Post by Kaito Hiragi on Apr 4, 2017 8:15:15 GMT -5
-Opening-
Password 1: [Gut's Jawline]
Password 2: [#REKT]
Type: [Soldier]
Squad: [Squad 8]
Rank: [Unseated]
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-Basic Information-
Name: [Kaito Hiragi]
Age of Death: [Born in Rukongai]
Real Age/Age of Appearance: [146/25]
Birthday (Month/Day): [March/20]
Blood Type: [O-]
RP Sample (Optional): [Insert Here]
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-Appearance-
{Appearance}
Height/Weight: [6'2/145.5 lbs (66 kg)]
Physical Description:
This gruff looking shinigami has one major signature trait; the X-shaped scar on his face. He could've been a good looking man if not for the scar, but he doesn't seem to bother at all. How he got the scar still remains unknown among the other shinigami and many have tried to make him explain it. Rumor has it that he fought one hell of a fight in the wilderness, against an abhorrent monster. Although he keeps stating that this it's false, the rumors won't go away.
While his face shrinks into insignificance compared to his scar, it should still be noted that he is, or atleast used to be, quite handsome. His lips are not too thin, yet not too thick, and looking into dark eyes gives you a sense of safety and security. However, his nose seems to have been broken multiple times and his skin seems to have been sunburned over and over again. Thus it can be said that his face is like a beautiful landscape, where two destructive armies have constantly been fighting.
Not only his face, but his hands have been marked by scars aswell, as if thousands of needles had been pushed in his hands to form a pattern, times and times again. Similar to his face, he doesn't want to talk about how he got them and he often hides his hands when someone notices these little scars. Another place of his body he desperately tries to hide, is his right forearm, which he often keeps wrapped in a cloth. Because, you guessed it, he has another scar there. This one can't really be called a scar, but more of a brandmark with the initials M.T.
But who would notice something like that at first glimpse? So let's switch back to something distinctive again. Kaito has long, coal black hair and while it isn't uncommon for male shinigami to have long hair, it still is a major part of his appearance because it's one of the first things noticed by those around him. He doesn't keep his hair tied in a knot or in a tail, which makes it hard to guess if he truly sees what's happening, or if he doesn't. Although the assumption can be made that he does, because he's quick when it comes to spotting his enemies' weaknesses.
He moves with a certain elegance, almost similar to that of a noble or a professional dancer. But his movements are always cautious and limited, as if he could be attacked any second, yet his manner of speech is the complete opposite. He makes use of a lot of gestures when he tries to explain something, often making it more and more confusing. Kaito's voice could be described as enthusiastic and friendly but depending on the person, it could sound very stern and uninviting aswell.
His dark brown eyes always seem filled with a passion, the kind that makes him seem like a professional shinigami. However looking into his eyes at certain occasions allows one to see the sadness and loneliness hidden behind the passion. After having seen the sadness reflected in his eyes, it cannot be unseen. His posture seems different, his laugh sounds different and his anger seems a lot more understandable. Even while this sadness sheds a different light upon him, the passion can't be unseen either. The way he examines objects, touching them with a certain desire, one that seems so unlike him. And then, when it looks as if he's going to make it his own, the fire in his eyes fades.
Clothes/Attire
Kaito usually wears the traditional shinigami uniform, however he made a few slight changes to make it more comfortable. He doesn't wear the traditional black hakama, but he makes use of a black Nobakama. Kaito is often spotted wearing his han kote, fingerless gloves and his kyahan in combat, since he greatly values movability and protection. His gigai mainly wears two outfits. He usually wears a black tailor made suit, for it is worn by professional businessman, something he likes to compare himself with, and if he has to stay in the human world for a long amount of time, he can be spotted wearing kaki shorts and a white blouse.
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-Personality-
Dislikes:
Squad 11
Not only does he believe in honor, but granting his enemies a quick death is one of his policies aswell. A fight is something that should not be enjoyed, for lives will be taken and families will cry over these lost and poor souls. This is exactly the opposite of Squad 11 it's philosophy, which is based around enjoying a fight to the fullest. If they don't carry their responsibilities, how can he ever put his faith in them?
Shinigami, Quincy or fullbringers without honor.
So when is one allowed to fight according to him? Well, it's actually quite easy. When two warriors with clashing ideals stand in each others way, a honorable duel should be fought. Shinigami, Quincy or fullbringers whom resort to foul play, don't match this description and shouldn't be allowed to call themselves warriors.
Hollows
A threat that most humans can't see, yet one of the most dangerous that could possibly exist. Hollows kill without mercy, even those whom they have known in their past life. Kaito no longer sees hollows as souls, but he sees them as simple threats whom should be eliminated to protect mankind.
Melons :
Not much explanation needed here, Kaito simply doesn't like the taste of melons and will always try to leave when melons are on the menu.
Talking about his past
I'm not saying that he won't talk about it, he simply dislikes doing so because of the many bad memories he has. He won't tell his story unless asked, provided he likes and trusts the person whom asked it.
Guilty souls :
Souls whom have comitted crimes in Soul Society, will be dealt with by him. It's another one of his many ways of viewing honor. Those whom have done wrong and are unable to give the appropriate punishment to themselves, will be assisted in doing so by him. This can range from simply scaring them to actually executing them.
