#such as saying Hc a character as mentally ill especially a demonized illness in order to excuse them being a serial killer is fucked up &

[ziracona]

(im going off your last ask about the horror fandoms) but yeah, Horror fans and YouTuber fans share the same kind of unhinged nature about them. I cant put my finger on it, but its just...there. i had someone ask to commission me for Outlast art. It's been awhile, so i go and see whats up w fandom and the game in general (the last one i played was Whistleblower? I think ) I go in, see a bunch of ppl hounding someone bc they dont like a very popular ship. I shit you not, someone got upset and said that 'They aren't happy enough. I combed thur their blog and most of it was negative' like ??? You don't hear yourself? That's fucking nuts. You can't decide if a person deserves death threats and name-calling bc they don't smile enough for you? The fuck? Needless to say, I did Not accept the commission request. I don't wanna be anywhere near that nosie

Yeah Jesus. At some point certain unhinged areas of fandom decided that consuming content in a visible way and enjoying content we’re both = uncritically liking every single character and aspect all the time, and it’s ridiculous. Like people can feel however they want, including negatively, and if you don’t want to see that you??? Block them?? Like a normal human? I love Days Gone—obsessed w it. Went into the tag and one person was there a lot live blogging a playthrough very negatively, and I disagreed with like everything they said, and it was slightly annoying, so I like a normal and rational human just dropped that block and kept scrolling, bc they have a right to consume content how they like whether or not I agree with their enjoyment or lack thereof, or opinions. It’s really not hard. But yeah, idk, a lot of current fandom has devolved into this utterly bland “love and stan every character and if you criticize or dislike anyone or anything you’re a hater and a Bad Person” where no opinions really mean anything because everyone just trying to be sanatized in the least original way so as to offend no one ever in their consumption, and be seen as an ally to every aspect of consuming. Drives me up the fuckin wall. I have so much more respect for someone who dislikes something openly for their own reasons whether I agree or not, than a bland Yes Man trying to kiss up to everyone who might exist as if like, horror media is a Dora the Explorer appreciation scrapbooking party. The amount of rage and hate directed towards anyone who dislikes anything is fucking wild.

[teru-teru-bozu]

SoH Template

The Basics

“You call it brutality; I call it efficiency.”

Name: Teru 光

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Spirit: Wild Boar

 Impulsive/Calculated: Impulsive 73%/ Calculated 27%

 Perverted/Chivalrous: Perverted 45%/Chivalrous 55%

 Charming/Stoic: Charming 70%/ Stoic 30%

 Drifter/Protective: Drifter 49%/ Protective 51%

 Finesse/Brutal: Brutal 74%/ Finesse 26%

 Eye Color: Black

 Hair Color: Black

 Haircut: Long hair that flows down and frames the face, as popularized by the sohei. However, he has foregone the headband and ties the rest of his hair with a hard ribbon; when he has time, he also ties a ribbon around the hair that frames his face.

 Height: 175 cm. (5ft. 9”)

Relationships - How much does the Ronin like their companions? Would they trust them to have their back? Do they trust them at all? Would they consider a romantic relationship with them or would they keep things strictly platonic?

Masashi (15): From the get-go, Teru disliked Masashi—he was everything Teru hated, after all: naïve, rich, had no knowledge of the true hardships of the world, and looked down on Teru because he did everything necessary to survive. His soft, humanitarian outlook would also get Masashi killed someday, or so Teru believes. Teru disliked him even more when Masashi disrespected him by throwing money at him—but he also knows that the only reason why Masashi is the naïve and insensitive thing he is, is because he had the privilege of not knowing the true nature of the world. Teru notices Masashi’s growth and maturation, and he begins to dislike him less—the ronin can’t help but applaud Masashi’s noble attitude towards everything, especially in putting others first; Masashi is, without a doubt, a better person than he is. Teru protects Masashi with his life as a form of penance, and he does it more religiously than any Shinto priest. As Teru spends more time with Masashi, his dislike gradually lessens and turns into a brotherly affection; he is well aware of Masashi’s crush on him, and hopes that Masashi would get rid of it soon enough.

               He also wishes the kid would just shut up and let him do his job, kuso.

Toshio (24): Teru and Toshio did not get off on the right foot. Teru had lunged at him and would have strangled him in the Lion Temple had Masashi not intervened, and he dislikes even further how Toshio never tells him the whole truth—it doesn’t help when Toshio pushes Teru’s buttons, provokes his anger and asks questions about things Teru would rather forget. Teru is also aware that Toshio prioritizes the mission above everything—Teru mistakenly thinks that Toshio believes the others (and their feelings) to be expendable. However, Teru appreciates his level-headedness, especially in the Baron’s island. He also knows that without Toshio, everything would go into the dust.

