[Spirit Class 1] Kagayaku no Murasaki

Murasaki is a woman that is immensely difficult to bother, primarily due to a profound lack of attachment to much of anything on her own end. It isn't so much that Murasaki dislikes anything in particular, or even that she is lazy. No, this sense of perpetual calm and cheerful detachment comes from a very simple state of mind, one that is focused on very little outside the things that she considers personally interesting or relevant. Murasaki is just as likely to enforce a law she believes in as she is to break one she doesn't care for, has few interpersonal relationships other than those she has immensely strong feelings toward, and is, plainly speaking, not willing to put any effort into something unless she is willing to put all of her effort into it.

Murasaki doesn't pull punches, and that's all there is to it. If she thinks something, she says it, with no time for sidestepping an issue or talking in circles. That isn't to say she outright has no tact, far from it in fact, but she just doesn't see why she should waste her own time, or the time of others, by avoiding an issue. This ties in with the difficulty one might find in fazing her, as she is exceptionally difficult to catch off-guard in a conversation, for she just says what she thinks without any extraneous consideration. After all, why spend more time on an issue than you need to?

One of the few things that Murasaki does care very much about is the weight of her own honor. This is not a typical, traditional idea of honor such as that held by many a warrior or knight of old, but is as clear and simple as much everything is in Murasaki's life. If she gives her word, then she will honor that oath to the death. She believes firmly in the mantra that "all anyone has is their word," and puts as much stock in others keeping their word as she does in keeping her own. She does not tolerate liars, and refuses to deal in underhanded or roundabout ways in any situation.

Despite her wandering nature and lighthearted approach to life, one should never assume that Murasaki does not treasure every experience. The most obvious mark of her sentimentality would be, of course, the zanpakuto she carries which is not her own. Kagayaku, her mother's zanpakuto and her own father, has never once left her side, and she treats it (him?) with every bit as much care as she gives her own zanpakuto. However, even apart from Kagayaku, there are countless small giveaways as to how dearly Murasaki treasures those she has known. A vast collection of photos, letters, diaries, and assorted trinkets, each one with a story of its own that Murasaki is all too happy to regale a friend with, litter any abode she keeps. She would never lie and say that she remembers each and every one, but that is exactly why keeping them all is so important to her.

One might not expect it from her appearance or usual demeanor, but Murasaki is one who responds both quickly and aggressively to insults about her own failings or the people she cares about. Genuine criticism she simply becomes slightly irritated by, but in the event of a pure, true insult, one can almost certainly expect a harsh word in return, if nor a zealous willingness to defend her honor with her very life.


○ Alastor de Maris: Her long-term boyfriend, and arguably one of her best friends in general, Alastor means far more to Murasaki than simply a handsome face and a good time. She trusts him with all of her deepest insecurities, and in truth, she’s started to wonder if maybe she’d like to stay with him forever. Well, she’s still not so sure about all that, but it’s crossed her mind once or twice.

○ Erika Masamune: A friend Murasaki’s known for far longer than most, and recently her Vice Captain, Murasaki is more willing than most to balance Erika’s fairly dour attitude with a bit of pep and positivity. They go way back, but considering Murasaki isn’t one to just divulge about other people’s personal lives, she’s always pretty vague about how they met.

○ Shishiyuki Koizumi: Her estranged aunt. She’s…there.


The woman called Kagayaku no Murasaki has lived what can only be described as a profoundly unique life. This is not necessarily due to the experiences therein, though those are quite unique in their own right. No, to understand the nature of Murasaki's life first requires that one understand her parentage. She is a shinigami, but to call her "like any other" would be a blatant falsehood, as while her mother was a normal, if distinguished, shinigami, her father was none other than the spirit of her mother's zanpakuto.

Murasaki's mother, Koizumi Midori, was by all accounts a model member of the Gotei. She had served as a low-ranking member of the Onmitsukido during the war against Aizen, but was generally unremarkable during that era. It was not until nearly a century later, after a career of distinguished service, that Midori was invited to the Zero Division. Her career was of course quite storied, and certainly quite exciting in its own right, but alas, not only is this not Midori's story, but many of the records of her work are either heavily redacted or simply missing entirely.

What we can say for certain, however, is that the timeless cliche of "love blooms on the battlefield" proved itself all too true for Midori. Of course, she had spent much of her time out on missions alone, and none could ever have realized who it was that she had fallen for: Kagayaku, the spirit of her own zanpakuto. Due to the incredibly close nature of shinigami and their zanpakuto, Midori knew all too well that their love would have to remain a secret, and for quite a while this proved entirely effective. However, complications eventually arose, as they always do, when Midori found that the truly unthinkable had happened: She had become pregnant by Kagayaku.

How was one even to react to such a revelation? It was simply such an unknown that neither Midori nor Kagayaku had even briefly considered what they might do in such a situation, much less actively discussed it with one another, and that was immediately apparent from their rather differing opinions on the matter. Kagayaku had little care for any of the consequences that the child might bring, more just curious to see what would happen than anything else, and Midori was almost exclusively concerned with the child's well-being, and hoped only that she would be able to give it the best possible life even in the coming days. As it turned out, it wouldn't be what one would call much of a life at all.

