Ki

**Ki** (気, *lit. "Essence"*), also known as **Chi** or **Qi**, dwells inside all living organisms and throughout the atmosphere, though recent studies have found that these two are of different strains. Nobody quite knows when the practice of manipulating Ki began, but scientists have begun studying how this magic substance is processed within the body. Ki seems to play a very important part in the physical manifestation of certain abilities, but it's effects can vary dependent on the various strains ambient Ki is modified into within the body.

## Description

Ki is circulated throughout the body in a network of specialized vessel, which is collectively known as the Ki Circulatory System (KCS). The KCS has certain pooling points throughout the body, these points being to most often areas for Ki release in user practices. These points, and their major pathways, are pushed throughout the body by the actions of the Dantian, the main storage container for Ki, as well as the movements of skeletal muscles. It is this reason that many associate the movement of Ki throughout the body to be similar to that of the Cardiovascular System, with the Dantian acting as the “heart” of the system. The Dantian differs slightly in the fact that it has both longitudinal and circular muscles around the container, with a neuromuscular node controlling the rhythmic contractions. The user can actual send mental impulses to their Dantian to contract the muscles to pump the Ki into different areas of the body.

The Dantian itself has a unique physiology in where a majority of the Atmospheric Ki (AKI) is processed by the body into the circulating Ki. This is because the chemical reaction that occurs between the molecules of AKI and the walls of the KCS vessels are highly reactive with one another. When vessel walls are subjected to prolonged exposure of AKI, the molecular makeup of the vessel walls begin to degrade and produce a compound that is detrimental to the functions and use of the Ki Circulatory System. That is why users who attempt to use Atmospheric Ki without the proper knowledge or precautions, can severely damage their Dantian and lose the ability to produce their own Ki. This Dantian is where AKI is converted through the aid of unique enzymes and ribosomes that are present in the KCS into X-Ki (XKI). This “X” in the product’s name is a representation of the subunits added to an Ki chain to give it its unique properties. This X Group varies from person to person, but it is the construct that gives them the certain affinity for a particular ability. For example, if a person had a genetic disposition to have the LGT-NGG codon, when their body processed AEN, it would most likely be converted into ki with lightning properties, due to the constructs added to the Ki chain by that particular codon.

## Molecular Properties

The name “Ki” is actually the common man's name of dikino ether; a common practice that most ethers acquired before the rules of nomenclature were formalized. The formal nomenclature rules for classifying ethers are as follows: Ethers feature R–O–R’ linkage defined by a bond angle of about 110° and R–O distances of about 140 pm. The “R” in this case represents the traditional denotation of the functional group within the molecule. The barrier to rotation about the R–O bonds is low; and depending on the groups at R and R′, ethers are classified into two types: symmetrical ethers and unsymmetrical ethers.

Ki can be classified as both a symmetrical ether and unsemetrical ether, dependent on if it is AKI or XKI. Ambient Ki is actually an ether with a kinogium molecule, and a molecule known as etertite. The eteritite molecule is what is damaging to the body when in the ether form, and is the molecule that gives Ki the unsemetrical classification. The X-Ki derivative, due to the balance of kinogium molecules on each side of the central oxygen molecule, is how the Ki gets is symmetrical classification, and is what allows it to be used by the body.

Each kinogium atom is covalently bonded to the oxygen via a shared pair of electrons. This leaves oxygen with two unshared pairs of electrons on the opposite side of the kinogium bonds. This configuration gives the Ki a partially negative charge (δ-) near the oxygen, and a partially positive charge (δ+) near the kinogium atoms. This makes it a polar molecule and allows it to form dipole-dipole bonds between the Ki molecules when they are in a close enough vicinity to interact purely with one another. This intermolecular force that can bond the molecules together gives it a more “liquid like” form, allowing it to flow freely through the KCS in a mage, even after being translated into X-Ki.

## Atmospheric Ki Clevage

When atmospheric Ki enters the body, it is immediately bombarded with a collection of enzymes known as eteritase. The floating complex of the atmospheric Ki is then matched with the active site of the enzyme, where it will break the bond between the oxygen and the eteritite molecule to produce an Et- molecule and an O-Kn molecule with a vacant bond on the oxygen. The eteritite molecules will then recombine with another free floating eteritite molecule to form Et2 compound that is water soluble and will easily be excrete out of the body through natural processes. The O-Kn compound are then temporarily bonded to one another through the free electron on the oxygen molecules, forming a large chain of units, before they are picked up by a free ribosomal subunit that will later form together with a larger subunit to begin the translation into X-Ki.