Liars
Breaking your promise is the way to get him angry. He values trust and honor, something liars don't posses. Making kaito hate someone is quite hard, but lying is one of the best ways to do it.
Likes:
Being able to help :
Most of the souls in Rukongai are poor, which motivates Kaito to try and help them in any way possible, even if it's something as simple as carrying their groceries. While he doesn't treat shinigami the same way, he will still support other shinigami when needed, be it in an emotional or physical way.
Humans and innocent souls :
It may not seem like he enjoys the company of ordinary souls, but it makes him happy to listen to their daily troubles and adventures. He could listen to their stories for days, which most of the citizens of Rukongai and the Seireitei find weird. In most cases, it's the citizens whom would like to hear stories from the shinigami. It's nearly the same with humans. Kaito has always been interested in human cultures and their origins, but he feels too much out of place in the human world, which is the sole reason why he doesn't talk to humans and why he feels akward when a fullbringer is present.
Loyalty :
One of the most important factors to keep a squad rolling besides discipline, is definitely loyalty. He will always do what his superiors tell him to and he will mock others if they don't. Even if he dislikes the given order or the one who gave it, he will do what has to be done, since it's for the good of Soul Society.
Openly admitting problems
While he does believe that, in the end, everyone should solve their own problems, he does also believe that asking for help is sometimes necessary to solve ones problems.
Games :
Who doesn't like games? As long as it's not a drinking game or gambling, he will never back down when challenged. He especially likes chess and card games, although he isn't particularly good in the latter.
Respect :
All life, with the exception of hollows, should be respected. Everyone has his own standards and he respects these, unless they clash with his own.
Working in a team :
Although he doesn't mind working solo, he'd rather share his missions with other shinigami to make sure the objective can be secured. Working in a team is one of the most efficient ways to get things done, especially among the lower ranks. That's why he will frequently try to get people to work together.
Honor :
It should've been clear by now that Kaito believes honor and respect to be very important. It likely has something to do with his former inferiority complex, which affected him a lot in his younger years, but this is better explained at overall personality part.
Onmitsukidō Patrol Corps.
While he dislikes the Onmitsukidō, he always had respect for the Patrol Corps. They helped him out on several occasions and learned him a few skills, which were critical for his survival during his younger years.
Bossy/dominant or higher ranking people.
This comes hand in hand with his inferiority complex; Kaito feels comfortable when there's someone around whoes able to give him clear directions and orders.
Flaws:
Inferiority complex :
In the past, Kaito used to have a major inferiority complex. While most of it faded away, it is still present, which makes him very vulnerable to bossy characters, because they can easily take advantage of him.
Obedience :
The law is something that must be followed at all times. While he will follow his captain even if he breaks the laws, Kaito would never break a law on his own. He will enforce these laws no matter what, often leading to conflict within himself.
Stubborn :
Kaito is not likely to let go of a fact even if it's proven wrong. He often starts yelling at people if they claim it to be wrong, although he will, after a while, apologize for yelling.
Drawing/painting
Kaito is maybe the worst shinigami at drawing or painting, it doesn't matter what, people, plants, food, maps, it's laughable how bad he is at it andh e frequently makes jokes about his own drawing and painting skills.
Short-tempered
He frequently gets incredibly angry, even over the small things. Those angry moods usually don't last long and he often apologizes right after.
Time
If someone enters your room in the middle of the night, it's likely Kaito. He has no sense of time at all, and this frequently leads to weird scenarios, such as eating dinner in the morning or walking outside at 5 AM.
Too cautious
He does believe that there's good in every person, but evil will always be present. Kaito is very cautious, always thinking that there's an underlying motive. Many have said that he's a paranoid, but he outlived them all. That's quite an impressive feat, seen all that he's already been through.
Habits:
Trying to draw or paint :
His room is filled with papers, each having a poorly drawn object on it. He believes that through hard work, he will finally be able to pull it off. However, after nearly 50 years of practicing, he still hasn't improved one bit.
Talking to his zanpakutou :
Not in his inner world, but in the middle of combat. It may look like he's talking to himself, though he's actually talking to his zanpakutou. He knows that it can hear him and hopes that his zanpakutou will respond one day.
Buying useless stuff :
What should I say? Kaito sees all kinds of possibilities in useless stuff, though the stuff always breaks before he can actually use it like he planned to do.
Paying respects before a fight :
Unless it's fighting hollows, chances are pretty high that he will bow before a battle or a duel starts, out of respect for his opponent. If he doesn't, it's either a dangerous situation or he doesn't like his opponent.
Meditating
Kaito can frequently be found meditating, be it near the barracks or somewhere in the middle of the wilderness. He does so in order to stay mentally stable.
Promises
He will go to great extends to uphold his promises, and therefore he rarely gives his word. He would rather say "I can't promise to...., but I could give it a try"
Hiding his hands
Kaito is ashamed of the scars on his hands, and that's why he doesn't want to show them. It has become a habit over time to hide his hands in his pockets or behind his back, preferring the latter.
Gratings
Underneath his uniform, he seems to wear a sash with small wooden gratings. He never specifies why, but it certainly has a purpose.
Gestures
He uses a lot of gestures when he's talking. This frequently leads to more confusion, but that's something he doesn't seem to be aware of.
