Character Backstory
Kimi's parents weren't always dirt poor. Years and years ago, they were wealthy investors in Japan, but the arrival of the Lost Decade and unwise investment in real-estate caused much of their fortune to shrivel up. They took what they had and fled to England, where they managed a comfortable life for at least a bit, until their poor financial skills struck again and the dot-com bubble devoured the last of their assets. Kimi had been encouraged into 'learning computers' since moving to England, and it stuck even after the loss of their money and household. Now, her family lives on the west end of Wakefall District in a near-condemned apartment building near the edge of the Grove. She's had to learn a few different trades in order to afford her interests, and now she tries to pay her way through the expensive Konungswiche university's computer science program in hopes of reversing her family's fortune and making a healthy, wealthy salary. But life's hard, and she isn't quite making enough money to cover her tuition. What's a girl to do?
Her hobbies include video games, both playing and modding them. She's a somewhat active modder for western RPGs in particular, with the online monikor Emeral-chan; under which she submits her unofficial bug fix patches, retexts, and quest mods. The CANDY STAR arcade is her favorite locale, where she plays classics like Metal Slug, DDR, and the various racing games - though she usually avoids going during very active hours due to her crippling social anxiety - an affliction powerful enough to cause her to shun most social contact and render her mute in situations in which she must be around people. She, in fact, prefers people to think she is an actual mute, and has learned sign language in the meantime - though most of the time typing on her phone's keyboard and showing her thoughts suffices. She's also reasonably athletic, and enjoys learning free-running in some areas around the city. Sometimes, she even practices in the Grove, but is very careful to avoid agitating the residents there.
Her top skill is Hacking, a practice in which she's made quite a few pounds for herself already as a network penetration tester, but she also works at a bakery in Wakefall where she applies some practical skills like cooking and fixing the store's appliances when they break.
Goals and Aspirations
• Become filthy rich and live a comfortable lifestyle
• …Maybe do something about all that poverty in the area around my family.
• Why isn't there anyone I can bloody tolerate?
• Dig into the city's depths and navigate its mysteries. I'm looking at you, Glassdell Underground.
Explanation-Defying Situations
Kimi's notes: I'm going to write this as dry and autistic as possible to make sure we've got this information rationally covered. Okay? So don't think this is actually how I write things or whatever.
ETA: Roughly 12:00 AM 01-01-2007
Location(s): Student Lounge Building -> Chemistry Wing -> Unknown -> Comp Sci (Spacial anomaly?)
Persons Involved: Miyama Kimiko, Shimizu Ryoko, Jeffrey Miller, Nicholas Blackfield (All KU students)
Events: Alleged 'art display' projects high powered beam into sky, followed by unidentifiable lights and earthquake. Upon re-entering student lounge from roof, architecture was foreign and warped. Further investigation revealed resemblance to newly remodeled chemistry wing, impossible to explain as location is across campus. Attempts to locate the ground floor exit caused encounter with unknown creature, quadrupedal and animal-like in appearance, body made out of various medical tools. Appeared to use echolocation to identify moving targets. Subject is henceforth referred to as Shadow Designation 1, or S-001 (reasons explained further in document). Evasive maneuvers undertaken, resulted in encounter with more S-001's. Group fled the scene in unbridled terror. Architecture changed again to older, unidentifiable building, possibly original structure from initial KU construction. Found evidence of what appeared to be occult rituals. Side room contained creature resembling man made of newspapers held aloft by air currents, bound in unknown fashion. Creature will henceforth be referred to as Bound Shadow Designation 1, or BS-001. Visual contact initiated reaction in involved persons, resulting in receiving explanation-defying augmentation and keyring. Instinctive knowledge of augmentation became apparent, augmentation will henceforth be known as Persona. More information on Persona in PSA-001 document.
