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realityshifted
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not_a_lamb_nor_ramPlayer Name: AC
Player LJ: http://aethracaelis.dreamwidth.org
Email and/or AIM: piyomon.aethracaelis@gmail.com; aethracaelis on Plurk and AIM.
Timezone: GMT +08:00
Other Characters: None so far. This is my first!
Character: canon introduced him as Kiki of the Appendix. Headcanon dictates that he, in fact, has a real name which is Kiran; he is also called Lamb (only by Mu), Brat (by Ikki) and The Demon of Jamir (by trainees who have witnessed his wrath.)
Series: Saint Seiya (1987), [ Saint Seiya Wiki ]
Deviance: Generally Deviance 2+ as it takes place 7-8 years post-canon; no other character present in the game plays from the exact same timeline and universe iteration. However, upon consultation with the current cast, Kiran may be categorized as Deviance 5.
Age: 17 (going on 18)
Gender: Male.
Species: Lemurian (Human sub-species).
Canon Used: Primarily the anime series and OVAs, where the Asgard arc and anime-specific characters are acknowledged; the canon however retains origins from the manga as to who is sitting in the Holy Father's throne for the whole (that mysterious “brother” of Shion, Arles? Yeah, no, poor guy everyone forgot about him because he never existed) duration of canon. The events in Next Dimension have not happened as the prequel taken into account is that of Lost Canvas. Common and sensible fandom interpretations and headcanon are also taken into account.
Appearance: As red-heads go, it is the primary feature that stands out on him -- soft, thick but unruly hair that spike upward. It is cut in layers where it falls to the middle of his back. Next are his blue-violet eyes and matching marks on his forehead en lieu of eyebrows. He stands around 5'8"~5'9" and is of a lean and healthy build. He is very expressive, and is generous with his smile, even to strangers. Like his Master Mu, Kiran dresses with comfort and mobility in mind: he is usually seen wearing a sleeveless tunic over straight cut pants, simple flat shoes, bandages around his hands and wrists and a heavy scarf around his neck. These are usually in muted and simple earth tones.
Psychology: Kiki started out as a mischievous child with a knack for pranks and tricks. It is, however, his own way of socializing and endearing himself to others and at the same time, serves as an outlet for his abundant energy. It was also the only way he was able to be a “child” as since the day he was born, he was destined to be a warrior, to be a Saint of Athena.
Kiki displays a tenacious and stubborn attitude when it comes to proving himself worthy of the tasks given him. Carrying them out either with a smile (such as with Cloth repair), or with a determined frown on his face (such as when delivering the weapons of the Libra Cloth to Seiya and co. during their battle with Poseidon’s Mariners). He also displayed reckless bravery and fearlessness, first in facing a full fledged Mariner (Mermaid Thetys), then a Mariner General (Kraken Isaac) and later, in standing up to a god (Thanatos) as this one attempted to attack a civilian.
He also possesses a certain amount of pride and arrogance, as displayed by his proudly introducing himself as “Kiki of the Appendix”. This shows him taking into heart his (nick)namesake of “noble demon”, and making himself his own title of “appendix” -- an attachment and companion to his Master.
It was his fiery and bright spirit on top of a tremendous untapped power that saw him through the rigorous and demanding training and apprenticeship of becoming the Sanctuary’s Clothsmith and Gold Saint of Aries. Despite his comical display in the series, Kiki has been shown to be trustworthy of tasks given to him and that he carries them out well.
His experience throughout the Holy War and the death of his Master offered a boost in his maturity. His being sociable prevented him from closing himself off and to sit beside his sorrow, and therefore allowed him to cope in his own way. His increased sense of responsibility allowed him to help himself and others so as he can complete his training and carry out the duties expected of him. He is, however, prone to being hard and demanding on himself that he greatly desires to be as good as -- if not better -- than his Master: stronger in fights, faster in repairing Cloths, to be at Athena’s side as long as she needs him. It is his pride that pushes him forward.
Kiran, while usually indoors studying and repairing Cloths, is approachable and always eager to help (catch him in a good mood, which is often, and you might even be able to convince him to go out for a walk, a hike, a swim or a game of soccer). While generous with his smile, it still takes a lot for him to get close to people: there are those he will die for without question, the nameless ones he had sworn to protect, and then there are “others”. While he is mostly transparent in his emotions, he is slow to anger, preferring to talk things over. Mindless Cloth damaging, attacking those dear to him (both physically and verbally) however, are instant triggers to his temper.
Other Skills/Abilities: As the Aries Gold Saint, Kiran has a two-fold task: that of a warrior of Athena, and that of a Clothsmith, and thus he has a great number of skills in addition to that of being a Lemurian:
Psychokinesis: the ability to move physical objects with one’s mind and/or will. Kiran is very fond of using this, to the point of being able to lift more than a dozen boulders before he was even 10 years old. As he grew older, he found it very useful when it comes to arranging the mess he tends to make while studying and training.
Telekinesis: the ability to read others’ minds, to project one’s thoughts and to project a “suggestion” in a way to manipulate a person to do one’s bidding; likewise, he is able to protect his mind from same kind of powers depending on his level of concentration and experience (for example, Mu and Shion will most likely trump him at any given day). It is not, however, in Kiran’s nature to poke into people’s minds as a habit and it is a skill that he keeps under control.
