Mikoto Minagi

Mikoto Minagi
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IC Information
Full Name:	Mikoto Minagi
Aliases:	Fire-Mouthed Cat Demon
Gender:	Female
Age/Birthdate:	15 (November 4th, 1999)
Height:	4'11"
Hair Colour:	Black
Eye Colour:	Gold
Astrological Sign:	Scorpio, Earth Rabbit
Blood Type:	B
Favorite Food:	Mai-Style Ramen Noodles!!
Least Favorite Food:	Curry
Favorite Subject:	Battle... that's not real subject? Okay, Japanese History.
Least Favorite Subject:	Mathematics
Dossier
Group:	HiME Sentai, Shepherds
Position:	Berserker
School:	School: Ohtori Academy (11)
OOC Information
Source:	Mai-HiME (FC)
Player:	Nyaaahhh!!!

Mikoto Minagi is a girl looking for her brother. She doesn't talk much - and when she does, her Japanese is youthful and simple. But she seems to be a cheerful, energetic girl, who latches heavily onto her friends and looks to them for guidance and food.

But as SEARRS revealed during their takeover of Ohtori, the Mikoto Minagi who follows her friends like a lost kitten is the same HiME who fights viciously with her obsidian claymore named Miroku. It seems impossible, contrasting the two together. What a strange story this girl must have!

Quote

"I'm looking for my brother. And I'll fight anyone who gets in my way. End of story."

Profile

Mikoto was raised in an isolated mountaintop shrine. Her social skills have suffered for it, and her grasp of even basic interaction is questionable. Her strangeness often raises questions, and occasionally stirs trouble, but teenage disapproval doesn't cramp her style. She spends her days having adventures with her feral cat friends, learning about the world, and searching for her long-lost brother. She's been forced into attending this strange obligation known as "middle school", and of course, she always has time for Mai Tokiha's cuisine. Though her Child has never been seen, she is a highly-trained and deadly opponent, fighting with the gigantic claymore she calls Miroku. Worse than her training, perhaps, is her mindset -- she will cut down anyone in her path, be they Orphan or enemy HiME, and the Mikoto who fights seems entirely different from the Mikoto who begs for dinner to be done just a few minutes sooner.

Personality

Guardian of the sword.

Loyal to her Lord Brother.

A warrior who can defeat any enemy.

That is who the shrine maiden of Minagi is. But that isn't who most people know.

Most people know Mikoto-chan, the naive young girl with a bottomless stomach. Mikoto is transparent in her desires, innocent as a child in all that the world has to offer. More cat than girl in everything she does, Mikoto is almost charmingly foolish; she finds joy in the smallest things, happiness in sunshine and surprise in brightly-coloured bugs.

Mikoto thinks in black and white. She's good at judging people, to a point; but once she has made a decision, it's difficult to shake. Either you are a good person, or a bad person -- either she likes you, or she doesn't. Those who she deems good have an easy pass through her mental defenses; she's easily-led, gullible to those who she thinks are kind. Combined with her natural transparency, this makes her an easy mark for those who can make that all-important first step.

Mikoto's entire life has consisted of following a superior, obeying them; she cannot stand a vacuum in that area, though she doesn't consciously realise it. Currently, the person occupying that position is Mai Tokiha, who got the position while it was on sale -- Mikoto was starving and alone, and Mai was a kind person who fed her. After Mai's seeming death and following rebirth, Mikoto has thrown herself into loving Mai -- besides, she loves Mai's food, and being with Mai is fun! She's very possessive of this kind person, and she will protect her as if Mai's enemies were Mikoto's own.

But it took her a year to express these emotions, which brings us to a salient point -- Mikoto doesn't understand emotions very well. She can express her appreciation for the things people do very easily, but for a long time, she didn't realise this meant she liked the person themselves. While her brother (and then, her grandfather) were always quick to show her love and appreciation, she was taught very little about how to process her emotions. It's not that she's stupid -- she's very savvy as to how people act, and can notice discrepancies in their behavior easily. But now that she has realised she can love people, she is free and open with her affection -- too much, perhaps. She also has very poor emotional boundaries -- when her friends are sad, she gets sad, too. Luckily, it also works the other way around.

