Oda Yumiko-Ai
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Oda Yumiko-Ai is a human female from medieval Japan on Earth. Born to the famous Bug Master, Oda Hideyo, Yumiko-Ai was born with a tether to alternate realities. From these alternate worlds come alternate versions of Yumiko herself, which are often strange versions of traditional Japanese mythological creatures, such as Tengu or Kitsune. She has no control over these other beings and they will often wrest control from her, changing her physical form to reflect their own. However Yumiko still remembers all that happens, often with a great deal of embarrassment. When not in control of Yumiko they reside in their own worlds. Yumiko has one natural sibling, Oda Kamiko, and one adoptive brother, Maruyama Takahiro, who were both also taught to control their powers by Hideyo. However in an effort to distance herself from a passionate love affair with the young Takahiro, Hideyo sent him to the Schola Draíochta and Yumiko there soon after. Hideyo hoped to blossom a relationship between her daughter and Takahiro, placing further obstacles in the path of her own passion. However once there the two barely spent any time together and Yumiko found it harder and harder to control the "alternate Yumikos".
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Species
- See also: Human
Although most of the populace of Yumiko's homeworld are normal humans, they are quite susceptible to the influences of Bugs. When one attaches itself to a human, that human is doomed to a shortened life span, yet granted amazing abilities and the gift to see the Bugs themselves. Anyone infected with a Bug can pass on abilities to their children, residual Bug affects yet without the shortened lifespan. However without the influence of the Bug, the power becomes very unstable and difficult to control. Otherwise the human populace is a standard version of earthling.
Homeworld
- See also: Earth
Yumiko's homeworld is a very typical medieval Earth, yet their human populace is particularly susceptible to the affects of Bugs. However the concentration of Bugs on the planet is not especially high, the generally preferring locations with a high volume of Multiverse traffic. The affects of the Bugs on the world has been minimal, though the historical records do pay a great deal of interest on Bug Masters, often portrayed as saviours or great heroes that lead very short lives. They also speak of naturally gifted magicians, who are actually children or ancestors of Bug Masters.
Characteristics
Personality
Yumiko herself is very shy and introverted. She offers a great level of courtesy and respect to all others, trying to remain demure and submissive; especially with men. This is all part of her traditional Japanese upbringing and the desire to prove the "older sister" to Oda Kamiko. She was often the first person any guests met when visiting the hermitage of Oda Hideyo. She learnt tea ceremony, music on the biwa (a kind of lute), and all variety of mannerisms that would prove respectful to several different cultures. She does regularly take offence, however, when others are insulting to one another. Yet should they ever prove hostile to herself, she will become meek and apologetic. Her alternate personalities, however, are very different from Yumiko herself and she is often ashamed and embarrassed by the things that they do when in possession of her physical space. Yet, sometimes, she relishes the opportunity to experience such a wild life, yet without the direct responsibility of them being her own direct actions.
She was always attracted to her adoptive brother Maruyama Takahiro, him being the only male she spent any regular time with. She seeks traditional values in men; courage, sincerity and self-control. These aspects often lead to a stern man with a cool personality, both of which Yumiko sees as great qualities. She will often find herself seeking a traditional Japanese appearance in men too, dark hair, brown eyes. Initially she was embarrassed with herself for taking time to admire such men she found at the Schola, yet after some time she decided it was one of the reasons she was there in the first place. She wants to find a good husband to take care of and, in turn, be protected by.
Powers
Yumiko's power is often beyond her control. At any given moment one of the many personalities in her mind may surface and manifest itself. She can specifically call upon one of these alternate Yumikos and they will normally respond, however this is more of a request than actual dominance over them. Each of these beings have their own individual powers and talents, such as the sticky web of Tsuchigumo or the powers over storms from Akashita.
Storyline
Place of Birth
Oda Hermitage
- Main article: Oda Hermitage
The Oda Hermitage is a crude home built in a deep valley close to the town of Kamakura. Whilst the building is fairly shabby and seemingly on the verge of collapse, it is very broad with a great number of rooms and long corridors. The home was built by Oda Shou so that his wife, Oda Hideyo, might train their daughters to control their gifts. It also adds to the mysticism that surrounds Hideyo when people seek her out and commission her talents as a Bug Master. Despite many years without maintenance, the Oda Hermitage still stands and is a mystical spot for many medieval Japanese people.