Teleportation: the ability to transport oneself and, incidentally, any object and others into a different place at any given time at the blink of an eye. This is different from being able to move at the speed of light (which all Gold Saints are capable of) as teleportation is not interceptible.
Upon becoming the Aries Gold Saint, Kiran is able to execute the following techniques:
Crystal Wall: an affective defensive technique, seeing as the House of Aries is the first to be encountered by anyone wishing to attack. It is basically an impenetrable of psychic energy, able to block and even bounce attacks back. Only someone with a superior Cosmo to Kiran can break the wall (his own Mentor, for example).
Crystal Net: a web-like structure also made of psychic energy with the intent of immobilizing opponents.
Stardust Revolution: this offensive technique is likened to thousands of meteors and comets crashing upon the opponent -- and rightly so as an Aries Gold Saint harnesses the energy from the stars with their own Cosmo to execute this attack.
Starlight Extinction: this technique calls upon the Saint’s ability to teleport and the mastery of their Cosmo to be able to transcend any place on Earth and any place beyond, technically taking them away from the fight. It is a mysterious technique in itself as it can send an opponent away from the realm of the living basically extinguishing their very existence.
Seventh Sense: this “sense” is explained in canon as the ability to burn one’s Cosmo infinitely, which explains the god-like abilities the Gold Saints possess.
Other Weaknesses: With the current tensions and stress in his universe, Kiran experiences bouts of restlessness and insomnia, which he only deals with with more work. As a child accustomed to snow and cold weather, he does not do very well in direct sunlight or very hot and humid weather -- not that he burns easily, but he is just very uncomfortable. When in Athens, he prefers to stay in his House and in the shade as much as he can. Sunglasses and parasols are his best friends. Oddly enough, he also has the same lactose intolerance as his Master. Direct poking at the markings on his forehead can cause some pain (and annoyance).
Unlike Mu, Kiran is more sociable and is more open with people as being left alone is something he cannot stand for long periods. He is aware of how this openness can be a weakness in combat and thus he works to keep his emotions in check and not to show so much.
History: As Kiki is a minor character, exhaustive English-language canon information on him online is presently lacking (see his very meager wiki page). This portion will be divided into two parts: a run-through of his role in the main canon timeline, followed by the future timeline deviation:
I - Main Canon:
We first see Kiki (at the tender age of 8 years) shortly after the first major event of the series (the Galaxian Wars): Dragon Shiryu had come to seek Mu to have his Cloth and that of Pegasus repaired. Kiki had first introduced himself as Mu -- mischievous child he was -- and first attempted to attack Shiryu with boulders moved telekinetically. His prank fails. He then tells Shiryu to try and reach him up the Tower of Jamir -- a challenge, supposedly as the tower has no conventional means of access such as doors, ladders or stairs. Shiryu then takes to knocking out one floor and threatens to take them out one by one, if that is what it took to get the Cloths repaired. Kiki panics and eventually reveals his true identity, just in time for the real Mu then appears to set things back in order (including the tower) and Kiki sets to help his Master in Cloth repair. We see here that despite his knack for pranks, Kiki never thinks twice in obeying his Master, while proving to be an adept user of telekinesis.
The boy was involved in the end of the Bronze Saints’ battle with the Black Saints, aiding his Master in teleporting them to safety. However, they were found by the Silver Saints and he and Mu had taken to overseeing this particular battle. During the following downtime, Kiki spends time at the Kido mansion, particularly with Shiryu.
His next major role is at the start of the Sanctuary Arc, where the main heroes attempt to make their way through the twelve Houses of the Zodiac. As his master is the Aries Gold Saint, Kiki is not far from his side. We see here for the first time that Kiki is capable of being able to see Cloth damage hidden from the naked eye through the use of his Cosmo. Throughout this arc, he stays by Mu’s side in protecting a gravely wounded Saori.
We see more of Kiki in action in the Poseidon Arc, where Mu had tasked him to use his teleportation and bring the Libra’s Cloth to Atlantis so as its weapons can aid the Bronze Saints in their battle. He is successful in his endeavor, but not without Mermaid Thetys getting in his way. He attempted to fight her with his telekinesis, but it proved to be insufficient. He is saved at the last minute by Ophiucus Shaina who tells him to stick to his weapon-bearing task. Furthermore, he had become a target for Kraken Isaac’s wrath when the General saw him bearing the weapons that can destroy Poseidon’s pillars. Despite Isaac beating him up and attempting to kill him, Kiki stood his ground and protected the Libra Cloth, driven by the sacrifice of his friends, by his Master counting on him, and by doing his duty as a warrior of Athena.
Come the fight against Hades, Kiki (who had shortly turned 9) is kept to the sidelines as battles took place in Athena’s Sanctuary. When the battle moved into the realm of the Dead, Kiki was one of the valiant people who had stayed behind and had taken to look after an errant and amnesiac Seika, Seiya’s long lost sister. He was there as the main heroes made their return to the realm of the living.
The people who were most present in his growth were:
Aries Mu: his mentor and perhaps the only family he will ever know. Both originate from Lemuria and take residence in Jamir. Mu has undertaken the young boy’s education -- from controlling his own powers and making good use of them, to Cloth repair. Sadly, Kiki’s education from his own Master was cut short, as he is believed to have perished along with the other Gold Saints at the final battle with Hades. Kiki loves his Master and will do anything to prove himself worthy of his tutelage and of bearing the Cloth he will be inheriting.
