Post by Marcus Cole on Jul 11, 2014 4:04:34 GMT -5
-Opening-
Password 1: Kuroi's Shoes
Password 2: Midgets Can't Dunk
Type: Shadow (+ Speed, +Str, -RS, -SpPr, +Instinct, -Senses, -ES)
Affiliation: Unaffiliated (Though he works in Uzaki Enterprise)
Rank:2
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-Basic Information-
Name: Marcus Cole
Real Age/Age of Appearance: 20/20
Birthday (Month/Day): 07/10
Blood Type: AB-
RP Sample (Optional): Any threads including Himitsu Misute and Kagami Murai
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-Appearance-
Height/Weight: 6'0"/160 lbs.
Physical Description:
Marcus is not the type of person that attracts attention, and his appearance represents his affinity for the audience rather than the stage. He may be quite handsome, but in a way that only surfaces when someone notices him standing on the back of a room or sitting on a table alone. Before we take a look at the details of his apperance, let's start with the big picture and slowly zoom in. Marcus stands at an average height of 5'10". He's not particularly skinny, but neither is he overweight. From a general standpoint, Marcus isn't an eye-catcher. He's more like fine wine, more of an acquired taste that takes a little while to see the good side of.
It's best to go from top to bottom, so why not start with Marcus's head? He has smooth, dark hair that settle in a slightly untidy fashion above his eyes. There's nothing particularly out of the ordinary about his eyebrows or mouth, and his nose is neither long or short, big or small. Even his ears are the same size that one might consider average. However, his eyes shine on brightly on his face. They are a Caribbean Sea blue, seeming almost transparent. Marcus doesn't try to hide his shyness, and his eyes reflect his timid feelings to anyone that happens to be paying attention. They're not a piercing color that get your attention quickly, but, if you look for them, you'd be taken back by their allure.
Marcus has a decently long neck connecting his head to his body. Overall, he has quite the physique behind his clothes. Due to an intense amount of training since he was just a toddler, his muscles are well defined and chiseled. His pectoral muscles (wow, that felt weird and scientific to type) are outlined and elevated significantly from his chest. Behind his shirts and clothes, Marcus hides a definite eight pack. With all the stress he puts on keeping himself at a physical peak, his body can only display the amount of effort he's put into working out.
It has been established that Marcus is quite muscular. His slightly broad shoulders help him keep up a lean physical build, though, just like many other things about him, his physique isn't very noticeable unless someone specifically looks for his abs or shoulder size or arms. His biceps are large, round hills sitting on his inner arm that are matched by slightly smaller, yet still large triceps on the opposite side of his arm. His waist, just a tiny bit smaller than his shoulders, leads to his lean thighs and well-rounded calves that are also a result of his extensive training. And to finish off his appearance, he wears size 11 shoes (Not that it matters, it just would have felt wrong to ignore his feet).
It's been explained that Marcus likes to stay low-key, so his clothes don't stand out, nor do they make him stand out. Shorts and t-shirts wouldn't do much to hide his muscular build, so he instead usually wears pants, long-sleeve shirts, and jackets. It's not uncommon to see him in jeans on a warm summer day, though he doesn't go so far as drowning in his own sweat from the heat to keep his athletic body hidden. There was a time that he owned only a few articles of clothes, but now that he works at Uzaki Enterprise, he has a full closet with enough clothes to prevent him from wearing the same thing every couple of days.
Marcus isn't a stranger to suits. After all, as a high ranking employee and official of Uzaki Enterprise, he needed clothes to wear when taking care of business matters. The typical suit one might see Marcus wearing while he is representing Uzaki Enterprise is a nice, high-class gray suit. The jacket, pants, and tie are usually all grey. However, over his white shirt, Marcus's favorite tie has a solid light blue color that matches his eyes perfectly. He typically wears plain black dress shoes. In addition, his belt buckle has the same blue bird symbol that is on the necklace of his second Fullbring.
Marcus, when fighting hollows and other threats, wears a black suit made by Uzaki Enterprise for safety and defense. The suit absorbs damage without making combat any more difficult. It has flexible dark grey plates that provide for protection and elasticity. Marcus decided to add some custom design to his personal suit and include a dark blue streak running down the arms and across the chest. When his secondary Fullbring's level 2 release is activated, the blue bird symbol glows within the boundaries of the blue streaks.
The only part of Marcus's body that the suit does not cover is his head, leaving any hits to the face unprotected. However, for comfort reasons, that is a risk Marcus is willing to take. However, he has a special eyepiece that partly acts as a mask and partly as a tool for combat. This eyepiece is dark enough to hide his eyes, but has several technological functions. It may grant him night vision if he sets it on that mode, it may act as sunglasses, it may show heat readings through infrared, or it may even just protect his eyes without changing his vision at all.
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-Personality-
Dislikes:
- Attention - Marcus is the type of person that likes to avoid the spotlight at all costs, as a result of his stage fright. As long as he's somewhere nice and quiet off to the side with no one to both him, he's happy.
- Hypocrisy - Marcus not the talking type, so he judges people off two things: what they say, and what they do. If those two things conflict, than Marcus's perception of the person plummets.
- Personal Questions - As mentioned above, Marcus isn't the talking type. He gets nervous and can't hold a conversation on his own too well. Therefore, he'd rather not get asked any questions, because then, of course, he'd be expected to answer.
- Racism - Marcus doesn't judge people based on their race or appearance, but based on what they do and say, the most important things that define them. Race is just the cover of a book.
- Competition - Competitiveness is unappealing to Marcus for one main reason; it draws attention to him, which is a big no-no.
- Alcohol - Alcohol brings out the demons in people and shackles their judgement. A drunk Marcus is a stupid, social idiot that won't seem to ever shut up. It's the opposite of Marcus in actuality, so he avoids it.
- Fighting - Fighting is usually one on one, and there's no situation where that doesn't throw Marcus a microphone and put a spotlight on him. Therefore, he only fights when necessary, and he doesn't enjoy doing so.
- Partying - Social gatherings. Yikes. There are very very few circumstances where one might see Marcus at a party of any kind, situations that usually involve him there on behalf of Uzaki Enterprise.
- Death and Loss - Marcus knows what it's like to lose everything and be degraded into a shadow of a person. Therefore, he resents the loss of life for anyone, not just himself or the people close to him.
- Hate - Anger obscures judgement, kind of like alcohol. Actually, I take that back. It's more like cocaine, since it fuels people with rash negativity. Marcus avoids hate as much as he could and tries to keep his emotions nicely balanced and neutral.
- Players/Heartbreakers - Men and women who toy around with others for a night or so don't have real emotions. Marcus might be too shy to share his inner thoughts, but the people who hook up with random people for no reason are fake on the inside.
- Liars - I've mentioned this quite a bit, but just to restate it, Marcus judges people based off their words and their actions. If those two things don't match up, then they're fake, which puts them into the category of 'bad people.' Not the best category to be in.
- Sports - Competition that involves the world watching you through television? Yay! #Sarcasm Marcus might watch sports, but it's rare that he'd ever play them, especially if anyone happens to be watching the game.
- Airplanes - Marcus's got his own set of metal wings that are much more reliable than airplanes, so why suffer for several hours on an awful flight when he could just transport himself?
- Danger - Danger means fighting. Fighting means fighting people. Fighting can also mean pain. Marcus wouldn't mind avoiding both those things.
Likes:
- Kazura Uzaki - Marcus idolizes the man that took him in and gave him a purpose. Without Kazura, he'd pointlessly live his life taking on any unpleasant mercenary jobs he could for both the spiritually aware and the not.
- Solitude - Marcus likes to be alone. That way, no people would force him into unpleasant social situations where he would have to... god forbid.... talk.
- Music - The most beautiful thing about music is that it doesn't require talking. In fact, it can even turn an awkward conversation into a comfortable silence while the music plays, discouraging any talking.
- Animals - You know who can't talk? Animals! What better companions for Marcus to have if he doesn't want to be forced into interactive socialization.
- The Dark - It's like silence but for light. The dark is just a comfortable void with no demands from Marcus, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
- Technology - It makes everything easier. Getting from point A to point B, talking to colleagues, keeping up with the news, and especially managing Uzaki Enterprise's finances.
- Exercise - Working out keeps Marcus's body at its peak while sharpening his mind. The added discipline betters him as a person as well. And, best of all, it helps him stay sharp  while fighting along side or on behalf of Kazura if any situations demand him to do so.
- Coffee - Coffee also keeps Marcus's mind keen and is especially helpful in the morning. And, best of all, coffee tastes amazing! As long as it's not black, of course.
- Circuses - Marcus grew up in a circus, and even though he no longer preforms at all, it's nice to watch other acrobats preform, leaving him comfortably seated in the audience.
- Jokes - Marcus can't tell a joke for his life, and he doesn't want to either. However, he doesn't mind hearing or reading the occasional good joke, just as long as he doesn't laugh too loudly or draw attention to himself.
- Working - Marcus's life over the past couple of years has been dedicated to serving Kazura and working in Uzaki Enterprises. It gives him a clear purpose, and that visible motive is what he likes to work towards.
Flaws:
- Shy - Marcus doesn't like attention. He's way more comfortable in the back of the room or on a table for one. That way, he's not bothered and gets to enjoy himself alone.
- Reluctant to Fight - Marcus doesn't jump into fights. Those one on one competitions don't exactly appeal to him, so he avoids fighting as much as he can, which can sometimes bite him in the rear end.
- Self-concious - Marcus doesn't speak much, but if he does, his fear of being judged negatively by others doesn't causes him to stray from situations that may otherwise help him.
- Poor Social Skills - Marcus can't hold a conversation very well, and the result of him trying is equally painful for him as it is awkward for the person at the other end of the dialogue.
- Takes Things Personally - Marcus believes that everything said or done has personal motives behind it, and any criticism direct towards him is always taken to heart, further lowering his self confidence.
- Blind Loyalty to Kazura - No matter what Kazura does or says, Marcus feels like he's in an eternal debt to him and will follow any order that the man tells him to. Even if the command doesn't seem very righteous, Marcus trusts that Kazura has his good intentions behind everything that he does.
Habits:
- Checking his Pocket Watch - Marcus's pocket watch, aside from being his main Fullbring, is a very important object to him. It's a family heirloom that connects him to his deceased parents, and the picture within it takes him on a trip down memory lane every time he looks at it. He'd constantly open the timepiece just to get that flashback-like nostalgic feeling.
