Beginnings [Milestone #1]

This seemed like both an easy and difficult benchmark, but also confusing. I say confusing because it seems to imply prior connections to build upon when the previous point in the character's life cycle was their creation, a time when PC interaction is lacking by design. Thus, I've made the assumption that the character would be judged against the next step in the life cycle.

Alain struggles to form deep and long lasting connections/relationships for a number of reasons, but two are most apparent. First, he’s generally mistrustful of everyone that he meets, often questioning their motives. This is somewhat tied to his fear of loss. If he doesn't trust people, then he's far less likely to development attachments which he could later lose. Second, he’s so driven by personal goals, namely, solving the mystery of his mother’s murder, that he views others purely on the basis of whether or not they’re capable of aiding his endeavors. This theme is maintained to one degree or another in the majority of threads during story arc one. A side effect of wanting or needing to use people for his own ends has been the development of a manipulative nature. Occurring both intentionally and unintentionally, it's hardly conducive to building a trusting relationship.

Innately inquisitive, Merrick tends to value the acquisition of knowledge above all else, using it to attain his goals. However, he doesn't currently possess the means to utilize everything that he knows. Story arc one focuses primarily on Merrick's attempt to acquire greater power and increased skill with zankensoki. This will allow him to use his vast knowledge to greater effect. Now given the diversity of skills that he requires, it has been necessary to seek them out from a variety of sources. This was by design. Through interaction with at least one member from each division, Merrick was able to achieve two things. First, because of the different squad specialties, he was able to learn from people who were the best at what they do. This was important to him because he values efficiency and dedicating himself fully to a task. Half measures are a waste of time in his eyes. Second, as a man who values knowledge, he knows that his time within Third Division will end eventually as he pursues other avenues of education. Therefore, he wanted to begin laying the foundation for a squad transfer by learning about the divisions from firsthand sources, enabling him to make the most informed decision possible when the time comes.

When it came to threads, I tried to shy away from typical meet and greet encounters which while useful, maybe provide questionable or limited character development opportunity due to the lack of any significant happenings. To that end, I tried to add a hook to each thread. These included patrol assignments, instructional lessons, zanpakuto spirit communion, a personal request with future investigation implications, and some mastery foreshadowing. As each of these were first time encounters between Merrick and the other party, I found depth and growth hard to establish. A seed could be planted, but the relationship isn't going to sprout from one exchange and multiple threads with the same character/player can be hard to arrange. Nevertheless, it has established Merrick with a point of contact within each of the divisions of the Gotei. To complement the lack of multiple threads with the same character, I've included additional encounters which hopefully provide Merrick with more avenues to potentially explore in future story arcs.

Atraerus (Neutral/Indifferent) - A wandering Shinigami and the first PC encountered in the life of Alain Merrick. They met deep in the Rukongai during one of his trips in search of healing knowledge. Taking place after the death of Josephine, but years before joining the Academy, he hadn't yet become aware of his spiritual potential. Though a seemingly agreeable fellow, the dialogue broke down due to a strong difference of opinion over how to teach others. Despite the brief encounter, the man taught Merrick the value of adaptability which he now employs in nearly all aspects of his life.

Shigure (Acquaintance/Superior) - Due to Merrick’s desire to master Kaido, he holds Shigure’s ability in great esteem as the preeminent practitioner of the art. The Chief of Medicine has assisted in Merrick’s kaido development both directly and indirectly. Because he has helped Alain along the path of one of his primary goals, he trusts the man more than most, which isn’t saying much. Conversely, while Merrick wouldn’t describe the Chief as intentionally deceitful, conversations between the pair have suggested that the man withholds information. Intensely tight-lipped himself, he doesn't begrudge someone their secrets. However, problems may arise between them if he learns that the withheld knowledge would aid his personal investigations.

Junko (Budding Friendship/Mentor) - This is the person that Merrick has the closest connection with and the only one among the Gotei that he would come close to calling a friend. Unsurprisingly, she is also the person with whom he has spent the most time, a result of a week long excursion into the Rukongai. Both are quiet by nature, boast some similar interests, are romantically clueless/disinterested, and can’t stand when others get in their way. In a case of actions speaking louder than words, she has earned his respect through displays of combat prowess, but also by sitting with him while he recovered from injury. Whereas most people come across to Merrick as hiding behind a façade, what you see is what you get with Junko. Likewise, he appreciates how she treats him and how she acts around him. His only issue with the woman thus far is her near bloodthirsty relish for combat which is diametrically opposed to his feelings on the subject.

