Takahara Ibuki (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
friendship101) wrote2013-03-24 11:38 am
friendship101) wrote2013-03-24 11:38 am
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[Profile Information]
[Character name] Ibuki Takahara
[Age] 16
[Canon] Samurai Drive
[Point in time taken from canon] End of Chapter 17
[Background]
Ibuki was born in Shiga prefecture to a poorer family who still happened to hold sword-carrying rights. In this Japan, the sword carrying privileges for samurai was never revoked and has continued into the modern day, however, most of these sword carrying folk then logically descended from prestigious families. Ibuki’s, far in the past was the same, but some ancestor of his, out of some failed act of kindness, fell from grace. They still however were still a samurai family regardless, so the sword-carrying privileges carried. However, his family was anything but prestigious by his time. But he wanted so badly to become a swordsman even as a child only to be told it was impossible because of his social standing. That was, until he saw Seishirou Shindou, a famous and charismatic young swordsman, on the television one day who gave him the words of hope and determination he so needed. That man had said with conviction that all that mattered was not your class or station in life when you’re holding a sword, all that mattered was your heart and convictions. Those words saved Ibuki in his youth and made him strive for his dream, regardless of circumstance. Or so he’d told others to start. The truth was, Ibuki had come across Seishirou at a very stark turning point in his life and it was then that the man’s message to protect via a sword was driven home.
In middle school, Ibuki was infamous in his hometown as a delinquent and gang leader, using his sword to steal and mug others for cash to help support his family. However, one day he ran into a little more trouble than he could handle, at least in the eyes of a bystander who’d been watching him, and she stepped in, helping him escape before a fight of one-against-many could break out. This was Toba Erina, a girl Ibuki’s age with long flowing light blonde hair and a bright outlook he simply couldn’t understand. She claimed she’d rescued him with her running and the two started up a very strange friendship. Mostly consisting at first of her getting in his way and breaking up his fights all the time and him growing used to (and then looking forward to) seeing her all the time. She did this because she saw the path he was going down was a bad one and despite both being from poor families and youths who spent too much time on the streets, she believed in the words of one Shindo Seishirou and was trying to live her life differently despite circumstance. Ibuki had a tough time understanding this bright and optimistic outlook at this time in his life, only ever feeling like the darkness would forever keep him downtrodden and he’d have to fight and claw his way through life no matter what, so violence and strength was the only way to survive.
The two grew so close, that it didn’t take terribly long for Ibuki to develop a rather obvious crush on the girl, of which she was completely oblivious and not interested. But they remained friends, him just having to take in stride that she would not see him like that, that was until the day they were cornered by some of those that Ibuki had wronged before. Past victims or rival gangs. The pair were cornered and outnumbered and while Ibuki was realizing there was no way he could take that many on, someone swung a weapon at his legs with all they had, only to hit Erina instead, who threw herself between the attacker and Ibuki at the last minute. They then tried to beat the both of them, but Ibuki eventually got his hands on a sword and driven by pure rage, he would have likely fought to the death or until he had killed the others had he not been stopped by Seishirou himself, who had been in town for a lecture he’d given. He took out the men non-lethally and then admonished Ibuki for what he may have done. Told him he should never kill, a sword is meant to protect. Ibuki shot back that he was on the bottom rungs, how could Seishirou know what it was like to be there. What he got in response was not an excuse or some claim that he understood, simply that he had to look only at the consequence of his actions, pointing out Erina’s condition, legs bloodied and unconscious. He then gathered the girl up and took her to get help. It turned out Erina lost the use of her “running legs” entirely and Ibuki was unable to face her again. Speaking to Seishirou after the incident he wanted to know how he could possibly make it up to her and Seishirou told Ibuki that he couldn’t look at it so lightly, this was his burden from here on, which gave Ibuki the drive to dry his tears and take the man’s words about wielding a sword that protects seriously. It was after that incident and those meetings that Ibuki not only bleached his hair blonde (like Erina’s to mimic a “noble lion”) but also moved to Tokyo to seek his future, the one to protect the way of the sword Seishirou had taught him.
Thus, even when the majority of Japan turned their back on Seishirou at the time of his death, claiming that he had killed innocent people by his sword before being murdered himself in the same fashion, Ibuki did not. He still believed in that world that had so inspired him. It is for that reason that he went to Tokyo to attend the same swordsmanship school that Seishirou once did, Shiseikan. Ibuki made it there part of the way through the 1st year of the high school’s term, coming in as a transfer student and moving into the school dorms. He also held down a part time job in addition to school, in order to help pay for the expenses of not only not living at home, but also pay for the heavily-implied expensive and elite school, only wanting to support himself and not burden his family.
Shortly after starting at Shiseikan, Ibuki was walking his bike along the streets of Tokyo one night and came across a schoolmate (only identified by the uniform of the school) involved in a fight with some other swordsman. What caught Ibuki’s attention though contrast of the sword skill and grim expression and the soft wistful voice, that drifted to his ears as the other passed him by after the fight broke up.