Midori immediately reported the matter to her division and to the Gotei, and their reactions were every bit as poor as one might have expected. This was improper, immoral, impossible, outright appalling and a reflection of the lowest possible character. Midori accepted these accusations, worried only about her survival and that of her child. It seemed certain that Midori would be removed from her post, and likely the Gotei altogether, and in the end it was only the intervention of the Captain Commander at the time, Tsubasa Unabara that prevented her exile. Not only was she allowed to keep her position, but it was ensured that her child would be allowed to live a normal life, and it was here that Murasaki's close relationship with Tsubasa truly began.

While she did her absolute best to continue her work for Zero Divison every bit as effectively as she always had, Midori's pregnancy inevitably reached a point at which it was simply unfeasible for her to do much of anything without putting both herself and her child into serious danger. When this time finally came, she dedicated herself almost exclusively to mending her relationships with her fellow division members, knowing fully how far her reputation had fallen. Midori had always held dinners and tea parties for her comrades in the division, and while there were certainly those who refused to associate with her ever again, Midori was content even knowing that a few were willing to continue at least being cordial with her. Tsubine Koezuka had been a good friend of hers, and while she knew that their relationship would never be the same, she was happy enough to return to friendly terms with her. As for Erenyata Nobumitsuki...well, he didn't seem to have ever minded the whole ordeal in the first place, and for that Midori was always grateful.

Many days and many shared meals later, the time finally came for Midori to bring her child into the world. While a part of her hesitated, she knew all too well that no matter the name this child bore, she would face a great deal of hardship for who she was. Midori regretted doing such a thing to her daughter, but the least she could do was teach her to always be proud of herself and who she was, to never let others define her. So it was that she named the little girl not an Akodo, but after her father: Kagayaku no Murasaki.

» Childhood: Murasaki's early years were not what one would call “normal” by any means, though that can hardly be called much of a surprise. Nevertheless, Midori did her absolute best to ensure that her daughter had as normal an upbringing as possible, even if she was regarded by many as degenerate at best and an outright abomination at worst. Murasaki made the closest she had to friends in her mother's colleagues, particularly Miss Koezuka, who was very cool, very nice, and very pretty, and Mr. Nobumitsuki, who was kind of a weirdo but still seemed pretty neato.

As any young child would, Murasaki often asked Midori about her father. Who was he, where was he, and why was he not part of their family like the fathers of all her friends? This was, needless to say, a rather complicated issue to touch upon, but Midori decided that, in spite of this, her daughter had the right to know the truth of who she was. Resigned to the fact that neither she nor Murasaki would never be able to deny this part of her, Midori told her young daughter the whole truth of her birth, of who her father really was and why it was that she had never met anyone her own age. Though she was certainly surprised to learn all of this, Murasaki's own youthful innocence perhaps prevented this from being a truly shocking revelation, and when all was said and done, she had only one question: “Can I talk to dad?”

This was something Midori had mentally prepared for, of course, but as she was about to explain why that was impossible, it occurred to her that perhaps it might not be after all. After a few moments in thought, she decided that, if nothing else, there was no harm in simply trying, and so she carefully drew Kagayaku and handed it to Murasaki. She explained the principles of how one speaks to the spirit of a zanpakuto, perhaps hoping in the back of her mind that it would be successful and that Murasaki might be able to speak with her father. With as calm a mind as she could muster, the young girl focused everything on Kagayaku, sitting still as a board for hours on end. She wished to see him, and just as she was on the brink of giving up on the idea altogether, she heard a voice that, though she had never heard it before, seemed strangely familiar. It was calm, incredibly relaxed, and while Murasaki might have imagined her father would say many things when they finally met, she had not imagined the truth of his first greeting, a lazy, unmotivated, “Heya, kiddo.”

Midori would have been quite content to simply let the two talk, but a part of her knew all too well that simply wouldn't be the case. Call it a woman's intuition, or just knowing Kagayaku all too well, but when young Murasaki stood and started holding Kagayaku herself, she could hardly say she was surprised. What did surprise her, however, was how naturally Murasaki seemed to take to it. While it was simply “messing around” to Murasaki, anyone would have been easily fooled into thinking that she had been learning swordplay from the moment she was born. What she thought of as just playful swings and silly little moves were the sort of natural motions typically only seen from those who had spent years, if not decades, with blade in hand. Yet here Murasaki was, replicating them as though it were the most natural thing in the world. One may well have been amazed at such a thing, but the truth of the matter was very simple: Murasaki's father was a zanpakuto, and so the sword was a fundamental part of her being.

Even as Murasaki swung Kagayaku about, however, she and her father talked for hours, as she explained all of the mundane little facts of her life to her father, and as that conversation went on ever longer, it became all too clear to Midori that her daughter would never be able to live a normal life. She was willing to accept that fact, however, and in many ways that was something she had already known for years. By the time Murasaki had finished her talk with Kagayaku and returned him, Midori was hardly surprised when her daughter asked to be trained in all of the shinigami arts she knew. Even less surprising was the fact that Kagayaku had apparently endorsed this decision wholeheartedly, and so with a resigned chuckle to herself, Midori agreed, and so Murasaki's earliest training began.

» Academy: While it was all well and good to be trained by one's mother (and father), it is certainly not the way to learn all one can learn. Midori had taught Murasaki as much as she reasonably could in the past few years, but ultimately she knew that she would need to send her daughter off to the academy if she was to truly become a shinigami proper. Murasaki didn't especially relish this idea, or the thought of leaving her home and her friends behind, but Midori assured her that it would be fun, and that if nothing else, the Captain Commander would always be there for her. The prospect of new friends was enough to sway the young girl, and as long as she would still be able to visit her parents now and again, and of course Miss Koezuka and Mr. Nobumitsuki, Murasaki didn't think it could be too bad.

