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Dec. 5th, 2024 07:45 amOOC INFORMATION
Player Name: Gray
Pronoun Preferences: She/Her
Contact: PM or windupmonster @ Plurk
Are you over the age of 18?: Yes
Invitation Link: Here.
Current Characters: N/A
Link to Permissions: Permissions.
IC INFORMATION
Character Name: Tohru Adachi
Species: Human
Canon: Persona 4 Golden/Arena Ultimax
Canon Point: Post Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Character Age: 29
CRAU: No
Character Appearance: Here.
Powers and Abilities: Adachi has one of those Personas, a manifestation of his soul capable of great feats of strength and magical abilities but also shares his health and stamina. He gets hurt, Persona's hurt, Persona gets hurt, he's hurt, and so on. His is called Magatsu Izanagi, and these are the skills he'll be bringing along to Labyrinthum once regained:
Ziodyne: A powerful lightning spell. Usually manifests as multiple bolts directed at a target.
Megidolaon: A very powerful non-aspected spell capable of hitting multiple targets. Mentally tires Adachi out faster than other spells.
Evil Smile: A spell with a low chance to freeze a target in fear. If the effect persists for a long period of time, the target will flee from the object of fear by any means necessary.
Ghastly Wail: Severely damages foes effected by fear from the previous spell. If uneffected for whatever reason, it does nothing.
Vorpal Blade: Magatsu-Izanagi charges his blade for a powerful swing capable of hitting multiple foes. Physically tires Adachi out faster than other attacks.
Magatsu Mandala: A spell trapping multiple targets in a circle of Cursed energy, eventually engulfing them and causing massive damage. Tires Adachi out the fastest, can only be used once every other day for balance's sake. (Truant ass--)
What Did Your Character Wish For? To be left alone.
What Potion Did They Receive? Red
Did They Drink It? Yes
If Yes, What Element/Animal? Electric
Character Questions:
1. Who is the person your character is most bonded with from their canon, or who is someone they miss the most and why?
Adachi considers close, interpersonal bonds to be a pointless waste of time and energy, so if asked himself the answer would be "No one. Fuck off."
The real answer would be two people.
Ryotaro Dojima took Adachi under his wing as a senior officer shortly after the latter's arrival to Inaba, going so far as to gift Adachi an old tie to help him look a little more put together. Adachi is even on record carrying a lighter around just in case Ryotaro needs a light while not being a smoker himself, something otherwise uncharacteristically thoughtful of him to do. The first time Adachi also shows any regret for his actions once being revealed as the true culprit is when he hears Ryotaro has called a stretcher for him in advance, despite the very real chance his trusted partner has murdered two women and almost got his daughter killed.
Then there's the protagonist. (Henceforth referred to as Yu Narukami just to make things easier, also assuming a max social link.) Yu is the perfect example of the kind of person Adachi hates, someone with the magic ticket of "talent" who succeeds without looking like he tries at all. On the other hand he approaches Adachi with genuine concern and kindness, a desire to be his friend for no reason other than the fact he's...him. Unable to imagine something like that without an ulterior motive or simple youthful naivete, Adachi rejects it when push comes to shove.
However, after the penultimate battle, Adachi reconciles with the fact he can't continue living the way he has been, and vows to give Yu's tactic of "behaving" and "living by society's rules" a try. This carries over to his time in P4 Arena Ultimax, where he's brought in to help along another attempt at ending the world and explicitly given a chance to take revenge on those who stopped him should he so choose.
He doesn't. He plays along just enough to keep the suspicion off, all the while nudging Yu and friends in the right direction to prevent this new catastrophe from happening, culminating in standing by Yu's side to end it once and for all.
2. What are they most afraid of and why?
Adachi's worst fear is what he's already accepted as reality: that everything, everyone, especially himself, is insignificant. It doesn't matter whether he exists or not, he has the same amount of worth as any other speck of dust on this planet, that being none. He can be replaced. It won't make a difference. It never, ever, has to be him. Only a few people on Earth have the privilege of being anything and it's entirely because of luck, so if you don't have that luck then there's jack all you can do about your lot in life besides suck it up or end it all. He could never find it in him to end it, so he stuck around hoping in vain that something, somewhere would make life just a little more bearable.
