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  quote:Who mentored you in super-villainy? My father, Yagyū Jubei, I suppose. The expectation is that all heirs to the Yagyū clan are instructed in the way of the Ninja. The work we did was necessary, he said, for we were the blade that cut through that which caused stagnation. It was not my place to question him. It was also quite unwise. I have seen many become examples of that fact. He was very distant, though I look back on our time together fondly. He taught me how to be strong. How to survive. And, admittedly, how to kill in a staggering number of ways. I will uphold our clan's legacy. I will take it from the shadows and reveal it to the world. The Yagyū name shall live once more. quote:Who first showed you that you could do good? Shirogami. I was on my way back from a successful mission. Her sword skills caught my eye. There was a certain beauty to her movements. I sat and watched her fight a small band of broken. I could have let her die. I did not. A broken was in her blind spot and about to strike. I struck first. We did not exchange words that night, though she saw me. There were other times that we met. Each time I would find myself intervening in the fight, then disappearing into the night. I am sure she realized what I was, if not who, but my actions kept surprising her. They certainly kept surprising me. quote:What caused you to switch sides? My family was slaughtered while I was out on a mission. They had become... inconvenient. The precision and specific manner of the kills suggests Panopticon, but I am not aware of anything that would have driven her to act personally. My first duty was to avoid that same fate. I found Shirogami and asked her to remand me to the League's custody. It would be an understatement to say that she was surprised. I believe that she had always assumed that she would one day be forced to take me in. I have been in custody since. My behavior is excellent, according to the guards, and they have since come to respect me. Perhaps not like, but respect. They have been very willing to grant increased privileges, such as access to training facilities and chaperoned trips outside. The ability, even, to participate in the trials. quote:What was your goal as a villain? My goal? I must admit I had never thought about it. It was simply who I was. What I was born to do. If I must state the underlying concept? Something to the effect of "satisfying my familial duties" would be serviceable. quote:Why do you care about the team? It has been something of an oasis. They are all a bit naive, to be sure, but they are skilled. The world is literally insane. We live and die by the whims of a mad goddess, though they may not realize it. Most don't. As the threats to her rule wither and die, I am forced to consider the potential future in which I may be forced to stand up to her. I would prefer not to do it alone. quote:1. What made you decide to become a hero? After that, why did you join the league, rather than staying unregistered? It is a matter of pragmatism. I believe that I will be safest by being entrenched in the league. The opportunity to act in a manner that is not dictated by the head of the clan, yet retain authorization for my activities is also a pleasant concept. quote:2. What hero sponsored you to join the league's trials, if any? Or, did you take the hard route and stick it out on your own? If you did, what extra challenges did this throw up for you? Shirogami sponsored me. She — and I, to be honest, — had hoped that my willingness to be reformed and my age would excuse many of my prior actions. It did not, sadly, but this trial presented a new opportunity to the both of us. I can't imagine getting permission for me was an easy fight for her. I owe her a debt. I will pay it back to her. I will not waste this chance. quote:3. What's your mundane like life? What do you do in your free time? Currently, I am in League custody. I read quite a bit, train to the extent allowed, and rarely am allowed to go to different zones. Before? It was rare to leave the village. It was primarily for the purposes of jobs. I snuck out once. There was a meteor shower. I remember it well. The stars cut through the sky like blades. I met someone there. I don't remember her face. She was... Hm. She was probably the first person I met who wasn't of the clan. quote:4. Of the four general categories of the league's trials, Physical, Mental, Practical Challenges, and Moral, which did you excel in? Which gave you difficulty? And for you, personally, what form did those challenges take? This will be gone into more detail in future questions, so don't feel like you have to be all encompassing here. The physical trials were naturally quite easy. They reminded me of the training grounds back home. Jumping between platforms, dodging horrific traps, and escaping detection from the examiner all the while. My scores were adequate. Were it not for the fact that I haven't been keeping my skills fully polished, I'm sure that I could have easily reached the maximum score