a family she so desperately longs for. As well as them being the link to her long lost father.
LIKES:
Dancing with Myself: Jana has a need for physical expression. Doors shut, headphones on, now playing: her personal contemporary heaven. Friendship(!): She may or may not be slightly (read: very) clingy but a friend means the world to Jana. Royalties: There's certain... Perks, to belonging to powerful family. Watch This: Coy as she may act about it, Jana loves to impress. "It's no big deal." She may brush off a compliment, but that ear-to-ear grin tells a different story. Graffiti Art: Jana spends way too long in subways. The way these urban messages are delivered really resonates with her.
DISLIKES:
Throwaway Feelings: Despite being at odds with their hierarchical and exclusive attitudes, Jana knows she really needs the Akechi family. She is ashamed of this shallow emotional dependence. Picking Sides: Whenever a friend or authority asks if she's with or against them, the Jana-train reaches nightmare-station. Ice Cream: That cold sensation feels invasive and wrong to a girl who uses her body to generate extreme heat. Confinement: Jana gets uncomfortable in tight spaces. She’ll take the stairs over the elevator any day. Crowds are smothering to Jana also. If you ever want to torture her; take Jana clubbing.
STRENGTHS:
Breakneck Parkour: While most may not pay their environment much mind, there are two questions always prevalent in Jana's head; "Can I climb it?" and "How fast?" Tuning In On You: Jana’s the sensitive type. She can often tell the way those around her are feeling. Built-In Compass: Jana has a great sense of direction. Especially when the stars are out.
WEAKNESSES:
Handwriting: "No, I'm not fluent in ancient Egyptian, why do you ask?" Bleeding Heart: If Jana’s heartstrings were an instrument, there’d be a lot more musicians in this world. Rats: Jana was bitten by a rat at a young age, she’s anxious around mere signs of them.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Arthur Reid: Jana’s father and last living relative, or so she believes. Arthur Reid is a widower with a background in medical science and an aptitude for psychometry. He’s gone missing during a mission he was on for the Akechi family. Aohara Mikune: A rude and headstrong girl who smoked herself out of her shot at competing in track and into sounding like a forty-year old soul singer. Jana’s best friend. Hector Johnson: Jana’s squad leader may be a bit stiff, but he’s the closest thing to a big brother she’s got. Hector comes across as a highly competent detective these days, but Jana remembers the time his methods were… Less refined. She reminds him sometimes. Akechi Touma: The current family head may or may not harbour resentment towards Jana. Touma’s conduct, frankly, scares Jana. Still, within the Akechi’s hierarchy it is impossible not to respect him. Enishi Kizuna: Jana long admired Kizuna's assertiveness, her posture and her elegance. Jana didn't quite intend to get acknowledged as the rival of the Enichi heir, but as Kizuna and she became close friends, Jana wouldn't have it any other way. Ruru Gamelat: Possibly the strangest errand Touma ever sent Jana on was buying the freelancer Ruru a Nintendo Switch as payment for her services. When presented with a Mario Kart bundle, Jana asked if she could come in and play as Bowser. The rest is history. Akechi Fujino: Though Fujino is a powerful mage in her own right, Jana can't help but feel sorry for the girl. Pitying a pure-blooded Akechi is a grave insult to Fujino's elders, therefore Jana is unsure how to approach her. Kurokami Takuto: Being in a similar position as Jana as far as Touma's retainers go, Jana understands Takuto's feelings about his place in the Akechi. She really hopes he'll keep his chin up and tries to push him in subtle ways.
BACKSTORY:
Jada and her dad move to Mahoukyo.
Dad isn't around much, Jada has trouble at school.
Jada impresses one of the bullies and makes friends.
She's a street punk now.
Dad completely vanishes, Jada learns he owed a debt to the Akechi.
Jada wants to find her missing dad.
Jada gets adopted and then entangled as an errand girl for the Akechi.
“There was something he had to take care of, my dad told me when he and I moved to Mahoukyo. An important favour to an important friend, that’s how he broke it down. I didn’t know anyone as committed to favours as dad was. He came home in the early hours and slept most of the day. The neighbours called him a vampire. My classmates dubbed our house Transylvania.
I was the new kid in town. I was different and it showed. My hair was blonde, theirs was black. My eyes were lime, theirs were brown. I didn’t do well in or after class. In my first month here, the only friends I made were the pigeons in the parking lot. The class knew me as the pigeon girl. One time a girl, Mikune, opened a window on the third floor and told me to fly away. I really wanted to, too.
