FalloutJack

Shingeki no Kyojin: Cleansing Amongst Man { Jack & Angel }

Not that Katherine would've had any objections to an escort back to her room, but you have to ask if there was really anything to be concerned about. Well...there was always the chance that a drunken soldier could bump into her and cause an incident. The question, though, is who would be causing more harm to whom. On the one part, you have such behavior being reminiscent of Kate's father, the reason you don't ever see the girl in any sort of drunken celebration. It would very clearly make her uncomfortable. On the other part, therefore, someone trying to give her a hard time might trigger a response that was bound to be violent. Imagine the report on Erwin's desk for such an incident:

Wall Guard A gets tanked after Battle of Trost, remains in drunken and generally festive mood for hours.
Encounters Kate Bellows.
Guard A says something he presumes to be a proposition to Kate that makes Kate visibly uncomfortable.
Kate recoils, decides she wants to be anywhere else right now.
Guard A insists, makes a grab for Kate.
Guard A then wakes up a few hours later and picks up own teeth off of the ground, complaining of a massive hangover.

Yes, that would look great on a report, and even the unflappable Commander Erwin would surely have an eye twitch or something in reaction, given that both a man might be irresponsibly drunk, and that the girl who mainly designs things has stood there and unleashed enough fury to require said man to count his teeth. All of this was completely hypothetical, of course, but you could definitely see it happen at this juncture, so it was probably for best that Sara looked after Kate that night.

All that aside, we must plow on ahead with their journey to the castle. Eren was feeling better, for having gotten out of that hole of a dungeon, essentially. One thing that definitely kept Eren calm, despite everything, was that he knew these people were on his side. Yeah, Levi was kinda' scary and Sara had no hesitation in beating him up, but both were clearly trustworthy, which in turn made the special services perfectly fine. Kate was unsurprisingly quiet today, but very surprisingly focused and poised for any sort of action as she watched over the second cart like a hawk, having looked over its contents perhaps a bit obsessively, like some of the things might get up and walk away in the interim. She had those gloves on, the ones made to attach to blades to become the Titan-Shredders, and pretty much every soldier here would have access to same, though the one who had definitely mastered their use was her.

Everyone was wary of Titans on the way up. You wouldn't think that there was any particular reason to be, since this was the area between Rose and Sina, but after the Battle of Trost...they couldn't take the chance that some wanderers hadn't gotten loose in the confusion. That was the official reasoning, of course. Credible, but the actual reason? You had to wonder. In any case, they reached the castle and ummm...they had to clean. Seriously, Levi insisted that the base had to be dusted and possibly scrubbed. You wouldn't think him some kind of a neat-freak, the way he looked, but then you can never tell a person by looks alone. And as for where Eren had to sleep, well...you could tell that he didn't like the idea of being in another hole, which didn't amuse him later when Hange appeared and literally stuck him in one.

That was a tense moment. They'd stuck him in a dried-up well, asked him to hurt himself to activate his Titan form, and...nothing. For some reason, he just wasn't able to. It was frustrating, having something like this that you could say was literally at his fingertips, and yet he couldn't reach it on command. Why? The worst part, beyond the confusion and disappointment, had to be that he'd bitten his fingers raw in the attempt, leaving him in pain for hours. So, here they were, taking a break to get some food, and he was left like this, trying to figure this out with no ideas from the technical side of things. Currently, there was a debate between Hange and Kate over whether anything in normal Titans accounted for this, but there didn't seem to be so. Sara would probably have heard Kate equating all the regular Titans to sleepwalkers, though nobody had any idea why Abnormals were so...yeah. I mean, they walked like they had a malfunction, and were singularly-obsessed on a specific target. It was weird. Eren's titan form acted abnormal, but he was markedly different, for sure.

Eren was kind of staring at his hand when Sara addressed him, and he looked up with a concerned and irritated at the whole affair while trying to eat. He flexed his eating hand a little.

"I don't know what it is. I thought I hadn't been hurt enough while down in the well, so that's why I tried so hard, but it was a waste of time... I didn't like it down there, either. It was almost like I could tell it wasn't gonna work, even before we started, but I really wanted it to and-"

He'd started to eat again, but in his frustration he'd dropped the spoon. He reached...

THOOM!!

Total chaos.

There was a crack of energy and a thunderclap, like a freak lightning bolt had shot out, and a rush of steam where the table had been. Everyone at the table Eren had been at was either flung back or jumped back, if they were able to. Instantly, everyone - elite or otherwise - was poised for action, blades out and ready to take on a titanic...

...arm.

The steam cleared and there was this grotesque-looking appendage that Eren was now sitting on, and...it had a spoon in its hand. Kate was as shocked as Eren at this point, who was wondering "Why now...?", not aware at first that mostly everyone here was staring daggers at him. Kate was shocked, at first, at the sudden transformation...but then she received another surprise. One second, Hange was standing right there, making sounds equivalent to a tea kettle about to whistle, and the next...there was sudden empty space where she'd been standing, as she ran full-tilt at the arm.

"EREN!! Can I touch it?! I want to know how it FEELS!!"

Of course she wants to touch it.

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

This wasn't as easy as it looked...and it didn't look easy at all. But even with all that in mind, Hakuro had learned the important tennants of that running-jumping-climbing urban sport known as parkour, and its rules applied to every surface and every structure. The first thing is momentum. You can seemingly defy gravity if you have the right speed applied in the right fashion, the force of your momentum pressing against the tilt of the world. It only lasts a couple seconds, and then it's all down to you, but it does work. Velocity is a great force-multiplier in every situation, provided to don't do something that'll just get you hurt...and Hakuro spent time falling down alot before getting the hang of it. Second thing: your grip can be maintained temporarily - i.e. long enough - on even a small outset. Rock climbers do it, professional tree-climbers do it, and so too does this hold in parkour. The skills are interchangeable. It's just that one is meant for the urban setting and must be adapted accordingly. Even still, Hakuro had been taught how to get up a brick wall, so a tree with many grooves in its bark wasn't going to be as challenging. Finally, you need to be sure of yourself AND be consciously aware of your limits at all times...but Hakuro didn't really have that problem, considering he must've climbed EVERY TREE on his island, at home!

