[attr="class","appbody"]
[attr="id","pegasuscol"]description
A single second in time.
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Some of his earliest memories in the outpost were the sound of distant ballistics muffled through a filter. His small frame always flinched from each successive shot while he took refuge near the fire, mind stuck between thoughts as he wondered if they were gunshots or firecrackers. It had always been difficult to tell the difference, but he never had to wonder long before his father would place a hand on his shoulder and reassure him with a soft and firm voice.[break][break]
"
You know, everyone loved them because they were heroes." His dad would tell him after closing the blinds. He'd bring over Kyo's favorite hardcover book, a story about champions and justice. The small white-haired boy would naturally nod as an awkward, innocent smile crossed his face with eager anticipation. This had become their routine for years—when the sounds in the distance became too much to handle, his father would read him these stories of men and women who strived toward a peaceful world to soothe his distress.[break][break]
So when he came home from school and was told that his father had been shot, the boy felt as if a stiffening winter wind had suddenly split him from the rest of the world; everything became washed in cruel grayscale, and every vulnerable part of him closed tight like rusted waterways that hadn't been maintained for years.[break][break]
His former classmates referred to it as a 'terminal case of Ice Prince Syndrome', they thought it was funny. Kyo showed up after a week of absence, his fathers' murder having already spread to just about everyone. He greeted everyone with a vacant, fish-eyed stare as they tried to welcome him back and make him feel comfortable. He was noticeably distant and unobtrusive now: the kind and lively boy had returned as little more than a husk—the other children naturally couldn't process this.[break][break]
Those that have been brave enough to weather the storm found themselves with a bad case of frostbite. His uncaring and cold traits became the topic of ridicule and jokes. Did you know that the temperature in the room dropped several degrees whenever he walked in? Some say he isn't even human, but a daemon. A glacier that was carved in the form of a human and given life through foul, illegal magic![break][break]
Kyo thought to himself at some point: what was the point in being familiar with trash like them? It was a misguided conclusion drawn through grief and turbulent emotions, but it was still the conclusion he'd come to on his own.[break][break]
None of them seemed to care, they probably never cared in the first place. He began to harbor an intense distrust for the world around him, so he turned toward the things that wouldn't hurt him. Kyo spent almost every waking minute glued to a book or an interface, absorbing as much information as he could in a form of escapism. His grades had, naturally, become top of the class with time—but his social skills were woefully lacking. While he didn't have friends, things were starting to look up in some ways.[break][break]
On the anniversary of his father's death, his mother suffered a mana break and became hospitalized.[break][break]
Dull and sunken eyes regarded the scholarship exchange program outlined on the page with clear disinterest. The adults in the room placed their hands on his shoulders and insisted it was a fantastic opportunity "for someone like him"—his razor-sharp gaze drew itself across the room so quickly it felt like it could dissect the entire room with ease, but it settled quietly on the sun setting in the distance as they continued to ramble on about his prospects and how much he could accomplish in the Vale.[break][break]
Did it really even matter where he was, or what he was doing? It was something he'd been considering for years until that point. It was always the same: no matter how much he did, or how well he performed, something bad always happened; but, if it meant they'd stop talking his ear off and controlling him, Kyo decided that he'd accept the proposal to get away from it all—maybe it was just Eclipse that he hated so much, he hoped.[break][break]
It wasn't as if things could possibly get any worse, right?[break][break]
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Paradigm shifts.
