Makoto

Primary weapon: "Ketsurui" (Tears of Blood/Bitter Tears) Japanese Nodachi

Secondary weapon: "Anrui" (Silent Tears) Japanese Kodachi

Born as Okita Soushi in the Shirima district of Matsue, he was the peasant son of lower class farmers. It was in the time range of the late 1840's and the early 1850's that the Bakufu and higher classes of Japanese society were beginning to take heat from rival factions and lower classes for increasing famine and poor treatment of the lower classes. By this time, small battles and struggles for power were taking place internally and externally with Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate.

In 1850, while transporting a spring's worth of work from Shirima to neighboring Otsu, Okita's parents were slain by rogue kenshi (swordsmen) looking for money and food in these dark times. Okita had an uncle nearby in Shirima who earned his way through life teaching a small school of kenjutsu (sword techniques) known as Iajutsu (drawing the sword quickly from the sheath/scabbard for one quick, killing blow). He was an elderly and stern man by the name of Wutarou who had children of his own, but they had either grown up and moved on or died of disease. Okita was sent to live with his uncle but was unable to help his uncle's income with farm work.

Since the school nearby was too expensive for Okita to be enrolled, the child became restless with nothing to do all day. So to give the child discipline and a since of direction, Wutarou taught Okita Iajutsu. By the time Okita was ten, he proved to be a regular prodigy. Wutarou showed him off to various dojos to display his near perfect form. With this exposure, his dojo earned more respect and thus earned more a lot money in the process. When Okita was 15, he was teaching his own classes in place of his aging uncle, who's business was declining with the times. His town was the home of one of the many rival factions that opposed the Shogunate and thus the Bakufu was cracking down on its inhabitants, causing many to leave in fear of Bakufu attack.

Being a stern supporter of the Shogunate, Wutarou sent him to Kyoto where he knew his talents were needed in defending the Shogun and keeping the peace. Wutarou pondered this action for nearly a month before hand, knowing that he'd be sending this boy filled with promise and life to use his perfect blade to kill for the Shogunate. In the end, Wutarou sent Okita to Kyoto with these words: "When your sword has a purpose, it makes the sword's deeds more forgiveable. Find a purpose in Kyoto, to protect the peace, to preserve the Shogunate, whatever purpose you can find for yourself, Okita. Do that. It will make the harsh reality to come that much easier."

Okita was told to meet Kondou Isami to continue his training and give him direction in Kyoto. Kondou Isami was the leader of a group called the Shinsengumi who protected Kyoto in times where several factions were lying in wait to kill the Shogun within the castles of Kyoto. Wutarou was actually setting up a meeting where the young Okita would attempt to prove himself to be a member of the Shinsengumi. Okita's skill was gauged in a battle with one of the captains of the Shinsengumi, Saitou Hajime who was nearly twice Okita's age at the time. Their battle was a stalemate which was enough to convince the Kondou that this young boy had potential. So much potential in fact that he made Okita Soushi the Captain of the First Troop within the Shinsengumi. It was here that he gained his nickname of "Tenken" or Heavenly Sword for some said his sword flew through the air as swift as the heavens. Others said his aim was so true and quick that it brought his opponent to Heaven instantly.

It was not long before Okita was participating in missions that involved live opponents in battles to the death and his kill total began to grow. Kondou watched Okita closely. The boy was becoming like a brother to him and he valued his safety -- mental and physical. For his first few missions, Okita led his group morosely through their missions. But soon, Okita seemed to develop a constant, pleasant attitude about the killing. He'd don a constant, innocent smile as he'd wipe the blood from his katana and look down at the dead body that was his work. Kondou assumed that this was Okita's way of bearing the pain, but there was nothing he could do now, Okita was a brilliant asset and was proving to singlehandedly turn battles in their favor.

Okita was hiding one thing all this time however. He had contracted tuberculosis when he was young and now it was growing serious. Before he would have mild coughing fits, but now these were becoming more serious with Okita coughing up large amounts of blood. During one of the Shinsengumi's larger battles Okita fainted, coughing up a copious degree of blood. Kondou had him pulled away from the scene as not to bring down the morale of his First Troop and the rest of the Shinsengumi. It was agreed that night that Okita couldn't stop now, for the sake of morale and because his Heavenly Sword was needed in Kyoto's darkest times.

It was by this time in 1864 that anti-Shogunate movements were encroaching heavily on Kyoto. It became almost that every night the Shinsengumi were deployed and every night Okita killed more and more. Eventually Japan broke and the Shogunate was beginning to truly topple. However, Kyoto still needed its defenders and in one of the final land battles of the war between the dying Shogunate and several factions, Okita slew dozens before he collapsed again. Worrying heavily over Okita's condition Kondou had him hospitalized. His condition was irreversable and Okita knew it. He decided to particpate in more battles, to solidify any chance that Kyoto would be safe and the Shogunate would be strong. But his purpose that he decided on would not be.

By 1868 Okita was deathly ill. He was sent back home to Matsue where he rested in the home of his uncle. However one of the rival factions caught word of the Tenken being in Matsue and how he single-handedly may have killed hundreds in his years as a member of the Shinsengumi. One night Wutarou's home in Matsue was attacked. Wutarou was killed in the scuffle as the attackers slipped into Okita's room. Hearing his uncle's last cries Okita was already up on his feet and fighting but he was weak and fell easily, though taking some of them down with him. He was left for dead, but it was only then that his immortality became known.

Okita travelled north from Matsue, assuming different names and not staying in the same place twice. He knew that he'd be hated in these post-Shogunate times and had to do everything to keep his identity secret. It was during these journeys that he met a young geisha and he was instantly in love. For years they lived together, but it was when she started to age and he did not that the curse of his Immortality began to sink in. She never seemed to question it, thinking he was some sort of spirit on earth sent by the Kami (Gods) to bring her true love in life.

This happiness was robbed of Okita when another young Immortal felt Okita's presence and challenged Okita to a duel. Okita had given up killing after his Shinsengumi days and refused. Enraged by this act the Immortal drew Okita out by using his lover as bait. When Okita hoped the Immortal would hand her over, she was killed before his eyes. In a rage Okita "slew" the man. Not knowing the proper way of which to dispose of an Immortal, he left the man for dead and continued on his journey. He thought that perhaps the Kami were punishing him for protecting the old era and preventing the new era by protecting the Shogunate.

He went to a Shinto temple where he attempted to clarify his mind and body. But fate followed him, the same Immortal he neglected to kill lured Okita away from the temple and engaged him in combat. Though he had been at the Shinto shrine for years, his skills did not lack him. This time he dispatched the Immortal by cutting off every limb. When he finally reached the head and felt the Quickening, he came to a realization. That all Immortals like him must be killed. That they must be some blasphemy and imperfect thing in the Kami's eyes and that they'd simply prey on mortals. This was the purpose he gave to his twin kodachi, Susano-Ou and Kyoujin. And it is this purpose that he has lived through to present.