Art courtesy of Alerane! Thank you so much
Name:
Kita Hibiki
Aliases/ Nicknames:
Hibiki (響), Hibi-kun, Kita-san
Physical Description:
Hibiki is skinny and average height, standing at about 5"7. He is really pale as though he doesn't get out much. Though he is thin he has well toned muscles from sword practice. His hair is reddish, almost a rusty colour and is long in the front, his parted bangs reaching his chin on either side of his face. He has yellow eyes, that usually remind people of an owl because of the quiet way he watches things. When he's standing around he slouches a lot. He is strict with his positions in fights, and takes up stances he's learned immediately, never staying in an off position for too long.
He wears the standard shinigami's uniform with straw sandals. Along with this he has a tattered looking cloak he wears most often, only time to time removing. His katana in sheathed at his waist on his left side for easy draw with his right hand, which he uses as his preferred hand to hold it in.
Zanpacto:
A shorter than average katana with a white and black hilt colouring and a star shaped guard. He keeps it sheathed on his left side.
Shikai:
Nephele (Νεφελη in Greek)
When released with the phrase, "From the heavens we strike, let sparks fly, Nephele!" the zanpakto becomes a needle like rapier blade with a swirling golden guard (see image above).
Nephele's ability is the calling forth of sparks of electricity. Lightning surges into the rapier on release, and a current runs through it as long as the shikai is used, the owner of the zanpaktou unaffected. When the blade collides with something, along with a blades usual melee it releases a shower of sparks, whether through another's blade to them, or directly on the body into the opponent's nervous system a touch of a spark causes paralysis for 5 seconds in the place it touched. If used properly it can be done to stun someone enough in one shot so to get a better hit on the second blow. Its ability is a method of slowing the opponent down, and can still electrocute someone even worse if used when the opponent is wet.
Electric Trace - a residual lightning bolt that follows a wide slash, it stays behind the blade for an extra 2 seconds to catch and movement trying to barely jump around the rapier point.
Grounded Thunderclap - the sword is stabbed into the ground, and cause a slight push up in the surface of the ground around it. If timed right the user can use this jolt to get a jump into the air(pulling his sword out in the process) and get higher up, a thunderous boom coming from it.
Zanpakto spirit: (art courtesy of Alerane, thank you!)
The spirit itself has a startling split personality. Initially she appears serene, quiet and calm, the sort one would think to be wise like a sage. This is accented by her deeply blue eyes that are easy to get lost in, and her lack of an expression. Her second persona, is much more brash and forceful. When she loses her temper or gets lost in the excitement of battle, her eyes darken to black, she's louder, angrier and violent.
This spirit originated as the mother of the centaurs in Greece, and as leader of a race, she led them in both wisdom and in battle, brutal like a spartan. Having the graces of Zeus the one who created her, she uses his strength through his lightning, and to her own devices.
This concept is a play on the actual Nephele in Greek myth, created in the image of Hera out of a cloud by Zeus to trick a man who wanted Hera's hand. Nephele though, not a human nor god, bore the man centaur children, from which the ruthless creatures begot.
Special Accessories:
A lot of the time Hibiki takes out a black blindfold a puts it on. He uses it to become more sensitive to sounds and when he's alone he feels more comfortable wearing it, though no one is really sure why.
Skills:Hibiki is surprisingly good at aim and reflecting attacks. Has good reflexes. He has also completely mastered the art of fencing, and though he does not primarily use it in fights, he does take principles and moves from it often.
Abilities: --
Personality: Hibiki is quiet, but not shy exactly, just overly unsocial. He doesn't really go out of his way to meet or talk with people much and can be a recluse at times. He gets embarrassed a lot, which may be why he avoids people, but he generally doesn't get close enough to risks to let that happen. His reactions may come off as weird too because of his lack of experience with people. He is also forgetful.
Biography/History:
He was born in Ireland in the mid-1800s, under the name of Cairbre. His family consisted of himself, the youngest, three elder sisters, an older brother, and his parent, and they lived on the countryside. Their land consisted of a livestock farm, their main animal being sheep. Since he was the youngest, Cair (nickname) didn't have to do much besides help feed the animals and clean out the barn, his brother Patrick doing the majority of the farm work with their father since he was to take it over for the family. His sisters were in charge of the chickens and vegetables, as well as the housework and clothes making with his mother. Because there was a lot of the time he fell through the cracks in the distribution of chores and work, Cair spent a lot of time on his own or out on the fields with the sheep.
When Cair turned nine, their family's mare had her foal. The young Shire filly was a light dappled gray and small by a few hands for her breed. She was named Neasa, or Nes, and became a best friend for Cair, who was put in charge of tending to her to teaching him about caring for the animals. Training Nes himself most of the time, Cair was riding her by the time he was 11, and she was two. He spent a lot of time riding when ever he could get away from the farm, not liking to be around other people so much, preferring the quiet of his and Nes' excursions into the unknown. The quiet duo matched each other pretty well. There were bouts of time where Cair went without talking to anyone but Nes, which his family thought were strange to no end, but he still did his chores and all so they left him to his own devices. One of his sisters was worried that he never spoke with any of the other kids in town, but gave up on it when she saw that even when urged to go with them he didn't speak and only followed uninterested.
In the following years, Ireland suffered the great Potato Famine, and his family had trouble keeping their farm. In the bad times there, Patrick decided he was leaving the farm and heading out to find a place for himself over seas. Their father was outraged, saying that they would never be able to keep the farm without him there. He didn't listen and left.
When Cair was about 13, it became apparent that Nes had a problem. Her eyesight was going and she wasn't faring to well on the farm. His parents concluded that if it got worse she'd have to be put down or sold for raw materials, no matter how heartbreaking. This is where the usually silent Cair made himself heard. His outburst was almost unintelligible, about how he'd never give up Nes. Without waiting for a reply the boy ran to the barn, jumped on Nes bareback, and steering her by the lead on her halter, kicked her sides to get her into a run.
Neighing in protest as she broke from a canter to a gallop at Cair's pushing, Nes weaved as she ran, her hooves hitting unseen bumps in the path ahead due to her dimming sight. Cair didn't stop pushing her though, too worried they'd take her away if they didn't get away.
And then it happened.
Nes' front hooves hit a boulder in her path and the draught mare pitched forward, the jolt causing Cair to release the lead, and get thrown from Nes' back. Landing with a thud on the ground, he didn't roll away, too disoriented to see where he had landed, and turned to see New flailing on the ground, neighing in sheer panic, whites of her eyes showing. There was a gash on her side from something she'd landed on. Before he could try to calm her down, her powerful hindquarters bunched and he leg kicked out, hitting him square in the head. The blow gave him a concussion, that he lay unconscious from and died from it when he didn't wake. Nes died there as well when she couldn't get herself back up and the gash bled out.
Waking up in Rukongai, Cair remembered nothing of who he was, not his name, his family, his horse, his home, nothing at all. His concussion in death somehow caused amnesia of a sort. He didn't talk to anyone for a long while either. He eventually got used to the new district, and managed to get by. He earned his new name, Hibiki, the word for echo, for his constant stammering whatever words he was trying to get out. He fabricated his surname, Kita, because the forest was his favourite place to be.
In any case, the years passed, and Hibiki realized that among he knew in Rukongai, only a few including himself ever felt hungry. This led to his learning about reiatsu and shinigamis. Joining up with the academy, he studied to join the Gotei 13. He didn't make very many friends in his days at the academy, and spent most of his time training on his own, only sparring with other students when the classes prescribed for it. He graduated with fine scores in all disciplines, highest in swordsmanship.
He promptly joined the Gotei 13's 13th Squad, the Divine Protectors, under the recommendation of Vice Captain Fefnir, the squad's captain-ship at the time that of Captain Yukimaru. He trained, and earned his shikai in so with his captain.
In the time that Captain Yukimaru and Captain Onalim were kidnapped, he was named 3rd seat and acting commander of 13th until her return.
After the rescue was complete, Hibiki found a way to blend into the background more, even as 3rd seat. Even as there was a shift in captain-ship, Yukimaru taking over the 1st squad captain and commander position with Captain Daven's disappearance, and Captain Mockadash taking the position. Hibiki remained for that time a constant in the squad.
Still unable to remember his past, Hibiki currently trains much on his own, the 3rd Seat of 13th Squad.
Powers:
Kidou:
Hadou#1 - Shou / Thrust
Bakudou #1 - Sai / Restrain
Hadou#4 - Byakurai / White Lightning
Bakudo #4 - Hainawa / Crawling Rope
Bakudo #8 - Seki / Repulse
Bakudo#9 - Geki / Hit
Hadou #31 - Shakkaho / Shot of Red Fire
