Otahu

Name:

Otahu

Gender:

Female

Age:

160 Actual/19 Apparent

Personality:

Upon first meeting Otahu, many people take her demeanor to be warm and caring. While she may not be nobility, she moves with the same refined grace and speaks as softly and politely as one. Enjoying good conversation and companionship above almost all things.

While she professes an interest of a good friendly fight, there are many things that hold Otahu's interest. Teas, some find surprising, have been a long standing enjoyment of hers. Enjoying the precise yet menial tasks of proper seeping and tending of leaves. She has a love of caligraphy and has a very steady hand for the practice.Also, and most notably, Otahu is exceptional at playing the Koto and enjoys the music quite a bit. It's been said that the music she plays is that of the Heavens themselves. When she plays she finds peace within the notes coming of her favored instrument.

She does not like serious fighting as the blade is a weapon no matter how one uses it or how it looks. When forced to draw her blade, it is not done lightly. She is fierce in a fight and holds nothing back from her opponents. While she is not as skilled as many, she is no one to be underestimated.

Appearance:

Otahu has never been referred to as typical. Long, dark hair falls down to just past her shoulders with her bangs often slipping to hang over her warm blue eyes. Eyes that seem to swirl and dance like a river or stream and are never far from a smile.

Her physical form isn't overly impressive, she stands around 5'5" and appears to weigh about 130 lbs. She wears the traditional Shinigami Shihakushou, only she keeps the sleeves tied back securely. Her hair is usually kept up into a ponytail with a long white silk cloth to keep it tied in place.

Her hands are encased in fingerless gloves that end up below her elbow. The fingernails of her right hand on her thumb, index and middle finger are longer than the rest.

Zanpakutô Spirit:

Name: Dorangonkawa (River Dragon)

Spirit Appearance: Doragonkawa is a winding dragon with scales a mix of brilliant blues and whites. A noble aire and long, refined whiskers give an appearance of an elder of much wisdom and knowledge. His long body holds to constant movement, like water flowing in a river. Each gesture steady and graceful.

Personality: Doragonkawa is a gentle spirit, preferring the peace and tranquility of his rivers than the chaos of battle and war. Preferring laughter to weeping and appreciating music above all things. The gentle notes that can speak of the nature of a story without words. An exceptional singer himself with a deep, rumbling baritone voice.

However, simply because he prefers peace does not make him weak. When forced to fight or fighting for the sake of others, Doragonkawa crashes into his foes and rips with claws and teeth and crushes with his coils. His voice inspiring terror and misery when sounded.

World: Doragonkawa's world is a mix of forests and plains with many rivers flowing through and with them. A corps of trees is his favorite location, where the sun is able to shine brightly and warm the ground. Here he often naps and sings when Otahu plays for him.

Relationship: A Dragon as the Spirit of a Soul Blade is a powerful thing. As such, they do not choose their 'masters' lightly.

Doragonkawa chose Otahu because of her gentle way and unmatched skill with the Koto (one of his favorite instruments to play since he can with but three claws). More importantly was her strong desire to persevere regardless of how dificult the situation; like a river trying to make a bed in rocky terrain. At first he could not speak with her except through the music she played on the Koto, but after a time she embraced that music and they have spoken on several occasions.

Doragonkawa respects Otahu's dislike of true war and has found an ability to enjoy friendly sparring, which he before did not like. Shown the grace of combat when combined with laughter. Otahu is ever a mystery to him but one he enjoys trying trying to unravel with complex melodies and songs.

Sealed Zanpakutô :

The blade itself is precisely 36 inches long and holding the same gentle curving as most katana. The Tsuba is blackwood and a traditional rectangle shape; the hilt is wrapped in supple black leather, with a stripe of white every few inches. The hilt coming to 7 inches length

Shikai Description:

Upon release, the blade becomes impossible to wield as sword. It thickens to nearly a foot and holds a strange shape with a series of raised notches along the blades surface that stand about an inch tall each.

Otahu positions herself with the blade across her lap, holding a rather uncomfortable looking position of sitting with a leg crossed without the use of a chair. Across the raised notches dances beaded strings of water. The blade resembling a Koto. The strings are made of water and as such cannot be simply cut.

