A newly-established high school swim team comprised of old elementary school pals needs a fourth member to truly begin. They take on a reluctant Rei, who is on the track team, merely because he has a feminine name like the other members. When it's discovered he can't swim, he is brushed up on newfound swimming skills and put to the test in upcoming tournaments, where Rei discovers that logic, calculations and beauty aren't the end-all be-all but the connections you make with others and the impact you in turn make. He learns this through the team, and puts it to practice by helping them to reconnect with an estranged member, Rin, who despite his cold demeanor and confrontational behavior simply wanted to swim with his friends again. Though it cost the Iwatobi Swim Club the tournament via disqualification, because Rin swam for a rival school and technically wasn't allowed to participate in another school's relay, the friendship that was rekindled was worth so much more than a championship.
With the team reconnected, each respective member turns their attention to their respective dreams and more importantly their futures: As they each graduate and move on to adulthood, will they stay connected? How hard will they fight for their futures and that of the swim club itself, bearing only four members? There's some promise as Rei sneaks off to improve, take some lessons on other swimming styles from Rin himself for starters.
Personality Blurb: It's said that many girls have the same opinion of Rei: He looks cool and he acts cool... but then he opens his mouth. When he isn't happy to express his knowledge of a topic in an attempt to be impressive to others, he's crunching numbers and calculations in his head and under his breath to fully grasp, well, everything. The right way to pole vault? There's math for that. Swimming? Surely there's theory that he could absorb and he would simply master it. The problem is that he's too "left-brained" in a lifestyle that's more on the "right". When he inevitably fails in a task despite the math being right, he's puzzled as to why and openly voices his frustation. He can never mask his emotions; he's like an open book. He's unafraid to be joyful, afraid, angry or point out a flaw.
Over the course of the story, he learns that sometimes he needs to use his heart and shut off that brain of his; he needs to learn to be free. The moment he does, he finds that he is more successful in the grand scheme of things. Though he'll still hit the books and continue to exercise his mind, Rei is growing every day when it comes to following his heart, doing what's right. Overall he can be exasperating, but it comes from a vulnerable place. A patient ear and a kind voice will see through the eccentricity and find a young man that's still learning how to become the man he wants to be, and isn't above a moment of softness, of reaching out or comforting others.
Preferred Essence(s):"The Butterfly" from the Hans Christian Andersen tale of the same name, or Odette from "Swan Lake"
Looking For: Anything that fits him, but would challenge him in some sense, lending to helping him grow as a person. I always enjoy taking a character- especially a slice of life-based one- as far out of their element as possible.
Appearance: Tall with an athletic build, purple eyes, red glasses, blue hair. He's a looker but again, he's a walking dictionary.
With the Butterfly essence he would sport a lovely pair of functioning wings, patches of colored spots down his body (color undecided), and a handy set of antennae.
With the Odette essence, he will bear a black domino mask-shaped mark around his eyes and be adorned in a crown and princely garb, the coat tails bearing the appearance of wings with long flight feathers.
Abilities: Rei was on the track team and is presently on the swim team. He can run for miles quite comfortably and sprint with little wind-up, and he can swim effectively (so long as he sticks to butterfly stroke. Other styles, and he sinks).
With the Butterfly essence, he will lose his ability to swim. Square one, baby. But he'll gain flight and the ability to speak with plants and insects... maybe plant conjuration? I'm looking to build on the concept of a plant mage-type.
With the Odette essence he can speak to birds, and sprout wings to allow for flight? Maybe some water manipulation, or maybe something moon-based. Again, looking to workshop.
Quirks: The Butterfly essence comes with the quirk that he must delve deeply into learning all there is to know about flowers and perhaps become a green thumb. He just has to try not to marry the flowers. No, seriously, read the story.
The Odette essence comes with a taste of Rothbart's curse: If he does not bathe in outdoor, open waters (fountains, lakes, ponds) while the moon is reflected on the water at least once every three nights, he will be turned into a (very handsome, bespectacled) talking swan.
Rei Ryugazaki | Free!
Character: Rei Ryugazaki
Canon: Free!, end of S2
Age: 16
Bio Blurb: (Fandom wikis are all incomplete, so here's summaries.)
