ren

tea-leaf

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Created
7 years, 1 month ago
Creator
tea-leaf
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Profile

✖

about

we found our way back.

A weapons expert turned horticulturalist. A journey from a being designed to kill to a person who fosters life; from the Interface to the streets of Astralis. He fought to keep others safe, and fell apart when he lost himself.

to the
city we
came from

leader of the specs division

  • Originally Divisionless, he was invited to join the newly formed Specs division by one of its proxies, Lena. She was taken with him, and believed he had the talent to one day become leader. As such, when she later became leader, she sought to make Ren her secondin command, and eventually retired and left him as leader of the Division.
  • His talent for training his initiates spread to other Divisions - a consequence of his own insecurities and fears. When he entered Astralis, he had no intention of fighting their war, but was eventually dragged into it under the pretense of training the Resistance fighters in weaponry. He became close with the Resistance leaders, and they promised that at the end of the war, they would provide him with a permanent home in the city.
allegiance viruses
division specialization
birthday seventeenth august
age thirty one cycles
species virtual
occupation plant shop owner
p. occupation specs leader
orientation ace, homoromantic
relationship s. taken

Likes

  • Tea. He especially likes black and white teas.
  • Plants. Inspired by his sister failing to grow a plant on the Interface.
  • Initiates. He gets along well with his own trainees, and loves watching them reach their full potential
  • Fighting. He can't help that he's good at beating people up.

Dislikes

  • Coffee. It tastes bitter. He refuses to make coffee at his own cafe.
  • Socks. You will not catch this man wearing socks.
  • Deception Division. He will not associate with those 'tricky bastards'
  • Arguing. He doesn't trust himself to remain cordial in the heat of the moment.

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personality

selfless

concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish

although at first ren doesn't seem to have much interest in others, as he prefers to keep to himself, most of what he does is for the good of others. he will do whatever he can to help another person. he is usually more concerned with the safety of others than himself, and would readily sacrifice himself in some way for another person.

adaptable

able to adjust to new conditions.

adaptability is one of ren's greatest strengths, both as a person and as a leader. he has no problems with acting appropriately in varying situations and making necessary changes to suit conditions. if he wants to accomplish something, he is not trapped in any particular mindset and will find any alternative that works.

dedicated

devoted to a task or purpose.

since becoming the proxy of the specialization division, ren has become focused on doing the best for his division. he makes sure to always complete his work, and do the duties expected. when he knows he is not suited to a job, he will pass it on to his proxy, or somebody who can do it right. he believes his division is his responsibility and takes his role seriously. outside of his duties, when he feels he is responsible for something or someone, he is entirely devoted to what or whoever that may be.

self-assured

confident in one's own abilities or character.

ren has a good understanding his own capabilities, and is confident in what he knows he can do. he very rarely doubts his ability to fulfill his duties, or live up to the expectations of others. he doesn't like to back down from a challenge, and is always willing to push himself. the only times his confidence wavers is when he fails to protect somebody, especially somebody he cares about.

perceptive

having or showing sensitive insight.

being the type of person who learned mostly through observation and imitation, ren is good at noticing important details. though he sometimes lacks understanding, he is good at practical application. this is particularly useful in training initiates, as he easily sees flaws and strengths in techniques and can see what changes could be made to improve.

resolute

admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.

when he sets his mind to something, ren intends to get it done, and will never give up, even if admitting defeat is the better option. he has always had a very strong sense of purpose, which often shows through his determination to protect others, or better himself. he can be incredibly stubborn, but will always find a way to get what he wants, no matter what it takes.

protective

intended to protect someone or something.

ever since the death of his sister, ren has become incredibly protective of his allies. he is hyper aware of the consequences of his actions on the well-being of others, and now that he holds a rank of power, he feels guilty when others experience pain; physical or emotional. he wants to be able to protect others from harm, but he struggles to actually help. he hates seeing harm come to others, and does his best to prevent that, whether its training initiates and neophytes to protect themselves, or by putting himself in danger for the sake of others.

dedicated

devoted to a task or purpose.

since becoming the proxy of the specialization division, ren has become focused on doing the best for his division. he makes sure to always complete his work, and do the duties expected. when he knows he is not suited to a job, he will pass it on to his proxy, or somebody who can do it right. he believes his division is his responsibility and takes his role seriously. outside of his duties, when he feels he is responsible for something or someone, he is entirely devoted to what or whoever that may be.