Thus it was that, after a few more weeks of final preparation and training, Midori sent her little girl off to Shin'o Academy, letting her make her way with only the sparsest of belongings. She had considered sending Kagayaku along with her, but that was only a fleeting thought, for not only would that just be burdening Murasaki with more of her heritage than necessary, Midori knew she ultimately needed him around for her own duties. So the little girl left her home in the Zero Division all alone, and she was introduced to the place that would not only shape her future, but would teach her a great deal about her place in the world. It would not be an endlessly miserable experience for her, all things considered, and it certainly had its high points, but it was not something that anyone would call “nice.”

Almost from the very moment she stepped onto the Academy grounds, Murasaki knew that things would be difficult for her, and that it likely wouldn't be anywhere near as fun as she'd have hoped. She hadn't even really thought about it, but her reiatsu was not only exceptional for a new student due to her training before hand, but it was markedly different from anyone else's, an effective note plastered to her back that read “half-zanpakuto.” This didn't dissuade her from trying to make friends, of course, because if they didn't like her from the get-go, then she would just show them why they should!

That didn't really work out like she'd wanted it to. She made a few acquaintances here and there, but any time she seemed to be getting close to someone, they seemed to get scared of how their reputation might end up if they hung around the half-breed, or they were talked out of it by someone else who was only thinking of their well-being, and Murasaki was inevitably sent back to square one. It was during these times that she tended to make her way to the Captain Commander for company, and as she failed more and more, it seemed that she spent nearly all of her free time there. Lunches, tea, even short little break periods, in all of them she found herself with Tsubasa simply because she knew nowhere else to go. What she didn't realize was that, honestly, this was just making her reputation worse. Was she just the Commander's pet project? Maybe there was even something scandalous going on! Murasaki, of course, never heard any of these rumors, and she just kept on trying to make friends.

Classes were not much better for her during this time. Classes were either a walk in the park, things such as zanjutsu and hakuda, or they were incredibly difficult, more scholarly courses and kido chief among them. Her classmates derided her for so effortlessly using a sword in training, out of envy and perhaps a bit of fear, or they simply mocked her total lack of understanding. These little things certainly stung, but she did her best to just ignore it and not let it bother her. But it came to a head eventually, during a zanjutsu class. She did well as she always did, until a snide comment came from the sidelines: “So, hanpakuto, that how your mom handles hers?” The name calling itself was nothing new. “Hanpakuto” was their idea of a clever little pun, combining zanpakuto with the word for “half.” But bringing her mother right into it was something for which Murasaki would not stand.

All at one, she was filled with an inner calm that she had genuinely never felt before, and her entire body tensed. She was furious, but it filled every corner of her body, and then it spread even beyond. It flowed into her arms, her hands, up into her fingertips, and then there it was, continuing up into her sword itself. She swung her blade at a nearly imperceptible speed then, an action she barely even registered, so instinctive it was in that moment. The blade had stopped only a hair's breadth away from her heckler's throat, and there was a purity in her gaze that seemed to drill right through the young man. “Don't say that again.” It was a simple statement, nothing fancy at all, and all at once Murasaki lowered the sword, handed it over to her instructor, and bowed, accepting the punishment that would come her way.

The rest of her time in the academy wasn't much worth talking about, to be frank. Murasaki never again got into any fights or altercations, never did make any friends, and by the end, she had accepted that she simply wouldn't ever be accepted as she was among the shinigami. To her, though, that was perfectly fine. She had her friends, and she had the people close to her, and that was all that mattered to her. When graduation finally came, Murasaki simply took her zanpakuto, said her farewells to Tsubasa, her teachers, to Miss Koezuka and Mr. Nobumitsuki, and finally to her mother. While she would have been content to go on her own, Midori insisted that she not travel alone, and entrusted Kagayaku into her care. With a final goodbye and her father at her side, Murasaki departed from the Soul Society, with no intention of returning.

When she departed, Murasaki took to simply wandering. Where she was going or how long it would take just seemed completely irrelevant in her mind. Honestly, anywhere seemed better than the Soul Society, and she figured she could pretend to just be a relatively normal girl if she hung around on Earth instead. So she grabbed a gigai and a few other assorted things, and just...went.

That was almost two centuries ago, though, and a great deal can happen in a girl's life in that time. She made friends and enemies, loved and had her heart broken, saw deserts, rainforests, tundras, and a thousand other beautiful sights all over the world. It was a beautiful life, all things considered, and there were a few times and places that she considered finally settling down. But the drive to keep going always won out in the end, and so she gave it all away every time to continue on her way.

But times change, and people change. The world isn't the same place that it was when Murasaki first left to explore it, and she is all too aware of that fact. Things have become far more heated than Murasaki is particularly comfortable with, and she would hate to see the world that's home to so many fond memories destroyed. However, she knows that the people she would seek out for help, or would offer her help to, are not in the same place that they would have been when she first left. With that knowledge in mind, however, she is not deterred, and will find them however she must. If she cannot, then others will surely do.



