Shokujiki Kouji

Surly, cantankerous, and just generally a 15-year-old boy, Shokujiki Kouji dreams of greater things for himself.

Personality
Kouji is a hard person to get to know. His default expression is "scowl" and he does not often change it. He tends to let his moods get the best of him, and as is his wont at his age, his moods change frequently. His conversations drip with sarcasm and an inflated sense of self-worth.

Get to know him, though, and you would find that most of Kouji's behavior is a front. He is insecure and unsure of his place in the world, and he worries that his unusual background means less success for him in the long run. He has a hard time making friends, and if you catch him in a vulnerable moment, he would admit that he is lonely.

The one thing Kouji is absolutely sure of is mechanics. He has a knack for airship engines and has been dismantling and building them since he was small. He tends to work by feel; manuals tend to confuse him. His strongest trait is his adaptability. He tends to hum to himself when he's focused.

Kouji's only family in the world is his older sister Kyoko. The two of them are very close, but in recent years they have grown distant. Kouji does not approve of the way his sister keeps trying to recover their past and their heritage; he prefers focusing on the present. He was too young when their parents died, and he only vaguely remembers how they even looked. He has dealt with it in his own way, and he sometimes has a hard time empathizing with his sister's grief. Privately, he may be a little jealous of her memories of them.

History
Kouji was born to Shokujiki Hiroto and Emiko years after they finally settled in Aperion. Kyoko was a young, healthy girl, and it did not seem like the Shokujiki family was in any more danger. For the first time in years, they finally felt safe, hidden from the tragedy that had driven them from Heruba.

When Kouji was only two years old, disaster struck. They were attacked by the Shouxian, and both Shokujiki Emiko and Hiroto lost their lives, orphaning Kyoko and Kouji. The warrior women disappeared without a trace afterwards, leaving the village wary of their children. They were taken in by a neighbor until Kyoko could afford a place of their own.

Their town, Haven, is a bit of a scrap heap. It's become known as a place where sailors can patch up their ships and replace used parts after a trecharous path across the Barrier Range, meaning that from a very young age Kouji had access to all types of ship parts. When he was old enough he begged the local mechanic for an apprenticeship and within a few years had surpassed him in technical skill and aptitude.

His name has become known among rovers as a rumor, one which well-connected Informants will sell to people looking for delicate repairs on their ships. Kouji has seen a steady increase in business over the last three years, and he has come to relish it.

Trivia

 * Kouji is afraid of heights. This presents certain problems if he ever wants to work on airship engines full-time.
 * Kouji loves tofu. Like, seriously, absolutely loves it. To the point of obsession.
 * He wears goggles now. Goggles are cool.