I'm not even using 15% of my strength!

He was up that tree, enough so that people were starting to get a little concerned. Nobody official, mind you. In fact, Hakuro wasn't even aware of anybody really watching - Your focus is important, in some situation. - until someone decided to shout up at him from the base of the tree. Seems he didn't want him up here for reasons of... Ah, what do they say here in Endgland? Oh right, Health and Safety. Well, by the time that call had been made, Hakuro had managed to pull himself up to a nice thick branch for sitting on and looked down at whoever was talking...which in this case was one of the local boys and a pair of girls that he...hadn't been around enough to know their names or anything. Kind of sad, really. He usually got on with people faster than this. Certainly worked in Japan, and the Americans loved him! Well, mostly. He had a feeling that the boy shouting at him wasn't going to be pleased with this smiling magpie. Even still, he called back down, still unaware that Laurence had been reading on the other side of the tree.

"Oh, hey there! Good morning! Why's it more a problem if I hit someone? I'm someone! Suppose I fall down and hit no one! Then what? I mean, I could just not fall, but what I'm trying to say is that I don't understand the position!"

We interrupt this episode of Persona: The Calling to present Hakuro Kuroda being a smartarse, followed by a clicking sound and a flash as his phone got whipped out suddenly and he took a picture, followed by him doing more of the same with his surroundings. Granted, it was going to be on a phone camera's resolution, but it wasn't bad. He'd have to review them later, and the people and sights contained therein. Now, the only question was that...he was here, but didn't he have class soon?

~ Valkyria Chronicles - Changing of the Guard ~

And so, while the Sovereign planned and the Green Fox was deployed, while reassignments were made and love letters were discussed...

...food was being made.

And let us be perfectly clear here. This wasn't simple ordinary rations and water, the very basics of human survival doshed out to soldiers to keep their bellies quite. No no no no... REAL food, food for champions, proper eats. As it all came to fruition, cooked and toasted to perfection, the aroma began to seriously waft. Tender beef and cooked veg, herbs and spices, and even...garlic bread!

Britta had outdone herself in two particular ways. First of all, while she had often helped her mother with the cooking at home, this would be the first time creating a large meal for many, basically on her own. Isaac's assistance was more-or-less a time-saver in regards to what she could do on her own, though she would at admit that it made the job easier. Secondly, though, the challenge of the meal itself - working with what they had, rather than having the selection of a store to decide her approach - was almost genius. That she had managed a decent dumpling stew like this was an achievement in of itself, and to top it all off with garlic bread? That was a stroke of luck the camp would soon not forget!

She worked on her own, staying in the zone of cooking and not thinking - for now - of her own troubles, and a smile planted itself on her face. It was almost ready... Even if she'd done half as well as she had, the Squad would be eating better than they had in a while, perhaps as good as they'd had it at the White Hart, even. Oh, but she hated to think of that now... All those great memories, and all that tragedy, coupled into one...

Hans, wherever you are, I hope they gave you a gasmask too.

Or better yet, that he didn't need it, and would never need it. Now, that she had pulled out some of the wood to lessen the fire, let the stew simmer and toast the bread a little, it was almost time... Isaac had gone to find glasses, but along the way he realized he needed to set out alot of things, like bowls and spoons. He did that without even thinking about it, demonstrating what HE did around the house at home. What must it be like, on the Black family lands? He was the youngest in his family, according to him, and it was a bit bigger than her own family, perhaps just as warm. Rather than dealing with crops, they wrangled animals, so they must've all been fairly-strong too, rather than just traveling on excess crop-picking stamina. Isaac returned to the cooking spot when he was done.

"Alright, everything's ready. They're gonna love this..."

"They're gonna surround us like your wolves."

"I wouldn't be surprised. It was almost impossible to keep them all away from our slaughterhouse when there's been a fresh kill. Rikes even tried to dig under it and pop up through the wooden floor."

"How'd you solve that?"

"Tossed some unused giblets outside and worked like hell to fill the hole."

"Did you ever do the slaughtering yourself?"

"Only to feed the wolves. Dad figured if I smelled like that and it wasn't feeding time, they'd get confused."

"Smart man."

She knew that he was making conversation like this to help her keep her mind off of things, like she wanted. Isaac had that 'Whenever you're ready' look about him. He wouldn't force it, and for that she was thankful, but he also wasn't leaving it. That was okay, though, because she didn't want him to leave it. She wanted to say, but not right now. Right now, they were all about to sit down to a nice meal. Right now, she was putting out all of the fire and setting out the garlic bread on a small makeshift table. Right now, it was...

"DINNERTIME!!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lost. Alone. Hated that. He lost their scent. How did he lose their scent? It was all because of the smoke. That awful stenchful smoke. He'd turned and fled like a pup from something that smelled worse than decaying dead, something that was death. He had to. It would choke him to death. He could tell. There was no choice. Hadn't been able to find the others since. City smells, enemy signs, distant sounds - no friends in the curious-patterned clothes. Only the things they called the Imps. He'd killed several Imps, since then. Last resort. Not suppose to, but had to. Hungry, or nearly trapped. Got hurt, but not badly. Snagged the parcel-vest more than his flesh. Have to be more careful...

Been a while. No food. Last Imp he attacked had food, but there was a shot and he had to run. So close. Even Imp rations are okay to eat, sort of. No friends, no Feds. Must have ran fully into Imp territory when the smoke arrived, gone the wrong way. Been wandering the entire time, sleep only when absolutely sure nobody was around...so very scarcely, even for his kind. Distant sounds were resolving into...people. Lots of people. Not sure, but...wait, no. This was okay. It wasn't Imp-speak. It was English, or mostly English.