Alongside not understanding emotions, Mikoto doesn't understand a lot of other things. She was never taught about stealing, or about public decency, or about personal space. Many Japanese customs are lost to her, from honourifics (or even decent grammar) to when it's all right to say what she's thinking (that's all the time, isn't it?). She is, however, very conflicted about harming noncombatants; she's always been taught that those who attack her are enemies, which means that people who have done nothing wrong must be, by extension, not enemies at all.

And yet, to think of enemies brings us back to the beginning. It's an important point to make: Mikoto destroys enemies. Those who attack her are enemies. Enemies deserve no pity, no quarter. Enemies must be destroyed! It brings us to Mikoto the shrine maiden, Mikoto the keeper of the sword, a Mikoto far more ferocious and terrifying than the hungry child her friends know. Mikoto, in battle, is girl barely able to even control her sword -- and this imagery is not for nothing. There is bloodlust and battle-rage within her, and if it is allowed to grow out of control, her ability to distinguish between enemies and hold herself in check diminishes significantly. Were something awful to happen... this horrible trait might even come to engulf her.

For now, at least, Mikoto may be shaken from her terrible berserkergang.

History

The Shrine Maiden of Minagi

A great shadow stretches over the Minagi shrine -- the shadow of the Obsidian Lord. His grip is felt in the blood of every legitimate heir to the name, and in their isolated mountain home, they serve him in all they do.

Mikoto is a HiME. She has known this for as long as she could remember. But she is different to the other HiMEs, those people with Elements and Childs. Mikoto doesn't think about it. Mikoto wasn't told about it.

Mikoto wasn't told that her claymore was the vessel of the Obsidian Lord. She was simply told to keep it with her always -- to guard it with her life. She didn't know that other HiME's Elements disappeared when not in use. She didn't even question it.

She questioned very little, because she was raised to obey, and to fight.

She came to know her claymore as Miroku, the force of destruction which she felt lurking always at the edges of her mind. Miroku, which was in truth the Obsidian Lord's Child, was simply another weapon to her; they were all her weapons, all things she would use to destroy the enemy. Her Child was Miroku. Her Element was Miroku. That neither could be called hers -- that she was more likely -their- possession -- escaped her.

She sought the approval of her Lord Brother, doting on on his every footstep. To serve and love only her brother was the law of the shrine, and she did not question it.

When he told her to fight without hesitation, she fought without hesitation.

When he praised her, her heart swelled.

When he left, she was crushed.

Because he did. He left without warning, without a word. Her grandfather consoled her, and she continued to learn under him, Miroku never leaving her side.

But...

She never forgot her Lord Brother.

That she was intended to serve him was a promise and a contract and a binding force around her soul.

Her grandfather, ever sly and wise, taught her well. He reinforced the ideals which had been planted in her mind, but left enough of himself open to her that she would come to rely on him and to love him...

... so that he could destroy that, as well.

It cost him his life; he did not even falter. That is the way of the Minagi family. Their lives are nothing but pawns on the board.

She didn't falter, either. Miroku cut her precious grandfather open and exposed his insides to the world. And as the killer's remorse hit her, as she knelt beside him and cried, he taught her the lesson which cost him his life.

She was only to love and serve her brother. No one else.

He was in the land of Fuuka, and she was to go there and find him.

The shrine maiden of Minagi left the mountainside that day. Though she could not even properly recall his face, she would find her brother.

The Demon Cat of Ohtori

On the way to Fuuka, she encountered an enemy. And she fought -- she fought bravely -- but the enemy was too much for her. She might have died, but instead, she woke in a bed. She had been saved, and it didn't occur to her to think about it overmuch. Instead, she confronted the enemy again.

Miroku thinks little of steel; even the steel which comprises a ship. Even so, Mikoto could not defeat her enemy.

She was saved again. It was fortunate. She left as soon as she woke.

...

But she was really quite hungry. She hadn't eaten for quite a while, after all.

She smelt food, and took it.

No one on the mountain told her that food could be an enemy too.

