Cosmographia App

Player Info:
Name: Usagi
Timezone: PST
Contact: Plurk | Usagisquared

Character Info:
Name: Reira Akaba
Age: Vague; assumed 7-8
AU/PG/CANON/OC: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V (Canon)

Summary:

• Reira was born a few years before his father abandoned the family for the Fusion Dimension; how much he's aware of is unknown, but it's implied he's afraid of his mother--so the two points could be connected.


• From a young age it's clear he adores his brother though, as evidenced by his love for him now; this drives him to duel to the best of his ability in the 'Junior' level tournament, going from hesitant to steady and strong in his duel with 'Ayu Ayukawa' once he realized his brother was watching.


• In the middle of the tournament (before his other matches)--as well as throughout it--Reira visits his brother in his 'observation room', where Reiji, watching the duels as well as his brother's reactions to them.


• During one in particular--a duel outside the tournament, in the middle of a park at night, Reiji specifically tells him to watch close, as 'the fate of their future rests upon it'.


• Following this, Reira continues to pave his way through the Junior tournament, displaying the ability to summon using Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz summons--something his final opponent, Tatsuya, accurately predicts of him.


• When Tatsuya voices this prediction, he notes (after his loss) that it's much like Reira's brother, Reiji; Reira smiles shyly at this and goes to meet with Reiji, carrying his trophy.


• Instead of finding Reiji in his observation room, Reira and their mother end up watching Reiji duel against Yuuya Sakaki instead, the latter having challenged him in a rage over the 'test' that the battle royale had become (which had cost others their 'lives' in a sense).


• After the duel was over (Reiji having won), Reira is made a 'Lancer' by him; he is quietly presented to the other Lancers by Reiji.


• Though he prepares to leave when hearing many make comments on how he can't be strong enough to fight with them, and is only a child, Reiji announces that he is just as strong (if not stronger) than all of them.


• From here, they make the trip to Synchro Dimension--however, Reira is separated from his brother en-route, and appears in 'Commons' with Yuuya, Serena, and Shingo Sawatari.


• Their arrival is greeted with 'Security', and when he tries to flee from them in fear, he's blocked by a wall they summon, leaving Yuuya to try and comfort him while also struggling to convince the others not to so hastily start dueling the police there.


• Despite Yuuya's attempts to keep him calm, and perhaps even happy during the encounter, Reira remains incredibly anxious and frightened; this isn't helped when the walls fade to reveal more Security officers, and especially not by the sudden arrival of Crow's gang, who snatch him and the others up by the arms to carry them away by D-Wheel.


• Reira spends three days in this place, scarcely if ever speaking. When he finally does, it's revealed that he seems to view things with an almost soldier-like lens; he asks Crow, who told him to go eat, if the statement is 'an order'.


• Soon after this, Crow and Yuuya start arguing over what's more important (Food or Smiles), and attempt to gain Reira's support for their own side while dueling. The duel is interrupted when Security arrives to successfully arrest everyone however...


• Everyone but Reira, who in the chaos is whisked away to an unknown location by the ninja duelist 'Tsukikage', another of the lancers.

History:
Relatively little is known of Reira's origins for certain, beyond the fact that he's Akaba Reiji's younger brother by a number of years, while remaining old enough to have been born some time before his father left their family without warning. His age unknown as anything beyond 'obviously elementary school level', Reira--like his brother--is something of a prodigy, and by the events of Arc-V is already haild as LDS' 'precious gem' despite his age. This skill is clearly seen in his mastering of all three standard Special Summons; Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz, and it is during his tournament debut that he displays this.

While clearly frightened at the tournament, his mother's implied instruction (Reira does not move forward to his first duel until catching his mother's seeming expectant glare from a distant window) prompts him to move forward, but it is his brother's encouragement which drives him to duel with his full ability. After facing Ayu Ayukawa using Fusion summoning to move to the second round, he proceeds to defeat Futoshi Harada using Synchro summoning--between this time and his next duel, he observes other duels with his brother, in secret, from Reiji's 'observation room'; during this time it's implied that Reira is already somewhat aware of the dimensional threat he will be expected to face, with his brother even saying at one point 'watch carefully--the fate of our world rides on this'. (This awareness can be somewhat supported later on, when his mother takes him up to the observation room herself, as well as just before his third match where her words that 'everything will go as planned' prompt him to hold his teddybear close in unease.)

