Yoko ni Natte Iru Hakuchou

Name: Yoko ni Natte Iru Hakuchou (The Lying Swan)
Age: ???
Gender: Male
Bingo Name: N/A, none yet. He is known by many names amongst various groups, however - not that they'd know that

Appearance: At first appearances, Hakucho looks like your usual human ninja - a Shikigakure headband wrapped around his left shoulder - but as one looks closer, they’ll notice that some things are a bit off. Namely, Hakucho can have up to 6 arms, even if he might use a technique to appear to have only 2 at times. Then there is the fact that underneath the bangs made up of his white hair over his forehead (sometimes it looks pinkish depending on the light) that there is a third eye he can open or close in combat to gain an additional advantage. Like his other eyes, this eye is colored a reddish amber color. It’s really quite beautiful, as is Hakucho’s somewhat feminine face.

He’s a fit person, not having much weight aside from lithe muscles and a flat stomach featuring a six-pack. He’s deceptively dangerous, as well, featuring a pair of spinnerets as well as a set of retractile, poison-carrying fangs in his mouth. This is deceptive as Hakucho isn’t very tall or intimidating-looking. While his natural appearance might throw some people off, Hakucho’s demeanor overall is generally very friendly - often even with enemies - and he can manage to strike up a conversation with anyone. Though not soft spoken, Hakucho has a gentle voice no matter the volume he is speaking at. It’s part of his natural allure, and while he might be capable of being predatory, most often people don’t initially realize that Hakucho is more used to hunting and guarding than he is talking to people.

There is a birthmark on Hakucho that hints at his age, starting at his cheek, wrapping downward around his neck, and coiling into a pattern on his upper body save for his arms, finally reaching down to wrap around his left leg before ending at the start of his ankle. It has grown as Hakucho has become older, and if anyone that knew anything about him was around they could probably determine exactly how old he is through that as well as the rings of growth in his fangs, and bones. Like some spiders, his age can be determined from his body, and it might be easier to decipher his age that way than it would be to get him to tell you. The village has largely given up on figuring out Hakucho’s age for their paperwork, however; for the leadership, it has apparently become clear that he lived in such an impoverished area that they lacked basic provisions and goods, likely coming from an indigineous culture that had been wiped out - thus, it was deemed unlikely that he knew exactly his own age. He does however speak of things that predate his physical appearance, which is that of someone in their late teens or early to mid 20s, including astrological phenomena spotted by some of the skywatchers in the country he’s found a home in and nearby ones up to half a century ago. Clearly, his people were long-lived. The rough estimate is older than 70, as he claimed to have looked virtually the same during a certain eclipse. This was difficult to acquire due to initial communication incidents. More attempts to acquire further information were stopped as the officials in charge of immigration deemed it unnecessary, and Hakucho’s technology and skill was considered important for the development of an advanced knowledge of puppetry within Shikigakure that could allow them an advantage over others. Neutrality doesn’t mean weakness, after all - especially not in the Village Hidden in the Medicine.
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 144 lbs

Village Affiliation: Shikigakure
Rank: A-rank (see Rei)
Level: Level 50 (see Rei)
Kekkei Genkai: Kekkei Genkai

Personality: To say the least, Hakucho is an interesting individual, even if he is more elusive to define than just about anyone else you might encounter - whether in your travels abroad, or right at home in Shikigakure no Sato. With his origins largely a mystery, his behaviors and love for experiencing things that are clearly new to him are one of the only hints as to what kind of life he once had, and the stories he tells depict a more primeval world than many will find in the populated areas like Shikigakure and those surrounding it. It’s clear that he came from somewhere nestled away safely, possibly full of people that were very good at hiding their presence for an extensive period of time - at least from what people can tell. Thankfully they’re never very close to the truth. In fact, many people have taken to simply drawing their own conclusions about Hakucho, as it’s becoming clearer that he’s intelligent enough that he could simply communicate where he’s from more easily if he wanted. He seems content to let people’s minds wander, though - claims it’s more productive, especially for the artists.

His love for dancing is a sign of a person that enjoys life, especially living in the now in a place that he worries will be ripped away from him by some pre-destiny he has no control of, not that people know that the second part has any role in his mind but it’s still there. Despite having a joy for life, and the new things that he’s encountered, that doesn’t mean Hakucho is stupid or innocent. Quickly, he’s developed a reputation for tactical calm, including the ability to trick and trap people he’s battling against into situations where they’ll lose thanks to his strategic acumen - but that doesn’t mean he’s incapable of being soft or friendly. In fact, the more friends he’s made, the more Hakucho seems to be able to fit in, and the more it tames the mysterious swan of a man. Some people might be less keen to tame the swan, though, worrying that it might lose the village a potential resource - but at heart Hakucho will never change away from the stripes of a vicious predatory. The predatory will just be waiting to pop back out until necessary.

Capable of master manipulation, not being a human makes it easy to trick Shinobi - even interrogation specialists - that rely on physical or chemical signs of lie detection. His lie tales aren’t the same. One would have to do an extensive study to figure out how to detect his lies if they weren’t relying on some sort of genjutsu or mental technique. Hakucho notably lusts to have his own life - especially when it comes to connections - but his duty is always the most important thing. He is a highly dedicated attendant, after all. Of course, that doesn’t mean his lust has zero chance of eventually swaying him away from those duties. He’ll use his manipulation to suit his purposes, possibly even with friends, but it’s not often that he tries to make someone he cares for do something that they would otherwise never do.

Likes:

• Trying new things. The land he is in has tons of things he’s never been exposed to. So far he has learned how to use utensils, and a little bit about spices. He hasn’t tried sake, ramen, or many varieties of sushi or sashimi (of which there are hundreds within Shikigakure alone due to plentiful varieties of fish and a coast), yet, though, nor many regional variations of his foods. There is lots for him to do. He’s especially taken to trying new foods and beverages.
  
• Rice balls - rice balls have quickly become Hakucho’s favorite food. He can make them pretty easily by himself, too, and has gotten a lot better at making onigiri as of late.
  
• Feeling Useful/Having a Job - ever since he failed in his duties, not that it was entirely his fault, Hakucho has been left feeling a bit unguided. Since finding a place amongst Shikigakure, which was quick to put him to use, he has been able to find some contentment.
  
• Engineering/Art - Hakucho is a highly skilled maker of things, especially complex mechanical things, and possesses the ability to produce several unique technologies that make his puppets some of the most dangerous and versatile to ever be created. From his artificial chakra coils, to modular puppets that can swap out parts in the middle of combat, extending limbs, and more, Hakucho has a savant-like ability to produce incredibly dangerous designs in shorter time periods than other makers. Many, many decades of experience have left him virtually the only puppeteer of his caliber alive, and he is almost always tinkering with his designs to improve them. Hakucho is also a village blacksmith. Though he requires the right facilities to do that work, he can make virtually anything as long as he receives an order. Hakucho was also the maker of many of the textiles, clothing items, and various other things used by his family - he wishes they could see that he has learned a lot more since, and would be able to make much nicer things, now. Hakucho has also taken to making pottery, and is generally skilled with most forms of inking or painting, the latter of which predating his pottery which he began to develop in Shikigakure no Sato.
  
• The Joys of Humanity - Hakucho has taken solace in what humans are, even the terrible ones. He usually enjoys each interaction he has with a human, and does his best to make them positive, even if this is for his own motives. This allows Hakucho an advantage over others. He also just likes having fun more often than not, and humans have lots of fun things to offer.
  
• Men - Hakucho has decided that he likes men. Humans have lots of words for that, apparently - some of them not being very nice - but Shikigakure isn’t so bad about it, he’s noticed. Human men are the best. Of course he was sure he did before, but there weren’t really enough individuals where he was from to be totally sure, yeah?
  
• Spiders and other Arachnids (but mostly spiders) - Though some things often flee from Hakucho out of what seems to be an instinct (if they notice him, that is; he is a hunting and foraging predator after all), he has never had any problems with a single spider. He’s perfectly content to allow them to crawl on him, and, in fact, spiders appear to be attracted to the man. Often times, any time Hakucho is seen doodling something into his journal, it’s likely a variety of spider that he hasn’t encountered before.
  
• Rats - Though it seems odd, Hakucho’s third favorite living things (after humans and spiders) are mice and rats. He has two that he keeps as a pet - mostly cute domesticated mice - that are comfortable enough around him to be handed and handled without much problem. Occasionally he’ll take one out if he thinks his friend wille safe. He has named them Washi and Rintaro.
  
• Outdoorsy Activities - Hakucho is an avid outdoorsman. He regularly camps, forages, and hunts. He’s brought down bears unarmed thanks to his fangs, though using a spear, puppet, or bow is much easier (even if he can’t use two of those things for combat), and ended up with a decent meal, some materials for his puppets (glue, bone, claws, teeth; some of his puppets are basically made up of skeletons carved and pieces together into new shapes. It can be pretty grisly) or art, as well as a way to make a new blanket or coat. He also likes foraging for plants, though he’s sure to avoid most of the poisonous ones. Hakucho has taken to trying his hand at tea making, and has purchased a tea garden just outside of Shikigakure to mix the plants he forages with. Hakucho seems to have an innate talent for survival that makes him a boon for any unit, as he can keep each member alive for an extended period of time. Along with his puppets and such, he has a block of free time set aside for these things; he’s not opposed to taking people along to help them learn, either. Of course, some of his free time is set aside for people alone.
  

Dislikes:

• Unwarranted Rudeness - This one is very easy to explain. Unwarranted rudeness has caught Hakucho offguard several times. Some people were, initially, hostile to the strange refugee, who was an oddity even amongst the others. Most were very patient with him, he thought, out of the pity he had enticed. He was sure there would have been pity for him, anyway. The experiences that Shikigakure offered really were new to him.
  
• Thieves - The thievery of ideas or of property is unacceptable to Hakucho, who tends to respond a bit more harshly than the people he’s interacted with had initially expected him to. Though his responses have since been, uh, “domesticated” a bit and he doesn’t respond with a swift attempt to punish whatever thief he encounters, and has come to understand that sometimes people steal because they’re starving, stealing his puppets or anything in them will likely result in a swift bite to one’s shoulder or arm, paralyzing the thief before he makes way to remove them from the world either through a swift bite to the neck or a consumption of his foe, not that he enjoys eating people excessively, though. The food people make is way better than people themselves. Of course, it’s not like he’d ever murder someone in a way that would risk him losing his connections. Eventually, if he makes enough friends of the right type, this instinctive response might disappear entirely.
  
• Leaving Shikigakure - Well, not leaving Shikigakure as part of his job or day-to-day happenings, but rather the thought of having to permanently leave Shikigakure for anything other than returning to his homeland to complete his duties. This and his lust for connections are strong enough that, in the right circumstances such as his duty being bestowed upon a ninja of Shikigakure (you know what I mean, Rei), or Hakucho falling in love, he could end up staying in Shikigakure despite his duty. Shikigakure gives Hakucho something he’s never really had before, even with his siblings and their other sides.
  
• Unproductive Criminality - Hakucho believes that people should contribute as much as they possibly can to not only themselves, but also others. While one should never lose their self-appreciation, or should work to gain it if they lack it, criminals that care only about themselves, their profits, or their “brotherhood” are unproductive for society and failing in their duty as citizens as far as Hakucho is concerned, while ruining the potential of their oft-young recruits and the storekeepers without the friends necessary to drive that unproductive criminality away. The thing is, Hakucho will help out where he can. All of those storekeepers have a friend in him.
  
• Traitors - Though he may, at some point, have to betray Shikigakure to fulfill his duties, he still despises most missing-nin. Shikigakure has proven to be a nice, prosperous place without much of a history of tyranny or dictatorship from what Hakucho has read (and they even helped him learn how to read! Why wouldn’t you love Shikigakure?). Unless one one an excellent reason like Hakucho may one day have (his reason eclipsing most others, as the concerns of the humans will never touch it), he’ll not be much of a help to such a person.
  
• Kale - Hakucho hates kale. Though nutritious, there are equally nutritious things that taste much better, and Hakucho comes from a place where they didn’t have the capacity to spice most of their food. Usually he just ate what he could, and flavored whatever with the plants he found. Now that he’s developed a more refined palate, he can flavor food way better than he used to, and considers himself an admirable cook. The thing is, however, that he doesn’t want to cook kale - or serve it to anyone, even himself - under any circumstance. It’s gross.
  
• Surname - Not having a surname has made Hakucho feel like even more of an outsider. What he called his family didn’t really use surnames. They didn’t need them. They were known by their signature traits, patterns, and behaviors - besides, none of them were named the same thing. Hakucho has reserved himself to earning his surname, as well as his Bingo name. He sees it as a way to make his accomplishments more tangible.
  
• Wasps - Though they don’t have much of a chance of harming him unless controlled by a Shinobi, Hakucho has a strong distaste for wasps that stems largely from how they prey upon his spider friends. They’re probably his least favorite of the so-called “creepy crawlies”.
  
• Moths - If left alone with it for too long, certain types of moths have a good chance of ruining his most attractive silks, which is all the worse as he makes the silks very much all by himself without the assistance of silk worms or spiders.
  
• Cauliflower - It’s disgusting. It’s like broccoli, but… with a horrid flavor and texture. It was a very disappointing experience the first time that he ate cauliflower, and it’s quickly become his most hated food.
  

History: Humans have so many questions: “who are you?”, “where did you come from?”, “what is your nendo?”, “who was your sensei?”. Hakucho isn’t even a shinobi: that doesn’t stop the questions, though. It just makes people ask more, so Hakucho has stopped telling people that lest they ask “but, then how can you do what you do?”, or accuse him of being a stupid Shinobi, the latter of which he isn’t and the former of which he has never been. He’s an artisan of sacred technologies from a faraway land, or perhaps an isolated society which was a remnant of a bygone era, who used his Spelldolls, what Shinobi call “puppets” to protect something now lost. He’s told them as much, with few changes. To Shikigakure, he is an artisan from a destroyed village who now has to dedicate his skills to survival following the destruction of his village by a Bijuu. With Shikigakure believing his people to be extinct, they were quick to allow such a talented refugee to make a bid for citizenship, and, now, Hakucho has that citizenship. The truth is more complex than most people would believe, and the truth behind that? Where he came from? Hakucho himself isn’t entirely sure that he knows the full story. All he knows is that humans have become more powerful than he ever expected them to in such a short period of time.

Hakucho isn’t totally unique, however. Yes, he can do things that no one else can do, but there are other people like him out there in the world - brethren without his Nemesis, brethren he acknowledges as true equals. Hakucho isn’t trying to be purposefully mysterious. He likes people, especially humans, a lot more than others do. Even the form he has been blessed with as the Masculine aspect, and the Jutsu that let him hide his arms and mend his clothes to cover up the holes until he needs to use them, provide him an advantage when it comes to interactions, allows him to overcome problems that the others might have with the closeness that he requires. Defiance of norms has always been a thing for Hakucho, he supposes. It provides a benefit - divergent thinking - that has allowed him to become the foremost puppeteer on the planet, obtaining an advantage through several technologies only held by a single group aside from himself, and, even over them, he maintains an advantage. There may come a day that one of mankind will surpass Hakucho through their art of human puppetry, but that day is not now. Hakucho has realized that he still has much growth to do. The experiences of the place he’s in now will help him, in the long-term, to form much wanted connections.
Faceclaim: No. 6/Shion