Raion - Now Retired!

[Raion Souretsu]

This is a larger scale change-it-up to adjust Raion's personality, history, and new rank to current. Each section has been separated and tagged with which post it will replace in his profile, to make it easier (and so I don't have to copy down each and every one of his techniques from that particular post...).

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Post 1

-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.

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Post 2

-Powers-

Fighting Style:

Raion’s fighting style is a very unorthodox and strange one compared to most fighters. Despite being an expert in the art of Kido, he is happy to engage in hand-to-hand combat in casual fighting, seeing as he has a lot of experience in such from a life of bar fights that always seem to come about in the middle of a drink. With larger fists and feet, he has a wider range of attack and is more than happy to throw his very large weight around. Knees to the groin or gut, elbows to the head, even full on tackles are all legitimate tactics in the lion’s book when it came to simple hand-to-hand fighting. There was no art to battle, no shame in a chosen style of combat; all he does is aim to win as decisively as possible in the quickest way he’s able to. He will even be more than willing to tear off a person’s clothes, knowing that any distraction caused by embarrassment was a few less seconds that the opponent will be thinking clearly or fighting back.

Raion makes use of his size particularly when it comes to hand-to-hand brawling. He has no qualms about pinning an opponent beneath him to incapacitate them with his weight, particularly when he can restrain their limbs as well. With large hands comes the ability to bind an opponent’s wrists with one hand only while the other can be used offensively to deliver sledgehammer blows, the hidden muscles in his body dealing devastating damage if he manages to land a blow. Atop that, his height gives him its own advantages, allowing him to lift opponents fairly high off of the ground before either throwing them down or slamming them against a wall. Being away from the ground tends to weaken anyone’s fighting capabilities, as it helps to have a surface to brace against for many forms of attack.

Despite his prowess and love of physical combat, when this big cat pulls out his Zanpaktou, he’s far from inexperienced. As most Shinigami are, he’s trained in the use of his Zanpaktou in its non-released state as a normal sword, and he uses his great bulk for powerful swings. He’s also not afraid to absorb an attack or two when he can; his body, particularly his large middle, absorbs impacts quite nicely, and unless there’s some solid power behind an attack, his size provides its own anchor. He can easily dig his feet in and not be budged unless it’s by a powerful opponent, simply because he's far heavier than the average individual. Being overweight does come with some advantages!

With his Zanpaktou being the size of a human broadsword in its sealed form, Raion has an advantage of reach that he takes advantage of when swinging his sword. Often he moves in large sweeps, capable of taking out a large area with a few quick swings, but as a downside that does leave a few openings. His natural serendipity makes up for it to some extent; sometimes the swings make him stagger out of the way of an attack if he puts too much power behind them, or an opponent hesitates when getting near that large sword. However, luck can only stretch so far, and so Raion has to react to quick attacks in other ways. He still uses his body in a number of ways, such as freeing a hand from his sword in order to deliver a punch in retaliation. Though the lion can use his broadsword effectively two-handed, he prefers to stick to a one-handed style except to defend himself once he has drawn the blade, because the blade seems so much lighter in his hands. It also frees up his spare paw for Kido and the like.

Of course, all bets are off when he’s properly drunk. Self-proclaimed as his “drunken style”, though often with a noticeable slur, the Shinigami’s stance is a lot less rigid. In fact, it’s not hard for him to stumble around once his mind is fogged with alcohol, and his weapon is never held up in a guarding stance. However, his constant and unsteady movement also makes him unpredictable, meaning that he could either dodge an attack through sheer luck or walk right into it depending on his movements. The movement is random as well; he may just stand still, trying to focus his vision a bit more, or he might be swaying back and forth in his drunkenness. Raion’s just that unpredictable.

When it comes to actual combat though, he tends to be a lot less aggressive than when sober. Without his brain actively telling him that he needs to fight an enemy, Raion is very laid back and lets his opponent come to him. When a perceived enemy gets close, the lion takes that as a direct assault and reacts instantly and impulsively. Sometimes that’s trouble, because more than once he’s tried attacking squadmates who surprised him while he was drunk. When his need to defend himself is aroused, Raion may appear to swing out at random, but even in his intoxicated state he has enough clarity of mind to actually aim his strikes so that they land on target despite their seemingly aimless motions. It's never wise to take Raion lightly in combat, even if he is drunk.

Giving Raion a sword in his drunken state is either the best or worst thing that could happen to an opponent; the lion isn’t quite as skilled or proficient with a blade while he’s drunk, and though his skills are still impressive, he still prefers hand-to-hand combat. However, when he has a sword in paw, his attacks are even more frightening. That blade can cut through friend, foe, and even upon seeing himself in a mirror once, Raion attacked it head-on, slamming into it face-first. It’s best to keep as far away from the drunken feline as possible if he has drawn his Zanpaktou, simply because anyone can become a casualty around him.

Of course, despite his love of physical combat, Raion is actually an expert in the arts of Kido. With an immense spiritual strength and a creative mind born of an imagination unfettered by inhibition, he has surprised people more than once with his casual combination of different Kido techniques that pair well with several unique alcoholic abilities. Fire and alcohol together make for an inferno, as an example, and Raion has no shame in setting an area to the torch as a means of defeating a strong opponent. He has a wide variety of spells he can pull out to surprise and strike an opponent and, combined with his own unique talents, allows for some potent mixtures.

Zanpakutou Spirit Appearance:
Since Raion’s awakening to the true nature of his spirit, and the change of his Zanpaktou in response to it, Man’etsu no Otaki has also taken on a new appearance. Though still the same raven-haired woman that she had been previously, she no longer resembles the servant that she once was. Instead, she has gained a regal bearing as Toku no Ruru, the mist shrouding her form more like silk flowing over her body rather than the risque shroud it had been before. With elegance and beauty in equal measure, she could pass as either courtesan or queen, a mistress in possession of her own decisions. Though she still bears the jug from which endless sake pours, she now does so as a boon granted to her companion, not as a service.

Toku no Ruru serves as Raion’s guide in many things, and is the one who answers when he looks inward for answers. How should he best guide others? What was the best way to look at a decision? What was right? These questions inevitably come to her, and in turn, answers are given based on the nobility and kindness of Raion’s gentle heart coupled with the regal practicality that Toku no Ruru provides to temper them. A queen for a king, Toku no Ruru serves as the foil to her master that he may be fair in all things.

Inner World(Optional):
Despite Toku no Ruru’s queenly nature, Raion’s Inner World has changed little. The main portion of his Inner World is a large, open study, with his desk set against one wall. In the center of the room, a small table takes up the floor space, with cushions around each of its edges to seat a party of four. Despite the setup, only Raion and his Zanpaktou spirit sit here to confer on any matters that the Captain needs assistance with. A large, open-ended sake jug sits on the table, along with flat, saucer-like cups for drinking from. The liquid in the jug never empties despite the amount poured from it, but it lacks the same inebriating effects as the real deal, allowing Raion to keep clarity within his Inner World at all times.

Zanpakutou Appearances:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Sealed}Man’etsu no Okaki’s normal form is actually two parts. The first is a normal katana, though it is roughly the size of a broadsword to make up for Raion’s larger size. The hilt is a soft brown, with two ties threaded around it in an extra layer. The hilt is cross-shaped, but the end of each arm of the cross bends inward, creating an almost spike-like appearance. The blade is smooth and unmarked, but always seems to shimmer with a liquid light, as if it is soaked in water. The other part of the weapon is the sake jug that Raion always has at his waist, a large stone container that he does actually keep filled. However, even when empty, it manages to release forth sacred sake that suffuses his weapon in order to release his Shikai.

