Post by Kowareta Kusanagi on Jan 19, 2017 16:05:13 GMT -5
Kusanagi, Kowareta
RANK/TITLE
[ AT A GLANCE ]
Age / Apparent Age: 100 years, appears 22.
Gender: Male
Height & Weight: 5'11, 186 lbs.
Hair & Eye Color: Red eyes, red hair.
Positive Traits:
Friendly: Although as a child he was rather an introvert, Kowa has come out his shell, and presents himself in an eccentric manner, especially when he meets new people. "Don't wanna get on anyone's bad side." He says.
Strong-Willed: Even though his actions are normally fueled by his emotions, Kowa goes into situations headstrong, ready for anything to be thrown at him.
Understanding: Kowa can empathize with many people, especially when it comes to negative things. Being able to understand people also makes it somewhat easier for him to make friends.
Negative Traits:
Emotional: Kowa is easily swayed by what some people say, and can often switch between his emotions rather quickly. This is one of his only true weaknesses. His will to protect what is important to him is always clashing with his emotions, sometimes making Kowa uneasy or unsure when going into battle.
Overbearing: Kowa's kind and caring nature is sometimes too much for some people, making him seem like a nosy person, especially when he tries to solve problems in situations where he has no place.
Forgetful: Kowa often has small gaps of memory loss from time to time. Whether it be to remind you to get milk from the store or to wake you up at a certain time, it would be unwise to rely on Kowa to help you out.
Loyalties: Who or what does your character look to for authority? Who calls the shots for them? For a Shinigami, you will most likely put either the Gotei, or your desired Captain.
Snapshots:
1917: Kowareta is born in Kyoto, Japan
1919: Kowa's parents are killed in a hit and run, his uncle and aunt take custody.
1923: Kowa and his uncle and aunt move to Ikebukuro.
1924: Kowa enrolls in primary school.
1933: Kowa enrolls in secondary school.
1934: Kowa's uncle passes away due to lung cancer.
1937: Kowa graduates from secondary school.
1938: Kowa moves into an apartment in Kyoto.
1940: Kowa meets Nise.
1942: Kowa is shot and killed in Osaka, Japan.
1962: Enrolls in the Shinigami Academy.
1967: Graduates from the Academy.
1970: Is placed in the Fifth Division.
[ ON THE SURFACE ]
Physical Description: Kowa, like everyone in his clan, has a soft, kind looking face, which is complimented by his rounded eyes. He has a long nose bridge, and tight, small-sized nostrils. Although his hair appears red, Kowareta's eyebrows are a dark brown-black color and are shaped into an arc form, with a scar across the left one. His skin is a light, fair color. Kowa's body is lean, making swift movements easy, but he still retains enough muscle to protect himself in the midst of battle. As for attire, Kowa wears the standard Shinigami outfit, along with a few accessories. He wears three bands on his left arm, all around his forearm, which are black in color. Kowa also wears a necklace, which has a pendant that resembles a turtle. Across Kowa's waist is a red sash which flows behinds him while he walks, roughly three feet in length. Although almost never seem, Kowareta sports two scars on his back, in the shape of healed gunshot wounds, as a reminder of how he died. Kowa carries himself with a slow, relaxed stride, shoulders thrown back, and hands behind his head. Mainly because he sleeps in too much, Kowa walks around almost zombie-like. When not on duty, Kowa is also a major klutz, seemingly unaware of all of his surroundings. When not on duty, Kowa's outfits consist of large sweaters or sweatshirts, tight fitting jeans, and cheap sneakers or loafers.
Spiritual Description: Kowa's Reitsu gives off an unusual vibe. It's a wavering black and gray color, with a few flashes of white here and there. It has a cold, metallic feel, similar to that of old iron. It does, however, have a rather soothing smell, like that of fresh air. When in Shikai, Kowa's Reitsu has turned completely black, wavers like smoke from an undying fire. Kowa's Reiatsu also smells like something that's been sitting on the stove for too long. Kowa's Reitsu is wavering, never consistent, and trails behind him as he walks, almost like a long scarf.
[ BEHIND THE EYES ]
Personality: Kowa has built on his poor communication skills he had when he was a young boy. Today, he's able to talk, laugh, and flirt just like anyone else of a normal society... At least to some degree. In the simplest of terms, sometimes Kowa can get out of hand. He cares for all, maybe just too much, pushing his boundaries a bit. He likes to get into everybody's business, whether they like it or not if it means that there's a possible solution to their problem. He can seem overbearing, but he really does mean well. He's a night owl as well and gets little sleep. He's either up picking his brain, or overpowering his falling eyelids to watch the latest episode of his favorite anime. This odd combination of sleep-deprivation and nice-guy behavior gives Kowa the appearance of that guy you know at the bar you go to often, who always has just a little too much to drink.
