Kelly Taniguchi
From DevilshireWiki
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 Hideaki Takizawa as Kelly Taniguchi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kelly Taniguchi is a computer and electronics expert with a degree from CalTech in San Francisco. He has only recently arrived in Devilshire to be with his sister, Maya.
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History
American Born and Raised
The Taniguchi family has been in the United States since the early 1900's, when the estranged child of an immortal, cursed demon-hunter named Nobu, left Japan to begin a new life. He settled in California, got married, and had his own children, determined to be Americans. They eschewed many customs and took fierce pride in speaking English instead of their native tongue. His family suffered through the interment camps and he lost a son in the Second World War in the 442nd Brigade.
In high school, Kelly was captain of the swim team, and on weekends, he spent his days lounging on the ocean beaches tinkering with his gizmos and fancy toys. While he could always outswim his younger sister, Amaya, he was never near the surfer she was. Amaya was well on her way to being recruited into the professional circuit, and he was always encouraging. He would often paddle out on his board and play with his video camera, shooting her as she worked her magic on the waves, and playing with editing the footage on his laptop in the sand when he was done.
Changing Winds
When Nobu, Kelly's Great-Great Grandfather died, the entire family was called to Japan to witness his passing. He, like most of the US Taniguchi's, hadn't even been aware the old man existed. Nevertheless, the executor was gathering all of his descendants for the ceremony, apparently a last wish of the man who sacrificed knowing his family to keep them safe from his demon-hunting past. The stay in Japan was torture for Kelly and Amaya. They didn't speak the language and didn't know the culture. To make matters worse, he was trapped on the estate, which was high up in the mountains, and without internet access. Not only was there no pool, there was nothing anywhere near by. At some point near the end of the stay, Amaya went plundering on her own, exploring the estate. When she returned, she was scared and confused, and insistant the family leave immediately. Amaya was sent back to San Francisco on an early flight, but when she got off the plane in California, she vanished.
Always close with Amaya, Kelly was lost. To complicate matters, her disappearance came just as he was beginning to realize he was a homosexual, and Kelly felt she was the only family member he could have turned to for support in that confusing time. Somewhat lost, Kelly started attending college at CalTech, trying to drown his issues in his studies, remaining closeted to everyone around him. Unfortunately, with no one to support him, his downward spiral led him to fall in with a group of potheads he met hanging out in the student union center on campus, and he learned to deal with his sister's disappearance and his own sexuality by getting high. The group spent a lot of weekends driving into the rockies to go snowboarding, and usually spent the days on the slopes and the evenings getting wasted. His grades, which were always A's and B's in high school, began to slide, and by his junior year, it looked like his GPA would force him to drop out.
Rising Tides
Noticing the trouble Kelly was having, a teacher's assistant in one of his engineering classes offered to help. The TA, Jonny Deven, was working towards his Masters, and volunteered to help Kelly study, and try to save his college endeavors. Not only did Jonny address Kelly's study habits, but he also took note of his drug addiction and depression. Jonny pushed Kelly to spend his weekends at the library instead of with his pothead friends, and encouraged him to join the Karate class he was in. The discipline from the martial arts, along with the guidance from Jonny, helped Kelly kick his habit, and he managed to save his GPA enough to remain at CalTech. Spending so much time together awakened different feelings in Kelly, and he began to fall in love with Jonny. Quite straight, Jonny reacted incredibly negative when Kelly finally attempted to kiss the young man, and they never spoke again.
Strangely, this rejection dropped Kelly right into the arms of his first boyfriend, Nick Harrow, a fellow student in the same engineering class who overheard Jonny making fun of the situation to a group of his friends. Nick was more than just a first boyfriend, he was also very comfortable in his own sexuality, and was quite careful and sensitive in helping Kelly become at ease with being gay. Their senior year, they moved into an apartment together, just off campus. Still closeted to his family, Kelly explained to his parents and remaining sister that Nick was simply his best friend. They dated until graduation, when Nick left to get his Masters in Chicago. As a going away present, to help keep Kelly company, Nick gave Kelly a dog, whom he named, "Tacky."
Ebb and Flow
Shortly after graduation, Kelly, who had double-majored in computer science and in engineering, was hired at Breckin Labs, an independent, genetic research laboratory in Oakland. Breckin Labs focused on gene therapy medicines, and dealt with a great deal of cutting edge science and technologies. While his work was primarily in dealing with the computers, robotics and other equipment that kept the lab working, Kelly did befriend many of the research doctors who worked there. One of them, a young man in his late twenties, was named Ashley Newman. Ashley noticed Kelly right away, and befriended him from the start. Eventually, Ashley asked Kelly out on a date, and the two slowly became boyfriends.
After working at the labs nearly six months, Amaya returned home. She was more serious than when she had disappeared nearly five years earlier, but Kelly didn't care. He was so thankful to have her back and know that she was okay, he never asked too many questions. The consummate older brother, he only pressed her to tell him she was okay, and that nothing bad had happened to her. When it was clear she would rather not share too much, he let her keep her secrets. Unfortunately, she would only be around on the holidays, attending their parents' family dinner. Since mom and dad were always around, there was never a chance for Kelly to tell her about his homosexuality, or for him to introduce her to Ashley.
