PLAYER INFORMATION Name: Kana Preferred pronoun(s): She/her Contact:c_anon
CHARACTER INFORMATION Name: Nao Mizushita Canon: Original Canon point: May 26, 2017 Age: 18
Personality:
» What traits do your character admire in a person?
At the moment, with her present level of socialization and current bonds, Nao admires agency, willpower, strength, intelligence, and heart, which not everyone has and may not necessarily be human, a distinction that occurs to and impacts her due to the Shizuoka clan's stress upon the importance of the "human heart" in relation to themselves. That's a whole thing. Will anyone ever find out? It's a mystery!
» What do they dislike most about themself?
Her inability to be free as she presently defines it, a concept she's put on a pedestal since she was a young child wishing for carefree days in the face of a clan that coldly pushed her to higher and higher levels of achievement in academics, extracurriculars, and to excel at the rigorous training and ruthless conditioning every Shizuoka must undergo... to better fulfill her role as a predestined servant to members of the clan born into the main branch of the family, and for that reason alone.
Nevermind her hopes and dreams.
Although she's lived half her life outside the clan as Nao Mizushita, she can't escape the Hunger (see: Shizuoka Status Effect: Hunger in Abilities) that actively reminds her she is a daughter of the Shizuoka clan and impacts her life and way of living. No matter what or how much she eats, she will never again be sated by normal food. She doesn't actually want to sever her bonds with her mother, father, her mother's mafia subordinates/the gangsters who looked after her as a kid, or her cousins, Sachie and Masanori; she just didn't want to have her nose pressed to the grindstone so hard that it broke under the thumb of her clan. She can't escape her nightmares about the massacre of her loved ones. She can't forget it. She can't, won't let it go and actively pursues information about the Shizuoka clan and answers as to what actually happened that night and who the hell is responsible all while denying that she is Haruka Shizuoka.
And what's she going to do when she finds out who the hell is responsible? Well, she'll cross that bridge when she gets to it. Revenge.
Despite her attempts to distinguish Nao Mizushita from Haruka Shizuoka, she is affected in every way by that person. She's a slave to the self she denies and, in actuality, greatly underestimates. Seriously, who else would trip her up this badly but herself? Powerful. Way more powerful if she'd do the whole character growth thing and reconcile those identities.
» What discrepancies are there between their inner self (who they feel they are) and their outer self (how they present themselves to others)?
Nao Mizushita Presents... as a freewheeling, quirky, audacious youth sometimes given to Big Energy with a keen pair of eyes, a curious, inquiring lilt, and the assertiveness to pursue whatever her goal. She's a resourceful, creative individual, a thinker for sure, at times effervescent, and... a bit odd.
She's a mischievous gremlin to be sure. She loves getting a reaction out of people, playing, and having fun, which may not match what most people think of as fun because she's an eccentric and a huge nerd. There are hints that she was, at one time, a bit spoilt if you squint. Maybe a little selfish. She's certainly got few if any qualms about bullying someone into carrying her a long distance before her legs are entirely tired and putting others to work in pursuit of her goals. It's things like this and her often times odd reaction or lack thereof to, say, a disastrous event where there's suffering and people's lives are at stake that can make her seem not only odd, but callous with regards to others; and yet, she's typically nonplussed if faced with weird looks.
Maybe she processes things differently?
It isn't wholly a lie. Her inner self isn't drastically different per se, but uh, more complicated, messy, and more because homegirl got some issues, y'all, and most people would never guess the extent of it.
Despite the apparent volume and energy that might suggest her to be an open book, she's a secretive individual. She holds things close to her chest and tightly controls what information she reveals about herself and her plans and to whom. Add to that her tendency to be deliberate a good 98.5% of the time and it's not hard to see how it's easily happened that a person might realize she knows a lot about them and they know very little about her. What would one expect should one happen to know she is, in fact, Pink Spider, an illustrious hacker and information broker whose true identity and face is utterly unknown to the public! That right there is the Catch 22 and maybe it's for the best a person didn't know anything about it, especially since she trollololed and taunted a police station suspected of corruption with a little ingenuity and some fun graphics.
