Rikuri Ukitake

Rikuri Suigyoku (陸離翠玉, Suigyoku Rikuri; Literally meaning "Dazzling Emerald"), heralded as Danzetsu (断絶, Severance) during her days as a hollow, is the captain of the Fourth Division.

Appearance
On most occasions, Rikuri appears as a light skinned, middle aged woman. She has straight dark brown hair that flows down her back and curly fringes that frame both sides of her face. She often wears a warm smile across her face, symbolizing her genuine sincerity for all living beings. Her eyes, milk chocolate in color, are a thing of beauty; garnering the praise of all who take so much as a glance at Rikuri. They define her character in the sense that they hold her two intentions, and beyond that, they house her many experiences. Her lips are thick and plump, often covered in a light shade of pink lipstick, begging to be kissed.

Rikuri sports a top model physique, with ample hips and akin to the series' most recurring female characters; very large breasts. These breasts, roughly 132 cm in circumference, are tucked away and kept secure under the woman's tight Shihakushō (死覇装, Garment of Dead Souls). However, without the presence of extra under garment, they frequently wobble and thrust about at even the slightest of movements, which, according to the woman herself, is incredibly troublesome. These two cushions also serve as an extra means of storage, allowing Rikuri enough space to place small objects, such as scrolls, away for safe keeping. Oddly enough, because they're comprised of incredibly soft skin, they provide their wielder with an extra degree of protection, similar to the principle of an assault vest. As a whole, the woman is very curvy, from her ample hips down to her shapely thighs. Her assets can be roughly described as two large bowling balls neatly placed aside one another.

A defining trait of all shinigami is the unique set of black robes they wear on a daily basis. Rikuri's kimono, unlike others, makes a strong effort to conceal her flesh. This includes any cleavage and or neck line, which is further guarded by the presence of a vanilla colored scarf often wrapped and gently tucked over her shoulders. However, though she takes extra precaution over her body, it seems she is not beyond wearing tight fitted clothing, though this may be due to the up most difficulty in finding clothes suitable for her body size. Customary to proficient swordsmen, a silver obi is tied tightly around Rikuri's waist. This sash supports the scabbard of her Zanpakutō when not in use, kept at her right hand side in the case of danger. To complete her outfit, she wears a set of dark black sandals as her preferred choice of foot wear.

Personality
Rikuri, on most occasions, is an incredibly calm and mellow individual. Bestowed with centuries of knowledge, she has come to view the world from many perspectives, and such, has gained a degree of control over her own emotions. This gives her an unofficial advantage in battle, as it neglects any harsh verbal greetings coming her way, along with the idea that she can strategize and plan accordingly on her next move rather than waste time on being angry or dissatisfied. She is a woman who smiles often, due to her ideal belief that a life is not worth living if it were spent in resentment. Many of her opinions stem from her days as a hollow, such as the logic of giving others a second chance, truly believing in the regard that it may bring upon change, just as it did with her. Because of this very reason, she frequently spares the lives of her opponents, though this trait of hers should never be mistaken as any sort of hindrance, as she has, on more than one occasion, been seen taking the life of others without the slightest bit of hesitation. As a human, Rikuri was extremely overprotective of her body, which has since carried over to her days as a shinigami. She is self conscious of her extra body movement, often using her arms and hands to cover or prevent specific areas from jiggling for extended periods of time. Rikuri bears a dirty secret, which is her gruesome sex drive, something she inherited from her mother. Due to this reason, she avoids any direct contact with men, resorting to maniacal excuses in order to escape. She blushes often, which is normally a dead give away as to what her mind is processing at the given time. Rikuri keeps herself situated by reading romance novels, which have led her to believe that someday, her prince charming will come knocking at her doorstep.

The defining factor of Rikuri's character is her loyalty to the Gotei 13. She will give her life without hesitation, if it results in her own comrades emerging victorious. She is also quite honorable, electing not to fight an opponent who has suffered crucial injuries. Rikuri will also never leap into a battle that does not directly correlate with her in anyway, giving her respect to those who wish to settle matters on their own terms. It is in her best interest to constantly perform at a high level for her superiors and peers alike. This stems from her days as a human, directly from the instructions of her parents. Because of this very reason, she greatly respects those with a higher rank to her, especially individuals who are considerably older than her in age, referring to them with the "san" and "sama" honorifics.