- Exercising - Marcus is the type of person that likes to work out whenever he's troubled with anything or has free time on his hands. If you're looking for him when he's off from work, the gym is probably a good place to start.
- Stuttering - Marcus can't speak properly, whether it's keeping a conversation going of physically making out the words. His speech always breaks into terrible stutters that only make him more nervous and uncomfortable, as well as the listener in most cases.
- Sitting Alone - Marcus can go loner mode a lot of the time, and it doesn't mean much to him. He's just more comfortable that way, but it may be strange for people to constantly notice him sitting in silence on some table in the corner, though Marcus sees nothing wrong with it.
Fears:
- Death - Marcus has yet to figure out who or what he wants to live for, and, as of now, his life revolves around helping Kazura and working in Uzaki Enterprise. He feels like he hasn't truly gotten a full taste of life and fears never getting that opportunity.
- Stage Fright - Ever since his parent's death just before he left the circus, Marcus has lost his will to preform and has built up more of a fear to being under the spotlight. Attention just isn't his thing anymore, not after the accident that set his life on its dark course. He didn't need to be reminded of that incident.
- Losing his Value - Since he was orphaned, Marcus has been cast out from one place to another, always feeling unwanted or being used for the self benefit of others. Now that he has a home and a real life, he is scared to lose his usefulness and be thrown out once again.
- Airplanes - Marcus can fly on his own, thank you very much. He doesn't need to be carried by big metal birds with a bit of a reputation for not landing one hundred percent of a time. Marcus will gamble with his life some other time, maybe, but not with airplanes. 
Goals:
- Serving Kazura - Uzaki Enterprise has been the center point in Marcus's life around which almost everything he does revolves. There are the occasional astroids and meteors that stray from that main focus, but Marcus plans on devoting most of his efforts into bettering Uzaki Enterprise and working under Kazura. It builds an identity for himself while he helps Kazura shape the world and make humans independent, as they should be. 
- Becoming the Strongest Human - Marcus works his ass of everyday to strengthen himself. He does so for many reasons, one of which is to better serve Uzaki Enterprise. However, by making himself as powerful as possible, he also disciplines himself through exercise and pushes himself as a person to the limits. Strength builds character and character shapes strength, so Marcus wants to better his character through gaining more power.
Alignment: Passive Neutral
Overall Personality:
Marcus is a very reserved kind of guy. He's not the type of person that speaks whatever on his mind. In fact, it's rare for the man to speak at all. He keeps his thoughts to himself and has a hard time voicing his opinions and emotions to anyone really, even Kazura, the man that he pretty much idols. Good luck trying to initiate a conversation with him. It'll turn into a one-way dialogue really quickly, especially if he doesn't know you very well. Anyone that understands Marcus knows how futile it is to converse with him.
Now, let's take a look behind that steel wall of awkwardness, shyness, and self-conciousness, where Marcus actually has a sliver of personality. This may be tied to his lack of self-confidence, but Marcus is a really easygoing guy. He just goes with the flow, and if things don't suit him, he adapts. No point in trying to redirect the river because of a pebble when the water can just move around it.
Marcus has a hardcore work ethic. Most of what he does is for Kazura, and he throws one-hundred and ten percent of himself into the tasks he's given, whether they be managing some finances, going on more spiritual-orientated missions for the man, or anything in between. Even in exercising and working out, Marcus goes all out, pushing himself to his limits and beyond so that it could pay off in the long run.
Marcus always seems to question himself. Even in an action he preformed a million times, if there's something at risk, he can't help but doubt himself. Part of the reason why he trains so hard and puts so much effort into what he does is because he's trying to get himself to have more faith in himself. But after all that training and all his success, the lurking presence of failure still haunts him and brings up second thoughts with ever action. With every step he takes, there's always a chance for a misstep. 
People say that you only know the true value of something after you lose it. Marcus had lost everything he had, belongings, purpose, home, several times. Now that he's settled with Uzaki Enterprise, he had finally found a stable place for him to stay and live his life. However, he doesn't undermine the worth of each of his luxuries. Marcus wouldn't risk losing what he has now for anything. And for that reason, he devotes everything he has to what he does. Marcus's faith lies completely in Kazura Uzaki and he would follow that man wherever he goes.
Marcus seems like a really serious guy, but he really isn't. It's just that all his insecurities and timidness, he puts up so many walls around himself that take a long time to tear down. Even around Kazura, it's more of a leader-follower relationship. Marcus really hasn't had the chance to open himself up to anybody yet, but whoever's the first to do so would be surprised to see how bright he is. Marcus actually has a laugh, and a voice. If there's someone that he doesn't fear losing not because they don't mean anything to him but because he knows there's no chance of them tossing him out, Marcus would actually talk and have a good time, not holding anything back.
Marcus's mind is crippled. He had been broken several times in his life, and at times, he's only a shell of a person. Sometimes, Marcus may randomly suffer from anxiety attacks, whether they are triggered by something or just spontaneous. His mentality and sanity seems to always be on the edge, as delicate as glass. If its dropped again, he may never recover. At least he has started talking, since he wouldn't open his mouth for a good five years of his life. He's recovering, but its a slow process. He still cries at night.
Because Marcus's mind is so shattered, he has a hard time acting normal. Speaking isn't hard for him just because of his nervousness and self-conciousness. It's mentally difficult. His stuttering is due to his mental instability, and although its getting better, he still stutters after every word and has a hard time communicating. That may be why he prefers dealing with finances. You never have to talk to numbers. If anyone cared, then they refer to the business people, but Marcus can handle finances easily and quitely without speaking a word.
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-Powers-
Fighting Style:
Marcus Cole is not an opponent one should take lightly. His modest may be misleading, and those who underestimate him will discover their mistake far too late. Marcus specializes in close combat, whether it be hand-to-hand or with weapons. His uncanny speed, surprising strength, and sharp instinct make him a formidable opponent in martial arts. Even against long-ranged specialists, he takes advantage of his agility and speed to close gaps and keep pressing the offensive, always planning on finishing the battle as quickly as possible. Marcus doesn't enjoy fight. Therefore, when he is forced into a combat situation, he hopes to end it as quickly as possible.
The martial arts that Marcus has trained and mastered is calling Escrima, an art originating in the Philippines. Even among other forms of combat, Escrima is known to be one of the most fast-paced and brutal. Escrima is a versatile martial arts that when fused with Marcus's other acrobatics and fullbring allows the human to maximize his agility. Escrima is the perfect martial arts for Marcus's up-beat, pressing fighting style. The unrelenting nature takes away the opponent's opportunity to find time and space to formulate a retort.
One of the most important aspects in Escrima is the rapid bombardment of attacks. Marcus fights best when he always presses the offensive and pushes forward against his opponent. Whether he uses his preferred Escrima sticks or his fists, this martial arts allows Marcus to follow one strike after another, keeping his opponent on the defensive and retreat. Escrima is all about getting as many hits in the smallest amount of time. With one offensive maneuver, Marcus's attacks may make contact several times before his opponent is given a chance to counter. For example, his fist may connect with his target's jaw, inner arm, and chest before the opponent can find the time and opportunity to retaliate.
When it comes to hand-to-hand combat, Marcus doesn't have the luxury of a sharp weapon to pierce through skin. Therefore, he targets open weak spots of his opponents such as the eardrums, vulnerable area between the abdomen chest that knocks the wind out of his targets. He also goes after the insides of the wrists, elbows, and even the jaws. He uses his upper arms and hands to block when necessary. And with Marcus's superior speed paired with the fast nature of escrima, he can exploit several of these weak spots in one rush.
However, escrima is a martial arts that could easily be paired with the blunt weapons known as escrima sticks. They are a approximately 26 inches long and Marcus may choose to wield either one escrima stick or two, though he prefers two. With one escrima stick, he may use his available hand to limit the target's ability to block and maneuver by grabbing their wrists, a common practice in escrima. However, with two sticks, Marcus may advance with a more pressing attack and alternate with the sticks in manners that prevent the foe from having enough time to retaliate. While the blunt weapons don't make the best tools for cutting and drawing blood, Marcus takes advantage of his superhuman strength to cause heavy damage. The sticks are also quite useful for countering swords and other blades, as well as non-bladed weapons.
There is another highly focussed technique honed and perfected in the art of escrima. Footwork is trained just as much as the physical body of the combatant is, for, especially in close, fast paced fighting, the user is always aware of themselves and has options on where to maneuver for both offensive or defensive purposes. Escrima breaks down the positions of the feet into a triangle. Each foot's initial position is a point while the top is where one of the feet is meant to move. By keeping track of the positions of your feet, you may strengthen your pose as well as press forward against the opponent much more easily.
Pivoting is an especially useful skill in escrima. From an offensive standpoint, it could be frustrating if the opponent has a defense between himself and Marcus. The best and fastest way to bypass such a defense would be to pivot around the target and send swift jabs to his sides, ribs, or even lower back. If the hit is strong enough, it could break a rib, and even if it lacks power, the sides and lower back are natural weak points on the body. In addition, pivoting may also be applied for defensive purposes. If the opponent is fast enough to keep up with Marcus in close quarters, than in order to evade his enemy's attacks, Marcus may either pivot back to gain better positioning or pivot forward to evade the foe's assault and retaliate with a counterattack.
Marcus has his own custom escrima sticks, courtesy of Uzaki Enterprise. One of their effects is to send a burst of electricty from the tip. These shocks are powerful enough to cause much more damage than first degree burns. However, they do send focussed electrical impulse that numb the muscles in the area that was hit, an effect that can make it even easier for him to control the flow of the fight. However, there is an even better property that these escrima sticks hold. If two are put together at the ends, they extend a little bit from the interior to form a two meter staff that has the same numbing property as before.
Marcus's style with the staff is a mix of the strikes and grips of Hapkido with the fast pace and footwork of escrima. An overhead strike from the shaft may easily be followed by an underhand strike with the opposite end. From there, all it takes is a little spin to get a new angle and Marcus can repeat the same process, forcing his opponent to block against back-to-back strikes coming from two opposite sides. From an escrima perspective, where defensive actions are decided by the angle where the attack is coming from, those combos with the staff can be very dangerous. What only makes them more threatening is the numbing effect if an electrically charged end makes contact.
