Tokugawa Kotokiri

Tokugawa Kotokiri
徳川 事切 Tokugawa Kotokiri
Username	Hardcore Skittlez
Debut
Game	6/2/2016
Real World	6/1/2016
Voice Actors
Japanese
English	Seychelle Gabriel
Personal
Aliases	Koto
Birthdate	October 17, 2097
Gender
Age	19
Height	167.64 cm
Weight	56.699 kg
Kekkei Genkai	Gyomatsugan
Blood type	A -
Clan	Tokugawa
Affiliation	Unaffiliated
Nationality	Tetsu no Kuni
Partner	--
Rank
Ninja Rank
Ninja Registration	--
Academy Graduation Age
Family Tokugawa Ieyasu (Father) Kazegari Kikyo (Mother) Tokugawa Hidetada (Half-Brother)
Nature Type
Jutsu

Hyūga Mizumono (日向水物, Mizumono Hyūga) is a Genin of Konohagakure no Sato. She once suffered from extreme Dissassociative Identity Disorder and was subject to a highly experimental treatment that resulted in the reduction of her physical age and consequently the removal of her memory. Before her treatment, she was a potent Jōnin of Konohagakure, a member of the ANBU, and War Hero. In her prime, Mizumono was both incredibly powerful and incredibly volatile; if she was caught during a psychotic episode, it was very likely that anyone nearby would perish. She is most well known for single-handedly pushing the remaining NCIA forces out of Konohagakure(while Hyuuga Yatako liberated the Country of Fire as a whole) and for her deadly participation in the battle at Kinomi no Toshi.

Background

Prologue; Reaping Shadows

Tokugawa Kotokiri was a talented swordswoman born to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the leader of the Tokugawa clan, and Kazegari Kikyō, a former Priestess of Oni no Kuni. She was born in complication, with her umbilical cord being wrapped tightly around her neck- a fact undiscovered until after she had been born, resulting initially in her death. Shortly thereafter, Kikyō thrust a scalpel into her own throat, triggering the latent powers of her Future-Sight and sending her spirit back to warn her past self of the tragedy soon to happen. Freshly equipped with knowledge of the future and an infinite love of her child, Kikyō warned the doctors and commanded that they perform surgery to safely extract the then-unnamed Kotokiri before she could perish. Though the medical team present for the delivery was able to deliver Kotokiri without further complication to the infant herself, the surgery had an unexpected consequence of causing an embolism that resulted in Kikyō's own death; to the great sadness of her betrothed Ieyasu, her spirit was too weakened by its recent encounter with her future self to safely project again backward and save her own life. It was this miraculous birth that allowed Ieyasu to, in his grief, name Kotokiri thus-- spelled as one who would sever crisis and deliver a solution.

Two years after Kotokiri's birth, Ieyasu wed again and sired a second child- a much desired son. Though Kotokiri was loved by Ieyasu, she was often passed over in affections for her brother, Tokugawa Hidetada. Perhaps in spite of this, she grew prosperously and came to be recognized as a genius child with great latent potential. Ever one to utilize every individual to their greatest perceived capacity, Ieyasu began a long and complex training regime for young Kotokiri; it was his intent to make her a living repository of the Tokugawa clan's formidable Kenjutsu, even if she did not immediately have the skill necessary to perform those feats. It was Ieyasu's intent to use Kotokiri as his academic legacy, one that could pass on his technique to both Hidetada and Hidetada's eventual children. Almost as if his death had been foretold, Ieyasu perished of illness before he was able to see Hidetada or Kotokiri full trained.

Though they were noticeably close for half-siblings, Hidetada grew jealous toward Kotokiri over years of being shown up by her talent. Though he, as the male heir, was dictated to be the leader of the clan when he came of age, he was frightful that his sister would use her superior combat skill to challenge his claim to leadership. It was for this reason that upon the eve of his seventeenth birthday, Hidetada commanded a sect of loyal Tokugawa Samurai to slay Kotokiri. She was caught unawares while reading a training manuscript from the late Ieyasu and easily slain by the more experienced Samurai. However, it was that day that her mother's long dormant gift- the Gyōmatsugan awoke. Upon her death, her spirit was launched into again into the past, just days before her death. Warned of her impending demise, Kotokiri confronted Hidetada in court and accused him of conspiracy for murder. Scared of the possibility of his cowardice being exposed and having the clan ripped from his control, he decreed that she was levying false and slanderous accusations against him. With no ability to prove her assertion aside the seemingly impossible ability to "see through time", Kotokiri was found guilty of bearing falsehoods. Seeing this as a moment to politically cement his position, Hidetada pleaded with the clan elders to stay their blades and to instead exile her, that she could repent for her shame for the remainder of her days. They accepted his plea and carried out the sentence of exile the very next morning.