Rikuri is calm and pleasant. It is almost impossible to provoke any emotion from her throughout the course of even a death match. A warm smile is always plastered on her face, only removed to express other emotions, such as shock or anger, though such exhibitions from Rikuri are incredibly rare. She appears to be delicate and well natured. One would highly doubt as to whether or not such a peaceful person would even be able to harm a fly. Rikuri is very gentle and soft spoken. She does not raise her voice, not even against those inferior to her in rank, electing a more laid back approach to communicate and correct the mistakes of others. She is also very patient, taking as much time as she possibly can to finish her work, as she aims for quality and not quantity. With all these given traits, she portrays an avid leader and strong instructor. Rikuri is largely independent, preferring to spend her reading alone, rather than partake in any social activity. She chooses who she associates herself with very thoroughly, and as such, does not have many friends. In fact, it it were not for her Zanpakutō, the word friend may have held absolutely no meaning to Rikuri. (Though this should not be mistaken for her loyalty towards her comrades) She enjoys her free time, viewing it as a blessing to improve as a soul. Rikuri has several hobbies, ranging from gardening, training, reading and though shinigami do not need to consume solids, cooking, something she greatly enjoyed to do as a human; often preparing dinner for her parents who always came home late at night.

When in battle, Rikuri is reluctant to harm her opponent. If possible, she will attempt to first persuade the enemy into forfeiting, and or joining her own forces, to negate the necessity for fighting. Though honorable, she prefers not to use her Zanpakutō unless it is required to subdue the target. Throughout the course of battle, she offers her opponent several warnings before finally getting serious. This may even be her greatest flaw, as she does not strike to kill, instead, striking to leave the target in a state in which they can no longer continue fighting. Rikuri is also quite forgiving, able to pardon even the most gruesome of traitors in a matter of seconds. This of course, stems from her belief that every soul should get another chance to turn their life around, no matter the caliber of the sins they have committed.

As a Human
As a Human (人間, Ningen) in the Human World (現世, Gense; also known as Living World), Rikuri was the second oldest of four children, born into the noble Suigyoku Family that resided within a village known as Yamaji Town (ヤマジタウン, Yamaji Town). Her family, overtime, had accumulated a tremendous amount of wealth. This was largely due to the professions of Rikuri's parents; both her mother and father were highly regarded, specialized doctors, their names known and respected by everyone around the village. Rikuri worked hard under the shadow of her loved ones, competing with the rest of her siblings to earn her parent's love. They stressed knowledge and hard work before all else, and their absence throughout majority of the day proved the point, as they spent much of it working.

Trouble ensued several years prior to Rikuri's human death. Her eldest brother, who went by the name Tsumugu Suigyoku (木原翠玉), had been banished from the family after failing to pass his school board graduation exam for the third consecutive time. In favor of Tsumugu, it was not entirely his fault, but rather the fault of the curse he had been inflicted with upon birth, that neglected every effort he made towards studying. Over his lifetime, Tsumugu was unable to find an efficient method where by he could consume knowledge, and practically gave up all hopes of following in the footsteps of his parents and becoming a doctor. After he declared his intentions to his parents, he was exiled from the family and sent to boarding school, in the fear that he may ravage the Suigyoku name.

Tsumugu fell into a deep depression while attending a distant boarding school. Not only had he left behind his immediate family, but the rest of the ties and bonds he had come to adore with the people of Yamaji Town. Love eventually turned to hate and overwhelmed the child before he reached the substantial age of 20. Concluding himself a failure, he grew to despise the world, along with those who had bestowed such an unfamiliarity upon his shoulders. He opted to take his own life in the very end, though not before seeking revenge against his parents. On a Sunday afternoon, while the rest of his peers spent the time partaking in a game of competitive Shogi (将棋, shōgi), Tsumugu instead returned home with a new sense of urgency, a lethal weapon finding it's place in his front pocket. Without much of a surprise, he was not welcomed home with open arms, but rather forced to utilize his trusty companion to breach through security and invade the construct he once called home. Arriving before his parents, he offered his life experiences since having departed from them, only to be turned down and called a disgrace one final time. However, before he could complete his quest of vengeance, the bullet leaving the nozzle of his magnum would instead conflict with the intervening Rikuri, who opted to play the role of a hero by giving her own life to save those that had given it to her in the first place.