The next day in class, Ibuki spotted the other again and yet again found himself drawn to the mysterious student whose expression was so distant and peaceful and so unlike that which he saw the previous night. Even he admitted he was “unable to look away.” It isn’t until later in the day that he further realized that the other student was not only in his class, but sat next to him! He had never noticed because of how very quiet Kokonoe Haruma, the mysterious student, was and the fact that he slept quite often between lessons and never engaged the other students. Or rather, they didn’t engage him, as immediately after showing any interest in talking to the other, his fellow classmates tried to warn Ibuki off from the strange, distant, and absurdly strong Kokonoe. Ibuki pretty much immediately disregarded their warnings though, stating clearly that he wanted to judge for himself. His chance to talk came soon too, when having to share a textbook, the pair both quoted Seishirou to one another, to each other’s complete surprise. The events of the day only make Ibuki even more curious, seeing Kokonoe’s skills and strength himself when everyone in class fights him at once as a warm up, to then offering him gum to wake the chronically-sleep-deprived teen and help him pay attention only to have the other run off mysteriously when it works. Which led of course to Ibuki trying to follow after him. While trying to catch up, Ibuki bumped into another taitousha (sword-carrier) who decided to pick a fight with him. But Kokonoe came to interrupt before Ibuki could even draw his own blade against the attackers. While he’s fighting though, a third man grabbed Ibuki and took him hostage at sword point, however he made the mistake of telling Kokonoe that he didn’t see what was wrong with using his sword for his own selfish gain (as opposed to honor and duty and faith). Such callous words threw Kokonoe into a deadly fury, slipping into Shiroyasha mode before Ibuki’s eyes. Seeing that Kokonoe would indeed kill the other man if he wasn’t stopped, Ibuki sprung into action and crossed his own blade with his classmate’s. After all, if they both believed Seishirou’s words from earlier, his sword wasn’t meant to be used in that way! After, when asked about why he would go that far, Ibuki was confused and surprised to hear it was for protection and revenge both.
The next day, there was a misunderstanding when Kokonoe was easily singled out as the culprit in a classroom theft because it was easy to blame the outcast loner. Ibuki interferes and chastises all involved, but since they had already drawn their swords and picked a fight, he understood at least that much, that they had to follow through for pride. So he forced practice swords on the whole lot and then took on the class at Kokonoe’s side without even knowing what the theft was all about. The pair though had fought surprisingly well with one another, moving in sync much to the surprise of their classmates, Ibuki keeping up with the strongest first year in the entire school. After all though it turned out the missing gum in the end was Kokonoe’s fault, however unintentional and both boys apologized with Ibuki’s prompting to their classmates, not only for that, but he also got Kokonoe to apologize for his standoffish behaviour, opening up that first little bit to his classmates.
Soon after this, it became clearer to Ibuki just why Kokonoe has become this way, at least in part. It started when he started scoping out Seishirou’s dojo secretly, seeing the death threats and insults posted to the walls day after day. Concerned, he kept heading back there, seeing the girl left behind with the dojo, Seishirou’s younger sister. It had started out as just wanting to see that famous man’s home, but as the situation became apparent to him, he went there in worry. Unfortunately, he’d also been spotted by the same girl, Yukari. And she was kind of understandably worried and creeped out. It turned out that Kokonoe was Seishirou’s neighbor and helped look after Yukari after his death, so he caught this “stalker” finally, only to discover it was Ibuki all along. That was when Ibuki pushed his luck, just a bit further, to test a theory. He insulted Seishirou just enough to rile Kokonoe only to reveal his true feelings when he was sure that they both believed in that man and his world of the sword. And when Kokonoe’s maid, Kasuga, explained to him that both Yukari and Kokonoe were always alone in that position before, he made up his mind that he’d find out the truth about Seishirou, with Kokonoe. Which startled and confused the hell out Kokonoe, unused to having anyone to rely on but himself, but once his mind was made up, Ibuki was going to be stubborn about it. They were comrades from that day forward.
