July Kasumi'Oji [Squad 8 Captain]

[July Kasumi'Oji]

-Opening-

”Hell~o World!♪”
It’s very nice to meet you.

Password 1: Moron Points

Password 2: Long Live the King

Type: Cunning

Squad: 8

Rank: Captain, Level 3

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-Basic Information-

Name: July Kasumi’Oji

Real Age/Age of Appearance: 4228 / 25

Birthday (Month/Day): July 8th

Blood Type: B+

RP Sample (Optional): See posts from Hadrian J. Ryan and Shunsui Kasumi’Oji

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-Appearance-

Height/Weight: 188 cm / 81 kilos

Physical Description:

Faceclaim: Jack Vessalius (Pandora Hearts)

July has been called, both by his friends and his family, as a breath of fresh air in not only the Kasumi’Oji family, but in the Soul Society in general. For a long time, only the stoic and mysterious stood in the domain of the strong. The strongest Captains in the Soul Society’s history were famed for being aloof and unapproachable, they demanded respect and admiration with their very appearance and demeanour. Perhaps the souls of these great men and women would look on July with shame, or perhaps they too would recognise that he is the catalyst the Soul Society needs to change. This volatile, excited nature comes across in July’s rather flamboyant appearance.

His hair is an almost offensively bright blonde, and is has a smoothness usually reserved for the finest of silks. It is so well tended to that it practically reflects light, making it look more like strands of pure gold than any kind of human hair. It is, perhaps, July’s finest feature. It has never been cut, but instead the longest strands have been tied into an elegant braid which runs down the length of July’s back. The braid itself is an object of fascination for the many members of July’s fan club - it is considered one of the Soul Society’s greatest mysteries as to how he manages to prepare it each morning by himself - for July, in spite of his position, does not employ any personal servants.

However, no matter how long his hair, it would be impossible to miss the emerald green eyes which are constantly in danger of being hidden behind his golden bangs. They are nested in a face of perfect proportions, with skin so white it hurts the eyes, like two magnificent gems twinkling in a lady’s jewellery box. These eyes are full of energy, they sparkle like the eyes of a child. It is said that those who stare into those eyes for any extended period of time find themselves revitalised, as if July had somehow transferred some of his limitless energy to them. Needless to say, July rarely sits still enough for anyone to successfully hold a staring contest with him.

Never before has the Soul Society seen such a winning smile. It is strange how a mere twitch of the lips can cause childish emotions to well up in even the most hardened of the Soul Society’s warriors. It is said that July has successfully defused hundreds of situations in the naturally tense Kasumi’Oji household with a few words and a brilliant smile. Such expressions of sheer joy often cause members of the Soul Society to doubt the man’s lineage - people are understandably confused at how a noble house like the Kasumi’Ojis were able to produce someone who is so different from the rest of the family. Various inquests have been made into his past, but to no avail.

This head is supported by a slender neck, with only the faintest hint of an Adam’s apple, which is in turn attached to the body of what can only be described as a dancer. There is no one area of his body particularly overdeveloped or underdeveloped, each part bears slender but strong muscle. Many of the Seireitei’s best artists and sculptors have long sought him to pose nude for the sake of their art, but they have always been turned down - out of modesty, so it would seem. His arms and legs are well defined, but lack the pronounced muscular bulges that tend to appear on those who are simply trying too hard, or those who simply lack the blessings that July has had in his life.

Perhaps the secret to this body that even the Greek Gods would be envious of is the fact that July is always in motion. Like a child under the heady influence of sugar, he simply lacks the ability to sit still. When at ‘rest’, he is always tapping his feet, twirling on the spot, swinging his arms, rearranging objects around him - anything to assuage the boredom he associates with stillness. Yet his motion lacks the nervous excitement one associates with such actions. Instead, the movements are graceful, almost as if they were a carefully choreographed dance rather than the product of childish excitement. Of course, his flashing gold hair and flamboyant taste in apparel make each encounter with July something akin to a one-man festival, rather than a simple meeting with an ordinary man.

July has shirked the traditional apparel of the Shingami Captains, and no amount of persuasion from the Captain Commander has ever managed to get him to wear the traditional uniform of the Gotei 13. July, like a child, takes an almost irrational dislike to the modest uniform and, instead of altering it to his own tastes like many other Shinigami, he decided to forgo the outfit entirely. Most overlook this minor transgression, though many of his enemies (and being a Kasumi’Oji, he certainly has some) see it as a more sinister infraction of the rules. It could be attributed to a simple, childish preference, or perhaps a more deliberate flaunting of the traditions which the Gotei 13 have upheld.

Irregardless, no-one can deny the beauty of the clothes he wears. Rather than someone who lived a poverty-stricken life in feudal-era Japan, July looks as if he has just returned from his Victorian manor. His style is extremely European, and his clothes almost always incorporate the same emerald green colour as his eyes. The result is a vibrant, lively wardrobe which never fails to look impeccably stylish - whether he is on a mission or attending to his more mundane duties as a Captain. Speaking of his Captaincy, the only distinguishing mark one can make out on his clothes is the Squad 8 logo, carefully embroidered onto the white scarf he wears. Rumour has it that he did the embroidery himself.

The centrepiece of the outfit is undoubtedly his long, emerald coat. The coat has a metallic sheen, like so many of the noble clothes worn in the Victorian era, yet is smooth to the touch. This is because it is actually made from some of the finest silks available to those in the Soul Society - the same silks which the Kuchiki’s are partial to using, though they seem to have little use for the green material. The coat is trimmed with a full length lapel, which is patterned with an elaborate combination of black and white silk. The collar stands firmly up around his neck, as if starched, but the silk trim ensures it causes no discomfort. The coat is tailored, naturally, and fits July perfectly. It is, arguably, the finest single article of clothing in the entire Gotei 13.

However fine a man’s coat is, it would be a waste if it was not accompanied by equally fine attire. However, July is not lacking in this department either. His ruffled white, silk shirt with butterfly collar is always kept in impeccable condition - the purity of the white is only momentarily broken by the embroidered initials beneath the collar. This shirt is paired with a simple black waistcoat. Amongst the extravagance of the outfit, the waistcoat’s beauty is empowered by its simplicity. Like the jacket, this waistcoat reflects the light, as if it had been threaded by strands of pure silver. The price of the waistcoat alone, by far the simplest element of July’s outfit, would be enough to bankrupt some of the lesser noble families.

July wears white dress pants, which somehow manage to remain startlingly white - no matter how much rolling around in the dirt he does. Yet another mystery his fan club ponders over. These pants are kept in place by a black leather belt, which is detailed with gold embroidery. The result is a powerful, yet understated ensemble which simply adds to the overall appearance of the outfit (and especially the coat) without detracting from the outfit’s visual impact. What catches most people’s attention however, if they are able to draw their attention away from July’ magnificent upper-body, are his boots.

Many Spiritual Beings struggle to strike the balance between fashion and functionality when it comes to footwear. The standard-issue sandals of the Shinigami uniform are all well and good for those who enjoy that sort of thing, but their simplicity could never appeal to man with as discerning tastes as July. Instead, he wears white leather boots with black soles and buckles. They rise up to just above the ankle, yet their design ensures that July always has perfect freedom of movement in his feet - not to mention the fact that the black detailing is formed of a porous material, so the boots feel light and breathable. The downside of this, of course, is that July’s silk stockings get rather wet if he steps into water - something he generally tries to avoid.

Of course, no-one can pull off an outfit like this without the appropriate accessories. Many would have their eyes drawn to the remarkably feminine earrings that July wears on both ears. In contrast with the rest of his outfit, they are a dark blue - they are in fact, sapphire stones contained within a small wire frame formed with white gold. Their beauty has the envy of many of the female nobles of the Soul Society, a fitting accessory for July to wear. Finally, he also wears a scarf of yellow silk, the silk is of the same calibre as his coat, with the emblem of his squad embroidered neatly in the corner. The entire ensemble comes together beautifully, as expected of July - whose eye for fashion is famous both within and without the Kasumi’Oji household.

Covering his hands, which are as slender as a pianist’s, are a set of silk, white gloves. On the back of the left glove, July has embroidered the Squad 8 logo, making it one of the only symbols of his squad allegiances. Silk gloves are comfortable, but are often impractical for the work a Shinigami Captain must do. Of course, as Captain of the Squad in charge of the Seireitei’s finances, July is exempt from most of the dirty work other Squads are forced to do. While the gloves, earrings and scarf are impressive, July is truly proud of is the brooch which affixes the scarf around his neck. The brooch is simple, a functional pin and bar design with a small sapphire embedded in the top. The blue, again, makes a contrast with the emerald green which dominates the rest of the outfit.

Beauty is a strange beast. July may seem beautiful in terms of both appearance and behaviour, but those with the power to sense Reiatsu will find a strange dichotomy. For the man known as July is merely golden sparks in a void-like abyss. His reiatsu is almost inscrutable due to its emptiness, and while the sparks of light seem genuine - it impossible to overlook the fact that they form such a minor part of his overall signature. Perhaps this is why he can flaunt the rules so openly: for those who are aware, July Kasumi’Oji is a truly terrifying man.

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-Personality-

Dislikes:

:Sore Losers:
As a man who loves to play games, there is nothing worse than a sore loser in July’s eyes. Those who do anything to shift the blame on to someone other than themselves, in order to try cover up the fact that they simply lost due to being outplayed. One should be gracious when defeated, and give the victor their rightful acknowledgement.

:Bad Winners:
In the same way as July dislikes sore losers, bad winners are also one of his pet grievances. If you win, there’s no need to be all smug about it - take your thirty seconds of glory and then move on with your life.

:Cheaters:
In spite of how important the game is, no matter what’s at stake, there is nothing July detests more than those who cheat. The rules of the game exist to create an environment in which people can test their skill against each other in a fair, controlled manner. Not that July disagrees with ‘creative’ interpretations of the rules, but outright breaking the rules to gain an unfair advantage is unforgivable. This is the surest way to break July’s trust, by cheating in a game.

:Sex:
Perhaps it is do with his history as an artificial being created by the Kasumi’Oji, but July has a complete lack of a sex drive. In fact, he outright dislikes the idea. However, this does not stop him shamelessly flirting with the ladies of the Seireitei - in fact, it seems to make him enjoy toying with them even more.

:Disorder:
In spite of his carefree and apparently careless nature, July dislikes when things are out of place. His clothes and quarters are kept spotless, and all the cleaning is done meticulously by himself. Perhaps he doesn’t trust others to settle things exactly the way he likes them. Perhaps it is because of this trait that he was selected to take charge of the Squad responsible for the finances of the Seireitei.

:Red:
An awful colour. He swears his dislike of the colour does NOT come from the famous ability of the head of the Kuchiki House. He swears.

:Barbarianism:
Those whose first refuge is violence will never find a place in July’s heart. Perhaps after the tragic end of his ‘brother’, August, July realises that there is no point in pursuing a life of violence - you will only end up dead because of it.

:Quitters:
In a way, they’re worse than cheaters - especially the kind of quitter who gives up when they realise they have no hope of winning. There is no skill or honour in winning a game from someone who never had any intention of winning it, every man should struggle until the absolute end if he can.

:Azumi Kasumi’Oji
Although the previous head of the Kasumi’Oji never met July directly, she has left an indelible mark on his history. After assassinating his host family during the Renaissance era, July has considered her his ultimate opponent. And then, she had the audacity to just disappear and quit in the midgame. A pity she won’t be around to see the endgame.

:Sozen Kuchiki:
Maybe July sees Sozen as some kind of competitor, or maybe he’s just freaked out by the Crimson Demon - nobody knows. All that is known, however, is the July does not make any attempt to get along well with the head of the Kuchiki household, even when they have quite a bit in common.

:Money:
Although it facilitates his lavish lifestyle, and forms the bulk of his work at Squad 8, July just plainly dislikes the concept of money. It’s hard to get, and always seems to run out at the most inconvenient times. No in-game currency should be like that.

:Luck:
In spite of his love of card games, and other such luck-based games, July actually dislikes the concept of luck itself. It is difficult to account for, and makes situations that are otherwise extremely predictable go awry. July dislikes those who rely on luck exclusively, rather than use forethought or planning, even more than he dislikes the concept of luck itself.

Likes:

:Playing Games:
It is an understatement to say that July ‘likes’ playing games, games and the underlying logic behind them are an integral part to his character. Every encounter is treated like a game, with a unique set of rules and objectives. July’s resulting determination to ‘win’ these games can make him almost single-minded and obsessive, but he can suppress these feelings beneath his childish exterior to avoid freaking anybody out.