possible. The mental trials were more challenging, since the criteria for success were unclear. The most memorable was a contest of riddles. I claim no mastery of those, but suspiciously all of the answers seemed to relate to shadows and other things that I feel quite comfortable with it. My lowest scores were in the moral trials. A holographic simulation of some sort. Hostage situation. The examiner was evidently not impressed by my decision to prevent casualties by assassinating the villains. He said that it was a test of character and that my actions proved I had none. Admittedly, he was correct. Character was not a factor in my decision-making. I had the ability to subdue the villains non-lethally. It would have added an unacceptable level of uncertainty, however, so I decided to pursue a more optimal plan. I believe that I must have either passed on a technicality or that someone pulled some strings. On the other hand, my practical scores were off the chart. These challenges were part of the same holographic system as the hostage situation. Foiling a bank robbery. Some sort of team exercise against a cosmic threat. A broken assault in the midst of a city. Protecting a VIP. In all cases, my decisive actions led to positive outcomes. Minimized variables kept the situations clean and relatively chaos-free, though the larger simulations were harder to optimize. quote:5. What zone are you from? Feel free to make up a new one or use one from the OP.  Sacred Valley Zone - Reverse Side People talk about the Sacred Valley like it's just a city. An idyllic, unified construct. Incorrect. When the MCEA was formed, space and even, perhaps, time were ripped and torn to create it. It was never completely repaired. My home is proof enough of that. There are some streets and alleys where, if you take a very specific route with a specific pace, you end up somewhere... different. The reverse side. My home. Such a location draws many who seek shelter from society, though my clan was here from the formation itself. quote:6. (Optional) What's your character's theme song? Spin and Burst! quote:7. (Optional) What does your character do in the anime opening? The screen goes mono-chrome as Hayate zips between shadows towards a broken. It spots him, eyes glowing red, as he jumps out and slashes with his katana. It's claws seem to pierce through him, before that Hayate is revealed to be an afterimage that fade away. Hayate cuts through the broken from behind and lines slash the image into countless pieces as it transitions to the next scene. Hayate stands dramatically on a cliff, the wind blowing his costume around. He looks upward and clenches his fist as the camera zooms in on it. quote:8. (Optional) Thread titles? quote:Real Name: Yagyū Hayate Tricky fucked around with this message at 04:13 on May 24, 2017 |
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Neopie posted:What's a really cool place you've seen, on your travels? I have crossed many of the zones in my work. The Ancient Metropolis, I must admit, caught my eye in a way that few others have. There are cliffs to be found there, unlike anything I've seen in the Sacred Valley. I didn't have long to watch, but I remember seeing ships sailing through the air and wondering what it must be like to cut through the air on such a vessel. It's a thought that's occurred to me on more than one occasion since, but I wonder if it is simply my mind grasping for feelings of freedom throughout my containment. Regardless if it is or not, I'd like to give it a try. To sail the skies, even the limited skies of the MCEA, is something I look forward to. Something that gives me hope. quote:Who's a special non-hero/villain that's nonetheless still important, even if just to you? I have not had much in the way of opportunity to explore the MCEA, thanks to my confinement. Even so, however, my flawless behavior has allowed a number of chaperoned trips to the outside. It was on one such trip that I met the owner of a most peculiar bakery. Chef Akiko. She is an uncanny character. Despite my appearance, which most would charitable say suggests a hard-fought life, she seemed unphased by that or the guards accompanying me. She seemed to want nothing more than to share her confections with the world. It was a curious feeling. To meet somehow who did not instinctually fear or resent me was... Most pleasant, actually. quote:What's a particular hero or villain of interest to you? When I was still working on the other side, I crossed paths with a man most curious. As far as I can tell, people simply refer to him as Kensai. He is one who has sworn himself to the sword and lets no other considerations stay his hand. He fights any and all who cross his path. His bladework is far beyond my own, though our own battle was inconclusive. It is, after all, quite difficult to cut what you cannot catch. Our fight awoke something in me. A spirit of competition and a desire to best him. I suppose it is quite fair to say that I would appreciate the chance to resolve the matter. quote:What's the most important part of being a hero? I