Post by Akira Nakajima on Apr 12, 2015 4:26:34 GMT
Name: Akira Nakajima; stage name being Miki^3
Age: Seventeen
Date of Birth: March 13th
Birthplace: Minato, Tokyo
Gender: Despite what you may see at times, definitely male.
Orientation: Heterosexual
Face Claim: Original art – Belluza Fellutia, got plenty of art
Appearance:
Height: 4'11
Distinguishing Features: The single most noteworthy thing about Akira, assuming he's not in disguise, is his heterochromia. With a red left eye and a blue right, it's a pretty striking contrast, for someone paying attention.
Class: Persona User
Arcana: The Sun
Occupation: Student, idol, small business owner (though proxies handle the details)
Weapons and Tactics: In recent years, Akira has had a bit of training to utilize the naginata due to his overall muscular profile being a bit less defined than the average male of his age. While he does know some foundation hand-to-hand for self-defense, for an actual fight with life and death as the stakes, he doesn't trust his size or strength to hold up. That's not to say that he isn't capable, or that he's lacking muscles completely, though. He's toned, quick, and healthy, just not a powerhouse.
However, opting for a more versatile weapon than the typical naginata, Akira has decided on a Western spear to utilize against Shadows and Demons. In its basic design, this spear is a Pierce weapon. However, the weapon's structure was specifically designed around future modification. Its capabilities in the future can and will improve.
In regards to purely weapon-based tactics, Akira prefers to keep a distance from his opponents. As stated before, he's not the strongest. While healthier than most, he's not the most durable. To mitigate the risk of being directly hit, he ensures that there's a distance between himself and his target. He opts for quicker, lighter hits, as opposed to full-powered, slow attacks. Similarly, he prefers to keep moving, never sticking to a given spot. This, he feels, makes it easier to successfully strike an enemy while keeping himself safe.
Personality:
Despite the numerous events that have gone down in Akira's life, he's one to keep smiling. Taking things in stride, regardless of the difficulties they present, he calmly utilizes everything available to him to overcome any problems that sprout up. Attentive, resourceful, and a bit unorthodox in his methods, Akira is persistent in anything he determines as “worth doing”. Once he has a goal, he sprints towards it, shamelessly crushing anything in his way to accomplish it. Fortunately, he's not one to develop a terrible lot of aspirations. Still, even when there's more than one on his plate, he takes a degree of care to prevent himself from ruining his efforts.
Of course, he's not just entirely business, either. All work and no play would make Akira a dull boy-in-drag, after all. Understanding the proper division of work and pleasure, he always makes sure to take it easy when possible. One could call him easy going, even when he is busy, but he's been known to be especially playful when there's nothing important going on. Teasing would be an understatement. One could even call him a vanilla sadist. Vanilla with chocolate sprinkles.
Akira is the sort of person that enjoys helping others. Specifically, though, he enjoys helping people that are trying to accomplish something with their life. He can respect a person with a goal to achieve and the will to strive towards it. However, he fully understands that one's circumstances can hinder those dreams. The truly devoted will still reach that goal one day, yes, regardless of the trials and tribulations they go through, but Akira feels that that dedication should be rewarded. Those that put forth an effort, but still receive difficulty, are the ones he has the greatest respect and goodwill towards. While he's not a monster, those lacking aspirations and drive are barely a blip on his radar.
Though he does value those who have those qualities a bit more highly than the “have-not's”, it's not like he treats dreamless saps badly, or anything. And he does help them plenty, as well. He just has a very unique level of assistance he's prepared to provide for those willing to go that extra mile. Sometimes, his requirements can be very strict, even cruel or humiliating, and he's not at all concerned or ashamed of having people demean themselves if it proves their dedication is real.
Akira's a fairly good actor. Managing to keep a smile regardless of the situation is a nice perk, sure, but that's not the extent of his skill here. Keeping his “identities” separate through the use of disguises and carefully crafted personas, he effectively created fully functional aliases that allow for unique situations. While one of them receives extensive use, the others are purely dedicated to usage in specific locations.
Miki^3, or- as fans call “her”- Miki-san, is the identity that Akira crafted for the sole purpose of becoming an idol. Miki is known for being energetic, good-natured, and playful. Taking notice of “her” fans and their interests, Miki always tries to accommodate the demands of fans, even having unique outfits designed for the sake of satiating them. Akira takes great care to keep that identity “safe” from discovery. It's not that he himself has a strong attachment to the role, but it has a weight of importance brought on from the purpose of becoming an idol. It ties in with the fact that he takes responsibility for his choices.
Likes:
Akira is a simple individual when it comes to his interests. He enjoys nice food, comfortable clothes, soft beds, melodic music, fruity soaps, and well-designed clothes. He's a person that appreciates the stimulation of the senses. Of course, that's not to say that he's fond of the overly expensive, wasteful “designer” brands of things. He just likes a high quality product. Of course, he'd likely go for the best price-to-quality product over an extraordinarily expensive, but also top of the line product. Specific interests he has includes peanut butter and blueberries for food, silky undergarments, classic and orchestral music arrangements, and generally anything designed for comfort and accessibility for clothing.
