ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 13, 2023 22:59:39 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 13, 2023 22:59:39 GMT
 The tanuki's stoic expression returned when Fuyuko posed the question. It was a topic that, for the majority of his pro-hero career, that he never gave to thoughts about. It was his job to protect people from villains. To capture them and let the system take care of the rest. If they managed to escape then he would be there to put them right back. That was the being a hero worked in his younger self's mind. The only thing that he needed to be concerned about was being strong enough to do the job required.
The memory surged forth with all the grace of a tactical nuke. The unbridled rage that Pride had for War Dog. The unhinged fervor in his voice as the villain began his assault on Shu's family.
"TWENTY. YEARS. IDRIS!!!" The words blared in his mind as his whole body tensed up. He could feel his heart rate starting to rise as thoughts of that night began clawing their way to the surface.
No. Not now. Not here, Shu thought to himself as he took a deep breath. He attempted to play it off as a sigh. Trying to keep the grief at bay.
"I never used to care," the tanuki admitted while trying to keep his tone level. "I think that's part of the problem with hero culture," he added on. "Making the world safe and making the world better are two completely different things."
APRIL 24, 2083
Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan • 8:45 P.M.
"That's Tatsuyama Seijuro, the yakuza peddler we caught the other day. He was very forthcoming with information under the circumstances that we don't extradite him," a feminine voice explained through the device. Her voice, carrying an African accent, was smooth and velvety with a slight playfulness in her tone.
"Gotta love a snitch," a much younger Tanuki said with an amused huff. A cocky smirk already on his face as he scanned through the documents being displayed from his watch. "Makes the job so much easier. Send me the coordinates and I'll wrap this up. Then I can head back home and we—"
"Aht," Shahar interrupted. "Can you act like a professional, please? Thank you." The intensity of her eye roll was palpable even across the ocean. "Besides, this is a co-op mission between our agency and the local heroes. They're the one's taking the lead on this. You're just support."
Shu sucked his teeth.
"Behave," Shahar chided.
"Yeah, yeah," the tanuki grumbled. "Where is this hero that I'm supposed to be 'supporting,' anyway?"
"Don't air quote me," Shahar admonished. "According to her agency, The Watcher should be at your location any moment now."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Figure we can do a couple of posts in the flashback now. Have them run through the mission before returning to the present.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 13, 2023 18:13:36 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 13, 2023 18:13:36 GMT
Shu let out an amused huff at the girl's reaction to his transformation. Even in retirement, the tanuki enjoyed utilizing his quirk at any and every opportunity. Next to Zazie, Xillions was his pride and joy—having spent nearly his entire life to cultivating its versatility. He was even more amused by her assessment of the Satetsujin state. Two for two. With just a short display the girl had managed to unravel some of the nuances of his quirk. There were villains that spent his whole career uncertain of what he actually did. But just because she was right didn't mean he would admit to any of it.
"I am thou, thou art I," he recited the quote from one of his favorite RPGs growing up. "There is no disconnect. My sand is just another extension of me," Shu explained. Which was true. In fact, he didn't even need the prior hand gesture to move the dishes. The thought alone would have sufficed.
Maybe being "nice" wasn't so terrible. The girl was proving to at least be a decent distraction before the afternoon/evening rush.
And then she said her name. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
"Ah." His tone, while stoic before, carried an icy chill with it this time. The smirk on his face faded and his expression turned to one of absolute annoyance. Whatever she said after her name fell on deaf ears. His vexation was palpable as his gaze narrowed on Miroru. "They allowed that shit stain to reproduce?"
However, he recalled her previous sentiments and her general mannerisms up to this point. Shu leaned in closer with an analytical look in his eye.
"You adopted or something?" He pried. "You seem too reasonable to be his child."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
"I am thou, thou art I..." is a common quote of the signature Personas of the protagonists of the Persona series when they are being summoned the first time. The complete quote varies a bit throughout the series, but the general meaning is almost the same.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 13, 2023 14:50:30 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 13, 2023 14:50:30 GMT
It really wasn't that hard to pin the girl as a U.A.U. student. A lot of them shuffled through his door for one reason or another—be it to actually patron the establishment or ask him for training. Though it was actually her physique that gave it away. Pint-sized as she may be, Shu knew a capable fighter when he saw one. Her musculature was more refined and practical, far more than what came from maintaining simple fitness—a hero's build. Her young appearance and the fact that she wasn't currently in school, despite the backpack, lead to the idea of her being college age. The U.A. part was just a guess though. There were plenty of other schools in Tokyo, given its scale, that were happy to capitalize on being alternative options for those unfortunate to make the cut.
Damn right, the tanuki thought to himself when the girl made her comment about Zazie. A swell of paternal pride rose up at the thought of all the hard work she's done over the years. However, it seemed that the mochi had bought him more information than he had expected.
As Miroru unloaded, Shu simply raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't an alumni of U.A., but that was an easy mistake to make. He had absolutely no clue as to who her father even was, let along what reputation he might have to sway things at the university. Though, Shu had every intention of doing that very thing when it came time for Zazie to take the exam. Granted, he'd probably have them make the test harder than have them fudge scores.
Dealing with the dishes distracted him a little bit, hence the apology, but the comment about his quirk brought him right back. A prideful smirk spread across his face. A lot of people made that assumption about his quirk—especially villains.
"Of course," Shu with a hint of amusement. "After all," he started while spreading out his arms. His left hand seemed to ripple for a moment before turning into black sand, retaining its shape. The transformation raced up his arm and spread across the rest of his body—fully taking on his Satetujin form. "I'm still the God of the Black Sand," his voice was a bit more ethereal in this form.
Many of the patrons that were still around couldn't help but "ooo and ahh" and the sight. Though they were smart enough to not try and take any pictures. That was the fastest way of getting banned from Noyote. Then, just as quickly as he transformed he returned back to his normal state.
"I suppose that counts as an introduction," he said more so to himself than her. Mildly curious about the father comment she had made earlier, Shu decided to take the spotlight off of himself for the moment. "Though it's better to just call me Barkeep these days. And you would be?"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
There are three main ways to get on Shu's good side: 1) Praise his daughter. 2) Talk about his quirk. 3) Feed him. He is actually a really simple person to deal with once you get to know him.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Post by shu on Jun 13, 2023 5:05:46 GMT
Shu's golden gaze remained upon Miroru as she looked over the menu, most likely coming off more intensely than he might have intended. It was a habit—good and bad—of his to thoroughly size up anyone he interacted with and had little care to be subtle about it. So far, her reactions were typical. The double glances. Tensing up. She had an idea of who he was—no, who he used to be.
| "Coming right up," Shu stated simply before moving over to the station with the taps. At the end of the row was the house's cold brew. It wasn't anything ground breaking, but the regulars seemed to enjoy it. Dropping a few ice cubes into the glass he began to pour the coffee. When the glass was filled he placed a coaster in front of Miroru and set down the drink. | |
However, as he did so Mari's words echoed in his head mind alongside that stupid smile she liked to make. Be nice. He'd heard those annoying little words all of his life. It wasn't in his nature to "be nice." But neither was being a barkeep, and yet here he was.
