Post by Mako Fujita on Jun 12, 2017 10:36:08 GMT -5
SECOND DIVISION: UNSEATED
AT A GLANCE —Name Reference: The name means "Cursed Child of the Fujita", Fujita is one of the most common surnames in Japanese Culture. It's important to note that the first name is generally seen as effeminate, due to female names tending to end in "ko".
Apparent Age: Early 20's
Actual Age: 90 (17 Years in Rukongai, 6 in the Academy, and 67 in Second Division)
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Japanese
Height: 6'4" (194cm)
Weight: 187 lbs (85kg)
Hair & Eye Color: Black & Grey
Loyalties:
- Gotei Five (Distantly)
- Moriko & Yuuta (Allies)
- Zâbel Kohara (Teacher)
- Murat (Distantly- Teacher)
1923-1940 — The Rukongai:
- His mother becomes pregnant. Family business starts to fall on hard times.
- Mako's birth & Mothers death in childbirth.
- His family is forced to move to the Rukongai's Slum Districts.
- Mako's domestic abuse begins in full force.
- His spiritual energy awakens in full, In order to survive Mako begins to steal food.
- Meets his first friends, Moriko and Yuuta within weeks of one another.
- Attempts to commit suicide- stopped by Moriko and is forced to make a promise to live.
- Meets Murat and begins to learn how to read and write.
- Meeting Zâbel, and is saved by her- before being taken away to begin training his Reaitsu for three months.
- Meets Hitsuyona after returning to the Rukongai after training, manifests his Zanpakutō.
- Guided by his Zanpakutō Spirit, he slaughters his father in cold blood- obtaining his Shikai.
1941-1947 — The Academy:
- Joins the Academy alongside Yuuta, and Moriko with a letter of recommendation from Zabel Kohara.
- Entered a "friends with benefits" relationship with Moriko, neither quite understanding or wanting to "Date".
- Worked as a tutor in tactics and kido for his fellow students.
- Led an advanced konso exercise with Yuuta in the realm of the living with no casualties, or unusual happenings.
- Graduated the Academy in the average graduation range of six years, with consistent slightly above-average grades.
1948-2017 — The Second Division:
- Joins the Second Division due to an instructor's recommendation of such due to his "fitting personality".
- Participated in and Survived "The Great Seireitei Massacre" by focusing purely on information gathering and support.
- Dedicates himself to becoming an expert in as many fields as possible in secret, in order to minimize his weaknesses.
- Remains a relatively well known Unseated Officer with no notable achievements, or failures on record despite a multitude of standard missions.
Positive Traits —
Logical — Above all else, Mako will value the simple logic of a situation- choosing the most effective path to get to his objective, not seeing a point in overcomplicating things. He cuts situations down to their bare bones and solves the issue expelling as little energy as possible.
"I don't care about your turmoil or insecurities, only facts and the most effective route to accomplish what is required."
Perceptive — One of Mako's greatest strength is his knack for examining his surroundings with a tremendous focus on a nearly subconscious level, constantly examining those he talks to, those near him, the environment- anything that could give him an edge should things go south, even in the most peaceful of circumstances.
"I have a knack for turning impossible situations in my favor."
Openminded — Saying that Mako doesn't care about an individual's race, species, gender, or sexuality would be implying that he even gives any of that thought when he doesn't. To him, there are only people- and they are all a threat, nothing else matters- an argument could be made that it's less the fact he's "open-minded" and more that he just "doesn't care about others" in many instances.
"In the environment that I was raised in, you expect me to care about sexuality, gender, or race?"
Loyal — Not to be misunderstood with patriotic views or a sense of justice and law. Mako has none of these things- however, what he does have is an immense loyalty to others if he deem's them worthy of such. He couldn't care less if the Gotei burned to the ground- he only cares about it, because those that he cares for- want to protect it, nothing more.
"I am in your debt, and that means that your enemy is my own."
Confident — As time has passed, Mako has managed to understand that he is not nearly as weak as he initially assumed. This is not to say that he is arrogant- on the contrary, he is fully aware of his own limitations and weaknesses. However, he is also aware of his strengths- and as such is generally confident in what he can, and cannot do- using his self-awareness as one of his greatest assets.
"Unlike what many assume, I don't underestimate my opponents— nor do I underestimate myself."
Negative Traits —
Cynical — Mako has a very specific view on the world as a whole- in that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. He expects everyone he meets to backstab him, any situation to take a turn for the worst, and never expects anything to go right the first, or even the second time. Due to this, often enough he is proven right due to his own attitude toward the subject matter- seeing it as simply realistic, and the way the world works for everything to be against you.
"I'm usually told that I'm very pessimistic, I prefer the term realistic."
Dispassionate — When it comes to caring about things in general, Mako struggles quite a bit. He has no ambition of his own- everything he does is connected in some way to others, relying entirely on them to be his driving force. Without others to help guide his hand, he has no drive, no goals, and no desire to do anything- even the fact he is alive he owes to an oath he made to another. In a word, Mako is empty.
"The amount of energy required in order for me to really care about you, or anything you do, is quite extensive."
Antisocial — Due to a mixture of his fear, dislike of being touched by others, and his natural desire to be in quiet, low-populated area's- Mako's natural introverted nature has evolved far beyond that to the point where he is now completely antisocial. Disliking social interaction with all but a few specific individual's, and even that tends to be draining for him over long periods.
"I find most individuals' presence intolerable- though I admit there are a few exceptions."
