Post by Nakajima Kimiko on May 14, 2022 16:54:57 GMT -5
[ B A S I C I N F O R M A T I O N ]
Character Name: Nakajima Kimiko
Class: Vizard Hopeful - Seated Officer - Third Seat (2)
Rank: 2
[ R E A S O N S F O R A P P L I C A T I O N ]
There are a couple of reasons as to why I'm applying Kimiko for Bankai. These reasons are each rather plentiful, whether they be characteristic or systemic in nature, and they can be found below:
- Captaincy: I am currently aiming to have Kimiko take the position of Captain of the Eleventh Division, which requires me to have unlocked her Bankai. The aforementioned position is currently occupied by a player character, but the character in question is Francis Grin, who has been inactive since September 2020. As such, I personally consider the spot to be open.
- Her Stats: Though it is true that she is only considered as the Third Seat of the Eleventh Division at this present time, Kimiko is currently Class 2, which means she is arguably just as strong as her Vice-Captain. Seeing as there are many characters within the Eleventh Division, I figured that it would perhaps be better for the position of Third Seat to be liberated for somebody else to eventually occupy.
- Path to Hollowfication: As a Vizard, Kimiko is required to learn her Bankai so as to proceed towards the fourth step of the Path to Hollowfication, which is the Complete Takeover. In other words, so long as I do not have a Bankai, her progress down the Path is practically frozen.
- Personal Belief: It's admittedly a rather opinionated argument, but I feel like I need to state it here. I personally believe that Kimiko has shown significant aspects of character development throughout the many stories she was a part of, enough so that it would make sense for her, in-character, to be capable of unlocking her Bankai.
[ Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S ]
Achievements
- becoming the personal apprentice of the Captain of the Tenth Division after her very first month at the Academy;
- beating an Unseated Officer of the Eleventh Division in a spar a few months after, which allowed her to impress the Vice-Captain of that same division in a following spar with him despite her loss against him;
- winning a fight against a Hollow during a disastrous study trip to Karakura Town which cost the life of her guide there, causing her to become a popular figure for the students of the Academy even to this day;
- graduating from the Academy in two years due to her prodigious swordsmanship, and then proving herself to one of their officers right before officially becoming a member of the Eleventh Division;
- unlocking her Shikai only two and a half years after she officially became a member of the Eleventh Division;
- discovering a black market selling captured and enslaved Hollows in the Living World, all the while surviving an encounter with an (albeit friendly) Arrancar at the same time;
- developing a second Zanpakuto out of another Asauchi and releasing it instantly after touching the Asauchi, which only happens very rarely, if not almost never;
- surviving multiple invasions of the Soul Society, the both of which have allowed her to successfully showcase her strength and powers to her comrades;
- achieving Bankai at a relatively young age.
These achievements have also allowed Kimiko to mature significantly. Though she still believes her strength to not be totally deserved, she cannot deny that it has provided her with many lessons that have allowed her to grow as a person. She most likely won't be a perfect Captain if she ever gains the job, or even someone who will last for much longer in this line of work. Despite this, for as long as she remains standing, she will attempt to find ways to further better herself in the coming times, starting with sharing her swordsmanship with others.
Qualifying Threads
Note: The following threads are listed chronologically within their sections from top to bottom, though not exactly so outside of them.
{Adventure Threads}
- Evil Never Sleeps, It Just Waits
The dead rises, again. What should have been nothing more than a day of grueling paperwork for Kimiko turned into a nightmare as the denizens of Rukongai were suddenly afflicted by a disease which killed them and then turned them into horrific zombie-like monsters. Throughout this experience, the then-Fifth Seat of the Eleventh Division witnessed for the first time in her Shinigami career what happens during an invasion of the Soul Society by an outside force, and it was not pretty. It did not help that, much like during an earlier incident, she failed to present any care for those who perished from the infection with the exception of the children, almost as though her very own heart believed the casualties to be nothing more than a quaint detail to purposefully ignore in dire times.
Despite this, she survived the ordeal and came out of it just a little bit stronger than before. She proved to those beneath her rank within the Gotei 13 that she possessed a sense for leadership behind her shy battle-addict persona, one that surprised even Kimiko herself, and that she was strong enough to face many powerful enemies at once without succumbing to the fear of death. In other words, she proved to both her comrades, her mentor Celes, and the Vice-Captain of her squad how resolved she can be when faced with a threat that could destroy their home. It was no wonder that it was this battle which certified her position as the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh Division. - KILL SIX MILLION DEMONS
The most horrific thing that could have happened to the Soul Society has finally happened. On one faithful day, that which rots below decided to bring its pestilence to the heavens. For many who were unfortunate enough to witness it with their very own eyes, this was a catastrophic day for the Gotei 13. Millions and millions of those who remained within Rukongai perished, with their souls consumed by the demons of Hell. However, for Kimiko, it was a godsend. Having previously suffered the frustrating speeches of her second Zanpakuto's spirit, this second invasion has allowed her to express the anger she held for him onto the hellspawn in the form of what could only be considered as an utter massacre. A countless amount of the beasts were forcibly returned to the earth by her own hands, so much so that she didn't even bother keeping count of them. Almost none of them were capable of even so much as landing a scratch on her during this process.