Just as that decision was made though, Kokonoe’s sword, passed down to him from Seishirou, was confiscated by his brother as Kokonoe’s family save for him were Haitou faction and for the abolishment of the sword-carrying rights entirely. As a result, Ibuki rather forcefully escorts Kokonoe to meet with Saitou Jin, whom Kasuga had directed him toward for answers. Saitou was the strongest of the 2nd years in the school at large, as well as another student of Seishirou’s. However, he didn’t take the man’s death like Kokonoe did and he kept silent as to his reasons why, while still trying to be friendly with Kokonoe. Which didn’t fly well with the younger boy. Ibuki learned a little of their past at the meeting, but Saitou in the end refused to help them because Kokonoe still planned to use his blade for revenge and Saitou told him to let it go, he has “more important things around him” now, referring to the friends Kokonoe was beginning to gather around him. Confused by this idea and how anything could be more important than Seishirou to him, Kokonoe was approached by a freshman in another class named Senshuu Sugatani, who lent to the idea that by making friends and letting his attention stray, he was weakening himself. As such, rather abruptly, Kokonoe tried to cut Ibuki and the others out, at first not very successfully, but after they discover that the sword had been stolen from his brother and was missing, Kokonoe firms up his resolve and shoves the others away. Even Ibuki, who point blank asked what he was to Kokonoe, hoping to hear that he was a comrade or friend, and only got an “I don’t know.” Which was enough to have Ibuki back off for the moment, unsure of how to move forward. It was not long later during the day when Ibuki received a phone call and then suddenly headed off alone to take care of a matter, telling Kokonoe that he too would “do whatever he wanted.” In reality, Ibuki had been told the caller had the missing sword and to come get it alone. So he went to do so, entirely for Kokonoe. The terms of the agreement were never disclosed, but from context, I imagine they had to do with being told to stay out of Kokonoe’s way. Not that he ever intended on that from the start as he only planned to prove to Kokonoe that he would do what it takes to help him no matter what. However, Sugatani instead beat Ibuki badly and then called Kokonoe up with the unconscious teen’s phone to show off the fact that he had the missing sword and to say they had business to discuss. The sword alone would have been enough to move Kokonoe to action, but what surprised him later was realizing that just as much it was seeing Ibuki unconscious in the background. He even went so far as to ask for help from Saitou, but when he wasn’t able to explain the situation well (because he never does such things) he gave up and he and several friends from class (who still would not let him go alone), headed to meet Sugatani and face him. Sugatani had orchestrated it so Kokonoe would have to fight all of the students waiting to get back at him for losses at once and in theory alone and unarmed. But he had Maki and Ren with him and the three fought for their entire class, beaten down by Sugatani, and for Ibuki and Seishirou’s sword. In the end, Sugatani tried to force Kokonoe to choose, after Ibuki woke up and said he would never leave him alone because he was his friend and was knocked down yet again for it. Kokonoe, though conflicted, finally realized that the other was important to him and answered that he would not choose and he would never let anything be stolen from him again, he would take back both. Kokonoe ended up beating Sugatani with a sword lent to him by Saitou after all. Ibuki demanded again to know after they all left the scene what he was to Kokonoe, if he was a friend and this time Kokonoe nodded in agreement.
After things settled from that incident, the next task set before Ibuki and classmates was the upcoming Cultural Festival, in which he’d been nominated to be their representative for a particular contest, of a drag nature. (While Kokonoe had been asked to participate by doing the famous sword dance competition for their class.) But mid preparations for the festival and it was threatened to be cancelled. The students all tried to rally together though to save it and in the end, they were able to declare their resolve to uphold the festival and the school despite the growing concerns about the sword-carrying privilege in Japan at large. (This did include a side trip to Kokonoe’s house as a group where Kasuga dressed Ibuki up as a girl and he threw the rest of the group under the bus and told her to dress them up too, to be fair. But he really doesn’t want to dwell on that or the fact that he didn’t look bad as a woman... They aren’t important plot points at all!)
Unfortunately the school festival preparations would be interrupted by the investigation into the truth about Seishirou as Kokonoe was given a huge lead regarding the man who was imprisoned and facing death for the crimes Seishirou was also accused of, Nobuchika Odani. He went to go speak to him with the man’s brother, Yoshichika, to try and learn the truth, but Odani would say nothing other than what he had all along, that he killed and Seishirou was as Kokonoe believed, a good man and honorable. Ibuki wasn’t present for this meeting at the jail with Odani, but was drawn there by Sugatani afterward as Yoshichika and Kokonoe came to blows outside of the jail. Ibuki attempted to break up this fight on his own, but it wasn't until Saitou showed up himself that the fight came to a halt. Seeing that all involved would not stop digging for the truth, Saitou finally revealed his own secret, that Odani and Seishirou both had indeed killed before the man's death. He explained it was to stop extremists from committing atrocious crimes via the sword and hiding behind Seishirou's good image, but it didn't change the fact that he had indeed killed. This didn’t shake Kokonoe’s resolve when he heard the reasonings because Seishirou was still the man he was to him regardless. But for Ibuki, this was a revelation that shattered his beliefs. He disappeared from the scene and Kokonoe was unable to find him to go after him.
It turned out Ibuki had returned to his hometown. Kokonoe tracked down the information (with some prodding by classmates wanting Ibuki back for the festial and with guiding by Sugatani) and went to retrieve Ibuki himself there in the countryside. When he arrived, he heard all the rumors about the feared and infamous Takahara Ibuki having returned. Further confused, he ran across Ibuki’s old gang who confronted him when they recognized the school uniform. Kokonoe beat them handily and demanded to know where Ibuki was. The gang’s new leader pointed out “didn’t he have a cell phone?” which... Kokonoe never thought of. Eventually he met up with Ibuki and they had an argument over their new clashing beliefs because Ibuki could no longer believe in Seishirou knowing that the man who had told him no matter what, not to kill, had in fact murdered others. So he was certain that he and Kokonoe would have to part ways, he could no longer be his comrade in the search for truth and vengeance. But Kokonoe didn’t want his comrade back, he wanted his friend and eventually got that through to Ibuki, much to the others chagrin and embarrassment since it was said in a rather awkward and easily misunderstood manner. Ibuki agreed to return with Kokonoe and while trying to leave got caught up to by some of Ibuki’s old victims, looking to settle the score. Just as a fight was to break out, Ibuki’s old gang arrived on the scene and held them off, telling him to go and never come back because he didn’t belong there anymore, he had a different place he belonged. Lending him a scooter as the last train had already left for Tokyo, the old gang engaged the others in the fight while Kokonoe and Ibuki got away and raced for Tokyo to try and arrive in time for the festival the next day, finally at an understanding about their friendship.
