hello! i'm not normally one for pinned posts but considering uka's weird position in the fe shadows story + my decisions for writing him, i think it's necessary!
portrayal notes:
Uka's appearance is an illusion based on a younger version of himself. While he appears to be a baby-faced teenager, his true age is somewhere around late 20s-early 30s. He chooses to appear younger and cuter so that others let their guards down around him. Uka will not be upfront about his age, vaguely calling himself Tamamo's brother and an adult in his own right.
Going further, illusions are essential for a fox and Uka is no different. He's not into tricking people like Tamamo is, but there's some satisfaction in misdirecting others with an illusory wall or a sound that came out of nowhere. OOC I'll be clear whenever he's using illusions.
As of right now Uka isn't anywhere in the Shadows story. Hopefully that changes! As the game updates, I will adjust his characterization with whatever canon gives me. He will not know any playable Shadows characters besides Tamamo out of the gate, and will be neutral towards disciples of light and disciples of shadow.
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Uka has seen this blue-haired man around town before—honestly, he only stood out because that particular shade of blue was a bit too wolfish for comfort. But without the appropriate ears and tail, it was easy to dismiss him as just another human harmlessly living out his life. When the guy sits next to him at the counter of this "Hoshidan" pub, Uka thinks nothing of it. Normally Uka is the type to strike up a friendly conversation with a stranger, but this vegetable tempura is just too good—
"Mmph?!" He nearly chokes on a piece of pumpkin. Does that blue guy seriously have an invitation to that spring festival everyone's talking about? Isn't that supposed to be like, super exclusive? "Sorry," Uka coughs into his sleeve, suddenly embarrassed by how taken aback he was. "Couldn't help but notice that invitation you have there! An invitation to the spring herald festival is a hot commodity right now. You outta keep that safe before someone tries to snatch it from you."
“Nice to meet you, Uka! Haha, feels great not being the only new fox on the block!” Not to mention ‘not the only fox’ period, but judging by the sister part, she guesses that would be less relatable… Dang, she wishes she had a sister. Or a brother. Both sound really fun. But alas.
At least being sibling-less means it’s just all the more exciting to meet more kitsune now! Even if it would’ve been super cool to have another fox she could introduce them to, too.
“Yeah, she did kinda have hair like yours! Guess that means she must’ve been! What’re the chances?” Selkie nods, peeking up at the hair beneath his ears now that the shock of oh my gosh he has ears has mostly worn off. As much as that kinda shock can wear off, at least — and yep! Definitely a match color-wise! Can’t believe she didn’t notice that before.
But the second half doesn’t make nearly as much sense. “I dunno about ‘grumpy’, though... She seemed nice to me. Like you do!” She’s not the worlds greatest character-judger (or so she’s been told, but she thinks she’s pretty great at it if ya ask her), but the other other fox gave her a flower when they met. Something that was part of the game of the ball, sure, but what kinda grump gives out flowers? That goes against the whole stereotype.
Eh. Maybe it’s one of those ‘sibling-jokes’. No point thinking about it too much. Especially not when there are much more important things they could be thinking about! Like the cats!
Selkie offers another smile, tilting her head curiously. “Are you here to play with the kitties, too?”
"Huh? Oh, yeah, kinda!" To be honest, Uka walked in with the expectations that the cats would be more... human. But this wasn't bad either! He liked relaxing with the cats, sipping his tea and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Well, it had been peaceful until Selkie came in...
"Think you scared them off when you came in, though," he adds with a lighthearted laugh. "They're hiding. Give a minute, they'll come out! ...Ehhh, probably... If you sit still long enough, they'll see you're not going to hurt them. That's how I got them to like me!"
Cat cafes weren’t something she’d ever really consider her ‘thing’ per se, but mainly for reasons entirely against her will. She LOVES cats. Cats are cute and fluffy and she wants to hug and squish them all into cute furry goop she can carry around in her pocket at all times forever — but they’re also sharp! Fluffy and sharp, just like her. But for some reason they always seem to run from her?????? Weirdos.
But today that all changes! If they’re in the cafe together, then that means they can’t escape. And if they can’t escape, then they HAVE to play with her! It’s just like when an enemy tries to run. And when you wanna trap an enemy, all you gotta do is get the jump on ‘em!
“HYYYY-YAH!” The door flies open from the force of her foot the second she gets the green light to go in from the staff (along with a bunch of other information she didn’t pay attention to. Something about a guy in there??? Like, okay? Why would she care about the cat’s gender?), stance primed and ready to rush in and corner all the kitties, except…
"...Fellow fox?"