Kowa had no friends for most of his life, so when he does make friends as a shinigami, he plans on doing everything in his power to protect them, for he doesn't want to lose something he's never had before. He hopes that by joining the Fifth Division, he make the bounds he's always hoped for.
Goals & Achievements: Kowa's only real goal was to join the Fifth Division, which he did. However, he does hope one day to completely become in sync with his Zanpakuto.
[ GUARDIAN ANGEL ]
Zanpakutō Spirit: Kurohomura appears as a being covered in constantly burning shadowy flames. He's slightly taller than Kowa himself but is much thinner and intimidating. Two white eyes and a smiling mouth can be found on the front of the shadow's head. Kurohomura seems to greatly dislike Kowa, and only lends Kowa his power for fun. Kurohomura finds many things amusing and often waits until Kowa has been pushed to the limit to lend him help.
Inner World: Kowa's inner world is that of a simple bedroom, seemingly identical to the one he had when he was a young boy. Scattered across the room are countless toys and stuffed animals. A number of books can be seen loosely put on a small bookshelf. In the center of the room is a blue bed, with a blanket that has a dog on the front of it. There is a door to the right of the bed that seems as if it should lead out of the room, but if one goes through the door, they find themselves where they started. In the corner of the room is a single closet, always just ever so cracked. Inside this closet resides Kurohomura, the spirit of Kowa's Zanpakuto.
Power:
Harainokemasu (払いのけます- Banish)
In it's Shikai form, Kurohomura grants it's user two abilities, one of which being Harainokemasu. A technique initiated by a thrust, an extremely fast current of spiritual energy sent through an opponent, similar to someone throwing a spear. If the user has high enough speed and mobility, they can fire off a number of Harainokemasu in a short amount of time. A small amount of the user's spiritual energy is left within the person this technique is used on. This comes in handy for the second technique. Only a certain amount of Harainokemasu can be used, for it uses a large amount of energy, and can exhaust the user rather quickly.
Nomikomu (飲み込む- Swallow)
When a certain amount of spiritual pressure is left within someone's body due to Harainokemasu, another ability will eventually kick in, called Nomikomu. Forming the user own Reitsu, Nomikomu forms a barrier around the victim's spiritual energy, attacking them from the inside. This puts a hinder on the victim's techniques, especially those which are spiritual energy based.
Zanpakutō: When unleashed, the Zanpakuto appears as a simple katana, about four and half feet in length. In this form, the blade is slightly curved and is pitch black in color. The sword is extremely sharp and pointed, which Kowa can use for a variety of slashing and thrusting attacks. The hilt guard of the blade is two overlying rectangles, forming a plus shape. The actual hilt of the blade is slightly longer than most katanas so that when Kowa goes for a thrusting attack, he can place his palm of the bottom of the hilt, and put more force into his blows. A single white line wraps around the hilt horizontally.
Shikai: When released, Kurohomura's appearance changes greatly. The sword has grown in length to almost six feet in total. The blade has thickened, making the whole sword heavier. Kowa wields Kurohomura single-handed in this form. The hilt guard has disappeared, instead replaced a jumble of black cloth with wrapped around where the guard was once displayed. The hilt remains largely the same, other than the color changing from black to a dark, drab gray. Another black cloth is tied to near the bottom of the hilt, leaving two pieces of cloth to hang from the sword.
[ LEGACY CREATED ]
Origin:
The First Memory
“Look out the window, Kowa. That’s Ikebukuro. Our new home.”
These words are the first thing that Kowa remembers. Riding into the bustling section of Tokyo with his uncle and aunt. He had faint memories of where he once called home, Kyoto, but nothing too important seemed to stick in his mind. He knew of his home, a fairly simple one, but that was it.
Ikebukuro was huge, at least it was to Kowa.
“The building as so big here, Uncle. I bet if I stood up there, I could touch the clouds.”
His uncle chuckled and ruffled Kowa’s hair like he always did.
“Maybe one day, Kowa. Maybe one day.”
It Begins
Kowa was always different. He was a dreamer. He would always sit, looking towards the sky, hoping to one day graze it. Somehow he would.
“Hey you, Kyoto kid, what are you doing?”
Kowa turned his head. He’d been in school now for a few days, but he hadn’t memorized any of the faces of his classmates. Aside from names, he clearly remembered what this boy looked like. He had a short, shaved head of hair, a rather chubby body, and was missing one of his front teeth. He was accompanied another two children, those of which Kowa couldn’t remember. They weren’t important after all.
