Fights and Fires are the Flowers of Edo

Trainer

Name: Kon Shinonome
Class: Delinquent
Type: Dark/Ghost
Ability: Engineer
Level: 15

Pokémon Bonded: 1

Abilities: Illusion, Psychometry, Foresight, Will-o-Wisp, Fake Out, Shadow Sneak

Inventory: Old Rod

CURRENT POKÉMON

Chochin

OTHER INFORMATION

HMD
PERMISSIONS
APPOINTMENTS

OOC

Backtagging: Always
Threadhopping: If all parties are in agreement
Fourthwalling: No.
Offensive subjects: If you suspect that a thread could lead to something potentially triggery or squicky, please contact me first

IC

Hugging this character: Go ahead and try!
Kissing this character: Only if you really want to.
Flirting with this character: Hell yes
Fighting with this character: Hell yes-- though he's an annoying opponent
Injuring this character: Contact me first
Killing this character: No.
Using telepathy/mind reading abilities on this character: He's gonna be annoyed, but go ahead anyway



BNW Permissions

In the context of Brave New World, Kon retains some of his more clairvoyant abilities from canon. Although he will not be able to straight up look at a person's history or overwrite their memories like he can in Amatsuki, he does have a Psychometric-style skill that will allow him to pick up basic impressions or emotions from the people around him. This isn't always voluntary early on, although once he gains control over these skills, he won't abuse them to near the degree that he does in canon.

Please answer a few questions if you want to be part of this:

1: Is this okay with you, or not okay?
2: What sort of impressions or emotions will Kon be able to pick up from your character?
3: Is your character able to tell when Kon is using these abilities?

PLAYER INFO
Name: Stark
Contact Information: Plurk @ starkxravingxmad
Time Zone: EST
Characters Played: Waver Velvet (untalented)

CHARACTER INFO
Character Name: Kon Shinonome
Character Canon: Amatsuki

History: Link to the Amatsuki Wikia

AU History: Kon Shinonome is the sole survivor of one of Citadel's many nomadic tribes that were caught up in Heatran's outraged attacks on the plains two summers ago. Being the only son of a pair of traders, with a sharp wit, impulsive temper, and dexterous hands that he frequently made use of for both crafting and bartering purposes, his survival in the chaos seemed almost anomalous-- but, one of the priests helping with the relief efforts noticed a spark of something within Kon and brought the young man back to the Great Tree to begin his recovery. The injuries sustained during this affair were to such a serious extent that life would never be the same for Kon again. Fever and infection ravaged his person and, after a month of forced bedrest while he stubbornly battled for his own life, he emerged alive...somehow.

Although his right arm wasn't fully functional any longer due to the nature of the injuries sustained, he found himself with skills that would mark him as one of the Windblessed. No one on either side of his family had documented history of anyone exhibiting such traits in their direct bloodline, especially with such a strange typing combination of Dark and Ghost that he presented with. However, the months' long road to recovery and the confusion that followed him every struggling step of the way was a small price for the fact that he could walk and keep his wits about him even when the confusion threatened to drive him crazy.

Intent on paying back the man who had saved his life, he stayed near the Tree and helped with simple chores, like cooking and creating tools, while he worked on adjusting to the new hand he had been dealt in his life. While re-learning how to do simple things like writing and handling his tools with his off-hand, and learning how to adjust to his newfound Psychometric skills, he also found himself listening in on what the priest was lecturing about-- be it moral standards or history-- out of curiosity more than anything else. Although the man himself was something of a maverick who was known for his loose interpretation of morality and his fondness for hard drinks, there was no doubting the things that Kon could learn from him. 

And learn he did-- complaining and butting heads the entire way.