[Personality]
Ibuki’s a fairly average kind of teenage boy, though perhaps more grounded than some of his peers at a school full of elite kids, coming from such a harsh background. He’s also got a level of determination and persistence that a lot of people may not find in a teen his age in modern day Japan. Ibuki balances his studies and training at school along with a part time job, and the sudden full time job of helping Kokonoe figure out this friend thing and their goal together to discover the truth about what happened to Seishirou (that is until he find out the truth and he has now sworn off that duty, it has yet to be shown if he’ll keep to that word). His persistence, even he says, is something to be feared, which he only proved with his efforts thus far with the socially awkward Kokonoe, sticking by his goals to call him friend and no longer leave him alone again. Even when Kokonoe fought back against such efforts, thinking he was dishonoring Seishirou somehow by letting his attentions waver from solely tracking down his killer, Ibuki was only more determined to prove his resolve in actions if words weren't going to be enough to get through to the other. Even if it meant acting on his own for a time to do so.
Which is another thing Ibuki balances rather well. He clearly values friendship and is easy going and approachable and does a fine job of gathering people around himself and Kokonoe with almost no effort at all, and yet he’s rather independent when he needs to be. He moved to Tokyo on his own, away from home and is working to pay his tuition. He also had no problem continuing to believe in Seishirou despite all the rumors and widespread distrust that sprung up around the man’s death. He was of course excited and happy to find a similarly minded person in Kokonoe, but up until then, it sounds much like he thought he had been alone in his belief.
Going along that same vein, while Ibuki has his own pride and ideas about things and he sticks to those principles, he’s not so overly proud as to not admit when he’s wrong or apologize for wrongs or misunderstandings. He also isn’t the type to see the sense in fighting just for pride, not when a sword is meant for so much more than that. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have a temper that can be riled to foolishness himself though. If you push the right buttons, he’ll fight back fiercely enough. Sometimes even to the point of recklessness, though he has not yet shown to ever lose himself to the degree that Kokonoe can with ease when going into “Shiroyasha” mode which really only requires insulting Seishirou to his face. In fact, Ibuki is usually the one snapping the other out of such a state despite the danger to himself in doing so. This side of him, able to balance himself and others is something that developed after he met Seishirou, as in his youth he was particularly reckless and could be pushed to snapping (though has only ever gotten close to killing others the one time).
That impulsiveness is another facet of Ibuki’s character, as while he really wants to be that cool and composed kind of guy? He’s actually the farthest thing from it. He’s “naturally emotional and passionate” and doesn’t seem to have a problem showing his feelings outwardly, from frustration to gratitude to genuine concern to embarrassment. (Even if he swings through all four in quick succession, which isn’t all that improbable!) Despite his passionate nature, he doesn’t seem to truly hold grudges though, even if offended or wronged in some way. Maybe not to the point of forgive and forget, but at the very least to the point of let it go and play civil-like even with people he really has no reason to trust.
In addition to being generally friendly and caring, in part due to the fact that back home he has twin younger siblings to dote all over, Ibuki specifically goes out of his way to reach out to people. This is seen most obviously with his persistent friendship with Kokonoe but also there are hints of it in the way he was lurking around the dojo in concern, hoping to help or look out for Yukari as well as in the way he tried to rally people together regarding the school festival and preserving it. Even though he partially left home feeling like he couldn’t support his family, he can’t quell that instinct to take care of others anyhow.
He also has no problem taking initiative both to get things done, seek help, or just to hang out with people. Straightforward and honest seem to be the name of his game and he doesn’t really like it when others play dirty or secretly with ulterior motives. One could say this may get him played somewhere down the line, but I think he’d rather be considered gullible than be sneaky.
[Abilities]
Ibuki is an ordinary high-school aged samurai. He’s got better than average skills, able to cross swords with Kokonoe and keep up with him when fighting together, but in the end he is human and has human limits and as a student is of course still improving his sword skills.
He’s also of fairly average intelligence, he seems to do alright in school, but has need to study to keep up and it probably helps that he really enjoys the subjects at Shiseikan (as opposed to those to be found at a more generalized high school).
He does seem to be able to piece together Kokonoe’s rather broken sentences eerily well though, having gotten used to somehow filling in those blanks left silent and now acts as a kind of “translator” for the rest of their friends and class for Kokonoe. However this skill only pertains directly to his friend as another character later shows up who speaks very similarly and he had no idea what she was going on about!
