Name: Kiyomizu Hiroyuki
Age: 28
Appearance:
Hiro's eyes are an unusually light shade of grey that bare the slightest hint of blue, an echo of a rainy day. He typically chooses to wear humble dark blues and greys, save for his nagajuban (light robe worn under clothing, only the collar is ever seen), which is always blood red. Since leaving his home, his hair is only ever loosely tied back, even on the battlefield- just another affront to the home he left behind.
Weapon(s): Katana, wakizashi and tanto are always present, and he is highly adept in using any of them in combat, though he has a personal style in which he wields both his katana and wakizashi simultaneously. His other preferred weapon is the daikyu, the Japanese great-bow.
Aside from weapons, he is a well-practiced martial artist, having developed his own style- a fast, fluid form that allows him to dance around his opponents to deliver swift, precise strikes. He calls it Sen no Nami- A Thousand Waves.
Personality: Quiet, impassive and almost eerily calm, Hiro does not speak often, but when he does, you had best listen. His soft voice typically only finds its way into a conversation if he feels he absolutely must say something, and he can become indignant when he feels he is overlooked or ignored. Confrontations can happen fairly easily with him, as he has great trouble with empathy, and typically does not understand another person's emotions. However, these altercations are almost always handled in a respectful manner on his part.
When Hiroyuki has a weapon in hand, he changes drastically. He becomes brutally efficient, cold and ruthless as he cuts down any who dare challenge him. Fire lights his eyes and war-cries rip their way from his throat. Due to this, he his known as Akuma (demon) by Soragawa's enemies, as well as some of his allies.
History: Hiroyuki began life above the ranking of samurai, being the heir apparent to the Daimyo of the southern-most lands of the nation, the Ryuu-tousho isles. He was raised, or rather molded, into this role. From a very early age, he was taught bushido- the way of the warrior, as well as politics, diplomacy, rhetoric and the arts of poetry, music and sumi-e. Day after day, he was forced to follow a rigorous routine under the watchful eye of his serious and oft-times brutal father, who firmly believed that pain was the best teacher and complete obedience was the best student. Though Hiro fought to excel at most every task put upon him, it was never good enough for the demanding Lord, and resentment steadily grew in the young man. Underneath a calm exterior, Hiro harbored deep anger that slowly bled into hatred with each year that passed. He funneled this rage into his martial training, surpassing the skill of many of his father's samurai by the time he was seventeen. Despite how proud this made the Daimyo, the fact that Hiroyuki then deliberately ignored his other subjects was not left unpunished.
For three more years, this silent war raged between father and son. One subtly disobeying as a way to show his emotion; the other discreetly using more and more questionable disciplines in an effort to suffocate the rebelliousness. When Hiroyuki reached adulthood, a great honour was to be placed upon him- the official decrement of his succession to the Daimyo. A grand ceremony was held, every samurai in the Daimyo's army lined the long hall as Hiro walked with his head held high. He knelt before his father as the law was spoken and when it came time for the perfect son to bow and graciously accept the burden, silence fell. After a few moments, he looked the Daimyo in the eyes and stated that he would not accept the title. He then removed the haori that bore the Kiyomizu crest, and dropped it to the floor.
The court was in an uproar as he walked out, the fury on the Daimyo's face giving the young man joy he had not felt since he was small. That night, he left Ryuu-tousho, seeking work and refuge under a Daimyo with more honour and moral worth than the one he left. Graciously, Soragawa-dono placed him among his samurai, and Hiro has loyally served under that banner for eight years, earning himself some renown among his brethren for his ferocity in battle, both in the training ring and the path of war.
Extra: Hiro is left-handed, and enjoys playing the shamisen. He is known to enjoy the company of men more than women.
