Shian’s final ability evolution is the control of dead cells - able to kill and manipulate living cells, allowing him to speed up or slow down the process of decay ( even if the person is still alive ) in the areas that he touches and potentially spread the rot throughout the body from the wound he creates. He can physically move a body with dead cells, but he CANNOT restore life to a corpse or dead flesh, as elemental tensai do not control the soul or the life force of a being. Therefore resurrection is NOT an option.
There are several ways to refer to a Japanese mob/gang leader, and Isen is very very strict about keigo (敬語 - Japanese language formality conjugation) and the way he himself is being referred to, even without being present. So here's a breakdown of how Yuki, Isen, and the Blades refer to each other.
Bear in mind my folks are fictional and while some of this might sound like the average Japanese person wouldn’t say it… the average person is typically not part of gang empires engaging in the business proceedings of a fictional superhuman race 💀
Among non-Japanese folks (and/or people who don't speak Japanese, business associates/'outsiders' and such) Yuki will always refer to Isen as Isen-sama (維先さま / 様), regardless of if it's in English or in Japanese (-sama is an honorific of a very high form, more akin to "lord" rather than "mister", which would be -san / さん). This is both Isen's preference/insistence as well as Yuki's discomfort with disrespecting him, even without Isen present (which ofc changes to just Isen after his escape, and that is VERY SCARY to Yuki at first, but it also gives him a sense of freedom and well-deserved spitefulness to simply refer to Isen by his given name. Very rude in Japanese given their dynamic; I love that for Yuki)
When addressing Isen directly or when referring to him with Yuki, the Blades will refer to Isen as Kumichou (組長 - family head/leader) and Yuki will do the same in return. When the Blades are speaking amongst themselves, Isen is referred to as Oyabun (親分 - similar to kumichou except with a more familial connotation, like Godfather), which is still formal but generally used third-person rather than a direct address. Isen prefers the neutrality of Kumichou over any familial implications, as he is very detached from the Blades and does not consider them family, but he doesn't care if they call him Oyabun/Godfather amongst themselves.
Yuki is considered a higher rank than the rest of the Blades, the right hand/lieutenant, and Yuki is referred to as Kashira (頭 - shorthand Wakagashira - 若頭, lieutenant/son of the Godfather) among the Blades and to his face (although I'm sure the Blades have some less polite ways they secretly refer to Yuki as lmao)
In private, Yuki refers to Isen as Oyassan (親っさん - a more familiar and still respectful way to say father), bc he's able to be slightly less formal with Isen after several years of being under his control (and bc Isen is still forcing this illusion of family/trust on Yuki, like the loving father he is). Deep down, Yuki does not like using this, but of course it's not really his choice (nothing is).
Depending on who he’s talking to, in order to remain professional, Isen will most often refer to Yuki by his name (no honorific) even with the Blades, though that’s most often like a pointed Yuki, who is above you/in charge of you - but it’s interchangeable with musuko (息子 - my son), depending on his mood. The same goes with business associates; if it’s more appropriate to keep the personal relationship out of the conversation, it’s Yuki, but if the situation allows Isen will still refer to him as musuko or my son in English. Isen is also possessive of Yuki (as an object) and can be reluctant to directly share his name with whoever he’s talking to.
After Yuki escapes and very far into Isen's deteriorating sanity/unhinged era, Isen will almost always use musuko or my son, possessiveness to the extreme. Delusional villain era.
If you couldn’t tell, Japanese is a highly contextual language. A lot of things are based on implication and context; generally speaking, using given names in general is done kind of sparingly / pointedly, to put emphasis on or clarify things in a sentence. Even referring to one’s self can start to sound self centered after a time, as well as words for ‘you’ that can sound very accusatory or rude if used too often. ‘I’ and ‘you’ words generally go hand in hand; meaning if someone uses a specific ‘I’ word they most likely use the corresponding ‘you’ word.
