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kagenonadeshikoPlayer Information
Name: Alice
Contact: mimarin @ plurk
Age: 37
Other Characters: Yaone
Character Information
Name: Ayumu Yamazaki
Canon: Shinsengumi Imon Peace Maker/Peace Maker Kurogane
Canon Point: Act 18, post-death.
Age: Unstated. Estimated to be about 23.
History: Peace Maker Kurogane is a historical manga covering the Bakumatsu period of 19th century Japan, just before the Meiji Revolution. Most of the characters are based on historical figures. Ayumu Yamazaki, on the other hand, is fictional and a minor character at that. Her brother, Susumu Yamazaki, is loosely based on the actual Shinsengumi spy of the same name though many details have been changed for this story.
Very little about Ayumu's background is directly addressed but much can be inferred from historical context and information disclosed about Susumu. The Yamazaki family were from Osaka and members of the Oniwaban, a group of undercover agents employed by the shogunate. The father was a ninja working under the cover of a doctor and the children were presumably born and raised to follow in the family tradition. Given that the Oniwaban had very strict regulations about interacting with the common public and kunoichi traditionally began their training at a very young age, it can be assumed that most of Ayumu's childhood consisted of training to become a spy with little room for anything else.
Judging from brief flashbacks of Susumu's training throughout the series and the fact, it appears that the training the Yamazakis underwent was harsh and demanded that they throw away all 'useless' emotions that might interfere in their work. The series shows that Ayumu was responsible for a substantial part of her brother's training and that she was a harsh instructor, demanding that he not look upon her as a big sister and insisting that she didn't think of him as her little brother. As a result, it seems that for much of their lives, Ayumu treated Susumu as a student or subordinate, never as a sibling.
However, it's implied that Ayumu continued to care for her brother despite her words and overt actions. When Susumu was still young, she taught him to disguise himself as her and presumably passed on some of her own training as a kunoichi so that when he was older, he could do jobs disguised as her. The overt reason was to increase the likelihood of success but Ayumu's later behavior suggests that it was also an indirect attempt to protect Susumu on missions at the risk of her own life.
At an unspecified point before the start of the prequel manga, the Yamazaki siblings are assigned to work with the Shinsengumi under Hijikata's command. While Susumu's occupation as a spy seems to be somewhat common knowledge among the group, Ayumu's status as a kunoichi appears to be known only to a select few. She is introduced in Act 3 as the Shinsengumi's cook and housekeeper and throughout most chapters, this is all she appears to be. Ayumu doesn't seem to leave the compound very much.
Early in the series, Ayumu develops a bond with Tetsunosuke Ichimura, often called simply 'Tetsu', a new recruit to the Shinsengumi. Rather quickly, he comes to view her as a big sister, much to her surprise. Despite the fact that Ayumu actually does have a little brother and he also lives at the compound, she grows fond of Tetsu and comes to see him as a little brother figure. She also appears to be on friendly terms with Tetsu's older brother, Tatsunosuke, as well, aiding him whenever Tetsu's behavior becomes too rambunctious for him to handle alone such as when Tetsu is caught spying on a late night meeting Susumu and Hijikata. Ayumu soothes the distressed brothers and informs them that Susumu is a spy that works with many 'mysterious people'. When Tatsu points out that Ayumu seems to know a lot about 'mysterious people', she laughs it off and insists that she knows very little beyond cooking and chores. She also keeps quiet about her relation to Susumu though Tatsu observes that Ayumu seems to get a little mad whenever he's criticized.
Around the same point in the series, the Shinsengumi become suspicious of a man named Kiemon Masuya, the owner of a secondhand shop in Kyoto suspected of harboring and allying with their enemies, and begin an covert spying campaign. At first, Susumu is assigned the mission, during which he works under the cover of "Sen", a young maiko designed to bear a close resemblance to Ayumu, under Hijikata's orders. As the surveillance continues, the Shinsengumi learn of the arrival of a dangerous enemy, Toshimaru Yoshida, a fire-setting imperialist madman and a conspiracy to burn Kyoto to ashes. During the course of the campaign, Yoshida learns of Susumu and hires a kunoichi named the Wind Demon to be his bodyguard as a countermeasure. Shortly after, Susumu is wounded by the Wind Demon during a battle on Kyoto's rooftops, resulting in Hijikata pulling him from the mission and assigning Ayumu to pick up where he left off.
In Act 10, Ayumu comes across Susumu considering seppuku, and harshly reprimands him for it. While treating his wound, she reminds him that he is a ninja, not a samurai, and that the warrior's code the Shinsengumi follow doesn't apply to him. Ayumu also states that if Susumu kills himself, he'll be betraying Hijikata's trust and that if he wants to redeem himself, he should finish more jobs.
