Kumori ~ Shadow Song

Appearance (Sealed):

Spoiler:

A pair of dual daggers with bladed guards that extend around the handle instead of circling the base of the blade. Both are a dark shade of blue that shine hints of teal, and with a dark silver-blue lining inside around the handles.


Appearance:

Spoiler:

An out-of-place mix of harp strings and a scythe, just because strings get in the way of the blade doesn't mean cutting is out of the question. Far from it since the strings all act as blades to those other than Sunari, who is safe to pluck the strings as a musician. Those who try to play it find (other than bloodied fingertips) that the strings don't sound tuned due to not being the designated musician. Unknown how, she's quite capable of playing a wide variety of tunes to the point one believes a phantom orchestra to accompany her playing. Lastly, on each hand she gains a finger pick on all fingers a little longer than usual and give her hand a bit of a claw look to them.

Ability(ies):
Uta Kage Ni

Aside for its superb cutting capability with the strings, the scythe serves usually a more creative form of fighting for Sunari. Able to create any sound of music with the simplest plucking of the strings by Sunari's hands, the music conducts and controls nearby shadows, including Sunari's. The sound is what helps to tell the shadows what to do and where to go, bringing them into a harsher, but more stable and physical form of darkness. To keep the music going requires Sunari to play however, so stopping halts the movement and often destroys the form if she doesn't start back up quick enough or alternates to physically fighting herself. The more emotion put into the song the stronger the attack is; but then the more draining the song becomes, and her highest level is when she actually sings. The furthest she can control the darkness is 25 meters, but controlling too much or too far for long can also stress her control.


Appearance:

Bandersnatch

Spoiler:

The general and “default” form obtained from Kumori. Rather than wield a scythe, or at least all the time, one's skin becomes shrouded in physical shadows, reaching from the toes to the nose as it covers the bottom half of the face in a mask. Atop one's head a slim pair of ears sprout up, covering their original ears though hearing isn't inhibited – merely a cover/shell over the originals. Fingers are lengthened into claw-like structures still capable of gripping items when necessary. From behind a tail grows and stretches to be a little larger than the person in both height and width – generally a foot or so longer at least before the tail splits into three ends. Each end is bendable like a finger, though due to lack of proper muscles, fibers, and bones its capable of bending back and forth either way. Eyes become the color of Kumori's – red.
Gained upon obtaining Bankai

Cheshire Cat

Spoiler:

The form granted to the previous owner of Kumori, its geared more towards distance-based combat or affecting the battle rather than fighting directly in it. The shadows this time cover all of the skin, but instead create a striped pattern between white and black – all of it still “darkness” even if not all of it is stereotypical black in color. The tail is quite a bit larger than the default form because in this case it becomes the main weapon as strings are constantly forming along its structure as it curls. When properly situated she appears to be sitting on her tail, feet resting on the tail as it curls under her and acts as a foot rest – comfy one at that. The rest of the tail then curls in an S-shaped structure, wherein multiple rows of strings form between the curled portions of the tail. In this form the claws are a bit longer, the tips curling and uncurling as she plays to better pluck strings and reach further ones as well. Eyes become rose pink.
Granted upon obtaining the previous owner's permission (Chesha).

Mad Hatter

Spoiler:

The form created for the latest wielder, Sunari. The entire body is encased in pure black shadows, eyes even shielded by a maddening glow that changes between red and white during the fight, and the pink shades in between – completely lacks pupils. Only time the mouth becomes present is when its for a “smile,” shaped much like the crescent moon and just as bright. The claws aren't longer in this form, instead thicker and sharper since they're not for plucking of strings like the previous two forms are capable of performing. Tail the same size as the first form – thus still bigger than Sunari herself – there are instead three of them, without the capability the single one can perform in the original form.
Granted upon a stressful or “maddening” experience, and after obtaining Bankai.

Ability(ies):
Ansatsu no Kyoku

Though all three forms possess generally similar capabilities, each tends to utilize them in a different fashion or operate under different rules – more so for the customized forms Kumori created to better suit the user's style. All mold shadows and darkness around them in some form or manner, and the eyes are capable of seeing through the shadows to some degree with alterations on how the person perceives the world. While shadow travel is also a possibility, again, rules differ. The one ability that lacks any change in rules or of form is that the user can pull allies into the realm of the zanpakuto spirit, the spirit itself capable of overriding the user's will – though with Kumori that's hardly a worry. Useful place to practice in peace or converse without interruption.

Bandersnatch
The basic form, with the body covered mostly in the shadows the person may utilize the function and control in one of two manners. The first is similar to the shikai form, except in this case they make quick strings by touching some part of their body to another, such as a hand to the tail, and strum the strings with the free hand. This offers quick control, with the similar principle from shikai being the longer the tune the better and more precise the control. Thus quick strumming gives one short control, and at times sloppier, though far more capable of moving and playing at the same time. The alternate way is to simply manipulate that which covers the body utilizing one's free mind, though it only extends to that which is connected or covering them, so other shadows cannot be used in this way. Capable of mid-to-short range, the form doesn't specialize either way and its best attribute is the range of movement and versatility than anything. The eye modification offers nothing more than basic “night-vision” type capability, able to see further than most at night or in dark locations. When melding into shadows the closest a person can appear to another is thirty feet away. Through music shadows up to thirty meters may move at the musician's command.