There are different implications for how people refer to themselves. Yuki, as someone who is generally polite and neutral, uses watashi (私) which is neutral and humble. The corresponding ‘you’ word for this, the same level of politeness and implication, is anata (あなた). Isen, as the boss and an arrogant/self assured character, uses ore (俺 - men tend to use this to sound more confident but it absolutely reads as rude, good thing Isen is rude and doesn’t care lol) or watashi if he’s trying to be more manipulative/seem more humble than he’s actually at all capable of. The corresponding ‘you’ word for ore is super rude (we all know it: omae お前) and Isen’s choice is an exception to the rule, especially in the manipulative sense. For guys, a common way to say ‘you’ that has a good balance of sounding both humble and self assured is kimi (君), which he uses regardless, unless he’s intentionally being insulting. Post-Yuki’s escape, Isen doesn’t care at all about formality or what sounds rude or insulting.
There are several ways that Yuki, as a modern spy, has integrated himself into society and general population. The goal of all spywork and intel gathering is to remain inconspicuous, to be fast and efficient, and to be prepared. Some ways that Yuki is able to effectively carry out jobs for Isen, and afterwards, are:
𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐒
Regular disposable masks have become commonplace in the US ( and have been common in Japan/Korea for much longer ). While there are other options, such as cloth or patterned masks, Yuki has discovered that a black disposable mask in particular serves him best for anonymity. Yuki and Isen have several enemies, and while blue / white / yellow disposable masks are just as common, they are more noticeable - as is a cloth mask, especially a black one. At night, it depends on the job, but Yuki will shift from a surgical mask to a black cloth mask for efficiency's sake. Yuki is almost always wearing a mask in public, especially in the immediate aftermath of his escape from Isen - but he loosens up as time goes on and safety is restored.
𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐄𝐂𝐇 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍
Accents are memorable. Yuki has trained himself as much as possible to mimic the vocabulary and cadence of a native speaker in his fluent second and third languages ( English and Korean, respectively ), as he is a native Japanese speaker already. In all languages it's important to maintain a neutral speech pattern; Yuki leans more on the polite side, as is his nature and Isen's expectation, but should he sound too formal? Memorable. Should he sound too casual? Memorable. That's where he tries to find a balance; not casual enough to use nicknames, but not formal enough to sound robotic ( or in the case of his other languages, like a novice ).
𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐒 & 𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓
Yuki is almost always armed. His standard is 2-3 hidden knives and at least one small ( holstered ) firearm. While he prefers the swift and quiet advantage given by knives, he never wants to be in a situation where he's not prepared enough. His gun is hidden at his ankle, and sometimes a second one under his arm, and both are very small. There are times when he's not so heavily armed, such as in his own home ( where several weapons are hidden nearby ) or with trusted people. Of all my folks, Yuki is the most skilled with a gun.
In every room or place he enters, Yuki does a quick analysis of the exit locations, the space of the area, potential weak points and other advantages and means of escape. This is deeply ingrained in him and does not leave at any point of the story ( much like Ji-Min ). He is the type to keep his back to the corner, and to plan his escape in the background of his mind, regardless of if there actually is danger present. It's very hard to get him to trust a space, but it is possible - even in that case, though, he feels uncomfortable and unsafe without a weapon nearby, at the least - especially after his escape. Weapons are kept everywhere including near his bed - not beneath a pillow.
𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆
Thanks to the brand / tattoo of Isen's surname on the nape of Yuki's neck, he is often forced to hide it on jobs; a high collar shirt when the weather is acceptable, or keeping his hair half-up half-down ( allowing the loose hair to cover it ). Sometimes the pros and cons must be weighed, such as weather / heat / exertion factors and the true amount of discretion required; sometimes situations allow Yuki to wear his hair all the way up or have a normal collar. This is an issue resolved upon his escape, when the tattoo is no longer there - but frankly, Isen doesn't actually care too much who sees his last name right before they die. Yuki wears his hair fully up almost all the time when he's free of Isen. The scar that replaced Isen's brand is one he's actually proud of, and there's no reason to hide it anymore.