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Yet, even in the Vale, he presented himself with this cold and frigid exterior. His words were always blunt, even when he spoke to nobles and professors. Kyo didn't waste time beating around the bush or trying to be polite with them, and his reputation had quickly been established as the 'book smart, socially stunted' street urchin that didn't belong.[break][break]
Despite the assumptions drawn by those who looked down on him, the theoretical nature of his studies in Abjuration came quite naturally to Kyo. Even though he had difficulties empathizing and socializing with his peers, his marks were among the best in his class—he believed things were better that way for a time:[break][break]
Magic and the runes within never lied or left him. They wouldn't hurt or betray you if you were competent and took the time to understand them—and understanding wasn't complicated by emotions—they didn't have confusing social cues and weren't bothered if you spoke monotonously. They were relatable, too. 'Enigmatic' was a great way to describe Kyo and Abjuration, something he took comfort in for some time.[break][break]
"
.. How about we teach the bumpkin a lesson, then?"[break][break]
Honestly, there hadn't been any resentment in the way Kyo looked at the nobles when they occasionally ambushed him. It was understandable, really. He didn't fit in. In fact, he was such an eyesore that it probably made things difficult for them to socialize or live their best lives; so really, it was understandable. He'd repeat this until it made sense to him, and this also offered him some degree of comfort.[break][break]
That didn't mean he'd simply roll over and let them have their fun, though. Self-defense had been ingrained in his body during his time at the outpost.[break][break]
Countless fights had caused his reputation to take a turn for the worse: he was no longer an "enigma", but an "unpredictable land mine". The rumor mills spun and weaved tall tales: if you stepped on his toes, he was liable to explode. If you caused trouble, he'd seek and destroy. This did mean that people began to leave him alone again—everyone aside from one Professor he'd come to trust, a man from Pegasus, and another terribly meddlesome student.[break][break]
Her name was Konan. At least, that's what he'd nicknamed her. It was an interpretation of her name from his native language, and how he always referred to her. Their brief time together was something of a tremendous undertow, something very simple and sensory. They were young; they felt like they had perfect symmetry—it all felt so very harmless, like cupping water in your hands.[break][break]
Konan, to Kyo, was something similar to medicine between moments of self-discovery.[break][break]
The time that followed passed blissfully for him. He enjoyed studying and his school life, and he loved tutoring Konan. As she broke down the walls and coaxed him out of his shell, they naturally began to grow closer to one another. Most of his free time was spent focused entirely on her—really, everything at that point had suddenly felt like it made sense.[break][break]
Now it all simply felt like a flash before the lines became blurry.[break][break]
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Regret, I miss you.
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The talk about breaking up was messy. The whole thing blindsided him, it simply didn't make sense with how close they'd grown. At first, he wondered if he'd done something wrong, but those questions slipped away once she was truly gone. Rather, the more important ones only came after he was haunted by her.[break][break]
'
Was it my integrity that kept me from stopping her, or just the thought that she'd hate me? Or.. was I just scared?'[break][break]
The only thing Kyo really knew was that he didn't want to be left behind.[break][break]
Even still, he couldn't bring himself to hate her for her decision. Not after how much she'd cried about it. She apologized profusely; but, part of him feared there was fiction in this, too. Something like the construction of a half-dream—and after some time it became unclear exactly who was haunting who. It was funny he thought, in a way.[break][break]
Or maybe that was just a way to cope. Kyo imagined wherever she was, she was thinking about him as much as he was about her. Months later, he still struggled with those thoughts and memories. The analytical side of him wanted desperately to know what it was in him that wouldn't let him follow through with things—was it because he still hadn't gotten over her, or because he was still scared?[break][break]
Had everything really just been a dream? He often wondered this when he found himself tempted by the sandman between dream and wake. Had their touch really been as important, as hallowed as he always made it seem—had everything happened just because chemicals propelled them to grasp onto meaning? People told him he'd get over it, Hige did everything he could to help his assistant; but, Kyo always found himself stumbling and staggering toward those feelings.[break][break]
A small degree of comfort came to him in the form of 'Tofu', a little
fat cat that Konan had taken care of before she vanished. Kyo had never really been good with animals, but he'd learned from her. Surprisingly, the cat didn't hate him. Maybe it was because he became rather skilled at bribing it with food; he'd basically become a cat dad overnight. His routine revolved around it and his research—and the vices that helped him sleep at night.[break][break]
He spent those countless nights glorifying the past, amplifying and twisting the pain with photographs and through empty glass bottles.[break][break]
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Healing takes time and effort.