Depressed — Due to his childhood, as well as his general outlook on life as a whole- Mako is an extremely depressed individual. This doesn't mean that he is always sad- but that he suffers from periods of immense depression, where he questions himself, his reason for living, and similar aspects of his life. Generally, he'll manage to break out of it after a day or two but becomes even more dispassionate and empty during this time as he questions his very existence.
"I find that often, my mind drifts to wondering if anything I have done, or will do, was or will really be worth anything."
Ruthless — Mako is absolutely unforgiving when it comes to the few things he actually aims for, or when it comes to protecting the few things he manages to care about. Torturing for information, threatening the lives of innocents in order to get his opponent to break, aiming to kill with every attack, all this and more he would do without any hesitation if he feels it is required to achieve victory.
"If it's to ensure my goals, or protect those two idiots, nothing goes too far."
Sadistic — Though it's usually a side of himself he keeps under wraps, Mako is a natural sadist- enjoying causing others pain, be it emotionally or physically. This has been accentuated even further due to his childhood, twisting him into an even darker individual to the point that having power over another, and making them suffer, is one of the few things he truly enjoys.
"Come, let me show you a fraction of the pain I have endured through my life."
Detached — Mako is emotionally detached- and in many ways doesn't care in the slightest about things that most people normally would, if a child was crying or about to die- but he didn't know the child, he would continue walking without even batting an eye. This extends to most things in life, and makes communicating with others, or befriending them an immense difficulty- due to him not caring about such either way.
"I have occasionally been called "Robotic", or "Cold", but I'm simply following the most logical series of options available to me."
Cowardly — Mako does not hesitate in acting like what many would deem as "dishonorable", or "cowardly". From the way he fights, to how he interacts with others- he will play dirty, hit below the belt, throw dirt in the eyes, threatening those the opponent cares about, running to hide, or any number of other combinations in other to ensure his victory- no matter how slim the advantage may be. The fear that once controlled him, is now used as a tool like any other, sadly- this means he tends to be seen as a dishonorable coward by many.
"Being afraid has always been my greatest strength, as well as my greatest weakness."
ON THE SURFACE —Physical Description: Mako has grown into what many would consider to be quite an attractive young man, the once bland and "common" traits that made up most of his physical characteristics as a child have hardened and taken proper shape through puberty and with proper nutrition and care. His physical frame has expanded, growing surprisingly tall with a relatively well-built layer of muscle overlaying his tall frame, showing an athletic and lean build befitting someone who prefers dancing circles around their opponents from a distance over raw physical power. Despite his physical size, the dimensions of his hands and feet- as well as his general wingspan, are all about the correct size for his body- unlike others of his height who tend to have long arms, with large hands and feet.
Unlike in his past, Mako is no longer an unhealthy shade of white when it comes to his skin- instead being a pale peach hue, due to lack of exposure to the sun- but not to the point of being seen as unhealthy or unnatural any longer, more like a living person, and less like a corpse. Similarly, thanks to Zabel's consistent attempts at healing over the years- and as time passed, the healing of the third division members in general, Mako's extensive physical scar's and crooked limbs have been completely repaired. His skin is now flawless, without blemish or scar- and is consistently healed as he see's them as pointless, and knows all too well how leaving damage to the body can actually hinder its development.
When it comes to Mako's facial structure, it contains a combination of wide cheek cheekbones, that are well framed by a surprisingly strong, pointed jawline, and an averagely sized forehead. His lips are slim, barely noticeable- their slight pink coloring barely separating them from the rest of his pale skin. However despite this, they match well with the slim, small, and slightly pointed nose, the combination adding a slight effeminate tone to his facial features. Slim black eyebrows decorate the skin above narrow, slightly slanted eyes that give him obvious connections to eastern roots in his heritage.
These same eyes no longer hold their dead, corpse-like design, however, some physical traits still remain from his childhood. Mako's eyes still hold their dark bags underneath them, though they aren't quite as bad- it's still clear that he rarely gets much sleep. Similarly, he still has the same issue he originally had in the shape of his Sanpakugan (this refers to eyes in which the white space above or below the iris is visible). Thankfully, though they retain their dull grey hue, his eyes now constantly hold a dim shade of curiosity and awareness of his surroundings- emotion and light actively showing within them, a stark contrast to this being Mako's facial expression, which tends to be incredibly blank, calm and controlled- lacking real emotional or physical response to others through his emotional conditioning.
Mako's hair is the complete opposite to what it originally maintained- pitch black hair that was once matted, unmaintained, and tangled- is now sleek, and straight. His hair has been trimmed to maintain a length of several inches on the top of his head and bangs, with the hair slowly fading and growing shorter as it gets to the back of his neck, and sideburns where the hair is maintained a constant centimeter in length. His face is kept clean shaved, mostly due to his inability to grow proper facial hair- barely managed to grow a proper goatee, let alone a beard. Generally, his hair is worn slicked back neatly, or in a bedhead fashion depending on the time of day, and if he's actually slept yet.
The only other notable aspect of Mako would be the way he holds himself, and his voice. His posture and gait haven't changed much since his childhood while sitting or standing he tends to be incredibly lax- holding himself with a degree of confidence he lacked in the past, but with a similar level of distrust to his surroundings. While in his youth his only way of sitting was on his heels, he is now able to sit with a natural, normal posture- usually with his chin in his palm, or his fingers intertwined in his lap. Matching his relaxed, confident gait- his voice remains calm and relaxed, though it no longer completely lacks any form of emotion- the emotions and tones that do ring from his voice tend to be heavily diluted, and infused with a fair amount of sarcasm or cynicism.