## Translation into X-Ki

The formation of X-Ki (XEN) follows a very similar process to the translation step in protein synthesis, with only a few minor differences. When the small ribosomal subunit picks up the strand of O-Kn units, it will then make its way to a pooling point within the KCS, where it will link up with a large ribosomal subunit around the kRNA, or Ki RNA. Once the ribosomal complex is formed, the initiation of translation will occur. A tRNA will match up with the three nucleotide sequence on the kRNA (a codon), and will be carrying the proper derivative of kinogium that aligns with that codon. So as our example was, and LGT codon would match with a tRNA that was carrying a kinogium derivative that gave the subsequent Ki chain a lightning property. Only tRNA with the proper anticodon (three nucleotide sequence) will be able to match up with the codon on the kRNA, preventing any mistanslations to the Ki chain. The first binding of the codon and anticodon will bring up the O-Kn chain to covalently bond to the new kinogium molecule, keeping the chain together through the dipole-dipole interactions of the kinogium and the oxygen. The tRNA will then lose its kinogium molecule and be moved to the next site in the ribosome before being discarded to pick up another kinogium molecule within the cytosol for later reactions.

There are three sites within the ribosomal complex around the kRNA. They are the aminoacyl site (abbreviated A), the peptidyl site (abbreviated P) and the exit site (abbreviated E). With respect to the kRNA, the three sites are oriented 5’ to 3’ E-P-A, because ribosomes move toward the 3' end of kRNA. The A site binds the incoming tRNA with the complementary codon on the kRNA. The P site holds the tRNA with the growing Ki chain. The E site holds the tRNA without its kinogium. The tRNA will only be able to enter on the A site, during X-Ki formation, as the other two sites will be filled with used tRNA from the translation process. The molecular forces of the Ki molecules will cause the chain to be transferred to the tRNA in the A site, making it grow each time a new tRNA appears. Translocation occurs when a new tRNA appears to match with the next codon, moving the tRNA in the P site, now without a kinogium molecule, to the E site. The tRNA in the E site leaves and another tRNA enters the A site to repeat the process. This constant cycle of tRNA continues until the ribosome has made its way down the length of the kRNA, where it will then cleave the remainder of the O-Kn complex that the subunit had brought to become free floating once again, and be picked up by another subunit.

The resulting chain of XEN will then be released into the KCS, where it can be used by the body to produce a variety of techniques. The kRNA that coded for the particular variety of Ki is subject to a variety of stresses that can alter the codon sequence and produce a different type of X-Ki. These stresses can come from things such as physical or mental exertions, that cause a buildup of stimulus within the body, breaking apart the bonds of the kRNA and making them rearrange in a different sequence. This will subsequently produce a different variety of Ki, meaning a different variety of abilities from the practioner. This is how people are capable of learning abilities through repetition in training, as well as even learning an ability from objects such as books or scriptures.

## Summary

In essence the method at which Ki practioners are capable of producing a variety of different abilities comes from the intake and manipulation of the Ki energy particles that lie within the atmosphere. Because the atmospheric Ki can damage a person’s body, the body will change the atmospheric Ki into something called X-Ki, that will allow a person to store and use the energy to produce an ability. This X-Ki can have a variety of different properties, such as lightning or fire, dependent on the person’s genes, as well as the physical and mental stresses they endure.

The Ki that the body produces is circulated throughout the body by the Dantian, which is the main storage vessel of Ki that also acts like the heart of the Ki Circulatory System. A skilled person is able to control where their Dantian pumps their Ki, allowing them to concentrate their Ki release to certain areas, such as the hands or mouth, for release through the pores of the skin or the throat.

## Trivia

* This is just the authors scientific interpretation of how Ki could work.
* This explanation originally comes from the authors original Ethernano page on the Fairy Tail Fanon. It was her explanation as to how mages could perform different magical spells, and was something she thought could be translated to Nanbaka to explain some of the abilities.