At the time of her death, Rikuri was 17 years old. Her death came mere days before her 18th birthday and just a week prior to her high school graduation, where she had been elected as the class valedictorian. Feeling remorse, Rikuri remained within the Human World as a Plus (整, Purasu), a benign ghost residing within the world of living. After her passing, Tsumugu carried out his subliminal plans of murdering their parents, though sparred the rest of his siblings before taking his own life. As a ghost, she roamed the streets of Yamaji Town, keeping a watchful eye over her remaining siblings; a younger brother by the name of Kiyomaro (高嶺), and an older sister by the name of Megumi (大). Rikuri watched from behind the scenes as her siblings grew up, managing to live on their own. The two were forced to relocate to many foster homes after the passing of their parents, where they were often mistreated by their foster parents, who had only elected to adopt them due to their hefty amount of savings in the bank. This greatly bothered Rikuri, who found herself taking the lives of those foster parents who mistreated them for the betterment of her siblings, though in actuality, it only proved as another hindrance, as the process of moving yet again forced them to essentially start over.

As a Hollow
Over the course of several years, Rikuri became obsessive over the safety of her siblings. Eventually, Rikuri turned into a Tsukirei (憑き霊, Possessive Spirit), wrapping her Chain of Fate (因果の鎖, Inga no Kusari) around both her siblings and finding the aspirations she was neglected during her own life through theirs. This stretched as far as to choosing the husband of her older sister, who she possessed in order to be together with him. As Rikuri's state of being worsened, she eventually transcended into a full fledged Hollow (虚 (ホロウ), Horō), losing her heart and instead donning a rather frightening mask.

As a hollow, Rikuri abandoned her past motives, desiring nothing but to devour other souls. The lengthy process of the encroachment of her chain of fate suggested a high amplitude of spiritual power, and the sheer size and strength of her hollowed form only offered more support. Her days as a hollow earned her the moniker as Danzetsu (断絶, Severance), in regards to the Soul-Body Separation technique she garnered to take the lives of living humans. Her proficiency in the art of killing allowed her to ascend the ranks of a hollow more quickly than others, though it would take another several decades before she would become classified as a Gillian (最下大虚, girian; Japanese for "Lowest Great Hollow") or Menos Grande (大虚 (メノスグランデ). Rikuri was infamous as a Menos for leading other members of her kind into the human world from Hueco Mundo (虚圏) through the usage of Kūmon (空門, lit. "Air Gate"). This was largely in part due to her vicious hunger for souls, which roughly translated over from her immense sex drive as a human. However, she was soon commanded to stop through the orders of the higher ranking Adjuchas (中級大虚), leading her on an expedition to gain more power so she could do as she pleased.

However, her quest for power would come to an untimely end, as she met her own demise as a hollow at the hands of an unnamed Shinigami (死神, Soul Reaper). As the blade pierced through Rikuri's chest, it purified her of all her past sins, allowing the woman to reach the doors of the Soul Society (尸魂界 (ソウル・ソサエティ), Souru Sosaeti; Japanese for "Dead Spirit World") at long last. Rikuri would arrive in the soul society with high expectations, as essentially, as the daughter of two doctors, that was all she had known to do since her adolescent days as a child. However, ironically, and much to her dismay, Rikuri's arrival could not have come at a worse time, as she was instead placed in the most northern and final district of the Rukongai (流魂街, Wandering Soul City), feared as the Zaraki (更木, New Tree) district.

As a Soul
Living in the slums proved to be the most difficult challenge of Rikuri's existence. Subject to theft on several occasions, Rikuri fought to survive by any means necessary. When she arrived in the Soul Society, having been cleansed of her previous hollow form, Rikuri reverted to the form of her former self, taking the appearance of a 17 year old girl, reminiscent of her body just before her death. This body of hers, in conjunction with her beauty, is what essentially allowed her to remain alive within the depths of the Zaraki District. Among murder, assault and theft, rape was also not uncommon; turning a woman of Rikuri's caliber into a perpetual sex slave. Food was also scarce, and in order to get by the day, Rikuri resorted to affiliating herself with some of the districts most well known crooks and pimps. Whatever it took to get by the day, Rikuri did, until finally, she collected enough confidence to fend on her own and defend herself.

One evening, while returning from an associate, Rikuri came upon the corpse of an unidentified Shinigami. Instantly, horrific flash backs stormed through her mind. The thought of being taken advantage of heaved pain through every joint in her body, though she managed to sustain herself, taking ahold of his Asauchi (浅打ち, Shallow Hit) to counteract and use for self defense measures. While most Shinigami practice the art of befriending their Zanpakutō, for Rikuri, establishing a friendship became second nature. This was due to the fact that she carried the sword along with her everywhere, as a means of protection. No longer would she have to succumb to the horrid lifestyle of the Zaraki District with such a weapon at her disposal.