:Drama:
July likes drama just as much as he does playing games, and will often orchestrate situations so that they realise their full dramatic potential. He has a habit of framing people as "heroes" or "villains" depending on their actions. July, on the other hand, is happy to fill either role.

:Fashion:
Fine clothes are extremely dear to July’s heart. Having lived through multiple eras of humanity’s changing and evolving sense of dress, July has developed a keen eye for good fashion. His attempts to pass on this knowledge to the rest of the Soul Society, however, have not gone well. The Captain Commander finds it offensive enough that July refuses to wear a proper uniform, let alone that he encourages other Captains and Shinigami to follow in his footsteps.

:Flirting:
July likes flirting in the same way children like playing house. It’s a nice attempt to practice all the innocent fun that flirting entails, but without any of the more serious implications. July’s flirting is always empty, as he takes no interest in relationships, but that doesn’t make it any less effective.

:Sweets:
Sugar, in all its awful forms, is what July lives off. In spite of the massive amount of rubbish he eats, he never gains weight and his skin and teeth are always in perfect condition. It is another of the Soul Society’s great mysteries. His favourite treats are boiled sweets, and it is an occupation of the ladies of nobility to guess how many bags he carries in the pockets of his famous jacket.

:His Hair:
For July, his hair has everything. Its luxurious golden colour, its smooth texture, its perfect length - how could anyone, even the man himself resist it? It is truly one of the wonders of the Soul Society. And the cherry on the cake is that his braid contributes very well the awesome poses he is partial to occasionally striking.

:His Eyes:
Have you seen emeralds? The precious stones are an enormous disappointment beside the eyes of July Kasumi’Oji. Rumour has it that July sometimes spends 30 seconds standing still (an impressive feat for him) in front of a mirror, just losing himself in the green depths of his lustrous irises.

:Singing:
July probably has on of the best voices in the entire Soul Society, and if not, he certainly has the best range. No song is unsuitable for his voice, so dynamic is his range. Of course, those who enjoy his voice will not be disappointed, for July takes every available opportunity to burst into song - much to the annoyance of those who wish for him to take things more seriously.

:Hiding:
Hide and seek is probably one of July’s absolutely favourite games, so much so that he invested a significant portion of his life developing his stealth. Now, he is one of the Soul Society’s best players, and can go for hours undiscovered. He only loses to the stealthiest of the Squad 2 members, but they too fear for their crown - for July is resolved to take it.

:Jewellery:
July loves jewellery, and has amassed a large collection - most of which he never wears. He treasures his sapphire brooch and earrings however, as they are keepsakes of his ‘older sister’ November.

:The Victorian Era:
What can be more beautiful? Steam engines and fine clothes, parties in great country manors, a healthy respect for the class system - in July’s eyes, the Victorian era had it all. If one missed his outfit and the interior of his barracks, July would take the opportunity to mention the Victorian era at least 5 or 6 times in the course of the conversation - just to make clear that he REALLY loved that time.

:Torture:
Perhaps it’s a remnant of the spirit of the Kasumi’Oji within him, or maybe Taiho left her mark on the head of the Kasumi’Oji’s, but July enjoys torturing others - primarily as a form of stress relief. Fortunately, with all the shady characters he encounters during his trips to ‘maintain’ Azumi’s criminal empire, there is plenty of time to indulge in this rather dark form of relaxation.

:Puppets:
Be they finger puppets, or marionettes, July finds something sweet and reassuring in the idea that there are people, even if they are only dolls, that will do his bidding unquestioningly. The only way they could be even better is if they could play games with him too.

Flaws:

:Competitive:
July just HAS to play a game if someone challenges him to one. He just couldn’t overlook it. He doesn’t particularly mind winning or losing, even if there’s a lot at stake, but he simply can’t let the opportunity to play games pass him by. Naturally, people may use this as a way to manipulate July - but he doesn’t particularly mind, as long as it doesn’t interfere with any ‘games’ he’s playing at the time.

:Impulsive:
Possibly related to his above flaw - July tends to give things very little thought. This is not to say that he’s unintelligent, in fact he he’s actually quite smart, but he just has a tendency to get carried away with the moment, and doesn’t think about what might benefit him in the long run.

:Childish:
If one didn’t gather from the above descriptions, July acts like something of a spoiled brat who has little concern for what is going on outside of his games. Perhaps this is true, but July’s ‘games’ encompass so much of his reality and business that people often find him more serious about things than expected.

:Clean:
July is something of a clean freak. His rooms and offices in Squad 8 are spotless, and he ensures that the rest of his Squad make a decent effort to keep up to his exacting standards. Rumour has it that he has turned away several potential recruits for his Squad simply because their uniform had not been properly maintained, or if they were not properly washed.

:Apathetic:
What sets July apart from most psychopathic man-children is the fact that he is largely apathetic to his own fate. Unlike many people who enjoy playing games, July does not mind losing - that’s just part of the way life goes. And if he loses life, well, that just means he lost the game, right? What’s worth getting upset about? Every game has winners and losers, you just have to grow up and accept that fact. This disregard for life extends beyond himself too - he cares very little for the friends and family he saw killed during his life.

Habits:

”He~llo! ♪”
It may grate on the ears of some, but for many it is akin to the sweet melody of the cherubs in heaven - such is the beauty of July’s habit of saying nearly everything in a sing-song voice. It just reinforces the energetic, childish image he projects to everybody. It’s a habit inherited from the woman who raised him, Fuuki Kasumi’Oji-Kawada.

:Restless:
July acts like a bundle of endless energy. He is constantly a flurry of motion, like a tornado wearing an expensive coat. Perhaps the only way to focus his attention on something completely is framing it like a game, for which even July will manage to at least stay on his seat (though you may need to redefine the notion of ’sitting’). Even then though, his actions are large and flamboyant - indicative of his almost limitless energy reserves.

:Shuffling Cards:
July always has a deck of cards in his coat pockets, and when he is at (relative) rest, or if he is in a confined space where he is unable to move freely, he will often take them out and start shuffling them. Of course, this being July, he does not simply shuffle the cards, but practices all manners of incredible feats of shuffling that would put stage magicians and croupiers to shame. It is quite a sight to behold.

:Conscripting:
”What do you mean you don’t want to play ‘Tip the Can’? I’m sure you’re just mistaken, how could anyone NOT want to play ’Tip the Can’? Look, here’s a proposition. You’ll play, and while we play, we’ll help you understand what you really want. I mean, you’re probably just confused. Don’t worry though! Nothing like a game to clear away that confusion! Ready? I’ll count! One, two, three, four…”

Fears:

What does a man like July fear? ‘Nothing’ would be a close guess. July is long past the point of caring whether he lives or dies - in fact, his very existence is abhorrent to nature, an unholy experiment - what right had he to live in the first place? His death will be just as meaningless as his life was, and insignificant amount of data for an experiment that had long since finished. July doesn’t really dwell on these thoughts though, he feels as though they sap away at his strength - not out of fear, just because they’re difficult to think about.

One could suppose that the closest thing he has to a fear is losing to Azumi. He took her killing of his family as a very personal insult, and he doesn’t particularly want to have her legacy left untouched. She started this game, and had the audacity to quit while she was ahead. Now July will ensure that his moves are as damaging to her as possible. How he will go about dismantling her fame though, is left to be seen. Rumour has it that prior to returning to the Soul Society, July had been working in his patrol in London to dismantle her networks in the area. How much damage this did is yet to be seen.

July, though this may not even be considered a fear, is afraid that he’ll miss out on some opportunity to have fun. July will take every opportunity to play games with people, to laugh with people, all in the name of having a good time. He does not particularly care whether the people he’s playing with enjoy themselves, but he absolutely wants to be entertained 24/7. This compulsion is probably what causes him to be so restless in movements. Boredom is something which infuriates July - when one is 4000 years old, one gets sick of waiting.

Goals:

July wants to win. That’s all really. This desire does not come from any particular fear of ’losing’, but rather from the ill-defined competitiveness of a spoiled child. July wants to win, for he simply sees life as a rather large game, albeit one with poorly described objectives and rules. Yet, he carries the same logic that he would apply while playing cards to his life. The result is an innate selfishness, born from his competitive nature. Unwittingly, it is Azumi who originally spurred July into action - after some of her antics in as an assassin in the Renaissance era.

After she, probably unwittingly, was contracted to kill the family that were sheltering July at the time, July had decided that he and this assassin were involved in a game where one had to ruin the other’s lives. This has continued for 400 years, and has even persisted beyond Azumi’s death. Now, as head of the Kasumi’’Oji, July works to undo all of Azumi’s legacy - slowly unravelling the intricate network of criminal contacts she had forged as head of the family. He does not do this out of any sense of duty to the law, but simply to spite the memory of his ‘cousin’ who unwittingly initiated a game with a man who doesn’t know where life ends and the games begin.

He does not even want to build a more successful empire in its place, nor would he have a problem with another person building a similar empire after he has torn down Azumi's. Those who are aware of this goal find it a little difficult to understand - they cannot believe that July pursues 'justice' without a noble cause. Fortunately for July, there seems to be no-one aware of this objective. The Kasumi'Ojis are happy to support him as a leader, which would most certainly not be the case if they were aware of July's true objectives.

But what is July’s ultimate ‘win condition’? What will he do once he stands among the remains of the Kasumi’Oji criminal empire, finally triumphant over Azumi, who had unwittingly challenged him? July himself doesn’t know - in fact, that may even be his ‘win condition’ - to find life’s ultimate objective, to work out a way to ‘clear the game’. The idea may sound preposterous to many, but to July - a man who desperately longs for purpose and structure - it seems as realistic a goal as anyone else’s. Only time will tell if he makes any progress towards this final achievement.


Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Overall Personality:

Apathy. The word usually conjures up the image of an emotionless man, staring blankly at the wall wondering where his toothbrush is while there’s a revolution going on outside his window. The word itself sound lifeless and listless, as if not caring about things causes one’s energy to be drained - as if the only rational explanation people can come up with for apathy is that the person just doesn’t have the energy to care. This is a rather convenient explanation, as people don’t really want to come to terms with what true apathy is: a total absence of interest. A complete lack of emotional investment in what is going on around them. Someone could still be energetic, and may even be working towards some kind of goal, all the while not feeling any particular concern for the results of his actions.

It is, in spite of this, quite unfair to call July completely apathetic. In fact, he’s probably ‘selectively apathetic’ (like most, very few people could claim to be interested in EVERYTHING) with the caveat that he is apathetic to things normal humans shouldn’t be apathetic about (such as pain, sex and death) as well as being apathetic to more things than the average human (such as winning, losing, torture, etc.). It is not that he has no enthusiasm for anything, it is just that that enthusiasm is heavily invested in a very narrow range of pursuits - particularly games. What he loves, he loves with absolute passion. Only very rarely is such passion invested in a fellow being, however - it is mostly directed at himself and the games he plays.

To call July an avid ‘gamer’ is a massive understatement. The logic of games (rules, objectives, winning, losing) is something that has carried over into his natural way of thinking - the very idea of life itself has become a game to him. Such a drastic behavioural anomaly is usually attributed to some sort of tragedy in one’s formative years, but one would struggle to find such a tragedy in July’s history (or, at least one that seemed to affect him outwardly to such an extent that it would warp his way of thinking). One might theorise that it is due to the fact that July was created from the soul of a child whose family was assassinated at birth, and that the disruptive tragedy did not occur in July’s current life, but in his previous one. Such thoughts are better left aside, however, as no other traces of interference from that soul’s previous life have ever been observed to affect July’s behaviour.

If one had only these notions of July’s character, his current behaviour and demeanour would certainly come as quite a shock. One would expect a quiet and reserved boy, perhaps, who put intent focus into everything he does under the auspices of ‘winning’ whatever game he was playing, like the stoic and taciturn child prodigies often referenced in literature. Such preconceptions would be blown out of the water by spending even a few minutes with the apparent bundle of boundless energy that is July. It is said that July may not even be a man, but rather raw energy given form (one can’t help but laugh at the irony, when you consider this statement in light of his history). He always appears to be bright and enthusiastic, singing at the top of his voice with pride.

It is easy to believe, however, that most of this ‘genki-guy’ attitude is probably an act. A very thorough, convincing act, to be sure, but then July is a very accomplished actor. Of course, this begs the question - why? Why would someone who cares about so little devote so much of his energy to entertaining those around him? What does he stand to gain from being so cheerful all of the time? The answer is simple - he finds it amusing. Again, it is July’s own feelings which influence his behaviour - there are very few things that can override this fundamental, yet inherent selfishness. Perhaps he sees it all as one big game, one that July is exploiting ruthlessly for his own pleasure. Those who admire him probably do not realise what darkness lies at the heart of this man’s soul - and even if they have the level of energy sensory capable of detecting it, July’s skill at stealth and acting can fool those with even the sharpest sixth sense.