Following his third match against an unknown duelist, Reira faces Tatsuya for the championship match of the Junior Cup, defeating the boy in a close fight using Xyz summoning. His success earns the comment that he's 'like [his brother]' from Tatsuya, a fact that gives Reira a slight boost of confidence before he leaves with his mother to show Reiji the proof of his success.

It is not long after this that the remaining tournament matches are cancelled, with the announcement that the dimension is now preparing for war coming forward. The remaining participants of the Junior Youth competition are hailed as the soldiers who will move forward to their defense, 'Lancers', but when the duelists gather before Reiji in preparation to take this step, Reiji announces that there will be 9 of them rather than 8--Reira will also be coming. Protests that Reira is merely a child are met with two facts from Reiji; the first being that Reira's strength, supposedly, matches or even surpasses their own, and the second being that they will not be heading to the battlefield just yet. Instead they are to head for the Synchro dimension, in order to hopefully make an alliance.

While they leave as one however, the group arrives in separate locations; Reira in particular finds himself with Yuuya, Shingo, and Serena--his brother nowhere to be found. Already frightened by this fact, the appearance of Synchro dimension's police force ('Security') work him up even further, prompting Yuuya to do his best to both protect and ease his worries via 'entertainment duel' tactics against the opponent. While it works to an extent, this inevitably fails, moreso when Shingo's bragging about their duel methods give the enemy key information on their tactics, and when Serena refuses to go through with a plan to flee with Reira for the boy's safety ('I won't run! I can take everyone on!').

As luck would have it, Yuuya's failed destruction buys enough time for 'Crow Hogan' to enter the area, he and his gang whisking the four away using their D-Wheels. They would be taken to Crow's home, where they could be safe. While Serena and Sawatari would leave and return constantly over the next three days to search for Reiji, Yuuya remained there and kept Reira there as well, despite the boy's occasional attempt to follow suit. Eventually, 'Shinji' (one of Crow's friends) appears with candy--after asking Crow if the request for him to join the others and eat is an order, Crow tells him 'yes', and so he eats without question. After this, Yuuya and Crow try to convince him to support their side of an argument over what's more important, but he looks to the side each  time, nervous and unwilling to get involved. The duel is interrupted in the end, and in the chaos caused by Security arresting everyone, Reira is snatched away by the ninja Tsukikage.

Personality:

Younger brother to Reiji Akaba, Reira is both alike and completely unlike the elder of the Akaba boys by far. What they share beyond physical traits is little; but it is enough. Highly intelligent, a heavy amount of expectations were placed on him despite his age; as a student of LDS, it seems he met and exceeded these, becoming known as the 'gem of LDS'--a celebrated and powerful result of their classes. Despite this strength however, it seems as if the path there has been relatively devoid of support outside his brother; he observes the sight of other children being cheered on and even encouraged after their loss, with a distant and perhaps even confused stare.

 

It can be difficult to gauge Reira's emotions with that in mind; though he speaks clearer and stronger when serious--something he seems to rarely do at all--his demeanor is typically very quiet and subdued. During duel chants and duels themselves he reacts minimally, even in combination with that stronger voice. His words are monotonous, and his expression almost permanently wide-eyed and blank. During a duel, very little if anything seems to phase him either--a likely product of constant training in LDS, along with the expectations of his mother and brother.

 

Because of the subtleties of his emotions, it becomes very evident when he experiences them strongly--the key word being 'when'. When he smiles, it seems to be entirely restricted to events regarding his brother; he smiles and breathes with relief at contact with and encouragement from him, and even thanks the boy he defeats in a duel after said boy compares him to Reiji--a comment which Reira quietly says '...thanks' in response to.

 

If there is one aspect of his personality that can be seen clearly however, it is his fear. A state he seems to almost perpetually be in, Reira carries his teddybear constantly for comfort from this it seems, clutching it closely when his mother grabs his shoulder while bragging about how she's certain her son will win his next match. He only puts it down for a duel, and when witnessing the crowds of the opening ceremonies for the tournament, as well as when in the presence of those who seem angry, squeezes it tightly with both arms--expressions of clear terror over his face in these moments.

 

This fear amplifies without the presence of his brother, as seen in more recent events. In both of the prior examples, Reiji is with him, albeit sitting and minding his own business. When he appears in Synchro without him however, his first instinct is to run from what danger appears, crying aloud in terror.