A newly-established high school swim team comprised of old elementary school pals needs a fourth member to truly begin. They take on a reluctant Rei, who is on the track team, merely because he has a feminine name like the other members. When it's discovered he can't swim, he is brushed up on newfound swimming skills and put to the test in upcoming tournaments, where Rei discovers that logic, calculations and beauty aren't the end-all be-all but the connections you make with others and the impact you in turn make. He learns this through the team, and puts it to practice by helping them to reconnect with an estranged member, Rin, who despite his cold demeanor and confrontational behavior simply wanted to swim with his friends again. Though it cost the Iwatobi Swim Club the tournament via disqualification, because Rin swam for a rival school and technically wasn't allowed to participate in another school's relay, the friendship that was rekindled was worth so much more than a championship.
With the team reconnected, each respective member turns their attention to their respective dreams and more importantly their futures: As they each graduate and move on to adulthood, will they stay connected? How hard will they fight for their futures and that of the swim club itself, bearing only four members? There's some promise as Rei sneaks off to improve, take some lessons on other swimming styles from Rin himself for starters.
Personality Blurb: It's said that many girls have the same opinion of Rei: He looks cool and he acts cool... but then he opens his mouth. When he isn't happy to express his knowledge of a topic in an attempt to be impressive to others, he's crunching numbers and calculations in his head and under his breath to fully grasp, well, everything. The right way to pole vault? There's math for that. Swimming? Surely there's theory that he could absorb and he would simply master it. The problem is that he's too "left-brained" in a lifestyle that's more on the "right". When he inevitably fails in a task despite the math being right, he's puzzled as to why and openly voices his frustation. He can never mask his emotions; he's like an open book. He's unafraid to be joyful, afraid, angry or point out a flaw.
Over the course of the story, he learns that sometimes he needs to use his heart and shut off that brain of his; he needs to learn to be free. The moment he does, he finds that he is more successful in the grand scheme of things. Though he'll still hit the books and continue to exercise his mind, Rei is growing every day when it comes to following his heart, doing what's right. Overall he can be exasperating, but it comes from a vulnerable place. A patient ear and a kind voice will see through the eccentricity and find a young man that's still learning how to become the man he wants to be, and isn't above a moment of softness, of reaching out or comforting others.
Preferred Essence(s): "The Butterfly" from the Hans Christian Andersen tale of the same name, or Odette from "Swan Lake"
Looking For: Anything that fits him, but would challenge him in some sense, lending to helping him grow as a person. I always enjoy taking a character- especially a slice of life-based one- as far out of their element as possible.
Appearance: Tall with an athletic build, purple eyes, red glasses, blue hair. He's a looker but again, he's a walking dictionary.
With the Butterfly essence he would sport a lovely pair of functioning wings, patches of colored spots down his body (color undecided), and a handy set of antennae.
With the Odette essence, he will bear a black domino mask-shaped mark around his eyes and be adorned in a crown and princely garb, the coat tails bearing the appearance of wings with long flight feathers.
Abilities: Rei was on the track team and is presently on the swim team. He can run for miles quite comfortably and sprint with little wind-up, and he can swim effectively (so long as he sticks to butterfly stroke. Other styles, and he sinks).
With the Butterfly essence, he will lose his ability to swim. Square one, baby. But he'll gain flight and the ability to speak with plants and insects... maybe plant conjuration? I'm looking to build on the concept of a plant mage-type.
With the Odette essence he can speak to birds, and sprout wings to allow for flight? Maybe some water manipulation, or maybe something moon-based. Again, looking to workshop.
Quirks: The Butterfly essence comes with the quirk that he must delve deeply into learning all there is to know about flowers and perhaps become a green thumb.
He just has to try not to marry the flowers. No, seriously, read the story.The Odette essence comes with a taste of Rothbart's curse: If he does not bathe in outdoor, open waters (fountains, lakes, ponds) while the moon is reflected on the water at least once every three nights, he will be turned into a (very handsome, bespectacled) talking swan.
Goal: Character growth, and feed my urges as a faerie tale ho.
Extra: He has a character song sung by his voice actor. Bless him.
Questions: honk honk honk