[OOC][Application]
Apr. 27th, 2007 08:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
notachickHistory, bio, and information on Okita Souji.
Removed: Mun's personal information
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damned_lounge post with condensed information on Okita's history here.
Name/Handle: Murasakikaze “Kaze”
Age: 22
Timezone: Pacific Standard
Email Address: souster@gmail.com
AIM/other messenger screenname: souzoupi
Personal LJ username: murasaki_kaze
Character you're applying for: Okita Souji a.k.a. Okita Soujirou or Okita Souji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi
Series the character is from: Peace Maker Kurogane (anime-verse)
Character's age: 21, if the date of death at 25 four years later is correct
Character's gender: Male, even if he doesn’t look it.
Character’s “Real Name”: Julian Ikeda
How long have you roleplayed your character, if at all?: This will be my first time roleplaying Okita.
Where have you roleplayed in general and/or with this specific character?: Various AIM based RPs, the Silhouette Project (now defunct), Landel’s Damned (Aoyagi Ritsuka).
Have you played the game/watched the movie or anime/read the book or comic, etc. that your character hails from?: Yes, I’ve watched all 24 episodes of the anime series. I am not familiar with the manga series, but I do know the history both are based off. Not that PMK follows the real history, but that’s why PMK is more fun.
Please give us a detailed personal history of your character: Born in Edo in the early 1840s, not much is known about Okita’s past before he joined the Shinsengumi. The Shinsengumi were an elite force of samurai under the Aizu provincial lord that helped police Kyoto and promote the power of the Tokugawa shogun. During the Bakumatsu rebellion, when imperialists attempted to topple the Tokugawa government, the Shinsengumi were the ones to protect it – the dogs of the government, as some said.
Although we know Okita has an older sister, no other mention of family is ever given in the series. At age 9, Hijikata Toshizou told him to make a decision on whether or not to pick up the katana and become a samurai. Obviously, he did, but it is never revealed why. The protagonist, Tetsu, asked him for his reason at one point and Okita refused to tell him under the guise that his answer could not become Tetsu’s answer. However, he later tried to tell Tetsu that everyone had their own reasons, however silly or outrageous they might seem. He hinted that his reason would probably make people laugh at him, but never explained any further than that. Hijikata may be the only one who knew why he decided to become a killer, but Okita never gave a concrete answer so the viewers are left to wonder about Okita’s motivations.
Although his reasons are unknown, 9 years later, Okita Soujirou attained mastery of the Tennen Rishin Ryu style of swordsmanship. His specialty was a three pronged attack that was rumored to hit the neck, left and right shoulders almost simultaneously. When the Shinsengumi were formed, he became Captain of the First Squadron and acted as a teacher in the Shinsengumi dojo. He was a natural genius when it came to all forms of fighting and was one of the deadliest members of the special police force.
When Hijikata Toshizou, Kondou Isami and other members of the original Roshigumi force in Edo split off and created the Shinsengumi, Okita was with them. It was when he was still in Edo that he stopped calling himself Soujirou and went under the name Souji. On February 8, 1863, the Shinsengumi moved to Kyoto to protect the city from the Choshu rebels, support the Bakufu, and the Aizu clan lord. They set up their main headquarters at the Mibu Temple. Living in Kyoto was ideal for Souji with his love of Japanese sweets (wagashi). He loved to play with the children in Kyoto, but told them to call him Soujirou to disassociate himself from the demon killer Shinsengumi captain, Souji. Being one of the youngest and deadliest members in the Shinsengumi, brought him a great deal of fame, as did his position as the Captain of the First Squadron. He was well known enough that Tetsu, not knowing Okita’s identity, said he wanted to fight the killer swordsman Okita Souji once he entered the Shinsengumi.
There were actually two sections of the Shinsengumi, Kondou’s faction and Serizawa Kamo’s main group – both under the orders of the Aizu daimyo, Matsudaira Katamori, and stationed in the Mibu area of Kyoto. They were ordered to enforce the peace and keep the Choshu rebels from returning to the Imperial Court from which they had been expelled. Unfortunately, Serizawa acted too recklessly and too violently for the Aizu clan lord’s tastes. His violence earned the Shinsengumi the nickname “the Wolves of Mibu” (in Japanese, Miburo). In 1863, Kondou’s group was told to assassinate him. Four people were chosen for the job – Kondou himself, Vice-chief Yamanami Keisuke (also called Sannan), Vice-chief Hijikata, and Okita. Okita was with Hijikata when they killed their former leader.
