Riou Hotaru
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Riou Hotaru | |
| Riou Hotaru | |
| Player: @Issen1 | |
| Origin: | Mutation |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | 50 (+1)/(+3 during Trials) |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Riou Hotaru |
| Known Aliases: | N/A |
| Species: | Human (Meta) |
| Age: | 18 years old |
| Height: | 5'5" |
| Weight: | 170lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Hero |
| Place of Birth: | San Francisco, California |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Immediate family resides in California |
| Known Powers | |
| Ability to produce kinetic force. Capability to jump extraordinary distances using said kinetic force. Durability and resiliance beyond that of a normal human. | |
| Known Abilities | |
| "Aura-sight" | |
| Equipment | |
| Armor crafted from Impervium weave (similiar to body-armor used by law-enforcement). Helmet of unknown design (see Equipment section for more detail) | |
| Currently a member of the Vanguard's Shield Division, and a steady member of the Midnighters. Spends a great deal in Ouroborus as well. | |
Contents |
Powers and Abilities
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| Fortitude |
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| Stamina |
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| Speed |
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| Melee |
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| Blasts |
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| Support |
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| Control |
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- Superhuman Resilience: Though Riou appears to be human, he is in fact several magnitudes more durable than one. While not on the same level as most Tank-classification metas, Riou's resilience is noteworthy due to it's inconspicuous nature. Physical tests show that while his body appears completely 'normal' (that is, without overt signs of meta-human ability or function) he possesses toughness and endurance far surpassing 'normal' human limit. He recovers much faster from injury or fatigue, and in some cases it's noted that, under duress, his ability to recover from wounds actually improves in direct proportion to the threat involved. It is unclear if this is a conscious response, or a sub-conscious response.
- "Aura Vision": Riou has the ability to discern the relative strength and origin of some people simply by looking at them. He reports to see a 'glow' or 'aura' given off by the person in question, whether or not the person actually possesses a physical aura or not. It seems that (according to Riou), everything around him gives off a glow, allowing him to 'see' the world, even when his eyes are not actually open. These 'auras' come in different colors, but always resemble the shape of the person in question, though it lacks most details like articles of clothing or the color of any garments. In fact, the color of the aura seems to be co-related to the strength of the individual and possible demeanor or intent. However, this is not always the case, as heroes and villains have appeared as the same color before. This seems to indicates that only current demeanor affects the color of an Aura. In addition, the intensity of the aura is usually related to the relative strength and skill of the person in question. Two heroes or villains of the same level can have different intensities, depending on the individual's control over their own power. As well, individuals with magical or otherworldly (alien, extra-dimensional, etc) origins seem to be display more visible Auras than others. This includes Incarnates. It is uncertain if this ability is related to Riou's capacity to produce kinetic force, or whether the two powers developed independent of one another. However, given how Riou manifests his kinetic force, it's likely the two abilities are co-related.
- Kinetic Force: Riou demonstrates the ability to manifest kinetic energy and direct it as a force against his opponents or objects. However, the manner in which Riou manifests this force is somewhat different. While he does use his own stamina to shape and direct this force, a much more significant portion of a manifestations total energy is derived from outside himself. It appears Riou can draw energy from around himself, from his environment, and mix it with his own to manifest against a chosen target. Because of this, Riou's attacks put far less of a strain on his own stamina, and can be reused faster. The only way for a significantly noticeable drain to occur is through continuous use of his techniques. However, as a side-effect of his ability to draw in energy from elsewhere, the lack of own power means his attacks are weaker. It should be noted that the environment seems to have no effect on Riou's ability to draw energy for his attacks, whether the area be a lush countryside, desolate wasteland, or even a located saturated in more hostile and/or caustic energies. It's believed this is also the secret behind his resilience and ability to recover faster from injuries.
- Martial Training: While kinetics are Riou's primary form of attack, he does demonstrate a keen grasp of the martial arts. Not to extent that a dedicated Hero might, but he uses his martial arts combined with his kinetics to produce his techniques as well, allowing him to not only deliver punches, but kicks as well. In addition, he can manifest his kinetics through various parts of his body, which allow him to do things like reach incredible running speeds or jump incredible heights. Family training may have something to do with this.
Accesories and Gadgets
Custom Armor: Riou wears a suit that appears to be a combination of multiple pieces of armor from various models put together. It vaguely resembles a hero from one of the Super Sentai series, though which is something only known to Riou and whoever made his armor. It's custom made, with the "fabric" of the armor made of an Impervium weave. Riou claims it to be hand-made, and careful inspection reveals this to be so, but given the complexity of the armor, for this entire ensemble to be hand-made would mean this armor was made years in advance of when it was given to Riou. Of the most interesting note is the helmet. While it appears to be some kind of double-sided mirror (keeping people from seeing his face while allowing him to view them), the entire helmet is in fact opaque, with some kind of dark paint-like substance over the entirely of the visor and faceplate. If the same coating exists on the inside, it would mean that Riou is in fact, completely blind while wearing the helmet. Also, the armor has various pouches and pockets all over itself, likely as means for Riou to carry around the various items he acquires.
Multi-tool: In one of the various pockets on the armor (it seems to change places frequently) is what looks to be a policeband radio. However, it's functions have been modified greatly from it's original design. It acts as cellphone, a GPS, and even a miniature computer. Unfortunately, Riou won't say how he came by this device, or if he was the one you modified it.
