01 - Application
May. 18th, 2008 09:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
souhi_no_arashiMun alias: Yuri, Yuriko
E-mail: wagmama.puu [at] gmail.com
Messenger name: chiba yuriko
Previous RP experience (if any): Several private RPs (unfortunately the LJ-based ones are flocked) but also Kurogane, Kunogi Himawari, Tsuzuki Asato all for Memento Eden RP. Note: Himawari is a dropped character there, but the RP posts are still there and will remain there. There also is an older RP sample from one of the non-flocked private RPs for Yami no Matsuei: Tsuzuki Asato.
Character's full name: Kurogane
Series: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles
Gender: Male
Age: Not clearly established in canon, but he seems to be in his early 20s.
Personality: (300) Kurogane is a fairly straight forward sort. He doesn't like to fool around with nonsense or silliness and he hates putting up with it from anyone else (though if provoked he can fall into a rather ridiculous pattern of yelling, chasing, and comically aggravated attempts at violence). He doesn't like the prospect of hiding from things, whether they be the past or yourself or an opponent. He is the type to face something head on and he expects others to do the same. He firmly believes in getting by on one's own strength and at the beginning of TRC, he's obsessed with growing stronger for the sake of strength alone. He hadn't always been that way though - when he was young he'd wanted strength in order to protect the people and homeland he loved. However somewhere along the way after losing his family and village to demons and nearly losing his mind to his rampage following he grew to only seek strength for its own sake. Due to this obsession, he really saw no reason for mercy and would often kill opponents merely to prove he could strike them down, even if they were clearly no match for him. Kurogane at the start of his journey had little to no respect for life in general, only for the lives of those he deemed worth it. Despite this seemingly very brutish and callous view on life, to those he does deem worthy, he's fiercely loyal (they are just few and far between). Princess Tomoyo, the girl who saved him after the demon slaughter is someone he'd give his life for without hesitation and he claims later that he serves her and her alone and would never serve another. And this was after she'd expelled him from their world and sent him careening on some crazy journey with a curse as a parting gift ("If you kill, you will lose strength" essentially). It's a testament to both his desire for strength as well as his devotion to his princess that after he's expelled he does not kill a single person on their journey save once far along their travels. And it was for the sake of lives he cared deeply for by that point and he did it with the full expectation that it would "weaken" him in a way. He'd found a true meaning to strength in re-learning the purpose he once sought it for: to protect.
Kurogane, due to his rather violent nature and views on life, is one who fully believes if you engage in a fight, particularly if you wield a weaon, you should be prepared to die right then and there. There is no half-way or half-heartedness for the man and he doesn't tolerate it in those around him either. More than once, there were tense angry words given to Fay for half-assing on their journey and he'd made it clear to the other man that he wouldn't take it from him. It isn't to say he doesn't have the same expectations of others though, as we do see him holding Syaoran to the same standards in a way. While Syaoran doesn't consciously do things half-way, before he would teach the boy to use a sword, he forced him to overcome the obstacle of the boy's sight (having vision in only one eye). It was only after he believed Syaoran could surmount this challenge fully that he would teach him anything. The boy had to be able to give his all to the teaching and that was all there was going to be to it.
Beneath the rough exterior is a man who has a strict sense of kindness and caring. As he grows closer to his travelling companions, he starts taking them on as his responsibility, people he must protect with all that strength. He looks out for the kids, he teaches Syaoran in order to grow stronger to protect Sakura, he starts questioning and pushing Fay to stop lying and face them, seeing past the mask. He doesn't voice kind words and one would rarely if ever hear something like "thank you" coming from Kurogane, but he shows his feelings in his actions and to him that's enough.