1864 was when 15 year old Ichimura Tetsunosuke arrived at the Shinsengumi headquarters at the Mibu Temple, carrying a signboard and demanding to be enlisted. Okita noticed, took an interest in Tetsu’s feisty nature, and followed after him once he had been rejected. They met up again on the banks of the river when Okita threw a bone for his pet piglet, Saizou, and the piglet hit Tetsu in the forehead. Okita saw Tetsu’s potential from the beginning and was the one who convinced the Vice-chief Hijikata to allow the boy to enlist. He was the one who watched him closest, guiding him on his path to becoming a soldier while also trying to help him heal the emotional scars left from witnessing the murder of his parents. Tetsu was also the only one who consistently asked to train with Okita, and, finding this amusing, the swordsman agreed.
When Hijikata allowed Tetsu to enlist, he said that the boy reminded him of Okita in the way that youthfulness masked his maturity. Okita only laughed and replied that Tetsu reminded him of “someone else,” while pointedly looking at Hijikata. However, the fact that Tetsunosuke reminded Hijikata of Okita sets up the parallel between the two characters. Okita encouraged Tetsu to follow his dreams and become a Shinsengumi warrior, but eventually learned that Tetsu paradoxically refuses to kill despite his cries for revenge. At fifteen years old, Tetsu was older than Okita when he picked up the sword, but both Hijikata and Okita worried that the idealistic and pure Tetsu would become a demon killer like Okita. Okita believes that Hijikata thinks him a mistake, letting a 9 year old begin a life of killing.
The series itself only covered the period of time before the Ikedaya Incident, where Okita and other Shinsengumi fought a bloody battle with the Choshu rebels hiding out there. In the days prior to the Ikedaya Incident, Okita led the raid on the Masuya that captured the Choshu supporter who ran the store. Okita, however, did not participate in the raid, letting his men take out their frustrations and grief without him. The raid was partially in retaliation for the Masuya having been responsible for the death of Ayumu, the Shinsengumi’s cook and a female shinobi. The capture and subsequent torture of Masuya Kiemon gave the Shinsengumi all the information they needed to root out the Choshu at the Ikedaya. Hijikata discovered that the Choshu plan was to set fire to the capital, kill the Aizu daimyo in the confusion, and steal the Emperor. To stop this, the Shinsengumi split into two groups and searched the city for Yoshida and his rebels. Kondou, along with Okita, found them at the Ikedaya and the battle ensued.
During his fight with Yoshida Toshimaro, the Choshu leader, at the Ikedaya, Okita finally coughed up blood and weakened due to the disease. Yoshida took advantage of this lapse and almost killed Okita, wounding him and nearly crushing his chest. Tetsu rushed in to save his friend and mentor, and ended up fighting Yoshida. At one point, Tetsu managed to take off Yoshida’s arm, but stopped short of killing him. He wanted to know why Yoshida killed his parents and why Yoshida hadn’t killed him, but Yoshida claimed no knowledge of that affair. Shocked, Tetsu lost the advantage and Yoshida took it, grabbing a blade in his teeth and pushing Tetsu over. Tetsu proved incapable of killing Yoshida despite the predicament, and Okita took the rebel leader’s head to save him.
In the time leading up to the Ikedaya Incident, Okita contracted tuberculosis – an incurable disease at the time. He tried his best to hide the disease, making up excuses about choking on tea or having a cold, so he didn’t worry the others and so he didn’t show weakness. Hijikata, however, had a sinking suspicion that the coughs indicated tuberculosis, and throughout the series attempted to cure him with powdered medicines mixed with tea. Okita refused to acknowledge the disease even after the Ikedaya and Hijikata continued to attempt to cure him with various remedies. The series ended at the Gion festival with Okita, Hijikata and Kondou sitting on the roof drinking sake together, and Tetsu bringing them up some sweets and tea after finishing up at the festival himself.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality: There are two completely different halves to Okita. One the one hand, he’s compassionate and kind, loves children and is seemingly carefree. When he’s off duty and wearing his usual light colored kimono, he’s often seen with his pet piglet, Saizou, playing games with neighborhood children or relaxing in his room. He loves sweets, especially Japanese sweets (wagashi) and dango, and can act extremely childishly when he feels like it. He looks extremely effeminate, and his actions match the look – he sits, drinks, flirts and sometimes runs like a woman. Quick to laugh and toss around jokes, he also likes to irritate and poke fun at the others. He is extremely close with the higher ups in the Shinsengumi, but especially so with his mentor, Hijikata Toshizou. They are often seen together, talking, planning, fighting side by side, or just lounging together in their off hours. Okita will often bring Hijikata tea or rub his shoulders for him. He sees beneath Hijikata’s normally terse and cold exterior to the kind person beneath, and loves to be near him both as a friend and a pupil. Since they are so close, he teases Hijikata the worst out of all of them, but also cares the most for him. Usually his teasing has an ulterior motive of cheering the person up, or distracting them from whatever is troubling them.
