The Whump Stuff

Tariq has three set philosophies: Actions speak louder than words Try everything (terms and conditions loosely apply) - at least once. All creatures (sentient beings anyway) are created equal Tariq witnessed his family struggle for principles against an oppressive system. Tariq also saw them all be consumed by this, among other things, futilely. This left him, on some levels alone, indignant and harboring a certain level of anger against the world… Initially aimed at no one in particular and easily directed against anyone, when provoked. Tariq spent a lot of adolescence lashing out. He often picked fights, and since they didn’t kill him, each one left him stronger. Conflicts that he encountered, on small scales and large, clearly existed as a tool to oppress or as an excuse to wound. Since resolution was rarely ever the goal, the language to deal with such friction automatically became physical. He was not someone who bothered putting deliberate thought and effort into hurting people… Doing more damage and taking less was usually the goal. Words had never affected him much and initially he assumed that to be true for whoever he stood against. So in his head, they were not a viable option as a weapon. This rings true on a deeper level for him. Actions will always speak louder than words. But, just like he improved his technique and learned that blows could be exchanged with more precision, he learned that words could hurt some people in a way blows couldn’t. And words could also stir people in ways violence could never. But the more he learned, the less inclined he was to use something as beautiful and communicative as language to cause suffering and pain. So, he still has a preference and tendency to settle things with a measured degree of physical violence. He’ll aim to set, or assume some code for every brawl he enters, based on his opponent, their relationship and the situation. He’ll aim to fight clean and honorably - rules will be set and rules will be followed. Unless it is combative and there is a clear enemy. In that case, he’s quite a savage and it is usually the only time he displays the full extent of his brutality. When it's a no-holds-barred situation - Which war often. He’s aware that it's a dog eat dog world and will want to come out as the dog on top if he can. A part of him gets a high off of the lack of rules and the freedom this gives him. He almost never turns down a good brawl.

Tariq can be brutal, but Tariq is not a brute. In the moments where he is not fighting anyone for any reason, he’s insightful and easy to get along with. He has the spirit that radiates a certain degree of abandon and will often be the one that suggests something wild that may be worth exploring. He values life but he values feeling alive too. To him the body is just a meat-suit for the soul and the latter needs a whole bunch of nourishment too… if the former suffers for it sometimes, then so be it. He explores the world in a rather tactile and observant manner, but he has a gift to translate his experiences into evocative little phrases… Tariq is often a poet, without meaning or trying to be.

Tariq is a survivor, the concept of dying for something is not one he fathoms, he’d rather live to play the long game. The concept of dying for someone works similarly. If he had to… He’d want to go down fighting. If dying for someone is confounding, living for someone is worse. This is something he lives by with respect to his own value too, he doesn’t simply expect people to lay down their lives for him, or on his orders. He will always try to appeal to their sense of personal reason, if he wants or needs something done. Ironically, the lack of the usual entitlement and the fact that he’s always willing to be down in the trenches with his people is what makes them very loyal and more likely to do whatever is needed or whatever he wants. He has known and seen loss, and still has the courage to form intense attachments. However, he’s not very possessive.

She was born to Ehsaan Shastri and Maan Shastri. Ehsaan worked for the fuel and forest preservationist company run by G.C (Auriga) in Sector 09 and he was a bit of a misogynist, so he didn't really want Maan to be working. Maan had the qualifications to work as a journalist (Caelum). When Maan is pregnant with Aki, Ehsaan falls very very sick, and to get him treatment, Maan is co-coerced into joining a genetic enhancement study, which is how Akira-embryo ends up a specific genetic boost and that’s what gets her her ancient-lost-telepathic-empathy-powers. The study is abruptly closed down, so Maan is just stuck with this powered child.

Ehsaan was a mean drunk and had anger issues. There are multiple situations of mild physical violence against Maan, even after Aki is born. So, she decides to leave him when Aki is five. They move to Aki's maternal grandparents (Jeet and Guru Shastri - yes it was an odd coincidence that her family name on her maternal and paternal side was the same, so no name taking issues, ha and they adore her). Her mother takes a few jobs here and there, which is hard as a single parent. She meanwhile has an... interesting time at school given her powers. Aki is frustrated and distracted and can't fathom why people lie, especially because Maan harps on about being honest, especially to oneself and waters a very strong sense of conscience in Aki. Aki is transferred to an up and coming school called Anjuman, which is run by Daevy Pyxis’ biological sister Noor Kohli

Meanwhile, Maan starts working on writing journal reviews for sustainable products and designs, and gets in touch with Tariq's father - Altair Meissa, who is a set-designer and theatre performer, who makes his own furniture. And... well... they fall in love. Sector 09 is hostile and volatile. So there are periodic riots and mob violence sort of stuff particularly between the two religious group. One of Tariq’s heritage and the other of Aki’s, among others. So, Aki is forced to deal with this romeo-juliet-esque situation that her mom has gotten into, because it is an illicit affair and whether they want it or not, Altair and Maan are representatives of the conflicting groups. Tariq also is transferred to Anjuman. Tariq and Akira run into Eze often, who visits their school from Sector 09 G.C.A (given that its run by his aunt).