Dislikes:
Conversely, Akira finds himself appalled by overly spicy food. He's also not good with extremely sweet things, either. Tight clothes, or those that he considers distasteful or too revealing (or too risky, rather), are also a big no-no. Hard beds are also on his “nope” list. While he can tolerate most genres of music, anything too loud or dissonant tends to give him a bit of a headache, so he doesn't like those, either. He also dislikes a majority of “masculine” scented bodywashes and soaps. Generally, any overpriced product annoys him as a consumer, but he fully appreciates their existence when up-trading.
He also has a unique aversion to large dogs, even if they, on the other hand, seem to like him.
History:
Akira was the first boy, and second child, of a loving couple. Sandwiched between his older and younger sisters, he was a healthy, if not a bit small, baby. He was, as his father noted, a cunning baby that knew how to get what he wanted. That wit persisted through early childhood. He made up for his lack of size and muscles as a child by using his brain. He observed, learned, and used the knowledge he gained to get around and sidestep conflict. He learned, very early on, the value of money and objects. This knowledge he gained would be truly valuable in the future, not that he knew it at that point.
For the most part, he had a simple childhood. Up until his early teens, it was an average lifestyle, one that was both simple and pure. He was considered to be a bright youth, with a promising future. He still seemed a bit small though- shorter than even his younger sister. Still, he was healthy, unlike his older sister. One night, his older sister came down with a nasty fever. The parents, trusting Akira to watch over the house and his younger sister, took the girl out to head to the hospital. He received a call on the following morning regarding the crash that took their lives.
He was thirteen at that point.
Though consumed with grief, Akira remained calm. In the course of a month, the boy managed to stabilize their living conditions. How, you might ask? Simple: Money. The world is a system that revolves around the stuff. Akira was aware of this, used it to his advantage, and managed to wrangle his and his sister's fate into his control. He didn't use the money left behind by his parents, though. That would have been looked down upon and made his authority as one guiding a household seem shaky at best- rather, it would have limited the time he had to organize his plans.
Utilizing up-trading, the boy managed to turn a single stick of gum into an excessively valuable watch. Selling the watch, he used the funds to begin day trading. Once he had amassed enough, he located a trustworthy individual of moral integrity, and subsequently paid off his debts, utilizing him as a subordinate and proxy. The full process of trading, locating, and appropriating took a month, but that was just the beginning. He was, essentially, the bread-winner for his family at that point, and the funds his parents left, and those he had left from his first venture into trading, would only last so long. Therefore, the youth began a new movement- one towards riches and development.
Though he maintained his education, Akira continued up and day trading, gradually amassing a rather respectable amount of funds, no matter what the perspective might have been. Along the way, he gathered a few more trustworthy subordinates. Coincidentally, many had, at one point or another, been yakuza. They weren't the trashy bunch found in popular media, though. They were, almost entirely, “old school”. In that, they were honorable individuals that, while rough around the edges, did have a code of standards. He might have lost his parents and his older sister, but his younger sister was still there, and he had gained quite a few “uncles”. It wasn't a bad turn of events, outside of the grief.
Things were mostly fine from that point on. A few small upsets occurred, but they were quickly and skillfully taken care of. Gradually, his primary means of money-making shifted from the risky trading to the more steady “business owning”. Gradually gobbling up shares of smaller businesses, Akira managed to get a few under his complete control. With directives created by him and management taken care of by his subordinates, it created a small dip in his funds, but the losses were quickly gained back with steady interest.
It wasn't until shortly after he turned fifteen that a real issue came up.
His little sister seemed to have confidence issues, despite managing to be taller than her older brother. She didn't have much faith in herself, and she believed that it would be a waste to take up the naginata. That lack of confidence turned into depression, which turned into concern on Akira's part. His sister had grown up aware of the fact that financial splurging, despite their wealth, was still a bad idea. While interested, she did not want to waste money on herself for what she considered to be a trivial interest. She was humble and selfless. That was why Akira made a wager with her- he would accomplish a difficult task. Upon completion, she'd be obligated to indulge in her desire. His sister decided something a little unexpected.
Akira was supposed to become an idol.
The “uncles” had been around when the idea was shot forward. Some of them had quiet laughs, thinking it was a subtle jab at the young boss for his feminine looks- a way of telling him to mind his own business. When “Sure, keep your eyes on the news.” came from the youth, tea, coffee, and a lightly alcoholic cola all found a home on the floor, table, and someone's face. Even his sister seemed shocked when the boy strolled out casually, clearly having set his goal for the next few weeks.
Money talks, and loads are spoken when strings are pulled behind the scenes. That was how “Hoshimiya Miki”, soon to be known as “Miki^3” came to be born. He only cheated to get an identity to utilize. Actually becoming an idol was one hundred percent authentic effort. His body was already fairly fit thanks to exercise and mild training with his subordinates. His voice was already “androgynous” from the get go. With some vocal practice, he was able to turn it completely feminine. His mind was already good. Memorizing things quickly was easy. A few pop-like songs, and some general style choices later, and Hoshimiya Miki was prepared to enter try-outs.
