Glass Key Application

[baseball_baka]

➦ PLAYER INFORMATION
NAME: DA
AGE: 33 (August 29, 1981)
CONTACT: darkangel998
CURRENT CHARACTERS: None

➦ CHARACTER INFORMATION
NAME: Takeshi Yamamoto
JOURNAL: baseball_baka
AGE: 24
CANON: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
CANON POINT: before chapter 137. He has yet to meet TYE (ten years earlier) Tsunayoshi

BACKGROUND:
Wiki link

Headcanon
As I am apping Yamamoto from the Ten Years Later timeline, there is some headcanon as to what preceded his canon point. If this is not allowable, please just ignore it. However, there is a ten year time gap that's not covered by the manga to contend with. I will be supporting this with what we know and is spoken of in canon.

To explain: his canon involves time travel. This plot mechanism allows a person to "switch" with themselves from ten years into the future. In the arc which Takeshi is being taken from, there is a small bit of time where we see him as an adult of 24. He living his life in the future that the main protagonist gets brought to.

In the ten years that aren't accounted for, Takeshi grew up with his friends and with Reborn. During this time he gets trained more in the ways of the Mafia and the Vongola. In the future arc, the younger version of Takeshi was trained by Reborn as well as by Squalo. It is said in canon that Squalo, the Sword Emperor and the Rain Guardian of the Varia, mentored him. We see that at one point, Squalo sends 100 videos of sword fights for him to watch. It stands to reason that the older version would have had similar training, which is supported by how skillfully he takes on Black Spell agents when Gokudera and Tsuna first show up in the future.

He would have also been given the necessary skills to survive in the Mafia from leaning Italian to dancing to how to shoot. Most of these skills remain mostly unused. It's inferred that the Vongola Family had a relatively peaceful rule until the Millefiore (a rival family whose leader is literally trying to destroy the world) start rising to power.

Until that point in time, Takeshi continued his education. He graduated highschool and went to college on a baseball scholarship. It is stated early in canon that an American professional baseball team had scouted him, so it can be assumed that he might have been recruited by some American team.

Life was going well until the Millefiore got really bad. People he knew and cared for were getting sick (the Arcobaleno, cursed babies like Reborn) and dying because of the rival family. Even his own father is killed by the Millefiore. His Boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi asked him to return (it's canon that he gave up a pro career to return to Japan and the Mafia), and he did so without hesitation.

Upon his return, he takes back up his sword becoming the "natural born hitman" that Reborn always said he was. He gains a fearsome reputation as such. He continues on, even after Tsunayoshi's "death". At the canon point he is taken from, he is fighting on for those he cares for, to save as many as he can even having no Boss to answer to.

PERSONALITY:
Takeshi is the stereotypical boy-next-door shonen protagonist. He is dedicated to his friends, driven to succeed, friendly to everyone he meets, and fiercely loyal. He's normally shown as laid back and relaxed, always with a smile and a laugh. He can and has taken a lot of grief, letting insults and personal injury roll off him easily. He is shown to be very slow to get angry, tending to be the peacemaker in the group. He generally is the one to mediate situations. However, even he has a breaking point and when it's reached, he's suddenly all business and very willing to put people in their place. This is shown in the future, when he fiercely lectures Gokudera on his actions, which at this point is utterly unexpected to him. This lecture is very pointed and sharply acute. This tongue lashing causes Gokudera to actually change his way of doing things.

Even on those very rare occasions that he gets serious and angry, he generally is quick to return to friendly and warm afterwards. He's said and done what he needed to. He forgives and forgets, as shown in the way he tends to befriend some of the major antagonists turned allies throughout the series. When he fights with Squalo early in the manga, after he defeats the man, he attempts to save him, despite the fact that Squalo had just tried to kill him. Late in the series, there is a person (Kaoru) nearly kills him and puts him into a position where he might never walk again. Through the magic of shonen plot armor, he is healed and the first thing he does is go and protect that person. When Kaoru asked hy Yamamoto saved him after he tried to kill him, Yamamoto replies that he would always help Kaoru if he were in real trouble, because "that's what friends are for".

