Extended history and powers

[in_loveless_memory]

Powers/Abilities:

I am actually listing the powers and abilities first because it is with knowing how the "magic" of the Loveless world works that explains the majority of character's actions.

In the world of Loveless, there is an underground society capable of wielding what is essentially magic called "word spells." The people who can wield this "magic" or "word spells" are pairs known as Fighters and Sacrifices. When engaged in a "spell battle," the Fighters are the ones who can actually use the word spells, and Sacrifices are the ones who receive all the damages from the spells in question. All pairs have a true "name." This name will appear somewhere on the body such as the palm of the hand, the finger, cheek, shoulder, anywhere is possible. This name is usually an indicator of what sort of spells the pair will use or what makes them the most powerful. For example, there is a pair whose true name is "Moonless." Their powers are at their strongest on a new moon or a dark cloudy night. Another example is a pair named "Faceless," their power is to be easily forgotten except by each other. People will not notice them at all which they can use to their advantage.

There is only ever one Fighter and one Sacrifice to a pair that share the same name. While this sort of relationship may sound like it favors the Fighter of the pair, the Sacrifice is actually the one who is the most important. If Sacrifices are completely bound by "restrictions" (which is what a direct hit is called in a spell battle and takes the form of some sort of bondage such as collars, chains, and even handcuffs) then the spell battle is over and the other pair wins. It is the Fighter's prerogative to defend their Sacrifice at all cost. Because of all the damage a Sacrifice receives, they actually have an extremely high pain tolerance, able to withstand all sorts of pain and restrictions until they are completely bound and incapable of movement.

The Fighter will be subservient to the Sacrifice, obeying whatever order is given most of the time. Sacrifices are also the ones who order the Fighters in battle, telling them when to defend or attack. Although the Fighter may not always listen during battle, the Sacrifice is still generally obeyed. The relationship between Sacrifice and Fighter is, usually, extremely physical and dependent on one another. It's not always a romantic relationship as sometimes pairs can be siblings or purely one of Master and Servant, but the relationship between Sacrifices and Fighters is understood to be the closest relationship either part of the pair has. When in a spell battle, if the Sacrifice does not participate, the power of the Fighter is halved, and if the name of the Fighter and Sacrifice doesn't match up, it further lessens the power of the Fighter.

However, there are "blanks" which can take the name of a Fighter or Sacrifice. Blanks have the full powers of a Sacrifice or a Fighter, but do not have a true "name." A blank is often given to a Sacrifice or Fighter when the other's has died or, in some cases, has not been born yet. Blanks must have the name of their Sacrifice or Fighter put on them essentially "claiming" them. This can be in the form of a tattoo, a scar, or some other means to show they are filling the role of the missing half.

The society of Fighters and Sacrifices is ruled by a group of people called "Septimal Moon." This society dictates nearly everything about Fighters and Sacrifices, even having a school for Fighters and Sacrifices. They train Fighters and Sacrifices in the school. This society has little to no concern with the outside world, abiding by their own sets of rules and laws even though what they do still affects the outside world. Septimal Moon, for example, has no issue with sentencing a man to death or trying to kidnap a child even though they still have to function in society.

Fighters and Sacrifices engage in what is known as a "spell battle" with "word spells." Again, only the Fighter can actually use a word spell while Sacrifices receive all the damage from the word spells. With a word spell, the limits of what a Fighter can do is purely their imagination and vocabulary. The more eloquent and quick they are in speaking, the more effective their spells. Anything and everything can be achieved in a word spell from blocking the moon in the sky to causing another pair to disappear and be sent to another location or creating a barrier of giant rubber ducks for protection. Really, it's whatever the Fighter can think up. Word spells are at their most effective in a spell battle. And once the spell battle is over, everything that occurred disappears which is why this underground society has never been discovered. In fact, a majority of the Fighters and Sacrifices only use their powers in a spell battle. But that doesn't mean fighter's can't use them outside of spell battles.

Word spells can also be used to control people. While it is rare for word spells to be used on those who AREN'T Fighters or Sacrifices, it has not been unheard of. For example, Natsuo and Youji, the Zero pair controlled Ritsuka's teacher, Hitomi by having learned her full name. They controlled her body to move where they wanted and had every intention of being cruel with her until Soubi, Ritsuka's Fighter, showed up and stepped in, making Hitomi fall asleep with another word spell.