○ Asauchi Soul: The asauchi is the primal form of the zanpakuto, given to every new shinigami to mold through company and meditation. It has no abilities in itself, and is in many ways far weaker than a proper zanpakuto. However, the asauchi's one notable trait is its formless nature, as it has the potential to become anything based on the shinigami with which it bonds. The asauchi will eventually come to reflect the very being of this shinigami, and at that time it becomes a true zanpakuto, far stronger than it was before. However, Murasaki has never made anywhere near such an intimate bond with another, and so the zanpakuto nature of her being, while weak, is also volatile, shapeless, and filled with endless potential.

In practice, this means that Murasaki's soul cannot be corrupted, influenced, or otherwise interacted with except by all but the most extreme outside forces. Even relatively basic concerns, such as Hollow corruption or the purging effects of a quincy's spiritual weapon, will simply find no consistent soul to latch onto or influence. This entirely passive defense is arguably one of Murasaki's greatest strengths, as it would take a force substantially above herself to even begin influencing her soul.

Though she has never achieved the necessary sort of relationship with anyone, it would be entirely possible for Murasaki's soul to be permanently connected to another, and for it to shift from asauchi to zanpakuto proper. As there is hardly precedent for this sort of thing, it is unknown exactly what effect this would have both on Murasaki and on the other person in question, but it can be safely assumed that, at the very least, the two would gain a connection very much the same as that of any shinigami and their zanpakuto spirit.

○ Inborn Zanjutsu: While some are born with talent for the sword, and others perfect the craft through years of practice, Murasaki has gone a step beyond both of these things simply by merit of her birth. She is a weapon herself, and so she is, put simply, perfectly comfortable with any sword that finds its way into her hands. Any way in which a sword might be used is already embedded into Murasaki's unconscious, no different to her than understanding how to flex one's fingers, and speaking purely in terms of raw talent with a sword, she is nearly unparalleled.

Her asauchi soul, however, elevates this even further. Because of the myriad forms a zanpakuto may take across its releases, Murasaki's innate understanding of weaponry extends beyond merely swords. Indeed, nearly any type of melee weapon she holds, while not as natural as a sword, still feels completely natural, and only the most truly alien of weapons would outright feel out of place were she to wield it.

○ Toushindai (刀心体, “sword in mind and body”): Invented by Murasaki's mother Midori almost as a secondary effect of her love for Kagayaku, Toushindai is a technique which, in many ways, shares the same basic principles as the far more illustrious (and far more powerful) shikōkai, wherein one focuses on becoming as close to their zanpakuto as possible. The key difference between them is that while shikōkai is about genuinely becoming one with your zanpakuto spirit, as well as requiring a huge amount of power and gaining a lot of power in turn from achieving it, Toushindai is only about getting on the same wavelength, so to speak, as your zanpakuto, striking a balance and bridging the mental gap between the two. While Midori achieved this due to her romantic relationship with Kagayaku, and Murasaki was able to due to her zanpakuto heritage, it would be entirely possible for anyone with a zanpakuto to learn this technique, though it would obviously require far more effort.

What exactly does Toushindai do, however? Simply put, if one were to compare the standard effortlessness of using a zanpakuto normally to using one with Toushindai, it would be like comparing swinging a blade underwater to using it on dry land. A person who has learned Toushindai has bridged the mental and spiritual gap between themselves and their zanpakuto, which elevates its usage from merely effortless to outright instinctive, as natural as breathing and as unconscious as the beating of one's heart. Upon achieving Toushindai, a person is able to feel and see through their zanpakuto, as well as speak with it, at any distance or even across realms. A practitioner of Toushindai is still fully capable of achieving any release, and though they may have a slightly easier time of discovering these releases upon reaching the proper level of power, Toushindai is not a shortcut to reaching that level in the first place.

Once a person has learned Toushindai, it will generally stay active forever, unless one actively chooses to end it or their spiritual status is drastically altered, such as by Hollowfication or outside effects. If this happens, the former Toushindai practitioner will find the simple act of using their zanpakuto to feel sluggish, almost alien, and while they are technically no less competent than they were before they learned Toushindai, the sudden relative disconnect from their zanpakuto will require several weeks of reacclimation.

» Personal Techniques:

• Senbankou: Ittо̄ (千万構: 一刀, "Ten Million Stances: Single Sword"): While Murasaki's swordsmanship is built upon a principle of instinctive understanding of her sword, it would be a truly deadly mistake to ever assume that she has no skill to accompany this talent. If anything, her natural affinity for the sword has only led to even further development, as practice is invariably how she fills what would otherwise be idle time. But “the sword” is a very vague thing, taking many forms and used in countless ways, untold shapes and styles across time and space. It is a daunting prospect to any fledgling swordsman, to know that at any time one might come across a style with which they are entirely unfamiliar.
  
  To Murasaki, this belief is simply a distraction from the truth of the matter: The sword is the sword, and that is all one needs to know. If one style does not work, then another will do in its place. Senbankou is a style defined only by the sword, and has no single stance or technique attached to it. Instead, it is an ever-shifting way of battle which reacts to every facet of a battle, changing even its very fundamentals in the blink of an eye in order to accommodate what is required. In Murasaki's eyes, this is how the sword was meant to be used, not to be constricted to any one style or technique, but to be allowed to be used as freely as the body itself. Therefore, while Murasaki knows untold numbers of ways to apply her blade simply on pure instinct, these are not what she would call true “techniques.” They are mere applications of the sword, never to be relied upon or used as anything more than a step toward victory and proper swordsmanship. The only things Murasaki knows that she genuinely calls “techniques” are a very, very small selection of things which she believes are elevated beyond any one stance or style. They are states of mind, fundamental ideas of swordplay made manifest through sheer technique.
  