However, the priest could only help him with the mundane aspects of finding his new path. Book learning and cooking could only take a person so far in their lives, especially when they were gifted with something strange from the Winds. Knowing that Kon would eventually hit a limit to what he could learn within Citadel's boundaries, the priest started dropping hints about the other cities that they were hearing about from the merchants who passed through on a regular basis. And, while Caldera was a land just as wild as Kon's heart, the both of them knew that Union had a wide variety of individuals residing within it's walls...including those who understood spiritual matters in a way that not even a priest could start to touch upon. The lost little Litwick that had ended up within the branches of the Tree, apparently carried east by the travelling merchant caravans by an act of luck or fate, was the final straw for Kon. Having never encountered such a pokemon in his life before, Kon found himself wondering where the little ghost had even come from and why it had managed to get so far off course.

Beset by his own curiosity, Kon bade his farewells and bartered his way across the land toward Union. Trading his cooking and crafting skills for a warm bed and safe passage across the wilderness, Kon travelled West with only one real goal in mind:

To see more of the world, and learn what he could from it.

Canon Personality: Intelligent but easily bored; strong but lacking in true direction. Shinonome Kon is a brilliant young man who could shine in any field that he chooses, but instead he chooses to roll on his immediate whims to satiate his boredom. His reasons for his suspension from school at the beginning of the story are left vague, with the only information revealed being that he ' sent someone to the hospital', but given what we see of Kon in the Virtual Edo and his love of picking fights and his reputation for causing mischief, we can assume that his reasons were petty and impulsive at best. His reasons for becoming a hacker and taking on the complicated network that is set up in the background of the story seem equally petty, as he outright states that his own boredom is chief among his reasons for doing what he does.  The impulsiveness might also be reflected in his changed appearance when we first find him in Virtual Edo. Although only a few hours had passed in the Contemporary Timeline, two years allegedly passed in the Virtual Edo. Although Kon is physically sixteen, just like the protagonist Toki, it's entirely possible that he 'rewrote' his 'avatar' to reflect any alleged passage of time so that he physically appears to be eighteen years old like he claims.  He is noted for playing tricks to throw people off of their game for his own amusement as well, such as knocking on a friend's door in the middle of the night with the lantern that he carries in his hand, and then making a scene of it when the lantern get's broken in the process of the door being slammed open because of Kon's poor reputation. Harrassing kitchen staff isn't unknown for him either-- a talented cook himself, he occassionally stalks the kitchens of his temporary residence, making small talk with the cooks, snatching samples from right under their nose, and generally pestering them until he is bodily thrown from the premises.

He has no shame in it, either. He's quite nosy.

A key element to keep in mind with his tendency to become bored is that he is known to satiate it with general nosiness. His keen intellect helps him keep a rational, logical mindset as he's studying history or adjusting to the local norms, but he easily forms fiery friendships with those around him who can get him the closest seat to whatever the most interesting thing is. Despite being an outsider in Virtual Edo and learning everything he knows from rote memorization, he is fully on top of the rumors that fly about the streets and knows who's who among the important figures who breeze through town. He's maintained a close, friendly relationship with the old nun who rescued him and nursed him back to health after the Nue attack and the tetanus infection that held him up for over a month afterward and, despite his complaints of being uncomfortable being watched all the time at the shrine where the local exorcist, Shamon, and the Inugami-vessel Kuchiha reside, he continues to hang out there because people with all manner of problems, both mundane and supernatural, pass through those doors seeking help. His association with Heihachi, a naive and foolishly trusting young man in town who puts up with Kon's nonsense, is also partly a result of this as well-- Heihachi knows almost everyone in town, and if he doesn't have something on hand he can get it with ease.

The true depths of Kon's knowledge is yet unknown in canon-- by his own intent and design. The audience of the story finds out over the course of the plot that Kon shares Toki's reality-warping powers to an unknown degree because the both of them are anomalies within the computer system. Although Kon''s status is that he was allegedly incorporated into the network and had full access to his powers 'revoked', and we never see him exhibit any skills on a level similar to Toki, Kon is shown to be able to guide Toki though the early processes of utilizing those powers during the initial arc of the story, when the Inugami within Kuchiha was unsealed. He is cagey about himself in that respect, and is noted for not sharing details about himself or even revealing the depths of his emotions or sentiments outside of very strict-- and very private-- circumstances. This factor even extends to mundane details, such as when Heihachi once inquired about where Kon was from. The reply was, simply: "Somewhere very far away."

