Crimson Katana

By Sazama Ichida

• February 19, 2014




Age: 28 years old

Gender: Male

Species: Earth Pony

Appearance: As shown in the picture

Cutie Mark: A katana sword tinged red with blood representing his talent as a mighty assassin and samurai.

Personality: Calm, cool and collected, Strong and silent, Kind-hearted, Noble, Soft-spoken, serene and humble, Crimson Katana's usual demeanor suits his effeminate appearance perfectly. Always willing to put others before himself, He carries himself with an air of amicable temperance, politely conversing with the ponies he encounters and freely giving his meager services to those who need a hand. Crimson doesn't hesitate to put himself in the path of harm to shield those around him and often attempts to diffuse contentious situations with soft, calming words. These traits lead those unfamiliar with Crimson to view him as ineffectual or easily exploitable, but more perceptive ponies become aware in short order that his gift for placatory eloquence and veiled redirection of disagreeable situations suggest a deep wisdom belied by his youthful, unassuming visage. Tormented by his past as Zanbato The Horseslayer, Crimson has developed an acute appreciation for life and has taken a vow in his heart to never again kill another pony whenever possible and to do everything within his power to protect ponies from being killed. This vow is the defining characteristic of Crimson's personality and the primary motivation for his transition into a wanderer. Despite this, however, he holds his own existence cheap and carries in his heart a grievous guilt that prevents him from becoming emotionally close to the ponies around him and compels him to a life of humble service and selfless personal sacrifice. Even with his prodigious skill as a prolific swordsman, Crimson refrains from wielding his great combat strength for his own sake, drawing his sword only for the well-being of others when words fail to appease. Though unwilling to simply be killed by unrelated attackers, Crimson freely accepts that any grudges against his past self are well-deserved; he remembers the face of every pony he has wronged as Zanbato and will face their hatred or judgment without complaint, believing that he does not deserve the same happiness as others. Spending much of his alone time in quiet contemplation of his past misdeeds and future retribution, Crimson often ponders what the right path toward redemption is and laments each life lost due to his weakness. As such, he has a tendency toward trying to solve problems all by himself and alienating his would-be allies with secrecy so as to keep them from becoming involved in his risky endeavors. Having lived his own life carrying heavy regrets, Crmson is reluctant to judge others for their personal actions, beliefs or mistakes and always offers hopeful encouragement so that those who have stumbled onto the wrong path might redeem themselves in the future. However, when forced to draw his sword against those who abuse their power and undervalue the lives of others, Crimson's calm temperament gives way to a marked intensity capable of intimidating even other skilled swordsmen and can go so far as to become a powerful fury, despite his compulsion toward diplomacy.<br /><br />But when his strength as a wanderer is insufficient to defend against a particularly threatening foe, Crimson's restraint falters and his personality reverts to that of his days as Zanbato the Horseslayer. He immediately abandons his serene humility, reverting from calm and passive to the more abrasive and aggressive killer that he used to be. Crimson's normally warm nature becomes cold and distant, allowing him to contemplate taking the life of his opponent and even make vicious, bloodthirsty threats. This side of his personality is one that Crimson struggles to suppress despite the fact that it keeps emerging when he is under great stress and in need of extra strength. His greatest fear is that, one day, he will return to his former self and become a Horseslayer once more. As time passes, however, Crimson learns to trust the ponies around him with the truth about himself as well as with some of the burden he bears, understanding that his life, too, is of value and that his friends and allies would suffer greatly if he were to die.

Backstory: Crimson Katana lost his parents and family when he was a young colt. He was rescued from a group of brigands who attempted to take his life by the great Samurai Stallion Bushido Nihontou who later took him in and trained him in the art of swordsmanship. After a few years under his master's guidance he decides to act for himself. And his wish to protect other ponies with his skills results in his abandonment of both his master and his training, which was left incomplete and with a bitter departure. His sword skills soon attracted the attention of potential rivals and he was later sent to a dojo to learn more kendo and assigned the role of an assassin. Within the first six months of his career he becomes a fierce Samurai and Assassin and kills over 100 ponies and eventually becomes known as "Zanbato the Horseslayer" taking the law into his own hooves to purge Equestria of crime and injustice at the request of his clients who paid him well. He is hated and feared by many. Though he has killed many ponies he never takes the life of one who is innocent and fights with honor. And no mares or foals or fillies or colts were among his victims. After finishing his job as the murderer "Zanbato The Horseslayer" in the great war, Crimson assumes the life of a wanderer, attempting to keep his promise to protect every individual from danger without harming others through pacifist means, and through the use of Hiten Mitsurugi style's powerful techniques and true principles of the art. He later arrives in Ponvyille, Crimson establishes lifelong relationships with many ponies, and changes the lives of many who he has met; even if his reputation of a notorious assassin in the day of the great war and the animosity of those begrudged who have survived its bloody days come to haunt him, his change in character has even lead ex-enemies, such as the former rival Nimble Blade, to come to peaceful terms with him. With the many friends he has come to make, many of their experiences come to take them on many adventures and the events they come to impact on both them, and the world to come. Although he has kept his promise and fulfills his duty as a swordsman of peace, many of his inner scars still come to haunt him, from his repressed Zanbato personality coming out in times of heavy conflict, to the heavy trauma and unremedied pain that keeps him distant from even his closest friends, and fearful of the consequences his past reemerges should they be dragged into them.