The actual sword has an interesting property that carries through in all forms except the Bankai, which lacks a blade; the actual blade of the katana is highly conductive to electricity, and even has a slightly magnetic pull to it that is hard to explain which attracts lightning and such more readily than normal metal. However, the hilt, handguard, and grip are all grounds, which means that while lightning will dance across the weapon’s blade, it will never harm the holder of the sword as long as he doesn’t touch the actual metal edge. This is a natural defense to Raion’s most glaring weakness, which is that his liquid-based techniques are very good at conducting electricity. With this trait to his sword, he can cut through most electrical techniques as long as they don’t simply have the sheer force to blast him away despite his protection against them. Generally a comparison of his Reiatsu Strength versus that of his opponent’s will determine whether or not he can simply slice through a lightning-based attack.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Man’etsu no Otaki (Cascade of Rapture)}Raion’s Shikai requires him to take the sake jug at his side and empty it over his blade while it is held crosswise, speaking the release phrase as he does so. The liquid that emerges isn’t a normal sake, but seems to sparkle like the sun as it soaks the weapon. As soon as the weapon is suffused, it begins to glow with the same color even as it begins to drip with liquid perpetually during the Shikai state. The blade widens into a true broadsword for Raion’s size, and the edges of it take on a wave-like shape, creating several brutal spikes made for cutting. The blade itself has a blue line parallel to the cutting wave-edge of the broadsword, and at the center of the blade, starting where it meets the hilt and moving along the sword, are the kanji for the word “Drown,” carved into the blade. This is meant to symbolize that the enemy drowns in their own drunkenness.

The hilt of Man’etsu no Otaki bends inwards until all four spikes now touch the blade, giving the hand guard the appearance of a globe encasing the base of the blade. The grip itself is much larger now, and there is a small skullcap on the pommel in the shape of a golden globe that constantly seems to slosh with liquid whenever it moves. Along the globe are small runes, incoherent and without any real meaning, representing Raion’s drunken state of mind in its own way. Silver lines run along the hilt in place of the leather ties that had originally bound the hilt, almost like thick silver wires that don’t cut into Raion’s hands due to the thick pawpads he has protecting his fingers and palms.

The Shikai also gains a new property to it that was partially evident in the sealed form, but is much more prominent here. Despite being extremely heavy due to its size as a broadsword for someone of Raion’s stature, the lion can easily wield the weapon with one hand and swing it as easily as if he was using both hands. Anyone else who managed to wrest the sword away from the big cat would find that it would be impossible to lift without a serious Strength stat. Only in Raion’s hands is its apparent weight reduced, but when it makes contact with a target, they find that it is every bit as heavy as it appears.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Kagirinai Man’etsu no Otaki (Cascade of Eternal Rapture)}To summon his Bankai, Raion tosses his sake jug into the air and slashes it through while speaking the incantation, releasing the power that is hidden within the sacred jar. A heavy golden mist erupts from the two halves of the broken container, suffusing the area and rushing over the entire area. Suddenly everyone within a one mile diameter of Raion in a roughly spherical shape feels as though they are submerged in some kind of liquid, with their clothes weighing them down yet their bodies feeling lighter. Along with that, a sense of euphoria and a bit of confusion overtake them for a moment even as the mist covers them.

When the mist clears, all combatants within the sphere of Raion’s power find themselves in a large liquid sphere one mile in diameter. The liquid itself isn’t water, however; it’s pure, non-distilled sake. All combatants can breathe normally as if they were in air, but as they do so a sense of dizziness and euphoria washes over them. In other words, all combatants within the sphere become lightly drunk and intoxicated. Vision blurs slightly, senses are dulled, and everything seems to move a lot more quickly. On top of that, general happiness seems to infuse all of the combatants, making them feel more relaxed and calm.

Raion’s weapon has changed again at this point, now forming a bladeless hilt in his hand. The hilt itself is now a globe with a small hollow tube emerging from one end, and the grip changes into a tube of a similar length that also has a saber-like hand-guard. For the most part it looks like the Shikai form, with the handguard altered and the blade missing. However, despite the lack of a blade, Kagirinai Man’etsu no Otaki isn’t without the ability to cut. The liquid surrounding the battlefield is the blade, but there will be more on that in the descriptions later on. However, be assured that you will not come out of this Bankai unscathed.

Zanapkutou Release Names
Shikai – “Drink from the fountain of rapture, lose yourself in the blissful haze: Man’etsu no Otaki!”
Bankai – “Eternal bliss, pure rapture, perfect joy; flow out, Kagirinai Man’etsu no Otaki!”

Overall Ability:
Man’etsu no Otaki’s major attribute is the ability to inflict drunkenness on its targets. Once activated, it infuses itself into Raion’s spiritual energy, altering it and changing its properties. Raion’s Reiatsu takes on an inebriating quality, allowing it to intoxicate and impair a victim struck by it. By landing consecutive hits over time using his Zanpaktou and any spiritual techniques he posseses, the lion can weaken his opponents and decimate their ability to fight, giving him a clear upper hand in any encounter. Worse, this impairment has multiple means of attacking the victim’s abilities in combat, meaning that even if one adapts to a certain level of intoxication, it can still get worse.

Shikai Overall Ability:
Intoxicating Energy – Whenever Raion is able to strike an enemy with any spiritual technique or by using his Zanpaktou, the main effect of his Shikai activates. The inebriating Reiatsu immediately merges with the victim’s Reiatsu, spreading its effects through the body. This can manifest in one of three ways, determined when the affected ability is cast or as Raion begins his swing: impairment of motor abilities, impairment in vocal inhibition, and impairment of concentration. Alternatively, if Raion’s Reiatsu is absorbed or taken in in any way, it automatically triggers impairment of concentration. Each has its own resistances, meaning that it is difficult to adapt to all of Raion’s Zanpaktou, but the effects can be mitigated. On a successful hit, the appropriate impairment is triggered and lasts for three posts.

Impairment of motor abilities affects the victim’s ability to move at full speed. If a victim tries to move at more than 50% of their normal Speed stat, they will find themselves dizzy and off-balance, stumbling to regain their posture. This isn’t just walking, but swinging the limbs or even bending the torso. Worse, if they try and use a stepping technique, they’ll find the world falling out from beneath them. Though they’ll finish the step, you can be assured that doing so under the effects of this impairment they will not end on their feet, and will often crash into the ground mid-step, causing appropriate damage incurred from slamming head-first into it at step speed. This can be mitigated with a 2 in any Analysis skill, reducing the duration by one post.

Impairment in vocal inhibition affects the victim’s ability to keep their thoughts internalized. From the moment this impairment strikes, any thoughts the victim have are immediately vocalized, including planning, strategy, and analysis of a situation. This allows Raion to have a firm grasp of what the opponent is thinking at all times merely because the opponent is constantly speaking of it. This effect can be mitigated with a 2 in Strength of Will, allowing the victim to stop talking after two posts.

Impairment of concentration affects the mind, making it harder to concentrate spiritual energy for techniques. While the victim is afflicted with this impairment, they have a difficulty pooling their Reiatsu, increasing costs by 50% for all abilities, including Releases and their abilities. This effect can be mitigated with a 2 in Strength of Will, reducing the cost increase to 25%.

Of course, there are other ways to resist this technique. An opponent with a superior OS will not immediately be affected by Raion’s inebriating Reiatsu, but instead will receive a point of intoxication. Depending on their advantage, a certain amount of intoxication will force the effect on the victim anyway. If the opponent has superior OS but less than a 25% advantage, only two points of intoxication are needed to apply an effect. If an opponent has at least a 25% advantage, four points will be needed. Finally, at a 50% or higher advantage, the opponent is immune to Raion’s Shikai altogether. Note that points of intoxication are separate for each type of impairment, so Raion is forced to focus on one type to inebriate a particularly tough opponent.

