//application - exsilium
Mar. 2nd, 2013 01:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
inparidelicto» CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character NAME: Kiyotaka Ishimaru
Canon & MEDIUM: Dangan Ronpa (Video Game)
Canon PULL-POINT: Chapter 3, post death
Character AGE: Around 17 actual age, though he believes he's around 15
Character ABILITIES: None to speak of, alternate personality (explained later)
Character HISTORY:
There are two histories that are important to keep in mind for Ishimaru. There is the history that he is aware of, and the history that he is no longer aware of. The latter comes chronologically first, so let's begin there.
Hope's Peak Academy is a famous high school in Tokyo, Japan. It has a reputation for only accepting the best and the brightest into its classes. The year that Ishimaru was accepted is no exception. Hope's Peak is comprised only of students with a "super high school level" talent, meaning they are at the very top of their respective abilities/fields. For example, in Ishimaru's class there is a super high school level hacker who has managed to craft an artificial intelligence program, a super high school level idol who is one of Japan's most famous singers and several others. Ishimaru in particular is considered a super high school level hallmonitor. While this sounds tremendously dorky and unimpressive, it is a little more extensive than that. He is said to have top marks in all his classes as well as being the head of the disciplinary committee.
Anyway, Ishimaru's class arrives at Hope's Peak. They spend the next couple years living happily in an atmosphere that seems to be near idyllic. They form strong friendships and bond strongly as classmates and friends. Everything, for all intents and purposes, is going quite well.
Then everything goes very, very wrong.
Though the details on it are hazy at best, something terrible happens. This incident is known as the worst most despair inducing incident in the history of mankind. There are only glimpses offered, but the world genuinely appears to be in chaos and turmoil.
The staff and students of Hope's Peak make a bold decision. The students all agree to stay inside the academy permanently, to keep themselves safe from the despair of the world outside and preserve the hope for the future that they all represent. This all seems like a good plan except for one small problem: the group responsible for this despair inducing disaster are at least in part members of this Hope's Peak class and are soon to become the masterminds behind a terrible plot. They somehow manage to erase the memories of their fellow classmates, so that all of them believe that it is their first days at Hope's Peak and forget all about their time together and the friendships that they have formed.
This is where Ishimaru's memories of his history kick in. So far as Ishimaru is concerned, he has recently arrived at Hope's Peak with the rest of his class. Like the rest of his classmates, he has passed out and awakes to find himself locked in the school. After awkward introductions, a stuffed plush bear -- Monobear -- appears to tell the students that they are trapped in the school and will be kept there for the rest of their lives. They are free to live in peace as long as they wish, but if any want to leave the school they first need to fulfill one condition. They must graduate, but in order to do so they must kill one of their fellow students and do so without being found out as the culprit at an ensuing school trial.
At first the students are appalled and refuse to believe any of them could resort to killing. However Monobear begins providing incentives -- first in the form of a video for each student. It's because of this video that the first murder occurs. The students discover the crime and deduce the identity of the culprit. The culprit is then rather brutally executed and Monobear explains that if the innocent students had selected the wrong culprit, all of them would have been executed instead and the culprit allowed to roam free.
Shaken, the students go back to trying to live their lives. For the first time that he can remember, Ishimaru makes a real friendship connection with another student -- surprisingly with the super high school level gang leader Mondo Oowada. The two get into a heated argument and have a contest of strength and endurance, that somehow involves outlasting one another in a sauna. When it is over, it is unclear who won, but the two have gone from bickering and butting heads to calling each other "brother" and joking and laughing with one another.
In general, things seem okay.
But Monobear provides another incentive -- secrets from each character's past that he will reveal to all the other students. Ishimaru immediately suggests that everyone reveal their secret so that Monobear's leverage will disappear, but a number of his classmates balk at this for various reasons. Soon after, another body, that of Chihiro Fujisaki, is found. Investigation and a trial follow. At the trial, the culprit is discovered to be Mondo. Ishimaru refuses to believe that his "brother" is capable of such an action. Even when all the other students vote on Mondo as the culprit, Ishimaru is the sole person who does not vote for him. After Mondo's gruesome execution, Ishimaru goes into a state of shock that is almost catatonic. He does not respond to anyone for days.