Shikai Abilities:

The First Verse

Description of Attack: Otahu, as she begins to play, reiatsu begins building up around her. She can send this built up reiatsu out from her in waves and depending on which note she plays is what wave is sent. The first note is a simple pulse of reiatsu force, like the wave of an ocean. The second is similar to the first only more focused, like a punch. The third is more menacing as the pulse sent out is as narrow as a blade and cuts through the air.
Type: Offensive
Range: 50 yards
Limitation: Otahu has to keep playing, should she be interrupted at any point all of the built up reiatsu dissipates instantly and she must start the song over again. It takes one post of playing to get up to the First Verse. So long as she plays she has five pulses at her disposal as she can only build enough reiatsu in the first verse for five. Each pulse is only as strong as she is. It takes one post to build up enough reiatsu to use all five strikes or move onto the Second Verse.

The Second Verse

Description of Attack: When Otahu begins the second verse of the song, she can build up ten pulses as found in the First Verse. Or, she can use up all of the built reiatsu to create one single devastating pulse wave. It expels nearly anything not secured to the ground and acts like a repelling shield. Each pulse sent within the second verse is twice as strong as she is. The pulse wave does not cause damage, simply expels anyone and anything within the radius of her. It takes a post to build up the full amount of reiatsu to send all 10 strikes or move onto the Third Verse.
Type: Defensive
Range: 10 ft radius
Limitation: Otahu has to keep playing, should she be interrupted at any point all of the built up reiatsu dissipates instantly and she must start the song over again. It takes one post of playing to get up to the First Verse and the one more round to get up to the Second Verse. Once all of the reiatsu of the Second Verse is used up, she is placed at the First Verse again.

The Third Verse

Description of Attack: When Otahu begins to play the Third and most beautiful verse of the Song of Heaven, all who can sense such things will sense an ominous, powerful reiatsu. The Third Verse does not allow for her to use any of the abilities of the First or Second, but has one purpose only. The Third Verse has built up an incredible about of reiatsu and releases it in the shimmering form of four swords (roughly the size of a katana each). This swords will home in on Otahu's target and seek to impale them. The swords move with a force four times as strong as Otahu.
Type: Offensive
Range: 50 ft.
Limitation: Otahu has to keep playing, should she be interrupted at any point all of the built up reiatsu dissipates instantly and she must start the song over again. It takes one post of playing to get up to the First Verse and the one more round to get up to the Second Verse. Once all of the reiatsu of the Second Verse is used up, she is placed at the First Verse again and likewise for the Third Verse. The Third Verse's greatest limitation is that upon using the ability Otahu must start all over again with a different song. She must spend a post realigning the strings before playing.
NOTE: The swords will track the chosen target by the path of least resistance, which means if the target ducks for cover, the swords will attempt to go though said cover. Should the cover be too great, the swords will dissipate in a large cascade of water.

Release: Kayou no Joukai Doragonkawa! (River Dragon's Song of Heaven)

(You CANNOT fill the skill levels in until your tier is assigned. )
Skill Level: Kidou: Beginner/Adept/Advanced/Master
Skill Level: Swordsmanship: Beginner/Adept/Advanced/Master
Skill Level: Shunpo: Beginner/Adept/Advanced/Master
Skill Level: Hand-to-Hand: Beginner/Adept/Advanced/Master

Bankai Description: (This does not apply until you learn Bankai)

Bankai Abilities: (This does not apply until you learn Bankai.)

History/Background:

What a Soul is before coming to Soul Society is ever elusive to the minds of the dead and gone. No Soul remembers their life previous of awakening in Rukongai, this is no different for Otahu. However, she was awakened in the 18th District of Rukongai where she quickly found a love of making instruments.

Here, she lived for many, many years, making a name for herself for creating some of the finest wood instruments in Rukongai; she was also well known for her skills at playing the koto. The soft notes of each tested instrument drew many observers to her small shop.

One such observer was a nobleman of the 2nd District and offered Otahu to come play in his home. It was a notable event as his son had graduated from the Seireitei Academy and there was to be a feast with his friends and his teacher invited.

Otahu agreed and quietly sat and waited while she listened to the festivities. Smiling gently and nodding as she was called in and sat cross legged on the floor with the koto in her lap. The room fell silent as she began to play and the chords of the koto sounded beautifully in the room.