The exception to the anonymity Yuki maintains is his eyes. While he does make use of brown contacts, in general ( and especially at night ) it is common for him to simply leave them revealed. Tensai are common enough now that, if that's the only attribute someone recalls of him, there's little chance it could be correctly traced back. The human world doesn't know the difference between a tensai with a white glow and the oddity of his grey eye glow - and neither do most tensai themselves. It's written off as strange, and the description of white vs grey eyes can simply be explained as a matter of perspective or environmental factors ( such as the light or a brief glimpse, etc ). At night, the glow of Yuki's eyes gives him a slight advantage, as well as increases his intimidation factor if needed. After all, at that point, the Heart Collector ought to maintain his reputation.
A power granted to beings favored by the gods ( known as tensai - 天才 aka blessed person ) that grants them specific, hereditary powers. Abilities are categorized in three types: mental (empathy, telepathy, clairvoyance, etc), elemental ( control of air/water/earth/fire/metal etc; includes the manipulation of living cells and cell growth/degeration ), and physical ( shapeshifting, enhanced strength, appearance changes ). Most tensai have a white glow inside the iris, which can span across the sclera depending on the type, and with varying degrees of intensity - ranging from nearly undetectable to completely covering the eye and rendering the tensai partially or entirely blind ( such as Hayden Lee, Ji-Min, and Hotaru Davis ). Tensai abilities are highly stigmatized by the human world, and pose a great danger to them due to the existence of the black market & humans that seek to exploit their power ( such as Isen Reiou ).
𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
How can an ability evolve?
It varies from person to person. Abilities can be evolved naturally, or under extreme duress. It is more effective to foster a safe, supportive environment for training. Tensai should be careful when attempting to evolve their ability – the risk of overexertion increases considerably, and can lead to severe side effects or, in some cases, insanity / death.
𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄: 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘 & 𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐒
What is an aura?
Within every living being resides an ‘aura’; an impression of qualities that define a person, threads in the tapestry of their being. There are two parts to every aura; the surface and the core. The core is made up of traits and sensations (any sensation, touch, smell, taste, etc) that make up who they are, who they've always been, what and who are most important to them beneath every layer they might have shrouded themselves in. Core pieces are not easy for the empath to reach; they often require a lot of trust from the other person, and even then it can be hard to see the full scope of them.
The surface is made up of sensations and traits that have been acquired over time; for example, the sensation/sight of blood, a wall encased in ice, the echoes of voices or screams, etc. Things that have become part of someone and coated who they truly are beneath, whether they like it or not.
It is very common for a being to have a mental ‘wall’ built against the empath’s ability, varying degrees of thickness and composition ( brick/steel/concrete etc ) depending on the person. It's possible for the empath to feel sensations through the wall (though a lot less intense); but it's also possible that very little comes through, and it forces the empath to rely on intuition instead. It is often something they can throw up with their defenses (not necessarily consciously) even if they do trust the tensai.
EXAMPLE OF SURFACE VS CORE AURA READING
Base Ability: Empathy
Description: An ability that allows a tensai to telepathically sense the emotions & ‘auras’ of other beings, living or dead. Tensai is unable to control thoughts or actions of others. Must maintain strict control/build a habit of reducing a crowd’s/several auras to ‘background noise’, and focus instead on nearest and/or significant targets.
Ability Evolution #1: Gain control of emotions in others
Explanation & Limits: Causes someone to feel various emotions, including panic, calmness, happiness, etc. The intensity of emotions being caused can vary depending on energy spent and focus given, i.e. someone who is being forced to feel an excessive amount of panic may suffer from a heart attack due to the stress the body is undergoing, with the caveat that the empath may experience intense overexertion. This evolution cannot directly cause a heart attack or other severe/fatal physical incidents, but the body may be put under enough stress to react a certain way. Additionally, should a person have excellent control over their mind and emotions, it is possible for the empath’s ability to be resisted.