Libra Dohko, aka Roshi: best friend to Mu’s late mentor and Holy Father of the Sanctuary Shion. He is the elder that Mu goes to for advice and thus Kiki is very familiar and fond of the old, old man. Despite him being the second victim of his pranks, Dohko never held back on giving counsel to both Mu and Kiki. As an amusing note, it is Dohko who has given him his nickname Kiki (composed of two kana: 貴, which stands for “noble” or “precious”; and 鬼, which stands for “demon”).
Shunrei and Dragon Shiryu: Shunrei Dohko’s adopted child, a shy and soft-spoken young lady five years Kiki’s senior. He may have harbored a bit of a crush on her as she was about the only one he had socialized with in his early years as Mu frequently left Kiki on his own for several days at a time. Then among the five main Bronze Saints, Kiki was shown to be closest to Shiryu and greatly respects him for the sacrifice he had made to revive his Cloth and that of Pegasus.
II - Deviation: Post-series and 8 years into the future
The war with Hades leaves us with a victorious Athena -- though a victory brought with many, many sacrifices. Aside from the casualties that only left the Sanctuary with a handful of Bronze and Silver Saints, the fallen god’s anger and will remained: Seiya unresponsive and barely conscious as Hades’ power gripped around his Cosmo, and the Gold Saints’ souls destroyed along with the Underworld -- thus leaving Kiran without a Master.
The ones left behind have no choice but to lick their wounds, mourn and rebuild. Marin took Kiran under her wing so as to complete his combat training. She has had to leave him on his own however, in completing his lessons in Cloth repair: they need him to restore them (and revive in some cases) after all.
The relative peace that came after the battle was not without its struggles. A year following the Holy War, Athena had gone without a word to only gods (literally) know where. Some have thought that since the Holy War is over, she had returned to Olympus, and caused tension and unease among those who remained. The sudden absence of their goddess proved to be a test of faith as there were those who left, believing that gods are self-serving and heartless. It was in this time that Kiran affirmed his belief and hope in what he is meant to do, and so he set himself to work by trying to find a way to improve Pandora boxes and have the Cloths heal faster on their own. He also decided to stay in Sanctuary to serve as an example to others.
Athena returned three years later. While elusive in her explanations as to what had transpired during that time, she brought first, good news in which she was able to destroy Hades’ curse on Seiya; and second, a command: that even though there were to be no more Holy Wars, the rebuilding of the Sanctuary and the restoration of the order of Saints was a priority. Kiran took the opportunity to return to Jamir for a while -- and only then was he able to truly mourn his loss.
Two years later, at the age of fifteen, Kiran was acknowledged by Athena and the Aries Gold Saint, thus earning his title, Aries Kiran, and granted him to right to take on an apprentice in Cloth repair, and to train a successor and lower-ranked Saints. While he is concentrated on his studies and repair, he has yet to take advantage of his privileges, doubt clouding his mind. It did not help that Marin had voiced her own doubts with regards to the Sanctuary’s current situation: their duty to mankind still stands; but why would Athena stress on the need for a full Order of Saints when they had been able to go through with an incomplete one for the past Holy Wars? What did Athena do in the three years she was gone to undo Hades’ curse?
Two more years passed and only a few more Silver Cloths and Gold Cloths need to be restored, Cloths were gradually finding their wearers and the first Pandora boxes were undergoing an improvement process. In the absence of a Holy Father, Marin had taken it upon herself to unlock the mysteries of the stars from Star Hill and only comes down at Athena’s bidding. Things seemed to be looking up from there -- but why were there other suddenly making themselves present on Earth?
The characters that have so far influenced and are influencing Kiran are:
Aquila Marin: de facto mentor to younger Saints and new recruits; “Teacher” to Kiran and helped him complete his training; the right hand of Athena pending the assignment of a rightful Holy Father; and the only other Saint besides Gemini Saga to have made the ascent of Star Hill. She is driven to know the truth and to obtain it at any cost. Kiran trusts her judgment and intuition.
Saori Kido: Goddess Athena in the flesh; Proprietor, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Graude Foundation. A smart and cunning woman with a martyr complex, much to the chagrin of her Saints. Because of how the Holy War had ended, she has grown to be secretive and hides behind a friendly, cordial and sociable façade. Oblivious to her secrets, Kiran knows that as the goddess of his forebears, his life is bound to hers as her Saint. He will obey her orders without (much) question, even if it means wearing a tux to one of her galas.
Pegasus Seiya: the risen and conquering hero of Athena, the only Saint to have laid a hand on a god. Spent three years in a semi-comatose state when Hades suffocated his Cosmo as his dying will. Miraculously, Athena was able to revive him -- but at what cost? Kiran looks up to him and to his other Bronze brothers as bearers of hope and optimism, and examples as to what the human spirit is capable of doing.
Canon Point: Kiran will be taken from his latest canon point stated above, as Athena’s kin and a few gods from other pantheons (subtly) descend on Earth.
