Character Backgrounds

[Akuma]

Any members can post a background story or character description here. Please put it in quotes if you do. I'll start with mine I guess. Mine is really short - I'm still considering adding to it or making a better one. If you want to do the same, just edit the post you have. Please don't post here unless you're in my family and are posting a description. I'd like to not have this one too cluttered up. Thanks in advance.

"Sit down, sit down! Sit down, dear child," the eccentric old woman commanded the quiet boy.
"You look like the type who could use a drink and a story after a hard days travel, yes...
yes? I have both for you. But please, sit down!"

She began to rummage around under the counter for a moment. Shortly after she revealed a
tall bottle of sake and a mug that was filled the brim shortly thereafter. The boy, soaked
and shivering looked up at the woman warily. She returned the expression with a wide grin.

"What's the charge?" The boy murmured without emotion.

"Charge? Charge! Who said anything about a charge? Can't an old woman parcel out some good
old-fashioned hospitality now and again? You look like you came here dragged behind a horse
in the mud. Just relax, boy! Relax!"

The boy lowered his eyes and took a seat at the bar. "Very well...if you insist." He picked
up the mug and drank at a rather hastened pace. The woman cupped her hands together and
watched him quietly.

"How is it?" She inquired.

He closed his eyes and set it down. A small smile passed onto his sullen face. "I must say
it's quite good. I..I thank you."

"No need for any formalities, boy. I can see you needed it." She produced a small washrag
from one of the cabinets and began to scrub the bar. "This whole village used to be known
for hospitality...but as of late they're all pretty morose. Many of them bitter as well."

"W-Why? What happened around here?" He said, taking her bait for the story.

"A demon came through here." She whispered, her tone undergoing a dramatic change from
excited and cheerful and dark and foreboding.

"A demon? What kind of a demon?"

"The kind that can bring calamity and woe to an entire village in just one night." She swallowed
a lump in her throat before continuing. "He had a human's body but the soul of a monster."

"What was his name? What did he do?" He questioned, his tone raising and his voice becoming
filled with righteous fervor."

"Hang on, boy! Hang on. You're getting too excited...I'm not sure if I should tell you this.
You might do something reckless!"

"No, please. Go on. I apologize for my interruption." He lowered his head.

"This boy was apparantly training under a local swordsman near this area. As the story goes
the swordsman was coming into town on one of his regular trips. He had to get food and daily
goods because he lived in a somewhat remote area of the woods. Now, one day...this swordsman
was found dead in a restaurant. It was witnessed by several citizens as an attack by some
local thugs. But...his student did not believe this tale. He came into village, filled with
ire and looking for the killers of his master. When the villagers told him the truth he
retorted with cruel ferocity that his master would never be bested by common thugs. He
blamed it on one man...a man who became the pillar of our community as a dedicated and
peaceful leader. EVERYONE said this was a ridiculous charge! But the boy wouldn't listen to
reason. He said he KNEW that this man was responsible! It was simply preposterous! The boy
was mad! He said...that the two of them had been rivals. And that he KNEW that his master
was a victim of some dirty trick by our leader. How ridiculous! How nonsensical! Our leader
was a good and respected man of this community. It was simply not true!" The woman stopped
to calm herself and take a few deep breaths.

The boy remained quiet as he looked up at the woman attentively with firm dedication in his
eyes. The old woman nodded slightly and continued her tale. "Unfortunately not only was this
boy mad...he was also an excellent swordsman himself. He took up the blade of his master and
personally killed the man he accused in public. Some guards tried to stop him...he killed
them too. But ohh...no! No he didn't stop there!" The woman's eyes had become moist as she
spoke with false, but very well performed tribulation. "He started killing anyone in his
line of sight! Innocent civilians were slaughtered like animals! At least fifteen of them
before the rest had all fled. There was no one left to stand up to him...and the monster
left without knowing justice. To think of the things he said about our village! That we were
just common thieves and murderers...to think! What a demon he was..."

The boy slammed his empty mug down on the table. "There is never any justice done for those
who suffer. I will take this upon myself to find and kill this man! What is his name?"

A slight glint sparkled in the old woman's eye as he spoke. "He has no name anymore...he
only answers to the nickname this village gave him. 'Akuma.'"

"Demon or not...he will not harm any innocents after I find him!" The boy ran out, his blood
boiling from the tale. The old woman smirked to herself as he stormed out the door.

She was the wife of a notorious criminal who had this town in his palm and slowly squeezed
the life from it day by day. However, he kept a perfect public image and manipulated the
villagers into believing he was working to help them. That man's blood was the first Akuma's
blade had a taste of. The boy was the fifth to vow to bring back Akuma's head this evening
alone.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________


Meanwhile...in the next town over...

A tall, spindly frame of a man made his way through the throngs of people. He looked up
from under his midnight-black conical sun hat as his eye scrutinized the crowd.
He lowered his head and his face was shrouded in shadow once more. Onlookers who had
caught a glance at him would have noticed a somewhat pale complexion to his face. His
features were small and delicate - yet this would be ignored due to the most distinct
aspect of his face. That would be the black eyepatch worn over his right. Sinuous black
hair flowed down to the middle of his back. His clothing was traditional - a short kimono
worn with a black hakama skirt with a pair of black sandals. However, the hue of his short
kimono was a unique, mystifying shade of red. Gazing into it created the illusion of
sinking into a blood sea of unfathomable depth. It was devoid of any markings or patterns.