There are some caveats to this ability, as well: Raion cannot afflict a target multiple times with a technique that hits several times in succession; the entire technique is treated as though it were one attack, regardless of the number of hits. Additionally, only one impairment can be inflicted on an individual per post, and no more than two can be active on any one individual at a time during Shikai. If a third impairment would be placed, the one with the shortest duration is removed (pick one if both are equal in remaining duration) and the new one replaces it. While duration for multiple uses of the same impairment stacks, the maximum number of posts that an impairment can be active during Shikai is five. If more posts would be gained, the number increases to five and any additional are lost.

Bankai Overall Ability:
Sphere of Influence – As a product of Raion’s spiritual energy, naturally the sphere of sake possesses the same trait as Raion’s Shikai, infusing those within it with the effects of its impairing alcohol. Each post, one impairment is chosen, and all enemies within the sphere are given one post’s worth of that impairment. This can stack with effects that are already in place, increasing their duration. Additionally, if Raion can land the hits, he can affect any opponent with all three impairments simultaneously, though he is limited to landing two new impairments per post, not including the one granted automatically by his sphere. This means he can choose to extend the duration by matching attack impairments to the sphere’s, or he can afflict an opponent with multiple effects by using different types.

It becomes harder to resist Raion’s Zanpaktou in this state as well; all abilities that required a 2 to reduce the effects by one post now require a 3. Additionally, Raion’s ability can impair opponents who have up to a 25% advantage in OS now; if they have greater than a 25% advantage, it takes two points of intoxication to affect them, while a 50% advantage will require five. It requires double Raion’s OS to be completely immune to the effects of his Bankai.

Alcohol Tension Barrier (Passive) – Because of its liquid properties, the entire surface of the sphere is held together by surface tension. The power of Raion’s Reiatsu holds the molecules together even more firmly, preventing anyone from entering or exiting the battlefield unless they have a superior Reiatsu Strength to his own. This only allows it to be entered or exited; it does not allow destruction of the sphere. Superior OS is also required to ignite flames within or conduct electricity through the sphere as well, with the Reiatsu-infused sake smothering either, though Raion can do these freely.


Zanpakuto Techniques:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shikai Techniques}Two for One: What’s better than one drink, in Raion’s mind? Two, that’s what, and this technique embodies that belief. Upon paying 200 Reiatsu, the lion triggers this technique and essentially increases the intoxicating effects of his spiritual energy for the remainder of the post. Once activated, this technique doubles the number of impairment posts any abilities would inflict. In the event that an opponent is partially immune, it instead doubles the number of impairment points, making it easier to push resistant opponents into inebriation. This ability only works with active techniques, and will not affect passive effects like his Bankai’s overall.

One for the Road: A particularly tricky ability in Raion’s arsenal, One for the Road is meant to give the opponents one last taste of his intoxicating Reiatsu before the effects end. By paying 300 Reiatsu to activate this technique, Raion is able to double the remaining duration of any current impairment posts. If used in Shikai, this can increase impairment posts up to five posts maximum, while if used in Bankai, there is no cap on the number of impairment posts. Using this technique, however, ends Raion’s Release regardless of what stage it is in, forcing him to re-pay the cost to reactivate it. Additionally, this technique can only be used once per post, so Raion cannot simply re-seal his Zanpaktou over and over for its effects. Finally, this technique is not affected by Two for One, and gives a flat doubling.

Lingering Hangover: A passive ability that exists in Raion’s Zanpaktou, this technique only triggers when an impairment’s posts end altogether. When the effects of an impairment wear off, the victim is treated to a powerful headache, like having one’s head cleaved open with an axe. This is a heavy dose of pain that can often stun or stagger an opponent who is not prepared for it, creating openings for Raion to strike and afflict his opponents with his intoxicating Reiatsu again. The shock itself is brief, lasting the span of a few seconds before fading into a painful but tolerable ache, but in a life-or-death struggle, a few seconds could be the end. Those without Pain Tolerance or Strength of Will will often find themselves dazed and sickened by the sharp pain, while those who possess a combined total of 2 points between them will feel nauseous but only briefly stunned for no more than a second. Anyone with 4 or more points between those skills are immune entirely.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Bankai Techniques}Drinking Problem: Another passive ability, this technique is designed to make it harder for an opponent to fight off the effects of Raion’s Zanpaktou. It has two major effects: addiction and reduction of inhibition. The first, addiction, is designed to afflict those who are naturally resistant but not immune to Raion’s Zanpaktou. Once they are afflicted with an impairment for the first time, those who have superiority to Raion are no longer able to build up impairment points for that particular impairment, and instead are immediately affected if they are hit by something that would cause the effect. For example, if an opponent with more than 25% of Raion’s OS gets two impairment points in impairment of motor abilities, not only will they be afflicted as normal, but all future uses within the same thread will afflict the target immediately rather than having to fight through resistance.

Reduction of inhibition is the other effect of this technique. It is triggered as long as all three impairments are in effect on a foe: a 3 in a Skill will no longer be sufficient to reduce the effects of an impairment by one post. A 4 will still accomplish this, as superhuman skill can surpass even this alcoholic addiction, but for most it will be difficult to resist the allure of Raion’s intoxicating Reiatsu and the impairments that come with it.

Another Round, On Me!: A rather simplistic technique for Raion’s Bankai, this ability is meant for Raion to share a bit more of his Reiatsu’s intoxicating effect with everyone. Upon activation and a payment of 200 Reiatsu, a single impairment is chosen, and everyone receives one post of the impairment. This is similar to the overall affect of his Bankai, except that it affects everyone within the field, including allies. This even includes Raion; he’s not one to share a drink without taking one himself, and he receives not just the impairment he inflicts on everyone, but the duration of it is equal to the number of targets hit besides himself. If there are three other people in the sphere when this technique is used, Raion will receive three posts of the chosen impairment while each of the others will only receive a single post. This is a great way to stack up impairment posts to weaken a foe, but it has to be used cautiously, lest Raion find himself unable to fight due to his own debilitations.

Sobering Shock: The true deathblow of Raion’s Zanpaktou, this ability has the controversial effect of completely removing any and all impairments from everyone within Raion’s Bankai, leaving their minds clear and their bodies uninhibited once the initiation cost of 500 Reiatsu is paid. Yet despite the sudden removal of the Zanpaktou’s effects, this ability is lethal, shocking the target’s system into complete sobriety and offsetting its internal processes as a result. The damage this technique does varies by how drunk the target is, and is determined by the total number of impairment posts that the target has between all three types. If the amount is less than five, there is no effect aside from a slight dizziness. If there are five or more posts, this sets off a small amount of internal damage, with the shock causing the heart to beat irregularly and breath hard to catch for a few minutes. Ten or more posts is where the real damage begins; the shock is enough to cause the victim's lungs to seize up for roughly two minutes, making breathing nearly impossible in this period. This deprives the brain of oxygen while simultaneously leaving the victim gasping, weakened by the sudden shock. At fifteen or more posts, the time increases to five minutes, enough to leave the victim on the verge of brain death or at least a vegetative state, though it is still survivable. Finally, twenty or more total posts is enough to be instantly fatal, the entire body seizing up and refusing to function after such a level of shock.

The only way to resist this ability is to prevent too much intoxication, or else to possess a few skills that could extend one’s possibility of living. Points in Strength of Will, Damage Recovery, and Calm Mind can each increase the number of required posts by 1, keeping the body going either through endurance or simply reducing the amount of work the body has to do in its period of deprivation.

