User Profile

Name: Shouichi 'Shou-chan' Irie
Age: 24
Series: Katekyō Hitman Reborn!

Background
Ten years ago Shouichi Irie was living a peaceful life a few blocks away from the home of Katekyō Hitman Reborn’s protagonist and punching bag, Tsunayoshi Sawada. Unfortunately for Shou-chan it was pretty much inevitable that he’d get sucked into the vortex of insanity at some point. That day arrived when Lambo, the five year old member of the Bovino family, crashed into the Irie household after a disastrous attempt on Reborn’s life. Shouichi, along with his sister and mother, had only moments to marvel at Lambo’s sudden and violent arrival when there was a knock at the door and a strange man from Lambo’s crime family handed over a box containing various goods (and a grenade, dismissed as a child’s toy by all but Shouichi) to compensate for the damage Lambo had caused. He then left in a very dramatic fashion that only Shouichi witnessed. Deciding that they couldn’t keep such extravagant gifts, and that Lambo needed to be escorted home, Shouichi’s mother and sister unanimously decided that it was Shouichi’s job as a man to return both child and box. A reluctant Shouichi complied despite his misgivings.

Arriving at the Sawada household with box in hand and Lambo on his back, Shouichi was startled first by Bianchi sunbathing in a bikini (and for some reason decided to call home about it...) And then by baby Reborn entering the picture while drinking a beer. Subsequent surprises (including, but not limited to; massive explosions, people suddenly aging ten years and Tsuna’s head inflating to a humongous size) led to Shouichi trying to convey his shock and horror to his mother (and later sister ) over his phone but to no avail. Unable to understand his garbled non sequiturs and instead thinking he was describing the glamorous lives of a house full of celebrities, the two women eventually hang up on him. Poor Shouichi passed out after suffering one shock too many, going completely unnoticed by Tsuna and his friends. Shouichi was unable to return the box to the Sawada’s and instead kept it under his desk, feeling that the nightmares that plagued him since that day would not cease until he returned it, but being unable to do so out of fear.

What happened to Shouichi after that is something of a mystery. When we next see him (ten years in the future) he is the captain of the white spell’s 2nd Rose Squadron, an ‘A’ ranked member of the Millefiore crime family. How he achieved this position (or became involved in the mafia in the first place) is largely unknown, though he claims he worked his way up from the tech department. At some point he attended the same robotics high school as Spanner, who was very impressed with his abilities. It has been suggested that it is somehow Shouichi’s fault that Byakuran began to target the Vongola family in his ‘killing sweeps.’

Though the details have yet to be revealed it has been shown that Shouichi has been trusted with a secret project for the Millefiore involving time travel. Byakuran at one point fills the hanger bay with anemones, trying, as Shouichi reasoned, to demonstrate his heavy expectations when it came to Shouichi’s work.
Shouichi is very disturbed when hearing the news that the core members of the Vongola family have travelled through time (thanks to Lambo’s ten year bazooka) and informs even the rival Black Spell (who tend to hold some animosity towards the White Spell) to let him know if any information regarding the time travelling Vongola’s comes to light.

Later, when White Spell member Glo Xina is defeated by Chrome/Mukuro (after being warned not to engage the enemies should he come upon them) Shouichi is disturbed to discover that someone in their organization is leaking information. Glo Xina tries to pass what he knows along to Shouichi, but with a broken jaw and broken fingers it proves a useless effort. Thanks to a hint left by Byakuran the stressed captain Irie figures out that it is in fact Mukuro himself, disguised as communication officer Leonardo Lippi, who is acting as a double agent. Fortunately for Shouichi Byakuran has already rid himself of the spy. Unfortunatly for Shouichi Byakuran was unable to do so before Mukuro passed on some valuable information to the enemy. Byakuran informs Shouichi that the Vongola are likely planning a large scale attack on the Millefiore base. This seems to suit Shouichi, who claims such a thing will work in their favour and that he does not require the reinforcements Byakuran offers as a present to ‘hard working Shou-chan.’

Shouichi then summons everyone, both Whites and Blacks, to the hanger. He informs the assembled members of the Millefiore Family that they are now all (no matter what squad they had previously belonged to) under his direct and absolute command. This didn’t go over so well until the Phantom Knight, an imposing member of the Black Spell, announced that he was there to support Shouichi on Lord Byakuran’s orders. After that there appeared to be no further objections as far as Shou-chan’s leadership went.

