GENPAKU ARISHIMA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
||Personal Information||
||The Basics||
::Name::
Arishima, Genpaku (Family, Given)
::Affiliation::
Soul Society, Gotei Thirteen, Division Ten
::Position::
Captain of Division Ten
::True Age::
143 Years Old [128 Years Dead]
::Gender::
Male
::Orientation::
Straight
::Known Residences::
Tenth Division Barracks Appartment, Seireitei
Ariake Family Mansion, Seireitei
::Name::
Arishima, Genpaku (Family, Given)
::Affiliation::
Soul Society, Gotei Thirteen, Division Ten
::Position::
Captain of Division Ten
::True Age::
143 Years Old [128 Years Dead]
::Gender::
Male
::Orientation::
Straight
::Known Residences::
Tenth Division Barracks Appartment, Seireitei
Ariake Family Mansion, Seireitei
||Appearance||
::Physical Description::
Genpaku stands tall for someone in his approximate age bracket in the World of the Living, or at least he did back when he was alive. His height and lithe build makes many think him lacking muscle mass at all; this is wrong, as Genpaku in surprisingly good shape. Or, if you know how much time Genpaku spends training maybe it isn't surprising. His hair is the color of platinum, which he keeps short so that is doesn't get in the way. His eyes are a deep emerald color. He generally dresses in normal shinigami attire, including his Captain's haori when it is needed. He has been known, however, to leave it behind on occasion when he is in a hurry. He rarely is ever appears in public without a top however, not wanting to explain the scars that cover his upper torso. Some of these scars poke out at his collar bone and around his wrists, but they are the smallest pieces of a much larger tapestry that covers his chest and abdomen. These scars can not seem to be healed away as easily as most; they are scars of the soul, imprinted on him when he became a Shinigami by the Hollow that killed him. There was a time when they were red and angry looking, but now they are healed. Healed, but ever present. His features are softer, reflecting his kinder demeanor.
::Height::
5'6”
::Weight::
61.325Kg (135lbs)
::Visual Reference::
::Physical Description::
Genpaku stands tall for someone in his approximate age bracket in the World of the Living, or at least he did back when he was alive. His height and lithe build makes many think him lacking muscle mass at all; this is wrong, as Genpaku in surprisingly good shape. Or, if you know how much time Genpaku spends training maybe it isn't surprising. His hair is the color of platinum, which he keeps short so that is doesn't get in the way. His eyes are a deep emerald color. He generally dresses in normal shinigami attire, including his Captain's haori when it is needed. He has been known, however, to leave it behind on occasion when he is in a hurry. He rarely is ever appears in public without a top however, not wanting to explain the scars that cover his upper torso. Some of these scars poke out at his collar bone and around his wrists, but they are the smallest pieces of a much larger tapestry that covers his chest and abdomen. These scars can not seem to be healed away as easily as most; they are scars of the soul, imprinted on him when he became a Shinigami by the Hollow that killed him. There was a time when they were red and angry looking, but now they are healed. Healed, but ever present. His features are softer, reflecting his kinder demeanor.
::Height::
5'6”
::Weight::
61.325Kg (135lbs)
::Visual Reference::
||Personality||
::Positive Aspects::
Genpaku possesses a drive that few others possess, let alone can comprehend. It is his drive that has pushed him beyond the wildest expectations of those he has interacted with, and beyond his own per-conceived notions of his limits; part of this is because Genpaku is never satisfied with where he stands in terms of power. Do not mistake this for a hunger for power, however, as it is nothing so twisted or self-absorbed. Genpaku seeks the power to protect; he possesses a compassionate nature that combined with several of his other traits has served to both motivate him and drag him down. He is not the type to watch another suffer; either by making himself the butt of a joke to raise the spirits of those around him or taking more direct action, he seeks to help others. This goes double for those he calls his friends. There was a time when Genpaku was a loner among Shinigami, when he actively fled from their company. Those days are now long past him, though he has been known to enjoy his own company from time to time. While he is generally a relaxed and open individual, he makes true friendships with others only after time and thought. For those he calls his friends he would go to the ends of the earth for. He is an incredibly loyal person to his friends, and to Soul Society. His loyalty is not tied to some sense of duty or honor, nor to his family's heritage; instead, Genpaku recognizes that Soul Society is the only place that Souls of the common man may go with certainty.
Genpaku carries himself with a relaxed and outgoing attitude; many have mistake this for naiviety from his young age. Many believe him stupid because he lacks age. He is neither of these things, and those that know his story know why. The reality is that Genpaku possesses a razor sharp intellect, which he does not neglect to use though in subtle ways. His is the mind of a learner, and combined with his drive it has served him well by allowing him to learn, understand, and modify techniques in ways that few others have. There is another side to Genpaku here, a fierce and decisive side that is only really seen when there is a situation where he must take control. This is most commonly seen when Genpaku is in the battlefield, as he will call out orders and plans with little waste. He will turn his intellect on the plans and movements of the enemy and strike to the heart of it. When he has determined a course of action that he feels he must take, he will do so with precision and decisiveness.While he may have been "raised" in combat and unease since becoming a shinigami, or maybe because he was, Genpaku seeks the simpler things; time to be with friends, calm days to enjoy, happiness. One could say he seeks the life that was taken from him all those years ago, the childhood he was never allow to finish. They may even be partially correct.
::Negative Aspects::
Genpaku is an incredibly self-critical person, his drive to improve himself playing against him in this aspect. He is generally the first to find fault with himself, the first (and sometimes only) person to blame himself when things have gone wrong. He constantly thinks himself too far behind those he wants to protect, too weak to be of much note. His modest outlook on his own capabilities is likely a piece of this thought process, and so the cycle perpetuates. He focuses on the things he's failed to do rather than on anything he has accomplished, thus leading to the self-doubt in his own capabilities.
