Post by Raion Souretsu on Jun 9, 2012 15:24:06 GMT -5
-Opening-
Password 1: Black Hole
Password 2: Moon Pray
Type: Spirited
Squad: 9 (Former)
Rank: Academy Teacher
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-Basic Information-
Name: Raion Souretsu
Age of Death: 14
Real Age/Age of Appearance: 564 / Impossible to judge
Birthday (Month/Day): January 23
Blood Type: AB
RP Sample (Optional): See: All previous work with Raion.
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-Appearance-
Height/Weight: 7’7” / 725 lbs.
Physical Description:
Raion is known around Soul Society for two things: his constant, incurable alcoholism, and the fact that he is a walking, talking lion. With the emergence of Beast-Clansmen into public knowledge, Raion’s nature is less shocking and more confusing given that he is not of the same origin as the race of humanoid animals. Despite his appearance and his similarity to the bestial creatures, Raion still belongs to the race of Shinigami, whose lines blur from time to time.
Raion is exactly what others would expect when told that they would meet with a lion, and he is much like any other of his assumed species, albeit a much bigger one. Golden fur covers this individual from head to toe, a soft color between yellow and brown. His fur is generally well-kept despite his seemingly negligent personality, with no snags or tangles visible anywhere on his body unless he has just woken up after passing out in a drunken stupor. Usually, the golden hairs tend to shine, as if particular care had been taken care of them, which is often the case; the feeling of crusted blood and dirt on his fur itches like mad, and Raion absolutely hates the feeling.
Raion’s head is surrounded by a thick brown mane, one that is darker than average in order to mark his age as a middle-aged male. The almost bushy crop of fur hangs down to his shoulders, often wreathing them and hanging down to the small of his back. He takes great pride in his mane, and in the morning he spends more time brushing it than anything else. As of late, however, he has adjusted his hairstyle, his mane grown out along the back and sides enough to be drawn back into a dense ponytail that hangs down his shoulders, bound by a thick leather band to hold it in place. His rounded ears stick out from beneath the gathered section of his mane, partially hidden. One ear is notched slightly, showing injury from a past incident, but it isn’t enough to impair his hearing in any way. In other words, it’s just another battle trophy to show off, nothing more. The lion’s mane continues to grow thick around his chin and cheeks, much like a beard shaped to his feline muzzle, before flowing down around his neck to rest into the upper curve of his broad chest.
The lion’s eyes are a deep, golden yellow, with small black pupils. He lacks the white that human eyes possess, and his eyes are reflective as goes with his species, so they often seem to be like shimmering gems when one looks at them at the right angle. There is also a line of white below each eye that reflects light further, enhancing Raion’s low-light vision, so that even by moonlight he can see fairly clearly. His muzzle is short and somewhat stubby as compared to a canine one, with a small black nose, barely-noticeable whiskers, and a small tuft of fur the same color as his mane protruding from his chin. The beard is generally well-kept, brushed as thoroughly as his mane, and the lion is of the opinion that it makes him look more handsome in a human fashion. There is also a noticeable brown-red scar crossing the bridge of his muzzle, stopping beneath his left eye.
Those eyes, however, have changed drastically in the last few years. While formerly bright and clear with laughter or bleary and watery with drunken stupor, Raion had previously always had a sense of youthfulness around his gaze, the energy and rashness of a young adult letting those eyes flit from mischief to flirtatious lust to an enthusiasm that could not be curbed. Now age brought on by tragedy has set in; while Raion doesn’t lack for his old habits of inebriated chaos and impulsive action, there is a haunted look to his gaze that he does his best to conceal around company. A sadness brought on by the loss of his wife and former subordinate adds a hollow silhouette to his gaze, and at times, the lion’s stare seems vacant, distant.
Another notable thing stands out about Raion; he’s big, in just about every way. Normally he would be heavily muscled, with thick, swollen pecs, wide biceps and triceps, flaring lats, etc. And he has that to an extent, but a good deal of his muscle is hidden under a layer of fat. From his love of drinking, the lion has developed quite a sizeable belly that juts out as a firm round dome. And as a result of his natural laziness and love of leisure and good living, Raion also has a slightly heavier frame in general. Retirement from his position as the Captain of Squad 9 has only added to his indolence, broadening his middle and further softening the definition to his body, though he maintains enough exercise to keep in fighting shape as needed. Due the distribution of his size, the heavy, languid look causes people to lower their guards, expecting a pushover. They’re quickly proven wrong.