With an exasperated mental groan Shu reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of yen. He grabbed one of the wrapped red bean mochi that was on display near the register and scanned it. Dropping the pocket change into the cash bin he closed the register and made his way back to Miroru, setting the confectionary next to her cold brew.
"On the house," Shu stated. One more tertiary glance at her told him enough to continue on with the niceties. "How are you enjoying your time at U.A.U.? This is your first year, right?" He asked the question with such a casual air that any bystander would assume they've known each other for years. "My daughter has been desperately working to get in one day," the tanuki confessed. "I'm still not sure it's worth it though."
At that moment, one of the patrons stood up from their seat and started to head to the door.
"Barkeep, I'm heading out. Mari already too care of the check," the older man announced.
Shu gave the man a nod of acknowledgement and raised a hand. It was almost like a scene out of Fantasia the way the dishes came to life. The black dishes instantly rose up, flew across the cafe, and neatly stacked themselves on a cart near the kitchen entrance where other dirty dishes waited to be cleaned. At the sound of the clatter, one of the kitchen staff slipped out and collected the cart.
"Sorry 'bout that," Shu said as his attention returned to Miroru, realizing that he probably cut her off with the theatrics.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I....have no notes this time. It's late. Lol.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 12, 2023 20:00:24 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 12, 2023 20:00:24 GMT
There was a quiet lull that embraced Noyote during this time of day. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan streets, the day-time cafe/night-time bar was tucked cozily away in side streets. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods gave the spot an inviting atmosphere. This was also the time of day when Noyote was the least busy. Most of the people present were either older residents or college kids in need of a quiet place to study—the "quiet crowd" as Shu liked to call them.
In truth, it was the ideal time of day for the tanuki. In between new orders and refills his staff could tidy up the place in preparation for the late afternoon and evening rush.
"Booooooossu~" a feminine voice called out to Shu from across cafe, disturbing the silence. A young woman with medium length hair and an octopus tattoo had just finished processing a check. She then pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her bra and flashed them at the tanuki. Her name was Mari, one of the locals that worked part-time for a little extra cash. "I'm gonna step out for a bit, okaaaay~?"
"Yeah, yeah," Shu said as he wiped down his counter space, paying his waitress no real mind. His thoughts more focused on whether he should order food for Zazie's dinner or ask his neighbor to make something for her instead since he'll be working.
The door chimed as Miroru entered into the cafe, nearly hitting Mari in the process. The older woman hopped back just in time and giggled to herself.
"Almost got me," she mused as she gave Miroru a once over. Mari then called out to Shu once more. "Got a fresh face, Bossu. Be nice~!" She then brought her fingers to the edge of her mouth and pushed up, creating a smile, and stepped out.
Shu sighed to himself before letting his wash rag fall on the counter. He then motioned for Miroru to take a seat at the bar, which was practically empty save for two or three patrons.
"Welcome to Noyote," the tanuki greeted as he slid a menu her way.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Thinking of making Mari a regular NPC for the bar. She would be in her mid-twenties, possibly a recent graduate or something. Her quirk is fairly low-key. For the majority of her life she assumed she was quirkless. But in actuality, any tattoo she has comes to life on her body. Kinda like Maui in Moana.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 12, 2023 16:29:10 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 12, 2023 16:29:10 GMT
Like a hunter observing its prey, Shu watched as Fuyuko tasted the drink. While it was the furthest thing from what could be considered a passion, Shu was at least confident in his ability to craft an enjoyable drink. His "godly insight" finding its uses even outside of the field. And even as demure as his views on life may be, the tanuki could never be separated from his vanity. A smirk tugged at the edge of his lips when she let out the satisfied sigh.
As she spoke about his edge and generally intimidating presence all he could do was shrug. It simply was who he was. There was no way he could hide it. He had to assume that some people found his genuineness to be either refreshing or appealing in some manner. Or they were masochists. As long as they kept coming back to Noyote then he didn't care either way.
"I named the drink Red String to symbolize the bond between people," he decided to explain while cleaning up after himself. If she noticed there were a couple of people throughout the bar that had ordered the drink themselves. "It's a good opener for the evening. It lets people get more comfortable. Let down their hair a bit, so to speak."
Setting the shaker aside he returned his focus to Fukuyo and allowed the smirk to form a bit. It was the best that he could do at the moment.
At the mention of their last encounter, Shu tilted his head upwards and to the left. He narrowed his eyes as if trying to view the distant past to dredge up the memory.
"That was the incident in the Minato ward," he started to recall. "The Inagawa-kai were smuggling in narcotics from the States. That's how I caught wind of it." That had been around the time that he started to work internationally—attempting to maximize the benefits of his dual heritage. As the memory of that event became more clear a particular face resurfaced.
"Asano Kakuji," Shu's face soured as the name came from his lips. He was the leader of the Inagawa-kai at the time and the primary reason that the pro-heroes had been summoned. Vicious, cruel, and dogmatic. Kakuji was a villain that cared little for the lives of others, often using the potential of his powers as a threat to coerce his opposition to backing down. "He was such a pain in the ass."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
The Inagawa-kai is an actual yakuza clan based out of Minato, Tokyo. Figured that I might as well rely on some real world representation. Their main source of profit was from gambling but they dabbled in drug trafficking as well. They are also one of the first yakuza clans to expand its operations outside of Japan.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Post by shu on Jun 12, 2023 6:08:45 GMT
For the tanuki this was a night just like any other. Just another day in the malaise that was his life. Fortunately, Zazie was able to stop by earlier in the day with some of her school friends. Like her mother, she was able to illuminate his life with her smile. He cherished the time that they spent together, even with all her newfound teenage angst. And in those moments, he felt grateful to see her grow. Happy to give her at least part of what he'd been denied growing up—a parent's love.
But when she was gone. Sent home to do her homework and chores. The gray fog returned, sapping the color from the world around him. Everything resumed it's agonizing lull.
Oh well. At least Noyote was good for business. As he poured the martini that he'd been working on into two glasses his eyes scanned the bar. The usual patrons were back, sitting cozy in "their" booths. A few new faces were sprinkled out around the place, appreciating the ambiance and trying to figure out what to order. Though there was one guy that looked like a hot mess. He'd been running up a tab, but if he had the money for it and kept to himself then Shu didn't really care.
As he passed the drinks off to a waiter the chime of the door being opened caught his ear—he claimed that it was to add to the homey feel or the place, but he simply wanted to be alerted when people entered or left his space. The voice that followed caught him by surprise for sure.
