Application for empatheias

[preciousimpressions]

⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player: Kai
Contact:Kaius
Age: 26
Current Characters: N/A


⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character: Shirotsuki
Age: 28
Canon: Hibiki's Magic
Canon Point: Chapter 1

Background:

Shirotsuki spent most of his childhood in the countryside with his family. One day while he was outside reading he noticed something out of the ordinary in a nearby tree. What he initially mistook for a giant manju turned out to be a little girl, who upon being noticed fell out of the tree. Shirotsuki rushed over to her and immediately helped bandage the knee she'd scraped in the fall. He'd been unaware that he'd been crying through the entire ordeal. When the girl questioned him about it Shirotsuki responded saying that he was just so relieved that she wasn't hurt. That's how Shirotsuki met Yui.

They became the fast friends and played together every day. Yui was very energetic and had a fascination with flowers which would often result in her climbing up to dangerous places looking for them. Shirotsuki would follow behind and if she fell he would be there to tend to her injuries. One day Yui asked him about mages and told him about her dream to see a field of flowers that would never wither. Shirotsuki knew that mages were looked down upon but didn't understand why that was when they could do so many magnificent things. But knowing how happy it would make Yui he promised to become a mage and make her dream come true. At the time it seemed like a silly promise between children but it was something incredibly special for them. They kept it a secret and Shirotsuki started making plans to become a mage.

Years passed and the pair grew closer, eventually realizing that their feelings for each other went beyond friendship. Simultaneously they also came to learn about the reasons why magic was held in contempt: all magic came with a price and in nearly all cases it was a terrible one for the mage. Miracles are not free and something must always be sacrificed. Because of the dangers, many people had already given up on magic but Shirotsuki wouldn't. He believed that magic was important and that it could be used to help others and was determined to find a way to mitigate the cost. Yui had her reservations but in the end, she resolved to support him and Shirotsuki was grateful for it. Soon after Shirotsuki left for Kamisaid Academy to expand his knowledge but he always kept the promise they'd made as children close to his heart.

It was there that Shirotsuki discovered the true cost of his magic: he would lose his memories. For every spell that he cast something precious would disappear from his mind. When Shirotsuki stopped going home to visit, a concerned Yui went looking for him at Kamisaid and learned that he'd forgotten her. She decided to stay with him to remind him about his past and they fell in love. However, Shirotsuki's use of magic meant that he would continually lose his memory of Yui. Each time she would remind him of who he was and they would fall in love again only to repeat the cycle. As time went on, Shirotsuki could see that it was taking a toll on her emotions. He couldn't bear to watch her suffer because of him and so he asked her to make him a promise: the next time he forgot who she was she shouldn't remind him. She was wholly against it but she understood what he was trying to do for her and so she promised.

Eventually, Shirotsuki's memory worsening and coupled with the secretive nature of his research he decided it was better to isolate himself to continue his work. He made his home in the woods and for a time he lived a quiet if somewhat lonely, life. That is until he found a little girl hiding in his shed one night.
The girl, Hibiki, was cold and hungry but refused to trust him or accept his help. In order to help her, Shirotsuki used his magic to control a pair of gusks (squirrel-like creatures) and bring her food. Overhearing her talk to the gusks about her loneliness resonated with Shirotsuki. After she fell asleep, he covered her with his robe and decided that the would use the gusks to guide her into the nearby town the next day. However, Hibiki had been aware of what he was doing and asked if she could stay with him in exchange for doing chores around the house. Impressed by her courage Shirotsuki agreed to let her live with him.

At first, he'd just been giving her a place to stay but over time he came to truly appreciate her presence. While she wasn't very skilled or well educated Shirotsuki found her determination endearing. He invited her to become his apprentice so that she would have a means of one day living on her own. Shirotsuki had become something of a guardian for Hibiki and they spent a lot of time together. They would talk often, go shopping together and, of course, Shirotsuki would teach her about magic. It wasn't long before Shirotsuki began to see Hibiki as his family and they lived a quiet, idyllic life tainted only by his knowledge that one day he would forget her too...


Personality:

Shirotsuki has always concerned himself with the welfare of others; even as a boy, his first thought would be to help someone in need even if they were a complete stranger. He is exceptionally kind and has a genuine desire to help others, whether it's just some subtle encouragement or a little bit of magic to solve a complex problem. Most people who have met him remember him fondly for his selflessness even if he has long since forgotten them. If someone requests his assistance, and he senses no nefarious intent behind it, Shirotsuki would find it very difficult to refuse if he knew he could help. This compassion has remained with him despite the loss of much of his memory.
That's not to say he's naive or gullible. He is notably cautious of anyone who approaches his home given that he lives alone in the woods and is aware of the value of his research; he even expects trouble from Hibiki when they first meet just because she isn't someone he knows. Later it's discovered that in order to protect his work from falling into the wrong hands Shirotsuki rigged his home to catch fire in the event that someone attempted to steal his research. So while he endeavors to see the best in people he understands that not everyone has the best intentions.

