[somebody] mikhail ivanov

Appearance

Tall and slim. His strong point is his intelligence rather than raw strength, but he's no weakling. Because of his training, Mikhail is in good condition: speed, agility, and endurance are his best athletic qualities.
His eyes are a peculiar shade of violet. Their color changes according to the light and, sometimes, the intensity of his emotions. For example, his eyes grow dark when he's angry (deepening to a dusk-purple) and lighten when he's truly happy. Mikhail has always been a little vain, and understands that appearances have a significant effect on the way people perceive you and respond to your suggestions. As a result he's careful to be neat and presentable at all times (with a little personal flair thrown in). Likes to wear cloaks for practical and aesthetic reasons.

Personality

Intelligent. Observant. Has a talent for negotiation and diplomacy. This, combined with his ability to read people, makes Mikhail a clever manipulator. He's adept in using manipulation to influence people's choices - good ones or bad ones - or to just get people to do what he wants them to. Determined. Resilient. Possesses a strong will that keeps him going despite hardship and an overwhelming sense of guilt. Mikhail's skepticism and distrustful nature make him hard to get close to. For true friends, though, Mikhail shows fierce loyalty. Capable of great self-sacrifice.
For Mikhail, the ends justify the means. There are boundaries Mikhail won't cross, but generally, he has no compunctions in manipulating and using people to achieve his goals. There are some exceptions: because of his compassion toward Nobodies and the helpless, you won't see Mikhail taking advantage of them. Mikhail tends to be more honest and straightforward with those he loves. Not a backstabber or a traitor. Don't expect him to open up: Mikhail keeps his motives and emotions to himself. Arrogance is one of his worst flaws: he puts too much faith in his own abilities and doesn't like to admit he's wrong or apologize. Though he's motivated largely by his love for his brother and friend, his war against the heartless is bringing him closer and closer to becoming a Heartless himself.

History

Mikhail is the second son of Viktor and Anna Ivanov. Viktor was a successful and influential merchant: Mikhail grew up in an affluent and comfortable home. From the time he was small, Mikhail was always "the smart one". He enjoyed all the educational benefits his father's position could provide and, as he grew older, demonstrated his father's knack for negotiation and persuasion. Unfortunately, these talents also made Mikhail a clever manipulator. There was always some kid in the schoolyard being duped into doing what he wanted them to.

Making true friends didn't come easy, but there were two people Mikhail could always count on: his older brother Axyl and his best friend Abigail. The three of them were inseparable: Mikhail admired Axyl's straightforward sense of honor, and Abigail's optimism. Abigail never fell for any manipulative tactics: whenever Mikhail strayed from the straight and narrow, Abigail had no problem in correcting him. When Axyl left home to train with a Keyblade master, Mikhail's excitement seemed even greater than his brother's. In reality, he was inconsolable.

At about this time, strange little incidents began to happen around Mikhail. No matter how grey the day might be, Mikhail would always be able to see his shadow. Sometimes, when he came home from one of his frequent evening walks, dark smudges like soot would coat his fingertips. One day, Mikail looked over his shoulder only to see streaks of shadow flowing after him like ink in water. Mikhail's mother explained to him that he had inherited magical skill from her father. Mikhail's mother was able to show him how to control his magic better (just enough to keep it under control). It wasn't until years later, when he became an apprentice to a Keyblade master, that Mikhail would be able to use his magical abilities.

When Mikhail was thirteen, his brother (now a Keyblade wielder in his own right) visited home after years of absence. During this visit, Mikhail's home town fell under attack from a horde of Heartless. Mikhail saw his brother fall in battle with the Heartless. Taking Abigail by the hand, Mikhail tried to escape, dodging though alleyways and side-streets toward his parent's house, but the two kids soon found themselves surrounded. Terrified, Mikhail froze. Abigail rushed forward in a desperate attempt to save herself and her friend. She fell to the Heartless, just like Axyl, but managed to give Mikhail an opportunity to escape in doing so.

Consumed with guilt, Mikhail left home soon after the attack, determined to wage his own war against the Heartless and those allied with them. Eventually he found a master willing to take him on as an apprentice. Less than a month later, Mikhail completed the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony. The next five years were spent in vigorous, difficult training.
Mikhail believes that, because he was too afraid to fight, he is responsible for Abigail's demise. As a result, he forces himself into frightening and dangerous situations (not recklessly, but deliberately), and takes physical pain without complaint. Mikhail travels from world to world, doing whatever he can to destroy the Heartless.

eclipse

ROLE: canon keyblade app