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OOC Information
Name: Airdra
Age: 28
Characters already in game?: None
Contact:
IC Information
Name: Tsukumaro Oogami, though he usually just goes by Shirogane.
Canon: Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger
Canon Medium: Live action.
Age: 1,026 years old thanks to being away for a thousand years; he appears to be 26.
Gender/ Sex: Male
Canon History: Shirogane was originally a Gao Warrior in the Heian Era 1,000 years ago. Back then, the Gao Warriors fought against monsters known as Orgs, just as the Gaorangers of the present day do. However, back then, the Gao Warriors fought alongside GaoGod, who sustained a massive defeat at the hands of Hyakkimaru, a fusion of the most powerful Orgs. Things were looking grim, and it seemed as though the Orgs would win in the end.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, and Shirogane made a risky gamble. He used the Dark Wolf Mask, an artifact filled with a power known as the Thousand-Year Evil in order to increase his own power and grant his Power Animals the ability to become GaoHunter. He used the power of the mask to defeat Hyakkimaru, but in the process, he lost himself. He turned into a wolflike Org filled with evil power, and while he still had himself under control, begged the other Gao Warriors to kill him. They couldn't bear to kill their friend, and so they instead sealed him away just as the evil power took control, causing him to try to attack them.
Shirogane slept for a thousand years, with the evil power within him maturing and growing over that time. His seal was broken in the modern day by a Highness Duke Org known as Ura, who needed a bit of help in trying to defeat the modern-day Gaorangers. Shirogane's memories were jumbled thanks to the disorientation of being sealed away and the Thousand-Year Evil that had matured over time. He believed himself to be a powerful Duke Org named Rouki. The last thing he remembered was the Gao Warriors of the past sealing him away, and because of that, he held a grudge against the Gaorangers.
However, it soon became clear to the Gaorangers that there was something different about Rouki. While he was as ruthless as any other Org in actual battle, there was still a great deal about him that wasn't very Orglike. He could handle the GaoJewels that contained the Power Animals, and he even had three--GaoWolf, GaoHammerhead, and GaoLigator--at his own disposal. Orgs were supposed to be incapable of even touching them. When he bled after sustaining wounds in battle, those wounds bled red, not the inhuman green of the Org. He also showed himself to be capable of some compassion; he came upon an unconscious GaoWhite, and instead of finishing her off, he tended her wounds.
Other Orgs also noticed something different about him. He strongly disliked even associating with them, and he was not above turning and attacking them if he had to. In one instance, he seemingly snapped and attacked a "fellow Org," yelling something about stinking Orgs as he did so. He was very confused when the feeling passed, and he couldn't understand why he'd done such a thing.
Rouki's attacks against the Gaorangers were focused on their GaoJewels--he would inevitably defeat the Gaorangers and steal a GaoJewel or two, corrupting its corresponding Power Animal with his evil and making it do his bidding. He had no motive other than to hurt the Gaorangers, whom he blamed for his getting sealed away. Eventually, as the mental haze caused by the Thousand-Year Evil started to break, he began questioning what he was. Ura, who knew the truth, exploited this, and he lured Shirogane into a trap and forced him under his control. Shirogane turned the GaoJewels he had stolen over to Ura, and he began behaving as a proper Org would, albeit one with an undying loyalty to Ura.
By this time, the Gaorangers had also figured out the truth, and that Shirogane's condition was sensitive to the phases of the moon. They were all incredibly excited about possibly having a new ally, and they all wanted to help Shirogane. They cornered Rouki, and they tried to get him to remember who he really was. GaoGod, who was still kicking around in a very weakened spirit form, used some of his power to cause a lunar eclipse. This caused Shirogane once again to revert to his human form just as he might during a new moon, and he was able to speak with the Gaorangers as a human. He begged them to kill him, but they refused. In the end, they were able to defeat GaoHunter in battle, which caused the Thousand-Year Evil and Ura to release their hold upon Shirogane and his Power Animals. In the process, GaoWolf, GaoHammerhead, and GaoLigator were scattered. Shirogane was returned to his human form, without any trace of Rouki remaining.
