Fox Lee (http://foxlee.arts-eclectic.com) [ RIN CHARACTER SHEET ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [CHARACTER'S NAME:] Rin Kakuhan [REAL NAME:] Rin Heidern [AGE:] True age, 23. Physical age, about fifteen. [BIRTHDAY:] June 10 (the twins, of course ^_^) [BLOOD TYPE:] O [HAIR COLOUR:] Dark blue, vaguely purple-ish [EYE COLOUR:] Black [STATUS:] Currently, a drifter. He's also a little lost, being more Kei's offsider than his own person; once he finds the purpose he seeks, however, things may change quite drastically. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [GENERAL APPEARANCE:] A generally small slender build, Rin is about 5'2", weighing in the realms of 35kg. He's rather thin; not enough so to look anorexic, but certainly a little underweight. He has long legs, a short torso, slightly bony hips and a flat stomach. His skin is oddly pale, particularly for the life that he leads, and under the right conditions, a mess of scars will be visible over his entire body. His face is slender and rather delicate, with fine features and the overall look of youth and innocence; he's also somewhat feminine in both stature and mannerisms. His hair curves around his face in a very straight, very flat-edged sort of bob, the bottom of which spirals from his collarbone on the right side to his cheek on the left. For what it's worth, that's because he cut it by simply pulling it over one shoulder and running a knife through it. Rin's voice is in the high middle ranges, husky like his sister's, and only barely discernible as male (think TV Kenshin in 'happy' mode). His tone when speaking is usually very even and measured - only rarely does he sound surprised or interested. This isn't exactly intentional, but more a subconscious thing - a control issue, most likely. There are several things that the careful observer would find very unusual about Rin. Firstly, his skin; Rin has very pale skin, seeming almost translucent at times, which doesn't seem to tan or burn - which simply doesn't make sense when his life as a drifter is taken into account. Next is his scent, or rather, lack thereof - most of the smells one would associate with a human, just simple body odours and the like, are completely absent in the boy (this often tends to confuse animals). Then there are his scars, which are not at all visible normally; however, they will show up when coated with blood, a mass of criss-crossed slash wounds reminiscent of claws. In some places, he also appears to have scars from biting. On top of all this, Rin's manner is also a little unusual; his voice and usual expression are both somehow empty, as if his mind is permanently elsewhere. In fact, some have been known to remark that Rin barely seems alive. Finally, Rin's head is almost without fail orbited by a small, glowing light, sort of like a ball with wings that is luminescent purple-blue. Though this light is a physical, tangible thing, and seems vulnerable to attacks, it also seems virtually indestructible, changing shape (though not size) freely. Rin calls it "O-chan". [GENERAL CLOTHING:] Rin will wear practically anything that covers him - and he prefers to be quite covered up where possible, if only to avoid his scars being noticed. Like his sister, he cares little for what those around him think of his style of dress, and trends mean nothing to him; if questioned over his choice of clothing, he will probably just shrug. His current outfit is a sort of convergence between several cultures - a vaguely Chinese-style jacket with long, loose, nearly-transparent sleeves, decorated with a twisting dragon; a silken sash around his lower torso; light, fairly loose-fitting pants that reach to mid-calf and are vaguely reminiscent of Spanish bullfighter garb, and black slippers. At his waist he wears two scarves hanging down, and two long plaits decorated with bells, feathers and beads - one the blue of his own hair, one the rusty red of his sister's. On close inspection, they are indeed made of human hair. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [ATTITUDE:] {GENERAL PERSONALITY:} Quiet, calm and very withdrawn, Rin says little, rarely speaking to anybody but Kei unless asked; he's the type who thinks carefully about what he says before anybody hears it. In fact, he can often seem more of a background presence than a real person, often not even noticed until attention is actually drawn to him. He is fairly pacifistic - and any fight he gets involved in is likely for somebody else's sake, or on someone else's orders - and even when he can fight back, he will often choose not to. Focused and very patient, he's the kind of person who can concentrate on one arduous task for as long as it takes, enduring whatever hardships come his way. If he cannot overcome an obstacle, he reasons, then the fault is within, and can be overcome by training and bettering himself. His inner strength and self-control may very much surprise those around him, especially when he at first comes across as weak and submissive. In his own way, he's almost as stubborn as his sister. With an extremely quick mind inherited from his father, Rin grasps most concepts very easily, particularly those based in order and structure. Of the few things he truly enjoys, the process of