loyal

giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.

since becoming the proxy of the specialization division, ren has become focused on doing the best for his division. he makes sure to always complete his work, and do the duties expected. when he knows he is not suited to a job, he will pass it on to his proxy, or somebody who can do it right. he believes his division is his responsibility and takes his role seriously. outside of his duties, when he feels he is responsible for something or someone, he is entirely devoted to what or whoever that may be.

impulsive

acting or done without forethought.

basing his decisions on instinct more than anything, ren rarely follows a plan or thinks things through when he acts. he finds that when he tries to think things through he tends to overthink, and gets stuck in a cycle of doubt and worry. to counter this, make relies on intuition when he acts, and as a result can be incredibly impulsive.

unpredictable

not able to be predicted; changeable.

because ren refuses to follow plans, he is difficult to predict, and often does the unexpected. he's a 'go with the flow' kind of person, meaning that any decision or plan that he may be following can change in a heartbeat depending on the situation.

irritable

having or showing a tendency to be easily annoyed.

ren is easily annoyed by small things. compared to when he was younger, he doesn’t lash out very often, but he has been known to lose his temper and become violent. when irritated he makes sharp, insensitive comments, and often resorts to insults. his short temper can make him a little frightening to trainees, who quickly learn not to mess with him if they want to avoid a shot in the leg.

reckless

heedless of danger or the consequences of one's actions; rash or impetuous.

ren has an unnatural disregard for the consequences of his actions. he rushes into battle without thinking things through, and fights without any reservations. it is very difficult to work with him in a team, as he shows no hesitation. when he is emotional, he becomes completely irrational, completely disregarding the effects of his actions.

defiant

showing defiance.

throughout his life, ren has always had a tendency to disobey direct orders from superiors. he is an independent person, preferring to do what he wants, and will not let anybody tell him otherwise. when he is told to do something, or an alternative is suggested, ren goes out of his way to do the opposite. he doesn't appreciate being told what to do. he wants to be his own person, without being controlled by others. the only people he's ever really obeyed are yin and lena.

blunt

uncompromisingly forthright.

although he usually means well, ren is often blunt. he doesn't choose his words carefully and as a result, he is often harsh and can be incredibly insensitive. he gives his opinions freely, rarely lying and doesn't really bend the truth. he particularly dislikes the deception division, who are known for being manipulative, and liars. he tries to be transparent with his thoughts and opinions, but he can often end up hurting others without meaning to.

withdrawn

not wanting to communicate with other people.

though he's not a particularly unfriendly person, ren generally keeps his distance from other people. he prefers to keep his problems to himself and deal with things alone. he wants to support people, but he very rarely lets people grow close to him. he keeps everything that has hurt and continues to hurt him bottled up, and sometimes it becomes a little too much for him, and the only outlet is anger.

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combat

  • during his time on the interface, ren was notorious for his hybrid weapon, a set of light-weight pulse rifles that could switch into close-range bladed weapons, using a plasma based material. he became very skilled utilising these weapons, though being the specialisation leader, he was also skilled with a range of other weapons, ensuring he had as few limitations in battle as possible. he was high in ‘ability,’ which was the interface’s measurement of weapons capability, meaning his skills with weapons far surpassed those of his contemporaries. weapons were perhaps the most important element of ren’s fighting style, but since entering astralis, he has found that he must adapt to a whole new set of rules. weapons are not like what they were on the interface, and his ‘ability’ is not as valuable as it once was.
  • with death being impermanent on the interface, ren had no reservations rushing into battle, fighting to the last breath. but slowly the possibility of permanent deletion became far more common, and now, death comes far too easily. Even so, ren hasn’t quite left his reckless approach to battle behind. though reckless, he does have the skills to back it up. his aim is usually true and his skills in close-range usually unmatched, particularly in a world that has become reliant on guns and long-range weaponry. he doesn’t a follow a plan, but rather figures it all out as he goes along. though defiant, he is a natural leader, having a tendency to shout out commands, even when he is not technically in charge. it’s usually best that he is obeyed, for the sake of others. he’s been known to attack fellow teammates, an old habit from the interface, where injury was far less severe. he is relentless, refusing to give in, refusing to lose. This is more of a weakness, though, as it is likely that he’ll one day take things too far, resulting in severe consequences.