Despite his outwardly flighty personality, he is actually a very observant and intelligent person. He’ll do what it takes to protect the ones he loves and to protect those he thinks needs protecting. He isn’t one to trouble others with his problems, and dislikes talking about his own past. He will, however, help others behind the scenes to resolve their problems or to regain their former vitality through elaborate and often comical set-ups. He doesn’t believe that the answers are ever simple and is rather insightful into people’s motivations, feelings and personalities.
The other side of Okita is a killer. As the captain of the First Squadron of the Mibu Shinsengumi, he is extremely skilled with any sort of sword – boken, shinai or katana – and knows how to fight when disadvantaged without one. As one of the shogun’s men, he is ruthless and efficient, killing anyone in the Shinsengumi’s way or anyone who could potentially threaten the group. He doesn’t shirk from giving an order that will result in the complete annihilation of the enemy and follows the code set by the Shinsengumi. Okita refuses to think of himself as human because of this, saying that he is “not the child of humans, but demons.”
He is extremely dangerous when this part of his personality is in control because he cannot match his power to the power of his opponent. In other words, he’s incapable of “taking it easy” on other people. He is an excellent teacher, but no one wants to spar with him because they’ll often walk away with serious injuries even if wearing protection.
Okita can switch quite easily from one persona to another – at one point smiling and laughing at an intruder and in the next second pulling his sword and going for the man’s throat, and vice versa. Overall, he is good-natured, protective and dedicated to the Shinsengumi’s goals of stopping the Choshu rebels from usurping the Shogun’s power.
Please give us a detailed physical description of your character: Okita looks and acts like a woman, but uses it to his advantage since few would suspect such a careless looking man to be a ruthless killer. He’s average height (probably around 5’5 to 5’8), slender with pale skin, purple hair and large lavender eyes. His hair is long, almost to his hips, and he keeps it down and tied at the very end with a small white tie when he’s not on duty. Normally, he wears a very light purple (almost white) kimono and geta barefoot. When in his kimono, he refuses to carry a sword as it would interfere with his ability to play “hide and seek.” When he’s on duty or readying to fight, he ties his hair back into a high ponytail and almost seems to get more masculine. His normally doe-like eyes grow harsh and demonic looking in their severity.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's?: Post series, a few days after the Ikedaya Incident. The Gion Festival was in full swing and Okita’s tuberculosis had just started to really show itself. According to history, it will be another four years before he dies.
What kinds of magical/special/crazy powers does your character have, if any?:
Nope~ He’s just a samurai.
If present, how do you plan to tweak those powers to make him/her appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?: N/A.
Does your character have any other non-magical skills or abilities that we should know about?: He is a genius at the Japanese sword and at fighting in general. He started his training as a samurai at age nine and gained mastery of his technique by age 18, becoming a teacher at the Mibu Temple with the Shinsengumi. He’s an excellent fighter in all respects, but can’t pull his punches making him extremely dangerous. He also knows how to fight without a katana, even in tight spaces, using the items he has on hand.
How about improbable appendages?: Nope~
Please give us an idea of where you'd like to take your character within the scope of the Landel's Damned RP: Okita would most likely end up organizing people and trying to protect them, especially any children he came across. Thinking that the Bakumatsu revolution is still going, he’ll try to get back to Kyoto as soon as possible, meaning escape will be in his mind. If Himura Kenshin is also accepted and tells Okita of the outcome of the Bakumatsu, it will only fuel his need to return home and help his comrades. If escape proves impossible, he’ll try to get messages out to at least alert people of what has happened and what will happen in the future. At all costs, the revolution must be stopped, so he will be trying to keep tabs on what is going on outside while trying to survive.
What kind of psychological effect do you see Landel's Institute having on your character?: At first he will think he’s been taken prisoner by rebels, at least until he notices the electronics and the modernity of the Institute. It will likely scare him a little, since he is far out of his league in terms of technology, but he’ll eventually recover and turn his thoughts to getting out. More than likely his childish curiosity will get the better of him and he’ll try to figure as much of it out as he can. If he ever finds out that the Shinsengumi were defeated, it will probably depress him and make him worry about his comrades and Japan in general. Then, as stated above, he’ll try to help them as much as possible with the knowledge he has gleaned from other patients.
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?: Okita was raised during a time of war, and took part in a lot of the killing that happened during that time. He is no stranger to death and the horrors it brings, so I do not foresee any problems with him in that area. The monsters, however, will likely terrify him as he only ever had contact with them briefly, and even then it was only really an illusory world set up by a Buddhist cultist. Okita can survive, though, and he will be doing everything he can in order to survive.
Third-Person Sample:
Everyone always said it was the waiting that killed you, but he knew better and he often laughed at the ones who said such things. Waiting never killed anyone, it was what happened at the end that did them in. Okita didn’t mind waiting, it was peaceful. Sitting on the raised veranda, he could stare up at the sky and daydream about a time when the conflict was over and peace was restored to the capital. He could dream about a time when young boys didn’t become demons for some greater cause, but could remain as children playing in the yard, tossing a ball around carelessly. Waiting was lovely.