Kamigawa Fuyuko. The Watcher. Currently employed at U.A. University. Mother of one. Single parent. They certainly had enough in common. Of the heroes listed in the U.A.U. faculty roster, Fuyuko was placed high on his list of people to reach out to when the time came for Zazie to apply to the school. While he was no longer a pro-hero, Shu was more than willing to exploit is past work if it meant securing his daughter what she desired.
"A pleasant surprise indeed," Shu replied as she approached the bar. Cleaning out the shaker he had just used to make the previous cocktails, he let her personal question linger for a bit. He was an Icarus. When they last worked together he had only just started dating Shahar. Never would he have imagined that he'd have lost so much in just a few years. "I'm as good as can be," he decided on as an answer. "You look good," he continued after she asked for a drink recommendation. "I have to believe you're doing well for yourself."
Placing the clean shaker down he pulled out a few supplies from the fridge. His following movements were decisive and precise. Golden eyes focused intently on the task at hand. It was an intensity that she might have remembered in the past. As it was exactly the same highly analytical look in his eye that he had on the battlefield. When all the components were prepared he shook and poured the drink for Fuyuko. | |
A bright pink cocktail flowed into the glass. It carried a fruity scent of strawberry and lychees, the main flavor profile of the drink. There would be a subtle taste of mint mixed in, as he used extract instead of fresh leaves to preserve the visual aesthetic. The liquor of choice was soju, something he knew would blend in well with the flavors of the fruit. In fact, she most likely wouldn't even taste the alcohol at all.
"It's called Red String," Shu said as he slid the drink to her. "If you don't like it then it's on the house."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Now I'm gonna have to actually try and make this drink. Though, it's basically just a mojito. Lol. Either way, looking forward to seeing how things play out.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Post by shu on Jun 12, 2023 1:15:59 GMT
[googlefont=Quicksand] [attr="class","likedo"] [attr="class","likedotitle"] [attr="class","likedotitle2"]MISCELLANEOUS REQUEST [attr="class","likedoinfo"] DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF YOUR REQUEST: Learned that some of my images don't work in certain browsers. So I've updated them to work for the majority. RELEVANT LINKS:ffjmyheroacademiarp.proboards.com/thread/424/morinji-shu-barkeep-expertOTHER: [div align="center"][div style="width:608px;margin-left:-58px;"][a href="https://i.imgur.com/sUwS4wD.png"][img style="max-width:100%;" alt="Morinji Shu" src="https://i.imgur.com/I0PLP7P.gif"][/a][/div][div style="width:550px;"]
[div style="margin-top:-4px;padding:15px;background-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:helvetica;text-align:center;text-shadow:-1px 1px 2px #000, 1px 1px 2px #000, 1px -1px 0 #000, -1px -1px 0 #000;"][/div][div style="text-align:justify;background-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"][div align="right"][div style="width:375px;text-align:justify;padding-right:25px;margin-top:-80px;color:#6a6a6a;"][/div][div align="center"][div style="width:500px;text-align:justify;"]
[b][font color="#6a6a6a" size="4"][div style="text-align:left;"][b style="color:rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:10pt;"][font color="#e6ab54" size="4"]
THE RUN DOWN[/font][/b][/div][/font][/b][font color="#6a6a6a"]At [b]40 years[/b] of age the [b]God of the Black Sand[/b], once revered internationally as [i]"The Symbol of Strength,"[/i] is what many in the hero community would call an Icarus—someone with unbound potential that burned out as quickly as they rose. The former pro-hero is now a "simple [b]civilian"[/b] who owns a back alley cafe/bar in Tokyo called Noyote. But even in retirement there are just some habits too hard to kick...
[/font][font size="4" color="#e6ab54"][b]THE BREAK DOWN[/b][/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"][b]Personality[/b]
Simply put, Shu is a dick. A well intentioned dick, but a dick nonetheless. He has no qualms about speaking his mind at any given moment and can somewhat irritable around others. However, at his core, he is a very caring and loving individual—willing to go above and beyond to ensure his people are well cared for.
Furthermore, the tanuki lives by two guiding principles:
[ul type="disc"][li][i]Live Doing What You Love:[/i] He is selfish and indulgent. He is an advocate for doing whatever feels best in the moment. He believes that nobody should feel that they need to box themselves in to appease others and should live their lives to the grandest.[/li][/ul][div][font size="2"]
[/font][/div][ul type="disc"][li][i]Strength Defines the World:[/i] In order to live a life unimpeded by others, strength is essential. Those that hold the most power get to define the rules of the world around them. Physical prowess, money, determination, unique skills. All of these are aspects of strength that a person can utilize to achieve their goals. However, he is also of the belief that the strong are obligated to protect the weak.[span style="font-size:13.333332px;"] Because having the power to define the rules of the world and not improving the quality of it is a waste of a person's strength, in his eyes.[/span][/li][/ul]
[b]Appearance[/b]
The tanuki stands at 6'3" and weighs in at around 260 lbs. A child of mixed heritage, Shu has a bronze or caramel-esque complexion. His eyes are golden and seem to shimmer in the light, as if they were actually made of the precious metal. Shu's black locs has started to gain flecks of grays—to which he attributes to Zazie rather than his age. Despite having retired from being a pro-hero for roughly a decade, Shu has not let that deter his physicality. Sporting a very athletic build it would be easy to assume he was still in active duty.[/font]
[b style="color:rgb(106, 106, 106);"]History[/b]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]Tragedy and grief are two specters that have haunted the tanuki since he was a child. The son of the American pro-hero, [a href="https://i.imgur.com/YGLkQ6W.jpg"][/a][a href="https://i.imgur.com/qtTHSWP.jpg"]Ororo Boros[/a], and the Japanese pro-hero, [a href="https://i.imgur.com/xYZKF4U.jpg"]Techtonics[/a], Shu grew up idolizing heroes and the impact they had on the world. Unfortunately, at the age of ten, tragedy made its first strike. Both of his parents were killed in the line of duty, sacrificing themselves so that a dangerous villain could be subdued.[/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]One of America's top pro-heroes, [a href="https://i.imgur.com/lgdkUKq.jpg"]War Dog[/a], had been a long time friend of his mother's and, in his grief, he offered to take custody of Shu. His family and godfather ultimately agreed, feeling that he would be able to provide a better life for Shu, and so he was sent to America.[/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]While living with War Dog he was treated like a part of the family, viewing his children as his own siblings. Due to War Dog's and his parents' reputations Shu was able to get into the Howlett Institute, one of the best schools for heroics in America, fairly easily.[/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]By the age of nineteen he had already made a name for himself as a pro-hero in America under the name of Tanuki. His crass but brutally honest nature seemed to resonate with various demographics across the nation, garnering him much praise as well as criticism. [/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]At the age of twenty-one, Shu had started to develop his career as an international hero by working in America and Japan. This was also the time when he would be more intimately introduced to the woman who would become his wife, [a href="https://i.imgur.com/cuYBiva.png"]Shahar Ogolakanu[/a]. The two had both attended Howlett at the same time, but rarely interacted. But now, Shahar was working with the Hero Associacion as a member of the H.A.R.M. (Hero Association Resource Management) Division. In short, it was her job to ensure that all his equipment was up-to-date and properly registered. With enough time, the two started dating and married. [/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]At the age of twenty-five, Shu came to be known as "The Symbol of Strength" in both America and Japan—War Dog graciously passing on the mantle to his adoptive son. In the same year, the couple learned that they would soon be parents to a beautiful baby girl. They opted to name her Zazie in honor of Shu's late mother.[/font]
[font color="#6a6a6a"]As mentioned before, Shu is what the hero community considers to be an Icarus. Tragedy would strike again at the age of thirty-one. The downward spiral began with the news of War Dog's nemesis, [a href="https://i.imgur.com/7szSBhP.jpg"]Pride[/a]—the man who killed Shu's parents—escaping from confinement. The two Symbols of Strength sought to band together, but before they could properly make a plan the villain struck. Tactical and efficient. Their family irrevocably shattered in a single night.