Whether it's his training and upbringing or just part of his nature, the man is rather observant and not at all stupid. Early on he shows suspicions about Fay and the man's smiling mask. He's not slow to put things together when clues present themselves and the only thing he has a true weakness in is when magic or illusions are involved. Otherwise, he's fairly aware of his surroundings and of those around him. When Syaoran himself starts showing signs of not being all he seemed, Kurogane also noticed this as well, such as the sudden shift in fighting style and demeanor in the boy in LeCourt. Even his observation that when he'd killed Ashura he had in a way weakened himself (referring to the arm he cut off in response to the events after killing the man in order to save Fay). Even though it had been revealed that there hadn't been a curse at all to start with, he still felt as if he'd been weakened through the ordeal - it showed a surprising amount of self-awareness that the man had developed.
By means of quirks, even straight-man, strict, grumpy Kurogane has his. From world to world, he's seen indulging in a continuing ninja manga whenever he has a chance (of course we've seen much less of this as the story took a more serious turn), but it shows that he does do some things for fun after all (besides a good fight I mean). He also has his comedic moments as I mentioned before in his overreactions to provocation. Mokona and Fay like to tease and poke at the man in order to illicit these outbursts as well, amusing themselves in making the normally gruff, silent man yell and flail in anger, particularly by mangling his name into cutesy nicknames or showing other means of affection for him. He also seems to have an almost child-like excitement lurking just below the surface when things that remind him of home come up. As they travel many different worlds in TRC, when they come across something like hakama or sushi or other things that are reminscent of his Japanese-like homeland, he seems to enjoy it immensely, actually showing eagerness or a casualness he does not normally exhibit. It is shown several times in the manga that Kurogane can be quite the drinker with little indication of intoxication. The man can hold his liquor, to be sure. Another small thing that has been noted in the manga is the manner in which he sleeps - almost completely still. It is commented on that this is to be expected of a ninja. From this I also assume he doesn't sleep too heavily and remains fairly aware of his surroundings even while asleep.
Fairy tale/myth/legend: The Kojiki
Role: Susa no Ou, the god of the sea and storms
Kingdom territory of origin: Eastern Kingdom Territories
Adaptation: (300) In a land to the East, there was the god of the sea and storms called Kurogane no You no Ou (the "Black Steel Hawk Deity"). Kurogane (as his name is usually shortened to) is the brother to the great Sun Goddess, high god of all the deities in their land. However he doesn't show much respect for her wishes despite her status and frequently causes destruction and chaos at his leisure - usually in the form of needless killing and tests of strength. After being threatened with banishment for neglecting to rule over his lands (the oceans specifically were in his care) he went to his sister and asked to prove himself to her. Convincing her of his intentions to behave and heed her, the Sun Goddess allows him to return to the Heavenly Plains.
However Kurogane did not heed the words of his sister or the other gods and continued to wreak havoc upon the heavenly home, becoming more and more violent in his actions until his sister could no longer even make excuses for his behaviour. When Kurogane littered bodies about the Sun Goddesses own textile house, causing such fright to the weaving maiden there that she killed herself on a weaving shuttle, that was the last straw so to speak for his sister. So shocked and frightened by the sight of the textile house and of the violence of her brother, the Sun Goddess fled to a cave and hid herself within it, taking the sun's light with her. This cast both the Heavenly Plain and the world below into darkness and evil and chaos broke out over the lands.
All the gods gathered in an attempt to lure the Sun Goddess back out and once they succeeded, returning light to their lands, they took council in order to decide on punishment for Kurogane no You no Ou. After cutting his long hair short and cleansing him of the blood staining his body, they banished the god from the Heavenly Plain and exiling him from the Eastern Kingdom Territories altogether. They also left him with one last punishment - a curse that if he were to kill, he will grow weaker, losing the strength he so prized. This was to see to it that he would not continue to kill needlessly and that he may learn the meaning of true strength in the world outside.
Kurogane is being taken from this point for the beginning of Mukashi. Recorded below is a bit of where his individual plot line may lead him.
In his travels Kurogane will come across news of a great eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon (the Orochi). It is destined for him to slay this dragon and from it's body draw the Heavenly Sword and offer it before the Sun Goddess.