At the start of the manga, he is very much naive, thinking that the whole Vongola mafia thing is an elaborate game of "Cops and Robbers". Though he thinks of it as a game, he treats it like he would any other game. That being that focuses on it just as much as he does his baseball. Mostly because a pretend game or not, Yamamoto hates to lose. Though he is focused on winning, he also believes in good sportsmanship and playing fairly. Even when the games they do play, such as a snowball fight, when it devolves into typical ridiculousness, Yamamoto observes that it's okay because everyone is still having fun.

As he gets deeper into the "mafia game" it is shown that he is willing to give up things that are important to him to save others. At the start of the series, there was an incident where in Yamamoto nearly committed suicide because he'd hurt his arm and was unable to play baseball. This is notable because later on he sacrifices his arm not once, but twice, in a fight for the sake of his Family. When he is forced to choose between the sword or baseball, he eventually picks the sword so he could protect those he cared for. He devotes everything to the blade.

Though he seems a little dense and a bit foolish at first, he's in no way stupid. In his youth, he was obsessed with baseball, which he devoted himself. (In the future, he still holds interest in the game even if he doesn't play any more). He was so focused on it he didn't pay attention to much else, including his grades. They are pretty low. He's one of the lowest grade points in his class. However, in early chapters, the he and his friends are doing homework, he gets answers to a difficult math question very quickly. It's explained that he's terrible in school because he's always out playing/practicing his baseball skills that he never does his homework and often sleeps in class. Despite this, he tends to pick up lessons quickly, especially physical ones.

As the years progress and the battles and training wear on, he grows to acknowledge that being in the mafia isn't a game at all. He matures a lot by the time we see him in the future. At this point, too many people he knows; innocents that had nothing to do with the Vongola, have died. There is clearly a deep sadness in the panels after Reborn mentions Takeshi's father's death and also when he was talking about his Boss from his timeline (who is "dead' at this point). He is very aware of what the Mafia is and what he does within it and he seems pretty okay with it. However, when he meets the younger Gokudera and Tsuna, the two of them even remark that he hasn't changed all that much.

His loyalty is unquestionable. When he makes friends with Tsuna (who saved his life), he shifts his focus from baseball to the "mafia game" and is willing to risk not only his shining future but his life and limbs for his friends. He eagerness to learn the sword and train is perpetuated by the idea that he needs to be the best in order to protect his friends. For them, there isn't anything he wouldn't do, up to and including throwing away his own future for them.

In the brief time we see the Adult Yamamoto, he has stayed on as part of the Vongola, protecting his friends just like he swore he would in earlier chapters. He keeps fighting the Millifiore and protecting the innocent long after his Boss's "demise". He made a promise to Tsuna and he intends to keep it for as long as he can. When he meets the younger version of Gokudera, he accepts the blame and the burden of allowing Tsuna to die without question or argument. When the fighting is about to begin, he steps forward to try and protect his friends, ready to take on two strong members of the Millifiore by himself. Willing to both die and kill to protect what is most precious to him.

At the point he makes the contract, Takeshi is still coping with the loss of his father. This is a huge blow to him as when he was younger, he was very very proud of his father. He even refers to his sword style as "his old man's Shigure Soen," and often proclaims that it is the strongest and second to none. Losing his father has left a hole in his heart. Losing the Boss of the Vongola, Sawada Tsunayoshi puts a hole in his soul. Tsuna was one of his closest friends and he swore to protect him. He has an even more fierce determination to beat the Millefiore and keep those who remain behind safe. If he has to kill to do it, so be it. If he has to die, then he dies. But he dies a good guy that smiles more often than not.

ABILITIES:
Dying Will Flame: Rain/Tranquility Flames
In KHR canon, there is a power mechanism called Dying Will Flames. In layman's terms, they are basically internal chi (or life) energy that can be manifested through specific objects, though at his point in time, it's boxes and rings. (Seen here ). This power corresponds to one of seven attributes and the Rain's attribute is "Tranquility". The strength of the flame is dependant on the barer's resolution or determination. It is said that Yamamoto's flame is of the purest, strongest quality that exists and even opponents are often amazed when they see it.

