Post by aeko on Sept 4, 2008 18:42:31 GMT -5
Name: Itou Yukiko
Age:
Birthday: January 6th
Height: 5'6 feet /168cm
Weight: 145lbs /65kg
Division: 2nd.
Position: nomnomnom. Choose? :B
Physical Appearance: An uncommon caramel hue coupled with a slender form, Yukiko was never one to go unnoticed in a crowd. Standing at a mere five foot six, she is far from being overly short, but she is not necessarily the tallest in the bunch either. Her body is lean and well-muscled, stemming from hours of training and the nature of her duties. However, she is not skinny by any means, the weight simply falls into all the right places is all. Her bust size is quite modest, in proportion to her body. Some would find that to be a disappointment, But hey, you can't have everything. Her face is heart shaped, with high cheekbones and soft-looking, but full lips. A subtle indication of her heritage, her eyes seem to have an obvious slant. However, as few and far between as they are, the similarities end there. Instead of the expected brown or black hue, her eyes are colored an even-toned grey. They say eyes are the windows to one's soul, and Yukiko's are no different. The smile often seen gracing her features can double as a mask, allowing others to see only what she deems fit. However, a sincere look into her eyes is enough to give away the true emotion she is experiencing, be it joy, slight annoyance, or even sadness. Though her body is relatively devoid of piercings and jewelery, she does have a single tattoo; an eastern dragon snaking it's way down her left arm.
Yukiko's hair is a dark brown, almost black in color. It's length reaches about mid-back, and has just the slightest bit of curl to it.The swarthy locks are often if not always kept in some form of a fancy updo, which is relative to change on a day to day basis depending on her mood. An indigo hued Kanzashi fashioned after a pair of sakura blossoms often accompanies her array of hairstyles, a present from when she was just a child. On occasion, she will let her hair down and linger upon her shoulders, though it is very rare, usually when she is feeling somewhat ill..or just lazy. When in battle however, Yuki is quick to make a hasty braid and fasten the length into a tight bun atop her head. An unfortunate, but eye opening incident in the shinigami academy quickly taught her to never allow her hair to remain down, unless she wished to lose it.
Fashion was always a guilty pleasure for Yukiko, and so like most female shinigami, she has taken the liberty of altering her uniform. The top is heavily influenced by Soi Fon's personal set up, completely devoid of fabric covering the shoulders and back. However, deviating from that of her Taicho, the remaining fabric is tucked underneath the arms and around the youth's body, instead of encircling her neck. Not necessarily for the sake of revealing herself, but it allows for the third seat to have a greater range of motion when she is fighting. She has kept the hakama pants standard, however, not caring to alter them in any way. A violet obi sash completes the look, encircling the garment and tying at the back in an elaborate ribbon rather than in front. Occasionally Yuki can be seen wearing small pair of glasses, usually only when attempting heavy reading or paperwork. However, she finds them irritating and wears them as little as possible.
Personality:
Relative to the meaning of her name, (yuki) "happiness" and (ko) "child", Yukiko is rarely seen without the hint of a smile on her features. Others will vouch for this, often describing her as a very approachable person. Ever since she was a small child, the first thing people would notice about her was the wide smile plastered over the girl's face. She is relatively easy-going, with an almost child-like exuberance at times. Despite this, she takes her position in the 2nd division very seriously,tending to her duties whenever possible. She is also a good listener and will often dole out advice, if warranted. Her fellow division members are considered to be very important to her, and she is often found using her free time to give help where it is needed. Anger is not a feeling that is expressed by Yukiko on a regular basis, silent annoyance perhaps, but it takes alot to truly ruffle her feathers. For some, it is hard to believe that a person such as Yukiko could appear so happy all of the time.
However, like anyone else, even she has her moments.
Though hailed as someone who is a good listener and advisor, Yukiko is very hesitant to exchange the roles and allow someone else to do the same for her. While in the Seireitei, Yuki has never had what one would consider "true" friends. There are individuals in her division that she speaks to on a regular basis, but she would never go to them to open up about an issue that may potentially be bothering her. Because of this, when she is not hanging around the division headquarters, she is often off somewhere by herself. It's not so much that she is incapable of making friends, but more so that she fears losing those that she eventually becomes close to. Such is a harsh reality in the Seireitei, one that she has always had trouble adjusting to. This could easily be attributed to the nature of the duties upheld by the 2nd division, but it is more likely that this sort of attitude stems from her days in the Rukongai, having outlived all of her makeshift family.
Such feelings are fleeting, however.
On the occasion when Yukiko is actually among company outside of division related matters, it would be a lie to say that she never enjoys herself. Though, she is not one to contribute to a conversation, usually listening to and observing those around her. Sometimes she finds herself visiting teahouses, simply to "people-watch", if you will. The sight of those interacting around her often allows the shinigami to observe the true nature of another person, without ever having to hear them utter a single word. However, observation comes into play for other reasons. Though she would never admit to it; Like any other woman her age, Yuki does her fair share of watching those of the male variety. There are the occasional few in the Seireitei that have caught Yukiko's eye more than once, but she would never go out of her way to pursue them. It's true, she is a pretty girl. But one has to be more than a pretty face these days, and Yukiko can best described as somewhat awkward. Granted, the subject of romance is not something Yuki's mind wanders to often in the first place.
Fighting Style: [Tell us how your character acts and fights. What is their style? Do they go all out or toy with their opponent? 200 words minimum]
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Zanpakutou Name: [The name of your character's zanpakutou]
Inner World: Yukiko's inner world is made up of a labyrinth of underground caves. Upon each visit to her inner world, Yukiko is required to locate the center of the cave maze. This is the one and only place Kyouken will reveal himself to her. At the center of the winding tunnels there is a fairly large clearing, a strange mixture of moss and grass can be found covering the cavern's floor and there is even a small pond filled with koi fish. The most notable feature of the cavern however, is the resident sakura tree that is often if not always found blossoming. The maze itself is a test for Yukiko from Kyouken himself, and it is different each time she visits. The maze signifies Yukiko's struggles, and the cavern is the inner peace within herself. As time passes, Yukiko has little to no trouble finding the clearing, though initially she had a very hard time.
