✖ PLAYER:
Name & DW Journal: Shahni/sparkles
Plurk: toranosuke
Birthdate & Age: Apr 7th & 28
Characters played in Ophiuchus: N/A

✖ CHARACTER:
Name: Makoto Tachibana
Canon: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
PB/Image: [ image here ]
Info links: [ here ] & [ here ]
Canon Point: Post Episode 12
Gender & Sex: Male
Age: 17 (canon), aged up to 18
Birthdate/Sign: November 17th (canon)
Tattoo: ♏ symbol, On his back, mid-right.
Suitability:

Despite Makoto being just a teenager, he is mature beyond his years with the personality to show for it, and he is determined to look out for the friends he has and loves. While he has his own fears and misgivings, being an easily frightened person as shown in the series, he isn't the kind to back down when faced with them as crippling as they might turn out for him. He is also a very capable and hard-working young man, as shown by his ability to keep his team going even with his gentle disposition. By the end of the series, he has become stronger and more determined to work together with his friends and make the dreams of having his team swim together come true- he overcomes his fears without letting himself fall or make his teammates worry for him. That is why in the face of the circumstances he may have in the game, he would be determined to protect the memories he finds so precious and that have helped him maintain the camaraderie he has with his friends, and he'd ensure that he'd stay alive and complete to be able to face them. He is also no stranger to at least knowledge of sex, as shown in the drama cds where he's trying to discourage his friend Rin's sister from looking at a magazine they find in a room they assume is her brother's, so approaching the matter itself to ensure the security of his memories wouldn't be something he'd avoid.

Being the eldest of two young siblings, he is also the caretaker of his group and as such, would have no trouble looking after himself as well as others. Adapting to his given situation wouldn't be difficult for him (he's the one who helps everyone gather camping materials for their training course and ensures everyone has what they need when they can't afford anything else) and would make sure he is capable of looking after not just himself, but for anyone that needs to rely on him.

Power: No powers canonly so, Water - Summoning
Personality:

"A sweet boy" would easily sum up Makoto and be right on the mark- there is little about him that would say otherwise. From his gentle gaze to his kind smile and supportive nature, Makoto is a sensible and kind young man who likes looking out for his friends. He has a bit of a motherly attitude towards everyone, notably towards his childhood best friend Haruka, who he has been with for so long that he ends up acting as his "interpreter"- the other characters in the show even have a running joke where Makoto 'reads his mind' for them to translate. And more often than not, Makoto is right on the mark. An understanding personality coupled with an intuitive nature, Makoto is the best friend who does whatever it takes to make sure that no one around him ever feels themselves lacking in any way.

Being the eldest of two younger siblings, Makoto is very patient and caring. He is shown to have a loving family with his mother and father around and two adorable twin siblings who he spoils in his own way. Of course, he does attempt to be firm at times, but often caves under their insistence- much to their delight. He is a kind and loving older brother, and a reliable friend who is both baffled and endeared by his friends' eccentric antics. More often than not, he does attempt to go with whatever they are doing, despite his own doubts about them, but in the end, he usually ends up justifying most of his companions' actions enough to continue going through with whatever they want to within reason. This is also due to the fact that he is a little indecisive and can't really bring himself to completely turn down anyone asking him things, seen noticeably with how he treats his siblings- though he makes up for it with his gentle persistence as well, as seen with how he behaves with Haruka.

Makoto's friendliness and easygoing attitude often has people warming up to him faster than the others- he is always reassuring and gentle, and speaks with others easily. He is also observant, capable of reading between the lines where it comes to his friends and working out whatever they need- he's not always accurate, but is generally perceptive enough to understand what may be going on with someone at a given point. It makes him a bit of an ideal companion for figuring out the unspoken, and also someone that people can easily approach and not expect to be judged by. He is sensitive and gentle, caring and loving with people and animals- he's often shown caring for cats and treating them with affection, and this further gives an insight into his kind and affectionate nature. Makoto himself tries to do for others before they do anything for him and won't ever burden his friends with his own worries, a trait that makes it difficult to figure out what his own feelings are to those that aren't incredibly close to him, but like anyone, he does have his own emotional baggage that he carries and does it with a tactfulness that ensures no one will be weighed down by his worries.

While he doesn't hide things deliberately, being something of an honest, open book where it comes down to it, Makoto hides his insecurities and fears behind his gentle gaze and smile- where he can. He's a bit of a scaredy-cat and gets nervous by the dark and spooky stories (though he does his best to man up about them) and he's weak to pain, unable to see anyone get hurt (notably seen during an end card where he can't bait his hook on his fishing line and requires Haruka to do it for him and too nervous to even look). He's also jumpy when frightened and often ducks behind Haruka or protests loudly when he's nervous, which is a more humorous part of the fears that he does have. He's quick to get embarrassed and nervous at times as well, becoming anxious and ending up rambling and arguing, and more often than not, ends up giving up when he can't take it anymore.

