Difference between revisions of "Shinsuke Kusagawa"

• Weapon: Sword Rapier - A heavier rapier that can be used both for pointwork and for slashing.
• Body: Designer Coat - A black coat from a fashionable Aristocrat boutique.
• Feet: Black Leather Boots - A pair of fine tall leather boots, which lace all the way up.
• Accessory: Ice-Blue Contact Lenses - The perfect finish to his impeccable wardrobe.

• Charm: "*kisses hand* My, Nekomata, but aren't you lovely!" - Shinsuke effusively charms the demon, which may provoke happy or interested reactions.
• Inquisition: "How fascinating! Please, tell me more about yourself!" - Shinsuke asks the demon a series of flattering yet pointed questions. May provoke happy, interested, or angry reactions.
• Veiled Threat: "I wouldn't want anything untoward to happen to such a fine demon as yourself." - Shinsuke sweetly warns the demon to stay the hell away from his loved ones. May provoke interested or frightened reactions.
• Clever Wisdom: "Impudent cur! Treat not with me until thou learnest a sweeter tongue -- or else find another who might speak for thee in thy stead, one more eloquent and accustomed to treating with humans. Oni, perhaps?" - Shinsuke sarcastically insults the demon. May provoke angry, interested, happy, or sad reactions. This contact is more likely to be employed if Shinsuke is currently under Kay's influence.

• Courage: 2 - (Overly) Cautious
• Diligence: 5 - Driven and Determined
• Expression: 4 - Extremely Eloquent
  • Charm: 5 - This Stat Is Now Diamonds
• Understanding: 4 - Favorite Subject: People
• Knowledge: 5 - (Polite) Know-It-All
  • Academics: 5 - Future Valedictorian

• Shinsuke's height is 178 cm (5'10").
• Shinsuke's personal name means "true helper", but can be poetically translated as "sincere assistance".
• Shinsuke's family name, Kusagawa, means "grassy river". He finds the similarity between it and Itsuka's surname fascinating -- Mizuhara means "flooded plain".
• Shinsuke's father, Dr. Kusagawa, works at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, where he may or may not now be appraised of the true nature of afflictions such as Apathy Syndrome. That's why they're in Tatsumi Port Island in the first place.
• Shinsuke dresses primarily in designer Gothic Aristocrat fashions, albeit somewhat understated. His iteration of the style is less crosses and lace and more leather and silk, and he tends to wear pieces that are more elegant and aesthetic than just 'out-there'. He has been known to just throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, but such occasions are rare. He always wears gloves.
• Shinsuke's ice-blue eyes are indeed colored contact lenses. His eyes are actually brown.
• Following a heated race, Shinsuke has been elected Student Council Secretary at Gekkoukan.
• Though he doesn't plan on becoming a music student when he gets to university, Shinsuke plays both piano and violin quite well. He has a decent amount of experience with other stringed instruments, primarily the cello, and also composes his own music.
• Similarly, Shinsuke has been fencing at the national level since middle school.
• Because he learned it from a British tutor (and from reading a lot of Sherlock Holmes), Shinsuke's English is the Queen's English, and he does have an accent (which is likely being amplified by Kay) when he speaks it.
• Shinsuke's favorite color, obviously, is blue.
• Shinsuke loves food. Especially food that conveys to him the personality of the one who made it.
• Shinsuke also loves people. He is genuinely interested in the people around him, but the people he's most interested in at the moment are those in Itsuka's group of friends. They are, after all, the ones who have been caring for her in his (unintentional) absence.
• Naturally talented, Shinsuke easily excels at all of his subjects in school. His favorites are the sciences, but he also enjoys literature and music.
• Shinsuke has a large library, most of which he's brought to the dorm. It includes classics of both the East and the West (a great deal of Western works, actually), as well as a fairly prodigious amount of manga.
  • Yes, that includes Captain Rebellion.
• Thanks to his father's position, Shinsuke has an inordinate amount of money at his disposal. He mostly uses it to buy clothes, books, and food.
• Shinsuke is an accomplished chef. Being alone 75% of the time and hating processed food will do that to you.
• Though he doesn't need the money, Shinsuke is now working as a pianist at Chagall Café. His main job is to look elegant, though he can actually play (thus eliminating the need for a recording or automated piano). Free cake is part of his salary.
• Shinsuke likes collecting things. Things, mind, not people.
• Shinsuke is fascinated by death. This is not limited to physical death, either.
• Shinsuke possesses remarkable empathy. This may cause him to develop the ability to sense Resonance at some point.
• Don't make Shinsuke angry. You won't like him when he's angry.

Special: Saionji Special - When he feels that he has been insulted, Shinsuke takes a page out of Kay's book and backhands the one who offended him. The flame of his affronted rage informs the strike, leaving a nasty burn as well as a welt. Its name is taken from a character in the anime series Revolutionary Girl Utena, who has a habit of doing this.

Shinsuke's Persona is Kay, seneschal and devil's advocate of the Court of King Arthur. He started out in the early Welsh tradition as a valiant, clever, and eloquent warrior with various fire- and water-related supernatural powers; the later tradition assigned him a wicked tongue and a decided contempt for anyone who didn't measure up to his exacting standards. Despite his villainous qualities, Kay was passing loyal to his comrades, particularly Bedivere and Gawain, and to his king (who was also his foster-brother). His pointed insults were his way of ensuring the quality of those who would call themselves Knights of the Round Table. As seneschal Kay was the master of the king's household, and was skilled in all manner of domestic tasks as well as those expected of a knight of his stature. He is also the only major knight who is not pledged to a lady, instead being more or less pledged to Arthur himself. That's not significant at all, though.

Shinsuke's resonance feels warm and close, like one is sitting in a kitchen with a merrily-blazing fire in its hearth. It makes the people around him feel safe, as it gives the definite impression that he will go to any lengths to defend and care for those to whom he has pledged his loyalty. A faint scent of spices and burning wood follows this sense, which is itself coupled with the sound of wind that presages rain and of steel being drawn against leather. To wit: [1]

Due to Kay being something of an unstable character (there are two different iterations of him, arguably three), as well as having a rash, hot-blooded character, Shinsuke is not always in full control of his Persona. Kay is the embodiment of his inner critical voice, and will attempt to handle matters himself if he feels his master isn't capable of handling them on his own. He is kind to Shinsuke, but he is also abrasive and demanding of perfection. During combat Kay influences Shinsuke to a greater degree, leading to Shinsuke's normally elevated speech becoming archaic and his normally un-elevated temper becoming an easily-affronted flame of barely constrained rage. He is still capable of sound judgment, but his usual overweening caution is bolstered by the Seneschal into something more seemly. Kay is most content when Shinsuke is caring for the people in his charge and succeeding at the tasks he sets before himself, so he usually only pops up when he feels his master has been insulted in some way or when he fails at something. Unfortunately, when he pops up he really pops up, sorely testing Shinsuke's patience and self-control.

• 0. The Fool
  • Shinsuke has not established any notable Fool links.

• I. The Magician
  • Shiki Ichimonji: Itsuka's boyfriend and author of the acclaimed shounen series Captain Rebellion. Shinsuke finds his exuberance endearing, and his valiance worthy of high respect. What Shinsuke likes best about his new friend, however, is the obvious love and devotion Shiki bears Itsuka, which became unusually apparent in their battle against Shadow Itsuka. Their Personae have also resonated, leading to Shinsuke's even more pronounced loyalty to the begoggled former mangaka. They appear to be becoming good friends, though they are also developing a friendly rivalry that may or may not stem from their possible hidden jealousy of one another; they are also, appropriately enough, foils for each other.

• II. The High Priestess
  • Maki Sonomura: Maki stopped by the Lucky 7 one day while Shinsuke was there getting a snack before club, where Itsuka introduced them. Shinsuke thinks she's a little odd, but likes her well enough -- after all, she apparently located him with her...Persona, or something...when he went to meet Itsuka for the first time in six years at Wakatsu. She does seem to be friends with both Itsuka and Shiki, and their joint endorsement is good enough for him.

• III. The Empress
  • Mitsuru Kirijo: The leader of SEES made a deep impression on the newest recruit when they were properly introduced; Shinsuke himself was struck by her presence, but Kay immediately recognized her as a worthy queen. Because of this, Shinsuke has taken to referring to Mitsuru as "Kirijo-sama" or "my lady", treating her with the proper deference (which is partially supernaturally-influenced) and respect due a queen from a knight in her service. He intends to prove his combat utility to her soon so that he will be assigned to the strike force against Shadow Itsuka, to which end she will arrange a test for him. Shinsuke has also been hugged by Mitsuru. He has been informed that this is outside standard operating procedure.

• IV. The Emperor
  • Akatsuki Enda: Though he will only admit it to his sister, Shinsuke is fascinated by the blond Gekkoukan graduate. Inexplicably (and aggravatingly), Akatsuki has somehow become the only person to completely bypass the barriers Shinsuke uses to keep others at arm's length, and because of this has earned the trust Shinsuke rarely gives anyone, let alone someone he's known for all of a month. He hopes to spend more time with Akatsuki, with the expectation that further observation and interaction will show him why he trusts Akatsuki so much -- why the older boy possesses this ability to brush up against the hedge around his heart, one which no one else has. Of course, given Akatsuki's antecedents, this may end up being somewhat dangerous. Since Akatsuki confided in him about Daiya, Shinsuke has become torn over his multifaceted feelings about (and for) the older boy, as well as his own thoughts on how he handles love in general.

• V. The Hierophant
  • Shinjiro Aragaki: Also a Gekkoukan graduate, and Itsuka's most beloved senpai. That alone would give Shinsuke cause to hold the taciturn young man in high regard, but the glimpse of a tiny grimace of Shinjiro's when they were discussing the matter of one's control over one's Persona during Shinsuke's SEES application meeting has given him reason to further observe his senpai. This would certainly be a good idea for Shinsuke...except that he may not like what he finds out.

• VI. The Lovers
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Lovers links.

• VII. The Chariot
  • Aigis: True to form, once Shinsuke learned that SEES' resident anti-Shadow tactical gynoid was, in fact, exactly that, he was instantly alright with her. It helped him immensely to know that her awkwardness, and his inability to read her, were the result of her inorganic nature, and he offered her his assistance as she integrates into human society -- especially important as she is now Gekkoukan Student Council President! More importantly, however, is that Aigis is the first and only person Shinsuke has discussed the matter of his parents' divorce with, judging that she wouldn't be likely to view it in the same stigmatised fashion that the average Japanese person might. (He was right, of course.) Shinsuke doesn't yet realise how much not talking about it has damaged him emotionally, and -- with any luck -- this encounter with Aigis will begin to help him open up in the ways he so very much needs.

• VIII. Justice
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Justice links.

• IX. The Hermit
  • Kotone Nakamura: Shinsuke is the newest member of SEES, and yet he's already managed to perform a Daring Dark Hour Rescue courtesy of this adorable moeblob of a transfer student. He took a nasty hit protecting her, and carried her back to the SEES dorm when she proved too fatigued and traumatised to walk back herself -- like the Eclipse Squad was going to take her anywhere else! He'll keep an eye on her for now, and hopefully she'll be alright even if she doesn't awaken to her Persona and join SEES.

• X. The Wheel of Fortune
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Fortune links.

• XI. Strength
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Strength links.

• XII. The Hanged Man
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Hanged Man links.

• XIII. Death
  • Seiichi Miyamoto: Seiichi showed up at Naganaki Shrine while Shinsuke was there thinking; Shinsuke was immediately struck by the older boy's dark good looks and smouldering intensity. The meeting came at a time when Shinsuke was feeling torn over a certain other Sumaru University student, and has not helped the situation. He cares for Seiichi, despite having only just met him, and is intrigued by the depths he senses underneath the darkly charming exterior. Once he discovers he's been deceived, however, he will be enraged -- only time will tell if the care he has for Seiichi will override his anger and hurt when it happens.
  • Minamo Takagawa: After his shift ended one day at Chagall Café, Shinsuke decided to make the acquaintance of transfer student Minamo -- he knew of her, of course, but the Secretary felt he ought to personally know all his fellow students, if at least by name. Minamo promptly mistook him for a waiter, then a vampire, both of which Shinsuke took with grace. She seems a nervous sort, and Shinsuke would like to get to know her better in the hopes that he might help her become less nervous overall, and because she seems like a fascinating person outside of that. He may very well be on the team that eventually rescues her from the Dark Hour; Minamo's inquisitive, morbid nature and possession of a Persona will inevitably lead her into the Time Without.

• XIV. Temperance
  • Hitoshi Taniguchi: For various reasons, Shinsuke does not have a very high opinion of Hitoshi. He won't do anything untoward to the boy should they be in the field together, but otherwise attempts to keep his interactions with Hitoshi to a minimum.
  • Daiya Kagami: Through a crazy scheme Hinata cooked up, Shinsuke was present for the rescue of Akatsuki's probably unfaithful girlfriend. His knowledge of how unhappy his friend is with the situation has not inclined him favorably to the beautiful Sevens Vice President. Shinsuke has not gotten close enough to Daiya for anyone to realise that he is not affected by her aura of supernatural beauty (not that anyone consciously realises it exists, because that's part of the point). He won't interfere in their relationship -- he respects Akatsuki enough to stay out of it -- but he will be there for his friend regardless of what happens.

• XV. The Devil
  • Itsuka Mizuhara: Shinsuke's twin sister, who is his elder by two minutes. They were inseparable as children, and when she was taken from his arms by their mother Shinsuke realized that he /hadn't/ been a good brother to her. He vowed to find her again, and when he did he would make up for whatever time they had lost and whatever wrongs he had done her. He loves her and is fiercely protective of her, but (unlike a certain other twin brother) he also wants his dear twin to be able to build healthy, positive relationships with the people around her. His main concern at the moment is ensuring that she's being strengthened and bolstered by her friends, and those that are exerting unhealthy influences on her...will be dealt with. Shinsuke is coming to terms with the fact that she is no longer automatically inferior to him, a fact that he welcomes. After all, if Itsuka is healthy, that frees her brother from some of the hardships that come of being her only source of love and devotion. This, he feels, is a good thing. In more recent news, Itsuka is also the only person who knows the truth about Shinsuke's sexuality.

• XVI. The Tower
  • Thora Kobayashi: Shinsuke was introduced to the famous Oni of Osaka by Itsuka, who promptly brought up intensely personal things about Thora in front of him. Internally Shinsuke was terribly embarrassed by this (and a little intimidated by her in general), but he handled it well and even told Thora something important -- "If you believe you're human, then you are" -- in spite of his embarrassment. He appears to have charmed Thora, or at least managed to impress her; she also appears to be enamored of his Resonance.
  • Himeru Namikawa: The Disciplinary Committee chairperson tracked Shinsuke down at fencing practice one day and cut through his crowd of admirers to speak with her fellow Councilor. Shinsuke likes Himeru quite a bit -- she's very different than the girls he's accustomed to -- and appears to have impressed (charmed?) her. At the very least, she seems to appreciate his willingness to dispense with charm when necessary.

• XVII. The Star
  • Hinata Itoh: Shinsuke encountered the youngest Itoh sister one day in the dorms, and was promptly charmed by her earnest and outgoing nature. He made her lunch and ascertained the nature of her relationship with his sister, which seems to be a good one. Hinata seems to think of him as a prince. She soon discovered that he can also bake cookies and dance, and has begun calling him 'Shinsuke-chan'. He appears to be okay with this. <3~ [2]

• XVIII. The Moon
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Moon links.

• XIX. The Sun
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Sun links.

• XX. Judgement
  • Shinsuke has not developed any notable Judgement links.

• Shinsuke
  • Sting, "Englishman In New York" Takes more than combat gear to make a man / Takes more than a license for a gun / Confront your enemies / avoid them when you can / A gentleman will walk but never run / If manners maketh man as someone said / He's our hero of the day / Takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile / Be yourself, no matter what they say
  • Shinkichi Mitsumune, "Dreaming Cells"
  • Shinkichi Mitsumune, "Nemuro Memorial Hall"
  • Shinkichi Mitsumune, "Scarlet Group's Dance ~ Reunion"
  • Shinkichi Mitsumune, "Abraxas In The Sunlit Garden"
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Vishnu" [3]

• Itsuka
  • Metallica, "Nothing Else Matters" (S&M version) So close, no matter how far / Couldn't be much more from the heart / Forever trust in who we are / And nothing else matters / I never open myself this way / Life is ours, we live it our way / Oh, these words I don't just say / And nothing else matters
  • Sting, "Fortress Around Your Heart" Then I went off to fight some battle / that I'd invented inside my head / Away so long, for years and years / You probably thought or even wished that I was dead / While the armies are all sleeping / Beneath the tattered flag we made / Had to stop in my tracks for fear / of walking on the mines I'd laid / And if I built this fortress / around your heart / Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire / Then let me build a bridge / for I cannot fill the chasm / Let me set the battlements on fire
  • Blue October, "Hate Me" Hate me today / Hate me tomorrow / Hate me for all the things / I didn't do for you / Hate me in ways / Yeah, ways hard to swallow / Hate me so you can finally / see what's good for you
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Antissa" [4]

• Shiki
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Krosah" [5]

• Akatsuki
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Indra" [6]

• Mitsuru
  • Within Temptation, "Ice Queen" On cold wings she's coming / You better keep moving / For warmth you'll be longing / Come on, just feel her / Don't you see her / You better believe
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Manju" [7]

• Shinjiro
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Kalki" [8]

• Hinata
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Odenall Pi" [9]

• Seiichi
  • E.S. Posthumus, "Menouthis" [10]

• The Dark Hour
  • Michael Jackson, "Thriller" It's close to midnight / Something evil's lurking in the dark / Under the moonlight / You see a sight that almost stops your heart / You try to scream / But terror takes the sound before you make it / You start to freeze / As horror looks you right between the eyes / You're paralyzed...
  • Apocalyptica, "Quutamo"

• Tartarus and the Shadows
  • Within Temptation, "Dark Wings" Why was I one of the chosen ones? / Until the fight I could not see / The magic and the strength of my power / It was beyond my wildest dreams / Dark wings they are descending / See shadows gathering around / One by one, they are falling / every time they try to strike us down / Don't you die on me / You haven't made your peace / Live life / Breathe, breathe

• Shadow Itsuka
  • Genesis, "Invisible Touch" She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah / She reaches in / and grabs right hold of your heart / She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah / It takes control / and slowly tears you apart x_x