Rikuri eventually enrolled in the Shinōreijutsuin (真央霊術院, Spiritual Arts Academy), where she learned to hone her growing powers. The academy offered a six year course, where several instructors were issued to help the students maximize their potentials. For Rikuri, the academy was a way to escape the slums. It was a method in which she could, for the earlier portion of the day, get away from dangers of the Zaraki District, and for once, just enjoy herself and everything she stood for. Rikuri flourished during her time in the academy, displaying vibrant sparks of her former human self. The hard work and keen intellect seemed to have traveled with the woman all the way to the afterlife. With no one to please, Rikuri instead became self motivated; working to meet her expectations. No matter how hard she worked, the thoughts of her past left Rikuri severely nostalgic, which in turn, only made her work harder. She wanted to regain the fame and popularity she once had, more than anything in the word. Akin to her parents, success was all that existed in the world for Rikuri, all she had ever known. While in the academy, Rikuri especially took interest in Kidō (鬼道, Soul Reaper's powers).

As a Shinigami
Following her graduation from the academy, and after passing a multitude of exams, Rikuri enlisted within the ranks of the Gotei 13, where she was placed in the 4th Division.

Powers & Abilities
Immense Spiritual Power: As a trained Shinigami, Rikuri has a degree of Spiritual Power available to her. Rikuri's reiatsu is unique in the sense that it portrays her affection towards all living specimens when released. This is at times enough to prevent her opponents from contemplating war, as they are introduced to her up most peaceful persona. When one is caught in this energy, they begin to feel at ease, with their tension and stress flying seemingly out the window. They experience a high degree of relaxation, close to that of nirvana. It is a very soothing trial, which at times, can even lead to addiction. There is a second alternation to Rikuri's potent spiritual power. Dependent on the situation, it will give off an avid fluctuation of pressure that causes her opponents to lose focus of the battle. Almost like some sort of illusion, those who are exposed to this energy begin to instead view Rikuri as their love interest, losing themselves in the comfort of her presence. This prohibits any and all strategic analysis her opponent may have been planning at the said time. Contrary to belief, the said attribute applies to all genders, whether they be male or female.

Master Swordsman: Rikuri is adept in swordplay, her preferred style being the lost art of Iaido (居合道, Iaidō). The givens style allows Rikuri to eliminate her opponent in the fewest number of strikes, with the up most minimal bloodshed. The style is comprised of the act of unsheathing the blade quickly from the scabbard and continuing to deliver one quick lethal strike to the opponent, inflicting damage and cleansing the blade of any blood on the route back to the scabbard. Rikuri's skill allows her to prevent lower level opponents from reading her sword movements, as well as prohibiting them from even releasing their own Zanpakutō.

Shunpo Master:

Hakuda Combatant: Rikuri's preferred style of combat is the utilization of her own hands and feet to subdue her opponent. With the beliefs of rescuing her enemy from their mistakes in mind, Rikuri prefers not to use her Zanpakutō until it is extremely necessary. This led her to develop proficiency in hand to hand combat, as she initially believed it to cause less harm then the blade of her Zanpakutō. However, as she progressed through the ranks, she found herself greatly injuring her opponent in only a few blows, which would then lead Rikuri to holding back her prowess yet again. Though she is honorable, she does not feel the need to unleash her maximum power against enemies who she deems unworthy, instead, opting to use her own fists. Master Healer: As a member of the Fourth Division, Rikuri is proficient healer. Claiming the 6th seat, her healing capabilities are far beyond that of teammates. This allows her to prolong her own battles, by healing herself. This also aids in the fact that she can attempt to persuade the enemy from changing their perspective, as Rikuri fights not to kill, but save those that are in dire need of her assistance. Rikuri is known to have established her own array of healing Kidō. These set of skills are only known to her, though she is in the process of teaching it to others.

Her medical abilities are far more developed then the rest of the world. Her prowess has enabled others to acknowledge Rikuri as the most gifted medic in the universe. Rikuri's medical capabilities have stretched as far as being able to heal her own wounds without so much as a recitation let alone movement, making her a deadly opponent in battle. In fact, these medical abilities are so refined, that her body seemingly recovers on it's own when it has been injured, giving Rikuri an auto regeneration of some sorts. Though there is a limit as to how much this auto regenerative power can heal, Rikuri still possesses other medical Kidō to recover any lost limbs and otherwise any other torn ligaments of her body.

Kidō Master: As a healer of the Fourth Division, Rikuri is well versed in Kidō.