There are several reasons why Marcus might switch to the staff over the escrima sticks. One of the largest reasons is the fact that many people use bladed weapons with much more reach than the short 26 inch escrima sticks. However, with a staff, Marcus wouldn't be at the disadvantage of lacking the same range as those other weapons. He could now handle attacks from swords better, and even menacing scythes as well. The staff also allows him to switch up his fighting style. While escrima may be chaotic and confusing to an enemy, using the staff has its own unique lack of predictability that can throw an enemy off if they feel that they're finally catching on to a possible pattern with the previous weapons.
Marcus started the first few years of his life as an acrobat. The trapeze was his speciality, and it takes a lot of training, discipline, and flexibility to succeed in the circus. Marcus was known as one of the youngest and best when he was a child, and those skills never left him. Even after he was taken in by Kazura and began working in Uzaki Industries, he continued to advance his acrobatics along side his normal combat and physical training regimens. The more he developed his aerialist skills, the better he could fuse it in combat with his fullbring as well as escrima, improving his agility and maneuverability in fights.
Let's first see how gymnastics can be paired with escrima. First of all, escrima stresses the importance of footing, and acrobatics help achieve perfect awareness of the body as well as accuracy and discipline when making any movement. That mastery of balance amplifies the effectiveness of escrima. This could only improve Marcus's close-ranged combat against more physical opponents. Even with the pivots used constantly in escrima, the improved agility that comes with being a trapeze artist is a huge plus that could even save his life when he spins past attacks that go just a couple of inches to his side or over his head. That's when his flexibility and gymnastic skills really count and can determine the final outcome of a heated battle.
Acrobatics are also essential for Marcus if he's ever forced on the defensive against ranged strikes. It could be fatal to close the gap of space between Marcus and his assailants directly, so he has to zig zag from side to side until it is possible for him to engage his foes in close quarters, where he has the upper hand. If speed alone fails Marcus against any projectiles, by applying his mastery of acrobatics, he can more easily dodge the attacks and his evasiveness increases. He also has more skill dodging physical strikes as well in close-combat. Overall, his flexibility is an incredibly useful tool in his arsenal for him to have.
Movement, being the human equivalent of the Shinigami's Hoho and Arrancar's Sonido, is an incredibly useful set of techniques. The sudden and huge speed boosts allow Marcus to close in gaps against long-range specialists. It also comes in handy for some more large-scale dodges that he might have to make if he didn't have enough time to escape taking damage without the stepping technique Bringer Light. Even the original form of movement is useful in approaching his targets quickly or retreating, depending on the battle situation.
Another very useful movement variation is Bringer Flash. It's the human equivalent to Shunpo Karin, and especially with Marcus's fighting style, it's incredibly valuable and effective. As mentioned earlier, escrima is all about getting as many essential hits as possible in the smallest time frame. Bringer Flash allows Marcus to increase the amount of times his hits make contact with the opponent. In addition, Bringer Impact helps him get in a powerful strike with the two part command, a very good opener before he started pressing his opponent back.
Main Fullbring Appearances: 
Sealed
The released form of Marcus's Fullbring begins as nothing more than an ancient family heirloom, a golden, circular pocket timepiece with a small chain at its top. It looks semi-valuable, but that may only be because of the tangible ancient atmosphere around the pocket watch. The hours are numbered with traditional silver roman numerals, and the hour, minute, and second hands are all silver as well. The timepiece has a white face and the entire thing has a radius of only about one inch and fits quite easily into Marcus's pocket.
The watch has a round metal piece that covers its face, attached to the timepiece with a hinge and small lock. On the outside, it is just as lustrous, golden, and smooth as the rest of the pocket watch. On the inside however, while it mirrors its exterior but with a concave bend instead of a covex one, it also holds a picture of a very young Marcus with his hair messed up and sweat pouring down his face after a performance. He was wearing his circus costume when it was taken, and the picture helps him look back and reflect on his past and how much had changed.
Level 1
When he releases his Fullbring, the pocket watch does the complete opposite glow. It radiates darkness. The golden shine turns black and seems to draw light in, not reflect it. However, it still maintains its metallic look. Even the face and hands of the timepiece darken. The watch would begin shivering at first. However, these trembles would soon turn into violent tremors over the span of two seconds. From that point on, the now pitch black watch would explode into metal pieces that gather in the air and move as a unit to Marcus's back.
The first thing to form was a black, metal spine that perfectly alligned with Marcus's vertebrae. It started at the base of his neck and ended at his lower back. The remainder of his fullbring soon followed. Two wings were formed mid-air before they connected onto the ebony spine. They are equal in every way and rest comfortably on the Fullbringers back, joined by the black spine that had preceded them.
The wings are not by any means ordinary. The way they are constructed resembles the scales of a fish. They are thin, razor sharp metallic pieces placed over each other in a pattern that narrowed until it formed the shape of wings. The wings don't have just one layer of scales. In fact, it has about 15 thin blankets that make them about 6 inches thick. These layers partnered with the scale-like pattern allow the wings to be very flexible. They can not only move forward and backwards but up and down as well, including any other direction Marcus wishes them to.
The scaly pattern also has other advantages. Because of its orientation, it can allow the wings to bend and move in any direction available. However, it does one more thing too. It can allow the wings to extend on contract by modifying the space between the metal strips that compose the wings. The wings could be made to fit perfectly in the boundaries of Marcus's back or extended outward up to three times his arm's length, giving him a huge reach advantage.
Each metal strip isn't long enough to make up the full height of the wing, so they're layered in the same pattern as well. Therefore, the height of the wings may very depending on how much Marcus wants or needs them to extend. They could be as thin as the boundaries between his shoulders and waist, or they could stretch out to be a good foot taller than Marcus. This flexibility of size is one of the most useful aspects of the wings. In addition, the wings emit a black fog that will be elaborated on in his Fullbring Property 1 section. The fog engulfs him and causes him to appear like a Death Eater from Harry Potter as he moves, shrouded in the dark mist.
Level 2
When his Fullbring is further released into its level 2 stage, not much differs from its previous experience. However, upon activation of the release, the wings expand slightly to make thin openings between the feathers. The wings go from having a dark silvery appearance to radiating a pitch black color, darker than the moonless, starless sky. Even more, the wings are far larger than before. They have expanded now to a size where Marcus's full wingspan is about half a football field. They are five times as tall as Marcus, making them capable of destroying entire houses and buildings just with their size and strength.
In addition, while the black fog continues to pour out of them, it also shoots up into the sky, forming a cloud that extends in a circle with a half-mile radius that has the fog rain down, engulfing all that lie under the cloud. This cloud also expands, stretching another quarter of a mile in each direction with each post, traveling at a speed of 800. The opponent would have a difficult time outrunning the cloud while fighting Marcus.
Main Fullbring Name: Wings of the Night
Main Fullbring Level 1 Property:
Marcus's Fullbring is based off its name, the phrase "Wings of the Night." The wings that Marcus sprouts are the first property of his Fullbring, and are much more powerful than they appear at first. The wings are by all means definitely not for show. As mentioned above, they may expand and contract as much as Marcus desires them to, so that they could even fit into the outline of his back or stretch out to a height that is one foot taller than Marcus and a length that is three times longer than his arm length on each side. The wings are flexible enough, due to their scale-pattern formation, to bend sharply from any point and move in any direction.
Although the wings, constructed from spiritual metal, seem quite heavy, they are in actuality quite light. If one compares the hollow bones of birds to the overall mass of the bird, the wings to Marcus have the same ratio of weight. Therefore, because the wings have the same strength and speed as Marcus, they allow him to lift himself off the ground and fly even in areas without air ground with just a few flaps. Marcus's flight at full speed is half as stamina draining as it would be for him to run at the full speed, both of which are maxed out at his speed stat. Another important difference between flight and running is that after Marcus's stats are reduced after a certain amount of combat posts due to the Rogue type, his flight speed is not cut and keeps his speed stat after the type without the reductions.
Although the flight aspect of his Fullbring is unbelievably useful, it still comes second to their primary use. These wings can act as an additional set of limbs for Marcus. They retain both his strength and speed, though when Marcus's stats are cut due to the Shadow type, the wings continue to move with their prior speed and strength because they simply do not tire Marcus as much as his organic body does. The wings can be used in close combat in order to defend or even make additional attacks against a target while Marcus does the same with his fists.
The most important aspect of Marcus's power is the fog emitted by his wings. This passive ability activates as soon as Marcus Fullbring is released. As said in the description, the wings expand miniscually and a black fog emission almost immediately shrouds the human. The mist of darkness never seems to stop flowing out of the wings. In addition, the fog multiplies by itself so that even after Marcus leaves a location he was previously near, the fog would continue to spread out from that location. After one post, it would have spread out 10 meters in each direction. One post later, it would have spread out an additional 20 meters. The more the fog multiplies, the faster it spreads, and it cannot be vaporized. The black cloud completely blocks out any light. Anyone inside the fog wouldn't be able to see their own eyelashes.
Marcus, however, would be perfectly aware of where everybody is and their exact positions in the mist. Because it is composed of his reiatsu, the mist sends signals back to him that notify him of not just the presence of his enemies, but their location and the exact positions of their body. If their middle finger is extended, Marcus would know. If they pick their nose, Marcus would know. It allows him to fight very effectively in close combat situations because while he is aware of his enemies, they cannot see him through the fog. Only he can see through it like it wasn't there.
There is a small issue regarding one using his energy sensory to locate Marcus through the fog. However, because the mist is composed of his reiatsu, it maintains his reiatsu signature. Therefore, it while Marcus remains in his fog, which is always because the mist comes out of the wings planted on his back, it is impossible for anyone, however acute their energy sensory may be, to pinpoint his exact location. On top of that, the enemy cannot see in the mist, and scent and sound is completely absorbed by it, rendering almost all the senses useless. Only one with a senses stat of more than 200 would be able to see blurry images and hear muffled sounds through the fog. One with more than 300 would be able to see and hear as though they had a senses of 50. No above-average sensory is possible in the black cloud. Only one with senses of 500 or more would be able to completely nullify its sense-impairing effects. The fog is the perfect embodiment of the mystery and uncertainty of the night.