 

Overall Reira seems to be a very shy, withdrawn child; he idolizes his elder brother, and reacts heavily to the comments other make about him, not wanting to be seen or watched. While it's reflected in his monotonous, depressive voice however, this also means that any emotions he does display beyond it are immediately evident. He's frightened by conflict it seems, and perhaps even by expectations placed on him; this combination of traits leaves him confused about the bonds between others and their friends, and especially about the idea of encouragement or happiness in the face of a loss. Confusion aside though, these are things he clearly gives much thought toward; and it seems from the way he regards other confusing sights, that he's a very pensive child (which is supported by his intelligence as a duelist, something that supposedly outranks his fellow older 'Lancers').

 

There is a curious extension of his personality however, which perhaps adds a sinister outlook to how he perceives his brother. Quiet as he is, the clear question 'Is that an order' made in series proves a familiarity with militaristic terms. By the time he asks Crow this, he has observed enough to realize that Crow is in particular the one 'in charge' where he is at the moment. He has a clear eye for where authority is, and an immediate instinct to thus respect and obey that authority whether they frighten him or not--at least if they're clearly on his side (proven when he obey's Crow's 'order' without question). In the end, it is a clear side effect of being raised in a family set on preparing a city for war; and it will take time before he opens up beyond this role as a little soldier, which despite potential readiness (hinted through his sudden determination at his brother's encouragement), is clearly unbecoming of a boy who in all actuality is scared and alone.

Gem Considerations: 'Blue Chalcedony' (Teardrop Cabochon, Back)

Blue Chalcedony specifically is a stone of calm, and comes in varieties of blue and baby-blue. Combined with the popular teardrop cut it's often put in, and it suits Reira as he is now, with his rather depressive but overall subdued attitude. There is more to this stone however, which gives Reira a strong goal to work toward; Blue Chalcedony is said to aid others in overcoming anxiety and stage fright, allowing them to speak louder and clearer. It would help Reira to gain confidence in himself and his actions, speaking clearly even outside a duel and approaching others on his own terms instead of hiding in fear.

That said, it'll be on the back, mirroring his habits of hiding away from most things.

Power considerations:
List Three Powers You Would Like Your Character To Have:

• 'Blink' (Right Eye)


• 'Wink' (Left Eye)


• Mirror Gems

Reira's never obviously had any sort of power, so it'll be a very scary experience for him, one that he'll likely need a lot of help with--both in mastering the power and in accepting that he has it. His abilities have been drawn largely from the nature of his deck in the series; monsters which copy other monsters, disable them, and more importantly combine their power with those enemy monsters to create a greater strength of their own. As he has a good deal of trouble making eye contact with others, his abilities will be extremely difficult to abuse as well, so please keep this in mind.

'Blink' and 'Wink' as I called them are both the same in action, but have opposite effects. If Reira makes eye contact with another gem (or possibly a gem beast), and blinks his right eye like a camera shutter, he can mirror one of their abilities as his own. The drawback to this is that he does not copy their experiences; which means he is left to figure out how to utilize the power on his own. This power lasts until he blinks at another gem, or until he sleeps.

Same as with 'Blink', if Reira uses his left eye rather than his right, he does not absorb a power but instead disables it. Esepcially strong or latent abilities (IE: Fusion) may not be completely disabled of course, but they will become more difficult for the victim to utilize. This only affects one gem/gem beast at a time however; so it again either wears off if he blinks another gem, or if he goes to sleep.

That said, if he blinks the same gem twice, the power reverses; a stolen power is thus 'returned', and a negated one is thus 're-activated'.

His third ability is a very unique one--Reira can create mirror doubles of gems he's currently blinked (so there's a limit of two), each carrying one of those gem's powers. Reira could potentially even fuse with these doubles (though only with one, as two becomes too much to handle)--provided he has enough confidence to manage the fusion. This fusion isn't the same as an 'actual' one, as the 'other half' is relatively mindless. (If Reira obtains an ability THIS way however, he DOES gain the knowledge of how it works, which is largely the point of using the clones in this manner). As a side note, the clones are less durable than standard gems; if struck through, or over the 'copied gem', they dissolve and cannot reform.

Sample:One
(And in case the npc-ing in thread one takes away-)
Two!