Renji Abarai [Canon Application]

Name: Renji Abarai.

Nickname: Captain Abarai, Red Pineapple.

Age: Unknown; Appears later teen.

Gender: Male.

Squad: 13th.

Rank: Captain.

Weapon(s): Non.

Personality: Renji is quite dynamic. His personality varies from smug and cocky to disquieted and depressed after a major defeat, but shows himself to be an incredibly serious and determined fighter when confronted with an actual threat. Willing to fight, kill, and die for whatever he believes in, Renji is a dangerous man to those who stand in his way. Renji's personality is reflected in his fighting style: while he prefers the use of his sword in rash and very direct attacks, he is still calculative and knowledgable enough to know well when to choose to dodge, block or strike, making him a formidable opponent even for the most skilled of fighters. While he is aware of his limits though, he tends to ignore them and attempt overcome his enemies, always keeping his head high and his pride never falling. Renji is determined to surpass his former captain Byakuya Kuchiki, it's this determination that drives Renji to grow stronger. With the latest discovery of his Bankai and learning of Byakuya staying alive, this reason had somewhat diminished, but Renji as Captain now knows he is not allowed to be weak.

Renji as a Captain is rather calm and understanding, yet stubborn and decisive. He is pressurred by the responsibility on his shoulders, having an entire squad under him and no one to guide him, but he cannot allow himself to run away, which is why he tries his best to somewhat use Byakuya as an example for a captain. While in a way hard to trust, Renji is a great companion and friend to have, his loyalty to his dear ones near limitless. He will resort to everything in his power to protect them. Renji likes taiyaki (a popular fish-shaped pancake usually filled with sweet bean paste) and has a dislike for spicy food. Renji also likes futsal, and in his free time works on assembling a team of his closer men in the 13th Division. He had also recently joined the Shinigami's Men Association. All of Renji's sunglasses are purchased from Seireitei's popular Gin Tonbo store and cost quite a considerable amount of his yearly pay check. However, every time he wears a pair, they are broken in one way or another. On these occasions, he replaces them with a tied white bandana, until he can purchase a new pair of goggles. His dream is to wear a pair that he himself designed at least once remains even today while his sunglasses survived for a long time.

Physical Appearance: If anything Renji had preserved since becoming a Lieutenant up to the point he had attained Captain rank in the Seireitei - appearing even in his Gigai, it would be his signature headband, mostly lens or just a strap of scrap cloth. As Captain, Renji had reattained his special, expensive glasses headgear which allows him to trace Reishi visually rather just sensibly. Abarai Renji stands at a high 6'2" and weighs 172 lbs, proving him to be of athletic, yet not heavily muscular build - rather lean. His hair is crimson and long, much longer now that time has passed, and is styled in a large windows-peak and high, wild ponytail, in length reaches to the middle of his back. His sun-kissed tone body is covered by tribal tattoos covering his back, chest, shoulders, biceps, forehead and stomach. As opposed to all other Captains - or ranked officers in general, Renji never had a touch for rank boasting and therefore only shows his Captain Haori of the 13th Division when he's in his office working. At patrol or simple strolls outside, he basically wears only the normal Shinigami Shihakusho, four piece black and white robe. His Zanpakuto is kept close to him at all times, to always be armed against anything that approaches.

Renji in Gigai is a rather rare sight, especially now when he became so duty-bound and stuck in Seireitei. Would he arrive at the human world and take his Gigai from Urahara Shouten, his preference in clothing would be fit, long-sleeved clothes. His usual attire consists of blue jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt with the marking 'SOARING HAWK' on the right breast and the full yellow/black logo on the back, covered by a beige leather jacket with long-sleeves and two pocket sets. Despite the usual rarity, current urgent business in the Soul Society had picked a small squadron of Shinigami allied closely with Representative Ichigo Kurosaki, allowing Renji's Gigai to boast itself in public a lot more often.

Bio:
"In that town that seemed like short of garbage... That was where we met."

Renji Abarai was born in Soul Society in the 78th District of South Rukongai, Inuzuri - Hanging Dog. With the awful living style of the district, everybody tried to do whatever they could to stay alive, Renji and the band of kids he found himself tied with after coming alone and familiarizing being no exception. They would often steal or hunt their own food and water, and one day when escaping an angry merchant a girl with raven black hair appeared to help them. Her name was Rukia, and she soon became friends with the group, a memorable figure for the stray kids. She always had a sense of dignity with her, even if she spoke like a guy and seemed a little spunky. In time, they became a family, and after a brief encounter with a Shinigami from Inuzuri, the two had started practicing their Spiritual Powers to perhaps one day advance in life, not really planning on becoming Shinigami themselves though.

10 years later, Rukia made the offer to become Shinigami. They had each came to this district alone and longed for a family, which was the friends they made. After those 10 years, all of their friends were already lost, dead. Renji agreed, and soon they had found themselves attending the Shino Academy, Central Spirit Technique Institute.