  Because of this incredible variance in her swordplay, it is nothing short of nearly impossible to truly predict Murasaki's actions in combat, for her style may well shift into something else entirely as soon as her foe becomes comfortable with her current approach. She thinks two or even three stances ahead, changing her approach as soon as she believes the current one has seen its use or at the slightest change in the winds of battle. This approach should never be mistaken for a form of trickery, however, and Murasaki would never apply it in such a way. Senbankou is simply the only way she knows to fight, the embodiment of herself as the sword and the free spirit that she is to her very core.
  
• Musonzai (無存在, “Empty Existence”): The mind is filled with action at any given time, countless things taking place all at once within it. Filled with concerns and hopes, doubts and certainties, and these things are what shapes the existence of one's self. But in the mind of the sword, these things are but distractions, obstacles to be overcome. The greatest of these obstacles is the one that truly stands between the body and the sword, that even Toushindai cannot overcome: Self. Musonzai is a level of focus upon the self and the blade that lies beyond not only Toushindai, but beyond anything else. Consider the master artist, one who has truly perfected the craft. When he makes a brushstroke, he does not think about its existence. Nothing exists for him in that moment but himself and his painting, and all at once he simply creates it. This empty void is Musonzai, and it is not something to be trifled with.
  
  The application of Musonzai is not this focus in itself, however impressive it may be. No, the true worth of Musonzai is in the ability to decide what exists in this empty void. To Murasaki, who is the sword itself, this means that nothing exists beyond that blade. Musonzai is a state of complete and total focus, and a denial of anything which exists outside the void created within. Because of this denial, Musonzai has no outside influence of any kind, nor do those things which are spawned from it. There is no spiritual power of any kind, no outside force, and so this total focus can only exist within those who have achieved an extreme level of self-actualization, and upon the things that they are able to influence through this state. Paradoxically, however, due to the completely independent nature of this focus, Musonzai is, at least in theory, achievable by anyone with the inner calm to reach it.
  
  Those who see Musonzai as a martial technique, or something to be applied in battle, however, are those very same who cannot grasp it. Musonzai is not a state of combat, nor one of peace. It is not offense or defense, passivity or aggression, or even being or not being. By its very nature, Musonzai denies any classification at all. One must never simply enter into Musonzai lightly, for in that moment they are accepting that their very self will be all that there is to them, and if done improperly, it can very well destroy their ability to interact with the outside world forever. Within this state, the self is all of creation for its user, and from there, they may find ways in which this self becomes applied into the outside world, if only in the most minute of ways. For Murasaki, this way is through the sword, for it is her, and she is it. In her words, "the answer lies in the heart of battle," but no two people will ever find Musonzai in the same thing.
  
  Musonzai is, unlike Toushindai, not a passive state of being, however. Murasaki must choose to enter into this state, and can only do so for one post per rank in Focus. The cutting off of one's being from the outside world also means that, when within Musonzai, Murasaki's ability to exude reiatsu becomes literally zero. This means that she cannot use any kido or hoho, and any releases she may have been in upon entering it are not ended, but have no further effect upon the outside world until she exits Musonzai. Furthermore, Murasaki must choose when first entering Musonzai how long she will use it, rather than ending it at her discretion. This is because if one does not have an exact ending in sight for Musonzai, it will simply consume the self and never end, leaving the user effectively comatose. Because of this, it is a technique around which she plans a great deal, and is generally only used in the most extreme of circumstances.
  
• Suzuran (鈴蘭, "lily of the valley"): The first of Murasaki's techniques developed from Musonzai, Suzuran was designed as the answer to a simple question: “What is the sword?” The answer, as it turns out, is rather simple, though in practice this technique is nothing short of Murasaki's most difficult, complex, and outright abstract usage of her sword and herself. It is the crux of swordplay in its absolute purest form, the removal of all extraneous detail. Simply put, Suzuran ignores anything which might stand in its way. There is no battle, no terrain, no weather or even gravity, nothing but Murasaki and her enemy in the moment that Suzuran is used. To many, this might be considered an “ultimate technique,” but Murasaki does not believe such things exist. Any stance, technique, strike, or style has within it strengths and weaknesses, and while Suzuran is certainly powerful, Murasaki sees no reason why she should simply shoehorn its usage into all possible circumstances. It may be good enough for most foes, but “good enough” would be disrespectful to the very nature of the sword.
  
  In many ways, Suzuran is a technique that simply should not be possible, and to the average swordsman, that would be an entirely true statement. If Senbankou is the versatility of the sword, then Suzuran is its purest essence: “To kill.” In order to use Suzuran, one must first have achieved Muzonsai, for one could never hope to achieve this level of absolute swordsmanship without such an absolute level of calm and emptiness. Murasaki must then focus all of their existence, every fiber of her place in the tapestry of creation itself, into her strike. The actual form of this attack does not matter, for the purity of Suzuran has no regard for technique or style. In that single stroke, the sword simply is. A recipient of this strike is given what could only be described as an unwilling shift into Muzonsai as well. They are severed from all things in existence, and are brought into the shared void created by Murasaki's Muzonsai. This is when the strike inflicts its damage, when the foe has been cut off from anything they might draw strength from, and this is how Suzuran is capable of truly ignoring all defense: If struck by Suzuran, no defense can exist in the first place.
  