War Dog was killed early in the encounter. All other aide from heroes was rendered useless. Shu had been momentarily downed by the villain. All seemed lost. Until Pride vocalized his intent to kill Zazie as well. In that moment, something awakened within Shahar. Her quirk's power grew to exponential levels, far greater than what a simple adrenaline rush could produce. She fought blow for blow against the monster single-handedly, long enough for Shu to recover. However, Shahar knew what needed to be done. Shahar ordered Shu to create a dome around her and Pride, demanding that he maintain it at all costs. Reluctantly, he did as instructed and Shahar unleashed every iota of solar power she had ever absorbed. She quite literally became a living star and in the process incinerated Pride on a molecular level.
In the end, when the dome fell, Shahar was the only thing left. However, her body was clearly unable to handle that level of power. She was white hot. Her body breaking away into embers. Shu tried his best to hold her, using his quirk to mitigate the damage as they shared one final moment together. Her final words before body disappeared completely was: "Be her strength."
And that's what he did.
Being unable to save his wife and second father, Shu retired as a pro-hero. And knowing the pains of losing parents in the line of duty, he simply couldn't allow Zazie to grow up as he did. The loss of one parent was one too many. So he moved to Japan permanently to raise Zazie alongside his father's family. He took over a bar that his uncle used to own and has lived a relatively domestic life for the past nine years.
But even in retirement, some habits are hard to kick. While he legitimately runs Noyote as a business, it also serves as a front for his services as an information broker. The intel he gains is generally passed on to heroes, police, and vigilantes so that they can deal with the issue without Shu getting his hands dirty. He also moonlights as a self-defense teacher, typically taking government contracts when Noyote doesn't bring in as much money as he'd prefer.
Fatherhood has also brought about its own unique challenges for the tanuki. Especially, when the child is very much like him. The latest conflict is the fact that he retired from being a hero. [a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q4UFWfj.jpg"]Zazie[/a] calls him a hypocrite, given his belief that the strong should use their power to change the world for the better. He argues that [i]she[/i] is his world. All the same, they're managing to make their little family work. Even if they get on each other's last nerves.
[/font][font color="#6a6a6a"] [/font][font color="#e6ab54" size="4"][b]THE BEAT DOWN[/b][/font][/div]
[table][tbody][tr][td style="padding:0px;width:350px;"] [div align="center"][a href="https://i.imgur.com/Nz26Hkj.jpg"] [img alt=" " src="https://i.imgur.com/uc9I2zB.png" style="width:80%;"][/a] [/div][/td][td style="padding-left:15px;padding-top:25px;padding-right:20px;width:150px;"][div style="text-align:justify;"][font color="#ffffff"][font style="font-size:medium;"]GOD OF THE BLACK SANDS or[/font][font size="2"]
[/font][/font][font color="#e6ab54" size="7"][span][b]XILLIONS[/b][/span][/font][/div]
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]QUIRK TYPE:[/font] [/b]
[font color="#ffffff"]Emitter/Transformation[/font]
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]QUIRK RANK:[/font][/b][b style="color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"] [/b]
[font color="#ffffff"]S- [/font]
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Xillions[/b], as the name would imply, is a meta ability that allows Shu to create, manipulate, and transform into a near infinite amount of micro bio-organic adamantine substance that greatly resembles black sand. These black granules operate as an extension of Shu's own body, responding to his every whim—at times, even reacting on instinct. The level to which Shu can control the black sand is essentially on a molecular level, allowing him to manipulate its density and appearance with a single thought. In short, the capabilities of this quirk are only limited by his own imagination.
When transforming his body into the black sand, Shu likes to refer to this state as [i]Satetsujin[/i], or "Black Sand God." [a href="https://i.imgur.com/9AJDPu3.gif"]He can transform a single digit or his entire body[/a], and in doing so gains all of the properties of the black san. Since he is physically becoming the black this means that Shu becomes capable of manipulating his body in the same way he would normally control the quirk—essentially becoming a living construct. While in this state, his consciousness exists in a hive mind state between the granules allowing him to experience the world in somewhat omnipresent scope.
Shu's most common form of manipulation is done in the following ways:
[ul type="disc"][li][i]Constructs:[/i] Using the black sand, he [a href="https://i.imgur.com/x5G1r48.gif"]molds it into various shapes[/a] that can be used offensively, defensively, or supplementary.[/li][/ul][div][font size="2"]
[/font][/div][ul type="disc"][li][i]Tanukitsuki:[/i] Otherwise known as "Tanuki Possession," Shu will transform his body into the black sand and [a href="https://i.imgur.com/VcfMlxB.mp4"]alter his appearance[/a] to resemble other people, creatures, or things.[/li][/ul]
In terms of drawbacks, Xillions has its fair share. For one, the quirk is heavily reliant on Shu's mental and emotional capacity. Altering his state of mind by any means could effectively render the quirk inert, or at the bare minimum dull his ability to control it. This is especially true when in his [i]Satetsujin[/i] state. If he isn't careful he could potentially lose all sense of himself and be stuck in a sort of limbo state.
Additionally, while the granules are bio-organic, they are still ferrous in nature. As such, they can be susceptible to high powered magnets unless they've been heated up to certain degrees.
On the subject of heat, the granules are potent conductors of heat and electricity. Too well, in fact. When granules reach high enough temperatures they begin to break down structurally and burn up completely.
[i]Tanukitsuki[/i] also has its flaws. For one, not matter how well Shu is able to reconfigure his form it is still made of black sand. As such, any close inspection will give away the falsehood of the form. He is also not a mimic, so any voices that he makes would have to be his best impression.
Shu is also required to eat a large amount of iron-rich foods to support the production of the black sand.