This emptiness can be occasionally glimpsed - those who cheat, who quit or who are simply destined to be pawns in July’s games are not usually on the receiving end of July’s happy-go-lucky persona. They often end up as stress-relief, rather. It was Newton who said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but even he would probably have never guessed that it would apply to personalities. For the longer July acts cheerful, the more vindictive and cruel he is in the torture chamber - as many of the leaders of Azumi’s criminal gangs are likely to find out. However, this does imply that July cares about something - nobody gets stressed for no particular reason. Why he continues to act cheerful and energetic in front of others is another mystery - perhaps it’s just force of habit, or perhaps July would like, deep down, to become the mask he wears.

While July’s true intentions are shady, the persona he presents to others is far more easily analysed. The July most see is full of energy, always willing to talk to others (though rarely about anything of importance, and certainly never about himself) and extremely playful. He seems easygoing and forgiving, and could even be considered quite gentlemanly and kind at times. It is a stark contrast to what lies beneath the surface. His mask is so perfect, however, that very few are capable of piercing his disguise - in fact, his restless excitement makes it difficult to spend time analysing any single facet of his behaviour, perhaps contributing to the strength of his facade. However, dwelling on July’s darker side makes it easy to lose sight of the fact that most people will never encounter this side of him.

The side most people see is much easier to understand, as he is as childish as he is energetic. Sweets are like a magnet to July, and it is rare for him to be seen without some form of confection. Lollipops and boiled sweets are his favourite, but he does not discriminate - every sugary treat is sampled and subsequently fawned over (woe be you if you try to trick him into eating that looks sweet, but actually isn’t). Similarly, jewellery and fine clothes will also catch his attention. However, he is a harsh critic - show him rags and tacky jewellery at your own expense. July will not hold back in his resulting tirade. He may even make a song out of it.

All of this makes July sound like the type of man who is easily distracted - and you would be right. July is constantly moving from one curiosity to the next, lavishing his attention on something one minute, and forgetting about it completely when something new comes along. The entire process is like watching a giddy child on Christmas morning, constantly flitting between various presents. Of course, there is one way to get July to ‘settle down’ (insofar as he can), and that is by getting him to play a game. As previously mentioned, July has an unhealthy fixation with all things game related. While most would simply limit it to a strange behavioural quirk, this does not stop July from enjoying games in a traditional sense. In fact, playing games with people is often how he judges the character of his opponent - and woe be you if you cheat or quit. July is particularly fond of… ‘encouraging’ those who quit, and punishing those who cheat.

July’s favourite games are those which require little else in order to be able to play. While he enjoys card games and even sports such as tennis, his true love is for what might be considered ‘party games’ such as Hide-and-go-Seek, Grandmother’s Footsteps, Statues in my Garden, and other such trivial - yet hugely entertaining - games. He will take any opportunity to play such games with people, and will even conscript otherwise unwilling players to join in on the fun. His infectious enthusiasm, however, can warm even the coldest of hearts and can help ensure that people just have a good time. Let’s leave aside the fact that this energetic enthusiasm may or may not be genuine, for now.

When it comes to romance, the sad truth is that July takes no interest in the concept apart from playing with other’s hearts like a game. He is almost entirely asexual, with no sexual preferences whatsoever. One has to wonder where this total disinterest comes from. Perhaps it is because of the nature of his creation, or the fact that he has lived for so long. One has to wonder, but the truth is that July treats romance in the same way that children ‘play house’. He enjoys all the trappings of courting someone else, but distances himself from any of the serious implications that such actions and relationships entail. This can end up with him being quite cruel to women he once flirted with, as given his appearance, he has more than his fair share of admirers.

And this probably brings us to the core tenet of July. He is, in spite of his appearances, quite cruel. Not due to any evil intentions - in fact, he contains an almost equal potential for good as he does for evil - but simply because he lacks any emotional investment in his relationships. He will help someone one day, only for him to kill them the next without remorse. He does care about things, but as those things are never usually people his care is never really properly expressed. Thos who know him may be shocked to see that a loose thread in his coat upsets him more than the death of a supposed ‘friend’.

This is July Kasumi’Oji. A man defined by a dichotomy like no other, the inconceivable gap between his happy-go-lucky persona and the darkness which lies in his soul. His childish behaviour masks his intelligence, but his impulsive behaviour makes it difficult for even the most seasoned of tacticians to plan for his behaviour. He is a determined man who has an uncommon drive to see his ‘games’ played out until the end, yet he bears no particular fear of losing. He is a man with a contradiction at his very core, his behaviour itself is an unresolved paradox. Does the strain of putting up his facade cause his cruelty, or is his persona an attempt to mask that cruelty and make him more appealing to those around him? Perhaps, perhaps not. Only July will ever know, and he has never decided to share such thoughts with anyone but himself.

[July Kasumi'Oji]

-Powers-

Fighting Style:

Many like to compare themselves to demons when it comes to combat. It is not difficult to see why - to many, demons are the pinnacle of fearsome strength and ferocity. They convey the notion of being impossible to defeat due to their hellish abilities. For most, it is an extremely favourable comparison. July, unusually, would detest being referred to as a demon because of his combat ability. To be compared to something so barbaric and uncultured would be nothing less than a personal slight against his character. Yet, in spite of his protests otherwise, it is an extremely fitting comparison - though not for the most obvious reasons.

If people such as Sozen Kuchiki and Kuroi Naito embody the ferocity of a demon, then July embodies the tricky nature of the devil himself. His attacks lack the weight and speed one usually expects from the strongest in the Soul Society, but power is not everything when it comes to subduing opponents. July’s mobility, stealth and versatility all combine to more than compensate for what many would consider lacklustre physical attributes. His style is largely self-taught, building on around 4000 years of experience means that in this case being self-taught is not necessarily a disadvantage, and this just makes his unorthodox style even more difficult for others to analyse.

Those who would expect to find the basis of July’s dagger techniques in dojos or fighting schools will invariably disappointed. Instead, his flashy style was developed from (or, perhaps, forms the basis of) the entertaining tricks shown in a circus tent. One may think that there is something fundamentally wrong with July’s technique then, that he somehow is less capable in combat because his techniques find their basis in entertainment. Those who underestimate that ability will find all of their major arteries severed before the curtain even rises. There are few mistakes more foolish than discounting July’s direct combat ability.

Naturally, a large part of circus performances, and therefore July’s technique revolves around the throwing of daggers (or knives). As such, this is one of July’s greatest strengths. His technique has become so good that he is capable of throwing balanced daggers nearly as far as archers can fire their arrows. His throws are deadly accurate as well. July can hit the apple atop someone’s ahead quite easily. Even when that apple is atop someone doing squats. On roller-skates. On a boat. In a storm. He will never fail to hit his target, unless someone consciously dodges his throws - he is just that good. This throwing ability, when combined with his Marionettes in Bankai, can be extremely fearsome.

Why especially in Bankai? Well, consider that the daggers July throws in Bankai are formed of his Strings. When his dagger strikes his target, therefore, it is the perfect opportunity for him to undo his Marionette dagger, and then use the resulting two Strings to invade the body of the person he wounded. It would be a mistake to think that a technique like this is limited just his Bankai, however. No, his throwing knives make for a convenient way to transport his Strings even in Shikai. He doesn’t even need to consider balancing the knife properly (his skills are more than capable of compensating for poorly balanced weapons). This eagle-eyed ability to unfailingly hit any target he desires is what truly makes him a fearsome opponent.

Of course, throwing your dagger does not always work. Considering he generally does not want to throw his own Zanpakuto into the arms of the enemy, there are some cases where July has to fall back on his close combat ability. Of course, even though it is not his preferred method of attacking, it is definitely not a ‘weak point’, as some hopeful attackers may be quick to believe. July may be one of the few Soul Reapers who’s deadly at both mid- and short-range. His style is quite similar to Eskrima in that is focusses on inflicting as much damage in as short a time as possible, but July being July, his style has a significant number of added twists and flairs.

Most of those who follow the way of the knife or dagger make an unconscious decision before entering a battle about whether to hold a dagger in forward or reverse grip. Forward grip tends to be favoured by those who focus on speed in their combat style - death by a thousand cuts is an appropriate phrase to describe this style of fighting. The motions are lightning fast, and the opponents body can be covered in shallow, yet painful, lacerations quite quickly. Reverse grip lends the user more weight behind their attacks: cuts inflicted are generally longer and deeper, but a consequence of this is that it generally takes more time to inflict the blows.

July has mastered the dagger to such an extent that he can change between these grips freely, with nothing more than a simple twirl of the fingers. In his younger days, such a motion invariably left an opening (a taboo when fighting with a dagger), but he has mastered the routine to such an extent that it is almost impossible to even see the dagger change orientation - if you were not intently focussing on the weapon, you would be convinced that the dagger simply momentarily disappeared, only to find that the blade is on the other side of his hand. He can even perform this move with the scissors in his Shikai with no difficulty, such is his mastery of the technique. Of course, when one bears in mind what was detailed above, it means that July is capable of inflicting a large variety of wounds in the battle itself, without having to disengage to clumsily change the grip.

Unfortunately for his opponents, July’s strikes are not random because of their speed. That is what people whose minds are too slow to comprehend just want to believe. They want to think that because July hits them so quickly that July has no control over where his blows land. This is a fallacy. July has the medical knowledge of a surgeon, and the mental faculties of a supercomputer. Each of his blows are calculated, and precise, designed to inflict the maximum amount of damage in a very limited timeframe. Major veins and arteries, tendons and ligaments are all acceptable targets. Not to mention the fact that July consciously changes his grip based on the strength of the area he wants to cut. Places where the skin is thin, like the neck, do not need as much power to cut through as places such the arms, where the muscles are strong and well developed.

To say that a fight with July is a dance is not an inappropriate metaphor. His fluidity of motion has a style and grace to it that most lack. It is the result of thousands of hours of practice simply honing his acrobatic and balance abilities. One of these ‘abilities’ has been nicknamed ’Kanryo Katachi’ (Lit. Perfect Form), a technique that July has developed through nothing but sheer effort. What combat applications does it have? Well, to put it simply, it means July is always balanced, as long as part of his body is touching the ground, and that he always has complete control over his movements - there is never an opening where he has left his fate up to force and gravity. This is only possible due to his extremely balanced muscular build - no part of his body is underdeveloped. July can be in the strangest of positions and still have complete control over his motion. This allows him to surprise opponents by demonstrating control from even the strangest of contortions - ensuring that he always has the upper hand.

His acrobatics make for some interesting approaches and retreats as well. By constantly varying his range, July can unsettle even the most experienced of his opponents. His initial thrown dagger may be followed by a quick inward lunge, followed by several attacks, before a backward roll into long range again. Very few can hope to match this level of versatility, this flexibility in combat. Even those who have lived as long as July somehow fail to match his abilities. Perhaps that childish energy is not just an act, perhaps it is actually a deadly part of July’s arsenal. Combat ability is useless if one does not have the constitution for it, and July is no weakling when it comes to long, drawn out battles.

Of course, all of this is achievable even when his opponent has access to the same range of mobility that July does - how terrifying it would be if one was incapable of keeping up with him. And that is the primary aim of most of July’s indirect combat techniques. July usually says away from Kido, preferring to rely on his physical abilities and Release techniques, but he does have a natural affinity for Bakudo. This vastly improves his ability to ‘lock down’ the opponent, consolidating his own advantage and restricting their options. It can be difficult to avoid both an onslaught of Bakudo and throwing knives, even for the most skilled of combatants. His use of Wanashudan is also worth mentioning. A form of Bakudo not often practiced, July puts this single one to good use in setting up devious traps for his opponents, further emphasising July’s emphasis on movement and restrictions.

Of course, July’s prowess at direct combat would make people forget that this is his ‘weak point’. July is actually at his strongest when indirectly weakening his opponent, before moving in for an easy final kill. His fighting style in Shikai and Bankai reflect this. While in Shikai and Bankai, July puts his focus into getting his Strings to infiltrate his opponent. Because, once he has implanted a String into even one of his opponent’s limbs, his victory is all but assured. The lack of mobility associated with an uncontrollable limb, not to mention the fact that said limb can be actively working against the user means that it is practically impossible to get the upper hand. July’s victory is almost certain once his Strings have infiltrated his opponent.