Reality Description: The year is 1995. Kiki as three different haunts, but he is often found at Athens -- “ruins” of Athena's Sanctuary. While Kiki's primary place of residence is within the walls of Sanctuary, those who do not belong to Athena’s order of Saints, and those who do not have permission from them are unable to enter -- it would be like Sanctuary is not there at all and one will be compelled to look elsewhere (we hear that the keftedakia at the shop two blocks down are very tasty). In the case Kiki would like to bring guests over (he cannot say “no” to Shunrei, Miho or Yakoff after all) then they will be treated to what would feel like a trip back in time: an ascension of 12 Houses, each representing and following the order of the twelve signs of the Western Zodiac, followed by the 13th which is the Holy Father’s chambers, and finally topped by the Athena’s Colossus. While construction has changed over time, the path through the Houses as known in Kiki’s reality are flanked by a high construct of rock. Anyone who needs to reach Athena or the Holy Father have to pass through all 12 Houses (11 of which are sadly, stand empty). Luckily for Kiki’s guests, his House is that of the first: Aries.
Athena’s Sanctuary also holds training grounds (a variety of terrain from an open field, a coliseum, a forest and small bodies of water) and means of residence and livelihood to support an autonomous, albeit spartan -- almost monastic -- lifestyle for Saints, trainees and helping hands (small houses, gardens and orchards). Do not expect gaming consoles, home theater systems and the like but they do have amenities for proper nutrition, personal hygiene and intellectual upkeep (books, scrolls and non-electronic games). The residents of Sanctuary are not to be mistaken as recluses: they are men and women of their time. Athena’s warriors must know of the world and the people they protect, while those who do not fight bring modern knowledge so as to keep everyone healthy, safe and comfortable.
Other places Kiki frequent are: the Kido estate and the Graude Foundation in Japan; and Jamir, the hideaway of Athena’s Clothsmiths located in the Himalayas.
The elements that make Kiki’s world unique is the use of Cosmo as a source of tremendous power weilded by Athena’s Saints. Other gods from the Greek pantheon and that of other pantheons (the Norse most notably) are present (some in human vessels, others preferring to stay omniscient and intangible), and so are their superhuman warriors/priests. Stars and other celestial bodies also bear power as they are relied on by the Holy Father of the Sanctuary to look into future events.
People that a guest will most likely meet are: Eagle Marin, Saori Kido (Athena), Ophiucus Shaina, Unicorn Jabu, Pegasus Seiya, Andromeda Shun, Dragon Shiryu, Cygnus Hyoga and depending on one’s luck, Phoenix Ikki.
First Person Sample: [ His voice, while a tad flustered is polite. The smile is hesitant, but more because he wants to, but not sure if he should. ] I really don’t mean to be a bother -- I mean, I know my way around a whole lot of places. A map suits me just fine, and barring that, the stars can help me out.
[ There is a bit of a pause as he takes a breath. ] This might sound crazy, but I’ve never seen this place -- this kind of place -- before and I’m pretty sure I’ve learned my lessons well enough.
[ He’s almost amused at his own predicament. A Gold Saint getting lost. Muttering more to himself, “... damn, I’m pretty sure I got enough sleep last night. Or I should just sleep more really.” Then: ] So, uh, how do you “go back”? See, I just can’t imagine getting lost or wandering into someplace purposely; and I really didn’t mean to get in here. So is there anyone who can give me a hand? I promise, I’ll do something in return for you and if you help me out. I’ll be really grateful.
Third Person Writing Sample: If it were not a command from Athena, there was no way Kiran would be doing this, wearing that in here.
‘Here’ being Julian Solo’s opulent manor -- a Saint of Athena forgives but not so easily forgets. Julian Solo, after all, was the vessel of Poseidon, an enemy of Athena. ‘That’ would be the tuxedo carefully chosen by Saori for him to wear. He keeps on being told that it fits nicely, but never had he felt so constricted mostly out of the guilt of rumpling such a nice set of clothing. As for ‘this’…
“I want this night to be over right now.” Marin spoke from under her breath. Not only he can hear her unease, but he can easily see it as she avoided raising her head too much. He can also feel her tension as she held onto his arm. With a smile, he tried to be reassuring, just looking at the top of her head -- the night was just beginning after all. “We’ll be okay. I’m here. Athena’s here. Heh, even Shaina’s here.”
He could not blame her however: female Saints were forced to wear a mask once they enter the order, symbolic of leaving their womanhood and their emotions behind. For this occasion however, the silver mask that usually covered her face was replaced by a black lace veil. While it was still hard to see the entirety of her face, a closer look would allow a certain view. It was a rule in Athena’s order that should a female Saint be unmasked, she would have to either kill the one who stripped her of her mask, or renounce her vows from Athena’s service to devote herself to that person. It was also a rule being put into question and one that must be abolished, but hundreds of years of tradition was hard to undo.
“You know it’s not my face I’m worried about.”
Kiran made a non-committal noise as his lips drew a tight line. Saori would never insist on her Saints’ attendance for just any kind of gala, especially not if it was just Solo being whimsical again. Behind the seemingly ordinary faces exchanging fake smiles and small talk of blood sacrifices, riots at festivals and armies of millions fallen, over champagne and the music of a string quartet, were gods: from Athena’s own Olympian family to their Norse kin from the far north. Also present were their choice of bodyguards -- men and women like Kiran and Marin.
On the invitations’, ‘You are cordially invited to the Gala of the Gods’ seemed innocent enough -- until one realized the importance of this gathering, in which the world can carry on with its usual ignorant peace, or all can end in a wash of fire and blood.
“Champagne, sir? Madame?”
Kiran barely noticed the waiter and after a beat, turned to him with a lost look mixed with his smile. “Sure, we’ll have some! Thanks!” He took one for himself and one for Marin. He thinks they both need it.