Zanpakutou Spirit:
Kyouken manifests himself as a fawn colored Akita Inu. He is a very large dog, and has a rather intimidating appearance. Relevant to his name, he is constantly seen foaming or sometimes bleeding from the mouth. Upon first learning the name of her zanpakuto, Yuki was slightly taken aback when Kyouken first materialized before her. Granted, she hadn't really known what to expect in the first place...but a rabid dog of all things? Kyouken is very condescending, and critical, always finding something at fault with the person who is wielding him. Yukiko has something of a love-hate relationship with the manifestation of her zanpakuto. They say the zanpakuto is an extension of the owner's soul, but Yuki is hard-pressed to believe that a spirit like Kyouken could have anything to do with her true nature. Hell, she always wondered why she didn't end up with some sort of happy-go-lucky, rainbow spewing pony or something. Though, despite his harsh nature, Yukiko is often thankful for the slap back into reality that Kyouken often graces her presence with. On occasion, when the two are somewhat civil towards one another, Yuki affectionately refers to him as Kyo-kun, which he hates.
Sealed Zanpakutou: [Describe what your zanpakutou looks like before the shikai is released. 100 words minimum]
Shikai Release Phrase: Kutsuu. [lit. Torment]
Shikai Description:
With the release command of Kutsuu, Kyouken's size and shape takes on a dramatic metamorphosis. Yukiko uses her right arm to swing Kyouken in a horizontal slash in front of her, while sliding her index finger in a downward arc along the surface of the blade, initiating the change. In an instant, the blade lengthens and then widens at this single touch. From a Japanese katana, the sword changes to that of a Chinese nine ring broadsword. The hilt looses it's dark red coloring and shortens considerably, the wrappings taking on a shade akin to that of a light brown. The blade takes on a lighter grey shade, though a reddish tinge along the bottom half becomes evident; as if the sword had been stained with blood.
The most notable changes, however, are the addition of nine, evenly spaced silver rings across the top half of the blade. These, when Kyouken is wielded correctly, are designed to catch the opponent's weapon and possibly foil an attack. The sound of the rings hitting one another is sometimes distracting enough, creating a distinctive rattling noise upon contact with each other or another weapon. Sprouting from top of the hilt itself are two lengthy "flags" or tassels, if you will. One is a bright red and the other white. The main purpose for these pieces of fabric is primarily to keep blood and other substances from dripping off of the blade onto her arms and hand. Yukiko usually wraps these around her hand and wrist, to avoid dropping her blade or the sword itself can be propelled at an enemy without her losing hold of it. Though, this latter technique is rarely if ever used. Like other aspects of the sword, distraction plays a big part of Yuki's technique. The more an enemy's attention strays to the rings or the brightly colored flags, is time bought that Yukiko can use to formulate a plan of attack.
Kyouken's ability is that the blade itself secretes a dripping, almost bloody substance, which causes temporary numbness upon impact with the enemy. This often disguises the damage dealt by subsequent blows. However, the numbing sensation only further hides the fact that the substance itself is highly caustic. As a result, it begins to burn and eat away at the enemy's flesh. By the time the numbness wears off, the damage has been done and Yuki can attempt to take the upper hand.
Bankai Name: lolwut.
Bankai Description: ohay.
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*~!~*History*~!~*
--->Living Years<----
Needless to say, Yukiko did not spend much time as a human being in the living world. She was born in the dead of winter, 1935. Her mother was a Japanese immigrant to the United States, who had become involved with a local man in the town she came to live in. Though they could not get married, they were lovers to say the least. The pregnancy was unplanned, but not unwanted by any means.
Then again.
Yukiko was not an ugly baby. She was born with a full head of hair, a mass of dark ringlets. Her skin tone was unusual for a child born of her supposed parentage, the smooth hue of a mocha latte, with a dollop of cream on the side. The most striking feature by far were her eyes, grey. Now, this was all fine and dandy for her mother, but after taking a good look, "Father" soon realized that his darling daughter held no resemblance to him what-so-ever. This turn of events did not bode well for mother and baby.
Death
The ultimatum had been clear.
Sayuri had two choices, her lover or her baby.
Though he sometimes hit her and called her names, he continued to keep a roof over her head, money coming in, and food for her to eat. Thus, the choice had become very simple.
Being nothing more than a small child at the time, Yukiko was smothered by her mother only a few days after she was born. It wasn't her fault that the woman had slept around with various men, and produced a child that looked absolutely nothing like her lover. That being said, Yuki doesn't exactly recall what life was like before she died.
--->Years in Rukongai<---
Yukiko arrived in the 39th district of Rukongai, on the chill morning of January 6th. At her young age, it is surprising that she survived more than a few hours out on the streets. Luckily for the young girl, however, an elderly couple had been preparing to take their wares to the market that morning to sell. One could only imagine the looks on their faces when they found the infant nestled against assorted containers filled with water. Needless to say, she was quickly adopted into the small family.
This was a common occurrence in Rukongai, for the children to be adopted by adults or make their own families. However, Yukiko's case is testament to being in the right place at the right time, as she was extremely lucky to be found when she was. Thus, it became almost as if the young girl had been born in the afterlife, as she had little to no memories of her past life. Instead, she spent her young life helping her parents gather and sell water each day. It was a simple life, but she knew nothing else, and so she was happy.
