[Spirit Class 7] Yuuki Koizumi

» Name: Yuuki Koizumi(古泉 勇気, Koizumi Yūki)
» Title: Fūsha-no-Yūki (凮轒酉奎; Eastern Star of the Wind Chariot)
» Alias: "Yuu"
» Age: Why does that matter, huh? (~130)
» Gender: Wouldn't you like to know. Female.

» Association: Gotei United, 4th Division, 7th Seat; Koizumi family

» Appearance Image:

» Personality:
Waste Makes Waste: Yuuki abhors waste. From throwing out food to using too much water, it makes no difference. That isn't to say there isn't a time to throw out food, but rather the needless disposal of it—Yuuki would rather suffer through a meal with a bad taste than throw out good ingredients. The worst example of waste is a waste of talent and skill. If you have a good talent or skill, you should use it. There's a usage for every kind of skill or talent—you just have to find it. For example, Yuuki doesn't actually enjoy fighting. Pain is annoying and it just feels like two people who can't figure out another solution to their problems usually. However, with both inborn talent as a Koizumi and with long hours of training, Yuuki is skilled. It's why the 4th Division was the only place to go logically even if the people can be disagreeable.

Knowledge is Power: Yuuki takes a distant approach to most things in life. If it can be bettered by observing first, then observation is the first step to any process. Yuuki keeps a small notebook tucked away at all times. Notes are scribbled in there—from various pieces of gossip to theories on Kidō development learned during a lecture, it's all in there to be transcribed to its proper place in a dedicated notebook. Yuuki hates missing out on big events because it's that much more that was missed and can't be reliably replicated for those notes. This is because Yuuki values learning more about the surrounding world and those in it over destroying it. However, the desire to not waste Yuuki's own talents with combat come first unfortunately.

Intolerance of Idiocy: Yuuki has a strong distaste of all things foolish. If one does something they know isn't a smart course of action and get a bad result, whose fault is it? Their own. Whose responsibility is it to clean up that mess? Yuuki's. Strategic retreats, diversions, and outright cheating are a-okay. These tools exist for a reason, and if you don't use it, you're an idiot.

Intentionally Androgynous: Yuuki keeps themselves androgynous for a reason. If people think they're a guy? They'll fight without holding back. If people think they're a girl? Free food and gifts. Yuuki wins hard with the good parts, but loses just as hard with the bad parts. People that hold back because they're afraid of hitting a girl? Boo. People that think they're a guy so no discounts? Double boo. However, Yuuki does have a clear view of themselves and knows exactly who they are along that spectrum.

» Likes: Being able to say "I told you so."

» Dislikes: Wasting one's talents, idiots, morons, nitwits, fools, dimwits, fighting.


» History:
Yuuki's birth is one of those black spots on the Koizumi's history that has long-since been covered up with makeup and money. Born outside of the Senkaku Shin Ken dojo, Yuuki was chosen randomly by Fūsha-no-Kasei out of a pair of twins. The birth family soon died in a mysterious "accident." The dojo they belonged to was well-compensated for their losses—that of Yuuki themselves and the fmaily. That and how expedited the investigation was led to a popular belief that the Senkaku Shin Ken was behind the deaths. Although that may or may not be true, there is an underlying secret fact—Yuuki's selection was something akin to a eugenics experiment. The idea was Fūsha-no-Kasei's lifetime ambition: find someone who had both exceptional capacity for growth and compatibility with the Senkaku Shin Ken, then have their capabilities be passed down to eventually have pure, distilled Senkaku Shin Ken mastery.

With that out of the way, now it is time to learn the story of Yuuki themselves. To begin, it is important to note that Yuuki's earliest memories are being surrounded by doctors. Yuuki was diagnosed with an exceptionally rare disease. Only the kind of skilled doctors that the Four Great Noble Families can afford were capable of treating this, and Yuuki was lucky that one owed Fūsha-no-Kasei a favor. Although the disease is still technically there, Yuuki is asymptomatic to this day. Only their slight figure and white-tipped hair remain as evidence they were ever sick.

After recovering, Yuuki was given a broad form of training. Perhaps unlike most Koizumi, Yuuki had a wide range of education that expanded far beyond the martial. Arts, histories, religions, philosophies—all, in smatterings, were subjects that Yuuki was forced to learn. Never diving in too deep, Yuuki was meant to be able to identify and have surface-level conversations in nearly everything. This style of learning was the start of a soon-to-be-constant in Yuuki's life: ephemeral connections.

Yuuki's teachers and tutors never stayed long. Fūsha-no-Kasei was adamant that only true specialists and masters were to teach his successor. In that sense, Yuuki is spoiled. Only the best was to be received. It wasn't until Yuuki enrolled at Shin'ō Academy that they truly made a friend. While enrolled, other students kept Yuuki at arms' length—both out of their general personality and their status as a Koizumi. The sole exception was Kohaku Okumura.

Kohaku was, without question, the most infuriating person Yuuki has ever met—and that title lasts to this day. He pried at Yuuki's height and figure—something that made Yuuki feel insecure. No one else was brazen enough to talk about that, so why was this peasant from the Rukongai doing it?! The two were constantly at each other's throats... but at the same time, they didn't let other people at their throats. "Only I can beat this asshole up" was the sentiment shared between these two.

Yuuki still says that the days in the academy were the most enjoyable ones, but they came to an end far too soon. Kohaku dropped out before being even halfway done. That was the official explanation. Yuuki tried to track him down, but was unsuccessful. Unlike Kohaku, Yuuki stayed enrolled—almost out of spite to show that they could graduate even though Kohaku gave up.

Upon graduating, Yuuki was not immediately selected for a position within the Gotei. Instead, Fūsha-no-Kasei redoubled his teaching Yuuki the Senkaku Shin Ken. Before joining the academy, Yuuki was only taught rudimentary basics. Now it was time to learn the dojo's style itself. This was what Yuuki was even brought to the dojo for in the first place.

Yuuki's training was not as successful as Fūsha-no-Kasei wanted. It took two years for Yuuki to master the first steps of the school—something he had theorized would only take months. Frustrated, he began to tighten the screws on Yuuki. Yuuki was only allowed to learn more about the Senkaku Shin Ken. No longer were there any other distractions. Until Yuuki mastered the style, their focus would be the Senkaku Shin Ken.

This helped, but not by much. Over the years, Yuuki's skill grew and grew. It was fifteen years into the deep learning that something clicked with Yuuki. It wasn't so much a discovery, but rather a refocusing. Yuuki began using their legs more and more with their Hakuda—using their arms for balance at first, but eventually it evolved into something that did not even need that. Yuuki's arms were free to be used entirely separate from the Senkaku Shin Ken Yuuki was now mastering.

And yet... It still wasn't enough for Fūsha-no-Kasei. He had an insatiable appetite for Yuuki's growth. It wasn't coming along as fast as it needed to. He was already more like a grandfather than a father when he adopted Yuuki. Eventually, his time would run out. Yuuki kept striving to meet the goals set, but it was always late. When Yuuki developed the Karakatsu technique, it was without prompting and without a timeframe. Impressed for once, Fūsha-no-Kasei relaxed some of the restrictions set upon Yuuki.

Yuuki was once again allowed to learn more than just the Senkaku Shin Ken. Yuuki jumped at the opportunity to try various things out more in depth. The small set of hobbies they had once enjoyed greatly as a child might be something to pursue. And yet... none of it was something that kept Yuuki for very long. Painting, flower arranging, kendō, kyūdō, singing, acting, writing... All of it was okay at best. Despite enjoying all of those things, Yuuki's talents only truly shined with the Senkaku Shin Ken.

And then, someone succeeded where Fūsha-no-Kasei didn't. The Hōō Kanmuri Ken's Jatouen no Kasha was a success beyond all measure in Fūsha-no-Kasei's eyes. It was exactly what he had tried to do, but actually successful—mastering in only decades rather than nearly a century. This has led to Yuuki's current situation. Fūsha-no-Kasei has refused to pass on the dojo despite Yuuki mastering the Senkaku Shin Ken. Frustrated, Yuuki joined the Gotei as a form of rebellion—and a way to give the two some space apart from one another, and for Yuuki to prove themselves worthy of being the head of the dojo.

Recently, Yuuki took an extended leave of absence from the Gotei United to undergo an internship with the same doctor that treated them early in life. This doctor tried to teach Yuuki medicine and more-than-basic first aid—effectively setting up Yuuki to be a trauma surgeon. However, Yuuki was, once again, not good at it. It was one more thing to add to the list of "skills Yuuki doesn't have." Yuuki returned a bit prematurely after hearing his family had caused some issues with the Division they were assigned to...


» Combat Specialist: Overall, Yuuki is a prime example of a Koizumi in their youth. Decently skilled with their dojo's style? Check. Strength, agility, and stamina to use the style to its fullest? Check, check, and (mostly) check (see below). Yuuki has enough martial training to be the head of the Senkaku Shin Ken, but the honor has yet to be bestowed.

» Spiritual Illness (Unnamed): Yuuki is one of the few extant sufferers of a very specific kind of illness. The most famous of this is the former Captain of the Gotei 13, Jūshirō Ukitake*. It is an illness that, if not treated early, will cause significant danger to the user's Reiryoku and their body. Thankfully, Yuuki's case was treated by actual professional doctors. The end result was the ends of Yuuki's hair turning white as well as stunted growth. Although Yuuki rarely gets flare-ups from the disease, the disease results in coughing up blood and a significant drop in stamina.
Author's Note: This is at least the public explanation of Ukitake's illness, since the canonicity of Mimihagi is in question at best on PH.


Senkaku Shin Ken is one of the five elemental dojos of the Koizumi family. This style requires wind-aligned Reiatsu. This style is about using the wind to increase the striking power of one's body to the point where the user's strikes are like getting hit with a spear. It is a penetration-focused style that uses a variety of techniques to further increase the ability to penetrate while also affecting damage post-penetration.

There are two primary types strikes that make Senkaku Shin Ken stand out. The first is Sakubaku (搠爆; Erupting Thrust). Sakubaku is a style of strike unique to Senkaku Shin Ken. By surrounding one's arm with wind before a strike connects, the user can then release the wind in an explosive burst. This can cause devastating results when used while inside a wound. Hōseki (彭隻; Drumming Arrow) is the second type of strike. It uses wind behind the strike to enhance its impact force. This is best compared to a pile driver—as the common usage isn't before impact but after.

There are other types of strikes that use wind in other ways such as creating a slicing effect with wider strikes or using wind to send opponents flying. However, the main two are Sakubaku and Hōseki and the style can be said to be based around them.

A usage unique to Yuuki is Karakatsu (空劊;Void Amputation). Karakatsu is a literal inversion of Sakubaku. Whereas Sakubaku pushes outward, Karakatsu pulls. This is primarily used when pulling away from a strike that has entered an opponent's body. This acts like a heavy pulling force—a vacuum—to do even worse things to a body than Sakubaku.

Yuuki's specialization with the Senkaku Shin Ken (outside of Karakatsu) involves the legs. Yuuki keeps Reiryoku tight within the legs to act as springs—allowing for great bursts of speed if need be. Beyond that, this leaves Yuuki's arms free to use their Zanpakutō if need be.

Dojo Trivia:

• Yuuki is the current heir to the style, but not the current head of the dojo. The current head is Fūsha-no-Kasei (凮騰西歌; Western Song of the Wind Chariot), who has had the longest run as head in the dojo's history. Kasei is ancient by this point, and he rarely demonstrates his dojo's style.
  
• The inherited title of the heir of Senkaku Shin Ken is directional. Yūki is the last in this cycle of directions. The next successor would be title with "North" and theirs would be "South," followed by "West," and finally "East."
  

» Zanjutsu: Yuuki has had some recent communication issues with Kōshimatsu, and as such that has hindered further Zanjutsu development. Yuuki's skill with Zanjutsu mostly comes having attained Shikai.
» Hakuda: See Senkaku Shin Ken section above for further expansion on Hakuda skill.
» Hohō: Yuuki graduated the academy, but has not further trained on Hohō.
» Kidō: Yuuki has some skill with Kidō. To Yuuki, Kidō is usually just a tool to heal (Kaidō) or to restrain an opponent. Wide-ranging destruction is not one of Yuuki's specialties, and as such Bakudō is far more reliable. However, neither way is particularly eschewed—Yuuki is equally skilled in both—it's merely that Bakudō is used far more often than Hadō.
» Combat Medic: In contrast to his closest counterpart, Yuuki is, overall, less skilled on medicinal practices. However, Yuuki excels at being a combat medic—including Kaidō, treatment provided by Yuuki is centered around keeping someone alive. It's crude, it's quick, it's probably not going to heal right, and it's rarely painless. You might get healed with a wad of gauze inside to keep a wound from bleeding profusely—but you'll be able to live to get out of a battle and to a hospital.



» Zanpakutō Name: Kōshimatsu (航支松; Soaring Pine Branch)

» Zanpakutō Spirit:

» Inner World: Kōshimatsu's inner world is a dense pine forest with a thick fog that rarely goes above knee-level. Although no sun can be seen, it is in a perpetual state of afternoon or early morning.
» Sealed Zanpakutō Appearance:

» Sealed Zanpakutō Power: Kōshimatsu can be waved back and forth and it provides a cooling breeze equivalent of a fan of the size of the blade.


» Shikai Release Phrase: Fly Away (飛び去る; Tobisaru)

» Shikai Release Action: The wielder spins the blade vertically and parallel to their body in one swift rotation. During the rotation, Kōshimatsu takes its unsealed form.

» Shikai Appearance: Kōshimatsu takes the form of something in between a kanabō and a tessen. It has a length of about 5 feet, and a maximum width of almost twice then when unfolded. When folded, it can be easily wielded with a pair of chain handles (one on each side of the weapon). It has three large spikes on each side as well. When unfolded, Kōshimatsu is wielded by a variety of smaller chain handles along the ribs. As a tessen, the fan is entirely metal even though it weighs very little.

» Shikai Abilities: Yuuki has not learned any abilities Kōshimatsu might offer at this time.


» Bankai Name: Not Yet Achieved
» Bankai Release Action: Not Yet Achieved
» Bankai Appearance: Not Yet Achieved
» Bankai Abilities: Not Yet Achieved


» Enreiun: (灩翎褞; Billowing Winged Robe) This is the traditional overcloak worn by practioners of the Senkaku Shin Ken. It is visually similar to the traditional Japanese Quincy's robe, though the similarities are likely just a coincidence. The status of a practioner of Senkaku Shin Ken is indicated by the color of the trim along the front and sleeves. Gold, which is the color Yuuki's robe has, is only worn by the current heir and the chosen successor. The design of the Enreiun is to emphasize billowing motions when using Senkaku Shin Ken. It also has a benefit of slowing falls from heights.




General Skills
» Durability: D
» Speed: C
» Strength: C
» Soul: D

Will Skills
» Willpower: Beginner
» Deduction: Adept
» Focus: Adept

Shinigami Skills
» Hoho: Beginner
» Kidō: Adept
» Zanjutsu: Adept
» Hakuda: Advanced


8/14: Skill System Update