Kirito (Acquaintance/Instructor) - When Alain sought to improve his zanjutsu, the first stop was Fifth Division, the people who specialized in close quarters combat with hand and blade. A skilled swordsman, Officer Kirigaya seemed to take at least a minor liking to Merrick upon first meeting. Of course, Alain believed that it was partially the result of a misunderstanding of his words on Kirito’s part, mistaking bluntness and direct action for intestinal fortitude. Nevertheless, Alain came away from their exchange with a better understanding of the sword and the commitment necessary to hone the craft. This made the man’s efforts worthy of respect if not the man himself who later fled Soul Society. Upon hearing the news, Merrick had little reaction beyond minor annoyance at having to find another source for zanjutsu instruction.

Mirabelle (Acquaintance/Instructor/Superior) - Holding the title of Haganji, Mirabelle is wholeheartedly dedicated to making Third Division great, which Merrick couldn't less about. However, it's a sentiment which he is more than willing to take advantage of. Extolling the virtue of hado, an art which he previously saw as too inflexible for broad utility, Mirabelle alters his opinion after showing him spell morphing, a concept which he had never considered. As a superior, Merrick would have to follow her orders anyway, but her efforts as an instructor have now earned her the benefit of the doubt as someone whose words he may not want to immediately dismiss. For example, she has even begun to aid him outside of the kido arena with zanpakuto spirit communion. The one downside so far is their disagreement over his idea of learning through observation. As a result, demonstrations cause lessons to last longer than he would like.

Yingfeng (Acquaintance/Instructor) - A Shinigami without a division whom Merrick met during one of his hospital shifts. Coming across as aloof and jaded, it was difficult to get a read on the man. Merrick chalked it up to the hospital setting which has a way of altering a person's normal behavior. In any event, the man practiced methods of healing and fighting from a bygone era. Li willingly shared the latter with patients as part of his physical therapy while Merrick picked his brain about the former. With knowledge of topics like acupuncture, Alain saw the man as an opportunity to learn non-kaido techniques, eventually eliciting a promise for hands-on instruction. In the meantime, Li was kind enough to provide a list of books for Merrick to study.

Yamato (Neutral/Indifferent) - If Alain had to use one word to describe Kameyama, it would be “excess.” The man talked too much, at inopportune times, and about things which had no relevance to anything. Likewise, the man was overeager, impulsive and loud. Of course, all of these traits could have been exaggerated since they met during the life threatening situation of a hollow hunt. Still, Merrick doubted if the two would have messed even if each quality in the man was muted. If given the option, Alain wouldn't work with the man again.

Shinsei (Acquaintance) - Now here was a fellow that Alain could relate to. The Fourth Division Shinigami had the air of one who walked through life with the same disinterested and distant demeanor that most would use to describe Merrick. Even his informal manner of speech was refreshing in comparison to the formal stodginess one usually found within the Gotei. Though if there was one major difference between the two it was their look. Merrick chose to appear presentable while his colleague’s uniform and hair were rather disheveled. Nevertheless, the man seemed to know his technical subjects which was all that Merrick cared about. Shinsei’s competent work on Alain's safe, has made him worth seeking out again for similar projects in the future.

Shinku (Enemy/Budding Rival) - What is a Shinigami supposed to do when they meet a seemingly “good” hollow? Obviously, Merrick tries to purify them. Whether or not she is good or bad is irrelevant in his eyes. He maintains no hatred for the creature or any other feeling for that matter beyond his belief in what each of them are or at least what they have been taught. This is rather unfortunate because other than Mako, she could be the entity who is most like Merrick, an inquisitive soul who struggles with loss. Boasting a power which creates fast-growing offspring, Merrick has angered the hollow by killing many of her brood. Dismissing the encounter as soon as it was over, he's completely unaware of the revenge which is likely forthcoming.

Mako (Acquaintance) - Alain and Mako are two sides of the same coin. Possessing similar personalities and high intelligence, there's an easy respect because anything less would be to reject oneself. However, they are so similar that interaction between them proves difficult. Both are very no nonsense types, but Merrick's secretive nature results in vague and elusive words and action which Mako has little tolerance for. Nevertheless, if Merrick ever has a need which requires a keen mind and is unable to resolve it on his own, he would likely bounce the idea off of Mako.

