Nagisa Shiota (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
theserpentsmiles) wrote2017-06-11 10:53 pm
theserpentsmiles) wrote2017-06-11 10:53 pm
Weak but Skilled: In-Depth
Nagisa, in canon, has access to many skills that aren't supernatural or powers of any kind, but which are at the extremes of human ability. Everything he does is possible for a sufficiently skilled real-world person - albeit perhaps with a little embellishment via visual metaphor, or a visualization/conceptualization that isn't necessarily """"how it works"""" for ease of understanding (essentially, if Nagisa thinks of one of his skills in such-and-such a way, I'll be using that to describe what's going on while a real-world person with such a skill might not think of things the same way and yet get a similar result). Furthermore, several of his signature skills amount to force of personality, and therefore will affect everyone a little differently.
Nekodamashi: Three required things for this to have the greatest effect: he must have two weapons, his target must be skilled, his target must know the fear of being killed. This is a skill to "recreate the ideal conditions for an assassination", or to regain the element of surprise via doing something that doesn't make any sense to the target in terms of battle. Namely - approaching his target in a casual, non-threatening manner, weapon in hand - then casting the weapon away when the target's focus on the weapon is at its greatest and using that moment to clap, loudly, breaking their concentration and creating an opening to attack with his second weapon. That's the basic form, anyway - exact use may vary. Can be combined with his observational skills to devastating effect. At its worst, can be compared to electrocution - albeit without any actual negative effect on the victim, this is a purely mental attack with no actual physical repercussions. Most likely less effective against the deaf or blind, and probably utterly ineffective against the deaf and blind. It can be countered or mitigated, if the target can predict it coming.
Kiss of Death: While unlikely to come into play to begin with, his kiss technique is, in theory, one of his potentially most deadly. Like the Nekodamashi, it causes no actual physical damage, and is meant to attack the mind. It's best used under circumstances where the Nekodamashi isn't viable, such as when someone is too mentally unsteady to have a prime moment for a single instant move - the Kiss of Death is an extended technique rather than just a clap, so while it leaves Nagisa more vulnerable, it can override just about any state of mind (additionally, useful against those with impairments that would render the Nekodamashi less useful). The technique itself is a deep and intense kiss that, with his skill (he's seriously a really good kisser), overstimulates the target to the point of dizziness and then potentially to passing out (like, pleasant that-was-really-good-what-the-heck-was-I-doing overstimulation not everything-happening-too-much overstimulation). The effect of the kiss is quantified with a video-game-esque combo counter (x hits in y seconds), primarily because that's how he and the assassin who he learned it from think of it. Nagisa isn't very practiced with actually using it, but it's certainly effective. Presumably would not work against someone who wouldn't feel that kind of tactile stimulation.
Stealth: You know how some people just kind of fade into the background? He's one of those people, and it doesn't help that he's small and about as threatening as a potato. He's easily overlooked, even though he was there the whole time, and when he speaks up is when you notice he's there and maybe jump out of your skin a little - a friend and I refer to that as "The Nagisa Thing", and that's when he's not trying. When he is trying, he's a master of hiding his presence (as least, from normal human senses).
Bloodlust: This one is his signature skill. This is a difficult one to define - Assassination Classroom gives the concept of bloodlust the weight of an actual force - it's less a thirst for violence and causing others harm and more like predatory instinct or killing intent. Think of that sense of being stalked by some beast that could eat you in three bites (although Nagisa is best represented as a snake). It's usually hidden to the point no one would ever suspect it, not even a little - even on the rare occasion it slips and someone senses it, most would brush it off as a fluke or their imagination, because small, harmless Nagisa just does not fit the bill. The most observant (or paranoid) of people will pick up on it more often and be more easily able to connect it to Nagisa. When he goes for it, though, he practically has an aura of certain death. It isn't a wild or hectic feeling, it's very calm, even tranquil (usually accompanied by one of his saintly smiles), and it's also overpowering. Think of your character's gut reaction to suddenly sensing a blade or serpent's fangs at their throat - their response to a sure threat. Nagisa has full control over his bloodlust, as well - when he wants to, he can suppress it and cast it away to distract from his own actions - effectively get his target so caught up in where the threat is coming from they forget to actually keep track of where he is. He can combine this with the Nekodamashi, as well. The specifics of how someone responds to his bloodlust are entirely individual and out of my hands - have questions or need help figuring out how this works? Let's talk about it.
