Post by Touya Sakamoto on Mar 12, 2010 1:05:10 GMT -5
TOUYA 'Zero's Arm' SAKAMOTO
"The taste of revenge is nothing like I had anticipated...it tastes of blood, smoke, and regret... "
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» TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOWALIAS None
AGE 26
GENDER Male
SEXUALITY Heterosexual
ETHNIC Japanese
FACTION Black Knights
POSITION Soldier
» YOU'RE IN THEN OUTPERSONALITY Touya’s personality does not fit what one would stereotypically think of when they imagine a terrorist. He cares for human life, be it Britannian or Japanese, and believes that civilians should be excluded from hostile action, simply because they are not involved in the war effort personally. Naturally, he does not voice this opinion around the other Black Knights, and keeps it completely to himself. In fact, the deeds that he must perform as a member of the organization haunt him to this very day, and will continue to do so for the rest of his days. He is not a man that forgives, and believes that all Britannians that have wronged them deserve what is coming to them, eventually. However, by that same logic, he cannot forgive himself for allowing innocents to die while he stood by. Were it not for his past, Touya would not be involved in terrorist activities of any kind. However, as some have attempted to explain to him, the ends justify the means, and therefore, he will need to keep such thoughts of guilt, apprehension, and disgust to himself.Touya has been studying battle formations and battlefield tactics since a very young age. Always interested in the conflicts of the past, this has led him to a deeper understanding of battle and tactics that serves him well on the battlefield. He is able to deduce enemy movements to get a leg up, position forces properly, and other such tasks that could be vital to a strategist. He is, however, merely a soldier for the Black Knights. A veteran, but a soldier nonetheless. He is therefore unable to showcase this ability at this time. Perhaps in the event of a promotion he will be honored for his skill, however, at this time it is unknown to any but him.
His apprehensions regarding violence, which were mentioned earlier, may lead him to make mistakes on the field of battle, however. He may avoid a course of action that would benefit his allies, and instead opt for another method, which is dangerous in and of itself. Perhaps soon he will learn to put the success of his allies before his own morals, but as of now, he refuses to pointlessly endanger innocent civilians, which is a common attribute of most terrorist activity.
Touya makes up for this shortcoming with his high level of charisma, however. He makes sure that the morale of those around him does not dwindle by reminding them of the service they are doing to not only their country, but the world as a whole. They must overcome to tyranny of Britannia, and that means more than anything else. As apprehensive as he is when it comes to getting his hands dirty, he tells his fellow soldiers to do whatever it takes to get the job done for their lord Zero, and doesn’t let his reservations shine through. In this way, he is also an excellent actor, able to convey passionate emotions that he may not necessarily feel, 100%.
Overall, Touya is the perfect soldier, in a way. Willing to put aside his own feelings about an action to perform it for his superior when ordered, and with great ability to spur on his fellow freedom fighters. Even Zero has very little idea of Touya’s moral dilemma, as he feels as though showing the leader his weakness would be disgrace beyond any other. His one goal is to get revenge for what happened to his mother…and he will stop at nothing, even turning himself into a monster, to achieve this goal.
ADORES
- Peace
- Justice
- Honest Tactics
ABHORS
- Oppression
- Bigotry
- Deceit
SKILLED
- Raising troop morale via his naturally high level of charisma
- Battlefield tactics
- Acting
FEARS
- A possible future Dictatorship
- Letting his fellow Black Knights down
- Harming someone unnecessarily
» MEMORIES, SUPPOSED TO FADERELATIVES None known
HISTORY Born to what some might see as a typical family in his home country of Japan, Touya had never shown any signs of rebellious activity in his youth. Rather docile, and conforming to the rules put in place by both the government and his family, Touya was ever-reluctant to toe the line in his youth, for fear of letting down those close to him and soiling his image. He saw himself as a good person, first and foremost, and did all he could to uphold this image. This desire was not, however, innate in him, as his docility was a product of his nurturing, not his nature.