“FELLOW FOX!!!!” Selkie screams at the top of her lungs, cats forgotten entirely as she rushes forward to instead capture the similarly eared and tailed stranger in the hug attack that was once meant for them. “Friend, obviously! I didn’t know there was more of us, either! I mean — I knew there was more of us more of us, duh, but not here here!”
And she thought meeting another kitsune at the ball was gonna be the best day ever! Now there’s TWO OF THEM?!?!?!?!!! This place is beautiful. Wonderful. Magical. She could cry.
Later, though! Right now there are more important things than crying. Like pulling back from the hug with sparkling eyes and wagging tail to meet her new best friend #2!!!
“My name’s Selkie! What’s your name? How come I haven’t smelled you around yet? I mean, I’m new here but I smelled the other kitsune here day one, not to brag. I’m pretty good at smelling.“
Whoa!! The way this fox barrels into Uka, she might just be part bull! Her screams and shouts scare away every cat to the dark corners of the room, but Uka doesn't sense a malicious bone in her body. Not yet, anyways. He laughs as he returns the hug, matching her strength and enthusiasm. "Hey, same here! I wasn't expecting to see other foxes here." Which makes this one's presence here even more intriguing.
(Is she crying?? And wow, her tail's moving a mile a minute!!)
"Name's Uka! Just got here. And, by 'kitsune', you mean my sister, right?" Because Uka doesn't know what he'd do if there was yet another unknown fox on monastery grounds. It's worrying enough that there's one. As friendly as Selkie is, Uka tries to keep his guard up and his eyes peeled for illusions. "Same kinda hair as me? Kinda grumpy-lookin'?"
“Hnnnn…” Feeling crushed under her brother’s weight the fox just let out a little whiny noise, betrayed by the happy swish of her tail and ears flopping slightly in excitement as well as relaxation. “I didn’t think my hand needed any holding…but if Lady Kyubi says so. Did she ask for you to look like that, too?” Uka was always so deeply annoying with the way he talked and acted, her hair now a complete cat’s nest thanks to his greeting ruffle- and yet there was no move from her to fix it. At most a few strands were pushed away from her eyes, but the rest stayed as is. If asked she’d say she just didn’t feel like fixing it when inevitably her brother would mess it up again, but the deeper part of her would admit that she just missed it.
Alert and with her attention back on the matters at hand, she stared at the offered photo…and concealed a snort behind her sleeve. “Oh...so that’s why you took so long to arrive, I see. You were slacking off…with a girl, hehehehe.” Out of the two Uka had always been the more outgoing and friendly by a mile- Tamamo just didn’t want any of it. Not that she didn’t want friends or secretly hated people, she was just…more interested in other stuff. More interesting stuff. It wouldn’t surprise her then if Uka were to show up with a lover one day.
As for Tamamo, it would be more likely for her to fall in love with her staff.
“What a…pretty girlfriend. No, I haven’t seen her yet.” Golden hues took in on all the draconic details found on that girl. She had never properly met any of Naga’s retainers, at most having seen them from afar, so having one of them here made her heart race. Oh, how badly she wanted to come across that girl and watch her scuttling around in a frazzled panic. Even thinking about the possible sermon about Light this and Light that she’d receive brought a daydreamy look to the fox’s face.
Tamamo shook her head gently, returning to reality. Focus, one trick at a time. “Do you want…to make a copy of it? Two? Twenty? Maybe change the girl into…the monastery Archbishop, hehehehe…”
"Her name's Yuni. She's one of Naga's, as you can see." Uka frowns, because he can already see the gears turning in his sister's head. No human, beast, nor god can see through a fox's tricks, but there's no need for them at this stage. A gentle smile returns as he pokes Tamamo's cheek. "Buuuuut she's kind of a handful, so play nice. Let your big brother handle it for now."
Uka confirms Tamamo's question with a nod. "I dunno what that merchant Anna's thinking, making her store for members only when it's stocked with all sorts of goodies! Just feels right to bust open the doors and let everyone shop their hearts out." That's one part of it, at least. The part where they get money out of this is more important. "So I'm thinking sell these cards to people, customized and all, and get a nice purse to return." Because as easy as it is to make paper bills out of leaves and gold coins out of pebbles, having the real thing comes in handy.
"You'll be making the cards, obviously. That's not a problem, right? Don't tell me you've been slacking on your practice~!"