Whether or not he found that depends on who's asking.
Even if he's accepted his lot in life, it doesn't mean he's happy about it. He hates being reminded of what a loser he is, and at best will completely shut down in a show of apathy. At worst, he'll lash out. Violently. Either with his words or with his hands. (Or this gun he found.)
3. What are their emotional, mental, and physical weaknesses and why?
Emotionally, Adachi is always on the defensive. No one ever truly has good, pure intentions, so he always assumes the worst of others and will do his damndest not to let them in. Nowhere important, at least. Needless to say this makes forming deep, lasting relationships with other people like pulling teeth for anyone who wants to try, and he sure as hell doesn't, so he's not doing his own soul-crushing loneliness any favors.
Mentally, Adachi by default always assumes he's in the right. He's a know-it-all whether it be about facts or feelings and will argue about it just to get the satisfaction of knowing he's right. If by some chance he's proven wrong he'll either deny it or sulk with all the maturity of a teenager, probably insisting it never really mattered anyway so why should he care? Get off his case, damn.
Physically he's just kind of a guy. A noodle of a guy at that. He went through mandatory physical training to get into the police force and knows a thing or two about basic self defense, but that's really all he's got. Someone with natural powers, or even someone who's put more time into fitness and combat, could take him out no problem so long as personas aren't in the equation. And since they're usually not when outside the TV, well...
4. What discrepancies are there between their inner self (who they feel they are) and their outer self (how they present themselves to others)?
Adachi presents himself as someone you don't need to pay too much mind to. He's goofy and harmless, but also lazy, preferring to find the quickest way to get something overwith if he absolutely has to do it at all. The only things he seems to have any enthusiasm for are jokes, pretty girls, magic tricks, and model guns. (Though that last one's something he keeps closer to his chest.)
The truth is more rotten than that. Adachi is a deeply, deeply lonely man whose disillusion with the lot life has given him has made him a pessimist and a nihilist, resenting those around him that either haven't realized or seem content with the fact that their lives are all meaningless specks of dust floating around in this cold, unfeeling universe. Even when putting on the innocent puppy act he does his best to keep himself at a distance from others, not wanting to waste his or their time with something that ultimately isn't going to turn into anything meaningful.
5. What would make them happiest and why?
"Happy" is a stretch. Adachi's sure happiness isn't obtainable for him, at least not the kind people usually talk about. He's not going to find true love, he's not going to find a perfect career, and he's not going to live somewhere surrounded by friends who care for and understand him.
Instead the one thing he can allow himself to hope for is peace. An existence where he doesn't have to hide how he feels day to day, where people won't bother trying to get close to him or treat him like a charity case, where he can live out the rest of his life only having to care about his own wants and needs. He'll still play by society's rules, he's accepted by now that there's no other way to survive, but it doesn't have to be pretty or lively.
6. What characteristics does someone need to have to be your character's ideal significant other?
Adachi himself says the most important quality for a partner is that they should cook, everything else he can take or leave. Being drop dead gorgeous wouldn't hurt your chances either. But of course, the reality of the matter is he's a little more needy than that.
Adachi is prone to self-sabotage, bouts of aggressive nihilism and blaming everyone but himself, which doesn't tend to keep people around long. Above all else he needs someone who is patient, someone who won't be scared away by his tantrums and stay with him long enough to prove through actions rather than words that they're serious about wanting to be with him instead of some fantasy they've created about a better man, or trying to "fix" him.
Cooking is still an attractive skill, though. He'll be on the lookout for that.
7. Would your character make a sacrifice to save someone else and why or why not?
Nine times out of ten, no. Unless you're a very small number of very specific people, if Adachi's the deciding factor in whether you live or die? Too bad, so sad, at the end of the day we all die alone so why should he put forth the effort to care about you?
