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Ichimoku Ren

The shadows of sins flicker and flutter. A sorrowful destiny; a path of doubt. The hater and the hated are two in one; two cracked mirrors reflecting each other. We come from the darkness, where the threads of time intertwine. We shall exact your revenge.
Ichimoku Ren (profile)

Name: Ichimoku Ren

"Real" Name: Rhett Butler

Room: M10
Age: 400+ (appears around 20)
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Olive green
Height: Approximately 6'1" or 6'2"
Other Characteristics: A lock of hair is always hanging over his left eye.

Backstory

Ren's personal history is virtually unknown, and in fact, 'Ren' isn't even his name. It's unclear whether he took on the title 'Ichimoku Ren' to pay homage to the Japanese god of the same name, but in truth, he originally had no name to call his own. With his true age also unknown, all that's clear is that Ren started out as a tsukumogami, an item that becomes sentient after hundreds of years of existence. In Japanese legend, this occurs on their 100th birthday, and after which they are considered tsukumogami spirits. These items can be a variety of things, from lanterns, to cloths, to tea kettles, and even paper scrolls. Ren happened to be a katana.

It’s unclear how long he existed as a katana, only that he eventually lost count of how many owners he had or how many people he was forced to kill. After being made to silently bear witness to everything he was used for, he was finally approached by Enma Ai as he lay abandoned on a battlefield. Ai asked if he was searching for something, and Ren affirmed this. It's hinted at that what Ren was searching for was companionship, and an end to the pain of being alone, voiceless, and constantly used as a weapon. He agrees when Ai invites him to join her as her second servant, and is granted a new body in return.

For the duration of Ai's reign as Jigoku Shoujo, Ren then acts as one of her three assistants, a spiritual entity that has two forms: the human body he appears in, and the blue straw doll tied with her customary red string. Whenever someone contacts the Jigoku Tsuushin, often he will be sent out along with Hone Onna (the red straw doll) or Wanyuudou (the black straw doll) to investigate both the client and the target, piecing together the reasons behind the request/why someone is being targeted. Wanyuudou describes it as, "Sometimes, she sends guys like us to listen to the voice of your heart." Usually, this information gathering happens during a period of a few days, through a mix of spying from afar and then integrating himself into the daily life of a person. With the latter, it comes down to taking on guises (store clerks, co-workers, doctors, teachers, random people on the street, etc.) and questioning those involved. Ren sometimes uses the aliases of "Moku" or "Ichimoto Ren", even though people's memories of him fade once the contract is done.

Each servant is gifted with different abilities and attributes, and Ren is called in whenever the 'handsome young man' routine is needed. He's also the only one that can materialize a large eye onto any particular surface, one that allows him to see and hear whatever situation it happens to be spying on. The eye itself can emit bursts of light and energy, used to blind or completely incapacitate someone--it can also be used to teleport to different locations.

When not in the human world, Ren lives in a different world with the others, one with a perpetual sunset, and what looks like a mountainous region full of trees and flowers--most notably, red spider lilies. There is a small house where Ai's grandmother and the spider who enlisted Ai (and watches over her progress as the tangible form of the Lord of Hell) reside, and of course Ai's computer, along with Ren and the others when in straw doll form. Since they're usually not working during these times, they chill out and talk whether in human or doll form, or go out to the small pond behind the house and relax on the rocks. Ren is much more open and laid-back when he's able to drop his facade in this world, and they interact with one another just like any other family. Often they discuss the current client, the reasons behind their actions, and the morality of sending so-and-so to Hell.

The contracts are often (but not always) extremely impersonal affairs, and once the string on a doll is pulled, it comes down to just another day on the job: entrapping his victim in an illusion with the other servants, and making them suffer both physically and mentally. Ai will then take over and deliver the person to Hell. One of the most important rules set on the assistants is that they're not, under any circumstances, allowed to affect the outcome of a contract, only to watch and relay information. Ren and Hone Onna don't always appreciate this rule. Of the few times Ren has ever been motivated to interrupt a contract, it was once to prevent Ai from killing innocent people (as murder is a cardinal sin), and again when a family he'd been previously investigating made a second contract.

Above all, like the other two, Ren is ultimately respectful of Ai, calling her "Ojou" (the Miss, or milady) and always trying to keep her from harm's way, since she saved each of them from a desolate fate by taking them in and giving them a reason to live. Since the spider is the one who ultimately decides Ai's fate, Ren has no love for it, seeing how it forces Ai to act as Jigoku Shoujo. In season two, when the Lord of Hell (the spider) threatens her life, Ren goes so far as to try and attack him, though he is brought to Landel's before this event occurs.

In terms of offering humanity a small relief, Ai's contracts are considered a necessary method of vengeance. Ren goes out of his way to deter any do-gooders from interfering in the process.

Personality

Because of his history, Ren's personality is extremely fluid. He can typically take on any persona, temperament, or mentality, sometimes making him hard to pin down as he will change his methods of interaction depending on the person. As this is just a skill he's developed over the centuries, he's become impeccable at it, and whether or not he's being honest or false, he tries to present himself in such a way that he won't linger in anyone's thoughts for too long. Compounded by the fact that Ren is the only servant who wasn't originally human, in truth he can be sensible and objective about humanity to the point where it's seen as callousness.