As far as Mako's sense of style is concerned, most would deem it as "formal" at its best, and "bland" at its worst. When in his normal uniform, he wears a standard Shihakusho over a skin tight black suit, the only alterations tending to be that he wears the pant legs tucked into shin-length dark grey cloth wraps tucked into normal tightly bound sandals with their bottoms padded in order to limit movement noise as much as possible. The upper half of the Shihakusho is sleeveless as per usual for the second division, and beyond these minor aspects it's completely normal- his Zanpakutō usually found strapped to his right leg, or to the back of his belt. When it comes to his outfits outside of his uniform, his clothing tends to be simple black slacks and shirts- unless in a Gigai, in which case he tends to prefer form fitting black or grey business suits with simple white undershirts- the ties tending to be a simple deep red. Generally, no matter what he's wearing, however- the outfit will always be based on bland, subtle colors that don't stand out in the slightest.
Spiritual Description: Mako's spiritual pressure hasn't changed too drastically from how it originally acted as a child in the Rukongai. The color has remained unchanged, remaining a dull grey without any unique contrasting colors or hues beyond varying shades of grey intertwined with it varying on how much he is attempting to summon up at the time. When it is summoned, there is no great roar, flashy designs, or unique scents- in fact, it's the exact opposite. When his energy is summoned up, the point where normally individuals would glow with energy and radiate power- Mako's simply caused his eyes to produce a dim grey glow of light, without producing an aura, and it's presence barely creating a notable shift in the air around him. Similarly- matching his nature, when his spiritual power is summoned to its peak- the point where most individuals energy takes on some sort of physical shapes like a skull, or beast- Mako's simply takes the shape of a thin cloak of grey energy that barely clings to his body- nearly paper thin, almost seeming to negate any natural scents that may cling to him, let alone produce any smell of its own.
BEHIND THE EYES —Personality: The best term that could be used to describe Mako would be "Borderline Sociopathic" or "Emotionally Broken", this is not to be confused with calling the young man a psychopath- though there are certainly a few traits that could lead one toward that thought process as well. Due to his abusive past, and the twisted manner in which he has been forced to adapt, topped off with the fact his "natural" personality was never that great, to begin with- many could understand and see why Mako would have a bit of a troubling mindset. When it comes down to it, Mako is ruled by the one thing he has managed to find hold itself true in the chaotic, unfair, and unforgiving world around him: and that is logic.
A mindset that developed due to his abuse having shut him out of normal relationships and social understanding- this word became the basis for all of his natural mental and emotional defenses. Love became something that was illogical, as did anything that he had never had- believing they opened doors only so that they could be shut in your face once more. Due to his inability to cope with the concept of true kindness, love, or other positive emotions not having some sort of benefit for the other party beyond returning that love- Mako has applied this "logical" through process to everything, and is his primary coping and understanding mechanism when it comes to other people.
This does not mean the logic that normal people use, such as "This man has been my friend for years, he wouldn't betray me," but instead in the purest essence of the word, twisted and corrupted through his own life lessons. Instead, Mako is the type of individual to apply numerical value or "deal-based" value to everything- if someone were to offer him "kindness", then there had to be a reason that could make "logical" sense to him. If they wanted to train him, then they wanted to have him owe them so that when he became stronger they could call on him to do something that they were unable to do in the future. If they wanted to give him food, then they wanted him indebted to them so that they could use him for their own means- the list continued.
When it comes to the concepts of love, kindness, or selflesness- Mako believes them to quite simply, not exist. This is in part, not so much from the fact he cannot himself be kind- but instead that he has become so jaded, and painful, that this "debt" concept is the only way he is able to process kindness- giving, or accepting it. Even if he himself does a kindness for another- he refuses to admit such a thing, even to himself, and instead simply makes it a "debt" that he entirely "expects them to pay back", and yet often- will never call on it. Hiding this fact by simply saying that he will only call on the debt when he is in dire need, so as to not "waste a potential recourse". As such, it's not that Mako is void of kindness or love himself- simply that he doesn't understand how to properly accept, or give it due to how he was treated during his key developmental stages in life.
Even when faced with an individual that should make him question these aspects, such as Yuuta Yasui , Mako simply considers it something such as "Altruism" and as such is not "selflessness" but instead "selfishness" because the individual feels good about themselves by doing good and being kind. This cynical outlook on the world is reflected in everything he does- be it in the shape of something as simple as casual conversation, or more important decision making and even combat or and missions. Viewing the world, quite often, not in a state of "Black and White" or in a state of "Different Colors" but instead in a view that quite simply, everything is grey. Morals, Laws, Emotions, Bonds- all of it is meaningless in the end, a means to an end due to how he processes things, and the fact he has not been forced to confront the feelings he refuses to admit he has.
Due to this line of thought, his loyalties are limited to only two things, one of which he is conscious of and fully admits- his own survival, in part due to his promise to Moriko Abe , and in part due to his own natural instincts. The other loyalty being something he refuses to admit, even to himself- the lives of the few people he calls "Allies" vocally, and "Friends" subconsciously. When it comes to his views on the world, these loyalties are the only things that drive his every action- and as such, he has no interest in such concepts as honor, ethics, or moral codes. If he has a supposed loyalty to anything beyond those two aspects- it's only so that he can maximize the chance of survival for one of his two true "loyalties". If he is a loyal, outstanding member of the Gotei it's not because he believes in them or their values- but instead, because they offer him the most efficient way to gain strength and increase his own (or his friends) survival rate.
When it comes to his decision making- any means, justify the ends. Not out of some twisted ideal of justice or doing the right thing, but simply because he doesn't care about any number of things he must sacrifice in order to protect himself or those around him he actually cares about.