Observation: Nagisa's other signature skill. It starts simply enough - recon is where he starts, making notes of various basic facts and making a hobby of research so he knows all kinds of random facts and trivia, on top of being a perennial student always seeking to learn. He's of the mind that you never know what might be useful as a 'weakness', so he takes note of all kinds of things others don't, without judging for value. However, his skill is more intense than that - he has an eye for a person's physical tells. He'll be able to pick out telegraphed moves (provided his target is not of a skill level where those are no longer a thing) and, similarly but more impressively, he is able to pick up on minute movements. Breathing, the tiny movements of the eyes, heart rate, muscle twitches, etc etc. These are things all people do, without even thinking of them. If you're familiar with the idea of a cold read, he would be capable of doing that. For those who aren't, it's a way of watching someone very closely for reactions to information presented in order to pick up on it (such as a fake psychic knowing he's hit the right vehicle involved in an accident by guessing several and watching eye movement). As such, while not in fact a mind-reader, he will know if he's being lied to and can make accurate guesses about someone's state of mind (although they are still guesses). He perceives these tiny tells as second-nature, as easily as reading a book, and blends them into what he perceives as a "wavelength of consciousness". He can use this wavelength to pinpoint the best moment to use the Nekodamashi (or if it'll be ineffective), and he is able to match his own wavelength to someone else's to enhance his stealth - effectively disappearing from even a professional assassin's radar enough to touch without being noticed - like a pickpocket. He also appears to have some knowledge of pressure points, as he's shown using one to quickly calm someone and steady their wavelength (you know how sometimes in media, someone uses a pressure point in the neck to knock someone else out? It's like a low-key version of that). His ability to understand a wavelength of consciousness is dependent on his ability to read someone's tells - therefore if he cannot see the person he'll be greatly impeded, and he'll have difficulty reading anyone who doesn't actually have a human face (or someone who wouldn't have human tells, or someone who'd be an expert at hiding their tells). He's not a mind reader, not by a long shot, but he's a very good guesser.
If you have questions or want to discuss how any of the above might affect your character, drop me a line. If you would like to avoid dealing with any one or combination of the above, or would like to avoid threads with Nagisa altogether, this is the place to let me know. Please specify which journal(s) you're setting up boundaries for.
Nekodamashi: Three required things for this to have the greatest effect: he must have two weapons, his target must be skilled, his target must know the fear of being killed. This is a skill to "recreate the ideal conditions for an assassination", or to regain the element of surprise via doing something that doesn't make any sense to the target in terms of battle. Namely - approaching his target in a casual, non-threatening manner, weapon in hand - then casting the weapon away when the target's focus on the weapon is at its greatest and using that moment to clap, loudly, breaking their concentration and creating an opening to attack with his second weapon. That's the basic form, anyway - exact use may vary. Can be combined with his observational skills to devastating effect. At its worst, can be compared to electrocution - albeit without any actual negative effect on the victim, this is a purely mental attack with no actual physical repercussions. Most likely less effective against the deaf or blind, and probably utterly ineffective against the deaf and blind. It can be countered or mitigated, if the target can predict it coming.
Kiss of Death: While unlikely to come into play to begin with, his kiss technique is, in theory, one of his potentially most deadly. Like the Nekodamashi, it causes no actual physical damage, and is meant to attack the mind. It's best used under circumstances where the Nekodamashi isn't viable, such as when someone is too mentally unsteady to have a prime moment for a single instant move - the Kiss of Death is an extended technique rather than just a clap, so while it leaves Nagisa more vulnerable, it can override just about any state of mind (additionally, useful against those with impairments that would render the Nekodamashi less useful). The technique itself is a deep and intense kiss that, with his skill (he's seriously a really good kisser), overstimulates the target to the point of dizziness and then potentially to passing out (like, pleasant that-was-really-good-what-the-heck-was-I-doing overstimulation not everything-happening-too-much overstimulation). The effect of the kiss is quantified with a video-game-esque combo counter (x hits in y seconds), primarily because that's how he and the assassin who he learned it from think of it. Nagisa isn't very practiced with actually using it, but it's certainly effective. Presumably would not work against someone who wouldn't feel that kind of tactile stimulation.
