Kitsuki Ichitaiyo's QnA - The Hard Boiled Nobody

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Ow, stop it. Enough with the makeup..!"

With a gentle swat, the cosmeticist strolled away from the camera, and the lens focused on the rebreathered visage of the pale investigator.

"Is this rolling?" she asked.

"Yeup." The man behind the camera replied.

"Alright, let's see what comes up."

===

Feel free to ask or comment to me or Ichitaiyo (in an non-canon and non-binding way!) about anything!

[Kaiu Nagisa]

So, I enjoyed playing with you a lot! Ichitaiyo was very fun.

I’m glad she’s a lot happier now.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

So, I enjoyed playing with you a lot! Ichitaiyo was very fun.

I’m glad she’s a lot happier now.

Thanks to you too!

It's amazing when you just stroll into a scene and two chqracters manage to click like that!

I hope Ichitaiyo helped you explore other angles to Nagisa

[Suzume Hitomi]

Loved the characterization of Ichitaiyo! It was a neat depiction of Black Sheep (among other things, I imagine), which often doesn't seem to have much effect in game since it's mechanically all about what school you can do and isn't super visible to folks outside of your clan, particularly in the vastness of space Rokugan.

Definitely one of the crew that saw the most change in their circumstances through the game. Were you surprised by how much change she'll be seeing?

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Loved the characterization of Ichitaiyo! It was a neat depiction of Black Sheep (among other things, I imagine), which often doesn't seem to have much effect in game since it's mechanically all about what school you can do and isn't super visible to folks outside of your clan, particularly in the vastness of space Rokugan.

Definitely one of the crew that saw the most change in their circumstances through the game. Were you surprised by how much change she'll be seeing?

Well, I believe that Disadvantages are best played when they are not just there for the mechanical effect, but rather, inform the struggles and weaknesses of a character. In perspective, I wish I could have taken Compulsion: Truth, as it did reflect how Ichitaiyo, in the pursuit of unraveling what was going beneath Nakahama's covers, she could put in risk the standing of the Dragon delegation, as she clashed with Junpei.

Also, she does have a big Failure of Bushido, that while didn't matter mechanically, it did inform some of her choices. Leaving that one for y'all to guess!


As to the level of change, well, I always intended Ichitaiyo to not come out the same way she went in, as I had the 36 day timetable to tell it. But it wouldn't have happened so radically without Kanna to show her compasion as a clanmate, and without Ochiba to stoke the fire that had once been snuffed within.

One of my greatest draws to RP is throwing my blorbos in and seeing them molded and changed by others, and damn if these two didn't challenge the two realities within Ichitaiyo that kept her in place:
1- That she didn't deserve love
2- That she didn't have the power to change things.

[Yasuki Taraka]

I would have loved to have gotten to spend more time with Ichitaiyo. As I said, I'm sad we didn't get to talk about old magistrate and his squeeky brakes.

So why are you on a rebreather?

Why are you a black sheep?

Are you going to be a PI?

Describe Taraka in your best Noir style.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

I would have loved to have gotten to spend more time with Ichitaiyo. As I said, I'm sad we didn't get to talk about old magistrate and his squeeky brakes.

Well, I am always open to post-game RP through other venues!

So why are you on a rebreather?

Ichitaiyo pointed at her porcelain rebreather.

"This? Well.. I always tell the story a little different every time. The simple answer is that I was on a car with my parents, when suddenly the air was filled some.. acrid smell. Something in my dad clicked, and he jumped to cover my mouth and nose. It happened terribly fast. By the time the doors were open and we stumbled out, the driver was gone, and all of us passed out in turn. When I woke up, my parents were dead, and survived by a hair's edge- with permanent sequels on my lungs. This rebreather has an air kami purifying all the air I take, because if I breathe in anything mildly irritating, it might trigger what I call a 'turbo asthma attack' that might be lethal."

Why are you a black sheep?

"My dad.. well, he was renowned. Not really a man of high status, but he had made a name for himself for cracking high profile cases, and his name was on the list of glorious bachelors to make alliances with. The Dragon had some deals riding on his shoulders.."

She huffed a little.

"But he couldn't avoid but marrying his love, my mom, a heimin. There was talk of dereliction of his duties to the clan and so on.. but yeah. And I guess, I am a symbol of that whole snafu. He was still a great detective, so they couldn't throw much shit on him, but I guess I hadn't proven that worth myself. Or was the symbol, and thus the one to pay for it."

Are you going to be a PI?

"Well, I don't know, it'll all depend over how the whole Goals thing that the author-Kamis are chattering about, but I know for sure I am going to take it slower. After how.. conflictive the investigation was with Kuni Junpei-sama, I noticed that I sorely lack experience to tackle a case of such magnitude again. So, big maybe, but I wouldn't be opposed to a calmer life as well."

Describe Taraka in your best Noir style.

"When I gazed upon her, I knew instantly that her hands itched with the desire to grasp and climb- nothing given for free in life despite her status, everything she had, was taken and traded into her possession. Each smile, each glance spoke to me of a potential deal made or unmade, and the nose of opportunity brewing on the hearts of every person. I can thank the Kami that such ambition had yet to be tainted by greed."

[Hatoful GM]

Glad to have you with us! Felt like you fit in naturally with the style of play here, and Ichitaiyo was a fun add.

What are her plans next? Especially as regards improving her situation?

[Tamori Kanna]

Thank you so much for being the intelligence and realistic foil to Kanna's derp and naivete. <3 And super glad that I didn't have to be the entire Dragon delegation too!

Loved-loved reading Taiyo's posts and developing story. For sure one of my favorite arcs and character growths to watch over the course of the game, and her romance with Nagisa is super-cute.

What inspired the character of Ichitaiyo? What other ideas did you have before you settled on her?

And how much was Kanna secretly frustrating for Ichitaiyo with her permanently happy-go-lucky and can-do attitude?

[Yoritomo Ochiba]

Also, she does have a big Failure of Bushido, that while didn't matter mechanically, it did inform some of her choices. Leaving that one for y'all to guess!

Failure of Bushido: Biceps.

Overcoming such a disadvantage is not for the faint of heart.

Thank you for all our scenes and for bringing such a fun character to the game, noir detective on holiday in the sun is always excellent. I also know it can be a bit intimidating to join a game series in progress and a new community, so kudos there on hitting the ground running so well!

How far will Ichitaiyo go to track down the criminals who caused all this trouble?

How would she respond if asked bluntly about what she loves in Nagisa?

Does he prefer to arrest rather than kill offenders because the results in more evidence/testimony/leads? Or because she's not a big fan of killing in general?

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Glad to have you with us! Felt like you fit in naturally with the style of play here, and Ichitaiyo was a fun add.

What are her plans next? Especially as regards improving her situation?

Funnily, I got my first RP experience over ten years back, on the Fanfiction.net forums! This was rekindling a form of RP I didn't realize I missed so much.

As for Ichitaiyo, she might have a small place, where to begin some PI work, and cooperate with the Magistry as needed. And spending a full life with Nagisa by her side.

Thank you so much for being the intelligence and realistic foil to Kanna's derp and naivete. <3 And super glad that I didn't have to be the entire Dragon delegation too!

Loved-loved reading Taiyo's posts and developing story. For sure one of my favorite arcs and character growths to watch over the course of the game, and her romance with Nagisa is super-cute.

And thanks to you too! Through my first days I felt you were my guiding hand into Banner, even if I wasn't asking for anything or making too many questions, when I needed to figure out some boundary or expectations behind our writting, I looked into your writting, order and ammount of poured work to follow as an example until I greww confident enough to try my own thing.

So, in short, I wouldn't have enjoyed Banner a inch of what I would have done without a cool clan partner like you! And I thank you so much for it.

What inspired the character of Ichitaiyo? What other ideas did you have before you settled on her?

Well, the first idea of Ichitaiyo came up with wanting to reprise a character that didn't take off in other game, a Daidoji Scout-into-Spymaster that was also secretly a Kolat.

Then, I get told that the Spymaster wasn't a thing on Banner, and well, I get into reading into mechanical alternatives I realize that the Kitsuki Investigator has that perfect blend of skulduggery with courtly abilities, cool!

So, I work this conveluted background, that didn't quite fit into the place so a Daidoji could have the Investigator School, so from such some kind of tragic story with her parents come up. I make many questions to the GM team, and then Boogie asks why they had to be a Daidoji.

Which was, like, genuinely a point of stupid fixation.

So in that moment, Ichitaiyo was born properly as I decided to have her as a Kitsuki, with the concept of a lawmaker's skills beong used for subterfuge and spying tasks, and from there having to build her soppy sad wet cat circumpstances to ask how someone would be forced into that kind of work.

And how much was Kanna secretly frustrating for Ichitaiyo with her permanently happy-go-lucky and can-do attitude?

Surprisingly not much! Ichitaiyo for one is not proud that her morals became quite flexible after so much time working on the shadows, extorting people and acting as mediator with the underworld, so, in that way, she looked at Kanna a little for guideance into becoming someone moree honorable, and generally happy.

And when they had differing solutions or perspectives, she never saw a conflict, but rather, complimentary solutions where one would solve what the other couldn't independently. As she said then, Kanna would high and be the face, while Ichitaiyo would be her shadow and aim low.

The one time it became an obstacle was in the negotiations with the Scorpion, and instead of having to argue with Kanna about the reality of what dealing with them would be like, she would manipulately allow them to hurt Kanna's sensitivities, so she she could take control after and try to have Kanna mold a barrier to protect herself and do not trust them.

Ichitaiyo is not proud, and it wasn't just necessary, but also convinient for her to be a source of comfort in the situation, rather the contrary position. And I loved having that strike of darkness come up from her, belying she is not pure either, and further presenting Kanna's naivety in the process, as a so told friend allowed her to get hurt for some benefit.

Failure of Bushido: Biceps.

Overcoming such a disadvantage is not for the faint of heart.

Thank you for all our scenes and for bringing such a fun character to the game, noir detective on holiday in the sun is always excellent. I also know it can be a bit intimidating to join a game series in progress and a new community, so kudos there on hitting the ground running so well!

Like I wrote above, looking at Kanna's example was the impulse that gave me the confidence to go ahead on my style!

How far will Ichitaiyo go to track down the criminals who caused all this trouble?

She would start with a localized effort and try to get as much remants and clues they left within Nakahama, cooperate with Junpei on whatever she can, and then take it easy for a year or two, as she settles in with Nagisa and builds her own office.

Then, she begins to ask questioms, asks friends in other places to collect documents, and slowly begins to build a case. And I guess that for the next game, I just have to ask if the Conspiracy is involved to have a good reason to bring Ichitaiyo in!

How would she respond if asked bluntly about what she loves in Nagisa?

Ichitaiyo was surprised by the suddenly query, finding herself taking a lock of her hair and stroking it, her eyes veering away as she put in the thought.

"Well, it's hard to describe but... I love that she loves. To love you need strength to bear the pain and hurt that comes with it. It is easier to close oneself. And she decided to take a chance, which I admire deeply."

"Then there's that she's goddamn brilliant! And not in the way that one accumulates idle knowledge and pours it, but rather, that I can bring any topic or any item before her and I will see her desconstruct ideas and materials before my eyes and form all those logical nexus, and enjoy it. I like learning new things, but seeing how she learns, and that passion that comes up her smile and eyes.. I could watch over and over."

"And then, well, we matched our intimacy energies excellently! Again, she's willing to learn and keep trying new things, and is a great audience when I try to express myself too. And then, when she blows? Unf. Kami. It's great."

Does he prefer to arrest rather than kill offenders because the results in more evidence/testimony/leads? Or because she's not a big fan of killing in general?

She simply knows all the ways a killer or murderer can be found, and would avoid it merely on how messy it is. That is why the insisted on giving Takeo chances to surrender, and why she recorded herself confronting Ayaka, to prove self defense if it came to it.

But there is no hesitation and no qualms with the task. It is part of the dishonorable tasks that Lady Futaro put her through. If it comes to it, she would easily press the trigger for her, her goals and her loved ones, and she did quite prove it where she could.

And well, here's an uncropped version of the art I used for her PFP.