Hi, Zig-zag!

This was an interesting study of Iizuka. Your take on his character raises some thoughtful questions. Is it bad of me to say that I'm very pleased that he was Shishio's target? Thanks for all the pleasure your stories have given me!

Terry

Wow, I loved this piece. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a entire story form I'Izuka's POV. He has more human face here but it can’t hide his basic weaselly personality. He doesn’t want to see himself as a bad guy, just a pragmatist. It fits that he justifies that what he’s done is no worse than what Katsura has done. He becomes somehow slimier for being one of the few who realize Kenshin is not a soulless killer. Of course that realization, in another take of his (your) words, “In the end it didn’t matter at all.” The idealistic youth, the seemingly mindless killer, in the end, the soulless one is the pragmatist, “just doing what he needed to do to live.”

Nice job articulating Iizuka. He's all opportunist, never the idealist. That casual 'gee, I'm just doing what I can to survive' attitude of his coupled with his insincere hopes that his evil actions won't hurt Kenshin sums him up very well.

I liked the bit where he felt the coins in his pocket at the end. It really brought out his avaricious, non-compassionate nature.

Good work!

hey great job! This was very well written and creative! You really did a great job portraying Iizuka!

It was very good; it made Iizuka sound more human but still a slimy rat, if that makes any sense. I have to admit, "betrayer" doesn't sound as good as "traitor", but that's my taste.

wow! the moment i read "A grin spread over his face as he gave the money a squeeze" i knew who this was--great characterization--i can hear his voice strongly through the whole piece.

this is a powerful glimpse into the last moments of this character's life, into his motivations, into his values--lovely work!