Things were finally going well, and Kelly began to grow comfortable with his life. After dating for nearly a year, Kelly went to sleep alongside Ashley in his bed, as he had many times before when he crashed at his lover's house. This time, he awoke nearly two weeks later, naked and strapped to a bed in one of the research labs. He was groggy, still drugged, and unsure of how much time had passed. For at least a day, masked doctors poked and prodded him with needles and other equipment, particularly focusing on his chest, forearms, hands and feet.
At some point, a doctor loosened an arm strap to get a better look at Kelly's wrist, and in that moment, Kelly grabbed the man, and attacked him. It was over very quickly, and when it was, the doctor was laying on the floor, his neck sliced deep, and bleeding out profusely. Confused and unsure of what just happened, Kelly unstrapped his other arm, and then his legs. When he stood, he caught his reflection on the side of a stainless steel machine, and was horrified. On each side of his chest, just below his armpits, were gills. Checking the rest of his body, he found his fingers and toes now had webbing between them, and on each of his forearms, folded slick and tight against his skin, was a webbed fin that opened, running from his wrist to just below his elbow, and sticking out about six inches. The edge of the fin was razor sharp, and still dripped with the doctor's blood.
With a simple thought, he retracted the fins to lay flat against his forearms, and began his escape. He grabbed a hospital gown as he snuck out, and almost made it to the parking garage before alarms began to sound. Fighting his way out of the facility, Kelly fears he may have killed two more people who tried to stop him, but he isn't sure. He made it to a nearby mall, where he hotwired and stole a car. Not sure of where else to go, he began a trip across the country, to Devilshire, where he knew his sister Maya now resided. What he doesn't know, is that Breckin Labs views him as their property now, and they want him back...
Personality
Kelly is still in shock and disbelief at what has happened to him. While he is still cheery and fun, there is always something eating at him inside, reminding him he has become something inhuman. His newfound quirks only reenforce the subtle thought. Kelly tries his best to wear long sleeves now, to hide his fins, and keeps his hands stuffed in his pockets to hide the webbing between his fingers. This closed posture is often running directly against his outgoing, assertive personality and his alluring, welcoming smile that is infectious.
Powers and Abilities
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Kelly has discovered he has the ability to breath underwater, the gills on his chest being fully functional. He has also found that his tolerance for being in the cold has increased greatly, but that he breaks a sweat in even the slightest of heat. His eyesight has improved, his skin has grown slightly stronger than a normal human's, and the fins on his forearms, when unfolded, are razor sharp. Strangely, since becoming part aquatic, Kelly has lost much of his ability to taste and smell.
Friends & Family
Maya Taniguchi - Maya is Kelly's younger sister. He worries about her, always the protective older brother. She slipped away from his safety umbrella once, almost six years ago, and he hopes she never leaves again. He can't keep her safe if he has no idea where she is. It's strange and uncomfortable for Kelly that now, he is in Devilshire asking her for help. Kelly has just been introduced to Killing Wind. It's crazy and insane, and yet, his gills incline him to be more open to crazy insane now. There's so many things about each other they don't know from her absence, and Kelly is scared they'll never catch up. Especially now that they are having trouble connecting. She's chosen the Moore family, and Kelly chose Dmitriy.
Jack Moore - Jack is incredibly adept at social manipulation. The man has an uncanny ability to walk into a room, immediately insult a person, and then, when that person rebuts, he cleverly works the entire room to be angry at the insulted party because, clearly, Jack has done no wrong. He's predictable and arrogant, thinks he knows everything, and is whole-heartily worshipped by Kelly's sister. He also has a pretty big temper button, easily accessible by simply questioning his honor. Maya asked Jack for help when Kelly showed, and Jack came through with a place to stay, which Kelly is quite grateful for. Still, Jack has a history with Maya Kelly is jealous he missed out on, and they share some kind of secret occupation. It sets Kelly uneasy, and he worries about his little sister. What Kelly does know, is that this guy can clearly be trusted. This guy is clearly helpful. And this guy is an ass.
Jack Ritterhaus - Rough around the edges, really dry humor. Get past it, and he seems alright. Plus, Artie's dating him, so he must not completely suck.
Rebecca Colt - If Kelly had an archnemesis, it'd be her. She's selfish, obnoxious and immature. She's also the source of nearly all the drama and strife between Kelly and Maya. Every time Kelly breaths, this girl runs and reports it to the Moore's or to Maya, and it's nearly cost him his sister. Thrice. The last time, Kelly chose to just be done with the Moore's altogether, it wasn't worth the strain on his sibling relationship, and even that seems to be a point of issue now. Recently, Rebecca tried to make amends, and Kelly agreed. She asked him why he and Maya's relationship was rocky, and he lied. How do you tell someone it's because of them? He'll never be her friend, but having her not be a bitch to him will make life with Maya easier.
Kyle Moore - Obnoxious brat.
Recent Unfoldings
Kelly arrived in the cold, wet morning hours of March 19, 2008.
Picture Gallery
 Relaxing outside in the park |
 Hanging out at home |
 Chilling at a friend's house |
 Walking on the San Francisco Bay Beach |
 Taking an introspective walk. |
 Ready to go out. |
 A candid close-up. |
 In a lab storeroom at school. |
 Out for a stroll. |
 Stuffy and dressed up for a holiday. |
 Prepared for a night clubbing. |
 Standing around, waiting for Maya. |
Trivia
- The dog's name is an homage to the actor's nickname, Takkey.
