[Mau] Kisuke Urahara [WIP]

Name: Kisuke Urahara
Gender: Male
Race: Shinigami Hiding as a human via special gigai
Canon/OC: Canon


”You give me too much credit, these days I’m just a plain ol’ candy-store owner”
Visual Appearance:
Physical Description: He’s got light blonde hair that falls almost to his shoulders, and he seems to let do what it does in a devil may care fashion, only enough to keep his eyes from being entirely covered up, a strand hanging between his grey eyes and parting on the bridge of his nose. This combined with the ever present layer of stubble on his pointed chin really gives an air of being quite laid back. Kisuke himself is rather tall(6ft), kinda pale, and hides his lean (152lbs) frame beneath billowing clothes. Those who would call him handsome would not be balked at, especially by Kisuke, after all who could resist that roguish grin when an idea strikes him?

Clothing/Misc. Items: Though he used to wear the full traditional shinigami garb, those days are long behind him due to his exile. Since coming to live in the human world he has changed it up a bit, taking up wearing a dark green shihakusho that hangs open a bit to show a bit of his surprisingly toned chest, overtop this he wears a black haori with white diamonds lining the bottom (a reverse of the traditional Captain’s haori). Part of his signature look is the green and white striped bucket hat that casts a dark shadow over his eyes, and of course his geta. He’s never seen without his trusty cane, which is his Zanpakuto, nor is he without a paper fan stored in one of his sleeves. On occasion he’s seen with a parasol, and/or smoking a cigarette.

Sexuality: Bisexual? Straight? Perverted.
Goals: Keep his shop up and running. Make sure Yoruichi and Tessai are alright.
General Personality:
Outwardly, Kisuke presents as a very laid back and optimistic individual. Those who meet him in passing would likely describe him as cheery, lively, polite, even funny! Sure he’s a bit odd, and extremely eccentric, just overall an interesting person. This is partially a facade he puts up. In reality Kisuke Urahara is quite the cunning individual, one with genius level intellect, and a masterful mind for planning and strategy that allows him to stay at least one step ahead of the enemy if he can help it. He prefers not to be the center of attention when it comes to ordeals like combat, or other confrontations, instead taking a guiding role for those more suited for things like that (Ichigo Kurosaki is one such individual), and if it looks as though someone might miss what he considers a golden opportunity, he’s not at all against manipulating or tricking people into doing what he wants. For the most part these things align with what they want as well, it wouldn’t do him any good to lose their trust. Those who are used to dealing with Kisuke will likely be aware that he often holds more cards than he’s showing for one reason or another, the one with the most information holds the most power.

Despite his cunning nature, he is still very much the laid back man you assume him to be, those who know him well even know how true a face each one is, the pervy goofball of a shopkeep is as much Kisuke Urahara as the man who used to rule the Nest of Maggots in days long past. He’s in favor of using the other face as a smokescreen to hide the intelligence and the cunning, it works best when others underestimate him at least a little, it often keeps him out of the fights, and lets him view the big picture from afar to gain as much information as he can, his inquisitive nature as a man of science mixing with his flighty nature as a former stealth force member. Overall he views any battle as a fight to survive, losing will mean death so there is no room to play around, one has to plan ahead and use every advantage they have at hand. There’s no cheating on the battlefield. If Kisuke steps in, or is part of the plan in any combat role, the enemy is one that should not be messed with, he’s loath to give any cards away to the enemy, even using polite conversation in a fight to try and gain new cards of his own.

His allies are his weapons of choice, he makes it a point to know their strengths and weaknesses very well so that he can use them to their maximum potential in any plan, even taking it upon himself to train them with the methods best for each individual so as to make sure it pays off. Kisuke is a man who knows what it is to utterly fail, and since then he has learned how to be a better leader, and long since learned that knowing the enemy is as important as knowing your allies. Inside and out. The only people he ever trusts with his whole hand are Yoruichi and Tessai, the pair being the closest thing he has to family in the whole world, he would do anything to protect them and even hopefully right the wrongs of their past in the eyes of the Soul Society. It’s a pipe dream, but one day it could happen. Until then he’s pleased with his lot in life, provided the other two aren’t too far.