Water defeated the enemy which burned her mouth and her throat, and then she came upon another -- one who seemed at first to be an enemy, but who was, on closer inspection, the one who helped her. Mikoto didn't get any further time to consider her course of action; she fainted from hunger.

When she woke, she was in a bed again. The girl was there. She gave her food.

Valhalla's gates opened; the angels flooded forth around Saint Peter's stand; ambrosa stood there in her mouth. It was the best thing she'd ever tasted. It was heaven. It was better than heaven. It was delicious!

(It turns out that in a strict shrine, where cuisine isn't valued beyond its ability to keep someone alive, tasty food isn't a great concern.)

The girl was called Mai, and she was too nosy, but she was very kind. Mikoto liked her. Still, she had to go, and find her Lord Brother.

So she left.

Later, during the night, when she could smell nothing which would lead her to her brother, she met that kind girl Mai again. Mai was being attacked. Mikoto, who liked that kind girl, deemed the attacker her enemy. It was good! She discovered that kind Mai was a HiME, and she also met the enemy who had attacked her before. It would have been a wonderful turn of events, had Mai's enemy not been so relentless.

She had to divert her attention to it, and even Miroku's strength was not enough. There, Mikoto met Mai's strength, a strength called Kagutsuchi. It was an overwhelming strength. Mai was not only a kind person, but a strong person. It was amazing!

Mikoto went with Mai to speak to a girl she called the director, who led the school. According to Mai, that girl would pay for her to live there and allow her to study, despite the fact that the closest thing to study in this place was a club where they only studied with practice weapons. Mikoto didn't like her. But she could stay in Fuuka that way, and search for her Lord Brother.

She went back with Mai, and that kind person allowed her to stay. It meant far more than any vague words about being paid for, about some custodian footing her bills. Mai cooked her food!

Mai took care of her, and so she took care of Mai. Because Ohtori was in Tokyo, and Tokyo was a hotbed of spiritual activity. The Orphans which threatened humanity were the HiME's specific problem, but there were more, more and more - monsters and gods and dark things which smelled of ash and rot. Without her Lord Brother to guide her, Mikoto fought for Mai.

There were others. Not only HiME, but Sailors and Knights and Puella Magi. Some of them became her fierce friends, others she knew only on the battlefield. One, in particular, she grew close to - Eri Shimanouchi, who loved plants as she loved cats.

And there were other HiME. Natuski Kuga, who was her enemy, was someone Mai insisted was a friend. Mikoto was reluctant, but Mai eventually succeeded in getting her to like the other girl. There was Nao Yuuki, who told her things Mai never would; later, Kozue Kaoru would take her position of devil's advocate, first known to Mikoto only as Cassandra. Midori Sugiura, of course, was Midori Sugiura.

But Mai was the most important HiME, because Mai made her good food, and Mai slept with her at night, and Mai supported her when she was unsure. Mai made stir-fry, with meat and onions and bell peppers. She made rice balls, and vegetables, and miso soup. She made Italian pasta. She made fish, freshly-caught by Mikoto herself. And, of course, she made ramen, and Mai's ramen was the best.

The Realisation

It was the HiME who SEARRS targetted, a year after Mikoto had arrived at Ohtori. Cassandra's identity was revealed to her, and her identity was revealed to the world. In a tattered ballgown, she went underground with Mai and Natsuki, and found herself summoned by the Headmistress in order to defend the populations of the Sister Schools. Miroku cleaved tanks in half, but it was Mai's power, Kagutsuchi, which truly stole the stage. Upon it, Mai took Alyssa's Child's blast, and Kagustuchi transformed, and took them to space.

But when they fell, Mai was not with them. Mikoto cried out, and in her grief, forgot her most important lesson. 'I love Mai!' The words she couldn't say when Mai was with her, she said as she watched the sky for any sign of Mai's body.

With that admission, it became easier. Mikoto realised she loved so many people. But Mai was gone.

Eri stayed with her, in the days afterwards. She cried on her, often. Eri, who had viewed Mai as such a close friend as well, was the closest thing Mikoto had to guidance in those days. It forged their bond stronger, closer. Eri became the most important girl in Mikoto's world, simply because Eri was there for her when she needed her.