Early Life
Growing Up
Yumiko-Ai was born by Hideyo and Shou of the Oda clan. They weren't major roles in the bulk of the family, which allowed Hideyo to engage in her own medicinal practices. She, along with her husband, had moved into an old hermitage many years prior, selling medical supplies to the local town of Kamakura. However Hideyo unwittingly became host to a Bug and was gifted with new unnatural powers, yet also cursed with a shortened lifespan. It was after this accident that Yumiko was conceived and born. Yumiko had inherited some genetic mishap from her cursed mother, however Yumiko was not bound to any Bug and so was not hindered by a shortened lifespan. However she was also alone when trying to control the unnatural powers bestowed on her.
The number of alternate Yumikos that take residence in Yumiko-Ai increases with age. When a young girl, Yumiko was most often taken over by the mischievous Kitsune, a little fox-human girl who loved nothing more than to cause havoc and play tricks on people. Second to arrive was Akashita, who wound up terrifying many despite its mellow nature. In many ways Yumiko came to see these two as friends, enjoying both of their natures in their own fashions. It wasn't until she grew older that she began to dislike loosing control of herself.
By the time Kamiko was born, Aoandea, Tengu and Tsuchigumo had come about as further transformations of Yumiko. Kamiko was a big change for Yumiko, who had never spent much time with others except for her parents. However Kamiko also meant one more mouth to feed for a family that made little money and needed a great deal of additional consideration for powers and the deteriorating health of Hideyo.
Aoandea seemed to arrive simply to tell stories to the young Kamiko and in many ways she taught Yumiko how she should be with Kamiko herself. A bond grew from Yumiko towards her younger sister and a nurturing quality came into her personality, however she still couldn't help but consider Kamiko a brat as she grew older and more demanding. Tengu, on the other hand, arrived just once when they were young, taking flight across the skies of Japan. The experience was dreamlike for Yumiko but one she cherished for many years later. Tengu would only return again when Yumiko was at school at the Schola Draíochta. Tsuchigumo was more demanding, however. She wanted to spend time active and "alive", despite having such a negative outlook on life and people. Yet as time passed Tsuchigumo became less and less interested in being active, growing bored with the life led at the Oda Hermitage and the company of Kamiko. Eventually she, like Tengu, would reserve her presence until Yumiko attended school.
Oda Shou
As money grew increasingly difficult to obtain and the family became too expensive, Oda Shou chose to seek work outside of Kamakura and the Oda Hermitage. His plan was to travel to one of the larger towns of Japan, obtain work and send money back to the Hermitage. However when he left, he never returned. Many years passed, Yumiko and Kamiko grew older and without a father. Hideyo was distraught for many years and the three of them lived on the verge of starvation. Yumiko would set traps through the surrounding woods to catch wild animals for food, Kamiko would search for ingredients that Hideyo would then use in her medicine to sell.
Hideyo's reputation has a Bug Master began to spread and an aura of mysticism began to spread over the Hermitage, aided by the special requests sent to her regarding Bug infestations, quests or general queries. She was soon regarded as something of a sorcerer and the family's income increased as Hideyo was paid much more for her "Bug services". And yet the trio were unhappy at the loss of their father and husband, Hideyo becoming lonely and the girls secluded and unfamiliar with the world beyond the Hermitage. What happened to Oda Shou eternally remains a mystery to Yumiko.
Maruyama Takahiro
When Yumiko was twelve years old a very lucrative offer reached her mother. A high stipend was offered to Hideyo in payment for the care and tutelage of a young boy named Kwŏk In-Su from Korea. The boy had been infected by a Bug and his family wished for him to lead his new life to its maximum potential; what was now left of it. Initially weary, Hideyo eventually accepted the offer. Kwŏk In-Su had to leave his homeland, his family and his previous life behind to live in Japan as an apprentice Bug Master. In order to fit in socially he changed his name to Maruyama Takahiro and was Hideyo's adopted son in all but name.