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History:
What must feel like an eternity ago for Kisuke, he grew up in the Shihoin mansion within the Seireitei, along with his lifelong companions and closest friends; Yoruichi Shihoin, and Tessai Tsukabishi. They got into all sorts of trouble together, in those days they imagined great adventures as Shinigami defeating scores of Hollow like heroes using their immensely powerful Zanpakuto! Had they grown up in the Rukongai, it’s unlikely that his view on the Shinigami would have been so romanticized but that view would not last long anyways.

As the years went on, it was no surprise that the images of grand heroes faded from his mind, the Shihoin clan was not one of grand statements, they were a clan of secrecy, masters of stealth and subterfuge, a family of intelligence agents. As it was, the trio’s interests soon began to form with the training that they underwent together, Kisuke and Yoruichi often trained together to hone their skills. Kisuke was her shadow at the time, never straying far from the louder and more confident personality she had, Kisuke a far more subdued and nervous young man in those days, filled with anxiety and doubt in his own abilities despite being a prodigal mind when it came to almost anything he put his mind to. He kept up with Yoruichi when it came to shunpo, and even held his own with Tessai in the Kido arena, but would defer to them when it came to most things, remaining in the back seat unnoticed as best he could.

Their training came to bear fruit though, Yoruichi following her clan’s tradition and joining the Onmitsukido as expected of the heiress, Tesssai joined the Kido Corps which was unsurprising to anyone who knew him, he had an understanding of magic that seemed like breathing. Kisuke still felt like a lost puppy though, even after joining Squad 2 with ease it was hard to convince him that he deserved the position, perhaps he just hadn’t found his true calling yet, but that general discomfort was one that ran his life for far too long, he looks back with no small amount of regret that he had let himself be paralyzed by his self doubt for that long, oh the things he could have accomplished if he’d just moved with confidence! Those days would surely come, but the road to making Urahara the man he was would need to be traversed before he could be half that man.

It was in the Nest of Maggots that he found himself comfortable for the first time. As the 3rd seat of Squad 2, he was the head of the Detention unit for the Onmitsukido. The prisoners tested him, of course, but they couldn’t hold a candle to him in hakudo, in fact to him they seemed….well slow and weak, they were nothing like Yoruichi in hand to hand combat, certainly nothing like her father who helped train them for so long. The new “warden” was put to the test, and the prisoners quickly discovered that he was not to be trifled with by any means. That first spark of confidence must’ve been what made Yoruichi do what she did when she recommended him for the Captain’s position of Squad 12. Did he think she was right to? Not really, but she was far more confident in his abilities than he was, and that little push was exactly what he needed to succeed.

He didn’t take long to begin training vigorously for the Captain’s exam. Kisuke made his way to the Rukongai, deciding that to test his abilities he would take care of a defector problem they’d been having. What seemed like aimless wandering and chatting to anyone watching was actually his way of gathering information without drawing too much attention, it definitely sent Soi-Fong’s hackles up from what he heard later, but there was no arguing with his results when the news came that Kisuke had subdued all of them with his bare hands. When he had finished with this task, he was at least some measure of confidence that he was ready for the test. It was daunting to be overseen by Captain Commander Yamamoto, Captain Unohana, and Captain Ginrei Kuchiki. They were legends in their own right, and he felt like a child under their collective gaze, but he had to do this. He was going to be a Captain.





Squad 12, the science division of the Gotei 13. Kisuke took the mantle, and felt that discomfort begin to creep in again, the self doubt, he couldn’t let that petrify him again like it had. He had to find a purpose. Being the brand new Captain of the division, there were some sour feelings….specifically from the hotheaded Lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki, who had strong feelings of admiration for the previous Captain who had been promoted to the Royal Guard. She was fairly cross with the idea of a Squad 2 member becoming the Captain of Squad 12, even when he told her it was already done she fought him on it, eventually throwing a wild kick to the groin when she had run out of things to yell about. She was a spirited kid. That night though, he began to plan on his own vision for the division.