Raion’s body has a few scars on it, few of which are from his days as a Shinigami. The ones on his neck and right shoulder are marks from when he was a living being, when in a fight of dominance he had lost at the cost of deep gashes from his opponent’s claws and teeth. They had scarred on his physical body, and the marks had carried over to his spiritual form. The scar on his face, however, is a mark from his Shinigami lifetime, given to him while he was still an unranked Shinigami, but he wears it as another badge of pride, of living through another encounter. The scar starts just to the right side of his muzzle, moves across the upper part of the bridge in a straight line, before jagging upward lightly and barely missing the left eye as it passes underneath it.
Raion’s main outfit is of a casual cut, one lacking in formality or fashion. A sleeveless black shirt hangs taut over his broad frame, the bottom coming just short of his waist and leaving an inch or two of tawny fur poking through the opening. Where once the lion’s arms had been bare, now one bears a tattoo in a substance similar to ink, a simple affair of two lines around a thicker band of black with a zig-zag carved out of its center, a mark of the Beast Clansman tribe that had taken him in during his years of wandering. Long pants fit somewhat better on his hefty form, though they still accentuate his size and bulk in equal measures. These hang down to his ankles, where his bare feet are exposed, as Raion has never found shoes or sandals to his liking.
At his position as a teacher or in more formal settings, however, Raion does at least give some leeway to necessity. His outfit changes to a buttoned-up white shirt whose sleeves are still pushed up to bunch around his strong arms, the top button left undone and the collar loose as a concession to the lion’s laid-back nature, his mane flowing out of the opening. Atop the shirt is a thick black sleeveless vest, buttoned at his broad waist, pockets suited for his large paws available at each side. Black slacks match his vest, and a belt—an unnecessary one, for all but aesthetics—loops around his waist where his shirt is tucked in, giving him something of a more casually professional demeanor. Even in this outfit, however, he tends to be barefoot.
Three things are always present on Raion no matter his outfit, however; his Zanpaktou, which no Shinigami would ever be without, a large sake jug, and a ring on his left hand. The jug is a large clay container, holding a rather impressive amount of liquid at most times, and is actually notably heavy for the average person, requiring two hands to hold. Raion tends to handle it casually with one paw, a subtle reminder that he is far stronger than he looks. The ring, on the other hand, is a special item to Raion: it is the wedding band that was to be paired with the one for his wife-to-be before her death at the hands of another. It is a simple affair, the golden surface unadorned and pure; Raion continues to wear it in memory of his beloved.
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-Personality-
Dislikes:
- Heat: Being covered head-to-toe in fur makes it easy to overheat, and combined with the darker brown mane around his neck that practically absorbs the heat, Raion is quick to tire out on hot days. His weight probably doesn’t help much here either. It is not uncommon to see him carrying a fan to cool himself, especially in his more formal choice of clothing.
- Dirtiness: Cleanliness is next to holiness, but this matters little to Raion, who simply hates dirt and grime as a detriment to his comfort. Fur knots and snarls, and often becomes quite uncomfortable, and so the lion has a rather thorough cleaning routine to keep himself free of such indignities.
- Vegetables: Bleh. He’s a big lion, a carnivore! The king of the jungle! Does that really suggest that he likes greens and vegetables with no substance to them? No, he’s a predator, and he’ll get his meat if he has to rip it raw off of a cow or something rather than eat vegetables. Okay, no, not literally, but his diet still demands very little beyond actual meat. Fruits are usually okay, at least, so he’s not completely unhealthy.
- Most Beverages: Raion absolutely dislikes most beverages besides milk, water, and sake. Juices are too acidic for him, upsetting his stomach, as are sodas. Coffee is just plain bad for him, as the caffine in it makes him even less tolerable than before. Thankfully he dislikes the taste of it so there’s rarely the worry of a hopped-up drunken lion running around Seireitei; the only worry now is the fact that he’s still a drunken lion.
- Running out of Sake: Though his alcoholism has been curbed to some small extent by his recent maturing and experiences, Raion is still a drunken lush through and through, and hates being without his sake. He becomes moody and more mercurial than usual without the liquor to take the edge off, and most agree that it’s best to keep him stocked up. Fortunately, his pension comes with a small allowance for just this purpose...