The second trail of thought that stems from this broken mindset- and the second largest part of his personality, is his absolute and total terror of the world, and more importantly- of death itself. Mako is ruled by absolute terror- manifested from the abuse of his past as a coping mechanism in order to survive, and then honed into a deadly weapon as the years passed and he learned to properly control it. Though he no longer has a fear of pain due to his immense pain tolerance meaning he barely even feels it any longer- he does fear the concept of death itself, well beyond what others would dub normal. Fearing the end is a natural line of thought- a simple and effective survival instinct that all living creatures have to some degree. However, Mako's goes beyond simple fear- but instead absolute terror, to the point that he never stop thinking, never stops thinking about the ways even the most simple situation can go wrong.
If a normal person entered a possible situation that could end in them sustaining damage, or dying, then they would automatically begin contemplating ways to avoid potential dangers. But if they were simply walking down the street, then such thoughts wouldn't enter their mind. However, Mako does think of such things- no matter where he may be- constantly his mind is working on how any situation, at any point, could go wrong- and how to make that situation disappear before it happened, as well as how to deal with it should it happen anyway. This terror is what has driven him to constantly examine the world with a critical eye- be it a simple conversation or interaction, or wandering an area. It doesn't matter how, or when it happens- Mako is convinced that no matter how slim the chance of something going wrong may be: it will happen, at some point. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong- and he is convinced that he must be prepared for everything that comes to mind, no matter how unlikely it may seem.
The final noteworthy trait of Mako's mind stems from a side of himself that he tends to keep locked away- in the shape of his absolute hatred. Not only of the world, but of himself- his terror, his inability to properly understand other people, his depression, weakness, and more. Though some of these traits appeared to have lessened since his time as a child, they have not been removed or "fixed" but instead simply bottled up and shoved away on a shelf in the back of his mind. Leaving it to boil over and mix with his natural sadistic tendencies- feeling pleasure in making others suffer, to make them feel a taste of what he has endured all his life, out of a deep seeded need to try and make others understand him. This small section of his mind is in many ways, insane- thinking that by harming others, by making them suffer, they understand some part of him which makes him happy, leading to his sadistic tendencies. This hatred, and wrath- is very much the "caged" part of his mind- and as such is the strongest aspect of his Zanpakutō spirit due to it being the core of his subconscious that "breaks free" when he is angered, or excited to the correct degree.
Goals & Achievements:
- Managed to survive the worst area of the slums for most of his early life.
- Became an Expert of Reiatsu Perception and cloaking at the age of ten through raw instinct.
- Managed to achieve Shikai at the age of fourteen.
- Entered the Shinigami Academy with a letter of recommendation, and graduated as a "Jack of all Trades".
GUARDIAN ANGEL —Zanpakutō Spirit: Mako's Zanpakutō spirit is known as "Kurushimi no Sōshisha 苦しみの創始者" meaning "Founder of Suffering" in Japanese. When it comes to the spirit's personality, he is very much a representation of the repressed aspects of Mako's personality- the sides of himself he is either too scared to show or hides purposely knowing they would be frowned upon by society. Sōshisha is very much the voice in the back of Mako's head, encouraging him to be true to himself, to not let weakness and fear control his actions. He is the core of all that Mako refuses to allow himself to have- ambition, desire, a hunger for power over others- driven by a desire to dominate others and make them suffer as Mako has.
Though he is certainly driven by he and Mako's hatred of the world, it is not as though he despises everything and one- unlike Mako he encourages the man to make allies and friends, as long as they have truly proven themselves trustworthy. He recognizes that one can only do so much by himself, and as such fights against Mako's social phobia's and anxieties as much as possible, encouraging him to grow and become more. In many ways, he is the only true friend, teacher, and support that Mako has- knowing just how to kick the young man into gear and force his hand by twisting his own logic against him- showing the manipulative capabilities that Mako could have if he would simply accept the emotions and sides of himself that terrify him so.
The spirit's appearance is that of an average sized man, wearing simple black, hooded monks robes that are torn and worn down in a multitude of area's. Holding no visible weapons, the man instead walks with a slight limp, using a simple wooden cane in order to move. He appears to be completely normal, except for the single fact that the face underneath the hood is malformed and skeletal in appearance- as if it was a simple skull that had skin stretched over it- with no muscle or flesh beyond such. The man's teeth and gums revealed, lacking any shape of lips- his eyes sunken and bearing heavy bags beneath their lids.
Despite the disturbing skin around them, his eyes themselves are normal, despite this fact- their color being a simple brown, shining with life and intellect despite his harrowing appearance. No hair adorns his features or head- covered by the hood, though he makes no attempt to hide his face itself. The only abnormal trait beyond the man's face is his voice, which is completely opposite to what one would envision- as it isn't raspy, or disturbing in the slightest. Instead, his voice is deep, soothing, and robust- holding an air of maturity, charisma, and calm- much like a teacher, or parent would have when speaking to their children.
Sōshisha is a being that represents every emotion that Mako refuses to acknowledge he has- charisma, friendship, bonds, desires and more. Similarly, the strongest connection between himself and Mako is the overwhelming loathing for the world- no matter how much he may wish for Mako to live a brighter life, it doesn't change the fact that no one ever came to help him. The hatred of the world as it is, flawed, cruel, and the people within it just as bad- fueling his desire to make others feel the suffering that he has. Overwhelming hatred, but unlike Mako- not directed as his wielder, or himself, but at the world and its inhabitants themselves for causing it all to happen. He is the driving force that helps push Mako beyond his limits and barriers he subconsciously, and consciously erects- in this way despite his sadistic tendencies due to their shared hatred of the world as a whole, he is not evil by any means.