Takahiro was an entirely foreign force in the Oda Hermitage. Hideyo didn't know how to raise a boy, Yumiko didn't know how to respond to boys and Kamiko barely remembered her own father. Feelings, emotions and tension was high. Yumiko soon believed herself to be in love with Takahiro, but was far too shy to express herself, whilst Kamiko would often challenge her sister for his attention. However, in a strange twist, it was Hideyo that wound up sleeping with the young man. At just thirteen Takahiro slept with a woman over twice his own age. The relationship lasted for two years before Hideyo finally pressed herself to do something about the relationship she knew to be "wrong". She recognised the affection Yumiko still bore Takahiro despite his love of Hideyo and chose to press that relationship into fruition. She would have to remove herself from the picture and place Takahiro and Yumiko in a situation whereby they would depend on each other; school.
Hideyo had long known of the existence of the Multiverse due to her powers over Bugs, but only now did she have a specific use for the concept. She discovered a school that specifically catered for students from across the Multiverse. That school was known as the Schola Draíochta. Takahiro was sent first, distancing Hideyo from his affection, before Yumiko was also sent. With Yumiko's powers still being so uncontrolled, Hideyo believed she would be benefiting her daughter for more than selfish reasons.
Kamaitachi
However just before Yumiko could arrive at the Schola Draíochta, she found herself with yet another presence in her mind. This was by far the most confusing experience Yumiko had ever gone through. She felt herself split into three individual beings, each with their own minds, and yet she held her own single mind that tried to encompass all three. The experience of having multiple minds was difficult for Yumiko at the best of times, however it was a much worse when three minds were active at once. Yumiko didn't understand how the universe in which the trio originated worked. She guessed they had been triplets, yet they were also considered one and the same person. The three Kamaitachi only arrived once before Yumiko moved to the Valle Dei Mondi, where the Schola Draíochta was located.
The Schola Draíochta
A New Recipe for Success
When Yumiko first arrived on the Portal Grounds, a verdant field of portals, she was met by another new student; Hirato Ichirou. He turned out to be a Japanese chef seeking an education at the Schola Draíochta like herself. She was instantly taken with Ichirou, which set the first seed against her mother's scheme. With the first realisation that she would be at liberty to meet other young men beyond Takahiro, Yumiko would soon discover that there could be someone else that would love her and not her mother. She enjoyed the time she spent with Ichirou and found herself becoming rather attached to him, however their paths were not destined to cross again.
A second person she met was the Professor of Somatomancy, Frédéric F. Sévère. He was her first encounter with an alien species. In many ways she was less shocked by his anthropomorphic appearance as she was used to the presence of Kitsune. Yet the experience was profound and geared her up to finding out what other bizarre beings she might meet once she reached the distant castle.
Graying Tree
Tengu was one of the transformations that rarely imposed her presence. She was reclusive by nature and normally spent her active time alone, simply enjoying the silence. However something about the wide-open fields of the Portal Grounds was alluring for the bird-like girl. She took control of Yumiko and spent a great deal of time soaring through the skies, skimming the grassy ground and scanning the trees. Yumiko herself often enjoyed Tengu's active time, experiencing the act of flight unlike any other human. However the was one solitary tree that Tengu had taken a liking to. It was tall, proud and completely alien to Tengu. She would sit on its branches after many a flight to rest and relish the tree's strange company.
Then the tree was gone. Tengu had returned to find that the tree had been replaced by a Satyr who could transform into other things much like Yumiko. This included trees. His name was Δολώματα, which meant "Bait" to everyone else. With Tengu being especially confrontational their relationship did not go well and only the influence of Santo Bendito and Gebohq meant that their argument didn't upset either of them to an unfortunate degree. This meeting would spark a peculiar friendship in the trio of Santo, Gebohq and Yumiko. Santo was on a permanent quest for accomplices to his "great heist" and Tengu was marked as such in his mental diary.
The Second Invasion
Yumiko had not been at the school for long when trouble erupted. The period known as the Second Invasion began and Yumiko found herself caught up in the political affair. Initially she took up residence with the Brejan refugees inside the castle walls, however news proclaiming the loss of Mistress Procellifer, Queen of the Valley and headmistress of the Schola Draíochta, shook Yumiko to her core. Having taken temporary command of the army, Berthus of Kreta sent out a blanket request for volunteers to undertake a "special mission" to locate and rescue Mistress Procellifer from the enemy camp. Yumiko signed up.