Though she has grown to become hateful of the Captain of the Fifth, Wycliff Mason, for the fact that he almost froze her to death with his ability, Kimiko showed such monstrous power during this day that she has gained the great respect of many lower officers who were able to follow the movement of her "ink". Kimiko herself was, however, somewhat disturbed by what happened during that day, as it proved to her that her thirst for blood and combat has grown exponentially over the years, perhaps even too much. Whatever is happening to her, she will need to find what is causing it and how she can stop it before she eventually turns into something unrecognizable.
{Threads Before Class 3}
- A Time for Games
The Shinigami of the Gotei 13 each are capable of properly forming their Zanpakuto by the time they graduate from the prestigious Shin'ō Academy. Following this graduation, they must then conduct the Jinzen ritual to communicate with the spirit within their blade... but Kimiko could not do it. For a number of weeks following her entry within the Eleventh Division, she found herself unable to achieve a successful Jinzen. It was so bad that it was starting to become a frustrating point of mockery for her comrades. Even so, she refused to succumb to frustration, and with great resolve, she persisted. This fortitude allowed her to then finally enter her Inner World, the Fields of Tranquility, and meet with her Zanpakuto's spirit, the kind elderly man so fond of tea. Unfortunately for Kimiko, however, this elder was not kind enough to immediately give her his name. She would have to work for it... by winning a game of shogi against him!
For two and a half years, the officer spent each and every single one of her afternoons with the spirit to eventually achieve this goal. Together, they would converse and train, strengthening their connection between one another further and further in the process. Eventually, they would conclude those afternoons with a match of the Japanese board game. It was at first extremely difficult, as the spirit was a master at the game who pulled no punches against Kimiko, but with time, the officer grew more experienced. She learned to stop doubting her ability to play against him, and instead start playing better. One day, she played better than him and won, solidifying not only their respect between one another, but also her obtention of his name: Shizukakane. - Dark Under Brightest Nights
Greed never ceases to be, no matter the ages and the problems those under its influence must face. This was one of the main lessons Kimiko had the displeasure to learn during her hunt for Walker, a Hollow who was hunting the citizens of the Japanese district of Kabukichō. During what was initially supposed to only be a standard hunting operation, the officer was able to discover the black market specialized in the selling of captured Hollowkind within Karakura Town a few years prior had survived the takedown she and a Fullbringer had delivered to it. Worse, she was able to find that it had evolved into something of great importance amongst certain individuals who were part of the yakuza, to the point that they were ready to hire foreign mercenaries to do their dirty work without the full knowledge of their own members, as well as allowing other unknown parties to enslave Hollows with the use of strange bio-technology. It was all a very upsetting experience that made Kimiko realize that no being should be coerced to work for someone against their will, not even the cruelest of creatures.
Fortunately, she did not go through this alone. Indeed, she was able to uncover all of these terrible secrets with the help of an unlikely ally: Ailene Haschiro, the Septima Espada. Though she still is unsure that pairing herself with this individual was the right thing to do, Kimiko saw the good in this supposedly-dark being as they both shared their dislike of the situation, enough so that she thinks of her as a relatively-trustworthy acquaintance. Moreover, this experience has allowed her to understand that not all Arrancar - and therefore, Hollows - are evil in nature, instead preferring to accomplish things beyond simple consumption. - Demons Both Hidden and Plain
Since her arrival within the Soul Society, Kimiko has considered herself to be somewhat connected to Rukongai. She lived there prior to her registration within Shin'ō Academy, has been heading there for food every evening, and has conversed with many while being there, even if she didn't always wish to do so in the case of the latter. With that said, she only really did such things in the first twenty or so districts. Much like many of the Shinigami of the Gotei 13, she never really bothered to go deeper into the districts beyond the 40th for the typical reasons: the general unwelcoming sentiments of the denizens there, the lack of any laws and proper infrastructure, the violence. In fact, the latter problem was why she and a few of her comrades were sent to patrol those districts for a few days up until the 66th, where they would then have to return to Seireitei and report their findings.
During this trip, the swordswoman was able to meet with a student of Shin'ō Academy, Ishikawa Seiji, who came from these latter districts. Though they only spoke briefly, this interaction allowed her to realize that, although the latter districts are most definitely more savage than the first, kindness had not been totally removed from them. She understood that the temper of its denizens came not from savagery, but rather from a need to survive their harsh afterlife, nothing more, nothing less, and in so doing, she began to wonder about the possibility of a unified Rukongai devoid of hatred and inequality. How this was going to happen, she could not say right away, but perhaps she will be able to figure it out later... even if she has to suffer the nightmares plaguing her nights for a bit longer before being able to do so.
{Threads At Class 3}
- The Distant Gray
The darkness within Kimiko's heart grows ever-so-incessantly. The nightmares grow worse, becoming more terrifying with each night passed, and the presence of the being within them takes further and further shape. But one night, as she experienced a most terrible dream, she became aware of the presence of another being. This presence, at first, only took the shape of a dash of black in her nightmares. However, as time passed, it became a dark spot within the Fields of Tranquility's horizon, right at the corner of her eye. Eventually, the dark spot became a forest, and this forest became more and more present until she could ignore it no longer. This frustration of hers coupled with the curiosity which this dark spot has brought within her has compelled her to seek answers. After she spoke with many people and sought information within the great library of the Academy, she was able to theorize that the forest was a physical representation of an excess of spiritual energy, and from this theory was also theorized a potential need for another Asauchi. If only she could have foreseen what would have happened the moment she held that second blade.
From this second blade was accessed the dark spot she once could not reach beyond the corner of her eye within her Inner World, the so-called Fading Forest. She watched it take shape around her after she grasped the blade, witnessed it be born before her, and then met its only resident, a silver shade of arrogant pride who immediately sought to test her combative abilities. Unfortunately, she stood no chance against it. She was beaten easily, and then ridiculed for her weakness, treated as being unready to face "her". Though she would come out of this battle defeated and forced to rest within the barracks of the Fourth Division for a few days, she would at the very least learn the shade's name, Taishokukane, and therefore be among the first Shinigami to develop a second full-fledged Zanpakuto separate from their initial blade in centuries. Whether that is a development worthy of praise or something that should instead make her weary of her future, however... she still cannot say. - Binding Chains
Kimiko never really believed herself to be a teacher at heart. She never sought to teach others, and anytime she even imagined herself doing so, she always believed it as being somewhat of a ridiculous fantasy. This fantasy was only made more ridiculous with the addition of Taishokukane's existence within her daily schedule, which was so frustrating that it caused her to be almost perpetually peeved every single day. However, much to her surprise, she was one day visited by an officer of the Tenth Division going by the name of Wynne Kuchiki who sought to become her student in swordsmanship for the day. Apparently, it was a suggestion that Celes herself, Kimiko's very own mentor, had given her. For the sake of her mentor, the swordswoman decided to go along with the idea, though as she would find out while training the woman, she would come with a most surprising revelation about herself that she had not been aware of in the slightest since the beginning of her Shinigami career: she liked teaching others.
Indeed, as she taught the woman her lessons, her prior reticence to train the woman grew into something much more exciting. She progressively became eager to see how far the woman could go under her wing, how much more proficient with the blade she could become, and eventually, this eagerness turned into a wish to see her become her true disciple proper. It is something small, maybe even a bit unremarkable with all things considered, but for Kimiko who has been trapped in the darkness of the nightmares and the drivel of the silver shade for so long now, it was the small bit of light that she needed to return to something akin to happiness. Maybe this happiness of hers will lead her to build something greater in the near future.
{Bankai Solo Training}
- What Lies Beyond
The truest of Kimiko's nightmares has arisen. One faithful night, the being that kept haunting her dreams has suddenly fully taken shape within her memories, and has expressed its wish to eliminate the one thing that is most precious to the officer: Shizukakane, her first Zanpakuto's spirit. Concerned by this sudden and twisted development of affairs, the elderly one assesses that this being could become not only a danger to himself, but also Taishokukane, Kimiko herself, and then the rest of the people that the Shinigami holds dear. In so doing, he concludes that there is only one path for her to follow if she wishes to gain enough power to defend herself against such a threat to all of their lives. That path was the one of ultimate power, the one that lead her to unlocking of her blades' final release. The path to Bankai. Without any other choices to make, Kimiko made no objections to the idea, and so made her preparations the following day far away from the barracks of the Eleventh Division. As she entered her Inner World and found herself at the divide between the Fields of Tranquility and the Fading Forest, she, Shizukakane, and a reticent Taishokukane would complete a ritual that will allow Kimiko to unlock her Bankai.
After the ritual sent her to a deconstructed version of her Inner World, Kimiko would find a great blade there, one composed fueled by a deep hunger for power. Trying to take control of the blade almost killed her. Like the very Inner World itself, it threatened to consume her and turn her into dust. Despite this, she persevered and was able to master it by submitting its hunger to her. It was a direct order, one of absolute conviction and resolve that prevented the blade from consuming any more of her being ever again. However, as she would soon come to know once she was allowed to leave the Inner World, the blade will always need to consume something from somewhere. If it cannot consume her... then it will consume her surroundings.
Though she is unaware of its true nature, learning that the ability of her Bankai is akin to the leeching of life itself deeply hurt her. She does not appreciate it as a Zanpakuto proper, for it is one of magic that is even more blasphemous to her than the abilities presented by her Shikai, and she does not appreciate it even as a simple weapon, as to leech life itself is deeply dishonorable. Though she will not hide the fact that she has learned how to summon her Bankai, she will not consider it appropriate to show it to her comrades. Instead, she will treat it as it is meant to be for the time being: a defensive tool, something shamelessly powerful whose purpose is solely to protect her against the being in her dreams. This notion will continue until, one day, she learns to make peace with the fact she possesses it, or somehow finds a way to replace it.
