Kaeru Masuyo
As a small brat, Masuyo never knew her parents. Had they died, or just dropped her off somewhere in Toshi Kaeru? She didn't know. She was five, and if she remembered her parents then, she forgot them over the time she spent scrounging around for bits to eat around the gutters. At 6 years old, she was being used by Kaeru Daifuku to gather intel. Being that she was a young, scruffy peasant, nobody really paid much attention to her, and kinder Samurai would exhibit their compassion toward the orphan child by giving her small gifts and letting her sit nearby and do small jobs. Of course, back then, it was mostly Unicorn shuffling around, and they had a tendency to be kinder and more friendly toward their peasants, if a little bit annoying.
Masuyo grew up under Kaeru Daifuku's tutelage, and was soon better at ferreting out information than even some of his better Samurai. The Kaeru name was nothing if not built on the backs of displaced Ronin, and so she was fast adopted for her excellence. Daifuku was not a particularly high member in the Kaeru family, but Masuyo had no intention of allowing that status to continue. She was too good to be part of a low rank--she'd learned that by getting her name. If she was good enough to ascend from peasantry, she was good enough to be considered one of the best, and so she started to do odd jobs that made sure she was noticed by the Daimyo of the clan.
Daifuku ascended with her, but it wasn't enough. She became an adult, and Daifuku could see she could rise without him, and that wasn't really in the cards. He tried to pressure Masuyo into marriage, and their relationship turned sour. Masuyo didn't orchestrate Daifuku's fall, but she stepped out of the way and stopped giving him credit for her work, and when the War of the Rich Frog came to Toshi Kaeru a year later in her 14th year, the death toll included Daifuku, and Masuyo felt no real animosity for the Lion who had struck him down in the street on a misunderstanding.
The war, on the other hand, ripped Toshi Kaeru apart, and many of the Kearu family were killed in that skirmish. Masuyo convinced the Daimyo to hold back and not fight for either side, to let it play out without any more of their blood spilled, and when the Lion won, Toshi Kaeru swapped clans without a second thought. They were, after all, opportunistic. But the Kaeru are always Kaeru first, and Masuyo acknowledges neither the Lion nor the Unicorn mantle, though, honestly, if she were to choose, she'd have preferred the benign neglect of the Unicorn. Lions are far more annoying to work with.
She operated under lion rule for a while, before Toshi Kaeru was given back to the Unicorn under Empress Toturi Izamiya.
Masuyo grew up under Kaeru Daifuku's tutelage, and was soon better at ferreting out information than even some of his better Samurai. The Kaeru name was nothing if not built on the backs of displaced Ronin, and so she was fast adopted for her excellence. Daifuku was not a particularly high member in the Kaeru family, but Masuyo had no intention of allowing that status to continue. She was too good to be part of a low rank--she'd learned that by getting her name. If she was good enough to ascend from peasantry, she was good enough to be considered one of the best, and so she started to do odd jobs that made sure she was noticed by the Daimyo of the clan.
Daifuku ascended with her, but it wasn't enough. She became an adult, and Daifuku could see she could rise without him, and that wasn't really in the cards. He tried to pressure Masuyo into marriage, and their relationship turned sour. Masuyo didn't orchestrate Daifuku's fall, but she stepped out of the way and stopped giving him credit for her work, and when the War of the Rich Frog came to Toshi Kaeru a year later in her 14th year, the death toll included Daifuku, and Masuyo felt no real animosity for the Lion who had struck him down in the street on a misunderstanding.
The war, on the other hand, ripped Toshi Kaeru apart, and many of the Kearu family were killed in that skirmish. Masuyo convinced the Daimyo to hold back and not fight for either side, to let it play out without any more of their blood spilled, and when the Lion won, Toshi Kaeru swapped clans without a second thought. They were, after all, opportunistic. But the Kaeru are always Kaeru first, and Masuyo acknowledges neither the Lion nor the Unicorn mantle, though, honestly, if she were to choose, she'd have preferred the benign neglect of the Unicorn. Lions are far more annoying to work with.
She operated under lion rule for a while, before Toshi Kaeru was given back to the Unicorn under Empress Toturi Izamiya.
Personal
Virtues
Masuyo is a charmer and a snake oil salesman. She's good at getting information out of people, but she's also good at completely ignoring tradition. A secret Mahou may be ferreted out, but if they aren't a danger to herself or her family, she doesn't really care. In this way, she's kind, and she doesn't really acknowledge the distinguishing line between Samurai and peasant. This can be a virtue or a vice depending on who asks, but for the peasantry, it tends to make her approachable and safe. Masuyo is a powerful fighter, as well, and very athletic--the roofs of Toshi Kaeru are easy access to the Frog.Vices
Masuyo loves to gamble--more than most anything else, and she also loves to seduce women. While a pretty woman can draw an eye, an interesting woman is much more to Masuyo's desire. She's a prideful creature, on par with either a Unicorn or a Lion and surpassing both; Masuyo doesn't tend to like letting other people 'take the wheel', so to speak. She's a team leader, not a team player, and that extends to everything, even her sex life.Social
Family Ties
Masuyo considers the Kaeru her family, but her loyalties to her family can be fickle if they are tried. While she would never betray a family member, she takes certain actions to be betrayals in and of themselves, and if she is betrayed, she is quick to cut off the problem. Her emotional affection is short, and her pragmatic affection is stable, is what that means. As long as she's being taken care of, and she trusts that it will be the case, she will do as she's told and, often, beyond what she is told for those she is loyal to, but if someone tries to take away her freedoms, she quickly stops worrying about their best interests.Social Aptitude
Masuyo's style of conversation is 90% interrogation and 10% charming seductress when talking to a woman, 10% dismissive asshole when talking to a man. She's always looking for secrets and answers, and she's good at finding them, too--the best, even, that she's ever met. Masuyo enjoys winning a conversation, and she enjoys risky situations. When she falls into bed with a woman, her intend and drive is to wear them out, and she doesn't much let anyone touch her, but she really likes touching other people.Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
Female
Sexuality
Homosexual, Aromantic
Relationships
Spouses
Ikoma Junnosuke
(spouse)
Siblings
Children
Eyes
Sharp green eyes
Hair
Just below shoulders length straight black hair
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale
Height
5'6"