And then Mai came back! It was the best day in Mikoto's life, and she cried happy tears instead of sad, and didn't let Mai go for so long because she was terrified of her leaving again.

Mai had come back, and Mai was safe, and Mikoto didn't want her to be in danger any more. It was easy, when Eri started sharing her problems as a Puella Magi with her, to justify keeping Mai out of the loop. Mai wouldn't understand. Mai would be in danger. Mai, who had come back to them safe, who Mikoto loved and didn't want to see hurt...

The Monster Made of Love and Obsidian Blades

... Mai couldn't know about Mikoto's hunts with Eri. And when Eri's problems with other Puella Magi came to a head, Mikoto found she couldn't tell Mai that she was fighting for her friend, either. Because a war was brewing, and Mai would be sad, and disappointed, and in danger.

Mikoto had to do it on her own.

So she did. She aligned herself with Eri, followed Eri's example, and beat Eri's enemies. She came home to Mai at night, and said nothing about the battles she had fought. It was a conflict she struggled with, her obligations to Mai and her obligations to Eri tearing at each other. She tried not to think about it, and justified it to herself, and kept fighting.

In time, it changed from being a question of Eri's life to a question of all life on Earth. It became a question of defending Mai, and a question of safeguarding her Lord Brother. These threats meant much more to her than the lives of so many strangers, and it was these threats which spurred her to commit even further to her bloody path. She hated hurting people who weren't warriors, but what choice did they have? The stakes were too high. So much was at stake. Eri was at stake.

It hurt, not being able to talk to Mai about it. But she loved Eri, too, and didn't want her to die. She didn't want Eri to burn out in a blaze of glory. She didn't want Eri to suffer. So Mikoto pushed herself harder, and harder, and harder, all so Eri wouldn't have to expend so much magic, so Eri wouldn't need quite so many grief seeds. Mikoto didn't need grief seeds. Mikoto could do that much for Eri. It was Endo Naoki, in the end, who dashed her hopes and dreams for Eri's shining future. He and Fallen Stern demolished her twice in a row, defeating her utterly.

But when he struck her down her the second time, with a mighty blow which ought to have felled her even were she healthy instead of almost past her limit, she didn't stay down. Fearing for her friends' safety in the face of someone who could destroy her so reliably, Mikoto convinced herself Miroku was necessary, though she had always been taught to use his power alone with caution. She summoned her Child, and destroyed Endo, in turn. If not for Ren's timely interlude, she would have surely killed him.

Instead, it was Eri who killed. Mami's soul gem was shattered, and Mikoto convinced Miroku to reveal itself - a conversation strange to have, thoughts not quite her own - so that it could rescue Eri and the other Shepherds from Chevalier retaliation. It was against the idea. She persisted. Sayaka's darkness was too wrong; Eri's anguish, too deep. She had to get them away.

So she did.

The Conflicted Heart

And when next she woke, she found herself attacked in such subtle, terrible ways, with cables in her flesh and horrible beeping machines. She tried to flee, remembering old instructions to survive - but she was too weak, and they captured her and bound her. Yumi explained, when she came to, that she was in hospital. Hospital... the same place Takumi so often went. Mikoto hadn't realised how torturous it was.

Mai visited the next day, and her grief and her worry and her anger were so overwhelming that Mikoto's world was shattered in an instant. Everything was for naught - because Mai was crying. Mikoto realised, all at once, that her efforts were meaningless, because she had made Mai go through the same horror Mikoto went through when she thought Mai was dead.

And in Mikoto a darkness flowered, so unlike her obsidian edges. Because she had no way to make Mai happy, and make Eri happy as well. She loved them both - served them both - and they would never, ever agree. Mai wanted them to be normal high school students. Eri was embroiled in a war. Mikoto knew the warrior's path she must lead, saw it leading away from Mai -

- it wounded her, deep inside her heart. She struggled even to enjoy food, for the joy of food was something Mai had shown her; she felt so undeserving of delicious things. A terrible guilt pressed down upon her, as she struggled to reconcile her two closest friends. She couldn't be what Mai needed her to be - but she couldn't be what Eri needed, either, because her body was broken. She was not smart enough, or good enough, or strong enough, to find a solution which would make everyone smile. Worse - asking for smiles only brought wooden, stiff things.