Prior to his murder, Chihiro had been working to construct Alter Ego, an artificial intelligence housed on a laptop computer. Alter Ego speaks with Chihiro's voice and likeness. Ishimaru comes out of his shell shock to plead with Alter Ego to know if Chihiro and Mondo blame Ishimaru for being unable to keep them safe, unable to stop their murder. Alter Ego projects Mondo's likeness and tells Ishimaru that it is not his fault.
At this point, Ishimaru undergoes a transformation. His hair changes color, his eyebrows inexplicably seem to become on fire, and his mannerisms change. He calls himself Ishida and refers to himself as a fusion of his soul and Mondo's. He does not have much chance to exist in this new form or to snap out of it, because not long after Ishimaru meets his end as the next murder victim in Monobear's game.
Character PERSONALITY:
Ishimaru endeavors to be a perfect student. This goes far beyond bringing home a good report card or being the teacher's pet. Ishimaru puts his all into everything that he does, every role that he believes is his to play. In fact, he places a great deal of his self worth on fulfilling this role. When talking to Naegi, he explains that even when it is vacation or not a school day, that he still wears his school uniform, because after all, he is a student and therefore that is what he should be wearing. It seems a little obsessive, and it is, but Ishimaru is never one to do anything half-way.
However, his dedication also makes him a little blinded to the rest of the world. He is rather awkward in social situations. When talking to Naegi, he proposes a number of different subjects, all entirely academic. When Naegi asks about more casual topics such as television or videogames, Ishimaru says that he does not indulge in those sorts of things and instead spends all of his free time studying. He also says that he does not see the worth in them since they would take time away from his striving to be a better student. Naegi explains that video games and television give him common ground and a better grasp on having conversations with his fellow students. This seems like a revelation for Ishimaru who exclaims that he has always struggled having conversations with his peers and classmates, beyond simple casual greetings. He resolves to "study" video games and television more. This is a key part of his character. Ishimaru does not take naturally to social situations, and seems to believe that he can learn about life through studying and books more than anything else.
Despite his awkwardness and trouble communicating with his peers, Ishimaru seems to genuinely want to connect. There's a loneliness in him that he doesn't often display, but becomes obvious in some of his comments and actions. From his expression of his difficulties with Naegi to the high value he places on his newly discovered friendship with Mondo, it's clear that he yearns for more connection than he has.
As it is, Ishimaru comes across as perhaps a bit too eager and intense. Personal boundaries are not his specialty. He bursts into Naegi's room on the first day for example and tends to speak in a very emphatic and loud tone with accompanying gestures. It is not that he's trying to be intimidating or forceful so much as that he genuinely means and intends everything he says. He's not one for halfways in any sense of the word. Beyond just the energy and intensity, he's also incredibly earnest. There is no real artifice with Ishimaru. What you see is what you get. This is true emotionally as well. He is surprisingly easy to bring to tears, his emotions taking center stage quite prominently when something strikes him -- both good and bad.
For the most part, Ishimaru wants to see the good in people. He refuses to believe that Mondo is capable of murder. He also insists that everyone reveal the secrets that Monobear is holding over their heads so that they can't be used against them -- automatically assuming that everyone would be willing to take that precaution despite the pain and embarrassment it might cause. He even volunteers to go first. But this is not surprising. Ishimaru feels a strong sense of responsibility to his peers. After Chihiro and Mondo's death, his catatonic state is only dispelled when he is driven to ask Alter Ego if his friends would blame him for not being able to prevent what happened to them. Beyond that, he also insists on staging group meetings every morning so that they can all check in with one another and also grow and bond as friends.
There is a strong leadership streak in Ishimaru. He wants to help. Unfortunately, he is often too socially awkward to make a very effective leader. He's usually too forthright and lacking in tact for his own good. He also has very high standards that he holds people too and often delivers scolding and lectures when his classmates do not meet them. The prime example of this is punctuality. Ishimaru is extremely insistent on people being on time, and he has somewhat harsh words for tardiness -- though he's also rather quick to forgive it. However, for all that he is strict and quick to scold, he does not hold anyone else to a standard that he does not also hold himself strictly to. In general, Ishimaru takes a lot of responsibility on himself for his classmates, even if at times they may not really want him to. He cares for his classmates quite a bit and seems to strive for a definite sense of solidarity among them all. Of course, he doesn't seem entirely aware that he can be a little off-putting.