The other Gaorangers were ecstatic, and they were quick to offer Shirogane their friendship. He was shocked, after everything he had done, and he refused to join them. In his eyes, he was not fit to do so, and he still had a lot to make up for. Ura still possessed the Power Animals he had stolen from the Gaorangers when he was Rouki, and getting them back seemed to be of utmost importance. Shirogane set about to do this alone--this was his mistake, and he wanted no help in fixing things. Although he was now powerless, he returned to the Orgs, claiming to be Rouki in spirit. His act was good enough to fool Tsuetsue and Yabaiba, two Duke Orgs, but Ura was too clever for that. He had Shirogane rather violently restrained, and he used the power of the stolen Power Animals to create the Chimera Org.
It looked as though Chimera Org would finish Shirogane off once and for all, but the other Gaorangers intervened. Still, Chimera Org was a powerful opponent, and it didn't look as though they would be able to defeat it alone. Shirogane's just heart and desire to right the wrongs he had committed were able to call back his own Power Animals, which caused him to be gifted with the G-Brace Phone. Using the G-Brace, Shirogane was able to transform into GaoSilver, the Sparkling Wolf, for the first time. He assisted the Gaorangers in defeating the Chimera Org, but when he was once again invited to join the team and stay with them at Gao's Rock, he refused. He still had a lot of guilt riding on his shoulders, and he was still most comfortable working on his own. He took up residence at a pool hall called the Billiard Jack.
Despite the fact that Shirogane had been freed of its grasp, the Thousand-Year Evil had yet to be properly destroyed. Ura took the power and placed it into Org after Org. As the Gaorangers defeated each new Org, the power grew and matured even more, gaining strength from each defeat. After defeating Tombstone Org, they believed they had sealed it away, but Ura had other plans.
Ura captured Shirogane, intending to once again use him as a vessel for the Thousand-Year Evil. He ruptured the seal once again, and he forced the energy into Shirogane's body. What had worked on Shirogane once would not work on him again--he refused to submit to the Thousand-Year Evil, and he forced it out, declaring himself to be GaoSilver. The rejection only made the Thousand-Year Evil stronger, and this time, Ura decided it was ready. He took it into himself and revealed that this had been his plan all along. He'd unsealed Shirogane with the intent of making this evil energy grow strong enough that he could use it to power himself up. He then killed GaoBlue, GaoBlack, GaoYellow, and GaoWhite, leaving Shirogane and GaoRed as the lone surviving GaoRangers.
GaoRed, Kakeru, seemed as though he was ready to give up, but Shirogane wouldn't have any of it. He was determined to keep fighting and to stop Ura no matter the cost. He convinced Red to try again, and it looked as though the two of them were going to meet with a terrible defeat anyway--until the other GaoRangers refused to stay dead. Their wishes for Red to continue fighting led to the summoning of GaoFalcon, which greatly helped in the fight, and their will to survive and keep fighting led them to be able to come back to life. Shirogane, along with the other Gaorangers, was finally able to defeat Ura.
With Ura finally defeated, a new Highness Duke, Rasetsu, took control of the Orgs. At the same time, the Gaorangers began having run-ins with a mysterious little boy who identified himself only as Fuutaro, a clear false name he came up with after spotting a balloon stuck in a tree. (The Gaorangers were unaware of this.) It soon became evident that Fuutaro was not an ordinary little boy. He was actually a manifestation of GaoGod, although he was somewhat amnesiac at first.
Fuutaro recognized Shirogane, feeling as though he'd met the other a long time ago. The boy, who was homeless, went to stay with the other Gaorangers on Gao's Rock, while Shirogane continued to live at the Billiard Jack. The Gaorangers continued to fight the Orgs as normal, until the day they encountered Animal Tamer Org. He took control of the Gaorangers' Power Animals, and he started using them to wreak havoc. Shirogane and GaoHunter were immune, with Shirogane claiming that it was because they were "a pack of lone wolves." This led to a fight between the Power Animals, with Shirogane outnumbered and outmatched. He and GaoHunter were defeated, but Fuutaro showed up and snapped them out of it. Shirogane was able to identify the wind Fuutaro whipped up as one that felt like the wind from a thousand years ago.