“Hey, I’m talking to ya!”
Kowa snapped out his trance.
“I’m looking up at the sky. I wanna touch it one day. It’s my dream.”
The boy’s raised an eyebrow at Kowa before exploding into a fit of laughter.
“That’s stupid. That’s a stupid dream. Why would you wanna do that anyway?”
Hahaha.
Hahahaha.
Stupid.
Dreams are Stupid.
“Y-yeah, you’re right.”
This was the first time he’d ever been told something like this. A normal person would have probably taken this lightly, but not Kowa. It shook him. And it didn’t stop there.
It went on.
And on.
And on.
To Kowa, it seemed that no one in Ikebukuro had a Dream. They never yearned for anything. Everyone was bitter, and cared for no one else. This was Kowa’s life, and he needed to get used to it. Because it wasn’t going to stop for a while.
It Never Stops
Eventually, Kowa enrolled in Secondary school, West Ikebukuro High. Kowa was different that he used to be... His hair was long, and darker in color. His hair used to match his eyes, but it had grown crimson, almost a bloody color. His eyes were now weary. They retained the same color, but they were distant, sad. They gave off a constant glassy look. He was just.. just sad. He had no one, except for his aunt and uncle, but they were always gone. They worked and worked, and never took the time to stay with Kowa.
“We’ll go on a trip when I’m not stacked up with meetings, Kowareta.”
That’s what his uncle always said, even if it was half-assed. Somewhere he wanted to believe that this was true, but he knew it would never happen.
“Alright class. Today we’re doing a team-building activity. I’ll give each of you an index card to write on. On that, I want you to share with another classmate what you hope to accomplish. Write down your Dream.”
Kowa stared blankly at the card that was placed on his desk, but he wrote nothing.
“Kowa-kun.”
Kowa turned his head, like he always did, with that glassy look in his eyes, and feasted on them on a young girl, seemingly around the same age he was. She had light colored hair, that was fixed into two ponytails, and framed around her face. Her eyes were a bright blue, which smiled along with her mouth at the boy.
“I don’t have a partner Kowa, can I share with you?”
“Yeah, sure. If you want.”
“My dream is… My dream is to graduate from high school and find something important to do in Ikebukuro. I wanna be something, you know? What’s your dream Kowa? Can you share with me.”
Dream.
Kowa remembered that word. But what did it mean?
“My dream is to..”
But he stopped. He stopped and remembered. He remembered what he’d been told on that day. He knew what his dream meant.
“Dreams… are stupid.”
“O-oh.. Okay then.. Kowareta..”
The girl turned away, but fixed one eye on Kowa, full of disgust. It wasn’t the look of someone trying to understand him, but rather that of one trying to assert their opinion on him.
He was disgusting.
But he didn’t care. He was used to this. Kowa placed his hand on his deck, and stared at the chalkboard, like he always did.
That Day
“Kowa, Kowa! We need to.. We need to go!”
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s your uncle, he’s.. he’s... “
Kowa’s aunt looked down at the ground, a single tear wept from her eye, which ran down her aged face, and fell unto the floor.
“The hospital called. He.. He hasn’t much more time.”
Ba-bum.
Ba-bum ba-bum.
His heart grew in speed rapidly, moving in since with Kowa’s now heavy breathing. His eyes lost their usual glassy look, and instead drew water, and he ruffled through his pocket for the keys to his car. Kowa grabbed his aunt’s arm, and quickly rushed out the front door to his vehicle. As soon as his feeble aunt buckled up, Kowa floored the pedal, taking off into the street. He would get there in time.
Kowa dropped his aunt off at the front of the hospital, and proceeded to find a place to park. For some reason or another, the place was crowded, and Kowa was stuck behind someone in the lane he was on. He blew his horn loudly.
“Move your piece of shit, you bastard, my uncle is dying in there!”
Dying.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum Ba-dum.
Kowa hopped out his car, leaving it in the lane, right in the middle of the cluster of vehicles. He ran towards the entrance, trotting through the front door, then slid around the corner to the elevator. His hands shaking, Kowa pressed a button.
“21st floor.”
The doors opened, and Kowa nearly tripped as he skittered out of the rickety elevator. Kowa speed down the hallway, and found the room his uncle was staying in. He clasped the handle of the door, and opened it. Kowa walked in the room, which contained his aunt, and a few family friends. Some enough, he heard a familiar voice speak.
“Kowa. I see you there boy. Greet your uncle.”