Mikune, later that year, came up to me to ask me where I got my cigarettes. I told her I didn’t have a smoke, Mikune said I sure smelled like I did. She wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t because of any cigarettes. I’d been flying, if only just a little. What used to be a parlor trick, turning on the stove with a spark from my fingers, I had pushed to a plasma thruster. Oh, I didn’t mention? I’m a mage and I um… Blast off to places.
That’s when Mikune started following me around. She was on the track team at the time, I bet that’s why she could keep up. One time, when I thought I had shook her, Mikune saw me climbing the vacant houses. The next day she told me to forget about the cigarettes and to tell her if I was part cyborg. She thought it was banging. We have been friends since.
Miku introduced me to her clique. We were… A little troublesome together. That all started with cans of spray paint. If you’ve ever seen the Jana✰Star tag atop the water tower… Or on the metro. Any busway stop. The old factory district down south... That was me, um. Hi? Please don’t judge my early work too harshly.
While I was out causing trouble, dad stopped coming home. At first I thought his favour had him work overtime but I couldn’t keep telling that to myself or the neighbours. I reported him as a missing person, but my dad wouldn’t just ghost me. You and I, we live in the same city. You know how people can sometimes just go poof and disappear? Then nobody knows nothing about it. Well, I was about to make nobody my middle name.
I tried to find out what dad’s hustle had been all these years. I, um, kinda burned open his file cabinet. There were pictures of places in the city, strange beasts like the kind I’d never seen before and a mad amount of documents written in some kinda code. And that’s not just me disrespecting his handwriting. These were words Google doesn’t know about. The only clue I found was an envelope addressed to Akechi Yuri… And word on the street is the Akechi don’t deal in favours. My dad owed that family a debt.
I started asking questions, but that’s how they find you. They going by the name Hector Johnson. He followed me with a cut-up newspaper at the time, it was second-hand embarrassing. His spying skills have come a ways since. Anyway. I might’ve outran him, but soon enough he found my home. Hector, um, encouraged me to join him. He said the big man insisted and Akechi Yuri wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I did.
Before Touma took the reigns, the Akechi were more about family values than they are now. Akechi Yuri knew my dad went missing in Zero Time, but they never found a trace of his body or soul. It was part of the favour he owed. The big man commanded the Akechi took me in. A friend’s daughter was like his own, he said. Touma chose to interpret me as a substitute to pay off my dad’s debt. Either way… Nobody was paying the bills around casa Transylvania.
Akechi Yuri’s health declined rapidly shortly after I joined. Hector would put me through a crash course magic at day and have me go through dad’s research at night. My dad had been hunting for an antidote for Akechi Yuri’s mysterious illness. He’d found enough to stave off the worst, but when he stopped getting back... I think that’s part of the reason Touma hates failure so much.
When Touma took over, the new head honcho told me a mudblood’s only use was to be Hector’s errand girl. I never took him for a J.K. Rowling fan. Anyway, I stayed on the squad and been a Akechi ever since but… Even more than a family and a place to stay, the Akechi are the only link I have to whatever happened to my dad.“
Magic
HIGH/INTERMEDIATE/COMPETENT
Jana's body emits gases through her pores. These gases can conduct electricity, changing their state of matter into plasma. Igniting these gases may generate immense force; functioning as thrusters that can propel Jana in any direction at high speeds. Additionally, she can emit a more condensed gas to ionise and create a plasma cutter. The length of the plasma cutter depends on the length of her body she uses to create it. A finger would generate a stream the length and width of a toothpick, whereas T-posing could give it the size of a medieval lance. Finally, she possesses great heat resistance because otherwise she'd be a smouldering pile of ash.
Unfortunately, plasma sticks out like a neon-sign. This gives Jana a lot of trouble when it comes to stealth. In the same vein, plasma tends to burn whatever it comes in contact with, which means that most of the time people can smell and track Jana easily when she uses her powers. While she can punch like a freight train by accelerating her arm, this doesn't mean her arm can withstand that impact. When charging her gases, it is also possible for that spark to jump, flaring up more than Jana bargained for.
To be perfectly honest, however, if the expected post speed when/if the IC goes up is as lenient as the >2 months of time people are given to write up their sheets, this roleplay might not be for me. I'm not the 5 posts a day kind of player, but I'd like to have something to write at least every other week.