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Post 5

-History-

Birthplace: Zambia, Southeastern Africa

Current Residence:
Raion currently resides in a fair-sized house within the Seireitei that he had been fortunate enough to win during a bout of drunken gambling. Being on such a winning streak, his opponent had gotten overconfident just long enough for the lion to win himself a den. The house itself is a single story in height, and possesses several large rooms including a large study big enough for him (once he got a chair for his size), a bedroom with a king-size bed which just barely fits the big feline, and a large garden out back that has a nicely shaded patio so that Raion can sit outside, enjoy the breeze in the shade, and sip sake while enjoying the simpler pleasures of life.

Memorable Figures: Ebisu Seka, Tomoe Ikoma, Khuyag

History:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 1: Life and Captivity}Raion started out as a simple lion back in the world of the living. He was born in a litter of two other cubs, one male and one female besides himself. When he was a young cub, he had been hidden in a small cave away from the main pride as was the normal patterns of mothers caring for their newborn cubs. During this time, the female of their litter wandered off and was killed and eaten by jackals; no one mourned the loss, as that was the natural way of things. Sadness and sorrow weren’t there in an existence of survival through eating, sleeping, and mating. Sometimes, misfortune happened.

At eight months old, the two remaining male cubs were introduced to their sire in the main pride, now old enough to join them. He took to them with some tolerance, though he was careful to ensure that they knew their place. Both cubs were swatted at if they were too demanding or annoying, and more than once they risked his ire as all cubs do. But they survived, and slowly grew into young adults. At this point, they were either expected to fight for dominance or to leave the pride, as there could only be so many males to mate with the females and produce offspring; only the strongest could stay.

Raion was one of those that were forced to leave. In a battle of dominance with his sire, he lost badly, getting a deep gash in his neck and right shoulder. The older lion, despite getting on in years, easily defeated the cub who was insolent enough to challenge his sire in combat for dominance. He was driven away, and as a result he was forced to live on his own the best he could. However, fate had it in store for him that he wouldn’t be able to just live in the wild like he had expected. No, instead he ran into something completely unknown: humans. Being a lone lion, Raion was an obvious target for poachers. Before he knew it, he was tranquilized and captured, caged and locked away in a facility where he would be held until he was shipped across the seas.

After three months of captivity, Raion found himself released into a private game forest, where he was to be used as simple hunting stock for the cruel men who enjoyed hunting rare creatures despite the laws against it. There he managed to survive for roughly three days, avoiding capture and death often by the skin of his teeth. Twice he was shot, one bullet sinking into his left shoulder while the other time it caught in his front right paw. Neither wound was terribly serious, but they continued to bleed and did not heal properly due to the lion’s inability to remove the bullets from his body. In time, he began to slow down, to tire more easily. He was going to be caught any day now.

However, luck was with Raion this time. An investigation had been started on the forest and its owners previously in connection with a poaching ring. Finally authorities had gotten a search warrant, and despite protests made a thorough search. They found Raion among other rare animals, and the owners of the land were arrested. The lion himself was taken to a nearby zoo in order to be taken care of by the professional veterinarians there, who removed the bullets from his wounds and patched him up, monitoring him closely while he healed from his injuries.

During this time, Raion was kept fairly sedated, and rarely did much but laze around and let his wounds heal. He ate heartily, a change from the little foraging he managed while on the game hunter’s land, and enjoyed the luxury he was treated with. Even after he healed, he was kept at the zoo, and never once had a problem with it. He was a wild lion, yes, but after all that he had been through, he was more than willing to just settle down. Instead he happily paced around his enclosure at the zoo, content with the area he was given, the food would eat, and the attention he got.

And attention he got in amazing quantities; the zoo didn’t have a lion exhibit previously, and as a result he was a new attraction for them after he healed. Roughly five years of age now, Raion had become accustomed to his life. He was docile so that he could easily be approached by the zookeepers who took care of him, and he didn’t mind pacing in front of the crowd for their enjoyment several times a day. The lion was well-fed, which filled out his slightly scrawny frame well—a bit too well, as he put on a little extra weight before they changed his diet—and he was able to live in relative comfort. What more could he want? He didn’t want to escape or anything.

At fourteen years of age, an old lion by normal standards, Raion finally passed on. He died in his sleep, dreaming of another day at the zoo. His life had been filled with contentment, his last days nothing but happiness. To many, this would be the best way to die.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 2: A Wandering Spirit}However, it seemed that death was not final for the lion; indeed, it was only just the beginning. Raion awoke curled up against one of the walls of his stone cave, near where he had been sleeping the night before. Looking around, he saw another lion in the room. He growled and stood, as if to challenge the male that lay across the room from him. He noticed two things, though; first off, the other feline wasn’t moving, staying completely still without breathing. The other thing was that he was standing in a bipedal stance like a human. The latter was more discomforting, and he looked over himself in surprise, wondering what was going on.

Raion’s form had changed completely. Now he stood at a full seven and a half feet tall, and his body was much larger than it had been altogether. Thick, rippling muscles stood out on his frame, perfectly cut and forming a body that anyone would be envious of. He was now bipedal, and experimenting with his normal stance on all fours, he found that he could no longer run that way. Beyond that, however, he mostly looked like his old self, just… big. The lion was a bit baffled at the change, confused at the sudden shift in his appearance. Why did he look like this now?

The answer came to him after he examined the other lion and found that it was him, or rather his old body. So, he had died? Knowledge about life after death had never really been on his feral mind, and so Raion had never considered what would happen when he passed on. Now that he was in this form, however, he thought like a human did for the most part. Some of his natural instincts still remained within his body and his mind, but for the most part he was now a lot more human. The language came to him automatically, and the muscle memory for movement with his new body almost seemed built in.

A new problem came up as Raion considered his new life, however: what was he to do with it? Sure, he was alive now, but he was no longer a feral creature, content to just live day-by-day. He wanted to do something, anything to pass the time. He found himself walking through the zoo he had been kept in, learning its name from a sign: “Jesperhus Jungle Zoo”. That didn’t really do anything but assign a name to the place he had lived in for a long time, yet for some reason it was comforting to give it some sort of identity. He now had a place that he could officially call his home, rather than just a place to live.

Ten years passed, with Raion watching over the people who came and visited his old home. At some point, another lion exhibit was brought to the zoo, but the spirit no longer cared. He was becoming restless watching the same scene day in and day out, and no matter how different some individual people seemed to be, they were becoming rather boring. After a while, the lion began to roam out from the zoo, no longer interested in the events going on within its walls, and started to explore the nearby cities.

During his travels, however, Raion was set upon by a pair of large Hollows. Both were bestial in nature, having no human qualities to them whatsoever. They attacked him in unison, trying to devour him. The lion was used to the concept of survival of the fittest, or at least had been, and immediately fought back to avoid being eaten. Tooth and nail he struggled against them, but in the end he was no match for their relentless strength. They slowly backed Raion into a corner, and were preparing to devour him. At this point, the lion realized that he was about to die… again.

But before they could consume him, the two Hollows were suddenly cleaved into pieces. Behind them, a man in a black robe stood with a large weapon in his hands, having just defeated the creatures. Raion was surprised, as he had never seen any humans dressed like that; used to dresses, shirts, and/or jeans, the lion wasn’t used to seeing garb like the one that his savior wore. Well, no matter; clothing was nothing more than another way to tell humans apart. This one would probably just leave him be just like any of the others who he had tried to make contact with, and continue on his way.

Therefore, Raion was surprised when the man spoke to him. Of course, their first conversation ended with the lion being accused of being a Hollow for his appearance and getting chased around for a while until he could explain that he wasn’t one. That took a good fifteen minutes of running and expecting to be cut in half, but eventually the man listened and lowered his weapon. A little intimidated by someone taking a sword to him after a decade of peaceful watching, Raion was hesitant in his conversation, yet managed to explain himself well enough. Eventually the man conceded that the large feline was no threat, and the tension faded somewhat.

The two of them talked for a little while, and Raion began to learn a little more of his companion. The man’s name was Ebisu Seka, and he was what he called a Shinigami. Basically, the man was in charge of finding lost souls who hadn’t moved on from the world of the living and sending them to the Soul Society, as well as destroying Hollows, which were souls that had fallen into despair and darkness, thereby purifying them and sending them on too. Raion listened with interest, fascinated at the man’s story, and eventually made a decision: he wanted to become a Shinigami too, to find a purpose for his life. Well, his afterlife, anyway.

Ebisu turned him down, however, stating that it would likely be difficult for him to become a Shinigami. People were very judgmental at times, he stated, and though he himself had not been in the Academy in a while, he doubted that people changed very much over time. However, that didn’t stop Raion from trying. Ebisu assured the big feline that there was always a chance that things had changed over time, just not to expect any miracles. It was worth giving it a try, regardless.

Giving an appreciative nod, Raion sat still as Ebisu performed the Konsō on him, pressing the hilt of his Zanpaktou to the big lion’s forehead. The world seemed to glow a pure, brilliant white, and Raion’s vision began to blur. The lion felt like he was falling, as if he was being pulled across nothingness… and then everything faded away.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 3 – Soul Society}Raion awoke in an empty house that sat at the edge of District 15 of the Rukongai. The lion’s had woken with a headache and no memory of anything before he woke up. For a day or so, he stayed within the building, trying to figure out where he was and how he had got there. He spent his time trying to piece together his memory, but to no avail; nothing of his previous life came to mind. It was as if everything had been wiped clean before he came here. No matter what he did, no matter how he tried to approach the blank wall that divided him from his past, nothing seemed to work.

Eventually Raion just shrugged it off. If his memory ever came back to him, he would be happy, but until then he had a present and future he could focus on. With that resolution in mind, he immediately emerged from his temporary home… and found himself in a crowd of people. No one had seen him for the time he had been within the building, and as a result none of the Pluses were expecting to see the large feline among them. A panic ensued, and several cried out that he was a Hollow of some sort for his appearance. A bit surprised at the sudden commotion, Raion tried to calm people down, but all he did was further agitate the situation. Someone called out that they needed to get a Shinigami to help them, and the lion paused, struck by the words. Something came back to him, briefly.

Shinigami… I remember something… Something about a Shinigami.

A pair of Shinigami showed up after a few minutes, and they too took him as a Hollow. Once more Raion found himself trying to explain himself, trying to let them know that he was just like anyone else there. Naturally, his captors commented on the irony that he was physically nothing like the people around him, but they at least were willing to listen to reason at this point. Raion was given the chance to explain his situation, how he had woken up only a day ago with no memory of anything before that. The leader of the Shinigami that had been dispatched was doubtful, but accepted his story, convinced at least that he wasn’t a Hollow. He was warned, however, not to cause another commotion like this one.

Unfortunately, over the next week there were two more similar incidents while the people of District 15 became accustomed to him. Twice more Shinigami were dispatched, and the whole situation had to be handled like before. Finally, however, people became used to his presence; that didn’t mean that they had to like him. After all, he was a rather large and intimidating figure, and many people worried that if angered he would cause some serious harm or damage to the area. As a result, people stepped lightly around him, and were more than willing to serve his needs if they couldn’t simply avoid him.

Raion spent his time pacing around the district, trying to find something interesting to do. Unfortunately, most souls were content just living out their afterlives, and that didn’t include him in the picture. As a result the lion quickly grew bored with his situation and started exploring the various buildings. Twice he found himself being chased out for intruding, unknowing that some homes belonged to others in the district. Now and again he found empty buildings like his own. Finally, after about a week of wandering and exploring, Raion found one of the establishments that would create an immense impact on his life: a bar.

At first the big cat hadn’t been sure of the place, having never had alcohol in his life. He got a rather cheap and distilled form of sake to try since he was rather limited on money at the time, and actually found it to be to his liking. Soon enough, the lion found himself drinking regularly whenever he had the means to do so. If this meant doing odd jobs for folks, then he was more than willing. And the more money he managed to make for himself even on trivial tasks, the more he drank. Over time, as people became more used to him and his friendly, solicitous nature, and he soon found a number of drinking buddies as well.

As his situation and his ability to gain wealth improved, Raion was more and more likely to go too deep in his cup, so to speak, and more than once had to be helped out in a state of drunkenness. The lion rarely remembered actually being drunk; he remembered being a little lightheaded, but aside from that, just a feeling of contentment at life was the only thing that stood out. However, he was said to be rather rowdy and, surprisingly, a bit flirtatious. What was more amusing was that he had hit on as many men as he had women at the time, though everyone had naturally turned him down.

Eventually, Raion found himself falling for wagers during his increasingly common state of drunkenness. It was far too easy to take advantage of his kindness when he was drunk, and more often than not the lion was playfully humiliated by his companions. No one was ever truly cruel to him; it was just a well-meant joke between friends. Despite the number of awkward situations he found himself in as a result of his drunken wagers, Raion never held a grudge against anyone, and in fact laughed and joked about it just as hard as anyone else did. Life seemed to be great in those days.

One wager, however, changed his life; hearing from the lion about some memories of a Shinigami from his past life, his friends playfully suggested that he could always go and become one to see if he could find someone who remembered him. Raion was well into his drink at that point, staggering drunk, and took that suggestion without hesitation. He quickly lumbered out of the bar and headed for the entrance to Seireitei, hoping to gain admission. Despite his drunkenness, he held a fairly professional posture aside from the slight flush of his face, and he was let in. The rest of that day was forgotten thanks to his drunkenness, and all he knew was that he woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar bed with a terrible headache.

He woke up as a student of the Shinigami Academny.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 4 – Shinigami}Raion had awoken as a student, but he took the situation well. Convinced at first that his friends were playing another prank on him, he changed into the outfit that was set aside for him—it was a wonder that any tailor had put together a uniform in his size in the short time he had been out!—and went to look around. It was in wonder that he discovered this was no joke; he really was in the Shinigami Academy, and he really was enrolled. It was actually a wonderful feeling, for some reason that he couldn’t describe. It was as if he had been moving towards this moment for his entire stay in the Soul Society, and now he had achieved it.

Knowing the situation to be true, the lion quickly caught up to another student to ask him a few questions, namely about what sorts of requirements there were to becoming a Shinigami. The young man looked at him, met eyes for the first time… and just answered calmly. Raion was astonished; he was used to people freaking out whenever they saw him for the first time. Truly, Shinigami were already wonderful people, even the hopefuls! Of course, this wasn’t typical of all students, as there were mutters and rumors and stares from several of them, but Raion pushed it all aside. He was just too happy to be brought down by such trivial things!

His time at the Academy was long, unfortunately; during his first year at the Academy, Raion failed several of his classes while he was still trying to understand the nuances of being in the Sereitei as opposed to three years he had spent in the Rukongai. He made up for it in the second year, acing all of his classes and surprising instructors who thought that the big lion would simply fail again. Raion proved them all wrong, and did so with pleasure, finishing the year with the third highest marks in the current first year classes. Several wrote this off as simply learning from his mistakes the first time through, but he would prove them wrong yet again, maintaining this standard throughout his entire stay at the Shinigami Academy.

One thing that his time in the Academy never cured was his persistent alcoholism. In fact, it only encouraged it, as Raion started making a new group of friends and drinking partners. Shinigami hopefuls on average were no more restrained than his fellow drinkers back from the Rukongai, and it was like being home all over again. Slowly he became more and more prone to drunkenness again, even going so far as to spend his year in the Academy drinking every night and sometimes even coming into classes while intoxicated. Surprisingly, he was said to be much more brilliant when he was drunk. Through unconventional and illogical analytical leaps even he could not explain, Raion often ended up at the right answer, nearly 85% of the time. Was this a stroke of hidden genius? Sad to say, it was nearly impossible to tell. Outside of his alcoholism, Raion seemed like the average student—discounting his appearance—and showed no particular brilliance.

Raion graduated from the Shinigami Academy as the fourth in his class, high enough to show that he had some dedication to his work while being able to enjoy himself through his favorite pastime: drinking. When he came out of the Academy as a fresh Shinigami, a lot of things had changed. The first was Raion’s appearance; he had somehow managed to put on a few inches in height despite having the appearance of a full-grown male lion from the start. Another was his weight, and he had put on a few inches there as well… just around his waistline, due to his love of drinking. For the latter, he had probably put on about fifty or so pounds during his lazy days as a student, and it showed somewhat on his large form.

Once he had graduated, Raion was recommended to Squad 9. His recommendation came from two instructors who had seen his amazing leaps of logic and suggested that he might be useful in dealing with encryption thanks to those unorthodox methods. The lion was tested with three documents, all coded, and was told that he had three days to decipher them and bring back their contents. Raion set to work on them, and actually had all three finished the next day. The only reason he had been able to do so with such ease was because he was dead drunk during the majority of his work; again his illogical yet brilliant leaps solved the codes perfectly. Amazed at his abilities, the squad let him in without hesitation.

Raion spent a decade as an unseated officer, content with simply doing his job and fighting where necessary. He preferred a relaxed, idyllic life, and for whatever reason, the higher-ranked Shinigami tended to go into battle more often. As a result, he stayed low on the ladder, taking his life slowly and just enjoying his drink and rest. If he had to do work now and again, it wasn’t a problem; usually it was in small enough doses that even the languid lion could deal with it without difficulty. Life seemed simple.

After that decade, however, the big cat began to grow restless again, and started actually applying himself to climb up the ranks. He proved both his intellect in coding as well as his skill in battle as he discovered the unique and rather interesting powers of his Shikai, slowly moving up the seated positions until he reached fourth seat. For another five years, Raion stayed in that position, given a little more work that he often passed down to subordinates, and had to go to combat more often. Combat wasn’t too bad, he discovered, and he actually enjoyed using his unique Zanpaktou in battle. For the enjoyment of combat, though mostly that showed up in his love of friendly sparring, Raion started climbing the ranks again.

Third seat was a lot more difficult to claim than fourth had been, especially since the person whose seat he was aiming to usurp was a lot more intelligent and skilled than any of the previous seats. Raion almost lost his claim on it, but eventually managed to win in the long run and claim his prize. But he didn’t stop there; he had his eyes on the Vice-Captain’s seat. It was the perfect position for him, handling enough work to keep him just busy enough without having to deal with the responsibility and difficulties of leading an entire squad. And of course with his position would come greater luxury. Raion loved luxury.

Vice-Captain was not an easy position to claim, and Raion spent another half-decade just getting strong enough for combat with the current seat holder. Even after all of his hard work and practice, he was beaten down twice. Not once, but twice. Three was the charm, however, and after a full decade of striving and training to defeat the Vice-Captain in combat and claim his position, Raion managed to win. It was a good feeling, triumphing over someone so much stronger than you. The intellectual tests that made up the other half of the requirements to become Vice-Captain were a breeze, compared to the battle, and after two nights of drinking heavily, the lion woke up to find all of his tests decoded on the table under his head.

Now that he had his ideal position, Raion was content to simply relax. The lion took his work rather languidly, often passing on the more tedious tasks to subordinates, keeping only the most difficult pieces for himself. When it came to combat, he had no problem engaging now and again, but despite his love of battle he was more in love with his luxury. Oftentimes, Raion was found resting rather than working, sleeping or drinking to pass the days. It was a wonderful life, though the relaxation certainly took its toll on his once perfect body. The lion took on a more heavy-set look over time, still firmly muscled and very strong, but with a softness to his form that gave him an off-season sort of look. He managed to maintain that much of his musculature, at least.

Raion retained his position of Vice-Captain of Squad 9 for a while, at least a century if not more, content with his situation and with no intention of moving from his rank. In his mind, Captaincy would be a pain, as there is far too much leadership involved; Raion might have been charismatic because of his sociable and amicable nature, but he simply did not see himself as the type to lead, specifically because he tended to be drunk far too often to do so. He also didn’t want to go down in ranks again, simply as a matter of pride—it might also have been because he enjoyed his luxury far too much to give it up—and as a result he defended his position tooth and nail.

However, after a century of his current position, Raion found himself bored once more, and aspired to finally take Captaincy, despite his previous complaints and doubts on the subject. He had no aspirations for leadership, nor for commanding others, and at the time his only motivations were for the challenge of taking the position and the luxuries it afforded. Having subordinates to push work off onto, having few individuals who he had to answer to, and access to the squad’s funds were all very enticing opportunities that he could not resist. Fortunately, his former Captain Rave Haretsu had chosen to step down, and Raion was able to work to fill the position and take the Captaincy for himself.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 5 – Love and Loss}

Raion’s Captaincy was both notable in its individual events, and rather uneventful in its everyday functioning. Squad 9 ran as effectively as ever, working as the intelligence service for Soul Society through message encryption and decryption. When he could possibly be pushed to work, Raion continued to prove his surprising intelligence, and everything seemed to function as it needed to. There were the occasional mishaps and oddities—like the creation of a “Tavern Fund” added to the squad’s budget, or the large pirate ship that had been constructed in the middle of the Rukongai for the Captain to hold his own birthday party, complete with a bill to further drain funds—but aside from moments of Raion being Raion, frequent enough as they were, one could almost describe the daily running of Squad 9 as “routine.”

At some point after ascending to Captaincy, Raion took on one of his subordinates as something of a personal assistant. Tomoe Ikoma was a rather stern woman, and yet despite her position as one of Raion’s subordinate, she somehow managed to tame some of the lion’s worse tendencies. With no fear for reprimand or negative action, she forcibly coerced Raion into much of the work he ended up doing, and was surprisingly able to keep him to his task with sheer force of personality. She was also a constant target of the Captain’s affections, but could turn him down as swiftly as she could redirect him to the latest batch of paperwork, and thus nothing seemed to come from it.

Over time, their relationship became something more affectionate. It was not romance, as others would try and see it, but more of a complex and often puzzling companionship that was entertaining to both. Despite her sternness and her seemingly constant exasperation with Raion, Tomoe also began to find amusement at his antics and often shook her head at her failures to rein him in with a helpless smile of humor. Raion, on the other hand, took Tomoe’s instructions with less seriousness to them, finding little offense and more of a playful game in which he could do his best to avoid her forceful guidance, figuring out loopholes or ways to avoid her. Despite their contrasting roles and difference in work ethic, the two developed something of a cat-and-mouse game in their daily antics, albeit with the cat being the one trying to escape.

It took a long time before anything grew from that relationship, and even then, most did not get a chance to see it come to fruition. Raion had kept it on the sly, but over time, he had grown attached to his assistant, and his fondness had become something more meaningful than his usual lechery and flirtations. Tomoe, in turn, had developed her own love of the Captain, his constant ability to make her smile despite herself eventually growing deeper. No words were ever spoken, no dates were planned, no special moments were arranged. There was little to indicate a relationship being born, nothing beyond the usual rumors that lingered around Raion, given his usual lusty streak. The two continued to go about their daily business as if nothing had changed.

It was during a mission in the World of the Living that this relationship almost became a reality. A series of murders seeming to mimic the legends of Jack the Ripper drew Raion and a small unit of Shinigami, Tomoe among them, to meet in the bustling city and discover the cause and culprit behind the murders. During the investigation, however, a chance misunderstanding caused Tomoe to flee the building that they had taken for their base of operations, out into the middle of the night. Raion was unable to keep up with her, and soon he had lost her, and was forced to return to their lodgings and hope she would return, hope that the two of them could talk and clear up the misunderstandings.

Tomoe never returned. The next time the two of them saw each other was brief, where the woman had been captured and tormented by the Arrancar Lucian DeMont, and left to hang over the Thames River, barely alive. Raion, consumed by rage and guilt in equal measures, fought the Arrancar to what seemed to be a standstill, even almost pushing his way to victory. But at the last second Lucian, who had been injured by a blast from Raion’s Raikoho, with a large portion of his side blasted away by the lighting, had managed to change the situation. Striking Tomoe down with a mortal wound, he left the then-distracted Raion to deal with the aftermath. The Arrancar escaped from the scene, leaving London behind, and Raion was left with his dying companion.

In the moments that remained, Raion and Tomoe shared what little time they had together. She was not to survive, her wounds too critical and aid too far away. Though it was but a feeble gesture in the face of a separation so deep it could only belong to death, Raion asked for Tomoe’s hand in marriage, and she accepted. Though they had but minutes together in their union, the words of love written over the shroud of death, they were truly joined in their hearts. Tomoe then passed in Raion’s arms, leaving him to mourn over the loss of his love and to suffer with the guilt wrought of his actions and their consequences.

Raion spent more than a month in recovery, walking away from Soul Society and abandoning his position as Captain of Squad 9 for that period. No one took up the mantle in the meantime, likely out of respect for the lion’s loss and the understanding sympathy towards his grief. For more than a month, he was truly an emotional and physical wreck, barely rousing himself to eat, barely speaking to anyone, even his closest friends. His eyes were empty, his body slumped and heavy with the burden of his pain, and many wondered if he would survive this trial. Some wondered where his spirit had gone, where the fire was that should have driven him to avenge his beloved. Few knew that he had done so already, and none knew he had gone on to claim a vengeance so terrible that he had even been willing to commit a taboo among Shinigami: rather than using his Zanpaktou to strike down Lucian, purifying him and allowing the souls that composed his existence to return to Soul Society, Raion had simply destroyed the man and the aggregate spirits that made up his being. They were lost, gone, and Raion had annihilated them all. It had done nothing to ease his pain, either.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Chapter 6 – Time in the Wild}

After some time, it seemed as though Raion was starting to recover, and he returned to Soul Society. He had improved mentally, and seemed to at least be active, though there was a shadow to his smile and a weight on his shoulders. For a short period, things started to return to normal, and Squad 9 slowly started to get back together. Things were still different though – Raion had not held their usual parties nearly as often, and his focus tended to be on his work, rather than the people around him. He was still withdrawn, involving himself with others only when he needed to and otherwise shutting them out. The Captain was often seen gently caressing the ring on his left hand, his eyes distant and his expression grave.

Yet Raion could see the suffering he was causing, could see the effect of his negligence on the Squad around him. They were able to function without him, true, but at the same time, their productivity slipped. The Captain’s gloom seemed to infect everyone. More and more, he found himself pushing harder, burning himself out that much faster, as if it would do something about his inability to lead them as their Captain. And yet, between the guilt he refused to let go of over his part in Tomoe’s death and the constant acknowledgment of his inability, it only seemed to get worse. Before long, Raion was starting to descend back into his worse self again.

Eventually, he chose to walk away again, and left Soul Society once more. This time he left his position, leaving his squad to run itself. He retreated to the World of the Living, where he took time away with the same friend that had helped him recover before. Though he had not descended into the same condition he had been in previously, the former Captain was still at a low point in his life, and all that could be done was give him time to ponder and think, to examine his life and figure out where he wanted to go with it. Raion still did not feel that he was worthy of being a Captain, worthy of leading people when he still suffered under the guilt of failing just one. How could he guide others into combat, knowing that one mistake would cost more lives? How could he make decisions that could so directly affect the welfare of others? Another month passed, and slowly his mental state improved, but Raion could not make himself go back to Soul Society. His friend put it simply:

“You’re still not whole, and still not happy. Until you can reclaim your old smile… you can’t go back to any of that, can you?”

She was right, of course. Without peace of heart that would lead him back to his old, truly jovial self, he couldn’t return as a leader. Raion refused to be the burden that dragged his squad down, refused to lead when he still lacked the capability to do so. And so he decided to take another trip, this time away from everyone and everything. As humans would say it, it was a trip to find himself. The lion had no destination, no goal; he simply chose to wander wherever his feet took him, and to find something, anything that could help him regain himself. Soul Society kept tabs on him, as a former Captain was not something they’d let idly wander, and he made sure to check in if he stopped by any civilized area in which a Shinigami might be found, but otherwise he avoided contact beyond what he absolutely needed. This trip lasted for a good year, and the first three months were uneventful, spent roaming across Europe and slowly pressing in to western Asia.

Somewhere after his third month, however, Raion met the group that would help put him back on the road to true recovery: The Bardam Tribe of Beast-Clansmen. It was sheer coincidence that the lion stumbled upon others similar to him, a leonine tribe that kept to the deeper forest, out of sight of others. The first meeting was also the worst, as Raion had been seen as a rival from another tribe, an intruder on their territory. Trussed up and hauled away thanks to the sheer strength of the feline beasts, he soon found himself as a prisoner in their settlement. Of course, he would claim if he ever told this story later, he could have broken out and lit the place up with several Kido, but didn’t want to risk starting an incident when he had clearly trespassed. The truth of the matter was that he was actually unconscious for the entire first day of his imprisonment, a hefty blow from a Beast-Clansman’s wooden staff laying him out cold.

Raion was later brought to speak with the leader of the Bardam Tribe, a powerful and surprisingly intelligence lion Beast-Clansman who introduced himself as Khuyag. It took some time to communicate to Khuyag that Raion was not a Beast-Clansman like them, despite his appearance; the difference seemed to lie in the souls of the two of them, where his Shinigami nature gave him stronger spiritual strength and focus, whereas the wild spirit of the Beast-Clansmen weakened their spiritual control but gave them animal instinct and strength. In the end, a simple demonstration of Kido was enough to convince Khuyag that Raion was not one of their kind, and certainly was not part of an unknown rival pack. He was not yet free, however, as he was still a trespasser, regardless of his origins.

However, knowing Raion’s power, Khuyag made the decision not to have the Shinigami fully imprisoned. He was their prisoner as long as he was in their settlement, true, but they did not trust their cages to hold someone who could conjure fire with a flick of the wrist. Instead, he always had an escort of at least three guards who were wary of him at all times, ready to strike him down the moment he gave the impression that he was hostile. Worse, the moment that he had been captured, Raion’s possessions had been stripped away, his Zanpaktou and his supply of sake both kept away from him. The latter drew some interest from the Beast-Clansmen, as they had not encountered alcohol prior, but after one grew ill from testing it, they decried it as some kind of poison and disposed of it. What a waste!