Makoto is also described as "wishy-washy" by Haruka, in reference to his indecisiveness and inability to make a firm decision at times (in that case, being unable to choose who he'd date from their group of friends, due to all of them having their own good qualities that he likes about them), and he does often get excited and flails when being teased or suggested crazy ideas especially by his friend Nagisa, unless he can make some sense of them. He is also the person trying to stop any bickering and arguments between their friends, or trying to mediate- though he can be easily surprised, which usually leads to some hilarious outcomes.

The things he does hide (and eventually comes out about to his friends) are rooted a lot more deeply, and for a swim team captain and a regular swimmer before that, the revelation of the source of these insecurities comes as a surprise. This is all due to the fact that Makoto actually holds a rather deep-rooted fear of water, particularly the ocean in general. While this is elaborated in the light novel High☆Speed which is set during their elementary school days, he tends to completely remain quiet about this fear, refusing to let it get in the way of his life and his swimming achievements- especially since it would mean not swimming at all if he gave in to that fear. This further shows Makoto's tendency to bury his own fears in front of others, as he never brings it up to others until circumstances trigger the need for it.

As a child, Makoto experienced the loss of a friend- a good old fisherman who used to play with him when he visited a harbor town, and who was the kind person who gave him his first pair of goldfish as a gift. Hearing that a storm took out many fishing posts, drowning and killing many fishermen and barely a distance from the harbor, Makoto began to believe something dark and evil was lurking in the depths of the water. He was further affected when he watched a funeral procession with his friend Haruka, alarmed and scared by the sight of everyone in mourning and the little children- who would eventually be revealed to be their future friends Rin and his little sister Gou- following behind. In High☆Speed, it is also revealed that Makoto also almost lost Haruka to drowning as well- and his reaction to it is a sight that his own friend Rin describes as being the first time he'd ever seen anyone look so terrified, and it affects him enough to be unable to care for his goldfish properly, losing them despite his own best efforts to look after them. It does affect Makoto enough to create a grave for them in the garden, which he still keeps flowers on, also revealing his deeply sensitive nature and the impression the incident leaves on him.

With these collected incidents, it is not difficult to see that Makoto's fears have taken shape in a rather troubling form inside him, however, he isn't one to show it. Despite being easily terrified and jumpy, these deeper emotions of fear and sadness are expressed when he's alone, and eventually become exposed when he freezes up seeing his teammate Rei almost drowning in the ocean. While he doesn't hesitate to leap into the ocean water in the middle of the storm, ignoring any danger to himself, the sight eventually triggers him enough to freeze up and become unable to take action. However, with the help of his friends, and Haruka eventually changing his own role of being the 'cared for' to being worried and concerned for Makoto and protecting him instead, he is able to express whatever has been holding him back and come to terms with it, revealing that he just wishes to swim with everyone in a group. It is also revealed to be why his preferred swim style is the backstroke, because he doesn't need to see the water to swim it (and in his own words, "a good stroke for anyone who is afraid of water"). This is also further elaborated on with Rin comments on Makoto's swimming style as being "a rough and dynamic stroke that ends up leaving everyone behind"- which also suggests the insistence and aggression with which he moves and how he wants to "get away" from whatever he fears in the water.

A lot of Makoto's development also circles around the presence of his best friend Haruka- having been with him since they were kids, and having been swimming with him for a long time. Makoto admires Haruka's love for swimming despite his own fears and never lets his own feelings bog him down from the joy he feels to swim with his friend. Makoto and Haruka are extremely close to the point where they're mostly always seen together, with Makoto looking out for Haruka in a way that's almost maternal. Of course, like any pair of teenage boys, they have their own silly and immature moments as well, but he tries his best to be there for the otherwise quiet and reserved Haruka, understanding his ways and taking care of him as a friend should. In some ways, Makoto is the reason Haruka joins in with most of their activities, and being aware of this fact is what makes Makoto continue to try and get him involved when he won't do it himself. As the series progresses, their friendship does deepen to the point where Makoto isn't one-sidedly caring for Haruka, but also getting that care in return from him openly as well as learning to rely on his friends, too. He begins to grow more open about his own wants, as well- confessing to Haruka that the reason he swims is to swim together with him, otherwise it has no meaning. Their team is important to him, and being together is what helps them all grow as well.