As a Captain, it wasn’t too hard for him to gain entrance to the Nest of Maggots to see an old acquaintance he had made in his tenure as the warden. This also had a dual purpose of showing Hiyori the kind of man he was, she likely wasn’t expecting the cut throat environment within the Nest. No weapons allowed on anyone’s part, the guards were all masters of Hakudo, and Kisuke was no different. His entrance started a bit of excitement in the prisoners, but his intervention halted their attacks on his stunned Lieutenant, Kisuke acted as though he was just walking through the park on a windy day, taking her to see the only man in a cell within the wretched prison. Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Through some egging on and teasing, Kisuke got the warped man to agree to become the Vice President of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute (SRDI), Kisuke’s passion project as the new Captain. He found his purpose. The next decade was one of innovation, Kisuke’s mind freeing of the prison of anxiety that he had built, allowing his creativity to flourish and fantastical ideas he had in his youth for things began to become reality. He revolutionized gigai technology, taking the original concept and creating several variations with specialized abilities and uses, as well as inventing the Tenshintai as a way to possibly accelerate one’s training to achieve Bankai. But the crown jewel in his long list of additions to Soul Society’s technological advances would have to be the Hogyoku, the same item that would soon cause him a great deal of pain.

It was only nine years after his promotion to Captain that tragedy struck. Strange goings on were being reported, people disappearing without a trace but their clothes, souls and shinigami alike. He had begun working on a special gigai to solve the issue, but upon hearing that the investigation team from Squad 9 (which included his own Lieutenant by request of Captain Kensei Muguruma) had disappeared without a trace, he had no choice but to investigate personally despite the Captain Commander’s order not to do so. Using reiatsu suppressing cloaks, he and Tessai went to do some recon work. What they found….shocked them. It was only by luck that they arrived to stop Sosuke Aizen from killing Shinji Hirako, and he didn’t seem keen on answering questions, deftly evading Tessai’s Kido and escaping, leaving them to care for the victims of what Kisuke could only describe as “Hollowfication” a process that he thought he may be able to halt with his Hogyoku, maybe even reverse. The result was less than stellar, but the afflicted wouldn’t succumb to the Hollow...probably. There were eight of them, his own Lieutenant as well as Tessai’s among them. It was no surprise to find out that they were under arrest the next day, himself and Tessai appearing before the Central 46 for their sentencing. Stripped of power, and exiled to the human world. It was better than death, but only just.

While waiting for their punishment, Tessai and Kisuke were paid a surprise visit by the third part of their trio, Yoruichi Shihoin. As calm as can be, she aided them in escape with the eight hollowfied shinigami, taking the group to an underground training area that Kisuke would later use as a model for one or two of his own. It was there that the scolding started, how dare they leave her out of the loop! He was surprised she didn’t literally beat him over the head, and while he was glad she was there to help them out, couldn’t help but feel a bit of guilt. That was to deal with later though, for now they had to deal with the issues at hand. With their combined efforts it wasn’t too hard to make it out of the Soul Society and into the World of the Living, giving what aid they could to the soon to be Vizard, and setting up shop (literally) in an innocuous little town called Karakura.

In this quaint little town he stumbled on a woman, there was something odd about her, something familiar. He studied her for a short while, long enough at least to be absolutely sure that she was undergoing Hollowfication. He came to learn that this woman’s name was Masaki Kurosaki, a Quincy girl. As interesting a development as that was, he didn’t have long to help her. Approaching Ryuken Ishida, he found the man arguing with Captain Isshin Shiba about the Kurosaki girl. With his special technique of linking her soul to one that was opposite of the one afflicting her. In this case the required was a shinigami. It took very little time for Isshin to agree to the idea, even when Kisuke warned that he’d be without his powers as long as she was still alive and linked to his soul. The man’s resolve on the matter was moving, he was a genuinely good man who simply wanted to help the woman. Kisuke went to work, creating a special gigai for Isshin that would link his soul with Masaki’s and keep the hollow soul at bay...at least in theory. Once he was done, and satisfied it was working, he helped the pair to set up a life in Karakura town under his watch. It was a tragic day when he heard of Masaki’s passing, leaving three children under Isshin’s care. He’d have to keep an extra watchful eye on those three, he wasn’t sure what the child of a shinigami and quincy would be like, even with their powers suppressed as they were.

