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Mizu remained unperturbed by this Hollow's remarks, having long since gotten used to the taunts their kind would unleash when confronted. Whether out of fear, hatred, or simple egotism Hollows would often hurl insults and provocations at her. The only concern Mizu had was the more articulate a Hollow's taunts, typically the more dangerous they would end up being. Evidently as they grow in strength they also gain more sentience and intelligence, both of which would only empower them in fights with Shinigami who may underestimate their natural enemies and dismiss them as mere animals. Mizu would do no such thing as she is well aware of the danger they impose.

"All that matters is you are a Hollow and I am a Shinigami. Nothing will get in the way of a Shinigami's duty to protect humans, and that especially inclues your kind! Hadō #4: Byakurai!" From Mizu's raised hand the blue energy would further concentrate before releasing in the form of a pale lightning bolt aimed directly for Cortada's torso, it flying through the air at a breakneck pace as one might expect from an electrical current. Though she didn't want to underestimate this sly Hollow Mizu figured a spell like this would be a good gauge to ascertain what it's capable of, and if it's intelligence does indeed correspond to great danger.

Having kept her spiritual sensing focused solely on the Arrancar woman Mizu was aware of her approach, but did not expect her to so immediately advance on her. Upon being poked and hearing the Arrancar speak the blond Shinigami immediately Flash Stepped a dozen feet away and drew her Zanpakuto. Holding her weapon steady with her fierce gaze trained on the scantily dressed woman, Mizu addressed her target for the first time "I am here on official Gotei United business! Surrender now or I will have no choice but to use force!"

Typically Mizu was willing to hear people out, but Hollows and Arrancar were the exception. She could not help but be biased against Hollows given her family's history, and while Arrancar were more intelligent, for the most part at least, she knew they were still one of Soul Society's greatest enemies. Mizu would make this one regret not immediately striking her down when she had the chance. With a flourish of her left hand Mizu cast "Bakudō #4: Hainawa!", causing a tendril of yellow energy to expand from her aimed at wrapping itself around the Arrancar to debilitate her.

Feeling the shock from her foe's repeated blows on her barrier, Mizu quickly brainstormed the next best spell to use on the beast. It was at this time she was surprised by the nearby Arrancar once again seeming to take her side against what should by all rights be considered their ally in a battle such as this. Evidently this person thought one more good spell would be enough to officially take the Hollow down for good, and true or not Mizu planned on testing this theory. With her barrier still holding, though perhaps just barely, Mizu settled on a plan of attack to finish things.

With her inexplicable temporary ally keeping the Hollow busy, Mizu released her barrier spell and aimed her hands at their mutual enemy. With much focus she summoned an amount of concentrated energy around her right index finger's tip and let loose both the spell's name and the energy simultaneously "Hadō #4: Byakurai!" The initial energy would warp into an intense bolt of lightning that would spear through the Hollow's mask and out the back of it's head, killing it in one shot. With a sigh Mizu's shoulders slumped as she completed her mission, glad to have not needed to escalate the situation beyond a few Kidō spells. However before she could call it a day and relax Mizu swiftly drew her Zanpakuto and turned to face the Arrancar, ready to do battle with the suspicious figure as their temporary alliance lapsed with the Hollow's dead.

Seeing her straightforward attacks be easily parried Mizu wondered what Lerna's plan was, but only had time to wonder freely for a moment before, with a surge, she found herself immediately on the back foot. Evidently the woman wanted to escalate how she played with Mizu by forcing her back with shocking strength, leaving her entirely nonplussed.

Using both hands and as much power as she could muster the blond Shinigami just barely prevented herself from being knocked off her feet. Mizu found her jaw clenched and a drop of sweat slipping across her brow as she struggled mightily against her clearly superior opponent. Even as she felt herself being relentlessly pushed back she found herself surprised by Lerna's words, though they helped explain the disparity between them as Mizu had read Substitute Shinigami were often incredible in their own right.

Not wanting to simply stand in place like a caged animal Mizu used all her strength and weight to push forward with her Zanpakuto, hoping to alleviate just enough pressure from the other woman's weapon to then Flash Step to a short distance away. Luckily for her own ego Mizu managed to accidentally time this with Lerna letting up on her and safely escaped their clash. Panting already she expressed admiration for her foe's power "W-wow, Lerna-san, that was...terrifying! I shouldn't be surprised, a Mod-Soul Substitute Shinigami? You're Incredible!"

It wasn't until now Mizu realized other members of the 7th Division had gathered nearby to observe their bout. Seeing their excitement and cheers even managed to get Mizu's blood pumping, who wanted to provide a good challenge for Lerna; she wasn't one to be concerned about embarrassing herself in spars, having known her whole life how limited her abilities were, but she didn't want to waste her new associate's time with meager resistance either.

With burning determination Mizu helped her Zanpakuto in her left armpit next to her chest and lifted both hands before calling a spell's name "Hadō #4. Byakurai!" At this declaration spiritual energy concentrated around her hands before being dispelled from their palms in the form of blue-silhouetted lightning which she sent careening toward Lerna at a breakneck pace.