By far the grand source of her issues is her resentment toward the shackles of her Shizuoka heritage, which she associates with her original identity, and that in its entirety is a loaded statement. The Shizuoka clan, a secretive, mixed-race lineage descended from the ancient spider goddess of Kashikobuchi, are also mafia in modern times under the overarching name "Tsukimi-gumi". Human and youkai, day and night, the proper world and the criminal underworld -- they walk them all and keep close quarters so that the acceptance of outsiders is more of a business matter. They are highly clannish with strict rules, traditions, and politics. There is a hierarchy and all branches serve the main family. And, of course, a rogue Shizuoka is a dead one. They like to keep their secrets secret and their secrets neat and tidy, so if you go rogue, break the rules, or lose your heart and sanity to the Hunger and become a security risk that could expose the clan at any level regarding any subject (crimez, that whole man-eating spider youkai descendant thing that may also lend itself to crime, etc.), you're dead.
Again, as a result of the aforementioned shackles, Nao denies and actively attempts to distinguish herself from her original identity as Haruka Shizuoka. Mind, she doesn't hate Haruka Shizuoka (yet), but her lack of acceptance of her whole self means troubled waters beneath a calm if energetic surface. As Nao Mizushita, she's free(, right?).
The fact of the matter is she is a Shizuoka. She's subtle, subversive, downright insidious, even ruthless when it suits her, and she could just as easily be a man-eater as she could a -- haha -- leader of men -- or, you know, "and"; however, she's also an individual with an often times rebellious, daring heart, tremendous willpower, and a little knack for showmanship who wants to live freely and desires connection, love, and acceptance. A well-spring of potential, she's hindered by herself before worlds -- human and youkai -- which may not accept her because of her dual nature and baby, she wants all the cake and to uh... maybe to eat it, too! With that whole denial thing, she hasn't properly worked through the whole Hunger and eating others thing, but the point is she's a true force beneath whatever mask on top of whatever mask beneath whatever mask. Masks?
Notably, while she may seem callous with respect to others' lives especially, she does, in fact, care on a general level and goes to great lengths to manage the Hunger. Her coffee "addiction"? Coffee is an appetite suppressant. The nausea triggered by blood and red meat is not at all natural to her, but something she trained as a check and aid in her youth when she was navigating puberty and the Hunger on her lonesome that may have backfired a bit. She does the whole, "Fish are friends, not food," thing, just plug the appropriate nouns in. Problem is male people especially are traditionally highly attractive food, so things can get, uh... complicated. Confusing. Food is... sexy? People aren't food!
And so, despite her status as a zoomer, technophile, and child of the Internet of All Things, she isn't necessarily the best at people, especially in person in the context of "normal," and that's before you consider the "whole sheltered and lack of normal activities with the accompanying socialization throughout her development" thing. That she's a highly intelligent neurodivergent despite her quick, calculating mind... well, sometimes it hurts and sometimes it helps; however, she doesn't let it deter her. Her desire to connect with others is powerful. It's so powerful, in fact, that it ties into her love of the Internet through which she gets the majority of her social interaction regularly.
Her alias, "Pink Spider," is manifold in its symbolism. A spider, also called a webcrawler or spiderbot, is a program typically operated by a search engine that auto-browses the World Wide Web to collect data and index websites. "To see pink spiders" means to hallucinate or see things incorrectly due to acute alcohol intoxication or withdrawal. The Shizuoka are related to the Jorōgumo -- the Joro Spider -- and pink is a loud color, not to mention her favorite. There's also the song "Pink Spider" by hide. It's through this identity that she operates as a hacker and information broker whose true face and identity are unknown, a feat easily accomplished by the use of technology and illusions. In this capacity, she's filled the position of Plot Device for many other people for so, so many reasons. Maybe even made up an excuse to do a little good for less.
Inner or outer, she's a weird chick.
» Who are two influential people in their life (can be positive or negative)?
Takuya Shizuoka nee Uegawa, her father, an accountant within the Tsukimi-gumi's administration. Let's not mince words: Haruka was, is 125% a daddy's girl, and not simply because she takes after her father from his laugh to his love of technology to the undeniable level of quirkiness that saw him 'sing' her lullabies he made up just for her in binary of all things. That helped. More than that, her father was her best friend and confidant, the person with whom she was closest and most open all-around, which, for a Shizuoka, who are taught secrecy from birth, is a very, very big deal. Huge.