But Mai was the girl Mikoto loved most in all the world, so Mikoto tried anew to be what Mai wanted. She tried to attend normal school functions - they went wrong. And then she tried to make Mai happy by staying at home and recovering, even though there was so much danger she felt she had to confront.

She just wanted Mai to smile. She knew that soon she would be called on to fight again, and she would not be able to resist the call, because Eri loved her - really, really told her she loved her, unlike the Mai who never said those words - and Eri needed her strength.

And all Mikoto could do was fight, as the war so clearly demonstrated. Fighting was all she was good for. Destroying enemies was her singular purpose, and Eri had so many enemies, and Mai increasingly few...

... but Mai's sadness hurt so much...

Powers/Abilities

Mikoto has exceedingly good senses. She can track via scent, see things from far away, and detect even small variations in taste. (So please don't feed her spicy food.)

She is suspiciously well trained when it comes to battle. Her sword, called Miroku, is always by her side... and even if she does lose it, she can just summon it back to herself. But it is not her Child. Her Child has been seen, now - if only once. Confusingly, they're both called Miroku.

Unfortunately, to compensate for her warrior's ability, she also has an incredibly fast metabolism. When she crashes from hunger, she crashes hard!

Talents and Weaknesses

Mikoto is a finely-tuned food-destroying machine. So long as it isn't spicy, and the food is otherwise pleasant, she can tear through it as if inhaling. Due to her senses, she's also very good at figuring out whether food has gone bad!

Mikoto grew up in a mountainous shrine, and so she is adapted to outdoor life. She's so good at climbing trees that she often takes naps atop their branches! In the city, she's translated these arboreal skills to roof-hopping, jumping from awning to sign to fire exit with aplomb.

Also due to growing up in one, Mikoto knows her way around shrines. It's one of the few areas where she knows the social rules well enough to not shock anyone.

Mikoto was tutored in Japanese history as part of her studies growing up, so it's one of the few school subjects where she doesn't flounder. While she can only hope to get Ds or Cs in most of her subjects, she's consistently a B-student in Japanese History. It's the one thing - aside from her good PE scores - which saves her from cram school!

Mikoto is good at calligraphy, another thing she learned growing up, and her handwriting is surprisingly pleasant because of it. Her penmanship earns her a few more points in Japanese class, despite her poor grammar, letting her scrape by a 'poor' grade average in that class.

Mikoto has gotten better at speaking Japanese, over the time she's spent in Tokyo. Grammatical things like articles still elude her a frustrating amount of the time, and she still prefers the most simple and direct way to say what she means, but she understands a lot more than she did when she started. If she puts the effort in, she can almost talk normally... but it is an effort, and one she doesn't always care to make.

And while Mikoto may not always speak Japanese perfectly, she's fluent in cat body language and their various meows. She learned from the shrine cats at a young age, after all.

However...

Mikoto wasn't raised with an eye towards social skills. She knew very few people growing up, all part of her family, and her training was focused heavily on fighting and topics adjacent to the fight. Her speech wasn't corrected, and she wasn't taught about many fundamental topics. It means that she's terribly unbalanced; even though she's a fright on the battlefield, she often seems ignorant outside of it.

Mikoto is an extremely sensory person, and has trouble thinking of words to express her thoughts, a problem compounded by her life growing up. She's grown better at it with time, but she still needs a calm atmosphere to be able to speak precisely. Sensory overload troubles her, as well, a problem most succinctly expressed by her reaction to spicy food.

Mikoto remembers little of her childhood, and nostalgic reminders can often shut her down while her brain struggles with connections it can't quite make. She has traumatic reactions to many things, though she doesn't recognise them as traumatic. Even in the present day, if something happens which is too difficult for her to absorb, she will just dissociate from the knowledge so that she can keep being the cheerful girl she is.

Mikoto is self-centred, though not in any malicious sense. She understands people through her own reactions to them, and usually falls prey to the typical mind fallacy, thinking that other people must feel the same way she does. Though she genuinely cares about her friends, her attempts to fix their problems often amount to telling them to 'just smile!', and she's troubled when the advice which helps her doesn't help others. She's realised, now, how useless that advice is... at least in regards to Mai Tokiha.