Kowa walked over to the hospital bed, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. He got down on his knees, and buried his head in the sheets which covered his uncle’s. The elderly man grabbed the end of the boy’s hair, which had grown to nearly his waist.
“Promise me you’ll get this cut. I think you’re a few years behind.”
Kowa’s uncle began to laugh, but was interrupted by a small fit of coughs.
“Un-uncle. You can’t die… You can’t leave me here..”
The elder’s lips curled in a friendly fashion towards his nephew.
“Looks like we’ll have to take that trip.. Some other time.. Kowa.”
Kowa’s uncle placed his hand on the back of Kowa’s head, and ruffled his hair, just like he always did. For the last time. As the man drew his last breath, many filed out of the room for the family to pay their respects. Anyone in that hospital can reclaim hearing screams from the 21st floor around 6:30 PM, on March 27th, 1934.
A New Life
Six years has passed since Kowa’s uncle passed away. He moved out of Ikebukuro, and back to Kyoto in 1938, finding an apartment building near the house he used to live in. He was currently working in a coffee shop on the west side of the city. It was just an average October day in Kyoto, or so Kowa thought.
“Welcome to Asaburyu, what can I get you today, miss?”
“I’ll have a medium coffee. Er.. I can’t read what’s on your name tag.. Say.. I’ve seen you around here. What’s your name?”
“Your total comes to 145 yen.”
“I asked what your name was.”
“It’s not important. The customers behind you are getting impatient, miss.”
The girl turned around, and saw the line that formed behind her. She slammed her payment down on the counter before marching out of the cafe.
“Would you like a recei- oh.”
She was gone. Kowa crinkled up the recipe, and threw it in the trash bin next to him. Six more hours passed, and Kowa’s shift was over. He slipped on his jacket, pulled up his pants, and walked out the front door. It was slightly chilly, but the cold never bothered him.
“Hey! Coffee guy!”
Kowa cocked his head his head to the left, and could only mutter out a “Huh?” before someone flew on top of top of him.
“Are you mad you didn’t get your receipt? I can go get it for you if you want-”
The girl glared at Kowa, a frustrated look was plastered on her face. Kowa would always remember her face. Her eyes were a deep dark brown, and were rounded, almost into perfect circles. Her hair was pitch black and long, but unkempt.
“I wanted to know your name, what is it, coffee boy?”
“Uhm… My name is Kowa.. Kowareta Kusanagi.”
“Kowa hmm? That’s a fine name. Pleased to meet you Kowa. I am Nise.”
A Beautiful.. Something.
“Kowa, what time is it, now? We should probably get up for work now.”
“No, it’s only 6:00. You can sleep for another thirty minutes, I’ll wake you up.”
A whole year had passed since Kowa’s first encounter with the strange girl, Nise. Since then, a number of things have happened. Nise, the stranger, came from another section of Tokyo; Osaka.
She had moved into a new apartment with Kowa, and gotten a job at the same coffee shop. Kowa left his bed and went to the bathroom to shower up for work. When he returned, Nise was gone, their bed nicely made.
“Huh. She never leaves before me.”
Kowa headed into work that day, thinking he would find the girl there. To his surprise, she was nowhere to be found. When Kowa returned home, he flopped onto his bed, utterly confused by what was going on. He felt something underneath his blankets. A key. Attached to it, a note.
“Thanks a lot for letting me stay so long with you, Kowa. I’m sorry to leave so suddenly, but I had no choice. Here’s my key to the apartment. I’m going home, please don’t follow me. - Nise.”
End of The Line
It was like his whole world was falling apart. Kowa grabbed his chest, the pain was incredible, but not as much as seeing Nise cry. Tears were streaming down her face.
“I told you not to follow me! Why didn’t you listen!?”
She was dragged away by a gang of irregulars, their leader, a man wearing a classy business suit, kneeled down next to a dying Kowa.
“I’ll be honest with you, I was aiming at her legs. That bullet wouldn’t have killed her. But you, oh man, you’re done for. Sorry pal, this is the end of the line for you.”
The man threw his gun on the ground next to Kowa, and walked away, as if nothing happened. Then slowly, but surely, Kowa faded away, dead in an alleyway in Osaka.
Rise to Power: Rise to Power should include the Academy and any time you have spent grinding through the rank and file Shinigami events. This would include you unlocking Shikai and most of your notable events in your history. This is where you explain how your character has gotten so strong.
Call to Action: This is where you talk about the event(s) that made your character shift from an NPC to a player character. For whatever reason, they need to be pulled away from the daily grind and put into the spotlight. In this section, you’ll want to highlight that event(s) and justify why your character is they way they are today.