Main Fullbring Level 2 Properties:
Black Steel
This technique allows Marcus to solidify any part of the black fog, whether he is in contact with it or not. He can form the black mist into solid objects that he can grab out of the fog. However, if he summons them out of his immediate range, they will simply clatter to the ground without anyone to catch them. Marcus can not only fashion weapons through his technique but also manipulate the form of the weapons while they're in his hand. He could use a sword and bend it mid-slash, a maneuver they could very well catch his opponent off guard.
Marcus may also use this property to create barriers within the fog. He can fashion it into walls, and all things made with Black Steel have the durability of Marcus's strength and follow the same durability rules as spiritual steel. Along with walls, Marcus can also create tiny needles that can be inhaled, scratching the opponent's throat, mouth, and lungs. In addition, if an opponent inhales his black mist, he can still solidify it while it's in their lungs. It costs 100 reiatsu to solidify an amount of the black fog that is less than Marcus. However, anything that is equal to or larger than him would cost 200 reiatsu.
Midnight Feathers
There are time's when Marcus's mastery of close-combat is unsuited for certain situations. For example, he may have a difficult time closing the gap of distance between himself and a long-range specialist. Another possible scenario is if his opponent manages to avoid his fog and keep Marcus at a safe distance at the same time. The wings have only so much reach, and Marcus may have to resort to ranged combat. This property is designed for the Marcus to be able to do some damage despite any space between himself and his opponent.
With a flap of his wings, fifty feathers from each metal limb shoots out towards the opponent, each 'feather' moving at a speed that Marcus could flap his wings. The feathers themselves sharpen as soon as their launched, allowing them to penetrate the skin of anyone who is it. Their offensive stat is determined by Marcus's strength and they travel at a pace of Marcus's speed. From each feather, whether they hit or not, the feathers would begin to spew the black fog mentioned above. If the feathers impale the target, then the smoke engulfs them and follows them everywhere they go, preventing them from escaping it. The use of this technique has a cost of 200 reiatsu.
Shadow Body
This technique creates an invisible extension of Marcus's body all around him. All punches are now extended at a maximum of a meter outwards, and an opponent wouldn't be able to see the larger outline of Marcus's form. All punches would be able to connect from a distance without an opponent knowing. And, best of all, Marcus can modify how far out his invisible shell extends. His punches may have no additional reach at all or even use the full extra meter. He can expand and contract the shadow body in an instant with just a silent mental command.
Shadow Body is not completely undetectable though. It is true that no amount of stat points in sense would be able to see the technique, but energy sensory is capable of doing so. One with an energy sensory of one hundred would be able to notice a vague sense of an extension of Marcus's body around him. Only with an energy sensory of two hundred would one be able to clearly see the outlines of Shadow Body and detect when it contracts and expands. However, with an instinct of two hundred or more, someone would be able to notice its presence but not define it's boundaries. A 2 in Focused Eye would also be able to vaguely visualize the shadow body, but a 3 in Focused Eye would make it possible to clearly see the extension of Marcus's body.
Secondary Fullbring Appearances:
Marcus's second Fullbring seems like the least threatening object he has on him. It is a simple necklace that he usually keeps tucked behind his shirt, out of sight. He's not ashamed of it or anything like that, but it was precious to him and he wanted to keep it as close to his chest as possible. The necklace is a simple, black string with an uncomplicated lock at the end that allows him to clip and unclip it when putting it on and taking it off. However, it is rare that he does take it off out of fear of losing it.
(Click to See the Symbol on the Necklace) The most important part of the necklace is the glass, semi-transparent symbol at the middle that hangs behind Marcus's shirt. It is a blue eagle-like bird. The bird is almost perfectly symmetrical. There are two clips on each wing that divide the wings into three parts. There diamond-like tail at the bottom of the bird. The head, however, is turned to the left if one looks at it although they were looking at Marcus. The symbol represented his family's trapeze act in the circus when he was younger, and it, like his main Fullbring, reminds him of his past.
Release
Upon the Fullbring's release, the light blue bird begins to luminesce, shining with a light blue light. The bird begins to lift itself from Marcus's chest, pulling on the string keeping it around his neck until the lock on the strick somehow unclicks itself. The bird hovers in the air in front of Marcus for a few seconds, still glowing before it duplicates into two birds. From there, each symbol flies at his palms, implanting themselves in them so a faint blue light in the shape of the bird shines through the skin on the inside of his hand.
The two new birds pull themselves out of his palms, while the other symbols remaining glowing in his skin, and merge back into one. However, this time, the symbol is larger and shines even brighter. The new version of the bird floats into Marcus's chest, the light still visible through his skin and clothes. If he is wearing his combat suit from Uzaki Enterprise with the blue streaks across his chest and arms, the blue bird's symbol would glow within the boundaries of the blue on the suit.
Secondary Fullbring Properties:
Marcus's secondary fullbring deals with the most admirational aspect of the night. While his primary fullbring embodies the mystery and darkness, this power reflects the bright, powerful stars that light up the midnight sky, scattering hundreds and thousands of shining specs like grains of sound. There's a reason that they were believed to have been holes between the human world and heaven, and this fullbring deals with the power of a star.
Stardust Punch
This technique launches a string of invisible stardust through Marcus's fists that extend for one hundred meters instantly after they are released, the specs of stardust moving at a speed of light. They also leave a trail of stardust, and the only way they can be detected is with an energy sensory of over 200. The stardust is shot out with every punch Marcus makes, and it passes through all physical objects. If one of the objects it passes through is hollow, it will leave its trail of star dust within that object as well. The same goes if it passes through a person. Also, it sticks to objects that go through it, so an opponent that passes through the stardust trail would have stardust clinging to his skin. It can be inhaled as well.
The stardust alone is not harmful at all. However, with nothing more than a mental command, Marcus can give the stardust the most prominent properties of stars as their life comes to an end; a super nova. Because of its molecular size, the stardust will not be able to explode with full force, like a true star. However, it will instead burn away into pure energy, both cooking anything or anyone it touches as well as leaving second and third degree burns on their skin where it contacted them. He can cause them to burn with a mental command and a payment of 150 reiatsu. They can burn holes into internal organs completely, scorching stomachs, lungs, hearts, and even creating openings in their victims' bodies. However, after causing two bursts of stardust to burn away, Marcus gains first degree burns on his fists. Another two uses would give him second degree burns on his fists.
Super Nova
Marcus has invented this technique to emulate a dying star. However, while a super nova occurs when a star collapses on itself, Marcus's technique has a different approach. He expands outwards by converting his physical body into reiatsu, creating a large explosion with the same force as his strength that consumes all with a lower offensive stat within twenty five meters.
However, if someone's offensive stat is less than twice Marcus's strength, they will, instead of being vaporized by the blast, suffer second and third degree burns all over the areas that the explosion made contact with. It sears through clothes and, even if the target has Hierro, they cannot escape cooking in the 100 billion Kelvin hot flames that are just as powerful as a true super nova. One could feel the heat wave from a mile away, or even an inch away from the explosion. Only those with more than two times his highest offensive stat may completely nullify the effects of this technique, except for the cooking.
That is only the primary effect of the Super Nova, however, for Marcus would not be so foolish as to sacrifice himself in the midst of a fight and fail Kazura. The Fullbringer has the opportunity to reform his body from his reiatsu anywhere within 100 meters of his initial location, even if there is a barrier, such as a wall, between him and the location he chooses to respawn in. Essentially, it's alternate purpose is teleportation to escape an attack from all sides. Picture that scene from Star Wars: A New Hope when Han, Leia, and Luke are trapped in the trash compactor. If Marcus was in the same situation, and had no allies nearby, he would just explode and reform on the other end of the wall, as long as there is room for him to recreate his physical body. Coming back to life takes half a second and occurs immediately after he initiates the explosion. However, Marcus can only use this technique three times per thread, and each time he does, it costs his 500 reiatsu as well as fatigues him greatly, adding one additional combat post to the stamina count he receives as a Shadow. Also, during the first use, Marcus suffers first degree burns all over his body. However, when used the second time, he gains 2nd degree burns all over his skin.
Other Techniques:
Mastered = *
Willpower
Technique Name: Physical Manifestation: Willpower*
Class: 3
Technique Type: Other
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects:
Willpower is a technique that is available to most who dwell within the human world, and has a variety of effects that make it a versatile and useful technique. This technique is one that manifests the willpower of the physical body. It essentially causes spirit and physical body to "become one" and merge their powers. There are two uses of it. The first is a non battle use, and is the main use. The main use is simply to know the technique, which slows the aging process of the body and allows the possessor to live easily as long as a Shinigami or Arrancar. This is a will-based technique, however, and thus, if will vanishes, so does its power to stop the aging, which quickly catches up. Mod Souls and Bounts have a minor version of this part at all times, which allows them to age slowly at all times; humans and Quincy learn this version at Class 1.
Willpower has three stages that are associated with it, as listed below:
[Stage One: Cog]: By giving up 100 Reiatsu, the user pumps an explosive amount of intimidating power out. Anyone of inferior class will immediately be intimidated. This does not mean they won't fight. Those who are weak enough in comparison will feel a huge, exaggerated surge of power that will probably make them surrender. This can also be used on Hollows to actually scare them away instead of having to kill them. This does NOT work on animals! It only works on "intelligent beings." This means unless it has a similar to human intelligence, this wont' work on an animal.
[Stage Two: Pulley]: This causes physical output to increase based on draining spiritual energy. It costs 400 reiatsu. When activated, it increases physical stats by 50%. However, it causes the skin to begin to blister from pumped out Reiatsu. Essentially, skin begins to burn. It's a quick burn. Within 5 posts, burning will start to become quite serious. On top of that, statistic gain is lost by the post, starting after the second post of this being active. After that time, 10% of the gain is lost every post. It can only be restored by sacrificing 150 Reiatsu per 10%.
[Stage Three: Gate]: This has no initial cost. Reiatsu strength and Spiritual pressure (but NOT Reiatsu amount) both double. From there, reiatsu output goes up, meaning that costs are also doubled for everything. On top of that, 100 reiatsu is lost per post until this is deactivated.
Drawback: See each individual stage. Atop that, when Willpower is learned, it comes with all three stages, but costs double the TTP to learn. Humans, Mod Souls, Quincy, and Bounts only.