Rasetsu picked up on the boy's odd powers as well, and he approached Fuutaro, trying to sway Fuutaro to the Orgs' side on the basis that the humans were not worth protecting, that they would continue wrecking the planet. Shirogane was able to figure out who Fuutaro really was, and he tried getting the boy to change his mind. He was unable to, and Fuutaro revealed himself as GaoGod. GaoGod said he would not side with the Orgs nor the humans, and he took the Power Animals away, forsaking the Gaorangers.
Shirogane was understandably unnerved by this; he'd always referred to GaoGod as his "millennial friend." GaoGod eventually approached him when he was alone, and he claimed that the people of this era were not worth fighting for. He wanted Shirogane to leave with him, to leave Earth and go to the Power Animals' world. He refuses, saying that he now lives in this era, and he has current friends. He can't abandon them, and he's finally willing to go out and say he's fighting alongside them, calling them his friends.
GaoGod was impressed by Shirogane's behavior, saying that Shirogane has grown. He said he wanted to fight alongside Shirogane, and he did just that, assisting Shirogane in battle against Tin Org. The Gaorangers' Power Animals were returned to them after the fight, and they once again gained the approval of GaoGod. GaoGod said that he was testing them, that humans have the power to learn from their mistakes. He left after that, telling them that they now had to fight on their own, even if he was not there.
Soon, the Gaorangers were able to defeat Rasetsu, but they were not able to prevent the terrible Org Senki from forming from the combination of Shuten, Rasetsu, and Ura, the Highness Duke Orgs the Gaorangers had defeated. The battle was fierce enough to summon 100 Power Animals, and in the end, all of the Orgs were defeated. Tetom and Gao's Rock went into a deep hibernation, waiting for the day when the Orgs might attack again. The Gaorangers' phones, including Shirogane's G-Brace, were stored aboard Gao's Rock. Shirogane, for his part, set about wandering the world on his own, trying to find his place in this strange modern land.
Canon Point:He'll be taken shortly after the defeat of Animal Tamer Org, where it seems as though GaoGod has forsaken the Gaorangers.
Powers: Shirogane's primary ability is his ability to use his G-Brace, a flip phone in the shape of a wolf's head, to transform into GaoSilver. As GaoSilver, he is armed with the Gao Hustler Rod, which resembles a pool stick crossed with a rifle. The Gao Hustler Rod has two modes, Rod Mode and Sniper Mode. Rod Mode can be used as a sword or a pool cue, and Sniper Mode allows the weapon to be used as a gun. The Gao Hustler Rod is used in conjunction with the GaoJewels of his Power Animals to perform his finishing attack, Gao Laser Pool.
Shirogane's Power Animals--GaoWolf, GaoHammerhead, and GaoLigator--are his most important allies. Without GaoWolf, he cannot become GaoSilver. GaoWolf can also become the Wolf Roader, a wolf-themed motorcycle. All three of his Power Animals have the ability to become GaoHunter Justice Mode, which is basically a giant robot with GaoLigator forming most of the body and GaoHammerhead and GaoWolf forming the arms. His Power Animals can also combine with the Power Animals of the other Gaorangers to form other fusion combinations if certain Power Animals are injured and unable to fight. Their spirits reside in their GaoJewels, allowing Shirogane to summon them as necessary.
Shirogane's training has given him the ability to sense trouble on the wind. The Gaorangers are alerted to Org activity by Tetom's monitoring of Org power fluxes, but Shirogane's listening to the wind allows him to sense this on his own. He's good about showing up when he's needed, even without being called directly. In addition to this, he is an accomplished martial artist and swordsman.
Shirogane is also very skilled at billiards, in part because he's had to train with it in order to use the Hustler Rod effectively. It's a game he enjoys greatly, and he can be seen spending much of his free time relaxing with it, even going so far as to take up residence in a pool hall.
