Bleaf's Backstory
Before Bleaf became a hardened warrior, before the scars and the loss, he was just Bleaf, a name he never changed because it was all he had. He grew up in a small, forgotten town nestled between mountains that seemed to cage more than protect. Life was simple—or so it seemed. The days were filled with routine, working odd jobs to support his family after his father disappeared, leaving behind debts and broken promises. His mother grew distant, lost in grief, while Bleaf carried the weight of survival on his young shoulders.
Bleaf never felt extraordinary. In fact, he felt worthless and weak, constantly battling the feeling that no matter what he did, it would never be enough. But that all changed the day he discovered his power—the day a lie became reality.
It happened during an argument at work. A co-worker accused him of stealing, and in the heat of the moment, Bleaf snapped, shouting, "I didn't steal anything! In fact, I have nothing to steal! I don't even have a wallet!" His anger was raw, unfiltered. But then, something strange occurred—his wallet, which he knew was in his pocket, vanished.
At first, he thought it was a trick of the mind, stress messing with his head. But the pattern repeated. Lies he blurted out in frustration or desperation manifested into reality. If he claimed he wasn't cold, the chill faded. If he said he wasn't hurt, wounds would disappear. His power was terrifying and exhilarating.
But it had a price.
The larger the lie, the more energy it drained. Small lies—like pretending not to be tired—barely affected him. But when he once claimed he was invincible to survive a brutal mugging, it left him unconscious for days. His body was the currency for his deception. More critically, his power had a strict time limit: anything he created or changed would last no longer than 10 minutes, sometimes stretching up to 17 minutes if he pushed himself, but never beyond that. Afterward, reality would snap back, erasing the lie completely.
The Enemy's Wrath
Word of his ability spread. He became a target for those who craved power. The enemy found him before he found himself. They didn't ask for his allegiance; they took it. They kidnapped his younger sister, the only person who made life worth living. Their deal was simple: "Serve us, or she dies."
Bleaf obeyed, forced to use his powers for their gain. They exploited him, making him create false realities for their schemes. Each mission drained him, both physically and mentally. He became a shell, haunted by the lies he told and the truths he couldn't change.
His Breaking Point came during a mission where he was ordered to fabricate an entire identity for a high-ranking official. The energy cost was devastating, leaving him on the brink of death. But instead of gratitude, the enemy deemed him a liability. They lied to him one last time: "Your sister is safe."
She wasn't.
Bleaf escaped, fueled by rage and heartbreak. He hunted down the truth, only to find his sister had been killed long before he completed his tasks. Everything he endured had been for nothing.
Meeting Emjay
Bleaf met Emjay during a raid gone wrong. Bleaf was reckless, drowning in self-destruction. Emjay saw something in him—not the broken man, but the fighter beneath. Their first encounter wasn't friendly; they clashed, Bleaf's desperation against Emjay's discipline. But Emjay didn't give up on him.
"You can drown in your past, or you can fight for a future," Emjay had said.
Bleaf didn't respond with words. He joined Emjay's team because action was all he had left.
Present Day
Bleaf awoke in the medical wing, the sterile scent of antiseptics mingling with faint whispers of his team. His left arm was gone, but the pain was secondary to the hollowness he felt. Recovery was slow, but not just physically. His mind waged a war of its own.
Determined to reclaim control, Bleaf began training himself to fight with one hand. The routines were grueling, each failure a reminder of his loss. But Bleaf was nothing if not stubborn.
Then he remembered his power.
"What if I lied?" he whispered to himself.
He concentrated, pouring energy into the words: "I have an iron arm." Slowly, painfully, an iron limb materialized, fused seamlessly with his body. But it wasn't permanent. The arm would only last for 10 minutes, occasionally stretching to 17 if he pushed himself to the brink. After that, it would disappear, leaving him drained.
The team watched with a mix of awe and concern.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Nami warned, her voice gentle but firm.
Bleaf managed a crooked smile. "If I stopped when things got hard, I wouldn't be here."
He only used the iron arm once during a battle, relying on it when the stakes were life or death. The drain was immense, but it turned the tide when it mattered most.
Promises in the Shadows
One evening, after the dust of recent battles had settled, Emjay's team gathered around a small fire outside their base, the flickering flames casting long shadows. The air was heavy, filled with the weight of battles fought and scars both visible and hidden.
Crimson stared into the fire, his jaw clenched as if battling words he didn't want to say. Finally, he spoke. "Lexa… she's my younger stepsister. Different moms, same father." His voice was rough, thick with unspoken emotions. "I feel like I failed her. Seeing her on the other side, fighting against us… it tears me apart."
Bleaf looked at him, his expression unreadable. Crimson turned to him directly. "If it comes down to it, and we have to fight her… I can't do it. I need you to be the one. I don't want to be the one who kills someone I still see as family."
Bleaf nodded solemnly. "I understand."
The fire crackled between them, the unspoken truths louder than words.
Emjay broke the silence first. "No matter what comes next, we stick together. Until the end."
Everyone nodded, the simple promise grounding them more than any strategy ever could.
Kazuki added, "I promise that no matter how bad my headaches get, I'll never let them stop me from protecting this team."
Leon spoke quietly but firmly, "I promise to always find a way to get us out, no matter how impossible it seems."
Crimson spoke through his heart, "I promise to never turn my back on love, no matter what form it takes. Whether it's family, friendship, or the bonds we've built here… I'll hold onto it, even when the world tries to tear it apart."
Yano looked around at her friends, her voice soft yet steady. "I promise to keep us grounded, to remind us of who we are when things get dark.."
Nami smiled gently, her eyes reflecting the firelight. "I promise to face my fears, even when they try to control me."
Bleaf spoke, his voice low but filled with conviction. "I promise that no matter what lies I tell to survive, the truth is that this team is my family. And I'll fight for you all until my last breath."
Kai broke the tension with a smirk. "Well, if we're making promises, I promise to be faster than all of you in the next fight."
Laughter rippled through the group after a moment of silence, lightening the heaviness for a brief time. But beneath the humor, the promises made were etched into their hearts, binding them not just as a team, but as a family forged in the fires of war.