Akira succeeded on the first try.
However, simply being selected wasn't a proper “win”. He needed to become successful. That would be the only real proof, the only reason his sister wouldn't be able to argue. And, sure enough, a few weeks later, and “Miki^3” was a hit. When that very same idol strode around the house one day, Akira's sister was speechless. She also didn't argue when the gear for self-training was given to her. After all, Akira had done what he said. Much to the shock and confusion of some of his subordinates. Later on, one of his subordinates also secretly became a hardcore fan of Miki^3. That's a story for another time, however.
Despite having succeeded in getting his sister to indulge in her desires, Akira didn't stop with his efforts as an idol. Instead, he continued to improve Miki^3's standing. It was another form of income, and a good way to get access to other fields. Not only that, but, as he was capably able to crossdress, he even went on to create a couple of other personas for the sake of a few side projects he was working on. Helping people achieve things, overcoming their obstacles, made him feel somewhat good. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it wasn't a bad feeling. Time passed, and all fronts produced results. He even opened a loaning company with unique functionality.
Things were looking fine. He even took up the naginata to help his sister improve herself. It also functioned as a nice method of combat that didn't require him to be right at his opponent to deal damage. He had no idea that training would pay off in a very real way. Fast forward to a week prior to the present, and Akira noticed something odd one evening. He'd always been one to utilize an odd sleep schedule, due to his attention being spread out over so many fields. It wasn't odd for him to be awake at midnight, and so he was one evening. A subordinate had been speaking to him, but silence claimed the world. A sickly green claimed the environment. He looked around, and all others were in odd coffins.
Unsure if sleep had oddly claimed him, or if something terrible was amiss, Akira did not touch the coffins out of concern for the inhabitants. Their placement suggested that they were his underlings- his “uncles”. Instead, he acquired the naginata he utilized against his sister. It had a real blade. It'd serve him well, if something off was going on. When he stepped outside, he quickly realized things were very wrong. It didn't happen suddenly, but some strange things slithered around on the ground near him pretty quickly, like roaches magnified a couple hundred times and unafraid of humans.
Akira wasn't one to be afraid of things. However, he was greatly unsettled by these things that defied all sense of reason. One closed in, and the blade of the naginata sliced through the air and struck the “face” of the blackened mass. No, it was actually a mask. The slice only seemed to slightly crack the mask's surface. The naginata's blade wasn't dull. It'd cut through flesh. A well-placed strike would even wedge partially into bamboo. That mask was only lightly cracked. The slashing of claws came at the boy, as if in reprisal. His thigh-highs were sliced through, and blood stained the black fabric almost imperceptibly. For a person who'd never been injured despite having been in rough situations, the pain was shockingly fresh. The heat at the wound made him feel alive and awake. It was no dream. Something was wrong. These monsters were dangerous. He needed to fight.
The boy hopped back, wincing as the shock rippled through his injured leg. With a twirl of the naginata, he took up a defensive stance, keeping a walled gate to his back for protection. Another of the shadowy monsters sludged towards him, and, as though on reflex, the boy slashed through one of its outstretched arms with the blade of the naginate. A sickening splurt splashed through the sound space. The mask seemed resilient, but that arm was awfully easy to slice. The attacker drew back, and another approached, sludging from one side to the other to feint and fake the youth out. The moment Akira swung at it, it retreated, and three others surged forward. The blade of the naginate ate into the “torso” of one, and it dissolved. The other two, however, slid in and slashed at him. He was forced back.
Bleeding from several spots, all he had accomplished was injuring one and killing another. They still number at four “whole” enemies, and one with a single arm. For someone that was never really regarded as “hardy”, the fact that he was still standing was something impressive. He did, however, feel lightheaded. Distancing himself constantly while trying to find a single target close enough to eliminate while the others were at a safe distance, he only found himself feeling weaker and weaker. He clicked his tongue. For once, had he actually managed to make a mistake? To be fair, it was a situation that didn't fall under “natural” occurrences. He refused to up and die, though. His mind was alight despite his dimming vision and muffled hearing. There was an opening somewhere. He just needed to find it.
A twinge shot through his mind.
Unintelligible sounds bubbled up.
Warmth spread through his body.
He felt reassured.
He was not alone.
His vision gradually cleared.
His hearing returned.
A horse-like entity was next to him. It was not an enemy. He knew this. It rang through his being, as though it were a law of existence. That horse would not harm him. That horse would not leave him. It was an ally. No. Something quivered inside him. He would not be alone, but it was not an ally. No, it was him. An ally was a separate being. This thing, though in a different body, was him. The sounds in his head became clear. It was not a nameless horse. The entity, though part of him, had a name. It resounded clearly.
“Hayagriva, to me!” With that simple phrase, the being closed to the boy and lowered itself. Akira mounted it and twirled his naginata. That being healed him. Combining that with his new mount, he would be able to trample the foes. He knew this, much like he knew Hayagriva would not fail him- it was a law. The combo shot forward, and the youth twirled his naginata. Two-handed downward slashes tore through the sludgy piles on the ground. Though the horse was struck at times, it didn't seem to be injured. Surges went through Akira's body, like phantom pains, but he could handle it. At least he wasn't losing blood.