Master Tactician:

Zanpakutō
Saiun (彩雲, Glowing Clouds) is the Zanpakutō of Rikuri Suigyoku. It is classified as a Light-Type Zanpakutō under the elemental category. In it's sealed form, Saiun is slightly longer than an ordinary katana, and resembles a Nodachi (野太刀, field sword). The blade is kept sheathed in it's scabbard, known as a Saya (鞘) at Rikuri's waist when not in use. Akin to the personality of it's wielder, the sword portrays an overall lustrous appearance, quite decorative when compared to most others. Aside from a very glamorous blade, of which is said to have been manifested from Rikuri's smile itself, the sword's Tsuka (柄) is instead identified as a Tsuka-ito (柄糸) due to the several layers of Same-kawa (鮫皮, sharkskin) it is so delicately wrapped in, offering a more comfortable grip. The Tsuba (鍔) has an oval shape, providing Rikuri with additional balance and protection whilst in battle. Along with a dark black handle, the blade possesses a Habaki (鎺) for seemingly decorative purposes, though in reality, it allows for Rikuri to unsheathe the blade from it's Saya at inhuman levels of speed. A practicer of Iaido (居合道, Iaidō), Rikuri's sword play is primarily based off the art of sheathing and unsheathing Saiun in a manner in which her opponent is essentially unable to read her movements.

Shikai
Saiun possesses a Shikai (始解, Initial Release), which came about after an established relationship was forged between the spirit and Rikuri. Like all Zanpaktō, Saiun can only be released by reciting it's Kaigo (改悟), which is only known by itself and Rikuri. However, unlike most Zanpakutō, Saiun's Kaigo is a bit more complex, in the sense that it is more of a poem rather than a single word. The Kaigo goes as follows; "Cleanse the world of darkness, fill the world with brightness, show us the truth!" (闇の世界を清める明るさで世界を埋める 私たちに真実を示している, Yami no sekai o kiyomeru akaru-sa de sekai o umeru, watashitachi ni shinjitsu o shimeshite iru!)

Shikai Special Ability: In it's Shikai, Saiun's blade gives off a vibrant aura, which provokes a bright yellow light to fire out and blind everything watching within a certain radius, except the user. Despite the appearance of light, the shroud is actually composed of microscopic blades, which Rikuri can then control at will to pierce her opponent from anywhere within the lighted area. Additionally, because the bright light takes away the vision of the victim, Rikuri is able to conduct a variety of sneak attacks on those who rely more heavily on the sense of sight, as well as move about entirely unnoticed. As such, it proves as quite the strategical method for one to conduct an escape. To the victim, looking about the shroud causes a great deal of stress to their eyes, almost forcibly sealing them shut. If one were to contradict this natural process, they would most likely be blinded within a few minutes.


 * Sokkou (速攻, "Swift Attack"): The fearsome trait of Saiun lies in it's ability to travel at the speed of light. This allows Rikuri to attack her opponent near instantaneously, whilst concealing her own movements to a bare minimum. The technique is initiated through the basic principles of the ancient Iaido (居合道, Iaidō) fighting style, where by Saiun is drawn out from her slumber and thrusted in a quick, swift manner to the opposite side of Rikuri's body. As the blade is released from the scabbard, it coats itself within Saiun's Reiryoku (霊力, Spiritual Power), emitting a bright light. Moving from one side to the other, Saiun identifies it's target and takes aim, delivering a powerful, near instantaneous beam of light their way, normally directed towards one of their vital organs. Because this goes against her morals of killing, Rikuri to release her shikai is a rarity.


 * Hakkou (発光, "Illuminate"):


 * Hiraishin (避雷針, "Lightning Rod"): Saiun emits a radiant aura that encompasses the entirety of the blade, from the very tip all the way down to the handle. This makes Saiun incredibly durable, such that other Zanpakutō shatter during direct physical collisions. This also protects Saiun from outside attacks as well, as if in any case the blade were to be broken, the coating of light would instead be damaged, and not the actual blade itself. This makes it virtually impossible for others to approach the strategy of destroying Rikuri's Zanpakutō. When covered in aura, the sword is noted to gain substantial enhancements in both strength and durability, enough to completely shatter an opponent in so much as a single swing. For less combatical purposes, the sword can be used as a light source when in darkened areas, powerful enough to shine in just about any given space.

Bankai
Saiun Kantei (彩雲, Judgement from the Glowing Clouds; Viz "Decision of the Glowing Clouds")