Output
Technique Name: Output*
Class: 2
Technique Type: Other
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects:
This technique is one that makes use of the body directly, using the user’s spiritual strength to increase the body’s capabilities in specific ways. Like Willpower, this technique comes in stages as well, but is limited to two:
[Stage 1: Push]: This power coats the user in a sort of "Output Aura." It does two things. First, awareness can extend out by two more inches. This means someone will become more aware of an incoming attack two inches of distance from the attack earlier than normal. It means that one can try to use this to predict enemies, though not as successfully as actual prediction or reading. The secondary point expands "damage." Essentially, it bypasses defenses. A human using this is completely immune to cutback effect regardless of state, and this extends to weapon uses too. Hierro is also completely ignored during use of Push. This defense ignoring is only present during physical attacks. Reiatsu-based strikes can still meet Hierro resistance. This lasts for 5 posts, and costs 100 Reiatsu.
[Stage 2: Impact]: This stage can be used only for physical confrontation. When activated, hit strength quadruples. This means that one can activate it while punching an enemy. If the user has 200 strength, that strength will count as 800 during the instance of the punch. This is very physically draining, and quickly exhausts the body's nutrients. It shortens lifespan to use too often, and it weakens stamina very quickly. This lasts for 1 post, and costs 200 Reiatsu.
Drawback: See specific stages.
Movement
Technique Name: Movement*
Class: 4
Technique Type: Other
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects:
This is a movement technique. It's to keep up with things like Shunpo or Sonido. While all races using this have their own variant of a step technique already, this one is pretty much an in-general type of move. It attunes the physical body to the reiatsu in the air, rather than spiritual to spiritual. It is now physical to spiritual. This allows the user to step at 3x speed for the cost of only 25 Reiatsu. This technique does not take up a technique slot.
How to use technique: Focus the body’s energy and release during a step. This technique can be broken off in the middle of its use. Unlike other step techniques, this one can be repeated while in the middle of the previous one, allowing someone to change their movement course in mid movement.
Drawback: None
Technique Name: Bringer Light*
Class: 4
Technique Type: Human Technique
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects:
This is the stepping technique for humans. It increases their speed for a single step by 10 times for 50 Reiatsu. It leaves a column of flickering light in the place where the user previously occupied. Unlike other steps, this one can be used to build speed. If used in succession, the speed and cost go up with each additional step. The second step is a 13x increase, and costs 100 Reiatsu. The third step is a 15x increase, and costs 200 Reiatsu. From there, the cost doubles with each additional step, and the speed increase goes up by 1 time. Meaning the fourth step is 16x and 400 Reiatsu, the fifth is 17x and 800 Reiatsu, etc. Though at first the column of light is visible where the user was, once the third step is reached, the column of light is no longer there. This technique does not take up a technique slot.
How to use technique: To work, this technique manipulates the soul in whatever the user is standing on, allowing for feats such as high jumping, or the step which increases speed.
Drawback: None
Technique Name: Bringer Flash*
Class: 4
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): Human Technique
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): Humans only
Technique Element: Movement
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect): This technique was created in order to counter similar techniques, such as Shunpo Karin and Sonido Garra. My using the same concept as Bringer Light and focusing it on a single limb, one can move that single limb at 5x normal speed, for 50 reiatsu. Unlike the other variations, and just like the original version, Bringer Flash can continually gain speed upon repetitive use. The second use would bring the speed to 7x, at 100 reiatsu. The third use would bring the speed to 9x at 200 reiatsu. After this, each use brings the speed up by 1x as well as doubling the cost each time its speed is increased.
How to use technique (How is it activated?): By manipulating the souls in ones muscle they are able to force it to achieve a higher level of speed than before. This often leaves the users arm emitting green reiatsu like steam.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc) The initial cost for this technique is 50, but for each use causes the price to double like the original Bringer Light. Secondly, if constantly used in the same limb the person will begin to experience muscle tearing. If used three times by the same limb the user will feel great pain in that limb as the muscles tear. If used two more times in the same limb the user will loose use in that arm for the remainder of the thread unless healed.
Made By: Zack Jensen
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No to Humans, impossible for any other race to learn it.
Technique Name: [Bringer Impact]
Class: [4]
Technique Type: [Martial Art/Step Technique)]
Usable By: [Humans (or others that can learn Bringer Light]
Technique Element: [Physical]
Technique Description and Effects: [This technique is a basic extension of the Bringer Light and Bringer Flash line of techniques. Those techniques focus on pure speed, but no matter how fast they go, they aren't actually very good for hitting someone! That is because Bringer Light and Bringer Flash are one-part soul commands. This technique is slower than the others, but that's because it's a two-part soul command. The first soul command is simply a slowed down version version of Bringer Flash. The second is what makes this technique powerful. The second soul command is used to manipulate the air around the arm of the fullbringer, making a wall of force that smashes into the opponent. The air coating is nearly skin-tight though. It only extends an inch off of the limb being used for this technique. Like all other techniques in the Bringer series, this one can get more powerful and more costly with additional uses.
Mechanically, the ability works as follows. For purposes of the attack, speed is doubled. The impact strength of the attack is half of the attack's speed. This is because it's an attack based on raw speed. Subsequent uses can choose to double the reiatsu cost to add 1 more to the speed multiplier. A second use would be triple the attack speed, a third use would quadruple it, etc. Because the impact strength is determined by the speed, it rises with subsequent uses of the technique. The first use has impact strength equal to the user's (not the attack's) current speed. A second use would have impact strength equal to 1.5x their speed, and a third use would have impact strength equal to 2x their speed. This only applies on attacks made in the same post.]
How to use technique: [Explained above.]
Technique Drawbacks: [High reiatsu cost for low speed compared to Bringer Flash, and requires a Rank 2 in some form of martial arts or street fighting. The thin layer of soul commanded wind can only lessen the damage from smacking someone way harder than your body usually can. Still, unless you spam the heck out of the technique, it can prevent it from getting too bad. The more times the technique is used successively (within the same post), the faster the damage is pushed along. The self-damage scales on the following system.
1st use each post = 1 point
2nd consecutive use in a post = 2 points
3rd consecutive use in one post = 3 points
Nth consecutive use in one post = n points
2 points: Slight Strain. Limb is a bit harder to use, but not in major pain.
4 points: The muscle is significantly damaged. Using the limb is considerably more challenging, and may be impossible without proper skills.
6 points: The bones of that limb receive hairline fractures. Further force will shatter the bones beyond repair.
8 points: The limb will be completely useless without healing. The muscles are so damaged that moving it is impossible, and the bones are so shattered that it can neither support weight nor be used for any purpose.
Points toward these drawbacks accrue regardless of whether or not there is time between uses, and regardless of what limb is used. Healing can reset the damage, but not the points themselves. This means that even if the physical damage is healed, further uses will instantly push you to the higher levels of drawbacks. The only way to reset the points is to enter a new thread or have an extended (6 hours or longer) rest with no combat or other strenuous activity.
Made By: [Pie]
Reserved?: [Nope!]
Ninja Art
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Decoy]
Class: [6]
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): All Races
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
By ingraining ones reiatsu into a kunai, the kunai now imitates the user's reiatsu signature perfectly, making it useful as distractions while a main attack is being launched on an opponent's blind side.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before it is thrown.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost, this technique is easy to overcome if the opponent can see very clearly that it is merely a kunai, not the user. Therefore, in situations where the opponent can see the user, it is useless.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only):
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Jet]*
Class: [5]
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): All Races
Technique Element: Air
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
Charging a kunai with reiatsu may allow the user to focus that reiatsu on one part of the kunai and activate it, causing the air on that side of the projectile to fill with kinetic energy and explode with movement. The air would throw the kunai in the opposite direcition from which the energy was released, allowing it to change trajectory after it is released.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before it is thrown. Activate it with a mental command.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost, this technique must be prepared before it is activated.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only):
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Bubble]*
Class: [4]
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): All Races
Technique Element: Air
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
The user creates a bubble of reiatsu around a kunai, containing a high-concentration of air that's struggling to burst out of its invisible shell. If the air bubble is breached, the air pushes back on whatever opened it. For example, if a blade cut an opening in the bubble, the high-pressure air would flow from the opening and push back the blade with a force equal to the user's reiatsu strength while allowing the projectile to continue traveling unobstructed in the same direction. In addition, this bubble lets the Kunai ricochet. If it bounces off a wall, the bubble would pop and the burst of air would propel it at the angle that it contacted the wall on, allowing it to bounce off and move toward the target with a new angle.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before it is thrown.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost and the fact that it has to be prepared before being thrown, if the kunai hits the target before the bubble bursts, the bubble will save the target.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only):
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Electric Impulse]*
Class: [3]
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): All Races
Technique Element: Electricity
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
Upon activation, the kunai releases an electric impulse that catches anything within two meters of the projectile. Anyone within this range would be subject to first and second degree burns on their body as well as a heavy numbing effect that slows and weakens them physically, reducing all of their physical stats by 20% for three posts.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before it is thrown. Activate with a mental command.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost, this technique must be prepared before it is activated.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only):
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Tri-Shadow]*
Class: [2]
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): None
Technique Element: None
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
This technique is the most powerful and most difficult to execute correctly. The reiatsu cost is split between three kunai. The kunai are meant to be thrown and form a triangle. Anyone caught in this triangle would be completely paralyzed for one post, regardless of reiatsu strength difference.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge three kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before they are thrown. Activate with a mental command.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost, this technique not only needs to be charged before a kunai is thrown but it also has a difficult set up, requiring the opponent to be in the triangle for them to be caught. This technique is extremely draining on one's stamina and can only be used once per thread, regardless of whether the first attempt fails or succeeds.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only):
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Technique Name: [Ninja Art: Flash]
Class: 6
Technique Type (Kido, Hollow/Arrancar Technique, Human World Dweller Technique, Other): General
Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): All Races
Technique Element: Light
Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect):
For two posts, a flash of light is emitted from the kunai, blinding anyone who looks at it.
How to use technique (How is it activated?):
Charge three kunai with reiatsu through physical contact before they are thrown. Activate with a mental command.
Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc)
Other than reiatsu cost, this technique must be prepared before it is thrown.