In his line of work, he didn’t get to wait for very long and today was no different. He could hear Tetsu-kun coming from a mile away and he let out a small laugh, knowing something fun was coming his way. Today was the first day that the rain had let up. There were still puddles here and there where the earth hadn’t been able to swallow all that the heavens had offered it, and the spring sky still looked like it was contemplating further action, but for now it was taking a break. He was certain that everyone had gone out to do something since the men had been cooped up inside since the rain started and they were undoubtedly itching to get outside again. Slipping into his geta, he picked his way across the garden and, peeking around the corner of the building, caught an eyeful of the redheaded page running helter-skelter away from a small pink piglet.
“Ah! Saizou!” Okita jogged out from his hiding place, purple hair swinging behind him and scooped up his slightly muddy little pet. Saizou oinked furiously at him and waved his small hooves at Tetsu indignantly. Wagging a finger at the piglet disapprovingly, Okita frowned slightly. “Now, now, Saizou – it’s important to play nice.”
He turned his attention to the redhead and smiled warmly. “Good morning, Tetsu-kun. I hope he wasn’t giving you too much trouble.”
For his part, Tetsu waved a fist at the little piglet angrily before grinning up at Okita. “I can’t be beat by a chubby little pig, Okita-san!”
“That’s good to know!” Saizou squealed in protest, but Okita ignored him and laughed along with the smaller boy. “So what are you up to today? No page duties?”
Tetsu swung his hands behind his head and gave Okita a devious grin. “Actually, I do, but if you have time…?”
Okita knew full well what that look meant. Tetsu was usually all smiles and laughter, but Okita had come to know the different meanings of each little nuance. Leaning down slightly, he brought his face closer to Tetsu’s level and tilted his head toward the training dojo. “I have something I need to attend to at the moment, but I think Nagakura-san and Todo-san are in there right now. Why not go train with them?”
“But what about--?”
Okita held up one hand and lightly pressed a single finger to his lips, winking at Tetsu. The boy grinned at the universal sign of secrecy and the smile only widened when Okita said, “I’ll take care of Hijikata-san. Go on.”
The redhead was off like a shot, leaving a small trail of dust and the echo of a ‘thank you’ behind him as he went. Okita just laughed again and patted the disgruntled piglet in his arms affectionately on the head. The boy was so earnest in his efforts to learn the way of the sword. Now to distract his vice-chief so he didn’t notice that his page was off in the training dojo again. Okita turned and started half-walking, half-dancing back toward the residences when he suddenly felt a drop of water fall onto his nose. The smile faded slightly and Okita cast his gaze back toward the sky. It was going to rain again. He closed his eyes, feeling the dampness in the air, smelling the aroma of wet earth drifting in from far away – the quiet of the city as it also realized the rain was returning.
When Okita opened his eyes, he sighed slightly. The rain was gone, so were the gardens and Tetsu and the promise of teasing Hijikata-san. His dream had ended and he was back where he’d been for so long – this strange house of horrors, Landel’s Institute. Blank walls, foreign bedding and the waiting until the night came – the night that could and probably would eventually kill him. Sitting up in bed, he cast a sidelong glance at the door and waited for the sound that would release him.
Somewhere far away from here, he knew it was raining.
First-Person Sample:
I met someone very interesting today! He says he is from a different time, too, but also that he had a different body. Isn’t that strange? I find that many of the people I meet here have interesting stories to tell. Although many of them can’t defend themselves and I wonder what they will do when night comes. I’ve tried organizing a group, but it rarely works out here – people have their own agendas after all.
Some might find it a blessing to be away from all the bloodshed, but I can’t help but worry about everyone. Just days after the Ikedaya and no word yet about the Choshu. We know they are still in the area, there weren’t enough men at the inn to account for the number of reports we’d been having. I must know that everyone is alright, but how to contact the outside? It’s not like the shinobi can get in and out, after all. Although, it would be rather amusing—No, it really wouldn’t. I don’t want any of them to come here.
I just hope that everyone is alright. Hijikata-san must be worried sick and if he makes a mistake on my account, I’ll never forgive myself. Maybe they lied and said I died when they brought me here. I don’t know what’s worse to think about, them mourning my supposed death or Hijikata-san worrying over me. Neither option is very pleasant.
At least during the day the nurses give me sweets sometimes! They’re nowhere near as good as the ones from home, but they’re good enough. I’m trying to hoard some away to give to the children here. I hope the nurses don’t find my stash – that’ll ruin all the fun.
Ah, the doors just unlocked so I better go. Hopefully I’ll be able to write in here tomorrow, too.
