Fukatsu U. - Lore

For as long as Fukatsu has been operating, there is no shortage of stories and fables passed on from student body generation to generation. Here are just a few tidbits from Fukatsu's history.

The Fraternity Ban

One aspect of Fukatsu that's famous or infamous, depending on who you ask, is that campus' lack of fraternities. Point blank, Fukatsu has a hard ban on Frats that they have yet to budge on.

It all started in the 80's. Two Vigor based frats got into something of a war that resulted in a big fight on the campus' great lawn. The brawl resulted in many casualties, including some on students who weren't even involved on either side, one of whom was permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

In the fall out, fraternities were immediately banned and anyone who was found to be involved on either side of this fight was promptly expelled from the campus. In the following years, there have been several attempted pushes from the student body to reinstate fraternities, but each push was shot down. Dean Masakage Fukatsu the 2nd is very adamant about keeping his father's ban in place and refuses to budge.

But you know how these things work. Just because the school won't officially recognize them doesn't mean it's going to stop students from forming them...IN SECRET.

Adopting the term 'Sects' ala Wuxia stories, many unofficial Fkatsu fraternities still live in secrecy amongst the student body in hushed whispers...and group DMs that accidentally get leaked which leads to Jabronies trying to join up...

Many Sects operate out in the sticks of Bright Plains and the outlying townships of Stonehale County such as Leafskill, Quarryvale and so on. Typically they pool money together and rent a place out and make that their base of operations.

This is to avoid the repercussions that would come from operating on campus, of course. However, faculty knows about this Sects, including Dean Fukatsu the 2nd. But while he knows of the general existence, there's not much he can do about it as they're out his reach and students apart of these Sects tend to keep details under wraps...Mostly...

The Fukatsu Elite

You know how in Sakigake!! Otokojuku, the school presents the Third Year students as the elites of the campus? Well many colleges in the Toughverse have something akin to that. A group of top brass students who embody the school's principles. And it all began at Fukatsu with the original dean.

After a few years in operation, Dean Fukatsu the 1st noticed that each year had a much beloved student who upheld his beliefs of strength, honor and an eye for the future ahead. With this in mind, he created a special task force comprised of a student from each year to act as a sort of morale group, while also doing tasks for the dean that range from dealing with rival schools to overseeing student projects from afar.

As for the process of finding a new student to represent a class, it's usually passed down to the student who's moving up in the school. Freshman Rep becomes Sophomore Rep, Junior becomes Senior, etc. This usually means a new Freshman is chosen at the start of every Fall semester.

How the new Freshman head is chosen is up to the former. In the past, the process ranged from the usual contest of Vigorous strength to much more esoteric ways of finding a new head, such as holding an essay contest in which hopefuls have to write, in no less than five pages, an MLA format essay about why they should be the new guy. Complete with references and examples of them upholding the Dean's beliefs.

But More Often Than Not, It Just Divulges Into Fighting.

What did you expect?

Mighty Fest

As with other schools and institutions, Fukatsu has its fair share of 'End of Semester' festivities to help the student body unwind from the grueling grind of finals in the fall and spring. Library Week and Mighty Fest.

Library Week is usually held the week of finals during the fall semester. As its name suggests, it's held out of the library where every day hosts a different event and other mood lifting spirit stuff like making a paper chain across the stairwells with written messages of hope and good luck from the student body and faculty.

Originally, Library Week was held at the end of both Fall and Spring semesters, but over time the students began to want something a little more. One such student was then Fukatsu Elite, George 'Georgie' Robinson.

Having taken notice, Dean Fukatsu the 1st asked George about it, knowing that George came from the 'Robinsons of New York' clowning lineage. Someone like him would surely have an idea or two about lively entertainment.

"No offense sir, but arts and crafts isn't always gonna do it. At the end of the Fall semester? Sure! We're all about to head home for the holidays anyways, so something lighter is fine. But after completing a whole year of school? Especially after the Spring finals and staring down the uncertainty of graduating or moving up to the next grade year?? I think that calls for a bigger celebration, y'know?"

George suggested the idea of putting on a little student's carnival. Live music, performers, food stands, little rides. The whole 10 yards. Liking the idea, Dean put George to task as the head of the committee for what would eventually be known as 'Mighty Fest', the Ultimate End of Year Shindig.

The Spring semester came and went, so it was time for Mighty Fest to take the stage. And after months of planning and nervous tensions, it was time to see if George's vision was gonna work. And…it did! The usual dreaded woe of finals week now had an air of optimism among the students!

To this day, Mighty Fest is a Fukatsu institution and continues to be held every Spring semester. George is even still involved as a consultant.

And people say Clowns have no value. Nuts to that I say!

The Student Trials

This is gonna be a bit of a long walk story before we get to the actual lore, but stick with me for a moment. There's a point to it.

During my Junior year at SUNY Purchase, I had to do this project where I had to make a portfolio of the work I've done at the school thus far, along with several short essays about my time at the school and my plans for the future. Once that was finished, I had to submit it to the head of the New Media course or whomever it was, where they and other Professors would then review it and decide if I was fit to stay in the program.

Thankfully I passed, albeit not without some serious stress induced worry and panic. But the experience stayed with me long after for…some reason. I don't know why, especially since a lot of my time at Purchase was just a blur to me in contrast to my years at Westchester Community College where I can recall more of time spent on the Valhalla campus. But I'm glad it did because that's one more thing I can crib from my college experience for use in the story!

BOOSH AND OR KA-KOW! Told ya there was a point to it. Now then.

At the start of every Junior's first semester half, they are assigned an upperclassmen they must defeat in combat. However it's not as simple as doing a first to two....for some at least. For those of a higher principal, their requirements might be much stricter.

For example, an art student might demand that they be defeated via creative use of one's Vigor, or perhaps a collegiate wrestler might have you grapple with them for an hour, allowing you to pass if you can survive the match. A literature student might even have you play their game by writing an essay on how your Vigor is capable of overcoming their strength in the form of a Haiku.

The deadline for these bouts is typically the week before Thanksgiving break, but there have been exceptions in the past that go as far as mid-December.

As Fukatsu is known for its strong student body, most students are able to pass with flying colors. But those who fail the trial must repeat the semester in the Spring term. And if a student fails a second time, they have to restart their time at Fukatsu or walk away from the campus in shame.

Some, however, choose to walk even if they only tasted defeat once. Such as Julian Torres, an art student who was unable to best his assigned upperclassman. Not wanting to have to deal with the stresses of Junior year again and avoiding a complete do-over of his time at Fukatsu, Julian decided to take his leave to focus on his job at a local mechanic.

He felt he made the right choice at the moment, but it was something that ate away at him later on in life despite the success he'd find. He might’ve become a successful mechanic who’d open his own garage down the line, but the aspect of what his life could’ve been like had he graduate was something that he could never shake off his mind. Which is why as part of his final will and testament, he wanted his son Tiago to do what he couldn’t do: Make it to Senior year and graduate.