Beyond the self-criticism, Genpaku has a tendency to occasionally fall back into his insular persona. At such times he generally seems to shy away from company, usually with some reason to explain why. He keeps this decently well hidden however, maintaining a happy facade as he goes about his day. The cheer never seems to quite reach his eyes however. Once alone the facade drops, and Genpaku falls into brooding and training. When in these moods Genpaku has trained hard and long enough to injure himself. Its usually hard to detect when this mood has settled in, since Genpaku has some reclusive tendencies that crop up from time to time for little reason. Truth be told, he does simply enjoy his own company from time to time rather than the company of others.
Finally, Genpaku is still young as far as Shinigami are concerned. Though he keeps it in check generally, he does possess a temper that can be ignited to disastrous effect. Mostly, this can be dangerous because Genpaku does possess a decent quantity of power and any power wielded without the temperance of control will result in tragedy. The quickest way to bring this about would be the endanger or harm those close to Genpaku. Doing so generally will not result well for anyone involved, however.
::Positive Aspects::
Genpaku possesses a drive that few others possess, let alone can comprehend. It is his drive that has pushed him beyond the wildest expectations of those he has interacted with, and beyond his own per-conceived notions of his limits; part of this is because Genpaku is never satisfied with where he stands in terms of power. Do not mistake this for a hunger for power, however, as it is nothing so twisted or self-absorbed. Genpaku seeks the power to protect; he possesses a compassionate nature that combined with several of his other traits has served to both motivate him and drag him down. He is not the type to watch another suffer; either by making himself the butt of a joke to raise the spirits of those around him or taking more direct action, he seeks to help others. This goes double for those he calls his friends. There was a time when Genpaku was a loner among Shinigami, when he actively fled from their company. Those days are now long past him, though he has been known to enjoy his own company from time to time. While he is generally a relaxed and open individual, he makes true friendships with others only after time and thought. For those he calls his friends he would go to the ends of the earth for. He is an incredibly loyal person to his friends, and to Soul Society. His loyalty is not tied to some sense of duty or honor, nor to his family's heritage; instead, Genpaku recognizes that Soul Society is the only place that Souls of the common man may go with certainty.
Genpaku carries himself with a relaxed and outgoing attitude; many have mistake this for naiviety from his young age. Many believe him stupid because he lacks age. He is neither of these things, and those that know his story know why. The reality is that Genpaku possesses a razor sharp intellect, which he does not neglect to use though in subtle ways. His is the mind of a learner, and combined with his drive it has served him well by allowing him to learn, understand, and modify techniques in ways that few others have. There is another side to Genpaku here, a fierce and decisive side that is only really seen when there is a situation where he must take control. This is most commonly seen when Genpaku is in the battlefield, as he will call out orders and plans with little waste. He will turn his intellect on the plans and movements of the enemy and strike to the heart of it. When he has determined a course of action that he feels he must take, he will do so with precision and decisiveness.While he may have been "raised" in combat and unease since becoming a shinigami, or maybe because he was, Genpaku seeks the simpler things; time to be with friends, calm days to enjoy, happiness. One could say he seeks the life that was taken from him all those years ago, the childhood he was never allow to finish. They may even be partially correct.
::Negative Aspects::
Genpaku is an incredibly self-critical person, his drive to improve himself playing against him in this aspect. He is generally the first to find fault with himself, the first (and sometimes only) person to blame himself when things have gone wrong. He constantly thinks himself too far behind those he wants to protect, too weak to be of much note. His modest outlook on his own capabilities is likely a piece of this thought process, and so the cycle perpetuates. He focuses on the things he's failed to do rather than on anything he has accomplished, thus leading to the self-doubt in his own capabilities.
Beyond the self-criticism, Genpaku has a tendency to occasionally fall back into his insular persona. At such times he generally seems to shy away from company, usually with some reason to explain why. He keeps this decently well hidden however, maintaining a happy facade as he goes about his day. The cheer never seems to quite reach his eyes however. Once alone the facade drops, and Genpaku falls into brooding and training. When in these moods Genpaku has trained hard and long enough to injure himself. Its usually hard to detect when this mood has settled in, since Genpaku has some reclusive tendencies that crop up from time to time for little reason. Truth be told, he does simply enjoy his own company from time to time rather than the company of others.
Finally, Genpaku is still young as far as Shinigami are concerned. Though he keeps it in check generally, he does possess a temper that can be ignited to disastrous effect. Mostly, this can be dangerous because Genpaku does possess a decent quantity of power and any power wielded without the temperance of control will result in tragedy. The quickest way to bring this about would be the endanger or harm those close to Genpaku. Doing so generally will not result well for anyone involved, however.
||History||
Beginnings[1888 – 1891]
Surrounded by dark and fog Genpaku Arishima died August 12th, 1888. His death was a gruesome on, like that of the rest of his family; it left scars not only on his body and mind, but his very soul. He generally does not talk about the events of that night with people, and even those close to him have likely only heard the story once.