In Bankai, July has access to even more methods to disrupt his opponent. Weapons ranging from daggers to guns are all at his disposal, and he is capable of producing an almost unlimited amount of strings that all have the same properties as his Shikai. But what makes his Bankai truly terrifying are his humanoid Marionettes. These are like bodyguards, or supporting actors, capable of tackling and pinning opponents in place - or even engaging in place of July entirely. Their versatility, coupled with their strength and speed, makes them formidable fighters even without July’s support. If his opponent allows him the opportunity, July can make any battle into a 1v4 with little effort. Such power is truly terrifying.

Of course, all of this battling is done with July’s childlike enthusiasm. A battle is as much a psychological war as it is a physical one. And July’s giddiness and enthusiasm, even in the heat of a long, arduous battle, can be more than unnerving for even the most hardened of his opponents. His flair the flamboyant and unconventional is always surprising, but never misplaced. What may look like tragic timing for a joke, in that it exposes an opening, is always a carefully calculated risk. Those who attempt to break one of these cinematic flairs for the sake of a brief advantage will find themselves incurring the wrath of the Devil known as July Kasumi’Oji.

”Fear the Devil not for his strength, but for how he turns strength against itself."
~Kasumi’Oji Proverb

Zanpakutou Spirit Appearance and Personality:

Shinsei Mojiretsu, or November, is perhaps one of the gloomiest Zanpakuto Spirits in the Soul Society, forming a strange dichotomy with her vibrant and energetic master. She spends most of her time absent-mindedly cutting up string in some obscure corner of July’s Inner World and is very reluctant to obey her master’s commands. Upon assuming Jinzen, July will often find her in a mountain of string cuttings. Why she takes to simply cutting up strings is anyone’s guess, the strings she has cut are not particularly useful for anything, nor do they do anything for July’s mental state. It seems as though July’s Zanpakuto Spirit is a caricature of July’s perception of his late sister. While November was no means a gloomy person, she lacked the energy that July seems to have an abundance of. The result is that her appearance as July’s Zanpakuto Spirit is as a profoundly dour seamstress, with a peculiar taste in fashion, and little to no energy.

Inner World:

July’s inner world, in keeping with his personality, seems to be the auditorium of a lavish opera house. The main stage is lit by huge gold lamps, obscuring the seating from the vision of those onstage, while the orchestra’s pit is filled with wooden dummies who soundlessly mime playing their instruments. The overall effect should be one of excitement and anticipation, but instead the atmosphere is surprisingly creepy. The fact that the seating is not visible to those onstage, and the eerie silence (not to mention the fact that July’s less-than-welcoming Zanpakuto Spirit may be hiding in the darkness offstage) all contribute to the uneasy atmosphere. Perhaps it is a reflection of July’s character: the world has all the outward signs of being a place of fun and excitement, but there is an underlying sense of menace in the laughs and applause that occasionally ring out around the empty auditorium.

Zanpakutou Appearances:

Unreleased form
Like just about everything about July, his unreleased Zanpakuto is as unconventional as one finds in the Soul Society. While most Shinigami carry their katanas with pride, July’s Zanpakuto is carefully sheathed in a custom pocket within his jacket. It is not that he is not proud of his Zanpakuto, it’s simply more convenient for him to carry it this way. This is only possible thanks to the innocuous size of his unreleased blade - which takes the form of a small, ornate dagger. The weapon, in its entirety, is barely 20 inches long when unsheathed. Perhaps July was destined to find a place in Squad 2, rather than Squad 8.

The hilt is finely chased silver over a steel core, and the detailing is done with enamel. The pattern is fine and ornate, with a beauty to match July’s own. The blade itself is about 12 inches long, and has two central fullers, making it slightly wider than the average dagger. The blade is, naturally, made from Spiritual Steel, and can hold its own against even the finest of swords. As a wise man once said, size is not everything. The scabbard is made from the same chased silver as the hilt, and follows the shape of the dagger’s blade. Inset into the centre of the hilt is a single emerald, matching the colour of July’s jacket.

Shikai
Given the theme of July’s Release, there is no form more appropriate for his Shikai than a decorative set of scissors. The handles of this instrument appear to be thin and delicate, when in reality they are as strong as Spiritual Steel, ensuring that they are as tough to break as any sword. The blades separate and close, as any scissor would, while the blades themselves taper to a sharp point, ensuring they can be efficiently used as a dagger as well as an instrument perfect for cutting. The blades themselves give off a glowing gold light, in any light, indicating that they, perhaps, are not designed for cutting your usual kinds of thread.

From one part of the handle of theses scissors hang five Strings like steel wire, each 1 metre long. They are usually limp, and serve as nothing but tassels. However, these Strings are perhaps the most potent part of July’s release as they are the Strings through which his will extended. The Strings are a dull silver, like Spiritual Steel. It is quite apparent that they are not simply for decorating the weapon.

:Bankai:
In Bankai, July forgoes any normal weapon. In fact, his Bankai robs him of the only weapon he had in Shikai, his scissors. The absence of a weapon at the start of his Bankai, however, does not mean he is any less dangerous. Instead his access to a huge amount of Strings makes him an incredibly versatile opponent. The only weapons he uses are the various Marionettes he can form using his Strings. The result is that July has access to a huge amount of weapons, but all of them share two features: their plain, unadorned design (much to July’s disgust) and their dull grey colour.


Zanapkutou Release Names:

String them along, Shinsei Mojiretsu. (Lit. Holy String)

Bankai. Hijiri Ningyōtsukai. (Lit. Holy Puppeteer)

Overall Ability:

July’s release, in essence, is the manipulation of Strings - like a skilful puppeteer or seamstress. These two occupations aptly demonstrate the two different aspects of his release: Control and Creation. His Control abilities have him use his abilities to extend his ‘will’ out beyond himself, to play with his surroundings like how a man plays with his marionettes. His Strings are adept at integrating themselves into mechanical systems and interfering with their actions, bending their purposes to suit the will of their master. These ‘infiltrations’ can be as simple as sabotaging the operations of a crane to uses as complex as overriding the use of a person’s muscles.

Creation is the second aspect of July’s release, and its abilities are equal to everything its name implies. String is not only a tool to restrict and control, but also one to give form to what is in the mind of its controller, to fulfil the creator’s desires. It is not an understatement to say that July’s ability to create is probably the most fearsome of his Zanpakuto - in Bankai, especially, he can often overwhelm his opponents with the sheer diversity of items and abilities at his disposal. His power is a versatile one, and is one that can catch even the most of his experienced opponents off guard. Unfortunately, his creations often lack the stability and sturdiness of others with similar abilities - string is not renowned for its durability.

So what are these strings? Well, in both levels of release the strings themselves are exactly the same in terms of properties - it is their functions that dictates the difference between July’s Shikai and Bankai. An individual string is 1 metre in length, and has a set durability of 400. However, individual strings can be interwoven to increase that durability by 400 for each interwoven. This can only be done three times, however (so a maximum of 1200 durability), or else the string becomes too heavy to be controllable by July’s powers (these interwoven Strings are called Double and Triple Strings respectively). Triple Strings cannot be created during Shikai. Interwoven Strings cannot be separated afterwards, and are considered a single entity. A string can be destroyed by a physical or Spiritual attack with an offensive stat greater than the durability of the String. Although these strings are considered single entities usually, they are actually formed from thousands of tiny strands of Spiritual Steel. These individual strands are usually too weak to have any combat ability - however when a string ‘infiltrates’ an object, these strands can be used to allow for finer control.

July can move these strings freely in Shikai and Bankai. Strings move at 600 Speed in both levels of Release, though this speed is reduced by 200 for each interwoven String added to increase durability (so two interwoven strings, with a durability of 800, can only move at 400 Speed, while 3 strings can move at 200). These Strings move like snakes - part of them has to be resting on a surface at all time, or else they simply fall. This, admittedly, puts July at a huge disadvantage if he is facing opponents in the air. Strings can pierce and burrow through skin and other objects like hypodermic needles (which is important for July’s abilities), but they rarely leave any kind of wound. In order for a string to be able to pierce a being’s skin, the String must have a durability greater than that person’s Strength (A person's Strength is increased by 100, for the purposes of this calculation, for each point the target has in the "Body Control" skill), Spiritual Pressure or Reiatsu Strength. However, if the Strings are weaker than that, they can still infiltrate through other methods such as through the nose, mouth or ears.

Strings within the body can be destroyed by those with 3x Reiatsu Strength superiority by simply flexing their Reiatsu, those with 2x Reiatsu Strength superiority can destroy them by expending 150 Reiatsu per String, while those with Reiatsu Strength superiority only can destroy them by expending 300 Reiatsu per String. Those whose Reiatsu is weaker than that must remove them physically, causing significant damage to themselves in the process. Anyone with 800 or higher Healing Expertise can simply remove the string using the natural abilities of their body. If someone destroys all of the strings within their body using any of the above methods, they cannot be infiltrated by Strings for two posts.

Given the light nature of the Strings, they are almost impossible to detect unless they make contact with bare skin, or are seen or heard when they disturb other objects around them. Those with 150 Senses or greater, however, are able to see and locate them perfectly. However, as they are controlled by Reiatsu, those with 100 or higher Energy Sensory will be able to faintly sense the dormant power within the string, but only if they focus on looking for the Strings specifically. Those with 200 or higher Energy Sensory are alerted when the Strings move near them. Strings are also perfect conductors of electricity, making them particularly lethal when combined with lightning based Kido or attacks. In fact, the Strings are so good at conducting electricity, that the Class of electricity-based Kido is raised by 1 when conducted by the Strings (up to a maximum of Class 3 in Shikai and Class 1 in Bankai).

Strings are, on their own, quite ineffective when it comes to combat, however. They lack the strength to be able to injure opponents directly (though, if they have infiltrated the body of an opponent it becomes a different story) and, when present in limited numbers, lack any sort of ability to become defensively useful. It is their versatility, coupled with their inherent stealthiness, that makes them so useful. This versatility and adaptability is what makes July’s Zanpakuto one of the most feared in the Soul Society.

Shikai Overall Ability:

July’s Shikai focuses primarily on the “Control” aspect of his String manipulation. While in Shikai, July can have his Strings infiltrate people or objects and have his Strings take over the mechanical functions of that object - like a puppeteer. This ability is only effective on things with mechanical functions, however. While July can have a String infiltrate a Computer, for example, he can only interfere with objects that have a mechanical function, like the fan, keyboard or mouse. He cannot interfere with the electrical aspects of the Computer this way - he does not simply gain complete control over an infiltrated object. Some of the examples of things he can do with inanimate objects: open/lock locks without a key, operate motors without power, swing hinges remotely, spin wheels remotely.

One of the most potent uses for such an ability is July’s power to control others, rather than simple objects. By infiltrating another’s body, July can graft his string onto that person’s muscular system and therefore take control of it. This is not mind control, and therefore cannot be resisted with Illusion Resist - this is a violent takeover of the target’s muscles. Strength of Will, however, can reduce the effects. If the target is of an inferior Class to July, and they have a 3 in Strength of Will, they can immobilise the limb, making it uncontrollable by themselves or July. A character with a 2 in Strength of Will who is of a superior Class to July can do the same, but with a 3 in the Skill they can ignore the effects of the String entirely. Such an attack is impossible to overcome without removing the String itself.

1 Metre of String is capable of taking over anything as complex or less complex than a limb (including hands or feet). This means that, for a single being, 5 strings are required for the ‘entire’ muscular system to be taken over (head, arms and legs). To successfully take control of muscles, the String must have a durability greater than the target’s Strength. If the target’s Strength is increased beyond the durability of the String while they are controlling muscles, their muscles literally tear the String apart and destroy it.

The scariest thing about this takeover, for a human being, is that it is not mind control. The person themselves are still fully conscious inside their body, but they simply have no control over any of their important muscles (in order to more efficiently handle the number of strings needed, functions such as breathing are left up to the ‘host’). The only thing they have control over is their Reiatsu, but the lack of control over their mouths means they must be adept at mental incantations in order to use Kido. Of course, full take-overs are rare. Usually, July can only infiltrate a limb or two during the course of a battle.

The physical limits of an infiltrated object are limited by whatever is lower: the innate properties of the object itself, or the properties of the string. For example, if July takes over a crane that can move at a maximum of 30 Speed, the crane can only move at that speed when being manipulated by a String. However, if July takes over the limb of an Arrancar with 1000 Speed, he can only move controlled limbs at the maximum Speed of the String controlling that limb (600, 400 or 200 Speed depending on whether the String is interwoven or not). In Shikai, July is limited to 5 active Strings at any one time. These Strings are formed at the very start of his release (as the tassels on his scissors) and a String can only be created (for 30 Reiatsu) if one of the original Strings is destroyed.