Beyond all else, Julian is a man who believes in the rights and value of the everyday citizen. He holds dearly the ideal of a just and equal society, where everyone is held to a perfectly even standard and where the law is always meted out fairly. This belief is, without a doubt, the single most absolute thing that Julian could ever hold dear, and he would fight for it to the absolute bitter end.

Julian feels no particular draw to glory or fame. He seeks no sense of personal excellence from his goals, and should they ever be well and truly accomplished, he would gladly continue to live his life as any other everyday man would. There is not a single ounce of pride in himself within Julian's bones, only pride in his fellow citizens and in the ideal that they strive to create. For him, that is far more valuable than anything which he might personally achieve or acquire. He is only one man, and were he to seek out that sense of glory, he would be no better than those very same aristocrats he aims to topple.

Perhaps shockingly for a man with such a supposedly single-track mind, Julian is actually rather exceptionally fond of thinking all things over. Of course, the primary focus of those thoughts happens to be his own actions and decisions, all of the choices he has made in his life. He does not regret where he has found himself, but he does perhaps lament the events which led him there. It would be impossible to truly say for certain without speaking to him directly, and he certainly has no time to speak about himself when there is revolution to be organized.



Julian St. Vendemiaire is but a pseudonym, taken on by a man who has long since cast aside his personal life and identity for the sake of a cause. His own true name has been lost to time, but it is true that this young girl that might cause him to cry out in pain was close to him. She was a daughter, to be exact, and her death is one she blames not on the cruelty of the shinigami, but instead on their apathy. It was a fight in his own neighborhood between a shinigami and his quarry, nothing more and nothing less, but one for which he was not present. He had gone out to find what little food he could, and when he returned he found his home, alongside several others, already ablaze. The shinigami had been one who used fire, and considered his work more immediately pressing than the safety of the commoners in Rukongai. Having already handled his quarry, he simply left without handling the aftermath of his actions, leaving it instead in the hands of the people. Though Julian tried to claw his way inside, the building had already well and truly collapsed, and he was never able to even find his daughter’s remains.

Life in Rukongai had never been an easy one, but his darling little girl had been the one light in his life, the thing that he considered the entire struggle to be for. All at once that was snatched away from him, such a beautiful, innocent smile he had worked so hard to protect. Was their poverty not enough for the shinigami to rub in their faces? Were they truly so worthless that their lives, their comfort and security, were simply second to the shinigami? Julian had heard many a time that they were supposedly protectors of the realm, that they were intended to enforce the law and keep the peace, and yet it seemed that they were nothing more than a statistic to those protectors. It seemed “the peace of the Rukongai” was not truly a goal, only some semblance of order which left the members of the Gotei, safe and secure in the Seireitei, from needing to step own from their pillar. That, Julian realized, was simply not right.

He began to accumulate followers, slowly at first. He did not openly shout these ideals from the rooftops, as that would surely draw the attention of the Gotei and have him and his cause wiped out all at once. No, he simply opened up the discussion with acquaintances in those places where people naturally spoke their mind a bit more openly, the bathhouse, the bar, over dinner at a small shop, and other such places. His following grew and grew, as more commonfolk found themselves agreeing with Julian’s rhetoric, and yet he was always quick to add a single falsehood to these conversations; never once did he take any sort of credit for these ideas. Instead, he attributed them only to “a friend,” “an acquaintance,” and other such nebulous (and fictitious) entities. Thus the following he had created did not see him as any sort of leader, but instead simply another everyday man, just like themselves. Even when introducing new members to one another, or to potential initiates, his behavior was always like that of an equal rather than a superior. There was no desire for glory or power in this cause. Only justice.

The first true success of this movement came rather suddenly. It was not planned, and Julian himself had nothing to do with it. A single low-level shinigami had acted cruelly toward one of the citizens, and at that moment several members of the movement happened to be present. They exchanged a few short words to establish a plan, and then went to work. Most of them quickly hid in an alley, while one of them threw a rock at the Gotei member and goaded him before running off into that very same alley. The moment this hotheaded shinigami gave chase, the citizens attacked him all at once with whatever they had on hand, be it garden equipment, lumber, or even rocks. It was brutal and savage, but it was nevertheless effective, and before long they had a dead shinigami before them. Burying him in a back garden, these members took the shinigami’s zanpakuto as a trophy, to show to their fellow citizens who had joined the movement. Most were quite content to allow it to serve as nothing more than a sign of their victory, but when Julian heard of it, he mused aloud that it would be quite nice if they themselves could have such convenient tools as zanpakuto. As he suspected, someone else then suggested the idea Julian himself had already considered; that they might be able to use the zanpakuto for their own ends.

One person with a zanpakuto would not, however, be nearly enough to fight for the cause in the long term, not if they were to truly win. Thankfully, however, it seemed that there were others within the cause who had begun to truly think ahead besides Julian. It was suggested that, rather than just trying to use the zanpakuto, they study it and do their best to determine how it worked, or at least bend it in a manner more fitting to the goals of their movement. While one could go into elaborate detail about this process, let it suffice to say that it was more or less a failure. No matter how much they wished, a group of Plus spirits within the Rukongai simply did not have the knowledge, power, or general ability to genuinely unlock the secrets of the zanpakuto. Thankfully, however, they had an alternative idea. Knowing fully that a zanpakuto bonded to those who used it, they decided that, as they wished only to use it for their own singular, unified aim, that they could potentially bond it with that ideal rather than with any one of them. To that end, the zanpakuto was passed among the movement, a different holder every day, each one with only a single thing in common; a dream of revolution.