Kimi's usage of Persona proved analytic in nature, and determined BS-001 could not be defeated at present time, and furthermore that BS-001 was a manifestation of the dark side of the psyche of Professor Lucius Sykes. Involved persons fled after sustaining lacerations and stabbing wounds. Architecture of building changed once more to computer science department. No further resistance or danger encountered, and ground floor exit was reached. Unusual lock was found, unlocked using keys obtained previously. Upon exit of building, events inside seemed to return to standard operation and no further explanation-defying architecture (henceforth referred to as Twisted Space) was discovered. Involved persons then obtained invitations to the Royal Raven from unknown source. Investigation into Royal Raven and Professor Sykes pending hospital stay for two of the involved persons.
The following morning, no media acknowledgement of EDS occurred.
Theories: Government conspiracy involving secret spacial manipulation weaponry and supersoldier program. Aliens. Actual magic and supernatural events. Elaborate data simulation inside of a supercomputer like HAL and we just haven't realized our lives are 0's and 1's yet. Or I could just be a bloody loon.
Okay, so forget all of that overly scientific nonsense I typed up there. This isn't some freak scientific phenomenon at all, this is bloody fucking magic. Can't help but feel Rowling had the right of it after all. Basically, this:
Shadows are the dark side of humanity. We don't know how they're formed, but yeah. Our power is pretty much the opposite of them.
There was someone else. Czeslaw Maltsev (For those of you without photographic memories, remember "Malted Coleslaw"). Apparently he had stronger powers than any of us, and was looking into all of this by himself. But his trust issues led to his failure (which we don't know any details of) and somehow led to him implicating all of us to follow in his work, forcing us to band together. Kind of shitty of him if you ask me, but considering what we've gained I don't suppose I can complain.
What I called 'Twisted Space', this dude named the Durance. Doing a little research uncovered the phrase 'in durance vile'. Basically, a prison sentence. It's possible that Czeslaw saw this place as a prison for the Shadows. It's as good of a name to use for now as any, though I think there was some charm to 'twisted space'. :<
All of this was confirmed after looking into our invitations, upon which we were taken into our own little private sanctuary; the Velvet Room. Alexandra and Igor, the inhabitants there, are apparently sworn to help us learn our powers and help us grow stronger. Poe, a little raven who lives there (and I've seen around my workplace, go figure), is apparently another of these servants but has been drawn into our inheritance too. I do not think Igor or Alexandra are human, but I was too timid to actually ask that question. Sigh.
It's no Hogwarts invitation but I'll take it. Persona is apparently both a gift and a curse, a privilege and a burden. I'm going to make the most of it. I'm going to keep the case file format as is, but without the obfuscating wordplay.
Phenomenon: Explanation-defying augmentation received during EDS-0001. Determined identification of augmentation as 'Persona' due to instinctive knowledge shared among involved persons. Augmentation appears to be comprised of highly individualized abilities represented by keys on a keyring granted to the user, and manifests in the form of mythological entity within the augmented. Anecdotal experience to follow:
My (Kimi Miyama's) powers are based around a combination of two factors, a source and a modifier. The sources are things like elements. Electricity, for instance. The modifiers are how they're used, like… foreknowledge or manipulation. The sources seem to correspond to my new USB drives, though the others had actual keys on their keyrings. Let's call these sources 'keys' for now, then, just to be consistent. Key and Modifier.
I am still exploring the extent of what other powers Persona grants me, but I think this is limited by an energy source of unknown determination. This energy, henceforth temporarily known as 'MP', seems to expend faster outside of Twisted Space, as if my my body is less able to contain this energy otherwise.
My persona is Heimdall. Wikipedia quote following: "Heimdallr is attested as possessing foreknowledge, keen eyesight and hearing, is described as "the whitest of the gods", and keeps watch for the onset of Ragnarök while drinking fine mead in his dwelling Himinbjörg, located where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets heaven." Therefore, this god is an oracle, perceptive and cautious, who has the skin tone of a hikikomori and watches out for the end of the world while plastering himself. I have to wonder if this is some sort of comment about myself.
