Akagawa Sayuri [Finished]

[Akagawa Sayuri]

Shinigami

Name:

Real Name: Himeoko Ayume
Name adopted after death: Akagawa Sayuri

Age:

Age Of Appearance: 26
Real Age: 420

Gender: Female

Rank: Taichou

Division: Fifth Division

Appearance:

Sayuri has long purple strands of hair that flows past her shoulders to her back. Her eyes are a crimson colour, one of deep red that contrasts to the tone of her skin. The colour of her skin is almost a deathly white. It is very pale and is absent of any colour unless she blushes which is not very often. The Shinigami stands at about five foot six inches and weighs approximately a hundred and thirty pounds. Her hair is often kept down but in times of battle, a hair tie is used in order to bind her flowing hair as it acts as an inconvenience to her during a spar. Her slim figure is one of the most noted characteristics of her appearance. Although she is always seen with the captain robes, the times when she is not, her waistline as well as her long muscular legs become the focal point of her body. Her arms are also muscular in built due to her training within the Special Forces before becoming a Shinigami.

The regular attire of Sayuri is quite the same as all captains within Gotei 13. She wears the shihakushô which consists of the white kosode as well as the black kimono and hakama. The usual white obi sash that is tied at the waist is replaced by a golden sash which is slightly longer than the regular obi. The material used to make this sash is different from the fabric as well. A dark red strap is strapped from Sayuri’s right shoulder in which carries her Zanpakutou. This is more convenient for her rather than carrying it underneath her obi.. The girl also chooses to wear a light blue fur coat over her Shinigami uniform during the winter time.

Being a member of the Special Forces, Sayuri must have the standard outfit for the unit. It is a black overall uniform that looks a lot like that of a shinobi. There is a black sash worn around the waist and her face is mostly covered by a headpiece. Only her eyes are visible to people. She also wears the traditional boots rather than sandals likewise worn with her regular Shinigami attire. Also, she must wear the tight bands that bond her legs to stop the uniform from moving. This is the uniform she wears when taking on missions for the Special Forces. She rarely wears it in Sereitei, resorting to her normal captainship attire when walking the streets. Sayuri chooses to not make any modifications to this uniform because it is the traditional Special Forces attire and she would be showing disrespect if she made any adjustments or additions.

When she patrols Earth, she does not enjoy wearing gigai. The placid feeling of gigai makes her shiver slightly. She prefers to wear the normal Shinigami attire when patrolling. Her Zanpakutou is then held in her hand when she patrols Earth for she really dislikes placing it underneath her obi as it causes great inconvenience. But then again, Sayuri could not really escape the fate of wearing gigai. There is only one specific time she would allow herself to wear gigai; when her shihakushô is being cleaned. Then she would permit herself to wear gigai if patrolling was absolutely vital.

Her gigai is quite simple. It is actually a one-piece dress that is white in colour. She does not wear any accessories with this and rarely displays any other colour than white. Sayuri is very fond of this dress and will wear nothing else for gigai. She would even risk the odd smiles that she receives from other Shinigami or humans because she feels that this dress is the most comfortable. With that said, Sayuri will only wear what she feels comfortable in because she must walk around in it for long periods of time. Therefore she would never force herself to wear something she does not desire. Sometimes she will wear a matching sash to tie the dress together. Sayuri will often wear high heels to match the dress.

There is one more time that she will allow herself to wear something different rather than the Shinigami uniform and the Special Forces uniform within Soul Society. This is when she steps into Rukongai to visit her family. She wears something more informal like a gold coloured dress with matching accessories. Sayuri feels that when she goes to visit her mother, there is no need for formality. Therefore, she resorts to something elegant yet informal. She usually will wear a short skirt but sometimes she would wear a kimono of the same gold material with a gold sash. Her hair is then tied back with a gold hair tie. This is the only other time she will tie her hair up

Upon her promotion as Taichou of fifth division, she has also adorned to haori with the fifth division symbol etched at the back. She likes the one with sleeves and wears the regular Shinigami uniform under it.

Zanpakutō:

Zanpakutō Spirit:

Sayuri’s Zanpakutou spirit is name Hikari but she is also known as Hikari Nisou [Flame Priestess]. As the name suggests, Hikari dresses in attire similar to that of a priestess. She has crimson red hair that she ties in a ponytail usually. Her eyes are almond shaped and almond coloured, giving off a light brown tone. Her complexion is much like Sayuri although her face is more pointed. Her regular attire is that of a white and red kimono with sandals like the ones worn by Sayuri in accompaniment with her Shinigami uniform. The woman has a slim figure that she prides on and often enjoys showing it off to Sayuri. Naturally Hikari does not have one set of clothing rather about three different sets. She likes anything with the colour red in it so technically all her dresses are red or have a tint of red. Her proudest possession is a long dress that is made out of red silk fabric and has little diamond beads attached to it. She will often be seen wearing a ruby necklace with a matching bracelet when she wears this dress. Also, her fingernails are painted a deep red that symbolizes both fire and blood. Her hair changes colour to a slight pink when she is happy.