He encouraged her to broaden her horizons, to dream and chase her dreams, and he believed in her. He encouraged her to think and feel, to live rather than simply survive, and he'd gladly aid and abet her in attempts... and temper her mother, a force before which only one other man could stand.
Ayame Shizuoka, her mother, an executive under Haruka's grandfather (the Boss) in the Tsukimi-gumi and subsequently queenpin of her own gang. A graceful, traditional beauty and badass in every sense, her mother was among those Shizuoka who greatly value and believe in the preservation of their human heart. Haruka was barely wiser about this; she had a strained relationship with her mother, who was very strict and constantly pushed her to higher and higher levels of achievement in academics, extracurriculars, and to excel at the rigorous training and ruthless conditioning every Shizuoka must undergo to the point Haruka began to long for carefree days. She misunderstood her mother's intentions. Ayame wanted her daughter to be capable of not only surviving, but thriving in their clan and the worlds beyond, but that's not how Haruka saw it.
Haruka saw other things. She saw the great love her mother had for her father, the power Ayame embodied and exerted, and the affection she had for her subordinates. She saw leadership, discipline, and so many more things when she did see her mother, just... not enough of what Haruka wanted to see how she wanted to see it. You know, affection. Praise rather than, "From the top." What every little girl wants from their mother, who often seemed so cold and demanding.
If either of these don't work, there is also her cousins, Masanori and Sachie; Kei Kanemaru, her favorite barista at her favorite coffee shop who happens to be the owner's son; or Hayate Kubo, her mother's right hand. She needs more social links.
» What do they get excited about?
Nao may be a weirdo with a colorful past and skillset, but she's also an eighteen-year-old girl who grasps the potential of nice things and fun moments. Technology, new patches, hacking, cats, COFFEE, ice cream in the form of dots, video games, pro-gaming tournaments -- honestly, something as mundane as a sleepover, which she probably hasn't had since the age of nine, would easily excite her as she's missed out on a lot of normal experiences.
But you know what really gets her going? A challenge. They've always been harder for her to come by, so when one presents itself, she cracks her fingers and neck and she leans forward in her seat to say the least.
Violence, blood, etc. can also be exciting, but we don't talk about that.
» What is something they are very bad at?
Cooking. The first time she tried to cook she burned water, which is why she lives off take-out and prepackaged meals, fruits, vegetables, etc.
On a more serious note, Nao can be bad at People. As a child, her intelligence alone was enough to make socializing with other children difficult. That she was a daughter of the Shizuoka clan, a secretive mixed-race lineage descended from the ancient spider goddess of Kashikobuchi, amplified and highlighted that she was different. That her family was mafia added a level. Her lack of normal, in-person socialization from the age of nine to put her over the top. She isn't anywhere near as experienced as she should be in in-person interactions and it can take her a little time to form more than superficial relationships with others or, equally an issue, none at all on the off chance she decides she wants to for whatever reason.
She's kind of chaotic like that.
» What is one thing they would tell their younger self if they had the chance?
Perhaps stupidly and quite telling is the fact that, were Nao to be confronted with say, a nine-year old Haruka/Nao, she would wind up hugging her hard and fast. She would convey so many things in that hug: understanding, compassion, love. Why? No one knows, so there haven't been hugs. There hasn't been understanding. There hasn't been compassion or love since the day of the massacre. The vast majority of the relationships she's formed since then have been superficial. She's been alone.
She isn't going to tell her younger self that it's going to be okay or, if she's crying, to stop. In fact, she'd very quietly, resolutely utter a single word in her younger self's ear:
» How do they want to be remembered?
If asked, her answer would be, "As myself," and then, she'd probably lololol and ask what kind of question that is like the darling she is. Golly, you're so serious!!!
The issue with that is she hasn't reconciled who she is. Right now, if asked, she might tell you she wants to be remembered as Nao Mizushita, free and uninhibited, but Nao Mizushita is only part of her. Still, that she wants to be remembered is very important considering Shizuoka are historically subtle, secretive beings who discourage drawing attention to themselves. That she wants to be remembered as herself, a highlight.
Notice her, sempai? But don't notice her. Shhh, shhhhhh, shhhhhhhhh.
