[hider=Karin][b]Name:[/b] Katherine ‘Karin’ Jones Araya

[b]Age:[/b] 19

[b]Appearance:[/b] [url=https://imgur.com/9AILiZt]Standing at 165 centimeters[/url], she’s a bit above the national average, but not particularly tall. She’s got a resting bitch face, but (usually) isn’t as surly as she looks like. That she’s a foreigner is self-evident, and she doesn’t hide it; her hair is naturally blonde and she likes it that way. She wears comfortable, durable, dark-toned clothing; often leather, because when she needs to get around, it’s on her bike, which she’s rarely seen without.

[b]Personality:[/b] Independent | Willful | Sociable | Adventurous

Karin values freedom, and doesn’t want to be confined to others’ expectations of her. However, she doesn’t do things [i]just[/i] to be contrary. Usually. Admittedly, she does enjoy making a point or proving others wrong. She’s a penchant for daredevilry, enjoys challenges, and has a certain fascination for the new and unknown.

Willing to stand up for herself – and others, sometimes – she’s not the type to silently suffer through what she’d term ‘bullshit’. She favours direct and overt confrontation when it comes to resolving conflicts or expressing her opinion, though if that doesn’t work, she’s willing to be a ‘scheming bitch’ (as she’d say), even if she doesn't like it.

Though she’s free-spirited and self-reliant, Karin values social ties, and especially loves her brothers and friends. As such, she may make certain compromises with them or grant them concessions she wouldn’t to others (though, it might take several arguments). She’s mature enough to realize that she can’t do whatever she wants all the time, and that she can’t always get her way. Even so, she’s not the type to give up. Whether it takes force, dedicated effort, even getting the help of others…when she sets her sights on something, she’ll pursue it until she gets it – or until she loses interest, whichever happens first.

[b]Abilities:[/b] The physical enhancements granted to her by her Contract, and a near immunity to electrical damage. When she’s the dominant one in the Resonant state, she is especially fast, agile, and flexible. Her speed is the most remarkable, as she seems to be able to disappear and then reappear elsewhere faster than you can blink. She can also channel her partner’s lightning for devastating attacks, whether from up close (which she prefers) or from afar (which is more difficult for her to control). She makes minor use of Ayame’s illusion capabilities, mainly to create clones of herself.

[b]Skills:[/b] Bilingual in Japanese and English, though the latter’s definitely accented by now. Good at kenjutsu, Karin has years of formal training, countless spars, a few tournaments, and even a bit of practical experience under her belt. She has some basic hand-to-hand know-how, a skill she picked up from her oldest brother. She can drive, and can figure her way around even without a GPS. As a plus, she won’t panic if she gets lost.

[b]Equipment:[/b][list]
[*]An Iaitō. May not lead to more than bruises and broken bones by itself, but when used to channel Ayame’s lightning, this weapon becomes far more lethal than a regular shinken could ever hope to be. Not exactly a durable weapon, though.

[*]A motorcycle. Rin is a very proud owner of a CRF250L.[/list]
[b]History: [/b]

Katherine was born in America, and lived there until she was four. Her mother had died when she’d been too young to remember, and though her father tried taking care of her as best he could, he was both affected by grief and often away on business. So, her grandparents, and sometimes even various aunts and uncles took turns looking after her. Then, one day, her father told her he found a new partner, and that they would move…To this day, Karin doesn’t know for sure what caused the sudden change in circumstances, though she has her suspicions. At the very least, she seriously doubts it was just a whirlwind romance on the part of her father and step-mother.

Regardless of the whys, Karin found herself in a new country, suddenly faced with learning a [i]very[/i] foreign language, and fitting into an entirely new environment. Not to mention she’d gained two step brothers, one older by five years (Torashi), and another by three (Haruki). None of her step siblings was all too pleased at the change either; their mother had remarried only a year or so after her divorce, and to a foreigner, at that. Despite the tensions in the family, and the many difficulties they faced, Katherine was a natural socialite, and very determined moreover, so she quickly bonded to her older brothers. She got along with other kids too, and at least initially, didn’t care that she and her family were so noticeably different from those around them.

As the three siblings aged, however, she noticed that they all had to deal with the strain of being judged by others in their own ways. Tora got more and more drawn in by ‘bad crowds’, falling into delinquency during his school years, and delving into even more dubious ties as an adult. Unlike their eldest sibling, who’d rejected conventional society, Haru did his best to fit in, mainly through his academic prowess. This meant that even though they were brothers by blood, the two did not get along at all with each other, even as Karin kept a good relationship with each of them. As an individualist who maintained a façade of indifference towards the opinions of others, she felt that she understood Torashi somewhat better, even after he cut nearly all contact with his family.

With two older brothers, and one younger (Akihiro, six years her junior), Karin preferred the company of boys during her childhood and adolescence. Though she didn’t lack in friends who were girls, there were fewer of those. Unlike Haruki, she didn’t care for schooling all that much, prioritizing her social ties, personal entertainment, and the money she could gain from her part time jobs. On a few memorable occasions, she got drawn into Tora’s escapades; definitely a major influence in her development as a fighter. She did manage to graduate high school, which she acknowledges Haru deserves at least partial credit for.

After completing her schooling, Katherine took her bike and her savings, and went on a journey. She traveled around Japan; having always wanted to travel the world, going on a longer trip around the country was a good first step. It was great – liberating, thrilling, informative – but also, not exactly sustainable with her income. It even felt a bit aimless and lonely, even if she didn’t want to admit it. 

Meeting Ayame was just the change-up she needed. The kitsune was a new friend, a travel companion, someone to look after, and a business partner. Pairing was a win-win for both of them, so they formed a Contract not long after they met. It might have been a hasty, impulsive decision, one they’ve had to find a way to live with now. Things since then might not have been how either of them expected or imagined, but hey, it hasn't been bad either.

[b]Other:[/b][/hider]