• Botan (牡丹, "peony"): Suzuran may be the essence of the sword made manifest through Musonzai, but Botan is something much more chilling; the essence of denial. It is perhaps the greatest defense one could achieve through the direction of their self, to so completely refuse the outside world that anything, be it tangible or intangible, cannot intervene. This is hardly a universal technique, and is far from a defensive measure applicable in any situation. Much like Suzuran, it requires that Murasaki already be in Musonzai, and is simply impossible without that complete focus. While Suzuran directs that total void outward,however, Botan directs it inward.
  
  When the nothingness of Musonzai is truly expressed in the self, one's every aspect of being is cut off from the outside world. In one fleeting moment, Murasaki does not exist as we know it. She cannot be touched seen, or interacted with in any way, nor can she do these things in turn. Even the forces of nature, in that instant, simply cannot find even a trace of her existence. This is, for Murasaki, the true pinnacle of Musonzai's application, an isolated void so total that one is truly cut off from the world entirely, but this level of totality is also the very reason it is so incredibly dangerous. If attempted with anything less than the most perfect focus, Murasaki will simply disappear forever, every trace of herself in the material world, and in her own mind, erased. This is not some looming threat, either, but a very tangible one, and the sheer risk involved means that Murasaki's own body and soul will not allow her to achieve this detachment from the world more than twice in a single thread, nor can she use it in back to back posts.
  
• Tsubaki (椿, "camellia"): The third and final application of Musonzai, Tsubaki is a branching development of Botan, which takes the principle of nonexistence and takes it in an alternate direction. If one does not exist in this reality, then their place in it has been rendered meaningless, and this particular void is where Tsubaki takes its place. It is a much quicker technique than Suzuran or Botan, and is in many ways the other side of the same coin to Botan. Where Botan says “I am not,” Tsubaki cries out, “I am.” It occurs in the briefest of moments, not within Musonzai, but as Murasaki exits it. When one returns to existence, they are not bound by its laws until their return is complete, and this lapse is the place Tsubaki capitalizes upon.
  
  By directing the entirety of the self toward a specific place in reality, Murasaki is able to return from Musonzai in a place decidedly different from where she originally began. In fact, this place can be quite literally anywhere that Murasaki is completely aware of, somewhere close to her heart that she is able to imagine easily. This expends no energy, and leaves no trace, but the sheer focus required is such that she cannot use this technique more than once in a thread, and upon doing so, her next post must consist only of a reaffirmation of self, interacting with the world in order to remind oneself that it is, indeed, real.

○ Inborn Hoho: Either less or more notable than her inborn zanjutsu depending on one's perspective, Murasaki has also received an incredible gift for hoho due to her father being a speed-oriented zanpakuto. Murasaki was further trained in hoho by her mother, an exceptionally gifted user in her own right, and while it has been a great many years since this training took place, she has never forgotten these lessons thanks to her heritage.

○ Kido: While Murasaki has not typically been considered the sort of woman who excels in kido, it should never be assumed that she is incapable of it, and in fact her understanding of it is quite impressive. As a woman who thoroughly succeeded in her days at Shino Academy, her fundamentals have always been quite impressive, but her lack of actual desire to grow more involved in the field kept her from significant mastery. After taking up the position of Captain Commander, however, the idea of lacking in any shinigami field did not sit right with her, and she has now fully applied to herself to the field. Even disregarding any other capabilities, it should be expected that Murasaki could easily handle most opponents using only her understanding of kido.

○ Hakuda: While never a key aspect of her training, Murasaki's mother still taught her a great deal on the subject of hakuda. While she has certainly not put nearly as much effort into this as she has into her zanjutsu, as well as lacking any affinity for it, it would be patently false to call Murasaki anything other than a skilled practitioner of hakuda, and is certainly not to be underestimated.

○ Kuujinmanshu (空刃満手, “empty blade, full hand”): While Toushindai is best described as the mark of her mother's legacy, it is not the true outcome of Murasaki's pedigree. Toushindai is a technique that comes naturally to Murasaki due to her parentage, but it is one that could truly be learned by anyone. What has truly arisen due exclusively to her heritage, and which could never be learned by any other, is Kuujinmanshu. Kuujinmanshu is not only built upon the basis of being half-zanpakuto, it is fundamentally reliant upon it, and while it would theoretically be possible to teach to any zanpakuto spirit, Murasaki has never tried such a thing, and sees little reason why she would.

In practice, the effects of Kuujinmanshu are relatively simple. It is an extremely personalized martial art, and while it is descended from hakuda, Murasaki does not call it such, instead referring to it as “zanjutsu without a zanpakuto.” In many ways the counterpoint to Toushindai, when Murasaki uses Kuujinmanshu, her body becomes her zanpakuto in the most physical of senses. A strike with her hand is not only capable of inflicting every bit as deep a cut as her zanpakuto, but is even capable of conveying the effects of her shikai and bankai simply through her touch. Additionally, Murasaki is able to instinctively convert any of her zanjutsu techniques into Kuujinmanshu, and when Kuujinmanshu is active, her arms become every bit as resilient to blows as her zanpakuto.