From a young age, he had grown very attached to his mother. While some children eventually become distant from their parents, and shun them in favor of their friends, Touya had always held a deep love and respect for both of his parents, though he and his mother shared something of a special bond. Throughout the day, whenever Touya was not in school, he would go find his mother and help her with whatever activity she happened to be doing at that moment. This led to him being the subject of much ridicule amongst his peers, as he would rather spend a nice evening at home with his mother than go out and have fun with his friends. All of us know the typical name-calling that ensues within such an immature environment, and Touya was the butt of many a cruel joke in his childhood, both to his face and behind his back.
Touya did not, however, react in any particular way to the remarks made about him. While they made him upset, and he honestly hoped they would one day stop, he had never been one to confront people like that directly with any sort of violence, or even verbal exchange. When his parents found out about the way he was treated by some of the other children, his father encouraged him to step up and fight back, telling him that if he dealt with bullies early, they would never bother him again. Touya wanted to follow his father’s advice, he really did, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to hit another person. It wasn’t in his nature, and it wasn’t the example that his mother had set. While his father recommended that he answer the taunts with violence, his mother didn’t provide any real explanation. She wasn’t exactly an expert when it came to childhood relationships, and therefore offered no suggestion of her own. One thing she did do, however, was reassure Touya that he was not a bad person for being different from everyone else. It actually made him a stronger person, to stand against the adversity that others present, and blaze your own path.
”There is no set path through life. Each of us takes our own path at our own pace. One thing I can tell you is that I will always be here for you. I love you, Touya. You’ll always be my baby."
Years passed, and the jeers died down, as they almost always do. Touya found himself with a specific niche of friends, who embraced him for who he was, and finally began to come out of his shell. Spending more time out of the house, he occasionally felt guilty for leaving his mother, but she reassured him that it was perfectly fine. One thing Touya began to take an interest in was history, and he found tales of the former exploits of Britannia, Japan, and their leaders, exhilarating. Such tales were bleak and a bit dark for most of his age, but he couldn’t get enough of them. The world seemed too peaceful, and while Touya preferred it that way, he wanted to know why anyone would ever cause conflict such as that. What made humans wound and kill one another over something as petty as a few square feet of land? Was it in their nature?
One figure in particular had always interested him. The person of Zero, who brought down the evil reign of emperor Lelouch vi Britannia, had been an incredible figure to him. Ever the seeker of justice, always on the lookout for any evildoers he can subdue…Zero was like a superhero. The man who brought on the age of peace that lasted even to Touya’s childhood. It was remarkable that any man could have such influence over world events, and although Touya could never have put himself in Zero’s shoes, he respected what the man had done. The fact is, Zero had killed many people in his conquest to peace…and yet he had done so for the sole purpose of achieving this result. Did the ends justify the means? Touya wasn’t so sure…but what was done could not be undone, and he was at least grateful for all that Zero had given him and his family in the way of serenity and security.
Years passed, and Touya grew into a rather independent young adult. No longer relying on his mother for advice, or to tell him what was right and wrong, it appeared as though he was going to make it, after all. He had a group of friends that he was very happy with, still, and by this time he was incredibly knowledgeable of the history of both Japan and Britannia, from the first war with Zero and before then. Conflict was never a good thing, and he knew this, but he found himself drawn to such topics. He was not a violent soul, but the outlet for any anger or desire for hostility came with studying battle tactics and going over them in his head. He was very interested in chess during this time, though he found it rather unrealistic when compared to real battle, simply because real troops do not move in straight lines or to a specific block on the battlefield. It was during this time, however, that trouble sprang up once more in Touya’s life.
His father and mother had always disagreed on a wide variety of issues, but had been brought together by a love that they’d felt when they were married. It appeared as though this love was at its breaking point, and finally, right around Touya’s eighteenth birthday, his parents split off from one another, and he chose to live with his mother. This was something of a shock to the teenager, as children like to think their parents are the ideal couple. However, he was not exactly traumatized by the event…he was, after all, grown at this point. He decided he would stay with and support his mother for as long as she needed him, before eventually going off on his own and making her proud. He very rarely saw his father after that, visiting him about once every other month, and hardly speaking to him on the phone. In Touya’s eyes, his mother was an absolute saint. How anyone could ever learn to dislike someone like that was beyond him, and he now knew, for a fact, that he did not want to be like his father.