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A succinct template for developing well-rounded characters. Good characters in fiction tend to be built around a handful of core, often competing traits and desires instead of all of the possibilities that make up human nature. This template was designed to help focus one's characterization on a core, stable personality.
Stolen from @seawardoath, this really helped me develop my portrayal of Uka so extra thank you to ree for making the template :D (original post here)
LAYER 1
The most basic collection of traits. This is the snapshot of a personality that most strangers and acquaintances see.
Three Positive Traits: Friendly, Tolerant, Spontaneous
Three Negative Traits: Mischievous, Disloyal, Manipulative
Temperament: Cheerful and easy-going, he readily adapts to most social situations and tries to make friends wherever he goes
Quirk: Teeeends to drag out certain words while he's talking, usually when he's trying to make light of something
Goal: To carry out the will of the Fox Goddess Kyubi, even if it conflicts with his own desires
Motivation: Acceptance by others
Primary Need: Belonging
Fear: Rejection by all, including Kyubi and Tamamo, and the lonely life that would result from burning every bridge he comes across
Putting it all together: At his heart, Uka is a genuinely friendly and fun-loving fox that enjoys others' company and wants to make genuine connections with people. However, he has a duty as Kyubi's retainer to carry out her will, which often includes switching sides multiple times and betraying those he called his allies.
LAYER 2
Less obvious facets of the character that come out around friends and family, or after another person has spent significant time getting to know them.
Contradiction: His compassionate and friendly nature often puts him at odds with his work as Kyubi's retainer. While he will always carry out her will, it's not always with a smile.
Wound: He has lost many friends due to following Kyubi's directive to betray them. Knowing that he ultimately can't promise to remain loyal to anyone he meets, he aligns himself closely with Kyubi and Tamamo, the only ones who know and accept his true nature.
Three Values: People have the right to make their own decisions and follow whatever path they choose. It's best to approach things with a sense of humor rather than taking everything super seriously.
Self-Evaluation: He doesn't know if he can become a trustyworthy person, but always tries to be true to himself.
What gets in their way?: He believes he is powerless to make any meaningful changes in his life.
LAYER 3
These traits very rarely become known by someone else, but still have subtle effects on the character.
Secret: He avoids fully confronting parts of himself, even though he’s aware they’re there
Regret: Acting in ways that are contradictory to his beliefs because Kyubi told him to
Influence of Regret: Internal struggle between duty and personal values
Avoidance: Swearing loyalty
Excuse for Avoidance: He never knows if he'll ever have to betray them in the future
The fox would be lying to say she wasn’t at least a little bit interested in seeing what the massive store offers. Descriptions were relatively vague- too vague for her curiosity, and the means of entry were unexpectedly strict for a place that in theory only sold ridiculous amounts of common goods. For it to require a special card…there had to be something good in there. Something that’s actually worth all that splendor and secrecy, otherwise it would be just a massive waste of time, resources and effort. And like any proper fox, there was nothing more tantalizing than tricking security.
Standard and less thrilling than a good rugpull, but still enough to send her heart racing and bubbling in satisfaction for days on end at seeing the dumbfounded look on guards and staff once they finally realized that their well structured system had been just bypassed. And for this mysterious huge store, considering how hard they had been trying to keep access to their goods limited to the public…outsmarting their system by maybe masking some leaves or pieces of bark as cards also meant a nice whoop of humiliation to their faces. Yes, that outrage, gritted teeth, huffing, face flushed red in anger and embarrassment, stuttering- just thinking about it made her tail shiver in bliss.
Tamamo let out a pleased, dreamy sigh.
Then a sniff.
Sniff sniff.
A familiar scent wafted through the air, causing her ears to stand tall and alert, swiveling slowly to check if any sounds accompanied it. She didn’t need that though- neither did she need to turn around for visual confirmation when her brother’s scent was something she could identify from a mile away. That’s just what happens when you’re born and raised in the same den, answered to the same goddess, and when a good chunk of what she knows regading magic and tricks came from observing him when she was but a little kit.
“Uka.” Not a question, simply stating the name out loud. Indeed she didn't turn to see him, half expecting him to be concealing his appearance in one way or another, because admittedly that's what she would do if she were to approach him without warning.
A reaction that most would consider cold when meeting a family member, but the swishing of her tail served as enough visible proof of her happiness. “I didn’t think I’d find you…here, of all places. Did you get bored? Or did Kyubi send you here?”
She then held up a leaf- one of the many she considered using for her little project. “Did you hear about it? That big store…with the silly entry requirement. Hehehe…I wanna hear them screech in frustration…”
"A lot of the important players are flocking to this continent. Lady Kyubi thought it'd be best for me to hold your hand while you're here."