have not divined that yet, but my suspicion is as follows: An unrelenting sense of purpose. When one acts in accordance with their purpose, one can unleash their true potential. My greatest challenge will be to rebuild my purpose into something that aligns with heroic ideals. While "To cut down all that would impede the world's progression" is a lofty ideal, it is one that has been carried out by a family of assassins. My family. It did not bring them to a pleasant end. quote:What's your favorite anime? (Could be a real IRL anime or a fake one- preferably the latter, though.) Hm, a curious question. I consume most such media in the form of Weekly Leap, rather than as animation. Still, I suppose there is one show I have taken to watching with some regularity. It was suggested, perhaps ironically, by one of the guards. Kaiya. Regardless of her true intentions, I must admit that Apocalypse Chronicles: The Calamitous Blade is most fascinating. The fight choreography is very well done and, at times, seems less something that was created for entertainment and more the record of an actual fight between masters. The aesthetics, too, catch my attention. A dark wanderer traveling through an apocalyptic wasteland. Long stretches of silence and contemplation. It seems to speak to me in a way that few others have. quote:Optional: How do you feel about cute girls, and separately, how do you feel about cute boys? I was raised to be a perfect weapon. There was no time for romance, nor curiosity. If I were to engage in a liaison, it would have been carefully arranged by my father to strengthen our clan's bloodline. Yet, again, I find myself without those strictures in place. I do not know if I am ready for any such relationship to occur, nor if any would want one who's soul was as stained as mine. Yet, you asked my feelings. I appreciate the female form, I suppose, though I could not tell you any specific 'likes or dislikes.' It is something I have yet to discover. My immediate inclination with males is to treat them as rivals, though I suppose that someone capable of keeping up with me would make for a fine partner? I do not know. quote:You're a man of many tragedies, it seems. Tell me of who you are. Tell me about your scars and the actions that beget them. I am the final heir of the Yagyū. The culmination of all that they have wrought on the world, for good or ill. A man who has seen many fall before his blade. A man who is, as it happens, now adrift in a world with no guidance. Perhaps this is an opportunity. The lack of orders, the lack of tradition binding me... It has given me time to examine myself. If I am to be blunt, this time of seclusion and restraint has given me the following insight: I am little without what I have lost. I held to the purpose of our clan as much as any. I held to the certainty that the acts we committed were driving the world to a better future. Yet, now, I am a man alone. Faced with the weight of the world. But that is a matter of the heart. You asked of the flesh. It is easy to see that I have lost an arm. It was consumed by the hellfire brought forth by a man once known as Inferno Snake. He was the final test. The test that would mark me a trainee no longer, but a full-fledged ninja of the Yagyū. It was a test, in hindsight, that I was not yet ready to take. In the decisive moment, when my blade sought his heart, I hesitated. The pain I felt when he claimed my arm forged my soul. The pain of a cybernetic replacement, a melding of magic and machine, was nothing in comparison. I feel the flames licking at it still, from time to time, but that is a reminder of the importance of commitment to one's course of action. Other scars cross my body, yes, though none are quite as remarkable. The Yagyū way is harsh and unrelenting, particularly on those they hold high hopes for. I was their treasured scion and they pushed me to the brink of my potential and beyond. Dancing through halls of blades. Fighting legions in the shadows. Matching blades with the greatest swordsmen of the clan. Scars are my only relic of many of those experiences. I will never again challenge my potential with a clansman. Perhaps at the time of my final judgment, yes, but never again in this life. quote:Tell me about your lowest moment, the worst sin you've committed. I won't beat around the bush. My blade has sated its thirst many times over the years. Most would draw no grief. You may be surprised at how many who claim the mantle of villainy are considered to impede the world's path. You may not. Yet, if there were to be one moment that haunts me even now, it would be this: I have cut down a mother in front of her child. She was an unaffiliated metahuman. Not remarkable enough to have developed a name or reputation for herself, but she had found herself caught between powerful enemies. She had some ability to create and adapt life. A leading research firm had her on retainer for many years and used those gifts to make significant amounts of money. Perhaps this would have been allowed. It is, after all, natural to use your gifts to further