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OOC INFORMATION
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IGN (In-Game Name):
Ahimotu
What is your discord username?:
ahimotu
What is your timezone?:
Central European Time, Italy.
Describe your activity on the server:
I would like to say I'm fairly active, especially as of recent. That will obviously vary depending on my schedule, since I'm on the last year of high school and I graduate next year, it might require me to be a little more intense on studying, but I still manage to dedicate a lot of time to the server. From Monday to Friday I can probably be online for four-five hours approximately, excluding times I might be too busy to log on, whilst on weekends I can stay for much longer if I want to. Since I plan to stay even after I graduate, by then I should be even more available before I figure out university and everything else, which honestly feels like a milestone.
List your current roles on the server:
I own no specific roles, just adult on my main profile, college masters on the alternate.
Link any previous applications:
I would like to note that due to my extensive time on the server (nearly seven years...), I'm unable to provide everything I applied for. I will only link what I'm going to find.
Doctor Application (Accepted): https://schoolrp.net/threads/doctor-application.18927/ (first Doctor application to ever be accepted! :D)
High School Council (Accepted): https://schoolrp.net/threads/highschool-council-application.34430/
College Council (Accepted): https://schoolrp.net/threads/ahimotu-student-council-application.48471/
Shrine Maiden (Accepted): https://schoolrp.net/threads/ahimotus-maiden-application.65807/
I have a few KPD applications, to which two or three were denied and the last accepted. One 'sous-chef' accepted, and some were for college when it had to be applied for over the forums.
What position are you applying for (Maiden or Priest)?
I'm currently applying for the maiden role.
What is your motivation for applying?
There isn't only one motivation, and this might be the longest section of the application due to the immense amount of love I have for this faction. Initially when I first applied, I noticed that the shrine faction was a very shadowed community that had very little attention to it, so one day I decided to engage with the shrine more and realised how interested I was both in the cultural aspect of the roleplay as Shinto proved to be, and also how united everyone there was. I think what caught my eye the most was how powerful, and how much meaning this faction truly held within the lore of SchoolRP, and as someone who really enjoys writing and also exploring the lore, it was much easier for me to be immersed into this kind of roleplay. As time went on, my character was very well developed and deep into the shrine lore, so much as to be an influence to it which I strived to provide. Even though since then the team of higher ups has changed, the memories I hold with me have never truly faded as of today, because it is impossible to truly 'abandon' this faction even once you leave. And it is true, I never really left. I found myself to be drawn to the monastery every time I log on, it is almost a daily instinct for me to be there and hang out with whoever I find there. Matter of fact, during my first time roleplaying as a maiden I never took an off-duty! Today's motivation hasn't much shifted, even though the circumstances definitely have. Due to the new leadership and additions that have been made to the splendid faction, I've quickly become curious once more to explore this new world of lore. As things developed and the new build was made, I was once more invigorated and have been thinking about reapplying again ever since. Other than that, I've been immersed into the latest roleplay and also wish to take this as an opportunity to further develop my roleplay skill, as I believe there's always room to improve in that field. Knowing that the shrine heavily focuses on writing and also learning about Japanese culture, I'm always up for it. I'm personally invested into Shintoism as it is really fun to learn about, and it comes natural to also make research on the things I'm not aware of. What's better than learning with other people who share that interest? I've been looking for that again, especially since I enjoy hanging out with anyone who frequently visits the shrine.
What do you currently know about Shintoism? Are you willing to learn more about it?
I would like to say I know a lot but obviously not everything. During my first term as a maiden I learned about a lot of things, so I might be more advantaged in this field, and I know that a lot more is taught now. If I had to list everything I could from the top of my head, I would say many stories regarding the most important kami and the ones commonly mentioned and worshipped in Japan (Izanagi and Izanami, the Seven Lucky Gods, Inari, Amaterasu, etc.), though I feel like that would be a lot to elaborate onto, and not all the topics are able to be mentioned. Other than the tales, I also know about the tea ceremony, many items used by the shrine staff such as the tamagushi, ofuda, omamori, the kagura suzu, which is used in the dances performed to entertain the kami (kagura, or kami-no-kura), and many other things. The most obvious architecture such as the torii, which is a portal that usually indicates the path to a kami's home such as the shrine, or other sacred areas. As I previously said I cannot really mention everything I know as there is so much, but obviously I'm willing to learn even more than before.
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IC INFORMATION
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(I'll respond to most of these in my character's perspective!)