She was not the only child adopted by the couple, however. No, after Yuki, various other children came and went from the household. There was never a dull moment, and Yuki loved each of them as if they all really were related by blood. One, however, was very special to the young girl. His name was Rowan, and he had been the first out of all the children to be adopted by the couple. Granted, he didn't live with them at the time that they found her, but he always came back to the Rukongai to visit those who had raised him. You see, Rowan was a Shinigami.
Birth of Reiatsu:
Yukiko adored her older brother.
It became habit, at the end of each week she would stand outside by the doorstep, squinting into the crowd until she could vaguely make out the flowing black robes of his shihakusho. As soon as she had him in her sights, she would take off at a run to meet him halfway. Like always, he would catch her in his arms and ask her how things were going as they made it back towards the small house. Unknown to most, Yukiko did not always smile as she does now. In fact, up until she was about five or six her face was usually void of most emotion. It had been Rowan who nursed the growth of her smile. He would often tap her gently on the nose, and say. gShow me that smile of yours Yu-chan, such a pretty girl should never have a frown on her face.h and of course she would smile. He always laughed, and gave her a loving pat on the head in return. gNever stop smiling.h He would tell her, and so, it eventually became a permanent fixture upon her features.
Truth be told, Yuki never knew what a shinigami was or what they did, despite the fact that her older brother was one. It wasn't until she was about eleven or so that she learned.
As always, Rowan had come home during his free time to visit. That day in particular, he seemed to be on a rant about various things Yuki didn't understand. Words like Taicho, 2nd division, squads, and fukutaicho, were thrown around as he spoke to that of their parents. He was obviously irritated about something, but they didn't really understand much more than Yuki did. Never the less, they all listened with rapt attention.
It was then that the feeling returned.
Over the past few weeks, Yukiko had started to notice that her daily ration of water wasn't filling her up quite as well as it used to. Increasing said ration helped for awhile, but not for long. Seeing as she was one of five other children the couple was caring for, she didn't find it necessary to bother them with unimportant things. In her mind, such an issue fell into that category. She remembers the event clearly, though. Rowan was still continuing on his tangent, when that strange feeling finally overwhelmed her and she fainted at the table.
She awoke moments later to the worried faces of her parents and brother. It was frightening, the feeling had come and gone before, but she had never fainted because of it. Rowan simply mumbled something about 'Reiatsu' and 'why didn't I notice it sooner' as he fished a container of onigiri from his kosode and offered it to her to eat. He then explained to Yuki that she was getting that feeling because she was hungry, and those that become hungry have spiritual power and are meant to be shinigami. At the time she didn't know what being a shinigami entailed, exactly, besides the fact that she was to become like Rowan.
Of course, she wasn't exactly the proper age to take the test, but that didn't stop Rowan in trying to prepare her the best that he could. He attempted to teach her many things, basic sword fighting, how to focus her reiatsu into a concentrated orbs, among other skills he thought would help her rise above the other applicants who would be going a clue as to what they would be learning. Yukiko welcomed the extra attention, even if she didn't quite understand what was being asked of her half the time. These days were short-lived, however.
Rowan began to visit less and less.
He had been moved up to 3rd seat in his division, and his workload was steadily increasing as time went on. Yukiko was upset by this, but she understood that it was simply his duty and he could not deviate from it. As something of an apology, he brought her a violet colored Kanzashi that resembled a pair of sakura blossoms. Of course it didn't make up for his absence, but she wore the hair ornament religiously. This however, was the last time she ever saw him. A month passed, and it wasn't until the worried family made an inquiry that they were informed of his fate.
He had been killed. Struck down by a large hollow while commanding his squad.
The news was hard on all of them, but it hit Yukiko the hardest. It was painfully obvious the teenager was hurting, but through it all she never lost her trademark smile, the one Rowan had told her to never stop showing.
Despite his urging for her to take the test when she became the proper age, she hesitated. The other children had either wandered away or passed on by this point, leaving just Yuki and her two parents once more. Rowan hadn't been their biological son, of course, but his death hit them hard as well. Yukiko couldn't bring herself to suddenly get up and leave them all alone, and so she stayed.
A few years passed, and it was only then that she was prompted to enroll at the academy.
On occasion, Yukiko would travel out to the market on her own. Sometimes to sell water rations for her parents, and other times to find food to feed herself with. After all, a spiritually aware girl has to eat. Upon returning home after one of these ventures, however, something was clearly wrong. The door of the tiny home had been torn down, and various pots had been strewn all over the place. Upon entering the home, the scene she found inside was almost too much to bare. The 39th district as a whole was decently safe, but on occasion rouges from other districts liked to pass through and see what sort of trouble they could stir up.
Unfortunate as it was, the elderly couple had become the target this time around. They had been un-mercifully stabbed to death by the assailant, and then robbed of the little bit that they owned. Now, Yukiko was left with nothing.
For awhile she didn't know what to do with herself, wandering aimlessly around the Rukongai. This was the place she had been gbornh into, and until recently, she had been perfectly content living in it. Now, she realized that she craved something more, and the 39th district no longer fulfilled the content feeling she once felt. Yukiko needed to move on, and leave this place behind.
There were few options, of course, but Yuki finally felt as if she was ready.
She would become a shinigami.
--->Academy Years<---
With her brother's teachings in mind, Yukiko enrolled at the Shinigami academy in the spring following the death of her parents. Thanks in part to her previous knowledge, she aced the entrance exam and received an immediate spot in the advanced class. The young girl soaked in the material like a sponge, emerging the top of her class after freshman year. Beyond the first year however, things began to get a little bit tougher. Although Yukiko was excelling in the use of Kidou and was faring alright in her other subjects, Zanjutsu remained by far the one thing she continuously struggled in. The technicalities of a fight were simple enough to think through and execute, but Yuki lacked the desire to strike down another individual.