Bankai Overall Ability:
Firstly, July’s Bankai allows for production of Strings on a much larger scale than in his Shikai. While his Shikai allowed for only 5 Strings to be controlled and active at any one time, his Bankai allows for a potentially limitless amount. The converse is that Strings are no longer created for free. July must expend 30 Reiatsu to create 1 metre of String. He can also create Double String for 60 Reiatsu per metre and Triple String for 90 Reiatsu per metre. Properties of his Shikai are carried over to his Bankai.

While July’s Shikai focusses on the use of Strings as tools for manipulation, his Bankai allows for the creation of objects using his Strings. These objects are called Marionettes, and can range from inanimate objects to rough replicas of people. The most essential property of a Marionette is that it must created with a single ‘purpose’ in mind, in order for the String to be used efficiently. For example, if the idea is to create a ‘decoy’ Marionette, all the String will be used to simply create a likeness of July - the Marionette will be incapable of any sort of motion or abilities. July can also only create Marionettes of objects that he has an innate understanding of. Fortunately, his Instinct and Healing Expertise are high enough that he does not usually have any problems in this regard. There are 3 different class of Marionette, descriptions of which and costs of follow below:

Cinematic Class

These are Marionettes created for no purpose other than to look cool. July might find it pleasing to spin a rose out of String, or perhaps create a Marionette violinist so that he might have someone to accompany him in his singing. These Marionettes are not suited to combat, and the only utility they have in combat is as decoys. They have no durability, and can be destroyed with nothing more than a slap. They cost no Reiatsu to create, and require only 1 metre of String. When the Marionette has fulfilled its purpose, the String can be repurposed (assuming the Marionette was not destroyed).

Inanimate Combat Class

These are slightly more useful in combat. From his String, July can create any weapon he wants, as long as it is ‘simple’ in form and function. He usually tends to form throwing Daggers when possible, given that they are easy to form and use. Guns, and other such devices with complicated mechanisms, do not belong in this Class (Bows and other simple projectile weapons can be formed, but only with a single projectile). Shields are included in this class. Weapons formed in this way are considered Class 2 techniques with an offensive Stat equal to the durability of the weakest String used to form it, and can be destroyed by Physical or Spiritual attacks with an offensive stat that exceeds that durability.

Marionettes of the Inanimate Combat Class require 2 1 metre Strings to create, and require 50 Reiatsu to form. However, these Marionettes wear down over time, and after two posts the Strings in this Marionette need to be "refreshed", otherwise the Strings are destroyed, which July can do by paying the Reiatsu cost of the appropriate String. When the Marionette has fulfilled its purpose, the String can be repurposed (assuming the Marionette was not destroyed).

Animated Combat Class

Mechanical weapons with complicated mechanisms (such as chainsaws and guns) belong in this class, as do humanoid Marionettes. July cannot create anything larger than a human using Strings, and he cannot create animals (as he does not necessarily have an understanding of animal biology). Again, projectile weapons can only be created with a single projectile and projectiles cannot be more complex than a bullet. Projectiles are always formed from 1 metre of String, and treated as Class 2 techniques with an offensive Stat equal to the durability of the weakest String used to form the weapon firing it, and can be destroyed by Physical or Spiritual attacks with an offensive stat that exceeds that durability.

Marionettes are not under their own independent control, but rather they are under the direct control of July. While this is not a problem for Marionettes of the Cinematic and Inanimate Combat Class, given their simple functions, it becomes somewhat of an issue when July is using Marionettes of this class. He can only control 3 Marionettes of this Class effectively, or 4 if he himself stays perfectly still, at any one time. This does not stop him creating any more, only that any Marionettes beyond this limit will be incapable of doing anything.

Humanoid Marionettes built for combat are always wireframes, with no aesthetic features. They are always created unequipped, but can be equipped with other String weapons. They have no Spiritual or Sensory Stats, but they are immune to cutback. Their Strength is equal to half the Durability of the Weakest String used to form them, while their Speed is equal to the Speed of the slowest String used to form them. This means that July can create Humanoid Marionettes that are either Strong, Fast or Balanced - based on the Strings he uses to create them. The various combinations are listed below:

Strong: Formed using Triple String Only.
Strength: 600
Speed: 200
Durability: 1200

Balanced: Formed using Double String and/or Triple String.
Strength: 400
Speed: 400
Durability: 800

Fast: Formed using at least 1 Single String
Strength: 200
Speed: 600
Durability: 400

Marionettes of the Animated Combat Class require 5 1 metre Strings and 150 Reiatsu to create, and require a further 150 Reiatsu per post to maintain. When the Marionette has fulfilled its purpose, the String can be repurposed (assuming the Marionette was not destroyed).

Zanpakuto Techniques:

Name: Kyokasuru (Lit. Reinforce)
Level: Shikai - Class 4 (Raised to Class 2 if used during Bankai)
Effects
July can have a String split into its constituent parts and have it spread over the surface of an object. While an object is covered in the String, it gains an ‘armour’ that has a durability equal to the durability of the String used to cover it. This armour can nullify all damage from Physical and Spiritual attacks less than this Durability value. 1 metre can be used to coat anything approximately the size of a limb or smaller.
Drawbacks
Costs 150 Reiatsu per post to maintain for a Single String, 300 for a Double String and 450 for a Triple String. A String that is used for Kyokasuru is still considered ‘active’ in Shikai, but cannot be manipulated. The ‘armour’ created by the String is completely destroyed if struck by an attack with an offensive Stat higher than the durability value of the String, or by a technique of a higher Class.


Name: Kumoshinsen (Lit. Spider Tremor)
Level: Shikai - Class 4 (Raised to Class 2 if used during Bankai)
Effects
This technique, in spite of being named ‘Spider Tremor’, is actually July’s only directly offensive technique, and has potent destructive capabilities. This technique has two separate stages, each with its own effects and drawbacks. Both stages are based on Vibration.
Stage 1: July causes his Strings to vibrate with extremely low energy. This lets him instantly locate any and all Strings in a mile radius. This technique is foolproof in its simplicity, and is unaffected by illusions and sensory distortions of any kind (except those which also rely on vibrations). Those with Strings in their body will feel a faint thrumming sensation in whatever part of the body the String has infiltrated.
Stage 2: This is the most potent part of this technique. July can cause his Strings to vibrate with extremely high energy - causing the destruction of the String and whatever the String has infiltrated. Strings can only destroy things with a durability less than their own (in the case of infiltrated people, it destroys all muscles the String is attached to, only if the String has a durability higher than the Strength, Spiritual Pressure or Reiatsu Strength of the opponent). If this technique is applied to a Marionette in Bankai, the Marionette explodes (the blast radius is equivalent to that of a hand grenade) into Reiatsu with an offensive Stat equal to the durability of the weakest String used to form it (this is considered a Class 2 technique).
Drawbacks
Stage 1: Costs 25 Reiatsu to activate, and only lasts for a single post.
Stage 2: Costs 150 Reiatsu for a Single String, 300 for a Double String and 450 for a Triple String. These costs are doubled if the String has infiltrated a living being. If this technique is applied to a String, the String is also destroyed. In order to apply this technique to a Marionette, July must pay Reiatsu for all Strings in that Marionette.


Name: Toge (Lit. Thorn)
Level: Shikai - Class 4 (Raised to Class 2 if used during Bankai)
Effects
July’s primary restrictive technique, and allows his Strings to ‘fray’ slightly along their length. Although the technique is called Thorn, ‘Velcro’ would be a more accurate description. When this technique is applied to a String, it simply adheres to everything touching it. In order to break free of this adhesion, one must have Strength greater than one-quarter the durability value of the String (100 for Single String, 200 for Double String, 300 for Double String). Any attempt to touch the Strings with less than this Strength will result in that part of the body also becoming stuck. However, even tearing away is a painful experience - the String will pull off a surface layer of skin which would be uncomfortable for most.
Drawbacks
Costs 50 Reiatsu per String to use (100 Reiatsu for a Double String, 150 Reiatsu for a Triple String) per post. Strings with this technique applied are incapable of moving or being manipulated. Strings in use in Marionettes cannot have this technique applied to them. Strings with this technique applied can be destroyed in the usual manner.


Name: Tokimasu (Lit. Unravel)
Level: Bankai - Class 2
Effects
This technique allows him to deconstruct Reiatsu techniques into large amounts of Strings, which he can then use as usual. To do this, he requires a direct line of sight with the target, that the offensive stat of the technique must be less than his Spiritual Pressure, as well as Class superiority. However, if all these conditions are met - he can simply deconstruct the technique. The technique itself literally unravels to become several Strings which July immediately has control over.
Drawbacks
In order to use this technique, July must have Class superiority, the offensive stat of the technique must be less than his Spiritual Pressure and July must have a direct line of sight with the technique. This means he cannot affect techniques with no visible form, such as Bakudo #1: Sho. Release techniques CAN be unravelled if they fulfil the requirements. The Strings created are all single Strings, but they can be interwoven with each other to create Double or Triple Strings if required. The number of Strings is dependent on the Class of the unravelled technique: 1 for Class 8, 2 for Class 7, 3 for Class 6, 4 for Class 5, 5 for Class 4 and 6 for Class 3. This technique can only be used once every 2 posts.


Name: Nuime (Lit. Stitches)
Level: Bankai - Class 2
Effects
One of July’s most expensive, yet potent, techniques. It allows him to reconstruct damaged body parts using a variation on his Bankai’s Marionettes. He can do this for himself and others around him. July’s higher than average Healing Expertise is what allows him to do this without problems. It also makes him an invaluable ally to have in combat. All limbs and organs (except the brain) can be replaced using this technique. Even the heart and circulatory system can be repaired if damaged.
Drawbacks
1 metre of Triple String must be used in order to form a single limb or organ, or to repair damage to skin or the circulatory system. Only a maximum of 5 ’Stitches’ objects can be active at any one time, due to their complexity. The also disappear when July's Bankai ends. They also require 200 Reiatsu per post to maintain. The durability of ’Stitches’ objects is fixed at 500, and can be destroyed by attacks with an offensive stat higher than this value (the reduced durability is due to ’Stitches’ objects not being designed for combat). ’Stitches’ objects cannot replace lost bodily fluids such as blood, however they can stop both internal and external bleeding.


Name: Kengen (Lit. Authority)
Level: Bankai - Class 2
Effects
July’s ultimate ability, and is considered something of a black art by other members of the Soul Society. This technique involves the creation of a special string that can be used for no other purpose (this is called an Authority String). Authority Strings can only infiltrate 1 object - the brain of another being. Once it has, that being loses all authority over their own body while July’s Bankai is active - they become another one of July’s Marionettes, except that July can utilise any and all techniques the target can use. What is truly terrifying, however, is that this Authority String continues to exist even after July’s Bankai is deactivated. If someone with an Authority String implanted in them is within a mile of July when he activated his Bankai again, they fall under his control again. This authority is absolute, and can only be broken by destroying the Authority String, which unfortunately means destroying the brain of the host too. July can also rescind an Authority String whenever he likes, as long as the host is within a mile of July.
Drawbacks
This technique costs 1000 Reiatsu (+100 Reiatsu for each point the target has in Strength of Will), and can only be used on NPCs or on RPCs (with the permission of the creator). The target must be fully immobilised while July uses this technique. July must also expend 600 Reiatsu in order to "activate" an Authority String within someone when he activates his Bankai. While an Authority String exists, July’s Spiritual Pressure is reduced by 20 points for each Authority String active (this affects all threads, even threads that do not include a character with an Authority String. These points are restored when July rescinds the Authority String). July cannot use this technique on Class 0 characters, or characters with greater than 1.5x his Reiatsu Strength.

SPOILER: Click to show

Technique Name: [Shunpo (Flash Steps)]

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kido

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects:

A movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. The focal point that determines the basis of this technique is speed. As speed is the main point of the technique the method is best characterised by how fast one can get from point A to point B in the least amount of steps. Training and skill are what determines how fast a user of Shunpo can move; those of little skill in the technique or those who haven't used it an extended amount of time would obviously be out of practice, causing those individuals to be considerably slower, which requires the use of more steps to move the same distance and become winded far easier in a shorter amount of time. A single step magnifies speed for that step by 10 times. Uses 50 Reiatsu per step. This one is automatically learned in the academy. ALL Shinigami know this when created. This technique does not take up a technique slot.

How to use technique:

A focus of reishi around the feet area, and then launching off into a single step which blurs, not unlike teleportation in appearance, except it is simply extremely fast movement. Often used to gain an edge in a single moment of combat, or to dodge incoming attacks.