It is then revealed that Glo Xina managed to place a transmitter on one of the enemy Vongolas and thus the Millefiore were able to locate their secret base. Shouichi ordered an immediate attack, hoping to beat Tsuna and his gang to punch. The goal seemed to be to retrieve the Vongola rings and take the guardians alive, if possible. Hibari, the cloud guardian, had other ideas and managed to single handedly keep the enemy pinned down while Tsuna and his friends slipped through and launched a counter attack on the Millefiore base. The Millefiore family was divided between its attack force and those left to defend the base and thus at their weakest. By damaging the sensors in the base and manipulating the surveillance system the invading Vongolas were able to move through enemy territory with relative ease, tending to meet opponents on a strictly one on one basis.

Made aware of the trick with the surveillance and the presence of the Vongola members in his base, Shouichi gives permission to Spanner, a member of the Black Spell, to intercept the enemy and gain access to the layout of the base. The other White Spell members express some misgivings over handing out valuable information on the base and its secrets to a member of the Black Spell, but Shouichi is confident that he knows Spanner (and his ‘type’) well enough to trust him not use his newly gained knowledge against the White Spell.

Shouichi has another reason not to worry about potential enemies discovering the layout to his base and potentially gaining access to his lab (and the secrets held within). When pressed by failure after failure of his subordinates to stop the steadily advancing Vongola threat Shouichi reveals that the entire Millefiore base is his box weapon, and he can manipulate its layout at will. Agitated, he promises that it’s the Vongolas turn to ‘dance in the palm of his hand...’

Personality

In many ways Shouichi may remind people vaguely of Tsuna. Easily excitable and seemingly nervous by nature, Shouichi tends not to take the weirdness around him in stride like most of the Reborn cast, but rather reacts more like one would expect the average person from ‘our world’ if faced with baby hitmen and people with their heads on fire. In the past his older sister seemed to not take her little brother seriously and his mother could easily talk him into doing things he just didn’t want to do. Somewhat pessimistic, a little sarcastic and quite observant, Shouichi seems like the type who would rather enjoy a quiet life, but is often dragged into fantastic situations he’d much rather avoid. When overwhelmed (occasionally by seemingly mundane things) he is easily distressed and prone to near hysterics.

Many of these characteristics remain ten years in the future. He is still easily stressed and suffers stomach aches and nightmares when under pressure. Shouichi dislikes conflict for its own sake and thinks of the aggressive black spell as ‘brutes.’ It seems as if Shouichi begrudges, or is unused to, being in a position of authority, often falling asleep at his work station and forgetting to wear the jacket that signifies his rank. His peers don’t seem to always treat him with respect, calling him ‘four eyes’ and ‘string bean’, though he does seem to be held in high esteem by some of the more thoughtful members of the Millefiore. He is called ‘Shou-chan’ by Byakuran, who seems to hold him in great confidence (though he is also willing to subtly manipulate and tease Shouichi). The Cervello, though treating him with deference, often giggle over his work habits. When forced to confront ‘‘Lightning’’ Gamma (an ‘A’ ranked member of the Black Spell’s third squad) formally over a disciplinary issue Shouichi was clearly uncomfortable, blushing and failing to come across as particularly authoritative, despite the cunning Gamma feigning humility. It was only when mentioning the Vongola family that Shouichi’s demeanor changed and became much more business like and serious.

Despite any similarities between the two there are many troubling aspects of Shouichi Irie’s personality that contrast heavily with Tsuna’s. Shouichi, unlike Tsuna, is a very intelligent and secretive individual. Spanner, the person who has probably known him the longest, claims that Shouichi is ‘really sharp’ and ‘able to always see the whole picture,’ concluding that he’s an ‘incredible guy.’ Trusted with special ‘secret research’ for the family involving time travel it seems as if Shouichi may have motives that are known only to him...and possibly Byakuran. Beyond that, there is a callous and even cruel method to many of Shouichi’s actions, and it has been implied that the destruction of the Vongola family, and the death of future Tsuna and his guardians’ loved ones, may rest squarely on Shouichi Irie’s shoulders. Indeed Shouichi seems to harbor a deep animosity towards the Vongola that has not yet been explained and though he seems to want them taken alive he would rather see them all dead than have them interfere with his plans. Beneath his timid exterior Tsuna is a forgiving warrior who fights for his loved ones, beneath Shouichi’s seemingly timid exterior there seems to lurk a ruthless man with his own agenda. That capable and cold commander is, according to Byakuran, the true Shouichi Irie. His nervousness slips away and he is willing to dismiss reinforcements, claiming that they’d only get in his way. Clearly he is actually quite confident in his abilities and, judging by Byakuran’s response, he has reason to be.

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