Using the abilities provided by this evolution has a greater chance of leading to negative side effects of the empath, and of those symptoms presenting in a more severe way – it is possible to be bedridden/hospitalized or worse due to the strain on one’s body.
Ability Evolution #2: Allows others to feel one’s own emotions
Explanation and Limits: This ability, unlike the previous, requires skin-to-skin contact. It is most effective when the touch is placed near the chest/core. The intensity of this effect is entirely dependent upon the tensai’s level of control, and can get overwhelming very quickly in times of stress or while experiencing any deep, all-consuming emotion - whether that be positive or negative. Unlike the others, this ability is less of a strain on the tensai and more of a relief, but must be used with caution and sparingly; for other beings are not used to feeling the auras and emotions to the level of a born empath, whose brain chemistry and physical capability have adapted since birth.
Implanted Ability (unnatural): Control of heart rate in others
Explanation and Limits: Able to connect one’s own heart to the heart of another via touch of a pulse point ( such as wrist, neck, hollow of throat - the latter being most effective ) and control the other’s heart rate - at the expense of the tensai’s own, which matches the physical effect being caused; both hearts will beat faster, both hearts will slower. Both of these possibilities come with certain benefits and dangers; a heart experiencing slow or weak palpitations may be able to recover with the help of the empath’s healthy heart rate. A normal heart rate may be forced to slow suddenly by the empath, who must take care not to slow it too far and risk being unable to recover on their own; alternatively, a normal heart rate may fall victim to an increased speed, bordering on a heart attack. For all these options, it is possible for the empath to ‘disconnect’ suddenly and leave the victim with the affected heart rate on their own, and allow the effects to heal or kill the victim, depending on intention. Should the heart connection be maintained and either party suffers a fatal wound from an external source, both the empath and the victim will die.
If Hayden tries to acquire an ability of someone who is not tensai, the outcome and lasting effects of it are unknown; as is the amount / strength of the power they actually receive for the short time period they are allotted ( 10 mins ). If that being has any demonic blood or something relating to Hell or death, there is a high chance that it will ‘poison’ Hayden, and that she won’t fully recover from acquiring that power - meaning the demonic abilities will be reflected in her body permanently after the fact, to a significantly lesser degree than the source themselves, and it may cause permanent appearance changes that reflect that of the being they stole from ( loss of tensai eye glow, general change in eyes or eye color, sharper teeth, etc ).
As part of the experimentation, Yuki was injected with a number of substances throughout his whole life with Isen, most of which remain unknown to this day - with unpredictable, permanent damage to his body that was never cleansed or reversed by a true healer. As such, Yuki has various aches and pains that have become normal for him - and occasionally yield side effects, such as nausea / vomiting, lightheadedness / vertigo, bleeding, and possibly blackouts if it’s been ignored for long enough, to name a few.
The amount of strain it would put on Shian to reverse the damage of 17 years would be extreme, which would force the process to be done at least multiple times a week for several weeks. Yuki is already wary of tensai with healing capabilities, finding their ability invasive, with associations of the torture he endured at their hands. In the past ( and even with Shian, in the earlier days ), Yuki has dealt with being healed by dissociating heavily and not coming out of it for awhile. The trust he has in Shian can only go so far; and as a result, the ordeal would be very stressful and strenuous for them both.
From the time he was 8-15 years old, Yuki was kept in a warehouse owned by Isen, forced to undergo experimentation and torture daily. Rather than be given food, Yuki was healed periodically by a healer under Isen’s control, who would replenish nutrients and water molecules Yuki’s body needed to stay alive; however, part of the experimentation included testing Yuki’s ability and endurance while starved vs while ‘healthy.’
After Yuki was permitted to leave and go on missions, He couldn’t bring himself to try any special food or dish other than the bare minimum (meat or protein/bread/vegetables etc) with the constant fear of being placed in that warehouse again — and soon it simply became another thing that he used to survive. Still, admittedly, he prefers being able to eat vs having that need taken away.