The instructor she had didn't help matters initially. He was strictly old-school in his teachings, regardless of what gender his students were. That in itself meant no excuses, no whining, no crying. Yuki, the pretty little thing that she was, was far from exempt from this treatment. This was quickly apparent when she arrived late to class one day, unprepared and hair upon her shoulders. The instructor called her out, and she was to be the first in a series of practice matches he had planned for that day. Needless to say, the match didn't last long. Yuki was able to make a few rudimentary blocks with her asauchi, but not before he grabbed a chunk of her hair. She still remembers the words he spat into her ears, before shearing off the length he had clenched in his fist.
gRemember this. A pretty face won't save you from meeting the end of your opponent's sword.h
It was humiliating, to say the least.
Had one of her fellow students not offered to help her out, Yuki would have most likely given up. However, she stuck with it. The next day she returned to the class, sporting a new haircut and a new attitude towards the task at hand. There literally was no turning back for the young girl, and so she dedicated hours training with either a classmate or working alone. Though the phrase "Practice Makes Perfect" is not exactly applicable in this case, by the end of her second year Yuki managed to surpass her instructor's expectations of her skill and passed. Following that one incident, the rest of Yukiko's years at the academy were pretty uneventful. Looking back at it all, however, it only helped to make her a stronger person. She graduated as one of the top in her class, and was assigned to an unseated position in the 2nd Division.
--->Admission into Gotei 13<---
Yukiko emerged from the academy and was immediately given an unseated position in the 2nd Division. Of course, being unseated was a constant reminder that she had yet to learn how to unlock her zanpakuto's shikai. Sure, she was talented, and her grades had been nothing but supurb, overall a seemingly perfect candidate for the division given her skill. Without knowing shikai however, an unseated position would be as far as Yuki would get.
Thus, she spent a great deal of her first years stationed in the living world, which was the norm for most unseated officers like herself. Her assigned jurisdiction covered a small town not too far from that of Karakura, though hollow sightings weren't nearly as frequent there as they were in the larger town. This didn't come as a huge disappointment, though. Hollows didn't really bother Yuki too much on the whole, except when they were a bit on the larger side. Never the less, the fewer there were around, the better. If she happened upon one, she simply defeated it and went on her way.
Three months into her second venture to the living world, Yuki and another unseated shinigami, Satou, came upon a large hollow chasing after the soul of a young boy. Of course, they immediately went to his aid and to dispatch of the hollow chasing him. However, this particular one proved to be quite difficult, and possessed quite a strange ability. Satou was determined, and lunged at the hollow first, zanpakuto poised and ready to strike. Yuki would have followed suit, had she not stopped dead in her tracks, horrorfied. Though Yukiko had never seen one before, she had read about it in the academy. New kinds of hollow were added to the academy's curriculum frequently, as they seemed to be evolving quite rapidly in the past few years.
However, this particular one proved to be quite difficult, and possessed quite a strange ability. Satou was determined and lunged at the hollow first, zanpakuto poised and ready to strike. Yuki would have followed suit, had she not stopped dead in her tracks, horrorfied. Though Yukiko had never seen one personally, she had read about kinds like it in the academy. New kinds of hollow were added to the academy's curriculum frequently, as they seemed to be evolving quite rapidly in the past few years.
The very moment Satou's zanpakuto made contact with the hollow's skin, it seemed as though someone had come along and punched the shinigami in the stomach. His spiritual energy had been completely drained from his body. Obviously confused and weakened by what had just happened, it didn't take more than a moment before he was overcome and his body cast aside like a simple ragdoll. With one shinigami down for the count, the hollow turned on Yuki, attacking the woman relentlessly. Making use of her shunpo and natural speed, she was able to evade the first onslaught of his attacks, though her luck only lasted but so long. Something inside of her stirred, thinking back to her older brother and now Satou. She couldn't possibly kill a hollow like this in her current state, Satou had been of a higher rank than she and he hadn't stood much of a chance. This sort of thinking was not the way to go, unfortunately.
The chase continued, Yuki beginning to grow weaker and weaker by the moment, given her injuries. It wasn't until she was cornered, that she slowly found herself freezing up, unable to move. Rowan had been killed by a large hollow long ago, much like the one she was facing. Now, yet another person had succumb to an attack. Her attack power had been greatly hindered by her injuries, and she began to despair, giving up. Her sword arm lowered as he rushed at her once more, ready to accept defeat. It was now that Kyouken finally decided to make himself known. Yuki had no idea who or where the sudden voice was coming from, but the harsh tone of voice quickly brought her back to reality. Belittling her throughout the whole ordeal; Kyouken finally revealed his name and granted her use of her shikai. His words spurred her into action, releasing her zanpakuto. Accessing the situation as quickly as she could, and nearly killing herself in the process, Yuki released that the hair upon the hollow's body was designed to take the spiritual power of anything it touched. However, his head and legs were devoid of said hair, and so those areas were her prime targets.
Making use of her skills, along with her zanpakuto's destructive ability, she was able to successfully bring the hollow to his knees.
Yuki awoke three days later in the fourth division, so apparently help had come to the living world, just too late. As word got around about her new-found shikai release and the defeat of a hollow well above her supposed skill level, Yukiko was unexpectedly bumped up to a seated position upon being released from the 4th division. Initially, she was delighted to accept the offer, but the sudden promotion began to harbor feelings of doubt, the more she thought about it. Though she had successfully unlocked her shikai, at what cost did it come? The shinigami she had been paired with had ended up dying along with the hollow that had attacked them, and Yuki would have most likely died as well, had Kyouken not spoken up. Even though she hadn't known Satou very well, she still felt extremely guilty about the situation as a whole. She had won by a stroke of luck, not by her actual skill. As rude as it was, a lot of what Kyouken said about her was true, she had quite a bit, no, a lot to improve on.
The past could not be changed, but there was still a chance for the future. It was pretty simple. As easily as the position had been given, it could just as easily be taken away. She would become stronger.
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Visual of Character: [Optional]
Theme Song: [Optional]
RP Sample:
Age:
Birthday: January 6th
Height: 5'6 feet /168cm
Weight: 145lbs /65kg
Division: 2nd.
Position: nomnomnom. Choose? :B
Physical Appearance: An uncommon caramel hue coupled with a slender form, Yukiko was never one to go unnoticed in a crowd. Standing at a mere five foot six, she is far from being overly short, but she is not necessarily the tallest in the bunch either. Her body is lean and well-muscled, stemming from hours of training and the nature of her duties. However, she is not skinny by any means, the weight simply falls into all the right places is all. Her bust size is quite modest, in proportion to her body. Some would find that to be a disappointment, But hey, you can't have everything. Her face is heart shaped, with high cheekbones and soft-looking, but full lips. A subtle indication of her heritage, her eyes seem to have an obvious slant. However, as few and far between as they are, the similarities end there. Instead of the expected brown or black hue, her eyes are colored an even-toned grey. They say eyes are the windows to one's soul, and Yukiko's are no different. The smile often seen gracing her features can double as a mask, allowing others to see only what she deems fit. However, a sincere look into her eyes is enough to give away the true emotion she is experiencing, be it joy, slight annoyance, or even sadness. Though her body is relatively devoid of piercings and jewelery, she does have a single tattoo; an eastern dragon snaking it's way down her left arm.
Yukiko's hair is a dark brown, almost black in color. It's length reaches about mid-back, and has just the slightest bit of curl to it.The swarthy locks are often if not always kept in some form of a fancy updo, which is relative to change on a day to day basis depending on her mood. An indigo hued Kanzashi fashioned after a pair of sakura blossoms often accompanies her array of hairstyles, a present from when she was just a child. On occasion, she will let her hair down and linger upon her shoulders, though it is very rare, usually when she is feeling somewhat ill..or just lazy. When in battle however, Yuki is quick to make a hasty braid and fasten the length into a tight bun atop her head. An unfortunate, but eye opening incident in the shinigami academy quickly taught her to never allow her hair to remain down, unless she wished to lose it.
Fashion was always a guilty pleasure for Yukiko, and so like most female shinigami, she has taken the liberty of altering her uniform. The top is heavily influenced by Soi Fon's personal set up, completely devoid of fabric covering the shoulders and back. However, deviating from that of her Taicho, the remaining fabric is tucked underneath the arms and around the youth's body, instead of encircling her neck. Not necessarily for the sake of revealing herself, but it allows for the third seat to have a greater range of motion when she is fighting. She has kept the hakama pants standard, however, not caring to alter them in any way. A violet obi sash completes the look, encircling the garment and tying at the back in an elaborate ribbon rather than in front. Occasionally Yuki can be seen wearing small pair of glasses, usually only when attempting heavy reading or paperwork. However, she finds them irritating and wears them as little as possible.
Personality:
Relative to the meaning of her name, (yuki) "happiness" and (ko) "child", Yukiko is rarely seen without the hint of a smile on her features. Others will vouch for this, often describing her as a very approachable person. Ever since she was a small child, the first thing people would notice about her was the wide smile plastered over the girl's face. She is relatively easy-going, with an almost child-like exuberance at times. Despite this, she takes her position in the 2nd division very seriously,tending to her duties whenever possible. She is also a good listener and will often dole out advice, if warranted. Her fellow division members are considered to be very important to her, and she is often found using her free time to give help where it is needed. Anger is not a feeling that is expressed by Yukiko on a regular basis, silent annoyance perhaps, but it takes alot to truly ruffle her feathers. For some, it is hard to believe that a person such as Yukiko could appear so happy all of the time.
However, like anyone else, even she has her moments.
Though hailed as someone who is a good listener and advisor, Yukiko is very hesitant to exchange the roles and allow someone else to do the same for her. While in the Seireitei, Yuki has never had what one would consider "true" friends. There are individuals in her division that she speaks to on a regular basis, but she would never go to them to open up about an issue that may potentially be bothering her. Because of this, when she is not hanging around the division headquarters, she is often off somewhere by herself. It's not so much that she is incapable of making friends, but more so that she fears losing those that she eventually becomes close to. Such is a harsh reality in the Seireitei, one that she has always had trouble adjusting to. This could easily be attributed to the nature of the duties upheld by the 2nd division, but it is more likely that this sort of attitude stems from her days in the Rukongai, having outlived all of her makeshift family.
Such feelings are fleeting, however.
On the occasion when Yukiko is actually among company outside of division related matters, it would be a lie to say that she never enjoys herself. Though, she is not one to contribute to a conversation, usually listening to and observing those around her. Sometimes she finds herself visiting teahouses, simply to "people-watch", if you will. The sight of those interacting around her often allows the shinigami to observe the true nature of another person, without ever having to hear them utter a single word. However, observation comes into play for other reasons. Though she would never admit to it; Like any other woman her age, Yuki does her fair share of watching those of the male variety. There are the occasional few in the Seireitei that have caught Yukiko's eye more than once, but she would never go out of her way to pursue them. It's true, she is a pretty girl. But one has to be more than a pretty face these days, and Yukiko can best described as somewhat awkward. Granted, the subject of romance is not something Yuki's mind wanders to often in the first place.
Fighting Style: [Tell us how your character acts and fights. What is their style? Do they go all out or toy with their opponent? 200 words minimum]
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Zanpakutou Name: [The name of your character's zanpakutou]
Inner World: Yukiko's inner world is made up of a labyrinth of underground caves. Upon each visit to her inner world, Yukiko is required to locate the center of the cave maze. This is the one and only place Kyouken will reveal himself to her. At the center of the winding tunnels there is a fairly large clearing, a strange mixture of moss and grass can be found covering the cavern's floor and there is even a small pond filled with koi fish. The most notable feature of the cavern however, is the resident sakura tree that is often if not always found blossoming. The maze itself is a test for Yukiko from Kyouken himself, and it is different each time she visits. The maze signifies Yukiko's struggles, and the cavern is the inner peace within herself. As time passes, Yukiko has little to no trouble finding the clearing, though initially she had a very hard time.
Zanpakutou Spirit:
Kyouken manifests himself as a fawn colored Akita Inu. He is a very large dog, and has a rather intimidating appearance. Relevant to his name, he is constantly seen foaming or sometimes bleeding from the mouth. Upon first learning the name of her zanpakuto, Yuki was slightly taken aback when Kyouken first materialized before her. Granted, she hadn't really known what to expect in the first place...but a rabid dog of all things? Kyouken is very condescending, and critical, always finding something at fault with the person who is wielding him. Yukiko has something of a love-hate relationship with the manifestation of her zanpakuto. They say the zanpakuto is an extension of the owner's soul, but Yuki is hard-pressed to believe that a spirit like Kyouken could have anything to do with her true nature. Hell, she always wondered why she didn't end up with some sort of happy-go-lucky, rainbow spewing pony or something. Though, despite his harsh nature, Yukiko is often thankful for the slap back into reality that Kyouken often graces her presence with. On occasion, when the two are somewhat civil towards one another, Yuki affectionately refers to him as Kyo-kun, which he hates.
Sealed Zanpakutou: [Describe what your zanpakutou looks like before the shikai is released. 100 words minimum]
Shikai Release Phrase: Kutsuu. [lit. Torment]
Shikai Description:
With the release command of Kutsuu, Kyouken's size and shape takes on a dramatic metamorphosis. Yukiko uses her right arm to swing Kyouken in a horizontal slash in front of her, while sliding her index finger in a downward arc along the surface of the blade, initiating the change. In an instant, the blade lengthens and then widens at this single touch. From a Japanese katana, the sword changes to that of a Chinese nine ring broadsword. The hilt looses it's dark red coloring and shortens considerably, the wrappings taking on a shade akin to that of a light brown. The blade takes on a lighter grey shade, though a reddish tinge along the bottom half becomes evident; as if the sword had been stained with blood.
The most notable changes, however, are the addition of nine, evenly spaced silver rings across the top half of the blade. These, when Kyouken is wielded correctly, are designed to catch the opponent's weapon and possibly foil an attack. The sound of the rings hitting one another is sometimes distracting enough, creating a distinctive rattling noise upon contact with each other or another weapon. Sprouting from top of the hilt itself are two lengthy "flags" or tassels, if you will. One is a bright red and the other white. The main purpose for these pieces of fabric is primarily to keep blood and other substances from dripping off of the blade onto her arms and hand. Yukiko usually wraps these around her hand and wrist, to avoid dropping her blade or the sword itself can be propelled at an enemy without her losing hold of it. Though, this latter technique is rarely if ever used. Like other aspects of the sword, distraction plays a big part of Yuki's technique. The more an enemy's attention strays to the rings or the brightly colored flags, is time bought that Yukiko can use to formulate a plan of attack.
Kyouken's ability is that the blade itself secretes a dripping, almost bloody substance, which causes temporary numbness upon impact with the enemy. This often disguises the damage dealt by subsequent blows. However, the numbing sensation only further hides the fact that the substance itself is highly caustic. As a result, it begins to burn and eat away at the enemy's flesh. By the time the numbness wears off, the damage has been done and Yuki can attempt to take the upper hand.
Bankai Name: lolwut.
Bankai Description: ohay.
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*~!~*History*~!~*
--->Living Years<----
Needless to say, Yukiko did not spend much time as a human being in the living world. She was born in the dead of winter, 1935. Her mother was a Japanese immigrant to the United States, who had become involved with a local man in the town she came to live in. Though they could not get married, they were lovers to say the least. The pregnancy was unplanned, but not unwanted by any means.
Then again.
Yukiko was not an ugly baby. She was born with a full head of hair, a mass of dark ringlets. Her skin tone was unusual for a child born of her supposed parentage, the smooth hue of a mocha latte, with a dollop of cream on the side. The most striking feature by far were her eyes, grey. Now, this was all fine and dandy for her mother, but after taking a good look, "Father" soon realized that his darling daughter held no resemblance to him what-so-ever. This turn of events did not bode well for mother and baby.
Death
The ultimatum had been clear.
Sayuri had two choices, her lover or her baby.
Though he sometimes hit her and called her names, he continued to keep a roof over her head, money coming in, and food for her to eat. Thus, the choice had become very simple.
Being nothing more than a small child at the time, Yukiko was smothered by her mother only a few days after she was born. It wasn't her fault that the woman had slept around with various men, and produced a child that looked absolutely nothing like her lover. That being said, Yuki doesn't exactly recall what life was like before she died.
--->Years in Rukongai<---
Yukiko arrived in the 39th district of Rukongai, on the chill morning of January 6th. At her young age, it is surprising that she survived more than a few hours out on the streets. Luckily for the young girl, however, an elderly couple had been preparing to take their wares to the market that morning to sell. One could only imagine the looks on their faces when they found the infant nestled against assorted containers filled with water. Needless to say, she was quickly adopted into the small family.
This was a common occurrence in Rukongai, for the children to be adopted by adults or make their own families. However, Yukiko's case is testament to being in the right place at the right time, as she was extremely lucky to be found when she was. Thus, it became almost as if the young girl had been born in the afterlife, as she had little to no memories of her past life. Instead, she spent her young life helping her parents gather and sell water each day. It was a simple life, but she knew nothing else, and so she was happy.
She was not the only child adopted by the couple, however. No, after Yuki, various other children came and went from the household. There was never a dull moment, and Yuki loved each of them as if they all really were related by blood. One, however, was very special to the young girl. His name was Rowan, and he had been the first out of all the children to be adopted by the couple. Granted, he didn't live with them at the time that they found her, but he always came back to the Rukongai to visit those who had raised him. You see, Rowan was a Shinigami.
Birth of Reiatsu:
Yukiko adored her older brother.
It became habit, at the end of each week she would stand outside by the doorstep, squinting into the crowd until she could vaguely make out the flowing black robes of his shihakusho. As soon as she had him in her sights, she would take off at a run to meet him halfway. Like always, he would catch her in his arms and ask her how things were going as they made it back towards the small house. Unknown to most, Yukiko did not always smile as she does now. In fact, up until she was about five or six her face was usually void of most emotion. It had been Rowan who nursed the growth of her smile. He would often tap her gently on the nose, and say. gShow me that smile of yours Yu-chan, such a pretty girl should never have a frown on her face.h and of course she would smile. He always laughed, and gave her a loving pat on the head in return. gNever stop smiling.h He would tell her, and so, it eventually became a permanent fixture upon her features.
Truth be told, Yuki never knew what a shinigami was or what they did, despite the fact that her older brother was one. It wasn't until she was about eleven or so that she learned.
As always, Rowan had come home during his free time to visit. That day in particular, he seemed to be on a rant about various things Yuki didn't understand. Words like Taicho, 2nd division, squads, and fukutaicho, were thrown around as he spoke to that of their parents. He was obviously irritated about something, but they didn't really understand much more than Yuki did. Never the less, they all listened with rapt attention.
It was then that the feeling returned.
Over the past few weeks, Yukiko had started to notice that her daily ration of water wasn't filling her up quite as well as it used to. Increasing said ration helped for awhile, but not for long. Seeing as she was one of five other children the couple was caring for, she didn't find it necessary to bother them with unimportant things. In her mind, such an issue fell into that category. She remembers the event clearly, though. Rowan was still continuing on his tangent, when that strange feeling finally overwhelmed her and she fainted at the table.
She awoke moments later to the worried faces of her parents and brother. It was frightening, the feeling had come and gone before, but she had never fainted because of it. Rowan simply mumbled something about 'Reiatsu' and 'why didn't I notice it sooner' as he fished a container of onigiri from his kosode and offered it to her to eat. He then explained to Yuki that she was getting that feeling because she was hungry, and those that become hungry have spiritual power and are meant to be shinigami. At the time she didn't know what being a shinigami entailed, exactly, besides the fact that she was to become like Rowan.
Of course, she wasn't exactly the proper age to take the test, but that didn't stop Rowan in trying to prepare her the best that he could. He attempted to teach her many things, basic sword fighting, how to focus her reiatsu into a concentrated orbs, among other skills he thought would help her rise above the other applicants who would be going a clue as to what they would be learning. Yukiko welcomed the extra attention, even if she didn't quite understand what was being asked of her half the time. These days were short-lived, however.
Rowan began to visit less and less.
He had been moved up to 3rd seat in his division, and his workload was steadily increasing as time went on. Yukiko was upset by this, but she understood that it was simply his duty and he could not deviate from it. As something of an apology, he brought her a violet colored Kanzashi that resembled a pair of sakura blossoms. Of course it didn't make up for his absence, but she wore the hair ornament religiously. This however, was the last time she ever saw him. A month passed, and it wasn't until the worried family made an inquiry that they were informed of his fate.
He had been killed. Struck down by a large hollow while commanding his squad.
The news was hard on all of them, but it hit Yukiko the hardest. It was painfully obvious the teenager was hurting, but through it all she never lost her trademark smile, the one Rowan had told her to never stop showing.
Despite his urging for her to take the test when she became the proper age, she hesitated. The other children had either wandered away or passed on by this point, leaving just Yuki and her two parents once more. Rowan hadn't been their biological son, of course, but his death hit them hard as well. Yukiko couldn't bring herself to suddenly get up and leave them all alone, and so she stayed.
A few years passed, and it was only then that she was prompted to enroll at the academy.
On occasion, Yukiko would travel out to the market on her own. Sometimes to sell water rations for her parents, and other times to find food to feed herself with. After all, a spiritually aware girl has to eat. Upon returning home after one of these ventures, however, something was clearly wrong. The door of the tiny home had been torn down, and various pots had been strewn all over the place. Upon entering the home, the scene she found inside was almost too much to bare. The 39th district as a whole was decently safe, but on occasion rouges from other districts liked to pass through and see what sort of trouble they could stir up.
Unfortunate as it was, the elderly couple had become the target this time around. They had been un-mercifully stabbed to death by the assailant, and then robbed of the little bit that they owned. Now, Yukiko was left with nothing.
For awhile she didn't know what to do with herself, wandering aimlessly around the Rukongai. This was the place she had been gbornh into, and until recently, she had been perfectly content living in it. Now, she realized that she craved something more, and the 39th district no longer fulfilled the content feeling she once felt. Yukiko needed to move on, and leave this place behind.
There were few options, of course, but Yuki finally felt as if she was ready.
She would become a shinigami.
--->Academy Years<---
With her brother's teachings in mind, Yukiko enrolled at the Shinigami academy in the spring following the death of her parents. Thanks in part to her previous knowledge, she aced the entrance exam and received an immediate spot in the advanced class. The young girl soaked in the material like a sponge, emerging the top of her class after freshman year. Beyond the first year however, things began to get a little bit tougher. Although Yukiko was excelling in the use of Kidou and was faring alright in her other subjects, Zanjutsu remained by far the one thing she continuously struggled in. The technicalities of a fight were simple enough to think through and execute, but Yuki lacked the desire to strike down another individual.
