Yūto
PaisleyPerson
- Created
- 2 years, 1 month ago
- Creator
- PaisleyPerson
- Favorites
- 2
Profile
Profile
Name: Kurata Yūto
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Birthday: May 15
Pokémon: Skrelp
Ability: Poison Touch
Nature: Rash (Sp Atk ↑, Sp Def ↓)
Characteristic: Hates to lose
Moveset
Mahou
Wish
"I wish she would let me fight back."
His pacifistic mother allows him to take self-defense classes and retaliate against his bullies
Weapons and Tiers
T1 Incense Lantern
Burning Breath - Poisoning Status
Incense burned in Yūto's lantern produces a disorienting toxin causing burning in the throat and lungs. Effects may linger up to three minutes, however the incense itself only burns for a maximum of a minute and gives off a slow but steady stream of smoke. It must be in very close proximity to the target or give off a lot of smoke in a closed space to take full effect. A small chain dangles from the top, and pulling it creates sparks showering from the top of the lantern to light the incense. The lantern has a 10 minute cooldown so the metal casing may cool before the incense can be replaced.
When detached, the hooked pole his lantern rests can be used as a blunt force weapon or very occasionally as a vaulting pole during high-speed chases. The bottom is pointed but he finds stabbing motions with it unwieldy. The point is more useful if he needs to jab it in the ground to set up the lantern.
Powers and Tiers
Beatdown Barrage - T2 Offensive Power Boost
This ability activates at close range, making consecutive punches fly harder and faster with each hit. The power boost also works up a magical poison secretion from his knuckles, leaving acid burns with each punch. This induced state comes and goes quickly, lasting a maximum of three minutes. If the target escapes the onslaught or he misses a punch, the ability is cut short, so the opponent must already be relatively weakened or defenseless to be used effectively. If the opponent catches his hand(s) to stop the punches, they will still be burned with acid but it resets his ability's cooldown (of 5 minutes). Though he can use it again after this cooldown, acidic residue left from his last barrage will sting his own hands while he waits, making the next flurry more painful for him. So much venom being quickly forced to his palms also causes the insides of his forearms to burn and wrists to swell, making him somewhat clumsier with his pole.
Personality
• Overview •
Pros
• Loyal • Reliable • Disciplined • Protective •
Neutrals
• Observant • Blunt • Stealthy • Guarded •
Cons
• Cold/Distrustful • Contemptuous • Hotheaded/Brash • Vengeful •
+ Pros +
Loyal
Having endured the burn of betrayal from his own parents, loyalty is not something Yūto takes lightly. But those few who have earned his trust (for a long time, this only included Haru), have earned a fiercely devoted friend as well. He may lie to protect these friends, but he'd never deliberately deceive them as he may a stranger or adversary. His heart often outweighs his head in matters involving his friends. In an argument or altercation he'd stand by them, even if they were clearly in the wrong. Aside from picking on an innocent bystander or otherwise becoming a bully himself, there's nothing he wouldn't do for them.
Reliable
Yūto can't stand the thought of letting down a friend, or someone who has stood by him in some significant capacity. Yūto will stop at nothing to get things done for their sake, and his own. Lies and broken promises often hurt more than a punch, as he knows all too well, and he refuses to be the cause for letdown. Friends' needs and requests are put at a top priority, even over his own.
Disciplined
Yūto learned early that the only one he can rely on is himself. He always felt responsible for Haru, but also himself. Adults in his life were unreliable at best, cruel at worst. His mother wouldn't let him fight back, but there's only so much a skrelp can take. Even before he became a magical, he started pitting himself into fighting shape any spare moment he wouldn't be caught. In such a manner he even taught himself his first non-birth move, poison tail. He rarely got the chance to use offensive skills, but defensive parries and dodging weren't off the table. Besides adhering to his secret training regimen (now as a magical, regular martial arts classes), he's had to teach himself most of his general life skills. If one good thing has come of his predicament, he's able to hold himself accountable when things need doing.
Protective
Yūto hates that he can't do more to defend others in his situation, but for the sake of his friends he has learned to pick his fights more carefully. He would leap to their defense without a second thought, but if he and said friend encountered a stranger or acquaintance being picked on, he'd do all in his power to prioritize his friend and not get involved. (If he was otherwise alone though, he would give it his best shot regardless of the predicted outcome.) Though his wish was born of hatred and his want for revenge, as he comes into his new role he begins to find he can do more and defend more.