Another few years passed, with Touya working a full time job at this point to bring in the income that his mother could no longer provide. It was enough to get by, and he quickly assumed the responsibilities of adult life with grace and understanding. Around this time, he began to hear whisperings of discontent with Britannia…people saying that things might return to the way they were. He scoffed at those who might think Britannia posed any sort of threat. After all, he’d spent the majority of his life fascinated by Britannian history, and the history of the Earth in general. Things could not go from complete peace, secured by Zero, to discord in a heartbeat. It would not happen. Now at the age of twenty-three, surely Touya was wise and knowledgeable enough to judge the situation. Another war was not logical.
Well, it appeared as though he was wrong on this front. The aristocracy had been reinstated in Britannia, and he was fine with that, so long as they kept to themselves as they had said they would. Over time, they eventually decided that it was time to reclaim what they had lost after Zero liberated their colonies, and Britannia returned to its Imperialistic ways. Touya had heard rumors before, certainly, but nothing asserted the thought that Japan may once more be invaded. Nothing…until that one day, when the silhouettes of Knightmares and other military technology filled the sky, eclipsing the sun, as Britannia went in for its first bombardment.
”God help us…”
They’d been completely blindsided by this invasion, as Sutherland frames once more roamed the streets of Japan, killing indiscriminately, their bloodlust apparent. Both Touya and his mother had managed to avoid the frames by hiding out in hard to maneuver areas, first in their cellar, and then finally making their way out to various subway terminals, and moving in and out of alleyways, hoping to find some sign of hope. The dead carcasses of his countrymen began to stink after the third day, and Touya took the time to thank whatever powers might be out there that he had heard nothing of his friends as of yet. Though, for all he knew, the man directly to his right, laying face down in a pool of his own blood and gore could be his friend…most corpses had been mutilated beyond recognition by the barbarous enemy invaders.
It continued on like this for a few days, with the Britannian advance forces crushing the Japanese defenders who, though fighting valiantly, held far fewer resources than their Britannian counterparts. After any true Japanese defense had been crushed, Britannia sent in their infantry, apparently to ensure that their genocide was thorough. It was on the eve of his twenty-fourth birthday that Touya and his mother were discovered by Britannian forces. He’d grabbed his mother and tried to make a run for it, but she fell to the ground as they turned a corner, sliding on a simple puddle of mud, a puddle that changed Touya’s life, and his outlook on everything, forever. He kept running, afraid for his life and knowing that his mother would not want him to stop. He ran as he heard their voices. He ran as he heard the gunshots. He ran as he heard the sickening impact, seemingly amplified in his ears, upon his mother’s saintly frame.
He kept running away from them, ducking in and out of alleys just as his mother and he had done, trying to get as far away from the site as he could. To forget. To maintain his ignorance. His mother was not dead, she simply couldn’t be. She’d told him, even when he was a child, that she’d always be with him. They were supposed to get through this together! Dropping to his knees after entering a seemingly secure building, the tears streaming from his eyes, Touya drove his fist into the ground, drawing blood, before rearing his head back and screaming out in agony, cursing the heavens with every syllable he was failing to phrase intelligibly.
Suddenly, there came a blow to the back of his head. Everything went dark, as he felt himself his the cold concrete before losing consciousness. In this state, he saw his mother. She was standing right there in front of him, her hand outstretched for him. But when he went to clasp his hand around her’s, he found that he was nowhere near close enough. He began running toward her, trying to make up for the distance that he had not covered yet, and make it to her. She began to spit insults at him, tell him her death was his fault, that he should have protected her, that he was weak, a coward, and had always been. Finally, his mother turned her back from him, and began walking away in disgust, as he raised his arm once more, calling to her…
”MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!”
Touya awoke with a start, his arm stretched out in front of him, sweating like mad. A bandage wrapped around his head, he looked around suddenly as his vision cleared to reveal a room that looked remarkably like one from a complete, undestroyed home might look. But this was impossible, another dream. He pushed himself to his feet, slowly walking so as to avoid tripping in this unknown environment, and peeked his head out the doorway. He didn’t see anyone…but he was fairly sure he didn’t get here on his own…
”Hello?”