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story

the interface

Ren and Yuna grew up distant from their parents. They belonged to the Interface, raised in a war between viruses and anti-viruses. They were raised to fight, and as such Ren strived to prove himself to be as strong as his father. The twins were close, perhaps closer than most siblings. Yuna was a voice of logic and a calming presence for Ren, whose temperamental nature often got him in trouble. But when it came to fighting, she seemed to struggle. They covered each other’s weaknesses, and as they grew, it became clear how much they relied on each other.

Ren was desperate to join the Vitality Division, focused on strength and raw power, but when it came down to it he was not suited. He chose to join the Specialisation Division by Yuna’s recommendation, though he himself knew little of it. It was somewhat new, formed when the need arose in the virus force. Unsurprisingly, he slipped right in and quickly gained notoriety for his high ability. He and Yuna grew apart in, with her joining the Psychic Division they saw each other less and less. But Yuna was struggling, and the two fell into an intense argument that lead to a grew chasm forming in their relationship. In a final attempt to restore their relationship, Ren agreed to fight a battle alongside her. The two were reminded of how well they worked together, and although they were only Initiates, the two came out of the battle victorious as the sole survivors. But Yuna’s intentions were untrue. She integrated herself into the data point.

The disappearances became a pressing issue and a full rescue operation was organised. Ren volunteered to enter the point where his sister was located, alongside several experienced Viruses. He found Yuna, beaten and barely conscious, and carried her into the open. He was unaware of the Firewall lurking, and it’s attacked caused critical damage to Yuna. She died in his arms, leaving the rest of the team to escape, only barely. They knew that there would be no regeneration for her. Those who died outside of the Interface were deleted.

Ren experienced an intense pain he could not explain. He graduated from an initiate to a support, but no longer fought like he once had. He fell into a deep, psychotic depression that lasted some months. He couldn’t sleep, the pain kept him awake at night. Rather than fight battles, he let himself die over and over again, and the regeneration maintained his energy that could not be restored through sleep. He saw hallucinations of Yuna within his room, whispering lies and tainting his thoughts. He learned from his mother that the two of them had shared a bond, formed with their creation. An unnatural bond. A bond broken in her deletion. It was the source of his pain. After those months, Ren’s state improved. The pain began to ease, and he started to fight again. He pushed his hurt to the back of his mind.

Of course, his reputation for being bad-tempered soon returned. He was a prominent fighter, but disagreeable. A situation arose that resulted in him shooting a ‘friend,’ or rather a person who had been a rival of his for some time. They had been asking for it, insulting his deleted sister, but that is not what the rumours said. He was labelled a killer, somebody to watch out for who would kill viruses if they crossed him. He did not argue.

In his Division, there was one who saw something in him. Lena had previously been a Psychic, but joined the Specs Division in it’s formation as it’s proxy and was on the lookout for those who would one day lead the Division. Though the leader disagreed, she thought Ren had potential, and sought him out. She gave him a chance to prove himself, and promoted him to the assault rank. The two became good friends, and when Lena became leader, she chose Ren as her proxy.

Ren was eager to win over his Division, but it took time. He started with the neophytes and initiates, whom he was responsible for training. Though his reputation struck fear in them, they quickly discovered that he was not so scary, and he proved himself to be a worthy teacher. Older Specs were not convinced, but Ren did not mind. Above all he wanted to protect the trainees, and he figured the best way to do so was to train them to be better than any other viruses.

It was only a cycle before Lena announced her retirement. She explained to Ren that she had always intended for him to be leader. She had chosen to quit on behalf of her partner, to start a family. Though he did not feel it was in the Specs best interest, he accepted her departure. They remained close friends, and she continued to be a source of advice through his cycles as leader. Being a leader wasn’t much different from being a proxy. He struggled to find a proxy who suited him, but eventually Para stepped into the role and covered his weaknesses. Though they never formed a connection like he had with Lena, he trusted her completely.

The many cycles of relative peace were sharply interrupted by Yin’s disappearance. The viruses returned into the System, and Ren’s greatest fears were brought to the forefront of his mind. Nobody within his team died, but they came a little too close for comfort. The entire ordeal reawakened many of Ren’s buried conflicts and they began to affect his life again. It was also in relation to a growing relationship with a Balance virus. Though Kou brought him happiness, it was often shadowed by his own doubts. Kou became his source of comfort, the person he trusted above all and their relationship persisted. The two eventually bonded.