The woman’s personality is reflected in Sayuri. She can be very cold sometimes and likes to be alone. In the inner world that she lives in, this is not a surprise for she is the only inhabitant. But aside from being cold and distant, there is a warmer part of her that she rarely shows. This part is shown when she talks to Sayuri because she knows that she can count of the Shinigami to keep all the secrets. She treats Sayuri like a sister and a best friend where they both share their deepest thoughts with one another. The girl never really is sad but when she is, she likes to cry, and tell Sayuri all the reasons why she is sad. This is contrary to the personality the Shinigami has been used to for the most part of her life in Soul Society. The two make a very good team and both are very good listeners to each other’s sorrows which is what a spirit and the wielder should have. Hikari also uses her intelligence sometimes to tell Sayuri what it is that needs to be done in time of battle because she understands the desire to win. The woman will often help the girl through tough situations and has been a good asset for Sayuri. Even so, they do have their disagreements at times but after bickering they tend to forget about them and continue being the perfect team.

Sealed Zanpakutō :

Hikari has a very traditional and rather boring sealed form. It is like a normal katana with the metal edge slightly wider. The blade has a solid silver colour and the hilt is made of premium oak wood material. The gourd is a orchid flower petal that has a usage not defined when in its sealed state. Gold fabric wraps the hilt and gives off elegance to the entire sword. The sheath is also made out of a rich deep wood that adds to its beauty. A distinct pattern is etched on the wood. The pattern is about five inches in length and is the kanji form of Hikari’s name. Nothing else is added to the sheath to keep it simple as well as professional. The deep rich colour gives one a misconception that the wood has a red colour from a distance. This is actually what Sayuri desires because Hikari’s favourite colour is red. But there are no other additions to this simple and elegant weapon

Shikai:

The shikai form of Hikari is released through the command “Moetsuku Hikari Nisou! [Ignite Flame Priestess!]” The normal katana blade narrows and lengthens. The blade turns from silver to a solid crimson colour. The blade has no added accessories other than the colour change. But that does not mean it undergoes no other changes through the attacks enlisted. The hilt of the blade is covered in a layer of flames but Sayuri is heat resistant therefore she does not feel the burning sensation when her hand touches the fire. There are two attacks listed under the shikai and will be detailed based on its power.

The first attack is called “Katon Goukakyuu [Fire Great Fireball]” As the name suggests, the attack performed is to create fireballs from the blade. To do so, Sayuri must first surge her reiatsu to the blade and then call out the phrase “Kaen Chiku [Flame Construction]”. This is so that the reiatsu can connect with the sword and a thick layer of fire can be formed for the Great Fireball technique. Once the fire is formed, Sayuri need only use more reiatsu, call out the attack command and then one fireball that is the size of a hand. The fireball is created from the metal surface and the user can keep on making fireballs until she runs out of reiatsu. Each fireball must be formed from a fire source and therefore must have sufficient fire to create it.

The second attack is called “Katon Reichi Ryuu [Fire Mystic Dragon]” Again as the name suggests, Sayuri can create a dragon out of fire. This time when she calls out “Kaen Chiku [Flame Construction]”, the fire that is formed will thicken to accommodate the amount of fire needed to make the dragon. With that said, she must use more reiatsu for this attack to work. The fire will join together and be lifted from the surface of the blade. Then they will connect together in the air and once the phrase is said, a dragon will be formed from the fire created. The fire can also be used for another attack, which is to cause scorching burns to an opponent when the blade makes contact with any part of the body.

Bankai:

The release phrase of Hikari’s bankai form is “Bankai-Ignite and burn to death! [Bankai- Moetsuku Yake Shinu]” The bankai appearance is quite interesting really. First the sword is no longer visible and the area around the user becomes increasingly hot. The reason for this is because fire erupts from all around Sayuri. But because she has immunity from flames, she will not be burnt at all even though the fire is around her. But she will feel slight warmth that makes her feel very good. The next attacks displayed by the bankai form are directly related to the fire around her body. Because she had just obtained bankai, there are certain attacks that she has not yet fully mastered. However, it is recorded in detail here because through vigorous training, she hopes to reach the highest level of bankai, where she achieves the last technique known as Overheat.