Each Shinigami listening could feel the tremors of reiatsu in the air as she played and the teacher asked to speak to Otahu after the party. She waited for the Shinigami respectfully and the conversation they had was much along the lines of him thinking she had the potential to become a Soul Reaper.

Urging her to apply to the Academy herself and see if she had what it took. Otahu took some time to contemplate the offer before doing just that.

The Academy is not what she thought it to be, she never thought of the responcibilities of the Shinigami until she stepped foot within those sacred halls and rooms. A purpose beyond music and within it.

It became quickly apparent that she was not skilled in Kido, though she did always try her very hardest. Her swordsman ship was average and nothing special, indeed, it seemed as though Otahu had promise to graduate but would never be a Shinigami of note.

Until the Test of the Soul Blade. Otahu was nervous and wondered if she would be able to. Until she sat in the circle with the others and began the meditation. One by one the other students pulled their blades, leaving Otahu sitting by herself.

The teacher that urged her to join looked sad to the girl sitting below, Otahu tried with everything she had everyday. While others had an effortless time of it and seemed to slack off; Otahu worked hard and got few results.

From within Otahu sat beside the massive river dragon Doragonkawa, playing for him and listening to him sing. Her own voice raised with his as they enjoyed each other's company. It wasn't that Otahu had issue with the drawing of her Soul Blade it was simply that she wanted to give her respects to her Zanpakutou before doing so. It would begin a solid friendship between them.

When the song ended, Otahu drew the sword and laid it across her lap smiling gently. Doragonkawa was a Dragon and a powerful Soul Blade and while his nature was gentle, he could be incredibly fierce. The old teacher only smiled and gave Otahu soft praise before leaving the girl in the room.

Otahu's struggles eased a bit since drawing her Soul Blade, but not by much. She was able to graduate from the Academy after years of her struggling through it.Having not yet been accepted into a Division, Otahu works alongside all of the Divisions to help where she could and try to be of some use to Soul Society.

Roleplay Sample:

Otahu's fingers drift over the strings of her Koto, the music drifted like a warm, scented breeze in the beautiful forest. Her eyes were only half open, seeing nothing as she allowed herself to play as her heart dictated it should. Watching her from only feet away were large, luminous eyes, claws stroking at long, dignified whiskers.

"Your playing is sad today, little one. What troubles your heart so that you should play me such a sad song?"

Otahu opened her eyes and looked over to the warm eyes of her Zanpakutou Spirit. Blushing softly as she let her fingers still over the strings and listened to the secret melody of forest and river.

"I suppose I am worried that my path is ill chosen. The Academy was an uphill battle I only barely won. It is the noble duty of the Shinigami to guide the souls lost on Earth to Soul Society where they can move to their second lives and for us to allow Hollows to know peace...but I cannot do that duty yet. I'm not in a Division. Even if I was to be accepted, I am young and still yet weak in many of the skills we should be adept in." Otahu explained in a soft voice, even though her explanation seemed sad, she smiled gently to the dragon spirit.

Doragonkawa continued to stroke at his whiskers and contemplated for a very long time. Otahu didn't disturb his long pauses to consider things, for she knew he ws wise and sometimes it took a long time to know what best to say.

"You are yet young but I would not call you weak. Many claim there are many forms of weakness, but I have only ever seen one; weakness of spirit. You do not have such weakness, little one. You are far stronger than you give yourself credit for.

"It is strength that has many forms and you will know your own someday. No, you are not weak, just untried. You will have your chance, Otahu. You will know, once you've faced these challenges, if you are weak or not.

"But know this, I did not chose a weak Master and nor will you be alone. I will always stand with you when you have need of me."

Otahu opened her eyes, looking around the temporary quarters for a moment before smiling gently. Her fingers on the strings of the sword in her lap. Doragonkawa was correct, of course. He always was.

The sudden knock on her door roused her and when she slid it open, smiled upon seeing the three other female Shinigami she'd made friends with since the Academy.

"I almost forgot what day it was." Otahu smiled and set the koto aside gently. "A day off shouldn't be wasted in Seireitei! I haven't the slightest idea where we'll find fireworks in Rukongai...we'll have to visit every bar and tea house and beef shop on the way, I'm afraid."

They all laughed and quickly set out for a night that had little to do with fireworks.

Approved for 3-2+

Edit: Re-approved for 3-1+