Astoundingly, this plan worked. It took many years longer than the usual awakening of a zanpakuto, but it did function nonetheless. A meeting was called of everyone who had held the blade, and they spoke at length about what to do from then on. A few called to rise up against the Gotei now, but that idea was dismissed. It would take a great deal of time before that could properly take place, and eventually it was decided that, even with such a monumental increase in their capabilities, the movement still needed a great deal more members, and to spread their message carefully, but assuredly, among the people. As this meeting adjourned, Julian called a thank you to the Greater Future Coalition. The assembly was confused, and rightly so, for none of them had heard the name until now, and Julian had only decided upon it a few short minutes ago. But Julian responded to their confusion with a carefully measured amount of feigned confusion in turn. Had they not heard? That was the name of their movement, recently decided. He had heard from a few other members, and was rather surprised that the message failed to reach them, though it made sense seeing as recent priorities had been on the zanpakuto instead. He shrugged, giving them all a wave as he departed into the night.


...But, history was not so kind to him, or to this grand ambition he held. He would have been perfectly content to build a revolution over decades, if not centuries, and he had already laid plans among plans for the sake of burning the Gotei to the ground. But, as it turned out, he had been in a race against time without his ever knowing, for the Captain Commander, Abalia Kyoraku-Hayden, simply decreed sweeping changes in the Soul Society. Better lives for the citizenry, modernization of the Rukongai, a lessening of the Gotei’s authority over the people and the land outside the Seireitei. It was something he appreciated, yes, and objectively he understood it was the correct course. But that did not change the fact that all of his efforts, all his time spent working toward the future, had suddenly been for nothing.

However, he was willing to accept it even so. He had already been undercover in the Gotei United for a long while when those changes were made, and it was enough to compel him to approach the Captain Commander with the truth. The full details of his revolution, of his life. He had expected to be executed, or at the very least sent away. But there was a single bit of attachment the two had shared. That she had, in her time before the Gotei, been inspired to join it when she had failed to save a little girl from a house fire.

His little girl.

That alone was enough to compel him to offer his services to the utmost. He was deemed Special Executioner, a title known only to the Captains, and he put himself toward service in the Gotei single-mindedly. Even now, he is a devout member of the organization, despite Abalia’s departure. After all, he had always intended to change things. It is still his duty to ensure that change is seen through.



○ Zanpakuto Researcher: What began as a matter of necessity during his days as a member of the Greater Future Coalition has become a point of genuine interest for Julian, and his primary effort as vice captain of the Research and Development division. He believes that the development of the collective zanpakuto is only the beginning of what he might reasonably accomplish, and his understanding of zanpakuto should not be misunderstood simply because he does not have a significant relationship with his own zanpakuto. If anything, he is likely one of the foremost experts on the matter of the swords themselves and their functionality, even if this does not extend to expertise in his personal releases.

○ Kido Traditionalist: Having previously been a promising member of the Kido Corps before being brought to the Research division, Julian still pursues the art quite intently, to the point that he has almost entirely disregarded two of the other shinigami arts in the pursuit of it. He can be called something of an extreme specialist, and in most cases, one will see Julian only engaging in combat with this art. Despite this, he has done rather little to properly develop anything in the way of advanced or intricate kido techniques. There are certainly a handful of personalized kido that he has developed, but they are remarkably underwhelming when compared to the gulf of knowledge he has established with zanpakuto. Rather, they tend to be modifications of pre-existing kido, many of which seem intended more to confuse foes than to properly advance the art.
○ Personal Kido:

• Hadō #40 - Byakurai (百雷, lit. “Hundred Lightnings”): A spell that could arguably be the most simple possible permutation of any kido, this is nevertheless a spell that Julian is remarkably pleased by the development of, as it is specifically designed to catch opponents unawares. Formed identically to the similarly-named Hadō #4 Byakurai, the user condenses spiritual energy at their fingertip before releasing it. However, while Hadō #4 releases a single bolt of lightning, Hadō #40 releases a vast array of 100 lightning bolts, spreading from the point of release before then attempting to close in on the intended target. Straightforward, simple, and without frills, it is perhaps Julian’s most-utilized offensive spell.
  
• Bakudo #26 - Kyokko (殛香, lit. “Punitive Incense”): A bakudo intentionally designed to capitalize on an expectation that he is using the original Kyokko, this alternative kido is designed specifically to catch anyone who might expect him to be attempting to flee. This kido releases a spiritual powder that is designed to overwhelm the senses, and if one is not prepared to defend against it, it will create a sense of disarray, nausea, and general discomfort. Those with any will skills at a level at or above Julian's own Kido skill are able to reduce the efficacy, and those with two such will skills are able to power through it to such a degree that the effects are functionally negated. However, if one is not actively prepared for this particular type of sensory assault, it will take 2 posts for this negation to take effect.
  

