Post by SamuraiFoochs on May 15, 2008 12:28:55 GMT -4
Preface (FOR THE LOVE OF GRAVY READ THIS):
OK, so here's the thing. I PM'd GK asking permission but haven't heard back yet, but I would like to strike the first Yamato Takahashi completely from the record in favor of this new incarnation. If this is not agreeable with GK, I will happily remove the application, I just thought since it was done, I should go ahead and post it. Also, yes, it's the same basic character, but as you'll all see, there are significant expansions and alterations.
Shinigami
Name: Yamato Takahashi
Gender: Male
Age (apparent/actual): Early 20’s/525
Division: 6th
Rank: Captain
Physical Description: Yamato is a moderately handsome man who looks to be in his early 20’s. 6 feet tall, his frame isn’t necessarily highly imposing, but he keeps himself in true fighting shape, and it shows. His body is lean and toned, testament to the effort he puts into it. His hair is short and wavy, often slightly unkempt, and just long enough to have a bang or two sometimes hang slightly in front of his gray eyes. His eyes are usually a rather clear indicator of his mood. They are typically calm, serene, even inviting, until of course he is riled. When angered, his eyes harden and seem to burn with an inner fire that can be truly frightening. His features are strong, his face sharp in the way that an athlete or person with fast metabolism has clearly defined features. High cheekbones and a strong jaw are also present.
Muscles are clear on Yamato's frame, yet they're not excessively pronounced. Streamlined power is the name of the game where Yamato is concerned, and looking at him, it's clear why.
His clothing is typical Shinigami fare, though his Captain’s cloak has a red version of the squad’s insignia, as opposed to the typical black.
Also, peculiarly, Yamato rarely wears his Captain's cloak, but rather had the insignia to his division died into the back of his shinigami robes. Yamato only wears his cloak for very special circumstances, such as official Seireitei missions or Captains' meetings.
Yamato also has a variety of small scars from unlucky fights with Hollow. They're not pronounced to a degree that they truly impact his appearance, but rather appear to add accents in certain places. Some examples are a thin straight scar a couple inches long on his chest (from a Hollow spine through the chest), a small scar on his jawline (from a nastily broken jaw), and several others. Every scar tells a story, and Yamato can tell the story of every scar with equal detail. They are marks of his past, a past he bears with pride.
Yamato also has a tattoo on his back, clearly visible any time his upper body is naked. It is a mysterious symbol, a fluctuating circle with a depiction of his blade piercing the circle. It is unknown exactly what this symbol means, or why Yamato got the tattoo, as he frankly refuses to talk about it. There may come a time when he reveals the story, but for now, it remains a mystery....*
Personality: Yamato is a bit of a dichotomy as far as personality is concerned. He is generally calm, giving, and kind, always willing to help those who ask. However, when it comes to battle, Yamato is truly vicious and just a little smug, feeling the need to prove himself to any who may doubt him. He feels intense contempt to any people with a sense of entitlement, and respect from Yamato is not necessarily difficult to earn, but is absolutely never implicit.
He has become distinctly more easygoing over the years, ironic considering his current position of power, but if pressed, the “old” Yamato shows his face, and when he does, it is generally extremely dangerous for the person who pushed him in that direction. As a captain, he has a soft spot for underdogs, and tends to see the best in everyone, even those who might not otherwise get a chance, considering he was there once. He has pride in his division, but sees the Seireitei as one cohesive whole, and so does not seek to separate his division as harshly from the others as some choose to. His love for hunting Hollow and fighting has not disappeared even after his becoming a captain, and so he is somewhat notoriously known for “roughing it” with lower ranked Shinigami, never wanting to lose sight of the key tenets of his job.
His attitude toward bullies is one of the utmost contempt and even rage, because he was bullied for so long himself. He is very open about his disability, makes no attempt to hide it, and even tends to cite it as a source of inner strength. Though he is open about it, secretly he fears being disrespected the first time he tells any given person about the condition. It is certainly worth noting, however, that being a Captain of the Gotei, ironically, gives him some degree of implicit respect from people that Yamato hesitates to give to others. This slight hypocrisy has landed him in hot water once or twice, but generally speaking, Yamato is comfortable with who he is.
When it comes to his interactions with others, Yamato is once again a bit of a dichotomy. He is extremely friendly and extroverted if there is perceived interest in interaction on the part of the other person or if he is in some sort of social interaction setting, i.e. a party, which he thoroughly enjoys attending any time he has an opportunity. However, there are other times when the Captain is extremely introspective and introverted, and during these times, only the closest of Yamato’s friends tend to be able to get substantial interaction out of him. It is unclear what exactly “sets off” these changes in mood, but they don’t generally last very long, and are not terribly common.
History: Yamato Takahashi was a friendly, intelligent boy, who always seemed to others to have empathy and wisdom beyond his years. These abilities extended even to the realm of animals, particularly dogs and wolves. Yamato was always spiritually aware, and never questioned what he saw. He lived a normal life, able to fend off any negative energy from spirits easily, and unbeknownst to him at the time, able to conceal his spiritual power, and so was never bothered by Hollows. However, when he arrived home one day at the age of 16, to see his house being robbed and his parents dead, he grew immensely angry, and the sudden rise in emotion brought out his true spiritual power, and thus attracted a Hollow. Scared by the Hollow they couldn’t see, the robbers ran, and as Yamato chased them, the Hollow caught up with him and attacked. The attack left his right leg permanently injured, and from then on he always limped. From the day of his parents’ death, he grew to have the interesting dichotomy of being completely unafraid to (and even enjoying) fights, but despising the idea of killing. When he was fresh out of college, he went to a bar one night, and got into a fight when a drunk man called him a “pathetic cripple who’d be better off dead”. Enraged, Yamato attacked, but was killed when he was surrounded by several men (friends of the first man) and beaten to death. However, later, the men commented that “he fought beyond anything we’d seen, almost as though he was possessed.”
After his death, Yamato trained in Rukongai, both in martial arts, and in finding new depths to his spiritual power. He was able to enroll in the Shinigami Academy, and was actually technically above average in the majority of his classes, though the weak leg still plagued him. He was able to compensate for the weakness in the area of conventional movement by showing a particularly affinity for shunpo, the large leaps with often very little time spent bearing weight between movements proving to work well for him. Despite Yamato’s undeniable proficiency and considerable power for those in his level, he was shockingly denied graduation from the Academy because of his disability.
Well, at least that's the way it made Yamato feel. What actually happened was probably somewhere more in a moderate place. When he was preparing to graduate, a group of his fellows took him aside and, mocking him for the disability, began to push, shove, even punch and kick. Getting flashbacks from the time he died as a human, Yamato seemed to go in a semi-catatonic state. The attack left no visible marks, and so when Yamato went to recieve a blank Zanpakuto which would ideally be "imprinted" with his reiatsu, nothing happened. He tried again and again, and nothing happened. Morosely, the master of the graduation ceremony told him he would not be able to graduate. Even when Yamato tried to explain the stiuation, there was no way to prove it, and so he was escorted to the real world, no Zanpakutou in hand, and left to fend for himself.
Angered yet determined, Yamato hand fashioned a set of “battle gauntlets” through painstaking amateur blacksmithing and considerable elbow grease, since he was not given a Zanpakutou, not having officially graduated. He became a freelance Hollow Hunter, using his battle gauntlets in conjunction with martial arts skills, as well as a crudely sharpened lead pipe in place of a sword. Eventually, after years of hunting hollow, not caring about anything but the hunt and the quest for power to prove his naysayers wrong, he was advocated for by a former Captain of the Gotei 13.
The Captain secretly gave Yamato a lesson in getting one’s sealed Zanpakutou to materialize, essentially teaching him the post-graduation ritual via one-on-one interaction. It took some time, and unbelievable effort, but eventually, Yamato was able to do it. He went up into some local mountains and proceeded to train ceaselessly, endlessly, in order to try and learn his sword’s name. While up in the mountains, he befriended a wolf, which Yamato named Romulus. Romulus essentially became a pet to Yamato, providing him companionship in an otherwise lonely, taxing existence. Romulus even seemed able to roughly sense hollow, and once or twice, saved Yamato from particularly rough spots. The two were the closest of friends, and both seemed to be stronger for the presence of the other.
One night, Yamato was struggling to learn a particularly powerful kidou from a set of notes the Captain had given him as a sort of study guide when the spell went thoroughly out of control, setting a section of the forest ablaze. Yamato was able to contain the fire using magic, but in the chaos, Romulus died as a product of the blaze. Yamato never forgave himself, and for a time, actually developed a phobia of fire. He continued his training, but it was limited by the inner demons that Yamato was endlessly battling.
He continued training, even sparring with some Shinigami that the Captain who had taken Yamato under his wing decided to send his way, and his fighting style improved. More and more Yamato practiced the balance of sword combat and hand-to-hand combat, and it is a balance that he now has a masterful understanding of. His shunpo continued to improve, and any time the Captain saw Yamato, he would always remark on how impressive he found the younger man’s proficiency, especially considering his other limitations. Yet still, despite all this training and the apparent growth of Yamato’s reiatsu, the release of his blade still, infuriatingly, eluded him.
Yamato actually also spent a lot of time interacting with humans via a gigai that the good Captain had given him. Since he was rarely able to interact with other Shinigami not being in Soul Society, and since he no longer had Romulus to keep him company, he looked to his human friends, particularly the citizens of Karakura Town, to fill that void. As such, he developed an affinity for and fondness toward the human world that still has not disappeared, even today. He regards humans as being very much on the same level as Shinigami in a way, since he essentially sees every person as a potential future Shinigami. As with everything, Yamato sees the greatest possible potential in people, rather than what they might immediately showcase, having been there once himself.
One day, three huge Hollow threatened the tranquility of Karakura. It was shocking, because the Hollow themselves seemed to be incredibly powerful. Even more shocking, however, was the fact that no “official” Shinigami were dispatched to the town’s defense, leaving Yamato and only Yamato to take care of the problem. He got to the intruders as quickly as he possibly could, but not before he saw one of his human friends get eaten right in front of him. Consumed by rage and grief, Yamato charged, the three on one battle proving to be little more than a glorified execution. That was, until he heard the voice echoing inside him. It was his Zanpakutou, crying out to him for release.
In that moment, driven by rage, grief, the desire to protect the town, and obviously his will to survive, Yamato released Vulcanus for the first time, and experienced a true shock when he did. The spiritual quality and texture of the released blade was almost exactly like that of his old friend Romulus. After release, Yamato dispatched the three Huge Hollow with ease, and was soon greeted by his old friend the Captain, who seemed to be able to detect that Yamato had released. The Captain took Yamato back to Seireitei with him, where he promptly showed the then Commander General his release.
The denied graduation was stricken from the record, and that Captain’s decision to take Yamato under his wing proved to be a very wise one. Yamato joined his old friend’s squad, and over the years, Yamato steadily rose through the ranks of the squad, and was often hailed as a Shinigami with great potential for improvement, particularly given his strong work ethic and dedication to the work he had been chosen to undertake. He never lost that rogue spirit completely, often going out on his own to hunt any Hollow he could find for the thrill and experience, even if he was not ordered to do so. Luckily for Yamato, his Captain understood this urge, and thus never took any measures to stop him from hunting. The Captain even went so far as to encourage it, telling Yamato that he thought not enough Shinigami took Yamato’s never ending proactive attitude.
Bankai eluded Yamato much as Shikai had, though he was constantly convening with Vulcanus in his spirit world to try to reach that next level. It infuriated him, though as Vulcanus always told him, that fury would ultimately get Yamato nowhere. In the end, Vulcanus urged, it would be a true release of that anger and acceptance of reality that would lead to Yamato achieving the Bankai level. Sadly, it was only after a tragedy that Yamato was able to find that half-figurative half-literal release.
In an intense battle with an unknown opponent or opponents, Yamato’s old friend the Captain was unexpectedly killed. In an act of maddening grief, Yamato set his Shinigami insignia ablaze and left a note reading as follows in the new Captain’s office:
Captain,
I am consumed by sorrow and inner turmoil the likes of which I don’t think I have ever felt before. Please do not take my leave as a sign that I forsake Seireitei and the Gotei. On the contrary, I leave for the time being because I think that in my current mental state I am unfit to serve as an official member of the Gotei. I will return as soon as my inner demons are vanquished and, should it be deemed appropriate, I will return to service. Do not fear for my health or a loss of my dedication. I will continue to eradicate the scourge of the Hollow as much as I possibly can from the human world until such a time comes as I feel able to serve the Gotei most effectively. Keep up the fight, Captain, and know that I respect you just as much as our dearly departed leader.
Regards,
Yamato Takahashi
With that, Yamato returned to the human world, specifically to the mountains where he had trained with Romulus. Strangely yet still unexpectedly, Vulcanus seemed to resonate with the place that contained so much of Yamato’s past, and through furious self-reflection and training, Yamato finally reached Bankai. In that moment of release, true to Vulcanus’s word, Yamato found inner peace, and a new resolve and determination welled within him, though also important was the new ease and peace of mind Yamato was able to achieve, finally having overcome that hurdle. He did not return immediately to Seireitei, instead training more still to gain a better understanding of, and grasp on, his abilities. Eventually, however, Yamato returned, head held high, and arranged a meeting with the Commander General, wherein he revealed his Bankai, much to the Commander’s surprise. Only the commander and a handful of other witnesses there that day saw his final release, and to this day, Yamato has yet to use it in battle.
Yamato had reached Captain level, and so he was welcomed back with open arms into the Gotei. Yamato’s Bankai remains one of the most closely guarded secrets of the current court. This leads to rampant rumors about the nature of his Bankai, which Yamato actually encourages out of amusement. Having been to hell and back on his journey, Yamato is now a much calmer person in general, though it cannot be denied that he still has a frightening inner fire that may be awakened at any time.
Additional Info:
The following non-Zanpakuto items are associated with Yamato:
Takahashi Battle Gauntlets- A set of hand crafted gauntlets designed for battle. There are both hand and foot sets, so that every extremity is armored. The hand gauntlets each have a single retractable spike in the center knuckle area. The right leg gauntlet includes a leg brace extension, used to bolster Yamato’s weak leg as much as possible. While effective and painstakingly crafted, the gauntlets are crude, though they have been made nicer over the years as Yamato rose through the ranks.
Slayer- A makeshift sword created by intensely tapering and sharpening what was once a lead pipe. While not as elegant or powerful as a traditional Zanpakutou, it and the gauntlets are impeccably upkept by their owner, and so the slayer is a respectable replacement for a Zanpakutou, if not ideal.
(The Slayer hangs in Yamato’s office as a constant reminder of where he’s been, though he uses his Zanpakutou in battle. He still uses the gauntlets, though they are not always present [see Zanpakutou information]).
General
Name: Vulcanus
Spirit Description: A massive orange-red wolf. Vulcanus is fierce yet introspective, much like his owner. Vulcanus tends to call Yamato “kid”, though it is a term of endearment rather than belittlement. He often jokes about how long it took Yamato to get his hands on him, much to Yamato’s chagrin. Despite the banter-filled nature of the relationship, Yamato and Vulcanus are incredibly close.
Sealed: A typical katana, with a black hilt and red-diamond patterning intermittent and a red tassel-like piece of thin rope hanging from the end of the hilt. Yamato typically keeps the sealed Vulcanus on his back as opposed to at his side. Also when sealed, Yamato wears the homemade gauntlets described above.
Shikai
Activation Phrase: Burn brightly, Vulcanus!
Appearance: Vulcanus actually has two separate shikai forms of equal raw spiritual power, both of which have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Vulcanus Argentum: In this form, the blade of Vulcanus melts and the molten metal flows down Yamato’s limbs, fortifying the gauntlets and making them well and truly fearsome, though Yamato has no means of long-range or even medium-range attack, aside from the occasional burst of flame that doesn’t extend very far. However, in this form, Yamato is unburdened and extremely fast.
Vulcanus Aurum: In this form, all semblance of the gauntlets aside from the leg brace disappear. Vulcanus takes on the form of a very large red-orange European style broadsword. This form has prodigious power and more direct attack range than the Argentum form, but tends to slow Yamato considerably, and so this form is used only against slower opponents, weakened opponents, or opponents whose moves are easier to read and predict.
Abilities:
Vulcan Flames (Argentum only): The gauntlets are surrounded by spirit fire. For the most part, these flames serve only to make Yamato's strikes more deadly, but Yamato can shoot the flames a couple of feet forward in order to provide slight range.
Vulcan Wave: (Aurum only): A wave of flame bursts forth from the sword. The flame is typically longer than it is wide, a line of flame 10-15 feet long at apex and a couple feet wide. The attack is fairly easy to dodge in and of itself, but at least part of the power lies in the ability to wear the opponent down by the insane heat, and obviously if they're caught off guard, the foe will experience substantial damage.
Form Switch: Yamato can change forms mid-battle, but only after speaking the following incantation:
“Vulcanus, I beseech thee, show the double nature of your soul. Gold to silver, silver to gold, bear thy fangs, and change!”
This incantation, combined with the literal time it takes for the blade to change forms, leaves Yamato wide open to attack for a time (15-30 seconds), so he typically only switches when his opponent is down, distracted, or bound in place by kidou, but even then, he runs a risk, particularly against stronger opponents.
Bankai
Activation Phrase: "End it all. Burn with the brightest fires of my soul! BANKAI! Vulcanus Veritas!"
Appearance: Contrary to the typical imagining of Bankai, the sword itself barely changes at all. Yamato is encased in red-orange armor with a black cape and no helmet, but other than that, almost the only difference in abilities rather than the raw boost in power is the ability to change the shikai forms near-instantaneously. It is important to note that truly skilled opponents can still find openings in the momentary change, but thusfar only one opponent has ever managed to. Also, the armor is more an aesthetic change rather than providing substantial defensive power, though it does stop weak attacks.
Abilities:
Veritas Switch: Described above, this allows Yamato to change the shikai forms much faster and without incantation, making the process almost instantaneous.
Final Drive: Yamato's ultimate offense. The Final Drive is a combination attack that has slight variations each time it is used, but the basic formula sees Yamato flashing forward as quickly as he can and letting loose a brutal flurry of punches and kicks, ending with an uppercut that knocks his foe into midair. Yamato follows, switching to the Aurum form in midair, slashing several times before attempting to impale his foe and bring them crashing to the ground on the point of the blade, at which point they are engulfed in a pillar of flame. Obviously, it's decently easy for certain opponents to interrupt the skill, but if Yamato manages to catch a tired or weaker-by-default opponent in the whole combo, they'll be very lucky indeed to survive.
Shunpo
Way of Binding 58, Summoning of the Tracking Sparrows
Way of Binding 61, Six Rods of Prison Light
Destructive Art 54, Abolishing Flames
Other Characters: None
Roleplay Sample:
From the rogue days:
Yamato wiped the blood from his lip with a smirk. This hollow was stronger than he’d counted on.
“This is a fun one!” He shouted with an almost mad chuckle, letting loose another surge of reiatsu. “Think I’ll actually speed up this time! Way of Speed number 20, Dance of Heaven!” He saw the blue light bathe his legs and felt them get lighter, the familiar sensation almost like the embrace of an old friend. The sword-like weapon hanging across his back was removed from its sheath as he disappeared, using shunpo to flash behind and above the large hollow. Sharpening the weapon with reiatsu, Yamato fell, slashing as he did, moving to strike the hollow’s mask. It turned, sensing his energy, at quickly moved its arm in front of its face to protect the mask. Despite the defensive attempt, the Slayer cleaved through the hollow’s arm, prompting a gush of blood and a howl of pain.
Storing the Slayer behind his back again quickly, Yamato twisted, kicking the hollow in the side of the head with his armored leg. The hollow was sent flying with a crash, and it slowly stood, groaning in pain, as Yamato smiled wider. “You filthy things just never learn, do you? It’s not the sword that makes the Shinigami…” He flashed forward, getting directly in the hollow’s face as the spike in the center of the gauntlet on his left fist was revealed.
“…It’s the love of the job!” With a shout of effort, Yamato landed a truly bone-crushing punch to the Hollow’s mask, the spike driving straight through. As the hollow screamed again and slowly faded away, Yamato landed on one knee, standing gingerly. He dusted himself off with a sigh, slowly walking off.
“That’s only the fifth tonight. I’ve got to hurry if I want to break my old record before sunrise…” He looked up at the full moon, almost feeling an inexplicable urge to howl at it, when he heard the unearthly scream of another hollow and focused on tuning in to its energy signature. He gave a pleased laugh and whispered quietly to himself.
“Time to go for number six!” With a whoosh and a blur of motion, he was gone, ready for his next kill.
As Captain:
Yamato leaned lazily against the wall of his quarters, enjoying the look of the setting sun as it reflected against a nearby pond. He absentmindedly chewed a long spear of grass he had picked up and remembered the first time he ever released Vulcanus…
Yamato smiled, the blood pouring from his mouth as he let out an almost insane laugh. There were three of them, and they had almost killed him. Yet somehow, he knew he was going to win. His laughter continued, and the Hollow all hesitated, as if thrown off by the bizarre reaction.
“HAHAHAHAHA….oh man, you guys REALLY think you’re gonna win, don’t you? It’s too funny. God, my ribs, they were already broken, but hell…” He felt it. It was time to understand. It was time to feel. He swished the sword fancily through the air, and shouted, “Burn brightly, Vulcanus!” The plain Zanpakutou in Yamato’s hand burst into flame as he felt the massive surge of reiatsu course through his body. Again, he swished the blade through the air before proclaiming, “First forging, Vulcanus Argentum!” The blade melted, and Yamato instinctively placed the now empty hilt in the sheath on his back. The molten metal did not burn him, but rather seemed to surge in volume as it flowed down to each of his limbs. The gauntlets grew, becoming larger, heavier, more deadly. His feet were now both covered, in what felt like greaves of the highest caliber, light on his feet yet, he knew, absolutely devastating to whatever they came in contact with. With one last shout, his limbs were engulfed in flame. He looked down at his hands. They were encased in heavy, devastating looking gauntlets. Instinctively, he tensed, and spikes emerged at each knuckle.
He flashed, and grinned. The speed was unbelievable; the adrenaline was filling his body. Reaching the stomach of one of the huge Hollow and let loose a furious flurry of punches. The Hollow screamed in agony as the crushing impact combined with the scorching flame. He backflipped upward, kicking the Hollow brutally underneath the jaw. It raised off of the ground, still shrieking in pain, and crashed as Yamato spun, reaching the apex of his jump.
“Vulcan Drive!” He sped toward the ground, now engulfed totally in spiritual flame, and crushed the Hollow’s mask with a downward punch, killing it instantly.. Flipping back up to his feet, he noticed the other two Hollow, still frozen where they stood, now in shock and fear rather than confusion.
“Vulcanus, I beseech thee, show the double nature of your soul. Gold to silver, silver to gold, bear thy fangs, and change! Second forging. Vulcanus Aurum.” The gauntlets vanished, melting. Instinctively, Yamato drew the bare hilt from behind his back, and he watched it shift to accommodate the form that the molten metal now chose to take. It shifted, solidified, and changed color to a flame-like reddish orange, becoming a massive European style broadsword. The ground beneath him cracked slightly beneath the weight as he swung the sword around in front of him. He felt slower, a good bit slower, but the power…
He dashed forward and leapt upward the old-fashioned way, cleaving through one of the remaining Hollow’s massive arms, then, with a huge scream of effort, brought the massive blade brutally crossways, slicing the Hollow clean in half. He landed with a tremendous crash, legs almost buckling with the sword now behind his shoulders.
“What the hell are you?!” The last Hollow screamed, its booming voice no longer casting fear into Yamato. He answered calmly, moving slowly but confidently, holding the massive sword somehow in one hand.
“I am Yamato Takahashi, Shinigami, wielder of the bright blade Vulcanus, and most importantly, your undoing.” With a scream, he swung his arm upward, surging reiatsu through the huge blade, and a flood of deadly fire, arcing as the slash, sped toward the Hollow. It was engulfed totally in flame, screaming in agony as Yamato plunged the sword with a tremendous boom into the turf below him. Easily, it shrunk, shifting form, and sealing once again, as Yamato felt the crude gauntlets return to his limbs. As the Hollow disintegrated, Yamato turned, easily picking up the now smaller blade, flicking the blood off of it as it was at his side, then tossed it up in the air, smiling as he heard it spin down toward him then clink perfectly into the sheath on his back. Calmly, Yamato walked away, finally fulfilled after so very long…
He smiled as the breeze blew through his hair, drawing Vulcanus from his sheath. When the setting sun hit the blade like that, it almost took on the hue that it had that day. Like the dying embers of a passionate flame, the sun slowly set below the horizon. He began to walk, limping slightly. He waved to every shinigami he saw, perpetuating his reputation as one of the friendliest captains in the entirety of Seireitei. He stopped when he saw one, an unseated squad member by the looks of things, being mocked by some of his fellows.
“Friggin’ one arm Taito!” one laughed, giving him a shove.
“How do ya get dressed in the morning?! Have one of your boyfriends do it for ya?!”
Yamato walked closer, his face still kind, but his gray eyes blazing with anger, almost as cold steel. He spoke calmly, calling out to the three tormentors.
“Excuse me gentlemen, but do we have a problem here?”
One, the first one to speak to Taito, turned and rapidly froze, recognizing Yamato. As the first man moved, Taito was clearly visible. His left arm was intact, but hung limply, uselessly, by his side, and it was clear that the arm had been grievously injured for some time and, presumably, that the injury would not be fixed.
The first tormentor answered quickly, sounding utterly panicked. “N-no, Captain Takahashi, sir! We were just roughhousing, sir!”
“Didn’t look that way to me. I see from your insignia that you gentlemen are from the 11th Division. I know it tends to be a survival of the fittest attitude around there, but so help me, if Taito comes to me with information about happenings like this again, I will report you to your squad leader and see to it that you three scrub toilets until your hands are calloused. Do I make myself clear?” He spoke the last question with an ironically friendly grin, and the three bullies nodded furiously.
Yamato looked at Taito, expression legitimately friendly now, and said three simple words, giving Taito a flash of the trademark leg brace.
“Don’t give up.” Taito beamed, giving an appreciative nod, and Yamato continued walking, making it a point to exaggerate his limp until he was out of sight.
*(OOC: Added in memoriam of an old friend,,,)
OK, so here's the thing. I PM'd GK asking permission but haven't heard back yet, but I would like to strike the first Yamato Takahashi completely from the record in favor of this new incarnation. If this is not agreeable with GK, I will happily remove the application, I just thought since it was done, I should go ahead and post it. Also, yes, it's the same basic character, but as you'll all see, there are significant expansions and alterations.
Shinigami
General Info
Name: Yamato Takahashi
Gender: Male
Age (apparent/actual): Early 20’s/525
Division: 6th
Rank: Captain
Physical Description: Yamato is a moderately handsome man who looks to be in his early 20’s. 6 feet tall, his frame isn’t necessarily highly imposing, but he keeps himself in true fighting shape, and it shows. His body is lean and toned, testament to the effort he puts into it. His hair is short and wavy, often slightly unkempt, and just long enough to have a bang or two sometimes hang slightly in front of his gray eyes. His eyes are usually a rather clear indicator of his mood. They are typically calm, serene, even inviting, until of course he is riled. When angered, his eyes harden and seem to burn with an inner fire that can be truly frightening. His features are strong, his face sharp in the way that an athlete or person with fast metabolism has clearly defined features. High cheekbones and a strong jaw are also present.
Muscles are clear on Yamato's frame, yet they're not excessively pronounced. Streamlined power is the name of the game where Yamato is concerned, and looking at him, it's clear why.
His clothing is typical Shinigami fare, though his Captain’s cloak has a red version of the squad’s insignia, as opposed to the typical black.
Also, peculiarly, Yamato rarely wears his Captain's cloak, but rather had the insignia to his division died into the back of his shinigami robes. Yamato only wears his cloak for very special circumstances, such as official Seireitei missions or Captains' meetings.
Yamato also has a variety of small scars from unlucky fights with Hollow. They're not pronounced to a degree that they truly impact his appearance, but rather appear to add accents in certain places. Some examples are a thin straight scar a couple inches long on his chest (from a Hollow spine through the chest), a small scar on his jawline (from a nastily broken jaw), and several others. Every scar tells a story, and Yamato can tell the story of every scar with equal detail. They are marks of his past, a past he bears with pride.
Yamato also has a tattoo on his back, clearly visible any time his upper body is naked. It is a mysterious symbol, a fluctuating circle with a depiction of his blade piercing the circle. It is unknown exactly what this symbol means, or why Yamato got the tattoo, as he frankly refuses to talk about it. There may come a time when he reveals the story, but for now, it remains a mystery....*
Personality: Yamato is a bit of a dichotomy as far as personality is concerned. He is generally calm, giving, and kind, always willing to help those who ask. However, when it comes to battle, Yamato is truly vicious and just a little smug, feeling the need to prove himself to any who may doubt him. He feels intense contempt to any people with a sense of entitlement, and respect from Yamato is not necessarily difficult to earn, but is absolutely never implicit.
He has become distinctly more easygoing over the years, ironic considering his current position of power, but if pressed, the “old” Yamato shows his face, and when he does, it is generally extremely dangerous for the person who pushed him in that direction. As a captain, he has a soft spot for underdogs, and tends to see the best in everyone, even those who might not otherwise get a chance, considering he was there once. He has pride in his division, but sees the Seireitei as one cohesive whole, and so does not seek to separate his division as harshly from the others as some choose to. His love for hunting Hollow and fighting has not disappeared even after his becoming a captain, and so he is somewhat notoriously known for “roughing it” with lower ranked Shinigami, never wanting to lose sight of the key tenets of his job.
His attitude toward bullies is one of the utmost contempt and even rage, because he was bullied for so long himself. He is very open about his disability, makes no attempt to hide it, and even tends to cite it as a source of inner strength. Though he is open about it, secretly he fears being disrespected the first time he tells any given person about the condition. It is certainly worth noting, however, that being a Captain of the Gotei, ironically, gives him some degree of implicit respect from people that Yamato hesitates to give to others. This slight hypocrisy has landed him in hot water once or twice, but generally speaking, Yamato is comfortable with who he is.
When it comes to his interactions with others, Yamato is once again a bit of a dichotomy. He is extremely friendly and extroverted if there is perceived interest in interaction on the part of the other person or if he is in some sort of social interaction setting, i.e. a party, which he thoroughly enjoys attending any time he has an opportunity. However, there are other times when the Captain is extremely introspective and introverted, and during these times, only the closest of Yamato’s friends tend to be able to get substantial interaction out of him. It is unclear what exactly “sets off” these changes in mood, but they don’t generally last very long, and are not terribly common.
History: Yamato Takahashi was a friendly, intelligent boy, who always seemed to others to have empathy and wisdom beyond his years. These abilities extended even to the realm of animals, particularly dogs and wolves. Yamato was always spiritually aware, and never questioned what he saw. He lived a normal life, able to fend off any negative energy from spirits easily, and unbeknownst to him at the time, able to conceal his spiritual power, and so was never bothered by Hollows. However, when he arrived home one day at the age of 16, to see his house being robbed and his parents dead, he grew immensely angry, and the sudden rise in emotion brought out his true spiritual power, and thus attracted a Hollow. Scared by the Hollow they couldn’t see, the robbers ran, and as Yamato chased them, the Hollow caught up with him and attacked. The attack left his right leg permanently injured, and from then on he always limped. From the day of his parents’ death, he grew to have the interesting dichotomy of being completely unafraid to (and even enjoying) fights, but despising the idea of killing. When he was fresh out of college, he went to a bar one night, and got into a fight when a drunk man called him a “pathetic cripple who’d be better off dead”. Enraged, Yamato attacked, but was killed when he was surrounded by several men (friends of the first man) and beaten to death. However, later, the men commented that “he fought beyond anything we’d seen, almost as though he was possessed.”
After his death, Yamato trained in Rukongai, both in martial arts, and in finding new depths to his spiritual power. He was able to enroll in the Shinigami Academy, and was actually technically above average in the majority of his classes, though the weak leg still plagued him. He was able to compensate for the weakness in the area of conventional movement by showing a particularly affinity for shunpo, the large leaps with often very little time spent bearing weight between movements proving to work well for him. Despite Yamato’s undeniable proficiency and considerable power for those in his level, he was shockingly denied graduation from the Academy because of his disability.
Well, at least that's the way it made Yamato feel. What actually happened was probably somewhere more in a moderate place. When he was preparing to graduate, a group of his fellows took him aside and, mocking him for the disability, began to push, shove, even punch and kick. Getting flashbacks from the time he died as a human, Yamato seemed to go in a semi-catatonic state. The attack left no visible marks, and so when Yamato went to recieve a blank Zanpakuto which would ideally be "imprinted" with his reiatsu, nothing happened. He tried again and again, and nothing happened. Morosely, the master of the graduation ceremony told him he would not be able to graduate. Even when Yamato tried to explain the stiuation, there was no way to prove it, and so he was escorted to the real world, no Zanpakutou in hand, and left to fend for himself.
Angered yet determined, Yamato hand fashioned a set of “battle gauntlets” through painstaking amateur blacksmithing and considerable elbow grease, since he was not given a Zanpakutou, not having officially graduated. He became a freelance Hollow Hunter, using his battle gauntlets in conjunction with martial arts skills, as well as a crudely sharpened lead pipe in place of a sword. Eventually, after years of hunting hollow, not caring about anything but the hunt and the quest for power to prove his naysayers wrong, he was advocated for by a former Captain of the Gotei 13.
The Captain secretly gave Yamato a lesson in getting one’s sealed Zanpakutou to materialize, essentially teaching him the post-graduation ritual via one-on-one interaction. It took some time, and unbelievable effort, but eventually, Yamato was able to do it. He went up into some local mountains and proceeded to train ceaselessly, endlessly, in order to try and learn his sword’s name. While up in the mountains, he befriended a wolf, which Yamato named Romulus. Romulus essentially became a pet to Yamato, providing him companionship in an otherwise lonely, taxing existence. Romulus even seemed able to roughly sense hollow, and once or twice, saved Yamato from particularly rough spots. The two were the closest of friends, and both seemed to be stronger for the presence of the other.
One night, Yamato was struggling to learn a particularly powerful kidou from a set of notes the Captain had given him as a sort of study guide when the spell went thoroughly out of control, setting a section of the forest ablaze. Yamato was able to contain the fire using magic, but in the chaos, Romulus died as a product of the blaze. Yamato never forgave himself, and for a time, actually developed a phobia of fire. He continued his training, but it was limited by the inner demons that Yamato was endlessly battling.
He continued training, even sparring with some Shinigami that the Captain who had taken Yamato under his wing decided to send his way, and his fighting style improved. More and more Yamato practiced the balance of sword combat and hand-to-hand combat, and it is a balance that he now has a masterful understanding of. His shunpo continued to improve, and any time the Captain saw Yamato, he would always remark on how impressive he found the younger man’s proficiency, especially considering his other limitations. Yet still, despite all this training and the apparent growth of Yamato’s reiatsu, the release of his blade still, infuriatingly, eluded him.
Yamato actually also spent a lot of time interacting with humans via a gigai that the good Captain had given him. Since he was rarely able to interact with other Shinigami not being in Soul Society, and since he no longer had Romulus to keep him company, he looked to his human friends, particularly the citizens of Karakura Town, to fill that void. As such, he developed an affinity for and fondness toward the human world that still has not disappeared, even today. He regards humans as being very much on the same level as Shinigami in a way, since he essentially sees every person as a potential future Shinigami. As with everything, Yamato sees the greatest possible potential in people, rather than what they might immediately showcase, having been there once himself.
One day, three huge Hollow threatened the tranquility of Karakura. It was shocking, because the Hollow themselves seemed to be incredibly powerful. Even more shocking, however, was the fact that no “official” Shinigami were dispatched to the town’s defense, leaving Yamato and only Yamato to take care of the problem. He got to the intruders as quickly as he possibly could, but not before he saw one of his human friends get eaten right in front of him. Consumed by rage and grief, Yamato charged, the three on one battle proving to be little more than a glorified execution. That was, until he heard the voice echoing inside him. It was his Zanpakutou, crying out to him for release.
In that moment, driven by rage, grief, the desire to protect the town, and obviously his will to survive, Yamato released Vulcanus for the first time, and experienced a true shock when he did. The spiritual quality and texture of the released blade was almost exactly like that of his old friend Romulus. After release, Yamato dispatched the three Huge Hollow with ease, and was soon greeted by his old friend the Captain, who seemed to be able to detect that Yamato had released. The Captain took Yamato back to Seireitei with him, where he promptly showed the then Commander General his release.
The denied graduation was stricken from the record, and that Captain’s decision to take Yamato under his wing proved to be a very wise one. Yamato joined his old friend’s squad, and over the years, Yamato steadily rose through the ranks of the squad, and was often hailed as a Shinigami with great potential for improvement, particularly given his strong work ethic and dedication to the work he had been chosen to undertake. He never lost that rogue spirit completely, often going out on his own to hunt any Hollow he could find for the thrill and experience, even if he was not ordered to do so. Luckily for Yamato, his Captain understood this urge, and thus never took any measures to stop him from hunting. The Captain even went so far as to encourage it, telling Yamato that he thought not enough Shinigami took Yamato’s never ending proactive attitude.
Bankai eluded Yamato much as Shikai had, though he was constantly convening with Vulcanus in his spirit world to try to reach that next level. It infuriated him, though as Vulcanus always told him, that fury would ultimately get Yamato nowhere. In the end, Vulcanus urged, it would be a true release of that anger and acceptance of reality that would lead to Yamato achieving the Bankai level. Sadly, it was only after a tragedy that Yamato was able to find that half-figurative half-literal release.
In an intense battle with an unknown opponent or opponents, Yamato’s old friend the Captain was unexpectedly killed. In an act of maddening grief, Yamato set his Shinigami insignia ablaze and left a note reading as follows in the new Captain’s office:
Captain,
I am consumed by sorrow and inner turmoil the likes of which I don’t think I have ever felt before. Please do not take my leave as a sign that I forsake Seireitei and the Gotei. On the contrary, I leave for the time being because I think that in my current mental state I am unfit to serve as an official member of the Gotei. I will return as soon as my inner demons are vanquished and, should it be deemed appropriate, I will return to service. Do not fear for my health or a loss of my dedication. I will continue to eradicate the scourge of the Hollow as much as I possibly can from the human world until such a time comes as I feel able to serve the Gotei most effectively. Keep up the fight, Captain, and know that I respect you just as much as our dearly departed leader.
Regards,
Yamato Takahashi
With that, Yamato returned to the human world, specifically to the mountains where he had trained with Romulus. Strangely yet still unexpectedly, Vulcanus seemed to resonate with the place that contained so much of Yamato’s past, and through furious self-reflection and training, Yamato finally reached Bankai. In that moment of release, true to Vulcanus’s word, Yamato found inner peace, and a new resolve and determination welled within him, though also important was the new ease and peace of mind Yamato was able to achieve, finally having overcome that hurdle. He did not return immediately to Seireitei, instead training more still to gain a better understanding of, and grasp on, his abilities. Eventually, however, Yamato returned, head held high, and arranged a meeting with the Commander General, wherein he revealed his Bankai, much to the Commander’s surprise. Only the commander and a handful of other witnesses there that day saw his final release, and to this day, Yamato has yet to use it in battle.
Yamato had reached Captain level, and so he was welcomed back with open arms into the Gotei. Yamato’s Bankai remains one of the most closely guarded secrets of the current court. This leads to rampant rumors about the nature of his Bankai, which Yamato actually encourages out of amusement. Having been to hell and back on his journey, Yamato is now a much calmer person in general, though it cannot be denied that he still has a frightening inner fire that may be awakened at any time.
Additional Info:
The following non-Zanpakuto items are associated with Yamato:
Takahashi Battle Gauntlets- A set of hand crafted gauntlets designed for battle. There are both hand and foot sets, so that every extremity is armored. The hand gauntlets each have a single retractable spike in the center knuckle area. The right leg gauntlet includes a leg brace extension, used to bolster Yamato’s weak leg as much as possible. While effective and painstakingly crafted, the gauntlets are crude, though they have been made nicer over the years as Yamato rose through the ranks.
Slayer- A makeshift sword created by intensely tapering and sharpening what was once a lead pipe. While not as elegant or powerful as a traditional Zanpakutou, it and the gauntlets are impeccably upkept by their owner, and so the slayer is a respectable replacement for a Zanpakutou, if not ideal.
(The Slayer hangs in Yamato’s office as a constant reminder of where he’s been, though he uses his Zanpakutou in battle. He still uses the gauntlets, though they are not always present [see Zanpakutou information]).
Zanpakuto
General
Name: Vulcanus
Spirit Description: A massive orange-red wolf. Vulcanus is fierce yet introspective, much like his owner. Vulcanus tends to call Yamato “kid”, though it is a term of endearment rather than belittlement. He often jokes about how long it took Yamato to get his hands on him, much to Yamato’s chagrin. Despite the banter-filled nature of the relationship, Yamato and Vulcanus are incredibly close.
Sealed: A typical katana, with a black hilt and red-diamond patterning intermittent and a red tassel-like piece of thin rope hanging from the end of the hilt. Yamato typically keeps the sealed Vulcanus on his back as opposed to at his side. Also when sealed, Yamato wears the homemade gauntlets described above.
Shikai
Activation Phrase: Burn brightly, Vulcanus!
Appearance: Vulcanus actually has two separate shikai forms of equal raw spiritual power, both of which have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Vulcanus Argentum: In this form, the blade of Vulcanus melts and the molten metal flows down Yamato’s limbs, fortifying the gauntlets and making them well and truly fearsome, though Yamato has no means of long-range or even medium-range attack, aside from the occasional burst of flame that doesn’t extend very far. However, in this form, Yamato is unburdened and extremely fast.
Vulcanus Aurum: In this form, all semblance of the gauntlets aside from the leg brace disappear. Vulcanus takes on the form of a very large red-orange European style broadsword. This form has prodigious power and more direct attack range than the Argentum form, but tends to slow Yamato considerably, and so this form is used only against slower opponents, weakened opponents, or opponents whose moves are easier to read and predict.
Abilities:
Vulcan Flames (Argentum only): The gauntlets are surrounded by spirit fire. For the most part, these flames serve only to make Yamato's strikes more deadly, but Yamato can shoot the flames a couple of feet forward in order to provide slight range.
Vulcan Wave: (Aurum only): A wave of flame bursts forth from the sword. The flame is typically longer than it is wide, a line of flame 10-15 feet long at apex and a couple feet wide. The attack is fairly easy to dodge in and of itself, but at least part of the power lies in the ability to wear the opponent down by the insane heat, and obviously if they're caught off guard, the foe will experience substantial damage.
Form Switch: Yamato can change forms mid-battle, but only after speaking the following incantation:
“Vulcanus, I beseech thee, show the double nature of your soul. Gold to silver, silver to gold, bear thy fangs, and change!”
This incantation, combined with the literal time it takes for the blade to change forms, leaves Yamato wide open to attack for a time (15-30 seconds), so he typically only switches when his opponent is down, distracted, or bound in place by kidou, but even then, he runs a risk, particularly against stronger opponents.
Bankai
Activation Phrase: "End it all. Burn with the brightest fires of my soul! BANKAI! Vulcanus Veritas!"
Appearance: Contrary to the typical imagining of Bankai, the sword itself barely changes at all. Yamato is encased in red-orange armor with a black cape and no helmet, but other than that, almost the only difference in abilities rather than the raw boost in power is the ability to change the shikai forms near-instantaneously. It is important to note that truly skilled opponents can still find openings in the momentary change, but thusfar only one opponent has ever managed to. Also, the armor is more an aesthetic change rather than providing substantial defensive power, though it does stop weak attacks.
Abilities:
Veritas Switch: Described above, this allows Yamato to change the shikai forms much faster and without incantation, making the process almost instantaneous.
Final Drive: Yamato's ultimate offense. The Final Drive is a combination attack that has slight variations each time it is used, but the basic formula sees Yamato flashing forward as quickly as he can and letting loose a brutal flurry of punches and kicks, ending with an uppercut that knocks his foe into midair. Yamato follows, switching to the Aurum form in midair, slashing several times before attempting to impale his foe and bring them crashing to the ground on the point of the blade, at which point they are engulfed in a pillar of flame. Obviously, it's decently easy for certain opponents to interrupt the skill, but if Yamato manages to catch a tired or weaker-by-default opponent in the whole combo, they'll be very lucky indeed to survive.
Shinigami Techniques
Shunpo
Way of Binding 58, Summoning of the Tracking Sparrows
Way of Binding 61, Six Rods of Prison Light
Destructive Art 54, Abolishing Flames
Additional
Other Characters: None
Roleplay Sample:
From the rogue days:
Yamato wiped the blood from his lip with a smirk. This hollow was stronger than he’d counted on.
“This is a fun one!” He shouted with an almost mad chuckle, letting loose another surge of reiatsu. “Think I’ll actually speed up this time! Way of Speed number 20, Dance of Heaven!” He saw the blue light bathe his legs and felt them get lighter, the familiar sensation almost like the embrace of an old friend. The sword-like weapon hanging across his back was removed from its sheath as he disappeared, using shunpo to flash behind and above the large hollow. Sharpening the weapon with reiatsu, Yamato fell, slashing as he did, moving to strike the hollow’s mask. It turned, sensing his energy, at quickly moved its arm in front of its face to protect the mask. Despite the defensive attempt, the Slayer cleaved through the hollow’s arm, prompting a gush of blood and a howl of pain.
Storing the Slayer behind his back again quickly, Yamato twisted, kicking the hollow in the side of the head with his armored leg. The hollow was sent flying with a crash, and it slowly stood, groaning in pain, as Yamato smiled wider. “You filthy things just never learn, do you? It’s not the sword that makes the Shinigami…” He flashed forward, getting directly in the hollow’s face as the spike in the center of the gauntlet on his left fist was revealed.
“…It’s the love of the job!” With a shout of effort, Yamato landed a truly bone-crushing punch to the Hollow’s mask, the spike driving straight through. As the hollow screamed again and slowly faded away, Yamato landed on one knee, standing gingerly. He dusted himself off with a sigh, slowly walking off.
“That’s only the fifth tonight. I’ve got to hurry if I want to break my old record before sunrise…” He looked up at the full moon, almost feeling an inexplicable urge to howl at it, when he heard the unearthly scream of another hollow and focused on tuning in to its energy signature. He gave a pleased laugh and whispered quietly to himself.
“Time to go for number six!” With a whoosh and a blur of motion, he was gone, ready for his next kill.
As Captain:
Yamato leaned lazily against the wall of his quarters, enjoying the look of the setting sun as it reflected against a nearby pond. He absentmindedly chewed a long spear of grass he had picked up and remembered the first time he ever released Vulcanus…
Yamato smiled, the blood pouring from his mouth as he let out an almost insane laugh. There were three of them, and they had almost killed him. Yet somehow, he knew he was going to win. His laughter continued, and the Hollow all hesitated, as if thrown off by the bizarre reaction.
“HAHAHAHAHA….oh man, you guys REALLY think you’re gonna win, don’t you? It’s too funny. God, my ribs, they were already broken, but hell…” He felt it. It was time to understand. It was time to feel. He swished the sword fancily through the air, and shouted, “Burn brightly, Vulcanus!” The plain Zanpakutou in Yamato’s hand burst into flame as he felt the massive surge of reiatsu course through his body. Again, he swished the blade through the air before proclaiming, “First forging, Vulcanus Argentum!” The blade melted, and Yamato instinctively placed the now empty hilt in the sheath on his back. The molten metal did not burn him, but rather seemed to surge in volume as it flowed down to each of his limbs. The gauntlets grew, becoming larger, heavier, more deadly. His feet were now both covered, in what felt like greaves of the highest caliber, light on his feet yet, he knew, absolutely devastating to whatever they came in contact with. With one last shout, his limbs were engulfed in flame. He looked down at his hands. They were encased in heavy, devastating looking gauntlets. Instinctively, he tensed, and spikes emerged at each knuckle.
He flashed, and grinned. The speed was unbelievable; the adrenaline was filling his body. Reaching the stomach of one of the huge Hollow and let loose a furious flurry of punches. The Hollow screamed in agony as the crushing impact combined with the scorching flame. He backflipped upward, kicking the Hollow brutally underneath the jaw. It raised off of the ground, still shrieking in pain, and crashed as Yamato spun, reaching the apex of his jump.
“Vulcan Drive!” He sped toward the ground, now engulfed totally in spiritual flame, and crushed the Hollow’s mask with a downward punch, killing it instantly.. Flipping back up to his feet, he noticed the other two Hollow, still frozen where they stood, now in shock and fear rather than confusion.
“Vulcanus, I beseech thee, show the double nature of your soul. Gold to silver, silver to gold, bear thy fangs, and change! Second forging. Vulcanus Aurum.” The gauntlets vanished, melting. Instinctively, Yamato drew the bare hilt from behind his back, and he watched it shift to accommodate the form that the molten metal now chose to take. It shifted, solidified, and changed color to a flame-like reddish orange, becoming a massive European style broadsword. The ground beneath him cracked slightly beneath the weight as he swung the sword around in front of him. He felt slower, a good bit slower, but the power…
He dashed forward and leapt upward the old-fashioned way, cleaving through one of the remaining Hollow’s massive arms, then, with a huge scream of effort, brought the massive blade brutally crossways, slicing the Hollow clean in half. He landed with a tremendous crash, legs almost buckling with the sword now behind his shoulders.
“What the hell are you?!” The last Hollow screamed, its booming voice no longer casting fear into Yamato. He answered calmly, moving slowly but confidently, holding the massive sword somehow in one hand.
“I am Yamato Takahashi, Shinigami, wielder of the bright blade Vulcanus, and most importantly, your undoing.” With a scream, he swung his arm upward, surging reiatsu through the huge blade, and a flood of deadly fire, arcing as the slash, sped toward the Hollow. It was engulfed totally in flame, screaming in agony as Yamato plunged the sword with a tremendous boom into the turf below him. Easily, it shrunk, shifting form, and sealing once again, as Yamato felt the crude gauntlets return to his limbs. As the Hollow disintegrated, Yamato turned, easily picking up the now smaller blade, flicking the blood off of it as it was at his side, then tossed it up in the air, smiling as he heard it spin down toward him then clink perfectly into the sheath on his back. Calmly, Yamato walked away, finally fulfilled after so very long…
He smiled as the breeze blew through his hair, drawing Vulcanus from his sheath. When the setting sun hit the blade like that, it almost took on the hue that it had that day. Like the dying embers of a passionate flame, the sun slowly set below the horizon. He began to walk, limping slightly. He waved to every shinigami he saw, perpetuating his reputation as one of the friendliest captains in the entirety of Seireitei. He stopped when he saw one, an unseated squad member by the looks of things, being mocked by some of his fellows.
“Friggin’ one arm Taito!” one laughed, giving him a shove.
“How do ya get dressed in the morning?! Have one of your boyfriends do it for ya?!”
Yamato walked closer, his face still kind, but his gray eyes blazing with anger, almost as cold steel. He spoke calmly, calling out to the three tormentors.
“Excuse me gentlemen, but do we have a problem here?”
One, the first one to speak to Taito, turned and rapidly froze, recognizing Yamato. As the first man moved, Taito was clearly visible. His left arm was intact, but hung limply, uselessly, by his side, and it was clear that the arm had been grievously injured for some time and, presumably, that the injury would not be fixed.
The first tormentor answered quickly, sounding utterly panicked. “N-no, Captain Takahashi, sir! We were just roughhousing, sir!”
“Didn’t look that way to me. I see from your insignia that you gentlemen are from the 11th Division. I know it tends to be a survival of the fittest attitude around there, but so help me, if Taito comes to me with information about happenings like this again, I will report you to your squad leader and see to it that you three scrub toilets until your hands are calloused. Do I make myself clear?” He spoke the last question with an ironically friendly grin, and the three bullies nodded furiously.
Yamato looked at Taito, expression legitimately friendly now, and said three simple words, giving Taito a flash of the trademark leg brace.
“Don’t give up.” Taito beamed, giving an appreciative nod, and Yamato continued walking, making it a point to exaggerate his limp until he was out of sight.
*(OOC: Added in memoriam of an old friend,,,)