The last item was the crowning piece in any warrior's ensemble - the sword. His blade was
a full length katana sheathed at his side. The saya was no work of art - it was simple,
black and served it's purpose. Nothing more.

[Kiros]

:approve: Here is Kiros backstory, or at least some of it. I dont really
know what my direction is with this, so bare with me

Winter gripped the earth and stangled the life from it. For months the
sun shown dim, upon the world, failing to warm even the smallest patch of
land. Everything seemed to have long since died as spring neared. White
figures began to rise from the snow, to difficult to make out from a distance.
Taking a closer look, it appeared to be a group of travelers, nearing
exhastion. As the marched onward, the falling snow lessened and they
realized, they had reached there destination, a large city. Inside the city, the
streets were empty, and nothing could be heard, aside from the groups
fatigued breathing. The small group approched what they made out to be the
inn or pub. One of the travellers slowly reached out for the door knob. It
turned wearily and squeeked, finally opening. Warmth and a feeling of comfort
washed over the group as they walked out of the snow and into a room full of
music and a smell of fried eel.
The pub was packed, people busy entertaining eachother with small talk,
eating enough to fill there empty stomaches. Enchanting music filling every
corner of the room. Everything seemed perfect...

The time of day passed till it the last beam of light faded across the sky. The
snow ceased to fall and not to far off the sound of music could still be heard
from the city that lay ahead. Stars twinkled in the sky, that which would
never stop burning for years to come. The most amazing then happened next.
One by one the stars light began to dimminish, leaving one star to be seen.
That very star became bigger in the night sky, bigger; and bigger yet. This
star was falling!? Faster yet the light plumeted toward the earhten ground.
The star landed just outside the city, causing massive quakes, disturbing the
land for miles around. For a star, it seemed quite small. The people in the
comfort of their homes sat still, wounder what had befallen them. In the pub,
people be gain to whisper about the event, what was going on? No one was
sure, and just as there curiosity got the best of them, a man entered the
room from outside, a chill coming in with him. Was it the cold air that rushed
into the room, or the mans presence that chilled the souls of the tavern. The
stranger looked about as normal as a person could get. His faced looked very
tired, and his stance was limp as his strolled inward on the scene. His breath
was short and his body covered by many a thick coats, all weathered and
dusty. His approched the bar, and looked to the women behind the counter,
her face a look of astonishment. She gazed upon the man, his face so tired,
but his eyes faded blue, almost translucent, those eyes, stared right back at
her, as if he was looking into her soul. The women went to speak, but she
stopped as the man turned around and scanned the room. He then continued
to walk back over to the door, and for the first time, everyone took notice to
the man's hair, it was whiter then a fresh sheet of snow. Before leaving the
man turned to the people all fixated on him, and said...

"Your telling it wrong, again!"

Kiros sat atop his horse, riding steadily next to another rider, who held onto a
peice of paper like it was his will. " Man, if im going to be a legend, you gotta
tell me story right, start over.. this time, my hair is blue and my eyes are
white.. get it right.."

The writer slowly turned his view from the paper, "Kiros how many times are
you going to make me write this, first of all.. yours hair is Black, and your
eyes are hazel.."

"YEA, but thats not interesting no one wants to read about some average
normal looking guy!" Kiros interupted.

Sighing, the man began to write again.."Kiros, did you really fall out of the sky
in a buring blaze, like a star," the writer questioned, looking up at Kiros,
waiting hopefully for the answer.

Kiros stopped, and looked off at the horizon then up at the sky. "...of course.."

[Shina]

This is done in a more obscure fashion, and it may change...but for now:
"I remember Shina. She was such a darling little baby. Her mother was so proud of her...aye, she was. I got to hold her, and on Saturday nights her dear mother would bring her over for me to watch...”

“Shina? Are you referring to that scrawny little girl who lived down the road? I remember when she and her band of friends came tromping through my flower garden and...”

“Oh...you’re talking about Shina. Yes, such a strange family she had. I heard her parents were teaching her to read and write. Read and write, can you imagine! A little girl...pfft...and on top of all that, they’d hired a special tutor, as if that family had the money.”

“Ah yes...Shina, the poor child. Last I heard her parents were both found dead in their beds. Sad business, yes...very sad business.”

“You talkin’ ‘bout Shina? That lil’ brat didn’t deserve what I did for her, no sir-ee. All makin’ trouble ‘ith the other childs at the orphanage, and causin’ me a lot of pain. I took the paddle to her, I did. If only her parents disciplined her more before gittin’ thems killed!”

“I know the lass. Came round a few months ago to look for some work. Don’t know where she came from, or what had happened...but she worked well and didn’t complain a bit. I didn't bother to ask more.”

"Yeah, I remember Shina. Quite pretty if I may say so. She was through here just a few weeks ago, lookin' for some work. I'm afraid I was all full...and who ever heard of a woman doin' manual labor? Send a lovely lady like that to the kitchen, not the barn..."

"Shina...hmmm...shina...rings a certain bell. Maybe she was that woman I sold some bread to..."

“Ah...Shina, you say? Never heard the name...”