The first level of bankai is known as “Katon Kyuuba [Flame Sphere]” This attack is an even stronger version of the technique known as “Katon Goukakyuu [Fire Great Fireball]” displayed as the first attack of Hikari’s shikai. Because the fire is around Sayuri’s body, she no longer needs to use reiatsu to maintain the fire. So she is able to conserve reiatsu while performing a technique that is similar to the Great Fireball technique. Instead of creating one great fireball, Sayuri is able to create multiple fireballs at the same time and at a constant speed. This is a stronger technique and is more difficult to dodge.

The second level of bankai is known as “Small Annihilation [Ikkiku Shimetsu]” This is a quite a powerful technique where Sayuri is capable of conjuring a large portion of the fire around her and use reiatsu to push it forward. The fire will bond together and can burn anything within three meters of her body. Because this uses up a large portion of the fire around her body, the user must be prepared to waste more reiatsu in order to refill the fire around her. Anytime Sayuri feels necessary, she can use her reiatsu to add more fire around her body. This technique is very useful but can use a lot of her energy.

The third level of bankai is known as “Flaming Dragon Cyclone [Ranran Ryuu Teikiatsu.” This is the improvement to the second attack of Sayuri’s shikai ““Katon Reichi Ryuu [Fire Mystic Dragon] “ The only difference from the shikai is the idea that instead of creating one dragon from fire, Sayuri is able to create multiple dragons at the same time. The dragons have are more flammable texture so that when they touch an opponent, it scorches them with a much higher degree of burn.

The final level of bankai is the technique listed above known as “Overheat” [Kanetsu]” This is the most powerful form of bankai where the user disperses all the fire around her body into one final attack. This attack is capable annihilating a distance of about ten meters and after this technique is performed, the user will feel light-headed and pass out from the after-effect launched by this attack. Therefore although the technique is quite powerful, it has its downside.

There are more straightforward attacks to Hikari’s bankai. Sayuri is able to lift the fire from around her body and use it as a weapon on its own such as firing sheets of flames at an opponent. This uses less reiatsu and is not considered a formal attack but can create the same devastating scorching effect.

Kidō:

Name: White Lightning (byakurai)
Number: 4
Type: Destructive, Offensive
Range: Long range
Spell: N/A
Description: Fires a concentrated bolt of lightning from the caster's forefinger.
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Name:White Lightning Chain
Number: 15
Type: Offensive
Range: Mid-Range
Spell: Carry the arched fool to the gates of torn hearts!
Description: Fires a stream of electirity at the opponent, which skips between targes that are within close range of one another.
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Name: Red Lightning
Number:26
Type: Offensive/Destructive
Range: 1-25 meters
Spell: Rajin, mighty god of thunder! I call upon thee! Lend thigh thoust hate, fury, and anger!
Description: A variation and more powerful version of "White lightning, number 4" Red lightning essentailly is the same, just a few times more powerful. As the range the caster attempts to use it increases, the less effective it becomes, becoming totally inneffective past 25 meters. This kido can be done without the proper words being recited, this however, will degrade the strength of the spell.
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Name: Shot of Red Fire (shakkahô)
Number: 31
Type: Destructive, Offensive
Range: Long range
Spell: Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, The sea barrier surges, March on to the south!
Description: Fires a ball of red energy at a target.
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Name: Blue Fire, Crash Down (sôkatsui)
Number: 33
Type: Destructive, Offensive
Range: Long range
Spell: Ye Lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, Upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!
Description: Fires a burst of blue spiritual energy at a target in a similar manner to 31, but over a wider area and with more power.

Personality:

Sayuri has many different personalities for many specific occasions. First let us examine her personality before entering the Special Forces. Before going through vigorous kenjutsu training, she was like any other girl; innocent and carefree. But there is one little exception that must be made to that statement. Unlike normal children, she had been exposed the art of kenjutsu at a young age therefore her desire to train and become strong is evident even during this time. Her desire drove her to become self-obsessed with training and her care-free attitude began to slowly fade away. Her mind became clouded with worry; worry that she would not be strong enough to be eligible for Shinigami Academy. Because of this constant anxiety, she trained very hard each day causing her to seldom speak to others. With that said, this placed a very important part to how her personality progressed to become even more distant from others once she enrolled into the Special Forces unit.

Before meeting Hiroshi at the gates of Sereitei, there was more to Sayuri’s personality than what meets the eye. When she was told that she would leave the sensei who she had trained with for many years, she had come close to tears. Why? A person may be distant and absorbed in certain things but the essential personality traits for a reasonable person still exists. The girl has emotions too but this would be the very last time anyone would ever see her display an emotion of sadness outwardly. She believes that showing signs of sadness is a weakness and that people would take advantage of this weakness. Therefore she rarely shows any emotion whether it is happy or sad. Only when she is alone, she will allow the tears to flow freely. Perhaps this attitude is too self-centered but the training in the academy has further proven that if she showed her emotions openly, it may lead to a less desirable outcome.