RANK/TITLE
[ AT A GLANCE ]
Age / Apparent Age: 100 years, appears 22.
Gender: Male
Height & Weight: 5'11, 186 lbs.
Hair & Eye Color: Red eyes, red hair.
Positive Traits:
Friendly: Although as a child he was rather an introvert, Kowa has come out his shell, and presents himself in an eccentric manner, especially when he meets new people. "Don't wanna get on anyone's bad side." He says.
Strong-Willed: Even though his actions are normally fueled by his emotions, Kowa goes into situations headstrong, ready for anything to be thrown at him.
Understanding: Kowa can empathize with many people, especially when it comes to negative things. Being able to understand people also makes it somewhat easier for him to make friends.
Negative Traits:
Emotional: Kowa is easily swayed by what some people say, and can often switch between his emotions rather quickly. This is one of his only true weaknesses. His will to protect what is important to him is always clashing with his emotions, sometimes making Kowa uneasy or unsure when going into battle.
Overbearing: Kowa's kind and caring nature is sometimes too much for some people, making him seem like a nosy person, especially when he tries to solve problems in situations where he has no place.
Forgetful: Kowa often has small gaps of memory loss from time to time. Whether it be to remind you to get milk from the store or to wake you up at a certain time, it would be unwise to rely on Kowa to help you out.
Loyalties: Who or what does your character look to for authority? Who calls the shots for them? For a Shinigami, you will most likely put either the Gotei, or your desired Captain.
Snapshots:
1917: Kowareta is born in Kyoto, Japan
1919: Kowa's parents are killed in a hit and run, his uncle and aunt take custody.
1923: Kowa and his uncle and aunt move to Ikebukuro.
1924: Kowa enrolls in primary school.
1933: Kowa enrolls in secondary school.
1934: Kowa's uncle passes away due to lung cancer.
1937: Kowa graduates from secondary school.
1938: Kowa moves into an apartment in Kyoto.
1940: Kowa meets Nise.
1942: Kowa is shot and killed in Osaka, Japan.
1962: Enrolls in the Shinigami Academy.
1967: Graduates from the Academy.
1970: Is placed in the Fifth Division.
[ ON THE SURFACE ]
Physical Description: Kowa, like everyone in his clan, has a soft, kind looking face, which is complimented by his rounded eyes. He has a long nose bridge, and tight, small-sized nostrils. Although his hair appears red, Kowareta's eyebrows are a dark brown-black color and are shaped into an arc form, with a scar across the left one. His skin is a light, fair color. Kowa's body is lean, making swift movements easy, but he still retains enough muscle to protect himself in the midst of battle. As for attire, Kowa wears the standard Shinigami outfit, along with a few accessories. He wears three bands on his left arm, all around his forearm, which are black in color. Kowa also wears a necklace, which has a pendant that resembles a turtle. Across Kowa's waist is a red sash which flows behinds him while he walks, roughly three feet in length. Although almost never seem, Kowareta sports two scars on his back, in the shape of healed gunshot wounds, as a reminder of how he died. Kowa carries himself with a slow, relaxed stride, shoulders thrown back, and hands behind his head. Mainly because he sleeps in too much, Kowa walks around almost zombie-like. When not on duty, Kowa is also a major klutz, seemingly unaware of all of his surroundings. When not on duty, Kowa's outfits consist of large sweaters or sweatshirts, tight fitting jeans, and cheap sneakers or loafers.
Spiritual Description: Kowa's Reitsu gives off an unusual vibe. It's a wavering black and gray color, with a few flashes of white here and there. It has a cold, metallic feel, similar to that of old iron. It does, however, have a rather soothing smell, like that of fresh air. When in Shikai, Kowa's Reitsu has turned completely black, wavers like smoke from an undying fire. Kowa's Reiatsu also smells like something that's been sitting on the stove for too long. Kowa's Reitsu is wavering, never consistent, and trails behind him as he walks, almost like a long scarf.
[ BEHIND THE EYES ]
Personality: Kowa has built on his poor communication skills he had when he was a young boy. Today, he's able to talk, laugh, and flirt just like anyone else of a normal society... At least to some degree. In the simplest of terms, sometimes Kowa can get out of hand. He cares for all, maybe just too much, pushing his boundaries a bit. He likes to get into everybody's business, whether they like it or not if it means that there's a possible solution to their problem. He can seem overbearing, but he really does mean well. He's a night owl as well and gets little sleep. He's either up picking his brain, or overpowering his falling eyelids to watch the latest episode of his favorite anime. This odd combination of sleep-deprivation and nice-guy behavior gives Kowa the appearance of that guy you know at the bar you go to often, who always has just a little too much to drink.
