Welcome to Gaia! ::

Name: Kirin Thompson (Note: People assume Kirin is named for the mythological animal, but his mother actually named Kirin after her favourite brand of beer. Thanks, mom -_- )

Nicknames: Kiri (He'd better like you a lot, or he'll tear you a new one for using this.)

Gender: Male. Usually passes himself off as female in civilian form, wearing the female uniform and such. Unless people see his Student ID, most don't question his feminine appearance.

Age: 22

Birthday: January 17

Sign: Capricorn – ambitious, self-disciplined, persistent and methodical. The rising sign would be Sagittarius, making Kirin's inner personality outspoken, farseeing, buoyant and restless.

Blood Type: B

Fav. Food: Prawns, crab... lots of seafood, as long as it's not the mucus-based type like clams or oysters.

Hated Food: Instant pasta. Tasteless and rubbery, ick.

Job: Computer programmer


Hobbies:
* Karaoke -- Kirin is the Karaoke Queen King. He loves singing in any and all places, really, but no one complains when you're in a sound-proofed karaoke booth. He'll spend as many afternoons or evenings here as he can. But it's not unusual to find him humming or singing out in public, either.


* Chess -- A quiet, emotion-free, intellectual sport? Kirin would be all over this, even if he didn't love strategy games. The only people he has to socialise with playing chess are similarly intellectual people who don't require much interaction with him or expect him to be friendly while playing. But of course, he's also there for the challenge. Not only does chess improve his own mind, he can learn the way others think by watching their strategies.

He prefers speed chess, Internet chess, or playing against the computer, simply because of the irritation sitting still for a normal match gives him. Sometimes he'll play in the park if he can play two people at once, or if his opponent doesn't mind Kirin getting up every so often. [ See flaw Inability to sit still. ]


* Flowcharting -- The tool of the organised mind, flowcharts have appealed to Kirin's logical and methodical nature since he began taking computer classes in school. It is very common for Kirin to have detailed mental flowcharts for various types of social interaction - if Situation A occurs, then respond with Action 1, when asked Question Ω, pick either Response i (which leads to Situation X) or Response ii (leading to Situation Y) or Response iii (leading to Situation Z) ... and so on. This is all in his head and very quick for him to parse through. Of course, there are always going to be events that he didn't have in there as options, which can throw a spanner in the works (particularly if he's in the middle of battle) and means he has to rewrite his mental guide later on. But he has the comfort of knowing the method isn't flawed, only his input into it.

His computing teacher thinks Kirin has a future in programming. For lack of anything better to be suggested, Kirin is fine with this. Better to work with computers than with people.


* Crossdressing -- Since entering senior high, Kirin has been crossdressing full time. Unless you've seen his Student ID, you'd think him just another one of the Meadowview girls. It's been a part-time hobby for a bit longer, he swapped between uniforms regularly in middle school, but even those who attended the same middle school probably just think Kirin went through a tomboy phase where "she" wore a male uniform at times. It's unknown if the crossdressing would have continued past this 'experimentation' stage if Kirin's mother hadn't been killed three years ago.

Kirin is not in a good headspace. In fact, he's barely even the same person he used to be - by design. What began as simply wearing some of his mother's clothes and styling his hair as she used to when he was very young has become armor that he can't live without. Unable to do anything with all his helpless rage, self-loathing and anguish, Kirin hid it away under this new, colder exterior. Don't expect to ever see that old Kirin, though. The "Ice Queen" Kirin doesn't feel those emotions, she's a brand new person. Even in the privacy of his own home, if Kirin doesn't crossdress, he's still his Ice Queen self, not the happy boy who adored his mother or even the lost, grieving son. That person is locked away and Kirin isn't about to let it back out.

Basically, Kirin is very screwed in the head and this is not his most logical decision. It's a great way to hide, though, and he can even lie to himself by pretending the reason he's so closed off and icy is so that no one gets close enough to realise that "she" is really a he.

It is worth noting that Meadowview originally raised an objection to Kirin's crossdressing. Threats to take this gender/minority issue public quickly had the school changing its tune and playing along, worried about public backlash and cuts to funding.