On a mundane level, Kon is also a very tactile individual. He shows affection through rough, physical means-- such as when he throws a towel over Toki's head to hide his bleached hair as they walked the streets or when he sharply kicks Toki because of Kon's worry over a stupid decision that Toki had made. He is also noted for getting into people's personal space for any possible reason, be it sitting on top of an unconscious person and poking at them with his kiseru to see if they're alive or using his good hand to block another's eyes to hide something either as a protective gesture or as a joke. Additionally, he's seen with something in his mouth more often than not, with a range that runs the gamut from hard candies and lollipops to the skewers that dango are served on and even, in one instance, spends an entire conversation holding a traditional sake cup clenched between his teeth. This is almost ironic to consider, seeing how his dominant-hand and primary means of physically interacting with the world has been disabled since the Nue attack and he has been forced to find other means.

AU Deviation: The biggest deviation, obviously, is directly influenced by the dual-world aspect of Amatsuki's plot. As there is no 'modern Japan' and no computer system in need of hacking, Kon will have needed to find other ways to channel his technical expertise and satiate his boredom-- this, actually, is where the Engineering ability comes into play. Additionally, it isn't his ability to see and interact with 'spirits' that marks him as special at all, as Pokemon are the norm in this setting. Instead, the fact that he awakened as Windblessed although neither side of his family has a history of such a thing is the fact that marks him as somewhat different and strange.

Furthermore, the scientific methods he knows and understands from the 'modern era' don't necessarily apply to this setting. As he questioned Toki about the difference between Whales and Fish through the lens of modern science and explained, comparatively, that there was really no difference to the people of older times; a whale was simply a really big fish. In effect, that mindset is common in the setting of the game, as a Wailord and a Horsea are both still Water-types. Because of this, he doesn't need to adjust his ideology in regards to the sciences. Instead, it will simply be different cultures and methods of thought that he needs to adapt to.

Due to growing up in the plains of Citadel's nomadic tribes, he's retained his impulsive spirit and his love of a good fight. Additionally, as he was taken in by one of the religious figures who resided near the Great Tree, he managed to pick up a thing or two of traditional learning during his time physically recovering instead of attending a modern school system (and being thrown out). His intelligence is such that he makes for a quick study, and he spent quite a bit of time reading while he was recovering. An additional feature that's been added is a level of wanderlust-- one that helps catalyze his trek to Union despite his difficulties. The months he needed for his recovery and the time that elapsed are enough to make anyone stir-crazy, and his feet are itching to get moving again.

Canon Abilities: Amatsuki is a curious canon in that there is a dual-world element to the plot, with part of the storyline taking place in modern Japan and the other part in a virtual recreation of historical Edo from 250 years earlier-- a world that's complete with spirits of all varieties, the secular and religious orders that work to contain them, and the influence of 'Gods' that defy normal understanding. In the contemporary storyline we see relatively little of Kon, but we see enough of him to understand three basic things. The first: He is very intelligent, with an appreciation for historical, philosophical, and scientific details that would make him at the top of his class if not for extenuating circumstances. The second notable trait directly influences the first: He's a noted delinquent, to the point where he has been suspended from classes for weeks at a time because of beating others so badly that they needed to be hospitalized. This is why he failed his courses, and why he needs to take remedial lessons on top of being made to write lengthy apology letters as part of his punishment. However, his relative disregard for societal standards, as indicated by his bleached hair and his willingness to get into a fight, is punctuated by the fact that he's quite the adept computer hacker-- one who is easily bored and capable of influencing how the world of Virtual Edo is written.