~ Neutrals ~
Observant
The Ban family's torment hangs over the Kuratas at all hours, even at home. Yūto's father has become withdrawn, and prone to outbursts of anger over his inability to protect his family or adequately atone for his past. His mother too, grew emotionally distant, frail in her fear. Never knowing what might set them off, Yūto feels he walks on eggshells in his own home. He's constantly gauging their moods to determine what (or if anything) is safe to say or when he should keep out of the house. He keeps tabs on Ryuu's moods, too, to better gauge how and when to pick his battles.
Blunt
When his life started spiraling downhill, the neighbors made it no secret how they felt about Yūto's new attitude. Many didn't even try to keep their judgement from him, so why grant anyone else the same curtesy? He says what he thinks and means what he says. On the flipside, he's honest with those he trusts, and in a strange way his authenticity puts allies at ease, knowing what they see is what they get.
Stealthy
Whether creeping around to avoid the Bans or his own parents, Yūto has learned to get around unnoticed. It doesn't help his "no-good" reputation, but what's one to do. He has a keen eye for exits and unlikely hiding spots wherever he goes- and finds himself most uncomfortable in wide open spaces.
Guarded
Yūto doesn't want your pity. Besides, pity only breeds more rumors. Pretending to be strong, fighting through pain and bruises... it sucks, he can't lie. It keeps his mother from worrying so much, though frankly he couldn't care less how she felt. Without action on her part, the worry feels superficial. Though the one upside, is it does keep her off his case. He's always on high alert, always exhausted- but showing that weakness only ever gave Ryuu more reason to catch him off guard. Wearing a facade of strength, though draining, outweighs harsher, more frequent run-ins.
- Cons-
Cold/Distrustful
Considering how close his family used to be, Yūto never would have thought his parents would hang him out to dry with Ryuu. Feeling betrayal from those so close left him severely distrustful of forming new relationships. Neither his parents nor the teachers from his old school would stand up for him, so he quickly lost faith in authority figures. He gradually lost faith in so many, it was easier to take up the approach of viewing everyone as an adversary until they proved otherwise.
Contemptuous
Adults in his life wouldn't do anything to help his predicament, thus he quickly lost respect for most of them. That included teachers from his old school, many of whom even contributed to his situation, humiliating him if he didn't know answers to his schoolwork and making otherwise extremely unprofessional comments. (He had no proof, but Yūto suspects they were failing his grades before he even gave up on trying.) It was impossible to learn from teachers set on belittling him, instead switching his focus to whatever else he deemed important enough to give his attention to. So many others in authority- teachers, police, adult onlookers who all did nothing- gradually lost his respect, that Yūto began to consider everyone an adversary until proved otherwise. His peers were no better, joining in the bullying or turning a blind eye to keep out of it. That only started to change after transferring to Mitakihara High, where he finally felt the protection of teachers standing up for him.
Hotheaded/Brash
Suffering silently did nothing to help Yūto. Breaking out into bursts of anger did him no better, but at least it was a way to vent some of his frustration. It wasn't a hard trait to pick up either, as his father took up similar outbursts justifying himself soon after Eiji came into their lives. Unless he has a friend to protect, he's beyond caring what happens to himself- he gets beat up regularly anyway. The least he could do is take his opponent down with him. This got even worse after he became a magical, and wished to be able to fight freely. By then Haru wasn't around needing protection, and he could openly start swinging. It gets him into a lot more trouble, but boy is it liberating.
Vengeful
The age-old feud he inherited from his father is on another level, but letting go of grudges hasn't since come easily. Those that actively bully him are the worst, but not even idle bystanders are innocent, and Yūto remembers them all. Every individual who's ever stood silent as he was being beaten or bullied, every apologetic look shot his way, though they say nothing. Honestly it's exhausting keeping track, it's easier to just hate everyone, but it's an automatic switch in his brain.
History
Yūto was born into wealth, a safe, prestigious neighborhood, doting parents, and a bitter feud far older than he. Though, the latter wouldn't become apparent until he turned 7, a turning point that wholly redefined his life.
This feud started with Yūto's father, Kurata Takashi. Regrettably, Takashi wasn't always a kind individual. He and his friends took to brutally picking on one of his neighbors- a runt poochyena by the name of Ban Eiji. It was unclear why they chose Eiji, or why they directed so much hate towards him. But they did, with Takashi as ringleader, all through middle and high school. They would joke their teacher's warnings that Eiji might one day be his boss were the only thing keeping the poochyena going. In his final years before graduation, Takashi did some growing up. He began working more seriously on his grades, and their childish "gang" grew apart. He eventually landed a high profile stockbroking job in Tokyo, and moved away, thinking he'd left his old life behind him.
