<div class="floatright">(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z69/Neji121/hoodedtrenchcoat4.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Hideo Saitou<br/><strong>Occupation:</strong>Student<br/><strong>Age:</strong>18<br/><strong>Gender:</strong>Male<br/><strong>Sexual Preference:</strong>Heterosexual<br/><br/><strong>Description:</strong>At 6'8 and 195 pounds, Hideo is sure to come off as lanky and stringy to passers by. It isn't until he begins to move that one realizes just how easily and gracefully he carries his height, displaying fluidity that perfectly complements his usual, laid back demeanor. His face plainly shows his Japanese decent as does the straight, jet black hair atop his head, though the view is usually impeded by a beanie of some kind. While he will usually go out of his way to avoid being the center of attention and is known for generally being a relaxed guy, Hideo has a very dynamic personally, and has been known to have moments in which he's very animated.<br/><br/><strong>History:</strong>According to the social structure of Japan, Hideo was born into failure, being of Burakumin blood. Burakumin are a Japanese minority and are the descendants of feudal era outcasts. They were and have always been vehemently discriminated against, and it was due to this discrimination that Hideo's parents, Mika and Daisuke, relocated the family to America in 1995. Though it was probably for the best, the Saitou family ended up living in a ghetto for a long while. They were thankful for even that though, happy that their ancestry would no longer hinder them.<br/><br/>The Saitou line, in addition to being the descendants of feudal undertakers, had always been infamous in japan for being being lairs as well, speaking of Soulblades and being unable to prove that they possessed them. It was true that those who'd so grandly announced their Soulblade were often liars, and it was this small fraction of the Saitous that gave the family such a bad reputation. The chosen few who did possess Soulblades, more often than not, were just wise enough to keep quiet about them, as they didn't desire such attention. That had been a long time, ago, however, and belief in the mystical weapons fell to the wayside over the centuries. Those among the Saitou family who continued to speak of such things in recent times were often called crazy, their words disregarded as babbling, whether the words were true or not. Hideo's parents were sure not to speak of the weapons, in fear that they would be labeled in America the same way their family had been labeled in Japan.<br/><br/>That being said, Hideo had a rather normal life growing up, though he didn't have much. He was a rude, impudent and disrespectful hoodlum like the rest of the kids in his neighborhood. He stole and began drinking and smoking at a young age, though his behavior was just a guise, an act so that he could be accepted. Truth was he was more than pleasant, though the only people who'd seen this side of him were his parents. It wasn't until he was thrown under the bus by his so called friends and was almost put in a Juvenile Detention Center that he stopped acting so harshly. He began caring less and less about acceptance and more about being himself, naturally causing most to leave him be and only the most genuine of his friends to gravitate toward him. With his sudden change of behavior, he drifted to the edge of the social circle in his neighborhood, but learned to accept, and then enjoy that position as he began focusing on other things.<br/><br/>In those later, more secluded years, Hideo dedicated himself to righting what he'd done so wrong in the past. He bettered himself in school, vastly improving himself academically. He was no genius, but he was happy with his B's and C+'s. He also ceased his unsavory behavior, though he did continue drinking and smoking. This continued from late middle school all the way through high-school. Unfortunately, despite wanting to continue his education, acquiring all the necessary loans and such to attend a college was beyond his or his parents' power at the moment, and he got a job instead. He made very little money, but every bit helped and he hopped to save enough for college in time. It was one set of coincidental events that would change things, though. For better or worse, he wasn't sure.<br/><br/>On his way home from worked he was mugged by several armed thugs and used his powers to tip the scales in his favor. In the heat of the moment, he shifted into his translucent form, forced the pistol from the nearest thug's hand and shot the man. Despite the fact that the thug was alive, Hideo ran, both to escape the muggers and out of fear of the consequences of that shot. He didn't return home for at least a day, but when he did return it hardly mattered. His parents had been made aware of the situation, save for his powers, by several mysterious men. To both Hideo and his parents' surprises, though, rather than take him into custody they offered him a spot in college. Of course Hideo accepted, despite the fact that he'd never heard of the college.<br/><br/>And the rest, as they say, is history.<br/><br/><strong>Soulblade:</strong>A darkly colored M1 Garand with a WWII era japanese sword bayonet. The lacquered wooden stock and fore stock are dyed black, while the bolt, chamber, muzzle and bayonet are a dull, gunmetal grey. Wisps of dark, smoke-like vapors roll off the weapon when it is drawn, a constant reminder of it's mystical nature.<br/><br/>The gun fires in two firing modes which can be switch at will with little more than a thought: Semi-Auto fire and Three-Round Burst. While the gun's clips lack any real limit as far as ammo goes, the clip actually<em>does</em>need to be ejected. However, rather than having to eject a clip after every six shots, the clip must be ejected with every confirmed kill, something to be considered in battle. Once the clip is ejected, another materializes in it's place The M1 Garand's signature "PING!" noise is often used in combination with Hideo's special power, allowing him to change firing positions while his enemy is drawn to the position he'd been in when the noise had been heard.<br/><br/>As to be suspected, the gun doesn't fire conventional ammunition. The bullets spawned in the clips, despite appearing to be a type of glowing metal, is actually a form of energy projectile that burns white-hot and explodes on impact, much like a hollow-point bullet. As with all other Soulblades, human beings cannot be harmed by the weapon. If a shot is fired at a human, it will feel, at most, like soft but quick tap, with a gust of wind standing in for the violent explosion. If an attempt to stab or slash a human is made with the bayonet, depending on the situation, the weapon will phase through them, causing a tingling sensation, or simply vanish.<br/><br/>In addition to being a reliable weapon, the M1 Garand is also sentient and vocal. It isable to project it's voice directly into Hideo's mind, or out in the open for all to hear.<br/><br/>*As for what it's voice sounds like, think Steve Blum<br/><br/><strong>Special Power:</strong>Stealth. His special ability gives him the means to stalk his enemies and hide from pursuers. These means include limited transparency, hushed footsteps and the ability to throw his voice, as well as the sounds of his Soulblade (i.e. ejected a clip, taking a shot, the sound of an empty clip *PING!*, etc.). Despite all this, it is still perfectly possible to detect him. His ability doesn't inhibit scent and doesn't hide his heat signature. It is also possible to see him if he merely stands out in the open, as his translucent body distorts the images of objects viewed through his body. That said, he must still take advantage of his environment to get the most out of his ability.<br/><br/>As another small note, anything in physical contact with Hideo (People, animals, objects) also takes on the same properties as he does when using his special power.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Theme Song</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div align="center">Panther - Armored Core 4 Soundtrack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Nud4kLLQg#)</div></div></div>