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Technique Name: [Bakudo #61: Rikujokoro (Six Rods Prison of Light)]

Class: [4]

Technique Type: Kido

Technique Element: [Light]

Technique Description and Effects:

Summons six thin, wide beams of light that slam into a target's midsection from all sides, holding them in place. This technique also results in total paralysis, and can even suspend targets in mid air.

How to use technique:

This requires the user's eyes to be focused on the target, and their casting hand to be aimed at the target as well. The six beams will then close in, but those who are quick enough or instinctive enough will be able to dodge.

Incantation and Effect:

The incantation increases the reiatsu strength of this technique by 25%. (I.E. Reiatsu strength of 100 is instead worth 125.) ("Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six!")

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Technique Name: [Bakudo #99 Part 1: Kin (Seal)]

Class: [2]

Technique Type: Kido

Technique Element: [Metal]

Technique Description and Effects:

Binds the arms of a target to their back like Bakudo #1: Sai, but does so with spiritual fabric and iron shafts. The fabric wraps around the body and then pins it to the ground while the iron shafts pin it even more in several overlaying X patterns on top of the body. Those caught in this technique are completely immobilized,

How to use technique:

This can be done by aiming the casting hand at the target, but if it is done this way then the bindings fall from the sky, allowing the technique to be dodged. If this is done through physical contact, it is impossible to dodge, and the bindings appear instantly.

Incantation and Effect:

This spell can be broken with reiatsu strength advantage of 50%, but the incantation makes it unbreakable. ""Gods, I forsake thee. God of War, your wrath consumes all. God of Chains, your bindings snap under pressure. God of Peace, your power is not found here. God of Mercy, you have left this world. I take it upon myself to be the Might of the God of War, the Bindings of the God of Chains, the Peacemaker when the God of Peace cannot, and the Hand of Justice when the God of Mercy will not. With power above the gods, I call upon my own strength to bind you and cease your evil. Be still!"

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Technique Name: [Bakudo #2 Ketsugo (Wanashudan)]

Class: [7] - 7-1.

Technique Type: [Kidou]

Technique Element: [None]

Technique Description and Effects:

Ketsugo is a rune of binding. By coming into its area of influence, that is, one foot in front of the face of itself, tendrils reach out and grab the target, bringing it to the ground and locking it there. The lower half of the body is rendered completely immobile, yet the upper body is still able to move, though the speed of the upper body is halved. The tendrils are immaterial, being made of reiatsu, yet are able to be broken with greater reiatsu strength. Ketsugo is one foot in diameter at base size, and inscribed inside the circle is another circle made up of interlocking links of chain. It glows bright orange.

How to use technique:

See above description of Wanashudan

Drawback:

Besides all drawbacks associated with Wanashudan abilities, reiatsu cost, and the limb used to draw the rune will be unable to be moved if the trap is sprung, being bound just as the target is bound.

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Technique Name: Hado #11: Tsuzuri Raiden (Bound Lightning)

Class: 7

Technique Type: Kido

Technique Element: Thunder

Technique Description and Effects: Electric current flows through any object the user touches and is able to conduct electricity, damaging any target that is in contact with the object the current runs through. This lasts for one post, but by paying the cost of the spell a second time, the duration is increased to two posts.

How to use technique: Speak the spell and touch an object, channeling electricity through it.

Incantation and Effect: Incantation unknown. When the incantation is spoken, the number of active posts this is used for is doubled. (With maximum cost, this can be up to four posts.)

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{The following technique has been taken from Taiho’s application, as a Kasumi’Oji family technique}

Technique Name: Genesis Art: Plasmatio

Class: 4

Technique Type: Life Force

Usable By: Kasumi’Oji Shingami

Technique Element: Life Force

Technique Description and Effects:

Plasmatio allows July to generate objects and weapons. This is a tactical version of the secret art used to create special weapons such as the Bakkoto. It costs 300 Life Force and only allows him to make weapons up to the size of a spear. Swords, axes, etc. are all possible, but a siege warfare battering ram isn't. Their resilience and cutting power are naturally functions of his RS. They're well-forged, of course, since he's a Kasumi'Oji, so they're not brittle. These weapons have no inherent powers, but by casting a non-Genesis technique on them, July can lend the weapon the power of that technique. Since they're living, they can break themselves apart at will. For an additional 200 life force, July can add animated living components to the weapons, such as tentacles.

How to use technique:

Hold the hand out and will the technique to occur.

Technique Drawbacks:

Life force cost. Adds potential for enemy to steal weapons, as July's certainly not immune to taking damage from them.

[July Kasumi'Oji]

-History-

Birthplace:
To describe the lab in which July was grown as a birthplace does the place a disservice. The place was practically a factory for life. Located below the Ancient Egyptian city of Memphis itself, more people lived and died in that lab than in the great city above it. The Kasumi’Oji were masters of Life - and their experiments in those times were far more advanced than the ‘party tricks’ the Kasumi’Oji indulge in today. They toyed with the cycle of souls as if it were no more than a child’s toy, they manipulated the Life Force of Shinigami like putty. They could make Life in a test-tube, and destroy it just as easily. The power of the Kasumi’Oji in their prime was impossible to reckon with.

Current Residence:
July, in his typical flamboyant style has almost completely overhauled the interior of the Squad 8 Captain’s room. What was once the functional room of the Kasumi’Oji’s most powerful warrior into something that may have been ripped from the “Great Gatsby”. The office is more like a ballroom than an actual office, with a great open floor perfect for dancing on. Emerald green is, again, the most prominent colour - and the drapes and curtains all shine in the light that flows through the extended windows in the evening. All the fixtures are a beautiful gold, which somehow manages to look dignified rather than tacky. July’s bedroom, however, remains a mystery to all but himself - nobody, no matter how hard they try, has ever managed to get that far.

Memorable Figures:

:Amon Kasumi’Oji:
Amon Kasumi’Oji was an aide to the Pharaoh of the time, as well as leader of the Memphis Laboratory and instigator of the ‘Loom Project’. His political influence within Memphis allowed the Kasumi’Oji to operate freely without fear of discovery, even though the Egyptians were a race far more spiritually aware than most. He, like his ancestors, toyed with the idea of ‘distilling the Essence of Being’, and transcending the Cycle of Souls - essentially rising to a plane of existence higher than that of the Soul King.

:Suzuya Kasumi’Oji:
The man whose soul was used to create July. While July remembers little of what Suzuya was like, weird episodes of Deja Vu and strange dreams indicate that there is probably a small bit of Suzuya’s memories and experiences residing in July, even to this day. He was apparently killed when still a child as part of a series of political assassinations in the Kasumi’Oji family.

:November Kasumi’Oji:
The first ‘Reincarnation’ created by the Loom Project in the Kasumi’Oji labs in Memphis. She emerged from the Loom already weak and sickly, and she was not paid much attention by the researchers there. Her inactive lifestyle allowed her to survive long enough to meet July, whose presence stabilised her own and allowed her to live for far longer than expected. She was eventually assimilated by July’s developing Zanpakuto, and became July’s Zanpakuto Spirit: Shinsei Mojiretsu.

:Kon and Fuuki Kasumi’Oji-Kawada:
The married couple who July and November were sent to initially after the then-current head of the Kasumi’Oji forced them out of the Soul Society in order to avoid a scandal. They were kindly ‘parents’, however they were more fond of the frail and emotional November than the childish and energetic July. When November died, and July displayed little to no reaction they realised that something was seriously wrong with July. Gradually, July grew more distant from them, and they gladly returned him to the Soul Society when he developed his Zanpakuto

:Koi and Hana Kasumi’Oji:
Koi was the head of the Kasumi’Oji clan for nearly 1000 years, and was notoriously strict. She was also prideful, and was quick sweep issues under the rug if they threatened the reputation of the family - this included her younger brother Amon and the results of her experiments. Her granddaughter Hana inherited this pride and tenacity, but unfortunately not her longevity - Hana was assassinated a mere year after assuming position of head. She was replaced by the woman whose bloodline gave rise to Azumi Kasumi’Oji.

:Frederick Burton:
A Quincy who escaped the purge of the Shinigami, and fled to Renaissance-era England, and made a name for himself as a black-market art trader. He struck a deal with July, who used him as a gateway to the world of human culture. Frederick was assassinated in a plot organised by Italian nobles to undermine Britain’s place in the emerging Renaissance, and his death cut July off from the human world of parties and debauchery that he loved so much.

:Azumi Kasumi’Oji:
A woman who needs no introduction.

:Daiji Kasumi’Oji:
The man who sponsored July as a new candidate as head of the Kasumi’Oji. He is unaware of July’s origins, and only realised that July was a distant relative when reviewing old Kasumi’Oji documents where he was mentioned by name. He sees July as a perfect pawn to use in manipulating Kasumi’Oji funds. He himself has no desire other than ensuring that his ‘research’ is continuously funded, and simply wants to instate someone who will ensure that the cash will flow continuously.

History:

My name is November Kasumi’Oji, and I am the closest thing to an ‘older sister’ that someone like July could ever have. We are, perhaps, the eldest members of the Kasumi’Oji family - if we can even be considered part of the noble house. Our story is quite possibly unique among the Shinigami, as we were brought up far outside even the poorest Districts of Rukongai. Our existences have been, in fact, covered up by the Kasumi’Oji’s for most of our lives - even now we are denied the right to express our past freely. My hope is that, when we are finally allowed to reveal the truth, this autobiography of sorts will be read - and that we can finally admit to our true heritage.

It would be impossible to get July to sit still enough to chronicle these events with me, so it seems I have no choice but to write this account myself. I have no doubt that July will take the time to interrupt me for a game of cards or hide-and-seek, so finishing this tale may take quite some time. Well, time is something that July and I have always had an abundance of. There isn’t any real reason to suppose that I’ll run out of it now.

~November Kasumi’Oji 11/11/111 B.C.

1st Entry: Baptism

The lab was a flurry of activity. Men in long white robes flitted from monitor to monitor, the spectral green light giving the scientists an almost paranormal aura. To the Kasumi’Oji scientists, this was run of the mill, but it to the ancient Egyptians of Memphis, whose city lay directly above them, the men would have seemed like warlocks of the highest order. For it was in these laboratories that the Kasumi’Oji practiced science so advanced that even the Soul Society balked at the thought of interfering. The Kasumi’Oji had always been obsessed with the idea of life and life force, so much so that they practically ignored the soul and reiatsu of beings, and instead single-mindedly pursued what they felt was the ‘Essence of Being’.

In pursuit of this goal, the Kasumi’Oji of that era performed a variety of different experiments, all of which were designed to mold and distort the Life Force of beings in an attempt to better understand the Essence. These experiments are what helped the Kasumi’Oji of the future create Bakkoto - parasitic weapons which feed on Life itself. However, the scientists of that time would have looked upon the Bakkoto with disgust - they were pathetic attempts at imitating the past glories of the Kasumi’Oji, and because of that, they desecrated the pure idea of the ‘Essence’.

One of these projects was labelled the ‘Loom Project’, a project with ambition like no other, labelled as such because it was the Kasumi’Oji’s first true attempt to create something from Life Force, rather than simply transfigure what they already had in front of them. Well before Squad 12 created the Mod Souls, the Kasumi’Oji made attempts at creating perfect new life. They wanted to create artificial Shinigami. Of course, Project Loom quickly became the sole focus of the laboratory at Memphis - the more ‘business-savvy’ members of the Kasumi’Oji quickly realised the benefits of having an army regrowable, disposable soldiers. And so, after only 3 months of planning - the first ‘Shinigami’ was woven from the ‘Loom’ constructed in the lab.

This prototype was cruelly labelled Golem, and had a number of defects. Firstly, the attempt to create an artificial soul failed, creating a soulless body with no independent thought beyond its basic instinct to survive. Its spiritual form was unlike any other Shinigami, it looked more like a clay-doll sculpted by a child than any sort of Spiritual Being. This failed prototype was killed off quickly, but not before several experiments were performed on it, which identified the main flaws of the design. The being had ‘Life’ in the sense that it possessed ‘Life Force’, but it seemed as though it had no control of that Life Force. It was unstable, like a Failure, and its Life Force leaked uncontrollably. The energy carried by these torrents of leaking Life Force tore apart the unstable artificial soul and subsequently deformed its spiritual appearance. Even if Golem had not been killed, it would never have lived for more than a month.