Things really head south when Tariq loses his older brother in one of these riots and that puts a whole bunch of strain on the Meissa family and this strain, for Maan, ends up sharply reminding her that her relationship with Altair is amoral. A guilt-stricken ‘I-am-a-homewrecker’ Maan ends up dependent on illicitly obtained prescription pills. While battling depression and suicidal tendencies. Akira is left to deal with this mess through her preteens and a bit of her teens, not knowing how to ask for help without giving up the relationship which feels far more dangerous since it’d drive a wedge through Aki’s family, will it threatens to make them social pariahs and might even be a death sentence given the conflict. Spiralling from the loss of her firstborn son, Jheel eventually gets fatally sick. Aki and T are transferred to Sector 09 G.C.A (where they study with Eze), till their family lives can be stabilized. Eventually, Aki returns to Anjuman but T doesn’t. She sees him largely on some weekends and during vacations. She watches him inch towards a sort of unabashed delinquency. She watches him hang out in Eze’s crowd and succumb to a life of ‘drugs and parties’. Aki, having dealt with her mom, tries to help him through his addiction, at least enough so he can keep his sports and academic performance up. There is a competition for a scholarship to G.C.A sector 0, which both T and Aki take part in and tie. On humanitarian grounds (because Jheel is close to death/ready to succumb) T is given the scholarship. (Aki is certain that there is also the influence of T’s buddiness with Eze. This leaves Aki feeling abandoned and betrayed when T accepts.

She will entertain and push for extensive philosophical discourses, littered with painful hypotheticals... with whoever is willing. Holding up mirrors (sometimes cruelly, because she cannot give up on her tendency to deflate the over-inflated ego) and playing the devil’s advocate is her speciality.t. Her distracted, creative spirit is often at odds with her scholarly ventures, add labile emotions to this and Akira is left in a flux of turbulent frustration. Self-worth and confidence suffers sometimes and she is likely to close herself in. As someone who isn't (can’t be) result oriented, she accepts the existence of imperfection but not the unwillingness to attempt working against it--However slow that process might be.

Akira sees her own struggles (mostly because they feel unjustified to her) as a solo battle that could use an ephemeral support system to conquer. She deals with these internal turmoil, externally and alone. Finding it easiest to throw herself into something that'll exhaust her and steal away from the time she can spend brooding. This could be physical exhaustion through sports, martial arts, a variety of performing arts and creative projects that she will work on obsessively (and then drop).

Akira will assume that she’s been deemed weak (even if she hasn’t), if someone has witnessed her in a state that she judges as such. And one way or another, she will seek to re-establish her strength. She has always had a grandiose perspective of her own strength. She believes herself to be capable of stoic endurance in the face of pain. Sometimes she seeks it, just to prove this point to herself or others around her. Or to deal with a pressing sense of guilt. She hates pity, but she loves attention and does want to be admired for the right reasons. If someone she holds in high regard, recognises her strength under duress she's ecstatic about the validation. Especially if she feels like the ordeal served a purpose or was well endured as penance.

Her need for validation does leave her craving popularity sometimes. However, Akira is like a flame… sometimes a flickering candle, often a warm hearth... and sometimes a raging inferno. Inconsistency makes relationships hard and definitely does not garner her popular approval. Her inherent tendencies will automatically end up testing people. Friction is a consistent part of her affection. She still fights within a relationship as much as she fights for it.

She will entertain and push for extensive philosophical discourses, littered with painful hypotheticals... with whoever is willing. Holding up mirrors (sometimes cruelly, because she cannot give up on her tendency to deflate the over-inflated ego) and playing the devil’s advocate is her specialty.

Why? Because to her, intentions matter most. A reminder that her intentions are still noble, despite her failings can feel uplifting. Akira values self-awareness greatly. She believes that people need to introspect, reflect and work on themselves consistently. That true empathy is borne out of this. To the best of her ability, she does apply this to herself. She is susceptible to being disappointed by unjust and unfair things. Especially when the cause stems from others not valuing self-awareness, or dismissing it. When people harm each other, in search of power or because they don’t know better, Akira is met with a festering frustration.

Her natural curiosity is insatiable. It thrives on variety and settles on an obsessive unravelling of the minds around her, for better or for worse. Her intensity ends up working as a filter. And it leaves her with a good radar for people. She is not easy to fool. Akira seeks spirited souls that stand up for what they believe in, but are capable of being vulnerable… Are capable of realising that they can be wrong. These are the people she allows herself to love. Everything is amped up for those she loves, dangerously so. Once a relationship is forged and fostered, she is unlikely to give up on it. She cannot fake this attachment. and she measures her value by it sometimes. Her indiscipline makes it difficult for her to achieve concrete markers of success. So, being able to be there for people, good, kind, well-intentioned people--her people, fills that void.

Her innate empathy for people she considers hers--the ones she needs to protect and support, is subject to manipulation. It'll be very difficult for her to watch someone she cares for suffer, in her stead or directly/indirectly because of her. Her pride is an anchor, but in certain situations can be fragile. She knows a shattered sense of self will leave her quite hollow. And feeling like she failed, herself or someone around her, will tick that quickly.

Like everyone, Akira has a spectrum: Hate. Dislike. Indifference. Like. Love. Both extremes can become all-consuming. She knows she is capable of sinking into depravity, if she gives way to hate, and so assumes most humans could be. Akira would merrily dole out vengeance, to a dehumanising and sadistic degree if someone displayed cruelty (incidentally the quickest path to her hate) towards her or her people. She has not entirely reconciled that part of herself with her identity. Knowing that she can’t be entirely impartial leaves her agonizing.