His flame (it's actually more similar to water than actual fire) tranquilizes things it comes into contact with by slowing it down and relaxing it. Depending on the amount applied and strength of the flames, this can be the smallest bit of relaxing where the opponent isn't even aware of the the fact that their slower or it can be enough to severely relax a person, kind of like being injected with a muscle relaxant/paralyzing agent. With a strong enough foci (the Vongola Rain Ring), the flames could arguably stop a person's breathing or even their heart.

Usually, Yamamoto applies these flames in battle to disturb or neutralize the flames of his opponents. He has also been shown to use Tranquilizing flames directly, causing opponents to slow and in a few cases, paralyzing them all together.

Swordsmanship
Takeshi is a master swordsman, descended from a long long line of masters. He became master of his style at the age of 14 when he defeats the "Sword Emperor" and only grows stronger as the manga progresses. Though most of the manga, he's seen with a single katana, but later on, he also gets three short swords and is shows to be just as skillful with those.

His sword style is called the Shigure Soen Ryu Shigure Soen Ryu). In canon, it is said to be flawless and invincible. It's an incredibly difficult style to master, but he does it in the span of 10 days (because he's a shonen protag). Later on, after defeating the current Sword Emperor, Yamamoto is shown being trained by him, further pushing and polishing his sword skills. Other characters constantly remark about his incredible skill with his sword (Reborn included)

Athletic prowess
Takeshi is purported to be a "natural born hitman" by Reborn, who is the leading expert on hitmen as the world's strongest. He's incredibly athletic. He is a kinesthetic learner. He seems to really learn by doing . He's shown to run quickly, jump higher than normal people and has a keen eye that makes dodging things easy for him. He's also been shown to have a 100+ mph pitch, and he's been known to throw things that aren't baseballs. He masters riding a motorcycle in mere moments and his sword skills improve exponentially in small amount of time he spends on it.

Sushi/cooking
While not a combat related skill, Takeshi is an accomplished sushi chef or itamae. He learned the trade from his father. As a boy he helped his dad at TakeSushi (the family sushi bar). He is skilled with a knife and can pick out prime ingredients by sight and smell. He can also prepare some of the most difficult preparations perfectly (he can make Fugu (blowfish) without it killing/poisoning a person). While not as skilled, he's also decent at cooking normal meals, however, his heart and his culinary prowess definitely lies in sushi.

APPEARANCE:
Takeshi, age 24

INVENTORY:
Katana - Shigure Kintoki
This sword is not just a traditional sword ( here ), but it can also act as a conduit for his tranquility flames, as seen here. That is, he can cover it in his flames so he attacks not just with the blade of the sword, but a covering of his tranquility attribute.

Two rain rings of medium high strength
Rings have varying strength and some can't handle really pure flames and will break on use. He's used his a few times without their breaking, so it's assumed that they're at least strong enough to withstand him. The strongest rings (the Vongola rings) don't exist at this time because Tsuna destroyed them to try and save the world.

Two box weapons
These are weapons that get activated when flames from the rings get put into the box, opening it. Most boxes have a corresponding flame. Takeshi's boxes are Rain.

- Rain Sparrow box - this box, when activated, releases a small sparrow charged with Rain flames. Like his sword, the bird comes out as an actual sparrow, only covered with Rain Flames. Kojirou, as he has been named, is usually deployed wo fly overhead and "rain" tranquility flames down upon the battlefield, thus slowing things down. After battles, he goes back in his box.

- Rain Barrier - This box makes a giant shield of tranquility infused water in the direction the box is pointed. It's a defensive weapon that helps to block attacks.

CONTRACT ARRANGEMENT:
Rain. It's something he's used to by now. It's his element in a way. He feels more at peace when the clouds open up and the rain falls. It is not a warm rain though. It is cold and a little harsh, just like this place. Just like this place that has taken so much from him already.