His own realization and understanding of what Haruka needs is what helps him encourage his best friend to pursue and approach their common friend Rin, someone he knows that Haruka has to face to move on himself. He understands all too well that swimming with Rin, swimming together with him is something Haruka wants and losing it, as he is threatened with in the series, is what stunts Haruka's own desire to keep on going with the sport. While being a generally non-confrontational person due to his own adaptable nature, Makoto realizes the needs of his friends to try his best and work towards them and attempts to bring them together. He encourages and drags Haruka to meet with Rin initially with Nagisa, and he further attempts to bring Rin back into their lives by calling and asking him to join the swim team in his school so they all can race together. He goes further during the prefectural tournaments, facing down Rin when he tells Haruka he won't swim with him again and reminding him that it was because of Rin that Haruka learnt what was important about swimming- something Rin almost loses sight of as well. His own efforts, though small, have some positive influence on keeping them all together as a team, and in his growth not only as a person, but as a captain and heart of his swim team as well, and he finally overcomes his own fear in the water, swimming the final relay with the imagery of the darkness turning into light and a peaceful place for him to move in with ease.

The growth that Makoto goes through in the series shows him to be an adaptable person who despite his own shortcomings, refuses to allow them to become his crutches, restraining him from what he knows he can do. He is capable of seeing the bigger picture in practically everything, and thinking beyond himself- and it is why he stands as the person who people can both look up to and care for easily. His presence among his companions' lives is among one of the more consistent and stable ones, and in that reliability, he is someone who will do whatever it takes to continue to remain that person for them, come what may.

✖ SAMPLES:
"Ophiuchus" First-Person Network Entry:

[ Video ]

[ There's a brief pause before he speaks, carefully holding the device up to the window ledge to set it there, giving the viewers the sight of his upper body and where he's looking a little nervous but still managing a smile. ]

Ah, heh... this isn't exactly what I expected a victory celebration to be like... but it doesn't seem to be the case at all, does it.

[ Really, after in everything he was told over the course of the three days he's been here, he has a feeling things are a lot more twisted than he expected them to be when he first arrived. And he'd rather not go into the fear he experienced then, for that matter... he squares his shoulders and speaks again. ]

Sorry, I know you all probably get to hear this kind of thing a lot, but even with this letter and all, it's probably better to ask, right?

[ He does hope people aren't annoyed by it, for one. He chuckles quietly, nervously... ]

I just got here a few days back, and- I've been trying to read up on whatever guides I've found. It's all a little hard to swallow... But all I need to know is if- anyone's looking for any extra hands? N-Not... for anything weird, I promise! I'm just looking for work!

[ His cheeks are flushing a little as he rambles a bit... ]

I-I'm good at carrying heavy things and all, and I guess I'm good at organization, too? I'm actually just in high school, but I've done a few summer jobs... and I'm the captain of my swim team back home. Not that anyone would need one around here, huh...

[ He scratches the top of his head a little nervously as he glances to a side, a little uncomfortable but trying to get through it. The mere mention of his friends is enough to make a flinch of discomfort pass through him, wondering if they're okay, if they're safe... ]

I'm sorry for taking up your time. And er...

[ He's about to ask if anyone's seen any of his friends, but he stops, thinking if they were around, he'd surely have found them by now... he just bows his head respectfully before adding- ]

...that'll be all. Thank you.

[ He turns the feed off finally, glad no one can see the way his expression has fallen... ]

[ /end video ]

"Cebalrai (logs)" Third-Person Prose Entry:

It had felt like a dream, their victory, their disqualification and that entire amazing race- but the joy of just being together again, of Rin's happy words and of Nagisa's joyful tears all culminating into the most beautiful burst of emotion had made everything real and amazing. He couldn't even have imagined that despite being disqualified, he could have been this happy, but there was proof of it in the way the sky seemed to have brightened above him and the light had filled the murky darkness that had clouded all around him.

This is what it meant to swim as a team, to know that friendship that they had all cherished and bonded together over, and if it hadn't been for Rei's amazing sacrifice of his own position, nothing would have come to fruition-

They would have continued to drift in that continuous cycle of their everyday lives, without ever reaching the crescendo of their friendship as it was meant to be.

But it had happened- they may have not won the tournament, but they did win something more, and the smile on his face was making all his emotions burst up from inside of him- not entirely ready to cry yet, but not entirely unwilling to express his sheer joy, or the bubbling warmth within that he could feel overflowing at the sight of Rin's relieved, happy expression and the warmth of their bodies all held together by their arms locked around each other as the laughter echoed around them. Haruka's tender smile, Rin's laughter...

Though- he paused as he found himself stirring , wondering again as the images faded, because he was certain they were a dream for sure- weren't they in the classroom? It was long after the tournament already, wasn't it? The thought made him groggily, uncertainly open his eyes to meet a flash of bright white, which caused him to close his eyes once more and draw his hand up to his eyes as his mind, already so sleep-addled and groggy, tried to compose itself and align all those memories together appropriately. The tournament was over, their return to their classes had allowed them to resume their work as always, but- for a moment, it felt so real, to be back there at the edge of the pool and the cheers all around them...