Mikoto tends to decide whether someone is good or bad upon meeting them, in an easily-predictable and easily-manipulable way. She shuts herself off from people she considers bad, and doesn't guard herself around people she considers good. There are a few people who have switched categories, so she's capable of changing her mind, but it takes a great effort to do so. People who skirt those categories are extremely frustrating to Mikoto, and she tends to react by even more firmly categorising them as 'good' or 'bad'.

Mikoto is bottom-barrel in all of her other classes, only managing to escape abject failure due to Mai's heroic efforts. At times, her scholarship seems thinly-justified, because she's simply so bad at things like mathematics and science.

Rumours

Around School:

She's a transfer student who came here in the 9th grade!

... I heard no one knows where she came from, and even her school records are a total mess!
... I heard it couldn't possibly be Juuban, even though she's so simple!
... I heard she's actually a delinquent who was sent to such a civilised place as one last chance for redemption!
... how terrible!

She's a terrible student, especially in science and maths!

... I heard the only reason she doesn't fail is her roommate!
... I heard she's actually really good at Japanese history!
... I heard she skips class a lot!
... how terrible!

She can be so rude!

... I heard she never says more than three words to anyone!
... I heard she looks down on everyone, and that's why she's not in any clubs!
... I heard she doesn't care about our money or status at all!
... how terrible!

She really doesn't understand social interaction!

... I heard she just doesn't care!
... I heard she doesn't use honorifics and always calls people by their first names!
... I heard she's totally unaffected by hot guys, and, scandalous as it is, hot girls too!
... how terrible!

Some of the girls kind of pick on her, huh?

... I heard she's a little kid who somehow skipped enough grades to end up in high school!
... I heard she's a total weirdo who stares too much!
... I heard she's a totally oblivious and ignorant country bumpkin!
... how terrible!

She's the demon cat who lurks in Ohtori, running around the rooftops and through the trees!

... I heard it has terrible glowing yellow eyes, and it's wreathed in shadow!
... I heard that it spit fire and smoke, and it wouldn't listen to reason at all!
... I heard it just stares at all the boys like it's trying to figure out who to eat!
... how terrible!

She's a mysterious golfer-chan who always carries her clubs with her!

... I heard she's bound by oath never to play again!
... I heard her abilities are so amazing, she's just waiting for an opponent worthy of her skill!
... I heard she's actually awful at golf!
... how terrible!

She has this weird ability to make friends with any cat on campus!

... I heard it's because she's really a cat in human form!
... I heard she's a cat priestess - I saw how she acted at a shrine once!
... I heard she's amassing a cat army, and when she reaches her full power, she's going to take over Ohtori!
... how terrible!

Magical Girl Rumours:

Oh, Mikoto? She's a HiME, I learned that when Ohtori was taken over!

She's a Shepherd, right? She's been fighting alongside them for a long time now.

She wields this giant black claymore, and she never, ever lets it go!

She never talks when she's in a fight... all she does is scream. She's like one of those berserkers, you know?

Relationships

Family

Lord Brother: Lord Brother, your face blurs to me. So much I forget. I must find you, soon. I wish you were here to take care of me... everything is so complicated without you, Lord Brother. I'm trying my best, but it just keeps getting messed up!

Grandfather: I made a promise. I will complete. Why does my heart hurt, when I think of you? I don't want to remember...

Miroku: My blade, my promise, my ward. The weapon I am fashioned. You think Miroku defends me? I defend Miroku. But... Miroku... are my friends really so bad..?

Very Important People

Mai and Eri: I don't know how to make Mai and Eri both happy. Makes me so sad. I don't think I was meant to love two people this much. Feels like I'm forgetting something. I don't know how to make everyone smile! Not even saying it works, because I know no one's really smiling! All I can do is fight... but Mai doesn't want me to fight... but Eri needs me to fight... what do I do? What do I do?!