In the years of his exile, Kisuke sought to destroy the Hogyoku he’d created by any means necessary. No spell did the trick, no weapon, no creation of his genius, nothing worked. He had only one idea remaining, he created a gigai that would sap one’s reiatsu and turn them human over time (theoretically) and placed the Hogyoku within it where it would latch to the soul of the bearer. It was fate that soon after this, Rukia Kuchiki was assigned to Karakura town and subsequently had lost her powers to save….Ichigo Kurosaki, interesting. She eventually came to his shop for supplies. He happily supplied her with a gigai, and a gikon dispenser. He later discovered that the gikon they’d given her was a special one by the name of Kon...who was a special brand of trouble, retrieving him was only one of many adventures that Kisuke was a part of when Rukia came to town. He aided Ichigo and Rukia as he could, pushing them in the right direction when he needed, and found extreme curiosity building when Ichigo’s friends Chad and Orihime began to develop abilities, even the son of Ryuken Ishida, Uryu, had joined the group in his own way.

All good things must come to an end, however. Rukia had the law after her, and if he didn’t do something….Ichigo was going to get killed trying to stop them. Renji Abarai, and Byakuya Kuchiki. The Lieutenant and Captain of Squad 6 respectively, they were leagues beyond what Ichigo could do at the time, a boy who hadn’t even learned the name of his zanpakuto, but in order to learn how large the gap was he needed to lose to them. It was close, he wasn’t sure if he’d have to step in and stop them from killing Ichigo and Uryu, but they survived to be healed in Kisuke’s care. He gave them a deal, let him train them for ten days and he’d get them to the Soul Society. The first challenge was to warm up Ichigo against Ururu, he needed to speed up and get into fighting form, next he had to awaken his shinigami powers again. It was a rough three days. Ichigo surprised him with how well he did, but the line between hollow and shinigami with the boy was frightening. Finally, the third test, Ichigo had to knock off Kisuke’s hat, it was a long fought test, but eventually with a burst of resolve from Ichigo, he awakened Zangetsu and managed to send his hat flying even through the defense of Benihime’s shield. Whether or not they were truly ready, Kisuke opened a senkaimon for the party of; Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, Orihime, and Yoruichi, sending them on their way to the Soul Society. They had less than two weeks to save Rukia and subvert the plot that Aizen was running in the background. The only chance that they had was if they didn’t know about the artifact tied to her soul.

It was a great relief when they finally returned safe, and at least somewhat victorious. The news of the three traitors, and the drama they had stirred to hide their movements was astounding. He didn’t know what Aizen was planning, but the plot was well thought out and merciless to the opposition. If they weren’t careful, even Kisuke could fall into whatever trappings the traitor had devised.

Faction: Team Urahara
Rank: Shop Owner

Physical Abilities/Power:

Zanjutsu
Kisuke is a well practiced, highly skilled swordsman. Though he has become an expert in many forms of combat, his preferred (when he must fight) is swordplay. Growing up in the Shihoin clan house gave him many advantages, Kisuke proved to be exceptionally gifted in swordsmanship even at a young age. As a combatant he uses his speed (plus his expertise with shunpo) and agility to acrobatically attack at odd angles, striking from multiple points to throw his enemy off guard before making a precise attack at an opening when they’re not prepared, using his sword in uncouth ways (such as a springboard to launch into a kick) in this way he’s even able to pressure enemies with greater reach than him. Of course this is all assuming he’s in a position where he has no choice but to fight, Kisuke much prefers others doing the fighting if at all possible.

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Shitonegaeshi: A technique Kisuke keeps in his back pocket for hotheads, he drops the target flat on their back and keeps them pinned with the tip of his cane threatening only millimeters from their eyes.

Hozuri: This is a technique that Kisuke uses primarily for training purposes, an extremely precise slash that is meant only to do superficial damage enough to show the opponent where they’ve been hit without causing any lasting damage.


Hakuda
To work in the Nest of Maggots, one has to be able to defend with only hakuda, no weapons allowed. Though not his preferred method of combat, Kisuke worked as hard at mastering hakuda as he had with zanjutsu and kido, translating his skill with a sword and his improvisational talent to close the gap. His methods of fighting with hakuda are very similar to Yoruichi, the two of them being long time training partners with a heavy focus on hakuda due to her own personal situation regarding her zanpakuto. Though he doesn’t boast any particularly powerful techniques in this arena, he is able to get by on his skill alone against most opponents, having used only unarmed combat to neutralize several armed shinigami defectors in the Rukongai by himself using only hakuda. Once upon a time he was even able to pressure Yoruichi to fight him seriously during their sparring matches.