Outside of the myth: So obviously some things were tweaked to fit both Kurogane and the myth - specifically I wanted to leave the connection to Izanagi and Izanami ambiguous in case one wished to pick up those roles later, but technically Susa no Ou is the son of Izanagi and though Izanami took no real part in his creation, he considers her his mother. In the story of the Kojiki, Susa no Ou is first actually banished by Izanagi for crying so much over wishing to see his mother in "Hell." The crying is part of what I had to change seeing as it's a point throughout TRC that Kurogane has no more tears.
Something else that was changed was in the Kojiki to prove his pure intentions and receive Amaterasu's permission to return to the Heavenly Plain, Susa no Ou and her create children deities. I decided that this was too strange and extraneous for Kurogane however since those children play no part in his story after that. It's just one of those things where gods make children like its as simple and meaningless as changing the channel or something. So I went with him proving himself to her some other ambiguous way.
In the Kojiki the things Susa no Ou does are a bit more... grotesque (like throwing excrement around...) and don't fit well with Kurogane's character so I limited the types of things he did to killing and scattering bodies and blood about.
Also, I've left the story of the eight-headed dragon (Orochi) vague since I know that in the course of the roleplay and interactions that this portion of his storyline will change.
Other things to take into consideration: Kurogane is a god, yes, but Japanese gods are not by any means all powerful nor immortal. So while he maintains an unnatural strength and endurance, Kurogane can be hurt and killed. It just takes more than say the average human to keep him down for the count. This is pretty true to Kurogane in his own canon as well. The amount of strength and endurance in the face of injuries that he exhibits is a little boggling at times, so I feel like this is a good fit for him. In terms of his control over the sea and storms, since he's been banished, Kurogane has very little power over what he once ruled in their lands. However, I am keeping intact his sword techniques/attacks from his own canon which fit well given that they seem to all be water and wind based techniques using his sword. In essense these attacks are what remain of his powers as a god. The extent of damage done by these attacks vary, but he could cleave large demons as a child using them, so it's safe to say they are fairly powerful sword techniques when they connect and they've been shown to have a wide range of destructive ability within the locale of his using them (debris, ripping up of the ground, splintering trees or taking down buildings caught in the path of the attacks - that sort of thing). Also, I can foresee if he was truly serious and pissed off, a storm may begin to form in the area, but this is by indirect influence rather than something he is controlling.
Despite his banishment, Kurogane has realized that the gods have thrown him out for a reason and while pissed about it, he's determined to make it back home as well. After all they wouldn't have left him with a curse and the goal to learn "true strength" unless they intended to perhaps allow him back if he proved himself before them again.
I've left Kurogane his sword, Souhi (which was not his original sword in canon, but something he obtains on his journey, however, here this is his personal blade), since in the story of the eight-headed dragon, Susa no Ou's own sword, Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, breaks on something within the body of the dragon. This turns out to be the Heavenly Sword, which Susa no Ou then offers to Amaterasu and it becomes one of the three treasures of Japan. Since Susa no Ou was left his sword during his banishment, I've allowed Kurogane his as well. In place of the Heavenly Sword, I'm putting Ginryuu (Kurogane's sword, modeled after his father's and his price to Yuuko as his most important thing).
Also, just a side note: Kurogane no You no Ou does have significance. Susa no Ou's full name is actually Haya Susa no Ou no Mikoto and as such I extended Kurogane's name to fit closer to the pattern of the Kojiki gods. Kurogane is pretty self explanatory but the "no You" part is added because it was fitting. "You" meaning "hawk" is actually Kurogane's true name and the only one who appears to know this besides himself is his princess, Tsukuyomi aka Tomoyo. The fact that he entrusted his true name to her also shows the large amount of devotion he holds to his princess. "no Ou" just means "god/deity" or "king".
Current area of residence: Exiled from the Eastern Kingdoms, so after some wandering near the Eastern Borders, he's headed deeper into Axis Mundi's heart, on the outskirts of the Central Woods that seperates Axis Town from Mundi Town. (Near the big lake on the map.)
Sample journal entry: This place is irritating as hell. The small towns I've passed by haven't even had anyone worth fighting in them. However, a few people said if I keep heading west, I'll eventually find one of the bigger towns of this place and that there is a giant forest splitting the area in half. They seemed afraid of it, so maybe there is something of interest there.