Stabilising the Life Force was of the utmost priority, and the Kasumi’Oji tried numerous ways to slow down the rate of decomposition. The first of these was by creating Reiatsu Shells, in which the Life Force was contained. These were named ‘homunculi’. The results for the homunculi were far more impressive, however the created ‘being’ could only exist as long as there was someone supplying Reiatsu to maintain the Shell. If this ‘donor’ died or was prevented from maintaining the shell in some way, the Life Force would spill out and the homunculus would become a golem. No matter how much Reiatsu was given to the homunculi though, they could never store nor produce enough Reiatsu to maintain their own shells. Because of this, the Homunculi were also regarded as failures.

The Kasumi’Oji were now clutching at straws. They were incapable of finding a way to stabilise both the artificial souls and the Life Force. With eventual progress in mind, they decided to take a step back. If the artificial souls were too unstable to remain whole in the face of unstable Life Force, perhaps an ordinary soul could withstand the torrents of energy, and thus form a more stable existence. This is, perhaps, where the experiments of the Kasumi’Oji began to attract the attention of the Soul Society. For the Kasumi’Oji began to directly to interfere with the Cycle of Souls, extracting the souls of previous Kasumi’Oji members for use in their experiments.

The results were an almost instant success. Perhaps it was the stability of the pure souls, or the will of past Kasumi’Oji family members fulfilling their duty, but with the natural souls as their core, the Life Force around them stabilised. The cores also began successfully generating their own Reiatsu Pools on which they could draw, a resource which both the Golems and Homunculi lacked. The new ‘Reincarnations’ (as they were named by an enthusiastic Amon), were so much closer to the original goal of the Loom Project, though they still could not be produced on a mass scale. Extracting souls from the cycle was far too arduous to do on a large scale, and each Reincarnation represented a significant investment of time and resources.

In spite of the success of the Reincarnations, they were not without their flaws. Although they were more stable than Golems and Homunculi, they also leaked Life Force at an unsustainable rate. They would last at most a year, perhaps two if they lived a conservative life. Unfortunately, a conservative life was not what the Kasumi’Oji had in mind for these engineered beings - they were designed to be soldiers above all else. However, they pursued the Loom Project, and created 3 separate Reincarnations using the souls of famous heads of the Kasumi’Oji family throughout history.

These beings were named after the month in which they were birthed. November was born first, and emerged woven from the Loom almost fully grown. Reincarnations did not have a long enough life-span to be able to grow from childhood to adulthood, so it was absolutely necessary that they emerged from the Loom as adults ready for battle. November was a frail, sickly creature however. While the Kasumi’Oji were as relentless in their experiments as ever, which were all the more horrifying now that they had a conscious test subject, they spared November her life out of pity - or perhaps it was out of respect, she was birthed from the soul of one of the Kasumi’Oji’s most famous warrior leaders. Because of her inactive lifestyle, however, November survived far longer than expected - long enough to see her younger ‘brother’ born.

July was the second was the second of the Reincarnations birthed from the Loom, and his appearance caused quite a stir among the researchers. Unlike November, he was youthful, energetic and healthy. He exhibited no signs of the frailty that November had shown, nor did he demonstrate any awareness of his past self. Again, he subjected to tests and operations that would be considered torture in some circles, but he demonstrated remarkable resilience - enduring everything the Kasumi’Oji could throw at him. He was praised, and Amon Kasumi’Oji treated him like a son (Amon had little time for his real family, who spent their time squandering his fortune on the Kasumi’Oji estate in the Seireitei). All this praise and attention probably formed a large part of July’s vanity, which persists in his character to this day.

July and November got along like a house on fire, with them filling all the conventional tropes of ‘energetic younger sibling’ and ‘calm older sibling’. For a while, it seemed as though the lab had forgotten its original purpose and had become a nursery intent on ‘raising’ these children (though to call them children was misleading, they both appeared to be around age 25). However, unbeknownst to July and November, the Kasumi’Oji were still working on producing other Reincarnations. It would be their younger sister, August, who would be the lab’s greatest triumph and also the beginning of their eventual demise.

The Seireitei had been observing the lab carefully for quite some time, but had refrained from interfering thanks to some political bribery from the main Kasumi’Oji family. However, the arrival of August was something that couldn’t be ignored. August was already powerful when he first emerged from the Loom, his Gravitational Pressure nearly killed all those who were present - even though he had not be consciously exerting it. In spite of this incredible power though, August was also the most unstable of the ‘Reincarnations’. His power leaked from him like the Golems, only the soul at his core seemed to fuel the torrents of Life Force rather than being torn apart by them. He posed a danger to not only the World of the Living, but to the other worlds as well. The Shinigami could not ignore him.

And so, he was dealt with - by no less than the Captain Commander of the time himself. The lab was quickly shut down, and Amon Kasumi’Oji and his aides were sentenced to death by Central 46 for the illegal experiments they carried out on the Cycle of Souls. The end to the Kasumi’Oji’s pursuit of the ‘Essence’ was swift. The lab, along with the materials and results of the experiments were destroyed. Fortunately, in a strangely merciful act for Central 46, November and July were handed to the main branch of the Kasumi’Oji family to do with as they wished. They were spared the execution their ‘father’ faced, perhaps because they were expected to live at most only 1 more year. Naturally, the fates conspired to ensure that at least one of the Kasumi’Oji constructs would survive for far longer than that.

Entry 2: Development

The head of the Kasumi’Oji at the time was a vain woman named Koi, a person more concerned with the upkeep of the lavish lands of the Kasumi’Oji family than any of its scientific enterprises. The idea of allowing July and November into the main family manor was, of course, completely inconceivable. To her, the two ‘siblings’ were an abomination - living proof that there was more than a grain of truth to the unsavoury rumours that circled around at the parties hosted at the Kasumi’Oji manor. Rumours that the Kasumi’Oji fortune was ill-gotten, that they were dabbling in forbidden practices, that they were responsible for the mysterious disappearance of Academy dropouts. Koi wanted to distance herself from these two, so she thrust the responsibility on her younger brother - Kon Kasumi’Oji-Kawada.

Now Kon was a bit of a loose cannon among the Kasumi’Oji. He supported the Kasumi’Oji forays into the world of science, but condemned the experiments that went too far. However, his biggest falling out with his sister was when he married Fuuki Kawada. While intermarriage among the noble families was not unusual, the Kasumi’Oji’s of that time generally exempted themselves from such practices - instead preferring to have distant cousins intermarry to preserve a pure bloodline. Perhaps the large amount of incestuous relationships contributed to the idea that Kasumi’Ojis have a larger proportion of insane family members than most nobles (which is saying a lot, given how dysfunctional most of the noble families are). Koi was an advocate of this tradition, so her brother marrying a Kawada woman was seen by her as something of a personal insult.

The result was that Kon and his wife quickly found themselves assigned to a Shinigami ‘sleeper’ Squad in the World of the Living, an assignation not totally unfavourable to the young couple. While the Kawadas had been tolerant of the marriage, the Kasumi’Ojis had been openly hostile about it - it was a relief for the couple to be away from the stifling family life in the Kasumi’Oji manor. The fact that their assignment was to patrol the city of Rome, together, was one of the best things they could have wished for - even if Koi had intended the assignation as an exile. What they had not expected was to be sent two twenty-something year olds, with uncharacteristically childish behaviour. Kon and Fuuki were both rather progressive, and had not planned on settling down with children until later on in life. Yet, fate was determined to mess up even their plans.

Their life together with November and July was happy, if uneventful. July learned both acrobatics and sportsmanship from Kon, who was determined to at least raise July properly if he had to, and singing from Fuuki, whose talent and enthusiasm was passed down to July. November also managed to keep up, in spire of her worsening condition, and came to learn several languages as well as becoming somewhat of a local legend for her storytelling ability. However, it was clear to both Kon and Fuuki that November did not have long left - she had lived for far longer than expected, but there was a limit to how far she could push beyond that restraint. July, while not quite aware that his sister was dying, was still sure that there was a cloud constantly looming over their lives - perhaps this is what coloured his memories of November.

November died peacefully two years after she and July first moved in with their new ‘parents’. Kon and Fuuki were heartbroken, in spite of their initial shock and reluctance when July and November initially arrived, but it appeared as though July had no comprehension of the gravity of his sister’s death. Perhaps he had witnessed enough death at this stage to have come to terms with it - he had already seen his entire ‘family’ at the lab be killed by the Gotei 13, so maybe his brain had decided to simply shut off when it came to the concept of death. Or perhaps the memories of Suzuya Kasumi’Oji, the boy July was originally Reincarnated from, were interfering with his understanding of the concept. Either way, his passive reaction to her death alienated him slightly from Fuuki and Kon, who were beginning to realise that July was not the cheerful little boy they once believed him to be.

It was no coincidence that July began developing a Zanpakuto so soon after November’s death. In fact, historians theorise that July absorbed most of November’s Life Force, and that his Zanpakuto was born from the excess material. Seeing as there are no experimental results remaining from the Loom Project, it is difficult to say if such conjecture has any merit - but historians love the romantic idea, and the subtexts it creates. The fact that part of female soul exists within July may also explain his apparent asexuality - but such discussions are best left until another time. As soon as he began developing his Zanpakuto, it became clear to Fuuki and Kon that July was not going to die like his sister - in fact, it seemed that her death had only served to reinvigorate him. Anyway, with the power of a Zanpakuto, July could no longer remain in the Human World without training, and so he was returned to the Seireitei to train in the Academy.

July attended the Academy at the same time as Hana Kasumi’Oji, the granddaughter of the now-ancient head of the family, and the legitimate heir to the position of head (Her father had been killed mysteriously while on excursion on behalf of the family head). All would have been well, but July’s childlike enthusiasm and extremely good looks infatuated the impressionable young woman. Of course, July’s playful nature did not help matters in the slightest - he would repeatedly build up her hopes, only to dash them cruelly. She, however, did not tire of this cruel charade, and persistently tries to win his affection in all manner of ways - some of them were particularly morally dubious. July, however, evaded her attempts skilfully, and riposted with insincere flirts - only driving her crazier.

Of course, it was the actions of another that once again led to a twist in July’s fate (as had been a theme in his story thus far). An older student, tired of Hana’s arrogant behaviour (borne of the fact that she was completely assured of her position as head of the family) began to spread the rumour that she had slept with July - in a bid to both win the jealousy of the other girls of her year, as well as infuriate the younger Hana. Like all strong emotions, Hana’s love for July quickly flipped, and became a burning hatred. It wasn’t until their graduation, however, that she sprung a trap on July - a trap that ensured July would not be able to return to the Soul Society for another 1500 years. Her plan revenge was perfect, and there was no way July could escape from it.

July had established for himself the unfortunate reputation of being something of a womaniser, in spite of the fact that his flirtations never lead anywhere. If, perhaps, he had been aware that Hana would turn such a reputation against him, he would not have been so openly flirtatious with his peers in the Academy. Hindsight, however, would be of no help to July - not that July would ever have the patience to consider things which happened in the past. His misdemeanours in school would come back to haunt him when Hana decided to accuse him of raping her. The accusation, however groundless, could not be ignored.

In spite of the masses of July’s friends (more like ‘fans’) who testified against her, Hana stubbornly stuck by her story - she had inherited the worst traits of her grandmother. The council, who were desperate to curry favour with the future head of the house in the hopes of being recompensed in the future, were quick to support her accusations and overturned all of the evidence that worked in July’s favour. A particularly influential member of the family helped keep the situation out of the main channels of the Seireitei, and July was ‘tried’ in secret by a ‘kangaroo court’ of Kasumi’Oji members. He had no chance, he was convicted almost immediately, much to the delight of Hana. His reputation, however, was barely scratched by the event. Any who knew of the proceedings were totally aware that July was merely being used as a pawn in larger political machinations.

However, Hana’s hate did not run deeply enough to put July to death, and instead she subjected her ‘cousin’ to the same fate her grandmother had inflicted on Kon and Fuuki Kasumi’Oji all those years ago - she exiled July by having him assigned to one of the Squads whose job it was to patrol the World of the Living. The decision caused a large consternation in the Academy - usually a student as talented as July would be immediately given a seated position in one of the Gotei 13, the decision to send such a talented Shinigami out to the World of the Living was unprecedented. Yet, the Kasumi’Oji’s stood by their decision. July himself offered no protest, he had actually been longing to return to the World of the Living - he found life in the Kasumi’Oji manor stifling and boring.

And so, July was assigned to London - being associated with the main branch of the Kasumi’Oji, as well as his popularity in the Soul Society, meant he was never going to be placed in the middle of nowhere. The years passed, as July became more and more ingratiated into life in the World of the Living, he quickly lost touch with the Kasumi’Oji - he was not even aware that the head had died, and that Hana had finally taken her place - only to be assassinated by an enterprising noble who realised that the overly proud girl was not as easily manipulated as he had originally thought. Hana’s end was as quick as it was undignified - she was murdered while in bed with one of her consorts, the man had been paid to ‘distract’ her from the assassin in the room. July may have found the situation rather ironic, if he had heard.