Shortly after, Ayumu accepts her mission from Hijikata and leaves her role as the Shinsengumi's cook and housekeeper behind to investigate Masuya's shop. She doesn't reappear until Act 16 where she is seen resuming her job as cook to make one last dinner for the Shinsengumi, deeming it her masterpiece and that she wants everyone to eat it together. When she learns that Tetsu has not been acting like himself lately, Ayumu worries about him visibly, even disregarding her own personal rule that people who don't show up for mealtimes don't eat to set aside a meal for him.
Later in the chapter, Ayumu comes across Tetsu as she is leaving headquarters in disguise to continue her mission. At first, Tetsu mistakes her for Susumu but Ayumu corrects him teasingly. She decides to spend a little time with Tetsu, giving him the meal she'd saved for him earlier. During the course of their conversation, Ayumu gives him some sisterly advice and tells Tetsu not to worry too much about heavy issues when he's young. Tetsu tells her that she really is like a big sister and he wishes she could stay and cook for everyone instead of the work she's been doing. This causes Ayumu to break down and tearfully embrace Tetsu. She begs him to befriend Susumu and look after him in her place, implying that she believes her survival chances to be low. Eventually, the two part ways and Ayumu leaves him to his meal to carry on with her mission.
In Act 17, Ayumu, disguised as Yumi the Hairdresser, is seen seducing an enemy samurai for information. After sleeping with her source, Ayumu asks him to call on her again the next time he needs his hair done but is rebuffed. The samurai tells "Yumi" that he has been warned against "dangerous women" and that Masuya has been complaining lately about a woman matching Ayumu's description snooping around for information. During their interaction, more samurai close in on the pair, surrounding the naked Ayumu and cutting off her escape.
Ayumu makes her final appearance in Act 18. The next time she's seen, it's after she's been raped and tortured by the enemies holding her captive. In one scene, she briefly manages to break free of their grasps, arming herself with a blade, and attempting a final desperate attack against Masuya Kiemon. It fails and she is quickly overpowered. Moments before being knocked unconscious, Ayumu hears Masuya instructing his men to do whatever they like with her but be careful in disposing of her. Her final thoughts are of Tetsu and Susumu. Later in the chapter, Susumu discovers his sister's brutally beaten corpse in the street.
Personality: On the surface, Ayumu seems like a domestic, maternal soul. In her role as the Shinsengumi's den mother, she's cheerful and hardworking, diligently attending to all the cooking and cleaning that needs to be done. Often referred to as "Ayu-nee" within the compound for her sisterly demeanor, Ayumu is caring but strict. While perfectly aware of what the men she lives with do for a living, she doesn't hesitate to take a firm hand with them when they get out of line. At times she can be irritable, usually when people are being loud or interrupting her work, and during these moments she can be quite outspoken. On rare occasions, Ayumu displays a rather fierce temper when provoked such as when she shouts an order at Harada and Nagakura to back off while threatening them with a meat cleaver. The kitchen is her comfort zone, cooking is her love, and disrupting her orderly peace is a good way to incur her displeasure.
Most of the time, Ayumu's on the reserved side, even to the point of coming across as a little socially awkward or shy. In canon, she has a tendency to lurk in the background while others are talking and when she speaks, it's usually fairly brief in a casual style of speech. Due to her upbringing as a spy and the Oniwaban's strict regulations on their agents interacting with the general public, Ayumu has limited experience with genuine relationships with others. It isn't until she and her brother are placed under Hijikata's command that Ayumu has an opportunity to regularly interact with others as herself instead of under whatever cover her work requires of her. For this reason, Ayumu is extremely loyal and devoted to the Shinsengumi though she tends to express this in small, practical ways such as quietly tending to their needs than open displays of affection.
In general, Ayumu keeps a tight lid on her true thoughts and feelings around others. At one point in canon, she describes Susumu as a person who could never truly unmask, even among his allies, and this statement applies to her as well. Despite her strong feelings for the Shinsengumi, most of them didn't appear to know of her true occupation as a shinobi until after her death. When Tatsunosuke, a man she appears to be on friendly terms with, points out that she seems to know a lot about spies, Ayumu doesn't hesitate to lie to his face and insist she's simply the cook. In Ayumu's mind, she's a shinobi before all else - sister, friend, lover, etc.
After being permitted so few genuine personal relationships with others throughout her life, much of Ayumu's personal identity and self-image is built around the perfect shinobi ideal. In flashbacks, she's seen berating her brother for laughing, crying, and other displays of emotion as well as telling him repeatedly that he can only rely on himself. Maintaining a tough, independent front is very important to Ayumu and she's quite adept at hiding her true thoughts and feelings from others. Early in their relationship, Tetsu makes her mad by criticizing her brother in front of her but Ayumu's placid front doesn't waver in the slightest. After Tetsu leaves the scene, Tatsunosuke calls her on it but she doesn't confirm or deny his observation as true.