The enemy was the former Professor of Summonings & Necromancy, one of Yumiko's own teachers. What his motivation was for attacking the quiet Valley, Yumiko never knew. Fear-ridden, Yumiko was joined by several others, most of whom she had never met before. Bathild Vardæus seemed to take instant command of the small troupe and led them through the heavy Winter snow towards the enemy camp by taking a route through one of wooded areas that skirted Breja itself. When passing Yumiko could heard the calamity of war from the town where the major battles were being held. Explosions, magickal blasts and the clash of steel haunted her memories for many weeks after. Having announced her ability to transform into a being more capable of fighting, Bathild gave the order to change when they reached the edge of the wood. Tsuchigumo was her choice due to her incredible array of abilities.
The only male in the "task force" was a cloned human with the title F.R.A.N.K.. He was actually a clone of Gebohq, who Yumiko had previously met. However she didn't know how the mind of a clone worked and felt that there may be mental issues should she raise the topic of Frank's 'original self'. She also chose not to raise the topic with Gebohq when they later met, feeling that she should try to respect whatever relationship was between the two and not pry. She found the concept difficult to understand in many ways, however she did know that each of her own alternate forms were actually Yumikos too and therefore knew it would be an uncomfortable topic to address. Along with Frank were two other clones created by the mad professor Reimi Soulstar who dwelt in the Catacombs and created many weapons for the war. These clones were both named A.V.R.I.L. and were allegedly clones of a former teacher named Aurora Vigilaus.
The rest of the group consisted of Taranis, Kader Novak, Niila Jordanus and Nkuma Nigeroculus. When they reached the opposite side of the wood, Kader announced that they were missing one member; Frank. Somehow he had been left behind. Bathild ordered the group to take shelter and she went back for him. However when she returned with Frank, she also returned with a strange enemy named Monde. The group fought against the powerful metallic woman but in the end they knew time was being sapped away from their mission.
Nkuma conspired with Tsuchigumo. The spider-girl took Nkuma away from the fight to enact her spell which trapped Monde in an alternate dimension. However the spell required constant concentration to maintain. When Tsuchigumo returned to the group to explain, Kader volunteered to keep watch of Nkuma whilst the rest continued with the mission. This added a further element to the need for speed. The enemy camp lay on the Portal Grounds, blocking all of the portals from activating. Surrounded by a high wooden wall and lined by watch towers, the task proved daunting at they neared.
A male voice announced the arrival of a new ally to their cause. During the fighting in Breja one of the Professors named Thoth had been slain by Lisosta Xailo. However the Professor had died before. He returned in his new form, similar to Yumiko's own transformative states, which included the ability of stealth. The amazing stroke of luck almost seemed planned by Berthus and Reimi. Thoth led them inside the camp where they found the enemy in an uproar. A second plan had been enacted. Syth Favardin, Professor of Battle Magick & Gym, was battling his way through the defences of the camp towards the tall structure called the Dream Gate. This gate was a massive portal that allowed Skrai to import his forces to the Valley, linking the Portal Grounds with one of his bases. Inspired by his performance the plan was changed. Bathild felt they should help Syth distract the enemy while Thoth and Frank saved the Headmistress. Initially Bathild and Taranis, the two warriors of the group, vowed they would go alone but Tsuchigumo believed she would be more use in the fight than searching for Procellifer. The three of them took to fighting. Yumiko would later experience horrid nightmares of the violence enacted by Tsuchigumo upon the enemy forces.
When the rescue group finally returned, Mistress Procellifer was quick to exert her power and annihilated the enemy troops still fighting with Bathild's group. She ordered the retreat and bid a mental farewell to Professor Favardin who was still headed to the Dream Gate. Tsuchigumo joined those retreating and found out that Syth had gone on a suicide mission to blow up the entire enemy camp. When it exploded she saw Skrai return in a desperate attempt to stop Syth but wind up being destroyed in the blast too.