Of course, such a technique is hardly without drawbacks, and chief among them is that Murasaki simply cannot use Kuujinmanshu when holding her zanpakuto. This is because the connection shared between them through Toushindai conflicts with the basic principle of Kuujinmanshu, as Murasaki's body cannot be that which she is clearly holding in her hand. Furthermore, due to the focus required to bring that aspect of herself to the forefront, particularly on her arms and hands, Murasaki is unable to use kido alongside Kuujinmanshu. Finally, there is the simple fact that, for all of the potential this technique might have, Murasaki is a swordswoman through and through. While Kuujinmanshu translates her techniques and abilities, it simply cannot translate actual skill, and so this is primarily used only when Murasaki is unable to use her zanpakuto.


○ Zanpakuto Name: Kiaishi (輝乃紫, "Shining Purple")

○ Zanpakuto Spirit Appearance: Murasaki is her own zanpakuto spirit.

○ Inner World:


○ Zanpakuto Appearance:


○ Sealed Zanpakuto Power: Kiaishi’s ability is dominion over “nothingness.” It is a blade which has been reduced down to its most fundamental, and its closest comparison is an asauchi, for when a blade has nothing it has the potential for anything. In some ways it is a facsimile of her former zanpakuto Keifu, but that was only a sliver of her own power, limited by its focus through a secondary zanpakuto. As all things ancestry can be traced, it is inevitable that all things will be traced back to nothing.

Being that the blade is an extension of herself, Murasaki's zanpakuto is significantly more resistant to sealing or alteration than most others. Alteration of the zanpakuto is only accomplishable if one also has the degree of skill and sheer power to directly alter Murasaki's own being. Kiaishi accomplishes this by its former ability of tracing. It traces the history of itself, and by extension Murasaki, to validate itself. As long as Kiaishi exists, Murasaki will also exist, and vice versa. Should the blade be destroyed or lost, Murasaki can simply recreate it effortlessly in her hand. Similarly, if Murasaki is killed, but Kiaishi remains intact, simply speaking her name while holding the blade will return her to life.



○ Shikai Release Phrase: "Cut, Kiaishi." (切れ, 輝乃紫. “Kire, Kiaishi.”)

○ Shikai Appearance: Kiaishi’s released form is visually indistinct from its sealed form.

○ Shikai Abilities:

» Hasshoudou (八傷動, "Eight Wounding Motions"): While in shikai, Murasaki is capable of projecting up to eight “images” of herself anywhere that she is currently aware of. This “image” is identical to Murasaki in its abilities, but because it is only an “image,” rather than an actual real thing, it will cease to exist as soon as it is touched, so any attack will immediately destroy the image. This includes attacks made by the images themselves toward an opponent, though their singular strike will still land as a very real attack. Techniques which are swift enough to cause multiple wounds simultaneously (such as Senmaioroshi) will make the full scope of their attack, but any followup attacks or techniques are thoroughly impossible. Murasaki can only manifest a maximum of 8 of these images at any given time. While she has no limit on how many images she can make per thread, she can only form 8 per post.

» Gozan Jissetsu (五斬十殺, "Five Beheadings, Ten Killings"): Should Murasaki wish, rather than externalizing “images” of herself with Hasshoudou, she may instead manifest images of an attack that she has already made. So long as she has not utilized any “images” from Hasshoudou in a post, Murasaki may instead replicate “images” of an attack she has already made. These "images" may be of any attack that she has utilized up to one post prior to utilizing this technique, including an attack she is currently utilizing. Because these are images of a single attack, rather than of her entire self, the number of “images” she can manifest increases dramatically. Any attack she makes may be replicated 15 times upon the opponent. These 15 “images” do not necessarily need to be attached to the same attack, but if they are split between attacks, she still may only utilize 15 “images” per post.



○ Bankai Name: Kikeiren Shisatsujin (輝系連 紫薩刃, "Shining Ancestral Purple Buddha Edge")

○ Bankai Appearance: Upon releasing bankai, the edge of Murasaki’s blade, following the pattern of its hamon, disappears.

○ Bankai Abilities: Despite the edge having disappeared from Murasaki’s blade, its cutting power remains every bit as deadly as before. Anything cut by this sword is not simply damaged, but rather becomes “nothing.” This does not negate defensive abilities or outright delete objects on impact, of course, but it simply means that any wounds or damage inflicted by Kikeiren Shisatsujin must be completely remade by external means, rather than simply put back together.

» Sanzen Daisen Sekai (三千大斬世界, "3000 Killing Realms''): The true ability of Murasaki’s bankai, and the expression of its nature of “nothing,” as well as the result of her sheer mastery over zanjutsu and herself. Because of her versatility and her mastery, Kikeiren Shisatsujin is an extremely versatile bankai, one which can express an untold myriad of techniques all revolving around “nothing.” Some are listed below, but because of the nature of this bankai, others can and will be utilized at her discretion.

» Hisou Hihisou (非想非非想, “Neither Thought Nor No Thought”): Upon being struck by this technique, both Murasaki and her opponent are seamlessly brought into a vision of their battle continuing. This vision will not end until one of them dies, at which point the vision ends, with no time having passed outside of this vision. Those with Focus or Mental Deduction of Grand Master are capable of immediately discerning that this is only a vision, rather than a real battle, and can then escape simply by killing themselves in the vision. Upon this vision’s completion, both Murasaki and her opponent remember everything that occurred during it. Additionally, because this battle has occurred within an imagined moment, rather than in the real world, the state of any cooldowns, releases, etc. are reverted to where they were at the time this strike was made.