Shunpo
Though he can’t claim to have ever come close to besting the Flash Goddess in speed, Kisuke is one of the foremost practitioners of this skill along with names such as Byakuya Kuchiki and Soi-Fong. As he was once an Onmitsukido Division Leader he received extensive training in shunpo, and it became a key part of his combat style in order to keep his enemies unprepared for his rapid barrage of seemingly random attacks. Kisuke has never delved beyond gaining more speed, however, not using the more in depth techniques such as Utsusemi. As with most skills, Kisuke’s knowledge here is comparably cursory when looking at his sword skills and his talent for invention, his expertise in shunpo mainly derived from years of regular training with the foremost practitioner of the technique.

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Reiatsu

As a Captain level shinigami, Kisuke boasts a very large amount of reiatsu that can create shockwaves when released. In addition he is able to control his spiritual pressure with relative ease, hiding it from others even without the use of a specialized gigai, and can similarly sense the reiatsu of others. This mastery means that he will never use more energy than needed for his kido and other skills, maximizing his combat potential. Kisuke’s reiatsu is a deep crimson.


Genius Intelligence & Master Inventor

Of the many skills that Kisuke has trained himself in, mastered or otherwise, none of them have been so honed as his mind. He is able to predict the movements and actions of others, strategizing and planning being his foremost strengths as an ally, one of the main reasons he prefers to keep off the battlefield itself is due to his usefulness as a commander rather than a soldier. Beyond this, he can read others like a book to see through them and determine what they’re thinking or planning, eventually taking all of the factors of a person into account and turning them into a variable for the strategic equations that are constantly running through his mind, doing his best to stay many steps ahead of the competition. Beyond this, he has become very skilled in using this to train others, needing surprisingly little information about their abilities before coming up with a comprehensive (though always unorthodox) regimen to best further their abilities.

His mind is far more renowned for the scientific discoveries and creations it has devised, the SRDI was the renaissance of a long history of inventing that predated his joining of the Gotei 13. Kisuke is able to quickly develop and create simple inventions such as communication devices in a matter of a few days, and can reverse engineer the properties of almost any other creation given enough time

Inventions



Kido: Kisuke is a well versed Kido practitioner, having worked alongside Tessai for his entire life, his knowledge and skill is comparable to that of a high ranking Kido Corps member. He is able to use Hado and Bakudo without incantation up to Level 88. Similarly Kisuke is very well versed in the healing arts of kaido, used to great extent to aid his allies.

Hado


Bakudo




”Awaken, Benihime!”
Zanpakuto: In her sealed state Benihime( Meaning: Red Princess) is a shikomizue aka Hidden Cane Sword. At the bottom tip of the cane is the skull and blue flame emblem that allows him to force a soul from a body by pressing it into it.


Spirit: Benihime herself is a beautiful young woman with long black hair, and the same grey eyes as Kisuke. She wears a beautiful red shihakusho with a gold pattern around the collar and waist, and an embroidered flower pattern along the billowing sleeves, there is a silk rope tying the garment closed, though her outfit is still quite revealing as it ends barely midway down her thigh, and usually hangs open enough for her to have her left arm out of the front opening rather than the sleeve. Her legs are clad in dark purple stockings with a red trim, and she wears woven sandals with red ribbon for the straps. Much like Kisuke, she is often smoking though her preferred method is a fancy long golden pipe. While they are not at odds, Kisuke describes Benihime as “mean” on occasion. All in all, she behaves like a person who has been scorned by one lover too many, resigning herself to solitude but for the company of her lecherous wielder.



Inner World: Though he rarely visits, Benihime’s inner world is a place that Kisuke simply calls ”The Red Palace” a winding maze of wooden walkways and red paper lanterns, always set up as though for a festival in honor of the Red Princess despite the inhabitant only being her. Benihime’s world reflects the rage she feels, destined never to be Queen but only a warrior Princess.