Personality
Riou is an extremely polite fellow, usually very respectful in his interactions with others. He comes across as exceedingly kind and trusting...almost naively so at times. It's any wonder that someone hasn't taken advantage of him because of this. His naivety extends beyond mere politeness however. He seems almost blissfully unaware of the majority of Paragon's bizarre political climate and situation. While knows some of the more obvious points (Recluse = Bad) there are large portions of the situation that he seems ignorant of. (For example, upon meeting a member of Arachnos in Pocket D who explained there was a lot of in-fighting in their organization, Riou suggested that maybe they should work together to resolve their differences. When the operative sarcastically suggested Riou take that up with Lord Recluse, Riou said it was merely a polite suggestion, completely missing the point). Also, for someone who is 18, Riou seems to be underdeveloped in terms of worldly experience, due to a more sheltered upbringing. Because of this, Riou seems inevitably drawn towards Paragon's more monstrous residents (demons, aliens, etc, etc.) because of the aura they emanate, something that he's never seen before, which means he tends to miss the fact many of them are not particularly pleasant folk (not to mention Riou's child-like awe at meeting them for the first time)
Background
Riou was born back out on the West Coast of the United States, an entire continent away from Paragon City. His family was a generational line of Metas, whose family tree seemed to extend back almost a century. Riou himself was the youngest of ten siblings, 5 brothers and 4 sisters. Raised in a household built on discipline and manners, Riou didn't have the same childhood you might expect a boy to have. He didn't go out and play sports, he didn't go to school and sit at the cafeteria with his friends. He didn't sit down in front of the TV after dinner and homework and play video games. Not to say that his life was miserable and lonesome, but it was definitely not the average childhood experience. He was homeschooled, kept away from "corrupting influences" and "distractions". He spent his hours studying, reading, training. After all, he was a Hotaru, and there were standards that had to be met.
But it wasn't miserable. He had his brothers and sisters to keep him company, he had things like music and literature. But family responsibilities always loomed overhead. He had a name to live up to, a "reputation" to uphold (though he didn't know what it was at the time, how could a child understand such things?). His best friend, and also his training partner, was his oldest sibling, Issen Hotaru. The two were practically inseparable, with Riou going everywhere his brother went. It was also his brother who sparred with him, and taught him how to use his powers. However, when Riou reached 16 years of age, Issen left home and never came back, giving no explanation or reasoning, and left no clues as to his whereabouts. The family considered this most unsettling, as Issen was the heir to the family line, with a marriage to another prominent Meta family in the works.
Riou was quite despondent over his brother's disappearance, and lost much of his motivation to continue his studying and teaching. However, when Riou reached the age of 18, he saw his father reading a newspaper regarding events over on the East Coast in Paragon City, and noticed his brother in the photograph. He implored to his parents that he be allowed to file for registration as a 'Hero' and make the journey to Paragon to find and bring his brother back. Although exceedingly reluctant, as Riou was not yet completely trained (and they were loathe to send their child off to such a strange and seemingly dangerous place), they agreed. They provided Riou with a sizeable sum of money, the registration papers, and his costume, apparently a parting gift from his brother Issen meant for his younger sibling when Riou was of age. With these tools, Riou was sent to Paragon via first-class airplane flight, even though he has NO idea what he is getting himself into...
Enter Riou Hotaru
It did not take long after Riou arrived for him to begin making a name for himself. While definitely not as "heroic" as many new heroes were, Riou established a reputation for his polite and mild demeanor, even in the face of the most outlandish situations. Even polite to his enemies, he was careful to minimize the collateral damage (Except where it was caused by the villains and was otherwise unpreventable) and even made an honest effort to minimize how of
Afilliations
Malithrax: ("His light is like of the brightest star, but it's neither warm nor comforting. It's exactly the opposite, oppressive and overpowering.") This creature is likely the last person you would have expected Riou to associate with. However, Riou is quite aware of it's existence due to the overpowering aura it exudes, a fact that often has Riou regretting his ability to 'see'. Despite their several encounters being less than amicable or friendly, Riou seems unable to completely pull away from it, as though he were a moth drawn to the deadliest flame. What's worse is that he's blissfully unaware of the monster's true nature (an ironic circumstance considering Malithrax itself doesn't understand it's own true nature) and buys into the creature's delusion of it being some kind of 'Angel' whole-heartedly. Perhaps he seeks some sort of rapport or understanding from it, or maybe he's simply too curious for his own good. Only time will tell.
Allastor Darkflame: ("Standing next to Mr. Allastor is like bathing in the afternoon sun on a pleasant day.") In what could only be described as every child's fantasy come to life, Riou's encounter with his first dragon was as you might expect, full of wide-eyed wonder and amazement. Though Allastor himself seems use to such fawning, Riou has a difficult time containing his glee. After all, what child wouldn't want to meet a full-fledged dragon in all it's glory, no? Though they've had only met twice, Riou has a great deal of respect for Allastor, often deferring to him as Sir or Lord, at least until Allastor waved off the formality anyway.
Shade Nefarious: ("Mr. Shade is strange. He glows so many different colors. It's a rainbow that can't decide what order to be.") Riou isn't quite sure what to make of this particular demon. He has a frightening visage, a powerful aura, and a semi-bestial manner. But he's also exceptionally polite and well-meaning, offering advice and polite conversation; a far cry from the usual demonic fare. Riou has nothing but goodwill towards Shade, though he's unsure what to make of his bizarre friend in terms whether to regard him as long-term ally or simply someone to converse with casually.
Tatsuhiko: ("I do not hate people, for that would require too much energy. But this man is exceptionally annoying and arrogant.") If there was anyone Riou might actually dislike MORE than Malithrax, it would be Tatsu. Their first meeting involved a complex and confusing conversation about Riou's trusting nature and naivety, culminating in a stand-off and a fight. The problem was, Riou could not agree with Tatsu's philosophies or views in any shape and form. And the fact the man imposed himself on Riou repeatedly has done little to help the situation. Riou has actually taken to be blunt to the point of tactlessness when dealing with Tatsu, hoping to get the strange man to leave him alone completely.