In general, Ayumu approaches emotions very practically, whether they're hers or someone else's. When she comes across Susumu contemplating ritual suicide after a failed mission, she lectures him harshly about being a shinobi, not a samurai, and reminds him that the warrior's code doesn't apply to them. She takes him to task for letting Hijikata down by leaving his work unfinished and tells him that if he wants to truly atone, he'll complete more jobs. She tends to show tenderness more through deeds than words, such as by quietly checking up on her brother and personally treating his wounds. Ayumu's subtle displays of caring are also evident in the way she trained her brother to impersonate her specifically so if he failed, it would mean her death instead of his.
There are instances when Ayumu's mask of strength cracks in a major way, revealing a major flaw in her personality - her hypocrisy. Despite teaching her brother to rid himself of all useless emotions, there's substantial evidence throughout the series that suggests that she doesn't practice what she preaches. She displays warmth and kindness toward Tetsu far more often than not, loses her temper with the comedy trio when they pester her too much, even displays a moment of tender concern for Hijikata when she goes to accept her final mission from him. The most dramatic display is when Ayumu's mask shatters completely during her final encounter with Tetsu prior to her death, when she tearfully begs him to be friends with her brother and teach him all about the good things in life she never could. Even prior to this scene, there's a lot to suggest that Ayumu's harbors a lot of repressed love and remorse for the state of her relationship with her brother and it subconsciously influences her behavior. It's not a coincidence that the people Ayumu warms up to the most in the series are those who look up to her as a big sister.
In spite of her efforts and training, Ayumu is far from emotionless. Underneath her tough exterior and harsh, strict demeanor, she's motivated strongly by love. Ironically, it's her dedication to her job and choices she makes as a shinobi that betray her true nature. She doesn't just teach Susumu to impersonate a woman; she teaches him to impersonate her specifically so she could protect him in death as the older sister she could never be to him in life. During her imprisonment, Ayumu silently endured the physical abuse and cruelty inflicted on her person. She didn't break under torture or beg for her life. I n the end, instead choosing to die with honor rather than betray Hijikata's trust by selling out the Shinsengumi. Once she's committed herself, Ayumu's tenacity and loyalty are absolute.
Of the two shinobi under his command, Hijikata entrusted the more dangerous mission to Ayumu and rightfully so. She knew how dangerous her mission was and that her chances of survival were low but accepted it anyway. Her capture also showcases how patient, determined, and brave she can be. Despite being a lone, naked woman outnumbered by enemy samurai and having little chance of escape, Ayumu didn't panic or show weakness. Instead, she kept a cool head and waited patiently for an opportunity to strike back. And she nearly succeeded, armed only with a kunai. Once she realized she couldn't escape, instead of lamenting her fate or giving into fear, her thoughts were of those she would leave behind, displaying her capacity for devotion.
(cw: sexual violence issues)
While all of the above still exists in Ayumu's personality, more or less, it's important to note that the traumatic ordeal and violent death she experienced has left a lasting imprint. In general, she tends to be a little more outwardly serious and a little less cheerful. Her demeanor is slightly more subdued and defensive. She's wary and mistrustful around men, particularly when she's left alone with a group of them, and intimacy of any kind is difficult for her to cope with. The cracks in her facade are more frequent, displaying more genuine emotion, and while she remains a masterful liar and actress, she can't sustain her charades quite as long or thoroughly as she used to. Ayumu's sense of self was essentially shattered during the rape and torture she endured under enemy hands, leaving her more emotionally volatile and unstable. The physical scars and impairment she endured have essentially retired her as a shinobi in her own mind which in turn has deeply damaged her self-worth on top of other sexual violence issues. All of this inner turmoil has also weakened her impulse control, causing her to be a little less self-disciplined and more prone to extreme violence, most often in self-defense or defense of those she perceives as weaker than her. More often than not, Ayumu exists in a state of heightened emotion, barely suppressed by a veneer of rational thought that's quickly dispelled if a traumatic memory from her life is triggered in any way. That said, while she's still a logical pragmatist, the foundation behind it can be faulty or irrational. For the most part, Ayumu simply comes across as somewhat quieter and more tempermental while trying maintain face the best that she can.
Abilities: Ayumu is a kunoichi, highly skilled in ninjutsu and close combat. While very little of Ayumu's skills are displayed in canon, much can be inferred from the details given in addition to how she's regarded by others. Since she's shown to be Susumu's teacher, it can be assumed that they share similar skills though hers are honed to a much higher level. (It's also worth noting that the arrogant Wind Demon calls Susumu "worthless" in comparison to his sister.) Like her brother, Ayumu is a proficient wielder of wakizashi, kunai, and shuriken but unlike her brother, she is also versed with weapons used most frequently by kunoichi such as neko-te, kaiken, kogai hairpins, and poison.