learning new things is a big one - he likes to expand his mind in such a fashion. He seems very hungry for knowledge; however, what he really strives for is an understanding of the principles /behind/ that knowledge, what makes things the way they are. Occasionally, he can be almost childish in his pursuit of these answers. For most part, he has very little sense of humour; he certainly doesn't make jokes, and he's quite oblivious to innuendo. He does, however, appreciate a well-constructed pun or subtle satire, feeling that these are more interesting and intellectual forms of humour. Even when he does enjoy something like that, though, he also isn't good at showing emotions; to him, the passions that run rampant in people like his sister are a burden, something to blur their judgement at the most important times (in fact, this is one of the only matters that he and Kei stolidly differ on - she believes her emotions give her strength). There are few things Rin actually fears. One is death; after his fatalistic nature led to a certain ordeal in his past, he has realised how much he wants to live, and now he will cling to life with surprising fervency. Another is blood; though he doesn't admit to it, he is very afraid that if he takes the path of violence, O-chan will begin to grow in strength, and eventually he will no longer be strong enough to keep it contained. Blood is more a symbol of this than anything else. He is also completely terrified of Iori Yagami (though he thankfully has no reaction to Kei's merchandise collection). However, the real point here is his own weakness; although he would never, /never/ admit it (not even to Kei), after allowing O-chan to share his life instead of choosing to die, Rin is petrified that he will make a similar mistake at some stage in the future. All in all, Rin moves placidly through a busy world, usually seeming to be set to a different pace than those around him. He pursues understanding in place of more typical goals like wealth or status, and places a far higher value on mental and spiritual strength than physical. {INTERACTIONS:} Although Rin's introversion generally steers him away from interacting much with others, there are of course plenty of times when not getting involved isn't an option. His calm intelligence and peaceful mode of operation leave little about him that one would find offensive; however, those who remain in his company for any kind of extended period often start to notice the little abnormalities about the boy, and may become unnerved. In short, although he is in no way hostile, people often find Rin just a little creepy. He has a hard time making friends, on the rare occasion that he tries - mostly because of his distaste for emotional expression. However, in the one example of friendship that is available, Rin is reliable and trustworthy, ready to support even in situations where he may not understand or agree. Though he has his own morals, beliefs and opinions, he usually keeps them private, not trying to force others to follow his own code. {REACTIONS TO HOSTILITY:} Rin tries to avoid confrontation where possible, mostly because he doesn't want O-chan getting more powerful (backstory). If a conflict must occur, he usually relies on Kei to come to his aid, taking the fight out of his hands. If she isn't available, his reaction comes down to threat; in a situation where suffering briefly will solve things, such as schoolyard bullying, he will remain pacifistic and take a beating, even when he can fight back. In a dangerous situation where lives and worse may be at stake, however, he will most likely fight. If this is the case, he's very careful about judging his opponents; he is very aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, and will almost never enter a battle he believes he can't win. {ROMANCE:} Rin is virtually oblivious to romance. He is yet to find himself romantically attracted to anyone or anything, and, although he is aware of the relationships people form, he takes no interest in such bonds himself. If someone were to make a pass at Rin, he'd probably either not notice, or simply not react. {RELATIONSHIPS:} Kei. Not unlike his older twin's attachment to him, Rin loves and cares for his sister beyond words; the main difference is simply that he almost never says or does anything to indicate that he has this particular attachment. He is possibly somewhat angry at himself for feeling something so deeply, giving in to the emotions he dislikes; however, if he is ever truly in danger of losing Kei, Rin goes all but berserk in order to save her. {DAILY LIFE:} Emphasising how he is somewhat separated from the world around him, Rin's daily life would normally focus around things like meditation, training himself, and mental exercises like crossword puzzles. Like Kei, he currently has very little to keep him in any kind of routine, though his dedication to his training gives him more of a scheduled life than her. If he gets the chance, Rin would very much like to enrol in school or college. {QUOTES:} "I understand what. I want to know why." "..." "I will do what I must." (Gosh, Rin's quotes are boring...well, it was hard! He doesn't talk much ^^;) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [WEAPONS & POWERS:] {WEAPONRY:} The closest thing Rin has to a weapon would be O-chan (backstory). O-chan can, if Rin ever gets desperate enough to call on its help, act as a sort of power booster, amplifying Rin's natural powers. However, since it will also grow stronger itself in the process, he avoids letting it into combat where at all possible, even if it means getting the snot kicked out of him. Theoretically - due to what it actually /is/ - O-chan may be able to incite the Riot of Blood in Rin. However, this has certainly never happened, so it remains an unknown possibility. Also possibly worth note is the fact that, where participants are willing, Rin can draw on other life forms to serve much the same purpose - however, unless one of these life forms had incredible spiritual power, it would take hundreds or maybe thousands to reach the level of power O-chan would grant him. Plus, Rin is reluctant to draw upon others in the first place; once he has decided to fight, he relies only on himself and Kei (to the best of his ability, at any rate). {POWERS/SKILLS:} Having a strong bond with both the world around him, and the world beyond, Rin is skilled at controlling what appear to be supernatural energies. Although many of the effects he can produce are spell-like, he claims that they are not magical; rather that he has a somewhat unique gift that enables him to reach out and harness a sort of universal energy that is woven into every part of life and the world. Best likened to either ki energy or the Force, I suppose. Rin doesn't give it a name. Whatever this energy truly is, Rin's abilities are not to be shrugged at. He can channel very large amounts of power into his attacks - theoretically, the amount is only limited by how much energy is available and how much his body can support. However, the more powerful Rin tries to make an attack, the longer he must take to prepare (hence the function of his "tandem" fighting style with Kei). Also, although his body is well-trained and he has the sort of mind-over-matter ability you might find in a monk or martial artist, it is naturally frail. Even with his incredible strength of will behind it, Rin's body can only support so much power before it caves. Thus, his preferred technique values finesse more than raw power. He will stall for time and try to determine an enemy's weak point rather than just blasting them; he will try to work out how to get past his opponent's armour instead of through it. He's the kind of person who builds up to one big, carefully-planned attack, rather than a slow sort of chip-away effect, and functions infinitely better with Kei to support him. On a /purely/ physical level, the only real advantage Rin has is flexibility; his is about on par with a very good gymnast. He reacts and moves fairly quickly, but he isn't outside the bracket of normality. On the social front, Rin's skills revolve mostly around intellectual pursuits - he's a quick reader and a /very/ quick learner - though he has picked up some more practical skills over the most recent years. Aside of an array of mundane skills like housework (shrine sweeping, anyone?), he is a quite passable cook (if elaborate in what he undertakes), sews well, is extremely good with word games, and plays several musical instruments (debatably badly - he can play a musical score perfectly as it is written, but his music completely lacks feeling). {WEAKNESSES:} Little that isn't mentioned somewhere above. His main source of power-uppage is all but forbidden to him, he creeps people out, his physical frailty limits his attacks, his pacifistic nature usually keeps him out of fights (or behind Kei), and he's extremely phobic of failure, death and Iori Yagami (and mildly so of blood). Animals, and certain perceptive people, react badly to him, leading to suspicion. And anything I've missed has probably already been mentioned. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [BACKGROUND:] This isn't /entirely/ the same as Kei's, honest...they just overlap a lot ^^;;; This will probably gel better if you read hers first, FWIW. Rin Kakuhan was born twenty-three years ago in Germany. His birth had been planned from the beginning, a plot by a group known as the Heidern Organisation to destroy the last traces of the ancient demon, the Orochi (yes, he's from the King of Fighters world). Having carefully watched the King of Fighters tournaments over the years, Heidern had decided that the best way to achieve this goal was to start from scratch, taking a child from birth and raising him with carefully structured training to eventually enter one of the tournaments and challenge the demon. A child of the Kusanagi family's blood was clearly the best choice for their plan. So Heidern sent one of their operatives - the woman known as Whip - to gain the trust of Kyo Kusanagi, fall pregnant with his child, and then return to Germany to give the child over to be raised as a soldier. Officially, Whip succeeded in her mission; she returned one year later, bearing not just one child, but twins. However, in the same year, she handed in her resignation, unable to face Heidern when he eventually realised that neither of the growing twins could manifest Kyo's powers - for the simple reason that they weren't his children. While