One slash, then another. A calculating stab. Slowly, their numbers dropped until the only one that remained was the one-armed pile. It seemed afraid. The situation had turned around completely. Akira, however, had no hesitation. Nor did he have mercy, not for a being like this. The duo galloped forward, trampling over the mass, and, in circling, the boy slashed through the mass, causing it to dissipate. So concluded Akira's first battle during the Dark Hour. By the time he returned inside his home and took a seat, he was exhausted. Eventually, the world regained its normality. Some confusion arose from his subordinate, who hadn't seen the naginata during their earlier words.
Many questions remained in Akira's head, but some things had explained themselves. Still, a mystery had arisen. Each night, the phenomenon repeated. Something had to have caused it. He decided to make a point of figuring it out. After all, something as dangerous as those odd little sludge clumps couldn't be allowed to run amok, especially not near his home- not near his family. To the present, he hasn't discovered much. Not yet, at least.
Notes:
Despite his tendencies to be exceedingly serious, methodical, and calculating, Akira actually has an extremely bad habit of getting far too invested in fictional stories. This includes, but is not limited to, light novels, manga, and web novels.
He has a profound weakness to peanut butter, and will often let people get away with things if peanut butter comes up in negotiations, even if he has more than enough money to get it himself.
Despite remaining mostly active, Akira doesn't actually sleep at night like most people do. Instead, he utilizes any “wasted time”, such as during transit or classes he's adequately prepared in, to take short power naps. Between those and his diet, he's managed to retain his alertness and mental stability despite essentially being active around the clock.
Akira still up-trades on occasion as a form of amusement. Turning small, insignificant items into expensive products is entertaining in its own way.
Related to the above, he still day trades, as well. However, he only uses the money acquired from selling an item acquired that day. This prevents risky gambling, as it's an “easy come, easy go” mentality with minimal investment of time and money. He's still fairly successful in this regard, as well.
At the present, Akira owns a few small “Ma and Pa” styled restaurants, a host and hostess cafe situated in different locations at Akihabara, and a small technology firm that offers helpdesk service. Negotiations and acquisitions are proceeding slowly, but steadily.
The “uncles” that serve under Akira have a small variety of skills. The typical story is that they were previously in yakuza families that have since died out for some reason or another. Left out to dry, many encountered a number of issues, especially with the money-driven world of the present.
When working under an alias, Akira utilizes his condition of heterochromia to his advantage. When seen as Miki^3, he wears a red contact to create uniformity between his eyes. When checking in on either of his host-related clubs, he uses a blue contact. Furthermore, in the hostess club, he remains dressed like a male, whereas in the host club, he crossdresses.
Akira utilizes a subordinate to run a money lending business. This business is entirely non-profit, and utilizes a no-collateral, no-interest model. However, unlike the average money-lending gig, Akira utilizes two-tier screening program before lending his money out. The first is a screen to determine the individual's background, as well as what it is they need the money for. The second is a test. Typically, it is something well within that individual's capabilities, but either extremely difficult from a physical, mental, or emotional level. It could be something strenuous. It could be something humiliating. Given that his business model is extremely generous to those that do acquire the money, he feels that these circumstances “even out”. After all, all they have to do is eventually pay him back. As money is a means of achieving a lot in the modern world, Akira is fully aware of the fact that it could be used to attain one's dreams. It's why he runs a non-profit business, but also why he makes it difficult for those looking for help.
It's not that Akira hates dogs, nor does he exactly have a fear of them. He just doesn't like being around them. Especially when they're large. See, they tend to really like him, for some reason or another. They like to sniff and lick. Usually in excess. Usually in odd places. Sometimes while trying to “hug” him. It's not something he particularly enjoys or appreciates.
As Miki^3, a lot of the outfits Akira wears are clearly on the conservative side. He rarely shows more skin than is absolutely necessary. He considers the revealing nature of other idols' outfits to be a slippery slope. Because of his decision, Miki^3 has received a sort of status among the fans as an “exceptionally pure” maiden. Granted, a good portion of his fans are probably just sweaty otaku, so that's probably to be expected. He's also caught wind of a second faction within his fans, thinking that there's some kind of deformity that's being covered up by the conservative clothing. Fans and their theories are weird, he has since decided.
Akira can speak Japanese, obviously, but also knows English well enough to speak, read, and write it. He does have a heavy accent, however.
OoC Name: Alice
Persona: Hayagriva
Appearance: Despite the lore of Hayagriva being a man with a horsehead, the personification of Akira's psyche materializes as a mighty steed of the purest of whites. It's a silent beast, letting out not a sound beyond those necessary to utilize skills.
Lore: Hayagriva is an entity in both Hindu and Buddhist texts. Known for knowledge and wisdom, Hayagriva is interpreted as an avatar of Vishnu, but also as a wrathful deity. Compassionate, but unbiased, Hayagriva had titles including “Defender of the Faith” and “Terrible Executioner”.
Skills: Dia (600)
Strengths and Weaknesses: Resists Fire; Weak to Ice
Age: Seventeen
Date of Birth: March 13th
Birthplace: Minato, Tokyo
Gender: Despite what you may see at times, definitely male.
Orientation: Heterosexual
Face Claim: Original art – Belluza Fellutia, got plenty of art
Appearance:
Height: 4'11
Distinguishing Features: The single most noteworthy thing about Akira, assuming he's not in disguise, is his heterochromia. With a red left eye and a blue right, it's a pretty striking contrast, for someone paying attention.
Class: Persona User
Arcana: The Sun
Occupation: Student, idol, small business owner (though proxies handle the details)
Weapons and Tactics: In recent years, Akira has had a bit of training to utilize the naginata due to his overall muscular profile being a bit less defined than the average male of his age. While he does know some foundation hand-to-hand for self-defense, for an actual fight with life and death as the stakes, he doesn't trust his size or strength to hold up. That's not to say that he isn't capable, or that he's lacking muscles completely, though. He's toned, quick, and healthy, just not a powerhouse.
However, opting for a more versatile weapon than the typical naginata, Akira has decided on a Western spear to utilize against Shadows and Demons. In its basic design, this spear is a Pierce weapon. However, the weapon's structure was specifically designed around future modification. Its capabilities in the future can and will improve.
In regards to purely weapon-based tactics, Akira prefers to keep a distance from his opponents. As stated before, he's not the strongest. While healthier than most, he's not the most durable. To mitigate the risk of being directly hit, he ensures that there's a distance between himself and his target. He opts for quicker, lighter hits, as opposed to full-powered, slow attacks. Similarly, he prefers to keep moving, never sticking to a given spot. This, he feels, makes it easier to successfully strike an enemy while keeping himself safe.
Personality:
Despite the numerous events that have gone down in Akira's life, he's one to keep smiling. Taking things in stride, regardless of the difficulties they present, he calmly utilizes everything available to him to overcome any problems that sprout up. Attentive, resourceful, and a bit unorthodox in his methods, Akira is persistent in anything he determines as “worth doing”. Once he has a goal, he sprints towards it, shamelessly crushing anything in his way to accomplish it. Fortunately, he's not one to develop a terrible lot of aspirations. Still, even when there's more than one on his plate, he takes a degree of care to prevent himself from ruining his efforts.
Of course, he's not just entirely business, either. All work and no play would make Akira a dull boy-in-drag, after all. Understanding the proper division of work and pleasure, he always makes sure to take it easy when possible. One could call him easy going, even when he is busy, but he's been known to be especially playful when there's nothing important going on. Teasing would be an understatement. One could even call him a vanilla sadist. Vanilla with chocolate sprinkles.
Akira is the sort of person that enjoys helping others. Specifically, though, he enjoys helping people that are trying to accomplish something with their life. He can respect a person with a goal to achieve and the will to strive towards it. However, he fully understands that one's circumstances can hinder those dreams. The truly devoted will still reach that goal one day, yes, regardless of the trials and tribulations they go through, but Akira feels that that dedication should be rewarded. Those that put forth an effort, but still receive difficulty, are the ones he has the greatest respect and goodwill towards. While he's not a monster, those lacking aspirations and drive are barely a blip on his radar.
Though he does value those who have those qualities a bit more highly than the “have-not's”, it's not like he treats dreamless saps badly, or anything. And he does help them plenty, as well. He just has a very unique level of assistance he's prepared to provide for those willing to go that extra mile. Sometimes, his requirements can be very strict, even cruel or humiliating, and he's not at all concerned or ashamed of having people demean themselves if it proves their dedication is real.
Akira's a fairly good actor. Managing to keep a smile regardless of the situation is a nice perk, sure, but that's not the extent of his skill here. Keeping his “identities” separate through the use of disguises and carefully crafted personas, he effectively created fully functional aliases that allow for unique situations. While one of them receives extensive use, the others are purely dedicated to usage in specific locations.
Miki^3, or- as fans call “her”- Miki-san, is the identity that Akira crafted for the sole purpose of becoming an idol. Miki is known for being energetic, good-natured, and playful. Taking notice of “her” fans and their interests, Miki always tries to accommodate the demands of fans, even having unique outfits designed for the sake of satiating them. Akira takes great care to keep that identity “safe” from discovery. It's not that he himself has a strong attachment to the role, but it has a weight of importance brought on from the purpose of becoming an idol. It ties in with the fact that he takes responsibility for his choices.
Likes:
Akira is a simple individual when it comes to his interests. He enjoys nice food, comfortable clothes, soft beds, melodic music, fruity soaps, and well-designed clothes. He's a person that appreciates the stimulation of the senses. Of course, that's not to say that he's fond of the overly expensive, wasteful “designer” brands of things. He just likes a high quality product. Of course, he'd likely go for the best price-to-quality product over an extraordinarily expensive, but also top of the line product. Specific interests he has includes peanut butter and blueberries for food, silky undergarments, classic and orchestral music arrangements, and generally anything designed for comfort and accessibility for clothing.
Dislikes:
Conversely, Akira finds himself appalled by overly spicy food. He's also not good with extremely sweet things, either. Tight clothes, or those that he considers distasteful or too revealing (or too risky, rather), are also a big no-no. Hard beds are also on his “nope” list. While he can tolerate most genres of music, anything too loud or dissonant tends to give him a bit of a headache, so he doesn't like those, either. He also dislikes a majority of “masculine” scented bodywashes and soaps. Generally, any overpriced product annoys him as a consumer, but he fully appreciates their existence when up-trading.
He also has a unique aversion to large dogs, even if they, on the other hand, seem to like him.
History:
Akira was the first boy, and second child, of a loving couple. Sandwiched between his older and younger sisters, he was a healthy, if not a bit small, baby. He was, as his father noted, a cunning baby that knew how to get what he wanted. That wit persisted through early childhood. He made up for his lack of size and muscles as a child by using his brain. He observed, learned, and used the knowledge he gained to get around and sidestep conflict. He learned, very early on, the value of money and objects. This knowledge he gained would be truly valuable in the future, not that he knew it at that point.
For the most part, he had a simple childhood. Up until his early teens, it was an average lifestyle, one that was both simple and pure. He was considered to be a bright youth, with a promising future. He still seemed a bit small though- shorter than even his younger sister. Still, he was healthy, unlike his older sister. One night, his older sister came down with a nasty fever. The parents, trusting Akira to watch over the house and his younger sister, took the girl out to head to the hospital. He received a call on the following morning regarding the crash that took their lives.
He was thirteen at that point.
Though consumed with grief, Akira remained calm. In the course of a month, the boy managed to stabilize their living conditions. How, you might ask? Simple: Money. The world is a system that revolves around the stuff. Akira was aware of this, used it to his advantage, and managed to wrangle his and his sister's fate into his control. He didn't use the money left behind by his parents, though. That would have been looked down upon and made his authority as one guiding a household seem shaky at best- rather, it would have limited the time he had to organize his plans.
Utilizing up-trading, the boy managed to turn a single stick of gum into an excessively valuable watch. Selling the watch, he used the funds to begin day trading. Once he had amassed enough, he located a trustworthy individual of moral integrity, and subsequently paid off his debts, utilizing him as a subordinate and proxy. The full process of trading, locating, and appropriating took a month, but that was just the beginning. He was, essentially, the bread-winner for his family at that point, and the funds his parents left, and those he had left from his first venture into trading, would only last so long. Therefore, the youth began a new movement- one towards riches and development.
Though he maintained his education, Akira continued up and day trading, gradually amassing a rather respectable amount of funds, no matter what the perspective might have been. Along the way, he gathered a few more trustworthy subordinates. Coincidentally, many had, at one point or another, been yakuza. They weren't the trashy bunch found in popular media, though. They were, almost entirely, “old school”. In that, they were honorable individuals that, while rough around the edges, did have a code of standards. He might have lost his parents and his older sister, but his younger sister was still there, and he had gained quite a few “uncles”. It wasn't a bad turn of events, outside of the grief.
Things were mostly fine from that point on. A few small upsets occurred, but they were quickly and skillfully taken care of. Gradually, his primary means of money-making shifted from the risky trading to the more steady “business owning”. Gradually gobbling up shares of smaller businesses, Akira managed to get a few under his complete control. With directives created by him and management taken care of by his subordinates, it created a small dip in his funds, but the losses were quickly gained back with steady interest.
It wasn't until shortly after he turned fifteen that a real issue came up.
His little sister seemed to have confidence issues, despite managing to be taller than her older brother. She didn't have much faith in herself, and she believed that it would be a waste to take up the naginata. That lack of confidence turned into depression, which turned into concern on Akira's part. His sister had grown up aware of the fact that financial splurging, despite their wealth, was still a bad idea. While interested, she did not want to waste money on herself for what she considered to be a trivial interest. She was humble and selfless. That was why Akira made a wager with her- he would accomplish a difficult task. Upon completion, she'd be obligated to indulge in her desire. His sister decided something a little unexpected.
Akira was supposed to become an idol.
The “uncles” had been around when the idea was shot forward. Some of them had quiet laughs, thinking it was a subtle jab at the young boss for his feminine looks- a way of telling him to mind his own business. When “Sure, keep your eyes on the news.” came from the youth, tea, coffee, and a lightly alcoholic cola all found a home on the floor, table, and someone's face. Even his sister seemed shocked when the boy strolled out casually, clearly having set his goal for the next few weeks.
Money talks, and loads are spoken when strings are pulled behind the scenes. That was how “Hoshimiya Miki”, soon to be known as “Miki^3” came to be born. He only cheated to get an identity to utilize. Actually becoming an idol was one hundred percent authentic effort. His body was already fairly fit thanks to exercise and mild training with his subordinates. His voice was already “androgynous” from the get go. With some vocal practice, he was able to turn it completely feminine. His mind was already good. Memorizing things quickly was easy. A few pop-like songs, and some general style choices later, and Hoshimiya Miki was prepared to enter try-outs.
Akira succeeded on the first try.
However, simply being selected wasn't a proper “win”. He needed to become successful. That would be the only real proof, the only reason his sister wouldn't be able to argue. And, sure enough, a few weeks later, and “Miki^3” was a hit. When that very same idol strode around the house one day, Akira's sister was speechless. She also didn't argue when the gear for self-training was given to her. After all, Akira had done what he said. Much to the shock and confusion of some of his subordinates. Later on, one of his subordinates also secretly became a hardcore fan of Miki^3. That's a story for another time, however.
Despite having succeeded in getting his sister to indulge in her desires, Akira didn't stop with his efforts as an idol. Instead, he continued to improve Miki^3's standing. It was another form of income, and a good way to get access to other fields. Not only that, but, as he was capably able to crossdress, he even went on to create a couple of other personas for the sake of a few side projects he was working on. Helping people achieve things, overcoming their obstacles, made him feel somewhat good. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it wasn't a bad feeling. Time passed, and all fronts produced results. He even opened a loaning company with unique functionality.
Things were looking fine. He even took up the naginata to help his sister improve herself. It also functioned as a nice method of combat that didn't require him to be right at his opponent to deal damage. He had no idea that training would pay off in a very real way. Fast forward to a week prior to the present, and Akira noticed something odd one evening. He'd always been one to utilize an odd sleep schedule, due to his attention being spread out over so many fields. It wasn't odd for him to be awake at midnight, and so he was one evening. A subordinate had been speaking to him, but silence claimed the world. A sickly green claimed the environment. He looked around, and all others were in odd coffins.
Unsure if sleep had oddly claimed him, or if something terrible was amiss, Akira did not touch the coffins out of concern for the inhabitants. Their placement suggested that they were his underlings- his “uncles”. Instead, he acquired the naginata he utilized against his sister. It had a real blade. It'd serve him well, if something off was going on. When he stepped outside, he quickly realized things were very wrong. It didn't happen suddenly, but some strange things slithered around on the ground near him pretty quickly, like roaches magnified a couple hundred times and unafraid of humans.
Akira wasn't one to be afraid of things. However, he was greatly unsettled by these things that defied all sense of reason. One closed in, and the blade of the naginata sliced through the air and struck the “face” of the blackened mass. No, it was actually a mask. The slice only seemed to slightly crack the mask's surface. The naginata's blade wasn't dull. It'd cut through flesh. A well-placed strike would even wedge partially into bamboo. That mask was only lightly cracked. The slashing of claws came at the boy, as if in reprisal. His thigh-highs were sliced through, and blood stained the black fabric almost imperceptibly. For a person who'd never been injured despite having been in rough situations, the pain was shockingly fresh. The heat at the wound made him feel alive and awake. It was no dream. Something was wrong. These monsters were dangerous. He needed to fight.
The boy hopped back, wincing as the shock rippled through his injured leg. With a twirl of the naginata, he took up a defensive stance, keeping a walled gate to his back for protection. Another of the shadowy monsters sludged towards him, and, as though on reflex, the boy slashed through one of its outstretched arms with the blade of the naginate. A sickening splurt splashed through the sound space. The mask seemed resilient, but that arm was awfully easy to slice. The attacker drew back, and another approached, sludging from one side to the other to feint and fake the youth out. The moment Akira swung at it, it retreated, and three others surged forward. The blade of the naginate ate into the “torso” of one, and it dissolved. The other two, however, slid in and slashed at him. He was forced back.
Bleeding from several spots, all he had accomplished was injuring one and killing another. They still number at four “whole” enemies, and one with a single arm. For someone that was never really regarded as “hardy”, the fact that he was still standing was something impressive. He did, however, feel lightheaded. Distancing himself constantly while trying to find a single target close enough to eliminate while the others were at a safe distance, he only found himself feeling weaker and weaker. He clicked his tongue. For once, had he actually managed to make a mistake? To be fair, it was a situation that didn't fall under “natural” occurrences. He refused to up and die, though. His mind was alight despite his dimming vision and muffled hearing. There was an opening somewhere. He just needed to find it.
A twinge shot through his mind.
Unintelligible sounds bubbled up.
Warmth spread through his body.
He felt reassured.
He was not alone.
His vision gradually cleared.
His hearing returned.
A horse-like entity was next to him. It was not an enemy. He knew this. It rang through his being, as though it were a law of existence. That horse would not harm him. That horse would not leave him. It was an ally. No. Something quivered inside him. He would not be alone, but it was not an ally. No, it was him. An ally was a separate being. This thing, though in a different body, was him. The sounds in his head became clear. It was not a nameless horse. The entity, though part of him, had a name. It resounded clearly.
“Hayagriva, to me!” With that simple phrase, the being closed to the boy and lowered itself. Akira mounted it and twirled his naginata. That being healed him. Combining that with his new mount, he would be able to trample the foes. He knew this, much like he knew Hayagriva would not fail him- it was a law. The combo shot forward, and the youth twirled his naginata. Two-handed downward slashes tore through the sludgy piles on the ground. Though the horse was struck at times, it didn't seem to be injured. Surges went through Akira's body, like phantom pains, but he could handle it. At least he wasn't losing blood.