Historically, a kunoichi's primary function was espionage and assassination of difficult targets inaccessible to her male counterpart and Ayumu's role in the series supports this, implying that she likely focuses on the same ninjutsu skills common to most kunoichi:
Boryaku- Strategy involving both orthodox and unorthodox tactics. Examples include political manipulation and exploiting present events in order to apply pressure or weaken an opponent.
Hensojutsu - Disguise, impersonation, and infiltration. Ayumu demonstrates this skill in canon by infiltrating Masuya's shop as "Yumi", a role designed to seem harmless and win the enemy's trust through seduction. Her brother, Susumu also demonstrates this skill.
Shinobi-iri - Stealth techniques for silent movement, covert climbing, concealment, evasion and escape, pinpointing weak points in an enemy or their stronghold, and information gathering. Hensojutsu is a subcategory of this.
Shinobi-aruki - "Ninja walking". These are walking techniques used by ninja to move silently and effectively across a variety of surfaces, including unstable surfaces and gaps, as well through water. They are also used to quickly hide or take down opponents. Both Susumu and the Wind Demon display these during their rooftop excursions, suggesting that Ayumu has these skills as well.
Her training aside, Ayumu is lightly built and lacks the physical strength of her male counterpart. Like most shinobi, she's an expert at targeting vulnerable parts of the human anatomy in order to quickly dispatch or disable opponents through manipulation of joints and pressure points. In most fights, she relies on her wits, agility, precision, and technique. While in captivity, Ayumu waits until the last possible moment, despite being in mortal danger, before striking back against the men holding her prisoner or attempting to escape. Even though she failed in canon, it's a reflection of her thoughts and actions as a kunoichi.
Ayumu's more mundane skills include cooking and domestic housekeeping though since she is from the 19th century, she will be unfamiliar with modern appliances and how they work. Judging from the way she treated Susumu's wound, Ayumu also appears to have some basic medical knowledge or first aid skills.
Outside her occupation, Ayumu is an ordinary human without any supernatural or superhuman advantages.
Strengths: Tenacious, hard-working, loyal, brave, maternal
Weaknesses: Hypocritical, stubborn, repressed, dishonest, ruthless
God/Shinki: God
Why?: I've played her as a shinki with this canon point before and it ended pretty badly for her. She'd just switched back to god during her last run here after regaining all her in-game memories and I'd like to pick up where I left off with her story and see what happens next.
Top 3 Choices: Vesta (Roman), Kamuy Fuchi (Ainu), Kojin (Japanese)
God Type: During her time in game, Ayumu's felt progressively more removed from the human life she'd lived prior to coming to the Far Shore. She no longer sees herself as human even though she's not sure about her own divinity, especially her powerlessness over her own comings and goings to the Far Shore. By this point, she's adopted this world as her own home and the new gods and shinki as her people and views them as a separate group wih their own interests within the Heavens. For this reason, Ayumu's always been content to remain in the Western District where Amaterasu's influence is the weakest, maintain a low profile, and blend in with the new, obscure gods. For the most part, Ayumu will be focused on her own interests like building up her own influence and carving out her own permanent place in the Heavens. She'd continue to work as a hearth goddess, viewing it as an occupation and her god name as her title but live up to both on her own terms and redefine old traditions according to her own liking and find ways to incorporate her native culture into Vesta's sphere. In regards to prayers, Ayumu will take great interest in all matters concerning home and family, including found families, marriage, and the protection of children and teenagers. She'd also take on prayers from apartment complexes, communes, neighborhoods, and villages.
Power: Fire Generation - Ayumu has the ability to spontaneously ignite, causing flames to burst directly from any part of her body. She can also wreathe her entire body in flame, Human Torch style. Even though the fire requires some oxygen in order to burn, it doesn't require fuel, drawing its sustenance from Ayumu's own stamina. The fire's heat levels and intensity are influenced by Ayumu's emotional state, particularly passionate feelings like love, anger, hate, etc. While Ayumu herself is immune to the heat or burning effects of her flames, non-magical clothing or objects are not. She's also not able to directly control or manipulate the fires she creates aside from simple activation and deactivation. Even though Ayumu can't throw fireballs or cause anything besides herself to spontaneously ignite, she can set flammable materials ablaze by simply lighting it with herself. In this event, the spreading fire functions as an ordinary fire would, falling under the same natural laws and restrictions.
Writing Sample
Sample: 4th Wall appearance!
Other
Anything Else?: Since Ayumu was previously Vesta, I'd like for her to remain in the role. Her power used to be fire manipulation but since there's another god with that power now, I opted to change it up a bit to differentiate them.