○ Zanpakutо̄ Name: Fatale Vérité

○ Zanpakutо̄ Spirit Appearance: The spirit of Fatale Vérité takes a rather strange form, a figure seemingly composed of a white waistcoat and cloak with a head of shadows forming from the neck of his attire, with a jagged red smile crossing his face, and a single eye glowing much the same shade visible above, the other strangely obscured behind a reflective monocle. A white top hat covers his eyes partially, though only enough to provide some level of shade to them rather than outright obscuring them. He has no body to speak of apart from his head, his waistcoat simply opening into nothing and his cloak’s interior resembling much the same shadow as his face, accompanied by what seems to be the stars, as if a look into outer space. Despite having no arms, two white gloves still float about him and operate as if they were properly attached, and within one of them he carries a wooden scepter with a large blue crystal at its head.

○ Zanpakutо̄ Spirit Appearance Image:


○ Inner World: Fatale Vérité has no Inner World.

○ Zanpakutо̄ Appearance: Most of the time, Fatale Vérité takes a disguised form as the cufflinks of Julian’s coat. However, when properly manifested, it may take the form of either a sword, which resembles the blade of a guillotine, or of a book that lists the name of every current wielder. However, at present there are only two names within; Julian and Minerva St. Vendemiaire.

○ Executioner's Blade Image:

○ True Form Image:

○ Sealed Zanpakutо̄ Power: Fatale Vérité, due to its nature as a collective zanpakuto, allows Julian to grant anyone else the ability to utilize it. However, this requires trust in the utmost, and perhaps more importantly, would require the unilateral agreement of every current captain in the Gotei United.



○ Release Phrase: "Pity is treason."

○ Release Appearance: When released, Fatale Vérité disappears from Julian’s hands, and instead takes the form of a fully functioning guillotine.

○ Release Abilities: It must be noted, before elaborating on the abilities of this release, that it is only usable against NPCs or with permission from the other player, as well as with the IC permission of a majority of the Gotei captains, and in no other circumstance.

The unnamed release of Fatale Vérité is not complex, and it embodies the absolute ruthlessness of all who have pledged themselves to the shared cause. Should one find themselves placed within the confines of Fatale Vérité's guillotine form, it is best to abandon all hope then and there. The soul is locked into place within the guillotine, and only the absolute most powerful forms of instantaneous movement or unshackling techniques could free it. The blade itself will slice through the neck of its intended victim without any resistance, ignoring all forms of defense. Once a person is beheaded by the guillotine of this release, they are (rather obviously) immediately killed. More dangerous, however, is the fact that the soul of the slain is completely obliterated, much in the same manner as a Quincy’s ability to destroy souls. Nothing short of extreme manipulation beyond the scope of healing could bring one back from death at the hands of Fatale Vérité’s release, but it is not a total conceptual erasure.



○ Zanpakutо̄ Name: Hanagiri (花切り, lit. "Flower Cutter")

○ Zanpakutо̄ Spirit Appearance:


○ Inner World:


○ Zanpakutо̄ Appearance: While for the most part Hanagiri is an unremarkable katana, with a modest black and gold hilt and simple, vaguely flower-shaped guard, it is the blade of this zanpakuto which merits some notice. Hanagiri's blade is reflective to a degree not only well beyond any typical sword, but well beyond even any typical mirror. When looking upon the blade, its reflective ability is so flawless as to simply resemble a small window into another world.

○ Sealed Zanpakutо̄ Power: Hanagiri has no sealed powers.



○ Shikai Release Phrase: "Fall, Hanagiri."

○ Shikai Release Action: Raising his blade upward, Julian then lowers it in a slow, downward chop. As he does so, the blade fragments, each piece simply hovering in place as if frozen, creating something of a curtain of mirror shards, which soon after begin to hover more evenly around Julian.

○ Shikai Abilities:

○ Mirror Blade: While it would appear as though Julian's blade has simply fragmented into a set amount of shards upon releasing his Shikai, this is in fact not the case. The number of shards Julian creates in this release is determined based on his tier and his skill in Zanjutsu. The base number of shards he is capable of creating is 10, and the number created increases by 5 for each full tier above 5-tier Julian is, capped at 1-tier. This number additionally increases by 5 for each rank in Zanjutsu past Beginner that Julian possesses. This means that, were Julian theoretically to be 1-1 with Grand Master Zanjutsu, he would create 55 shards. Each of these shards is completely and effortlessly under Julian's control.

○ Shattered Memories: Every shard of Julian's Shikai carries with it the full power of his zanpakuto, as if he were holding it within his hand. What this means is that, if one were struck even by a single shard, it would be no different than a proper swing of the blade from Julian. Considering the increase in power one gains with Shikai, this is surely, in itself, a most impressive feat. However, were that the full extent, it might seem as though it were but a lesser equivalent of the famed Senbonakura wielded by Byakuya Kuchiki. It is in the other aspects of its usage, and the applications alongside Julian's proclivity toward careful planning, that make it impressive.

Should one's eyes fall upon their own reflection in any of the shards of Hanagiri, a blade of spiritual energy will manifest next to them, and strike at the same position they themselves laid eyes upon. This attack, unlike the mirror blade fragments, is treated as if it were simply a strike at Julian's base power, discounting the increases of Shikai, as the energy of Shikai is instead being spent on the creation of the attack.

Beyond all of this, Julian is still able to cast kido through his zanpakuto, but is now able to cast them through each of his fragments rather than merely a single cast through the blade. This is not simply a matter of using the mirror blades as foci for singular kido, however. For example, were Julian to cast a Hadō 4: Byakurai, he would be able to cast not only a single Byakurai from his fingertip, but additional Byakurai through his mirror blade fragments. Obviously, this is limited both by his own spiritual energy and by the actual number of fragments he currently controls.



○ Hollow Name: Félicité

○ Hollow Appearance:


○ Hollow Personality: Félicité speaks with a light, almost songlike voice, her tone always mocking in its feigned innocence. Her general existence is one which thrives on needling at Julian, and she reaches a certain degree of childlike frustration when he does not heed her cruelty. Most of the time, she goes out of her way to emulate his deceased daughter, something which she considers to be more amusing than anything else, and she has become increasingly frustrated that this does not seem to bother him nearly as much as it once did. If she were powerful enough to do so, she would likely have attempted to take him over by now, but the unfortunate reality (for her, anyway) is that she cannot do so, and so she instead must make do with her petulant, irritating personality.

○ Hollow Abilities: Félicité has no noteworthy abilities, and provides quite little to Julian. She is a Hollow weak enough that, had she not been formed within Julian’s soul, she likely could not have even survived on her own.




General Skills

• Durability: Advanced
  
• General Speed: Adept
  
• Strength: Adept
  
• Martial Skill: Adept
  

Shinigami Skills

• Hoho: Adept
  
• Kidō: Elite
  
• Zanjutsu: Advanced
  
• Hakuda: Adept
  

Vizard Skills

• Power Augmentation Beginner
  
• Cero: Untrained
  
• Mask Protection:: Beginner
  
• Hollow Control: Adept
  

Hollow Skills

• Acid Skill: Untrained
  
• Garganta : Untrained
  
• Cero/Bala: Untrained
  
• Regeneration: Untrained
  

Will Skills

• Willpower: Advanced
  
• Mental Deduction: Elite
  
• Focus: Advanced

------------------------------------------
Spring 2022 Burst
-Tier from 2-3 to 2-1
-Durability from Adept to Advanced
-Hoho from Beginner to Adept
-Hakuda from Beginner to Adept

» Name: Itagaki, Kabuto
» Titles: ----
» Appearance Age: Early - Mid 30's
» True Age: 416 years
» Gender: Male
» Affiliation/Rank: Formerly 3rd Seat, Gotei 13

» Appearance Description: Nearly as wide as he is tall, with ashen skin and pointed ears - Kabuto is unaccustomed to his own appearance as strangers. Scars line the distance between his wrists and elbows, with a noticeable line down the majority of the right of his torso. Faded tattoos appear across his shoulders and back, although with his current appearance they are nigh indistinguishable from skin.

Long and unkempt hair is swept back against a deep brow, dark brown in the brightest light, and all but black in the faintest sliver of shadow. Thick eyebrows hide the glimmer of bright blue eyes, where a stare across from a jagged tearing of flesh can be easily seen. From the left side of his nose down to his bottom right cheek, skin is haphazardly scarred over and less than capably set, leaving a rather twisted face in its wake.

With large and pointed ears, his sharper-than-average canines peeking beyond thin lips are little of surprise, if only particularly visible in the short windows where he smiles. This lack of general expressiveness had led to a lack of laugh lines, or general aging across the wrinkles or edges of his face - making up for his supposed youthfulness with heavy bags underneath his eyes.

Currently not of many possessions, Kabuto's wardrobe tends towards limited on a good day. A black, well worn leather cloak is generally bound across the majority of his body. This red strands tie it together, similar in color to his zankpakuto's binding.

» Appearance Picture:




» Personality: Kabuto could be most easily described as concerned. Currently under the experience of memory loss, bits and pieces of emotions choose to stick around and leave as they choose. Either as a byproduct, or perhaps the cause of some of his issues, a deep anxiety guides his current actions. A fear of what he has become versus the memories of what he once was, and whatever made him what he is.

This can result with brief flashes of anger, mostly directed inwards. Yet as they mount in frequency, they become less brief, leading to outbursts at heights of emotional instability and difficult obstacles in life. With such an unstable outward expression, his grips of morality are surprisingly stable, being a rather pacifistic soul.

Unfortunately, with this volatility, Kabuto has come to experience great difficulty at forming long lasting relationships, be they deep or shallow. Yet faint memories of ease and confidence reside in the farthest reaches of his actions, it rarely surfaces in any meaningful way. In a forgotten life, this confidence was bordering on arrogance.

The idea of swagger and self importance leave faint traces in his actions. The bluntest of phrases, a reactionary sneer at a plus, lapses of attention dragging through 'lesser' conversations - but still, no true malice. This generally gives the appearance of him being constantly irritated, yet somehow calm about it. In time, less favorable parts of who he once was will come back to him, perverting the majority of these traits.

» Likes: Feeling correct is incredibly important to him, saying that "Being right is true happiness" in a former life. He enjoys to push boundaries, understand the little things that poke out in reality, oddities, and trinkets. Big fan of Breaking Bad, and other vintage television shows.

» Dislikes: The left over vegetables in a bowl of soup, blatant acts of arrogance and bullies. Not particularly a fan of bitter foods, but has a bad habit for sour candies. Uncomfortable with the overall power structure of society, but not fully negative in opinion.