Hatch (25): “How did he get mixed in with us, again?” Teru prefers working with as small a team as possible, and so when Hatch became a member of their group, he was dismayed. He was even more dismayed by Hatch’s less-than-intelligent habits, by his boisterousness—but Hatch’s fiery loyalty, strength and bravery is not lost on Teru; Hatch’s nobility was greater than that of any samurai’s, and it had made Teru’s eyes widen more than once. When Hatch blatantly showed Teru how much he cared for him, Teru felt very confused, flustered and horrified by the sped-up beating of his heart—he immediately shoved those feelings away. He knew how much Hatch loved Momoko, and he didn’t want to drive away the first friends he ever made, and there was Jun. Teru treats Hatch as a comrade, a friend, and trusts Hatch to have his back in his own strange way. He would gladly give Hatch as much sake as he wants.

Momoko (25): Teru had extremely hated Momoko when he discovered that she was the opium maker, the destroyer of Jijinto and the murder of thousands. This hatred made him spit acid vitriol at her despite the burn of poison in his throat. However, he was horribly shaken when he realized that she was going to kill herself because of guilt—guilt which he crushed her with. He didn’t waste time in grabbing Momoko from the edge of the bridge and throwing her onto the pavement. He knew that his anger towards her for making opium was a hypocrisy; he had killed just as many innocents as she had, and they both deserved death for their crimes. The only difference was that Momoko could remedy what she did. Teru deeply respects and is amazed by Momoko’s goodness, skill, and her willingness to make things right.  She had saved his life twice, was wise, and was quiet; that sort of thing earned her a place in Teru’s heart. They had much in common; Teru began to feel—though he would never admit it—that she was like a sister. Teru would often talk to her and lighten her mood when she looked distressed... small wonder she fell in love with him. Teru rejected her as gently as possible; tears nearly spilled from his eyes when she said that she was leaving. He tried to force her to stay. Momoko was someone like him—better than him, and understood what true guilt felt like; he knew they could have been great friends... but she was gone.

Jun (27): Teru has many emotions about Jun, but most of all, it is guilt. Teru blames himself for what Jun became. Jun had come to Gensai a few months after he had, and he was a crazed, frightened child, hearing things in his head, jumping at every sound and having thoughts that he did not want to have—a result of being in the thick of a raid in a town to the east. Stress and negative emotions would worsen his mental condition, but training, laughter, company—especially from Teru—would keep the horrors at bay. First they were rivals, then friends, then brothers, then lovers. They spent thirteen years in each other’s company, ten of which were the most intimate in either’s lives. Then Gensai had gifted them both the Jigoku at the price of slaughtering children—the Jigoku gave Jun the strength to fight the darkness in his mind like nothing else could, and so he used it always, always, always, even when Teru begged him to stop; even when it was beginning to destroy Jun’s mind and turn him into an obsessive killer. And then Teru had killed Gensai.

               Teru had his reasons to do so, but he never told Jun a single one. He ran, abandoned Jun, never explained, never spoke—Teru was too terrified, not of what Jun might do but of what he might do—if Jun attacked him, Teru couldn’t ascertain that he won’t end up killing Jun; and he didn’t want to do that. And so he had left Jun to the horrors of his mind, to a silence that allowed his illness to run wild. This was why Teru feels extreme guilt. What, Teru thought, could Jun do but use the Jigoku to keep the darkness at bay? If Jun was insane—that was because Teru had allowed it. Teru believes that all death caused by Jun was indirectly caused by himself. Jun was his greatest regret; Jun was his greatest sin.

               When Jun had harmed Masashi, Teru still couldn’t bring himself to kill him; he felt too much guilt, too much love for the person he knew in his youth. The conflict of being a bodyguard and repenting for Jun caused Teru great stress during the course of the Shogi tournament. Teru, as with the rest of his sins, wants to repent for Jun.

               He’ll order Jun to kill him when he sees him again. The only thing that Teru will beg is for Jun to allow him to kill the demons before that. The others sometimes hear him say “Jun, I’m sorry” in his sleep.

               (I HAVE MANY HC AND THEORIES ABOUT JUN AND TERU-AND-JUN, AND IM ACTUALLY PLANNING TO WRITE SOMETHING LONG ONE DAYTHAT’S WHY IT’S LONG)

 --Delving into their Character--

Any special backstory to their name? What does it mean?

Teru isn’t a common name, but it isn’t rare, either. It means brilliance, and Masashi writes it in a way that can also be read as “light” (hikari) 光 ironic, he’s not a Firefly. To distinguish him from another Teru in the orphanage, the others had labeled Teru as “Akai Teru” or “Teru the Red” because of the red ribbons he liked to use for his hair. Also because he was very prone to violence.

 What do they wear? Do any of their clothing hold any special significance?

A maroon jacket (long turned brown by blood and use), black hakama pants, and a red ribbon to tie his hair with that he stole from a sohei some time ago. Not much significance. But the red ribbons he sometimes ties to the hair that frames his face—he does this out of a childhood habit; the owner of the orphanage (when she was a kinder drunk than usual) had said that he had red ribbons tied to his hair when his mother gave them to him. Child Teru kept on tying them in the hopes of being found and recognized by his mother—the older, ronin Teru just ties them out of habit and vanity; they do suit me, he thinks. Aside from his katana, he also has a kaiken—a dagger—in a sheath that resembles a folded war fan. It’s been useful in his past assassinations, and it was a gift from Jun in their younger days.

 Does the Ronin have any noteworthy physical traits or scars?

Teru has rather feminine features—he can be easily mistaken for a woman if he hides his katana, tightens his obi, unties his hair and moves with more grace. A trait that he has used in many of his assassinations. He has a vertical birthmark across his back, a long, ragged scar under his right eye (from Gensai during his one of his brutal punishments), and a plethora of scars on the rest of his body.

 How does the Ronin behave and/or speak around strangers? How do they behave and/or speak around their companions or people they trust?

Teru, to strangers, is a magnificent, charming young man, something like a prince straight out of the songs—but that’s just his acting to get what he wants. To the people he isn’t trying to trick, his dark, mocking humor and his less beautiful side shows; he can insult people with a compliment, and he doesn’t make an effort to be courteous—he’s not a geisha to entertain; he’s a ronin to kill. Around Toshio, he is very professional, almost cold; with Masashi he is a little exasperated, but kind; with Momoko and Hatch he speaks without a façade, for he trusts them. He naturally lies, but with Jun he is the most sincere you’d ever see him. He cannot open up and talk about his feelings without choking back tears. Teru is very emotional, very sensitive, and prone to violence and frenzy when he gets too emotional.

Are they extroverted or introverted?

Introverted.

 What would the Ronin’s alignment be (Neutral-Good? True Neutral? Etc.)? Why?

Chaotic neutral. Teru only fights for things he believes in—it doesn’t concern him whether it’s the good side or the bad side. For a while, the only things he believed in were his own survival, but now he also believes in his mission and his penance. The thing that hasn’t changed is his bloody, brutal and harsh methods. He is a little bit of a sadist, and revels in seeing his enemies suffer; he has a thirst for blood drilled in him not by Gensai, but by the rough environment of Genfu. And he wasn’t going to follow anyone’s orders or laws if he doesn’t want to.

 What do they like? Dislike? Is there any reason why they like/dislike it?

Teru loves sturdy trees, which he ties himself to and sleeps on; he loves sturdy rope and other useful supplies, such as matches. He likes dogs, because they remind him of the hunting hounds that used to be in Gensai’s mansion—he’d love to have one of his own to help him in combat, but he has neither the time nor the money. He loves hearing the bamboo flute; it fills him with a sense of peace. He hates cats, heights, horses and loud sounds. Horses reminded him too much of the time when the carriages of the nobility wouldn’t stop in the streets—they sped on and on, even if they ran over street urchins, even if they crippled one for life. He also likes hearing a good, thrilling story from the mouth of a talented orator.

Does the Ronin have any hobbies? Are they good at it?

Teru possesses a beautiful singing voice. He is very good at crafting—he could make rope, even sew things if he had the time or the supplies. He’s also a skilled actor. If he wasn’t so pragmatic or cynical, he could’ve entered a theatre troupe. Gensai, fancying himself the master of a legitimate samurai school, also taught Teru (and Jun) how to dance—the swift and elegant wardances were for balance and agility, and to appease Gensai’s love for history. Teru still does it in his spare time.

 Does the Ronin have any unique quirks?

He plays with his hair when he’s genuinely nervous and bites the back of his hand when flustered or embarrassed. He fiddles with the ribbon in his hair when he’s thinking. He also blushes easily, and claws himself.

 What is the Ronin bad at? Are they embarrassed by it? How would they react if their companions pointed it out to them?

HE CAN’T MATH FOR SHIT. Do not ask him to MDAS any numbers larger than 14. Do not ask him to MDAS at all (Hyugans don’t seem to have a number system like we use to solve on paper, but an abacus). Teru is extremely embarrassed by the fact that numbers are lost on him, and becomes extremely defensive and flustered when someone points out his mistake. He also has great trouble with riding horses. He also cannot cook—he just boils things, because the last time he tried to make anything he almost poisoned himself. He also cannot even draw a straight line 0/10 drawing skills. People also catch him clawing himself whenever his OCD attacks, and he snaps at them.

 What frustrates the Ronin? What do they usually do to calm themselves down?

Many things frustrate him, but what frustrates him the most are: loud noises, many people, many people making loud noises, people who sometimes mistake him for a woman, people who flirt at him when he’s not interested, strangers who talk to him all of a sudden, the guilt and terrible thoughts in his head that poison his mind, the fact that he destroyed Jun’s mind by leaving... the list goes on. When Teru gets frustrated, he snaps at others and runs away to somewhere quiet. In that quiet place, he sings to himself and watches things (people walking, clouds going by) until he’s calm. Fights never get him out of a frenzy, they just pull him in deeper.

 What makes the Ronin happy? Is it something small or something extravagant? Something tangible or abstract?

Teru is a simple man with simple needs. He only wants a few things: to be with someone he loves, to have a soft futon to sleep on, to have a good duel every now and then, to have his stomach full whenever he went to sleep. The last time he had these things constantly was before he killed Gensai. Being with Jun is something he misses, but tries to push out of his mind. He likes to hear a good song (whether flute or voice) and to hear a good story.

 What does their voice sound like? Do you have a headcanon for them?

Mamoru Miyano in Japanese, maybe David Matranga in English.

 Any other headcanons about the Ronin?

The words vain, sensitive, brutal, sadistic, cruel, impulsive, protective, principled, narcissistic, chaste, cynical, hardworking, humorous, cheery, kind and eloquent describe him in a nutshell.

He cannot grow facial hair at all, and he laments this extremely.

He suffers from OCD - Obtrusive Thoughts, which is one of the most common types. The OTs are always related to becoming insane and going to hell, and he claws himself to get rid of them... although obviously this ritual is only a temporary stopgap. (I did this because I want people to know that OCD isn’t just about cleanliness and symmetry...)

Book 1 Choices

Did Ume-Ume leave her home?

No—he killed both of the abusive city guard and threw their bodies into an alley with Toshio, shrugging at the idea of “conscience”.

 Who was poisoned? The Ronin or Hatch?

Teru. “Why did I even do that in the first place..?”

 Who grabbed Momoko before she fell?

Teru.

 Who did the Ronin request for? The Shinto or Jijinto guard?

Shinto.

 Did the Ronin spare or kill Daisuke?

Daisuke was killed.

 Did the Ronin let Momoko save her work?

No—they were in the middle of a burning mansion, and he couldn’t fathom why Momoko would ever need them again.

 Book 2 Choices

How did the Ronin deal with Jun’s return throughout the book?

Teru would have been elated to see Jun again—but he couldn’t, not when he was holding a sword to Masashi’s throat. But despite it all, Teru couldn’t bring himself to hate Jun or at least lose his love for him. He was terribly obsessed over the thought of Jun, bringing the topic up to Sadao and Toshio, and ruminating over it over the course of his stay in Jijinto. It was difficult to wrestle the thought of Jun out of his mind as he bathed. 

How well did the Ronin fair during the first shogi tournament?

Even though he’s terrible at math, Teru is rather good at puzzles and riddles. He managed to follow Masashi’s vague instructions. He also traded barbs with the Gold General happily. (What an asshole. And that’s both of them.)

 What was the final fate of the Gold General, Anzai Sukenobu?

Teru went to Jun’s katana the moment he heard the sound of a blade, his instincts and experience with Shiroyama and Jun driving him to do so. He did not expect it when Anzai stabbed himself in the gut, and Teru aided him into the afterlife. No one wanted to see an asshole suffer for hours on end.

 Did the Ronin try set up Momoko and Hatch together? Why or why not?

He first said no, because Momoko is out of Hatch’s league, and has absolutely no interest in the man anyway; he also listened to what Toshio said about distractions. But he helped anyway, when Masashi won out.

 Did the Ronin let Masashi/Masami cast the spell to help with the date?

He didn’t, as he knew that it wouldn’t work anyway—rain couldn’t make Momoko fall in love with Hatch; Masashi was also tired, and Teru didn’t want him losing any more energy than he already did. He got a slap in the face for his efforts.

 How did the Ronin react to Momoko’s confession? Did they try to stop her from leaving?

Teru had already suspected Momoko’s feelings, but he was still surprised and flustered when he heard it the first time. To know that he was loved was something he treasured, dearly. He forced her to stay, and grimaced when he realized he was acting like Jun. Gensai did often say they acted alike.

 Did they visit with the Baron? Yes, he was following what Toshio said about “learning more about the Baron.” He was shaken when the Baron displayed affection towards him, and threatened to bash the foreigner’s face in if he didn’t let go. THE MAN IS A DEMON, and he knew it the moment he saw those cat eyes during their duel.