Mai Tokiha: ... Mai is crying. Mai is sad. Mai is angry. I did this. I did this to Mai. I made Mai feel that way. Mai thought I was dead. I never wanted Mai to go through what I did but it happened anyway. Mai is smiling, but she's not happy. I don't deserve that, Mai. Mai. Mai... ... but truth is, now, Mai's coddling. Treating me like... stop it, Mai! I never wanted this, Mai! Am I just another burden, Mai?!

Eri Shimanouchi: Eri says she loves me... Eri says I'm wanted... Eri says I'm important. Even if we won't be forgiven, I can't let Eri do it alone, because I'm meant for the people who love me. But... Eri doesn't have so much will to fight, after what happened. Eri's so tired. What can I do? How can I make Eri smile again? I don't understand Eri's sadness at all... but that means I can defeat Eri's enemies without hesitation. After all, I've never been normal, Eri...

Beloved Friends

The Shepherds: Just Eri's allies, at first. But... Shepherds are good people. Kind to me. Would never leave me to suffer alone. So I love them, too. Maybe we do bad things... but it's necessary! Not just for Eri. Even earth is at stake. How can I defend my Lord Brother, or Mai, or Eri, in destroyed world? They'd be ash. ... but... I'd never say it, but I wish we only killed warriors. People who haven't decided to fight... aren't enemies at all... but we have to. We don't have a choice! Real world isn't... simple!

Natsuki Kuga: I was wrong. Natsuki is good person. I love Natsuki! Natsuki is cool, but Natsuki cares. Natsuki's like cat, acting aloof... huh? Lone wolf? I mean, I guess. I just wish Natsuki would stop calling me a kid. I'm in highschool..!

Midori Sugiura: Midori is such fun person! I love Midori. Midori's class is only writing class I'm good at. Glad just one teacher isn't disappointed.

Nao Yuuki: Don't care what people say. I know Nao is good person. I love Nao. Nao's a good friend, and important to me. Tells me stuff other people won't. We get in trouble sometimes. It's fun.

Yukino Kikukawa: Yukino's good person! Quiet, but nice, and smart too. Notices lots of things. I love Yukino.

Shizuru Fujino: Shizuru is quiet. But, stands up to loud people. Listens to me. I love Shizuru.

Ye-jin Song: Very Ohtori. But, offered to help with Lord Brother! So Ye-jin must be good person!

Chie and Aoi: Mai's normal friends. Look out for me in school. I love them, but they're not involved in any of this. Chie says, 'gossip is good for a girl,' but Chie has lots of opinions about what's good for girls. Aoi's kindhearted.

Cat Friends: My normal friends. Hey, I have normal friends too! I'm friends with all cats on Ohtori! And all other cats, but don't get as many chances to be friends with them. Some yearling kittens have attached to me a lot! Mori's black and white, doesn't like people, but she likes me. Momo's brown tabby, and she's so playful! Fuku's orange tabby, sleepyhead, he likes strangers. Kita's calico, polite refined lady just like Ohtori. ... used to be another one, but Fuku's brother Ichi... the war was... I couldn't focus... and, winter... it's hard for strays.

Takeo Akamizu: Takeo is good person. Good taste in food!

Fuu Hououji: I am glad Fuu is not my enemy. I like Fuu. But I don't understand Fuu at all! Even though I did such horrible things, Fuu still supported me... Fuu still believes in me... why?!

Kasagami Araki: Loud, brash. Cares a lot. Was confusing, but I get it now. I like Kasagami... I don't like seeing Kasagami sad. I have to help.

Setsuna Meioh: Mysterious, but kind. Setsuna gave me thoughtful gift, jade cat. It lives on our windowsill. Setsuna understands purpose. Gives good advice. And, very smart! Setsuna's a good person!

Yumi Ohzora: Seems frail, but has strong heart. Helped me when I was scared and alone. Couldn't imagine Yumi's pain before, but think I'm getting close. I love Yumi. Tama is good, too. But Tama doesn't understand. Yumi needs us... and we need Yumi!

Kyouko Sakura: Eri's ally, also mine. Anyone who likes food like Kyouko is good person. Anyone who likes Eri like Kyouko is good person, too.