your own ends. Yet, even so, this woman found herself in desperate need of money. It matters not the reason, not anymore. It may have been gambling, or simply an unforeseen situation. Whatever the case was, she sought a darker patron to make ends meet. There are organizations in the shadows of the MCEA that the Yagyū viewed with no small hostility. One such, now destroyed, specialized in black market applications of Broken. Drugs. Weapons. Creations that defied classification. This woman would push their research to unfathomable new heights. For this reason, her fate was sealed. Her lodgings, though quite nice, had little that could stop me. I slipped in with little more than a whisper of wind across her curtains. I stood there for some time. I had not known she had a child. It did not change the raw truth of the matter, nor the outcome. Yet, even so, it challenged my resolve. Could I complete my duty? Could I leave this small creature alone in the world? As the answer happens, yes. I was not quite so aware of the pain of solitude then. Despite my efforts to make the matter quick and silent, she cried out. The child saw me, blade dripping with blood, and screamed. I was gone before the echoes died down. Even so, it haunts me still. quote:Tell me about the search for the truth to your latest tragedy- for the truth of your family's deaths- and the unlikely ally you made along the way. It is true that I have found myself a strange companion on this journey. She is Asano Sakaki, a woman of the news, and she too has heard rumors suggesting Panopticon may be... Acting in ways that do not agree with the laws she established. Ways that some even say suggest a certain degree of instability. This project has damaged her career and, I believe, she would have abandoned it entirely if we had not met. But meet we did. It was at the confection shop I mentioned earlier. I was enjoying a fantastic fruit trifle when I happened to notice the notebook she had open. I saw the word 'Panopticon' and, I must admit, I took the liberty of my speed to investigate the writing fully. I was guarded, unfortunately, so a face-to-face meeting was out of the question. I, instead, made a simple addition to the end of her writing. It suggested, if she was interested in a lead, that she await my visit to one of the public gardens within the Sacred Valley during the next week. I found her at the appointed location and, with that pact sealed, began a pattern of leaving what I knew in dead drops. Our correspondence thus far has been handled in secret. Even while I am guarded on excursions, it is a small matter to leave the proper sign or a written missive in a hidden location. It is not wise to draw Her gaze. Not these days. With my release nearing, our collaboration will become much easier. I look forward to seeing what threads we uncover as the tapestry of deceit that Panopticon has woven continues to unravel. quote:Tell me why you deserve redemption. Maybe I do not. My sins are deeper than any of my comrades could ever understand. Perhaps I will reveal their full extent one day, but... I fear if I grow close to them, I could not bear the pain of their all too rational rejection. Yet, all the same, what is the harm in trying to seek redemption? It is not as if rushing to my death would change anything. It would simply place another life on the hands of our mad goddess. So, I say to you, this is my resolve: I will demonstrate the depths of my power. I will raise the Yagyū name from the shadows and demonstrate our might to the world, though I know it ends with me. I will show those like me that there may well be a path to salvation. I will seek my own method to drive the world onward, one that is uniquely my own. And, at the moment I draw my last breath, I will see the truth of the path I have walked. So says Yagyū Hayate. So says Ankensatsu. quote:Also, tell me of your fine abs. Mm. It is no mystery to me that my body attracts no small degree of positive attention from onlookers. Forged in the crucible of the Yagyū clan's most strenuous and diabolical training regimens, I have reached the apex of the human form. My abs, as you say, are perhaps the most commented upon attribute, but it is no mistake that I cover myself in battle. While I once wore little to better facilitate my feats of uncanny speed, it proved... Well, I became something of a local legend among the Sacred Valley. Perhaps you have heard the tales of the chiseled ghost that walks those streets? When entering the reverse side once more, I could not rely on my speed to fully elude the eye of any passersby. Sightings occurred. Tales and blurred pictures began to spread through the various means, like a virus. I was drawing so much attention that I needed to hide myself in flowing cloth. It has been mentioned that my look is, perhaps, unbecoming of a hero. Who knows? Perhaps the time will come when I cast off that which hides me. Tricky fucked around with this message at 04:11 on May 28, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 04:12
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