When she trained in the Special Forces, people were very distant and very cold to her. She learned that to keep one’s respect within any unit, the most desirable method of approach is to show no emotion and to become as distant as possible to all others. Thus she trusts nobody within the unit because she always feels the unpleasant feeling that if she develops a friendship with anybody, they may turn on her and betray her. Through the harsh years of perfecting her kenjutsu skills, she often had to remind herself that her goal was to become a Special Forces member. This acted as a driving force so that she did not reach the point of insanity from not speaking to anyone. As time progressed, being alone was like second nature. She no longer needed to think up excuses in order to make herself feel better. Rather, it just came naturally. Even when she graduated and took on the years of the Shinigami academy, she kept this part of her personality strictly because of her distrust in outsiders.

Throughout the first years of Shinigami academy, she kept much of the personality traits derived from the Special Forces. Sayuri was cold to all those that she met and many other students thought she was obnoxious. But that was her natural personality. She was uptight and serious at whatever she was doing including training in her weakest area; kidou. The girl never ceased training because her goal at that time was to graduate and become a well-respected Shinigami. She worked hard to achieve that goal and for the first three years of academy training, all she did was train. She never talked to anyone aside from answering to her sensei. As the years progressed, she started to talk slightly to the people around her partially because she felt herself becoming insane from keeping things to herself for so long. But still, she did not talk too much and never initiated conversation. The tone that she gave off to others was still cold because her words displayed no feelings. Yet everyone around her had already adapted to this strange part of her personality and taken it for granted.

Once she graduated and was placed in the third division, she began to show much respect to her taichou and the Commander of Special Forces. But she would never show much respect on her face except for the bow and the small smile she gave whenever she met either of them. Her taichou actually liked her attitude because it reflected much of what he was like. She was never really scared of that eerie smile radiating from Gin because there was not much she thought she needed to be scared about. Her training sessions lengthened each day and became strictly methodical. Sayuri actually made a schedule for herself, dividing up her training allotment by the number of things she needed to work on. Now she had a new desire; to achieve shikai and learn the name of her Zanpakutou. All the other members of the division looked at her quite oddly because of the fact that she never smiled and seldom talked. She was used to the stares that people gave her but she didn’t care. Her self-absorbed nature came back to her and she would never leave the training grounds until that day’s allotted work was complete.

Ah, but everyone must have feelings and must have an outlet to display feelings. Sayuri just never displayed them to others. The only time she cried was in the safety of her room. She knew that it was the only place that she would be absolutely alone. She shed tears of sorrow on sleepless nights when she thinks back to the many things that had angered or saddened her. Never on the outside will she admit to any of the above. It was because she had nobody to talk to that there was this period of depression in her life. The funny thing was that nobody really noticed this change because she was still silent and cold to all people. Only within her own heart will she know that she was driving herself crazy. She would continue to be that way if not for the encounter of Hikari.

Hikari changed a part of Sayuri’s personality. At least with her presence within her mind, Sayuri had someone to talk to. She no longer needed to force herself to swallow everything on her own. Having her spirit around was like having a close friend. Their personalities being strangely similar, the two developed an even closer bond than the normal bond between humans. The Shinigami began to share everything with Hikari and the avatar was always there to listen to her. When Hikari was sad, she would tell Sayuri so the two were like sisters. Even so, Sayuri’s perspective did not change that much. She started to talk more but not too animatedly to people. Her coldness was weakened slightly but still many feared her presence. But she had an outlet for all her emotions which contributed to a brighter personality.

History:

History/Background:

It was a bright sunny morning in the bustling city of Japan when a couple stopped their car in front of a lavishly built house. The term “house” was not exactly the right word to describe the structure. The word “mansion” might be more appropriate. The structure was made out of red bricks and from the number of windows aligned symmetrically on the outer wall; an outsider could guess that it had about ten bedrooms. The entire structure gave off a feeling of elegance and beauty. The couple got out of the convertible, the woman carrying a bundle in her hand. This bundle would later be known as Ayume. The baby slept soundly and that day was her first entrance to the post-modern world of Earth. Being born to a wealthy family, the most common stereotype is that she must be spoiled but is this true? For that moment, she was pampered and spoiled; being welcomed warmly by family and friends without her knowledge. As most babies were, Ayume lived the first couple years of life for granted, being innocent like a sheet of blank paper. Only through knowledge and experience will this blank piece of paper be filled. When she reflects upon these childhood years later on, she will come to understand that the time she had taken for granted could never be returned, no matter how much she wanted it to return.