With that, a man suddenly turned the corner. He was wearing a mask and a long, flowing cape…remarkable features, to be sure. He had no idea who this was or what his motives might be, but for some reason, Touya felt very intimidated by the figure. The man explained that he was now in the care of the Black Knights. Touya had been seen running from Britannian forces, and they’d taken the opportunity to save his life. Staring at the ground, all details of that night returned to him. The man requested that Touya join them in driving the invaders out of Japan. It was for the sake of justice, for the sake of freedom, and he would lead them to victory. The Black Knights…he remembered them from his readings. The defenders of Japanese freedom, the radicals who stood up, the forces of Zero. Wait. The forces of…
”Who are you?” ….. ”…Who else?”
With that, Touya offered his services to the Black Knights, and their leader, Zero. They were a small operation…which only made sense, considering they had very little time to prepare their forces and recruit fellow freedom fighters. However, Touya could tell that under the direction of Zero, they simply could not lose. He was inspiring, he was powerful, and he was so incredibly confident in them. It was like seeing a legend from another era reborn into yours…and Touya no longer had anything to hold him back. He was a Black Knight, from this point on…and he would make Britannia pay.
Working as Zero’s loyal and devoted soldier, Touya spent his days helping aid the Black Knights’ cause in any way that he possibly could. The Britannians were slowly taking over Japan, and soon, it was once more firmly in their grasp, despite the quick effort by the Knights. Zero was biding his time, looking for a potential opening, and his followers were waiting for the moment he would order them to carry out a radical mission that might turn things in their favor. Touya hated combat, and the first time he killed a Britannian soldier he nearly lost his stomach, but slowly, he got used to it. Over the next two years he continued to serve, still harboring feelings of guilt for his mother, an apprehension over the violent acts he was committing. Yet the Britannians deserved it…they all deserved what was coming to them.
Now, a man at the age of twenty-six, Touya is something of a veteran within the Black Knights. He knows his way around the battlefield, and is still as willing to serve his lord Zero as ever. The guilt never really went away, and he constantly has dreams of his mother…yet he feels as though he is repenting. He is getting vengeance for her against the murdering dogs of the Britannian military. It is against his nature, but he will commit atrocious acts in the name of peace, justice, and revenge. The men who killed his mother deserved to die…and the only way to ensure this end is the obliterate the Britannian forces. He will be the one to give them what they truly deserve…utter defeat at the hands of Zero’s righteous forces.
» WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOUNAME Roren
RP-SAMPLE The cares of a child are generally looked down upon by the more ignorant adults of our society. Certainly, children tend to have less worries, less stress in their lives than their older counterparts…however, one must remember that this factor depends on the child in question. For a member of royalty, or a noble child, life would be simplistic both during, and quite possibly after their childhood. With the wealth, influence, and opportunity granted to them to succeed, such children are expected to grow into something special…though even if they do not, the rich did, after all, have the money to care for more children; more opportunities for the future of their family name. Such views, characteristic of Britannian culture, have permeated throughout the world at a rate directly proportional to Britannia’s expansion and Imperialist movements. Surely this makes sense. Children are given the opportunity to succeed, and they may either take this opportunity, or waste it, securing their future in the world that seems destined to be united under the name of one nation.
However, analyzing both sides of the metaphorical coin is incredibly important when considering such cultural and, frankly, important factors in a nation’s development. The lower class, the peasantry, the poor; this group does not have the luxury of such a relaxed state of mind. This group, often consisting of minorities around the globe, must deal with the day to day vice that seems to radiate from the aristocracy, with such things as discrimination, arrogance, and corruption serving as the vehicles for their apparently inherent evil. These children must deal with such things, regardless of their age, and therefore grow with a skewed view of honor, justice, and ethics from the time they come into contact with the upper class. This is not limited to Area 11, though our tale shall begin in what was formally known as Japan, but exists throughout the Britannian Colonies.
Though one must also consider that there may be a third group involved. Naturally, I understand that such a thought does not fit the coin metaphor detailed above, but the third side of the coin would contain such children as Lelouch vi Britannia, the boy who, as he gazed around at the destruction caused by the actions of the allegedly “superior” nation of Britannia, could hardly contain his rage. The exiled prince had grown up in something of a sheltered existence, obviously, with his mother, sister, and he living in perfect harmony and joy together…or so he remembered. He’d never been troubled with the day to day affairs of politics, or the ideals of his father, Charles zi Britannia. Engaging only in activities of leisure, such as chess and idle pondering, the boy had always seen his nation as many others did currently; a benevolent nation that provided for all of its citizens. Little did he know, however, that his privileged and simple existence would take a turn for the worst, with the assassination of his mother, Marianne vi Britannia.