Kana | Nao Mizushita | Original
Name: Kana
Preferred pronoun(s): She/her
Contact:
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Nao Mizushita
Canon: Original
Canon point: May 26, 2017
Age: 18
Personality:
» What traits do your character admire in a person?
At the moment, with her present level of socialization and current bonds, Nao admires agency, willpower, strength, intelligence, and heart, which not everyone has and may not necessarily be human, a distinction that occurs to and impacts her due to the Shizuoka clan's stress upon the importance of the "human heart" in relation to themselves. That's a whole thing. Will anyone ever find out? It's a mystery!
» What do they dislike most about themself?
Her inability to be free
as she presently defines it, a concept she's put on a pedestal since she was a young child wishing for carefree days in the face of a clan that coldly pushed her to higher and higher levels of achievement in academics, extracurriculars, and to excel at the rigorous training and ruthless conditioning every Shizuoka must undergo... to better fulfill her role as a predestined servant to members of the clan born into the main branch of the family, and for that reason alone.Nevermind her hopes and dreams.
Although she's lived
halfher life outside the clan as Nao Mizushita, she can't escape the Hunger (see: Shizuoka Status Effect: Hunger in Abilities) that actively reminds her she is a daughter of the Shizuoka clan and impacts her life and way of living. No matter what or how much she eats, she will never again be sated by normal food. She doesn't actually want to sever her bonds with her mother, father, her mother's mafia subordinates/the gangsters who looked after her as a kid, or her cousins, Sachie and Masanori; she just didn't want to have her nose pressed to the grindstone so hard that it broke under the thumb of her clan. She can't escape her nightmares about the massacre of her loved ones. She can't forget it. She can't, won't let it go and actively pursues information about the Shizuoka clan and answers as to what actually happened that night and who the hell is responsible all while denying that she is Haruka Shizuoka.And what's she going to do when she finds out who the hell is responsible? Well, she'll cross that bridge when she gets to it.
Revenge.Despite her attempts to distinguish Nao Mizushita from Haruka Shizuoka, she is affected in every way by that person. She's a slave to the self she denies and, in actuality, greatly underestimates. Seriously, who else would trip her up this badly but herself? Powerful.
Way more powerful if she'd do the whole character growth thing and reconcile those identities.» What discrepancies are there between their inner self (who they feel they are) and their outer self (how they present themselves to others)?
Nao Mizushita Presents... as a freewheeling, quirky, audacious youth sometimes given to Big Energy with a keen pair of eyes, a curious, inquiring lilt, and the assertiveness to pursue whatever her goal. She's a resourceful, creative individual, a thinker for sure, at times effervescent, and... a bit odd.
She's a mischievous gremlin to be sure. She loves getting a reaction out of people, playing, and having fun, which may not match what most people think of as fun because she's an eccentric and a huge nerd. There are hints that she was, at one time, a bit spoilt if you squint. Maybe a little selfish. She's certainly got few if any qualms about bullying someone into carrying her a long distance before her legs are entirely tired and putting others to work in pursuit of her goals. It's things like this and her often times odd reaction or lack thereof to, say, a disastrous event where there's suffering and people's lives are at stake that can make her seem not only odd, but callous with regards to others; and yet, she's typically nonplussed if faced with weird looks.
Maybe she processes things differently?
It isn't wholly a lie. Her inner self isn't drastically different per se, but uh, more complicated, messy, and more because homegirl got some issues, y'all, and most people would never guess the extent of it.
Despite the apparent volume and energy that might suggest her to be an open book, she's a secretive individual. She holds things close to her chest and tightly controls what information she reveals about herself and her plans and to whom. Add to that her tendency to be deliberate a good 98.5% of the time and it's not hard to see how it's easily happened that a person might realize she knows a lot about them and they know very little about her. What would one expect should one happen to know she is, in fact, Pink Spider, an illustrious hacker and information broker whose true identity and face is utterly unknown to the public! That right there is the Catch 22 and maybe it's for the best a person didn't know anything about it, especially since she trollololed and taunted a police station suspected of corruption with a little ingenuity and some fun graphics.