Chitose Shiratori: Nice person! Chitose's weapon... talks? I used to wish Miroku talked...

Acquaintances

Georgia Jenks: Normal classmate. Not from here. Has big sense of humour. Hope I didn't hurt her.

Steven Universe: Steven is good person. Always smiles. I want to protect Steven, just by looking! Also, has good lion.

Usagi Tsukino: Usagi's good person. Passionate. Not a warrior. Haven't spoken much.

Utena Tenjou: ... haven't talked to Utena in long time. But, I'm glad... Utena isn't like me.

Anthy Himemiya: Wonder if monkey's still around. Anthy's... odd.

Niramo Umokeshi: Kasagami's friend, don't know name. Seems to care a lot. But, worried about Kasagami.

Nori Ankou: ... very quiet girl.

Madoka Kaname: ... not a warrior, Eri said. Not my enemy. Not my friend, either... but not a target.

Kimiko Akane: Normal girl. Seems like Kimiko cares a lot. I hope Kimiko finds something to like about Ohtori.

... It's Complicated

Lera Camry: STOP HURTING ME!

Enemies

The Chevaliers: I swore Eri's enemies were my enemies. Does Eri know how important that is? I hope so. Eri understands a lot. It's different to defending Eri. It's... a promise. And promises mean I can never go back. Even if Chevaliers are good guys. They don't get it. Eri has to eat. I won't let Eri starve. I know bad things. I can be a monster...

Mami Tomoe: It's good she's dead. Now she'll never hurt Mai or Eri ever again.

Sayaka Miki: Wrong darkness. Unsettling darkness. I don't like it. Sayaka is Eri's greatest enemy... if I were Sayaka, I'd kill Eri as soon as possible. I can't let that happen!

Garnet: Garnet smells of nothing. Strange. My enemy, now.

Endo Naoki: ... Endo... Fallen Stern's wielder. Our swords understand each other. He can't understand me. ... he's not like the others. Not just Eri's enemy any more. It's personal.

Ren Aizawa: Intervened without warning. She's strong. People who attack me are enemies.

La Sirene de Diamant: Glittering, now. Salt-smell and danger. She's seen Miroku. What will she do with that knowledge?

Kozue Kaoru: ... stand with my enemy, fight alongside my enemy, become my enemy. Enemies must be destroyed.

PRiNCESS Ye-jin: Masked stranger. Whip-wielder. Fast! Too fast!

Trivia

The kanji of Mikoto's last name, 美袋, are difficult to read for anyone who hasn't heard them said out loud, because their reading is decidedly non-standard. She shares her surname with the Minagi village in the Okayama Prefecture - but even if there's any relation, Mikoto herself never spent any time there, sequestered up in her mountain shrine as she was.

Meanwhile, the kanji of Mikoto's first name, 命, references the Shinto concept of mikoto mochi, a medium who receives the honourable words (mikoto) of a kami. Unfortunately, the so-called kami of the Minagi Shrine is not very nice.

'Lord Brother' is a fanciful translation of the formal and archaic term Mikoto uses to refer to her older brother, aniue, and obliquely references his true identity as the Obsidian Lord.

Aside from the Mai-HiME anime, Mikoto's history draws from Mai-HiME EXA canon.

Gallery

Mikoto, as she looks on the MUSH in the present day, feeling troubled about her most important people.
Character studies! Mikoto is in a high school uniform now, though.
All ready for school! Cats are an important part of school life.
... and here's Mikoto in her high school uniform! She does that to Mai a lot.
The Demon Cat of Ohtori.
Mikoto was given the responsibility of Miroku at a very young age. Look at how happy she is!
Mikoto's HiME birthmark is located on her upper arm.
Mikoto and her cat friends.
Mikoto always ends up sleeping on Mai.
Mikoto napping with her obsidian blade, Miroku. She's very small, and it's very large.
Mikoto and Miroku are associated with obsidian spikes which make a real mess of the ground. Just ignore the spooky necklace.
The sigils which have begun appearing on Miroku. It's probably nothing serious.
Miroku is also Mikoto's Child! There's nothing weird about that.
Miroku, again, with Kagutsuchi for size reference. They're both kinda big.