- Having his Tail Pulled: Okay, this is probably one of his bigger pet peeves. Seems some people have found it funny to pull his tail to get a reaction. In reality? Light tugs are annoying, but most people give firmer ones which hurt. And if you do this, Raion’s gonna turn around and slug you.
- Lightning: Due to an incident caused by a dare involving a tower, a metal rod, and some severe electrocution, Raion has a bit of an aversion to lightning. He will stay inside to avoid storms, and if he can’t remain inside, he will at least stay at ground level and be careful of any metal. Amusingly, this aversion isn’t due to the pain of electrocution; a week in the hospital being treated with healing kido had been torture, as he hadn’t been allowed to drink even once during that time. Raion associates lightning with that trip, and such a drought is a travesty to him.
- Hospitals: As expected, Raion is not fond of anything or anywhere that keeps him bound and out of his usual mischief. Hospitals in particular are bad about this, and he would know: he’s had extensive experiences visiting them as a result of his misadventures. That, and their constant complaints about his excess drinking tend to get on the lion’s nerves. Their compliments at the miracle of his liver remaining somehow healthy as can be through all this time, however, does at least make Raion beam with pride.
- Unnecessary Formality: This is a twofold dislike, with different reasons for each. Raion has never been one to set much by formality except when absolutely necessary. Even in the classes he leads, he has always preferred that people call him by name and not title. Being called “Professor Souretsu” is enough to earn a glare and a stern reminder that he is to be addressed by name and nothing more. This has ties to his past, however; his deceased wife was once his subordinate in Squad 9, and frequently referred to him by his formal title of “Captain Souretsu” as a fond moniker. Thus, titles often come with a sharp dagger of sorrow, adding further to his dislike of them.
- Arrancar: Though previously Raion had been inclined to make friends rather than enemies, even with those of other races, experience has created a bitter and jaded portion of the lion’s heart when it comes to Arrancar. The loss of his wife to one was enough to put up a wall the moment he encounters any Arrancar, and Raion is more aggressive than normal regarding them both socially and in combat.
- Deskwork/Paperwork: This is no idle dislike; Raion despises paperwork. Back as a Captain, he would often push anything that didn’t absolutely require his approval onto others without a second thought. Even now, Raion will go out of his way to avoid the tedious grind and boredom that comes with it.
Likes:
- Meat: God yes, meat is like… the second greatest thing in Raion’s life, the first being sake. The lion rarely eats anything else—though breads and fruits do occasionally come with the meats or as side dishes, so he does have some variety in his meals—and is very fanatical when it comes to mealtimes. Though he does prefer it cooked, his time spent in the wilderness has at least opened his eyes to the possibility of raw meat if necessary.
- People: If anyone could be described as a “people person,” it would be Raion. Though not a “people” himself, as he puts it, the lion loves to socialize and interact with others. He makes acquaintances as fast as one can blink, and these become firm bonds of friendship almost as quickly. Drunken revelries are a common occurrence around the lion, and some posit that this environment lacking inhibition only adds to Raion’s ability to charm and befriend those he comes in contact with.
- Observing People: Going off of the previous like, Raion loves to watch and observe people, particularly those in the World of the Living, often going among them and watching their actions. He loves to see how they interact, what they do with their days, what makes them attractive to others… frankly, he just loves to watch others in their daily routine. Amusingly, it is noted that he grew out the beard on his chin because a commercial displayed somewhere in the World of the Living said that women found facial hair attractive.
- Air Conditioners: Yet again, one of the simple joys in Raion’s life. The only machine to truly combat the heat and help cool down an easily overheated feline, the Shinigami nearly crushed the person who came to install one in his personal rooms with a hug of gratitude. He is often seen lazing about beneath one at full blast to cool him off.
- Sake: Sake, sake, sake. The nectar of the gods, the sweet joy of alcohol, the blissful drink that makes every one of Raion’s days so much brighter. Though he’s managed to curb his addiction—slightly—Raion’s attitude is always so much more positive when he’s got something on hand to keep him buzzed, if not outright intoxicated. Drunken grin included at no cost.
- Partying: PARTY TIME! No, seriously, Raion is well known for his ability to throw a celebration at the drop of a hat. Whether it’s to drag friends—or impressionable students—out for a night of drunken revelry or simply to make note of an important day, this feline is happy to turn any moment into a wild party. Of note is one pirate-themed birthday party, in which he commissioned an authentically-sized ship in the middle of a Rukongai district and drew some of the more notable names in Soul Society into a costumed fracas.