Name: Alice
Contact: mimarin @ plurk
Age: 37
Other Characters: Yaone
Character Information
Name: Ayumu Yamazaki
Canon: Shinsengumi Imon Peace Maker/Peace Maker Kurogane
Canon Point: Act 18, post-death.
Age: Unstated. Estimated to be about 23.
History: Peace Maker Kurogane is a historical manga covering the Bakumatsu period of 19th century Japan, just before the Meiji Revolution. Most of the characters are based on historical figures. Ayumu Yamazaki, on the other hand, is fictional and a minor character at that. Her brother, Susumu Yamazaki, is loosely based on the actual Shinsengumi spy of the same name though many details have been changed for this story.
Very little about Ayumu's background is directly addressed but much can be inferred from historical context and information disclosed about Susumu. The Yamazaki family were from Osaka and members of the Oniwaban, a group of undercover agents employed by the shogunate. The father was a ninja working under the cover of a doctor and the children were presumably born and raised to follow in the family tradition. Given that the Oniwaban had very strict regulations about interacting with the common public and kunoichi traditionally began their training at a very young age, it can be assumed that most of Ayumu's childhood consisted of training to become a spy with little room for anything else.
Judging from brief flashbacks of Susumu's training throughout the series and the fact, it appears that the training the Yamazakis underwent was harsh and demanded that they throw away all 'useless' emotions that might interfere in their work. The series shows that Ayumu was responsible for a substantial part of her brother's training and that she was a harsh instructor, demanding that he not look upon her as a big sister and insisting that she didn't think of him as her little brother. As a result, it seems that for much of their lives, Ayumu treated Susumu as a student or subordinate, never as a sibling.
However, it's implied that Ayumu continued to care for her brother despite her words and overt actions. When Susumu was still young, she taught him to disguise himself as her and presumably passed on some of her own training as a kunoichi so that when he was older, he could do jobs disguised as her. The overt reason was to increase the likelihood of success but Ayumu's later behavior suggests that it was also an indirect attempt to protect Susumu on missions at the risk of her own life.
At an unspecified point before the start of the prequel manga, the Yamazaki siblings are assigned to work with the Shinsengumi under Hijikata's command. While Susumu's occupation as a spy seems to be somewhat common knowledge among the group, Ayumu's status as a kunoichi appears to be known only to a select few. She is introduced in Act 3 as the Shinsengumi's cook and housekeeper and throughout most chapters, this is all she appears to be. Ayumu doesn't seem to leave the compound very much.
Early in the series, Ayumu develops a bond with Tetsunosuke Ichimura, often called simply 'Tetsu', a new recruit to the Shinsengumi. Rather quickly, he comes to view her as a big sister, much to her surprise. Despite the fact that Ayumu actually does have a little brother and he also lives at the compound, she grows fond of Tetsu and comes to see him as a little brother figure. She also appears to be on friendly terms with Tetsu's older brother, Tatsunosuke, as well, aiding him whenever Tetsu's behavior becomes too rambunctious for him to handle alone such as when Tetsu is caught spying on a late night meeting Susumu and Hijikata. Ayumu soothes the distressed brothers and informs them that Susumu is a spy that works with many 'mysterious people'. When Tatsu points out that Ayumu seems to know a lot about 'mysterious people', she laughs it off and insists that she knows very little beyond cooking and chores. She also keeps quiet about her relation to Susumu though Tatsu observes that Ayumu seems to get a little mad whenever he's criticized.
Around the same point in the series, the Shinsengumi become suspicious of a man named Kiemon Masuya, the owner of a secondhand shop in Kyoto suspected of harboring and allying with their enemies, and begin an covert spying campaign. At first, Susumu is assigned the mission, during which he works under the cover of "Sen", a young maiko designed to bear a close resemblance to Ayumu, under Hijikata's orders. As the surveillance continues, the Shinsengumi learn of the arrival of a dangerous enemy, Toshimaru Yoshida, a fire-setting imperialist madman and a conspiracy to burn Kyoto to ashes. During the course of the campaign, Yoshida learns of Susumu and hires a kunoichi named the Wind Demon to be his bodyguard as a countermeasure. Shortly after, Susumu is wounded by the Wind Demon during a battle on Kyoto's rooftops, resulting in Hijikata pulling him from the mission and assigning Ayumu to pick up where he left off.
In Act 10, Ayumu comes across Susumu considering seppuku, and harshly reprimands him for it. While treating his wound, she reminds him that he is a ninja, not a samurai, and that the warrior's code the Shinsengumi follow doesn't apply to him. Ayumu also states that if Susumu kills himself, he'll be betraying Hijikata's trust and that if he wants to redeem himself, he should finish more jobs.