By far the grand source of her issues is her resentment toward the shackles of her Shizuoka heritage, which she associates with her original identity, and that in its entirety is a loaded statement. The Shizuoka clan, a secretive, mixed-race lineage descended from the ancient spider goddess of Kashikobuchi, are also mafia in modern times under the overarching name "Tsukimi-gumi". Human and youkai, day and night, the proper world and the criminal underworld -- they walk them all and keep close quarters so that the acceptance of outsiders is more of a business matter. They are highly clannish with strict rules, traditions, and politics. There is a hierarchy and all branches serve the main family. And, of course, a rogue Shizuoka is a dead one. They like to keep their secrets secret and their secrets neat and tidy, so if you go rogue, break the rules, or lose your heart and sanity to the Hunger and become a security risk that could expose the clan at any level regarding any subject (crimez, that whole man-eating spider youkai descendant thing that may also lend itself to crime, etc.), you're dead.
Again, as a result of the aforementioned shackles, Nao denies and actively attempts to distinguish herself from her original identity as Haruka Shizuoka. Mind, she doesn't hate Haruka Shizuoka (yet), but her lack of acceptance of her whole self means troubled waters beneath a calm if energetic surface. As Nao Mizushita, she's free(, right?).
The fact of the matter is she is a Shizuoka. She's subtle, subversive, downright insidious, even ruthless when it suits her, and she could just as easily be a man-eater as she could a -- haha -- leader of men -- or, you know, "and"; however, she's also an individual with an often times rebellious, daring heart, tremendous willpower, and a little knack for showmanship who wants to live freely and desires connection, love, and acceptance. A well-spring of potential, she's hindered by herself before worlds -- human and youkai -- which may not accept her because of her dual nature and baby, she wants all the cake and to uh... maybe to eat it, too! With that whole denial thing, she hasn't properly worked through the whole Hunger and eating others thing, but the point is she's a true force beneath whatever mask on top of whatever mask beneath whatever mask. Masks?
Notably, while she may seem callous with respect to others' lives especially, she does, in fact, care on a general level and goes to great lengths to manage the Hunger. Her coffee "addiction"? Coffee is an appetite suppressant. The nausea triggered by blood and red meat is not at all natural to her, but something she trained as a check and aid in her youth when she was navigating puberty and the Hunger on her lonesome that may have backfired a bit. She does the whole, "Fish are friends, not food," thing, just plug the appropriate nouns in. Problem is male people especially are traditionally highly attractive food, so things can get, uh... complicated. Confusing. Food is... sexy? People aren't food!
And so, despite her status as a zoomer, technophile, and child of the Internet of All Things, she isn't necessarily the best at people, especially in person in the context of "normal," and that's before you consider the "whole sheltered and lack of normal activities with the accompanying socialization throughout her development" thing. That she's a highly intelligent neurodivergent despite her quick, calculating mind... well, sometimes it hurts and sometimes it helps; however, she doesn't let it deter her. Her desire to connect with others is powerful. It's so powerful, in fact, that it ties into her love of the Internet through which she gets the majority of her social interaction regularly.
Her alias, "Pink Spider," is manifold in its symbolism. A spider, also called a webcrawler or spiderbot, is a program typically operated by a search engine that auto-browses the World Wide Web to collect data and index websites. "To see pink spiders" means to hallucinate or see things incorrectly due to acute alcohol intoxication or withdrawal. The Shizuoka are related to the Jorōgumo -- the Joro Spider -- and pink is a loud color, not to mention her favorite.
There's also the song "Pink Spider" by hide.It's through this identity that she operates as a hacker and information broker whose true face and identity are unknown, a feat easily accomplished by the use of technology and illusions. In this capacity, she's filled the position of Plot Device for many other people for so, so many reasons. Maybe even made up an excuse to do a little good for less.Inner or outer, she's a weird chick.
» Who are two influential people in their life (can be positive or negative)?
Takuya Shizuoka nee Uegawa, her father, an accountant within the Tsukimi-gumi's administration. Let's not mince words: Haruka was, is 125% a daddy's girl, and not simply because she takes after her father from his laugh to his love of technology to the undeniable level of quirkiness that saw him 'sing' her lullabies he made up just for her in binary of all things. That helped. More than that, her father was her best friend and confidant, the person with whom she was closest and most open all-around, which, for a Shizuoka, who are taught secrecy from birth, is a very, very big deal. Huge.