Yui (Acquaintance/Prospective Student) - A short, persistent annoyance of a woman whom he meets at the hospital after she arrives seeking medical attention due to a sparring session taken too seriously. Perhaps stubborn to a fault, she’s obsessed with the opinions of others and gaining respect from her peers, two things which Merrick couldn’t care less about. She has requested Kaido instruction from the medic on two occasions and he has rebuffed her both times, being far too busy with his own business to aid anyone else. Ironically, he's now seeking something from her.

Ruby (Acquaintance/Instructor) - Their initial meeting began in somewhat contentious fashion at least on Ruby’s side due to believing that Merrick was disrespectful when in fact, he merely failed to understand basic social niceties. Otherwise, Ruby has proven to be a savvy Shinigami with a wide array of combat knowledge which would help Merrick become a better swordsman and tactician. Likewise, she appears to possess a zanpakuto power that is similar to his own. He finds a small degree of comfort in this likeness which he hopes to explore and exploit.

As previously stated, the biggest change that Merrick experiences in story arc one is his growth as a Shinigami from a power and skill standpoint. The character begins one to two months into his tenure as a member of Third Division. He knows what he wants to accomplish and how to achieve it, his direction is clear. He simply lacks the means which would bring his plans to fruition. Many early threads show him working with others, or alone, to improve in the Shinigami arts, growing in strength to become more capable of taking of himself and if necessary, others. The most notable improvements were made in the areas of zanjutsu, bakudo, and kaido where he went from a mere beginner to expert levels of skill. At the same time, his efforts place himself in a better position to tackle his biggest problem, the dual investigations.

Due to the illness and eventual death of his guardian, Merrick has done everything in his power to learn about medicine and the healing arts. This journey began more than two decades prior to his arrival at the academy, but played a major role in why he chose Third Division over the others. In The Seeker, we see Alain attempting to learn acupuncture from a rogue Shinigami. The venture ended in failure before the lessons could truly begin. The Shinigami had an unorthodox method of teaching which made little sense to Merrick. This was the first time where we see him believing that things needed to be handled a certain way and his unwillingness to bend to the methods of others when he felt that they were wrong. This impatience and inflexibility caused him to miss out on a potentially useful skill. Years later, Merrick has developed greater patience in his pursuit of knowledge. It was this pursuit which led him to seek out the Shinigami. He had already exhausted numerous medical resources during his travels in the Rukongai and was no closer to finding a cure for the mysterious illness which claimed his mother's life. Thus, he sought out the Shinigami in the hopes of a new beginning. Today, Alain is more adaptable, a necessity as part of a military organization where orders must be followed. He continues to believe that his ways are often best, but by being less vocal, he's usually able to obtain what he wants.

Chronologically, A First Step was the first thread that touched upon the investigation into the death of his guardian which was introduced in the Call to Action section of the application. More importantly, it functions as an example of Merrick’s continued desire to gain an understanding of healing and medicine. After learning about Kaido at the academy, he knew his path as a Shinigami would rest with Third Division. With Kaido mastery in mind, Alain sought the assistance of the chief of medicine. The exchange ended with the young Shinigami being shifted from nurse to medic duty where he was introduced to a more advanced and hands-on type of instruction. By the end of the arc, Merrick begins to display confident and easy use of the skill while also employing his own personal embellishments like healing tendrils. Medic! is one thread which highlights this improving Kaido ability. However, as part of Merrick's desire to be more well-rounded, he knows not to rely on Kaido alone as a medical practitioner. Day to Day Grind and Unusual Knowledge show his continued pursuit of the more mundane practices of healing such as herbalism and acupuncture.