Gemstone: Aragonite


Virtues:
Focused -- Kirin is very determined in regards to his set goals. He's the type to decide on several goals, then won't deviate from them. Even if it takes a long time to bring them to fruition, he hasn't forgotten them and is steadily working towards them. He's not easily distracted from anything he's focused on. (Though of course, if it doesn't distract or interfere with his goals, he may be more than happy to go along with others.) Sadly, most of Kirin's goals tend to be short-term (within a year or so) rather than long-term (future career and such). Partly because he gets a bit too bogged down in his more immediate concerns, focusing on those rather than things several years into the future.

Strategic -- Kirin has a talent for planning and strategic thinking. It's the most effective way of making sure no one interferes with his goals, by keeping people from realising what those goals are, or how he's working to achieve them - especially his goals as a senshi. Due to Kirin's distrustful nature (and the distrust towards him in return), it is hard for him to manipulate other people. His strategies are more in regards to setting up situations and having an accurate idea of how others will react - he knows better than to try and manipulate people directly. Chess and battle strategy are more his scene - the less human emotions to work with, the better (or if there must be human emotion, the easily predictable kind - provoking people to anger/attack, instilling fear or confusion into enemies). It's hard to have good strategies when he's the only person on his side, but if anyone can pull it off, it's Kirin.

Cold -- Emotionally detached from most situations, Kirin keeps a cool head when others would respond with fear or anger. Thanks to this, he can react logically and strategically in high-pressure situations. Most insults roll off him like water off a duck's back, and he doesn't really care if you like him or not. You can call him cold, icy, or even a freaking robot, the fact remains that it takes a lot to dig the emotions out of this guy -- unless you stumble across one of his two big weaknesses. The first is karaoke, and it's not so much of a secret (if it was meant to be, worst kept secret ever). The second... well, you might want to avoid any jokes starting with 'yo mama'.


Flaws:
Inability to sit still -- Kirin simply can't sit still for long, he always needs to be doing something. If he's waiting for one of his strategies or plans to reach fruition, he'll go burn off energy in a frivolous manner, whether that means karaoke, dashing about town, or... less... nice means.

Distrusting -- Kirin has confident expectations that the motives and goals of others are dissimilar, if not harmful, to his own interests. So even if he has to work with you right now and your goals seem to be the same, he doesn't work very hard to hide the lack of actual trust there. As a result, people tend to distrust him in turn. Which means that if something bad happens, he's often a suspect... Not to mention it must get a bit lonely after a while, not trusting anyone to be on your side.

Cold -- No wonder this guy isn't popular, he's a regular Ice King (or is that Queen?). Not just unfriendly, Kirin doesn't even respond normally to simple human interaction. Even if the right words are being said (please, thank you), that stony face hasn't changed at all and there's certainly no hint of warmth or friendship there! If he's trying to push people away, he's definitely succeeding... Not to be confused with being closed-off or quiet - Kirin's still quite extroverted (especially if you go to karaoke with him), it's just hard to get some warmer emotions out of him.

Father: Joshua Thompson, deceased. Died before Kirin was born. Kirin never heard much about his father, but it wasn't hard to see that his mother loved him deeply. They were engaged, though not yet married. Despite hearing all about Josh's personality, Kirin has no idea what his father did for a living, how his parents met or fell in love, or how his father died...


Mother: Alison Walker, deceased. Kirin and his mother had a very close relationship, as she was a single mother. She passed away three years prior to Kirin awakening as a senshi. Kirin idolised her, and isn't taking her death well, even years later.


Grandfather: Kaine Walker is Kirin's grandfather on his mother's side. Kaine was the one to take fifteen year old Kirin in after his mother died. They have a good relationship that is sadly tainted by a lot of grief. Kirin is the only thing left of Kaine's daughter, so while Kaine views Kirin as something precious, he's also a living reminder. They're both a little too raw around the other for things to be comfortable, so Kirin moved back into the apartment his mother owned once he turned 18. Kaine still checks in regularly (and pays most of the bills, since he wants Kirin to focus on school, not spend all his time working to cover gas and water, etc.).