Kowa had no friends for most of his life, so when he does make friends as a shinigami, he plans on doing everything in his power to protect them, for he doesn't want to lose something he's never had before. He hopes that by joining the Fifth Division, he make the bounds he's always hoped for.
Goals & Achievements: Kowa's only real goal was to join the Fifth Division, which he did. However, he does hope one day to completely become in sync with his Zanpakuto.
[ GUARDIAN ANGEL ]
Zanpakutō Spirit: Kurohomura appears as a being covered in constantly burning shadowy flames. He's slightly taller than Kowa himself but is much thinner and intimidating. Two white eyes and a smiling mouth can be found on the front of the shadow's head. Kurohomura seems to greatly dislike Kowa, and only lends Kowa his power for fun. Kurohomura finds many things amusing and often waits until Kowa has been pushed to the limit to lend him help.
Inner World: Kowa's inner world is that of a simple bedroom, seemingly identical to the one he had when he was a young boy. Scattered across the room are countless toys and stuffed animals. A number of books can be seen loosely put on a small bookshelf. In the center of the room is a blue bed, with a blanket that has a dog on the front of it. There is a door to the right of the bed that seems as if it should lead out of the room, but if one goes through the door, they find themselves where they started. In the corner of the room is a single closet, always just ever so cracked. Inside this closet resides Kurohomura, the spirit of Kowa's Zanpakuto.
Power:
Harainokemasu (払いのけます- Banish)
In it's Shikai form, Kurohomura grants it's user two abilities, one of which being Harainokemasu. A technique initiated by a thrust, an extremely fast current of spiritual energy sent through an opponent, similar to someone throwing a spear. If the user has high enough speed and mobility, they can fire off a number of Harainokemasu in a short amount of time. A small amount of the user's spiritual energy is left within the person this technique is used on. This comes in handy for the second technique. Only a certain amount of Harainokemasu can be used, for it uses a large amount of energy, and can exhaust the user rather quickly.
Nomikomu (飲み込む- Swallow)
When a certain amount of spiritual pressure is left within someone's body due to Harainokemasu, another ability will eventually kick in, called Nomikomu. Forming the user own Reitsu, Nomikomu forms a barrier around the victim's spiritual energy, attacking them from the inside. This puts a hinder on the victim's techniques, especially those which are spiritual energy based.
Zanpakutō: When unleashed, the Zanpakuto appears as a simple katana, about four and half feet in length. In this form, the blade is slightly curved and is pitch black in color. The sword is extremely sharp and pointed, which Kowa can use for a variety of slashing and thrusting attacks. The hilt guard of the blade is two overlying rectangles, forming a plus shape. The actual hilt of the blade is slightly longer than most katanas so that when Kowa goes for a thrusting attack, he can place his palm of the bottom of the hilt, and put more force into his blows. A single white line wraps around the hilt horizontally.
Shikai: When released, Kurohomura's appearance changes greatly. The sword has grown in length to almost six feet in total. The blade has thickened, making the whole sword heavier. Kowa wields Kurohomura single-handed in this form. The hilt guard has disappeared, instead replaced a jumble of black cloth with wrapped around where the guard was once displayed. The hilt remains largely the same, other than the color changing from black to a dark, drab gray. Another black cloth is tied to near the bottom of the hilt, leaving two pieces of cloth to hang from the sword.
[ LEGACY CREATED ]
Origin:
The First Memory
“Look out the window, Kowa. That’s Ikebukuro. Our new home.”
These words are the first thing that Kowa remembers. Riding into the bustling section of Tokyo with his uncle and aunt. He had faint memories of where he once called home, Kyoto, but nothing too important seemed to stick in his mind. He knew of his home, a fairly simple one, but that was it.
Ikebukuro was huge, at least it was to Kowa.
“The building as so big here, Uncle. I bet if I stood up there, I could touch the clouds.”
His uncle chuckled and ruffled Kowa’s hair like he always did.
“Maybe one day, Kowa. Maybe one day.”
It Begins
Kowa was always different. He was a dreamer. He would always sit, looking towards the sky, hoping to one day graze it. Somehow he would.
“Hey you, Kyoto kid, what are you doing?”
Kowa turned his head. He’d been in school now for a few days, but he hadn’t memorized any of the faces of his classmates. Aside from names, he clearly remembered what this boy looked like. He had a short, shaved head of hair, a rather chubby body, and was missing one of his front teeth. He was accompanied another two children, those of which Kowa couldn’t remember. They weren’t important after all.
“Hey, I’m talking to ya!”
Kowa snapped out his trance.
“I’m looking up at the sky. I wanna touch it one day. It’s my dream.”
The boy’s raised an eyebrow at Kowa before exploding into a fit of laughter.
“That’s stupid. That’s a stupid dream. Why would you wanna do that anyway?”
Hahaha.
Hahahaha.
Stupid.
Dreams are Stupid.
“Y-yeah, you’re right.”
This was the first time he’d ever been told something like this. A normal person would have probably taken this lightly, but not Kowa. It shook him. And it didn’t stop there.
It went on.
And on.
And on.
To Kowa, it seemed that no one in Ikebukuro had a Dream. They never yearned for anything. Everyone was bitter, and cared for no one else. This was Kowa’s life, and he needed to get used to it. Because it wasn’t going to stop for a while.
It Never Stops
Eventually, Kowa enrolled in Secondary school, West Ikebukuro High. Kowa was different that he used to be... His hair was long, and darker in color. His hair used to match his eyes, but it had grown crimson, almost a bloody color. His eyes were now weary. They retained the same color, but they were distant, sad. They gave off a constant glassy look. He was just.. just sad. He had no one, except for his aunt and uncle, but they were always gone. They worked and worked, and never took the time to stay with Kowa.
“We’ll go on a trip when I’m not stacked up with meetings, Kowareta.”
That’s what his uncle always said, even if it was half-assed. Somewhere he wanted to believe that this was true, but he knew it would never happen.
“Alright class. Today we’re doing a team-building activity. I’ll give each of you an index card to write on. On that, I want you to share with another classmate what you hope to accomplish. Write down your Dream.”
Kowa stared blankly at the card that was placed on his desk, but he wrote nothing.
“Kowa-kun.”
Kowa turned his head, like he always did, with that glassy look in his eyes, and feasted on them on a young girl, seemingly around the same age he was. She had light colored hair, that was fixed into two ponytails, and framed around her face. Her eyes were a bright blue, which smiled along with her mouth at the boy.
“I don’t have a partner Kowa, can I share with you?”
“Yeah, sure. If you want.”
“My dream is… My dream is to graduate from high school and find something important to do in Ikebukuro. I wanna be something, you know? What’s your dream Kowa? Can you share with me.”
Dream.
Kowa remembered that word. But what did it mean?
“My dream is to..”
But he stopped. He stopped and remembered. He remembered what he’d been told on that day. He knew what his dream meant.
“Dreams… are stupid.”
“O-oh.. Okay then.. Kowareta..”
The girl turned away, but fixed one eye on Kowa, full of disgust. It wasn’t the look of someone trying to understand him, but rather that of one trying to assert their opinion on him.
He was disgusting.
But he didn’t care. He was used to this. Kowa placed his hand on his deck, and stared at the chalkboard, like he always did.
That Day
“Kowa, Kowa! We need to.. We need to go!”
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s your uncle, he’s.. he’s... “
Kowa’s aunt looked down at the ground, a single tear wept from her eye, which ran down her aged face, and fell unto the floor.
“The hospital called. He.. He hasn’t much more time.”
Ba-bum.
Ba-bum ba-bum.
His heart grew in speed rapidly, moving in since with Kowa’s now heavy breathing. His eyes lost their usual glassy look, and instead drew water, and he ruffled through his pocket for the keys to his car. Kowa grabbed his aunt’s arm, and quickly rushed out the front door to his vehicle. As soon as his feeble aunt buckled up, Kowa floored the pedal, taking off into the street. He would get there in time.
Kowa dropped his aunt off at the front of the hospital, and proceeded to find a place to park. For some reason or another, the place was crowded, and Kowa was stuck behind someone in the lane he was on. He blew his horn loudly.
“Move your piece of shit, you bastard, my uncle is dying in there!”
Dying.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum Ba-dum.
Kowa hopped out his car, leaving it in the lane, right in the middle of the cluster of vehicles. He ran towards the entrance, trotting through the front door, then slid around the corner to the elevator. His hands shaking, Kowa pressed a button.
“21st floor.”
The doors opened, and Kowa nearly tripped as he skittered out of the rickety elevator. Kowa speed down the hallway, and found the room his uncle was staying in. He clasped the handle of the door, and opened it. Kowa walked in the room, which contained his aunt, and a few family friends. Some enough, he heard a familiar voice speak.
“Kowa. I see you there boy. Greet your uncle.”