Shortly after exile, Kotokiri was made aware of a similar case in Watanabe Izanagi, a young male of the larger Watanabe clan in the southern reaches of Tetsu no Kuni. She met with him in an attempt to join forces, but found that he had already committed himself to the ways of the shinobi and had grown disenfranchised with the way that the Samurai clans operated. Still, she became fast friends with the pleasant youth and learned of his sister, Watanabe Sasaki- a swordswoman whose personal skills put even Kotokiri to great shame. Admiring her for all of her ability, she pleaded with Izanagi to teach him what he knew of the girl's abilities- even the less "honorable" aspects found in her blended Genjutsu artistry. Equipped with this new and potent skill alongside her own Tokugawa kenjutsu, Kotokiri set out to find her place in the new world.

As a wandering rōnin, Kotokiri has been forced to abandon some of the former rigidity of her more proper Samurai lifestyle in order to survive. She does this with the hopes that she one day might gather powerful allies and considerable currency to lead a rebellion against her cowardly brother, for she feels that his deceit and weakness would only lead the Tokugawa from greatness to poverty.

Personality

Tokugawa Kotokiri is a woman of quiet pride. She possesses boundless, sometimes reckless, confidence without feeling the need to vocalize her ego in the direction of would-be opponents. Even after exile from her clan, she continues to swell with a desire to return and exceed her father's expectations for her. From a young age, she was recognized as a prodigious swords-woman, and was thus included in many lessons that women would not have typically been included in- in addition to the standard training given to all women within the Samurai nations. She was treated as a repository for knowledge of Samurai techniques and it was her sole task to utilize her talent one day in teaching the children of the next clan leader who would, hopefully, grow to become the Shogun of Tetsu no Kuni. Despite the great honor of this position and the acknowledgement of her talent, this sat- and continues to sit- sourly upon Kotokiri's conscious mind. She believes that her talent should have been recognized without consideration for the social standing attached to her sex and that she was the most properly suited to be vetted as the next head of the Tokugawa clan. Nonetheless, she is a fiercely loyal individual who bowed her head and performed her duty to the greatest of her ability even when a less talented younger brother was born and declared to be the shining light of the Tokugawa. Now exiled from that clan, she continues to act in the world as an agent of the Tokugawa, ever striving to improve their standing at home and at large. This nearly zealous loyalty extends to the few that she would consider friends, even if they throw themselves into a path that she disagrees with-- such as the case of the fellow exile, Watanabe Izanagi; she continues a dear friendship with the younger rōnin even though he has committed himself to the cause of the Shinobi.

When dealing with others, Kotokiri is a remarkably blunt woman. She is quick to state her opinion and even declare when she considers the actions of another to be excessive or asinine. She has a great appreciation for other such individuals, and she finds the nuances of social etiquette to be tired at best. Still, she indulges those around her for the most part and will not actively attempt to offend; if she does cross that intangible social line, she may quickly amend the meaning of her words, but rarely apologizes. Kotokiri believes in personal responsibility and accountability, and expects both herself and others to rise to claim full responsibility for her/their words and actions. The only time that one might catch her uttering an apology is when she feels true and unquestionable guilt about her action or its results.

As she was raised in a traditional Samurai home, Kotokiri has a strong appreciation for poetry, with favor being shown to those with more structure. She believes that there are power in words, and a poem may describe a person's mind just as well as sparring with that individual. Similarly, she greatly enjoys reading fiction, particular war-fiction and tales of heroism. Though she dislikes the Shinobi for their inconsistent ways, her favorite novel is "The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi". Her love of the book extended to the author himself, and she in turn finds a guilty pleasure in the "Icha Icha" series of books published by the same author.

Appearance

The fledgling rōnin known by Tokugawa Kotokiri initially may be seen as a girl of average build and stature. With a taste for attire that rarely flatters her actual physique, it is oft hard for friend and opponent alike to determine how much strength lies within the rōnin's frame. When peeled away of the traditional trappings dictated by a short lifetime of regulation, Kotokiri's profession becomes clear. She possesses exceptional musculature, tone and pulled taut by daily exercise. Her northerly heritage has given her a pale and milky skin tone, allowing her body to serve as a perfect canvas for the myriad scars that litter her torso. Curiously, each of these blemishes that riddle her frame are shallow and appear to have been superficial injuries. If one to speculate on the nature of her lifestyle, they might conclude that she was either an embarrassingly clumsy warrior, or an incredibly lucky one.

As for the girl's shape itself, she possess noticeable but slight curvature, with no apparent indication of growing any more buxom with time. Indeed, the girl's body could be seen as shaped more for her chosen profession than for any act of motherhood. Though supple and possessing pert facets and some desirable qualities, she makes no concerted effort to accentuate or call attention to these features. Kotokiri prefers traditional garb with some modifications allowed for movement in combat; when expecting to require substantial movement, she will abandon her hakama or unceremoniously cut a yukata short.

