Post by six on May 14, 2012 19:42:40 GMT -5
Shinigami Application
[/b][/center]In Character
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General Information
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Name: Arashi Kurai
Actual Age: 196
Appearing Age: 19 (Actual age divided by 10)
Gender: Male
Appearance
183 lbs, standing at 5'6". Cut and stocky with thick jet black hair. He cuts it spontaneously to the equivalent of a size 2 razor on the sides and hand cuts the top to his liking (which varies). His bangs are stood up, for he constantly brushes them so.
His eyes match his hair with a gray outer band circling his irises. Nothing magical- just the way he came to be. His eyebrows are thick.
Arashi's heavy jaw pronounces his face along with a nose that's a little too big. Those aside, his features are generally smooth. He doesn't particularly enjoy shaving, so his patchy facial hair is another common mark seen nearly every day.
Body scars are far and few. His shoulders are broad and as well muscled as everything else- though his stomach is what he likes to call "half-baked" and only shows his cut when he flexes, otherwise it's a good slope down to his waist. Huge thighs, veiny and toned calves. He has a lot of body hair, so well hydrated or not, his veins can't be seen unless looked at closely. His hair makes his skin color look a bit darker than it actually is- even though it's kind of tan on its own.
Arashi makes minimalism apparent not only in his strides (constant scuffing of his soles) but also in his stance. He tends to do the least amount of work in any case. Slouching against walls, sitting whenever the chance is present and keeping a low set of eyelids are just a few of the lazy things he does.
Though he showers as he should and tends to personal hygiene efficiently, outside of dress uniform he wears grungy clothing. He doesn't brush his hair too often, keeping it frizzy and wild- once out of bed, he'll scratch his head. That's about it. With the insane look that his bed hair affords him comes along the settled version of his hair that comes along later in the day. He does not keep a consistent trim, so it could be a bit of a surprise to see his hair cut.
His uniform is standard, though all black where he could afford. It's a size smaller than normal only because he finds snugness to be comforting. Though form fitting, he dislikes sunburns. He has a strange pale-tan complexion that fluctuates easily. Too long in the sun? Bronze. Winter? White as the snow.
He's never had a gigai. Don't need one if you don't go to the world of the living to do things other than purify hollows.
Personality
On his good side, friends will find him to be eccentric and upbeat. Bad dancing, off beat annunciation and sporadic air boxing are just a few of his oddities. He usually says the wrong things when he tries too hard and thus tends to come on strong for those he doesn't know. His sarcasm doesn't help either. Ice breaking is a foreign concept, for he sees no ice to begin with.
If anything, he makes his own ice by weighing so heavily on his first impression of any stranger that comes his way- nearly as much as he tries to weigh his words. He's overtly cordial, going out of his way to hold open doors and leave a polite impression of himself. If the stranger is nasty, Arashi usually holds back his tongue and his sword until things break upon the extreme. Fighting is a last resort.
When he does fight, he considers so much more than normal. He looks for the opponent's strengths and weaknesses, assesses them with his own and puts his surroundings into play. Do they hit harder than me? Stay away. Bind them. Keep the long range. If they get too close, use the environment, the lighting. Come up with the big hits while they look for you. Time everything. Will they be able to come up with a response if I use this Kido? Scout them. What can they do that I can't? And so on. He only gets things done when flying by the seat of his pants- only because his experience in delving into the extremes has been harsh enough for him to come up with the appropriate reaction.
Outside of fighting or any other extreme, Arashi is a lackadaisical daydreamer who despises work. Sake, rolling in the grass, brooding, hiking, screwing around with spiritually dull humans- he does idle things to pass the time, flirting, with maybe a few minutes of kido practice every few hours. A short attention span leaves him to change not only his activity, but the subject or his stance (Fidgets a lot) when patience is also in short supply (Not too often, for he does have quite the reserve). Authority figures don't find him brimming with respect, and he doesn't appreciate strict leadership. He only really shows anger to those holier-than-thou. A man with pride flys alright with Arashi- but as soon as it becomes contempt, Arashi will not hide his anger.