- Lazing: Raion is insufferably lazy at times, and it’s not uncommon to see him lounging about or resting when he’s not obligated to fulfill basic responsibilities. And he is entirely fine with this.
- Squad 9: Though he’s now officially retired as Captain of the squad, Raion is still on extremely good terms with his group, and though they are no longer the “Party Squad” that they used to be, many are still happy to join Raion in a nightly carousal that lasts long into the night. He may not be their Captain, but they’re still his friends and comrades.
- Beast-Clansmen: Though Raion’s the type to make friends with most people, the Beast-Clansmen have recently earned a stronger respect than others. Having spent a year among them after the tragic loss of his wife and his then-decision to leave Soul Society behind, Raion has learned much about the tribal race and has discovered a surprising amount of wisdom in their simplicity. He’s learned much, and hopes to make use of that knowledge as he moves forward.
Flaws:
- Languid: Raion tends to be a bit slow to get his momentum going, as with his lazy nature. Once he’s moving, he works hard, but getting him going requires either a lot of prodding.
- Heat-Sensitive: Hot days tire out Raion especially fast, and he’s the type who will seek shade and a cold drink the moment the temperature becomes even faintly uncomfortable. Don’t ask him to go to a desert unless you plan on hauling him through it!
- Overweight: While he has plenty of muscle on his form, the extra weight slows Raion down and in the end causes him to tire more easily in prolonged battles when his intoxication isn’t numbing him to the exhaustion of his body.
- Drunkard: The lion is often caught drinking in and out of battle, and as a result he’s not always cognizant of his situation. His thinking tends to be a bit fuzzy in battle, which makes him both unorthodox yet a bit unwary. He’s curbed this slightly and isn’t constantly sloshed at all times anymore, but it’s still frequent enough that to most people, it makes little difference.
- Spendthrift: Raion has little care for the spending of money, and often blows whatever earnings he has on sake before taking the rest for gambling or random frivolous purchases. In fact, the dozens of taverns he owns throughout the various Rukongai districts were all funded from his Squad’s budget, much to the despair of those in charge of bookkeeping. Those costs have been halted now, though the various businesses do well enough on their own by this point.
- Informality: Raion shows respect to almost no one, instead treating them as equals or drinking buddies. This isn’t necessarily bad, but some are offended by the lack of respect; the only one that Raion tends to call by title is the Captain Commander himself. Most others are treated politely, but titles are often ignored, meaning that he doesn’t get on well with nobility, as they always expect people to bow and show them proper respect.
- Lack of Subtlety: Whatever Raion does, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Unfortunately, this goes both ways: while he’s not afraid to grab a new friend in a hug or cause mischief because it entertains him, he also has a hard time masking his more negative emotions. A particularly rough day can have him drinking for all the wrong reasons, and he’s more noticeably moody when his attention isn’t focused on something more positive.
Habits:
- Drinking: If it hasn’t been established enough by this point, Raion drinks a lot. It’s considered a modern miracle that he’s lasted as long as he has, and with seemingly no major effects of his crippling alcoholism.
- Skipping Work: It’s not uncommon for Raion to skip out on his responsibilities as the mood overtakes him. This is equal parts laziness and distraction, often making him forget he had somewhere to be in the first place.
- Restless Energy: Raion’s tail is often lashing back and forth, and his ears swivel often and reflexively whenever he hears something.
- Flirting: Raion’s curbed this particular habit significantly, but he’ll still playfully flirt and tease members of either sex without too much reservation. He does keep it more under control than in the past, and never lets it lead to anything besides playful teasing, even when drunk.
- Diurnal Sleeper: Active through all hours of the night, it’s not uncommon for Raion to sleep late into the day or, given the opportunity, to spend most of his day napping in preparation for another night’s revelries.
- Spacing Out: Not quite to the point of daydreaming, Raion can get bored pretty easily when it comes to long speeches and such that mean little to him. Often he’ll stare out a window or up at the ceiling, even going so far as to actually fall asleep if he’s really bored.
- Joking: Raion has a great sense of humor, even at his own expense, and find himself often making jokes as they come up. He has the ability to laugh at himself without skipping a beat, rarely put down by anything others say. Of course, there are times jokes just go over his head, or times that he forgets what he’s saying midway through a sentence while he’s drunk, but that’s just typical for him.
- Making Friends: Raion, without fail, will try and make friends with just about anyone, even if they are trying to kill him. The exceptions to these rules are Hollows, who just try to eat people and don’t have much of a personality, and Arrancar, as a lasting scar that festers into a hatred for them.