July was making a name for himself among the Living, using both a Gigai and Spiritually Aware assistant named Frederick Burton to host lavish parties, and fund huge construction projects in Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe. Frederick was a Quincy by race, he had been living in hiding since the Purge, but July had found him after investigating reports of a man who had apparently not aged in the past 400 years. Thanks to the Human Willpower, Frederick was able to last nearly as long as July - and his position in the World of the Living provided July with the perfect foothold to establish his own career in 14th century Europe.

Entry 3: Career

Usually Shinigami on patrol in the World of the Living are strictly told to avoid interacting with the Living unless absolutely necessary. Shinigami prefer this non-interference method of dealing with human culture, given that Humans appear to be happiest when they are unaware of the Spiritual World around them. July flouted this non-interference policy openly. He, in fact, ingratiated himself fully into Human Society, with the help of his friend Frederick. Perhaps July was allowed to continue his antics due to his power or popularity, or his standing as a Kasumi’Oji family member. None are quite sure of the reason.

July was a patron of the arts, not just in his base in England but also in continental Europe. He made many trips to the mainland, and helped fund monasteries, missions of explorations and even the burgeoning artists of the time. This kind of thinking originated with July, and slowly began to spread amongst those he associated with. His Italian partners were particularly interested in this way of thinking, and the slowly spreading interest in art, culture and architecture blossomed into what many consider one of the richest eras of human history - the Renaissance.

Now, July would never admit that he was one of the driving factors of Europe’s Renaissance. In fact, the name of July Kasumi’Oji (or of his pseudonym, August Longueville) is absent from the history books, partly by July’s own design. A large amount of the ideas July spread were through Frederick Burton, July himself preferred to distance himself from the machinations of the world of art, and preferred to view the finished projects. Of course, it was precisely because of his lack of interest in the politics of Europe’s rapidly developing culture that July was struck by the only event which he would consider a tragedy.

Although many viewed the vainglorious competitions of the nobility in Europe to produce better art as an advantage to the growing art world, as it increased both the quality and supply of artworks dramatically, in truth it created quite bitter rivalries among those who stood at the bow of this ship of cultural exploration. Frederick Burton in particular was held in contempt by the nobles of Italy, as he had made several attempts to relocate some of Italy’s greatest artists to England and Northern Europe, in an attempt to shift the centre of the Renaissance away from the Italians. Naturally, many of Italy’s greatest patrons were displeased with the idea - they enjoyed their new position as the jewel in Europe’s crown.

Frederick, and by extension July’s, high opinion of themselves did not help in this regard. While many respected their keen eye for the rising stars of the time (July would go on to be one of the only people to buy a painting from Van Gogh himself), their vain, proud attitudes attracted them as many haters as it did admirers. July, in particular, was disliked by many of the young Italian nobles who disapproved of how July effortlessly won the hearts of women in courts around Europe. And so, a number of Italians decided to hire an assassin who would make short work of the Englishmen who thought too highly of themselves.

This assassin, by unhappy coincidence, turned out to be a ‘relation’ of July’s - Azumi Kasumi’Oji. July had not been present for the time of the attempted assassination, due to a sudden change of plan, but Frederick had not been so lucky. Azumi’s was as ruthless as her reputation, and her ferocity was doubled when she discovered that her opponent was a Quincy. July returned to find his manor ruined, and parts of Frederick were scattered among the various rooms. It appeared as though the Italians had paid extra to make sure that Frederick suffered for his vanity. Many of the artworks which they had commissioned had been destroyed - ensuring that July would have an extremely hard time regaining his footing in society.

July was not particularly upset over the death of Frederick, he had been getting too big for his boots at that stage - July had nearly paid for his assassination himself multiple times. What he was most disappointed with was the fact that without Frederick, he had lost one of his major stakes in the World of the Living - and he had no way of building back up the network he had created through Frederick without alerting the Gotei 13. July refused to believe it was his fault, and instead focussed his anger on the people he believed were responsible for his downfall - the assassin and the people who hired them.

And so July’s game began. He doggedly tracked the assassin using his excellent analysis abilities, he pursued every case that seemed in any way related to them obsessively. It did not take him long to realise that, like himself, the assassin was not originally from the World of the Living, and was in fact a Shinigami interfering with human history. Rather than endear the assassin to July, it only infuriated him further. They were both playing the same game, so there was no reason for them to interfere with his progress. It was only a matter of time before July realised that he had far more in common with the assassin than he once thought.

As part of his investigations, July had reopened his connections with the Kasumi’Oji - only to find that a potential candidate for the head of the family was now operating in the World of the Living, Azumi Kasumi’Oji. July had expected that the assassin was a member of nobility, given that the Gotei 13 were reluctant to interfere in their games, but he had expected something along the lines of a rogue Kuchiki or Kawada member, rather than a ‘cousin’ of his. The Kasumi’Oji were content to let Azumi enjoy herself because she was not needed at home, for now. July realised that she would eventually be pulled back to resume her duties as head. Such an event was inevitable, and it meant that July would be the eventual winner of this game.

What July had not counted on was Azumi’s impressive ability to multitask. She flawlessly constructed a criminal Empire that spanned both worlds, much to July’s chagrin. Even now, she continued to interfere in his games. And so, July resumed his standard Shinigami duties in London. However, he went above and beyond his duty as a member of the patrol - and assisted the London police as a private detective, helping dismantle Azumi’s human networks in the area. Azumi, perhaps, never noticed the small-scale interference in her operations in Southern England, yet July doggedly continued to break up whatever gangs she managed to assemble. To him, at least, he felt he was making some genuine progress in his games.

In the process, July gained a reputation as one of London’s finest detectives - rumour has it that tales of his exploits were what inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write about the exploits of Sherlock Holmes. However, the majority of the cases July engaged were right on the line between Spiritual and Human. He killed the Fullbringer, for example, who was posing as Jack the Ripper, and managed to track an Arrancar who terrorised the city as the demonic Springheeled Jack. July slowly felt more at home in the Victorian era, the age of top hats and hansom cabs. He associated his societal success as a detective with the smoggy streets of London, and as such, the age has always been dear to his heart.

As July’s exclusive circle of ‘friends’ began to die off, he began to realise that he was losing interest in the World of the Living. Azumi was making little to no attempt to reestablish her networks in London, technology was developing and the romantically dark streets of Victorian London were becoming brighter and cleaner. And so, with uncharacteristic subtlety, July withdrew from the World of the Living, instead prioritising his work as a Shinigami, which he had been neglecting for some time now. He had once again fallen out of contact with the Kasumi’Oji family, and had no idea that the next time they would contact him it would be to invite him back to the Soul Society, in conditions very different to the ones that had forced him to leave.

Entry 4: Ascension

July continued to work quietly for the next hundred years, only occasionally foraying into the human world when a particular party caught his eye. To him, this was probably the most boring hundred years of his life - and he was seriously considering that his exile might be the worst sentence that could have been handed to him. The novelty of interfering with human affairs had worn off, Azumi’s criminal empire in London had been weeded out completely - and she seemed to be making no serious attempt to restore it - and all of the people he interacted with only ever had normal human lifespans - so he invariably outlived them. Anyway, the people of modern Britain were far less exciting than those he had known during his time in the Victorian Age.

Salvation, however, was not long in coming. July had for a long time suffered at the hands of plots which had never really concerned him. Usually this had no benefit to him, but this time events were working out in his favour. Out of the blue, July was contacted by a man from the Seireitei, claiming to be his ‘uncle’, Kigo Kasumi’Oji. By now, July’s past had been long forgotten (it seemed as though Koi Kasumi’Oji had been successful in covering up the scandal that had occurred 4000 years ago), and he was simply considered a distant, forgotten relative of the main Kasumi’Oji family. Fortunately for July, a situation had arisen where distant, forgotten members of the Kasumi’Oji family were in high demand - especially for the more… ‘enterprising’ nobles.

Daiji Kasumi’Oji was one of the Kasumi’Ojis largest Bakkoto engineers, and was a major factor in the increase in the number of Rogue Shinigami in the past 500 years. He was born a child prodigy, and took over manufacturing from his uncle. He suffered, as many Kasumi’Oji do, from being overly prideful - and grew to resent Azumi for her unwelcome interference in the Bakkoto manufacturing process. While the changes Azumi had made were ultimately to the benefit of the factories, Daiji found it offensive that she had no respect for the many years work he had put in to perfecting his own process - which was admittedly more wasteful but instead produced larger amounts of higher quality Bakkoto per batch.

However, the importance of Bakkoto manufacturing had never been threatened - until Azumi, and subsequently Taiho, disappeared. This left a power vacuum, and it seemed as though there were only incompetent, spineless cowards willing to move up and fill the position. This event is known as a succession crisis in Kasumi’Oji history, and is usually resolved by a meeting of the Kasumi’Oji branch leaders, who then appoint potential candidates. In situations like this, even the oldest traditions can be overturned - such as the fact that the leader of the Kasumi’Oji is generally female. Desperate times call for decisive action is an old Kasumi’Oji proverb, however it seemed as though such decisiveness was lacking at present.

Shunsui Kasumi’Oji, the adopted younger brother to Azumi, had done nothing to assuage the nobles. His right to succeed Azumi had been almost instantly revoked, both due to his status as an adopted member of the family and due to his inaction. As a result, the nobles produced various candidates - all of whom made public vows to start winding down Kasumi’Oji criminal activity, and to preserve the Kasumi’Oji name as on of the Seireitei’s great noble houses. Daiji never had an interest in politics, preferring to remain locked away in his various laboratories, but his livelihood was at stake - so decisive action was called for. And this is what led him to July.

To Daiji, he was the perfect candidate. Morally unscrupulous, yet simultaneously level-headed and capable, Daiji felt as though he would be able to take the reigns while simultaneously not impacting on his own work. And so Daiji made contact with July in the human world, ensuring his ‘rescue’ from the patrol squads and enticed him further with the lure of wealth, power and reputation. Daiji had been as meticulous in his research of July as he was in his experiments, he knew all the right things to say such that July would easily be swayed to his side. What he had not counted on was July’s fickle nature. However, with his plans straight, Daiji introduced July as a candidate to succeed Taiho’s place as head of the family.

July was initially viewed with some suspicion, some even doubting that he was a Kasumi’Oji. A quick review of the case files that Daiji provided (and had conveniently altered) assuaged their fears, however. July’s winning personality, and his ability to sway the hearts of others (not to mention his combat ability) ironically endeared him to the men who Daiji originally considered opponents. Not even the other nobles were too wary - his childish behaviour and vanity seemed to make him easily exploitable and July essentially ascended to the head of the family unopposed. He had everything he wanted, people were literally waiting on him hand and foot, he could play all the games he wanted - he could ask for nothing more.

Of course, he was pressured into taking a Captaincy test by the over-eager nobles who were looking for the head of the Kasumi’Oji to regain the influence that the family had lost. Squad 12, which was they had initially hoped July would opt for, held no merit for July. He had spent too much of his life in a lab, and he had no desire to be involved in the shady scientific experiments that Daiji was orchestrating in the background. Instead, he decided to try for the squad that Taiho had vacated - the Captaincy of Squad 8. The idea of working with money did not seem as exhausting to July as working with scientists in dingy laboratories - and there would be plenty of opportunity for game-playing and deconstructing criminal empires on the side.

Daiji is still unaware of the fact that July has his sights set on removing the Bakkoto factories, simply because they are part of Azumi’s legacy, nor do the nobles realise that his intentions are not as pure as the colour of his hair, nor do his subordinates in Squad 8 realise that July is much darker than the childish facade he puts forward when managing his Captaincy. The charade is an elaborate one, and those who have doubted him often find themselves ‘strung along’ by those who are his avid supporters. Watch out Soul Society, there’s someone new pulling the strings.
[/spoiler]

[July Kasumi'Oji]

July's Stats and Abilities

Strength - [100] Points -> [60] Points from Cunning Type

Speed - [400] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] Points -> [640] Points from Cunning Type

Reiatsu Strength - [200] Points -> [120] Points from Cunning Type

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [200] Points -> [400] Points from Cunning Type

Senses - [150] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [100] Points


Total SP: [1600] Points

• [Battle Skill: Dagger/Knives] {4}
• [Utility Skill: Acting] {3}
• [Body Skill: Acrobatics] {3}
• [Body Skill: Stealth] {2}
• [Mental Skill: Strength of Will] {2}
  
• [Mental Skill: Analysing] {3}