However, this factor is rarely seen in Virtual Edo beyond his uncanny ability to simply know things, and how he always seems to have the upper hand. Although this virtual simulation, brought out by recent advances in technology outside of the 'game' that allows for direct interface with the user's mind, includes the existence of otherworldly creatures, they aren't beings that are seen by the standard population. Those who can see the 'ayakashi' are either swiftly recruited among the exorcists or treated like they're crazy, unless they are wise enough to keep their heads low and their mouth's shut. Despite the fact that an attack from a Nue that catalyzed Kon's stay in Virtual Edo left most of his right arm nigh unusable, Kon is noted for being uncommonly knowledgeable and skilled due to his understanding of 'Western Sciences'-- to the point where he can use the materials available to distill the highly flammable ethanol from simple potatoes and use the ash from the tobacco he favors to trick people into believing a highly theatrical display of fire and costuming is actually the work of a malevolent spirit.

Other mundane skills include a surprising talent for cooking, which he has been known to both bribe and threaten people with in turn, being fairly handy with tasks that are mechanical in nature, and being adaptable enough that he can apply his rational and scientific level of thinking onto the superstitious ideologies of the era that he's currently stuck in. His understanding of history and his ability to watch and learn from people has given him a startling ability to adapt as well, although he admits that the early days and weeks of his stay were difficult because of the sheer shock of the situation. He continues picking cheap fights as well, declaring boldly that "fights and fires are the flowers of Edo" while he's using the props he carries with him to distract an opponent long enough to get in a cheap blow.

The one time we get a glimpse of how his skills as a hacker can influence the world of Virtual Edo, however, reveals that he is able to view the 'memories' of a specific user as easily as someone can view their browser's internet history, and he's capable of 'rewriting' his 'avatar' over an 'npc' to take his place so he can disappear for a while-- should it become necessary. This is a skill that is rarely used, although it points to how strange Kon's status in both the Contemporary and Virtual timelines really is.

Enlightened Abilities: Dark/Ghost, Engineer

Stage 1: The initial phase of Kon's abilities include an Illusion skill similar to Zorua's signature trait. It is purely aesthetic in function, and he will mostly be using it to play mischievous jokes on friends or get the upper hand in battle through diversion-type tactics. Similar to the Zorua, he maintains a 'tell' in that his right hand still isn't fully functional. Additionally, he will gain the ability to collect emotional and sensory impressions of the locations he visits and the people he encounters via a Psychometry trait that he gained during his awakening-- so long as it's within reason and mod approval. A permission's post will be drafted up for this trait, and it will never be used without a player's consent. That said, he has little control over it early on and this is why he comes to Union. This trait isn't straight up telepathy or empathy, but more of a means of gaining a viceral understanding of an object, location, or person's history without complete knowledge of the individual details. Instead of intuiting that a specific event happened in a location, it will be closer to getting a sense of unease that is isolated from any known information. Due to his lack of control, he will be unable to make any definitive judgements on his impressions because he will not have enough information to make sense of them.  Otherwise, he will be gaining Foresight, to make fellow Ghost-types able to be hit by standard attacks, Fake Out to startle an opponent, Will-o-Wisp, Hex and Shadow Sneak.

Stage 2: While Kon's physical appearance itself takes on no actual changes, he will find that he is able to maintain his Illusion skill for longer periods and he will be better able to filter his Psychometric trait in regards to input from emotionally charged locations-- like the streets of Union in the aftermath of the Kyurem Attack. Regarding people it is still difficult, and will remain so. Fortunately, Kon is intelligent enough to parse out what is his feelings and what comes from the outside, and he has learned overtime to keep a Calm Mind in this regard. In terms of attacks, he will learn physical attacks like Stomp and Zen Headbutt, and his elemental typings will come out will come out in in abilities like Night Slash (using whatever item he happens to be carrying at the time-- and he's always carrying something). He will also learn a move similar to Trick-or Treat, where he adds a ghost-typing to other parties on the battle field.