He crouches before the stone, his katana shifting on his back as he does. His black suit is darker from the water seeping into the fabric. He reaches sword calloused fingertips to trace the name on the stone. Yamamoto Tsuyoshi. How many times now has he visited here. Stood at the foot of his father's grave and asked himself "what if". What if he hadn't left Japan? What if he had stayed? Could he have protected his father? Could he have done something to save him? To save the man in the coffin in the forest? Could he have done more? Was this all he was capable of?

He doesn't generally allow doubt to cloud his mind. There are too many people who are still alive that need him. Who need him with a clear head. He needs to do better for them. He needs to do more for them. They're all counting on him.

He touches the grave one more time and stands and nearly backpedals. He never even noticed the man there. A man that sort of reminds him a lot of Reborn. The suit. The fedora. The little curled sideburns. Only the Arcobaleno is dead and has been for some time now. Another in a long string of the dearly departed. Still, his baring and his manner of speech is eerily similar as is the fact that the man could so easily get behind him. Even more unnerving is the fact that the rain doesn't seem to touch him.

His hand reaches behind him for his sword but the man moves faster, grabbing his hand. That touch is ice cold and Yamamoto again is reminded of just how fast the cursed Hitman had been. "There's no need for that, Takeshi Yamamoto. Stay your sword and listen to what I am about to tell you." It's not like he has a choice.

"You want to protect what's precious to you. This is a good thing. But you still lack the power to do so. You're just one man, but one man can move mountains with enough strength."

Takeshi frowns a little. It feels odd on his face. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I can give you the strength you need. The strength you lack. I can give you enough power to protect everyone so that you never have to bury another loved one because of the Millefiore. You want that, don't you? The strength to make the future bright again."

He can't disagree. Wasn't he just thinking about that. About how he needs to get stronger. How, right now, he's just not enough. The rain pours harder now, drenching him to the skin. The man stays miraculously untouched. "Strength like that...it can't be given." He mutters. "You have to train long and hard. There are no short cuts."

"So you think. But didn't Dame-Tsuna get strong quickly? You can too. The world is counting on you, Takeshi. The Vongola needs you to be strong. Let me give you that strength you need to overcome this enemy you face."

It's probably too good to be true but he wants to believe. He wants to believe deep down that there is a way. There has to be. He has to do whatever he can for them. He has to. He takes a deep calming breath and slowly nods. "All right. What do I have to do?"
A contract appears in the man's hands. "Just sign here. If you don't have a pen, blood will do."

Unease once more washes over Takeshi and for a moment he glances back at the gravestone. What would his father have done? Well, he couldn't answer that. He had to take a stand. He has to do something. He shifts his hand to cut his finger on his sword. He scribes his name on the paper. As he does so, the rain suddenly lets up. As the doorway appears, the sky goes from crying to clear again. The bright clear blue sky. Tsuna's sky. Takeshi steps through the doorway without a glance back. He's certain he did the right thing.

ALIGNMENT:
Salvaggio Family - Because of Takeshi's friendly demeanor, he easily flies under the radar. While not actually very skilled at lying, his honest and carefree nature as well as his willingness to smile and make friends makes him very charming when he wants to be. Added to that, his Rain Flames make him incredibly useful at mediating situations with the minimum of violence.

If not Salvaggio I could see him in the Law alignment, since he has a lot of high moral standards and he's selfless when it comes to protecting those that need protection but I would prefer him in Salvaggio.

ROLE:
Assassin, bodyguard, cleaner, enforcer, probably spy as well.

➦ SAMPLES
NETWORK:
Today I was taken to this great fish market. There's a lot here that I don't really recognize, but some I do. It's too bad that I don't really have my knives with me, but I think I can make due. It's been a while since I've made sushi. Does anyone want to be my taste tester?
private to the Family

I saw some strange people hanging around our area. I don't think they're ours. I snapped a few phone pictures of them.


I'm going to follow them and see what's up

LOG: Sample