Also, there was...

Oh!

Oh, that smelled good...

Rikes' ears perked up, suddenly.

Did somebody just shout 'Dinnertime'?

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

"A locallized tornado was witnessed earlier today..."

I'm off to see Godzilla. Hope you guys enjoy!

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

Hakuro Kuroda

He was just...always so bored when he was home.

He had an island paradise, but friends were few and far between, as guests came and went.

It was like being the king of nowhere and nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take a child, just a young boy, and put him on an island beach. It's a fun place to be, to run and play and do all kinds of things that any kid could and would want to do in a place to themselves. Let him play and run around annd be himself for a while, until he finally tires himself out, exhausted all of his games.

Now, tell him he can never leave.

It's not to say that he was ever tricked into this life. They hadn't suddenly taken him here. He was always here, must like his parents, and THEIR parents, and so on. They weren't part of the country, not really. They didn't want to live there. Or at least, that was what his family wanted. But...a young boy wants something more. We live in a world where we don't wonder what's out there. We know. The internet tells us so, and it shares oh-so-many secrets and tales, so many things to do and be a part of...

But what if you can't go?

If the parents don't want to, and you're not old enough to go yourself, what can you do? The young boy sat on the beach, and felt his life becoming darker and grayer, lacking life and substance and feeling. Presently, he imagined the tide would be rising, only instead of how it normally does this, it would simply raise up on its own, like somebody filling a sink. It was constant, already reaching where he sat, and still going. He stood up, and it was already past his knees. He ran inland. It accelerated, engulfing the beach. Was the water raising or was the island sinking? Or worse...

Was it being eaten?

He ran harder, faster, climbed harder to make it up hill. No good. It was on his heels. There was a distant echoing groan. He HOPED it was just his father being overcome by the water. That was the tamest of all thoughts, at the moment. Higher and higher he went, until he'd reached the top of the tallest hill on the island, the lookout point of the hiking trail. The sea was everywhere. The ocean was eating everything. He had nowhere to go. The groan again, this time somehow everpresent, all around him, and then an arm stabbed out of the water and grabbed for him! Backing away, he saw himself...!

But it wasn't...was it?

The other boy had his clothes, his face, his build, but...everything was wrong. He had drowned gray-blue skin, with wrinkled hands and feet like prunes. His hair was just a ragged mess, his nails were like claws, and he looked malnourished. A savvy person would say he looked like a ghoul... Seemed to fit. His face looked like death, with rotten teeth and sunken black pits for eyes. He didn't look like a person. It was almost alien... And then, to top it all off, the apparition spoke in his voice, too. It said...

"Stop running. We belong down here."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you can imagine, the last few hours for Hakuro were not of normal sleep. He'd had a nightmare, one that he hadn't had since he was a young boy. The island dream was something he vividly remembered because it was his prime motivation to leave, to see the world. He'd had this thought that the ocean would just swallow everything up...and his young imagination conjured something pretty horrible in his sleep. That was when it started, or rather when he started it. The Hatto-san... Hatto Ken Ko-to. The refuge against severe boredom and dark thoughts. He was his own chief morale officer, a doctor with only one patient, the cure for the common rut.

For the moment, he was too tired to be particularly 'Hatto'. He'd woken up with the memory from long ago and needed to be upright. So, three hours before he was suppose to get up, he took to his swivel chair and his laptop with a blanket and absent-mindedly browsed through some of his files on the Hatto Site, smirking at all the goofy behavior there. He'd dozed, here and there, resting his head against the laptop, looking at the site again, resting again, looking at some comments... Hmmm. There was one from Sherry, of all people. Now, what did the Califoria Ninja-Girl want? He clicked on it.

...what?

"So, anybody else find this ironic? My little pupil told me he left home to get away from the isolation of living on an island, and now he's been living on a bigger island."

Sherry was the one who had transformed him from a roaming hat-boy who kinda' knew the basics of martial arts to a full-blown parkour specialist. Don't read too far into it. 'Specialist' just meant he didn't get severely injured by misjudging a jump or losing his grip at a critical moment, for the most part. It meant he was good, not godly. Anyway, she'd made this point, and...Hakuro hadn't even considered it. Was he just feeling some of home because the UK was a series of islands, separated from the rest of Europe like Okinawa from Japan? The parallel was...surprising. She might've been onto something... The difference, of course, was that London was bigger than his home. England was bigger. It was also harder to get use to, because of when they ate and some of the food and how certain things just aren't done.

Well, no matter. Since it was time to get up, may as well BE up. He put on some music from home and got to work.

Off with the blanket, whipping it around and tossing it at the bed. Bed clothes off, quick shower, dry and groom before picking out the day clo...oh right. One thing he'd liked about his time in America: The lax dress code, allowing him to wear more casual clothes instead of a uniform. Well, he got that on. It wouldn't matter, because he still had the finishing touch. Take that coat off the hook and pull it on with a flourish! Put that hat on with style! Hatto-san powers activate. He stepped on out and headed for the courtyard area. Let's see if there were any early bloomers out right now.

Yeah, some people here and there. I'd have a better look if I could get up high.

He looked at a promising tree to climb.

I wish I had a grappling hook...

Not actually aware of Laurence on the other side of said tree, Hakuro took a running jump - "Hatto-leap!" - and began scaling the thing, making good use of any of the knots and folds in the bark with his momentum and sure grip. It would have to be sheer smooth to defeat him, and that wasn't likely. He was gonna start making the squirrels jealous, a thought that made him laugh, suddenly.