Fears:
Mari Takenaka
She has tortured him both mentally and physically for many years in Rukongai. While he knows that she is dead, she still holds a rather large amount of influence over his life and her name still strikes fear into his heart. This woman has made him into who he is now, sharpening his senses, energy sensory and instinct during his time as her servant. Kaito still believes she decides what happens around him.
Women :
Mari Takenaka was the first girl he really got to now, and she wasn't exactly nice. She embodied both what he loved and feared, which made him realize that seduction and mystery can be used as very dangerous weapons. Due to that, he fears the effect women may have on him. Her example has lead to him distancing himself from women, only talking to them when they ask a question. He will never look in a woman or girl her eyes and if he doesn't know her, he will often try to stay away from said woman or girl. Thus, it can be said that he is socially akward around women and girls.
Facing his past in Rukongai :
If there is something Kaito doesn't talk about, it's his past in Rukongai. He has been abused in so many ways, that he refrains from talking about it. He fears that he'll have to go back to the places he once visited, and that he will have to face his past.
Turning against Soul Society :
It could always happen that, even someone as loyal as him, could turn against Soul Society for a yet unknown reason. His greatest fear is to end up on the other side, helping to plot the destruction of Soul Society. The chance that this will happen isn't very high, but it still is a possibility. It's his greatest fear, which he sometimes has to face in his inner world.
Other fears:
- Not being able to protect others
- Not being able to fulfill his goals
- Succumbing to his hatred and anger
- Being killed by hollows
- Spiders
- Losing his shinigami powers
- Humans (not really, but worth mentioning)
- Becoming a cripple
- Not being able to live up to expectations of others.
- Making a wrong oath
- Sharks and whales
- Breaking his word
- Being accused of crimes
Goals:
There are many goals one wulud want to achieve during their life. For Kaito, it's definitely improving the conditions of Rukongai. But he can't do that with his current position, meaning that it's important to reach the top of the food chain first. Currently, his eyes are set on achieving and mastering his Shikai and Bankai, which will make him eligible to become a captain. After having reached that rank, his next step is to form a team with a few other capable shinigami, in order to safeguard Rukongai. But why safeguard Rukongai? Most of his memories are bad after all. Well, that's exactly the reason why. Kaito has seen a lot of districts and this has lead him to believe that the citizens of Rukongai have been neglected. Creating a better world for those forced to live in Rukongai, is therefore a must. When Rukongai is safe and has lost it's poverty, he can finally dissappear and rest. Unless another character has given him a new goal in life, of course.
Sidegoals:
Mastering Kaido, hado and bakudo, to create his own kido techniques.
Mastering Hakuda, to combine it with multiple styles of martial arts, creating his own hakuda techniques.
Facing Mari Takenaka, he wasn't the one who delivered the final blow, thus she may still be alive. If she is, he will go after her with the intention to kill.
Alignment: [Lawful neutral, however he may sometimes show glimpses of neutral evil or lawful good.]
Overall Personality:
It would be accurate to describe his personality as a hurricane, it looks threatening and dangerous, but it's safe once you're in the eye of the storm. His short-temper and his scarred body actually hide a very kind and smart man, but that's something we'll talk about later. The first thing that should be enlightened, is what his sense of honor actually is.
If there is something he cares about over all things, it is honor. Kaito is a very selfless person, caring more about the people around him and frequently feeling compassionate. He upholds the basic principles of a knight's or a samurai's honor by defending and caring for the weak. Therefore he took his time to study the code of honor, Bushido. The eight virtues of Bushido are, naturally what you'd expect them to be; righteousness, courage, compassion, respect, integrity, honor, loyalty/duty and self-control. He has comitted himself to these virtues and they are a major part of his personality.
However, Kaito is not able to keep them up at all times, which has to do with what the situation requires of him. If someone is able to catch him while he's not upholding the bushido code, he will feel in debt to that person, often resulting in him serving said person for a while. . After all these years, it became hard to notice that he upholds this code, because he no longer needs to correct his own behaviour. It can sometimes be noticed, when he's surprised by something.
When it comes to souls and humans, he follows the rule; with great power comes great responsibility. It's the task of the shinigami to look after the dead, by guiding them to the soul society and by protecting them in the afterlife. From his point of view, the shinigami do a bad job at the latter, due to the amount of poor districts in Rukongai. As a former citizen of Rukongai he feels the need to change these districts, by getting rid of the criminals and improving their living conditions. That brings us to the next part, criminality and rogues.
Of course, criminality goes against the bushido code, which makes Kaito directly clash with them. When faced with a criminal, he will judge their crimes, based on their motives and what the crime actually was. He will then proceed to punish said criminal in an appropriate manner. This can range from threatening to execution. As shown before, he dislikes rogues. They aren't loyal, have lost their honor and have forsaken their duty. The only way for a rogue to regain his pride, is through a honorable death, which he will grant them.
When talking to him, you'll easily realize that he's very different from what you would have expected him to be. (Think of the storm). Kaito cares about the small things, such as who has to clean up when he makes a mess in the human world. In most cases, he easily regrets what he said or did. The reason behind this, is because of the inferiority complex caused by Mari Takenaka. Although it won't stand in his way when he has to make decisions on a whim, such as during a battle or a game.
One part of his personality that never originated from the bushido (although it's in it), is his willingness to help. This is simply because he's an actual very kind hearted person. He's friendly, doesn't discriminate and feels the need to protect those around him, which makes him a very reliable person. His fear of women is limited to talking and socializing, making him still reliable in combat. Something noteworthy should be that he's not afraid of his zanpakutou spirit, a woman of his age.