[Age] 16
[Canon] Samurai Drive
[Point in time taken from canon] End of Chapter 17
[Background]
Ibuki was born in Shiga prefecture to a poorer family who still happened to hold sword-carrying rights. In this Japan, the sword carrying privileges for samurai was never revoked and has continued into the modern day, however, most of these sword carrying folk then logically descended from prestigious families. Ibuki’s, far in the past was the same, but some ancestor of his, out of some failed act of kindness, fell from grace. They still however were still a samurai family regardless, so the sword-carrying privileges carried. However, his family was anything but prestigious by his time. But he wanted so badly to become a swordsman even as a child only to be told it was impossible because of his social standing. That was, until he saw Seishirou Shindou, a famous and charismatic young swordsman, on the television one day who gave him the words of hope and determination he so needed. That man had said with conviction that all that mattered was not your class or station in life when you’re holding a sword, all that mattered was your heart and convictions. Those words saved Ibuki in his youth and made him strive for his dream, regardless of circumstance. Or so he’d told others to start. The truth was, Ibuki had come across Seishirou at a very stark turning point in his life and it was then that the man’s message to protect via a sword was driven home.
In middle school, Ibuki was infamous in his hometown as a delinquent and gang leader, using his sword to steal and mug others for cash to help support his family. However, one day he ran into a little more trouble than he could handle, at least in the eyes of a bystander who’d been watching him, and she stepped in, helping him escape before a fight of one-against-many could break out. This was Toba Erina, a girl Ibuki’s age with long flowing light blonde hair and a bright outlook he simply couldn’t understand. She claimed she’d rescued him with her running and the two started up a very strange friendship. Mostly consisting at first of her getting in his way and breaking up his fights all the time and him growing used to (and then looking forward to) seeing her all the time. She did this because she saw the path he was going down was a bad one and despite both being from poor families and youths who spent too much time on the streets, she believed in the words of one Shindo Seishirou and was trying to live her life differently despite circumstance. Ibuki had a tough time understanding this bright and optimistic outlook at this time in his life, only ever feeling like the darkness would forever keep him downtrodden and he’d have to fight and claw his way through life no matter what, so violence and strength was the only way to survive.
The two grew so close, that it didn’t take terribly long for Ibuki to develop a rather obvious crush on the girl, of which she was completely oblivious and not interested. But they remained friends, him just having to take in stride that she would not see him like that, that was until the day they were cornered by some of those that Ibuki had wronged before. Past victims or rival gangs. The pair were cornered and outnumbered and while Ibuki was realizing there was no way he could take that many on, someone swung a weapon at his legs with all they had, only to hit Erina instead, who threw herself between the attacker and Ibuki at the last minute. They then tried to beat the both of them, but Ibuki eventually got his hands on a sword and driven by pure rage, he would have likely fought to the death or until he had killed the others had he not been stopped by Seishirou himself, who had been in town for a lecture he’d given. He took out the men non-lethally and then admonished Ibuki for what he may have done. Told him he should never kill, a sword is meant to protect. Ibuki shot back that he was on the bottom rungs, how could Seishirou know what it was like to be there. What he got in response was not an excuse or some claim that he understood, simply that he had to look only at the consequence of his actions, pointing out Erina’s condition, legs bloodied and unconscious. He then gathered the girl up and took her to get help. It turned out Erina lost the use of her “running legs” entirely and Ibuki was unable to face her again. Speaking to Seishirou after the incident he wanted to know how he could possibly make it up to her and Seishirou told Ibuki that he couldn’t look at it so lightly, this was his burden from here on, which gave Ibuki the drive to dry his tears and take the man’s words about wielding a sword that protects seriously. It was after that incident and those meetings that Ibuki not only bleached his hair blonde (like Erina’s to mimic a “noble lion”) but also moved to Tokyo to seek his future, the one to protect the way of the sword Seishirou had taught him.
Thus, even when the majority of Japan turned their back on Seishirou at the time of his death, claiming that he had killed innocent people by his sword before being murdered himself in the same fashion, Ibuki did not. He still believed in that world that had so inspired him. It is for that reason that he went to Tokyo to attend the same swordsmanship school that Seishirou once did, Shiseikan. Ibuki made it there part of the way through the 1st year of the high school’s term, coming in as a transfer student and moving into the school dorms. He also held down a part time job in addition to school, in order to help pay for the expenses of not only not living at home, but also pay for the heavily-implied expensive and elite school, only wanting to support himself and not burden his family.
Shortly after starting at Shiseikan, Ibuki was walking his bike along the streets of Tokyo one night and came across a schoolmate (only identified by the uniform of the school) involved in a fight with some other swordsman. What caught Ibuki’s attention though contrast of the sword skill and grim expression and the soft wistful voice, that drifted to his ears as the other passed him by after the fight broke up.