Did you read the rules? Yes! Do smack me over the head should I err. ;;
Player LJ: http://aethracaelis.dreamwidth.org
Email and/or AIM: piyomon.aethracaelis@gmail.com; aethracaelis on Plurk and AIM.
Timezone: GMT +08:00
Other Characters: None so far. This is my first!
Character: canon introduced him as Kiki of the Appendix. Headcanon dictates that he, in fact, has a real name which is Kiran; he is also called Lamb (only by Mu), Brat (by Ikki) and The Demon of Jamir (by trainees who have witnessed his wrath.)
Series: Saint Seiya (1987), [ Saint Seiya Wiki ]
Deviance: Generally Deviance 2+ as it takes place 7-8 years post-canon; no other character present in the game plays from the exact same timeline and universe iteration. However, upon consultation with the current cast, Kiran may be categorized as Deviance 5.
Age: 17 (going on 18)
Gender: Male.
Species: Lemurian (Human sub-species).
Canon Used: Primarily the anime series and OVAs, where the Asgard arc and anime-specific characters are acknowledged; the canon however retains origins from the manga as to who is sitting in the Holy Father's throne for the whole (that mysterious “brother” of Shion, Arles? Yeah, no, poor guy everyone forgot about him because he never existed) duration of canon. The events in Next Dimension have not happened as the prequel taken into account is that of Lost Canvas. Common and sensible fandom interpretations and headcanon are also taken into account.
Appearance: As red-heads go, it is the primary feature that stands out on him -- soft, thick but unruly hair that spike upward. It is cut in layers where it falls to the middle of his back. Next are his blue-violet eyes and matching marks on his forehead en lieu of eyebrows. He stands around 5'8"~5'9" and is of a lean and healthy build. He is very expressive, and is generous with his smile, even to strangers. Like his Master Mu, Kiran dresses with comfort and mobility in mind: he is usually seen wearing a sleeveless tunic over straight cut pants, simple flat shoes, bandages around his hands and wrists and a heavy scarf around his neck. These are usually in muted and simple earth tones.
Psychology: Kiki started out as a mischievous child with a knack for pranks and tricks. It is, however, his own way of socializing and endearing himself to others and at the same time, serves as an outlet for his abundant energy. It was also the only way he was able to be a “child” as since the day he was born, he was destined to be a warrior, to be a Saint of Athena.
Kiki displays a tenacious and stubborn attitude when it comes to proving himself worthy of the tasks given him. Carrying them out either with a smile (such as with Cloth repair), or with a determined frown on his face (such as when delivering the weapons of the Libra Cloth to Seiya and co. during their battle with Poseidon’s Mariners). He also displayed reckless bravery and fearlessness, first in facing a full fledged Mariner (Mermaid Thetys), then a Mariner General (Kraken Isaac) and later, in standing up to a god (Thanatos) as this one attempted to attack a civilian.
He also possesses a certain amount of pride and arrogance, as displayed by his proudly introducing himself as “Kiki of the Appendix”. This shows him taking into heart his (nick)namesake of “noble demon”, and making himself his own title of “appendix” -- an attachment and companion to his Master.
It was his fiery and bright spirit on top of a tremendous untapped power that saw him through the rigorous and demanding training and apprenticeship of becoming the Sanctuary’s Clothsmith and Gold Saint of Aries. Despite his comical display in the series, Kiki has been shown to be trustworthy of tasks given to him and that he carries them out well.
His experience throughout the Holy War and the death of his Master offered a boost in his maturity. His being sociable prevented him from closing himself off and to sit beside his sorrow, and therefore allowed him to cope in his own way. His increased sense of responsibility allowed him to help himself and others so as he can complete his training and carry out the duties expected of him. He is, however, prone to being hard and demanding on himself that he greatly desires to be as good as -- if not better -- than his Master: stronger in fights, faster in repairing Cloths, to be at Athena’s side as long as she needs him. It is his pride that pushes him forward.
Kiran, while usually indoors studying and repairing Cloths, is approachable and always eager to help (catch him in a good mood, which is often, and you might even be able to convince him to go out for a walk, a hike, a swim or a game of soccer). While generous with his smile, it still takes a lot for him to get close to people: there are those he will die for without question, the nameless ones he had sworn to protect, and then there are “others”. While he is mostly transparent in his emotions, he is slow to anger, preferring to talk things over. Mindless Cloth damaging, attacking those dear to him (both physically and verbally) however, are instant triggers to his temper.
Other Skills/Abilities: As the Aries Gold Saint, Kiran has a two-fold task: that of a warrior of Athena, and that of a Clothsmith, and thus he has a great number of skills in addition to that of being a Lemurian:
Psychokinesis: the ability to move physical objects with one’s mind and/or will. Kiran is very fond of using this, to the point of being able to lift more than a dozen boulders before he was even 10 years old. As he grew older, he found it very useful when it comes to arranging the mess he tends to make while studying and training.
Telekinesis: the ability to read others’ minds, to project one’s thoughts and to project a “suggestion” in a way to manipulate a person to do one’s bidding; likewise, he is able to protect his mind from same kind of powers depending on his level of concentration and experience (for example, Mu and Shion will most likely trump him at any given day). It is not, however, in Kiran’s nature to poke into people’s minds as a habit and it is a skill that he keeps under control.
Teleportation: the ability to transport oneself and, incidentally, any object and others into a different place at any given time at the blink of an eye. This is different from being able to move at the speed of light (which all Gold Saints are capable of) as teleportation is not interceptible.