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[/div][table][tbody][tr][td style="padding:0px;width:350px;"] [div align="center"][a href="https://i.imgur.com/chEzLpM.gif"] [img src="https://i.imgur.com/cYdbDaR.gif" alt=" " style="width:90%;"][/a][/div][/td][td style="padding-left:15px;padding-top:55px;padding-right:10px;width:150px;"] [font size="4" color="#ffffff"]ATTRIBUTES OF A FORMER[/font]
[div style="margin-top:-8px;"][font color="#e6ab54" size="7" style="font-weight:bold;"][span]PROHERO[/span][/font]
[table][tbody][tr][td style="padding:3px;"][b][font color="#e6ab54"]Awareness:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]A[/font]-
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]Presence:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]B-[/font]
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]Dexterity:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]B-[/font]
[/td][td style="padding:3px;"][b][font color="#e6ab54"]Constitution:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]C[/font]
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]Strength:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]C[/font]
[b][font color="#e6ab54"]Speed:[/font][/b] [font color="#ffffff"]C[/font]
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[/div][/td][/tr][/tbody][/table][div style="width:500px;text-align:justify;color:#6a6a6a;"]
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[/div][table][tbody][tr][td style="padding:0px;width:350px;"] [div align="center"][a href="https://i.imgur.com/mXpaiV4.mp4"] [img alt=" " src="https://i.imgur.com/XkSAcDX.gif" style="width:80%;"][/a][/div] [/td][td style="padding-left:15px;padding-top:55px;padding-right:20px;width:150px;"] [font size="4" color="#ffffff"]KEEPING THE INVENTORY[/font]
[div style="font-weight:bold;margin-top:-8px;"][font color="#e6ab54" size="7"][span]STOCKED [/span][/font][/div]
[div style="text-align:justify;"][span style="text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"][font color="#ffffff"]Being a father and a business owner, Shu ensures that he has everything needed to comfortably do both. Stable housing, fully stocked supplies, reliable transportation, high quality internet, and more. Shu rarely finds himself wanting in terms of basic needs.
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[b]Combat Savant: B-[/b]
Fighting comes as naturally as breathing for the tanuki. Even at a young age he possessed a frightening aptitude for dismantling anyone that dared to face him. This skill has only amplified with age and experience. Making use of his heightened sense of awareness—which he calls his "godly insight"—Shu is capable of deconstructing quirks and abilities to their basic principles after viewing them only once.
To maximize the usage of his "godly insight," Shu takes on a primarily defensive approach to fighting. By maintaining a comfortable distance through swift evasion and redirecting attacks he is able to properly observe his opponent and discover weaknesses to exploit. Once found, he can deliver devastating, decisive and debilitating blows to whomever has the misfortune of fighting him.
[a href="https://i.imgur.com/4QTT4LW.mp4"]When viewed in combat it doesn't necessarily even seem like he is doing much, but none of his movements are wasted. Every action has a purpose, and it's all to bring him closer to victory.[/a]
When he is feeling particularly cheeky, Shu will even "steal" the movements of his opponent. For example, if an opponent has a signature punch, after proper observation he could mimic the strike as well as the opponent. Though, sometimes he will have to utilize his quirk to make up for potential physical limitations in order to accomplish this effect.
[b]Shahar's Omnitool: C-[/b]
An experimental device that Shahar created, using technologies acquired from Sovereign Technologies. It's an implant device that offers him a wide spectrum of services through the use of [a href="https://i.imgur.com/BRYuw61.mp4"]hard light[/a]. It's most prominent feature is its ability to analyze materials and breakdown their chemical make-up. Typically, Shu will use this feature to examine a crime scene to find trace elements of clues or verify the quality of products. There is even an AI assistant installed that can help him allocate and compartmentalize his information. Though, most often he uses the omnitool as a communication device to keep in touch with Zazie.
[span style="text-align:center;color:#6a6a6a;"][font color="#ffffff" size="2"]CHARACTER APPLICATION STATUS:[/font][/span]
[b][font color="#e6ab54" size="7"]COMPLETE
[/font][/b][sup][i]APPLICATION CREATED BY LIVEN
[font size="1"]Face Claim: Morinji Shu, Original Art[/font][/i][/sup][/div][/div][div style="padding:5px;background-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin-top:-4px;"][/div][div style="text-align:left;"][span style="font-size:10pt;"][font color="#2ea7bc"] [/font][/span][span style="color:rgb(25, 121, 230);font-size:10pt;"] [/span][/div][/div][div align="right"][img style="margin-bottom:0px;margin-top:-500px;max-width:45%;margin-bottom:-10px;" src="https://i.imgur.com/xWaV2px.png"][/div][div style="padding:5px;background-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"][/div][/div][/div][/div]PHARAOH LEAP. [newclass=.likedo]background-color:#f0f0f0;padding:25px;width:400px;color:#888888;line-height:10px;[/newclass] [newclass=.likedotitle]background-color:#ffffff;border:solid 9px #444444;padding:1px;[/newclass] [newclass=.likedotitle2]background-color:#444444;color:#ffffff;font:bold 10px Calibri;line-height:35px;text-align:center;letter-spacing:2px;[/newclass] [newclass=.likedoinfo]margin-top:-10px;border:solid 1px #e5e5e5;background-color:#f9f9f9;padding:24px;font:10px verdana;text-align:justify;line-height:12px;[/newclass] [newclass=.likedosub]background-color:#444444;font:bold 8px Calibri;text-align:left;padding:10px;color:#ffffff;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1px;[/newclass] |
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 11, 2023 14:35:46 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 14:35:46 GMT
Shahar Morinji-Ogolakanu shown as bright as the sun. Her warmth and loving nature brought out the best in all around her—especially within Shu. Though, to those that weren't blessed to know her well enough might have claimed the opposite. Decisive by nature, Shahar—regardless of situation—was always quick to access the overall scope and determine its effects on all parties involved. As such, she would swiftly devise solutions and execute them without hesitation.
It was that strong-willed character of hers that enabled her to tame the tanuki. In the time that they shared both were the happiest they'd ever been, even during the rocky times. They supported each other equally in their careers and within their family. Together, there seemed to be nothing that couldn't be accomplished.
And maybe that remained true, even to the bitter end.