"...was I dreaming again?"

His own voice sounded a lot more tired, a little more heavier as he tried to rub his eyes, pushing himself with a hand against the mattress as he sat up, when something occurred to him and with his hand still covering his eyes, he felt hard rock beneath him.

... Wait, what?

Not that it would have been possible, but the silly thought did occur regardless- if only because he couldn't make sense of it. He slowly lowered the hand over his face until the sight that he saw before him made him blink- once, twice, thrice, before his mouth and eyes went wide open in surprise and he let out a shocked sound that echoed loudly in the room around him.

Or the not room!!

"E-Ehhhhhhhh?!!"

No way. No way was this his room, obviously enough!! For a moment, the fact that he was nowhere remotely near home paled completely at the alarm he felt at his surroundings. Did the guys suddenly decide to go out and go camping for some reason?? Were they on another training camp?? Was this Nagisa's idea?!

It was then that he found himself touching something he hadn't noticed- a piece of paper that made him blink and also realize that he was in nothing but his swimsuit (No way... did I just pull a Haru?! ) His own thoughts trailed off in shock when he glanced down and caught a good look at himself, completely and utterly exposed and finding no other clothing nearby - causing him to sit up properly and finally surveying the area with greater attention than he had been earlier before looking down at the letter and beginning to read it.

( " For your ( amazing thrusts ), you" ... are they serious?! ... ) he found himself thinking in disbelief as he scanned the words, over and over until it stopped making sense. This had to be a joke, it was definitely one, but what bothered him the most was what made the least sense the more he thought on it-

Where on earth was he, and why couldn't he remember getting here?

"No way... what is this place? Ah, ha ha... guys? You all...", his voice shook a little nervously as he tried to stand up and glanced around... no sign of them, but they could be hiding, right? His own ears were red from embarrassment as he tried to walk up further to the center of the cave, the growing feeling of anxiety and dread beginning to bubble up as he finally stopped and glanced around again.

"Come on! Show yourselves! Nagisa, if this is your idea of a prank, it's not funny!!"

His own voice had grown as exasperated as he was feeling, though as the shock began to transform into doubt (how could Nagisa manage to bring him to a place like this, or any of the guys? Why would they?) he began to feel his heart hammering as he took a few steps towards the center of the area. The air was thick with the familiar scent of water which made him wonder if it was the ocean but- it wasn't Iwatobi'sscent... no, it was different, colder here, and that made him tense up even more. But his gaze shifted to the cavern again all of a sudden, trying to look for any of his clothing... and further confusion began to fill his mind as he pondered what could have happened when the sting on his lower back to his right made him grimace.

Did something bite me?!

He frowned as he moved his hand to where he felt the sting, though his skin felt the same as ever. How strange... he normally never fell asleep any level of naked (he has a little sister, for crying out loud, what if she came in and saw him? Or his mother! ) The thought made him go wide-eyed again and scramble to look around for where his clothing could possibly be, peeking around to make sure no one jumped out at him with their phones held and cameras on-

"Okay, you've had your fun! Haru! Nagisa, Rei... Rin?" His voice shook a little as he found himself realizing that this was real, that this was happening and he couldn't deny it much longer. His friends' names were spilling from him as though trying to assure himself that they were behind it, there was nothing abnormal about this, they would have an explanation for it... ( or was it the Samezuka team, playing a prank? He didn't know them well enough to say, but... )

At that moment, all Makoto could do was feel a building dread, unsure of what he was about to face, but also unable to help and let out the words of exasperation that were making his head burst with the plea of their release.

"This is so unfair!!"

<lj-cut text=app>✖ <b>PLAYER</b>: <b>Name & DW Journal</b>: <b>Plurk</b>: <b>Birthdate & Age</b>: <b>Characters played in Ophiuchus</b>: ✖ <b>CHARACTER</b>: <b>Name</b>: <b>Canon</b>: <b>PB/Image</b>: <b>Info links</b>: <b>Canon Point</b>: <b>Gender & Sex</b>: <b>Age</b>: <b>Birthdate/Sign</b>: (please note if birthdate is canon or not! if not, EXPLAIN why you chose what you did, with emphasis on the negative aspects! Many signs share a lot of common positives, so it's best to try and narrow it down with the latter. this is an important aspect the app team looks for!) <b>Tattoo</b>: <b>Suitability</b>: <b>Power</b>: (please detail their canon abilities in full if applicable, and then tell us how you'll cap them! if not, let us know which Ophiuchus power you'll choose to grant your character.) <b>Personality</b>: (300 word minimum - paragraph form!) ✖ <b>SAMPLES</b>: <b>"Ophiuchus" First-Person Network Entry</b>: <b>"Cebalrai (logs)" Third-Person Prose Entry</b>: (200 word minimum)