Incantation and Effect (If Kido only): 
Made By: Nightwing
Reserved? (Yes/No) (Can others use your technique, or just your character?): No
Starting Items:
Item Name: Suit Mk I
Item Type: Armor
Item Description: This suit is pretty basic, for someone with the money with which to buy it. It’s a high impact resistant material, which can absorb 100 stat strength. Any higher, and the wearer will start to feel the impact. It is a dark grey color, and can be equipped with a custom symbol for an extra cost.
Cost: 5000 Ryo (5500 with symbol)
Item Name: Escrima Sticks/Staff
Item Type: Weapon
Item Description: Escrima sticks are blunt 28 inch long weapons from the Philippines used in the martial art Escrima.  These Escrima sticks, made of a light-weight spiritual steel, may also be connected at the handles to form a staff that is not much shorter than five feet tall.
Price: 10,000 Ryo
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-History-
Birthplace: Karakura Town
Current Residence: Karakura Town
Memorable Figures: Nathan Cole (Father), Jenna Cole (Mother), 'Father'/The Challenger, Dr. Christoph Heimer (Doctor that Delivered Marcus When He Was Born), Kazura Uzaki
History:
Chapter One
Marcus has lived a difficult life from birth. It all began in Karakura Memorial Hospital on a summer night, July 10, 1985. Marcus's mother, Jenna Cole, seemed calm and strong, despite the difficult pregnancy and painful labor, while Nathan Cole, the father, was panicking, always asking how Jenna was feeling while his legs shook like San Francisco in 1989. In other words, it was almost like a normal day for the family. Jenna was always in control and certain while Nathan couldn't even think about his beautiful wife or newborn child coming to harm without moaning with dread. He was a strong man, but he was over-protective of his family.
It was three hours after Marcus's birth, and Jenna was exhausted, sitting with her hand between Nathan's arms while he talked to her about their son's life as an acrobat, and how they would form a legendary trio in the circus. Jenna would smile, and occasionally comment about prioritizing his studies and making sure that preforming as a trapezist is what he would want to do, not something he would be forced to do. Of course Nathan would agree, but it always seemed to slip his mind that his son would have his own agenda to live by, not his father's.
To them, it would feel like they fell asleep mid conversation. After all, they were both unbelievably exhausted, Nathan from worrying and Jenna from the actually act of giving birth, though Nathan did seem a little more tired. When they would wake up in a couple of hours, they would shrug it off. They wouldn't realize that a battle raged on in that timespan, and that the reason for their unconsciousness was because a nearby heavy spiritual pressure knocked them out immediately. Only one man would realize that there were thirty hollows hovering above the roof of Karakura Memorial Hospital, hungry for the lingering souls who's bodies had recently passed away. And that man was holding baby Marcus.
Dr. Christoph Heimer was his name, and he had a deep dark secret that he had spent his life running from. Dr. Heimer was a Quincy, and quite a powerful one at that. He had trained up till the age of twenty under his extremist parents who were devoted to the Vandenreich. Christoph even got to the rank of Captain, though was far stronger than the average Quincy Captain. In fact, he wasn't far under the power of a General. The problem was that Christoph was not suited for battle, and fighting in the front lines went against his ethics of taking a life. To put it simply, Dr. Heimer deserted his position, changed his name, and hid in Karakura where he studied to become a doctor. It all seemed like the perfect plan to avoid combat. Well, until that night at least.
Dr. Heimer detected the hollows immediately, and his eyes widened in morbid surprise. His first act was to set the newborn baby in a crib and leave a nurse to look after it. The second step would be for him to meet the Hollows on the roof in order to eliminate them. But with that many Hollows, Christoph knew that he would have a hard time. His legs quivering slightly, the nervous doctor decided to take the elevator in favor of the stares. When he appeared on the roof, he was greeted with a nice red blast of reiatsu that would sure demolish half of the roof, as well as all of Christoph. The Quincy, however, was prepared. He broke through the blast by shooting an arrow straight through it, causing the Cero to destabilize and disappear before it could do damage to the building. The first Hollow was caught by surprise and the arrow shattered its bone mask, killing it instantly.
The remaining beasts knew what to expect, though. There were still 29 left, all of equal or greater strength than the last one. How could Dr. Heimer possibly stand a chance? He had a few tricks up his sleeve, a way to cripple all of the Hollows at once. With his free right hand, Christoph released an orb that slowly floated to the center of the group of Hollows before stopping. The Hollows wouldn't get a chance to question what it was before the orb exploded into hundreds of arrows, which would kill several Hollows as well as injure most of them. By the end of that wave of attacks, there were 13 Hollows left, 9 of which were injured. They decided that it was time to go on the offensive.
A tiger Hollow appeared beside Heimer with no warning, using some sort of stepping technique. It would have made a gash in his side, breaking two ribs, with a swipe of its paw had the doctor not reacted. He managed to leap away from the beast just in time to avoid getting damaged, though the claws did tear through his white coat. With the brief opportunity he had, Heimer managed to put an arrow through the Hollow's skull, immediately killing it. However, the death of the tiger did have one purpose. It distracted the Quincy from noticing the Bull charging from behind.
Heimer noticed the beast's heavy footprints right before it hit, and had just enough time to dive to the side. However, he wasn't fast enough to prevent the Hollow from making a gash in his leg. Christoph put an arrow to end its life, and moved on to the remaining Hollows above. One by one, they all fell. A few caused him some minor injuries like that cut to the leg and a bruised shoulder. However, he did leave the roof with two broken ribs after a clash with a rhino-like creature, a hole in his stomach from what appeared to be a dark, twisted version of a unicorn, and a concussion after getting smashed by a gorilla's animal fists. All in all, though, he was thankful to be alive.
Christoph was glad that he had protected his new home, though it was at the cost of his health. He would recover as fast as any other forty year old man would, however long that may take. As he limped his way to urgent care, he smiled at the newborn baby he had just helped deliver earlier that night. Little did he know that the battle above had set the events in Marcus's life in motion. With so much reiatsu output nearby, Marcus had just become spiritually aware, though no one knew it yet.
Marcus has lived a difficult life from birth. It all began in Karakura Memorial Hospital on a summer night, July 10, 1985. Marcus's mother, Jenna Cole, seemed calm and strong, despite the difficult pregnancy and painful labor, while Nathan Cole, the father, was panicking, always asking how Jenna was feeling while his legs shook like San Francisco in 1989. In other words, it was almost like a normal day for the family. Jenna was always in control and certain while Nathan couldn't even think about his beautiful wife or newborn child coming to harm without moaning with dread. He was a strong man, but he was over-protective of his family.
It was three hours after Marcus's birth, and Jenna was exhausted, sitting with her hand between Nathan's arms while he talked to her about their son's life as an acrobat, and how they would form a legendary trio in the circus. Jenna would smile, and occasionally comment about prioritizing his studies and making sure that preforming as a trapezist is what he would want to do, not something he would be forced to do. Of course Nathan would agree, but it always seemed to slip his mind that his son would have his own agenda to live by, not his father's.
To them, it would feel like they fell asleep mid conversation. After all, they were both unbelievably exhausted, Nathan from worrying and Jenna from the actually act of giving birth, though Nathan did seem a little more tired. When they would wake up in a couple of hours, they would shrug it off. They wouldn't realize that a battle raged on in that timespan, and that the reason for their unconsciousness was because a nearby heavy spiritual pressure knocked them out immediately. Only one man would realize that there were thirty hollows hovering above the roof of Karakura Memorial Hospital, hungry for the lingering souls who's bodies had recently passed away. And that man was holding baby Marcus.
Dr. Christoph Heimer was his name, and he had a deep dark secret that he had spent his life running from. Dr. Heimer was a Quincy, and quite a powerful one at that. He had trained up till the age of twenty under his extremist parents who were devoted to the Vandenreich. Christoph even got to the rank of Captain, though was far stronger than the average Quincy Captain. In fact, he wasn't far under the power of a General. The problem was that Christoph was not suited for battle, and fighting in the front lines went against his ethics of taking a life. To put it simply, Dr. Heimer deserted his position, changed his name, and hid in Karakura where he studied to become a doctor. It all seemed like the perfect plan to avoid combat. Well, until that night at least.
Dr. Heimer detected the hollows immediately, and his eyes widened in morbid surprise. His first act was to set the newborn baby in a crib and leave a nurse to look after it. The second step would be for him to meet the Hollows on the roof in order to eliminate them. But with that many Hollows, Christoph knew that he would have a hard time. His legs quivering slightly, the nervous doctor decided to take the elevator in favor of the stares. When he appeared on the roof, he was greeted with a nice red blast of reiatsu that would sure demolish half of the roof, as well as all of Christoph. The Quincy, however, was prepared. He broke through the blast by shooting an arrow straight through it, causing the Cero to destabilize and disappear before it could do damage to the building. The first Hollow was caught by surprise and the arrow shattered its bone mask, killing it instantly.
The remaining beasts knew what to expect, though. There were still 29 left, all of equal or greater strength than the last one. How could Dr. Heimer possibly stand a chance? He had a few tricks up his sleeve, a way to cripple all of the Hollows at once. With his free right hand, Christoph released an orb that slowly floated to the center of the group of Hollows before stopping. The Hollows wouldn't get a chance to question what it was before the orb exploded into hundreds of arrows, which would kill several Hollows as well as injure most of them. By the end of that wave of attacks, there were 13 Hollows left, 9 of which were injured. They decided that it was time to go on the offensive.
A tiger Hollow appeared beside Heimer with no warning, using some sort of stepping technique. It would have made a gash in his side, breaking two ribs, with a swipe of its paw had the doctor not reacted. He managed to leap away from the beast just in time to avoid getting damaged, though the claws did tear through his white coat. With the brief opportunity he had, Heimer managed to put an arrow through the Hollow's skull, immediately killing it. However, the death of the tiger did have one purpose. It distracted the Quincy from noticing the Bull charging from behind.
Heimer noticed the beast's heavy footprints right before it hit, and had just enough time to dive to the side. However, he wasn't fast enough to prevent the Hollow from making a gash in his leg. Christoph put an arrow to end its life, and moved on to the remaining Hollows above. One by one, they all fell. A few caused him some minor injuries like that cut to the leg and a bruised shoulder. However, he did leave the roof with two broken ribs after a clash with a rhino-like creature, a hole in his stomach from what appeared to be a dark, twisted version of a unicorn, and a concussion after getting smashed by a gorilla's animal fists. All in all, though, he was thankful to be alive.