 The most apt description of Shahar Ogolakanu is "Amazonian." From her height to her muscular physique to her innate beauty, Shahar's entire body can be considered to be a lethal weapon. Her hair, stylized in a mohawk of locs, reached the small of her back at its full length. However, for style and practicality, she kept it in a loose bun the majority of the time. Shahar's hero costume served to portray her heroic ideologies at a glance. The jacket, crafted from a highly resilient and damage resistant material, was modeled off of military uniforms and meant to give the impression of authority. When she wore the jacket, it signified that she had chosen to approach matters from a diplomatic standpoint—seeking to make peace with her words and ability to empathize with people. Underneath the jacket, Shahar wore a form fitting sleeveless top that had an exposed back. This was to ensure that her arms have the absolute freedom to move without any hinderance. When seen without the jacket, it was assumed that Shahar determined the only path to peace is via force.  | MELANATED
SOUL
QUIRK TYPE:
Mutation & Emitter
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as the name would imply, was a meta ability that has a focus on melanin—a dark brown to black pigment occurring in the hair, skin, and iris of the eye in people and animals. Like normal melanin, Shahar's pigment would passively absorb UV light from the sun. However, where her melanin differed was that it will metabolize the solar energy into various nutrients and chemical energies that serve to empower Shahar's physiology to superhuman levels. Her cellular structure is much more dense, resilient, and biologically more effective than standard human tissue—making her naturally resistant to physical damage. On top of that, her musculature also received a boost from the nutrients provided, making her exponentially stronger and faster. The absorbed solar energy could also be stored, granting her enough stamina to fight for 72 hours without the need for rest.\ The final ability of this quirk was one that Shahar never wanted to rely on. In fact, she often kept it secret. Shahar could unleash all of the solar power within her body and effectively go nova, burning everything in a certain radius. It wasn't something that she could effectively control, and had caused her great personal trouble in the past. However, it ultimately would be the ability that saved her family from Pride. Even though it seemingly cost her life in the process. | Peace and Quiet
Given that Shahar's hero name is Peacemaker it's only appropriate that she be capable of establishing some level of peace. That's where Peace and Quiet came into play. This fighting style revolved around fast movements and heavy, decisive strikes. Using her superhuman physiology, Shahar often appeared as a blur of movement on the battlefield and performing acrobatic maneuvers to get into the most optimal positions. All in the pursuit of rendering threats "quiet" so that "peace" can return.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Shahar was actually a character concept that I was going to create on the previous site. I got pretty far in the character creation process, evidenced by some of what's written above. However, I changed my mind and created another character (O-Rin) instead.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
|
Jun 11, 2023 13:14:40 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 13:14:40 GMT
Morinji Shu. God of the Black Sand. Former "Symbol of Strength." Considered to be an Icarus within the hero community, his potential burned bright but was tragically snuffed out far too soon. Now, at 40 years of age, he is just a "simple" civilian running a bar/cafe out in Tokyo called Noyote. But more important than that, he's the father that's dedicated to doing his all to see his daughter thrive in this crazy world.
TANUKI 0: Liven Life Like it's GoldenAfter finally obtaining her official— provisional—hero license, Zazie is excited to go out on patrol with the hero she's idolized all her life. Or, at least, what's left of that hero. | |
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This is where I will be keeping the majority of Shu's plot related threads. Things that are integral to the character and his growth. As well as some of the major supporting cas characters.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
|
Jun 11, 2023 12:15:16 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 12:15:16 GMT
|
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
|
Jun 11, 2023 11:59:52 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 11:59:52 GMT
"It's not even that serious!" the leader of the pack cried out as he continued to flee. Civilians swiftly ducked out of his way, not trying to get caught up in the chaos. "We didn't even hurt anyone," he said before muttering, "that badly."
"And I'm not going to hurt you," Zazie called out to him as she picked up speed, putting her within arms reach of the man. "That badly."
However, right before she could grab him, the villain ducked and pivoted into an alleyway. Zazie sucked her teeth, but recovered quick enough to use her anti-grav skateboard to take to the high ground. Riding atop the roofs she was able to maintain a visual on her prey.
"Okay, I'm over this," she stated to herself and kicked the board to its highest gear. In a burst of speed she raced down the side of a building and cut the villain off before he could leave the alley. Now there was nowhere for him to run.
"You are persistent," the villain said with disingenuous respect. "But I really don't have time for this so...," he said and threw a punch. As he did so a black portal opened up in two places simultaneously. One directly in front of his punch and the other next to Zazie's head. The first went through the inky portal and came swinging for the heroine's head.
Fortunately, combat was where she excelled at most.
"Some kind of quantum entanglement," she announced as she utilized Tanuki rule number two: understand your opponent. With ease Zazie dodge attack after attack from the villain before catching one of the punches. "Neat."
Then, with a level of force one might not have expected from a girl her age, she pulled the man through his own portal and slammed him to the ground—adding her full weight to the end of it. Not letting herself get distracted in needless dialogue anymore, Zazie placed a finger on the concrete next to the villain's head. A few plates of the MYDAS armor lifted away to reveal a swirl of purple energy that resembled a finger.
A cosmic purple and blue light radiated outwards and the concrete began to warp itself around the villains body, binding his hands and limbs rather...well, concretely.
"Hey! Hey! Not cool," the villain protested as they tried to free themselves, but Zazie was already done. The villain was practically fused to the pavement. Not literally, of course, but it would take some effort to dig him out. Though that wasn't really her problem. "I mean, it looked cool, but this is not a cool situation for me."
Now she was left with a choice. Pursue the other two villains or...
Tanuki rule number three: know your win condition. Two out of four wasn't exactly a great success rate. So, in that case, she needed to learn more about the situation. What were these villains after? Is this part of some bigger conspiracy? She needed more information.
Grabbing the tote bag from the ground—it had managed to fly off during the judo slam—she started to peer through the contents. It was filled to the brim with an assortment of various computer parts and electronic devices. But all of it was commercial. Nothing too outlandish. Maybe they were looking for some kind of specific component. Or maybe they were just desperate for money.
"So what was the plan? Steal a bunch of stuff and pawn it off?" She asked as she sat down and leaned against the alley wall, a few feet away from her captive. "You grabbed some pretty high-end stuff here."
"Would you believe me if I told you that I had no choice?" the villain queried, attempting to turn his head towards her but to no avail. "Would you believe me if I told you that we were being blackmailed?" His voice began to quiver. A single tear started to form at the edge of his eye. "We all received photos in the mail of our loved ones and a letter. It said that if we didn't carry out this heist then they were as good as—"
"No," Zazie interrupted. He was a talker. So, she needed to keep him talking. "I don't believe you."
The villain sucked his teeth.
"Fine! We weren't blackmailed. Just trying to get in the good graces of a couple of people. Maybe pay off a few debts," the villain confessed. "Can you let me go now? Like I said before, I really do have places to be."
| "From the looks of it, you're not going anywhere," a raspy voice said with a haunting chuckle, startling both the villain and the young heroine. A green spectral head suddenly materialized above the villain, sparking both the villain and Zazie to unleash a flurry of expletives. It's eyes then began to glow brightly. "Got a visual on the suspect," the skull said to seemingly nobody. "No need to rush. The rookie's got him wrapped up nice and tight."
| |
The skull then turned its attention fully to Zazie, hovering over to her and sizing her up.
"Not too shabby, kid," the skull praised. "Took down two of these jokers and even recovered the goods. You got a real knack for this."
"It was a cheap shot," the villain murmured under his breath.
"You're one of Spirite's spirits, Ghostface," Zazie said, trying to keep herself from fangirling. "Don't you guys normally operate out of Osaka?"