Character Full Name:
A stoic gaze was maintained at all times, a mask she never wanted to get rid of, but unlike many believed it wasn't as sharp. "Saiky Asami would be my full name. Formerly, my last name was Hasegawa, but I've abandoned the horrific past family." Her eyes drooped low for a moment, reminiscence never served her any good, but the mysterious reaction held was honesty; something she always valued.
Character Title:
Her eyes narrowed momentarily, a look of innocence was behind the two mirrors of emotion that were her eyes. She was in faint thought, to elaborate the answer. "In spite of the fact I now belong in a family that values tradition, I must say I was never keen on title formalities. So much as to never really pay attention to what people would refer to me as, but if I truly had to choose, I'd like to be addressed to as Ms. Saiky." She ended with a polite nod, blinking a few times in rapid succession, straighening her posture.
Character Age:
The Saiky softly pressed her lips into a thin line, this was certainly an interesting topic, although the question was as simple as the previous, she chose to elaborate onto this one as well. "Divided between those who believe I'm younger than I look, and those who say I'm older either because I carry a stoic visage, or because I don't have extra long hair; I'm twenty-two years old." A gentle inclination of her head to the side was what she ended with, the same stoic innocence remained engraved onto that expression.
Character Marital Status:
Her hands came together, interlocking the fingers as she shifted for a moment in discomfort, a golden ring was still shining on her ring finger. "I am single, and it's something I don't like to elaborate. But I hope this serves as a more charming quality for this position." Whilst this was true, from her body language it was clear there was some turmoil, especially given by the almost unnoticeable negative shift of her eyes; a dull monochrome.
Character Nationality:
Her gaze was fixed, finally a comfortable question. There was no hint of a different display other than her composed demeanor. "Born and raised in Japan by Japanese parents. But well, that might be a lie considering I had to raise myself most of the time. That still answers the question." A soft hum left her throat, as if there was more to elaborate on, her eyes also momentarily drifting away.
Degree/Certifications (If applicable):
Asami assumed a more confident stance, her hand moving to cup her chin as she spoke. "I own a Master of Criminology, a degree that proved to be invaluable in the long term. I initially wanted to become a police officer, but I believe I'm far too strict to enforce the law." She definitely did not pose as someone strict, rather just overprotective of what she loved.
Backstory
(CW: Bullying, depression, death)
Born into this cruel world, Asami Hasegawa was the child of two wealthy parents; one — her father — who worked at the hospital she was supposedly delivered in as a surgeon, and her mother who delved herself into police work, becoming a high ranking officer. There wasn't much to be said about her family, other than the boring life of a child who was born with no other relative. The decision of having Asami might've been seen as irresponsible, rather than a good decision for two hard working citizens who clearly had no time to raise one, yet here she was. Spending most of her life with always changing babysitters every few months due to every little issue her parents would find with their doing, and firing them.
Grown in the bustling city of Tokyo, specifically in the Shinjuku ward, it was quite common for her to get acquainted and see a lot of faces everyday. Yet, as many might've expected, she was the perfect target. Someone who wouldn't much interact with others, and keep to herself most of the time. During the primary school years, she was extremely popular among the other children, making friends with almost everybody, she lived happily — one could say. It was also the time her parents had the most to spend time with her, given the new responsibility of growing a child. Asami was taught manners, and how to behave with others already by a young age, yet the strict approach always prevented her from truly experiencing her childhood like everybody else. That changed in middle school. Her parents were no longer able to dedicate their time to growing Asami, and after they deemed the young girl to be 'mature enough' to sustain herself, they decided she would no longer need someone to look after her, teaching her how to make simple meals without the use of dangerous items, such as knives or the stove. Over the first year of middle school, she no longer felt the need to be social, as everything was new to her, and her friends from the previous school weren't attending the same due to financial issues. That was the start of the tragedy. Asami's father was arrested for the murder of a redacted amount of people, and found guilty, but placed in a mental care facility instead of prison. The lively girl's life was ruined.
The kids from her class began targeting her, making fun of her antisocial nature, which she always took with a light heart, not feeling anything particular about it. Her father was all she could ever think about, and how he was taken away in front of her. But that wasn't where it stopped. The more they saw that Asami wasn't reactive to the taunting, they began approaching her in a more daring way, starting to bully her and writing insults over her desk. They'd throw crumpled paper balls at her while the teacher was unaware. Asami was far too unaware to understand what it meant, but deep down it demoralised her. Her response? Try to be like them, even if it was a lie. She began laughing at the jokes, trying to gain the attention of her classmates by engaging in conversation, yet it was already too late. Her reputation was already set in stone, an aloof and boring presence before the others. They scoffed, and made fun of her attempt. They would mock her laughter, her smile, her concern, her sadness, her care.
She no longer strived to be something she was not welcomed to be, therefore she gave up trying to bond with them, once more isolating herself. Asami always felt those things, and being shamed for it caused her to stop trying altogether. Sometimes she wanted to laugh, smile, feel concerned, be sad, and show care, but she stored it in a bottle to avoid being bullied for it. The first year went by, Asami's grades matching the high expectations, just as the six of her primary, hoping for a fresh start during the second year. But it never got better, if not; worse. They could never understand her, and they never did. Asami's mother prohibited her from talking about who her father was.
Her classmates resumed the bullying on the first day of that year, and worsened it over time. What was normal insults, and throwing paper at her had turned into threats, and trashing her food. Unluckily it evolved to even violence, such as occasionally pushing her if she tried to walk into someone's path, or even slapping her for any little reason they could find — so that they could blame her for it. She was psychologically tainted, something that would be unchanging in the future. Finally, the severity of their actions started to set in the young girl and one day, after the other teens had pushed her over the edge with their insults and pushing around, she began to cry in front of them. Obviously, a school worker finally came and she was asked about the circumstances behind her reaction, to which she never opened mouth of to avoid escalation. Her grades met its lowest during these years, unable to remain focused on her studies due to the poisonous feeling in her heart. As an emotional response, she sought to reconnect with herself and convinced her parents to let her independently practice martial arts, which primarily consisted of ninjutsu, kenjutsu, iaijutsu, naginatajutsu, kyujutsu, kusarigamajutsu, shurikenjutsu at a prestigious dojo far from town. The choice wasn't only so that she could defend herself, but also because she always looked up to those who sought martial arts as a way of life. A school competition for martial arts was held, which only served Asami to be feared by those who once bullied her after a glorious victory.
But feared wasn't what she wanted, that was never her goal. In the last year of middle school, she was met with indifference, and looks of distaste. Even though the direct bullying had ceased, she was going through exclusion, and abandonment. Nobody wanted anything to do with her, but she wanted to matter. She was torn between having to push out of the shell she had stored herself in, or build an even stronger fortress so that nobody would ever come after her, The second option, to her demise, was what she chose to take. The loneliness she felt was consuming, so much that she feared giving anything else more than a stoic mask. And so she was crafted, watching from afar as the others lived the joys of their childhood, envying their fullness. Her life had become a monotonous cycle. School and then home. Nothing in between, nothing to break that rhythm. The emotional blunting had finally set in, until she no longer felt like wanting to laugh, or cry while watching the others — it was just nothing.
That set throughtout the three years of high school as well, causing her to shatter, and dig into her own heart so that it could take more, and never break. Nobody ever approached her due to her undisturbed nature, even though secretly — they were fascinated by her. She might not have been the most approachable individual, but her beauty was remarkable, and uncontested, so much that at one point someone from the idol industry even approached her, but refused. Asami had grown popular, yet the kind of popular people never spoke about, not everybody would easily talk about how amusing someone was out of the blue, especially if they never tried for a conversation. She was a subject of admiration, almost like a painting; for mere observation. Obviously, the negativity she had experienced throughout the past years had caused her to believe everybody chose to ignore her because they hated her from the start, and the last she wanted was to be bullied again.
After a brilliant graduation, a fresh start was what she needed. Asami began looking for a university outside of Tokyo, where life was undisturbed and mostly somewhere she wouldn't have to deal with this 'silence-bound' mindset. Her attention was drawn to this island in the same prefecture, to which she noticed that higher education was completely free. After a very long argument with her parents, she chose to finally depart and explore this new life in a 'college'. Quickly becoming disliked due to her now daring nature, Asami's experience had met its lowest in a very short span. Even then, she managed to meet a girl: Haruka. The blissful nature caught Asami's interest, as much as to stir romantic feelings for the girl, that would later on become a maiden with her. Yet, despite only sharing a kiss, the two never embraced a relationship and Asami began dating Mei Adashi, followed by the one who she then later on married — Mee-young Mawji Jaibatsume. Joining the baseball team, her reputation had begun to rise once more, yet that came with more bullying coming from the teams. Her response wasn't to 'be like them' this time, rather to be what could stop the injustice, which inspired her to join the student council. The status was now unmatched, she had gained the favour of every team, as they knew how strict and imposing she had become, she wasn't feared — but respected. The institution however was not to her liking after some miscommunication, which prompted her to leave and join the football team instead, in which she went from a goalkeeper to an offense star.
The weight of her social inability had however flooded her senses, it was something she could no longer handle. The feeling of being far from home even if by a short distance, and the cultural shock was something she didn't wish to endure any longer, deciding to approach the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery, to which she found a new home and mostly the woman she grew to be a mother figure: Koizumi Saiky. Meeting the spiritual presence that even today she still embraced in her heart, Tamashii, she dedicated her life to learning about what was above her. With her best friend Haruka, she chose to become a maiden. The two spent a lot of time together, their friendship was at their best time until the marriage happened, to which Asami wasn't invited to due to the feud she had with Haruka's partner. It caused their friendship to shatter for a long period of time. In a heart beat, her life fell from its peak, causing Asami to enter a raging period of her life, to which she ended up divorcing Mee-young, and shockingly, her biological parents died soon after due to an incident of her father escaping the facility, and intending to take revenge, her mother being the victim of another murder, before he was given the capital punishment by the mainland government. After being relieved of her duties and disappearing for a while, Asami returned to the shrine months later, and reconnecting with those she once left behind in pursuit of a never-ending fight with Chishiki. It was all she lived for, the safety of the world, even of those who hated her.
After a long time of struggling, trying to be sought once more and wishing to be loved by the family she once disliked but then fought for, Koizumi and Sho managed to adopt her. Asami's life was growing, and she felt blessed to finally have people who she was able to see, and not just only see in a rush in the morning. Yet, due to a stirred feud, the young woman once more fell into desperation and found herself to be in a position where her siblings no longer wanted her. Luckily, the other family members still enjoyed her and chose to offer their support, which motivated Asami to push forward and show them she could be better, including the one who she still was in love with: Haruka.
CHARACTER KNOWLEDGE / SITUATIONS
How does your character act around shrine grounds? How do they interact with guests and other staff?
Defining Asami as completely unapproachable would be incorrect, especially coming from the outside perspective. Some fear her without doing anything, and some enjoy talking to her. The truth is that Asami tends to reciprocate the same level of respect as she is given, even though she isn't one to often smile. Surprisingly, other than the few who used to dislike her during her first term, Asami was often sought by guests as she was seen as a guide for them to be better, and some were mostly attracted to the stoic nature. She may not be one you can easily befriend, but she usually talks to everybody, showing a side of herself that tends to be even silly at times, to prove that the expression she carries is not who she wants to be, even though her past scarred her, which causes her to be reluctant on showing emotion. She will easily allow someone to feel welcome if they give her a kind presentation, and generally enjoys speaking about Shinto, teaching people more about the religion. After all, she was inspiration of some to apply to become a worker, which she always proudly supported. She aimed to spread the beauty of their culture, speaking out to many people and offering to share the stories of Karakura's spiritual history, which people seemed to be the most interested in. The other staff of the shrine is the people she would share a lot with, and she mostly offers help or even speaks to them if they're going through a hard time. Whilst she's not like a mother, she definitely tends to make an effort to take care of them like family, trying to remain as supportive as she can.
You see a guest jumping around the roofs of the building and overall disrespecting shrine grounds, how would your character handle it?
Today's Asami would probably have to be strict, yet not seeking to scare from the grounds. She would approach the individual and ask them to get off the roof, assuming they would comply. Not that with her usually stoic face, one would find it easy to argue. If the individual decides that it is smart to continue and run away on top of the roofs, Asami would definitely not chase to entertain the individual, rather she would inform the police of the disruptive behaviour, fetching the person so that she can communicate their blacklist. Whilst she's lenient of some rules, the ones that are about respect is something she values deeply, and would enforce them accordingly. Other than that, it is no issue for her to mention that if a kami feels disrespected, they might be cursed with bad luck.
Why does your character want to become a shrine maiden/priest?
This is certainly a tough question. Asami never stopped wanting to be a maiden, she always loved the job even though it met its difficulties. The truth, or at least the most prominent reason would reside in her faith, as deep as it is, she wishes to be involved in an environment where she can be dedicated to studying and serving the kami. Her curiosity is something that doesn't easily meet its end, and she's always in search for more, something that not many catch immediately. The importance of holding such a title is something she reflected on over and over, and in the end she decided it was the best course of action. Other reasons though are present. Due to her troubled life, she wishes to find comfort in the job, and embrace it completely to restore her mental health. She also wishes to reconnect with Haruka, and even though it is for a personal conflict, she wants to spite her by becoming better, and showing her how beautiful she is at her best. The Saiky family, especially the House of Knowledge holds deep ties to the shrine, which Asami wishes to honour by serving actively. And perhaps, even more deeply buried within her shields... she just wants to have friends.
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