Shingeki no Kyojin: Cleansing Amongst Man { Jack & Angel }

This was unexpectedly nice, like something you wouldn't think feel the way it does, but it becomes an ultimately pleasant experience, regardless. Leaning against Sara like this was calming, focusing. With her largely taking in the other girl's words, it seemed like Kate could put aside all of her personal concerns, effectively fencing them off for a while. Not so much a wall, but the things disturbing her mind - the life she was having to come to terms with - felt farther away and quieter, kept at bay in this newfound peace. Nothing was happening to them, right now. The monsters were at bay, right now. This was simply a moment in time where - and Kate was surprised at how hard it must've been for her to even do this - they could relax.

Because...what DID Katherine Bellows do when things go to hell? What is it that always happens? She gets worked up inside, her mind races faster than a herd of stallions, and then she takes action. And that's what it's been like the past few years, hasn't it? The Titans go on the rampage, so she has been moving and working like hell towards survival, but never stopping for one second to live. Here and now, however, Kate realized that she hadn't had much in the way of human contact in any friendly manner for a long time. She use to enjoy those more innocent times alongside her friends in Shigenshina, her mind closed off from the evils of the world. Now that she was combating it with her brain and her own two hands, she'd stopped being a person and stifled her own growth, but just this moment...sara's words took on new dimensions.

This wasn't merely talk of survival, in living, but of growing as a person and having something TO live for. Even if this was not entirely the direction the Lieutenant had meant here, it took that meaning along with her own in Kate's mind. Sara was reminding her that she was not simply beholden to the life that was her mother's expertise. She was living this life herself and it was hers to lead, though she had much to be proud of for being her mother's child. For Kate, it also became a statement of how to proceed, what to do, what her direction was and how she could expand her horizons, even in this bleak Titan-filled world. It actually made Kate smile, feeling much better about herself.

"It's as much my legacy as hers, but I understand."

Afterwhich, she straightened up, and stood with a stretch. Funny how she seemed to be that fit, like she'd exercised all her life, yet she wasn't the powerhouse that Mikasa was. Must be that brain, always figuring out the easy way. Well, no matter. She looked at Sara now, clearly much calmer now.

"And we can't get to it without a little rest. Tomorrow and everything is gonna be busy. We both have work to do."

She offered Sara a hand up before they headed down. Incredible how she looked in the moonlight...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Some people rested better than others, and it seemed like Kate had managed, because she was clearly in high spirits when they set out, that day. They were - by horses and wagons - bound for the abandoned castle which had previously been a Scout Regiment base of operations. It would be so again, and had - up until now - been the subject of testing on the most advanced scientific research regarding Titans known to man. This is what Hange Zoe was up to, anyway. That woman's attention to detail, ever since she started observations of all things Titan in the field, had been a large boon to the survival of mankind. Another such boon was riding in a wagon with Commander Levi watching him for signs of being a monster, but we know that Eren is about as anti-monster as you can get. An additional boon was on a wagon of its own. And we're not referring to Kate's presence there. We mean that she was sitting with the tarp-concealed new weapon, the one that seemed to involve gunpowder, but isn't a cannon. In their quest to take on Titans, they had the cutter blades, the ODM Gears, the high-tension wires, the heavy-piercing spears, and indeed the cannons. This was something long, and there was evidence of a pointy bit, but the way things were stored and wrapped up...it was hardly normal.

They would be upon the castle soon. Kate looked focused, even anxious. Too bad the place was a mess.

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

So basically...this:

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

Mentor Character

(A full profile HAS been written, but details are unavailable until the character is revealed in the RP.)

Raven

RAVEN

Gender

Female

Age

CAW!

Sexuality

CAW!

Nationality

CAW!

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Appearance

Raven appears as...well...a raven, a reasonably-sized black bird similar to a crow. She has glaring red eyes that are alive with intelligence, so you know that this is no ordinary bird. It is not known by what means she actually speaks, because the beak doesn't move along with the dialogue. And naturally, she just sounds like a bird to everyone who doesn't go Metaverse-hopping. One thing of importance, though: Raven is not as fragile as any other bird. She will not break as easily, though her strength is limited.

Personality

Despite her situation, Raven is generally upbeat and optimistic about things. Maybe it's a cautious optimism, but when it comes to believing in something like the people around her, she has that certain unbreakable will. She is determined, despite all of her setbacks, to see things through. Many times, this could put her right in the line of fire, but it isn't something that can be so easily helped. It's in Raven's nature, regardless of how the bird might think, to be there for others and help them achieve their goals, and in turn have others around for when she is in need, as well. She knows that she will manage her own issues, somehow.

Her knowledge of the Metaverse and its mechanics is extensive, and she has a driving force to put things to rights here.

---

Persona

CAW!

Skill

CAW!

Equipment

CAW!

---

Education

CAW!

Biography

CAW!

Affiliations

CAW!

Relationships

CAW!

Character Themes

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

Hakuro!

Hakuro Kuroda

(AKA Hatto Ken Ko-to, or the Hatto-san)

Gender

Male

Age

18 Years Old
June 8th

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Nationality

Okinawan/Japan
(Fun Fact: Many of Okinawa do not consider themselves Japanese.)

---

Appearance

The strange hatted youth is a young man of Asian descent, specifically from one of the southern islands belonging to Japan that make up Okinawa. He is a fairly-swift fellow, athletically built for running, jumping, and climbing instead of strength or heavy stamina. Hakuro is an odd sort of a person who, for his own country, actually seems pretty normal. He's a black-haired young man, nothing more stand-out-ish about him physically EXCEPT for two very important points. First, he has gray eyes. He's not blind or color-blind. He was just born with a strange lack or low level of eye pigmentation, thus gray in color. To some, it's a little off-putting, but only if you're looking at 'im. The way he is around people, you might not even notice.

The other thing about him is how he dresses. No, not the everyday casuals. His normal clothing could be a normal pair of pants and shirt (Black, blue, white, red, green, gray, and a host of other regular colors and nothing gaudy like pink, orange, or yellow) or somethng with highlights in it (like black or some other dark color with a lighter color highlighting it), but never any outright weird pattern, only sometimes an article with a logo, and nothing too outlandish. No, what you have to understand is that Hakuro often-adopts the use of a fedora and trenchcoat similar to that of the classic Japanese investigator. These articles are his own style, and perhaps his own lifestyle.