Ishimaru may be awkward and unskilled in social situations, but that doesn't stop him from trying. Even after butting heads with Mondo (who really embodies everything that Ishimaru stands against -- delinquency, casual disregard for authority, impoliteness), he manages to become close friends with him. The two begin calling each other brother and seem to have developed a new respect for reach other. This friendship is intensely important to Ishimaru. It also demonstrates how loyal he can be once he's invested himself in a friendship; he refuses to consider that Mondo could be guilty of murder. And even after Mondo has been found guilty and executed, Ishimaru blames himself for being unable to stop the situation from happening, rather than placing the onus for it on his dead "brother."
Over all, Ishimaru is a person who strives to be better than he is. He has significant shortcomings, some of which he is not entirely aware of, but he means well. He puts a lot of pressure on himself, striving to be the perfect example of a student since that is his current role, but his striving for perfection is not limited to just that. He can be critical, but he's also quick to forgive, especially those he considers friends. Surprisingly enough, he's also able to admit when he's wrong and to take new views on things and people.
There is one other aspect of his personality to discuss, and that aspect actually has a name. After Mondo and Chihiro's death, Ishimaru goes into shock. When he comes out of it, when Alter Ego (in the likeness of Chihiro and Mondo) tell him that he isn't to blame for their deaths, Ishimaru seems to be energized anew. His outward appearance changes, and he begins talking in a much rougher, brasher manner. He's still his intense self, still caught up in rules and responsibility, but he's also more confrontational and prone to swearing. This other "personality" calls himself Ishida (a combination of Ishimaru and Oowada) saying that his soul has bonded with that of his deceased brother. Though this personality is short lived (since Ishimaru is killed), it will be important in Exsilium as will be explained below.
» EXSILIUM INFORMATION
Chosen WEAPON: Ishimaru's weapon will be a rather abstract one. In particular, his weapon will be his Ishida persona. Though in canon it is not strictly a weapon, this other personality of his allows Ishimaru to behave in a way that he would not normally be able to. It lets him tap into a more feral and primal side of himself. This will help him immensely in any combat or fighting that he faces since in his normal state, he would never even consider fighting if there were any way around it, since he is extremely obsessed with law and order. As he spends time in Exsilium and grows stronger, his Ishida form will grow stronger and evolve as well, and grow more skilled in actually fighting, likely learning to use at least some weapon or another.
Character INVENTORY: The clothes on his back (his school uniform) as well as a now-useless student identification card.
» SAMPLES
First PERSON:
[Video]
[Ishimaru is standing straight, rigid almost. Shoulders squared and back, face forward, as though he is preparing to give a speech perhaps, recite a homework problem. There's only a moment's hesitation before he begins to speak.]
I believe I'm using this correctly! I apologize for the interruption, but I have a few important questions that I have not been able to answer on my own! I've tried looking around, but I'm not sure where to begin, so I hope that someone can provide me with answers!
[He nods just a little before a hand lifts, finger pointing directly at the camera so that it takes up most of the screen for a moment before falling.]
I understand the requirements of this place, and am happy to fulfill whatever duty it is I'm called on to perform but...
Well...
[For just a moment, he's uneasy before he continues.] I... I'm not used to finding myself with so much free time. With no classes or committees or extra-curricular activities, I don't really know what direction to go in. So!
Could someone please tell me... what's the best use of free time in this sort of place? Is there something I should be dedicating my energy to? I want to be... I want to be as useful and successful as I can, even in a place like this!
Yes. I think that's all. Thank you.
Third PERSON:
This city was nothing like anywhere Ishimaru knew. He was familiar with Tokyo, with the glassy reflection of skyscrapers and the busy, bustling streets. He was used to students on cellphones and congested traffic and crowded subways. He was used to the school day. The morning bell that signaled the start of class was something he thought he would never have to live without. After all, so much of his life had been lived by that bell. Class began. Class ended. Day in. Day out. But here...
Here there was none of that. Stiffly, he stood up from his desk chair, moving to the window. Dark red eyes glanced at what he could make out of the street below. Dark. It was late. It would be proper for him to sleep now, but he couldn't. He'd tried, and he'd found only frustration and thoughts that would not quiet racing through his head rather than any respite or relief. He pressed a hand against the glass, cold beneath his palm.
It had not been long. He'd been here barely a few weeks, and in a way he was still adjusting. After all, he'd been dead. That much he was certain of. So coming to terms with the fact that he was alive again, that somehow this was real, that it was not the afterlife, not heaven or hell or any other version of it that he might have known, that had taken some getting used to. But bit by bit, he'd come to terms with that. And he was grateful. He was. He knew it would be wrong to be otherwise. After all, how many people were given a second chance?
Even in a world like this, so far from home, from the things he knew. The people he knew.
Still, even as the shock of life faded away, Ishimaru could feel more questions beginning to surface. Here he was not a student. Here there was no school. No disciplinary committee. No grades or tests by which to measure himself, no role to fill. Who was he here? That question, the loudest in his mind. Who was he here and who could he be here? Truthfully, he didn't know, and the thought was terrifying.
His brow furrowed, more than usual, and slowly he turned away from the window. His room was darkened, but by the light that streamed in, he could still see, enough to maneuver past the chair, to the edge of the bed. He was here. But if he had been brought to this place, then would his classmates follow? If he was alive, could it be possible for Oowada, for his brother, to appear in a place like this? Or Fujisaki? Or what of his classmates who still lived?
He didn't know. The fact that all he had was questions, the fact that the city and the darkness offered him no answers, it was overwhelming. But somehow, he couldn't let it get to him. Somehow, he knew that it would be a waste, that Oowada would be disappointed in him, that he'd be letting him down all over again if he did. There was strength in that thought, enough that as he dropped to a seat on his bed, he could finally feel some of the turmoil beginning to ease. Maybe... maybe there was hope for sleep yet this night.
» ADDITIONAL NOTES
Just a question, since he's coming in post-death, I assume he'll be healed from his injuries? Is this complete or will he still need to recover? :)
Character NAME: Kiyotaka Ishimaru
Canon & MEDIUM: Dangan Ronpa (Video Game)
Canon PULL-POINT: Chapter 3, post death
Character AGE: Around 17 actual age, though he believes he's around 15
Character ABILITIES: None to speak of, alternate personality (explained later)
Character HISTORY:
There are two histories that are important to keep in mind for Ishimaru. There is the history that he is aware of, and the history that he is no longer aware of. The latter comes chronologically first, so let's begin there.
Hope's Peak Academy is a famous high school in Tokyo, Japan. It has a reputation for only accepting the best and the brightest into its classes. The year that Ishimaru was accepted is no exception. Hope's Peak is comprised only of students with a "super high school level" talent, meaning they are at the very top of their respective abilities/fields. For example, in Ishimaru's class there is a super high school level hacker who has managed to craft an artificial intelligence program, a super high school level idol who is one of Japan's most famous singers and several others. Ishimaru in particular is considered a super high school level hallmonitor. While this sounds tremendously dorky and unimpressive, it is a little more extensive than that. He is said to have top marks in all his classes as well as being the head of the disciplinary committee.
Anyway, Ishimaru's class arrives at Hope's Peak. They spend the next couple years living happily in an atmosphere that seems to be near idyllic. They form strong friendships and bond strongly as classmates and friends. Everything, for all intents and purposes, is going quite well.
Then everything goes very, very wrong.
Though the details on it are hazy at best, something terrible happens. This incident is known as the worst most despair inducing incident in the history of mankind. There are only glimpses offered, but the world genuinely appears to be in chaos and turmoil.
The staff and students of Hope's Peak make a bold decision. The students all agree to stay inside the academy permanently, to keep themselves safe from the despair of the world outside and preserve the hope for the future that they all represent. This all seems like a good plan except for one small problem: the group responsible for this despair inducing disaster are at least in part members of this Hope's Peak class and are soon to become the masterminds behind a terrible plot. They somehow manage to erase the memories of their fellow classmates, so that all of them believe that it is their first days at Hope's Peak and forget all about their time together and the friendships that they have formed.
This is where Ishimaru's memories of his history kick in. So far as Ishimaru is concerned, he has recently arrived at Hope's Peak with the rest of his class. Like the rest of his classmates, he has passed out and awakes to find himself locked in the school. After awkward introductions, a stuffed plush bear -- Monobear -- appears to tell the students that they are trapped in the school and will be kept there for the rest of their lives. They are free to live in peace as long as they wish, but if any want to leave the school they first need to fulfill one condition. They must graduate, but in order to do so they must kill one of their fellow students and do so without being found out as the culprit at an ensuing school trial.
At first the students are appalled and refuse to believe any of them could resort to killing. However Monobear begins providing incentives -- first in the form of a video for each student. It's because of this video that the first murder occurs. The students discover the crime and deduce the identity of the culprit. The culprit is then rather brutally executed and Monobear explains that if the innocent students had selected the wrong culprit, all of them would have been executed instead and the culprit allowed to roam free.
Shaken, the students go back to trying to live their lives. For the first time that he can remember, Ishimaru makes a real friendship connection with another student -- surprisingly with the super high school level gang leader Mondo Oowada. The two get into a heated argument and have a contest of strength and endurance, that somehow involves outlasting one another in a sauna. When it is over, it is unclear who won, but the two have gone from bickering and butting heads to calling each other "brother" and joking and laughing with one another.
In general, things seem okay.
But Monobear provides another incentive -- secrets from each character's past that he will reveal to all the other students. Ishimaru immediately suggests that everyone reveal their secret so that Monobear's leverage will disappear, but a number of his classmates balk at this for various reasons. Soon after, another body, that of Chihiro Fujisaki, is found. Investigation and a trial follow. At the trial, the culprit is discovered to be Mondo. Ishimaru refuses to believe that his "brother" is capable of such an action. Even when all the other students vote on Mondo as the culprit, Ishimaru is the sole person who does not vote for him. After Mondo's gruesome execution, Ishimaru goes into a state of shock that is almost catatonic. He does not respond to anyone for days.
Prior to his murder, Chihiro had been working to construct Alter Ego, an artificial intelligence housed on a laptop computer. Alter Ego speaks with Chihiro's voice and likeness. Ishimaru comes out of his shell shock to plead with Alter Ego to know if Chihiro and Mondo blame Ishimaru for being unable to keep them safe, unable to stop their murder. Alter Ego projects Mondo's likeness and tells Ishimaru that it is not his fault.
At this point, Ishimaru undergoes a transformation. His hair changes color, his eyebrows inexplicably seem to become on fire, and his mannerisms change. He calls himself Ishida and refers to himself as a fusion of his soul and Mondo's. He does not have much chance to exist in this new form or to snap out of it, because not long after Ishimaru meets his end as the next murder victim in Monobear's game.
Character PERSONALITY:
Ishimaru endeavors to be a perfect student. This goes far beyond bringing home a good report card or being the teacher's pet. Ishimaru puts his all into everything that he does, every role that he believes is his to play. In fact, he places a great deal of his self worth on fulfilling this role. When talking to Naegi, he explains that even when it is vacation or not a school day, that he still wears his school uniform, because after all, he is a student and therefore that is what he should be wearing. It seems a little obsessive, and it is, but Ishimaru is never one to do anything half-way.
However, his dedication also makes him a little blinded to the rest of the world. He is rather awkward in social situations. When talking to Naegi, he proposes a number of different subjects, all entirely academic. When Naegi asks about more casual topics such as television or videogames, Ishimaru says that he does not indulge in those sorts of things and instead spends all of his free time studying. He also says that he does not see the worth in them since they would take time away from his striving to be a better student. Naegi explains that video games and television give him common ground and a better grasp on having conversations with his fellow students. This seems like a revelation for Ishimaru who exclaims that he has always struggled having conversations with his peers and classmates, beyond simple casual greetings. He resolves to "study" video games and television more. This is a key part of his character. Ishimaru does not take naturally to social situations, and seems to believe that he can learn about life through studying and books more than anything else.
Despite his awkwardness and trouble communicating with his peers, Ishimaru seems to genuinely want to connect. There's a loneliness in him that he doesn't often display, but becomes obvious in some of his comments and actions. From his expression of his difficulties with Naegi to the high value he places on his newly discovered friendship with Mondo, it's clear that he yearns for more connection than he has.
As it is, Ishimaru comes across as perhaps a bit too eager and intense. Personal boundaries are not his specialty. He bursts into Naegi's room on the first day for example and tends to speak in a very emphatic and loud tone with accompanying gestures. It is not that he's trying to be intimidating or forceful so much as that he genuinely means and intends everything he says. He's not one for halfways in any sense of the word. Beyond just the energy and intensity, he's also incredibly earnest. There is no real artifice with Ishimaru. What you see is what you get. This is true emotionally as well. He is surprisingly easy to bring to tears, his emotions taking center stage quite prominently when something strikes him -- both good and bad.
For the most part, Ishimaru wants to see the good in people. He refuses to believe that Mondo is capable of murder. He also insists that everyone reveal the secrets that Monobear is holding over their heads so that they can't be used against them -- automatically assuming that everyone would be willing to take that precaution despite the pain and embarrassment it might cause. He even volunteers to go first. But this is not surprising. Ishimaru feels a strong sense of responsibility to his peers. After Chihiro and Mondo's death, his catatonic state is only dispelled when he is driven to ask Alter Ego if his friends would blame him for not being able to prevent what happened to them. Beyond that, he also insists on staging group meetings every morning so that they can all check in with one another and also grow and bond as friends.
There is a strong leadership streak in Ishimaru. He wants to help. Unfortunately, he is often too socially awkward to make a very effective leader. He's usually too forthright and lacking in tact for his own good. He also has very high standards that he holds people too and often delivers scolding and lectures when his classmates do not meet them. The prime example of this is punctuality. Ishimaru is extremely insistent on people being on time, and he has somewhat harsh words for tardiness -- though he's also rather quick to forgive it. However, for all that he is strict and quick to scold, he does not hold anyone else to a standard that he does not also hold himself strictly to. In general, Ishimaru takes a lot of responsibility on himself for his classmates, even if at times they may not really want him to. He cares for his classmates quite a bit and seems to strive for a definite sense of solidarity among them all. Of course, he doesn't seem entirely aware that he can be a little off-putting.
Ishimaru may be awkward and unskilled in social situations, but that doesn't stop him from trying. Even after butting heads with Mondo (who really embodies everything that Ishimaru stands against -- delinquency, casual disregard for authority, impoliteness), he manages to become close friends with him. The two begin calling each other brother and seem to have developed a new respect for reach other. This friendship is intensely important to Ishimaru. It also demonstrates how loyal he can be once he's invested himself in a friendship; he refuses to consider that Mondo could be guilty of murder. And even after Mondo has been found guilty and executed, Ishimaru blames himself for being unable to stop the situation from happening, rather than placing the onus for it on his dead "brother."
Over all, Ishimaru is a person who strives to be better than he is. He has significant shortcomings, some of which he is not entirely aware of, but he means well. He puts a lot of pressure on himself, striving to be the perfect example of a student since that is his current role, but his striving for perfection is not limited to just that. He can be critical, but he's also quick to forgive, especially those he considers friends. Surprisingly enough, he's also able to admit when he's wrong and to take new views on things and people.
There is one other aspect of his personality to discuss, and that aspect actually has a name. After Mondo and Chihiro's death, Ishimaru goes into shock. When he comes out of it, when Alter Ego (in the likeness of Chihiro and Mondo) tell him that he isn't to blame for their deaths, Ishimaru seems to be energized anew. His outward appearance changes, and he begins talking in a much rougher, brasher manner. He's still his intense self, still caught up in rules and responsibility, but he's also more confrontational and prone to swearing. This other "personality" calls himself Ishida (a combination of Ishimaru and Oowada) saying that his soul has bonded with that of his deceased brother. Though this personality is short lived (since Ishimaru is killed), it will be important in Exsilium as will be explained below.
» EXSILIUM INFORMATION
Chosen WEAPON: Ishimaru's weapon will be a rather abstract one. In particular, his weapon will be his Ishida persona. Though in canon it is not strictly a weapon, this other personality of his allows Ishimaru to behave in a way that he would not normally be able to. It lets him tap into a more feral and primal side of himself. This will help him immensely in any combat or fighting that he faces since in his normal state, he would never even consider fighting if there were any way around it, since he is extremely obsessed with law and order. As he spends time in Exsilium and grows stronger, his Ishida form will grow stronger and evolve as well, and grow more skilled in actually fighting, likely learning to use at least some weapon or another.
Character INVENTORY: The clothes on his back (his school uniform) as well as a now-useless student identification card.
» SAMPLES
First PERSON:
[Video]
[Ishimaru is standing straight, rigid almost. Shoulders squared and back, face forward, as though he is preparing to give a speech perhaps, recite a homework problem. There's only a moment's hesitation before he begins to speak.]
I believe I'm using this correctly! I apologize for the interruption, but I have a few important questions that I have not been able to answer on my own! I've tried looking around, but I'm not sure where to begin, so I hope that someone can provide me with answers!
[He nods just a little before a hand lifts, finger pointing directly at the camera so that it takes up most of the screen for a moment before falling.]
I understand the requirements of this place, and am happy to fulfill whatever duty it is I'm called on to perform but...
Well...
[For just a moment, he's uneasy before he continues.] I... I'm not used to finding myself with so much free time. With no classes or committees or extra-curricular activities, I don't really know what direction to go in. So!
Could someone please tell me... what's the best use of free time in this sort of place? Is there something I should be dedicating my energy to? I want to be... I want to be as useful and successful as I can, even in a place like this!
Yes. I think that's all. Thank you.
Third PERSON:
This city was nothing like anywhere Ishimaru knew. He was familiar with Tokyo, with the glassy reflection of skyscrapers and the busy, bustling streets. He was used to students on cellphones and congested traffic and crowded subways. He was used to the school day. The morning bell that signaled the start of class was something he thought he would never have to live without. After all, so much of his life had been lived by that bell. Class began. Class ended. Day in. Day out. But here...
Here there was none of that. Stiffly, he stood up from his desk chair, moving to the window. Dark red eyes glanced at what he could make out of the street below. Dark. It was late. It would be proper for him to sleep now, but he couldn't. He'd tried, and he'd found only frustration and thoughts that would not quiet racing through his head rather than any respite or relief. He pressed a hand against the glass, cold beneath his palm.
It had not been long. He'd been here barely a few weeks, and in a way he was still adjusting. After all, he'd been dead. That much he was certain of. So coming to terms with the fact that he was alive again, that somehow this was real, that it was not the afterlife, not heaven or hell or any other version of it that he might have known, that had taken some getting used to. But bit by bit, he'd come to terms with that. And he was grateful. He was. He knew it would be wrong to be otherwise. After all, how many people were given a second chance?
Even in a world like this, so far from home, from the things he knew. The people he knew.
Still, even as the shock of life faded away, Ishimaru could feel more questions beginning to surface. Here he was not a student. Here there was no school. No disciplinary committee. No grades or tests by which to measure himself, no role to fill. Who was he here? That question, the loudest in his mind. Who was he here and who could he be here? Truthfully, he didn't know, and the thought was terrifying.
His brow furrowed, more than usual, and slowly he turned away from the window. His room was darkened, but by the light that streamed in, he could still see, enough to maneuver past the chair, to the edge of the bed. He was here. But if he had been brought to this place, then would his classmates follow? If he was alive, could it be possible for Oowada, for his brother, to appear in a place like this? Or Fujisaki? Or what of his classmates who still lived?
He didn't know. The fact that all he had was questions, the fact that the city and the darkness offered him no answers, it was overwhelming. But somehow, he couldn't let it get to him. Somehow, he knew that it would be a waste, that Oowada would be disappointed in him, that he'd be letting him down all over again if he did. There was strength in that thought, enough that as he dropped to a seat on his bed, he could finally feel some of the turmoil beginning to ease. Maybe... maybe there was hope for sleep yet this night.
» ADDITIONAL NOTES
Just a question, since he's coming in post-death, I assume he'll be healed from his injuries? Is this complete or will he still need to recover? :)