Although he relies on the bushido and his willingness to protect others, it's still just one side of the coin, or rather the dice. The burning passion in his eyes can, sometimes not be described as the willingness to protect others. In fact, it may sometimes even reflect how badly he wants to see the world around him burn to a crisp. When he realizes that he's in said mood, he frequently locks himself in, or he starts meditating at a peaceful and quiet spot. There have been moments that made him 'unleash the beast' within him, making him almost seem like a schizophreniac. Because he can't express his anger and hatred when it comes to the subject of Soul Society, it's slowly consuming him.
His selfless attitude has lead him to a point in his life, where he no longer feels comfortable around others. Kaito is a very lonely person and hopes to, one day, find shinigami with a purpose similar to his. Untill then, the men and women around him are nothing more than whispers in the dark. While he has given up on it, he still hopes that he'll run into someone he can love. But this will likely never happen, because of his social akwardness around girls. Mari Takenaka had given him what he wanted in life to a certain extent, but he had to sacrifice too much in order to please her.
Kaito is willing to play the role of the villain, in order to change things for the better. He's able to play this role so well, that many have doubted if it truly is an act. He can play a merciless and cold blooded killer, frequently resorting to the most gruesome torture methods one could imagine. This is not an act, but a fragment of his former self. By now, it should be clear that Mari Takenaka played the most important role in his life. She made him realize what his true nature is, and he repents for it by following the bushido, and creating a better life for those around him.
When it comes to combat, he's confident and ready, always trying to plan ahead. While he could just bluntly attack with his zanpakutou, it's not his preferred style. He doesn't mock his opponents, yet he does make a lot of jokes during a fight. Because, after all, keeping the morale high is important. He will go as far as to protect his weakened opponent from threats, just to keep the fight fair. Thus, it could be said that he still somewhat follows the bushido code in combat.
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-Powers-
Fighting Style:
So what would he specialize in? Well, you should've realized by now that he follows bushido. Thus, it can be said that he's your typical samurai-like fighter. He fights with honor, but he will finish the fight. He has mastered different sword styles and he merged them with martial arts. This makes him a fearsome opponent when given a sword, and even without it, he shouldn't be underestimated. He frequently falls back on using Kido and Hakuda, but it will always be the sword that'll take the life.
He sees kido techniques as very useful tools, utilizing them in combat whenever it's possible. He has taken a liking to hado techniques and he hopes to master kaido one day, for it may grant him an advantage when it comes to a fight based on stamina. He would rather attack hollows with kido techniques than with his sword, because it could grant him an earlier victory. It's why he tends to keep a distance between him and his opponent, frequently utilizing kido to see how they react. His dislike of using hakuda in combat is made up by his shunpo, which he mainly uses for defensive purposes.
As said before, he doesn't want to make his enemies suffer, but he's not afraid to do so. It doesn't matter when or what he's fighting, he will always start with the same move, trying to end the fight with one blow. He uses a special iaido technique (Example). If the opponent manages to dodge, Kaito will actually start analyzing the fight. He has trained and learned how to fight in the academy, but his mentality in a fight has been formed by Mari Takenaka. She learned him how to think and what tactics to use during a battle.
Kaito has been praised by many, because of his great tactical abilities, paired with his swordplay and his kido. Many compare themselves to a demon or a devil in combat, but Kaito could best be described as an ocean. Fighting him is like trying to stab water, while it pulls you to the open sea. Once you realize that your feet no longer touch the ground, it's already too late. You can't keep your head above the water long enough, and swimming back to the coast is no longer an option. Being pulled in, means death. That's why his form of combat relies on defense, trickery and fast counters.
But that's just the early stage of a fight against Kaito. He slowly becomes more and more aggressive, developing into the hurricane his personality has been described with. He becomes the embodiment of destruction, as if the ocean suddenly decided that it was time to evaporate. Nearly no traces of the once so gentle and kind man are left in this stage, having no issue with fighting unfair by using dirty tactics. This sudden change of his mindset may come as a great surprise to some, making it even more effective.
{Released form: Shikai}
His released zanpakutou can do some pretty horrible things, and he's aware of it. While the main ability is to shield those around him, he doesn't have any problem with utilizing it for attacks. In fact, he'd rather utilize his barriers to attack his opponent than to defend his allies. Nevertheless, it should still be noted that it's an ability based on defending. That's why, in the early stages of the fight, his main tactic is to defend and generate more barriers. He'll use them to protect his back, shattering maybe one or two for offense. When all of his barriers are up, he can actually start attacking.
He will always keep atleast four barriers near him, against surprise attacks. He doesn't like shattering his barriers, as his opponents will do that for him. He would rather just hurl them at his enemies in a straight line, thus leaving square-like holes in hollows, if they're larger than his barriers. These barriers are deceptively fast and have a great impact, something he mainly relies on. When the opponent dodges the barriers, he can't just pull them back. He'll remove them, and he'll generate them next to him again, this gives him both optimal defense and offense.
His released zanpakutou can do some pretty horrible things, and he's aware of it. While the main ability is to shield those around him, he doesn't have any problem with utilizing it for attacks. In fact, he'd rather utilize his barriers to attack his opponent than to defend his allies. Nevertheless, it should still be noted that it's an ability based on defending. That's why, in the early stages of the fight, his main tactic is to defend and generate more barriers. He'll use them to protect his back, shattering maybe one or two for offense. When all of his barriers are up, he can actually start attacking.
He will always keep atleast four barriers near him, against surprise attacks. He doesn't like shattering his barriers, as his opponents will do that for him. He would rather just hurl them at his enemies in a straight line, thus leaving square-like holes in hollows, if they're larger than his barriers. These barriers are deceptively fast and have a great impact, something he mainly relies on. When the opponent dodges the barriers, he can't just pull them back. He'll remove them, and he'll generate them next to him again, this gives him both optimal defense and offense.
{Released form: Bankai}
Fighting his bankai is very intimidating. He is no longer limited to 20 barriers, and can freely generate nearly any barrier. He no longer has to keep four barriers near him, because he will never run out of barriers. He mainly divides them in three groups during the bankai; Barriers for protecting his allies, fragments to pressure his opponent and barriers to hurl at his enemies, similar to the shikai. The combination between the fragments and the barriers is extremely deadly, because they form a near absolute offense, created out of a defense.
Fighting his bankai is very intimidating. He is no longer limited to 20 barriers, and can freely generate nearly any barrier. He no longer has to keep four barriers near him, because he will never run out of barriers. He mainly divides them in three groups during the bankai; Barriers for protecting his allies, fragments to pressure his opponent and barriers to hurl at his enemies, similar to the shikai. The combination between the fragments and the barriers is extremely deadly, because they form a near absolute offense, created out of a defense.
Zanpakutou Spirit Appearance(Optional):[/b]
{Tsukikage no shōheki}
Tsukikage no shōheki seems to be the manifestation of three parts of his soul, his fear of Mari Takenaka, his willingness to protect and his two sided personality. Tsukikage no shōheki reassembles Mari, something that Kaito has a lot of trouble with. However, her personality is very different from Mari's. Tsukikage no shōheki is an optimistic, kind and friendly zanpakutou spirit. She refuses to lend Kaito her powers when his opponents surrender. Sadly, she also reflects his inner hatred. Kaito has to stay alert when he enters his inner world, for Tsukikage no shōheki usually tries to harm, seduce or capture him. In the inner world, she can most of the time be found trying to restore the building.
Inner World(Optional):[/b] [Insert Here]
{Kaitos Inner world}
Kaito's inner world takes the form of a large, ruined castle with many stairs. The footsteps of tsukikage no shōheki can frequently be heard, however it's nearly impossible to guess her location. Kaito has a hard time navigating through his inner world, since it's such a mess. tsukikage no shōheki claims that it's a mess because of inner fights, but he refuses to believe it. Because of the world it's obscurity, tsukikage no shōheki can easily attack Kaito. The world keeps crumbling further and further when he's in a neutral evil state and it starts to rebuild itself when he's in a lawful good state.
Zanpakutou Appearances:
Unreleased form:
His unreleased form is a plain, katana with a green hilt and sheath. The most noteworthy part of the katana may just be the tsuba, which is square shaped and decorated with small figures. It looks expensive, but it's a rather cheap decoration. Kaito prefers using his unreleased form over his shikai, because of the practical use his unreleased form has. In fact, he'd rather not use his unreleased zanpakutou at all, because once it's revealed, the element of surprise in all of his future fights will be gone.
Shikai:
The average normal katana changes into another sword: a modified ninjato. It became drastically smaller than the unreleased state, which has it's advantages seen the abilities. The blade has (not in the picture) two small wooden gratings attached to the cord. These gratings have the size of a playing card and they form the main ability of the sword. The small size allows Kaito to move and strike faster, although he depends on his barriers to defend him. He doesn't like this form of his zanpakutou, since it forces him to play offensive from the start.
Bankai:
His bankai, Tsuki no megami, takes the form of his zanpakutou spirit, with different colors and clothes. Her height in this form is 32'9, making her look very intimidating to most. Not only does the bankai spawn a woman, but it spawns a mirror half her size aswell, thus somewhere around 16'5 ft. When the bankai is activated, it will suddenly become a bit darker, as if it's right before nightfall. Most of the light present, will be the moonlight emitted by Tsuki no megami, for she is the representation of the moon. She will always stand behind Kaito, following him if he moves. She actually reacts to conversations, however she's not able to talk. For example, she won't respond if someone directly asks something, but she will try to hide her smile if a joke is made.
Kaito is able to generate a sword during the bankai, by making the shards of barriers collide. This sword is beautiful thanks to its transparency, but it's very fragile and can't keep up for long. That's why he always has to be ready to generate a new sword.
{sword in bankai:}
Zanpakutou Release Names(Include both Shikai and Bankai names, and call out phrases)
Shikai : Mamoru, Tsukikage no shōheki (Protect, moonlight barrier)
Bankai : Tsuki no shōheki no megami o shōkan suru (Summon the goddess of the moon barrier)
Overall Ability:
The ability of saikō no shōheki is not hard to explain. Saikō no shōheki creates a transparent, glowing barrier as if it's made of pure moonlight. The size of this barrier is roughly one square meter, which doesn't seem like much. However, if there would be more than one barrier, it would become tricky. Tsukikage no shōheki allows it's user to create said barriers out of thin air, and they can be controlled by the will of the user, to either attack, create a figure or defend one from harm. The barriers can block nearly any attack, unless the offensive stat of Kaito's opponent is higher than his. While the barriers block almost all physical and reiatsu based moves, they can still easily be bypassed because they are transparent. This makes attacks based on illusions, gravitation or light unblockable, for example.
Kaito has full control over these barriers, and he can make them appear, dissappear, shatter or move by using his mind. Making them appear comes with a sharp ringing sound, which will slowly fade away. Making a barrier shatter sounds like shattering glass, but making it dissappear or move doesn't make a sound. These sounds make it a predictable zanpakutou, but not less dangerous because of it. Listening to the sounds is more reliable than looking at the barriers, because they can sometimes be hard to see.
Because they are able to move, it's possible to create three dimensional figures by combining multiple barriers. For example, creating a cube or a pyramid is possible when using tsukikage no shōheki. But moving the pyramid or the cube is very hard, because the barriers have to move as one. The most basic application of this is creating a wall, by stacking the barriers. The barriers can be summoned as a three dimensional structure, but not around a person unless he or she is not moving. If the person is moving, a specific technique can be used to trap them. He can't create the barriers around a moving person, because Kaito simply can't keep up telekinetically with moving people. In order to move a three dimensional figure, Kaito has to push it once in a direction. The cube will move in said direction with half the speed of the normal barriers.
Shattering these barriers seems useless, but it comes with a great offensive ability. All the pieces are small, sharp and will shoot in the direction of the attack that destroyed the barrier. They will keep flying in the direction of the attack, but they will vanish after 20 feet. Of course, they can still be reassembled to form a barrier again. The amount of damage that could be inflicted by shattering barriers is certainly something that shouldn't be underestimated. The shards move towards their target and can change their direction (with a lot of effort). The shards can only be created if Kaito cuts through one of his own barriers.
The barriers themselves can also be used to attack, by telekinetically hurling them at enemies. When hurled, the barriers can break through objects with blunt force, because their impact is strong enough to break through a wall with ease. This can lead to some really abhorrent attacks, such as crushing someone between the barriers. That's the limit of the zanpakutou's offensive power, but it should definitely not be underestimated. If this is combined with the shards, it can change into a truly offensive zanpakutou.
The barriers are solid, yet made of energy. Thus they can't pass through each other and can be stopped by force or kido. Reiatsu based attacks or physical attacks may be able to destroy the barriers, but if multiple barriers have been placed as layers, their defensive attributes go up with 10%, with the maximum being three times his offensive stat. (If Kaito's offensive stat would be 100, layered barriers would have 110, 3 layered barriers would be 120, etc.).The barriers create an infinite amount of options in combat, but creativity is required. Controlling multiple barriers at once can be very confusing for the user, especially when there's a lot of distraction on the battlefield.
Shikai Overall Ability:
The overall ability explained what the barriers were, and what they were capable of doing. The shikai basically gives the ability to create, remove and shatter the barriers. It allows the user to freely control up to 4 barriers at once, with a maximum of 8 barriers present during the shikai. When the shikai is activated it immediatly generates 2 barriers, while more can be generated by the user through sheer willpower (3 per post). However, it's not willpower alone that generates the barriers. Kaito can only generate and control the barriers within 200 meters in his line of sight, which makes his back a fatal weakness. Furthermore, creating a barrier costs 100 reiatsu.
The barriers in his line of sight can be 'deleted' and recreated, almost as if he can refresh them. If he controls a barrier, his sword with start to glow, a clear indication that he's using the barriers around him. Moving the barriers can be done at pretty much any distance, but generating, shattering and removing can only be done around himself. This range is the lenght of his arm plus the lenght of his zanpakutou. That's why defending himself is no problem, but defending others can be quite hard, because the barriers can't pass through objects. They have to be placed in front of the person he wants to protect, which means that they generally are a few seconds too late, since moving them costs time. The barriers have a force and speed of 600, but their durability is always determined by the offensive stat of Kaito.
So what makes the zanpakutou form these square meter barriers? Well, it's the primary weakness of the sword. Without it, the zanpakutou is basically rendered useless. The shikai comes with two wooden gratings, which has been attached to the hilt with a cord. These gratings have exactly 4 holes, and they have the size of a card. You probably guessed it already, but this attachment is responsible for creating the barriers. If this is removed or destroyed, all Kaito can do is control the remaining barriers.
Bankai Overall Ability:
The bankai of tsukikage no shōheki has a rather strange name. It roughly translates to 'Summon the goddess of the moon barrier'. Well that's the main ability of the bankai. It literally summons the moon, as a woman. The goddesss will appear behind Kaito, shining as bright as the moon. She basically is a stronger version of the shikai, with an increased range and amount of barriers. Therefore, she is a force to be reckoned with. She is 32 feet and 9 inches tall, making her an easy to hit target.
The range which allows her to generate, remove and shatter barriers is half a mile. However, she follows Kaito around, so if he uses shunpo to get closer to an enemy, she will immediatly dash to his location with the same speed as his shunpo. She always moves at the same speed as him and she will always stay behind him. She may not be able to control her legs, but she has perfect control over all other parts of her body. The maximum amount of barriers she can generate is 30, but she can only generate 10 per post. After she has generated the barriers, Kaito has full control over the barriers and can move all 30 of them simultaneously if he deemsit necessary. Kaito could also use her to physically attack opponents, because her size allows her to put a lot of weight behind her attacks. He doesn't use her this way because she still is his bankai, and thus can be broken. However, if the situation truly requires it, he will use her this way. Her physical stats are equal to his offensive stat, and her sensory stats are 150 each.
Because of the presence of the moon goddess, the barriers get stronger. They now have a speed and force of 800, and the cost is reduced to just 50 reiatsu per barrier. Another increase is the increase of durability of the barriers, which requires 50% offensive stat superiority over Kaito's. That would seemingly make it easier to just attack her, but her durability is even higher than the barriers. She is the representation of the moon after all. She is a being made purely out of energy, and breaking her requires 3 times stat superiority over Kaito's. Breaking her doesn't break the bankai, but it simply ends the release.
Tsuki no megami doesn't just represent the moon, but it's a manifestation of his zanpakutou spirit, sharing the same mind with her form in his inner world. When summoned as Tsuki no megami during the bankai, she can therefore talk with Kaito through telepathy. It's not hard to notice that she has a mind of her own, because she visibly reacts to her surroundings. If someone makes a joke for example, she would try to hold back her laugh. Though it's hard to exploit this, because she will always listen to Kaito. This makes stealing his bankai actually dangerous, because she recognizes none other than Kaito as her master. Making this bankai work requires a lot of teamwork and communication, because Tsuki no megami plays an active role in generating and maintaining the barriers.
Zanpakutou Techniques :
Shikai technique: Tsutsumikomu shōheki
This ability temporarily enlarges four barriers, which will form a cube around their target. This can be an ally to protect him/her from harm, or an enemy to restrict their movement. The barriers completely isolate the opponent, making it impossible to hear any sounds made outside of the cube. The cube is able to turn invisible once it has been formed, however this can only hold for about 2 minutes. If it's invisible, the surroundings will be blurred, thus the person inside has absolutely no idea what's going on. This technique can both be a blessing and a curse, because it protects you from all sides, but figuring out what happens outside becomes a lot harder, thus leaving the user wide open. Using it against opponents does also have it's downsides, because they can't be harmed inside the cube either. The cube has a volume of about 15 cubic meters, and it's deceptively fast, forming around an opponent with the speed of a bala.
-Reiatsu cost: 100
Shikai technique: Sessaku shōheki
Kaito generates a barrier in front of him, and he will cut through it with his zanpakutou. The barrier will fall apart into fragments and they will blast forward as either a concentrated slash, or just as small parts. It depends on wether the barrier is stabbed or cut. The slash is powerful enough to cut through most objects and it can be used a second time for half the reiatsu cost if another barrier is present or summoned. This attack makes using the destroyed barriers in the following post impossible, thus sacrificing his defense for a powerful attack. Using this technique counts towards the total of barriers he can create in a post. (Using it twice would mean he can only generate one barrier during said post.)
-Reiatsu cost: 100
Bankai technique: Tsuki no bakuhatsu
An attack originating from the moon goddess herself. She falls to her knees, as if she's about to start praying and without warning, the mirror behind her will fire a gigantic beam of condensed white energy with the size of the mirror, resulting in an enormous explosion. This technique shouldn't be taken lightly, because it fires without warning. After using this attack, the mirror will disappears for a duration of 2 posts, after which it will reappear behind her again. Another thing that makes this technique dangerous, is that the mirror is not forced to stay behind Kaito, but behind Tsuki no megami. If she would suddenly decide to turn around when Kaito would use this technique, the beam would fire in the direction she is facing.
-Reaitsu cost: 400
Bankai technique: Terasa reta shōheki
The user uses more of his reiatsu to upgrade his barriers, making them glow blue/purple. The upgraded barriers are intangible to all physical things and can't form layers with the normal barriers. The barriers are now able to block the opposite of physical attacks. They can block illusions, poisons and diseases unless their offensive stat is twice as high as Kaito's. The barriers are able to purge Kaito and his allies of poisons and diseases, by passing through them. The barriers may no longer be able to block physical attacks, but they can block energy-based attacks such as cero or the arrows of a quincy.
-Drawbacks: Offense is no longer possible, reliance on allies and rendering useless of other techniques. Cannot be reversed during the release, thus it will stay defensive untill the fight ends.
-Cost: 50 reiatsu per barrier, generating an upgraded barrier costs 100 reiatsu.
Bankai technique: Nigiritsubusu, shōheki
A bankai ability similar to 'Shīru, shōheki'. A large cube will be formed with the ability to drastically change it's size, either larger or smaller, which will increase or decrease the air pressure. This is a gory technique, because the pressure can easily kill even the toughest warriors. Of course, the size can also be decreased to the point where it literally crushes the trapped opponent. All in all, it's a terrifying ability. The large cube still has the same abilities as tsutsumikomu, but the difference is that more than four barriers can be used, with a maximum being 10 barriers. This allows Kaito to form more complex cubic structures, like this for example. The cube is generated around a person with the speed of a bala, and can only be dodged if stepping techniques are used at the right time.
-Drawback: Requires intense concentration to use, distracting him will cause this ability to fail. If timed right, it's possible to break out when a few barriers are removed. Shrinking or growing takes, at maximum, 3 posts.
reiatsu cost: 300
Shōheki bushi
Upon using this technique, a barrier will take the shape of a samurai. These samurai have a strenght of 1000 and a speed of 1000, and a mind of their own (150 instinct, 150 senses). They have a katana and a wakizashi, possesing a lot of skill with those two weapons. The samurai will attack their targets, but they will fall apart if they move out of tsuki no megami's reach. They have the same durability as a barrier and can therefore be destroyed by powerful techniques, but the shards will collide again, resurrecting the samurai. These samurai have the size of a normal human and they lack spiritual pressure and reiatsu strenght, but they do not suffer from cutback, and can cut through a hierro, for example.
reiatsu cost: 300 (The samurai last for 6 posts.)
Other Techniques:
Birthplace: [District 1, Junrinan]
Current Residence: [Squad 8 barracks]
Memorable Figures:
Mari Takenaka
She once left the Seireitei, to create her own world outside of Rukongai. According to Kaito, she had the odd ability to make everything she said happen. Mari is around the same age as Kaito and she sees him as both her servant and her one true love. She shaped Kaito, honed his skills, made him both smarter and better at analyzing problems. However she was cruel and sadistic, a trait that Kaito somehow inherited from her. She abused his loyalty in many ways, torturing him on both a mental and physical level. Together with Kaito, she left Rukongai, but only Kaito returned. Nobody knows if she's alive or not, and Kaito never explained what happened in the barren wasteland, beyond district 80.
History:
It had been 34 years now, since he joined Mari on her quest. He had kept count of the days and years since that fateful night, the moment she asked him to become both her servant and her lover. It still struck fear in his heart, how easily she convinced him that he was destined to be with her. Ever since that moment, he had followed her through several districts, becoming more and more mesmerized by her over time. She had brand marked him with her initials, which seemed like slavery to him. But her word was law and he would never have been able to resist it, for her invisible chains were too heavy.
He should have never gone for a walk during that night, because the girl had left the Seireitei. She had found him and she explained to him that it was his fate to serve her. This mysterious girl had piqued his curiosity and he followed her, away from his home. She had her way with words, making him believe that they were destined for each other. Every day they would walk further away from his home, and every night she would tell him what they, together, were meant to achieve. He fell in love with her, promising her to do anything she pleased. Back then, she laughed and responded with only one word; "Everything?".
He had been laying on the bed for a few hours now, submitting to her torture. He could feel her weight pressing against his body, as the needle slowly entered his hand. Kaito wanted to pull the needle out, but he couldn't. His other hand had already been pierced by many needles and he was unable to move any of his fingers. The pain kept spreading through his body, but every time he tried to talk, Mari would silence him by pressing harder on the needles. He had, quite literally, been pinned down on the bed. While Mari wasn't exactly heavy, she made it hard for him to breathe. He could feel another needle entering his hand, and if his calculations were right, he had three more to go, and this was simple punishment for stealing the blanket in his sleep.
A year after they had left Junrinan, she finally told him what she was planning to do. "I will start my own Seireitei, Kaito, and we will rule it together." If anyone else had said it, he would've laughed. But she had the dangerous ability to do so. He had seen it multiple times now and he had experienced it himself; it didn't matter what she said, it always happened. During their journey, they saw many hollows killing innocent souls. Even if they were the last ones standing in the middle of the massacre, they were never attacked. Because after all, Mari promised him that they wouldn't.
His calculations were correct. Mari stopped pushing needles in his hands and would likely get off him soon. Because they didn't light a candle, the room was entirely covered in darkness. He managed to catch a glimpse of her face, she seemed to be yawning. She would suddenly come closer and he could feel her cold breath near his ear. "Sleep tight, for tomorrow will be an important day.", she whispered in his ear. But how could he? Her weight made it hard to breathe and the needles made him feel a throbbing pain in his hands.
He had gone through so many types of torture. For example, she made him play many mindgames and for every mistake he made, she would have him peel off one of his nails. She forced him to both think and rely on his instinct. After a few months of training his mind and sharpening his senses, she forced him to gamble, in order to win money for her. This was a reliable source of income, for the further away from Junrinan you went, the more souls could be spotted gambling. Kaito never lost, because Mari tasked him to win and only god may know what would have happened if he disobeyed her.
After a few hours of walking, they had finally reached the end, this is were district 80 stopped. Only the expeditionary forces had gone beyond this point. Mari would simply stand there, looking at the barren wasteland. Kaito mustered his courage, and he would start talking. "Is this really what we are meant for?" His voice would crack, he rarely talked because Mari usually forbid him to. She would turn around and she would look in his eyes. He could feel the brand mark burn as she looked at him. "What are you trying to say, Kaito? That this entire journey, wasn't meant to be?" He could hear the anger in her voice. Her expression would change and she would give him that creepy smile, the one she gave him during that fateful night. "This is why you shouldn't talk, you'll only say stupid things".
Years later, Kaito returned from the barren wasteland and he enrolled into the Shin'o academy, never talking about his past. He spent most of his life up till that point, following Mari through nearly all of the 320 districts. During his time in the academy, his inferiority complex and his fear of women slightly faded away, although they remained present. Kaito was later admitted to squad 8, before completing the full curriculum. This has lead to him having trouble with Kido, Hoho and Zanjutsu techniques, often asking shinigami for help, to perfect these techniques or to teach him how to use them.
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