In those dark hours, a Hollow struck Genpaku's family. It had stalked the young boy and family at large for days, having sensed the latent spiritual energy that hung around the family and in Genpaku particularly. A rather sadistic Hollows it murdered Genpaku's family, consumed their souls, and used their bodies like puppets once he returned. Genpaku caught on and attempted to flee; he may as well have tried to fly for all the good it would do him in the end. Let us leave the rest of the details by the wayside, for they add little to this condensed tale. Despite the intervention of a Shinigami in the matter Genpaku passed into death. Yet, this is barely the beginning of our story, as so many endings end up being. As Genpaku fell into death, a voice called out to him; the voice of a Zanpakutō. Genpaku wouldn't know that for many years after, nor would he know the source. He didn't need to know these things though; this voice, this man, offered him the power to avenge his family. Using that power, in an explosion of rage and speed, Genpaku destroyed the monster that had taken everything from him.
As the dust settled, the other Shinigami attempted to make sense of the situation and bring Genpaku back to the Soul Society. Genpaku refused, stating that his work here wasn't done. Before the other Shinigami could take him, Genpaku fled with enough speed to lose his pursuer. He mourned, and nearly came to a stand still before he was reminded of what had to accomplish. Over the next three years Genpaku was sighted by various Shinigami around Japan, always in conflict with a Hollow and always on the move. He had made a vow, a promise to the spirits of his family that he would slay one thousand Hollows before he allowed himself to move on. He would in fact complete this task, but not without road bumps.
To begin with, Genpaku discovered the fate of those souls devoured by a Hollow when he encountered his brother as a Hollow. The battle was long, and led to the second major complication; a Shinigami by the name of Tsubine von Zarkonheinz. Up until this point the Shinigami Genpaku had ran into had been either low seat or unseated members, neither of which applied to Tsubine. Genpaku had been ordered captured if possible, but Tsubine had been present for the conflict prior. Rather than attempt to bring him in directly, Tsubine learned the reason for Genpaku's resistance and opted to see the final stages of this hunt through. Once the task was completed, Genpaku was brought to the Soul Society.
Understanding and The Academy[1891 – 1893]
Genpaku had not know this before, but the fact that he had been 'born' with two Zanpaku-tous was apparently a rather rare trait. This was something was noted and commented on much in those first few days once he had arrived in the Soul Society. He was kept under guard for the time, since he had resisted arrest as it was, but the details soon came to light. Genpaku was the last living heir to the Ariake Noble Family, a minor noble house that had consumed itself in civil conflict before being leveled by his great grandfather. Said grandfather had vanished into the Human World, and no trace of him had been found until Genpaku's emergence onto the scene. Given this information and the pair of Zanpaku-tous, it was theorized that Genpaku may well have been in possession of two sets of Shinigami powers. With that all in the open, the question of what do with Genpaku was finally put forth. Despite what amounted to a wealth of practical combat experience, Genpaku lacked the several foundation skills to actually enter the Gotei. So it was decided that he would have to enroll in the Shino Academy.
In many ways the Shino Academy was a great boon for Genpaku. After nearly three years of fighting spiritual monster, being completely out of his element, and being anti-social he was introduced to something strangely familiar; school. It was a world he could get his head around, a thing that in a twisted way made sense to him. No matter where you go, school remains the same; he was the new kid in a new city, and there were many who took offense to his presence. Yet, this simply made things more familiar to him. Genpaku mainly kept to himself, as he was still in many ways in shock from the loss of his family and the discovery of the spiritual world. It had been his drive and will that had kept his feet moving forward before, but with his task complete he had become aimless. With his admittance to the Shino Academy he had goals again. While there were conflicts and people that resented him, there were also those that Genpaku would meet and eventually form lasting friendships with. It would take time though to break through the shell of isolation he had built around himself.
All said, it took Genpaku a year and a half to complete his training at the Shino Academy. His instructors believed he could have passed the exams after the first year, but Genpaku had declined to take them. While he had believed he had not learned everything he could from the Shino Academy yet, subconsciously he was loathed to leave what had become a familiar environment to him. Something in him pushed at him however, and rather than wait for the second year's exams to roll around he requested to take them mid-season. He couldn't tell why, but he felt his time at the Academy had come to an end.
Hard Knocks [1893 – 1907]
Upon graduation from the Shino Academy Genpaku requested to be placed in the Eleventh Division, despite warnings of doing exactly that. His motivations for doing so were largely selfish, and he didn't bother to explain them to many people. In short though, Genpaku was still very much an angry individual. Barely half a decade had passed since the violent death of his family, since his world had been completely ripped apart and stitched back together. While his skill in combat had been tempered his attitude was very much that of a teenager angry with the world; so he went looking for a fight. What better place to do so than the Division most known for it? To the surprise of many, his request was approved.
Which led to Genpaku's first day in the Eleventh Division. Predictably by the time Genpaku had come within fifty meters of the Division grounds the jeers began. Surprisingly though the first fight didn't really start until he'd made it through the gate. This could likely be a result of Genpaku being used to this from some members in the Shino Academy. The fight broke out none the less; and this is how Genpaku official met Lilith Antonovich. Lilith found several division members unconscious, and a few more thinking twice about rushing in at the little ball of anger that Genpaku was. Apparently, she took a liking to that.
Over the next decade and then some Genpaku earned a grudging respect from his Division mates as he worked through his own issues. He found in Lilith someone willing to back him and encourage him; in short, he found a mother. That may well have played a large piece of helping him come to terms with what he had gone through and move past it. However, such wounds take time to heal.
Seeking a Name and a Purpose[1907 – 1927]
Given the time he needed Genpaku began to push past his self-imposed isolation and began to take stock of the world he was really in now. Namely, he began to look into what he wanted to do with this second life he had been pushed into. Additionally, he began to look into trying to find the name of his first Zanpakutō. Despite many telling him it was not that easy, he had determined that was where he wanted to start; he, at this point, had a pretty good idea of who he was looking for when it came to the Zanpakutō spirit. The man who had appeared to him when he was dying, and whose words had forced his feet to move when he had almost let them fall still. Unfortunately though, that man had been absent for years now and no voice had called out. With no other choice, Genpaku focused on his training and worked towards that goal.