Fears:
- Losing Comrades: A common enough fear, but driven into a near-traumatic state now that Raion has lost someone truly dear to him. Fear of losing another meaningful individual can make Raion somewhat reckless when it comes to protecting others, often at the cost of self-consideration.
- Needles: A bit of an irrational fear given the number of scars and injuries he’s suffered over the years, Raion just hates needles with a passion. It’s already bad enough being poked with a needle, but given his large size, such ministrations often require an even bigger needle. He’s not one to faint, but Raion will often do anything he can to avoid such a fate.
- Loneliness: With the loss of his wife, Raion is particularly prone to bouts of loneliness, and thus invests more time in social gatherings in order to ease that particular pain. He dreads the thought of being left behind and truly alone, and thus strives to connect with everyone whenever he can.
- Claustrophobia: Raion, being large as he is, tends to find tight, compact spaces harder to navigate, and in fact has been on record having gotten stuck in too-narrow passages more than once. A lesser fear, but one that still makes him uncomfortable at times.
Goals:
- To Move Forward: The loss of his wife had previously left Raion at the lowest point of his life, destroying his will to live for a long period. Though he’s climbed back from that pit, it’s still an upwards battle every day. Sometimes all he can do is take one step at a time, but he’s determined to keep moving, even if it’s only a small amount each time.
- To Serve and Guide: While many would debate that Raion is not the ideal example for young and impressionable minds, the lion does actually desire to guide a new generation of Shinigami going forward. His previous skills as from being a Captain and his natural charisma go a long way towards influencing others, and he hopes that he can create a better Soul Society in his new role as a teacher.
- To Enrich Lives: While this ties into his previous goal, this is a specific section of it. As a whole, many Shinigami are too serious, too tied into their duty and their work. Raion hopes to enrich the lives of many, to bring a little chaos to the strict order and discipline.
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Overall Personality:
Raion’s personality is obvious from the moment you meet him. He’s loud, boisterous, cocky, confident, and a little bit silly from his near-constant state of drunkenness. He’s more fun for it though, always willing to do some of the stupidest things just because it’s funny to him or because his alcohol-fogged mind finds it amusing. This includes hitting on some of the captains, attempting to prank the Head Captain—though thankfully he was stopped in this endeavor before he could go through with it—and more than once, gambling until he went home in his boxers at least twice a week before he was asked to refrain. That hasn't changed much, and he still gambles on occasion.
In the past, Raion was hard to discourage or depress aside from the rare occasion of a sake shortage simply because there was nothing really pressing in his life to get him down. The lion's life was one of luxury, contentment, and though he had work to do and battles to tend to at times, it's just routine. The only time he's ever truly down is at the loss of a companion; even if he's only known them for a single night, perhaps just sharing a drink at the bar, Raion makes connections with people very quickly. As a result, any losses in battles tend to be painful, and are the only source of any sorrow for the big feline.
This became doubly painful at the death of his wife, Tomoe. While on the surface Raion remains as jovial and outgoing as always, a shadow has been cast over that wild exterior. When he thinks others aren’t looking, the lion has something of a forlorn or discouraged cast to his gaze, though he is quick to replace the mask when he’s with others. He prefers to keep up the facade, however, in the hopes that one day he’ll convince himself of it as well, and tries his hardest to reclaim the smile and energy that endears him to others.
Compared to the past, the Captain’s womanizing has decreased markedly in comparison. Though he will still playfully flirt with people of either gender, he’s more restrained in doing so, keeping it to playful banter and silly teasing without pushing the line too far. The ring on his left hand reminds him of the consequences of his actions, and how his loose personality had driven away the one woman who had truly loved him, causing him to be more considerate of his interactions with others—most of the time. Alcohol does have a bit of a liberating effect on his social caution still, and occasionally his paws will wander a little, but compared to his previous actions, he could almost be considered a gentleman in this regard.
Surprisingly, despite being a constant drunkard, Raion has proven himself to be ingenious while drunk. As a former member of Squad 9, which deals in codes and encrypted information, he was trained in the ability to puzzle out ciphers and such as part of his duty. Amusingly, the lion works better drunk than sober, making strange and illogical leaps that yet somehow almost always seem to work. It is as if the drunken side of his personality is more intelligent than the sober one, using these illogical leaps to figure things out both in battle and in life. He tends to surprise people with the intelligence he displays while drunk. Fortunately, that same intelligence is also muted by his overall silly and chaotic personality, causing few people to take him seriously. It makes for quite the unexpected surprise at times.