Stealth: You know how some people just kind of fade into the background? He's one of those people, and it doesn't help that he's small and about as threatening as a potato. He's easily overlooked, even though he was there the whole time, and when he speaks up is when you notice he's there and maybe jump out of your skin a little - a friend and I refer to that as "The Nagisa Thing", and that's when he's not trying. When he is trying, he's a master of hiding his presence (as least, from normal human senses).
Bloodlust: This one is his signature skill. This is a difficult one to define - Assassination Classroom gives the concept of bloodlust the weight of an actual force - it's less a thirst for violence and causing others harm and more like predatory instinct or killing intent. Think of that sense of being stalked by some beast that could eat you in three bites (although Nagisa is best represented as a snake). It's usually hidden to the point no one would ever suspect it, not even a little - even on the rare occasion it slips and someone senses it, most would brush it off as a fluke or their imagination, because small, harmless Nagisa just does not fit the bill. The most observant (or paranoid) of people will pick up on it more often and be more easily able to connect it to Nagisa. When he goes for it, though, he practically has an aura of certain death. It isn't a wild or hectic feeling, it's very calm, even tranquil (usually accompanied by one of his saintly smiles), and it's also overpowering. Think of your character's gut reaction to suddenly sensing a blade or serpent's fangs at their throat - their response to a sure threat. Nagisa has full control over his bloodlust, as well - when he wants to, he can suppress it and cast it away to distract from his own actions - effectively get his target so caught up in where the threat is coming from they forget to actually keep track of where he is. He can combine this with the Nekodamashi, as well. The specifics of how someone responds to his bloodlust are entirely individual and out of my hands - have questions or need help figuring out how this works? Let's talk about it.
Observation: Nagisa's other signature skill. It starts simply enough - recon is where he starts, making notes of various basic facts and making a hobby of research so he knows all kinds of random facts and trivia, on top of being a perennial student always seeking to learn. He's of the mind that you never know what might be useful as a 'weakness', so he takes note of all kinds of things others don't, without judging for value. However, his skill is more intense than that - he has an eye for a person's physical tells. He'll be able to pick out telegraphed moves (provided his target is not of a skill level where those are no longer a thing) and, similarly but more impressively, he is able to pick up on minute movements. Breathing, the tiny movements of the eyes, heart rate, muscle twitches, etc etc. These are things all people do, without even thinking of them. If you're familiar with the idea of a cold read, he would be capable of doing that. For those who aren't, it's a way of watching someone very closely for reactions to information presented in order to pick up on it (such as a fake psychic knowing he's hit the right vehicle involved in an accident by guessing several and watching eye movement). As such, while not in fact a mind-reader, he will know if he's being lied to and can make accurate guesses about someone's state of mind (although they are still guesses). He perceives these tiny tells as second-nature, as easily as reading a book, and blends them into what he perceives as a "wavelength of consciousness". He can use this wavelength to pinpoint the best moment to use the Nekodamashi (or if it'll be ineffective), and he is able to match his own wavelength to someone else's to enhance his stealth - effectively disappearing from even a professional assassin's radar enough to touch without being noticed - like a pickpocket. He also appears to have some knowledge of pressure points, as he's shown using one to quickly calm someone and steady their wavelength (you know how sometimes in media, someone uses a pressure point in the neck to knock someone else out? It's like a low-key version of that). His ability to understand a wavelength of consciousness is dependent on his ability to read someone's tells - therefore if he cannot see the person he'll be greatly impeded, and he'll have difficulty reading anyone who doesn't actually have a human face (or someone who wouldn't have human tells, or someone who'd be an expert at hiding their tells). He's not a mind reader, not by a long shot, but he's a very good guesser.
If you have questions or want to discuss how any of the above might affect your character, drop me a line. If you would like to avoid dealing with any one or combination of the above, or would like to avoid threads with Nagisa altogether, this is the place to let me know. Please specify which journal(s) you're setting up boundaries for.