Ritsuka is the Sacrifice known as Loveless. Ritsuka's Fighter is Soubi, who is a Blank Fighter. Soubi used to be Ritsuka's brother's Fighter. Ritsuka's brother, Seimei, gave Soubi to Ritsuka in his secret will when he was murdered. Seimei ordered Soubi to protect and love Ritsuka. Ritsuka is actually very new to the world of Fighter's and Sacrifices, being very untrained in his abilities. One of his abilities that is standard to all Sacrifices, for example, is sharing a mental link with his Fighter so that he can call his Fighter to his side at any time, which he is still only just learning to use. Another ability all Sacrifices and Fighters can do is also send out what is, essentially, mental radar and pick up on the presence of other pairs nearby. Sacrifices and Fighters also has the ability to see a "thread" surrounding him. This "thread" connects the Sacrifice to their real Fighter. When a Fighter or Sacrifice of a pair is dead, the "thread" is snapped and limp when it is seen.

As an Aoyagi, Ritsuka is actually the heir to a seat on the council of Septimal Moon. So when his brother Seimei disappeared (the one who was currently the Aoyagi seat in the council), Septimal Moon intended to kidnap Ritsuka to 1.) Train him at the school and then 2.) Have him take his place in Septimal Moon. He was also going to be kidnapped to lure Seimei out of hiding but I digress.

Ritsuka's powers are still untapped. However, it is suggested that he may not be a normal Sacrifice.

Ritsuka's true name is "Loveless" although his name has not yet appeared on him and it is not known how his true name will work in terms of battle. Furthermore, Seimei, Ritsuka's brother, was not like a normal Sacrifice either. He was able to essentially apply "pressure" to the atmosphere, making someone feel like they were being squashed and made it hard to breathe.

Ritsuka's true Fighter is still alive but it is unknown who it is or why they haven't shown up. It is also unknown why Ritsuka's true name hasn't shown up anywhere on his body yet.

This is all that is currently known in regards to the world of Fighters and Sacrifices as well as Ritsuka's powers.



History:

Please note that this will contain spoilers to the latest Loveless chapters

Ritsuka remembers nothing before the age of ten. Absolutely nothing. All he had to go by for what happened in his youth was his old school reports, his mother, and his brother. None of his friends from his youth had ever contacted him, none of his old photos from ages 1 through 9 could be found. One day Ritsuka woke up in the hospital and was simply informed that he was Ritsuka Aoyagi. The trauma of losing his memory also greatly affected his already mentally ill mother, making her extremely abusive physically, mentally, and emotionally. She would exclaim that this "new" Ritsuka was not her son and demanded he bring back her old Ritsuka.

Throughout the series, Ritsuka, his mother, and even the reader were led to believe that Ritsuka from ages 1 through 9 was a friendly, open, and extremely dependent child to his friends and his mother. He was an average grade student and more importantly just acted like an actual young boy should act. However, all that changed when he lost his memory. When Ritsuka lost his memory, the reader and Ritsuka are made to believe that his personality changed completely. He became anti-social, prone to being alone and liked it that way, but became an A+ student. He didn't make friends and became less dependent on his mother and just relied on himself and his brother. The more he acted like this "new" Ritsuka, the more abusive his mother became.

To Ritsuka, Seimei became his everything. Brother, friend, nurse, tutor, confident, protector, provider and so much more, that was how important and involved Seimei became in Ritsuka's life. Ritsuka idolized his brother. He loved him with a devotion bordering on true idolatry. Seimei could do no wrong in his eyes.

And then one day at school when Ritsuka was 11, Ritsuka came into his classroom to find his brother's corpse burnt beyond recognition at his desk. The only way the police could even identify Seimei's body was by his dental records.

So then Seimei was dead and Ritsuka was left to fend for himself against his mother since his father was of no help, neglecting Ritsuka since he did not want to deal with his son and wife. Ritsuka transferred to a new school and had absolutely no answers on who murdered his brother as the police were completely useless.

Because his brother had been murdered, Ritsuka became even more anti-social. To stop people from asking about the scratches, bruises, and bandages he received on a daily basis, he lied, and more importantly, he got good at lying. He learned to smile on cue, he could pretend to be friendly and laugh when he needed.

He knew what people expected from him but not how he should actually interact with people. He became extremely lonely when his brother was murdered and didn't want to make the effort of befriending someone because he felt being alone was much easier than involving someone in his life.

Ritsuka was very content with being a distant child who didn't want anything to do with anyone until Soubi showed up at his new school. Soubi was a 21-year-old man who claimed to know Seimei and Ritsuka instantly believed him and went with him at Soubi's encouragement. Soubi informed him that he would become Ritsuka's fighter. Soubi gave Ritsuka his first kiss which instantly made Ritsuka push away and put up his defenses to not be hurt by Soubi.