Whip had originally had every intention to fulfil her mission, during the time she had spent around Kyo, she had fallen in love. Not with him, but instead with a certain eternal fanboy who was also following him around. The twins were in fact the children of Shingo Yabuki. Anger flew when the absence of Kusanagi blood became obvious, but the plan was not abandoned; rather it was altered, to make use of both children, and to compensate for the lack of supernatural powers. While the female, Kei - who was lively and brash - would be raised and trained by Heidern's organisation, the boy, Rin - who was far quieter and more physically delicate - would be sent to Japan, to acquire a spiritual power that might be able to stand up to the Orochi. The idea was that the twins, once fully trained, would function as a team - Rin performing powerful and complicated attacks, while Kei acted as defence, to cover her brother's physical frailty and guard him while he prepared. In this manner, the twins were to face Iori Yagami, defeating him and having Rin draw the Orochi taint into himself to destroy it. Two factors made this extremely dangerous; first, in order to capture the Orochi completely, Iori's taint must be fully awakened - he must be taken by the Riot of Blood, making him far more lethal to his enemies. Secondly - and although Rin was aware of it, Kei was never told - in drawing the Orochi into himself, Rin would most probably have to destroy himself as well. Rin was a dedicated and diligent student, extremely committed to his training. It's hard to say just why he was so willing to sacrifice himself from the beginning; possibly because he was raised believing that it was his mission, he hadn't even considered another possibility. For whatever reason, however, accepted the role that was given to him, and excelled at his training. He remained a quiet and reserved child, thinking carefully before speaking, and keeping his emotions under tight control. He was getting toward the end of his training when word reached Heidern that Iori might be going to reproduce. Although it was five years ahead of time for the twins to fight, it was decided that the chance of unfinished training was nothing next to the risk of another Yagami being born, so the twins were sent out. As Rin meditated before the battle, a woman came to him, saying that she was his mother. The woman - who was indeed Whip - seemed to know of his intended sacrifice, and begged him not to follow through. He turned her away, however, saying that he knew his mission and was determined to complete it. Realising that both her children were as stubborn as each other, Whip left, asking only that Rin care for his sister as she did for him. The battle. The twins carried out their roles well, and finally managed to goad an infuriated Iori into giving himself over to the riot. However, as Rin began his final attack and dragged Iori's Orochi taint into himself, Kei suddenly faltered, hesitating. Rin, fully focused on his final attack, didn't even see the enraged Iori charging toward him until the man's hands were tearing through Rin's flesh like claws. The boy lost consciousness quickly, the sight of Iori Yagami's bloodied face fading into the darkness Rin knew was death... Then there was a purple haze, a presence whispering in his mind of powers he had only imagined - and more importantly, life. At first, he fought it with all his fading strength, sure that he was fully prepared to die - but as that death loomed ever nearer, he suddenly realised that he wasn't. He was afraid to die; he had been all along, he had just never realised how much he wanted to live... He woke in Kei's arms, after hours that felt like years, and he understood what had happened as he felt the second presence in his mind. Interrupted in the middle of his ritual, Rin had been forced to stop before the Orochi was completely destroyed. The last shred of the demon, suddenly finding itself attached Rin instead of Iori, had clung to him; their lives now tied together, the Orochi had sustained the boy beyond death, thus ensuring its own survival.Rin has spent the last eight years, as he and Kei wandered, in something of a daze. Although he followed his sister willingly, he now had no clear purpose in life - a prospect that scared him, having grown up with his mission always forefront in his mind. Losing most of the confidence he gained during his training, and beset by guilt over his failure, he became even more withdrawn, speaking only to Kei and seeming at times to only barely be alive. Always, the presence of the Orochi hovered near his mind, but he continued to shut it out - denied a physical host and powerless as it was, the demon was forced to take its own form. As Kei dubbed it, "O-chan" now appears as a ghostly floating light that orbits Rin's head, ever trying to convince him to give himself up. [ANIME INFLUENCES:] Mainly, Marron Glaces of Bakuretsu Hunter - they share the same demeanour, style of fighting (minus the ofuda, in Rin's case), and attachment to an older sibling. His voice is much like that of Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin), and his manner makes me think of Ruri, from Nadesico. I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but that's it for now.