After Yuki’s escape he ultimately isn’t sure what he likes, if someone were to ask. It’s a foreign concept to him, but if offered food and finding he likes something, it’s very subtle and usually evident in the way he eats more of it (not a lot, not one to eat anything more than what’s necessary) and possibly asking for it to be made again, or to go to the restaurant etc later down the line.
Humans born with abilities can be dated back centuries in different cultures, though they have lived in secret until recent years; when their kind was 'discovered' in Japan, and given the name Tensai (blessed/gifted by the gods). This influenced the Greek root word for the study of their power and species in general, Makariology, meaning the study of the blessed, and for which several labs and facilities are funded by the government for further scientific developments using their various powers. Known tensai make up 1/3 of the world's population, and are born with a glow in their eyes, its intensity depending on class of abilities and evolution progress.
According to humans, the origins of tensai come from genetic mutations, but the true origins remain a secret to the world as a whole, existing only in stories and legends of the tensai themselves: a power having been granted to them by Theia, and split between her three children, Helios, Serene, and Eos.
Their powers are almost exclusively passed on through families, and divided into three categories:
Mental (empathy, telepathy, clairvoyance etc) - control of the soul and intangible 'elements' on different planes of existence (such as time travel)
Elemental (control of metal/water/fire etc), as well as other physical elements - blood, cells, etc - any element that can be manipulated in the physical plane of existence/within others, as well as within themselves (healing falls under this category)
Physical (shapeshifting, physical strength, self-healing). Anything that can be controlled within their body, but cannot be controlled in others.
Additionally, there are 3 stages of tensai ability evolutions:
Initial ability (normally granted at birth) - for example, Shian Lin’s base ability is the manipulation of cells, including cell growth/regrowth and degeneration
First evolution (related advancement) - Shian’s ability jumps off of that, growing into the manipulation of non-human living cells, such as animals and plants, or non-human life forms.
Second evolution - often a stronger advancement of the first evolution, finally allowing Shian to manipulate and revive dead cells, potentially giving him the ability to puppeteer dead bodies
Abilities can be evolved in several ways; trained and naturally advanced, or forced with experimentation. Depending on how a tensai's ability has been evolved, the glow of their eyes will change. Yuki, whose abilities have been forcibly evolved, has a grey glow compared to the stark white that is typical of other tensai.
It's unlikely that a tensai child will be born with one of the classes that the parents (or their lineage) do not have; i.e. someone with an empathic (mental ability) mom and a shapeshifting (physical ability) dad most likely will not be born with an elemental ability, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's impossible. Tensai may skip generations, or exist as the only tensai in a family at one time.
For tensai, there is a legitimate stigma and danger of being open/exposed -- such as poachers, who hunt tensai for sport and clout, as well as the black market that exists in this world, within which Isen Reiou - the main antagonist - does participate. Isen, due to his fortune, has no interest in making a profit off the tensai he buys or sells, and would rather use them to gain power. The world in general has varying opinions of tensai, but rumors and stigma are caused by humans' fear of their power and the uncertainty of their origins, due to lack of concrete studies and knowledge of their power.
Yuki has severe C-PTSD and is prone to night terrors. Though he normally dissociates once he wakes, eventually being able to resurface, when faced with a night terror regarding Tokumei ( a drug Isen used to inflict cruel punishment/experimentation on Yuki as a teenager ), he loses touch with reality immediately upon waking.
These night terrors are relatively rare, but they will cause Yuki to panic, especially if someone else is in the room with him. He’ll feel the walls closing in and, if the person with him is familiar and benevolent, he’ll beg them for something, though it’s often unclear what; normally a mix of ‘make it stop’ and ‘I can’t be here.’ It’s not uncommon for him to try and escape the room altogether.
Touching Yuki during these episodes should be done with extreme caution, as anything sudden will read as an attack, though sometimes it is unavoidable in order to keep Yuki from leaving or worse. But not to worry, he’ll come back… eventually.