» THE EARLY YEARS are hazy - time spent before Soul Society dredging at the cornerstones of his mind. A lifetime that has been multiplied ad infimum in the afterlife, the earliest perhaps some of the brightest. The barren walls of a massive home, dim lights flickering with neglect, a lone soul walking the halls. Then blackness, for the longest time - a lone man with a sword, and then the crest of a rising sun. The dawn of a new life, one that still remains.

A Plus, the realization of a new life granted to him apparent from the start - and yet a paralyzing fear. The unknown, the idea of what could be if this was possible, primal, but welling up loudly. It would take a hundred years before he would accumulate enough strength to be recognized, and admitted, to Shin'so academy.

"Yuben'na came easily when I called...""

The eventual graduation would take another stretch of his new life, the graduation and acquisition of his asauchi burning bright among the faint strokes of history. Early laws of kido construction, reiatsu control, and a piss poor record for hakudo and hoho. But what a frame!

His physical endurance made for a large portion of his aptitude, and would lead to his joining of the Gotei 13's 10th division. Another hundred years, the stretching of an ego to fit his own size. Martial prowess would never become his strength, but an immovable wall would lead him to the position of fourth seat in his tenure.

While his position within the 10th division was fairly uncontested due to his sheer physicality, there was no satisfaction left for him. His goals had shifted, traces of a long term encounter tattooed in the recesses of his mind, but no memory of a why. This unnamed desire would bring him towards the 12th division, in part due to modifications that were being done to his Zankpakuto.

"...took to the process easily. Evolution. ... If only I could remember why..."

The process had taken years at that point, his own abilities having turned from ingenuity to straw-grasping. Having spent such time developing an alternate 'strength', the opportunity for research too shifted. A historian of some sort, he'd begrudgingly remember. A short career, with a bitter taste, and then nothing. He personally assumes this gap is the study of vizards, or in some way hollows.

"...all of it's gone. None of my research, none of the questions I was asking. Faces are blurry, names..."

The emotions remain. A great high, beyond one's imagination - completion. Then utter despair, a deep, unending longing. It aches to think about, as if part of himself is missing. This stretches into a period of twenty or so odd years of his life, the faint emotional thread the only thing keeping it all held together. When and where are suggestions, scars less likely to tell the truth than to heal.

The dazed waking, the stumbling of a giant who was stripped of his higher functions and lay bare to the world.

"...I accomplished something great, but lost knowledge of what it even was.."

The man had awoken in a massive crater, the side of a mountain having all but been collapsed on top of him. His skin dyed to ash, body aching with fractures and scars - a massive chunk of his face removed. To awake and not see someone familiar, for a name to call out back to him, the shouting of a blade.

And the mocking of an iron mask.

"...to find out who I am."

» Natural Abilities:

» Behemoth: Large. From birth till now, Kabuto has always been excessively large compared to those around him. Something in the drinking water or genetics - either way, he has been granted an imposing body, capable of withstanding massive amounts of punishment. As a mirror to this, he also possesses somewhat capable strength without the need for training.

» Deja Vu: Kabuto's memories are poorly kept in place at best, and taken hostage at worst. Mentiroso and Yuben'na have both sequestered certain memories for their own bargaining, along with their own knowledge of his actions. While not practical, in times of extreme duress, Kabuto can attempt to exchange or bargain for memories of Kido chants, or potentially drawing on more of the Zankpakuto or Hollow's power. These restorations of memory are permanent, although often done through deals one would rather be able to forget.

» Taint of Acid: In the process that turned Kabuto from Shinigami to Vizard, his reiatsu was inexplicably changed. Not any stronger or more vacuous, but different. While the taint of one's inner Hollow can be exposed with the use of their mask, Kabuto is - to his knowledge - permanently irradiated with the Hollow's 'stench', as he describes it.



» Multi-Caster: While Kido's propensity for melding and versatility is fairly well known, Kabuto seems to have an innate ability for juggling the actions of mixing multiple Kido rather easily. A form of muscle memory more than trained skill, this is often sloppy, and cannot combine or individually control more than a few at a time. Notably, the potency of any Kido becomes weaker in turn with the number he casts.

» Bakudō Specialist: The chants of a swathe of defensive Kido are sharp in Kabuto's skull. although anything past a level-forty spell is lost to him. Any combination of these techniques is not particularly clean either, with a somewhat noticeable 'lag' by any more experienced Kido practitioners.

» Hadō Novice: Early Hadō spells linger, in irregularity. Past level-ten, his knowledge is blank, unsure if anything was even there before.



» Overflowing Reiatsu: Not possessing the most reiatsu, nor the strongest reiryoku, the ebb and flow of his reiatsu is wild. In times of emotional concern or distress this exemplifies itself, causing it to form a visible aura pouring off his shoulders.

» Mask Summon: Kabuto is not particularly capable of summoning his vizard mask naturally, in fact often summoning it by accident or inopportune moments. The temperament of this is worse the more warped his own mental state is.



» Zanpakutō Name: Yuben'na (lit. Silver Tongue)

» Zanpakutō Spirit Appearance: Yuben'na takes the appearance of an older man, caught eternally somewhere between the valleys of decrepit and mountains of wisdom. A tightly tailored black suit hugs wide shoulders, an everchanging variety of ties decorating his neck. In his breast pocket, a silver chain runs loosely into his suit jacket, often noted for a 'bell-chime' sound.

Grey is pulled tightly back against his head, faint streaks of a thick black mane left in the tangles of hair. With a heavily furrowed brow and creased lines carved into his forehead, bright blue eyes still show a lust for life - a disturbing amount of energy. While his face is rather plain, a smile of solid gold hides behind rather loose lips, as to be expected for someone who rarely shuts up. Unsurprisingly, as his name might suggest, behind his glimmering teeth is a tongue of silver, pointed and sharp.

» Zanpakutō Spirit Personality: Yuben'na is a 'smooth talker', or would like you to think so. A constant whisper in the ear, an ambitious, conniving, power hungry spirit - self described as a mover and shaker. More than willing to con and viciously aware of being conned, ambitious would be an understatement. Currently, Yuben'na is incredibly frustrated, if not pithily upset, with Kabuto. A wall for most communication, he takes it out on his wielder through purposely vague explanations, and at times forcing Kabuto to chant extra apologies or promises to him in order to cast kido.

Being so single minded leaves Yuben'na in a unique situation, where anything could present itself as an opportunity - so long as it's taken correctly.

» Inner World: Narrow streets dart wildly, tall narrow buildings dwindling beyond the limits of existence and into the sky. Varying in style, age, and more often that not without any interior, Yuben'na lies around every corner. Taking a variety of appearances that vary wildly from his general suit and tie, street beggars, fish salesmen, drug dealers - anyone or anything involved with money. These appearances tend to coordinate with the design of whatever cropping of buildings the Zankpakuto has decided on, although whenever he wants to make a "point" this rule is often broken.

» Sealed Zanpakutō Appearance: Yuben'na is a guard-less katana, with a dark red cotton bound handle. The blade has a noticeable sheen, and a black stone-hewn sheath to carry it. No particular decorations or adornments, giving it a somewhat naked appearance.



» Shikai Release Phrase: "Skin them raw, Yuben'na."

» Shikai Release Actions: Currently none.

» Shikai Appearance: A long segmented blade, reiatsu visibly glows between the joints of each separate blade of Yuben'na. Each end of the blade is pointed, oftentimes being seen as coiled around Kabuto's body in some fashion when being used.


» Shikai Abilities:

» Kido Catalyst: While the ability to draw into his Shikai and Bankai are tied to Kabuto's Zanjutsu, his Kido ability is where it's actual power is derived. Originally a stiff blade that could be empowered with its user's reiatsu, it was slowly modified into a new form. Having no practical striking power in this form, Yuben'na exists mostly as a core of reiatsu, fueled in combination by itself and Kabuto. All chants must still be recited to the level of proficiency.

» Hainawa Focum: The shape and strength of Yuben'na is mostly formed by the Kido #4. Hainawa. While its resilience is bolstered by being that of a Zankpakuto, its power is maintained by the spell. This allows it to be controlled and manipulated easily, even without the guiding hand of Kabuto's direct influence. This form, as a result, can become destabilized under the strain of multiple Kido, causing it to shatter and reform into its sealed form. This does not require a chant.

» Mutable Form: The bladed pieces of Yuben'na can replicate themselves, or absorb one another, to increase or decrease the size of the whip, drawing upon more reiatsu the longer it becomes. The durability of the whip can also come into question in extremes, although the drain of energy would become an issue easily before then. The growth is fairly fast, but reducing the length takes far longer, being more efficient to cancel the shikai.

» Binding Strength: Fully resulting from its less-than-lethal transformation, Yuben'na is incredible at restraining targets. In some part due to its natural constitution as a Zankpakuto, and the channeling of Hainawa, it can hold anything equivalent with it's holders own raw strength. This pairs noticeably well with other sealing Kido, such as Rikujōkōrō. This scales with Kabuto's Strength.



» Bankai Name: Yuben'na: Akui (lit. Silver Tongue: Bad Faith)

» Bankai Release Phrase: -----

» Bankai Release Actions: Cannot actively release Bankai.



» Inner Hollow Name: Mentiroso

» Inner Hollow Description: Form comes loosely, if not erratically, to Mentiroso. Oftentimes impossible to discern in the inner world, Mentiroso lets himself most often be seen solely as his mask. Even under incredible emotional stress, this does not change - the only showing of his true form is by his own will. Yet, an obscured form is not his only truth.

Roughly of average height, Mentiroso has the visual identifiers of an Adjuchas-class Hollow. Bleach white skin pulls taught across his figure, thick black fingers sprouting from dangling arms. A massive scar seems to cross his chest in an imitation of Kabuto's, giving way to the hole in his throat.

When speaking, his mask does not falter, nor does he seem to have a mouth. A black pair of sack-pants cover him from the waist down, secured by thick fisherman's rope, Not particularly defined muscularly, his stature is fairly minimal, not helped by poor hunched posturing.

» Inner Hollow Personality: Mentiroso does not care for much if anything. A cynic in life, twisted further by the transformation to hollow and drowned in the bitterness of his newly found station. Critical, despondent, and filled with jealousy - a compulsive liar that is terrified of dying again. As a result, he often acts as the loudest voice of dissent in Kabuto's head, naysaying anything that would put them into danger, or even slightly inconvenience them. Despite this, Mentiroso does not seek to actively consume and take over his host's body, seeing it as more trouble than it'd be worth.

If the correct opportunity would provide itself, this easily changes - the orchestration of which is a favored past time of the spirit whenever Kabuto manages to sandbag his consistent whispers. These degrees of separation often seem arbitrary for whatever the hollow decides for the day, further edging onto any emotional imbalance his host expresses. Surprisingly, Mentiroso is not inherently violent, preferring to avoid all out brawls for guerilla like encounters, or simply run and hide.

This temperament is easily influenced, notably by Yuben'na. Mentiroso is susceptible to any and all influence of the Zankpakuto, much in the way a dog might do tricks for it's master, although veiled in slightly more pageantry. Guised as a variety of favors, IOUs, or co-opted pranks, Yuben'na's own flavor of aggression readily bleeds into Mentiroso whenever they can work together.

» Inner Hollow Powers:

» Regenerative: Mentiroso's single most defining ability is that of its regeneration. Capable of restoring itself from severe blows incredibly quickly, limbs can be restored through focus and reiatsu rather than time. Even more long-damaging, or organ rending blows, heal with relative ease and enough time.

» Cero: Capable of forming and firing a Cero, the resulting blast is deadly but not particularly capable - markedly average at best. If pushed to absolute limits, Mentiroso may be able to form a second within a day. His Cero blasts are vertical, often charged on the edge of fingertips, or the brow of his mask.

» Mártir: Mentiroso has the uncanny ability to 'relocate' damage inflicted to him, for example, turning what would behead him into losing a hand or arm. The more drastic the attack relocated, the more reiatsu it consumes.

» Hollow Mask Appearance: A wide, iron panel - a bridge made for a nose sliding down its center, with fluted channels along either side. The forehead resides heavily, the cheeks and jawline of the mask leading with thinner partitions. When the mask is donned, Kabuto's eyes shift from blue to green.



» Vizard Powers:

» El Escudo: lit. "The Shield" comes subconsciously to Kabuto, long as he has his mask summoned. By focusing his Reiatsu into a wall, he can conjure a light green barrier to protect from attacks in a short range around his body. This does not require a chant, but requires a gesture with the first two fingers of a hand.

» Brutal Impact: A shift in personality as much as a shift in power, Kabuto becomes far more aggressive with his mask donned. His physicality does not increase by much, but combined with his natural abilities, he can tank most hits and dish out damage in return.

» Acidic Aura: With his mask donned, Kabuto's reiatsu evolves, gaining the acidic properties of his inner hollow. Destructive kido increase in potency, with barrier techniques leaving lasting damage with contact. This is noticeable with his zankpakuto, causing it to flare up and start melting through whatever it touches. Fortunately, Kabuto's own durability makes this a non concern for himself.



» Resurrección Release Phrase: -----

» Resurrección Release Actions: Cannot actively release Ressurección.



» Equipment:

None



General Skills

• Durability: Advanced
  
• General Speed: Adept
  
• Strength: Advanced
  
• Martial Skill: Adept

Shinigami Skills

• Hoho: Beginner
  
• Kidō: Advanced
  
• Zanjutsu: Adept
  
• Hakuda: Untrained

Vizard Skills

• Power Augmentation Adept
  
• Cero: Untrained
  
• Mask Protection: Advanced
  
• Hollow Control: Beginner

Hollow Skills

• Acid Skill: Advanced
  
• Garganta : Untrained
  
• Cero/Bala: Adept
  
• Regeneration: Elite

Will Skills

• Willpower/Determination: Adept
  
• Mental Deduction: Adept
  
• Focus: Adept

» Role Play Sample:

The cold shrieked to life, plumes of breath dancing in the air as pained gasps rattled from the man's chest. The crumble of stone echoing in a massive cavern, pebbles falling away as a shoulder slowly rotated, fingers pushing against deep indentations in the rock. Deeply embedded into the earth, a dazed gawk spread across barely cognizant eyes as Kabuto awoke - sore at best, crippled at worst.

A head full of cotton and barbed wire couldn't make rhyme or reason of his bedding, fingers tapping lightly on the edges of the brow with twinges of pain. "Holy shit." the faint curse reverberated, calling back to him in mockery. Another twinge, the curling of a leg as dirt fell away in a - very slow - attempt to stand up. The ache in his joints spread like fire, stinging pinpricks across his back, inside his bones.

The lake of fire under his face.

Another utterance, pained groans echoing loudly, yet he stood. The slow turn of a stiff neck, the faint pitter patter of pebbles and dust rolling off bare skin, and crescendo of a cracking spine. A symphony for a man who did not know where he was, or how he got there; a one man audience that was well deserved.

Did I deserve this? was pushing from behind his eyes, hands sliding around a body bereft of cloth in some matter of charades. Nothing of use was found in the pockets, tired seams peeking open into the world beyond. A shake of his head as footsteps carried him forward, into the light.

"Guess I'll find out." Frustration drawn against his brow, dissapearing quietly beneath the dark metal's sheen, the glint of green eyes.