Hisaka Tsukada

"The reflection of nothing..."

—Somnium Fluxus

Hisaka Tsukada (つかさ永日, Tsukada Hisaka) is a vagrant soul having supposedly wandered throughout the Rukongai for as long as its recorded history. Her reputation is one defined by fables and rumors of her charitable kindness and ominous presence alike, a woman of miracles ever stalked by a calamity to act in her wake. With numerous records existing of many women by Hisaka's name who have mysteriously disappeared, no historian can say for certain if her story is that of a single entity or of many women throughout history who were somehow misconstrued as such. Such is a mystery even to Hisaka herself, having forgotten all but her own name celebrated by her many acquaintances and colleagues throughout her quiet and simplistic life. But that all assumes she is indeed the real Hisaka.

Hisaka, having always possessed a profound spiritual power as far as scholars could say, was widely sought after by the Gotei 13 on numerous occasions throughout history. It was her very power that would one day drive her to a life of seclusion where the general populace would be safe from its ravages. It is only now that the Gotei 13 has been left in disrepair following the Quincy Blood War that the woman of miracles has finally decided to lend the organization her aid as a full-fledged Shinigami. She was quickly granted captaincy of the Fourth Division, serving the entire organization as both a counselor and one of its greatest medics. Although plagued with amnesia, Hisaka has little concern of her own identity, instead aiming merely to assist the organization to the best of her abilities, just as she had always done for the troubled individuals she encountered throughout her travels.

Personality
Hisaka is a woman sharply defined by her study and passion for the art of healing. While she cannot recall her childhood or the true nature of her power, she retains the compassion and composure of the woman of miracles she was lauded as. She defines herself as a “simple, understanding acolyte.”

Hisaka's most notable trait in this regard is her consistently composed demeanor regardless of any situation presented to her, if only for the purpose of putting her comrades at ease. She is capable of conveying an inexplicable feeling of safety and protection to those within range of her soft tone of voice and her soothing words of comfort. Hisaka's gift for viewing the significance in others as well as putting aside her own beliefs when speaking of others is what defines her great success as a counselor. But when her very own beliefs are brought to question, Hisaka does become uncharacteristically argumentative, losing her serenity to defend her honor with harsh words in protest. Despite seldom regretting any such outburst, Hisaka rarely dwells on personal disagreements and is quick to forgive them, even if it simply means agreeing to disagree.

Hisaka is a woman who yearned to be close to society as she could despite her own differences from the commoners she associated herself with. As such, she is gregarious, laid-back and humorous despite her professional and aristocratic semblance, a contrast that allows her to befriend almost any personality. Hisaka prefers to speak very plainly, to the point of vulgarity, and generally abhors the use of honorifics, whether she would require to formally address someone or she herself is spoken of in an aggrandizing manner. While Hisaka would have no qualms fraternizing with the lowliest of peasants if favorably approached, she preferably spends her time with others of whose intentions are more easily understood, namely those who can manage to retain their honest nature in her presence. Effectively, she assumes the role of a psychologist who would never consider treating her clients as any more than that, at least for as long as they remain in her care.

Although she is a pacifist and thus shies away from any verbal or physical confrontation if possible, Hisaka is relentless against her enemies and will immediately kill them without remorse if she cannot convince them to stand down after warning them once. Nevertheless, she rarely acts on hatred or a desire for revenge and declares that she fights merely for survival; to that end, she retires to a more supportive role during confrontation, stepping to the front lines or assuming a role of leadership outside her division only when a dire need has arisen. She has realized her importance to the Gotei 13 and accepts the necessity of her protection despite her own capabilities in battle, although she frequently laments the idea of the subordinates she has grown fond of dying to ensure her safety, even if it is occasionally worded as a morbid joke.

Above all else, Hisaka fears her own power. The fear of one day losing all control over her rampant energy has long evolved into a will to condemn such power or anyone who would recklessly seek to wield it. It is her belief that while otherworldly power should never fall under the possession of the greedy or ignorant, those who humbly wield such power without ever succumbing to it are worthy of adulation and utmost respect. It is such individuals that inspire Hisaka to master her own abilities so that she may one day conquer her greatest doubts.

When left without any duties, Hisaka spends much of her free time taking prolonged naps within her own quarters or simply engaging her subordinates in playful discussion. Regarding her other talents, she is a skilled origami maker who retains many creations she has both made and collected to adorn her quarters. She is an openly voracious consumer of alcoholic beverages and enjoys commuting various taverns throughout the Rukongai with like-minded friends in tow. Exemplifying the woman she is still renowned as, she occasionally wanders beyond the Seireitei to seek those in need of physical assistance or spiritual guidance, assuming she has acquired permission to do so.

History
No records exist of Hisaka's birth. According to the many tales weaved in her honor, Hisaka was born within a modest family in a largely uneventful locate of the Rukongai. Hisaka's innate spiritual power allowed her to quickly stand out within her small community. Upon discovering her natural healing affinity and acquiring a profound wisdom at some point in her adolescence, Hisaka began a votive journey with an aim to spread the wonders of her knowledge and sorcery beyond her homeland, taking her parents along with her.

Mending illness, reviving the dead and even decreeing reincarnation itself with but the simplest of gestures, Hisaka became widely renowned for her complete dominance over both life and death. And yet no matter where Hisaka journeyed, no matter how many inexplicable miracles she conveyed with her power, death loomed ever closely alongside her. She found that with all the powers she possessed, the people around her would soon be plagued by an illness even she could not cure, their very souls rendered unto nonexistence. To her shock, her parents, too, would soon suffer a similar end. Nevertheless, Hisaka remained fervent in her practice of the healing arts despite her belief her own powers were somehow responsible for the plague closely following her appearances, blessing those fortunate enough to encounter her but never lingering for so long as to incur devastation upon entire civilizations. She became a wanderer, fading in and out of history with recounts of her miracles spreading all throughout Soul Society.

But as far back as Hisaka herself can remember, she committed herself to a mostly solitary life, sharing her true nature with only close friends and ill-fated acquaintances. Throughout her sparse travels she would encounter many individuals who would become famous in their own right, including Glacies Fidus, a Venator Scientiae having taken an interest in the legend of Hisaka. Their encounter ended with Hisaka successfully fending off the canine with little else than her own Reiatsu, denying him a chance to acquire her knowledge; although Hisaka has all but forgotten this event that occurred many centuries ago.

Hisaka's participation in the Quincy Blood War only went as far as to slay any Quincy invading her homeland, but that was nevertheless enough for the Gotei 13 to be made aware of her reemergence. Following the aftermath of the war, Hisaka was approached by a lone officer and offered a chance to aid the organization that now existed as a shadow of its former self. Elated that she would be surrounded with relatable individuals for someone of her standing, Hisaka promptly accepted the invitation. Her training was brief, requiring only a fundamental teaching of the Zankensoki before Hisaka had become as adept as a Captain. Upon being presented with an Asauchi, Hisaka sealed her true power within the blade until less than a tenth of it remained constantly released, greatly diluting her otherwise chaotic spiritual power and allowing her to assist the organization without too much worry of unintentionally killing her allies. She was deemed more than worthy of leading the Fourth Division before she had even acquired her Bankai.

Zanpakutō
Monban Seīki (聖域門番, Japanese for "Sanctuary Gatekeeper")
 * Bankai:  Ketsudan no Kakusu Monban Seīki (決断馘す聖域門番, Japanese for "Decision of the Beheaded Sanctuary Gatekeeper"): Not yet revealed.

Trivia

 * Hisaka's design is directly taken from the main character of one of the author's original works. As such, it is possibly a placeholder until a new design can be made.