Renji was assigned in the Special Advanced while his friend Rukia was in one class below, allowing him to brag a little and show enthusiasm in classes, but he was always put to mockery because of his origin. It got him down, but through cheers from Rukia he always managed to come by. When the entrance exam had come, Renji watched as fellow freshman classmember Izuru Kira excelled in the Kido Hado class, and decided to make the guy his rival - utterly failing in exceeding his abilities in that aspect. However, he far excelled in Zanjutsu class and managed to land some damage on his rival, the latter visiting Renji later and after a brief talk they became friends. During some training session held for the Advanced Class in the living world where the students were to finish off dummy Hollows, an accident happened and a certain Hollow snuck in through hiding their presence, thus preventing anyone from noticing it and allowing it to kill the guards. Renji, Izuru and Momo managed to fend off the Hollow enough for their instructor overseer to run away, only to be attacked by a larger group of Hollows - and that was when from the Seireitei, Captain Aizen and Lieutenant Gin came to their rescue, Renji recognizing their faces from watching them walk from the Shino Academy not too long ago, the captain perhaps noticing this particular trio. Some time later, Renji managed to score great on one of his tests and eagerly rushed to let his friend Rukia know. When he opened the doors to her room, he was overwhelmed not only by shock, but also by the spiritual pressure of the head of the Kuchiki family that was in the room, Byakuya. Rukia said they adopted her into the family thus now making her a noble and allowing her immediate graduation - and despite jelousy and the pain inside, Renji acted like the clown he was and attempted to cheer up his friend, but for naught. Ever since that day, it had become Renji's goal to surpass this man.

Renji was the last of his three friends to graduate, but just like Izuru and Momo he was assigned to the 5th Squad. His time there was short for his rough behavior and problematic methods, and he was sent to the 11th Squad for they were more fitting. Renji had found there Madarame Ikkaku, a seated officer, and requested he took him under his wing for training. Through Ikkaku's guidance and multiple sparring sessions, Renji had learned of his teacher's secrets and of his Zanpakuto's name, learning to use Zabimaru and being promoted to the 6th seat. In time, just like Izuru and Momo, he was promoted to Lieutenant rank as well, for the 6th squad - right under Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, the man he had strived to surpass.

Life wasn't so nice though, and Captain Byakuya was caught off-guard in mid-patrol one day unbeknownst to Renji, the news only coming to him after the pronouncing of the prior's death. In his grief, Renji dwelled and swore to surpass his Captain, for the sake of Rukia, as now she really did have nobody to protect her - and in barely two months time, he had completely mastered his Shikai state to perfection and obtained an unmastered form of his Bankai. His position as the leader of the 6th Squad was not as Captain, but as Lieutenant as there was nobody to fill in on the level of captain yet, until three months later. The spot filled, Renji felt that somehow, something was missing, perhaps the drive he had to surpass Byakuya.

During patrol in the human world one day, five months after Hell Gate's opening, Renji confronted with two Togabito with an odd ability to merge. He struggled against them, eventually needing to use his Bankai - but failing to defeat them, only barely managing to escape alive - only to encounter them once more three days later, recovering in Gigai form in some clinic in Karakura. This time he was ready, different in a way, his resolutiong solelyon defeating them. He discovered his special technique, Hikotsu Taiho - and with only one shot they were defeated. They mentioned something about 'just like the other one', and that made Renji suspect.

After returning to the Soul Society and further continuing his training, Captain Jushiro Ukitake of the 13th Division became too ill to fill his spot as Captain any longer and as such, things was at the hands of the 3rd Seat, the highest ranked officer. Renji reported to Head Captain and was surprisingly nominated to Captain of the 13th Division, taking a lot on his shoulders. He trained hard and miraculously, mastered his Bankai in less than a month - before his previous captain Byakuya returned. Over word of the latter's arrival, Renji couldn't keep himself silent and demanded urgently to stay by his previous captain's side, for some reason he himself was unaware of: if it was dissatisfaction over being unable to prove himself superior or comfortableness by someone he knows rather well. Over his request, the Central 46 had assigned specifically the Captain of the 13th Division - Abarai Renji - to linger around in the world of the living and assist Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo in his fight against the new threat of 7 powerful Togabito, to hide in Gigai and attend life as if he was a regular high-school boy. He was incredibly greatful once he learned of Byakuya's placement as well.

With but one conversation to his Lieutenant, Renji left to the world of the living, attending Karakura High School.

Inner world appearance: Renji's inner world takes the shape of a rundown factory with seemingly no bottom, as when one arrives they're somewhere around the circular, large tower that appears to hold its own gravity force unless someone is knocked away from it. There are a few entrances here and there that reveal the inside, each room resembling something else: from a destroyed laboratory to an empty hospital room with bones scattered on the floor. On a few parts of the tower, a smiling face of a baboon's skull followed by a grinning snake is drawn. The skies are covered by what appears to be polluted clouds, a pale, dirty yellow hue, but no smoke rises from anywhere.