More on that later.

His Evergreen uniform... He wouldn't really be up for altering it. He'd be more inclined to wear the hat and coat OVER it, because it's as much who he is as the way he acts. The extra attire sort of became part of him. Some people even have strange theories, but no proof exists!

Metaverse Outfit

Hakuro's attire as a Phantom Thief is akin to the style of Lamont Cranston, AKA The Shadow! It's a stark contrast to his lighter hat and coat in the real world without casting aside who he is. Besides, in his heart of hearts, is he not to be following in the footsteps of the classic Mystery Man? He investigates, he sneaks around, he's fleet of foot, and he's just a bit lucky.

Height

5'9"

Personality

Hakuro is...not a normal guy.

He is a young man whom many would consider lucky: He was basically set for life, and yet he wanted more. How and why will be explained later, but he is - at heart - a seeker, a sneaker, and a traveler. Too many years of being in one place left him wanting to get out, so he asked for both the permission and the support to start seeing the world, to get out there and just absorb everything he could. THAT was the kind of guy Hakuro was. He was looking to break out of boredom and have an adventure. To that end, Hakuro is inquisitive and investigative, joking and witty, and very active in his life. When he was young, he took upon the role of the Hatto Ken Ko-to, or Hat-And-Coat, to allow an overactive imagination to soar to great heights and run wild on his island. He's adopted this, made it part of who he is.

The role of the Hatto-san is to be someone looking to understand and see the world, to explore it and influence the people found all over in a positive way. You could call it a hobby or a game or just weird. He doesn't care. Hakuro believes in the ideal that everything you do can be decided on a coinflip, especially if you have a hard time deciding what to do. He embraces this. So, unless it's vitally important, out comes the coin, for better or for worse. Why? Because it's fun and you never know what's going to happen. This kind of thing makes him unreadable, unpredictable, and perhaps unstoppable in his own funny little way. This makes him an offbeat sort of person, but he prefers to be that way. It was his choice, one made freely to escape a drab alternative.

Hakuro is generally outgoing and engaging with other people, not afraid to ask questions, be they hard or even embarrassing. He treats others with respect, if they're deserving of such, and will act against those who are NOT worthy of that from him. It makes him someone who acts very extreme, in a way, one supposes. He generally wants the best for people, though, so he can be a helper, at times.

When in the Metaverse, or indeed during ANY serious moment, the jokes come off. Maybe not the gloves or the hat or the coat, but certainly he adopts a more focused temperment, all in order to accomplish whatever was important to the situation at hand. He's a very driven sort of person, this way, and might let out more of the cynic or the deadpan snarker, rather than the lively funny guy. It's just a matter of knowing when to laugh and when to hush up and get down to work. And no, just because he can do a pretty evil laugh doesn't mean that he's unhinged and turning into a maniac or villain. It's just really good acting. One thing of importance: Because Hakuro is the kind of person to influence alot of people, he tends to make a fair few contacts. Because of this, he tends to prefer being able to organize them, since they're at his fingertips. It's not so much a call to leadership, so much as 'I have this, so I may as well use it'. Once again, this is basically trying to be useful in a situation that needs all the help it can get.

---

Persona

- FORTUNE -
Flying Spaghetti Monster

You might be asking yourself 'Why the Flying Spaghetti Monster?'. Ah, who are we kidding? You wanna know. This strange creature was brought into existence by a world which felt it needed a severe refuge in something very out there and silly when faced with something silly that seemed to be taken too seriously. To wit, the FSM and all Pastafarians alike are the antithesis to Scientology. They play this funny little game straight-faced and taking none of it seriously while the opposition means business, but that they are all ridiculous. Hakuro is not a Pastafarian, but he and the FSM share a very important commonality: They are anachronistic beings, and they KNOW it. Hell, they OWN that shit! These two have their own following. Not a serious following, but a following nonetheless, and that holds power.

(The FSM may or may not do battle with the Big Bang Burger Empire on a regular basis, as well.)

Skill

Light/Bless/Expel
(Essentially all part of the same skill area.)

Equipment

Shuang Gou (Tiger Hook Swords)
The Shadow's Silver Heat Magnums

---

Education

A-Level English Language
A-Level Philosophy
BTEC Physical Education (or PE)

Biography

Hakuro was born on an island of the region/prefecture of Okinawa, lived there, and - if he hadn't done anything about it - would die there without ever having seen or experienced another part of the world with his own eyes. You see, he had been born into a successful sort of life, one that he needed only wait patiently to grow into, and then his life would effectively play out with rarely a hardship. Why? Because his family owned a very nice little resort with everything you could want on an island vacation to get away from it all. His life would be one of peace, contentment, and plenty. However...a young boy sometimes craves more. Actually, it happens alot of the times. Because he could not LEAVE and he was destined to live out his days there, it seemed, this led not only to some foreboding feelings, growing up, but also a great deal of BOREDOM. Imagine having to try and amuse yourself when you couldn't rely on much to divert you.

This is where the Hatto-san comes in.

You see, Hakuro was just a nice young boy, nothing special, but when you badly need to step out of everyday life, you'll resort to alot of things. He ended up adopting a new monniker, the Hatto Ken Ko-to (Hat-And-Coat), a stranger who will go anywhere and do all kinds of different activities and projects to divert from the norm. Need some challenges? Want to explore a place that should contain nothing, but that...what if it contained killer crabs? Want to live completely at the random flip of a coin? That's your man. And that's how the fedora-and-trenchcoat-wearing person came to be. It wasn't an alternate personality. It was an enhancement, a desire to be and live the life of a more interesting person. Because when things got dull and drab...it led to events strangely dark and ominous in conception. Such a feeling, one day, led him to the very definite idea that he needed to get out.