Yes, this is selfishly motivated by the belief no one (save that very small number of very specific people) would do the same for him so he's just extending the same courtesy. The more effort he has to put into something on someone else's behalf, the less likely he is to do it. So he'll, say, watch your stuff while you're going to the bathroom but absolutely will not push you out of the way of a speeding vehicle. Sorry.
8. What is one thing they would tell their younger self if they had the chance, or if your character is young, what is one thing they would want their older self to remember?
Give up.
Learn to actually enjoy your own company instead of focusing on the envy of others and what they have, pick up a solitary hobby sooner, learn to indulge a little more when you've done something right instead of hitting the ground running onto the next step up.
It's not going to turn out the way you think it will, all the work you've put in will be for nothing, so don't bother with it in the first place. Some other schmuck is going to come in doing half of that and moving right past you. You can skirt by on the bare minimum and get to the very same place, just maybe with a little more energy to spare and a lot less heartbreak.
9. When in dire circumstances does your character fight, flee, freeze or fawn and how does that look?
Flee. Whether a physical conflict, mental, emotional, once something's too much he just doesn't want to deal with it if he doesn't absolutely have to. No matter the things he's sure he can do, when faced with others the usual outcome is that he loses, so why bother sticking around for something that's going to end in humiliating defeat? This is why he prefers taking a sneakier route either when it looks like a confrontation is inevitable, or even before there are any signs of one at all. He has to know any potential weaknesses, any escape routes, so he can at least be confident in the knowledge he'll get out of there with minimal damage.
10. Why did your character make the wish they did?
Well.
To borrow a phrase, hell is other people. This is Adachi's mindset and it's so firmly rooted in him that it's not going away any time soon, even if he's made the promise that he'll be playing nice from now on and cooperating with the rules of the world we all live in. The rules don't state that you have to be surrounded by people all the time, however, you just have to be cooperative enough to navigate through certain unavoidable interactions. Like grocery runs, or legal proceedings. If he can keep that up and otherwise live as a hermit, he's great. Grand, even, finally living a life free of the burden of bonds.
Samples:
Log Sample
Network Sample
Player Name: Gray
Pronoun Preferences: She/Her
Contact: PM or windupmonster @ Plurk
Are you over the age of 18?: Yes
Invitation Link: Here.
Current Characters: N/A
Link to Permissions: Permissions.
IC INFORMATION
Character Name: Tohru Adachi
Species: Human
Canon: Persona 4 Golden/Arena Ultimax
Canon Point: Post Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Character Age: 29
CRAU: No
Character Appearance: Here.
Powers and Abilities: Adachi has one of those Personas, a manifestation of his soul capable of great feats of strength and magical abilities but also shares his health and stamina. He gets hurt, Persona's hurt, Persona gets hurt, he's hurt, and so on. His is called Magatsu Izanagi, and these are the skills he'll be bringing along to Labyrinthum once regained:
Ziodyne: A powerful lightning spell. Usually manifests as multiple bolts directed at a target.
Megidolaon: A very powerful non-aspected spell capable of hitting multiple targets. Mentally tires Adachi out faster than other spells.
Evil Smile: A spell with a low chance to freeze a target in fear. If the effect persists for a long period of time, the target will flee from the object of fear by any means necessary.
Ghastly Wail: Severely damages foes effected by fear from the previous spell. If uneffected for whatever reason, it does nothing.
Vorpal Blade: Magatsu-Izanagi charges his blade for a powerful swing capable of hitting multiple foes. Physically tires Adachi out faster than other attacks.
Magatsu Mandala: A spell trapping multiple targets in a circle of Cursed energy, eventually engulfing them and causing massive damage. Tires Adachi out the fastest, can only be used once every other day for balance's sake. (Truant ass--)
What Did Your Character Wish For? To be left alone.
What Potion Did They Receive? Red
Did They Drink It? Yes
If Yes, What Element/Animal? Electric
Character Questions:
1. Who is the person your character is most bonded with from their canon, or who is someone they miss the most and why?
Adachi considers close, interpersonal bonds to be a pointless waste of time and energy, so if asked himself the answer would be "No one. Fuck off."