Above the cut of her physique and the attire she chooses to hide it lies Kotokiri's typically placid countenance. She possesses a slender expression typical of many Samurai clans, but is graced with a touch of softness from the less harsh environs of her mother's heritage. Within large, rounded eyes, are twin hues of chalice silver that give birth to a transient, often ambiguous or even enigmatic gaze. Her stare is highly reflective and difficult to read, giving cause for her eyes to be commonly teased as "duplicitous". Though they do not commonly give way to emotion, Kotokiri's eyes can sharpen intensely when she becomes agitated or annoyed. Framing these metallic gems are strands of platinum blonde hair that hand no longer than her shoulders at their lowest point. While her bangs are left to hang often messily about her expression, Kotokiri does prefer to keep a majority of her hair pulled back into a ponytail or bun.

Stats

Databook	Ninjutsu	Taijutsu	Genjutsu	Intelligence	Strength	Speed	Stamina	Hand seals	Total
Current	0	2	.5	4	2	2	2	.5	13

Trivia

General Knowledge; IC

• Kotokiri possesses no desire to slay her half-brother, but does not mask her intent to do so if he refuses her upon her eventual return.
• Though Kotokiri resents her father’s decision to use her as an academic tool rather than the rightful clan heir, she greatly honors and respects his memory.
• After claiming the Tokugawa clan as her own, Kotokiri has planned an attempt at claiming Tokugawa dominance over the rest of the Samurai Clans of Tetsu no Kuni.
• Kotokiri has heard whispers of another “Tokugawa” family existing within Tsuchi no Kuni, and indeed has heard references to an “Ieyasu”, but is skeptical of any relation to her own father given her presence at his death-bed. Still, she is highly curious and hopes to visit this supposed man at some point.
• Though Kotokiri has no strong preference between men and women, she tends to be more harsh on male suitors as an unconscious backlash against some sexist policies within the Samurai. She has not realized the hypocrisy of this.

Quotes

• "Hidetada! I have witnessed your scheme to steal my life, and it has failed! The law cannot abide such treachery!"
• "Leaving friends is a true sadness… but a place is only a place."
• "My father advised me not to be trapped by the need to achieve anything, that I might in turn achieve everything. This philosophy was surely cathartic for a man with everything, but it is the way of us lesser creatures to squabble and hoard until we are afforded such luxuries."
• "There are legends of Priestesses in the Land of Demons with a power like mine, but it is said that they must convince another to die in their place. I think it is fortunate that I am brought back only to moments before my demise- in this way, I am allowed to deny fate with my own strength."

OOC Trivia

Private Knowledge; OOC

• Kotokiri is a cousin to Kazegari Arisu. If she learned of the other’s existence, she would make it a top priority to seek the woman out and attempt to exchange knowledge about the nature of their bloodline.
• Through Kotokiri’s love of Jiraiya’s works, she has inadvertently become a rather large pervert. Though she is easily able to disguise this in public, her personal collection of lecherous reading material grows almost daily. She is particularly fond of Yaoi Manga.
• Kotokiri was taught the basics of Genjutsu from Watanabe Izanagi, but has rejected any and all offers to learn Ninjutsu from various sources. She believes that using your spiritual energy to engage in a battle of the mind and senses is not dishonorable, but that using your chakra to form unnatural constructs and other incredibly dangerous abilities is unethical. She would not be opposed to learning Ninjutsu from the correct teacher, but it would take a philosopher to convince her that it was not worthy of being labeled as a taboo.
• Despite loathing most pacifists, Kotokiri has a great respect for the monks of Ninshu. She believes that such individuals are the only ones entitled to pacifism in this violent era- and that any others who wish not to fight should behave similarly by confining themselves within the mountains.

The Meta; OOC

• The Kanji used to spell Kotokiri’s name, 事切, is meant to be read as “Cutting through Crisis”, though it literally means “Thing Cutoff/Cutter”. When れる is added to the spelling of her name it becomes Kotokiriru, 事切れる, and is translated to mean “to die”. This is meant to be something of a pun, as she partially immortal through the Gyomatsugan and uses that ability to “Cut through” the “Crisis” that is her own death.
• The author of Kotokiri was not aware until writing this article that the historical figure Tokugawa Ieyasu had already been utilized in-game as a minor character elsewhere. As Kotokiri’s father is already dead, and the Samurai were once more prevalent, it can be easily dismissed as a distant relative to the Tokugawa Samurai clan.
• Kotokiri was originally intended to be a member of the Otsutsuki clan, but the author determined that a Samurai Otsutsuki sounded forced and somewhat implausible.
• With the Gyomatsugan, Kotokiri has some other limited futuresight abilities. These will grow more potent over time, but her prophetic ability will always be limited by the simple fact that prescience sees many possibilities rather than any absolutes- and she can only rarely foresee something that does not directly pertain to her life.
• The existence of the Gyomatsugan and its unique ability for a sort of Time Travel establishes the Ninja Academy universe canonically as a multiverse with many alternates.