Shikai: In her released form, Benihime becomes a shorter (medium length) sword with a thicker straight blade and a broader point almost like a tanto’s. The most noticeable and dramatic change is in the hilt, which becomes wrapped in a fine decorative in black wrapping around the brass handle; it then bends forward a few inches with a red tassel hanging from the end, giving it a strange and unique shape. The tsuba has then been replaced with a u-shaped guard that extends a few inches up the blade and has a red string wrapped around the bottom with a three looped bow and a hanging paper decoration, above this is a flower petal design etched into the metal. Needless to say she is a unique, and beautiful blade. Benihime’s abilities are centered around producing a crimson energy that Kisuke must use the proper command to activate. He likens this to the release of her constantly roiling anger, using him as a conduit, and he’s been told that all of his own anger must have taken shape as Benihime, and her released state is the weaponized manifestation.

Benihime’s Ability Commands



”Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratami”
Bankai: Her bankai form is far different from her shikai, the zanpakuto taking the form of a more matronly version of the inner spirit. Her hair is much longer and is done in braided loops on either side of her head, her eyes done with red makeup and are always closed. Benihime still wears a red robe, though it hangs on her vastly more frail form as though it is a few sizes too large, the far less elegant garment is rather revealing due to this. The biggest change is that her bare arms are now mannequin limbs. Kisuke retains the sealed version of his sword while in bankai.

This form of Benihime is much more aligned with Kisuke, her touch having the ability to restructure anything she touches for combat or support utility. Any effect done by Benihime’s ability is only temporary, reverting to the previous state once he seals his blade again or the person/object leaves the area of effect (About 150 meters in diameter centered on Benihime)

The combat abilities of her touch allow her to split anything she touches as if by a highly precise knife like a scalpel, Kisuke refers to this as dissecting. The support abilities allow her to restructure what she touches by stitching it in accordance with Kisuke’s wishes, this can be used on a grand scale like rebuilding/creating a ramp from rubble around him, and even down to a minute scale to heal by restructuring and stitching the body as he desires, even enhancing the targeted area’s physical capabilities. What he cannot do is icreate something new from nothing, all of her abilities requiring specifically restructuring of the target in some way, whether that be split or stitched.




RP Sample:

In a very common sight, Kisuke Urahara sat on the cushion at the back of his shop in a very relaxed posture, one arm propped up on his leg and his cane lay on the ground a few inches from his right hand. Per usual, the slightly unkempt shop owner had a slight smile on his face as he spoke, in this instance it was to Tessai who mostly nodded along in silence with what the jovial shop owner was saying, something about…”-how far Chad has come, too! My my he’s a surprising one, isn’t he? But…..I bet he’ll be feeling the gap between him and Ichigo growing soon, he’s not the type to sit still” Urahara paused for a moment, thinking and resting a hand on the brim of his hat while bowing his head slightly. Eventually he raised his head again and looked to the ever stoic Tessai, who was characteristically silent as Urahara spoke practically to himself, mostly reasoning aloud the troubling thoughts that had been bubbling to the surface ever since the group had returned from Soul Society and reported some very troubling news. Aizen and his defectors working with the Menos? Or something bigger. ”I think we’ll be getting ready to train again, make sure to stock up on bandages. Things aren’t done shaking up yet, we don’t have any time to waste anymore. Hmm...all of this business feels ominous, Aizen…you can’t be working with….very troubling”

Dramatically, he stood and tapped his cane on the ground in a decisive motion, his other hand pulling his hat down over his face a bit more. Ever the showman, even just with his old friend. Kisuke then spoke with authority, it was time to act. Every minute counted now, this was a war after all. ”Alright! It’s decided then, we’ll be expecting company soon. I’ll work with Chad for the time being, Ichigo will be too preoccupied to notice I expect. Keep an ear to the ground though, I’ll let Yoruichi know, I don’t think it will be too long before we see the next move from the enemy. This hundred year game is moving fast now, what fun.” There were a lot of unknown pieces on the board this time around, and they had the Hogyoku now which in the hands of someone like Aizen made it the most dangerous piece to hold, if he really was on the Menos’ side there was only one thing he could be doing. Who knows how powerful Aizen could become.