Stage 3: The only major physical change in this stage is that Kon is able to mitigate his 'tell' in his Illusioned state for limited periods through either the use of misdirection or perks from his Ghost-typing-- as the incident where he sustained his injuries is what triggered his awakening in the first place. His Psychometry becomes more fine-tuned so that he can more effectively shield himself and parse together a more complete picture of the information that he receives than he was able to before. Furthermore, this trait will become useful in practical application due to his gaining the ability to use Mind Reader, where he can use his understanding of the people and location to guess at their next moves and counter it appropriatly. Mega Kick also becomes apparent in this form, along with classic Ghost and Dark type moves like Curse, Sucker Punch, and Foul Play.

Starter Pokémon: A Litwick, called Chochin

Notes/Special Considerations: Shinonome will still be lacking full use of his right hand, similar to his condition in his canon. While he has minimal feeling and retains some motion from the elbow down, he has no real strength to actually do much anything with it beyond simple, vague gestures. Being dominantly right handed by nature, this has put a distinct difficulty curve on his ability to adapt, although by this point in time he can do almost everything that he could do before with his left hand. That said, he's still primarily a physical fighter-- the dark typing is because of the 'dirty fighting' he uses in canon. 

I pointedly will not be using his ability to rewrite reality on a small scale at all in the context with this game, and will instead be paying homage to it with abilities that can alter a person's elemental type or make their specific type able to be harmed by elements they are normally immune to, and using his Illusion ability as an inverse of his canon ability to 'paste' his appearance onto another person. Similarly, his  psychometric skills are also a nod to his uncanny understanding of what is happening behind the scenes and his status as a hacker in canon. While he won't be able to access memories in quite the way he shows himself to be able to in later chapters of the manga, he will be able to gain an understanding of people through channels that are understandable within the setting. Furthermore, this particular problem is a big factor for why he makes the trek to Union in the first place.
 
SAMPLES

First-Person: Thread on the TDM

Third-Person:

Rumors and stories carved out his passage on the wintry roads that lead to Union. Traversing across snowy plains and iced over rivers, there where whispers about of the various accomplishments that Union's people had gotten up two in the short period since they opened their gates and set out into the world. He knew intimately how they had helped the tribes of Citadel with the fiery God, but their accomplishments in fighting a fearsome dragon in the Northern reaches of the continent, and their fight for the freedom of not one but two separate cities-- each with a diverse culture and worldview-- lingered around the edges of every tavern and inn across the expansive wilderness. Each tale was listened to intently and picked apart in the silence that lingered in the back of the caravans until only the scraps of the truth remained.

From there, Kon had an idea of how to proceed further.

"'Gods' this and 'Gods' that," he muttered, half to himself as he tended the fires one night. The storm clouds had given them enough clearance to stay on the road, but his fellow travellers were loathe to be without the comforts of a warm body or a burning fire within the vicinity. Kon himself wasn't alone; his trusty Litwick friend was there, hopping around and playing with any dancing embers that lingered near its ghostly little hands. Kon shifted just enough to pull his thick blanket tighter around him, and tapped the length of his pipe on an adjacent log to clear the ash before taking a deep draw from it. The smoke was bitter, but it tasted of life amidst the snow and the darkness.

Looking up, he blew a ring out toward the distant stars.

"There's not enough tobacco 'round to be dealing with all this, if't it's really Gods," he continued, making an irritable sound under his breath. The Litwick looked over, a frown on it's ephemeral features, and it squeaked as if to chide the man who was nominally it's trainer on being rude. Though Kon wasn't blessed with the ability to understand Pokemon in conversation, he understood this particular one well enough to know it's gestures and cues. 

"Just calm down, would ya?" He shot back, sticking his tongue out at the little pokemon before looking around to determine if the two of them had been spotted. Bringing along pokemon wasn't strange, but he didn't really care for anyone he respected seeing him act like a child around a tiny ghost of a pokemon. 'We'll figure out the deal soon enough, just wait till we get there. Okay, Cho?"