In Tokyo he met the wonderful, kind dragalge Noriko. She saw past his old life and inspired Takashi to better himself. They married and settled down together for several years before deciding it was time to have a child of their own. Noriko gave birth to a beautiful skrelp boy, who she called Yūto. The name meant 'gentleness,' such was the manner in which she hoped to raise him.
They were the definition of the perfect family. Yūto's parents positively doted on him, and though he remained an only child, Noriko arranged playdates with the neighboring breloom family's son Hoshino Haru, who was around the same age. Both families lived in an upscale condo complex, and living quite literally across the hall, they grew up like brothers. The two were inseparable.
The CEO of Takashi's stockbroking firm announced his surprise early retirement, appointing a distant relative as his replacement. Takashi had always reserved weekends for his family. This Saturday, in fact, he was due to take Yūto and the neighbor's son Haru out for lunch. This weekend though, he was asked to compile some reports to smooth the transition. Normally he would have refused, but these were extenuating circumstances, so he agreed to take the work home with him. It still wasn't done before their lunch date, so he took it out with them as well. It didn't bother Yūto at all- it was surely a one-time fluke, not to mention his best friend would be company enough.
The boys occupied themselves after lunch until Haru noticed a nearby sweet shop selling his mother's favorite candies. Takashi was a bit involved at the moment, and the sweet shop was just across the street within view. The boys were seven now- he saw no harm in letting them walk over themselves, nor did the boys mind the time alone. Unfortunately, while the shop window was within view, the entrance itself was just around the corner, barely out of view from Takashi's table.
Haru and Yūto didn't think anything of the group of boys hovering around the entrance until the biggest one snatched the money from Haru's hand. They'd both grown up living a sheltered life, so this was their first real brush with thieves or bullies.
"That's not yours! Give it-" Yūto jumped to his friend's defense, onto to be shoved roughly away by a far stronger wartortle.
"You want it? Take it back," the poochyena taunted, holding it just out of reach.
"I would, if you'd give it to me," naïve Yūto huffed.
"Why would I give it back? I wanted it, so I took it." The poochyena bent down, teeth bared in a hideous sneer. "If you want it back, you'll have to fight me for it."
"My mom says fighting is never the answer." True to this testament, Yūto still only knew his starting moveset: smokescreen and tackle, and one egg move twister which he'd never properly mastered.
"Then your mother is weak." For the first real time in his life, words pierced Yūto more sharply than any knife. "And so are you."
"Get lost, runts," the poochyena led his snickering troupe back off to whatever miserable hole they’d crawled out of.
Clearly distraught and not knowing what else to do, they ran back to Takashi. The Kingdra jumped right out of his work when he realized something had happened, and listened intently as they sputtered out their encounter. Their story twisted Takashi's gut, given his own history. Bullying was a tender subject for him, but Yūto was the most important thing in his life now. He thought it important to set a good example early.
"Show me the boys that took your money, let's talk to them."
When the boys returned to the sweet shop entrance, the poochyena was still in sight. Realizing he'd been spotted, he took off- but Takashi made chase.
Takashi and the boys pursued the poochyena all the way back to an expensive neighborhood. He thought it odd- the poochyena had several opportunities to lose them. Either he was REALLY bad at this, or he wanted to be followed... In any case, Takashi wasn't deterred when he darted into a ritzy condo. He wanted to put his past behind him for good, and set a good example for Yūto. He hadn't even knocked on the door before it opened, bringing him face to face with Ban Eiji. He had since grown into a hulking, intimidating mightyena, but it was definitely him. Despite convincing himself he'd moved on, despite how many times he'd rehearsed this exact apology, all of Takashi's lifelong guilt came crashing back.
Takashi tried to choke through the practiced apology that used to keep him up at night. And Eiji was glad to watch him stumble pitifully through it, reveling in Takashi's genuine remorse.
"Please, Takashi, we're both grown adults here." There was something insincere about Eiji's smile. "And with children of our own now, it seems."
"T-this is Yūto. And our neighbor, Haru." Admittedly, he hadn't expected such a casual response. Introductions were easy, at least.
"You seem to have met Ryuu." Sure enough, the poochyena they'd been chasing appeared in the doorframe with a sneer, seemingly without fear of repercussion.
"Yes... Yes, that's what we came to-"
"Raising children is more complicated than it's made out to be, don't you agree? We want them to lead a better life than we did. But it seems in my case, that meant setting Ryuu on the path of the one I hated most. Ironic, isn't it? I mean, just look at how you turned out. Perfect job, perfect family..."
"Eiji-?"
"I never figured out why you singled me out," Eiji continued. "But you know, I'm not sorry you did. I wouldn't want it for Ryuu, but at least I came out stronger for it. Stronger than you, it seems."
Takashi's heart filled with dread. Ryuu's leading them here was no accident- Eiji planned this. He'd held the grudge all these years, and worse, involved their children. Eiji would never forgive him.
"Please, Eiji, break this cycle. For their sake."
"For Yūto's sake, you mean," Eiji hissed. "When you were the one pounding me into the ground, you were on top of the world. But now that my son has advantage, you want to make peace. Not used to seeing the flipside of the coin, are we?" Takashi had no answer. There would be no reasoning with him. Solemnly, he turned to leave.
"Oh, and Takashi?" Eiji wickedly brandished a golden lapel pin of his company's logo- the recently retired CEO's pin. "Our teachers warned you I'd be your boss one day, didn't they?"
Whether attaining the position was coincidence or some lifelong plot was unclear. Yūto watched his father shrink back, groveling, taking both boys by the hand and leading them home, needless to say, without Haru's money.
He didn't know it in the moment, Yūto lost his father that day in more ways than one. His heart ached as he watched the man he'd looked up to for so long, his rock, just... crumple. Was it... his fault? Maybe he should've tried harder to get Haru's money back himself, then none of this would've happened.
From that day on, Eiji's son mysteriously plagued Yūto and Haru wherever they went. Their favorite hangouts became his. When school started, he was in all of Yūto's classes. Taunts and teasing soon got physical. The first time Yūto came home with a black eye, his mother was mortified. She pleaded with Takashi to do something, but the man she married was long gone. Guilt and fear of Eiji had wholly consumed him, leaving nothing but a shell. Realizing Takashi wouldn't stand up to his boss, she tried to take matters into her own hands and went to their house intending to rip him a new one. Eiji, though, denied all of her accusations with a smile. And, in not so many words, reminded her that he was a powerful man in control of her husband's employment, with enough connections to follow Takashi anywhere without repercussions. Yūto wasn't there for that encounter, but he knew that whatever exactly was said instilled deep rooted fear in his mother as well. She avoided the man- even the subject of the man- at all costs, and begged Yūto just to keep his head down, avoid Ryuu, and use his smokescreen move to escape if he ever got physical again.
Ryuu definitely got physical again. And for a while Yūto did his best to heed his mother's wishes, gritting his teeth and ducking in and out of smoke. Up to that point he had been the sole target of Ryuu's beatings. Usually they waited to catch Yūto alone, but a year into this practice emboldened Ryuu and his thugs. Yūto and Haru were walking home alone when they brushed right past the shroomish to get at Yūto. But Haru hadn't been told to keep his head down, and wasn't about to stand idly by.
Haru opened up with stun spore and followed up with tackle. Even stunned, it was three against one, and Yūto would no sooner abandon Haru than Haru he.
"Tackle him, Yūto!" Haru yelped within a zigzagoon's grip.
Despite his mother's warnings, he flew to engage Ryuu with a tackle of his own and shockingly, the much bigger poochyena reeled back with a yelp! Ryuu clutched his eye and glared at Yūto's palm, seething. Yūto knew taking his eyes off Ryuu was risky, but something sticky and hot dripped from his hand. Blood? Yūto gave into a peek. No, poison! Poison touch. Never having battled before, he'd never been able to activate his ability. It was so... liberating.
"You'll pay for that."
The feeling was short lived. Ryuu jumped his distracted quarry unawares and laid into him tenfold. Haru got off easy by comparison, but both boys staggered home black and blue. Yūto found his mother in hysterics before he even opened the door. Apparently Eiji called Noriko screeching threats for Yūto laying a hand on his son.
"WHAT have I told you about fighting Ryuu?!"
"I didn't have a choice! They had Haru, I had to help! I didn't know what else-"
"You CAN'T touch his son! You can't... We can't..." Noriko choked back a sob. Yūto had never seen his mother so frail. Had she always looked this... tired?
The doorbell rang and Noriko struggled to compose herself. It was Haru's mother, equally distraught and spouting something about police and restraining orders. Noriko hushed her quickly, and pulled her aside. He couldn't make out his mother's hushed whispering. Haru's mother, on the other hand...
"Then what exactly do you propose we do?!!" she screeched.
More whispering. Haru's mother finally fell quiet, and stormed out in a huff. The next day, their mothers quietly gifted both boys a Protect TM. Haru's mother tried halfheartedly to smooth it over, but Haru and Yūto knew. It was an unspoken plea to stop fighting, even Haru. Noriko never brought it up again.
Yūto's "perfect" life unraveled quickly from there. His father was emotionally absent and often physically- now a slave to Eiji's ridiculous overtime demands. His mother trod a fine line between protecting her son and submitting to utter fear of the Ban family. Teachers of their shady school did nothing to defend them or punish Ryuu, no matter how obvious his transgressions. Yūto lost all respect for them and authority in general, acting out at home and school. Any other friends he had no longer wanted anything to do with him lest they get caught up with Ryuu. Haru was the only one to stick by his side and for that, Yūto gave his all to protect him. He became a master of smokescreens, and always put himself between Haru and Ryuu.
Haru's family, at least, were good people. They did what they could, filing complaints and lawsuits. Eiji deflected them all, and used his evidently far-reaching influence to make life as difficult as he could for them. For years, it seemed they were cursed to this same song and dance. All the while, Yūto's resentment grew.
His anger came to a head when he turned 15. He'd shown such disinterest in his grades that he was held back a year, while Haru moved on to high school alone. Ryuu suspiciously chose the same school, and without Yūto to detract the attention, Haru became their sole target. One particularly brutal beating left Haru in the hospital, Yūto completely absent and unable to do anything to defend him. Haru's parents pressed charges but Eiji had better lawyers, negating any repercussions. As much as the Hoshinos sympathized with the Kuratas, Haru's parents decided to move after Haru recovered, to keep their son safe. Haru's parents recommended the Kuratas do the same, but Takashi wouldn't hear of "running from his past again," as he saw it.
"At least find Yūto a different school before he graduates," Mrs. Hoshino pled.
"There's a good school in Mitakihara," Mr. Hoshino added. "I graduated there. Honest people with connections, maybe even above Eiji. It's worth a try."
Haru didn't want to leave Yūto, but the decision was out of his hands. Yūto reached his tipping point. If he had been there he would have fought Ryuu regardless of what his mother wanted, but from an entirely different school, he was helpless to defend Haru. Now the one friend he had left was being taken away, and he was meant to transfer to this Mitakihara, just walking away from it all?! He thundered out of the hospital seeing red. He wanted nothing more than to see Ryuu hurt.
'Is that really what you want most?'
The voice caused Yūto to jump- it came not from around him, but within his head!
"More than anything," he seethed. Just then, a bizarre creature resembling a sylveon emerged from the hospital shrubbery.
'I could help with that!'
Timeline
Miscellaneous Notes
Even after moving to Mitakihara, Ban Eiji and Ryuu "mysteriously" followed them to the new neighborhood (Eiji often works from home but Takashi now has an hour commute each way). Ryuu found he couldn't get away with the blatant torment as he could in their old school, but resumes the act after school hours.
Fathers' Feud
Yuto never got the full story on what happened between Eiji and his father. What he does know is mostly scrapped together from eavesdropped conversations and context. He once tried looking up Ban Eiji's history, but found nothing beyond his credentials and association to the stockbroking firm. Despite egging Ryuu to divulge information during confrontations, the poochyena never would. Frankly, Yūto doesn't think he knows the full story either.
Powers and Tiers
After he fought back against Ryuu and was reprimanded at 8, Yūto begged his mother to be able to take self defense classes at least, but she always refused. He even did the research, finding Jujutsu had many no-contact and redirection moves that technically couldn't be held against him as fighting. He brought it up repeatedly over the years, the answer always no. Some time after he turned 12, a dojo opened nearby and he brought the subject up again. When she refused this time, even with a dojo so near, he lost his patience and started teaching himself in secret.
After his wish, his mother recalled his specifically mentioning Jujutsu, and signed him up immediately to classes at the nearby dojo. When they looked for a new home in Mitakihara, she ensured one of the dojo's sister locations would be nearby and all his credits would transfer.
Powers and Tiers
After he fought back against Ryuu and was reprimanded at 8, Yūto begged his mother to be able to take self defense classes at least, but she always refused. He even did the research, finding Jujutsu had many no-contact and redirection moves that technically couldn't be held against him as fighting. He brought it up repeatedly over the years, the answer always no. Some time after he turned 12, a dojo opened nearby and he brought the subject up again. When she refused this time, even with a dojo so near, he lost his patience and started teaching himself in secret.
After his wish, his mother recalled his specifically mentioning Jujutsu, and signed him up immediately to classes at the nearby dojo. When they looked for a new home in Mitakihara, she ensured one of the dojo's sister locations would be nearby and all his credits would transfer.