Uka steps out from the shadows, smiling as he approaches his sister. He doesn't need to hide when it comes to little Tamamo. Why would he? He totally wasn't planning one of his infamous big brother sneak attacks, not at all! The disappointment that comes from having his plan foiled doesn't last long, quickly replaced by pride in his baby sister. Uka ruffles her hair, making sure to get it extra messy to piss her off before he goes in for a big bear hug. "It's good to see you, Tamamo." Uka's tail wags happily. For all the lies he's told over the years, his affection for Tamamo has never been among them. Exaggerated at times, sure, but it's not his fault that she's fun to embarrass as a overly-doting older brother.
"Didn't even open my mouth and we're on the same page! Luckily for you, I've already done some reconnaissance." Uka claps his hands once before producing a card with a clever sleight of hand. He presents an authentic Secret Shop membership card, the one specially made for the lovers' promotion. On the back it features a picture of a very happy couple, Uka and the Divine Dragon's retainer Yuni. Uka ought to explain it, huh... Naaaaaaaah, Tamamo will get it. "Peep my girlfriend. You met her yet?"
"The other guest with this timeslot just arrived. She should be joining you momentarily." Uka thanks the volunteer with a smile and the nod, returning his attention to the adorable kitties sharing this lounge space with him. Cat cafes are an utterly foreign concept in his homeland, and while he still wishes it was slightly different, he's quickly warming up to this idea. Warm morning sunlight shines through the windows, its light enjoyed by all creatures in this room. Uka takes a sip of his tea, then gently strokes between the ears of the brave cat sitting in his lap. Ahhh, it's so relaxing here! He might just take a catnap himself…
The door swings open, destroying the peace as it slams against the wall and startles the cats to their hiding places. Uka turns to see who joins him—fox ears. His eyes widen. Fox ears. Lady Kyubi did not say there would be foxes here besides Tamamo.
"…Fellow fox?" Uka asks brightly, choosing the friendly approach as usual. She looks young, maybe his sister's age, but noticeably taller. He'll definitely enjoy teasing Tamamo about that later. "No one told me there were more of us sneaking about. Friend or foe?"
A secret shop can never stay secret for long. The harder someone tries to keep a fox out, the more determined Uka is to break in! Sneaking past the doors would be kit's play for someone of his skillset. Hell, forget illusions! What's stopping him from getting one of those fancy membership cards himself? Luckily, he's managed to find a like-minded accomplice from an unexpected place…
"Yeah, we're like, head over heels an' all that." Uka casually throws an arm around one of Naga's holiest disciples and pulls her in close like a lover. While they're allies for this "mission", the fox in him very much wants to see how far he can push her.
With his other hand, Uka holds up one half of a heart, intended for his brand new pretend-girlfriend to complete. He looks over to the exhausted, unimpressed store clerk with a winning smile. "She's my dream girl!! Aren't you, shmoopie?"
my usual plotter is still a wip, but i'd like to get started on collecting threads for uka! alcryst will also be available if you need an unaffiliated guy for one of the tasks. i plan to skim the wanted plots channel in a bit but here's what i'm looking for right now
UKA (black eagle)
in general, i'm always open to any cast member and laguz/shapeshifter interactions! uka's always curious about people's thoughts on foxes. he will not answer for tamamo's alleged crimes! just because she was right there when it happened does not automatically mean she did it!
food hunting [bow +1], for those who are leaning towards fudging the numbers, uka would gladly use illusion magic to turn a reasonable amount of food into an unimaginable bounty. they'll find out the truth eventually, he says, but at that point it's out of the monastery's hands.
party clean up [heavy armor +1] would be a great way for uka to meet new people! sounds like the students had a crazy party! he wonders how the food was.
secret shop! a place trying to keep him out just makes him more determined to break in. uka forges memberships and can either escort your muse into the wonderful world of fantasy costco, or just give them a fake id to let them get in.
ALCRYST (knight of seiros)
POTENTIAL FELL ALCRYST??? POTENTIAL FELL ALCRYST!!! ngl ive been super tempted to jumpscare certain people with alternate alcrysts in the inbox, which i might still do, but i will also take threads yes. i got fellcryst. i got ageswap au alcryst. fuck it i'll even throw in modern au alcryst with his smartphone
due to my current riding grind i'll also be looking for a partner for the lumenthus flower prompt. not sure how much investigating alcryst would be willing to do given the time crunch they're on!
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