"Heh heh, you know your stuff, kid," Ghostface praised as he whirled around Zazie. "We're actually on vacation, but when duty calls we gotta answer. She's rounding up the last guy now," the spirit said causing the villain to let out a curse of frustration. "So hang around for a little bit, will ya? I think she'll like you."
"This is the best day ever." She whispered to herself under her helmet, positively beaming from ear to ear.
POST NOTES:
So, the long and short of Zazie's powers is basically anything you've seen in FMA. She's a living, breathing Philosopher's Stone that can transmute things at will. As for the pro-hero that will be introduced, the name is pronounced Spee-Right. A combination of "spirit" and "sprite."
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
|
Jun 11, 2023 11:56:57 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 11:56:57 GMT
"You said that you had a getaway plan," a gruff voice barked as the four villains ran at full speed down the street. Each of them carrying a blue tote bag full of stolen electronics. The stockier villain practically foaming at the mouth from rage.
"I do!" The leader of the pack declared with a revelrous mirth. "The plan is to get away," he said with a wide grin.
"Fucking amateurs," the third villain groaned as he followed along, swerving around to avoid colliding with a mother and child.
"Don't be like that," the leader called out. "Heroes don't even hang around this area. It's not worth their time."
At those words, the subtle motorized hum of a mono-wheel skateboard could be heard approaching them head-on at high speeds. Gliding across the rooftops and sides of buildings Zazie was able to quickly catch up the the quartet. Dropping down on them she made use of Tanuki rule number four: know your strengths. In this moment, her strength was the element of surprise. For all they knew, she was just a dumb kid on a high-tech skateboard. So, as she approached, she made full use of the opportunity to land a heavy roundhouse combo on largest of the four villains as they ran down the street, dropping him to the ground instantly.
"Fucking amateurs," the third villain groaned louder as the villains came to a halt after seeing their accomplice downed so easily.
"What the hell, kid?! Learn how to drive that that thing!" The leader of the pack snapped as he looked at all the stolen merchandise that was now scattered on the ground. And his buddy too. There was definitely a little bit of concern about him as well. Probably.
" Oh, my bad," Zazie said with faux shock, clutching for a pair of imaginary pearls around her neck. "He just had such a punchable face. I couldn't help myself." " She's a hero," the fourth member of the group announced, his voice heavily auto-tuned and robotic. "No shit, Sherlock," Zazie said as she brought up her MYDAS arm and activated her quirk, and triggering what could only be described as a real life magical girl transformation. | |
"Auraboros at your disservice," the heroine proclaimed as she unleashed a burst of residual alchemic energy, knocking the other three villains to the ground as well. "Feel free to surrender at any time," she added confidently while placing a hand on her hips. A smirk widening on her face underneath the helmet. Even Shu would have to admit that was a hell of a reveal.
"I...see," the leader said as he dusted himself off and made sure the contents of his tote bag were still in there. "How about we book it for next week?"
At the cue the three villains all took off in separate directions, leaving their fallen companion behind.
"Huh? Wait, no," Zazie stuttered and the villains fled. This was the part where they were supposed to fight. A proper 4v1 where she could show off her skills in front of her dad. "Hold—"
"What did I say about shit talking?" The cat-sized Shu chided with mild annoyance as he jumped down from a nearby roof. He landed square on the chest of the fallen villain. From the distance someone could be heard questioning whether the cat just talked.
"Don't say shit unless you can back it up," Zazie recited, mimicking his voice to the best of her capacity while rolling her eyes.
"Exactly," he affirmed. "I'll keep this idiot here. Now go back up your shit."
There was a pause as Zazie just stared at CatShu.
"I don't think that sounded how you wanted it to sound," Zazie said. Once again, Shu's eyes narrowed on his child. With a soft revving of her skateboard she began to slowly back away from him, letting the awkwardness of the scene continue to intensify. "I'm just...," she said rolling further and further away. "I'm gonna go do my job now. You sit there and think about what you've done."
And she was off, leaving Shu to grumble something under his breath about kids.
"Oh wow, that cad did talk!" A voice called out from the distance, causing CatShu to let out another exasperated sigh.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Okay, I'm starting to feel like I'm back in the swing of it. Enjoying writing my little idiots. I like the idea of stupid villains committing petty crimes. But maybe they're more dangerous than they appear. Probably not tho.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
|
Jun 11, 2023 11:55:08 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 11:55:08 GMT
The subtle motorized hum of a mono-wheel skateboard was all the warning people had as the young heroine zipped through the streets—causing more than a few to jump out of the way and sling some choice expletives. None of that mattered to her though. Years of hard work, training, and ceaseless study had finally paid off. A newly minted—provisional—hero license practically glistened in the sunlight as Zazie analyzed every inch of it. A grin spread from ear to ear as she casually performed a quick ollie to avoid crashing into a food delivery man.
| "Alright. Alright. That's enough. Put that damn thing away before you actually hit one of these assholes," an irritated voice demanded from atop Zazie's shoulder. A medium sized black house cat sunk its claws into the girl's shoulder causing her to wince. Though before she could retort the cat continued. "The point of a patrol is to watch your surroundings. Not stare at some dumb piece of plastic."
| |
"Fiiiiiiinuuuuh~," Zazie groaned with faux annoyance as she slipped the ID back into her wallet. Nothing could bring her mood down now. Not after finally getting her ultimate prize for finally getting her—provisional—hero license. A whole day of patrol under the supervision of the—former—Symbol of Strength himself. Though, in order to keep a low profile the tanuki decided to take the form of a black cat for today's lesson. "So where do we start?"
"You're the hero. You tell me," Shu stated simply.
"Tanuki rule number one, understand your surroundings," Zazie recited with an air of smugness. "Hold on tight," she said as performed a kick flip, causing the skateboard to enter into a sort of anti-gravity mode. With a sharp left Zazie rode up the side of a nearby building until she reached the roof. In one fluid motion she landed and scooped up the skateboard. She then proceeded to walk to the edge of the roof to look down upon the city.
"Okay, Starlight," Shu said with a hint of paternal pride. She was starting off on the right track. "What do you see?"
An inexperienced pair of golden eyes surveyed the area. There were easily over a hundred people in this section alone. For all intensive purposes, it didn't look like much of anything. But she couldn't just say that. Shu wouldn't accept that level of response. She squinted a little harder.
"I see," Zazie started as her eyes darted from one group of people to the next. "A relatively peaceful scene, but we're in a metropolitan shopping area. Opportunists thrive in these kinds of environments."
"Meaning...," the former hero said fishing for more specifics.
"Increased chances of theft related crimes. So it would be best to keep an eye on potential escape routes," Zazie surmised as she scanned the area more intently. She then pointed at the entrance of a nearby metro station, a bus stop, and a couple of alleyways. "They could use those to make a quick getaway." That's way too obvious. She needed to think harder.
"You're thinking too linearly," Shu declared before she could try and tack on more to her answer. "You're looking for conflict. It's blinding you from everything else."