The next day in class, Ibuki spotted the other again and yet again found himself drawn to the mysterious student whose expression was so distant and peaceful and so unlike that which he saw the previous night. Even he admitted he was “unable to look away.” It isn’t until later in the day that he further realized that the other student was not only in his class, but sat next to him! He had never noticed because of how very quiet Kokonoe Haruma, the mysterious student, was and the fact that he slept quite often between lessons and never engaged the other students. Or rather, they didn’t engage him, as immediately after showing any interest in talking to the other, his fellow classmates tried to warn Ibuki off from the strange, distant, and absurdly strong Kokonoe. Ibuki pretty much immediately disregarded their warnings though, stating clearly that he wanted to judge for himself. His chance to talk came soon too, when having to share a textbook, the pair both quoted Seishirou to one another, to each other’s complete surprise. The events of the day only make Ibuki even more curious, seeing Kokonoe’s skills and strength himself when everyone in class fights him at once as a warm up, to then offering him gum to wake the chronically-sleep-deprived teen and help him pay attention only to have the other run off mysteriously when it works. Which led of course to Ibuki trying to follow after him. While trying to catch up, Ibuki bumped into another taitousha (sword-carrier) who decided to pick a fight with him. But Kokonoe came to interrupt before Ibuki could even draw his own blade against the attackers. While he’s fighting though, a third man grabbed Ibuki and took him hostage at sword point, however he made the mistake of telling Kokonoe that he didn’t see what was wrong with using his sword for his own selfish gain (as opposed to honor and duty and faith). Such callous words threw Kokonoe into a deadly fury, slipping into Shiroyasha mode before Ibuki’s eyes. Seeing that Kokonoe would indeed kill the other man if he wasn’t stopped, Ibuki sprung into action and crossed his own blade with his classmate’s. After all, if they both believed Seishirou’s words from earlier, his sword wasn’t meant to be used in that way! After, when asked about why he would go that far, Ibuki was confused and surprised to hear it was for protection and revenge both.
The next day, there was a misunderstanding when Kokonoe was easily singled out as the culprit in a classroom theft because it was easy to blame the outcast loner. Ibuki interferes and chastises all involved, but since they had already drawn their swords and picked a fight, he understood at least that much, that they had to follow through for pride. So he forced practice swords on the whole lot and then took on the class at Kokonoe’s side without even knowing what the theft was all about. The pair though had fought surprisingly well with one another, moving in sync much to the surprise of their classmates, Ibuki keeping up with the strongest first year in the entire school. After all though it turned out the missing gum in the end was Kokonoe’s fault, however unintentional and both boys apologized with Ibuki’s prompting to their classmates, not only for that, but he also got Kokonoe to apologize for his standoffish behaviour, opening up that first little bit to his classmates.
Soon after this, it became clearer to Ibuki just why Kokonoe has become this way, at least in part. It started when he started scoping out Seishirou’s dojo secretly, seeing the death threats and insults posted to the walls day after day. Concerned, he kept heading back there, seeing the girl left behind with the dojo, Seishirou’s younger sister. It had started out as just wanting to see that famous man’s home, but as the situation became apparent to him, he went there in worry. Unfortunately, he’d also been spotted by the same girl, Yukari. And she was kind of understandably worried and creeped out. It turned out that Kokonoe was Seishirou’s neighbor and helped look after Yukari after his death, so he caught this “stalker” finally, only to discover it was Ibuki all along. That was when Ibuki pushed his luck, just a bit further, to test a theory. He insulted Seishirou just enough to rile Kokonoe only to reveal his true feelings when he was sure that they both believed in that man and his world of the sword. And when Kokonoe’s maid, Kasuga, explained to him that both Yukari and Kokonoe were always alone in that position before, he made up his mind that he’d find out the truth about Seishirou, with Kokonoe. Which startled and confused the hell out Kokonoe, unused to having anyone to rely on but himself, but once his mind was made up, Ibuki was going to be stubborn about it. They were comrades from that day forward.