That moment had struck him so profoundly, and yet...he didn't even know how much so. One day, Hakuro was walking along the beach...when a thought hit him, one that would begin to haunt him every time he came back to the water: 'The ocean may one day swallow me and this entire island up, leaving nothing behind'. When he got this feeling, things were...wrong. The water seemed as though it wasn't teeming with life, but would really reach out, as though alive itself. The color ran out of the world, and there was an ever-present feeling of being watched, stalked, and even hungered for. That was when he knew he had to leave, to escape...

So, when he was considered old enough to be able to look after himself away from home, age fifteen, his parents decided to indulge him and allowed him legal and monetary resources to travel and see the world...and boy did he! All across Japan, for starters. He met quite a few people, here and there, though none perhaps influenced him as much as the family, Fuyunaito. What an assortment of people! An accountant who loved to dance, a spiritualist who voiced anime, and a pair of siblings (brother and sister) who were skilled in martial arts from a young age! The meeting was actually strange. Hakuro first met a Shiro Kunekawa, a friend of their family, who had been taking Anri Fuyunaito out to a park...because she was traumatized to regressive silence after Shiro's father had actually set fire to the Fuyunaito household and...Anri pushed him into the flames as punishment. Shiro was effectively adopted INTO the family and spent his life working to be a private investigator to stop things like this from ever happening again.

The girl was completely withdrawn into herself, locked in trauma. Not her parents nor her big brother, Max, could snap her out of it, or Shiro... It was later suspected that part of it was due to being unable to face her family or Shiro again, so a strict moral code effectively broke her. Hakuro took up the challenge to try and break her out. He deliberately started behaving very oddly, leaping around and impersonating DBZ characters. No...DBZ Abridged characters, and telling jokes, and laughing off when he fell and got hurt. It took DAYS...but eventually...Anri laughed, and then she cried, and then she spent the next few moments apologizing for her actions, because Rikdo Kunekawa had claimed that he'd burned her whole family to death and that she had nothing left. Hakuro made friends for life, that day, and was invited to stay with the Fuyunaitos a while, learning a little about the skills each one - and Shiro - honed in their lives. Max was trying to open a dojo. Anri was...actually more skilled than HE was, and wanted to join the police! Saiga had taught them BOTH! Hito wasn't a fighter, but...he had a gun license, which was difficult to get in Japan.

He left them, more fulfilled there than even in the times leading up to that moment. This was where he started recording his adventures and putting them online...and eventually gained a modest internet following. The Hatto-san would touch the hearts and minds of the world, one day at a time! He did this for a while, and then he took his travels internation, making his way East...to the West! That is...to the US! Now, it should be noted that in all of these travels, Hakuro's travels were properly financed because he was taking all the responsibilities that followed in its wake. He had to feed, clothe, and continue to educate himself, for instance. He was to take care of these things, or he would be in alot of trouble. The first two were easy, of course. You see something, you buy something. School, though... Aye, that's the kicker. He had to work out a combination of transferring and corrospondance in a way that those involved would find somehow acceptable. For instance, in Japan, he moved around alot, but he was able to return to where he was taking classes. A bit harder in some places, though, and so sometimes it was 'Take it where you can get it'.

That was how he ended up in Los Angeles and met Sherry. Now, there's a reason for why this person also stood out, and more-so than potentially dozens to hundreds of people: Sherry Ultia was something of a kindred spirit. Some people stand out more than others, and for some of the most unexpected reasons. She was a shorter girl, not going to develop any great height, silver-haired, wild-eyed and wild in action, and she was a fricking ninja. Not literally, but by god, the way she could move... It was all due to a skill that Hakuro picked up VERY WELL on, mostly because she wouldn't let him leave this town without him learning: Parkour. It's an intense urban landscape acrobatics practice, the training of which tends to leave the recipient accuring many injuries. Hakuro spent a long time bruised, cut, and hurt for this...but eventually Sherry let him go, accepting him as a successful pupil. He uhh...wasn't sticking around for her crazy wire act. Gotta know your limits, right? Yeah.

Still, this was an exceptional milestone, enhancing his physical abilities in a way the Fuyunaitos hadn't managed, though they certainly sharpened his mind and made him extremely moral about the needs of others. The Hatto-san started to symbolize a traveling idealist, or a mysterious helpful stranger. It also led him across the US, and eventually migrating all the way to the next viable stop: England! The heart of the United Kingdom... Here, at a completely different kind of culture, even from the melting pot of American civilization, Hakuro decided he needed some time. He'd spent a fair amount in the states. Now, he'd be taking some time to complete a good portion of his education here in London, at Evergreen Academy.

The Hatkuro Conspiracy continues...

Affiliations

Toshiro Kuroda (Father)
Ari Kuroda (Mother)
Hito Fuyunaito (Friend/Accountant/Dancer)
Saiga Munashii-Fuyunaito (Friend/Spiritualist)
Max and Anri Fuyunaito (Friends/Martial-Artists)
Shiro Kunekawa (Friend/Fellow-Investigator)
Sherry Ultia (Friend/Parkour-Master)
Hatto-Fans (Internet Followers)

Relationships

None at this time.

Character Themes

- HATTO-SAN! -



- BATTLE TIME! -

~ Phantom Thieves of London: The Calling ~

Hakuro!

Hakuro Kuroda

(AKA Hatto Ken Ko-to, or the Hatto-san)

Gender

Male

Age

18 Years Old
June 8th

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Nationality

Okinawan/Japan
(Fun Fact: Many of Okinawa do not consider themselves Japanese.)

---

Appearance

The strange hatted youth is a young man of Asian descent, specifically from one of the southern islands belonging to Japan that make up Okinawa. He is a fairly-swift fellow, athletically built for running, jumping, and climbing instead of strength or heavy stamina. Hakuro is an odd sort of a person who, for his own country, actually seems pretty normal. He's a black-haired young man, nothing more stand-out-ish about him physically EXCEPT for two very important points. First, he has gray eyes. He's not blind or color-blind. He was just born with a strange lack or low level of eye pigmentation, thus gray in color. To some, it's a little off-putting, but only if you're looking at 'im. The way he is around people, you might not even notice.