Golden cat eyes shuffled over the scene below. So many things to see, but easy enough to glean the important information once you knew where to look. His tail swished for a moment before elongating and forming a hand at the end. He then pointed to the an area near one of the trees.
"That dog is about to get loose," he said as he honed in on two adults deep in conversation. So deep that the one with the dog had no idea how vehemently their dog was trying to free itself from its collar. "You could catch it before it gets lost or potentially hit by traffic."
Next he pointed to an area near the same bus stop she had mentioned.
"A kid is being bullied by some upperclassmen. Look at their body language." In the scene three older boys were flanking a smaller timid child, guiding him towards a nearby alley while laughing obnoxiously. "You could intervene."
Shu proceeded to list off a number of other issues. A sleep deprived woman that was veering too close to the road. An old man struggling to catch his breath on a bench, clearly having overexerted themselves in some way. A couple of pickpockets. A group of teenagers poorly trying to hide their public quirk usage. Some workers having a hard time unloading the shipment from their supply truck. A foreigner fumbling around trying to find their destination. He listed off everything with a cold, professional, matter-of-factness. Zazie couldn't help but smile.
"Being on patrol means more than just being there to stop random villains," Shu explained, returning his focus to his daughter. "Being a pro-hero means that it's your job to make people feel secure. In this world, quite literally anything can happen. We—" he caught himself and quickly pressed on. "Heroes need to keep the illusion of peace. So, sometimes it's about grabbing the dog. Stepping up to some bullies. Grabbing an old man a bottle of water. Helping a person find their next stop. Just giving a helping hand to those in need. And sometimes," his eyes narrowed as a small commotion began to stir out in the distance. "Sometimes it's about stopping some random villains."
"Wait," Zazie said with mild bewilderment. She had been absorbing her father's words, trying to reframe her view of the scene below, so the complete 180 threw her. She then looked out to where Shu was pointing to now. Her eyes widening a bit in excitement.
"G'on, Starlight." A cheshire style smirk spreading across his feline face. "Show me what you can do."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Going to be shifting the focus to Zazie for a bit. She's a new character for me, so I want to get in some practice with her. Work out her personality and how she views the world. More importantly, I wanna practice using her quirk.
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ALIAS
GOD OF THE BLACK SAND
OCCUPATION
BARKEEP
EVENT TOKENS
0
QUIRK
XILLIONS
Archived
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Jun 11, 2023 11:52:15 GMT
Post by shu on Jun 11, 2023 11:52:15 GMT
AUGUST 3, 2091
Providence, Rhode Island • 10:23 P.M.  Mayhem. Absolute mayhem. In the span of six minutes the city—home to one of the country's top hero schools and believed to be one of the safer cities to live in—had become a war zone. Massive explosions deafened the cries of panic as people fled for their lives. Sirens pierced through the cacophony as emergency response teams rushed to the scene.
At the epicenter of it all stands one man—no, not a man, a devil. The hulking mass of muscle towers over everyone present. Disturbing green flames emanating from his body as his rage continued to swell.
"TWENTY. YEARS. IDRIS!!!" the devil roared with an unhinged fervor that could only be described as rabid. The words resounded from the soul, resonating with every ounce of hatred and disgust that was festering within his heart. "YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!! NOW I WILL DO THE SAME TO YOU!!!"
The sound of a snap cuts through the chaos. In an instant the memory is shattered. The tanuki rises in a cold sweat and labored breaths. Greeted by a reality nine years removed from the scene that just played out. Golden eyes frantically scanned their surroundings in an attempt to process. But there was nothing to see. There is no devil. Just a black themed room. The same room he's lived in for the past six years.
"You were drinking again," a feminine voice stated in a muted tone. There was a sadness laced within the words, but also a hint of frustration.
Startled, Shu turns to see a pair of golden eyes, very much like his own, watching him. He looks at the teenage girl, slightly mystified. His mind trying to shake off the fugue. Zazie, he clarified to himself as his mind started to clear through the haze. His labored breaths steadied as the adrenaline rush started to subside.
His eyes shifted to the dresser next to his bed. There was an empty liquor bottle and an unfinished drink next to a tablet. On the screen was a document titled: Providence Incident Report #091990.
"Fuck," he sighed under his breath and dropped back on his bed. Shame and frustration replacing the adrenaline from just moments ago. That's when he noticed that his face was wet. He touched his face. A stream of tears. For a moment the tanuki just kept quiet, palming away the tears. He gazed at the ceiling as he tried to find the cobble together the words. He was a fucking mess. "I was drinking again," Shu admitted after some time, turning to face his daughter. He didn't even try to hide the guilt.
"Same dream?" She knew the answer. He only ever had one dream—well, it was more of a nightmare—and it's been haunting him for the past nine years.
"Same dream," he answered softly as he lifted himself up. "You got me before the worst of it though. Thank you."
"Just...doing what I can," she said as an uneasy pause lingered over the room. That night devastated their family and was a frequent point of contention between the pair. The trauma held onto Shu like a vice grip, keeping him from properly moving forward with his life. It was an obsession. He kept looking into the night to try and find anything to prove his world wasn't utterly shattered. To prove that he wasn't an absolute failure. For Zazie, her mother and grandfather weren't the only casualties that their family lost. Her father died too. Except, like a poltergeist, his physical presence lingered—a husk of his former self. But now wasn't the time for arguing. Today was far too important. At least for today, she was going to get at least a glimpse of her hero again. "Sooooo," she started as she plopped down on the bed. Her demure expression was now replaced with a fiery grin. "When are we going on patrol?"
Just like that, Shu's mood was lifted. That smile was infectious. Just like her mother's. The zeal she had for heroism. The passion and drive for getting better. Just like how he was at her age. A subtle smirk tugged at the edge of his mouth and a bemused huff escaped. She really was the best of both of them.
"After breakfa—" was all he managed to get out before a handful of protein bars were thrown at his face. His brow twitched as they bounced to the floor. Piercing gold eyes narrowed on the girl but she remained steadfast and unfazed. The fire in her eyes melting the cold glare.
"Walk and talk, old man," Zazie declared as she jumped off the bed. That bouyant enthusiasm was now starting to bite him in the ass. "I was gracious enough to let you sleep in, but I've got you booked for the whole day!" She flashed a triumphant smirk and stuck out her tongue before bounding out the room.
"Kids." Letting out an exhausted sigh, the tanuki made his way out of bed and grabbed the protein bars. "At least let me get dressed," he called out to her as he ripped one open and consumed half of it in one bite.
"Walk. And. Talk." She clapped her hands at each word.
And so, a new day has begun for the Morinji duo.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This will be a simple collection of posts that will help me reacclimatize myself to the world of RP. It will feature my bastard of a character, Shu, and his brilliantly sarcastic daughter, Zazie. In any case, I hope that you enjoy the read while I shake off some rust.
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