With these thoughts in mind, Genpaku requested a transfer to the Eighth Division. He explained the situation, and believed that the Eighth Division had some of the best relations with the other Divisions and he wanted to expand his abilities further. To do that, he felt he needed to gain a base in those skills before he tempered them in combat. From there, he began to truly pursue the first name while wrestling with what he wanted to do.
He found that name nearly two decades later; it seemed like a long time to him, and yet it was so little time to find such a thing in terms of a Shinigami's life span. It was found during a solo patrol when he was ambushed by a powerful Hollow. For all of Genpaku's speed and skill, the Hollow was able to defend and press back. Things were dire for the young Shinigami; then a voice called out, a conversation was had, and a purpose was found. His first Zanpakutō's name was Raiden, and he existed to protect Genpaku. He was the one that had awoken when the Hollow had taken everything from Genpaku all those years ago, but he would not be satisfied serving one who sought power with no purpose or reason. Genpaku found both the name and his purpose in that fight; reminded of the events a quarter of a century past, Genpaku found that he did not want to see that past repeated. He slew the Hollows in the opening moments of releasing Raiden. He returned to Soul Society, taking in what the discovery of this name entailed.
Primarily, it had confirmed for Genpaku something that had been theorized when he had first been brought to the Soul Society. The second blade that hung at his hip had not reacted to the name he had been given, and so it seemed true that he did indeed possess two sets of Shinigami powers. While this was useful information, considering the fact that those powers were largely dormant meant he simply had more work to do. Truthfully, the more important discovery was the purpose that Genpaku had found. With that purpose, he knew what Division he wanted to become part of. However, that brought up a conundrum in the young Shinigami. He knew he had the strength the seek out a seated position, even before he'd achieved Shikai. Up until now though, he'd avoided pursuing a seated position to enable him to move around and easily train with other Divisions and shore up the weaknesses in his fundamentals. Here though, Genpaku made a decision.
Branching Out and the Sudden Storm [1927 – 1930]
Raiden was a Kidō based Zanpakutō and Genpaku was of the opinion that Kidō was one of his weakest fields of combat, so it seemed a good place to start. He requested a transfer to the Fifth Division, and was granted it after some delay. He made his goodbyes in the Eighth, but made sure to maintain contact with those he had developed some camaraderie with. He'd avoided bringing up the fact that he'd found the name of one of his Zanpaku-tous, and saw no point to change that practice when he switched. Given his general lack of practice in Kidō, hiding his strength was not a particularly difficult task in the Fifth Division. His focus and directness meant that his interactions with his fellow Shinigmai were usually more business-like, though he made attempts to be outgoing. The truth was that, even now, he had not fully broken out of his shell.
During his time in the Fifth Division Genpaku attempted to branch out and work on his healing Kidō as well. However, he found that members of the Fourth Division were reluctant or outright unwilling to teach anything about the subject because of the Captain's feelings on the matter. After the first few attempts fail, Genpaku found a way to approach the head of the Fourth Division, Midori Hayashi. He inquired after her reasoning and after learning it continued his attempt to learn the arts of Kaidō. Though it took a great deal of persistence, and maybe just a hint of bribery, he convinced her to make an exception. It turned out that Genpaku had a knack for healing Kaidō, and if he chose to focus on it he could go far. He took this into consideration, but explained that at that time he wished to learn more of the general Shinigami arts.
Things got complicated a few years later. It wasn't supposed to be to dangerous, as far as missions went. But the information was wrong, and the group of Shinigami walked right into a Hollow they had no business fighting. It ambushed the group, and it nearly took out the entire patrol in its opening attack. It left only two Shinigami alive; Genpaku, and a female Shinigami he had seen around the Division from time to time. It turned on her, and in that moment the shock of the initial attack broke and anger rose up in Genpaku. He had known them long but these were his Division members, his fellow Shinigami, and he had not been able to do a thing to stop their deaths. With that thought, the second voice called out stronger than it ever had before and Genpaku was brought face to face with Fujin, the spirit of his second Zanpakutō. She existed to protect what Genpaku wanted to protect, and he latched onto that thought.
In a flurry of wind and speed, Genpaku stopped the Hollow from finishing off the girl and pressed it back. He defeated and purified the Hollows, and that's when things got more complicated. During his time training with the Fifth Division, he'd also trained with the Fourth in the arts of Kaidō and he put it to use stopping the girl from bleeding out. That girl was Kaminari Hatakeyama, and Genpaku found out her little secret; that she was not even a member of the Gotei. They argued, but eventually came to a truce. He'd hold her secret if she kept his; he was still not interested in taking a seat position if he could help it. Even as he made that deal though, something in him stirred. Something about that statement was not correct. He could not dwell on it though; Kaminari fainted, and he rushed her back to the Fourth Division for healing.
Strength Unveiled; The Tenth Division[1931]
The events in Rukongai had revealed the power Genpaku held, and though he didn't know it more than a few people were in the know of it. Still, Genpaku remained within the Fifth Division for close to a year before he decided he'd learned enough to do what he wanted from here. More to the point, Genpaku had decided where he believed his power could best be put to use; Genpaku set his sights on the Tenth Division. His thoughts were simple on this end; the Tenth Division was the division most concerned with the Human World, and so they were the ones on the front lines. Genpaku had decided that he did not want to see what had happened to him repeated, and that he wanted to do his part to protect the world from the monsters that stalked it.
This time around however he opted to seek out a position within the Division. Armed with his skills and the names of his Zanpaku-tous he sought out position after position. Before the first week had passed, he had claimed the third seat of the Tenth Division, at which point he opted to go for broke. He challenged the Vice-Captain for his position. To some people's surprise, but not to everyone's, he came away with the victory and the Vice-Captain seat of Division Ten. One of the youngest Shinigami's to have ever accomplished such a feat, Genpaku settled in to make connections with his new Division. And eventually, to make friends. It was his time, fully settled into the Division, that would eventually break Genpaku out of the loner mindset and bring back the happy person he used to be, at least for the most part.
Striving Forward [1931 – 1948]
Genpaku settled into his new duties as the Vice-Captain of Division Ten, and began to make connections with those in his Division. Beyond these things though, there were other important thing he began to work on. Primarily, Genpaku began the hunt for his Bankais. He was cautioned heavily against such action by his Captain, who feared that rushing headlong into such training was only setting the young Shingami up for disappointment. For better or worse, Genpaku had never been very good at backing down from a challenge. When it became obvious he was going to try for it, his Captain relented and offered advice. He sought help from his Captain, and from his previous Captains. He read information in the libraries he was able to get to. And he trained. Genpaku trained harder than ever before as he began to draw mastery of his blades from himself. It was during this time that he began to research and develop the Kyoumei and Shinkoru techniques that would eventually become staples of his combat capabilities. However, these techniques were immensely dangerous to develop and so care and time would be needed.
Despite his Vice-Captain status, Genpaku frequently took patrols that took him into the Human World. Often, he requested to be attached to other shinigami or groups of them. In doing so he began to form even greater bonds with his Division mates. While his demeanor slowly became gentler where people were concerned, there were some whispers of concern where Genpaku's hatred towards Hollows and their kin were concerned; not to say that anyone had warm feelings for them, but Genpaku possessed a hatred for them above and beyond what most had. Then again, that would be understandable. Largely, this time was a time for Genpaku to truly settle into the Division he would call his own and break the last of the shell around him that kept others away.
The Doors of Fear [1948 – 1953]
It took time; then again, it took far less time than anyone would have believed. Genpaku's hunt for Banaki had ended, but in many ways it had simply begun in 1948. In short, through his constant training and research Genpaku had discovered how to summon forth his Zanpakutō spirits and had sought out his Bankais. That power would not be gifted however, but instead earned. To claim that power Genpaku was faced with having to overcome a foe more powerful than thunderstorms, than raging monsters and crushing power. A foe that had reduced others to hollow husks, driven people to the edge of insanity, and eroded away the will of great men and women. Fear.
This time, it was Fujin who's name approached first. Genpaku has kept the details of that event to himself, but what is known is that he simply vanished for a span of several days. When he returned he was thrash, a bruised and bloody ruin with broken ribs and a broken arm. For all that though he was smiling. Fujin had confronted Genpaku about a fear that rested deep within him; the fear about his own inability to defend the people he had grown close with. The fear of his power not being enough. However, in truth this was not a fear that Fujin confronted Genpaku with in the hopes of making him overcome it. Fujin, a piece of Genpaku's soul and his native Shinigami powers, understood that those feelings were a thing deeply tied to Genpaku and so it was not a fear that could be overcome. Instead, it was a fear that he needed to see for what it was; that was the only way that Genpaku would begin to work through it. For Gekidou Fujin, that was enough because without that knowledge it was possible that Genpaku would grind to a halt. She needed him to move, to flow like the evermoving wind.
While not as outright violent as Gekidou Fujin had been, Reikoku Raiden was more stern. He despised a different fear that had taken root in Genpaku. The fear of loss. Raiden forced Genpaku to face that fear, that he would lose those close to him, head on. While Fujin dealt specifically with Genpaku's fear of his own inability to act Raiden targeted that choice of inaction. He stated that if Genpaku lived in fear of loss he would bring about his own ruin. That such a fear was meaningless; either you had the power to stop that loss or you did not. Either way, you must try. If you let the fear hold your feet to the ground, you were as good as dead.
Taking His Place [1953 – Present]
With the discovery of his Bankais in very short order, Genpaku began to work on mastering them. Otherwise, life continued on roughly as normal for many years. It wasn't until 1987 that the next, and arguably largest, change came. Genpaku was promoted to Captain of the Tenth Division. Easily the youngest Shinigami to have been offered the position, the appointment caused waves for some. Generally, however, the Shinigami of the Tenth Division had no qualms about this appointment; Genpaku had proven himself a capable leader who cared for the mission of the Tenth Division and its members. He had also proven he had the strength to hold the position, even if he didn't quite believe it himself. Since then he has done his best to lead the Division and maintain his happy demeanor, vigilant for threats to the World of the Living or to those near him.
Beginnings[1888 – 1891]
Surrounded by dark and fog Genpaku Arishima died August 12th, 1888. His death was a gruesome on, like that of the rest of his family; it left scars not only on his body and mind, but his very soul. He generally does not talk about the events of that night with people, and even those close to him have likely only heard the story once.
In those dark hours, a Hollow struck Genpaku's family. It had stalked the young boy and family at large for days, having sensed the latent spiritual energy that hung around the family and in Genpaku particularly. A rather sadistic Hollows it murdered Genpaku's family, consumed their souls, and used their bodies like puppets once he returned. Genpaku caught on and attempted to flee; he may as well have tried to fly for all the good it would do him in the end. Let us leave the rest of the details by the wayside, for they add little to this condensed tale. Despite the intervention of a Shinigami in the matter Genpaku passed into death. Yet, this is barely the beginning of our story, as so many endings end up being. As Genpaku fell into death, a voice called out to him; the voice of a Zanpakutō. Genpaku wouldn't know that for many years after, nor would he know the source. He didn't need to know these things though; this voice, this man, offered him the power to avenge his family. Using that power, in an explosion of rage and speed, Genpaku destroyed the monster that had taken everything from him.
As the dust settled, the other Shinigami attempted to make sense of the situation and bring Genpaku back to the Soul Society. Genpaku refused, stating that his work here wasn't done. Before the other Shinigami could take him, Genpaku fled with enough speed to lose his pursuer. He mourned, and nearly came to a stand still before he was reminded of what had to accomplish. Over the next three years Genpaku was sighted by various Shinigami around Japan, always in conflict with a Hollow and always on the move. He had made a vow, a promise to the spirits of his family that he would slay one thousand Hollows before he allowed himself to move on. He would in fact complete this task, but not without road bumps.
To begin with, Genpaku discovered the fate of those souls devoured by a Hollow when he encountered his brother as a Hollow. The battle was long, and led to the second major complication; a Shinigami by the name of Tsubine von Zarkonheinz. Up until this point the Shinigami Genpaku had ran into had been either low seat or unseated members, neither of which applied to Tsubine. Genpaku had been ordered captured if possible, but Tsubine had been present for the conflict prior. Rather than attempt to bring him in directly, Tsubine learned the reason for Genpaku's resistance and opted to see the final stages of this hunt through. Once the task was completed, Genpaku was brought to the Soul Society.
Understanding and The Academy[1891 – 1893]
Genpaku had not know this before, but the fact that he had been 'born' with two Zanpaku-tous was apparently a rather rare trait. This was something was noted and commented on much in those first few days once he had arrived in the Soul Society. He was kept under guard for the time, since he had resisted arrest as it was, but the details soon came to light. Genpaku was the last living heir to the Ariake Noble Family, a minor noble house that had consumed itself in civil conflict before being leveled by his great grandfather. Said grandfather had vanished into the Human World, and no trace of him had been found until Genpaku's emergence onto the scene. Given this information and the pair of Zanpaku-tous, it was theorized that Genpaku may well have been in possession of two sets of Shinigami powers. With that all in the open, the question of what do with Genpaku was finally put forth. Despite what amounted to a wealth of practical combat experience, Genpaku lacked the several foundation skills to actually enter the Gotei. So it was decided that he would have to enroll in the Shino Academy.
In many ways the Shino Academy was a great boon for Genpaku. After nearly three years of fighting spiritual monster, being completely out of his element, and being anti-social he was introduced to something strangely familiar; school. It was a world he could get his head around, a thing that in a twisted way made sense to him. No matter where you go, school remains the same; he was the new kid in a new city, and there were many who took offense to his presence. Yet, this simply made things more familiar to him. Genpaku mainly kept to himself, as he was still in many ways in shock from the loss of his family and the discovery of the spiritual world. It had been his drive and will that had kept his feet moving forward before, but with his task complete he had become aimless. With his admittance to the Shino Academy he had goals again. While there were conflicts and people that resented him, there were also those that Genpaku would meet and eventually form lasting friendships with. It would take time though to break through the shell of isolation he had built around himself.
All said, it took Genpaku a year and a half to complete his training at the Shino Academy. His instructors believed he could have passed the exams after the first year, but Genpaku had declined to take them. While he had believed he had not learned everything he could from the Shino Academy yet, subconsciously he was loathed to leave what had become a familiar environment to him. Something in him pushed at him however, and rather than wait for the second year's exams to roll around he requested to take them mid-season. He couldn't tell why, but he felt his time at the Academy had come to an end.
Hard Knocks [1893 – 1907]
Upon graduation from the Shino Academy Genpaku requested to be placed in the Eleventh Division, despite warnings of doing exactly that. His motivations for doing so were largely selfish, and he didn't bother to explain them to many people. In short though, Genpaku was still very much an angry individual. Barely half a decade had passed since the violent death of his family, since his world had been completely ripped apart and stitched back together. While his skill in combat had been tempered his attitude was very much that of a teenager angry with the world; so he went looking for a fight. What better place to do so than the Division most known for it? To the surprise of many, his request was approved.
Which led to Genpaku's first day in the Eleventh Division. Predictably by the time Genpaku had come within fifty meters of the Division grounds the jeers began. Surprisingly though the first fight didn't really start until he'd made it through the gate. This could likely be a result of Genpaku being used to this from some members in the Shino Academy. The fight broke out none the less; and this is how Genpaku official met Lilith Antonovich. Lilith found several division members unconscious, and a few more thinking twice about rushing in at the little ball of anger that Genpaku was. Apparently, she took a liking to that.
Over the next decade and then some Genpaku earned a grudging respect from his Division mates as he worked through his own issues. He found in Lilith someone willing to back him and encourage him; in short, he found a mother. That may well have played a large piece of helping him come to terms with what he had gone through and move past it. However, such wounds take time to heal.
Seeking a Name and a Purpose[1907 – 1927]
Given the time he needed Genpaku began to push past his self-imposed isolation and began to take stock of the world he was really in now. Namely, he began to look into what he wanted to do with this second life he had been pushed into. Additionally, he began to look into trying to find the name of his first Zanpakutō. Despite many telling him it was not that easy, he had determined that was where he wanted to start; he, at this point, had a pretty good idea of who he was looking for when it came to the Zanpakutō spirit. The man who had appeared to him when he was dying, and whose words had forced his feet to move when he had almost let them fall still. Unfortunately though, that man had been absent for years now and no voice had called out. With no other choice, Genpaku focused on his training and worked towards that goal.
With these thoughts in mind, Genpaku requested a transfer to the Eighth Division. He explained the situation, and believed that the Eighth Division had some of the best relations with the other Divisions and he wanted to expand his abilities further. To do that, he felt he needed to gain a base in those skills before he tempered them in combat. From there, he began to truly pursue the first name while wrestling with what he wanted to do.
He found that name nearly two decades later; it seemed like a long time to him, and yet it was so little time to find such a thing in terms of a Shinigami's life span. It was found during a solo patrol when he was ambushed by a powerful Hollow. For all of Genpaku's speed and skill, the Hollow was able to defend and press back. Things were dire for the young Shinigami; then a voice called out, a conversation was had, and a purpose was found. His first Zanpakutō's name was Raiden, and he existed to protect Genpaku. He was the one that had awoken when the Hollow had taken everything from Genpaku all those years ago, but he would not be satisfied serving one who sought power with no purpose or reason. Genpaku found both the name and his purpose in that fight; reminded of the events a quarter of a century past, Genpaku found that he did not want to see that past repeated. He slew the Hollows in the opening moments of releasing Raiden. He returned to Soul Society, taking in what the discovery of this name entailed.
Primarily, it had confirmed for Genpaku something that had been theorized when he had first been brought to the Soul Society. The second blade that hung at his hip had not reacted to the name he had been given, and so it seemed true that he did indeed possess two sets of Shinigami powers. While this was useful information, considering the fact that those powers were largely dormant meant he simply had more work to do. Truthfully, the more important discovery was the purpose that Genpaku had found. With that purpose, he knew what Division he wanted to become part of. However, that brought up a conundrum in the young Shinigami. He knew he had the strength the seek out a seated position, even before he'd achieved Shikai. Up until now though, he'd avoided pursuing a seated position to enable him to move around and easily train with other Divisions and shore up the weaknesses in his fundamentals. Here though, Genpaku made a decision.
Branching Out and the Sudden Storm [1927 – 1930]
Raiden was a Kidō based Zanpakutō and Genpaku was of the opinion that Kidō was one of his weakest fields of combat, so it seemed a good place to start. He requested a transfer to the Fifth Division, and was granted it after some delay. He made his goodbyes in the Eighth, but made sure to maintain contact with those he had developed some camaraderie with. He'd avoided bringing up the fact that he'd found the name of one of his Zanpaku-tous, and saw no point to change that practice when he switched. Given his general lack of practice in Kidō, hiding his strength was not a particularly difficult task in the Fifth Division. His focus and directness meant that his interactions with his fellow Shinigmai were usually more business-like, though he made attempts to be outgoing. The truth was that, even now, he had not fully broken out of his shell.
During his time in the Fifth Division Genpaku attempted to branch out and work on his healing Kidō as well. However, he found that members of the Fourth Division were reluctant or outright unwilling to teach anything about the subject because of the Captain's feelings on the matter. After the first few attempts fail, Genpaku found a way to approach the head of the Fourth Division, Midori Hayashi. He inquired after her reasoning and after learning it continued his attempt to learn the arts of Kaidō. Though it took a great deal of persistence, and maybe just a hint of bribery, he convinced her to make an exception. It turned out that Genpaku had a knack for healing Kaidō, and if he chose to focus on it he could go far. He took this into consideration, but explained that at that time he wished to learn more of the general Shinigami arts.
Things got complicated a few years later. It wasn't supposed to be to dangerous, as far as missions went. But the information was wrong, and the group of Shinigami walked right into a Hollow they had no business fighting. It ambushed the group, and it nearly took out the entire patrol in its opening attack. It left only two Shinigami alive; Genpaku, and a female Shinigami he had seen around the Division from time to time. It turned on her, and in that moment the shock of the initial attack broke and anger rose up in Genpaku. He had known them long but these were his Division members, his fellow Shinigami, and he had not been able to do a thing to stop their deaths. With that thought, the second voice called out stronger than it ever had before and Genpaku was brought face to face with Fujin, the spirit of his second Zanpakutō. She existed to protect what Genpaku wanted to protect, and he latched onto that thought.
In a flurry of wind and speed, Genpaku stopped the Hollow from finishing off the girl and pressed it back. He defeated and purified the Hollows, and that's when things got more complicated. During his time training with the Fifth Division, he'd also trained with the Fourth in the arts of Kaidō and he put it to use stopping the girl from bleeding out. That girl was Kaminari Hatakeyama, and Genpaku found out her little secret; that she was not even a member of the Gotei. They argued, but eventually came to a truce. He'd hold her secret if she kept his; he was still not interested in taking a seat position if he could help it. Even as he made that deal though, something in him stirred. Something about that statement was not correct. He could not dwell on it though; Kaminari fainted, and he rushed her back to the Fourth Division for healing.
Strength Unveiled; The Tenth Division[1931]
The events in Rukongai had revealed the power Genpaku held, and though he didn't know it more than a few people were in the know of it. Still, Genpaku remained within the Fifth Division for close to a year before he decided he'd learned enough to do what he wanted from here. More to the point, Genpaku had decided where he believed his power could best be put to use; Genpaku set his sights on the Tenth Division. His thoughts were simple on this end; the Tenth Division was the division most concerned with the Human World, and so they were the ones on the front lines. Genpaku had decided that he did not want to see what had happened to him repeated, and that he wanted to do his part to protect the world from the monsters that stalked it.
This time around however he opted to seek out a position within the Division. Armed with his skills and the names of his Zanpaku-tous he sought out position after position. Before the first week had passed, he had claimed the third seat of the Tenth Division, at which point he opted to go for broke. He challenged the Vice-Captain for his position. To some people's surprise, but not to everyone's, he came away with the victory and the Vice-Captain seat of Division Ten. One of the youngest Shinigami's to have ever accomplished such a feat, Genpaku settled in to make connections with his new Division. And eventually, to make friends. It was his time, fully settled into the Division, that would eventually break Genpaku out of the loner mindset and bring back the happy person he used to be, at least for the most part.
Striving Forward [1931 – 1948]
Genpaku settled into his new duties as the Vice-Captain of Division Ten, and began to make connections with those in his Division. Beyond these things though, there were other important thing he began to work on. Primarily, Genpaku began the hunt for his Bankais. He was cautioned heavily against such action by his Captain, who feared that rushing headlong into such training was only setting the young Shingami up for disappointment. For better or worse, Genpaku had never been very good at backing down from a challenge. When it became obvious he was going to try for it, his Captain relented and offered advice. He sought help from his Captain, and from his previous Captains. He read information in the libraries he was able to get to. And he trained. Genpaku trained harder than ever before as he began to draw mastery of his blades from himself. It was during this time that he began to research and develop the Kyoumei and Shinkoru techniques that would eventually become staples of his combat capabilities. However, these techniques were immensely dangerous to develop and so care and time would be needed.
Despite his Vice-Captain status, Genpaku frequently took patrols that took him into the Human World. Often, he requested to be attached to other shinigami or groups of them. In doing so he began to form even greater bonds with his Division mates. While his demeanor slowly became gentler where people were concerned, there were some whispers of concern where Genpaku's hatred towards Hollows and their kin were concerned; not to say that anyone had warm feelings for them, but Genpaku possessed a hatred for them above and beyond what most had. Then again, that would be understandable. Largely, this time was a time for Genpaku to truly settle into the Division he would call his own and break the last of the shell around him that kept others away.
The Doors of Fear [1948 – 1953]
It took time; then again, it took far less time than anyone would have believed. Genpaku's hunt for Banaki had ended, but in many ways it had simply begun in 1948. In short, through his constant training and research Genpaku had discovered how to summon forth his Zanpakutō spirits and had sought out his Bankais. That power would not be gifted however, but instead earned. To claim that power Genpaku was faced with having to overcome a foe more powerful than thunderstorms, than raging monsters and crushing power. A foe that had reduced others to hollow husks, driven people to the edge of insanity, and eroded away the will of great men and women. Fear.
This time, it was Fujin who's name approached first. Genpaku has kept the details of that event to himself, but what is known is that he simply vanished for a span of several days. When he returned he was thrash, a bruised and bloody ruin with broken ribs and a broken arm. For all that though he was smiling. Fujin had confronted Genpaku about a fear that rested deep within him; the fear about his own inability to defend the people he had grown close with. The fear of his power not being enough. However, in truth this was not a fear that Fujin confronted Genpaku with in the hopes of making him overcome it. Fujin, a piece of Genpaku's soul and his native Shinigami powers, understood that those feelings were a thing deeply tied to Genpaku and so it was not a fear that could be overcome. Instead, it was a fear that he needed to see for what it was; that was the only way that Genpaku would begin to work through it. For Gekidou Fujin, that was enough because without that knowledge it was possible that Genpaku would grind to a halt. She needed him to move, to flow like the evermoving wind.
While not as outright violent as Gekidou Fujin had been, Reikoku Raiden was more stern. He despised a different fear that had taken root in Genpaku. The fear of loss. Raiden forced Genpaku to face that fear, that he would lose those close to him, head on. While Fujin dealt specifically with Genpaku's fear of his own inability to act Raiden targeted that choice of inaction. He stated that if Genpaku lived in fear of loss he would bring about his own ruin. That such a fear was meaningless; either you had the power to stop that loss or you did not. Either way, you must try. If you let the fear hold your feet to the ground, you were as good as dead.
Taking His Place [1953 – Present]
With the discovery of his Bankais in very short order, Genpaku began to work on mastering them. Otherwise, life continued on roughly as normal for many years. It wasn't until 1987 that the next, and arguably largest, change came. Genpaku was promoted to Captain of the Tenth Division. Easily the youngest Shinigami to have been offered the position, the appointment caused waves for some. Generally, however, the Shinigami of the Tenth Division had no qualms about this appointment; Genpaku had proven himself a capable leader who cared for the mission of the Tenth Division and its members. He had also proven he had the strength to hold the position, even if he didn't quite believe it himself. Since then he has done his best to lead the Division and maintain his happy demeanor, vigilant for threats to the World of the Living or to those near him.
Last edited by Genpaku on Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:43 pm; edited 4 times in total
Wed Jan 10, 2018 1:33 am by Tsubine
» Rumors and Alternative Facts [Private]
Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:58 pm by Snopy
» Ryuunosuke Asakawa [WIP]
Sat Apr 15, 2017 8:40 am by Tsubine
» Maaya the Negotiator [Closed]
Sat Mar 04, 2017 8:29 am by Tsubine
» Promise of a Good Time
Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:45 pm by Serenity
» Training Day [Private]
Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:22 pm by Serenity
» Gotei 13 Hierarchy
Sun Feb 26, 2017 6:40 am by Tsubine
» His Time in the Sunlight [Private]
Sat Feb 25, 2017 9:42 pm by Serenity
» Snopy's Template's V9001
Thu Feb 23, 2017 9:44 am by Snopy