Rei

Rei is a runaway fugitive.

> "*It's not cold at all.*" — Rei
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**Yamashita Rei** (山下麗), formerly known in the underground scene as Rei, is a young runaway wanted for helping and working under fugitive demon lords. He begins attending Shujinko Academy later in the school year after reuniting with his childhood friend and love interest, **Michiko**.

## Appearance

Rei is a little on the smaller side. He is taller than **Naoko** and shorter than some of the girls, but doesn't let his height bother him. His hair was previously dark before adopting a bleached, white colour after he honed his powers. Similarly, his eyes changed from brown to turquoise.

In his initial appearances, Rei is seen wearing black clothes and a hooded cape. Although he is constantly exposed to extreme weather conditions, he doesn't wear warm clothing and seems unaffected towards the cold.

After enrolling into school, Rei dons the default boys' school uniform and casual streetwear on his off days. He seems to have a preference towards earrings and other accessories, probably stemming from Michiko's *harajuku* influence.

## Abilities

Rei is a cyrokinetic user. His ability to manipulate ice and cold seems to be innate, but did not surface until sometime during junior high. Only after being exposed to sub-zero temperatures and emotional trauma did his powers appear.

He relies primarily on the moisture in the surrounding environment to create ice; thus, his powers would be useless in a dry environment. His attacks consist of mostly ice blasts and freezing, though he sometimes wields weapons made of ice as well. Rei himself does not participate in physical conflict often seeing as Jun and Yuka act as his bodyguards.

When he reconciles with Michiko and has most of his emotional wounds healed, Rei's powers begin to fade. His skin, which is normally cold, would grow warm and he would find it difficult to summon a particle of ice.

## Personality

Rei initially seems overtly evil, but he is likely more introverted and considerate than expected. He is patient, often observing things before taking action. He is also a character who seems to take things seriously often, which is representative of his icy heart. He is neither too friendly or too mean to anyone, and abides by his own moral code.

He is more than likely to treat women like queens, especially considering his romantic conduct with Michiko.

## Relationships

Rei and Michiko met sometime in grade school and spent a couple years in school together. He was not the first boy to fall completely in love with her, but allowed his feelings to remain unrequited to retain their friendship. While they had their own friend circles, the two often preferred the company of each other since they had more in common. After he ran away, Rei did not know of Michiko's mutation and PTSD after they met again in high school. He would reconsider his criminal lifestyle choices in hopes of being by her side once more.

The demon lord who takes Rei under his wing is considered a father figure as well as a mentor. Rei is well-aware of his criminal activities, but often looks past the fact in light of everything he's been given. Rei follows his orders well and maintains a bantering relationship with his superior.

Even though he was their first opponent and a fugitive, the main cast readily welcomes Rei into their group after he enrolls into Shujinko. He's awkward around most of the characters, but finds some commonality with **Takumi** and **Setsuko**.

### Shells

 File:Rei&Co.jpg

> *Main Article*: ***Shells***
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After developing his powers, Rei was directed to recruit two shells for protection. The first is a man named **Jun**, an ex-convict who developed an inhuman mastery of *kenjutsu*. He has long hair which is often tied back during the day, and wields twin katanas with ease. The second shell is a woman named **Yuka**, who was found as an exotic dancer in a popular strip club. Yuka has shorter hair and is a expert gunwoman; she knows how to use various firearms from sniper rifles to bazookas, and seems to prefer pistols.

The two dote on him relentlessly despite having a lack of personalities. They care for and feed him like his own parents, all while addressing him with a respectful 'Rei-sama'.

## Backstory

After being unable to save Michiko from her assault, Rei runs away and is caught on the streets in freezing weather. A demon lord finds him, sees his potential and recruits him into being his disciple. Rei agrees to the conditions after being told he would become stronger.

The demon lord invites Rei to an abandoned cabin on a snowy mountain, which they would make his new home. He is then trained for months until he able to use his powers proficiently, after which the demon lord would use him in his criminal activities; this would include assassinations or theft. Rei would shortly become a target of Vera for his crimes.

> *Read more: **The Ice Prince Arc***
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