Christoph was glad that he had protected his new home, though it was at the cost of his health. He would recover as fast as any other forty year old man would, however long that may take. As he limped his way to urgent care, he smiled at the newborn baby he had just helped deliver earlier that night. Little did he know that the battle above had set the events in Marcus's life in motion. With so much reiatsu output nearby, Marcus had just become spiritually aware, though no one knew it yet.
Chapter 2
Marcus had a nice, loving young life. He was raised in Haly's Circus, always traveling with his parents wherever the circus had a show and watched them preform. They were the famous Flying Coles, and they had not-so-secret ambitions to turn their duo into a trio. Marcus was trained in acrobatics starting at age 2, when his parents took careful steps in preserving his flexibility. It wasn't until he was six years old, though, that he could build up enough strength to support himself on the trapeze. By age ten, he was old and strong enough to preform along side his parents. They were the famous Flying Coles, and people from all around came to primarily to watch them preform. However, their best show was always at Karakura, their true home.
And the shows they put on their were magnificent. Most of the time, it would be Nathan and Jenna on the trapeze with the net below them on fire, or no net at all. Each year, they added more and more dangerous twists, and they always somehow succeeded. The crowds would cheer at the top of their lungs in excitement as the Flying Coles bowed. Even when Marcus was old enough, his parents never let him try these exclusive-Karakura stunts. They claimed that he wasn't ready, and although deep down he agreed with them, Marcus's ambition was too strong to not desire sharing the stage with them. This is the Marcus from a long time ago, the boy that wanted to please the crowds and be the center of attention. This was the bird before it lost a wing.
The circus was a very productive place for Marcus to grow. He received a home education not just from his parents, but also from the other performers and even the owner himself. It was with the owner that Marcus learned more advanced math, such as calculus and statistic, but that level of education only started after he turned twelve. Marcus wasn't only treated with the opportunity to learn academic skills but also physical techniques. There were these two Pilipino stick fighters that excelled in the martial arts called escrima. When Marcus was eight, just as he began getting his body into its peak, they gave him basic lessons: hand-to-hand manuevers, footwork techniques, and even styles with escrima sticks. However, Marcus soon fell in love with the martial art and asked them for more advanced lessons on a daily basis, whenever they could spare the time. Marcus was an escrima master by the time he turned twelve, and he kept going from their until he had almost surpassed his masters.
Marcus had friends while traveling with the circus. He couldn't possibly be expected to grow up without any peers. Plenty of people in the circus started families and lives together, especially one as prosperous as Haly's Circus, so it wasn't unusual to see a couple of toddlers running around. However, Marcus never seemed to get close to the other children. They always played together in groups while he focused on training and improving himself as a performer. He surprised everyone with his work ethic and ambition. Some believed that he prevented himself from having a real childhood and even encouraged him to take a break and play, but Marcus felt that practicing and getting better as an acrobat was the best way to spend his life. He didn't want to be like his parents, he wanted to be even better. Marcus could never understand his child self when looking back. His ambition and confidence had been crippled ever since that incident, and it was never going to heal. 
Dr. Heimer stayed close to the Cole family as well. He would always visit whenever their circus traveled back to its yearly venue at Karakura. He developed a close bond with the parents while Marcus was still young, and made an effort to do so party because he understood the spiritual awareness Marcus developed as a newborn from the exposure to such a chaotic fight. As Marcus grew older, Heimer acted more as a Godfather, and watched the child train and, eventually, preform along side his parents. For some reason, the Quincy felt some pride at seeing Marcus excel, even though the child wasn't his own. And, better yet, Heimer was happy to see that Marcus hadn't developed his reiatsu skills at all, nor did he pursue his powers as a Fullbringer. All Dr. Heimer wanted was for Marcus to live a normal life. To bad things don't always go according to plan.
Chapter 3
It was showtime. Marcus was thirteen at the time, and they had just arrived at the venue for the last show of their yearly tour in Karakura. Marcus was beyond excited, because his parents had finally permitted him to join them in their spectacular finale. Marcus had been training for years, and upon getting his parents' approval, his work ethic had only doubled. Every night, he would collapse unable to move after another grueling day of training. And, of course, he could look forward to the same routine at the brink of dawn the next day. All that effort was being put into one moment, and that moment had arrived.
Not long after they arrived in Karakura, Jenna and Nathan Cole received word from Dr. Heimer that he had tickets to their show that night. Marcus was even more thrilled. With each minute, he was continuously getting more and more psyched. Most might get nervous at the thought of a huge performance looming so closely. Marcus was a different story. His whole body and mentality gravitated towards preforming in front of the largest audience possible. He was born a star and lived his life in pursuit of that destiny. This night, however, would change everything. Marcus would be broken beyond repair, and even to this day, there hasn't been anything that could put back his pieces.
The plan for the night's show was going to be by far the most dangerous stunt the Flying Cole's had ever pulled off. Firstly, the safety net below them would only act as another hazard. Not only would it be there, but also it would be lit on fire, threatening to scorch the trapezists  just above it. In addition, most of the swings acrobats use would have two ropes on each end connecting it to the top of the tent. However, the Coles were going to preform with swings that were connected by one net along the middle, making it several times more difficult to balance. Any slip or slight mistake would lead to certain death.
Maybe things would have gone differently had the timing not been so unfortunate. Fate has an evil way of going about its business, and that night's events would set Marcus down a terrible dark road. Just as the show was about to begin, Dr. Heimer felt a staggering reiatsu presence. It was similar to the night of Marcus's birth, but three times as powerful. He was very much afraid of what had just arrived. However, his feelings towards Marcus and the whole of Karakura were far too strong for him to let the Hollows take lives. He felt the presence of approximately one hundred Hollows, each of which had the power of a Menos Grande. He calmly and slowly excused himself from his seat to face the nearby enemies, unsure of whether he'd be able to return. Marcus didn't even notice that Heimer left his seat.
The show began, and Marcus and his family were called to the spotlight. The teen had never felt more excitement and energy in his life. He wasn't even the slightest bit nervous, but rather thrilled. They began their show, and with every flip, swing, and catch, the crowd would explode with applause. Even the firey net below wasn't stopping them. Every aspect of their performance was flawless. There was no room for error, after all. The night should have ended peacefully and happily, but the Coles just got very unlucky.
In the meantime, Heimer was having the fight of his life. He had been hit directly with a Cero twice as well as has faced the continuous onslaught of attacks from various hollows. Over the span of twenty minutes, he was hanging on to life by a thread while having only taken out twenty of his opponents. There were still eighty beasts fighting over who would devour him. He knew what he had to do. Heimer concentrated his energy and activated Sango, the final release that would strip him of his powers. He should have used it long ago, but he was glad that he saved it for this moment. Heimer fought the hardest battle of his life, and, for once, it seemed that he was finally getting somewhere. He didn't realize two hollows slip away while he was fighting the remaining seventy-eight. Heimer won his fight, but Marcus lost everything.
The two Hollows snuck into the circus, apparently drawn to Marcus by his high affinity for spiritual energy. He saw the creatures, and this being the first time Marcus had seen Hollows, he panicked. His hand slipped, and he was supporting his father with a sweaty grasp with the flames right below them. Marcus barely made the catch, and as he looked down, he found his father's face smiling confidently back up at him. Marcus decided to redeem himself and continue the show, ignoring the creatures else they would be his downfall. It was the only choice he had.
A stranger rose out of the back of the crowd, raised his pistol, and directed a bullet right at the smaller of the two Hollows. It went out in an instant, and Marcus saw the action from the corner of his eye. Despite his confusion, he felt a little relieved. In no time, he knew the stranger would take care of the final monster. However, before that could happen, the Hollow exerted its spiritual pressure, putting half the audience to sleep as well as causing the flames on the net to rise dramatically. Marcus's entire body was blistered with burns, but he barely managed to hang on to his father. Nathan Cole went unconcious from a mix of the pain and spiritual pressure of the Hollow. Just in front of him, Marcus could see his mother's body fall into the fire, and he could do nothing to stop it.
Before the teen could act, he heard a snap, and he felt his stomach flip inside-out as his body began to descend. His damaged nerves in his arms couldn't hold on to his father, and Nathan Cole plummeted to his death. Marcus was numb. He couldn't think, couldn't act, couldn't find the will to save himself. He was prepared to follow his parents and join them wherever they were headed. No hell could be worse than the last two seconds of Marcus's life. However, as he felt the heat of the flames kiss his scorched skin, he was suddenly gliding upwards, distancing himself from the fire. He didn't know how he did it, but the teenager sprouted wings. His flight was short lived, and he found himself falling one hundred feet to the ground. He lost consciousness before he crashed.
Chapter 4
Marcus's life was in shreds. He spent the next four months in the recovery branch of Karakura Memorial Hospital. His entire body was encompassed in second and third degree burns. His skin had been blistering and was destroyed so badly that it took weeks just before a new layer could begin to surface. In addition, from his terrible landing after falling one hundred feet, his legs were cracked down their length and his arm was shattered down the middle. Due to his strange landing, he even managed to break a rib. Marcus was a mess. There wasn't a single part of his body that wasn't hurting. It was a miracle that he survived.
He may have been released after four months, but his spirit was broken. Marcus never spoke a word in his whole stay at the hospital. For the most part, during the day, the nurses and occasional visitors, friends from the circus, stopped by, but they only found a hollow shell of a person. Marcus would stair blankly at the ceiling, staring right through the person directly in front him. And at night, when he was alone, Marcus would cry himself to sleep, wishing that he could drown himself with his tears. He was alone in his own world, and there wasn't a soul that could save him. He wouldn't eat, even after his burns healed. They had to feed him nutrients through an IV, and, even then, they couldn't keep him healthy with just that method.
One person succeeded in getting through to him, and it was Dr. Heimer. The doctor spoke to Marcus and didn't expect any answer, which made the teenager even more comfortable around his old friend. There were times they would even cry together in memory of Marcus's deceased parents. About a month into Marcus's recovery, Heimer decided to tell him the truth. Marcus learned of his spiritual awareness, his buried powers (which weren't so buried), the existence of Hollows, Shinigami, Quincy, Fullbringers, and every other spiritual race. Being an ex-Vandenreich official, he had an extensive knowledge in all the races' secrets. Marcus never responded to any of the information, but he absorbed it like a sponge. He knew most of the methods of all races by the time he was dispatched.