Smarts? If he isn't particularly engaged in any given moment, he's as good as duck sauce when it comes to intelligence. He could give truths and insight that show a depth of maturity and education at one time- yet could be dense to the point of not being able to differentiate between left and right at another.
Inwardly he always has something to say, something to think about or ponder over. Biting remarks, hidden compliments, eustress, distress- these are all near and dear to him. Perhaps by some chance of his randomness he'll reveal himself- but his one true source of despair is reality, and how fake he perceives it to be. He hides this absolute truth deep inside him while struggling to maintain this warped existence with a weird facade.
Distress is not a friend of Arashi's, but he hardly ever releases his pain. All of his hurt is bottled up and stored for later. When on the brink of exploding, his anger is a tempest, all encompassing and out of control. The only way he seems to cut loose is through anxiety attacks, otherwise he hardly even thinks of his past mistakes.
History
Life (Age 0-99)
Arashi was born under the name Evan Dawson on the US base in Wales. He initially lived a sheltered life with his mother as his father left for war. As he grew older his interest in the military matured to a desire to join.
Evan's father was sent back stateside after the war ended, so Evan soon learned the harshness of the real world and adapted smoothly. He attended public school and flew on through with soaring colors. After graduation, he went through college with an ROTC scholarship successfully.
He became an officer after a good bout of OCS. After serving a full 20 years, he retired and settled down in Charleston, Virginia. 3 children, 10 grandchildren, nearly a great grandfather, he died of natural causes with only the regret of not making it to 100. His konso followed shortly after.
Soul Society (99-180)
He arrived into on the cusp of appearing age 10. Quickly he identified himself as an orphan out on the Rukongai with absolutely nothing, and donned the name Arashi Kurai for no particular reason. Arashi made his keep in his early years by thieving (it seemed the easiest way to get around anyhow) for he loved running. He stole often and swiftly, using the environment to his advantage in any case of pursuit.
Eventually he grew out of the thieving/running scheme and took up an apprenticeship from the local blacksmith. There he earned honest Kan and enjoyed his forging. He became handy with hammer and fire, but found idle play to be far more interesting. Sports, board games, hiking, running- these were his true hobbies. Otherwise (when off the forge) he simply sat down in come place within the wilderness and brooded. He toyed with existentialism and reminisced over the days he'd spent with his friends or planned on where to brood next.
Entrance Exam (185-189)
Shinigami. What a sight. Just being in their presence felt like... Arashi could do something. Could be someone. Have purpose in an otherwise meaningless existence. What good did he do forging? Brooding? Screwing around? What difference was he making? His back to the wall with a shaded face, eyes gazing to the night sky, Arashi stood deep in thought. His eyes jumped from speck to speck as though asking them each only to be unsatisfied the next second. They shivered in response as he continued his search.
Another question arose... rather, it resurfaced. How could he possibly be ready to undertake such a demanding lifestyle? He'd have to change. At some point. Would they help him change? Or would he have to be perfect right off the bat? He sighed, crossing his arms as his shoulders slumped, sliding down the wall. A huff as he made his seat.
Yes. He would have to change. But sitting there and pondering wasn't doing anything, now was it?
He went to take the entrance exam.
Of course, he failed the first time. He had no idea what to expect and didn't even exert anything more than a sigh when asked to try and demonstrate his spirit.
Over the course of the following year, he exercised inconsistently and managed to buff up a bit. His friends became taller and he remained short, so he compensated with more muscle in his build. There were no resources that he sought out to help him with the exam. As a result, on test day he failed yet again.
His third try came after the closure of yet another year, and met with mixed results.
"Dear Kurai Arashi
Over the past few years, we have kept an eye on you. You have failed the exam for the third time with minimal improvement as far as the written aspect goes. Your spirit, however, has drastically changed. If you apply yourself in studies over the course of this next year we are certain your admittance into our Academy will promptly follow, given your performance in next years exam. When you do succeed, you shall be granted the class due to your efforts. Work hard, Kurai Arashi.
Exam Board of Review."
Arashi bit his lip, thoughts spinning after having read the letter.
Darius, his childhood friend, did not approve.
"So you join up. Then they own you. Where's the glory in that?"
Arashi didn't respond. Darius huffed.
"You're only going to die for those uppity rich guys."
"No. I'll die for Soul Society. I'm not gonna die anyhow. I'm not into that."
"Since when have you been into the big picture?"
Arashi shook his head, eyes downcast. "I made this choice a long time ago."
His friend frowned harder.
"I leave for my fourth try tomorrow. I'd like it if you could come along."
Darius sighed and chewed his tongue. Pause.
"Whatever. I hope you fail. I'll just wait outside til' your done."
He passed.
Shinigami Academy (190-196)
School. Jail. They'd be the best synonyms in the Thesaurus if they were listed. His books were the ball and chain that he had to take everywhere. The wardens were those within the seated ranks of the Gotei 13. It was unfortunate that his own room felt like a cell. Of course, he had only been arrested once- and that was by local militia when he had only been a child. The feeling stuck, however, and he despised every minute of it.
This was his choice- he made it in. Now he had to make it out.
Wake up. Roll out of bed. Get ready. Go. Attend. Take notes? Seriously? Regurgitate the notes back to the teacher through quiz after quiz. Gosh, there's no way any teacher could get their jollies off of grading what they teach. Right? They must get paid more... or advance faster. Listen. Listen. Man... look at her. Love that pink hair, the way it contrasts to the green of her eyes. Wonder what's going on after class.
"Class dismissed. We have a test tomorrow."
Lunch. Eat. Sushi is always the food of choice for Arashi. He took as much as he was allowed. Sit down. Look intrigued at a conversation about a class of sorts. Next class.
Cyclic. This existence was just the same as before, right? Perhaps a tad more rigid schedule-wise. Strange how he'd still do the exact same thing. Brood, play some sports. They even had a forge that he went to fiddle with the metals that they had . Hopefully they had a spot open next year, when he was eligible.
But overall, it was the same thing everyday. If a cyclic existence was what he trained for, maybe he didn't wish for it after all. This was worth trying, though. He had to have purpose.
Dinner. There always stemmed to be some sort of school night life of sorts going on some place. They weren't his cup of tea so he rarely showed. He may have been dragged there by one or two overly friendly people, but all in all he avoided gatherings. Fitting in proved difficult for Arashi. Detesting his cell turned into finding it as a haven later on, though all he did was study and brood miserably. He wanted to get school over with.
Sleep. Rinse. Repeat.
One day, he picked up a compilation of the recruitment brochures. After peeking at all of them he wondered if he'd fit in any just based on his first impression. Squad 10's held as one of the more vague pages. He looked in the library for more information.
When his search proved less than fruitful, he doubted he could ever make a social mark, let alone have any of the proper traits that the Gotei 13 searched for in their students. While holding on to the glimmer of hope that something useful would come of his choice, the despair of a monotonous and fake life crashed harder as harder upon him.
Graduation came quickly, to Arashi's surprise, and a weight seemed to crash on his shoulders at the mention of it. Missed opportunities. Mistakes here and there... but he could get over that. He just didn't give it his fullest. He could have done more.
Following graduation, he was assigned a spot in Squad 13. Not his first pick. He might have fared better in 11, but perhaps this was what he needed.
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Skills/Attributes
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Skills
- Swordsmanship- Basic
- Kidō- Intermediate
- Hohō - Intermediate
- Hand to Hand - Basic
Attributes
- Speed - Advanced
- Power - Basic
- Stamina - Intermediate
- Intelligence - Intermediate (When engaged)
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Zanpakutō
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Name: Dunno yet
Translation -
Unreleased Appearance
A nodachi with a black sheathe, white half-a-foot tassels at the hilt. Footlong handle, black wrappings, meeting up with a hematite colored guard. There's the typical square with three dots in a line (Arranged by size very much like a snowman) that align with the blade. The blade is a tall five foot heavyweight, laden with black circles along the dull edge all the way to the tip. Quite the heavy piece of steel... Arashi isn't the greatest in swordsmanship and having a difficult sword to wield makes things even worse. He doesn't usually keep his nodachi with him. When he does carry it, he grasps the weight with both of his hands so his speed isn't altered.
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Zanpakutō Shikai
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OOC Information
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Sample Post
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Arashi felt tired. The legs he stood on faltered after every few steps. His eyelids were leaden weights, dragging his body to the ground. The grass felt soft on his bare feet. Each blade seemed to despise the pressure he applied- they welcomed more skin contact. Sleep Arashi. Sleeep...
No. He hadn't practiced in a while. There would be an assessment tomorrow. He had to have the correct form. This was his decision.
He scuffed his feet as he circled his target. A crude dummy stared with dull beady eyes as it continually took damage.
Weave. Weave. Flash- falter, regain. Spin in case of a counter. Aim.
"Hado number 1, Sho. Hado number 1, Sho."
Weave. The dummy convulsed as though blasted by a hearty wind. The second time, its hat flew to the woods behind it.
More distance. He needed a more powerful spell.
Flash step forward.
"HadonumberoneSho!" He poured a bit more energy into this one, flashing backwards the instant it released. On the way he lost his footing. There was no recovery this time. He rolled, then grit his teeth as his back ground against the pebbly dirt. He came to a stop, grunting, cursing, yet completely still. After a moment, he sighed with his teeth not yet unclenched.
No, decision or not this wasn't helping. If anything he'd be in poor shape tomorrow if he didn't get any rest. He had to sleep. Sleep... yeah. Close your eyes, relax and breathe. I can do it tomorrow.
Morning left its dues upon his dress uniform, dirty as it was. His nodachi lay at his side, scabbard fixed to his belt. His eyes were relaxed, lips parted gently as he breathed sleepily. Unmoved from the night previous. He had relaxed a great deal. Even when happy voices came from the woods and birds took flight, adding in their own chatter, Arashi remained asleep.
The assessment began midday. The sun held itself nearly at its midpoint by the time Arashi rolled over into the rockier part of the dirt. His parted lips crumpled into a frown as he moaned and fidgeted, attempting to comfort himself. The rocks did a good job in getting his to a sleep. He rubbed his tired eyes and yawned, taking lazy stock of his surroundings as he blinked furiously. Too bright. Huh. Morning. What's that over there? Oh. That stupid dummy. I got its hat off with that round of Shos. I guess I missed on the last one, huh.
The next instant he became a blur, shooting towards the Squad 13 training grounds with a purpose. Fudge fudge fudge fudge-
He rushed past the barracks, rounded a corner and bowled into a helpless bystander. He recovered and threw an apology over his shoulder. Wait, wasn't that... whatsercheese? The pretty girl. With the hair?
He shook his head, grunting as he leapt and flashed atop the roofs. Nearing the training ground, he looked up to the sky, trying to discern the time with the sun.
Bah... He narrowed his eyes. Too too bright. Hopefully he wasn't late.
There, just a football field away stood the training court for Squad 13. It was empty.
He landed smoothly, inspecting the vacant yard with a slight frustration.
I missed it? Wonderful-
The fourth seat appeared from under the eaves that surrounded the area.
"Uh... Fourth Seat..."
"Hello Kurai Arashi. If you're here for the assessment, you're late."
"Woops. My apologies, Fourth Seat. I hurried here as fast as I could."
Serious? All that work for nothing. Prolly could have slept a bit more.
Maybe I can just have a one on one or something.
"That's alright, Kurai Arashi. The assessment was postponed until next week."
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