The real answer would be two people.
Ryotaro Dojima took Adachi under his wing as a senior officer shortly after the latter's arrival to Inaba, going so far as to gift Adachi an old tie to help him look a little more put together. Adachi is even on record carrying a lighter around just in case Ryotaro needs a light while not being a smoker himself, something otherwise uncharacteristically thoughtful of him to do. The first time Adachi also shows any regret for his actions once being revealed as the true culprit is when he hears Ryotaro has called a stretcher for him in advance, despite the very real chance his trusted partner has murdered two women and almost got his daughter killed.
Then there's the protagonist. (Henceforth referred to as Yu Narukami just to make things easier, also assuming a max social link.) Yu is the perfect example of the kind of person Adachi hates, someone with the magic ticket of "talent" who succeeds without looking like he tries at all. On the other hand he approaches Adachi with genuine concern and kindness, a desire to be his friend for no reason other than the fact he's...him. Unable to imagine something like that without an ulterior motive or simple youthful naivete, Adachi rejects it when push comes to shove.
However, after the penultimate battle, Adachi reconciles with the fact he can't continue living the way he has been, and vows to give Yu's tactic of "behaving" and "living by society's rules" a try. This carries over to his time in P4 Arena Ultimax, where he's brought in to help along another attempt at ending the world and explicitly given a chance to take revenge on those who stopped him should he so choose.
He doesn't. He plays along just enough to keep the suspicion off, all the while nudging Yu and friends in the right direction to prevent this new catastrophe from happening, culminating in standing by Yu's side to end it once and for all.
2. What are they most afraid of and why?
Adachi's worst fear is what he's already accepted as reality: that everything, everyone, especially himself, is insignificant. It doesn't matter whether he exists or not, he has the same amount of worth as any other speck of dust on this planet, that being none. He can be replaced. It won't make a difference. It never, ever, has to be him. Only a few people on Earth have the privilege of being anything and it's entirely because of luck, so if you don't have that luck then there's jack all you can do about your lot in life besides suck it up or end it all. He could never find it in him to end it, so he stuck around hoping in vain that something, somewhere would make life just a little more bearable.
Whether or not he found that depends on who's asking.
Even if he's accepted his lot in life, it doesn't mean he's happy about it. He hates being reminded of what a loser he is, and at best will completely shut down in a show of apathy. At worst, he'll lash out. Violently. Either with his words or with his hands. (Or this gun he found.)
3. What are their emotional, mental, and physical weaknesses and why?
Emotionally, Adachi is always on the defensive. No one ever truly has good, pure intentions, so he always assumes the worst of others and will do his damndest not to let them in. Nowhere important, at least. Needless to say this makes forming deep, lasting relationships with other people like pulling teeth for anyone who wants to try, and he sure as hell doesn't, so he's not doing his own soul-crushing loneliness any favors.
Mentally, Adachi by default always assumes he's in the right. He's a know-it-all whether it be about facts or feelings and will argue about it just to get the satisfaction of knowing he's right. If by some chance he's proven wrong he'll either deny it or sulk with all the maturity of a teenager, probably insisting it never really mattered anyway so why should he care? Get off his case, damn.
Physically he's just kind of a guy. A noodle of a guy at that. He went through mandatory physical training to get into the police force and knows a thing or two about basic self defense, but that's really all he's got. Someone with natural powers, or even someone who's put more time into fitness and combat, could take him out no problem so long as personas aren't in the equation. And since they're usually not when outside the TV, well...
4. What discrepancies are there between their inner self (who they feel they are) and their outer self (how they present themselves to others)?
Adachi presents himself as someone you don't need to pay too much mind to. He's goofy and harmless, but also lazy, preferring to find the quickest way to get something overwith if he absolutely has to do it at all. The only things he seems to have any enthusiasm for are jokes, pretty girls, magic tricks, and model guns. (Though that last one's something he keeps closer to his chest.)