Just as that decision was made though, Kokonoe’s sword, passed down to him from Seishirou, was confiscated by his brother as Kokonoe’s family save for him were Haitou faction and for the abolishment of the sword-carrying rights entirely. As a result, Ibuki rather forcefully escorts Kokonoe to meet with Saitou Jin, whom Kasuga had directed him toward for answers. Saitou was the strongest of the 2nd years in the school at large, as well as another student of Seishirou’s. However, he didn’t take the man’s death like Kokonoe did and he kept silent as to his reasons why, while still trying to be friendly with Kokonoe. Which didn’t fly well with the younger boy. Ibuki learned a little of their past at the meeting, but Saitou in the end refused to help them because Kokonoe still planned to use his blade for revenge and Saitou told him to let it go, he has “more important things around him” now, referring to the friends Kokonoe was beginning to gather around him. Confused by this idea and how anything could be more important than Seishirou to him, Kokonoe was approached by a freshman in another class named Senshuu Sugatani, who lent to the idea that by making friends and letting his attention stray, he was weakening himself. As such, rather abruptly, Kokonoe tried to cut Ibuki and the others out, at first not very successfully, but after they discover that the sword had been stolen from his brother and was missing, Kokonoe firms up his resolve and shoves the others away. Even Ibuki, who point blank asked what he was to Kokonoe, hoping to hear that he was a comrade or friend, and only got an “I don’t know.” Which was enough to have Ibuki back off for the moment, unsure of how to move forward. It was not long later during the day when Ibuki received a phone call and then suddenly headed off alone to take care of a matter, telling Kokonoe that he too would “do whatever he wanted.” In reality, Ibuki had been told the caller had the missing sword and to come get it alone. So he went to do so, entirely for Kokonoe. The terms of the agreement were never disclosed, but from context, I imagine they had to do with being told to stay out of Kokonoe’s way. Not that he ever intended on that from the start as he only planned to prove to Kokonoe that he would do what it takes to help him no matter what. However, Sugatani instead beat Ibuki badly and then called Kokonoe up with the unconscious teen’s phone to show off the fact that he had the missing sword and to say they had business to discuss. The sword alone would have been enough to move Kokonoe to action, but what surprised him later was realizing that just as much it was seeing Ibuki unconscious in the background. He even went so far as to ask for help from Saitou, but when he wasn’t able to explain the situation well (because he never does such things) he gave up and he and several friends from class (who still would not let him go alone), headed to meet Sugatani and face him. Sugatani had orchestrated it so Kokonoe would have to fight all of the students waiting to get back at him for losses at once and in theory alone and unarmed. But he had Maki and Ren with him and the three fought for their entire class, beaten down by Sugatani, and for Ibuki and Seishirou’s sword. In the end, Sugatani tried to force Kokonoe to choose, after Ibuki woke up and said he would never leave him alone because he was his friend and was knocked down yet again for it. Kokonoe, though conflicted, finally realized that the other was important to him and answered that he would not choose and he would never let anything be stolen from him again, he would take back both. Kokonoe ended up beating Sugatani with a sword lent to him by Saitou after all. Ibuki demanded again to know after they all left the scene what he was to Kokonoe, if he was a friend and this time Kokonoe nodded in agreement.
After things settled from that incident, the next task set before Ibuki and classmates was the upcoming Cultural Festival, in which he’d been nominated to be their representative for a particular contest, of a drag nature. (While Kokonoe had been asked to participate by doing the famous sword dance competition for their class.) But mid preparations for the festival and it was threatened to be cancelled. The students all tried to rally together though to save it and in the end, they were able to declare their resolve to uphold the festival and the school despite the growing concerns about the sword-carrying privilege in Japan at large. (This did include a side trip to Kokonoe’s house as a group where Kasuga dressed Ibuki up as a girl and he threw the rest of the group under the bus and told her to dress them up too, to be fair. But he really doesn’t want to dwell on that or the fact that he didn’t look bad as a woman... They aren’t important plot points at all!)
Unfortunately the school festival preparations would be interrupted by the investigation into the truth about Seishirou as Kokonoe was given a huge lead regarding the man who was imprisoned and facing death for the crimes Seishirou was also accused of, Nobuchika Odani. He went to go speak to him with the man’s brother, Yoshichika, to try and learn the truth, but Odani would say nothing other than what he had all along, that he killed and Seishirou was as Kokonoe believed, a good man and honorable. Ibuki wasn’t present for this meeting at the jail with Odani, but was drawn there by Sugatani afterward as Yoshichika and Kokonoe came to blows outside of the jail. Ibuki attempted to break up this fight on his own, but it wasn't until Saitou showed up himself that the fight came to a halt. Seeing that all involved would not stop digging for the truth, Saitou finally revealed his own secret, that Odani and Seishirou both had indeed killed before the man's death. He explained it was to stop extremists from committing atrocious crimes via the sword and hiding behind Seishirou's good image, but it didn't change the fact that he had indeed killed. This didn’t shake Kokonoe’s resolve when he heard the reasonings because Seishirou was still the man he was to him regardless. But for Ibuki, this was a revelation that shattered his beliefs. He disappeared from the scene and Kokonoe was unable to find him to go after him.
It turned out Ibuki had returned to his hometown. Kokonoe tracked down the information (with some prodding by classmates wanting Ibuki back for the festial and with guiding by Sugatani) and went to retrieve Ibuki himself there in the countryside. When he arrived, he heard all the rumors about the feared and infamous Takahara Ibuki having returned. Further confused, he ran across Ibuki’s old gang who confronted him when they recognized the school uniform. Kokonoe beat them handily and demanded to know where Ibuki was. The gang’s new leader pointed out “didn’t he have a cell phone?” which... Kokonoe never thought of. Eventually he met up with Ibuki and they had an argument over their new clashing beliefs because Ibuki could no longer believe in Seishirou knowing that the man who had told him no matter what, not to kill, had in fact murdered others. So he was certain that he and Kokonoe would have to part ways, he could no longer be his comrade in the search for truth and vengeance. But Kokonoe didn’t want his comrade back, he wanted his friend and eventually got that through to Ibuki, much to the others chagrin and embarrassment since it was said in a rather awkward and easily misunderstood manner. Ibuki agreed to return with Kokonoe and while trying to leave got caught up to by some of Ibuki’s old victims, looking to settle the score. Just as a fight was to break out, Ibuki’s old gang arrived on the scene and held them off, telling him to go and never come back because he didn’t belong there anymore, he had a different place he belonged. Lending him a scooter as the last train had already left for Tokyo, the old gang engaged the others in the fight while Kokonoe and Ibuki got away and raced for Tokyo to try and arrive in time for the festival the next day, finally at an understanding about their friendship.