At the same time, because he was only able to watch as a katana for so long, Ren is curious about other people. He asks questions to himself, and sometimes gets utterly confused while watching over their clients, attempting to puzzle out the reasons behind their actions and human idiosyncrasies. Sometimes his interest in people is so strong, he gets reprimanded by the other two helpers for going off on his own to observe. Although he accepts taking a passive role in many situations, considered cruel or not, there are some instances when he can't allow himself to sit back.

And like any handsome man, Ren is used to receiving positive attention for his looks, as it's one of his major tools in an investigation (not that he doesn't get weirded out by getting hit on by other males). He's not really narcissistic, but does make the odd comment about comparing himself to other good-looking men, and even gets caught posing in front of a mirror by Wanyuudou. In front of humans, he's well-mannered, friendly, and charismatic--and alone with Ai and the others, has a wry sense of humour, with moments of mild irritation (centered around Kikuri in season two) and cynicism. Although jaded towards humanity on a whole, he seems to honestly care about some of the people he investigates, speaking especially kindly, or taking someone's hand.

He doesn't always enjoy getting himself dirty with the human world, but he doesn't abide people picking on the weak, or unnecessary rudeness - really, any of the seven deadly sins that humans fall prey to, Ren doesn't look too kindly on. He's a 'go with the flow' type of guy, and nonetheless waits for the final explanation before he pieces everything together. That's not to say his opinion is easy to change once he passes judgement on someone--like all of Ai's servants, he takes a pitiless stance when taking part in Ai's illusions. In the end, the only ones he sees as family are Ai and the others, and the only ones who have his true devotion.

At Landel's

Despite his body now being mostly flesh and blood, Ren still has use of his eye and nearly all of his special abilities, some of which can only be used within a short span of time before it tires him out.

Arrived during dinner on Day 24. So far Ren has talked to a few different people, but has become 'closest' to Daemon Sadi and River, both of who he met during an incident involving a bathroom full of man-eating slugs. Has learned some of Daemon's personal history, as well as some of River's, including her block word--in exchange, has offered some of his own, but most of it is either vague, or false. When Enma Ai herself was brought to Landel's, Ren spent the remainder of the day with her and considered introducing her into the group of Daemon, River, and Daemon's father Saetan for safety, but that idea went awry when they were attacked by a cat, leaving Ren to take the brunt of its aggression while River came to the rescue.
Now has an interest in keeping her from interacting too much with certain people, as Ai's presence tends to give voice to many questions.

In an unexpected turn of events, even for him, on the night of the fieldtrip to Doyleton, Ren agreed to abandon the bus and loading grounds at River's behest--leaving behind many defenceless people while they went in search of Daemon, under special counselling. Despite knowing better--much better--Ren followed River, along with Saetan, into a confrontation where he managed to break through Daemon's illusion along with momentarily blinding him. During Day 29, he spent more time exchanging information with Ai, then at her behest, met with Homura (leader of the "History Club") to learn more about the group. Because they lied about not being inclined to combat, they were directed at the other two groups, Arts and Crafts, and the Cooking Club, to which Ren has taken to investigating for his mistress. Had also met another psychic, Kirihara Naoya, and they started to have quite a pleasant friendship, until Naoya was dropped.

After approaching Kagura during Nightshift 29, the duo being forced to avoid a scorpion, he was requainted with Javert, and almost met Leon Kennedy. Finding Ai asleep in her room in the F block, Ren needed a new plan, and wound up meeting River and Abarai Renji, and was led to the library, where Jack (Radio Man) had set up base for the night. Scored some flirtation and smokes, before the three went down to the basement and explored. Made a map of the place, from what rooms his eye was allowed to look into. Nothing of note occurred until Daemon and Ren had lunch during Day 32, which reminded Ren that no, he hadn't been forgotten by the other man, despite not having talked for a while. That night, he dropped off maps for the Cooking Club leader, Roy Mustang, in the interests of the investigation, and then proceeded to bump into another troubled young psychic, Melissa. Along with his roommate, the three explored the newly revealed fountain in the second floor chapel. Ren makes a bargain, but he doesn’t like the result. On Nightshift 34, Ren confirmed once and for all that Ai is missing from Landel’s, but keeps his promise and escorts Misora Naomi to the patient possessions room. To him, his mistress’s absence is nothing to fear.

The following night, Ren returned to the basement with Archer and Celes Chere, adding to his knowledge of the basement layout and the trinkets needed to uncover its secrets. With Ai gone, the urgency in investigating the clubs is lessened, though Ren spent part of a night dropping off a more complete copy of the map to the Cooking Club’s new leader, Maes Hughes.

By Day 39, almost all of Ren’s prior acquaintances have gone (including Daemon and River), making the closest bond he has the snarky, distrustful Melissa, which isn't saying much. Also seems to have picked up the habit of babysitting others during the nights.

Telepathy

Unfortunately, he's a blank spot for any curious telepaths, etc.

shira_syndrome	Latest page update: made by shira_syndrome , Feb 20 2009, 8:22 PM EST (about this update About This Update Edited by shira_syndrome 216 words added 5 words deleted 2 images added 2 images deleted view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: character Ichimoku Ren Jigoku Shoujo More Info: links to this page