Keys:
Electricity - Technology, electricity, modern convenience, reaction? The reason why I have this one is obvious to me.
??? - Seems to govern blood and Shadows. Not sure what the connection is, there. Kind of scary to think about. Given the red cover, maybe it's 'blood' in general.
Modifiers:
Knowledge - Information. Again, this is an obvious one.
Manipulation - Direct control. Excellent.
Anecdote ends here.
Questions: Can more keys or modifiers be obtained? Can we swap the keys on our keyrings to mix and match our powers? Is this power temporary? Is our Persona truly another side of ourselves, or something sent to keep tabs on us?
Surprise! We're wizards, and our magic runs on FRIENDSHIP POWER! This is going to be the best ever, right guys???
Bloody Christ, where do I begin. You know what? I think I covered most of the important details in the other files. What this boils down to is we're all now superhumans whose abilities are strengthened by bonds of trust. It's the most trite thing I've ever heard of, but it was straight from the extradimensional being's mouth. It sort of figures that these powers I looked forward to would call upon my weakest aspect - interacting with other people in flesh and blood. I hope I can do this… most everyone seems so nice so far, but it's not THEIR bleeding social anxiety being put to the test here. And there's eight of us. EIGHT. I was starting to freeze up when just four of the others were nearby. Am I even going to be able to attend meetings between all of us?
And if I don't play along, my powers aren't going to develop as quickly as theirs, and I'll be dragging the team down. Especially bad since I'm an analyst; they -need- me. I'm going to have to do something… but what?
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Social Links
Name |
Arcana |
Rank |
Notes |
Czeslaw Maltsev |
The Fool |
? |
Who are you? And… why us? |
Ryoko |
The Empress |
• |
I envy her. Time is money, after all, and she has quite a bit of money. Because of this, she has the spare time that lets her pursue all of her commitments, while I have to work hard just to make payments towards my tuition… I wouldn't say I'm -jealous- though. She's been a good friend, certainly more tolerable than most other people on this campus. I continuously find myself stupefied that she can't find time to relax. She should visit more often. |
Jeff |
The Hanged Man |
• |
Oh bloody dickens why did it have to be a jock? He seems well-meaning enough but he's… huge and intimidating and FRIENDLY, like the Great Dane my parents' neighbor keeps in his apartment (against regulations, I might add!). And of course, like said Great Dane, he doesn't realize how nervous he makes me - neither of them know any better. But we're all wrapped up in this, now… Easy, Kimi. You can get through this. Just stay calm and courteous, and hope he realizes eventually or improves. |
Nicholas |
Justice |
• |
He's… not -that- bad, is he? He's avoidant, I certainly respect that. I think he and I will get along just fine. He could use a little more -sense- in his head though. Honestly, it should have been our first instinct to flee, even with these powers. We don't know how to best make use of them yet and for goodness sakes we're college students, not Final Fantasy protagonists! |
Poe |
The Hierophant |
• |
He's a talking bird! A bleeding talking bird! And it's a raven that's been living outside of Chanoma, too. Did I really not catch he was out of the ordinary til now? Well-mannered, too… |
Ramita |
The Devil |
• |
An artist graphics designer who seems rather streetwise. Works at the sex shop everyone buys gag gifts at. She seems happy with herself, but I couldn't imagine living her life. Dealing with all of those… strange people who must go in and out of there on a daily basis? How does she… Well, either way she seems alright to me. |
Cassie |
Strength |
• |
An extremely friendly musician, a bit of a hippie I think, who was reluctant to say much about herself - either because she's secretive or just hasn't done much with her life. I'm not sure we really have anything in common at all but she was considerate enough to respect my personal boundaries when she realized my aversions, so she gets points in my book. Her attitude is something our group needs, I think, even if I'm not entirely comfortable around her myself. Wonder what she'll think of Nicholas. |
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