That same day, Septimal Moon, the underground society that used child soldiers, had sent out a Sacrifice and Fighter pair to kidnap Ritsuka. Later, after the successful battle to stop the first attempt of Ritsuka's kidnappers, Soubi revealed to Ritsuka that he was seeking Seimei's murderer as well. Soubi further revealed that Ritsuka was a Sacrifice to a pair and so was Seimei, that Soubi was Seimei's Fighter. Soubi told Ritsuka his Sacrifice name, his "true" name, was Loveless, "someone without any love at all." Seimei had ordered Soubi to go to Ritsuka in case anything ever happened to him. Seimei also ordered Soubi to love Ritsuka.

It was because of that order to love him, that Ritsuka had a serious trust issue with Soubi. While Soubi constantly claimed to love Ritsuka, Ritsuka knew it was only because of the order.

However, Ritsuka, now with Soubi at his side, made it a point to figure out who had murdered his brother. He discovered the world of Septimal Moon and became deeper and deeper involved. Septimal Moon attempted to kidnap Ritsuka to have him join Septimal Moon since Seimei had a seat on the council, they intended for Ritsuka to fill that seat as well as lure out Seimei from hiding. They wanted to make Ritsuka another child soldier in their world.

As Ritsuka started getting involved in the underground society of Septimal Moon, he discovered that Soubi functioned the same as the rest of the society. Soubi was willing to murder whoever got in the way of his Sacrifice and had little to no regard for what people thought. Soubi had no issue with hurting people if that was what his Sacrifice wanted.

Ritsuka became friends with Natsuo and Youji, more child soldiers who were the Sacrifice and Fighter pair known as "Zero."

Natsuo and Youji were perhaps the very first he ever considered his best friends. With the two of them, Ritsuka could tell them anything and they wouldn't care, accepting Ritsuka regardless of everything. Soubi even came to tolerate the Zero pair as well, letting them live in his apartment with him. Ritsuka was slowly becoming more social and open, going from anti-social and distant to showing his true colors. To Yuiko, Natsuo, Youji and even somewhat Yayoi, Ritsuka was sweet, caring, giving, and considerate. However, he also revealed his blindness to the flaws of those he loved the most. No matter how many times other people told Ritsuka of Seimei's cruelty and distance, Ritsuka didn't believe them. He refused to even listen to Natsuo and Youji, and the ever-growing number of people who said the same, believing what he knew to be true.

The growing number made Ritsuka understandably frustrated. He hated even more that Seimei could have this potential secret side he never knew about. He had depended on his brother for everything. But, even in his confusion and anger, Ritsuka could remember his brother sometimes acting strangely. Seimei had thrown away food a classmate had made Ritsuka because it was "dirty." Seimei had once claimed that a cat must have killed Ritsuka's pet goldfish even if Ritsuka thought a cat would have eaten them. The more that people told him about Seimei and the cruelties he did, going so far as to carve his name into Soubi's neck with a knife, the more Ritsuka wanted answers.

As Ritsuka got more involved, he made the decision to actually go to the school in Gora and confront Septimal Moon in person. He had every intention of demanding them to explain what was going on and perhaps more.

It was at the school that one of the biggest shocks occurred to Ritsuka and Soubi.

Seimei was alive.

Seimei was not only alive and well, but he had come back seeking Soubi and Ritsuka. Seimei used the blood from the eyes of a teacher that Seimei had gouged out to write, "Ritsuka I'm back" on a wall. Seimei and Ritsuka were reunited. Ritsuka was thrilled to see his brother again, uncaring of the message in blood or the injured teacher. Ritsuka pleaded at Seimei to explain everything. Only, Seimei didn't. Seimei seemed to have his own agenda. When it became clear Ritsuka wasn't going to go along with Seimei's plans, even going so far as to accuse Seimei his brother abandoned Ritsuka once more.

Although, Seimei did not leave empty-handed, nor did he leave with everything he needed. He kidnapped Kio, Soubi's best friend and Ritsuka's somewhat acquaintance. Seimei left Nisei, his real fighter, behind. When Nisei was captured, Soubi was going to break Nisei's fingers. Nisei, trying to appeal to Ritsuka as a "good boy" asked if he was going to really let Soubi break his fingers. Ritsuka, without so much as flinching or stalling merely told Nisei he was not a good boy before allowing Soubi to just that and still didn't regret the action taken on Nisei even much later.

While Ritsuka was dealing with his own questions about Seimei, he also had to support Soubi and be the more "adult" in their relationship. Soubi had basically fallen apart, scared of having betrayed Ritsuka. Ritsuka became aware of how much Seimei still controlled Soubi in some ways and didn't blame him. Later, Ritsuka decided they would go and rescue Kio, not just because it was the right thing to do but because he was also Soubi's friend. The message left behind by Seimei was simple, Ritsuka and Soubi were to return Nisei and they would get back Kio.