[Personality]
Ibuki’s a fairly average kind of teenage boy, though perhaps more grounded than some of his peers at a school full of elite kids, coming from such a harsh background. He’s also got a level of determination and persistence that a lot of people may not find in a teen his age in modern day Japan. Ibuki balances his studies and training at school along with a part time job, and the sudden full time job of helping Kokonoe figure out this friend thing and their goal together to discover the truth about what happened to Seishirou (that is until he find out the truth and he has now sworn off that duty, it has yet to be shown if he’ll keep to that word). His persistence, even he says, is something to be feared, which he only proved with his efforts thus far with the socially awkward Kokonoe, sticking by his goals to call him friend and no longer leave him alone again. Even when Kokonoe fought back against such efforts, thinking he was dishonoring Seishirou somehow by letting his attentions waver from solely tracking down his killer, Ibuki was only more determined to prove his resolve in actions if words weren't going to be enough to get through to the other. Even if it meant acting on his own for a time to do so.
Which is another thing Ibuki balances rather well. He clearly values friendship and is easy going and approachable and does a fine job of gathering people around himself and Kokonoe with almost no effort at all, and yet he’s rather independent when he needs to be. He moved to Tokyo on his own, away from home and is working to pay his tuition. He also had no problem continuing to believe in Seishirou despite all the rumors and widespread distrust that sprung up around the man’s death. He was of course excited and happy to find a similarly minded person in Kokonoe, but up until then, it sounds much like he thought he had been alone in his belief.
Going along that same vein, while Ibuki has his own pride and ideas about things and he sticks to those principles, he’s not so overly proud as to not admit when he’s wrong or apologize for wrongs or misunderstandings. He also isn’t the type to see the sense in fighting just for pride, not when a sword is meant for so much more than that. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have a temper that can be riled to foolishness himself though. If you push the right buttons, he’ll fight back fiercely enough. Sometimes even to the point of recklessness, though he has not yet shown to ever lose himself to the degree that Kokonoe can with ease when going into “Shiroyasha” mode which really only requires insulting Seishirou to his face. In fact, Ibuki is usually the one snapping the other out of such a state despite the danger to himself in doing so. This side of him, able to balance himself and others is something that developed after he met Seishirou, as in his youth he was particularly reckless and could be pushed to snapping (though has only ever gotten close to killing others the one time).
That impulsiveness is another facet of Ibuki’s character, as while he really wants to be that cool and composed kind of guy? He’s actually the farthest thing from it. He’s “naturally emotional and passionate” and doesn’t seem to have a problem showing his feelings outwardly, from frustration to gratitude to genuine concern to embarrassment. (Even if he swings through all four in quick succession, which isn’t all that improbable!) Despite his passionate nature, he doesn’t seem to truly hold grudges though, even if offended or wronged in some way. Maybe not to the point of forgive and forget, but at the very least to the point of let it go and play civil-like even with people he really has no reason to trust.
In addition to being generally friendly and caring, in part due to the fact that back home he has twin younger siblings to dote all over, Ibuki specifically goes out of his way to reach out to people. This is seen most obviously with his persistent friendship with Kokonoe but also there are hints of it in the way he was lurking around the dojo in concern, hoping to help or look out for Yukari as well as in the way he tried to rally people together regarding the school festival and preserving it. Even though he partially left home feeling like he couldn’t support his family, he can’t quell that instinct to take care of others anyhow.
He also has no problem taking initiative both to get things done, seek help, or just to hang out with people. Straightforward and honest seem to be the name of his game and he doesn’t really like it when others play dirty or secretly with ulterior motives. One could say this may get him played somewhere down the line, but I think he’d rather be considered gullible than be sneaky.
[Abilities]
Ibuki is an ordinary high-school aged samurai. He’s got better than average skills, able to cross swords with Kokonoe and keep up with him when fighting together, but in the end he is human and has human limits and as a student is of course still improving his sword skills.
He’s also of fairly average intelligence, he seems to do alright in school, but has need to study to keep up and it probably helps that he really enjoys the subjects at Shiseikan (as opposed to those to be found at a more generalized high school).
He does seem to be able to piece together Kokonoe’s rather broken sentences eerily well though, having gotten used to somehow filling in those blanks left silent and now acts as a kind of “translator” for the rest of their friends and class for Kokonoe. However this skill only pertains directly to his friend as another character later shows up who speaks very similarly and he had no idea what she was going on about!