In truth, he is actually quite smart, but regardless of the intelligence hidden beneath the surface, Raion very rarely if ever shows it when he's sober. The reason for it is because he learned quickly that intelligence ends up putting walls between people, rather than making connections; those who considered themselves less intelligent were more likely to be intimidated by someone of "superior intelligence", and as a result friendships were difficult to make when you appeared too smart. As a result, Raion is content simply acting the clown and nothing more, only letting the mask of foolishness slip when work requires him to decipher a particularly tricky code or while drunk. The latter may remove the mask, but it replaces it with sincere and absolute foolishness, most of the time.
Despite his comical nature, Raion is a very loyal friend. Though he loves to play pranks, drink people under the table, and toss his duties onto his subordinates, the lion always puts his friends first. He’s willing to give them a bit of money if they need the help, or spar with them if they need training—albeit, most people don’t want to do this often as he doesn’t hold back when fighting drunk—but most of all, he’s willing to defend them. He sounds like a typical cliché hero on this point, but he really does care for the people around him. Each one matters in their own way, and none are less important than the others.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Raion doesn’t get angry either. There are times where he will just blow his top, and oftentimes when he’s drunk that fuse is so much shorter. Things like pulling at his tail or mane, or wanting to pet him like some kind of pet—though he has had times where he’s so far gone that he just tilts his head and purrs without thinking about it—will just drive him nuts, and when he’s angry he’s like a raging bull. Essentially, he’s single-minded, angry, and will pretty much charge at whatever pissed him off. And with nearly seven hundred pounds of lion charging at you, sitting still will not be conducive to a long life.
In general battle, the big cat is just as goofy and silly as he is when he’s normally drunk. This means that Raion will be staggering just out of sword swings, falling over himself at odd times, and overall laughing and giggling while he fights. He’ll sometimes flirt with opponents if they’re attractive enough, enemy or not, and often he’ll toy around with them, pulling at their clothes playfully or lightly tapping them on the head with his katana when they can’t keep up with him, just to make them mad. Little pranks and such are his favorite ways to play with his opponents, and he rarely stops laughing, constantly talking about how much fun he’s having. Notably, it's particularly hard to get him to fight at all, especially seriously.
Even when it comes to mortal combat in which Raion can die, rarely does his smile break or his humor pause; rather, they seem to only draw out more of it. Though he does not seek death, and in fact would very much prefer to live, the lion's nature is so laid back and relaxed that even in the face of death he can give a grin and a wink without changing his pace. And the strangest part is that it's not the battle-laugh that many would expect, the kind where one simply laughs defiantly in the face of death. No, this laughter is purely humor, from a face that rarely stops grinning. Truly Raion is a jovial and positive individual, one who has found a contentment in life many can envy.
However, Raion’s time away from Soul Society is reflected in several changes to his original personality. For one thing, though he maintains his jovial and drunken nature, there’s a tempering to it, a sort of self-restraint that had not been there prior. Though he is still prone to bouts of drunken chaos, Raion seems to have curbed it to some extent, controlling the amount of damage he does and choosing his timing for these escapades more wisely, rather than constantly being inebriated beyond words. Since he has been gone, it seems that the Captain has learned a little discipline, though it may be hard for others to see.
The biggest change, however, is a sense of gravity that has settled around Raion. No longer does he ignore the consequences of his actions, nor is he unaware of the thoughts and feelings of those around him. Though he still seems to be the king of parties to most individuals, the lion has become very empathetic and able to understand others on a more personal level. His sense of responsibility towards others has also increased greatly, and every action comes with a question, one imposed upon him during his time with the Beast-Clansman tribe: “Is this how I can best serve others?”
Raion has become almost painfully aware of his irresponsibility and lack of leadership in the past; though he had the camaraderie and support of his squad and those around him, he lacked the respect that came with truly leading his people. Most people liked him well enough, and the lion could count just about everyone as a friend, but as a Captain his job was as a leader, inspiring and guiding his squad members to their utmost potential. Now, having left that behind and taken to retirement, he struggles to figure out how best to do that for a new generation of Shinigami. Though he maintains his normal amicable attitude, he looks deeper, hoping to raise himself to be more than just the lovable goofball that he’s been in the past.