Marcus really didn't know what to do with himself. He knew so much, but he had no drive for anything. His family still had a house in Karakura, but it would be too painful to return to it after only four months. Dr. Heimer left Marcus with an open invitation to his house, and since he wasn't at the hospital that day, Marcus was almost tempted to see if the older man was at home. However, at the entrance to the hospital, he found a surprise waiting for him. There was man who's face was hidden behind a coat and bowler hat. It was too hot for those clothes, yet he seemed oddly familiar. Marcus soon identified him as the stranger that eliminated the hollows during the circus performance.
Marcus only listened, but that was enough. The man revealed his face, which turned out to be old, wrinkled, and warm, and he spoke to Marcus. He appealed to Marcus's rage at the hollows, but directed the youth's anger at a different source: everyone else. No one came to help. Not human dwellers, not even Shinigami. Everyone had isolated Marcus, but the man, who asked Marcus to call him 'Father,' painted a picture of a much better world, with no hollows, no lying 'guardians of the human world.' This man instilled the idea to eliminate the different levels of the world and just have plain souls and people. Marcus was immediately hooked, eager to find a new purpose. He began devoting himself to 'Father.'
Marcus wasn't Father's first recruit. In fact, he was about the fiftieth. However, about a year into Marcus's career with the Father, they had increased to five times their initial amount. Most were spiritually aware children who hadn't progressed their power much. Some were older, in their twenties and thirties, who were not the strongest but they had more wisdom and experience. Father was by far the oldest, looking to be about seventy years old. He moved like he was young, though. The Organization (that's what they referred to their group as), was centered in an uninhabitted mountain region in the middle of Japan. It was their home, and they returned to it almost every day.
Marcus was among the older children when he first joined, and although he never spoke, he was an example for everyone all of the younger children. He still never spoke, not a word, but his actions were always devoted towards the Organization. Everything he did, all his training, all his studying, all his free time went towards the group. It made him popular, and it made him Father's favorite. He began the right hand man of Father in two years.
Part of the reason for his quick promotion was because of the potential he had unlocked in himself. Marcus quickly learned to draw out his wings on his own, and in less than a year, not only had he enhanced his physical abilities, but he unlocked his Fullbring to its second level. The black fog only made him far stronger, and Father constantly sent him on missions. He would sometimes deal as an escort to a shipment of supplies. He even did assassinations on evil humans and unwelcome members of other races. Marcus had eliminated a small group of ten low-teir Arrancar by himself when he was fifteen. Almost all the time, though, it was his job to take shifts watching over a certain region of the human world. He would eliminate any hollows that came by, and because of his skill and strength, he was usually put into more perilous areas, especially if there was mysterious action involved there. He hadn't failed once. Not yet at least, but that story will come next chapter.
In the cult, because, well, it was obviously a cult, especially since everyone called the leader 'Father' and served him religiously, Marcus excelled outside of combat as well. He studied hard and recieved private tutoring from the older members in academic subjects such as math, history, English, Japanese, and even other foreign languages such as Spanish, French, and Arabic. However, the subject Marcus did best in was Math. He began to handle the details of the Organization's finances. By age sixteen, he managed the group's budget single-handedly. Father and everyone else trusted him, and they had reason to. He never spoke and only did what would please Father. He was blindly loyal to the older man, and that would lead to the second most pain he would ever experience after the night he lost everything.
Chapter 5
Marcus was eighteen at the time. He had been sent on a mission in the desert region in California. They had recieved information on a mid-sized group of Shinigami that used strange weapons. Not Zanpakuto, but a parasite-like tool that fed off their life force in order to give them power. It was Marcus's job to investigate and see what this strange group of Soul Reapers were up to. Scouts reported that they hadn't moved their camp from the same location and it was just overall fishy behavior. They hadn't done anything to hide their presence, either. With all that in mind, Marcus was warned to evaluate them with caution.
Marcus dispatched of a few outside guards with ease, efficiency, and silence. No one detected his presence, and he kept his reiatsu signature as low as he could. Marcus didn't even need to release, but rather used his stealth to catch his victims off guard. The dark was his friend, and he used it to shroud him and keep him hidden. No one even knew he was there as the Rogues fell left and right. Marcus was towards the center of the camp, and he expected to find some socialization. Tents were set up everyone, but no one appeared to be nearby. The only people he had seen where the guards that had been set up outside.
And that's when the lights suddenly flashed on, blinding the Fullbringer. He didn't have time for his eyes to adjust before he was suddenly engulfed in unbearable, burning flames. He saw his mother's limp body descend into the inferno. It was so quiet, but his dry, voiceless thoughts screamed, echoing in his mind and vibrating through his body. He wanted to cling on to the little hope and light he had left, but it was slipping from his grasp. He looked down just in time to see his blistering hand let go of his unconscious father. The flames laughed.
Marcus blacked out. The flames triggered something in his mind, and their intensity was enough to pull him from conciousness and force him to relive a gruesome flashback. His mind was desperately reaching for a crutch that simply wasn't there, and Marcus felt himself break again. He failed in aiding Father, he got himself captured, and he faced certain death. The Fullbringer wasn't bound in any traditional way. Instead, he was sealed in a seemingly timeless block of ice that was too powerful to be shattered with just his strength. He was utterly helpless, and there was no one to save him. Marcus didn't know where they were had moved to, but he found himself thrown in a dark room, left to thaw out and stuck with his broken consciousness. He felt that lifeless, hollow feeling that he had back in the hospital, and Marcus once again wanted to die.
Time had passed. It could have been anywhere between a week to a month, but something finally happened. Marcus was subject to a routine of food, torture, questioning, food, sleep, repeat. The torture seemed to go on forever, and Marcus refused to eat, so the Rogue's were required to beat him further until they could stuff food down his throat and pour water into his mouth. He didn't sleep unless he was knocked out or passed out from the torture. However, in his pain, Marcus never spoke a word. They asked him where he was from, what his name was, what his intentions were, but he didn't budge. He couldn't really. Marcus was shattered. They might as well be talked to a lifeless doll.
But, finally, something happened. Marcus heard some shouts and bangs, but his interest wasn't even remotely peaked. He was broken, and whatever was going to happen to him didn't matter. If he was lucky, they would kill him right then and there. What he didn't expect to see was Father breaking through his door. Marcus suddenly jumped with life, a confused, painful smile working its way to his face. He hadn't even considered the aspect of rescue. After all, he's only a pawn. The Queen, the strongest piece, but it was expendable like the rest.
Father seemed to approach Marcus with the intent to hug him. It wasn't a gesture that either of them had done, but Marcus assumed that it was out of joy and obliged enthusiastically. However, what he thought was an attempt to embrace him turned into a brutal punch from an ice-infused fist directly into his stomach. The icicle knuckles drew blood, and Marcus felt the life from him drain. Father had only arrived to make sure no information about the Organization got out, and Marcus was threatening their secrecy. He wanted to cut off any loose ends. Marcus was just as expendable as he thought.
Maybe a few minutes ago, Marcus would have accepted his death in such a situation. However, something finally clicked. He wasn't being put together, no, but he was becoming so broken that some of the shattered pieces were coming together. Marcus felt an unbelievable rage directed to Father, and he released his wings and followed up with a punch of his own that... went through thin air. Marcus couldn't see Father, but he felt himself getting hit repeatedly from all sides. Finally, he made a manuever to punch each corner of the walls, shattering the stone. Father wasn't physically strong enough to deter him, and Marcus eventually got the building to collapse, crushing them both.
It was finally over...
Chapter 6
Marcus woke up. He remembered Heimer's tales of Soul Society and a place where all souls go after death where they can start their lives from scratch and live forever. It was a realistic version of heaven, not much different from the human world. Marcus was looking forward to it, though. If anyone needed a second chance at life, it would be him. He faced way too much bad luck, and whether or not he acknowledged his misfortune, Marcus should have at least been given a chance to dodge the bullet that crippled him. Maybe his life in the Rukongai would change some of that.
He knew, though, as soon as he opened his eyes that he wasn't dead. He hurt way too much to have passed on to a different life where he didn't have a delicate body tying him down as most humans do. Maybe he wouldn't have to experience pain as a soul? Who knew? Heimer didn't answer all of Marcus's questions, especially since he didn't say a word. Marcus found himself in an almost empty hospital room. He was, once again, in a full body cast, just like the night he lost everything.
Marcus was confused to find a strange man sitting by his bed, reading one of the magazines from the waiting room outside. He looked quite young, somewhere in his twenties, and quite rich as well. He had an expensive looking watch as well as a very elegant suit on. He noticed that Marcus came back to consciousness and gave them injured man his full attention, introducing himself as Kazura Uzaki. For the next hour, Kazura told Marcus about his life as a billionaire, how he had felt powerful reiatsu signatures while he was in California for a business meeting. He explained that a building had collapsed right outside of the downtown area, and Kazura rushed to the scene where he found Marcus's broken body. And that was about five days before the Fullbringer had finally woken up.
Kazura also explained who he was. He told Marcus about Uzaki Enterprise, about his goal to make humans self sufficient and not have to rely on the good-for-nothing Shinigami. He had big goals, and Marcus couldn't help but notice the gleam of ambition in his eye as he talked on and on. After Marcus recovered in a few months, he knew that he was going to join this man on his quest. He had found a new savior, a more human one who wouldn't throw Kazura away. One who would wait by a bedside for days until the man woke up. One who wouldn't manipulate hundreds of children, brainwashing them into serving him. Marcus knew that he would work under Kazura in Uzaki Enterprises. He knew he'd help as a finance official and work his way up into being a high-ranking economics official for the company. He also knew that he would follow Kazura Uzaki to hell and back if that's what was necessary, fighting along side him under the name Nightwing.
What he didn't know is that Kazura Uzaki would fix him.
"I must have been droning on for hours and hours. If you're in pain, don't worry about it. But, I'd really like to know, what's your name?"
"M-Marcus. Marcus C-Cole."
In the mean time, a new Fullbringer had risen up under the name 'The Challenger,' and, although no one knew it, he was the same old man as before. 'Father' ditched his cult like title, and his mutual defeat with Marcus only fueled his hatred. He had now decided that all spiritual races were pure evil and had to be disposed of. No one should be able to stand up to the Challenger. Not again. Not ever again.