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"
I'm sorry, we can't help you."[break][break]
It was as if all traces of her had been wiped clean. If it hadn't been for those who remembered her, it would have been like she never existed in the first place. His Professor and mentor assured him that he'd do everything he could, but warned him not to get his hopes up—it had been her decision to leave, after all. The young man tied himself to Pegasus as his research began to take fruit, and spent his days in a constant routine.[break][break]
Kyo's research, in a nutshell, was based on "History". All knowledge could be stacked on a single line referred to as history, and that history would naturally become the backbone of all knowledge. If one could learn as much history as they possibly could, it would naturally begin to reinforce other areas, which meant learning becomes faster.[break][break]
Magic built on Runes was another type of language. You had to have the right 'pronunciation'; and more importantly, you had to understand the "history" for them to show their true meaning. It was a difficult thing to broach for most, but it was with his unique, cold intellect that he'd dived into this turbulent, unpredictable field of magic.[break][break]
That which was lost to the ages would be difficult to recover, but not entirely impossible. If you could find ruins or remnants of history, it was possible to recreate the pronunciation and, sometimes, the meaning associated with them. That's why he pursued leads recklessly, even at the expense of his own health, with the intent of putting even his weaknesses into his experiments without hesitation. It became normal to see him in clothes several days old, sunken eyes, and his body being propelled with little else than several cups of coffee.[break][break]
"
Go see the world, you won't find these things here. You're like stagnant water now, Iwata."[break][break]
Higes' words came with the offer of an internship within the city of Delphi, where he'd been an alma mater of sorts. Kyo was, quite frankly, too talented to stay within the walls of a university. It was fine if he wanted to read and accrue knowledge, he was told, but without real experience, it would ultimately lead to a dull existence as a person. His mentor didn't want to see him crumble any more than he already had; really, Hige believed it was a chance for Kyo to find life again.[break][break]
The job itself wasn't complicated: He would work within a small detective agency associated with Pegasus, use his talent in abjuration to help solve magic-related crimes and earn the real-life experience required to break him out of the stagnant hold he'd been drowning himself in. It wasn't a bad idea, he'd even be allowed access to the University there to continue part-time as a research assistant.[break][break]
Kyo knew he'd never find what he was looking for in the Vale, either, so he accepted the offer and packed his bags for Delphi, where he now lives and works at that detective agency as an intern detective. He specializes in utilizing enchantments and abjuration-based magic to help solve crimes as a Pegasus-affiliated witch while moonlighting as a research assistant.[break][break]
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An assortment of information about how Kyo acts and little things people may notice.
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Speech Habits;
- Kyo is typically very blunt and curt, he's analytical about almost everything and prefers to cut straight to the point.
- If he has nothing to say, he usually says nothing at all. This can make it difficult to hold conversations with most people.
- His tone is very monotonous, often carrying a 'falling' inflection with his words as he speaks.
- He almost never ends a sentence with a question mark—everything is a statement, even if it's actually a question.
- Rarely ever raises his voice, even if it's hard to hear him.
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General Mannerisms;
- Tends to rub his neck when he's uncomfortable or uneasy.
- Flares his nostrils slightly when he's lying.
- Occasionally hums to himself when in a good mood.
- Has a habit of counting his teeth when trying to distract himself.
- Bites his bottom lip when agitated.
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Eyes;
- Frequently gazes off into space with a thousand-yard stare.
- Usually looks at things from the peripherals of his vision; avoids direct eye contact most of the time.
- Very focused on what's ahead of him while he walks, and doesn't look at the ground very often.
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Hands;
- Taps, snaps, and steeples his hands; can occasionally be found drawing or learning instruments outside of work.
- Pinches the bridge of his nose to release tension.
- Routinely rubs his eyes while reading or focusing.
- Covers his mouth on the rare occasion he smiles or becomes flustered, but also when he's eating in front of others.
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Legs;
- Has a long stride while walking due to his height.
- Typically stands at a fixed distance from others.
- Sometimes paces when uncomfortable or uneasy in a situation.
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Miscellaneous;
- Often takes off his glasses to clean them; doesn't usually wear them on jobs/missions/excursions.
- Has a habit of putting an earpiece in his mouth while reading; has a tendency to overcorrect how they sit on his face.
- Spins and twirls his pens when bored.
- Peels the label from bottles. Every bottle. For no reason.
- Twists the rings on his fingers while thinking.
- Has an assortment of old, faded notes and photographs tucked in his wallet. Most are crude drawings and notes that say things like 'I love you!', alongside frayed photos showing a younger him with an energetic-looking partner.
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[attr="class","appplayedby"]played by [attr="class","appooc"][attr="id","pegasuscol"]helix