Necromancy with Rats
Yumiko's first lesson back after the war period had ended was Summonings & Necromancy. She disliked the necromancy aspect to the course but felt she should gain a complete education and attended the class anyway. Her very first lecture had been the introductory one by Ankita Kaur who would teach summonings. Her first necromancy class was taught by Armand D'Autry. The class went well at first. She found she shared the lesson with Santo Bendito who she had met once on the Portal Grounds. Although she had been Tengu at the time, she still felt she knew Santo well enough. They were paired up to take part in the project, raising a rat from the dead. Yumiko was horrified by the experience of letting blood from their own bodies to feed the spell. Even more she was horrified that Santo took to the experiment without concern or trepidation. Despite his cool, Santo's spell failed and his rat died as soon as it rose. To be Continued...
Two Pints of Lager
What Santo hadn't banked on was the nature of Yumiko's transformations. He was aware of the power but didn't understand how it worked with Yumiko in particular. When they arranged to meet up at the local public house, The Rowan Tree, of Breja, he had been expecting to meet Tengu. Instead he found Yumiko herself. The town of Breja was the only "outside" aspect to life at the Schola Draíochta and proved a great meeting place for students, however the owner of the Rowan Tree, Therim Copperbeard, was not entirely happy that students would often come to his pub to try and get drunk. Thus all students were barred from any alcohol, regardless of age. After trying to cajole the barmaid, Ran, into giving him alcohol, Santo joined Yumiko and Gebohq as arranged. He planned to scope them out further as possible candidates to his scheme. They were joined by one Astara Virgo who had spent a great deal of time with Gebohq and even fought together during the war known as the Second Invasion.
When Gebohq let slip his powers revolved around a Meta-Story, he was quick to suddenly leave when pressed by Yumiko. This left them with Astara, who felt uncomfortable staying with people he didn't know. However Santo had seen potential in Astara for his scheme and asked that he remain. After some conversing, Yumiko suddenly felt the presence of another in her mind. It was one she had never experienced before. She retreated to the bathroom, leaving the two men to talk alone for a while.
When she returned she was in a new form. Shōjō was alcohol-fuelled and yet a master of martial arts and reflexes. She joined Santo and Astara with her own flask filled with whisky. When Santo tried to take it from her, commotion started. Shōjō was loud and demeaning to others, casting insulting jokes about those around her. One joke in particular would go down poorly in a room full of dwarves. Santo continued to try and stop her, hoping to avoid being banned from the pub but resulted in Shōjō falling from the table she had stood on straight onto Astara. After a lot of fuss from the floor Therim had had enough and ordered them out of the Rowan Tree.
Offering to escort Shōjō to her room they soon lost her. Little did they know, she had scurried onto the rooftops and watched them from afar before the pair finally left to engage in their own shady business.
May Day
Although entirely unacquainted with May Day and maypole dancing, Yumiko was eager to take part and enjoy a cultural dance so unlike anything she had known before. It seemed incredibly simplistic by comparison to the complicated dancing she had learnt as a young girl in Japan. She met up again with Astara Virgo, who had come to the maypole to watch the "pretty girls". To be Continued...
Related Characters
Player Characters & Other Major Characters
Maruyama Takahiro
- Main article: Maruyama Takahiro
Maruyama Takahiro was once known as Kwŏk In-Su before he moved to Japan to study as a Bug Master under the tutelage of Oda Hideyo. Bugs allow a Human to become gifted with a specific ability and powers over the Bugs themselves, but at the expense of lifespan. Takahiro's once dark hair has turned white and his bones have become more brittle, forcing him to rely on a cane. However he is a Bug Master and has much skill with medicine, sustaining himself for the short term. His frequent pain and dark future has led Takahiro to use opium and cannabis as recreational drugs. He attends the Schola Draíochta along with his adoptive sister Oda Yumiko-Ai and took part in the Second Invasion, siding with Mistress Procellifer.
Non-Player Characters & Associated Characters
Oda Hideyo
- Main article: Oda Hideyo
TBA
Oda Kamiko
- Main article: Oda Kamiko
TBA
Oda Shou
- Main article: Oda Shou
TBA
Author Notes
- TheBritt