Zanpakutō


Name: 蛇尾丸 -- Zabimaru

Zanpakutō spirit: While it used to take an animal's form before, Zabimaru's spirit takes the form of a two people: an adult woman and a small boy, attached to the female's waist by a black chain that is connected to a collar on his neck, the chain can however be removed at any time. The female is referred to as Saru (Monkey) and the boy is referred to as Hebi (Snake). Saru has dark green fur that covers most of her body, except for her inner abdomen and chest. She also seems to have a beauty mark on her left chest. She has green eyes, long, mauve-colored hair (of similar color as the fur cowl that appears around Renji's shoulders in Bankai) that goes past her knees, and black markings in her hair that bear a resemblance to Renji's tattoos. Hebi has blue eyes and jaw-length crimson hair. He wears a robe similar to a priest's that is cut short to reveal much of his stomach, with long sleeves that extend well past his hands. He has a snake's tail on which he often balances on to sit in the air. The two both possess fangs.

Sealed form: Zabimaru's sealed form resembles a typical katana. It has a rectangular bronze tsuba with a jagged design, and a red handle and sheath.


Shikai


Call out phrase: 咆えろ, 蛇尾丸!! (Lit. Hoero, Zabimaru!! Roar, Snake Tail)

Shikai description: In its Shikai, Zabimaru transforms into an even longer 6-part segmented blade; each segment is wider than the one preceding it from the hilt, with 2 pick-like protrusions on the front and back of each segment, with the ones on the front much longer than the ones on the back. Zabimaru's segments can grow in number almost without limit. The segments are connected by a stretchable thread, making Zabimaru more useful as a whip than an actual sword; however, it can serve as a regular sword just as easily, thanks to Renji's swordsmanship. Zabimaru's guard and handle remain the same in its Shikai release. While Zabimaru can be stretched to incredible lengths in its whip form, Renji has a limit of three consecutive attacks before having to bring the segments of Zabimaru back together for recovery - leaving him fairly vulnerable. Renji's Shikai, while durable to an extent, can ultimately sustain serious damage the longer the fight drags on. While it can withstand dangerously prolonged combat, it has limits in enduring very high-level attacks that are conducted by either the enemy or by Renji himself. Because of these many drawbacks, Renji states that out of all the other Zanpakutō wielded by the other lieutenants, Zabimaru was the most difficult to master.

Techniques:
Higa Zekkou: Renji can use his spiritual power to levitate the disconnected or broken segments of Zabimaru into the air, allowing him to execute a one-shot omnidirectional attack; however, Renji states that this is damaging to Zabimaru and leaves him defenseless. Byakuya commented once that using this technique prevents Renji from activating his Shikai for an unspecified duration, but upon mastery that drawback has been lifted.


Bankai


Bankai name: 卍解! 狒狒王蛇尾丸!! (Lit. Bankai! Hihiou Zabimaru!! Baboon King Snake Tail)

Bankai description: Renji's Bankai transforms Zabimaru into a massive version of its Shikai form, resembling a skeleton of a snake. Zabimaru gains many more, much larger segments, resembling a mix between a snake’s vertebral column and the pick-like protrusions of his Shikai segments. It also gains a snake-like head about the size of a small car. Renji is also slightly transformed, gaining a fur cowl around his neck. The cowl appears to be the fur of an ape, and the ape's skull can be seen over Renji's left shoulder, while the rest of the fur extends to cover his right arm. Zabimaru itself, in Bankai form, does not literally "cut;" Renji usually catches his opponent with the snake-head of his weapon and smashes his opponent into the ground with it. The head is capable of inflicting heavy damage through biting.

Ability: Unlike its Shikai, Zabimaru's segments are held together by Renji's spiritual power, allowing him to separate and reattach them at will. The segments themselves are extremely tough, making it extremely difficult to destroy Hihiō Zabimaru. Even if a segment is damaged, knocked off, or destroyed, Renji can simply detach it and reform Zabimaru.

Techniques:
Hikotsu Taihou: The technique fires a dense blast of concentrated spiritual energy from Zabimaru's mouth. The technique takes a substantial amount of energy from Renji, which usually causes an aftermath that breaks the segments out of formation.

Higa Zekkou: Renji can also use a much more powerful version of Higa Zekkō, where all the segments detach, glow and sharpen using spiritual energy. They surround the opponent and execute an omni-directional attack of blades of spiritual energy. After use of this attack Hihiō Zabimaru can reconstitute itself.

Akanawa: Renji can separate his Bankai segments and use them to surround his opponent. By linking the segments together again with his reiatsu, Renji is able to bind the target. Breaking through them can be done with either immense brute force or a spiritual power considerably stronger than Renji's.

RP Sample shooting at ADV-1 at least: