Akon (Shen YI)

Akon (阿近, Akon) is the Vice-President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. As well as the temporary lieutenant of the 12th Division, until Nemu Hachigo finishes maturing.

Personality
Akon is considered the perfect balance to the captain of the 12th Division. He walks with an air of control even amid chaos, only breaking in situations that can be considered catastrophes. The only two people capable of pulling his strings are the former two captains of the twelfth division, a trait that has allowed him to lead in their absences. Akon believes that in troublesome situations, it is important to gather details and information. Something that is hindered when one’s mind is occupied with danger.

Unlike the other captains, Akon displays a warmth and empathetic nature. Exhibiting friendliness to Nemu and referring to Ezekiel has a specimen worth both protecting and studying. He shows a sense of scientific ethic often unseen in the twelfth division.

Akon has shown a desire to remove the dangers of war by replacing souls with Gigai…

History
Fifteen years after the Thousand Year Blood War ended, Soul Society entered several years of unprecedented peace. Such peace, however, had been interrupted by the musings of the cunning mastermind Tokinada Tsunayashiro and his masterpiece, Hikone. It was a battle which disturbed that rare tranquility of the three worlds. But as countless battles before, the forces of good prevailed and prospered. Still, it was revealed that there existed a new species that had been hidden from the omniscient eyes of the twelfth division.

The shocking revelation of a new group of spiritual humans unlike Quincy. Whose powers lacked the rules and regulations of Kidou and other magical arts. Capable of performing miracles which possessed similarities to that of the Soul King’s very own power. The war revealed that the Tokinada clan had suppressed information about these mysterious beings for centuries. Humans capable of wielding abilities that the Soul King itself possessed. The lack of information had lead to the Soul Society almost falling to the mysterious scheming noble. The aftermath of Tsunayashiro’s defeat lead to a new priority. To gather as much information as possible about these enigmatic humans and to track their growth. Potentially weaponizing their powers and abilities or quelling a danger to the natural cycle.

A master of the art of Gigai creation and modification, Akon was fond of monitoring his experiments in the Human World. Although he was less of a field researcher, often sending subordinates to track progress, there was one invention which required that his personal appearance. The experimentation took place in a vacant lot in the human world where he would be able to note the interaction a Gigai had with the physical realm, including recording how different Gikon perform in different situations. Countless humans passed by the invisible spirits during the testing process. However, Akon noted to his subordinates that one boy had stuck out to him. An ebony teenager with his parents who, for a minute, appeared to stare deep into the depths of Akon’s Reiryoku.

Akon initially overlooked this experience for there existed countless humans who exhibited spiritual powers. But something felt off about this boy’s spiritual pressure. Extremely powerful for a human, especially one his age, and with a hollow-like sensation. Perhaps if the Tokinada hadn’t retained information about Fullbring, there would have been enough information for Akon to have realized what he had just experienced. But their destiny had become entwined in that single moment. Before Akon could explore further, the ebony child had vanished into a crowd. The scientist decided to continue with his research.

The art of Gigai modification and creation was fairly taboo in the world of Soul Society. There existed a fine line that, if crossed, would signify that the creator was a being without morals. Akon dreamed of normalizing this taboo practice, going as far as researching the effects of binding random reiatsu into pills and implanting it into dolls to stimulate life. Granting them spiritual powers and superhuman physical capabilities. Akon hoped to one day master Gigai creation to a point which mirrored his own captain’s greatest creation. Gigai were the future of combat. During endless nights of tinkering and research, he would think back to the thousands of souls lost during the Thousand Year Blood War. How it felt as entire squads of shinigamifell as quick as rain splattered against the earth. It haunted Akon. Perhaps that was the reason why he was fascinated with the art of Gigai creation and modification. Creating puppets capable of fighting in the place of actual souls meant that the age of useless sacrifices would come to an end.

Akon was about to turn in for the day when he noticed one of his test subjects vanished. An easily distracted Gigai had found itself cornered by a medium sized hollow attracted by the random reiatsu pill within. Still a prototype, this gigai’s personality was one of a coward. Akon decided to watch his creation, hoping that it would show signs of self-governed evolution. The ability to learn and grow during battle without external interference. However, Akon was treated to an even greater spectacle.

The ebony child which he’d crossed paths with earlier came crashing down from above. Standing before the hollow, the child’s own reiryoku seemed to match the beast. With eyes that gleamed with excitement, the child swore that he would protect the gigai from harm, which he thought was an actual human. He uttered a single phrase and touched a nearby dumpster. It took him a slight grasp to hurl it at the hollow, which caused minimal damage but gave them enough time to escape. Akon followed as the hollow chased his meal throughout the city He watched as the boy was able to influence an invisible force. Green lights and sparks vanishing as fast as they came. He realized that this power was the mysterious Fullbring that had been revealed recently.

Akon interfered and slaughtered the hollow, saving the teenager and his test experiment. .Had this been the captain, than the teenager would have been dissected and on a lab table before dinner. But Akon preferred a different type of experimentation. With such little information about the mysterious Fullbringers, it would be better to obtain continuous growth. And besides, the teenager was still a human and thus protected by the law. To kill him, even under the disguise of scientific research, could result in sanctions and fines. Instead, Akon vanished with his test subject and gathered an even better plan. Although he hated to be away from the lab and in the field, this was a golden opportunity.

Akon had placed a tracker on the teenager and found him with his family where, with the help of Kidou, he managed to persuade them to let him take the teenager. He offered the teenager an explanation on his mysterious powers, the spiritual world, and answers to any other questions he might possess. While his parents returned home, the teenager was trained by Ezekiel for two years. During which the teenager, named Ezekiel Silver, revealed an innate enjoyment of battle as well as a desire to protect those who could not protect themselves. Moved by this declaration, Akon used the little information the Gotei 13 possessed on Fullbringers to help mature his powers. Upon departing, he gave the boy a tool which would help him accomplish his dreams as well as serve a deeper purpose. Just as the famous Ukitake had done before him.

After returning to the Gotei 13, Akon continued his research into the science of Gigai creation and modification.. Still, he continues to watch his experiment closely. Interested in the path that humans unmarried to science, ruled by emotion would walk.

Powers & Abilities
High Spiritual Power:

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