seijimei: Two heroines, both with differing origins, both similar in that they are driven by love. But both will be pushed to their breaking points as their individual pasts collide and join forces to attempt to hurt them in ways neither of them could ever hope to imagine. THE HEROES PAGAN: The Louisiana Cat-Girl is said to be a creature of pure love. A long lived being who has traveled the country, her natural curiosity guiding her through all sorts of adventures, a kind of frontier justice learned to her by her surrogate father, Casey McCormic, urges her to do the right thing. OSEIKO: “The Black Widow,” Oseiko is more than just a professional wrestler; she is a jonin kunoichi ninja, the last of a clan of mercenary assassins known as the Akuhi Ryu (or so she thinks). She is also a Balance, a human born of the purest of souls, created to counter the dark soul of her immortal ancestor, “The Revenant” Shaed Bloodgrave. Oseiko is driven by love, and is to never know of true hate. MINA CRUZ: Pagan’s current companion, she is a long time friend to the Louisiana Cat-Girl, since she was but a child. She is a master hacker, and what she lacks in physical prowess she more than makes up for with her mental acuity, often helping the more technically inept Pagan with things the cryptid cat-girl can’t hope to figure out. KIZUHOSHI: A princess of the race of supernatural feline-like beings known as the Hoshi, Kizuhoshi is Oseiko’s closest friend and confidant. While she’s haughty, self-serving, and spoiled, Kizuhoshi is overwhelmingly loyal to Oseiko, and while she resembles a simple housecat, she can easily surprise enemies with her ability to shapeshift into a panther or a cat-girl and back again. THE VILLAINS MIGUEL RIOS: The made man of Jonathan Christopher Learn strikes out on his own as he seeks to ruination of Pagan’s very life. He hires the Akuhi Ryu remnants for this very act; considering that most of them are only children, it’s Rios’ hope that she will hesitate in taking action against them… and if she does, it may very well spell the end of Pagan’s life as she knows it… HEBIKO KUROI: The only elder survivor of the Akuhi Ryu attack from “The Revenant” Shaed Bloodgrave, “The Black Mamba” Hebiko Kuroi leads her young charges in a continuation of her clan’s endeavors of assassination for profit. But not only that, but she also seeks revenge on Oseiko for her ancestor’s transgressions against the Akuhi Ryu, and will resort to any measures to end the Black Widow’s life… or the lives of her family. THE SUPPORTING CAST LEARN’S SOLDIERS: The personal soldiers of the man who employs Miguel Rios, Jonathan Christopher Learn, also work for Rios. These faceless heavily armed men and women will follow both Rios and Learn for a hefty paycheck, and that can only mean certain peril for both Pagan and Oseiko. JEANNE d’ARC: The nigh-immortal Nephilim, famous for her participation in the Hundred Years’ War and kept alive by the very fires that ended her mortal life centuries ago, is one of Pagan’s closest friends. TYRA LANE MOONHOWL: One of Pagan’s former companions but still one of her closest friends, Moonhowl comes to Pagan’s side once more as she has to deal with not only Miguel Rios and Learn’s personal army, but the Akuhi Ryu remnants as well. WARHUNTER: Not so much Pagan’s former companion but Moonhowl’s current companion, the wolf-like cryptid remains at the side of her friend as she accompanies her to deal with the current enemies of Pagan and Oseiko. HANA KUROTSUKI: One of Oseiko’s ancestors… long-lived and exceptionally tough, she was also a Balance… emphasis on “was.” Now she is different, twisted and evil. But she was once pure of soul and now not, what could have caused Hana’s descent into darkness? HIROTO KANA: The Scorpion, Hiroto Kana’s specialty is the usage of tonfa sticks he uses to deadly precision. He is overwhelmingly loyal to the Akuhi Ryu remnants, and hates Oseiko with a passion for what her family has done; it was Shaed who killed both of Hiroto’s parents, and it is his goal to assassinate Oseiko for Shaed’s crimes. KEIKO SHINO: The Viper, Keiko Shino’s weapons of choice are twin kamas that she wields like the fangs of her namesake. Keiko is loyal to the Akuhi Ryu, but is unsure if exacting revenge against Oseiko is the right direction to go. Still, she will follow Hebiko’s directions without question. SAKURA REI: The Stingray, Sakura Rei is the youngest of the Akuhi Ryu remnants. And while she uses no weaponry, her proficiency with pressure points and nerve strikes make her easily the most dangerous. She is neutral when it comes to the seeking of Oseiko’s death, as she was but a baby when Shaed unleashed his wrath on the Akuhi Ryu. Still, she will follow Hebiko’s directions, no questions asked. "THE REVENANT" SHAED BLOODGRAVE: The immortal ancestor of Oseiko, Shaed is perhaps the single most powerful fighter ever, having learned every martial art in the course of his eternal lifespan. He is now a virtual demigod, having become way too powerful to exist in the mortal plane. He now spends his time fighting beings stronger than himself in an eternal need (or is it habit?) to better himself for the sake of competition. It was his actions that has caused the repercussions of the Akuhi Ryu remnants to resurface to exact their revenge on Oseiko, and to carry out the hit on Pagan. YUKI MARIE CONNELLY: The daughter of Oseiko and “Code Red” Michael A. Connelly, she too is a Balance, the same as Oseiko. She has yet to display any of the unique traits of the Bloodgrave lineage that Oseiko once had, but none of that may matter when the Akuhi Ryu remnants target her as well as Oseiko…