After multiple trips the hospital due to training exercises, sparring sessions and one revelatory incident in the Rukongai where he nearly died, Merrick realized that his Kaido studies had become a detriment to his other efforts. When he attempted to fix this issue of single-mindedness, he noticed that Third Division suffered from the same problem, but their emphasis was on the other kido schools. As a result, he went outside of the squad to secure zanjutsu instruction. A Martial Plan illustrated the zanjutsu portion of his desire to develop a well-rounded array of skills so that he might become a more capable Shinigami in the future. Over the course of the first story arc, Merrick’s combat style went through a few iterations. He began with pure zanjutsu utilizing one and two-handed attacks alone. This transitioned into a dual wielding style with sheath in one hand and zanpakuto in the other. Later, he incorporated bakudo with his zanjutsu technique. The next stage of development will likely add hado to the mix. Reflections acted as a minor addendum to his pursuit of zanjutsu, where the groundwork was being laid for adding hoho and general strategy/tactics to his evolving combat style to form a complete package.

From his academy days to the present, Alain has never been enthusiastic when it comes to combat. Along with his general dislike of conflict, he believes that another Shinigami will always be around to handle the more distasteful aspects of Gotei life. Whereas he plans to obtain a position within Seireitei which allows him to remain in relative safety while pursuing his personal agenda. Though despite trying to keep his head down and remain anonymous, he has still found himself ordered to the living realm on his own, or in support of another, on more than one occasion. Starved and Cornered and Back in the Saddle were examples of this. Both showed his misconception of what a military organization was, but more importantly, his place in it. Often questioning why he was chosen for a particular task, he has failed to realize the more positive reason that his superiors may simply trust his capabilities and judgment. Nevertheless, the desire to avoid danger has placed self-preservation at the forefront of his thinking, often defining how he acts on and off the battlefield. For example, Alain uses bakudo in most combat encounters and usually as his first action, perhaps reflecting his desire to remain safe.

Spell-Bound with Mirabelle Bonnet was important for two reasons. First, like Kaido, his increasing knowledge of the art has resulted in experimentation and adaptation. This led to his first bakudo creation, borne from observing an arrancar. That incident as well as his time with Mirabelle, demonstrated his propensity for learning through observation. An uncommon method if not wholly unorthodox, it’s often frowned upon by others who don’t believe in its effectiveness. For Merrick, it’s a necessity because he desires to maintain secrecy as a way of gaining advantage. Finally, a greater appreciation for hado was another outcome from their exchange. Prior to meeting Mirabelle, he saw the art as imprecise, inefficient and inflexible. While he continues to struggle performing this particular branch of kido, he has begun to see its value. This point was driven home further when he encountered a hollow capable spawning numerous minions. Their arrangement on the battlefield had been difficult to contend with due to his lack of any wide spanning offensive capabilities. He knew hado would have had an answer.

The Endless Pursuit was the one thread which deviated from the theme of an improving a skill and its subsequent use. The content instead dealt with a personal project as well as minor questioning into the murder investigation. This placed the thread on the border between story arcs one and two, but occurred so early in the timeline of the character that I felt its inclusion was necessary. In any event, it served as the source of a developing relationship while also opening future forays into Fourth Division, an undoubted necessity given the nature his investigations will likely take.

The nature of my character made this a problematic component for story arc one. Essentially, I wanted the character to remain within Soul Society for the entirety of the first arc because he was weak, lacked skill and would unlikely survive a confrontation in the human realm. Perhaps my understanding is incorrect, but the antagonist role seems to live most often in the combat realm. So due to Merrick’s dislike of fighting, combative rivals are going difficult to form. I’ve attempted to create a mentor/mentee relationship which would function in the same way as the antagonist which I believe is to provide a significant challenge for the character.

In A Search for Guidance, Merrick had a lengthy adventure with Junko Gekido. The thread was primarily about a search for a former Shinigami zanjutsu master, but by its conclusion, many of the early themes of story arc one make an appearance. Initially, Merrick's respect for Junko grew from her actions. First, carrying his unconscious body to the hospital and later fending off a group of brigands, were just two of the examples. When she spoke, it was direct and without fluff. A competent fighter who was more skilled than him, she also seemed to have more real world experience. Of course she wasn't without her faults, but he overlooked them because she seemed truly genuine when so many others were fake. Likewise, she appeared able to deal him without complaint or difficulty, a rarity since so many referred to him as exhausting. Thus, his esteem for her was able to develop slowly over the course of days and weeks, becoming foundation of their budding relationship. In time, she could become a mentor of sorts, but he has yet to become of aware of the possibility. Why was the relationship with Junko different from the others? The most likely cause was the amount of time spent in each other's company. Prior to their excursion, Merrick was alone, always by choice, but alone. Perhaps if he was willing to give others the same chance, similar connections could be made.