The other thing about him is how he dresses. No, not the everyday casuals. His normal clothing could be a normal pair of pants and shirt (Black, blue, white, red, green, gray, and a host of other regular colors and nothing gaudy like pink, orange, or yellow) or somethng with highlights in it (like black or some other dark color with a lighter color highlighting it), but never any outright weird pattern, only sometimes an article with a logo, and nothing too outlandish. No, what you have to understand is that Hakuro often-adopts the use of a fedora and trenchcoat similar to that of the classic Japanese investigator. These articles are his own style, and perhaps his own lifestyle.

More on that later.

His Evergreen uniform... He wouldn't really be up for altering it. He'd be more inclined to wear the hat and coat OVER it, because it's as much who he is as the way he acts. The extra attire sort of became part of him. Some people even have strange theories, but no proof exists!

Metaverse Outfit

Hakuro's attire as a Phantom Thief is akin to the style of Lamont Cranston, AKA The Shadow! It's a stark contrast to his lighter hat and coat in the real world without casting aside who he is. Besides, in his heart of hearts, is he not to be following in the footsteps of the classic Mystery Man? He investigates, he sneaks around, he's fleet of foot, and he's just a bit lucky.

Height

5'9"

Personality

Hakuro is...not a normal guy.

He is a young man whom many would consider lucky: He was basically set for life, and yet he wanted more. How and why will be explained later, but he is - at heart - a seeker, a sneaker, and a traveler. Too many years of being in one place left him wanting to get out, so he asked for both the permission and the support to start seeing the world, to get out there and just absorb everything he could. THAT was the kind of guy Hakuro was. He was looking to break out of boredom and have an adventure. To that end, Hakuro is inquisitive and investigative, joking and witty, and very active in his life. When he was young, he took upon the role of the Hatto Ken Ko-to, or Hat-And-Coat, to allow an overactive imagination soar to great heights and run wild on his island. He's adopted this, made it part of who he is.

The role of the Hatto-san is to be someone looking to understand and see the world, to explore it and influence the people found all over in a positive way. You could call it a hobby or a game or just weird. He doesn't care. Hakuro believes in the ideal that everything you do can be decided on a coinflip, especially if you have a hard time deciding what to do. He embraces this. So, unless it's vitally important, out comes the coin, for better or for worse. Why? Because it's fun and you never know what's going to happen. This kind of thing makes him unreadable, unpredictable, and perhaps unstoppable in his own funny little way. This makes him an offbeat sort of person, but he prefers to be that way. It was his choice, one made freely to escape a drab alternative.

Hakuro is generally outgoing and engaging with other people, not afraid to ask questions, be they hard or even embarrassing. He treats others with respect, if they're deserving of such, and will act against those who are NOT worthy of that from him. It makes him someone who acts very extreme, in a way, one supposes. He generally wants the best for people, though, so he can be a helper, at times.

When in the Metaverse, or indeed during ANY serious moment, the jokes come off. Maybe not the gloves or the hat or the coat, but certainly he adopts a more focused temperment, all in order to accomplish whatever was important to the situation at hand. He's a very driven sort of person, this way, and might let out more of the cynic or the deadpan snarker, rather than the lively funny guy. It's just a matter of knowing when to laugh and when to hush up and get down to work. And no, just because he can do a pretty evil laugh doesn't mean that he's unhinged and turning into a maniac or villain. It's just really good acting. One thing of importance: Because Hakuro is the kind of person to influence alot of people, he tends to make a fair few contacts. Because of this, he tends to prefer being able to organize them, since they're at his fingertips. It's not so much a call to leadership, so much as 'I have this at my fingertips, so I may as well use it'. Once again, this is basically trying to be useful in a situation that needs all the help it can get.

---

Persona

- FORTUNE -
Flying Spaghetti Monster

You might be asking yourself 'Why the Flying Spaghetti Monster?'. Ah, who are we kidding? You wanna know. This strange creature was brought into existence by a world which felt it needed a severe refuge in something very out there and silly when faced with something silly that seemed to be taken too seriously. To wit, the FSM and all Pastafarians alike are the antithesis to Scientology. They play this funny little game straight-faced and taking none of it seriously while the opposition means business, but that they are all ridiculous. Hakuro is not a Pastafarian, but he and the FSM share a very important commonality: They are anachronistic beings, and they KNOW it. Hell, they OWN that shit! These two have their own following. Not a serious following, but a following nonetheless, and that holds power.

(The FSM may or may not do battle with the Big Bang Burger Empire on a regular basis, as well.)

Skill

Light/Bless/Expel
(Essentially all part of the same skill area.)

Equipment

Shuang Gou (Tiger Hook Swords)
The Shadow's Silver Heat Magnums

---

Education

A-Level English Language
A-Level Philosophy
BTEC Physical Education (or PE)

Biography

Hakuro was born on an island of the region/prefecture of Okinawa, lived there, and - if he hadn't done anything about it - would die there without ever having seen or experienced another part of the world with his own eyes. You see, he had been born into a successful sort of life, one that he needed only wait patiently to grow into, and then his life would effectively play out with rarely a hardship. Why? Because his family owned a very nice little resort with everything you could want on an island vacation to get away from it all. His life would be one of peace, contentment, and plenty. However...a young boy sometimes craves more. Actually, it happens alot of the times. Because he could not LEAVE and he was destined to live out his days there, it seemed, this led not only to some foreboding feelings, growing up, but also a great deal of BOREDOM. Imagine having to try and amuse yourself when you couldn't rely on much to divert you.

This is where the Hatto-san comes in.

You see, Hakuro was just a nice young boy, nothing special, but when you badly need to step out of everyday life, you'll resort to alot of things. He ended up adopting a new monniker, the Hatto Ken Ko-to (Hat-And-Coat), a stranger who will go anywhere and do all kinds of different activities and projects to divert from the norm. Need some challenges? Want to explore a place that should contain nothing, but what, what if it contained killer crabs? Want to live completely at the random flip of a coin? That's your man. And that's how the fedora-and-trenchcoat-wearing person came to be. It wasn't an alternate personality. It was an enhancement, a desire to be and live the life of a more interesting person. Because when things got dull and drab...it led to things strangely dark and ominous in conception. Such a feeling, one day, led him to the very definite feeling that he needed to get out.

That moment had struck him so profoundly, and yet...he didn't even know how much so. One day, Hakuro was walking along the beach...when a thought hit him, one that would begin to haunt him every time he came back to the water: 'The ocean may one day swallow me and this entire island up, leaving nothing behind'. When he got this feeling, things were...wrong. The water seemed as though it wasn't teeming with life, but would really reach out, as though alive itself. The color ran out of the world, and there was an ever-present feeling of being watched, stalked, and even hungered for. That was when he knew he had to leave, to escape...

So, when he was considered old enough to be able to look after himself away from home, age fifteen, his parents decided to indulge him and allowed him legal and monetary resources to travel and see the world...and boy did he! All across Japan, for starters. He met quite a few people, here and there, though none perhaps influenced him as much as the family, Fuyunaito. What an assortment of people! An accountant who loved to dance, a spiritualist who voiced anime, and a pair of siblings (brother and sister) who were skilled in martial arts from a young age! The meeting was actually strange. Hakuro first met a Shiro Kunekawa, a friend of their family, who had been taking Anri Fuyunaito out to a park...because she was traumatized to regressive silence after Shiro's father had actually set fire to the Fuyunaito household and...Anri pushed him into the flames as punishment. Shiro was effectively adopted INTO the family and spent his life working to be a private investigator to stop things like this from ever happening again.

The girl was completely withdrawn into herself, locked in trauma. Not her parents nor her big brother, Max, could snap her out of it, or Shiro... It was later suspected that part of it was due to being unable to face her family or Shiro again, so a strict moral code effectively broke her. Hakuro took up the challenge to try and break her out. He deliberately started behaving very oddly, leaping around and impersonating DBZ characters. No...DBZ Abridged characters, and telling jokes, and laughing off when he fell and got hurt. It took DAYS...but eventually...Anri laughed, and then she cried, and then she spent the next few moments apologizing for her actions, because Rikdo Kunekawa had claimed that he'd burned her whole family to death and that she had nothing left. Hakuro made friends for life, that day, and was invited to stay with the Fuyunaitos a while, learning a little about the skills each one - and Shiro - honed in their lives. Max was trying to open a dojo. Anri was...actually more skilled than HE was, and wanted to join the police! Saiga had taught them BOTH! Hito wasn't a fighter, but...he had a gun license, which was difficult to get in Japan.

He left them, more fulfilled there than even in the times leading up to that moment. This was where he started recording his adventures and putting them online...and eventually gained a modest internet following. The Hatto-san would touch the hearts and minds of the world, one day at a time! He did this for a while, and then he took his travels internation, making his way East...to the West! That is...to the US! Now, it should be noted that in all of these travels, Hakuro's travels were properly financed because he was taking all the responsibilities that followed in its wake. He had to feed, clothe, and continue to educate himself, for instance. He was to take care of these things, or he would be in alot of trouble. The first two were easy, of course. You see something, you buy something. School, though... Aye, that's the kicker. He had to work out a combination of transferring and corrospondance in a way that those involved would find somehow acceptable. For instance, in Japan, he moved around alot, but he was able to return to where he was taking classes. A bit harder in some places, though, and so sometimes it was 'Take it where you can get it'.

That was how he ended up in Los Angeles and met Sherry. Now, there's a reason for why this person also stood out, and more-so than potentially dozens to hundreds of people: Sherry Ultia was something of a kindred spirit. Some people stand out more than others, and for some of the most unexpected reasons. She was a shorter girl, not going to develop any great height, silver-haired, wild-eyed and wild in action, and she was a fricking ninja. Not literally, but by god, the way she could move... It was all due to a skill that Hakuro picked up VERY WELL on, mostly because she wouldn't let him leave this town without him learning: Parkour. It's an intense urban landscape acrobatics practice, the training of which tends to leave the recipient accuring many injuries. Hakuro spent a long time bruised, cut, and hurt for this...but eventually Sherry let him go, accepting him as a successful pupil. He uhh...wasn't sticking around for her crazy wire act. Gotta know your limits, right? Yeah.

Still, this was an exceptional milestone, enhancing his physical abilities in a way the Fuyunaitos hadn't managed, though they certainly sharpened his mind and made him extremely moral about the needs of others. The Hatto-san started to symbolize a traveling idealist, or a mysterious helpful stranger. It also led him across the US, and eventually migrating all the way to the next viable stop: England! The heart of the United Kingdom... Here, at a completely different kind of culture, even from the melting pot of American civilization, Hakuro decided he needed some time. He'd spent a fair amount in the states. Now, he'd be taking some time to complete a good portion of his education here in London, at Evergreen Academy.

The Hatkuro Conspiracy continues...

Affiliations

Toshiro Kuroda (Father)
Ari Kuroda (Mother)
Hito Fuyunaito (Friend/Accountant/Dancer)
Saiga Munashii-Fuyunaito (Friend/Spiritualist)
Max and Anri Fuyunaito (Friends/Martial-Artists)
Shiro Kunekawa (Friend/Fellow-Investigator)
Sherry Ultia (Friend/Parkour-Master)
Hatto-Fans (Internet Followers)

Relationships

None at this time.

Character Themes

- HATTO-SAN! -



- BATTLE TIME! -