Cheshire Cat
This form is suited to those who need not move often or a lot, sometimes capable of minor/slow moving just through their playing. As its the most heavily geared towards the musical aspect, the shadows covering the body offer nothing more than an added layer of skin – though this form is strangely the most agile for all the sitting involved. Rather the specialty is manipulating as many shadows and from a range to act as an offense, defense, or support for and against others. The simplest strumming of any layer of strings allows for strong manipulation and control, creating a thorn bush in just two-to-three notes if desired. Without the music the shadows can't be controlled, so its true weakness comes if the musician has to relocate, however constantly. Because its more musically and manipulation involved, the range stretches for up to 70 meters, able to create more from small shadows as necessary with more energy put in. Eyes become blinded, instead looking through the darkness to spy on opponents – always seeing them as roses strangely enough – red for those living, and white for those already dead. Capable of melding into shadows, the user can't appear within fifty feet of an opponent.

Mad Hatter
Stripped of its musical component, this form relies on touch to activate any shadow sources away from the main body. To obtain any kind of distance in its attacks requires touching shadows, and not generally sought after due to inconvenience and sometimes lack of an attention span for that kind of detail. The layer covering the body is thicker than the previous forms to better enhance close-combat, and not uncommon for the user to appear as if they're ripping a weapon from their body when molding one. Within this form the person becomes far more entranced in attacking until the opponent truly gives up, the note of defeat clear as day within their tone, and persists a little after that. Sometimes they appear to listen to comrades if commanded to cease, but even then there's hesitation in the berserker-like attitude. The vision is similar to the Cheshire Cat form's in that its warped, seeing allies as a brown rabbit the user perceives as its “tea time companion the March Hare” and opponents a white rabbit always trying to escape them, and works during all times of the day. As the melee fighter, when slipping into shadows it appears the closest to people as its able to come withing ten feet of them, though can invade personal space of allies because that's always amusing.


Name: Kumori
Gender: Male
Height: 3ft 5in; 5ft 10in
Weight: 203lbs; 178lbs

Appearance:
The Animal

Spoiler:

The main form Kumori appears in, exactly what he is can be debated since the form looks more like a wolf, the tri-tipped tail begs to differ, and he's happy to walk with a feline's grace and movements. Long ears enjoy a wide range of motion and aid in depicting emotions, the canine face quite expressive when he decides to be. The mane always looks rather scruffy, though no less fun to pet.

The Protector

Spoiler:

Sometimes taking this form to better interact with Sunari or those she pulls into their realm, Kumori takes on a humanoid form. Skin that of a tanned hue and hair still as pitch black as his mane, and eyes as red as freshly spilled blood; clothes consist of dark denim jeans, a black cloth shirt, and a black leather jacket that shines dark blue. When controlling the shadows of his area he can latch them onto his very skin (image: claws) and clothes (image: jacket).

Race: Debatable
Hair color: Black, but fur is sky blue
Eye color: Dark red
Body type: Canine meets feline; fit humanoid

Personality:
As far as spirits go, Kumori likes to think of himself as something of an enigma. This is only partially true because he's easy enough to read most of the time and only part of the time acts outside of one's expectations. Despite his trying to be a hard ass and bastard, Kumori does possess a heart: he just doesn't like owning up to it. Though his heart acts like it has little space and only extends as far as those who've wielded him in the past and unafraid of watching others get harmed so long as Sunari goes unharmed. Because of this he hates the possibility of intruders arriving in his realm despite the irony being others are welcome to come at his owner's whims. In this case he's happy that Sunari's not prone to sharing this knowledge. To others it would come across as though he doesn't care for Sunari by plenty of mannerisms, just not true entirely. His reason for this extends to their fighting, however, reasoning with himself that any true artist is tortured inside.

The reason for his aloof personality and visible feelings towards Sunari tends from a previous owner. Feeling as though he let them down, he doesn't want to experience that anew with her even as some part of him believes his original wielder walks around somewhere. It could be said his heart is still gripped by his previous owner.

Realm:

Spoiler:

A place whose light stemms from an unseen ground, people walk along the pathways and upon the large platforms. The lanes and platforms extend as far as the eye can see with an increasing in height towards a perceived middle. The pathways are illuminated by blue flames and the platforms have large metal gates surrounding them aside for the connecting segments. Upon the tallest platform sits a pale, sky blue hue with white-silver strings and a matching stool that a ghostly Sunari sits upon to play. Behind her sits a full-length mirror with a reflection of a woman with short black hair and pale skin, though only visitors of the realm and Kumori are able to see her – Sunari sees nothing since obtaining shikai. At the slopping end of the harp sits an hourglass with silver metal that shines blue from the light below and filled with light sand that looks like its eternally flowing.