Personality: Responsibility is a big thing with Shirogane. He will own up to his mistakes and claim them as his own to the point that he seems perfectly willing to die in order to make things right. This is exemplified when he refuses all help in trying to get the GaoJewels back from Ura, almost getting himself killed in the process. He refuses to let the other Gaorangers know what he has planned, and he doesn't tell anyone what he's up to. He simply goes along with his plan wanting to get the GaoJewels back, because this was his mistake. His mistake, and no one else's--no one else needed to be put into danger over something he did.
Shirogane is quick to claim responsibility in other areas. When GaoDeers refuses to ally with the Gaorangers, he's quick to blame himself. Once more, he claims responsibility and rushes off to try to fix the problem on his own. Although GaoDeers does hold something against him for an accident he had no real control over a thousand years ago, he's unable to take care of the problem entirely alone--he requires Tetom's help in order to convince GaoDeers to help them.
Shirogane has issues being a team player. This can be seen as early as when he first dons the Dark Wolf Mask; he's rushing into action on his own without consulting his teammates. When Murasaki, the priestess, tries to stop him, he refuses to listen to her caution. He won't wait for anyone, and he believes he can handle everything on his own. He's very bad about rushing off into situations alone, whether or not he feels a sense of responsibility regarding the problem. To him, acting alone is simply the easiest course of action. He feels it's effective, and that he will get the best results this way. He goes to great lengths to emphasize that sense of distance and his status as a lone wolf.
Much of his desire to distance himself from the other Gaorangers is a product of his guilt. There are times where it's plain that he would very much like to join them, but he doesn't feel as though he is worthy of their friendship. He even says this himself when they first offer him their friendship: "I am not fit to touch your hands." He feels he has much to atone for, and it's that sense of responsibility that makes him believe he must fix all of his mistakes before he's worthy of anything.
At the same time, he's definitely concerned about the Gaorangers' effectiveness. Whereas he is a Gao Warrior with years of experience and training, the Gaorangers are literally random people pulled from the streets because they attracted the attention of a particular Power Animal. They've had some training, but nothing near as rigorous as what Shirogane went through. He sees them as inexperienced, and he's afraid that inexperience will get them killed. Better for him to take on the fight on his own so that he can avoid seeing them get hurt. He trusts in his own experience and his own training despite the mistakes he's made.
Part of his resistance to joining the team is also because he's a little socially awkward underneath his cool lone wolf exterior. When the Gaorangers ask him to go out and sing karaoke with them, he initially rebuffs the offer, but he can later be seen agonizing over what to do if they ask him again in a manner reminiscent of an awkward teenager wondering what he should do on his first date. He's also sitting around waiting and waiting for that call to come again, and when he realizes the other Gaorangers have ended up at a karaoke bar in the course of chasing after an Org, he jumps to conclusions. He seems to think that the monster attacked them there, and he's kind of upset and put out that they did not invite him, although he tries very hard to play it off and pretend like this is not the case. (This is keeping in mind that he's huffy and trying to play it off to the degree that he initially fails to notice that when he arrives, his teammates have been affected by the monster and are only capable of meowing and cannot speak properly.)
He's learned from his past mistakes. He now no longer sees the ends as a way to justify the means. Using evil to fight evil is never a valid course of action, for it is doomed to end poorly. He's strong enough now to resist the allure of dark power, as is evidenced when Ura attempts to make him the vessel for the Thousand-Year Evil for a second time. He's able to resist its control and throw it off without the aid of the other Gaorangers. If anything similar were to be suggested as a possible course of action, he'd object quite vehemently against it, and he would likely sabotage any action taken in that direction.
Shirogane has handled being a man out of his own time rather well. Although he's from a thousand years in the past, he doesn't seem too bothered or amazed by modern technology. When presented with a cell phone like object out of nowhere, he is immediately able to use it. He's observed the Gaorangers using their own GaoPhones, and he's able to put that knowledge towards his own new suddenly-appearing phone. He doesn't freak out over things like airplanes, cars, and electric lights, and he adjusts to the modern world very quickly--at least, he adjusts to the technology well enough. He sometimes seems a bit bewildered by the behavior of modern people, such as a gruff old lady getting offended when he offers to help her across the street.
Still, there are times when it's clear he misses the people he once fought alongside. In particular, he was close to Murasaki, the priestess, and he misses her greatly. Tetom, the Gaorangers' current priestess, is Murasaki's granddaughter, and the two of them look quite alike. This resemblance quietly causes Shirogane no end of awkwardness and confusion--she's a tie to his past, but still a reminder that things have changed.
AU Role: Footman
AU History: Young Tsukumaro was born to a hotel maid and a traveling Japanese trader. At first, the trader seemed as though he would try to make his little indiscretion right with marriage and giving the child a name and an education, but that didn't last long. Tsukumaro's father ran out on the family when the boy was very small, leaving him and his mother alone to fend for themselves. They were able to get by, though Tsukumaro's fortunes took a turn for the worse when his mother died when he was fifteen.
Gambling houses had always been a particular source of fascination for Tsukumaro, and he soon started playing every chance he got. It seemed like a better way to approach things than actually getting a job and being respectable. He was good at the games he played, especially any form of billiards or snooker, and he soon found himself able to make a living for a few years. He grew cockier and cockier with his skill, eventually gambling on that skill to the point of using it to cheat when he located a particularly wealthy-looking mark. But every gamble comes with its own risk, and Lady Luck soon turned her back on Tsukumaro once more. He was arrested for trying to defraud the wrong members of the upper class, and he found himself shipped off to prison for five years.
Upon his release from prison, he took it upon himself to gain a bit of distance from his old ways. In short, he wanted to reform. He'd learned that the ends did not justify the means. He swore off gambling--at least, gambling very often and in the company of those who might recognize him--and intensified his studies. Tsukumaro started calling himself Shirogane, or Silver, if the foreign name proved to be too much for any potential employers to pronounce. It was his hope that the name change, combined with moving away from the town where he'd grown up, would provide extra distance from his past. He worked hard to establish a new reputation for himself as he tried to teach himself what he would need to function in high society, and he was eventually able to find himself gainful employment at Aungier House as a footman, where he assumed they either had not heard of or did not care about his checkered past.
Samples
It was a quiet, clear sort of night. Shirogane knew he'd seen hundreds of nights like this before, and he'd see hundreds more throughout his lifetime. Then why was this one affecting him so? The moon was very clear and bright, and on some level, it was making him uncomfortable. He shook his head in disgust and began walking back to the house. Why should a full moon give him pause? Just because he'd had some jumbled mess of a dream in which the full moon was something to be feared, because it was a sign that some beastial bit of darkness threatened to swallow him up whole...
He was getting closer to the house now, could hear voices and bits of conversation here and there. It brought him no comfort. He sighed to himself as he realized he was effectively trading nameless childish terror at the dark with the far more adult displeasure that was actually having to deal with people. Shirogane was a man who liked his privacy and valued solitude. An entire day's work of having to be around people, to see to the needs of his masters, had been enough. With the mood he was in, he didn't really want to be associating with anyone else, but it seemed unavoidable.
He re-entered the house anyway, offering a pair of maids he passed a pleasant smile and nod. Though he didn't feel like dealing with other people, he had become adept at faking it at the very least. Shirogane could hear their tittering as he passed, and he ignored it. He'd fought to get some sort of position in a wealthy house, and he was not about to jeopardize that by fooling around with a maid. Besides, that was just more company he didn't want.
He would have liked to find a billiards table somewhere, to spend a few quiet hours simply setting up trick shots and showing off his skill to no one but himself. But he couldn't do that, not now. He didn't think a footman could get away with such lax behavior, unless he thought up a pretty good story about maintaining the table or cleaning it or...something that the help would be expected to do. Anything the help would be expected to do.
So instead, he found himself heading back to the servants' quarters. He continued giving others he passed by a pleasant smile and a nod, faking the pleasantries as much as he could. He kind of hated himself for it, but better to earn an honest living this way than to end up in jail again. At least the speed with which he was walking helped him out; his brisk pace communicated an air of being on some errand or another, and no one stopped him.
He arrived back at his quarters with a sigh of relief. That sense of disquieting unease was still there, but he'd push it away as best he could, writing it off as unhappiness with the paths he'd chosen.
