#ic.kojiro.development

[apuppetmuseum]

Following @yeonban 's example but also don't hate me if I put someone in the don't know pile even if a character is supposed to know because I'm REALLY BAD at remembering characters based on just one small image of them. I'm baby be nice

[apuppetmuseum]

What activities does Kojiro enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

Unprompted HC asks | Always Accepting!!

Fishing, probably. Yeah he's fished for survival and in that case it's not exactly a waste of time, but when he's doing so in his free time he's more doing it for the peace of mind and quietness of it all. Plus sometimes the fish just aren't biting and if he doesn't get food then what's the POINT.

And because I like to project on characters - I think Kojiro likes drawing/painting as well. Since he couldn't read or write very well growing up he got used to recognizing signs and symbols and stuff like that. His writing might be chicken scratch but his art is verily good. He would even sell some pieces in the mining town via a merchant (since no one really wanted to do business with the guy from the warrior clan face to face) and took a split of the profits with said merchant. He just doesn't think the skill is that useful outside of making money, like he would never leave being a bushi to become an artist or something like that. He just enjoys it from time to time (and being praised for his art is always a plus for his low self esteem). He could probably recreate certain symbols or small things he's noticed if asked.

[apuppetmuseum]

You know I wonder if anyone has scolded Kojiro for bringing along his dad's sword. It's clearly not the one he used to slay oni, and as seen at the beginning of the story to be a liability cause oni go after it cause they eat metal.

So wouldn't one of the higher ups have noticed and talked to Kojiro about it? Like he's literally painting a target on his back by carrying that sword with him into battle, but he has never once thought about putting it away safely somewhere. He carries it with him everywhere, into battle, around the castles, into the fucking black demon god's stomach when they were getting the ore and being attacked from all sides. He never once thought that leaving it behind could have done him some good.

Either everyone is assuming it's a Kitetsu sword, or they've noticed and decided not to say anything out of respect for Kojiro's bond with his father, OR kojiro has been told off about it before and just said 'fuck you i'm not taking it off'

[apuppetmuseum]

Thinking about some trans headcanons for Kojiro and I can imagine he wasn't binding properly until properly joining the alliance / getting put into a squad. Someone perhaps caught him binding wrong and instantly chewed him out for it and taught him a more proper way to do so. I don't imagine they have binders in this setting but there's probably a healthier way to wrap bandages or put some kind of constriction around his chest than whatever the hell he was doing to begin with. He hadn't known anyone who could show him a proper way to do such a thing when he was younger.

Thankfully his chest is small so he doesn't have to worry too much about it but his body is still growing and he feels more comfortable if he at least covers his chest up in some way. I also doubt that top surgery is a thing in the setting of the series but fuck it we ball and it is and he'll likely get it done when he reaches 18-20.

Also, because of the nature of the people back home, he didn't exactly go around announcing that he was trans. Pretty much the only one who addressed him properly by his preferred name and pronouns was Musashi. He only really started introducing himself by these after they left the town. Since they were meeting new people, it was easier for him to finally go by them rather than try to change the minds of people who already had a deep rooted hatred for him (because of his warrior's bloodline). It's another reason that he's thankful that they left that town.

[apuppetmuseum]

Anon asked: Kojiro, how would you rank the grand generals? You can use any criteria you want

Ask any questions about my characters! | Always Accepting!!

"Are you trying to get me sent back to the labor camp?!" He hissed in a hushed tone before giving himself a moment to calm down. Okay, there didn't seem to be anyone in earshot who would care-- So maybe it was okay to answer?

"Hojo is the one I feel closest with - If only because he was the only one to know my dad. Even if we were struggling to figure out what my dad wanted from us - it was just, nice to hear about him from another perspective." Kojiro shifted slightly, wondering how much he should say. "He's a nice enough guy too, though a bit overbearing as a big brother. But maybe that's just how big brothers are supposed to be." He wasn't sure. Musashi was like a brother to him sure, but they grew distant and then came back together, and he wouldn't admit he was having a hard time figuring out how to be like a brother with him again.

"Naotora is next, I guess. I feel like I can learn alot from him, and he's the one I've known the longest." It was simple enough to explain his feelings for the older blue soul. "Him and Musashi butt heads sometimes but I know he respects Naotora too and so do I. It's obvious he's done alot to get where he is today, and I'm hoping I can learn from him." Like other new blue souls, he had been feeling rather down that he was 'common' but Naotora inspired him just like he had done the rest.

"Soma and Tokugawa I don't know very well so iId rank them about the same. But I do have a bit more respect for Soma. Not because Tokugawa is bad or anything! Soma has just -- done more for me and Musashi." He remembers when Soma said all those things to Musashi. While it had irritated Kojiro at the time, he later figured out that Soma was just saying what Musashi was thinking, and wanted him to work through his issues. "I'd like to get to know them better if the opportunity presents itself."

"Tatsuomi is last because honestly, I haven't forgiven him for the labor camp thing." Kojiro said bluntly. "I respect him, but it doesn't mean I have to like him. Naoe-sensei trusts him, so I do as a result. He hasn't really earned it himself yet as far as I'm concerned." Also he might be a little bit bitter that him and Musashi were split up to different squads. After being distant, then close again, only to be separated again? It hadn't felt right to Kojiro. Maybe that was a petty reason to be upset with the man, but it was a reason all the same.

[apuppetmuseum]

Because I'm bitter that none of the panels in the new chapter that showed the bushi interacting with the 8 in the illusion thing had Kojiro in them --

I like to think that he wasn't falling for it either / was just being his awkward self tbh. He's not used to interacting with people, and we see as early as like Chapter 10-11 that he feels uncomfortable with large feasts/being catered to. He's suspicious and overthinking alot and that ends up helping him in the end. He was likely just curled up on his seat smoking and not touching any of the drinks or snacks. He maybe tried to get Musashi's attention but either he wasn't listening cause of the illusion or Shiro drowned him out on purpose.

[apuppetmuseum]

ah, I just made myself very sad.

Kojiro's dad likely doesn't have a proper grave. Kojiro was a child like, he couldn't have dug one and carried his father's body off himself. And the villager's definitely didn't care enough to give him a proper funeral. The officials probably just had him dumped outside of the town or something. Kojiro tried to pay respects or do anything for a proper funeral, likely with musashi's help, but again they're children at this time. Not only are they dealing wit the jisai's horrible execution but they don't know the first thing about funerals or digging graves. They probably manage a really shallow grave and put a tower of rocks there so they could find it.

By now the rocks are gone and Kojiro couldn't tell you exactly where his body is - if it wasn't completely eaten by wild animals or something.

So when he finds out that his father was some famous hero, he thinks back to that time and probably has to excuse himself for abit to cry. Because he was a hero, he protected so many people, and yet he died like that - and yet he doesn't even have a grave where people can pay their respects. His dad was a hero in every meaning of the word, even to the point of not caring if he was honored after his death - so long as he did the right thing for kojiro and musashi in the end. When all the bullshit of the current arc is over, he might ask one of the generals (probably Shishikado) if they can make like a memorial or something for him somewhere. Even if it's just a small one. It's better than the nothing that his father has now.

[apuppetmuseum]

me crying over kojiro again and i'm only iconing the second chapter. this dude has it rough since the get go alskdfj

but also I feel like Kojiro has scars on his hands from this part - where he wouldn't let go of the sword.