He encouraged her to broaden her horizons, to dream and chase her dreams, and he believed in her. He encouraged her to think and feel, to live rather than simply survive, and he'd gladly aid and abet her in attempts... and temper her mother, a force before which only one other man could stand.
Ayame Shizuoka, her mother, an executive under Haruka's grandfather (the Boss) in the Tsukimi-gumi and subsequently queenpin of her own gang. A graceful, traditional beauty and badass in every sense, her mother was among those Shizuoka who greatly value and believe in the preservation of their human heart. Haruka was barely wiser about this; she had a strained relationship with her mother, who was very strict and constantly pushed her to higher and higher levels of achievement in academics, extracurriculars, and to excel at the rigorous training and ruthless conditioning every Shizuoka must undergo to the point Haruka began to long for carefree days. She misunderstood her mother's intentions. Ayame wanted her daughter to be capable of not only surviving, but thriving in their clan and the worlds beyond, but that's not how Haruka saw it.
Haruka saw other things. She saw the great love her mother had for her father, the power Ayame embodied and exerted, and the affection she had for her subordinates. She saw leadership, discipline, and so many more things when she did see her mother, just... not enough of what Haruka wanted to see how she wanted to see it. You know, affection. Praise rather than, "From the top." What every little girl wants from their mother, who often seemed so cold and demanding.
If either of these don't work, there is also her cousins, Masanori and Sachie; Kei Kanemaru, her favorite barista at her favorite coffee shop who happens to be the owner's son; or Hayate Kubo, her mother's right hand. She needs more social links.
» What do they get excited about?
Nao may be a weirdo with a colorful past and skillset, but she's also an eighteen-year-old girl who grasps the potential of nice things and fun moments. Technology, new patches, hacking, cats, COFFEE, ice cream in the form of dots, video games, pro-gaming tournaments -- honestly, something as mundane as a sleepover, which she probably hasn't had since the age of nine, would easily excite her as she's missed out on a lot of normal experiences.
But you know what really gets her going? A challenge. They've always been harder for her to come by, so when one presents itself, she cracks her fingers and neck and she leans forward in her seat to say the least.
Violence, blood, etc. can also be exciting, but we don't talk about that.
» What is something they are very bad at?
Cooking. The first time she tried to cook she burned water, which is why she lives off take-out and prepackaged meals, fruits, vegetables, etc.
On a more serious note, Nao can be bad at People. As a child, her intelligence alone was enough to make socializing with other children difficult. That she was a daughter of the Shizuoka clan, a secretive mixed-race lineage descended from the ancient spider goddess of Kashikobuchi, amplified and highlighted that she was different. That her family was mafia added a level. Her lack of normal, in-person socialization from the age of nine to put her over the top. She isn't anywhere near as experienced as she should be in in-person interactions and it can take her a little time to form more than superficial relationships with others or, equally an issue, none at all on the off chance she decides she wants to for whatever reason.
She's kind of chaotic like that.
» What is one thing they would tell their younger self if they had the chance?
Perhaps stupidly and quite telling is the fact that, were Nao to be confronted with say, a nine-year old Haruka/Nao, she would wind up hugging her hard and fast. She would convey so many things in that hug: understanding, compassion, love. Why? No one knows, so there haven't been hugs. There hasn't been understanding. There hasn't been compassion or love since the day of the massacre. The vast majority of the relationships she's formed since then have been superficial. She's been alone.
She isn't going to tell her younger self that it's going to be okay or, if she's crying, to stop. In fact, she'd very quietly, resolutely utter a single word in her younger self's ear:
» How do they want to be remembered?
If asked, her answer would be, "As myself," and then, she'd probably lololol and ask what kind of question that is like the darling she is. Golly, you're so serious!!!
The issue with that is she hasn't reconciled who she is. Right now, if asked, she might tell you she wants to be remembered as Nao Mizushita, free and uninhibited, but Nao Mizushita is only part of her. Still, that she wants to be remembered is very important considering Shizuoka are historically subtle, secretive beings who discourage drawing attention to themselves. That she wants to be remembered as herself, a highlight.
Notice her, sempai? But don't notice her. Shhh, shhhhhh, shhhhhhhhh.