Tokumei (特命, meaning special directive/special order) is a steroid-class drug used to enhance the ability of tensai, as well as increase adrenaline and create a fugue state in which the individual is susceptible to suggestion. Upon administration of the drug, the first command given to the individual must be completed by any means necessary. It is imperative that the wording of such a command is specific and leaves no room for interpretation (i.e. creating a loophole). For example, if the command was to put a bullet in your head, and the bullet is placed inside the mouth, the action has technically been completed and the individual is no longer forced to carry it out in the intended way (as seen on Jessica Jones).
While in the fugue state, the individual retains their consciousness, memories, emotions and thoughts. However, they have no control over their body or actions. Outwardly, the individual will seem dazed and unresponsive to actions or words after the initial command has been given. It is possible for an individual to regain control of their body, should they have a strong control of their mind and will, or with the help of someone close to them that invokes a strong emotional response.
After the initial command has been carried out, the individual cannot be given any additional commands, and will be forced to stay docile until the drug has worn off (usually 16 to 22 hours after injection). Once it has worn off and a new dose has been administered, the individual is once again able to follow the first command they hear, and none after completion.
There are two ways to speed up the metabolism of the drug; a compound of benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants (can be found in Isen’s notes) or a skilled healer that can manipulate cells to return the individual back to normal. Without a healer, the drug is addictive only to those who have a genetic predisposition to addiction, though some symptoms of withdrawal may occur in all individuals, including nausea/vomiting, tremors, and fatigue. With a healer, the physical dependency on the drug can be eased after a few days of manipulating cells, though the psychological aspect still remains. Additionally, varying degrees of memory loss may occur, depending on the individual, but is normally mild.
Isen came in possession of the drug through black market channels, of which he occasionally participates with the trade and selling of tensai, and tested it on several of his subjects, adjusting its properties accordingly. This left several tensai removed from sanity, and garnered a high mortality rate. After perfecting the drug, he used the opportunity to inject Yuki with it several times in his teenage years, after discovering his relationship with Shian. The threat of the drug is generally enough to keep his men (and Yuki) in line. However, Isen is always looking for ways to improve its effectiveness.
is a cafe owned by 73 year old Denise Bose, a black grandmother from New Orleans, who makes the best cup of coffee in the Greater Los Angeles area. So good, in fact, that her coffee has attracted customers of all kinds — gang lords and their members included.
Cafe Dulce is located on neutral ground ( not owned by any gang in particular ) and it has remained that way for years. A list of unspoken house rules have been enacted since the patronage of the opposing LA mob lords.
𝐂𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐂𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 —
When at the cafe, nobody belongs to any gang family or faction. Everyone is here for coffee.
Neutral/friendly gang business or meetings may take place quietly. Negotiations between families/gangs are allowed as long as everyone behaves.
If someone starts a fight in the cafe, all other gangs/factions present shut it down. The offending member or group must atone/pay a fee for what they did as proof it isn’t a power play by the offending gang’s leader.
Atonement is as follows: Requirement of punishment delivered by the offending gang’s leader and proof it happened ( depending on severity of offense ), and/or fee of some kind to each gang present AND Cafe Dulce.
Denise has two children, a son and daughter, and five grandchildren; two under 10, two under 5, and one just born — so prepare for pictures. Her husband died of natural causes several years ago, but the cafe keeps her too busy for dating. She is friendly and warm, often mothering ( or grandmothering ) the gang members/leaders, especially those she is particularly fond of, though is generally open and welcoming to all who follow the rules.
Denise and her family are protected by all gangs that frequent the cafe, as well as taken care of financially/given unlimited favors she can call in any time.
Ji finding a way to force Hayden to become immortal whether she wants to be or not ( she doesn’t ). He’ll tell them it’s because he wants them to suffer longer - but the truth is, Ji-Min can’t live an eternity on this earth without Hayden Lee.
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