» Himei (非命, “No Lifetime”): This technique is one of extreme brutality from a psychological standpoint. When this technique is active, every blow becomes a “killing blow.” This does not mean that Murasaki simply kills whoever is struck by it, however; rather, those struck by it perceive it as a wound which “will certainly kill them.” This shock may impact individual characters differently, but it is generally a traumatic experience, particularly if struck multiple times by these “killing blows.” Those with any Will Skill at Grand Master are able to ignore the trauma of this technique, whether through grit or simply the awareness that the wound is not actually as deadly as it appears.

» Hisuigen (非水源, "No Fountainhead"): Focusing her reiatsu into her blade before releasing it in front of her in a direct line, Murasaki unleashes a wave of extreme destructive force. This force devastates anything within its path, and all matter, whether reishi or kishi, is reduced to nothing. Any individual killed by this technique has no chance of being reincarnated due to the absolute nature of its erasure. While lethal in its own right to those who do not have enough power to resist the attack, the consequences of this technique leaves a vacuum in its wake for one post after this move is used.

This strike is treated as one the same as any other Murasaki would make, factoring in her abilities and the requirement of Bankai, but its range extends to the furthest range of her tier's scope of influence. However, if Murasaki utilizes this technique, it is the only technique she may utilize in that post, due to the extreme focus and power required to manifest such a deadly strike.



○ Shikōkai Name: Renha Kessougen (鏈破 血草原, "Chain-Breaking Ancestral Steppe")

○ Shikōkai Appearance: Upon releasing Renha Kessougen, Murasaki's zanpakuto returns to its typical appearance, the blade reverting to the same shape as it carries prior to shikai or bankai. However, the area surrounding Murasaki, to a point beyond the horizon, becomes a serene, windswept plain, with blue skies and long green grass.

○ Shikōkai Ability: The steppe manifested by Renha Kessougen's release is, quite plainly, not a purely visual change. Rather, it is the expression of this release, and the whole of the area, be it the skies overhead, the ground below, even the air, is simply Murasaki, outward to a radius of 15 miles. It should be noted that this area is centered around Murasaki, and moves alongside her, rather than being anchored in the point of release. Those who are caught in this shikokai will have unfathomably less access to spiritual energy for the sake of manipulation, as all of it within that space is not simply under Murasaki's control, but is quite literally a part of her in itself.

Because of this extreme expression of the self, Murasaki is aware of every occurrence, no matter how great or small, whether spiritual or mundane, within the area of her shikokai. Even the slightest twitch of one's muscle, the smallest and most inconsequential spiritual exertion, will be crystal clear to Murasaki.

Perhaps most dangerous, however, is that unlike the other releases of Murasaki's zanpakuto, Renha Kessougen very much does grant Murasaki an increase to her capabilities, providing a boost to her power so immense that even those feats which would normally require all of her effort are barely a challenge. On account of the extreme energy cost of this release when compared to her shikai and bankai, this release can only last for 5 posts.

Any structure, land formation, or other inanimate object in the area when Renha Kessougen is released is not simply destroyed, but rather "overwritten" by this release, When the release ends, or if Murasaki moves enough that the area is no longer under its effects, any formations which were removed simply reappear no worse for wear, as if they had always been there. Of course, those inside said structures are not so lucky, and may find that they simply reappear inside of a solid object. Because of this, Renha Kessougen is a release of absolute last resort, which can cause extreme damage in any area where it is released.




General Skills

• Durability: A
  
• General Speed: A
  
• Strength: A
  
• Soul: A
  

Shinigami Skills

• Hoho: Elite
  
• Kido: Elite
  
• Zanjutsu: Grand Master
  
• Hakuda: Advanced
  

Will Skills

• Willpower: Elite
  
• Mental Deduction: Advanced
  
• Focus: Master
  

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New Year 2020 Burst
-Strength from Adept to Advanced
-Hoho from Advanced to Elite
-General Speed from Advanced to Elite
-Martial Skill from Advanced to Elite
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Gee Murasaki, How Come Your Dad Lets You Have Two Bankai?
-Tier from 1-5 to 1-3
-Zanjutsu from Elite to Master
-Speed from Elite to Master
-Paternal Shikai Limits Removed
-Paternal Bankai Added
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Spring 2021 Burst
-Durability from Adept to Advanced
-Willpower from Advanced to Elite
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SpookyBurst 2021
-Strength from Advanced to Elite
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The Girl from the Plains
-Shikokai Added
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So As I Pray
-Zanjutsu from Master to Grand Master
-Shikokai duration from 3 posts to 5 posts.
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2022 Spookyburst
-Kido from Untrained to Advanced
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Gee Murasaki, How Come You Only Have One Bankai?
-Zanpakuto Overhauled
-Paternal Zanpakuto Removed
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2023 New Year Burst
-Kido from Advanced to Elite
-Kido section in Racial Techniques adjusted to match new skill level.
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Blade's Edge Enlightenment
-Spirit Class from 2 to 1
-Focus from Elite to Master
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Great Attribute Update
-Attributes brought to modern system