Upon becoming the Aries Gold Saint, Kiran is able to execute the following techniques:
Crystal Wall: an affective defensive technique, seeing as the House of Aries is the first to be encountered by anyone wishing to attack. It is basically an impenetrable of psychic energy, able to block and even bounce attacks back. Only someone with a superior Cosmo to Kiran can break the wall (his own Mentor, for example).
Crystal Net: a web-like structure also made of psychic energy with the intent of immobilizing opponents.
Stardust Revolution: this offensive technique is likened to thousands of meteors and comets crashing upon the opponent -- and rightly so as an Aries Gold Saint harnesses the energy from the stars with their own Cosmo to execute this attack.
Starlight Extinction: this technique calls upon the Saint’s ability to teleport and the mastery of their Cosmo to be able to transcend any place on Earth and any place beyond, technically taking them away from the fight. It is a mysterious technique in itself as it can send an opponent away from the realm of the living basically extinguishing their very existence.
Seventh Sense: this “sense” is explained in canon as the ability to burn one’s Cosmo infinitely, which explains the god-like abilities the Gold Saints possess.
Other Weaknesses: With the current tensions and stress in his universe, Kiran experiences bouts of restlessness and insomnia, which he only deals with with more work. As a child accustomed to snow and cold weather, he does not do very well in direct sunlight or very hot and humid weather -- not that he burns easily, but he is just very uncomfortable. When in Athens, he prefers to stay in his House and in the shade as much as he can. Sunglasses and parasols are his best friends. Oddly enough, he also has the same lactose intolerance as his Master. Direct poking at the markings on his forehead can cause some pain (and annoyance).
Unlike Mu, Kiran is more sociable and is more open with people as being left alone is something he cannot stand for long periods. He is aware of how this openness can be a weakness in combat and thus he works to keep his emotions in check and not to show so much.
History: As Kiki is a minor character, exhaustive English-language canon information on him online is presently lacking (see his very meager wiki page). This portion will be divided into two parts: a run-through of his role in the main canon timeline, followed by the future timeline deviation:
I - Main Canon:
We first see Kiki (at the tender age of 8 years) shortly after the first major event of the series (the Galaxian Wars): Dragon Shiryu had come to seek Mu to have his Cloth and that of Pegasus repaired. Kiki had first introduced himself as Mu -- mischievous child he was -- and first attempted to attack Shiryu with boulders moved telekinetically. His prank fails. He then tells Shiryu to try and reach him up the Tower of Jamir -- a challenge, supposedly as the tower has no conventional means of access such as doors, ladders or stairs. Shiryu then takes to knocking out one floor and threatens to take them out one by one, if that is what it took to get the Cloths repaired. Kiki panics and eventually reveals his true identity, just in time for the real Mu then appears to set things back in order (including the tower) and Kiki sets to help his Master in Cloth repair. We see here that despite his knack for pranks, Kiki never thinks twice in obeying his Master, while proving to be an adept user of telekinesis.
The boy was involved in the end of the Bronze Saints’ battle with the Black Saints, aiding his Master in teleporting them to safety. However, they were found by the Silver Saints and he and Mu had taken to overseeing this particular battle. During the following downtime, Kiki spends time at the Kido mansion, particularly with Shiryu.
His next major role is at the start of the Sanctuary Arc, where the main heroes attempt to make their way through the twelve Houses of the Zodiac. As his master is the Aries Gold Saint, Kiki is not far from his side. We see here for the first time that Kiki is capable of being able to see Cloth damage hidden from the naked eye through the use of his Cosmo. Throughout this arc, he stays by Mu’s side in protecting a gravely wounded Saori.
We see more of Kiki in action in the Poseidon Arc, where Mu had tasked him to use his teleportation and bring the Libra’s Cloth to Atlantis so as its weapons can aid the Bronze Saints in their battle. He is successful in his endeavor, but not without Mermaid Thetys getting in his way. He attempted to fight her with his telekinesis, but it proved to be insufficient. He is saved at the last minute by Ophiucus Shaina who tells him to stick to his weapon-bearing task. Furthermore, he had become a target for Kraken Isaac’s wrath when the General saw him bearing the weapons that can destroy Poseidon’s pillars. Despite Isaac beating him up and attempting to kill him, Kiki stood his ground and protected the Libra Cloth, driven by the sacrifice of his friends, by his Master counting on him, and by doing his duty as a warrior of Athena.
Come the fight against Hades, Kiki (who had shortly turned 9) is kept to the sidelines as battles took place in Athena’s Sanctuary. When the battle moved into the realm of the Dead, Kiki was one of the valiant people who had stayed behind and had taken to look after an errant and amnesiac Seika, Seiya’s long lost sister. He was there as the main heroes made their return to the realm of the living.
The people who were most present in his growth were:
Aries Mu: his mentor and perhaps the only family he will ever know. Both originate from Lemuria and take residence in Jamir. Mu has undertaken the young boy’s education -- from controlling his own powers and making good use of them, to Cloth repair. Sadly, Kiki’s education from his own Master was cut short, as he is believed to have perished along with the other Gold Saints at the final battle with Hades. Kiki loves his Master and will do anything to prove himself worthy of his tutelage and of bearing the Cloth he will be inheriting.
Libra Dohko, aka Roshi: best friend to Mu’s late mentor and Holy Father of the Sanctuary Shion. He is the elder that Mu goes to for advice and thus Kiki is very familiar and fond of the old, old man. Despite him being the second victim of his pranks, Dohko never held back on giving counsel to both Mu and Kiki. As an amusing note, it is Dohko who has given him his nickname Kiki (composed of two kana: 貴, which stands for “noble” or “precious”; and 鬼, which stands for “demon”).
Shunrei and Dragon Shiryu: Shunrei Dohko’s adopted child, a shy and soft-spoken young lady five years Kiki’s senior. He may have harbored a bit of a crush on her as she was about the only one he had socialized with in his early years as Mu frequently left Kiki on his own for several days at a time. Then among the five main Bronze Saints, Kiki was shown to be closest to Shiryu and greatly respects him for the sacrifice he had made to revive his Cloth and that of Pegasus.
II - Deviation: Post-series and 8 years into the future
The war with Hades leaves us with a victorious Athena -- though a victory brought with many, many sacrifices. Aside from the casualties that only left the Sanctuary with a handful of Bronze and Silver Saints, the fallen god’s anger and will remained: Seiya unresponsive and barely conscious as Hades’ power gripped around his Cosmo, and the Gold Saints’ souls destroyed along with the Underworld -- thus leaving Kiran without a Master.
The ones left behind have no choice but to lick their wounds, mourn and rebuild. Marin took Kiran under her wing so as to complete his combat training. She has had to leave him on his own however, in completing his lessons in Cloth repair: they need him to restore them (and revive in some cases) after all.
The relative peace that came after the battle was not without its struggles. A year following the Holy War, Athena had gone without a word to only gods (literally) know where. Some have thought that since the Holy War is over, she had returned to Olympus, and caused tension and unease among those who remained. The sudden absence of their goddess proved to be a test of faith as there were those who left, believing that gods are self-serving and heartless. It was in this time that Kiran affirmed his belief and hope in what he is meant to do, and so he set himself to work by trying to find a way to improve Pandora boxes and have the Cloths heal faster on their own. He also decided to stay in Sanctuary to serve as an example to others.
Athena returned three years later. While elusive in her explanations as to what had transpired during that time, she brought first, good news in which she was able to destroy Hades’ curse on Seiya; and second, a command: that even though there were to be no more Holy Wars, the rebuilding of the Sanctuary and the restoration of the order of Saints was a priority. Kiran took the opportunity to return to Jamir for a while -- and only then was he able to truly mourn his loss.
Two years later, at the age of fifteen, Kiran was acknowledged by Athena and the Aries Gold Saint, thus earning his title, Aries Kiran, and granted him to right to take on an apprentice in Cloth repair, and to train a successor and lower-ranked Saints. While he is concentrated on his studies and repair, he has yet to take advantage of his privileges, doubt clouding his mind. It did not help that Marin had voiced her own doubts with regards to the Sanctuary’s current situation: their duty to mankind still stands; but why would Athena stress on the need for a full Order of Saints when they had been able to go through with an incomplete one for the past Holy Wars? What did Athena do in the three years she was gone to undo Hades’ curse?
Two more years passed and only a few more Silver Cloths and Gold Cloths need to be restored, Cloths were gradually finding their wearers and the first Pandora boxes were undergoing an improvement process. In the absence of a Holy Father, Marin had taken it upon herself to unlock the mysteries of the stars from Star Hill and only comes down at Athena’s bidding. Things seemed to be looking up from there -- but why were there other suddenly making themselves present on Earth?
The characters that have so far influenced and are influencing Kiran are:
Aquila Marin: de facto mentor to younger Saints and new recruits; “Teacher” to Kiran and helped him complete his training; the right hand of Athena pending the assignment of a rightful Holy Father; and the only other Saint besides Gemini Saga to have made the ascent of Star Hill. She is driven to know the truth and to obtain it at any cost. Kiran trusts her judgment and intuition.
Saori Kido: Goddess Athena in the flesh; Proprietor, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Graude Foundation. A smart and cunning woman with a martyr complex, much to the chagrin of her Saints. Because of how the Holy War had ended, she has grown to be secretive and hides behind a friendly, cordial and sociable façade. Oblivious to her secrets, Kiran knows that as the goddess of his forebears, his life is bound to hers as her Saint. He will obey her orders without (much) question, even if it means wearing a tux to one of her galas.
Pegasus Seiya: the risen and conquering hero of Athena, the only Saint to have laid a hand on a god. Spent three years in a semi-comatose state when Hades suffocated his Cosmo as his dying will. Miraculously, Athena was able to revive him -- but at what cost? Kiran looks up to him and to his other Bronze brothers as bearers of hope and optimism, and examples as to what the human spirit is capable of doing.
Canon Point: Kiran will be taken from his latest canon point stated above, as Athena’s kin and a few gods from other pantheons (subtly) descend on Earth.
Reality Description: The year is 1995. Kiki as three different haunts, but he is often found at Athens -- “ruins” of Athena's Sanctuary. While Kiki's primary place of residence is within the walls of Sanctuary, those who do not belong to Athena’s order of Saints, and those who do not have permission from them are unable to enter -- it would be like Sanctuary is not there at all and one will be compelled to look elsewhere (we hear that the keftedakia at the shop two blocks down are very tasty). In the case Kiki would like to bring guests over (he cannot say “no” to Shunrei, Miho or Yakoff after all) then they will be treated to what would feel like a trip back in time: an ascension of 12 Houses, each representing and following the order of the twelve signs of the Western Zodiac, followed by the 13th which is the Holy Father’s chambers, and finally topped by the Athena’s Colossus. While construction has changed over time, the path through the Houses as known in Kiki’s reality are flanked by a high construct of rock. Anyone who needs to reach Athena or the Holy Father have to pass through all 12 Houses (11 of which are sadly, stand empty). Luckily for Kiki’s guests, his House is that of the first: Aries.
Athena’s Sanctuary also holds training grounds (a variety of terrain from an open field, a coliseum, a forest and small bodies of water) and means of residence and livelihood to support an autonomous, albeit spartan -- almost monastic -- lifestyle for Saints, trainees and helping hands (small houses, gardens and orchards). Do not expect gaming consoles, home theater systems and the like but they do have amenities for proper nutrition, personal hygiene and intellectual upkeep (books, scrolls and non-electronic games). The residents of Sanctuary are not to be mistaken as recluses: they are men and women of their time. Athena’s warriors must know of the world and the people they protect, while those who do not fight bring modern knowledge so as to keep everyone healthy, safe and comfortable.
Other places Kiki frequent are: the Kido estate and the Graude Foundation in Japan; and Jamir, the hideaway of Athena’s Clothsmiths located in the Himalayas.
The elements that make Kiki’s world unique is the use of Cosmo as a source of tremendous power weilded by Athena’s Saints. Other gods from the Greek pantheon and that of other pantheons (the Norse most notably) are present (some in human vessels, others preferring to stay omniscient and intangible), and so are their superhuman warriors/priests. Stars and other celestial bodies also bear power as they are relied on by the Holy Father of the Sanctuary to look into future events.
People that a guest will most likely meet are: Eagle Marin, Saori Kido (Athena), Ophiucus Shaina, Unicorn Jabu, Pegasus Seiya, Andromeda Shun, Dragon Shiryu, Cygnus Hyoga and depending on one’s luck, Phoenix Ikki.
First Person Sample: [ His voice, while a tad flustered is polite. The smile is hesitant, but more because he wants to, but not sure if he should. ] I really don’t mean to be a bother -- I mean, I know my way around a whole lot of places. A map suits me just fine, and barring that, the stars can help me out.
[ There is a bit of a pause as he takes a breath. ] This might sound crazy, but I’ve never seen this place -- this kind of place -- before and I’m pretty sure I’ve learned my lessons well enough.
[ He’s almost amused at his own predicament. A Gold Saint getting lost. Muttering more to himself, “... damn, I’m pretty sure I got enough sleep last night. Or I should just sleep more really.” Then: ] So, uh, how do you “go back”? See, I just can’t imagine getting lost or wandering into someplace purposely; and I really didn’t mean to get in here. So is there anyone who can give me a hand? I promise, I’ll do something in return for you and if you help me out. I’ll be really grateful.
Third Person Writing Sample: If it were not a command from Athena, there was no way Kiran would be doing this, wearing that in here.
‘Here’ being Julian Solo’s opulent manor -- a Saint of Athena forgives but not so easily forgets. Julian Solo, after all, was the vessel of Poseidon, an enemy of Athena. ‘That’ would be the tuxedo carefully chosen by Saori for him to wear. He keeps on being told that it fits nicely, but never had he felt so constricted mostly out of the guilt of rumpling such a nice set of clothing. As for ‘this’…
“I want this night to be over right now.” Marin spoke from under her breath. Not only he can hear her unease, but he can easily see it as she avoided raising her head too much. He can also feel her tension as she held onto his arm. With a smile, he tried to be reassuring, just looking at the top of her head -- the night was just beginning after all. “We’ll be okay. I’m here. Athena’s here. Heh, even Shaina’s here.”
He could not blame her however: female Saints were forced to wear a mask once they enter the order, symbolic of leaving their womanhood and their emotions behind. For this occasion however, the silver mask that usually covered her face was replaced by a black lace veil. While it was still hard to see the entirety of her face, a closer look would allow a certain view. It was a rule in Athena’s order that should a female Saint be unmasked, she would have to either kill the one who stripped her of her mask, or renounce her vows from Athena’s service to devote herself to that person. It was also a rule being put into question and one that must be abolished, but hundreds of years of tradition was hard to undo.
“You know it’s not my face I’m worried about.”
Kiran made a non-committal noise as his lips drew a tight line. Saori would never insist on her Saints’ attendance for just any kind of gala, especially not if it was just Solo being whimsical again. Behind the seemingly ordinary faces exchanging fake smiles and small talk of blood sacrifices, riots at festivals and armies of millions fallen, over champagne and the music of a string quartet, were gods: from Athena’s own Olympian family to their Norse kin from the far north. Also present were their choice of bodyguards -- men and women like Kiran and Marin.
On the invitations’, ‘You are cordially invited to the Gala of the Gods’ seemed innocent enough -- until one realized the importance of this gathering, in which the world can carry on with its usual ignorant peace, or all can end in a wash of fire and blood.
“Champagne, sir? Madame?”
Kiran barely noticed the waiter and after a beat, turned to him with a lost look mixed with his smile. “Sure, we’ll have some! Thanks!” He took one for himself and one for Marin. He thinks they both need it.
Did you read the rules? Yes! Do smack me over the head should I err. ;;