Kaine isn't sure what to make of his grandson's crossdressing. Unfortunately, Kaine was grieving for his daughter when it first began, so he didn't address the issue until it was a permanent thing for Kirin. He's trying to be understanding about the whole thing, but the fact is that he doesn't understand it at all, but doesn't want to push away the only relative he has left. As nothing bad or destructive seems to have come from it, he's letting it be and trying to convince himself that his worries are due to different times and mentalities, and not from a sense that Kirin isn't as stable as he appears on the surface...


Aunt: Lianne Thompson, Kirin's aunt, was his father's twin sister. Kirin has met her all of once, after his mother died. Lianne commented that Kirin took after his father in looks, and then told him to leave. In a contest, Kirin would lose his title of Ice Queen to his aunt, hands down. Ice cold, she resents her brother being 'stolen' by Kirin's mother, and then his death. Despite Kirin being the last part of her brother Joshua, she resents 'that woman' and Kirin's ties to her even more.

Still, she hasn't moved away or changed her phone number, despite her claims of wanting nothing to do with Kirin. It seems she's left a door open for him, just in case.

2 bedroom apartment.
4th floor.
Window over the kitchen sink is usually 'locked open' a small portion - enough for a cat to be able to squeeze through.

Foramen's senshi phone. Runs on Mauvian technology, and Foramen is currently part of a group creating a Negaverse database that runs off the phones, so the senshi can share their knowledge of their opponents. Not being very social, Foramen's senshi phone contains the scanned details of only two senshi: Scylla (a rare ally) and Aeria (mistaken for an enemy).





A strange snowglobe that Kirin found in Destiny City - they seem to be popping up all over the place. He is growing rather attached to it, for reasons he can't explain. Perhaps it's because the figure in the centre reminds him of Queen Serenity, who appeared during the Barren Pines saga...

Kirin owns 2 of these snowglobes.





Two One star candy, good for one solo entry.

* This item belongs to Kalindara, not specifically to BirhanIsat or Foramen. The eventual user is undecided and both senshi have a record of the item. But there's only one star candy for me, total. (One candy previously used to level Foramen up to Super.)

η Carinae, aka. Foramen

Eta Carinae (η Carinae or η Car) is a stellar system in the Carina constellation, which was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis (the ship Argo) until that constellation was divided in three.

Eta Carinae has the traditional names Tseen She (from the Chinese 天社 (Mandarin: tiānshè) "Heaven's altar") and Foramen.

One of the heaviest and most luminous stars known, Eta Carinae is about 4 million times brighter than the Sun. This star is highly unstable and prone to violent outbursts.



Astrological Influences of Constellation Carina

No myths or astrological interpretations are associated with the constellation Carina because this constellation had always been seen as part of the constellation Argo Navis, the Great Ship, Argo Navis was subdivided into Carina (the keel of the ship), Puppis (the poop), and Vela (the sails). The constellation Argo Navis represents the ship in which Jason brought the Golden Fleece from Colchis, said to be the first ship ever built.

The astrological influences for the whole constellation of Argo Navis: Argo is said to give prosperity in trade and voyages, and strength of mind and spirit, but it has been observed to accompany cases of drowning. [Robson*, p.30.]



Astrological Influences of Star Foramen

Of the nature of Saturn and Jupiter. It causes peril, dignity, piety, usefulness and acquisitiveness, and gives danger to the eyes. [Robson*, p.167.]



References:
http://www.eso.org/gallery/v/ESOPIA/Stars/phot-12i-03-normal_001.jpg.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Carinae
http://www.constellationsofwords.com/stars/Foramen.html

Special Thanks
heart Rosemilk and Arrien for amazing, detailed critiques.
heart Rosemilk and Natsube for trusting me with marking and crits, and then gifting me Foramen as payment.


Credits
Artwork © Natsube.
School template edits © kalindara.
In The Name Of The Moon © Natsube and Rosemilk.
Sailor Foramen and Kirin Thompson © kalindara.
Sailor Moon © Naoko Takeuchi.