Simply put- Sōshisha is the small aspect of Mako's psyche that wants to be more- and more importantly that wants to be true to himself. The small child still buried inside of his subconscious that simply wishes to want things, to be like everyone else and have dreams, goals, desires, and bonds with others. To experience life properly, instead of the twisted mindset that he currently has.
Inner World: Mako's inner world has changed very little from its initial design that it held while he was a child- however, there have been some alterations. Mako's inner world takes on the shape of four separate landscapes- the North being covered in snow, with great glaciers and mountains in the distance topped with snow. In the direction of the South lies a great desert, expanding to the horizon- neverending and harsh. To the East lies an expanse of swamplands edged with what could only be called jungles, great tree's and bamboo shoots rising high into the sky, far beyond what they could hope to achieve in reality. Finally, to the West lies dense forestry dotted across mountains- spotted with feilds of thick, green grass- matching its eastern siblings, the tree's and grass far thicker and taller than they could manage in the real world.
Each of these climates abruptly ends, as if an invisible wall separates each of them from the other- without any smooth transition from one to the next. At the epicenter of each of these climates rests a single great castle made entirely of iron and concrete, without a splash of color or abnormalities- surrounded by a great wall of stone, as well as a trench filled with spikes- the castle has no gate, and no doors. Instead, it is sealed away from the different varying climates shining with life and creativity, a grey mist swirling around the castle that desperately raises its defenses against the power of the world around it. The ground that the castle rests on is nothing but petrified earth- dirt and stone with no life or color decorating it in any way.
The castle's interior is nothing but winding staircases and hallways, there are no rooms, and no doors that allow someone within to leave the castle itself. Limited to the never ending hallways and stairs- with only the occasional small window blocked with heavy iron bar's- barely allowing those that look through them to see outside, and only able to see beyond the walls at the tallest of towers. The meaning behind the inner world is simple: the climates represent the colors, joys, adventures, and danger of the world. Similarly, the castle and wall represent Mako's refusal to enter that world out of his terror for what it could do to him, erecting his walls and defenses- content to wander aimlessly through the halls of the castle, achieving nothing despite all the steps he takes.
However, this is not the only meaning behind the castle itself- as it also represents his subconscious desire to lord over the world within him, a great castle rising above the rest of the world- where he could reside within, controlling it to his whim, dominating all around him. This subconscious thought has been dulled by his abuse, however, and as such its gates and doors have disappeared- its windows barred, and its great rooms have been replaced with halls and stairwells. Within this castle, Sōshisha wanders freely- unlike Mako he is not bound by his terror and is, therefore, able to freely walk through the walls and wander the world as he see's fit. Despite this, due to his attachment to Mako he tends to reside within the Castle- usually found on its roof, or in the courtyard, only entering the halls of the castle itself when Mako enters his inner world.
Power: Sōshisha's power is based around the single concept that he shares with Mako, representing their strongest connection- that being their complete nihilism when it comes to the world around them, their hatred for the world, its moral codes, those that say they stand for justice or good when they have both seen plenty of proof that proves it to be lies. The powers that are connected to Sōshisha, as such, are based around causing others to feel a taste of the agony that Mako has suffered through for so much of his life. As such, the base ability itself is to cause others to suffer- and this is done through a tirade of effects, such as draining physical stamina, causing illusions of negative incidents and battles in their pasts to haunt their minds, pulling out trauma or phobia's they may possess, or even simply cause direct physical pain to those with the strongest of wills to resist emotional or mental suffering.
The degree this power can affect others, as well as how it affects them- varies tremendously based on the level of release Sōshisha is at, as well as the targets that are being affected. As the power itself is based on its targets weaknesses, just because it may cause one person to suffer hallucinations of their past trauma to cause them to panic and enter a frenzy- that does not mean that it would do the same to the next person that it affected. Since each individual's trauma, pains, and fears are different- as is how individuals deal with them, the effect of this power will almost never have the same effect on each person that it targets. (Note: It is up to the player of the character that is affected, what the character may see or feel as well as how much it affects them psychologically. They may also choose to have it simply cause physical pain, or drain stamina, instead.)
Zanpakutō: Mako's Zanpakutō in its base, sealed state takes on the simple shape of a simple tantō, slightly larger than normal in order to fit his height and size, usually tucked into the back of his belt or strapped to his leg or forearm for ease of access. The blade itself is twelve inches long, doubled edged, and a normal steel color- holding a single hand grip and a simple metallic plate over the pommel to act as a minor counterweight. The handle itself is made from what appears to be simple carved wood holding no unique designs or shapes- as plain as possible lacking any form of a guard over the fingers. The sheath matches the handle, made of simple plain polished wood with a single black string that can be used to wrap the blade when it's not in use, or more easily fasten it to a limb.
LEGACY CREATED —
Origin: To start our story for Mako, one must go back a bit before his birth. Mako's family, the Fujita, were a relatively wealthy family of merchants in the upper Rukongai districts with strong connections to the Gotei, though not quite nobles, they lived a relatively rich lifestyle and enjoyed many things that others would never taste in their lives. However, this lifestyle began to slowly shift as their specialty goods were outpaced by another business- and as such, their worlds began to slowly fall apart. Mako's mother and father were married via an arrangement between families, there was no love between them- though it wasn't as though they hated one another either. As the stress began to pile up, however, it became more and more clear that his father was not prepared to deal with the fall of the business- having been raised with money and never having gone without it, he had only ever known how to try and "maintain the ship" so to speak. Never how to "save a sinking ship".
Due to this, when the business began to sink- he was desperate for a reason as to why thinking that he could have done no wrong. From this line of thought, he managed a single connection- the family business began to fail when his wife had become with child. This, became his reason- the reason that his business was failing, the reason his wife looked at him with such distaste, the reason his servants abandoned him, everything that went wrong became the unborn child's fault. He was cursed, though he never said it, not until the day Mako was born- and with his birth came the death of his mother. Though he did not grieve to heavily, his father did see this as a clarification that he had been right. Without anyone to tell him otherwise any longer- he named the boy "Mako" quite literally meaning "Cursed Child", and so began the steady fall of the family even further. For now that the man had a reason that was out of his control to fight against, he no longer even tried to fight. The business of the family fell within a few months- and the savings lasted for a few short years.The family was forced to move to the slums- and with that, came to the concept of Mako having to be "punished" for existing. Everything was the young child's fault, and now that they were in the slums- no one cared enough to intervene with the screams of the young boy every night beyond yelling to shut him up. The abuse started out weak, but as time passed and the father's frustrations grew- they escalated, his sadistic side causing them to rise even faster. Eventually, the boy was put through all forms of abuse from physical to sexual as the years went by, beaten, bruised, scar-covered and broken- Mako's personality was twisted into a self-loathing young boy that wanted nothing more than to die. But was held back by only fear of the unknown.
Despite this fear, the thoughts lingered within his mind- driving to levels of depression and suppressed emotion even further along than what he had initially suffered, Mako began to spend his time in the Rukongai slums desperately avoiding his father. Though he still had to return before night, he was able to at least escape the hellhole of his life for a few hours each day. It was during this time that Mako began to actually make acquaintances, the first being a young girl named Moriko- who began to drag him into delivery jobs in order to ensure he got food. This meeting would be the first positive relationship that Mako had ever managed to acquire- and the pair would begin to rapidly spend more and more time together.
Eventually, this time would lead to Mako beginning to actually enjoy things, even if he refused to admit such- the resulting reaction from his father noticing him being slightly less beaten and broken leading to some of the worst abuse he had ever endured. Due to the physical damage, as well as the psychological abuse triggered by the sexual assault- Mako is pushed to his limit and begins to heavily contemplate suicide for the first time. This leads to him seeking out a large cliff near the edge of the slums- prepared to leap, his depression having finally beaten out his fear of death; until Moriko finds him having been concerned due to the fact he hadn't shown up for the job that morning. The result is her dragging him back, intending to hit him for being an "idiot" until seeing his new wounds from the damage he had suffered.
This leads to a short discussion, in which Mako refuses to tell her what had happened- and instead of rejecting him as the broken boy expects, she instead lets it go- and forces him into a promise. To find something to live for, every day- since it was a promise to her, he had to hold it. This would be his first attempt at making a friend, as well as his first promise. The promise becomes Mako's psychological crutch and forces him to search for something to support his life, eventually leading him to find the sun's rising to be therapeutic. This would lead to him meeting his second friend- a young boy named Yuuta, as well as their first major meeting ending with Mako punching him out of a tree.
Yuuta and Mako then begin to slowly bond- though its a twisted bond, Yuuta's brilliant kindness, and optimistic personality is something that Mako subconsciously envies as well as respects. Their friendship begins to steadily grow as the pair work together, Yuuta ensuring he ate, and watching him as much as he could- and in return Mako "settling the debt" by watching over his friend and helping him as much as he could. This leads to the development of different jobs in order to help Yuuta's mother, Yuki, pay for food and other supplies for their home. Similarly, Mako developed an odd "big sister" relationship with Yuki, it is during this point where Mako is beginning to search out possible options for getting more food- and the bare concepts of trying to escape his father are beginning to manifest (though he is nowhere near ready to actually attempt such).
During this time, Mako begins to resort to thievery once more in the hopes of obtaining food enough to properly grow and support himself- during one of these attempts, Mako runs into a man named Murat, a teacher in the Rukongai. Approached- their initial interactions are full of fear and hostility due to Mako's lack of trust, however, eventually the man managed to earn a degree of his trust with an offered deal. Eventually, Murat takes him in and begins to teach him concepts of the mind- how currency works, basics of law, races, writing, reading, and many more concepts that though Mako had a brief understanding of- had never had a formal education of such. This understanding blooms into a relationship that Mako had never had- one of Teacher and Student, even if it was only for basic education and understanding.
From this point, Mako begins to come to a degree of free thought- and his desire to escape his father continued to grow. However, due to his own weakness and constant abuse (which was now escalating as if his father sensed that his "stress relief" was trying to escape him) Mako was unable to act on it. It was at this point, after a degree of hefty abuse due to his father and having limped away to collapse on the side of the road- that he has a chance encounter with the full-fledged Shinigami- Zâbel Kohara. The woman heals him, as well as offers him an escape- out of a mixture of pity and a desire to ease her own soul and debt to her father, seeing herself in Mako to a lesser extent. Mako accepts the offer.
For the next three months, Mako trains under Zâbel in secret- suppressing his energy so that the others within the Seireitei didn't realize that she was training a plus. This training focused initially on simply easing his fear- however, as things progressed they finally began to move forward actively. Mako began to learn how to properly use his Reiatsu, as well as began to learn how to fight- his education that Murat started, expanded upon in detail as Zâbel pooled her effort into helping him. Though he still suffered from his issues connecting to his fear, Mako began to move forward as a person- as well as began taking his first steps on the road to becoming a Shinigami himself.
It is after this period that Mako leaves the Kohara compound where he was living with his teacher, to instead return to the Rukongai to teach Yuuta what he had learned as well as better himself even further- hoping that with his friends (though he refused to see him as such) help, he may manage to control the terror that constantly controlled all of his actions. During this time, he would meet a man named Hitsuyona during his personal training time- and the two would bond to a degree initially as teacher and student, before Mako quickly began to overtake the man's lessons and focus instead on sparring and training with him as well as introducing him to the Shinigami in order to help him join the Academy.
Finally, Mako begins to control his fear enough so that he is able to properly fight- even if in a delayed a bit of a panicked fashion, however, he is still haunted by his "fear". It is at this point that Mako, as a child fights his first Hollow alongside Yuuta- the pair killing it, but not before the experience forces both of them to manifest their blades in order to survive. After this point, Mako begins to hear the whispers of his Zanpakto spirit- telling him in his dreams that if he wished to control his fear, he needed to "kill his weakness". These dreams haunt him, unable to properly decipher them as the years tick away, until finally, Yuuta, Moriko, and he are all prepared to enter the Shinigami Academy with a written recommendation from his Zâbel.
Rise to Power: Mako, as a final act in the Rukongai- finally makes the connection of what his spirit was telling him- the source of his "fear". With this realization, he decides that it was time for him to face his father that he had abandoned three years prior- the source of all fear and abuse in his life. Mako was prepared for the worst, braced for suffering and ready to fight an opponent that in his mind stood as a Titan- ruling over his life with an iron fist and immeasurable power, for the first time, facing his fear as he entered his old home. Instead, the man that he found was nothing like he envisioned in his mind's eyes. Broken, battered, skin and bones- only one word came to Mako's mind as he stared at his father who began ranting about him "finally crawling back"."Pathetic."
The words left his mouth- and they were directed at himself just as much as the man before him. The realization and understanding came- that his father had never been some incredibly strong being. Only one thing had been strong- and that had been his fear. Terror, nurtured by his environment- the whispers of his Zanpakutō filled his mind once more. A single stroke of his blade ended the man's pathetic life, without hesitation, or remorse- he painted the inside of his old home red with his own father's blood. This, was his final act within the Rukongai- and as he met his friends outside the Seireitei gates and prepared for his new life- he never once regretted his decision, seeing the place as worthless to him. A shell that his former self had been caged within, not realizing how fragile thin that shell that had "trapped" him, had truly been.
As if in reward, his Zanpakutō spirit finally spoke to him in full- though it was no reward, Mako had finally simply cut away the source of his terror. A shadow that he had allowed rule over him his entire life, and now- he had realized the truth. Cut away from his weakness, he was finally able to truly mature- and with an understanding of his fear, Mako would now be able to control it. That control allowed him to hear his spirits words as they were spoken- and a name was given, the first awakening of the trio to achieve their Shikai- though he would be the one that rarely ever utilized it due to the sick, twisted nature of the blade itself. Not because he refused it, but simply because he knew the others around him would in his stead.
Following this incident, Mako entered the Shinigami Academy alongside Moriko and Yuuta- the entrance exam itself finished with completely average scores but tactics and reiatsu perception, done for a reason so as to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Yuuta, passing with flying colors, in all physical tests with above average in the rest and Moriko's similar to his own scores but leaning more toward Kido. The three would enter the Academy and become known quite rapidly due to the letter of recommendation they had received- not something immensely rare, but unusual nonetheless. Due to this, they were often faced with individuals that wanted to "test them".
Thankfully, Yuuta was all too eager to take the challenges- allowing Mako peace and quiet, the other young man refusing to let Mako fight. Partially due to his own competitive streak, but also due to the fact that he knew he was doing them a kindness- Mako didn't spar. He did battle, and if he was in battle, he was utterly ruthless. Slowly, as they progressed through the years the trio began to truly fill out in their personalities, despite Mako's blunt and cold demeanor- due to his honesty and surprising dedication, he earned many admirers. Eventually, the first true attempt at a "relationship" was initiated between himself and Moriko- however, both of them found the idea of "dating" in the classical sense to be pointless.
Due to this, the pair instead went a more ... direct, route. Becoming friends with benefits on the side, the pair would continue as they were- and Mako would begin exploring outwardly a bit more as his "admirers" proved to be a bit more than originally anticipated. Eventually named a "Closet Ladies Man", due to his habits and general flippant nature when it came to actual romance- never settling down with any one individual. Despite this, his relationship with his two allies continued to grow, and with Yuuta as a roommate, and Moriko often stopping by or Mako simply staying over with her, the trio grew close.
During the last two years of his time in the Academy, Mako would begin tutoring other students in combat tactics, and kido- having found an affinity for both, specifically due to the combination potential that Kido had in order to maximize their efficiency. For the most part, Mako's Academy years would happen without any unusual incidents- due to his determination to not be caught up in the turmoils around him, and Yuuta's interference he very rarely ever got caught up in drama or fights. Similarly, because he made certain to study as much as possible- but never get perfect scores, there was very little envy in regards to him, being seen as a simple "above average" student in most eyes with a slightly creative mind that gave him unique idea's when it came to kido and strategy.
During his fifth year in the Academy, Mako and Yuuta led an advanced Konso lesson to the human realm- this came with no unusual activity beyond the killing of a few Hollow, which went just fine- however, this would be the first instance that Mako would step up, and not simply offer advice from the side. Instead, truly taking over as a leader- organizing the students into squads and using Yuuta as a vanguard in order to protect the students themselves. This show of strategy was already known to the Academy, however, the surprising skill at moral control he exampled in the exercise was noted. Not like normal charisma, what Mako was capable of was building confidence off of facts, logic, and getting others to trust his decision-making skills- to become confident in him, and in doing so themselves.
By the end of his Academy years, Mako would graduate from the academy with perfectly above-average grades throughout the entire year, finishing in the average timeframe of six years- he wouldn't stand out in the slightest on paper, just as he wanted. Despite his personality growth, Mako still is without a real goal or idea of exactly what he wants to do with himself. Instead, he would make a mental agreement with himself to not step "into the light" until he had that goal- until he had something that he truly desired beyond just raw "power".
Call to Action: Without a set goal in mind, Mako would take the recommendation offered to him by an instructor at the Academy, to take up the Second Division, due to his "personality being so fitting". Without any reason to decline that reasoning, Mako would then move to join the division- clearing their entrance ceremony easily enough before being given a standard unseated officer position. From this point, Mako would begin to focus on internal meditation- knowing that Sōshisha was someone he should turn to by his lessons in the Academy. Unlike many, his spirit didn't hold any negative intent toward him- patient, and eager to help but not to the point of wanting to pressure him.It was the perfect match so that when Mako approached the spirit and requested help on finding a "purpose", Sōshisha was overjoyed. The next years would become dedicated to the process of helping Mako discover exactly what it was he wanted- survival and power were the first of course- and these desires manifested in his dedicated training and focus. However, they both knew he needed more than that if he was going to truly progress beyond just swinging his sword around with the other unseated members of his division.
Despite this, and even with Sōshisha's gentle prodding, Mako seemed emotionally incapable of discovering what it was he wanted through time- a trigger was needed, but Sōshisha was uncertain of what exactly it could be. Without any real focus, Mako would begin to spar with Yuuta instead, working with the young man to simply better himself as much as possible while he waited- knowing that no matter what, if he could at least be strong he would have something for him to cling to.
It wouldn't be until "The Great Seireitei Massacre" would be initiated- that Mako would discover the trigger. Standing quietly to the side, he watched as those that thought they held power in this world- were stomped into the earth. Death surrounded him, only managing to survive the incident by hiding in the bodies of his former comrades and suppressing his energy with pure survival instinct so that he was ignored. First, the attacker's power overwhelmed all he had known and seen. Captains? Stomped underfoot. Vice Captains? Stomped underfoot- even the Captain Commander, all the symbols he had used as his base for training, turned to ash before his senses.
The realization came- even after the massacre was over, that power alone- was not enough. What the Seireitei lacked at that time was not power- but information to drive them to continue evolving. What they had lacked, was an ambition to continue pushing themselves- and that was why the attacker had managed to grow stronger than them because he had been driven by something. What was it that drove Mako then? What was it that would fuel his "evolution" beyond this shell of himself that trained simply because it was "something to do"?
With this line of thought, Mako realized that he had yet to actually try to become stronger. For all his blustering, and training- his power itself had barely grown, he wasn't increasing his strength- he was simply keeping himself at the level he had always been at. No matter how much he considered the issue- Mako was unable to think of something that he wanted to such a degree that he would be willing to pour everything he was into it. However, there had still been a change, no matter how slight. Mako no longer was content sitting back and being an empty shell of a person.
He had no ambition or desires of his own. But what he did have was a sudden desire to become more- he wanted something- even if that "something" was just to actually have a goal, or ambition of some sort. No longer content being empty, he was finally ready to take his first step into becoming an actual person- to others, that may not seem like much, it's something that most children go through in their youth after all. However, Mako was so emotionally and psychologically stunted- this simple concept had never once been awakened in him. Now, after years of pain, and fear- fear of caring, fear of becoming someone important, fear of responsibility- a refusal to even try to have any of it: had finally changed into a desire to try.
It was quite literally his first step- and that was why it had so much important and weight to propel him forward.
Keeping his thoughts quite, Mako would spend the next years dedicating himself to his training- honing himself in as many skills as possible to maximize his combat potential- now with a drive, however basic it may be, the difference became obvious near instantly. Instead of being willing to stop after he was a bit tired, Mako pushed himself further and demanded Yuuta continue training with him or forced his body to keep going in his private training. Broadening his focus, Mako began to take missions assigned to him a bit more seriously- making sure to never fail or complete a mission with to much flare, in order to keep his record clean and standard. That was important because it meant when he finally did step out of the shadows and reveal himself and his ambition- it would have that much more impact with those around him.
Sōshisha was absolutely thrilled with this change, encouraging it heavily and beginning to work with the young boy- the two began to bond closer, and closer as they began to delve into options for him to take. It was at this point, that Mako's "Castle" wich originally didn't have any doors, windows, or even slits for the outside world to come in- to finally shift. It was a slight change, but it still proved to Sōshisha that he was finally willing to make the next steps. The windowless, doorless castle of solitude and darkness- was pierced by the light of the sky even through the thick grey mists. Windows had formed in the castle, small, barred in irons, and yet- they had still manifested. Despite Mako's uncertainty, despite his fear- he was willing to at least now look outside.
So he did, every day Mako would enter meditation- visiting his inner world, and standing by one of the windows, looking out the world that surrounded his castle- talking to Sōshisha, or simply enjoying one another's company as he did most of the talking instead. The change was slight, and yet held tremendous meaning- Mako, even if he was encased by fear represented by iron bar's, was now willing to look at himself, and even more importantly look at the world around him. Even if he wasn't ready to interact with it yet, the interest there. Sōshisha was eager to see the day that his windows would become barless- and then, perhaps, doors and gates to return to his friend's lonely castle.