Removed: Mun's personal information
damned_lounge post with condensed information on Okita's history here.Name/Handle: Murasakikaze “Kaze”
Age: 22
Timezone: Pacific Standard
Email Address: souster@gmail.com
AIM/other messenger screenname: souzoupi
Personal LJ username: murasaki_kaze
Character you're applying for: Okita Souji a.k.a. Okita Soujirou or Okita Souji Fujiwara no Kaneyoshi
Series the character is from: Peace Maker Kurogane (anime-verse)
Character's age: 21, if the date of death at 25 four years later is correct
Character's gender: Male, even if he doesn’t look it.
Character’s “Real Name”: Julian Ikeda
How long have you roleplayed your character, if at all?: This will be my first time roleplaying Okita.
Where have you roleplayed in general and/or with this specific character?: Various AIM based RPs, the Silhouette Project (now defunct), Landel’s Damned (Aoyagi Ritsuka).
Have you played the game/watched the movie or anime/read the book or comic, etc. that your character hails from?: Yes, I’ve watched all 24 episodes of the anime series. I am not familiar with the manga series, but I do know the history both are based off. Not that PMK follows the real history, but that’s why PMK is more fun.
Please give us a detailed personal history of your character: Born in Edo in the early 1840s, not much is known about Okita’s past before he joined the Shinsengumi. The Shinsengumi were an elite force of samurai under the Aizu provincial lord that helped police Kyoto and promote the power of the Tokugawa shogun. During the Bakumatsu rebellion, when imperialists attempted to topple the Tokugawa government, the Shinsengumi were the ones to protect it – the dogs of the government, as some said.
Although we know Okita has an older sister, no other mention of family is ever given in the series. At age 9, Hijikata Toshizou told him to make a decision on whether or not to pick up the katana and become a samurai. Obviously, he did, but it is never revealed why. The protagonist, Tetsu, asked him for his reason at one point and Okita refused to tell him under the guise that his answer could not become Tetsu’s answer. However, he later tried to tell Tetsu that everyone had their own reasons, however silly or outrageous they might seem. He hinted that his reason would probably make people laugh at him, but never explained any further than that. Hijikata may be the only one who knew why he decided to become a killer, but Okita never gave a concrete answer so the viewers are left to wonder about Okita’s motivations.
Although his reasons are unknown, 9 years later, Okita Soujirou attained mastery of the Tennen Rishin Ryu style of swordsmanship. His specialty was a three pronged attack that was rumored to hit the neck, left and right shoulders almost simultaneously. When the Shinsengumi were formed, he became Captain of the First Squadron and acted as a teacher in the Shinsengumi dojo. He was a natural genius when it came to all forms of fighting and was one of the deadliest members of the special police force.
When Hijikata Toshizou, Kondou Isami and other members of the original Roshigumi force in Edo split off and created the Shinsengumi, Okita was with them. It was when he was still in Edo that he stopped calling himself Soujirou and went under the name Souji. On February 8, 1863, the Shinsengumi moved to Kyoto to protect the city from the Choshu rebels, support the Bakufu, and the Aizu clan lord. They set up their main headquarters at the Mibu Temple. Living in Kyoto was ideal for Souji with his love of Japanese sweets (wagashi). He loved to play with the children in Kyoto, but told them to call him Soujirou to disassociate himself from the demon killer Shinsengumi captain, Souji. Being one of the youngest and deadliest members in the Shinsengumi, brought him a great deal of fame, as did his position as the Captain of the First Squadron. He was well known enough that Tetsu, not knowing Okita’s identity, said he wanted to fight the killer swordsman Okita Souji once he entered the Shinsengumi.
There were actually two sections of the Shinsengumi, Kondou’s faction and Serizawa Kamo’s main group – both under the orders of the Aizu daimyo, Matsudaira Katamori, and stationed in the Mibu area of Kyoto. They were ordered to enforce the peace and keep the Choshu rebels from returning to the Imperial Court from which they had been expelled. Unfortunately, Serizawa acted too recklessly and too violently for the Aizu clan lord’s tastes. His violence earned the Shinsengumi the nickname “the Wolves of Mibu” (in Japanese, Miburo). In 1863, Kondou’s group was told to assassinate him. Four people were chosen for the job – Kondou himself, Vice-chief Yamanami Keisuke (also called Sannan), Vice-chief Hijikata, and Okita. Okita was with Hijikata when they killed their former leader.
1864 was when 15 year old Ichimura Tetsunosuke arrived at the Shinsengumi headquarters at the Mibu Temple, carrying a signboard and demanding to be enlisted. Okita noticed, took an interest in Tetsu’s feisty nature, and followed after him once he had been rejected. They met up again on the banks of the river when Okita threw a bone for his pet piglet, Saizou, and the piglet hit Tetsu in the forehead. Okita saw Tetsu’s potential from the beginning and was the one who convinced the Vice-chief Hijikata to allow the boy to enlist. He was the one who watched him closest, guiding him on his path to becoming a soldier while also trying to help him heal the emotional scars left from witnessing the murder of his parents. Tetsu was also the only one who consistently asked to train with Okita, and, finding this amusing, the swordsman agreed.
When Hijikata allowed Tetsu to enlist, he said that the boy reminded him of Okita in the way that youthfulness masked his maturity. Okita only laughed and replied that Tetsu reminded him of “someone else,” while pointedly looking at Hijikata. However, the fact that Tetsunosuke reminded Hijikata of Okita sets up the parallel between the two characters. Okita encouraged Tetsu to follow his dreams and become a Shinsengumi warrior, but eventually learned that Tetsu paradoxically refuses to kill despite his cries for revenge. At fifteen years old, Tetsu was older than Okita when he picked up the sword, but both Hijikata and Okita worried that the idealistic and pure Tetsu would become a demon killer like Okita. Okita believes that Hijikata thinks him a mistake, letting a 9 year old begin a life of killing.
The series itself only covered the period of time before the Ikedaya Incident, where Okita and other Shinsengumi fought a bloody battle with the Choshu rebels hiding out there. In the days prior to the Ikedaya Incident, Okita led the raid on the Masuya that captured the Choshu supporter who ran the store. Okita, however, did not participate in the raid, letting his men take out their frustrations and grief without him. The raid was partially in retaliation for the Masuya having been responsible for the death of Ayumu, the Shinsengumi’s cook and a female shinobi. The capture and subsequent torture of Masuya Kiemon gave the Shinsengumi all the information they needed to root out the Choshu at the Ikedaya. Hijikata discovered that the Choshu plan was to set fire to the capital, kill the Aizu daimyo in the confusion, and steal the Emperor. To stop this, the Shinsengumi split into two groups and searched the city for Yoshida and his rebels. Kondou, along with Okita, found them at the Ikedaya and the battle ensued.
During his fight with Yoshida Toshimaro, the Choshu leader, at the Ikedaya, Okita finally coughed up blood and weakened due to the disease. Yoshida took advantage of this lapse and almost killed Okita, wounding him and nearly crushing his chest. Tetsu rushed in to save his friend and mentor, and ended up fighting Yoshida. At one point, Tetsu managed to take off Yoshida’s arm, but stopped short of killing him. He wanted to know why Yoshida killed his parents and why Yoshida hadn’t killed him, but Yoshida claimed no knowledge of that affair. Shocked, Tetsu lost the advantage and Yoshida took it, grabbing a blade in his teeth and pushing Tetsu over. Tetsu proved incapable of killing Yoshida despite the predicament, and Okita took the rebel leader’s head to save him.
In the time leading up to the Ikedaya Incident, Okita contracted tuberculosis – an incurable disease at the time. He tried his best to hide the disease, making up excuses about choking on tea or having a cold, so he didn’t worry the others and so he didn’t show weakness. Hijikata, however, had a sinking suspicion that the coughs indicated tuberculosis, and throughout the series attempted to cure him with powdered medicines mixed with tea. Okita refused to acknowledge the disease even after the Ikedaya and Hijikata continued to attempt to cure him with various remedies. The series ended at the Gion festival with Okita, Hijikata and Kondou sitting on the roof drinking sake together, and Tetsu bringing them up some sweets and tea after finishing up at the festival himself.
Please give us a detailed description of your character's personality: There are two completely different halves to Okita. One the one hand, he’s compassionate and kind, loves children and is seemingly carefree. When he’s off duty and wearing his usual light colored kimono, he’s often seen with his pet piglet, Saizou, playing games with neighborhood children or relaxing in his room. He loves sweets, especially Japanese sweets (wagashi) and dango, and can act extremely childishly when he feels like it. He looks extremely effeminate, and his actions match the look – he sits, drinks, flirts and sometimes runs like a woman. Quick to laugh and toss around jokes, he also likes to irritate and poke fun at the others. He is extremely close with the higher ups in the Shinsengumi, but especially so with his mentor, Hijikata Toshizou. They are often seen together, talking, planning, fighting side by side, or just lounging together in their off hours. Okita will often bring Hijikata tea or rub his shoulders for him. He sees beneath Hijikata’s normally terse and cold exterior to the kind person beneath, and loves to be near him both as a friend and a pupil. Since they are so close, he teases Hijikata the worst out of all of them, but also cares the most for him. Usually his teasing has an ulterior motive of cheering the person up, or distracting them from whatever is troubling them.
Despite his outwardly flighty personality, he is actually a very observant and intelligent person. He’ll do what it takes to protect the ones he loves and to protect those he thinks needs protecting. He isn’t one to trouble others with his problems, and dislikes talking about his own past. He will, however, help others behind the scenes to resolve their problems or to regain their former vitality through elaborate and often comical set-ups. He doesn’t believe that the answers are ever simple and is rather insightful into people’s motivations, feelings and personalities.
The other side of Okita is a killer. As the captain of the First Squadron of the Mibu Shinsengumi, he is extremely skilled with any sort of sword – boken, shinai or katana – and knows how to fight when disadvantaged without one. As one of the shogun’s men, he is ruthless and efficient, killing anyone in the Shinsengumi’s way or anyone who could potentially threaten the group. He doesn’t shirk from giving an order that will result in the complete annihilation of the enemy and follows the code set by the Shinsengumi. Okita refuses to think of himself as human because of this, saying that he is “not the child of humans, but demons.”
He is extremely dangerous when this part of his personality is in control because he cannot match his power to the power of his opponent. In other words, he’s incapable of “taking it easy” on other people. He is an excellent teacher, but no one wants to spar with him because they’ll often walk away with serious injuries even if wearing protection.
Okita can switch quite easily from one persona to another – at one point smiling and laughing at an intruder and in the next second pulling his sword and going for the man’s throat, and vice versa. Overall, he is good-natured, protective and dedicated to the Shinsengumi’s goals of stopping the Choshu rebels from usurping the Shogun’s power.
Please give us a detailed physical description of your character: Okita looks and acts like a woman, but uses it to his advantage since few would suspect such a careless looking man to be a ruthless killer. He’s average height (probably around 5’5 to 5’8), slender with pale skin, purple hair and large lavender eyes. His hair is long, almost to his hips, and he keeps it down and tied at the very end with a small white tie when he’s not on duty. Normally, he wears a very light purple (almost white) kimono and geta barefoot. When in his kimono, he refuses to carry a sword as it would interfere with his ability to play “hide and seek.” When he’s on duty or readying to fight, he ties his hair back into a high ponytail and almost seems to get more masculine. His normally doe-like eyes grow harsh and demonic looking in their severity.
What point in time are you taking your character from when he/she appears at Landel's?: Post series, a few days after the Ikedaya Incident. The Gion Festival was in full swing and Okita’s tuberculosis had just started to really show itself. According to history, it will be another four years before he dies.
What kinds of magical/special/crazy powers does your character have, if any?:
Nope~ He’s just a samurai.
If present, how do you plan to tweak those powers to make him/her appropriately hindered in the setting of Landel's?: N/A.
Does your character have any other non-magical skills or abilities that we should know about?: He is a genius at the Japanese sword and at fighting in general. He started his training as a samurai at age nine and gained mastery of his technique by age 18, becoming a teacher at the Mibu Temple with the Shinsengumi. He’s an excellent fighter in all respects, but can’t pull his punches making him extremely dangerous. He also knows how to fight without a katana, even in tight spaces, using the items he has on hand.
How about improbable appendages?: Nope~
Please give us an idea of where you'd like to take your character within the scope of the Landel's Damned RP: Okita would most likely end up organizing people and trying to protect them, especially any children he came across. Thinking that the Bakumatsu revolution is still going, he’ll try to get back to Kyoto as soon as possible, meaning escape will be in his mind. If Himura Kenshin is also accepted and tells Okita of the outcome of the Bakumatsu, it will only fuel his need to return home and help his comrades. If escape proves impossible, he’ll try to get messages out to at least alert people of what has happened and what will happen in the future. At all costs, the revolution must be stopped, so he will be trying to keep tabs on what is going on outside while trying to survive.
What kind of psychological effect do you see Landel's Institute having on your character?: At first he will think he’s been taken prisoner by rebels, at least until he notices the electronics and the modernity of the Institute. It will likely scare him a little, since he is far out of his league in terms of technology, but he’ll eventually recover and turn his thoughts to getting out. More than likely his childish curiosity will get the better of him and he’ll try to figure as much of it out as he can. If he ever finds out that the Shinsengumi were defeated, it will probably depress him and make him worry about his comrades and Japan in general. Then, as stated above, he’ll try to help them as much as possible with the knowledge he has gleaned from other patients.
Given that this RP takes place in an unsettling and outright horrific environment, how do you justify your character as being appropriate in both body and mind for this kind of setting?: Okita was raised during a time of war, and took part in a lot of the killing that happened during that time. He is no stranger to death and the horrors it brings, so I do not foresee any problems with him in that area. The monsters, however, will likely terrify him as he only ever had contact with them briefly, and even then it was only really an illusory world set up by a Buddhist cultist. Okita can survive, though, and he will be doing everything he can in order to survive.
Third-Person Sample:
Everyone always said it was the waiting that killed you, but he knew better and he often laughed at the ones who said such things. Waiting never killed anyone, it was what happened at the end that did them in. Okita didn’t mind waiting, it was peaceful. Sitting on the raised veranda, he could stare up at the sky and daydream about a time when the conflict was over and peace was restored to the capital. He could dream about a time when young boys didn’t become demons for some greater cause, but could remain as children playing in the yard, tossing a ball around carelessly. Waiting was lovely.
In his line of work, he didn’t get to wait for very long and today was no different. He could hear Tetsu-kun coming from a mile away and he let out a small laugh, knowing something fun was coming his way. Today was the first day that the rain had let up. There were still puddles here and there where the earth hadn’t been able to swallow all that the heavens had offered it, and the spring sky still looked like it was contemplating further action, but for now it was taking a break. He was certain that everyone had gone out to do something since the men had been cooped up inside since the rain started and they were undoubtedly itching to get outside again. Slipping into his geta, he picked his way across the garden and, peeking around the corner of the building, caught an eyeful of the redheaded page running helter-skelter away from a small pink piglet.
“Ah! Saizou!” Okita jogged out from his hiding place, purple hair swinging behind him and scooped up his slightly muddy little pet. Saizou oinked furiously at him and waved his small hooves at Tetsu indignantly. Wagging a finger at the piglet disapprovingly, Okita frowned slightly. “Now, now, Saizou – it’s important to play nice.”
He turned his attention to the redhead and smiled warmly. “Good morning, Tetsu-kun. I hope he wasn’t giving you too much trouble.”
For his part, Tetsu waved a fist at the little piglet angrily before grinning up at Okita. “I can’t be beat by a chubby little pig, Okita-san!”
“That’s good to know!” Saizou squealed in protest, but Okita ignored him and laughed along with the smaller boy. “So what are you up to today? No page duties?”
Tetsu swung his hands behind his head and gave Okita a devious grin. “Actually, I do, but if you have time…?”
Okita knew full well what that look meant. Tetsu was usually all smiles and laughter, but Okita had come to know the different meanings of each little nuance. Leaning down slightly, he brought his face closer to Tetsu’s level and tilted his head toward the training dojo. “I have something I need to attend to at the moment, but I think Nagakura-san and Todo-san are in there right now. Why not go train with them?”
“But what about--?”
Okita held up one hand and lightly pressed a single finger to his lips, winking at Tetsu. The boy grinned at the universal sign of secrecy and the smile only widened when Okita said, “I’ll take care of Hijikata-san. Go on.”
The redhead was off like a shot, leaving a small trail of dust and the echo of a ‘thank you’ behind him as he went. Okita just laughed again and patted the disgruntled piglet in his arms affectionately on the head. The boy was so earnest in his efforts to learn the way of the sword. Now to distract his vice-chief so he didn’t notice that his page was off in the training dojo again. Okita turned and started half-walking, half-dancing back toward the residences when he suddenly felt a drop of water fall onto his nose. The smile faded slightly and Okita cast his gaze back toward the sky. It was going to rain again. He closed his eyes, feeling the dampness in the air, smelling the aroma of wet earth drifting in from far away – the quiet of the city as it also realized the rain was returning.
When Okita opened his eyes, he sighed slightly. The rain was gone, so were the gardens and Tetsu and the promise of teasing Hijikata-san. His dream had ended and he was back where he’d been for so long – this strange house of horrors, Landel’s Institute. Blank walls, foreign bedding and the waiting until the night came – the night that could and probably would eventually kill him. Sitting up in bed, he cast a sidelong glance at the door and waited for the sound that would release him.
Somewhere far away from here, he knew it was raining.
First-Person Sample:
I met someone very interesting today! He says he is from a different time, too, but also that he had a different body. Isn’t that strange? I find that many of the people I meet here have interesting stories to tell. Although many of them can’t defend themselves and I wonder what they will do when night comes. I’ve tried organizing a group, but it rarely works out here – people have their own agendas after all.
Some might find it a blessing to be away from all the bloodshed, but I can’t help but worry about everyone. Just days after the Ikedaya and no word yet about the Choshu. We know they are still in the area, there weren’t enough men at the inn to account for the number of reports we’d been having. I must know that everyone is alright, but how to contact the outside? It’s not like the shinobi can get in and out, after all. Although, it would be rather amusing—No, it really wouldn’t. I don’t want any of them to come here.
I just hope that everyone is alright. Hijikata-san must be worried sick and if he makes a mistake on my account, I’ll never forgive myself. Maybe they lied and said I died when they brought me here. I don’t know what’s worse to think about, them mourning my supposed death or Hijikata-san worrying over me. Neither option is very pleasant.
At least during the day the nurses give me sweets sometimes! They’re nowhere near as good as the ones from home, but they’re good enough. I’m trying to hoard some away to give to the children here. I hope the nurses don’t find my stash – that’ll ruin all the fun.
Ah, the doors just unlocked so I better go. Hopefully I’ll be able to write in here tomorrow, too.