The truth is more rotten than that. Adachi is a deeply, deeply lonely man whose disillusion with the lot life has given him has made him a pessimist and a nihilist, resenting those around him that either haven't realized or seem content with the fact that their lives are all meaningless specks of dust floating around in this cold, unfeeling universe. Even when putting on the innocent puppy act he does his best to keep himself at a distance from others, not wanting to waste his or their time with something that ultimately isn't going to turn into anything meaningful.
5. What would make them happiest and why?
"Happy" is a stretch. Adachi's sure happiness isn't obtainable for him, at least not the kind people usually talk about. He's not going to find true love, he's not going to find a perfect career, and he's not going to live somewhere surrounded by friends who care for and understand him.
Instead the one thing he can allow himself to hope for is peace. An existence where he doesn't have to hide how he feels day to day, where people won't bother trying to get close to him or treat him like a charity case, where he can live out the rest of his life only having to care about his own wants and needs. He'll still play by society's rules, he's accepted by now that there's no other way to survive, but it doesn't have to be pretty or lively.
6. What characteristics does someone need to have to be your character's ideal significant other?
Adachi himself says the most important quality for a partner is that they should cook, everything else he can take or leave. Being drop dead gorgeous wouldn't hurt your chances either. But of course, the reality of the matter is he's a little more needy than that.
Adachi is prone to self-sabotage, bouts of aggressive nihilism and blaming everyone but himself, which doesn't tend to keep people around long. Above all else he needs someone who is patient, someone who won't be scared away by his tantrums and stay with him long enough to prove through actions rather than words that they're serious about wanting to be with him instead of some fantasy they've created about a better man, or trying to "fix" him.
Cooking is still an attractive skill, though. He'll be on the lookout for that.
7. Would your character make a sacrifice to save someone else and why or why not?
Nine times out of ten, no. Unless you're a very small number of very specific people, if Adachi's the deciding factor in whether you live or die? Too bad, so sad, at the end of the day we all die alone so why should he put forth the effort to care about you?
Yes, this is selfishly motivated by the belief no one (save that very small number of very specific people) would do the same for him so he's just extending the same courtesy. The more effort he has to put into something on someone else's behalf, the less likely he is to do it. So he'll, say, watch your stuff while you're going to the bathroom but absolutely will not push you out of the way of a speeding vehicle. Sorry.
8. What is one thing they would tell their younger self if they had the chance, or if your character is young, what is one thing they would want their older self to remember?
Give up.
Learn to actually enjoy your own company instead of focusing on the envy of others and what they have, pick up a solitary hobby sooner, learn to indulge a little more when you've done something right instead of hitting the ground running onto the next step up.
It's not going to turn out the way you think it will, all the work you've put in will be for nothing, so don't bother with it in the first place. Some other schmuck is going to come in doing half of that and moving right past you. You can skirt by on the bare minimum and get to the very same place, just maybe with a little more energy to spare and a lot less heartbreak.
9. When in dire circumstances does your character fight, flee, freeze or fawn and how does that look?
Flee. Whether a physical conflict, mental, emotional, once something's too much he just doesn't want to deal with it if he doesn't absolutely have to. No matter the things he's sure he can do, when faced with others the usual outcome is that he loses, so why bother sticking around for something that's going to end in humiliating defeat? This is why he prefers taking a sneakier route either when it looks like a confrontation is inevitable, or even before there are any signs of one at all. He has to know any potential weaknesses, any escape routes, so he can at least be confident in the knowledge he'll get out of there with minimal damage.
10. Why did your character make the wish they did?
Well.
To borrow a phrase, hell is other people. This is Adachi's mindset and it's so firmly rooted in him that it's not going away any time soon, even if he's made the promise that he'll be playing nice from now on and cooperating with the rules of the world we all live in. The rules don't state that you have to be surrounded by people all the time, however, you just have to be cooperative enough to navigate through certain unavoidable interactions. Like grocery runs, or legal proceedings. If he can keep that up and otherwise live as a hermit, he's great. Grand, even, finally living a life free of the burden of bonds.
Samples:
Log Sample
Network Sample