One slash, then another. A calculating stab. Slowly, their numbers dropped until the only one that remained was the one-armed pile. It seemed afraid. The situation had turned around completely. Akira, however, had no hesitation. Nor did he have mercy, not for a being like this. The duo galloped forward, trampling over the mass, and, in circling, the boy slashed through the mass, causing it to dissipate. So concluded Akira's first battle during the Dark Hour. By the time he returned inside his home and took a seat, he was exhausted. Eventually, the world regained its normality. Some confusion arose from his subordinate, who hadn't seen the naginata during their earlier words.
Many questions remained in Akira's head, but some things had explained themselves. Still, a mystery had arisen. Each night, the phenomenon repeated. Something had to have caused it. He decided to make a point of figuring it out. After all, something as dangerous as those odd little sludge clumps couldn't be allowed to run amok, especially not near his home- not near his family. To the present, he hasn't discovered much. Not yet, at least.
Notes:
Despite his tendencies to be exceedingly serious, methodical, and calculating, Akira actually has an extremely bad habit of getting far too invested in fictional stories. This includes, but is not limited to, light novels, manga, and web novels.
He has a profound weakness to peanut butter, and will often let people get away with things if peanut butter comes up in negotiations, even if he has more than enough money to get it himself.
Despite remaining mostly active, Akira doesn't actually sleep at night like most people do. Instead, he utilizes any “wasted time”, such as during transit or classes he's adequately prepared in, to take short power naps. Between those and his diet, he's managed to retain his alertness and mental stability despite essentially being active around the clock.
Akira still up-trades on occasion as a form of amusement. Turning small, insignificant items into expensive products is entertaining in its own way.
Related to the above, he still day trades, as well. However, he only uses the money acquired from selling an item acquired that day. This prevents risky gambling, as it's an “easy come, easy go” mentality with minimal investment of time and money. He's still fairly successful in this regard, as well.
At the present, Akira owns a few small “Ma and Pa” styled restaurants, a host and hostess cafe situated in different locations at Akihabara, and a small technology firm that offers helpdesk service. Negotiations and acquisitions are proceeding slowly, but steadily.
The “uncles” that serve under Akira have a small variety of skills. The typical story is that they were previously in yakuza families that have since died out for some reason or another. Left out to dry, many encountered a number of issues, especially with the money-driven world of the present.
When working under an alias, Akira utilizes his condition of heterochromia to his advantage. When seen as Miki^3, he wears a red contact to create uniformity between his eyes. When checking in on either of his host-related clubs, he uses a blue contact. Furthermore, in the hostess club, he remains dressed like a male, whereas in the host club, he crossdresses.
Akira utilizes a subordinate to run a money lending business. This business is entirely non-profit, and utilizes a no-collateral, no-interest model. However, unlike the average money-lending gig, Akira utilizes two-tier screening program before lending his money out. The first is a screen to determine the individual's background, as well as what it is they need the money for. The second is a test. Typically, it is something well within that individual's capabilities, but either extremely difficult from a physical, mental, or emotional level. It could be something strenuous. It could be something humiliating. Given that his business model is extremely generous to those that do acquire the money, he feels that these circumstances “even out”. After all, all they have to do is eventually pay him back. As money is a means of achieving a lot in the modern world, Akira is fully aware of the fact that it could be used to attain one's dreams. It's why he runs a non-profit business, but also why he makes it difficult for those looking for help.
It's not that Akira hates dogs, nor does he exactly have a fear of them. He just doesn't like being around them. Especially when they're large. See, they tend to really like him, for some reason or another. They like to sniff and lick. Usually in excess. Usually in odd places. Sometimes while trying to “hug” him. It's not something he particularly enjoys or appreciates.
As Miki^3, a lot of the outfits Akira wears are clearly on the conservative side. He rarely shows more skin than is absolutely necessary. He considers the revealing nature of other idols' outfits to be a slippery slope. Because of his decision, Miki^3 has received a sort of status among the fans as an “exceptionally pure” maiden. Granted, a good portion of his fans are probably just sweaty otaku, so that's probably to be expected. He's also caught wind of a second faction within his fans, thinking that there's some kind of deformity that's being covered up by the conservative clothing. Fans and their theories are weird, he has since decided.
Akira can speak Japanese, obviously, but also knows English well enough to speak, read, and write it. He does have a heavy accent, however.
OoC Name: Alice
Persona: Hayagriva
Appearance: Despite the lore of Hayagriva being a man with a horsehead, the personification of Akira's psyche materializes as a mighty steed of the purest of whites. It's a silent beast, letting out not a sound beyond those necessary to utilize skills.
Lore: Hayagriva is an entity in both Hindu and Buddhist texts. Known for knowledge and wisdom, Hayagriva is interpreted as an avatar of Vishnu, but also as a wrathful deity. Compassionate, but unbiased, Hayagriva had titles including “Defender of the Faith” and “Terrible Executioner”.
Skills: Dia (600)
Strengths and Weaknesses: Resists Fire; Weak to Ice