During the "trade-off" Ritsuka and Soubi encountered the pair Bloodless. Bloodless used mental attacks, trapping Ritsuka in a world of his own fears. It was perhaps here that was the biggest turn in Ritsuka's personality in the most subtle way. They tried to convince him not to face his fears by trying to convince him not to "open the door" that was scary and gave an uneasy feeling in his mind. But with Soubi beside him and with determination he opened the door in his mind which effectively let him out of the illusion and win the spell battle. By facing the fear in his mind as well as facing Bloodless (and even confronting Seimei for the first time in a year) Ritsuka was becoming more and more confident.

Once he returned home with Soubi, Natsuo, Youji, and Kio, Septimal Moon left Ritsuka alone, no longer trying to use him against Seimei but things were not over. Ritsuka felt rightfully betrayed by his brother, even if he loved him. He had more questions than he did answers and he was upset that his brother was keeping things from him, and more importantly, was pretending to be dead. Ritsuka was becoming closer with Soubi, Natsuo, Youji, and Yuiko. Soubi, as far as Ritsuka was concerned, was officially his Fighter even if the Loveless Fighter was still alive and out there.

He kept finding out more things about Seimei, to the point where Seimei once ordered Nisei to not only attack and rape a woman but that Seimei had done much more violence than Ritsuka ever realized. But even in the face of all this, Ritsuka's desire was just to see his brother again and to ask him questions as well as just being with Seimei; even to the objection of Natsuo and Youji. Ritsuka had stopped becoming as paranoid about disappearing and being replaced by the "old" or a "newer" Ritsuka. While he still took photos (and still called them memories), it wasn't just because he feared being forgotten or forgetting himself. Ritsuka was starting to be more like a kid, playing video games and computer games with friends, spending time with those he cared about, and just generally enjoying himself more overall and getting closer physically and emotionally with Soubi.

As Soubi and Ritsuka began to bond more and more, being openly affectionate more often and supporting one another emotionally, Soubi opened up to Ritsuka by taking him to his parents' graves, unloading all sorts of personal trauma and asking Ritsuka to run away with him.

It was there that Seimei showed back up. Soubi and Ritsuka were both clearly confused, though the latter was also excited. His excitement was quick to change to horror and fear when Seimei didn't say one word to Ritsuka and instead ordered Soubi back to Seimei's side. Ritsuka called out to Soubi, even ordering him (something he rarely ever did) but Soubi didn't look back as he walked away from Ritsuka.

Ritsuka was left alone and sobbing in the cemetery over the grave of Soubi's parents as he just watched Soubi and Seimei walk away from him. Once again betrayed and abandoned by those he loved dearly, nearly destroying all the progress that had been building. He was in the graveyard for hours, crying, before returning to Soubi's apartment.

Upset by the betrayal and trying to close himself off from the pain, Ritsuka got into a fight with Youji who had been trying to make him feel better. They fought and Ritsuka left the apartment, falling down the stairs and then stumbling to try and get on the bus. When Ritsuka was unable to do so, as he did not have his bus pass, Ritsuka was left to stand in the downpour, left to his own thoughts and trying to handle everything that had been built and then broken. He was sobbing, even though he tried to convince himself that he wasn't.

Realizing that the only support he had left was in Natsuo and Youji, he headed back to Soubi's apartment to make up with them, clinging and sobbing onto the only people who had been through almost everything with him. Even crippled by the betrayal by both Soubi and Seimei now, he still wanted to understand "why."

When he finally calmed down, Ritsuka decided the best place to find answers was in Seimei's room. Hoping to find some sort of clue to what was going on and just trying to find one answer to the ever-growing list of questions in his mind, he brought Natsuo and Youji with him. Ritsuka introduced Natsuo and Youji to his mother, something he had never done with any friend before, showing how deeply he trusted and loved the two boys to keep his secrets and understand the situation.

It was while in Seimei's room they discovered all of Ritsuka's pictures of him as a child age 1 through 9. Not only did they discover Ritsuka's old pictures, initially things he thought to be missing entirely, but Ritsuka's mom came in to give the three boys snacks.

It was at this time Ritsuka received yet another shock to shake his foundation of understanding and emotional and mental stability. Ritsuka's mother revealed that Ritsuka had always been a distant child who didn't like people and got good grades. While Ritsuka didn't demand answers from his mom right then and there, he did want to know why his mother was always screaming about the "old Ritsuka" and how he used to be and why even his school reports suggested he was a friendly boy.

It is here where we currently have Ritsuka in the series. Ritsuka was left with an ever-growing list of questions and having to stomach more and more of his brother's "true" nature. He understands even less about the world around him than ever before, but in all the confusion he is becoming more of his own person. He is trying hard as he can to handle things as best as a twelve-year-old can, and he knows, for once, he is not alone.