There better be. I'm bored. And a bigger town boads better for finding someone with some guts who might face me.
Tch. Not that I'll be able to let loose on them.
Bring on whatever you have to face me. I'll strike it all down.
Roleplay sample: (200) Scarlet eyes narrowed as Kurogane snarled, slinging the empty sake cask back over his shoulder. It looked like he'd have to stop at the next dinky place after all. He stood and worked out the kink in his neck before turning to the west, facing the descending sun's path and he started to walk.
The trip to the next small township was uneventful (of course) and only served to annoy him further as he stepped in the open gates, passing a few traders heading back out, probably hoping to make the next town before night fell. A few glances were spared to the rather tall, imposing and clearly grumpy man, but they were quickly averted and cast down as people hurried on their ways past him.
Fine by him. The less he was bothered, the better.
He didn't bother to ask anyone where the bar was either - given the time of day, all he really had to do was follow the growing sounds of working men taking their rest after a long day before going home to face families and bed. The further he ventured from the eastern border, the more things felt less and less like home, however some things didn't change no matter where you were. Upon finding what he was looking for, Kurogane wasted no time heading in. Again, he caught several sets of eyes settling on him as he entered, but he paid them no heed. If they wanted to make something of it, let them, but he was here for one thing at the moment.
Something strong. He supposed those bandits mistaking him for asleep and helpless earlier in the day hadn't been a total loss, even if he'd let them go in the end. At least he'd gotten money out of it. ... How ridiculous. Him needing money to be offered alcohol...
Anger and resentment boiled within him just below the surface as he remembered how simply they'd just banished him. And then that curse... not allowing him to kill... What the hell was he supposed to do out here then?!
Find the true meaning of strength...
The terrified squeak of the barkeep as his glass shattered in his hand served to tear his thoughts away for a moment. He shook off his hand as if it were nothing in the tense semi-silence of the room, no one particularly wanting to irritate him further, and then bought the only remaining bottle of sake they had available. He left without incident and made his way to the gates before they would close for the night. It appeared however, that he wasn't going to leave completely bored off his ass. Waiting just outside were those same stupid bandits, plus a dozen or so others. He'd already dealt with them once and they still underestimated him? Tch. He'd just have to teach them again then. And he hated repeating himself.
"You truly want to feel my blade, huh?" Kurogane smirked as he stepped out and the gates pulled shut quickly behind him, the townsfolk clearly wanting no part of this.
"We were just caught off guard earlier, it won't happen again!" one of the idiots boasted.
Another chimed in, the smaller mousey looking one he'd barely glared at before he'd run away the first time, leaving his two comrades behind, "Plus, you're way outnumbered this time!"
Several of the others shot the man sour looks, as if he'd missed the point. However, it was the truth, it was one to 15. But Kurogane rather liked these odds better than the one on three. At least there may be some challenge this time around.
"Won't happen again, huh? That's true. This time I won't be letting you run off so easily," Kurogane replied, slowly drawing Souhi from its sheath, savoring the moment just before he'd .... and those damned words rang in his ears again.
Damnit... if he killed them, they may never let him return home. Fine, he decided, but he still wasn't going to let the fools run away like cowards. They'd just live to wake another day, lucky them.
After a pregnant pause, they all lunged, knives and swords drawn, all moving on Kurogane at once. The first two to reach him were hit with a simple one-two: a hilt to the gut and then flipped around and swung up to smash the second man's nose in. The next several dove in, two were brought down with strikes with the back of the blade while the last received a roundhouse, sending him toppling backwards. The rest fell just as easily. All in all, they hadn't stood much of a chance. Less of a fight than he'd been hoping for, that was for sure. He surveyed the fallen bodies, almost disgusted that he left them all breathing before he sheathed the bloodless sword once more.
((OOC: And I realize this was also epically long... not all my posts would be really long like this for him, but given that I was choosing to not use other characters to interact with, I wanted to set up a scenario and end it as well while showing his character. So there you have it XD ))