A week passed, with Raion living in the settlement, exploring various sections, learning more about the tribe and how it functioned. Another week had him talking with his guards and any tribe members whom he could distract for a few moments, learning more about their culture and social norms. A third was spent trying to offer his aid where he could, a better alternative than just sitting around unproductively, especially without the comfort of alcohol to let the time pass by. Finally, on the fourth week, Raion was summoned to speak with Khuyag again, having drawn the chieftain’s attention with his actions.

Much like Raion had done in learning about the settlement and its people, Khuyag began to question the leonine Shinigami, learning more about who he was and what he was doing there. Upon hearing that the former Captain had been a chieftain of sorts himself, the lion was intrigued and began to ask Raion question about his leadership and his thoughts on various topics. It became quickly clear, however, that Raion was far from a good leader, and many of the questions asked he fumbled over, or gave answers that would give Khuyag reason to frown. The worst question was one that, in itself, seemed relatively simple in its nature.

“What does it mean to lead, Raion?” Khuyag had asked him, the two seated at a large, raised section of wood that served as a crude table. The chieftain had a large mug of some kind of herbal drink, one that smelled almost acrid to Raion’s nose, but the other lion sipped at it without expression.

“Uh...” Raion had thought about it, and went with the first answer that came to him. “Bein’ a leader is all about guidin’ folks, and givin’ good direction an’ keepin’ morale up, that sorta thing, right?”

This drew a sigh from Khuyag, who shook his head and took another drink from his mug. “What sort of people did you live with, to allow such a foolish man to serve as a chieftain? Honestly, you were right to leave your people.” The lion paused to think about his words. “To lead, Raion, is to be an example of excellence. Not just to intend, but to honestly rise above. To create an image and a dream, something so lofty and above others that they can only aim to stride towards it, never sure they can reach it.”

“But as part of being that example, you also have to lower yourself, to be among the people you lead. You have to understand their hearts and goals, to take their causes as your own. You have to understand their wants and desires as much as you impress upon them your own goal and direction. You have to take all of who they are, understand them even as you pull them towards the future. You will compromise and sacrifice as often as you direct and command. You will not make decisions just for you or just for them, but will have to encompass all to create the best path forward that you can.”

“From what you tell me, you have claimed the hearts of many. You know how to walk among the people, to be one of them. Yet you do not know how to step above that, to leave behind that camaraderie when the time comes for you to make decisions and guide your people. You walk among your people, not before them, and thus you leave them confused, looking for a direction in which to follow because they cannot see you among the crowd. You are a friend, but you are not a chieftain. Do you see what I’m saying?”

The rest of the conversation went into more detail, but Raion was left with much to think about in that time. Khuyag was right: he didn’t know what it meant to truly lead. Even after their talk, much of it still meant little to Raion; he could understand the idea of it, objectively, but he could not wrap his mind fully around it, could not embrace the core of Khuyag’s view of leadership. But Raion knew that there was some sense in the lion’s words, even if he didn’t quite get it. That night, he committed to a decision, and the next day, asked Khuyag’s permission to join his tribe for a while, to learn about his role as a leader and to better understand what it meant to be led. Raion hoped that, by being in the place of a subordinate who would be led, he could gain the experience necessary to give that same leadership towards his own people.

It was thus that Raion spent the next nine months with the Bardam Tribe, serving Khuyag as a sort of lieutenant, much like when he had been the Vice-Captain of Squad 9. This was different, however; though Raion served the chieftain directly, he was still not part of any official command nor did he have any authority, so he was still subject to every rule and law, was something akin to subordinate to anyone with even the slightest power within the social structure of the tribe. He bore it without complaint, and kept his eyes and ears open, hoping to learn and better understand what he could to grow as a person.

Nine months passed, and the results were… questionable. Though Raion had observed Khuyag almost daily, he never truly grasped the chieftain’s view. He learned many valuable lessons on ways he could improve, and indeed he would certainly return as a much better person than he was, but Khuyag was firm on one point: Raion could not, and would not serve as a leader anytime soon.

“You are not the type to be a leader, Raion, no matter how much you try.” Another of their talks, one of the last they would have. “You are charismatic, true, and you’ve made many friends in your time here. Your nature makes people smile, puts their hearts at ease, and your intelligence allows you to make good decisions when you need to. But you are not a leader – you are a comrade, a friend, perhaps even a mentor. And maybe that’s what you are meant to be; have you considered this?”

Raion hadn’t; he had always been so focused on his position as the Captain of Squad 9 that he had just… allowed it to become him. He was not Raion, he was the Captain. And that simple explanation from Khuyag was like a key in a lock, opening up an answer Raion hadn’t realized he was looking for: maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t intended to be a leader. He could guide, and help others grow; he could support, he could befriend, and he could encourage. But maybe it wasn’t his place to lead, and all along, he had been pushing himself into something he was not. The weight that hung on him was proof positive that the Captaincy wasn’t for him. He wasn’t meant to be in command, but to serve in other ways. That was why he had been so satisfied as a Vice-Captain for so long; while Rave had led the Squad, Raion had stood at his side and supported him, serving without leading. Maybe this was what he was looking for.

And truly, the revelation lifted the burden off of his shoulders. For the first time in a very long time, the weight of duty was just… gone. It was replaced by a feeling of understanding, of self-acceptance. Slowly, but surely, a smile creased Raion’s muzzle, and before long, he found himself grinning, for the first time feeling truly at peace with who he was supposed to be. He raised his head up high, and finally, after so much time spent moping and suffering under his self-imposed image, the former Captain—no, the Shinigami, he no longer needed to identify himself with his former rank—finally felt whole again.

He soon left the Bardam Tribe, his possessions restored to him, and his spirit and heart restored. A week later, Raion returned to Soul Society, went straight to Central, and made a short report on his travels. Finally, before he was dismissed, he had one last point of order to address, one he had thought about long and hard on his travels. Before those gathered, he gave a broad smile, the familiar grin of mischief crossed with the sheer joy of life, and made his announcement:

“I quit!”

SPOILER: Click to show

{Current: Moving Forward}

Raion’s announcement had startled many, and no one knew how to took it. It wasn’t unheard of for Shinigami to retire after holding a position long enough, but it was rare. Yet here Raion was, clearly abdicating both his rank and his standing within the Gotei. At first, Central was against such a decision, especially from an individual of Captain level strength—after all, cutting him loose from the chain of command meant that they had little control over his actions, whether they be for or against the good of Soul Society, short of imprisoning him for the remainder of his life. They tried to convince him otherwise, to suggest that maybe retirement wasn’t for him. And, in the end, they were able to make one last compromise: Raion would retire, but he would still serve as active duty should he need to be called upon. In the meantime, he would serve another role, one that he had pushed for: the Shinigami Academy could always use teachers, and Raion’s knowledge of Kido alone was impressive enough that he could likely serve as a mentor for many looking to push into the Kido Corps or similar squads.

Raion acceded to the compromise, and was thus enrolled as an instructor at the Academy.

---

Post 4

As discussed, Raion as a retired Rank 3 Captain has now been assigned as an Academy Teacher, Rank 3. His SP distribution will not change, only the rank multipliers. The stats will change as follows to reflect that:

Strength – [200] Points

Speed – [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure – [(200 x 2) = 400] Points

Reiatsu Strength – [(400 x 2) = 800] Points

Light Aura - [100] Points

Dark Aura - [0] Points

Instinct – [(250 x 0.5) = 125] Points

Senses – [(150 x 0.5) = 75] Points

Energy sensory – [100] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: 1600 Points

[Kitai Yoru]

1/2

[Deleted]

2/2, Glad to see Raion coming back!