While he isn't inherently a dishonest person Shirotsuki does withhold information if he feels it may cause unnecessary strain. For instance, he avoids telling Hibiki about the price of his magic mainly because she never asks about it and if it seems the conversation may be headed toward the topic he deftly steers it in a different direction. Indeed Shirotsuki is quite adept at hiding a great deal of personal insecurity and loneliness behind a seemingly cheerful smile. He rarely discusses his fears about the path he's chosen to follow and the consequences that come with it if he can help it. He would rather suffer alone than diminish the happiness of another.

He is extremely well educated and, having devoted a large portion of his life to magical research, Shirotsuki is lauded as his world's foremost authority on Magical Symbols. Even though magic is beginning to be seen as a thing of the past at best and a curse at worst, Shirotsuki believes that some things can only be solved with magic. All magic has a price and Shirotsuki has witnessed the tragedies brought about by the sacrifice required to use magic and set himself the task of finding a way to circumvent this. He is extremely dedicated to his research despite the toll it takes on him because he believes it will save many lives should he succeed. In the face of such a crucial undertaking, Shirotsuki feels his own happiness is inconsequential in comparison. Yui once remarks that it scares her to think he'd easily give up his life for the happiness of others but to Shirotsuki it's the very reason why he decided to study magic. His determination does falter at times, especially when he faces a series of failed experiments. But seeing someone smile because magic helped them is usually enough to reinvigorate his resolve.

However, as talented as he is when it comes to magic the loss of his memory has greatly impacted much of his common knowledge. He sometimes has trouble recognizing everyday objects or discerning their purpose, which at times can frustrate and confuse him. There are certain objects that he finds himself drawn to, regardless of the fact that he has forgotten why or how he attained them. These items often stir his emotions, as though some part of him recalls their significance when his mind cannot. The locket he wears, in particularly, has an extremely calming effect on him and is Shirotsuki's most treasured possession; even after having his soul transmuted into a gusk he feels the strong desire to recover it.

Although kind and considerate by nature, it's important to note that Shirotsuki doesn't think of himself this way. The knowledge that he has willingly sacrificed his memories of nearly every person he loved had previously caused Shirotsuki to believe that he was incapable of loving or being loved. This is one of the reasons why Shirotsuki has chosen to isolate himself from the world at large. Knowing that he could eventually forget anyone he meets Shirotsuki decided that he should avoid forming any sort of significant relationships. While he does it for the sake of others Shirotsuki is still human and the loneliness he feels is soul crushing at times.

Hibiki, however, is a special exception.

Shirotsuki has a particular soft spot for his ward, Hibiki, whom he treats as family. Despite the importance of his research he often goes out of his way to involve her in his work. While she isn't very competent when it comes to magic Shirotsuki is very patient with her mistakes and continuously encourages her to do better. Indeed he is a parent to her in nearly every respect: He sits with her when she cries. Tries to reassure her when she's upset. And praises her when she succeeds. He goes to great lengths to assure she'll be well taken care of should something unfortunate happen to him, such as saving up money for her as well as using his reputation and contacts to arrange a place for her at Kamisaid Academy. His fondest wish is to watch Hibiki grow up but he knows the importance of his research coupled with the price of his magic may make that impossible.


Abilities:
Shirotsuki is an extremely skilled practitioner of magic and is renowned for his research and use of Magical Symbols. This form of magic is extremely versatile and Shirotsuki has been shown to use it for a variety of purposes including the creation of traps that force the victim to continuously relive their greatest fears, controlling small animals, switching souls between bodies and creating a human shaped homunculus (a deed thought impossible for modern magic). He can also use them to heal grievous injuries.

However, all magic requires sacrifice. Every time Shirotsuki uses magic he will lose a memory. Furthermore, while he can perform many great feats with symbol magic, it isn't as simple as just thinking of something and then doing it. It requires a very specific pattern to be drawn to get the desired effect and figuring out these patterns requires a great deal of research as well as testing.

Alignment:
Daimonia. Shirotsuki's whole life is marked by continually losing memories of loved ones but despite this, he still manages to find genuine happiness in the company of others.

Other:


⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉

General Sample:

Thread

Emotion Sample:

Specific Comment


Questions: