Takumi, Daisuke

___ S H I N I G A M I ___

The Soul Reaper

On The Surface ___

Name: Daisuke Takumi. Daisuke's fine.
Age: Late 20's while alive, approximately 750 in Soul Society.  Man, you're making me feel old.  Does it really matter?
Gender:   Male.  Isn't it obvious?  -flexes-
Loyalties:  The Seireitei.  They seem like the best folks around.  Not perfect, but none of us are.
Height & Weight: Daisuke stands about 6 and a half feet tall, and weighs around 375 pounds.  Big enough.
Hair & Eyes:  Brown hair, scalp shaved except for a short mohawk.  Facial hair includes a full beard, kept short.  Eyes are brown.  It takes some effort to look this good.  Hey, stop laughing!
Division: The 3rd.  Great people.  We get enough fighting, but we help to pick up the pieces afterwards.

Reiatsu: A dense bloom of deep, rust red that doesn't so much explode away from him as struggles to escape.  In the end it forms almost a shadow, a shape that mimics his outline before falling to the earth. [EDIT: Added after creation]

Physical Description: Daisuke generally resembles a human who has been roughly shaped into a wall, and his expression is usually that of having just met another wall and being determined to show it who's best.  He stands six and a half feet tall, and nearly half of that wide, virtually all of it heavily muscled and much of it decorated with long-healed scars.  A short, brown mohawk that stretches from crown to nape is the only hair on his head.  Despite that affectation, he wears a full beard, similarly kept short-trimmed but surprisingly full for all that.  His eyes are an earthy brown and generally unremarkable, although with a flex of his brow he can go from a crushing scowl to an eye-squinting roar of laughter. The rest of his features are strong and rough-hewn, almost more reminiscent of a statue of a man than a man in truth.

He moves with the stately grace of a rolling boulder, and just like the boulder is capable of a surprising turn of speed under the right circumstances.  Depending upon the circumstances, he can be seen wearing his shihakusho, or only wearing his hakama (particularly if he's been doing any heavy lifting, to avoid both sweat and dirt), or with his sleeves rolled up and thick apron on (if he's been at a forge).  Either way, while no one will accuse him of being excessively stylish or elegant, he keeps his clothing clean and wears it properly.

The scars on his body are raking, parallel cuts, like the claws of a large beast.  They are especially dense on his arms, sides, and back, although a few can be found on his chest and legs.  They are well-healed, but still stand out in sharp relief from the rest of his skin.

Daisuke's voice is normally fairly deep and rough around the edges.  He will raise his voice shamelessly if he needs to be heard, although it takes quite a bit to actually cause him to yell or roar. 

Depending upon what labors he has been at most recently, Daisuke can smell of either the tang of metal and oil, or the dusty residue of wood or stone.  On those few occasions he can be caught before carrying out either of those labors, he has faintly spicy, minty scent.

While the skin all over his body is generally fairly tanned and tough, the flesh of his hands is particularly resilient.  Well-worn calluses protect him from injuries caused by hammer or iron, and he can hold a stone plucked from a hearth for the count of ten before registering his displeasure.

Combat Theme: Earth Shaker Drums by Audiomachine

Peaceful Theme: A Hill with No Name by the Yoshida Brothers

Playful/mischievous/silly Theme: Hey, Cid!  from Final Fantasy IV, or either the NES or Girls und Panzer version of Katyusha, depending upon circumstances.
 

Behind The Eyes ___

Positive Traits

• Reliable.  Daisuke prides himself on being reliable for his friends (and, to a certain extent, being reliable for his enemies, as well).  He does his best to stick to any commitments or agreements he has made, and if circumstances prevent him from following through, he will do his best to find an alternative (or, failing that, to apologize for his failure in person and attempt to make restitution). 

I said I'd be here, didn't I?

• Problem-solver.   When presented with a problem, Daisuke's first impulse is to figure out how to solve it.  With this mindset, he can tackle projects big and small without becoming distracted or lost.  He also applies it to combat, as well, assessing his enemies and testing their capabilities when possible rather than giving up; however, sometimes the solution to the problem may be to run away for now.

He looks bad, alright, but let's start with assessing his reiatsu.  We'll decide what to do from there.

• Mentally tough.  Most setbacks will simply slide off of Daisuke's back.  Difficulties along any chosen course of action are inevitable, and are to be noted, learned from, and then moved on from.  Even on those occasions where he meets with failure, it is not something to dwell on overmuch.  Failures are as inevitable as successes; Daisuke believes in holding the course.

-shakes head, laughs- I thought I had you that time.  Alright, let's go again.

• Humble.  Partially due to his own nature, and partially due to his time among the common souls of the Soul Society, Daisuke is very humble.  He takes pride in his work, in his physique, in certain things he has achieved, but recognizes that these things set him apart, not above.  Everyone has their own particular strengths and motivations, and his are ultimately no greater or lesser than anyone else's. 

Nice form.  Need a spotter?  Yeah, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it.  I can get to mine later.

• Pragmatic.  In Soul Society no less than in the living world, the true issues that must be dealt with can be obscured.  Political machinations, social constructs, and physical barriers can all serve to obscure matters, making straightforward issues difficult to perceive and more difficult to address.  Daisuke has little tolerance for this.  Oh, politeness and tradition have their places, but ultimately apologies can be made and possessions rebuilt if they must be sacrificed to get at the true meat of the matter. 

No, the problem is that a Hollow avoided you for this long.  It's gone now.  Problem solved.

Negative Traits

• Bullheaded.  Once he has selected a course of action, it tends to be quite difficult to persuade Daisuke to exchange it for another, even if they are quite similar.  The more important the perceived issue that is being addressed, the more difficult it will be to cause this change of mind.  This can also be problematic when, faced with several issues, Daisuke incorrectly selects which to try to tackle first.

That sounds like a good approach.  Why don't you give it a shot, and I'll stick with mine.

• Solution-focused.  Even when in a situation where no solution to a problem is available or desired, Daisuke cannot help but try to find an answer.  This can range from an irritating social foible, to something potentially life-threatening in a combat situation.  If given enough time to stew over a puzzle, Daisuke can very easily find it starting to consume more and more of his time until he can either test out his theories or manage to break away (which can be a difficult proposition in and of itself).

You're right, your boyfriend isn't treating you right.  Here's what you should do.

• Martyr. While Daisuke has no particular desire to find his end, somewhere in the core of his being there is the belief that he should protect others from harm, even at his own expense and risk of harm or death.  Perhaps this stems from a belief that he can survive situations others cannot; perhaps from a belief that he does what has to be done, even when it is unpleasant.  Regardless, when someone else is at risk, Daisuke tends to throw himself into their situation in an effort to save them.

Go!  I'll buy you some time.  Pulverize, Renretsu Magami!

• Conventional.  Although he is capable of making intellectual breakthroughs, Daisuke generally does not think very well outside the box.  He will work his way through all of the various tricks and techniques he knows to handle a situation before he tries something new.  When working in the smithy, this may consume time and resources; when in combat, this could potentially cost him or someone else their lives. 

Alright, check that one off.  Hmm.  These probably won't work either, but might as well be thorough.

• Follower.  While he handles attention well enough, when put in a position of command, Daisuke tends to break down.  His tendencies to tackle one problem at a time and to address things personally hinder any attempts to delegate, or even to multitask.  To his credit, Daisuke is aware of this failing, and generally works to make himself an indispensable assistant rather than an actual commander; a tool, rather than a wielder.

Alright, I'll take this one, you guys . . . uh . . . sort it out.

3 Favorite Things: A hard job, done well.  Good friends.  Hmm.  Some drinking?  I'm no drunk or anything, but, it's fun, right?

3 Least Favorite Things: Arrogant sons-of-bitches.  People suffering because I failed.  Breaking my word.

3 Private Opinions:

• You know, the Seireitei would be better if the nobles got off their high horses; in fact, a lot of people could stand to step back and refocus on what is really important.  We're not supposed to be in this for ourselves, right?
• My zanpakuto scares me.  I've only been to my Inner World a handful of times, and it's a terrible enough place on its own, but she always beats me to a pulp and kicks me out.  Why are they like that?  What is so wrong with me?
• I want to help people.  I want to protect them.  But sometimes, I just wish I could walk away from it all and make things.  Just simple things that people need, things that would just make their lives a little easier.  Let other people worry about the big issues. 

Goals: I want to help people, protect them and all that, but that's not really a goal, right?  That's something we should all be working towards all the time.  I guess the closest thing would be . . . you know, I've been working for a while on trying to figure out how to make armor for Shinigami.  Especially now with all the casualties we've taken, if we could survive more punishment, we could do a lot more good. No success yet - the individual's reiatsu always seems to be what really matters - but there's got to be some way.  Maybe a six-part reinforcing matrix?  Haven't tried that yet, but I'd need . . .

Strength Of The World ___

Zanpakutō Spirit and Inner World: Daisuke's Zanpakuto spirit is named Renretsu Magami (Violent Lotus Demon Deity).  It takes the form of an animated, ten-foot tall statue of the goddess Kali crafted of patinated bronze.  It has four arms, the upper pair of which wield huge (but proportional) tetsubos and the lower pair of which hold closed lotuses.  The goddess has hip-length, flowing hair, an ornamented crown, and a grimacing, tusked maw; she is clad only in a skirt of thighbones, a necklace of skulls, and various other ornaments of human bones.

She roams in an Inner World carpeted entirely with crushed and smashed human bones, an uncertain footing that shifts and rattles with each step.  Towering, shattered wrecks of skyscrapers jut from the disturbing footing with no discernible organization, stabbing skyward like old, dead teeth.  The sky itself is the color of molten gold, obscured only by thin wisps of violet clouds that all seem to radiate out from one central point; there is no sun, illumination seeming to spill from the edge of the endless horizon in every direction, staining everything with light reminiscent of the last moments of the sun's journey before the day descends into twilight.

Left to her own devices, Renretsu Magami wanders, crushing more bones underfoot.  When she comes upon one of the ruined buildings, she begins demolishing it further, laughing and dancing as she does so, knocking free great chunks of debris with every stroke of her tetsubos, chunks that slam into the ground sending up great plumes of bone and masonry dust.

Renretsu Magami Theme: Prayer, from Silent Hill 3

Inner World Theme: Can You Hear the Cry of the Planet, Acoustic Cover by Youtuber Paul Ferrer, from Final Fantasy VII (well, minus the very end, at least)

Sealed Zanpakutō: Renretsu Magami began as a standard Shinigami asauchi, and as a result strongly resembles all the other similarly-embodied zanpakuto while sealed.  Even so, Renretsu Magami has a number of distinct characteristics.  Firstly, the zanpakuto's grip is bound with both black and red, giving it a striking, crosshatched design.  Second, both the grip and blade of the zanpakuto are scaled appropriately for Daisuke; as a consequence, it seems to almost be closer to a two-handed weapon for those of more standard stature.  Daisuke generally wears his scabbard over his shoulder, so as to keep it from interfering should he grapple with a foe, or need to engage in physical labors. 

Zanpakutō Release: Pulverize, Renretsu Magami!

Released Zanpakutō (Shikai): Once released, Renretsu Magami changes dramatically into the shape of an enormous, two-handed warhammer of patinated bronze, with a grip of the same black and red crosshatching pattern as the sealed zanpakuto.  The hammerhead has a hexagonal cross-section, with the striking faces being flat and the hammerhead having six sides.  The striking faces of the hammerhead are textured as a field of small four-sided pyramids to enhance the damage of impact, while the sides all bear Kali's yantra, or mystic symbol, inlaid in a dully bone-white material.

Renretsu Magami's power can be simplest described as 'momentum duplication'. When the zanpakuto strikes an object, it strikes with the normal momentum that Daisuke swings it with; however, this momentum is added to that of the struck object.  When he strikes an object with little momentum (a stationary golf ball, or a thrown teddy bear), this addition is very small, and the force of the blow is only slightly greater than that of the swung zanpakuto itself.  However, when he strikes an object that has more mass or more speed, the effect becomes much more dramatic - if he strikes a human who is motionless, the hammerhead will feel as though it weighs its normal weight plus that of the human's body, moving at the speed of the hammer swing; if he strikes a human who is running, they will feel the impact of their own weight plus the weight of the hammer, moving at the combined speed of their own movement and the speed of the hammerswing.  Thus, the larger and/or faster the object struck, the harder it is hit. 

Combat Style: Daisuke's general approach, once combat is joined, is to get in close and maul the enemy with powerful strikes.  He has little interest in the art of dueling or the beauty of swordplay, only in attempting to defeat his enemy as quickly as possible.  In particular, he favors use of hakuda over zanjutsu where possible, using his physical bulk to crush the enemy with grapples and throws.  Given the nature of the Shinigami's enemies, there are times when this is ill-advised, though, and he is able to make an intelligent assessment of appropriate tactics.

When it comes to kido, Daisuke's main area of focus is kaido; healing the wounds of his comrades gives him great satisfaction.  Otherwise, his combat mindset is very much focused on the physical, and he has only a cursory interest in the use of other spiritual arts.
 

Legacy Created ___

In Life (~800 years ago): Ivan Andreyevich Oblatsky was born as a mortal in the central region of European Russia, sometime in the early 13th century. 

When the Mongols returned, after their previous scouting expedition, they swept through Russia like a wildfire.  Ivan's town and family would likely have gone unharmed, had a fleeing fragment of a Russian nobleman's army not come through.  The village had little to spare, and the noble's men were edgy and angry; as the soldiers stole what they wished, words were exchanged, then blows, and then the swords came out.  Ivan died, fighting with his neighbors, trying to defend themselves in the confusion of an accidental assault.

As the confused and angry spirits lingered after the battle, several of them nearly instantly transformed into Hollows.  Ivan and his fellow Pluses scattered, hiding as best they could in the burning ruins of their village, watching as the living survivors wailed, and as the dead victims were devoured by monsters that had once been family and friends.  By the time the Shinigami Kisada Hida arrived, a bare handful of Pluses remained, and several of the Hollows had lost interest and gone wandering, seeking other souls left as the detritus of war.  After putting down the Hollows, Kisada gathered the Pluses.  Stone-faced, exhausted from vanquishing Hollows in the wake of the war, Kisada said simply, "This life is finished.  The other side will be better."  Sharing a last, resigned look at each other and what used to be their home, the Pluses waited patiently for Kisada to send them all on.

Afterlife in the Rukongai (~775 years ago): Daisuke Takumi awoke in the 24th Northern District of the Rukongai.  Gathering his clothes about him, he stood and began looking for work. 

Eventually, he found himself drawn to a blacksmithy, and began to work.  The old smith himself, Goro Godai, first used him to haul supplies and do deliveries, before gradually allowing him to try his hand at forgework.  Daisuke had a natural flair for it, and Master Goro would smile and clap his massive back, encouraging him to "Keep at it, and in only a century or so, you'll be as good as me!" 

During his time working at the smithy, news spread through the district of a Hollow in the Soul Society, preying upon those who went into the wilds nearby.  The souls knew that, soon enough, the word would reach the Seireitei, and Shinigami would be dispatched to investigate.  Until then, it would be best to hunker down, stay as close to the walls as possible, and just wait.  Daisuke, despite the risk, had no interest in waiting and seeing, not when there was work that needed to be done.  It wasn't that he didn't think he could be attacked, or that he would be invulnerable, but just that work needed to be done, and sometimes risk went along with that.  So, gathering up an axe, he set out into the wilds to gather some wood for the smithy's use, as well as for anyone else who might need some during the current crisis.

Unbeknownst to Daisuke, the aforementioned Hollow was, indeed, being hotly pursued by a pair of Shinigami - a recent graduate from the Shinigami Academy, by the name of Katsushiro Okamoto, and the veteran Kambei Shimada.  Judging the Hollow to be a generally weak one with a gift for hiding, Kambei directed them to separate, to give his trainee some room for independent action.  Unfortunately, Kambei was only half right - the Hollow did have a talent for concealment, but part of that talent included masking its own reiatsu.  It stalked the Shinigami, and observed as they separated with a wicked grin.

As he quickly gathered fallen branches and carved a fallen trunk into manageable pieces, Daisuke heard the sounds of combat; more than that, he felt the ripples of spiritual energy that came off of it.  Abandoning his work, he sped towards the disturbance, arriving in time to see a wicked-gleaming Hollow rearing high over a disarmed and supine Shinigami.  His hurled axe clanged off the Hollow's curving carapace, drawing its attention long enough for him to reach it, ramming into its side at full speed.  The creature lashed out, parting Daisuke's flesh with little resistance, even as it staggered backwards and away from its previous target.  The Shinigami scrambled to recover his zanpakuto, and the battle was joined.  As Daisuke dripped blood from a growing number of vicious slashes, the Shinigami clashed with the Hollow again and again; each time he fumbled or overexposed himself, Daisuke was there, deflecting the blow or taking it instead, his own fists far too weak to damage the beast on his own.

And then Kambei arrived, the battle having worn down the Hollow's stealthy aura, and put down the creature with a pair of slashes.

The pair of Shinigami tended to Daisuke's injuries with their kido, and spoke as they did.  They revealed to Daisuke the significance of his hunger, and encouraged him to present himself at the Shinigami Academy; they would leave word of him there, so they would be willing to look at him closely.  With many words of thanks (especially on Katsushiro's part), the Shinigami returned to the Seireitei, leaving Daisuke to recover his wood and make his way back to Master Goro's smithy, his pace slowed as his mind slowly turned over what had happened.

His decision reached, Daisuke was never one to linger.  With the Master's permission, he traveled to present himself at the Academy, where he found that, true to their word, Kambei and Katsushiro had left news of what had happened.  He was brought in to stand before a trio of the Academy's instructors, where he was interviewed and examined carefully.  In the end, it was decided to allow him to apply when the next term began, which would be some time away.  Daisuke thanked them all, said that he would be there, and then left, making his way back to Master Goro's smithy.  The next term was quite some time away, yet, and there was still work to be done.

Afterlife as a Shinigami Trainee (~400 years ago): As the time for the next term at the Shinigami Academy approached, Daisuke began to eat. 

The application process included many interviews and tests, both mental and physical.  Daisuke's performance itself was adequate, though not outstanding; however, the application committee noted how he interacted with his fellow-applicants, giving them encouragement and advice.  When met with arrogance or aggression on the part of a few of his fellows, he disengaged from them, enduring their words or prods, although he did bestow a few stony glares as they walked away.  The combination of his various elements was deemed to be worthy of Shinigami training, and he was admitted to the Academy.

During his years in the Academy, Daisuke was an average student, with an above-average attitude.  He would organize and attend study sessions, even though he would not lead them; he would encourage someone dissatisfied with the results of an examination, even when his own results were a bit worse; on the rare occasions when they were allowed a day of rest and liberty, he would drink up alongside everyone and then carry several overindulgent students back to the dormitory on his shoulders.  This is not to say he was a perfect island of calm and support; Daisuke had his own moments of frustration and misbehavior, most of which he kept to himself, save the occasional talking-to for excessive loudness or the time he was reprimanded for hurling a misshapen bit of pottery at a wall.

One area of interest to Daisuke was the line of smithing and fabrication courses.  Thanks to his years of working with Master Goro, he was well-prepared, and quickly became a fixture at the Academy forge.  By the time he was nearing the end of his Academy years, he was one of the senior student assistants to the forgemaster, and had a hand in the manufacture of many of the Academy's asauchi.

In combat training, Daisuke was a passable swordsman, but had an aptitude for hakuda that was more than simply his size.  His willingness to close, to engage, to suffer blows in order to reply in kind, as well as his combination of aggression and assessment of the task at hand, made him one of the better students. When it came to working with kido, Daisuke was marginally acceptable, with the exception of kaido.  Surprisingly, his empathy and desire to help others manifested itself as a solid skill with the healing arts - while he would likely never be the most masterful healer, he was much more capable than his training with hado and bakuda would seem to indicate.

When the time came for graduation, Daisuke's combination of skills and aptitudes placed him solidly towards the middle of the pack, below those already being eyed for seats, but certainly above those who would need another few years . . . or decades . . . of practice to achieve any noteworthy capability.  Based upon his overall marks and assessment, Daisuke was inducted into the Third Division, where he would have an opportunity to excel in a supporting role.  For his part, Daisuke was quite satisfied with this placement.

Afterlife as a Shinigami (~395 years ago): The first day after his placement in the 3rd Division, Daisuke and the other new members were welcomed by the Division's Lieutenant. 

To those with any familiarity with Daisuke, it came as no surprise that he immediately began applying himself to those goals the next day. As a new member of 3rd Division, he was assigned to simple support tasks - cleaning the facilities, washing the bed linens, ensuring the supply rooms were well-stocked - but during his modest free time, he attacked the goals that had been given to him; if the Captain felt like he needed improvement, then clearly he did.  He sought help from several volunteer members of the division to improve his command of kido, and did his best to improve his skills at meditation, with the goal of strengthening his self-control.  After performing those fundamental duties for twenty years, he was partially reassigned to the 3rd Division's own fabrication shop, where the specialized tools used by the higher-ranked Shinigami in the division were made.  The work was much different from anything in Daisuke's past experience, calling for a much defter touch, and he was forced to call upon his improved calm many times when learning to draw out and bend fine lengths of metal, or to draw out and sharpen needles of specific length and sharpness. 

It was during this period of his training that he found his meditation efforts were much improved by a day in the heat and effort of the smithy, his work being equal parts intense concentration and precise physical labor.  This mental and physical exhaustion allowed him to sink into deeper trances than he had previously reached, even after purely physical exercises.  As he tested these techniques, year after year, sinking deeper and deeper, one evening his mental "floor" gave way beneath him, sending his awareness falling free of his body and into someplace new, somewhere that he had heard of: his Inner World, the home of his zanpakuto spirit. 

Something hard jabbed his ribs, and he grabbed onto it; it almost immediately tested his grip as it pulled up, but he grimly hung on until he was torn free, up into the still air of his own Inner World.  Hacking and coughing and bleeding, pulling bone fragments out of his imaginary flesh, he looked up and saw his zanpakuto spirit for the first time.

"Welcome, my little Dai-kun, my little Vanya.  Welcome to the world you have made for me, and the me you have made for you."

Paralyzed by the dread weight of her presence, he could do nothing but stagger backwards, knocked supine by a prod from the tetsubo that had only moments before drawn him from the plain of bones like a fish from the sea.  Her immaculately sculpted foot settled on his sternum, forcing a creaking groan from him as the delicate ankle-bracet of fingerbones clattered merrily.

"I am Renretsu Magami.  Remember it.  You have much to learn from me."

The fine toes gripped his shihakusho and the graceful leg above them flexed; he found himself hurled into the air, powerless.  The goddess spun and laughed, hair whirling, skulls chattering, as her two tetsubos struck him in close order; he was nothing, he was jellied ruin, he was broken and bloodied and hurtling higher and higher, towards the rapidly growing pinprick in the sky from which the clouds fled . . .

Daisuke returned to his body, the taste of blood and bone on his tongue and the name of his zanpakuto on his lips.  Despite his Captain's directive, it was nearly a year before he dared any but the lightest, briefest of meditations, and several years before he could actually speak the name of his zanpakuto and demonstrate his shikai to his Division, but from time to time he awoke with the cackling of Renretsu Magami fading in his ears.

After his demonstration, though, came a new training regimen.  By gaining his shikai, he had become a potentially much more combat-capable member of the 3rd Division, and thus could potentially be assigned to new roles.  While he was still required to labor in the workshop, he was now assigned a mentor by the name of Gomaru Ichiro to begin to bend his capabilities to more . . . practical applications.  The few years of training in zanjutsu and hakuda in the Shinigami Academy paled in comparison to what his new teacher demanded, and that was only the start.  Sometimes he would be required to practice offensive kido in the training yards until he could no longer stand; sometimes they would spend a day jogging through the Rukongai, offering healing to anyone who needed it; sometimes Daisuke would be told to meditate on his zanpakuto and Gomaru would simply leave, not returning for hours.  Bit by bit, his techniques improved; bit by bit, he settled into an uneasy relationship with his zanpakuto, the spirit's words hissing over the surface of his mind as she waited, eager to be unleashed.

This was Daisuke's routine for 50 years, and gradually he and Gomaru became friends.  Their natures were quite similar, indicating that the assignment had not been accidental, and Gomaru had many words of wisdom for his trainee.  The man had been a Shinigami for over a thousand years, and during his time had played nearly every role in the 3rd Division.  He was held back by his reiatsu and lack of ambition, but regretted it not at all, and found that the role of teacher for new members of the division to be one of the best places for him.  Daisuke, in turn, shared his stories of life among the common souls, stories Gomaru listened to with some happiness: while he had no wish to not be a Shinigami, the simplicity of the spirit's life appealed to him.

At the end of this training period, he was declared "adequate" in terms of his reiatsu, combat skills, and kido.  While Gomaru was no longer his dedicated instructor, the two had forged a lasting friendship, and he would continue to act as Daisuke's friend and mentor (and drinking companion).

The next phase of Daisuke's training left him with three responsibilities, and a bit more freedom in how he carried them out.  The first was to continue working in the smithy, where he was acquiring a reputation as one of the better of the youngest group of artisans; a remarkable distinction, indeed, given the precision needed for the crafted instruments, and the number of centuries of experience the more senior smiths had.  The second duty was to spend time "on loan" to the 5th Division; his healing skills could be tested on their plentiful training injuries, and he could acquire a few moves (and possibly injuries) of his own.  The third, and rarest, duty was as one of the assigned medic assistants for when the Shinigami Trainees went on their carefully-supervised Hollow hunts, either in the mortal world or the outskirts of Soul Society.  While not trusted to act as a Hollow hunter in his own right, his command of the various Shinigami skills indicated that he would likely be able to defend himself long enough for help to arrive, while being available on the scene to apply immediate kaido to anyone injured.  Not only did this allow the Trainees to have some additional protection and safety, but it began to give him experience in his own right with Hollow hunting - how to find them, to track them, to engage them, and put them down.  This work was extremely rewarding for Daisuke, giving him a chance to not simply practice his various skills, but to apply them to protect his charges.  Gradually, he was given more and more responsibility in the hunts, until he was acting as one of the full-blown combat medics, helping the Academy instructors ride herd on their charges, while being ready to help defend them or heal their injuries.

Nearly 200 years after his induction into 3rd Division, he was again summoned before the Captain.  His progress had been noted and was quite good; the Captain had chosen him as one of the 3rd Dvision's Shinigami who would be assigned to a location in the mortal world, there to perform the konso on new Pluses and to dispatch any threatening Hollows.  While most of the 3rd Division never, or rarely, left Soul Society (or even Seireitei), the Captains of the Gotei 6 still held them to performing the duties of any Shinigami, duties which many members were reluctant or unable to effectively perform.

For a moment, Daisuke was torn - he was satisfied with his current range of duties, and leaving them behind would inevitably cause him to lose time practicing, particularly in the forge.  On the other hand, this was the ultimate essence of being a Shinigami, a form of helping and protecting others that no one else could do.  He made his decision, and accepted the Captain's charge.

For the next 200 years, Daisuke settled into a uniquely Shinigami routine: he would spend a few decades watching over a particular town or region, somewhere in the world, before returning to Soul Society for 5-6 years to try to keep up on his skills at smithwork and kaido.  He didn't feel it necessary to keep an actual written record of the number of konsos he had performed, or of the number of Hollows he defeated, but felt a sense of satisfaction as he began to lose track of each number.  The mortal world went through massive changes, buildings reaching for the sky and horses vanishing (although their carts grew ever faster and sleeker); it was with some discomfort that he noted the similarity between the ruins he saw in his Inner World and the buildings now sprouting like sunflowers.  Gradually, his urge to entangle himself in mortal lives faded, as he became more attuned to the ebb and flow of time.  Seeing how dramatically the mortal world changed during his time watching over it, he wondered what his own life had been like, what the world had been like during that time.  As days turned to weeks, months, seasons, years, and decades, he had ample time to think, to meditate, to do nothing but wait, something which he had never been particularly good at.  The times of his return to Soul Society were restful, the consistency reassuring and the opportunity to work day after day quite welcome. 

On his last assignment, he was interrupted only a few years in by something unexpected, though not unprecedented: the arrival of an urgent message recalling him, stating that the Seireitei was under attack by the King of Hueco Mundo.  Daisuke blinked, frowned, and opened a Senkaimon home.

The Seireitei was in chaos, a stream of casualties flowing into the 3rd Division's facilities, a stream that was only a tithe of the total casualties.  Daisuke was immediately snatched up and thrust at the casualties, his kaido being of much more use than any potential contribution he could make the fighting (such as it was).  For hours he labored, channeling healing energy into the injured, kneeling and almost entirely silent.  He knew that there was virtually nothing he could have done.  He knew that he had no role in causing this attack, nor were there any actions he could have taken to prevent it.  But still a slowly bubbling anger swelled in his chest.  This place had been his home, his island of stability.  He knew many of the fallen, particularly those of the 5th Division; even those he did not know personally, he knew had been Shinigami like himself.  He felt Renretsu Magami's slow movement through the edges of his awareness, much like the magma flow of slow anger in his veins. 

With the tremendous damage and casualties left in the attack's aftermath, Daisuke was not dispatched to the mortal world again; instead he hurled himself into the efforts to repair the damage to flesh and stone.  WIth the Shinigami's numbers slashed, the efforts of the 3rd Division in support were more needed than ever.  The reorganization of the Shinigami barely registered; who was on top meant little, only the work.  Until, of course, his own Captain turned traitor, gutting the Kido Corps and savaging a mortal city as well.  The attack on the Seireitei by the King of Hueco Mundo had been terrifying, but they were the enemies of the Shinigami for millennia.  Having his Captain turn traitor was a whole new concept of injury - he had not been close to her, certainly, but she was a Captain; she was his Captain.  And again, there was nothing he could do to protect the lost, to prevent the harm. 

Now, Daisuke continues much as he would wish - repairing the damage done to the Seireitei, working at the forge, healing the injured - but always nagging in the back of his mind is the possibility of another event, another great attack or disaster, and he knows that he has to keep improving, keep growing.  One of these days, something bad will happen, and if he keeps improving, keeps working, then maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to actually do something about it.

Roleplay Sample:

Daisuke ambled his way across the bar.  He had ambled his way across many bars during his life, and this was a pretty good one in both senses: the bar was tolerably clean and well-lit, with appropriately warm or cold drinks and cute hostesses; his amble, while not his finest ever, was appropriately unhurried, and yet had the necessary speed and surety of step to convey that he was still in reasonably solid control of his faculties.  He made no attempt to conceal his steps, and the bar was not so noisy as to completely mask them, but still his chosen objectives took no note.  It would have been easier in some ways if they had noticed him, but that ship had sailed.

 

He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the two Shinigami in a friendly manner.

 

The one to his left halted in the midst of his harangue about the uselessness of the 3rd Division.  The one to his right had been much quieter, but had been leaning over the presumably unwilling target of his affections; he straightened abruptly.  The top of each man's head reached up to about Daisuke's nose.

 

"Hey, my friends," he said loudly, the noise all the more striking for the newfound quiet of the establishment.  "There you are!  I see you met my comrades from the 3rd Division!"

 

The table in front of Daisuke and his new friends did, indeed, have several newer members of the 3rd Division, all within a year or two of the Academy.  They all showed fading indications of shame, anger, or fear, while the nearer of the girls was blushing heavily and clamping her shihakusho closed.  Their faces showed dawning expressions of surprise and possibly even happiness.

 

"Takumi-san!  You know these guys?"  Joy and fear mingled in the tone.  Daisuke squeezed his two prisoners tightly, like a little girl with her two favorite stuffed animals.  The one on the right grunted; the one on the left gave a slow groan.

 

"Of course, they're a couple of my best friends!  I hope they weren't too forward with their greetings; you know those guys from 5th Division can be a little straightforward.  Isn't that right?" He gave them a little shake.  The one on the left - Daisuke decided to name him Talker - grunted out a reply through gritted teeth.  By comparison, the one on the right became Silent.

 

"Yes.  We can.  But I hope.  We didn't.  Offend."

 

"There, see?"  Daisuke beamed broadly.  "No offense intended.  Although I think now that they've said hello, they probably want to get back to their barracks, isn't that right?  Early day of training tomorrow, gotta keep improving those skills to deal with the Hollows, right?"  He felt something grind in Silent's shoulder, heard the suggestion of profanity under Talker's breath. 

 

"Right."

 

"Well, here."  He let them go; both swayed alarmingly, although he kept a grip on their collars to keep them upright.  "Why don't you go to the bartender, and get one last drink on me, eh?  Just to show how we're all friends here.  You guys do the fighting, and we in 3rd Division patch you up afterwards!"

 

"Ahhh, yes, thank you, friend." said Talker, slinking away from the table.  Silent began to -

 

"Now, now, friend.  I know you were looking forward to spending some time with my comrades, but you really should go get that drink and then go turn in."  Silent's hand and wrist were almost swallowed up in Daisuke's, the man's face pale with the sensation of exactly how many bones and connections were strained nearly to the breaking point.  The younger Shinigami glanced at each other; no one had seen Daisuke's hand move.  For his part, Daisuke grinned brightly, eyes squinting, and waited.  A heartbeat later, he rotated his hand a micron more.

 

"Ngh, yes, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you're right!" came spilling out of Silent's mouth, at a higher pitch than usual for a man of his size.  Daisuke let the hand go, the reddening imprint of his paw almost like a glove.

 

"Oh, you might want to come by the clinic tomorrow, make sure that hand is alright.  Looks like you might have strained it in training."

 

Silent made no response, having already scurried away.  Daisuke turned the younger Shinigami.

 

"Nice guys, eh?  Let's toast the 5th Division, I'm buying!  And of course the 3rd, too!  Hell, let's toast the whole Gotei 6, while we're at it!"

 

OOC ___

In case it wasn't clear, I used white text to indicate my responses, and italicized, goldenrod text for Daisuke's responses - either a response to what I said, or just as an answer, depending.

Player Alias: Eh, DT is fine.
Desired Starting GP: Desired?  I'd like enough to reflect Daisuke's length of time served as a Shinigami - which is to say, maybe a bit above average?  Looking at the examples of scored applications and criteria, maybe somewhere around 2400?  Maybe I'm flattering myself?  I dunno.  I certainly think there's room for improvement, but I don't know if the things I think need improving are the things someone else would think needs improving.  Am I talking too much?  Who's that guy's dad?  is he some kind of monster? 
Were you referred by anyone?: Nope, not even a little bit.
Other Characters: Nope.