While someone becoming a rival for Merrick remains problematic, the seeds have been planted for him to be the antagonist of another. In Starved and Cornered, Alain met the hollow Shinku, a seemingly benign hollow with an interest in peace and intellectual curiosity. This was contrasted with Merrick's dispassionate moral superiority as it relates to the Shinigami-hollow dynamic. Although the interaction ultimately devolved into a physical confrontation, the true conflict rested in their divergent belief systems and personal philosophies. Both are motivated by self-preservation with Shinku fostering a "live and let live" approach to Merrick's "kill or be killed." He simply believes that it's impossible for them to deny what they are, a Shinigami and a hollow. There's no malice to his actions, merely an adherence to duty. As a result, they can never see eye to eye. Alain may have failed to kill Shinku, but he eliminated numerous members of her brood, an act which she's unable to forgive.

Merrick will encounter a number of hurdles, but the most impactful one is the death of his guardian. During his “Call to Action,” he encountered a cloaked and hooded stranger and was nearly killed. As a result of this incident, he now believes that his guardian was murdered by the mysterious Rukongai illness. In response to this development, Alain has begun investigating in order to discover the truth about her death. Solving the murder will likely alter his perspective in various ways.

1) Denial & Isolation - Due to this event, he has developed an intense fear of loss. In order to avoid losing anyone else, he keeps people at arm's length, never letting anyone close. Although being a member of the Gotei has forced him to work with others from time to time, he always maintains a distance. Furthermore, when given the choice, he continues to work alone. A consequence of this behavior is a belief that working alone is the best way to accomplish tasks. He rejects the possibility that alternatives to his methods are better. In story arc one, we see Merrick trying to hold to these principles within the constraints of a military organization. The joint venture with Junko Gekido has been the one example where he willing chose to work with another and it has already began to have subtle effects. However, Merrick remains largely unaware of any changes as they've been limited to his interaction with the young woman from Fifth Division.

2) Anger - Merrick has learned to conceal his emotions well. Hiding them often requires that any feelings be directed inward. This has had two major effects. One, he’s often his own harshest critic and two, it has left him largely emotionless. While he’s mostly respectful, he can be difficult to interact with as a result. However, no matter how controlled and measured he seems to be, the day is coming when the bottled emotions will explode. The cracks have already begun to show as he's not as patient as believes himself to be.

3) Bargaining (or Balancing the Scales) - When his guardian fell ill, Merrick was overcome with a sense of helplessness. Why didn’t he have the medical expertise to do anything? Why wasn't he able to find adequate help? Why didn't he spend more time with her in her final weeks? This led Alain down the path of trying to acquire as much knowledge as possible, especially of a medical nature in the hopes of preventing the loss of anyone else to the same illness should the situation arise a second time. As a member of Third Division, Merrick strives to become a master of Kaido. If he’s able to cure the illness which killed his guardian, he will have repaid a debt to Josephine, the one who found and aided him when he first arrived in Soul Society. This would truly free him for other pursuits.

4) Depression - While Merrick wouldn’t view it as depression per se, the effects of his mourning are ever present in his life. In particular, we see how it created a driven individual who maintains a singular focus even to his own detriment as a means of masking his pain. Likewise, he favors cold logic to emotion. As long as his mind remains occupied, he's able to avoid dealing with any deeper issues that he might have which could hinder his everyday life.

5) Acceptance - While currently unknown to him, the inability to accept Josephine’s death has stifled his growth as a Shinigami. When he’s finally able to come to terms with losing his one true lifeline, the biggest impediment to acquiring greater power will be gone. This will also lead to a healthier overall emotional state and finally allow new emotional connections to begin forming.

For Merrick, the major conflict is his unbalanced emotional state. In his case, “unbalanced” isn’t a reference to his sanity as he’s perfectly sane. The imbalance stems from what he’s lacking as a person. He can’t find peace of mind because he’s unable and unwilling to forgive himself. He can't accept that circumstances are sometimes beyond his control. He can’t find contentment because he doesn't know what will make him happy. Likewise, he lacks emotional bonds with others. He lacks these bonds because he’s unable to trust others and trust completely. And he’s unable to trust because he fears loss and the subsequent pain which might result. Merrick is unaware that he's caught in an endless circle where nothing will ever change until he breaks free.