Kowa walked over to the hospital bed, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. He got down on his knees, and buried his head in the sheets which covered his uncle’s. The elderly man grabbed the end of the boy’s hair, which had grown to nearly his waist.
“Promise me you’ll get this cut. I think you’re a few years behind.”
Kowa’s uncle began to laugh, but was interrupted by a small fit of coughs.
“Un-uncle. You can’t die… You can’t leave me here..”
The elder’s lips curled in a friendly fashion towards his nephew.
“Looks like we’ll have to take that trip.. Some other time.. Kowa.”
Kowa’s uncle placed his hand on the back of Kowa’s head, and ruffled his hair, just like he always did. For the last time. As the man drew his last breath, many filed out of the room for the family to pay their respects. Anyone in that hospital can reclaim hearing screams from the 21st floor around 6:30 PM, on March 27th, 1934.
A New Life
Six years has passed since Kowa’s uncle passed away. He moved out of Ikebukuro, and back to Kyoto in 1938, finding an apartment building near the house he used to live in. He was currently working in a coffee shop on the west side of the city. It was just an average October day in Kyoto, or so Kowa thought.
“Welcome to Asaburyu, what can I get you today, miss?”
“I’ll have a medium coffee. Er.. I can’t read what’s on your name tag.. Say.. I’ve seen you around here. What’s your name?”
“Your total comes to 145 yen.”
“I asked what your name was.”
“It’s not important. The customers behind you are getting impatient, miss.”
The girl turned around, and saw the line that formed behind her. She slammed her payment down on the counter before marching out of the cafe.
“Would you like a recei- oh.”
She was gone. Kowa crinkled up the recipe, and threw it in the trash bin next to him. Six more hours passed, and Kowa’s shift was over. He slipped on his jacket, pulled up his pants, and walked out the front door. It was slightly chilly, but the cold never bothered him.
“Hey! Coffee guy!”
Kowa cocked his head his head to the left, and could only mutter out a “Huh?” before someone flew on top of top of him.
“Are you mad you didn’t get your receipt? I can go get it for you if you want-”
The girl glared at Kowa, a frustrated look was plastered on her face. Kowa would always remember her face. Her eyes were a deep dark brown, and were rounded, almost into perfect circles. Her hair was pitch black and long, but unkempt.
“I wanted to know your name, what is it, coffee boy?”
“Uhm… My name is Kowa.. Kowareta Kusanagi.”
“Kowa hmm? That’s a fine name. Pleased to meet you Kowa. I am Nise.”
A Beautiful.. Something.
“Kowa, what time is it, now? We should probably get up for work now.”
“No, it’s only 6:00. You can sleep for another thirty minutes, I’ll wake you up.”
A whole year had passed since Kowa’s first encounter with the strange girl, Nise. Since then, a number of things have happened. Nise, the stranger, came from another section of Tokyo; Osaka.
She had moved into a new apartment with Kowa, and gotten a job at the same coffee shop. Kowa left his bed and went to the bathroom to shower up for work. When he returned, Nise was gone, their bed nicely made.
“Huh. She never leaves before me.”
Kowa headed into work that day, thinking he would find the girl there. To his surprise, she was nowhere to be found. When Kowa returned home, he flopped onto his bed, utterly confused by what was going on. He felt something underneath his blankets. A key. Attached to it, a note.
“Thanks a lot for letting me stay so long with you, Kowa. I’m sorry to leave so suddenly, but I had no choice. Here’s my key to the apartment. I’m going home, please don’t follow me. - Nise.”
End of The Line
It was like his whole world was falling apart. Kowa grabbed his chest, the pain was incredible, but not as much as seeing Nise cry. Tears were streaming down her face.
“I told you not to follow me! Why didn’t you listen!?”
She was dragged away by a gang of irregulars, their leader, a man wearing a classy business suit, kneeled down next to a dying Kowa.
“I’ll be honest with you, I was aiming at her legs. That bullet wouldn’t have killed her. But you, oh man, you’re done for. Sorry pal, this is the end of the line for you.”
The man threw his gun on the ground next to Kowa, and walked away, as if nothing happened. Then slowly, but surely, Kowa faded away, dead in an alleyway in Osaka.
Rise to Power: Rise to Power should include the Academy and any time you have spent grinding through the rank and file Shinigami events. This would include you unlocking Shikai and most of your notable events in your history. This is where you explain how your character has gotten so strong.
Call to Action: This is where you talk about the event(s) that made your character shift from an NPC to a player character. For whatever reason, they need to be pulled away from the daily grind and put into the spotlight. In this section, you’ll want to highlight that event(s) and justify why your character is they way they are today.