Shortly after, Ayumu accepts her mission from Hijikata and leaves her role as the Shinsengumi's cook and housekeeper behind to investigate Masuya's shop. She doesn't reappear until Act 16 where she is seen resuming her job as cook to make one last dinner for the Shinsengumi, deeming it her masterpiece and that she wants everyone to eat it together. When she learns that Tetsu has not been acting like himself lately, Ayumu worries about him visibly, even disregarding her own personal rule that people who don't show up for mealtimes don't eat to set aside a meal for him.
Later in the chapter, Ayumu comes across Tetsu as she is leaving headquarters in disguise to continue her mission. At first, Tetsu mistakes her for Susumu but Ayumu corrects him teasingly. She decides to spend a little time with Tetsu, giving him the meal she'd saved for him earlier. During the course of their conversation, Ayumu gives him some sisterly advice and tells Tetsu not to worry too much about heavy issues when he's young. Tetsu tells her that she really is like a big sister and he wishes she could stay and cook for everyone instead of the work she's been doing. This causes Ayumu to break down and tearfully embrace Tetsu. She begs him to befriend Susumu and look after him in her place, implying that she believes her survival chances to be low. Eventually, the two part ways and Ayumu leaves him to his meal to carry on with her mission.
In Act 17, Ayumu, disguised as Yumi the Hairdresser, is seen seducing an enemy samurai for information. After sleeping with her source, Ayumu asks him to call on her again the next time he needs his hair done but is rebuffed. The samurai tells "Yumi" that he has been warned against "dangerous women" and that Masuya has been complaining lately about a woman matching Ayumu's description snooping around for information. During their interaction, more samurai close in on the pair, surrounding the naked Ayumu and cutting off her escape.
Ayumu makes her final appearance in Act 18. The next time she's seen, it's after she's been raped and tortured by the enemies holding her captive. In one scene, she briefly manages to break free of their grasps, arming herself with a blade, and attempting a final desperate attack against Masuya Kiemon. It fails and she is quickly overpowered. Moments before being knocked unconscious, Ayumu hears Masuya instructing his men to do whatever they like with her but be careful in disposing of her. Her final thoughts are of Tetsu and Susumu. Later in the chapter, Susumu discovers his sister's brutally beaten corpse in the street.
Personality: On the surface, Ayumu seems like a domestic, maternal soul. In her role as the Shinsengumi's den mother, she's cheerful and hardworking, diligently attending to all the cooking and cleaning that needs to be done. Often referred to as "Ayu-nee" within the compound for her sisterly demeanor, Ayumu is caring but strict. While perfectly aware of what the men she lives with do for a living, she doesn't hesitate to take a firm hand with them when they get out of line. At times she can be irritable, usually when people are being loud or interrupting her work, and during these moments she can be quite outspoken. On rare occasions, Ayumu displays a rather fierce temper when provoked such as when she shouts an order at Harada and Nagakura to back off while threatening them with a meat cleaver. The kitchen is her comfort zone, cooking is her love, and disrupting her orderly peace is a good way to incur her displeasure.
Most of the time, Ayumu's on the reserved side, even to the point of coming across as a little socially awkward or shy. In canon, she has a tendency to lurk in the background while others are talking and when she speaks, it's usually fairly brief in a casual style of speech. Due to her upbringing as a spy and the Oniwaban's strict regulations on their agents interacting with the general public, Ayumu has limited experience with genuine relationships with others. It isn't until she and her brother are placed under Hijikata's command that Ayumu has an opportunity to regularly interact with others as herself instead of under whatever cover her work requires of her. For this reason, Ayumu is extremely loyal and devoted to the Shinsengumi though she tends to express this in small, practical ways such as quietly tending to their needs than open displays of affection.
In general, Ayumu keeps a tight lid on her true thoughts and feelings around others. At one point in canon, she describes Susumu as a person who could never truly unmask, even among his allies, and this statement applies to her as well. Despite her strong feelings for the Shinsengumi, most of them didn't appear to know of her true occupation as a shinobi until after her death. When Tatsunosuke, a man she appears to be on friendly terms with, points out that she seems to know a lot about spies, Ayumu doesn't hesitate to lie to his face and insist she's simply the cook. In Ayumu's mind, she's a shinobi before all else - sister, friend, lover, etc.
After being permitted so few genuine personal relationships with others throughout her life, much of Ayumu's personal identity and self-image is built around the perfect shinobi ideal. In flashbacks, she's seen berating her brother for laughing, crying, and other displays of emotion as well as telling him repeatedly that he can only rely on himself. Maintaining a tough, independent front is very important to Ayumu and she's quite adept at hiding her true thoughts and feelings from others. Early in their relationship, Tetsu makes her mad by criticizing her brother in front of her but Ayumu's placid front doesn't waver in the slightest. After Tetsu leaves the scene, Tatsunosuke calls her on it but she doesn't confirm or deny his observation as true.
In general, Ayumu approaches emotions very practically, whether they're hers or someone else's. When she comes across Susumu contemplating ritual suicide after a failed mission, she lectures him harshly about being a shinobi, not a samurai, and reminds him that the warrior's code doesn't apply to them. She takes him to task for letting Hijikata down by leaving his work unfinished and tells him that if he wants to truly atone, he'll complete more jobs. She tends to show tenderness more through deeds than words, such as by quietly checking up on her brother and personally treating his wounds. Ayumu's subtle displays of caring are also evident in the way she trained her brother to impersonate her specifically so if he failed, it would mean her death instead of his.
There are instances when Ayumu's mask of strength cracks in a major way, revealing a major flaw in her personality - her hypocrisy. Despite teaching her brother to rid himself of all useless emotions, there's substantial evidence throughout the series that suggests that she doesn't practice what she preaches. She displays warmth and kindness toward Tetsu far more often than not, loses her temper with the comedy trio when they pester her too much, even displays a moment of tender concern for Hijikata when she goes to accept her final mission from him. The most dramatic display is when Ayumu's mask shatters completely during her final encounter with Tetsu prior to her death, when she tearfully begs him to be friends with her brother and teach him all about the good things in life she never could. Even prior to this scene, there's a lot to suggest that Ayumu's harbors a lot of repressed love and remorse for the state of her relationship with her brother and it subconsciously influences her behavior. It's not a coincidence that the people Ayumu warms up to the most in the series are those who look up to her as a big sister.
In spite of her efforts and training, Ayumu is far from emotionless. Underneath her tough exterior and harsh, strict demeanor, she's motivated strongly by love. Ironically, it's her dedication to her job and choices she makes as a shinobi that betray her true nature. She doesn't just teach Susumu to impersonate a woman; she teaches him to impersonate her specifically so she could protect him in death as the older sister she could never be to him in life. During her imprisonment, Ayumu silently endured the physical abuse and cruelty inflicted on her person. She didn't break under torture or beg for her life. I n the end, instead choosing to die with honor rather than betray Hijikata's trust by selling out the Shinsengumi. Once she's committed herself, Ayumu's tenacity and loyalty are absolute.
Of the two shinobi under his command, Hijikata entrusted the more dangerous mission to Ayumu and rightfully so. She knew how dangerous her mission was and that her chances of survival were low but accepted it anyway. Her capture also showcases how patient, determined, and brave she can be. Despite being a lone, naked woman outnumbered by enemy samurai and having little chance of escape, Ayumu didn't panic or show weakness. Instead, she kept a cool head and waited patiently for an opportunity to strike back. And she nearly succeeded, armed only with a kunai. Once she realized she couldn't escape, instead of lamenting her fate or giving into fear, her thoughts were of those she would leave behind, displaying her capacity for devotion.
(cw: sexual violence issues)
While all of the above still exists in Ayumu's personality, more or less, it's important to note that the traumatic ordeal and violent death she experienced has left a lasting imprint. In general, she tends to be a little more outwardly serious and a little less cheerful. Her demeanor is slightly more subdued and defensive. She's wary and mistrustful around men, particularly when she's left alone with a group of them, and intimacy of any kind is difficult for her to cope with. The cracks in her facade are more frequent, displaying more genuine emotion, and while she remains a masterful liar and actress, she can't sustain her charades quite as long or thoroughly as she used to. Ayumu's sense of self was essentially shattered during the rape and torture she endured under enemy hands, leaving her more emotionally volatile and unstable. The physical scars and impairment she endured have essentially retired her as a shinobi in her own mind which in turn has deeply damaged her self-worth on top of other sexual violence issues. All of this inner turmoil has also weakened her impulse control, causing her to be a little less self-disciplined and more prone to extreme violence, most often in self-defense or defense of those she perceives as weaker than her. More often than not, Ayumu exists in a state of heightened emotion, barely suppressed by a veneer of rational thought that's quickly dispelled if a traumatic memory from her life is triggered in any way. That said, while she's still a logical pragmatist, the foundation behind it can be faulty or irrational. For the most part, Ayumu simply comes across as somewhat quieter and more tempermental while trying maintain face the best that she can.
Abilities: Ayumu is a kunoichi, highly skilled in ninjutsu and close combat. While very little of Ayumu's skills are displayed in canon, much can be inferred from the details given in addition to how she's regarded by others. Since she's shown to be Susumu's teacher, it can be assumed that they share similar skills though hers are honed to a much higher level. (It's also worth noting that the arrogant Wind Demon calls Susumu "worthless" in comparison to his sister.) Like her brother, Ayumu is a proficient wielder of wakizashi, kunai, and shuriken but unlike her brother, she is also versed with weapons used most frequently by kunoichi such as neko-te, kaiken, kogai hairpins, and poison.
Historically, a kunoichi's primary function was espionage and assassination of difficult targets inaccessible to her male counterpart and Ayumu's role in the series supports this, implying that she likely focuses on the same ninjutsu skills common to most kunoichi:
Boryaku- Strategy involving both orthodox and unorthodox tactics. Examples include political manipulation and exploiting present events in order to apply pressure or weaken an opponent.
Hensojutsu - Disguise, impersonation, and infiltration. Ayumu demonstrates this skill in canon by infiltrating Masuya's shop as "Yumi", a role designed to seem harmless and win the enemy's trust through seduction. Her brother, Susumu also demonstrates this skill.
Shinobi-iri - Stealth techniques for silent movement, covert climbing, concealment, evasion and escape, pinpointing weak points in an enemy or their stronghold, and information gathering. Hensojutsu is a subcategory of this.
Shinobi-aruki - "Ninja walking". These are walking techniques used by ninja to move silently and effectively across a variety of surfaces, including unstable surfaces and gaps, as well through water. They are also used to quickly hide or take down opponents. Both Susumu and the Wind Demon display these during their rooftop excursions, suggesting that Ayumu has these skills as well.
Her training aside, Ayumu is lightly built and lacks the physical strength of her male counterpart. Like most shinobi, she's an expert at targeting vulnerable parts of the human anatomy in order to quickly dispatch or disable opponents through manipulation of joints and pressure points. In most fights, she relies on her wits, agility, precision, and technique. While in captivity, Ayumu waits until the last possible moment, despite being in mortal danger, before striking back against the men holding her prisoner or attempting to escape. Even though she failed in canon, it's a reflection of her thoughts and actions as a kunoichi.
Ayumu's more mundane skills include cooking and domestic housekeeping though since she is from the 19th century, she will be unfamiliar with modern appliances and how they work. Judging from the way she treated Susumu's wound, Ayumu also appears to have some basic medical knowledge or first aid skills.
Outside her occupation, Ayumu is an ordinary human without any supernatural or superhuman advantages.
Strengths: Tenacious, hard-working, loyal, brave, maternal
Weaknesses: Hypocritical, stubborn, repressed, dishonest, ruthless
God/Shinki: God
Why?: I've played her as a shinki with this canon point before and it ended pretty badly for her. She'd just switched back to god during her last run here after regaining all her in-game memories and I'd like to pick up where I left off with her story and see what happens next.
Top 3 Choices: Vesta (Roman), Kamuy Fuchi (Ainu), Kojin (Japanese)
God Type: During her time in game, Ayumu's felt progressively more removed from the human life she'd lived prior to coming to the Far Shore. She no longer sees herself as human even though she's not sure about her own divinity, especially her powerlessness over her own comings and goings to the Far Shore. By this point, she's adopted this world as her own home and the new gods and shinki as her people and views them as a separate group wih their own interests within the Heavens. For this reason, Ayumu's always been content to remain in the Western District where Amaterasu's influence is the weakest, maintain a low profile, and blend in with the new, obscure gods. For the most part, Ayumu will be focused on her own interests like building up her own influence and carving out her own permanent place in the Heavens. She'd continue to work as a hearth goddess, viewing it as an occupation and her god name as her title but live up to both on her own terms and redefine old traditions according to her own liking and find ways to incorporate her native culture into Vesta's sphere. In regards to prayers, Ayumu will take great interest in all matters concerning home and family, including found families, marriage, and the protection of children and teenagers. She'd also take on prayers from apartment complexes, communes, neighborhoods, and villages.
Power: Fire Generation - Ayumu has the ability to spontaneously ignite, causing flames to burst directly from any part of her body. She can also wreathe her entire body in flame, Human Torch style. Even though the fire requires some oxygen in order to burn, it doesn't require fuel, drawing its sustenance from Ayumu's own stamina. The fire's heat levels and intensity are influenced by Ayumu's emotional state, particularly passionate feelings like love, anger, hate, etc. While Ayumu herself is immune to the heat or burning effects of her flames, non-magical clothing or objects are not. She's also not able to directly control or manipulate the fires she creates aside from simple activation and deactivation. Even though Ayumu can't throw fireballs or cause anything besides herself to spontaneously ignite, she can set flammable materials ablaze by simply lighting it with herself. In this event, the spreading fire functions as an ordinary fire would, falling under the same natural laws and restrictions.
Writing Sample
Sample: 4th Wall appearance!
Other
Anything Else?: Since Ayumu was previously Vesta, I'd like for her to remain in the role. Her power used to be fire manipulation but since there's another god with that power now, I opted to change it up a bit to differentiate them.