The instructor she had didn't help matters initially. He was strictly old-school in his teachings, regardless of what gender his students were. That in itself meant no excuses, no whining, no crying. Yuki, the pretty little thing that she was, was far from exempt from this treatment. This was quickly apparent when she arrived late to class one day, unprepared and hair upon her shoulders. The instructor called her out, and she was to be the first in a series of practice matches he had planned for that day. Needless to say, the match didn't last long. Yuki was able to make a few rudimentary blocks with her asauchi, but not before he grabbed a chunk of her hair. She still remembers the words he spat into her ears, before shearing off the length he had clenched in his fist.
gRemember this. A pretty face won't save you from meeting the end of your opponent's sword.h
It was humiliating, to say the least.
Had one of her fellow students not offered to help her out, Yuki would have most likely given up. However, she stuck with it. The next day she returned to the class, sporting a new haircut and a new attitude towards the task at hand. There literally was no turning back for the young girl, and so she dedicated hours training with either a classmate or working alone. Though the phrase "Practice Makes Perfect" is not exactly applicable in this case, by the end of her second year Yuki managed to surpass her instructor's expectations of her skill and passed. Following that one incident, the rest of Yukiko's years at the academy were pretty uneventful. Looking back at it all, however, it only helped to make her a stronger person. She graduated as one of the top in her class, and was assigned to an unseated position in the 2nd Division.
--->Admission into Gotei 13<---
Yukiko emerged from the academy and was immediately given an unseated position in the 2nd Division. Of course, being unseated was a constant reminder that she had yet to learn how to unlock her zanpakuto's shikai. Sure, she was talented, and her grades had been nothing but supurb, overall a seemingly perfect candidate for the division given her skill. Without knowing shikai however, an unseated position would be as far as Yuki would get.
Thus, she spent a great deal of her first years stationed in the living world, which was the norm for most unseated officers like herself. Her assigned jurisdiction covered a small town not too far from that of Karakura, though hollow sightings weren't nearly as frequent there as they were in the larger town. This didn't come as a huge disappointment, though. Hollows didn't really bother Yuki too much on the whole, except when they were a bit on the larger side. Never the less, the fewer there were around, the better. If she happened upon one, she simply defeated it and went on her way.
Three months into her second venture to the living world, Yuki and another unseated shinigami, Satou, came upon a large hollow chasing after the soul of a young boy. Of course, they immediately went to his aid and to dispatch of the hollow chasing him. However, this particular one proved to be quite difficult, and possessed quite a strange ability. Satou was determined, and lunged at the hollow first, zanpakuto poised and ready to strike. Yuki would have followed suit, had she not stopped dead in her tracks, horrorfied. Though Yukiko had never seen one before, she had read about it in the academy. New kinds of hollow were added to the academy's curriculum frequently, as they seemed to be evolving quite rapidly in the past few years.
However, this particular one proved to be quite difficult, and possessed quite a strange ability. Satou was determined and lunged at the hollow first, zanpakuto poised and ready to strike. Yuki would have followed suit, had she not stopped dead in her tracks, horrorfied. Though Yukiko had never seen one personally, she had read about kinds like it in the academy. New kinds of hollow were added to the academy's curriculum frequently, as they seemed to be evolving quite rapidly in the past few years.
The very moment Satou's zanpakuto made contact with the hollow's skin, it seemed as though someone had come along and punched the shinigami in the stomach. His spiritual energy had been completely drained from his body. Obviously confused and weakened by what had just happened, it didn't take more than a moment before he was overcome and his body cast aside like a simple ragdoll. With one shinigami down for the count, the hollow turned on Yuki, attacking the woman relentlessly. Making use of her shunpo and natural speed, she was able to evade the first onslaught of his attacks, though her luck only lasted but so long. Something inside of her stirred, thinking back to her older brother and now Satou. She couldn't possibly kill a hollow like this in her current state, Satou had been of a higher rank than she and he hadn't stood much of a chance. This sort of thinking was not the way to go, unfortunately.
The chase continued, Yuki beginning to grow weaker and weaker by the moment, given her injuries. It wasn't until she was cornered, that she slowly found herself freezing up, unable to move. Rowan had been killed by a large hollow long ago, much like the one she was facing. Now, yet another person had succumb to an attack. Her attack power had been greatly hindered by her injuries, and she began to despair, giving up. Her sword arm lowered as he rushed at her once more, ready to accept defeat. It was now that Kyouken finally decided to make himself known. Yuki had no idea who or where the sudden voice was coming from, but the harsh tone of voice quickly brought her back to reality. Belittling her throughout the whole ordeal; Kyouken finally revealed his name and granted her use of her shikai. His words spurred her into action, releasing her zanpakuto. Accessing the situation as quickly as she could, and nearly killing herself in the process, Yuki released that the hair upon the hollow's body was designed to take the spiritual power of anything it touched. However, his head and legs were devoid of said hair, and so those areas were her prime targets.
Making use of her skills, along with her zanpakuto's destructive ability, she was able to successfully bring the hollow to his knees.
Yuki awoke three days later in the fourth division, so apparently help had come to the living world, just too late. As word got around about her new-found shikai release and the defeat of a hollow well above her supposed skill level, Yukiko was unexpectedly bumped up to a seated position upon being released from the 4th division. Initially, she was delighted to accept the offer, but the sudden promotion began to harbor feelings of doubt, the more she thought about it. Though she had successfully unlocked her shikai, at what cost did it come? The shinigami she had been paired with had ended up dying along with the hollow that had attacked them, and Yuki would have most likely died as well, had Kyouken not spoken up. Even though she hadn't known Satou very well, she still felt extremely guilty about the situation as a whole. She had won by a stroke of luck, not by her actual skill. As rude as it was, a lot of what Kyouken said about her was true, she had quite a bit, no, a lot to improve on.
The past could not be changed, but there was still a chance for the future. It was pretty simple. As easily as the position had been given, it could just as easily be taken away. She would become stronger.
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Visual of Character: [Optional]
Theme Song: [Optional]
RP Sample: