Post by Shuu on Aug 11, 2021 21:51:38 GMT -8
Shinigami
There’s a truth and inspiration to break the chains of you and me,
Looking round we have our visions of what is and what could be.
Looking round we have our visions of what is and what could be.
Basic Info
~Balance Through Order~
Name: Katsuragi ShuuBorn: February 12, 1262
Died: August 15, 1281
Afterlife: Rukongai (627) Seireitei (100)
Chronological Age: 746Biological Age: Early-20s
Division and Rank: 10th Division, Recruit
Faceclaim: Camui Gackpo | Vocaloid
Physical Info
~Order Through Law~
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Eye Color: Chalk-green, with flecks of purple along the rim of the iris.
Hair: A dark lavender hue with highlights of a lighter tone. His hair extends just past his shoulders and usually he just ties it into a ponytail with little regard to how it looks. Though he is constantly lost in thought and idle daydreams, so any semblance of remembering to maintain his hair is out the window. That said, more intricate hairstyles can be sported if his sisters get a hold of him.
Build: By all means, the young Katsuragi does not exude an aura of physical prowess. He is slender and lithe of frame. His skin is soft and borders on pale, holding a certain gleam of someone who takes care of themselves. Again this is due to his sisters constantly suggesting oils and products, practically forcing him into a daily skin regiment that he detests but doesn’t have the heart to refuse. Soft features, some would consider effeminite, have led to more than one misunderstanding. Not to say he is all skin and bones, he is fit enough to keep up with his daily training. Shuu has a bit of a measured and careful gait as he moves, like someone who takes care not to bump into things below his line of sight. Something he picked up while taking care of children in Rukongai.
Uniform/Clothing: He doesn’t alter his issued uniform much, preferring to stay in regulation too avoid attention. He meticulously and methodically takes care of his uniforms, as he does with all his clothes, and takes pride in wearing what he has earned. Some charms hang from his obi, a few omamoris and a couple four-leaf clovers for good luck. He also wears black or white gloves with his uniform as he has scars on his left hand he prefers to hide.
Shuu’s casual wear is usually a plethora of assorted outfits put together by his adopted siblings. While his outfit does vary on the time of day, season, or occasion, he does have a couple that he wears more often than the others. A purple or white, loose fitted dress shirt and a pair of dark slacks that are accompanied by black dress shoes. He only ever rolls up the sleeves when in the comfort of his home. The other outfit is an old violet yukata that has seen better days but anyone seeing him in it would say it suits him well.
Gigai: Overall he appears similar except his hair is about half the length of how it actually is. He wears a checkered green jacket over a buttoned up dress shirt with a dark tie. Slacks and well polished shoes complete the ensemble, though he still prefers to wear gloves even though he doesn’t have any of his scarring.
Extras: A warped and grotesque scar stretches up his left arm to his shoulder, starting from between his ring and middle finger. It looks as if someone had tried to cut his arm down the middle. Both aforementioned fingers have a faded blackness to them as if they were scorched and an array of circuit-like burns fade to the center of the top and palm of his hand. He is very self conscious about these scars and this is why he wears long-sleeves and gloves.
Spiritual Info
~Law Through Society~
Zanpakuto:
Shuu’s blade is no different than the thousands of others that reside within the Seireitei however it looks well worn and much older than a newly created Zanpakuto. Despite his best efforts on trying to maintain the weapon, the blade lacks a sheen to it and the hilt wrapping always looks frayed. To counter this, the Shinigami has picked up a rather gaudy white scabbard that looks to be made of ivory. It is well polished and kept in pristine condition to combat the disrepair his weapon has taken. He also doesn’t keep his weapon at his side as he has a habit of bumping into people and knocking the stray inanimate object off of tabletops. It’s not so much an extension of him as it is a nuisance, preferring to use a white silk scarf to sling it over his shoulder instead of placing it at his hip.
Zanpakuto Spirit:
Raijunn, the Raging Beast of Lightning and Thunder. Standing at a towering height of nine feet, this fearsome figure of what an artist envisioned as the perfect human specimen looks as if they were chiseled from marble. Long, thin, and grimy black hair sits atop his head and extends to the small of his back. It looks as though it is constantly slick with a thick black ooze that falls from each strand and leaves stains on his bare skin.
Each muscle looks as though it is threatening to split his skin, which is a sickly yellowish tint. His spine protrudes from his back, traveling down to his silk white pants. It is decorated with various kanji that runs vertical along each leg, held up by a golden belt that is decorated with various gems and clasped in place with a silver vajra.
While his skin does seem to look infected, it is adorned with various jagged and swirling tattoos of bright red. That is, until he flies into a rage. It begins to have a translucency to it. Swirling storms dotted with flashes of lightning rests between the surface of his skin and muscles. Faded, bleak. Flashing with each hectic heartbeat. The tattoos that flare up into spouts of fire as the feral figure lashes out.
Shuu doesn’t understand why his inner spirit is this raging creature, whose voice echoes with static, dipping in and out of coherent speech. Fear and frustration are the only things these two feel towards one another. It is difficult to decipher what message such a being is trying to convey when it would much rather fry Shuu to a blackened crisp and prowl his nightmares, devouring the young man or outright killing him, forcing him to wake screaming with cold sweats.
Though the shinigami has poured countless hours into researching Zanpakuto spirits, nothing has really explained his situation outside of dismissive comments of him needing to come to terms with the monster. Sometimes he has a sinking feeling that the creature can never be reasoned with, that it simply wasn’t born from the shinigami’s soul at all...
Inner World:
"Sphere Unto Zenith"
A glass domain that orbits a planet below, giving a spectacular view of the grand majesty that is the stars. Within the center lies an orb of rock and stone, levitating within the expansive territory that would be Shuu's inner world. This orb, a humongous structure in and of itself, sports a waterfall that spits an infinite stream of water that holds an otherworldly glow and disperses into the vastness of space. An overgrowth of vines and various weeds have taken hold, covering the entirety of the structure and leads up to an opening that gives off steam from within. Within the belly of this sphere molten lava boils and emits a comforting warmth in contrast to its dangerous appearance.
Sitting in the center of the pool of lava, two hundred feet below the opening, is a slab of obsidian with a throne made of diamond sitting upon it. Six crystal pillars sprout from various positions within the lake of fire and a gilded statue of a fox lays atop each one. Each fox has a different pose it has struck.
Generosity. Virtue. Patience. Diligence. Concentration. Insight. Shuu couldn't begin to explain how he is able to tell what each one represents but viewing them always sets his mind at ease, despite seeing them strewn about a bubbling pit of lava that smells of sulfur.
Often enough Shuu has spotted Raijunn sprawled upon the diamond throne that seems too large even for the hulking beast. This causes the Shinigami to avoid further investigation, taking necessary precautions from being spotted by this murderous spirit. Though there really isn't anywhere else to hide should the beast roam about. Shuu has, time and again, ripped himself free from this world that should be his own. Nothing there, despite the beauty it offers in the reaches of space and the auroras that dance along the surface of the planet below, truly feels like it belongs to him. It is the same suspicion and agitation he feels towards Raijunn.
Something always calls him back though, to stomach his fears and journey within the inner consciousness. He'll stare for what feels like hours at the world below, a tugging at his heart and a sense of loss. The sensation is akin to being sick for so long and forgetting what it was like to feel healthy. To ease that lethargic stare, to breathe easy and think clearly. To enter the Ancient Dream…
Historical Info
~Society Through Death~
The Past:
A Wandering Haze
Ozone rank upon the air, sweet yet pungent. Crackling, snapping and popping dancing within earshot. Frantic, wild, uncontrolled. Hair stood on end at the back of the neck, of goosebumps spread along your skin in every direction. A din of smothered screams upon an ocean gale, close by and ever distant all at once. Fear, sadness, and anger compiled in a whirlwind of bewildering, unfathomable comprehension. Sensations, emotions, brief hints that come in disturbed nightmares.
This is all Shuu seems to remember of his life before his death. Most of his time in Rukongai was no better as a wayward Plus is a blur, a simple being that drifted in and out of consciousness, huddled in dark corners or seeking shelter from violent gangsters and aggressive shinigami. Faded images of nights spent curled next to others seeking the same refuge, of black uniforms and splashes of red. A scent of burning incense, a flash of teeth bearing a cunning grin.
At this point all of Shuu’s life has been a chaotic tornado caught in a daze. Yet a moment struck out, a woman in black lifting him to his feet and the fog clearing all in one fell swoop. Maki was a very jovial woman that held an unbreakable spirit that raised others around her. She was older than most but still bore a majestic beauty to her that would make even the grumpiest old man blush like a young boy. Instilling in Shuu a sense of purpose, he worked alongside her and many others in forming a community of their own in the western fringes of Rukongai.
She was pure charm and leadership personified, many drawn to the growing band of misfits and began to build a community center and orphanage. Strong men and woman protected them from the prowling eyes of the gangsters that lurked about. Even still, Maki worked with several shinigami and for a time they all experienced what could only be known as peace. A hard life, sure, but at least they all had each other. Shuu came to have many people in his life he considered brothers and sisters, always looking up to and admiring Maki as they worked towards something better. While Shuu had been suffering from night terrors, Maki was always there to comfort him and bring him back to stability.
Her passing was no violent knee-jerk from the gangs or a breach from the Hollows that most had only heard stories of. It was, quite simply, her time to move on. Shuu did his best with some of the others to fill the very large shoes Maki left behind. And for awhile they did. Yet time moved differently in Rukongai, from slow and meandering to fast and without mercy. More people left, either passing on or joining the shinigami. Finally it was just the old orphanage and the handful of family he had left trying to eke out a living. The young man just wasn’t up to the task of filling such a large void on his own.
And that showed more when the orphanage burned down, taking many of his family with it. The incident was chalked up to a group of gangsters trying to cultivate their own Hollows and the battle spilled onto the streets. Two brothers and three sisters were all that he had left. After many years of offering the violet-haired man a place among their ranks, Shuu reluctantly had to agree to take care of what remained of his found family. The nightmares began more in earnest...
Blade in Hand, Lightning at Heart
While his nightmares didn’t fade, transitioning into Seireitei wasn’t as bad as they had all initially thought. Many people that had been a part of Maki’s community had made their way through the ranks or landed estates through merchant connections. Katsuragi Zenjin, a retied shinigami of the 5th Division, had taken them under his wing and given them a family name. Appreciative of his newfound caretaker, Shuu humbly went forward with his training.
Shuu’s time in the academy was particularly grueling. While he had been told he had potential for great power, he was physically barely able to get through his training. Thoughts of his brothers and sisters were the only thing that kept him from slacking off and he found the thought of protecting the entire world from malicious threats such as Hollows to be a potentially rewarding experience. The hard work eventually paid off when he was finally given his Zanpakuto.
It was a simple ceremony, merely a formality. Yet when Shuu unsheathed his blade it took a violent turn for the worse as the blade warped and wavered as lightning spewed forth in a nightmarish storm. It was as if the blade had taken a life of its own. Had Shuu not thought quickly it would have likely cut down many around him. Sacrificing his own arm to the hectic, twisting blade, it dug deep and split his arm in two. If the 4th Division Lieutenant, Naoto Shion, hadn’t been there as a passing formality, Shuu would have lost his left arm or at least suffered severe damage. Now he just has an ugly scar to show for his inability to control his own weapon, his own inner spirit.
This episode had cost him his opportunity to join the 5th Division and instead pushed him into the 10th as though it was some sort of punishment. He got along well with the members there for the most part but found himself volunteering for menial tasks and avoiding anything that would be considered the ‘true work’ of the 10th Division. The green-eyed man was more than happy to take care of such things and while others were hesitant to admit, they were fine avoiding janitorial work.
Between idle studies on his Zanpakuto spirit, spending time with his family, and the humdrum labor of his position as a lowly recruit, Shuu has lived in relative peace for a time. Night terrors still persist steadily with each passing year but now the Katsuragi has found solace in strange dreams, of random events that range from an old shinigami standing naked in front of the entire academy to wondrous worlds filled with color and light, of smiling faces and odd encounters. Shuu is beginning to suspect that something more is happening within him, a connection to others that has left the young man curious for the answers...
Snapshot:
A Typical Night
Snapping fingers, quick and agile, tugged on locks of violet and pulled sharply. The man under those purple strands breathed in a sharp pull of air through gritted teeth. Receiving a gentle pat on the head, his two sisters, Kumiko and Masa, worked away diligently as they brushed and folded his hair. Grumbling to himself low enough so they wouldn’t hear, Shuu continued to flip through a novel he was reading and trying to block out the tugs and pulls on his scalp.
“If we leave early tomorrow we can get a good spot. By the time it approaches the opening time, there’s going to be a line a mile long and we’ll be forced to rub elbows with nobles that clearly won’t want us there.” Jin growled in frustration as he walked into the room, waving a finger as he plopped down on a pillow with a bit too much force, almost losing his balance. Kazemaru and Sana, both slightly older than the more passionate Jin, frowned at their younger brother.
“You’re just trying to get out of your training tomorrow. The store is open all day, they’re not going to sell out first thing in the morning.” Kazemaru countered, reserved and poignant as he took a seat on the ground and crossed his legs. Giving Shuu a nod, the green-eyed young man was about to return the gesture till he felt a sudden tug on his head again.
“Jin, w-we can go in the morning when you go training with Kaze and f-father. You don’t have to worry.” Sana offered meekly as she hesitated to sit down. Always bashful but willing to play peacekeeper between the his two brothers, Shuu gave a warm smile to her which seemed to have eased whatever worries bogged her down for the moment.
“That’s not-thank you, Sana-that’s not the point! They’ll be gone by the time we’re done! And that won’t even be in the late morning, I guarantee Zenzen-”
“Father or Zenjin-sama, Jin-kun.” Shuu interjected, idly flipping through his book and ignoring the feel of the younger girls putting something in his hair. Was it a ribbon again? He really hoped it wasn’t a yellow ribbon again.
“Sorry, Shuu...right, Zenjin-sama, won’t let me off the hook till the afternoon! I gotta be one of the first to be there!” Jin corrected himself though he seemed particularly spiteful having to say their guardian’s name. It was the ‘jin’ in his name that their brother had a problem swallowing. He viewed everyone in the Seireitei as uptight nobles, even the shinigami, and the thought of someone sharing the same name as him was enough to irritate him. Petty, sure, but Jin was still figuring out what Zenjin meant to him.
“Candies? The one with the smiling panda on them, right?” Shuu muttered, putting his book down and raising an eyebrow at Jin.
“Yeah those ar-” The loud, brown-haired young man clamped his mouth shut and slapped his hands over his mouth. A coy and mischievous smile crept onto Shuu’s face as he realized why the youngest brother had been trying to get everyone to attend the opening. In the right light you would wonder if his eyes shined with a similar playfulness.
“That’s the candy you said Haru-chan liked, right? Ah...is she going to be there?” Shuu mused, putting a finger to his chin as though he was unsure and lost in thought. This caused all the sibling to stop at once, even the two youngest stopped fiddling with his hair as Jin began to turn bright red.
Suddenly a roar of activity erupted from everyone. Bickering and laughter echoed in the room as Shuu silently made his escape, pulling the ribbon from his hair. Smiling at the green ribbon, he tucked it into his yukata and slid the door shut behind him.
“Lively tonight, aren’t they?” A voice, coarse and rough, slipped out of the darkness with a man dressed in white soon following it. Shuu offered a curt bow which the man waved off, “Shuu-kun, are you ever going to stop being so formal?”
All he could do was offer a shrug. If it wasn’t for this man, they all might not have survived another week in Rukongai. Taking a drag from his pipe that gave a soft illumination to the room, Zenjin leaned against the wall and gave Shuu a slow nod of the head.
“You should let Jin-kun and the others go shopping in the morning. If you offer him this in exchange for double the amount of training the next day, he’ll agree. Sana-chan and Kaze-kun will stick with him, so they’ll be increasing their training as well. Just make sure you reward them properly with a pleasant day tomorrow.” Shuu summarized with a smile, though he was being a bit callous about the results there was still some mirth to his tone. Zenjin gave him a crooked grin in return.
“Aye, we can do that. I’ll ask Yuichi if he wants to come as well. They like being around him more than me, so that’ll make it easier for me. Are you not coming along for this little outting, Shuu-kun?”
“Unfortunately I have assignments to complete tomorrow. I’m heading to bed now, sir.”
Tapping his pipe into a container which he produced from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly, Zenjin tucked away his pipe and placed a hand on Shuu’s shoulder.
“Get some rest, youngin’. Naoto-san said he might have something for you to help with the...episodes. I suggest you go talk with someone in the 5th tomorrow, get that sorted out. G’night, Shuu-kun.” Zenjin gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he continued down the hall of their large, yet modest home. Nodding to himself, shaken back to reality from a squeal of laughter in the other room, Shuu tucked his book under his arm and headed to his room...wondering what dreams he would experience and pray that none of them turned to nightmares.
“If we leave early tomorrow we can get a good spot. By the time it approaches the opening time, there’s going to be a line a mile long and we’ll be forced to rub elbows with nobles that clearly won’t want us there.” Jin growled in frustration as he walked into the room, waving a finger as he plopped down on a pillow with a bit too much force, almost losing his balance. Kazemaru and Sana, both slightly older than the more passionate Jin, frowned at their younger brother.
“You’re just trying to get out of your training tomorrow. The store is open all day, they’re not going to sell out first thing in the morning.” Kazemaru countered, reserved and poignant as he took a seat on the ground and crossed his legs. Giving Shuu a nod, the green-eyed young man was about to return the gesture till he felt a sudden tug on his head again.
“Jin, w-we can go in the morning when you go training with Kaze and f-father. You don’t have to worry.” Sana offered meekly as she hesitated to sit down. Always bashful but willing to play peacekeeper between the his two brothers, Shuu gave a warm smile to her which seemed to have eased whatever worries bogged her down for the moment.
“That’s not-thank you, Sana-that’s not the point! They’ll be gone by the time we’re done! And that won’t even be in the late morning, I guarantee Zenzen-”
“Father or Zenjin-sama, Jin-kun.” Shuu interjected, idly flipping through his book and ignoring the feel of the younger girls putting something in his hair. Was it a ribbon again? He really hoped it wasn’t a yellow ribbon again.
“Sorry, Shuu...right, Zenjin-sama, won’t let me off the hook till the afternoon! I gotta be one of the first to be there!” Jin corrected himself though he seemed particularly spiteful having to say their guardian’s name. It was the ‘jin’ in his name that their brother had a problem swallowing. He viewed everyone in the Seireitei as uptight nobles, even the shinigami, and the thought of someone sharing the same name as him was enough to irritate him. Petty, sure, but Jin was still figuring out what Zenjin meant to him.
“Candies? The one with the smiling panda on them, right?” Shuu muttered, putting his book down and raising an eyebrow at Jin.
“Yeah those ar-” The loud, brown-haired young man clamped his mouth shut and slapped his hands over his mouth. A coy and mischievous smile crept onto Shuu’s face as he realized why the youngest brother had been trying to get everyone to attend the opening. In the right light you would wonder if his eyes shined with a similar playfulness.
“That’s the candy you said Haru-chan liked, right? Ah...is she going to be there?” Shuu mused, putting a finger to his chin as though he was unsure and lost in thought. This caused all the sibling to stop at once, even the two youngest stopped fiddling with his hair as Jin began to turn bright red.
Suddenly a roar of activity erupted from everyone. Bickering and laughter echoed in the room as Shuu silently made his escape, pulling the ribbon from his hair. Smiling at the green ribbon, he tucked it into his yukata and slid the door shut behind him.
“Lively tonight, aren’t they?” A voice, coarse and rough, slipped out of the darkness with a man dressed in white soon following it. Shuu offered a curt bow which the man waved off, “Shuu-kun, are you ever going to stop being so formal?”
All he could do was offer a shrug. If it wasn’t for this man, they all might not have survived another week in Rukongai. Taking a drag from his pipe that gave a soft illumination to the room, Zenjin leaned against the wall and gave Shuu a slow nod of the head.
“You should let Jin-kun and the others go shopping in the morning. If you offer him this in exchange for double the amount of training the next day, he’ll agree. Sana-chan and Kaze-kun will stick with him, so they’ll be increasing their training as well. Just make sure you reward them properly with a pleasant day tomorrow.” Shuu summarized with a smile, though he was being a bit callous about the results there was still some mirth to his tone. Zenjin gave him a crooked grin in return.
“Aye, we can do that. I’ll ask Yuichi if he wants to come as well. They like being around him more than me, so that’ll make it easier for me. Are you not coming along for this little outting, Shuu-kun?”
“Unfortunately I have assignments to complete tomorrow. I’m heading to bed now, sir.”
Tapping his pipe into a container which he produced from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly, Zenjin tucked away his pipe and placed a hand on Shuu’s shoulder.
“Get some rest, youngin’. Naoto-san said he might have something for you to help with the...episodes. I suggest you go talk with someone in the 5th tomorrow, get that sorted out. G’night, Shuu-kun.” Zenjin gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he continued down the hall of their large, yet modest home. Nodding to himself, shaken back to reality from a squeal of laughter in the other room, Shuu tucked his book under his arm and headed to his room...wondering what dreams he would experience and pray that none of them turned to nightmares.