Yin’s disappearance was only the beginning of the Interface’s struggles. The arrival of the newcomers would later be realised as the beginning of the end. Strangers that belonged neither to the viruses or anti-viruses were free to choose which side they would align with. Kai had previously joined the anti-viruses for his colour, but switched to the viruses to be with Aphelion. He joined the Specs division, and began training under Ren.

When peace seemed a possibility, Mirr brought a firm end to all hope of normalcy. She wreaked havoc upon the Interface, stopping only when Yin seemed to delete her. But she had brought pockets of the System to the Interface, making the System easier to access than ever before. A truce was formed between the foreces, and for the first time the war came to a halt. Ren became intensely paranoid and began to train initiates of other Divisions in an attempt to prepare them for the dangers of the System. It caused a rift with the other leaders, but Ren had never really been one to listen. Above all, he didn’t want to let any initiates die the way his sister did. Anything he could do to prevent it, he attempted.

The Interface began to crumble, and eventually collapsed entirely. The only escape was through the System, and viruses and anti-viruses alike began a journey through the dangerous System. After a microcycle of travelling, with little rest and the deaths of a great many virtuals, they received their last message from the overlords, to integrate one last time. They entered the real world.

the war of astralis

The virtuals had never known the truth of their existence. Entering Astralis was a shock. But they escaped from one war, only to be introduced to another. They were given a choice. To fight with the resistance, or attempt to live normal lives and ignore the war the city knew. Ren and Kou chose to live a normal life, making a promise that they would not participate in the war. But Ren struggled to find a place in this world. He had spent his entire life focused on a war, he’d never developed any skills of real use. He could not find a job, and quickly grew restless. The resistance sought him out, by Kai’s recommendation. They wanted him to train those who could not fight, to join the Resistance as a full-time member. It came with a promise: when the war was over, they would find a place for him in Astralis. He was initially against it, but eventually gave in.

Ren quickly became popular in the Resistance, as his skills were far beyond anything they had seen. He quickly became familiar with their protocols, with their members. He formed friendships and he felt he belonged with them. He lied to Kou, keeping his job a secret, but it was eventually discovered. He left and moved into an inn run by Kii, who allied themselves with the Resistance. He pushed aside his guilt and shame and focused on doing everything he could to help set Astralis free. In his loneliness, he became close friends with Inna, who just like he had no place in this world.

After many months, the final plan came. Ren separated from his team to defend the civilians in the city, as a small group went in to take out the oppressors from the inside. The fight spread across the city, and in the Resistance’s final stand they were victorious. Ren was alive. The war was over. His last war.

The Resistance did not need to keep their promise. Kii offered Ren and Inna the café beside their inn. The two turned it into their home, and Ren integrated the one thing he had learned on the Interface that wasn’t fighting: gardening. The café became a joint plant nursery, and Ren found peace in his new life.

astralis after the war

The inn became Ren's permanent home, and the cafe his 'safe space.' He focused on the nursery portion of the business, going so far as to official study horticulture in his spare time and getting his certification. Inna enjoyed running the cafe and focusing on customer service, whilst Ren learned about actually running a business from Kii. The deviation from the life he'd grown up expecting took a bit of adjusting, but he was eager to live peacefully. He had, after all, originally agreed to live peacefully and steer clear of the war. This was the reward he'd joined the war for in the first place; though he would always notice the space left by Kou's departure.

Eventually Kou did return, of his own accord. Out of respect, Ren never sought him out and he genuinely didn't expect the other virtual to seek him out. The two spent hours talking out everything that happened, including Ren's decision to fight in the war as well as his refusal to be honest at the time. Ultimately, both came to an understanding. Both were not in a good place mentally, given all the events they had experienced, and this pushed them beyond what they were capable of handling. They needed to spend time apart to find themselves in this new world, and now that they were in a situation to start again.

Kou moved in with Ren again, and the two continue to live their separate lives together.

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Relationships

kou

Partner / Love / Family

Former bond partner - the two are still life partners. They prefer domestic life to the Interface.

Sweet dreams, little light.

inna

Coworkers / Friends / Family

Inna's complex history held many parallels to Ren's, and the two worked through a lot of trauma together.

Get off of me.

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