Devastated, the boy had been granted an audience with his father, demanding that the issue of the assassination be looked into further. The result? A complete lack of concern from the Emperor himself, and an ignorance that astounded even the young boy, who would ordinarily have thought adults of the family to be his superior. His disillusionment with Britannian aristocracy and Monarchy complete, the young Lelouch threw away his title was an eventual heir to the throne, earning both he and his sister Nunnally isolation from the royal family, and eventual banishment from the mainland. Sent to Japan with Nunnally to be used as a hostage during the Sakuradite Conflict, he had been used by his father, beyond all doubt. Had his mother been used in such a way as well? These thoughts had reverberated within his mind during his time here, and never granted him solace for a single second.
However, upon meeting a young boy around his age, he immediately determined that, although he and this “Suzaku Kururugi” did not necessarily see eye to eye on…well, almost every issue, he had something of a sense of honor and loyalty that the Britannians lacked. The opposite of his father…the opposite of all that that man represented…a better ally could not possibly be imagined. As they spent time together, the three of them formed something of a close bond, and in what was quite possibly the first moment of such significance, Lelouch vi Britannia had gained a close friend based on no notion of wealth, bloodline, or prestige. They simply were…and this, most of all, led Lelouch to hold Suzaku in high esteem.
Now, the term “Area 11” was used earlier on in this exposition, and most certainly, at this point in time no such designation had been given to the land of Japan. Maintaining their freedom, Lelouch found their devotion to the protection and honor of their nation to be astounding, and in stark contrast to Britannia’s conquest and hunger for more power, and influence. This land had grown on him, and as much as he maintained his dignified manner and royal etiquette; he could not deny that there was something in a simple existence such as this. Yet still, the actions of Charles zi Britannia were nothing short of inexcusable, and once more, the question struck him. Had his mother just been a puppet? Was he nothing but a puppet, in the long run? Would his fate amount to the same as her’s?
Well, slowly, Lelouch was accepting that, though this question may never be answered, he could at least enjoy a peaceful existence with Nunnally, and his newfound friend Suzaku. They enjoyed many a day together, with Japan’s beautiful landscape as the backdrop to a day where they made the choices, themselves, not based on privilege, but on freedom and spirit. No Sakuradite conflict could touch them, for in the heart of the country, they were safe from the influence of Britannia, at least for a time. Besides, would the Monarchy truly wish to endanger the life of its very own flesh and blood?
Such a question was answered, and such beliefs refuted with the creation, and deployment of the vehicles commonly known as the Knightmare Frames. Breaking through Japanese defenses with these metal monsters, the tiny island nation seemed helpless against such vast innovations in technology. Finally, on a day that should have been like any other, Lelouch and his closest friend observed the Britannian force as it appeared over the horizon, darkening the skies, blotting out the sun, and erasing all hope for a truly peaceful existence.
Now, a very short period away from the events depicted above, the young, former prince watched as his friend’s face seemed to lose all traces of hope. The horror of war…the destruction…the chaos. The very landscape of Japan had changed, and that, most of all, would have hurt Suzaku the most. His home desecrated beyond all repair, and his future bleak, Lelouch could not blame him. Yet through all of this…in all of his rage, and anger, and sorrow…Lelouch vi Britannia gained a sense of understanding. Yes, it was all very clear to him now…to do what was necessary for the betterment of your own ideal…to succeed for the sake of success, for the sake of momentum, to abandon all thoughts of human emotion in favor of calculation in battle. He could not have grasped the morality involved in war at such a young age…but he understood theory. Clenching his fists, these thoughts both sickened and intrigued him. His own interest in the topic, most likely instilled in him via his bloodline, was what hurt the most. He would never forgive them for doing this to him…to Japan…to Nunnally…to Suzaku! His face twisted from despair, remorse, and fury, he could no longer shy away from his past. His eyes had been opened.
”I swear…I swear, Suzaku, so help me!” The young man began, his words ablaze with a righteous wrath.
”I will one day…Obliterate Britannia!”
NOTES None.