The first four years of life for Ayume came and went like lightning. One day she was just a baby girl, learning the basic survival skills of a human being. She did not remember of course the first steps of her first words but as she grew, her knowledge came subconsciously. Rikku went through the basic stage of life for four innocent years and she would still have gone through other stages if not for what happened two years later. As a toddler, all her friends and family thought of her as a genius because she learned to walk and talk at a younger age than most people. At four, her parents were already planning to send her to kindergarten, the first level of education. She did not know that she came from a wealthy family because she did not know what anything was or what they meant in life. All she knew was that she was left at a place for a long time and then by the end of it her parents would take her back home. Everyday it was like this up until she was six, when she was supposed to enter elementary school and start climbing the ladder to being a successful person. But no, that was not the case and would never be the case for the young child. Why? Because her life would end at the age of six, when one would least expect and in one of the most unexpected ways.

The girl was playing one Saturday morning in the massive garden located in front of the impressive house. She liked playing there, liking the smell of grass and its colour. Normally, she would go on adventures like treasure hunting within her house because it was so large. But today, she had this sudden desire to play among the grass. That was the worst mistake this innocent child had ever made. While she was playing, another boy whom she recognized to be a boy from her school came up to her. He told her that he had found a really interesting place not far from her house and he wanted her to see. Having not been outside the ten feet boundary of her home, she consented, curiosity peaking to a great level. The two half-walked, half-ran to along the concrete sidewalk until they reached the big streets of Japan. Then seeing the large cars whizzing by, Ayume became scared. She backed down from the idea and asked the boy to go home. Instead of agreeing, the boy merely urged her on, saying that there was nothing to be scared about. At first the child was still skeptical but when she saw how the boy was not scared at all, she decided that she wouldn’t be scared too. The most important thing was that Ayume had heard a group of boys in her school say that girls were little babies. Wanting to prove them wrong, the two ran across a large street, unaware that cars were speeding along as they crossed. The boy made it across because he was a good runner and because he had longer legs than Rikku but poor Ayume was not as successful.

As the girl ran out into the streets, she faintly heard cars honking. Nothing was really on her mind as it was quite blank at the time. Although she heard that unpleasant noise again and again, something told her to keep running. But she tripped in the middle of the streets while the boy in front of her kept on running, without ever looking back at Ayume to care for her. As she got up and found her knee deeply cut, a car was closing in on her. Either the driver was extremely negligent for not noticing a human being in front of him or the girl was too short for him to notice, the car didn’t stop even when the distance became an inch between the two. Then a loud screech of tires could be heard miles away but it was too late. As the front of the car made contact with Ayume, the child found herself lifted from her feet and sailed about two feet from where she had just stood two seconds earlier. She did not feel pain at first, just a little shocked and not exactly sure what had happened. Instead of stopping the car like a reasonable person would have done under the circumstances, the driver merely drove by, leaving the girl sailing through the air until she hit concrete once again. Fortunately, there were people around that actually cared but caring did not mean saving at all. When people began to notice that a girl had just been hit by a car, they merely gaped at the little body that was in mid-air. Nobody thought about going to her and catching her but all eyes were stunned. It wasn’t normal or at least not an every day situation when a small girl was hit by a vehicle and the vehicle just sped away. How cold it felt for a bystander at the time but there was nothing that could or would have been done.

Ayume felt herself in the air and it felt good to her for that split second that it occurred. The wind picked up her hair and she actually smiled. But as her little body made contact with the concrete floor only a couple of seconds later that thought diminished entirely. Perhaps it was a miracle that the girl experienced less pain and suffering than most people would. She felt her head crash on the hard surface and her body do the same. Something hot spilled on the floor but she could not move. Then she felt pain, first on her head and then she seemed to ache everywhere. To add to the stress, the gathering people around her had increased. They all wore worried expressions and some even sought for help. But it would be too late. Rikku never made it to the hospital, having died while she was lying on the floor.

Her eyelids felt heavy and weighed down on her even as she lay there. She tried to speak but found it impossible. In her mind she only wanted her Mommy and Daddy but no matter how hard she tried to tell the people around her, nothing came out of her little mouth. Her eyes glanced at the people that were looking down on her, turning from blank to being nervous. She had never been looked at like an artifact in a museum and it made her incredibly uncomfortable. Her eyelids fluttered and she could not feel her arms or legs. She wanted to get up but something was pulling her down. Sayuri let out what seemed to be a sigh and wanted desperately to go to sleep. Because she couldn’t speak, she merely closed her eyes and left the world that she had not yet explored behind. And that was what she thought would be the end of it, but no it was not the case. Ayume would soon find herself in Soul Society, a new world not unlike the one she had lived in for six years.

The process of being lifted to Soul Society came quick and effortless. When she opened her eyes again, she was back in the big town of Japan. She thought it was a dream, a dream that felt amazingly real. She ran aimlessly, not knowing where her house was. Ayume became scared, lost and alone. Then she found herself in front of a young man, one in interesting clothes. All black except for the sash that is tied on his waist. He carried a sword and looked at her with a cold stare. Ayume backed away a few steps before the sword was brought before her face. She thought she would feel pain so she closed her eyes forcefully. What she did not know was that the man had actually pointed the hilt of his sword and “stamped” her. This process she would later learn was the way that souls such as herself was lifted to Soul Society. Again, it was like a dream, a dream that opened new opportunity for this six year old child.

It was like life had repeated itself one more time for Rikku. When she reached Soul Society, her first thought was not where she was or why she was there. It was how beautiful the place looked. Actually, this was what someone coming from a modern city would think of the place because there was no forest area nor dome shaped structures in modern Japan. It wasn’t until she had finished admiring the beauty did she start to ask herself why she was there. The little girl knew no better and charged blindly down the streets that were covered in stone and sand. She ran up to random people, asking who they were and that she wanted to go home. She ran and ran until her little legs could not run anymore. Finally she fell asleep in a dark alleyway, not sure what would happen when she woke up again. Nothing really special happened, except that she was taken in by one of the notable families in the district; one that had enough wealth to raise Sayuri and introduce her to the world of Death Gods, or Shinigami.

The first feeling of warmth was introduced when she opened her eyes again. The warmth came from the fireplace that was not far from the bed that she slept on. For a moment, she was very relaxed and felt very comfortable. Then she wondered where she was. A servant came into the room and noticed that she was awake. She went in search for the lady of the house while Rikku was still trying to adjust her eyes to the surroundings. Then her eyes rested on a congenial face that she would later come to know as the lady. The woman asked her what her name was but she couldn’t even say her name. Under the influence that the girl didn’t have a name, the woman helped her come up with one, saying that the Akagawa family could not have a child without a name. Ayume did not have a last name or at least not one that she had come to know. The woman took awhile before coming up with a name but finally she found one that she really thought suited the child before her. She was named Akagawa Sayuri. From that day forward, she would have to forget the name Ayume and take on the name Sayuri. But it would take some time before this was to happen.

Being a mere child, Sayuri had lots to learn. The first thing she had to learn was to adapt to her new “home.” She did not know where she was so her new “mother” had to tell her. She was in the seventh district of Rukongai, one of the most law-abiding districts. She was told that the Akagawa family remained an important asset to the district because of the wealth that they had as well as the Shinigami whom were sent to the academy. The lady told her that each member of the family was to become a Shinigami and since she had adapted the new name, she too would become a Death God. But what was the job of a Death God she still was not sure. Sayuri asked the lady whether she would need any special training to become a Shinigami and the woman merely laughed. She told the child that the academy was the training place for Shinigami-to-be. But if she were to learn some martial arts beforehand, it would prove to be quite useful to her when learning from the sensei in the academy. Sayuri was still young and for the time being, all she did was take in lots of information about Rukongai, Sereitei and Soul Society. She would be very lucky years later when she happened upon one of the elders of another district who would teach her the art of kenjutsu.

It had been a couple of years since her first arrival to Rukongai. Still Sayuri had much to learn. Now she had fully adapted to her new home and to her new name. Yet she craved for adventure and so her mother allowed her to travel to another district of Rukongai, the third district. It was a stricter place in terms of abiding to the law but she was sent there to become an apprentice. At the time she did not know why she was going there, only that she would spend a lot of time there with a stranger. Her mother took her to the third district and through much persuasion, allowed Sayuri to stay within the district as an intern. The only reason why she was allowed into the district was because the people were told that Sayuri was attempting to become a true Shinigami. They had great pride about those that became a Death God because Shinigami protected them in times of need. Therefore she went to see the district elder, to learn a form of martial arts known as kenjutsu, or hand-to-hand combat. The elder was not that old but his kenjutsu skills had given him the position of elder. For the first couple of years, Sayuri learned much of the basics from this man, acting like his pupil. She lived with the man and his family while learning. She was told about one year into the training session that kenjutsu was one of the fundamentals that one would learn in Shinigami academy. If she had the necessary basics, she would fair well and have an advantage over the others. So Sayuri trained very hard with the man and it would take almost five years to learn everything that the elder taught her. Then one day, the man told her that it was time to meet someone that could teach her more than he could.

It was a bright morning in the third district of Rukongai. Sayuri had woken early for an early training session with the elder. She marched into the training grounds that she was so familiar with. Actually, the training ground was just a plain field with sand and small pebbles not far from the house. One of the young servants told her that the elder wished to see her in the training grounds immediately. Therefore, the girl quickly ran towards the area, thinking that the elder would have something new to teach her. When she reached the plains, she caught sight of her teacher, standing in the center, his hands to his back. Sayuri ran up to him and bowed, greeting the man with great respect. But when he turned to face her, the usual jolly face did not meet her eyes. Instead, the man’s eyes were filled with sorrow. She asked him what was wrong and it took him awhile before he could find his voice to speak. But when he did, Sayuri wished she had never asked him.

“Sayuri, you have been my pupil for a long time now. You are one of my most intelligent students. But in truth, I have nothing more to teach you. Through the years that you have been here, I have already taught you all that is within my repertoire. It is time that you venture off on your own and meet new people.”

Sayuri could not believe her ears even as she heard this. She did not know why her teacher had to say these things. Of course there were other things he could teach her and that was what she said to him. But the elder merely shook his head sadly and spoke very softly.

“You are wrong my child. There is nothing more I can teach you. Indeed my kenjutsu skills are the best within this district but there are still people out there that out-rank me. Today I asked you here for a reason. I shall take you somewhere else; to see someone that has greater kenjutsu skills than I. He is a Shinigami as well as a member of what is known as the Special Forces. Nobody has ever told you what Special Forces is because not many people know about its existence. But I know because the man that you will meet and who will become your next teacher is my son. I took him to Shinigami academy years ago and when he graduated, he was recruited to the second division of Gotei 13 thus beginning his studies in kenjutsu. When you meet him, he will explain the rest to you.”

“But sensei, I don’t want to leave you!”

“Don’t be ridiculous Sayuri. There will always be a time when you will have to leave me. Remember how you wanted to become a Shinigami? Even if you don’t leave me now, in two or three years, you will have to go to Shinigami academy too. It is only a matter of time.”

A tear fell from her eyes as she listened to him speak. But there was nothing more she could say. The girl walked alongside the elder to Sereitei, where the Gotei 13 divisions resided. At the gates of Sereitei, the two were met by a younger man whom Sayuri guessed to be the son of the elder. He was wearing a black Shinigami uniform with a white sash. The man greeted her rather coldly but she was not afraid. He looked at her for a moment and guessed that she had not much to her. The man merely decided to allow her to test her skills, guessing that her skills would not meet the standard kenjutsu requirements set out for those within the Special Forces. First he tested her in combat, making himself as a target. If she passed this with about one third of the Special Forces members watching, she would be able to join the training program. In the audience there were a number of black uniformed people that were clothed in something different from the Shinigami uniform she had seen.

Sayuri was prepared for anything that was thrown at her. She stood in a sandy plain that was not unlike the one she had grown to training in with the elder. But what was different was the sense that she was being watched like a theatre performance and it made her deeply uncomfortable. Even so, she wanted to test her abilities. At the time of the test, she was unsure the duties of a member within the Special Forces. All she knew was that when she was challenged, she needed to show everyone that her desire was to win. And so, Sayuri went against the man at the gate, known at the time to be Hiroshi. Hiroshi was obnoxious and arrogant, very much unlike his father and Sayuri was out to prove that she had skill. The battle lasted for a short period of time and the result was quite impressive. The girl had done well against one that had trained almost ten years within the unit. She suffered some injuries but none were too severe or fatal. Hiroshi was greatly impressed but knew that most of what she had learned was from his father. He had never really been able to defeat his father the last time they had sparred with one another. But he did grow a little respect for her and knew that if she continued her training formally as a member of the nit, she would become one of the most skilled kenjutsu artists in Sereitei. The spar was not that formal but because she had managed to live through it, one of the spectators went to the Commander-in-chief or the sôshireikan to tell about her marginal pass. Through the years of training in the Special Forces, Sayuri would never be able to meet the head of the unit but she would be able to after she completed the training and became one of the bodyguards for her. But at that moment, she was unaware that the sôshireikan was Soi Fon, second division taichou of the Gotei 13. Therefore by chance, Sayuri was admitted into the intense training program for the elite Special Forces. Once she became a student, she was told by others that when she graduated, she would continue to work as a bodyguard to the sôshireikan. She was relieved when she was told that she could still apply for Shinigami academy and there would be no conflict between the two matters.

Sayuri passed a gruesome eight years in training to become a well respected Special Forces member. She endured a lot of training mostly in the art of kenjutsu. While in training, she did not make any friends because nobody wanted to be friends with her. They were too serious and uptight. Through her training, she developed a rather cold personality too and became like one of them. When she graduated, Sayuri developed an entirely different personality that she had before the training. She was cold and distant to all others, not speaking to most people that she met. When she enrolled to Shinigami academy, she would be looked at as a snob but nobody knew the training she had went through beforehand. After eight long years of tiresome training, she finally graduated, obtaining the standard uniform of the Executive Militia. This was a great honor for Sayuri but in her mind there was still one more level that she hoped to achieve; to become a Shinigami.

She started in the academy at a slightly older age than the others of that year. But she cared less at what people thought. From the time she first began in the academy, her one true goal was to be a strong Shinigami, to protect Rukongai and Earth like her mother had once said. So, the years she spent as a student were rough but very important to Sayuri. The training was not as pressured as that of the Special Forces but there was one major contradiction to this statement. That was the process of learning kidou. Kidou was unfamiliar to her and for the hardest time, she tried to grasp the principles of being able to perform demon arts. But her capability was very limited when she was still studying. The other fighting style that was possessed for all Shinigami was zanjutsu. This was not as difficult as mastering kidou. Sayuri did not have much struggle with this fighting method and as time elapsed, this would become her secondary strength. For the time being though, her primary strength and her most reliable resource was her hand-to-hand combat skill. Her years were crowded with a lot of training and amidst all that training, she still kept the duties of a Special Forces member. As a new recruit, there was not much to do, only more training. So, she combined two training sessions in one and the years passed by like lightning. Before she knew it, the time came for graduation and that could only mean one thing, being placed into a division within the Gotei 13.

The day was ominous and like every other day. Sayuri was late for the training session. Today’s training session was primarily kidou, something that she still felt slightly uncomfortable with. She picked up the pace and ran towards the wooden paneled doors, her sword in her right hand. When she opened the screen doors, she found the room deserted. This was odd she thought to herself. Then she came upon a teacher at the academy and asked where the students were. She was told that all the captains of the Gotei 13 were assembled to choose the most talented students within the academy as members of their divisions. The girl joined the growing crowd of red and blue uniformed students as she tried to catch a glimpse of the taichou that had gathered. Her gaze was fixed on one particular taichou. She was not captivated by his appearance but more so by his demeanor. From what Sayuri could tell by the way he always seemed to present that eerie smile, that he was like her; cold and perhaps distant. She would come to learn his name and also his rank within Sereitei. But at that particular moment, she really wanted to get to know the person that walked slowly down the path, his eyes always half-closed and his face always revealing a smile. The smile was not comforting but it interested the Shinigami. Her inner desire was to be able to follow this particular taichou for the years to come. And soon, she would get her wish. For not long after, there came a time for division enrollment and much to her surprise, she was informed that her teacher had selected a placement within third division under Ichimaru Gin. And so, the formal road of a Shinigami began the moment she stepped foot into third division headquarters.

She could remember that first day very clearly. Sayuri was very glad that she could finally wear the uniform of a Shinigami and not that of an academy student. Although she liked the red and white, the formal black and white made her feel proud. She remembered gathering all the courage within her body and stepping into the big building with the number three at the top. She looked like an amateur and indeed was one. The very first person she met at third division was through chance. Sayuri had not watched where she was going and had collided with a division member. But he was not any division member. She learned that his name was Izuru Kira, fukutaichou of the division. She had been quite embarrassed but kept her distant personality in tact. She knew that even though she was placed into third, there was still endless training that needed to be done. For one she still had to learn her Zanpakutou spirit and perhaps even move up in rank. But that very first day felt great to her because the feeling of accomplishment overwhelmed all other thoughts. But learning the name of her sword would take quite some time and a lot of vigorous training and for once, she was actually excited.

Through the years of being an unranked officer at third division felt a little boring to Sayuri but because she was so overwhelmed with constant training, time passed very fast. Aside from having to juggle training in zanjutsu and kidou, there was still the duty of the Special Forces. Every mission that she took with the group was memorable because she would learn something new. Sayuri remembered the very first mission that she took with the Special Forces unit. It was a simple one really. She along with nine others was supposed to protect their commander. Having not really had much experience in real missions with the team, she felt slightly nervous and awkward. But she never showed this vulnerability to anyone. She went along with the others and that time was the very first time she met the sôshireikan, Soi Fon. The girl very much respected the woman before her eyes because of her kenjutsu capabilities and because she was the Commander. Yet throughout her years working for the unit as well as that of Gotei 13, Sayuri never openly showed her respect to anybody for fear that it would be taken the wrong way; as vulnerability and a weakness. This was not what she desired and so, she kept all her emotions to herself. Everything was going in a routine way, where in the daytime she would train in zanjutsu and kidou respectively hoping to one day master both shikai and bankai then by night, she would train kenjutsu with the group of Special Forces members. But then one particular day, this routine was broken and Sayuri made an important discovery.

It was a cloudy afternoon and Izuru asked her to go independently to Karakura Town. It was due to a report of sightings of Hollows and the Commander General had asked the assistance of all available Shinigami within the courts. Izuru knew her desire to always be alone so this mission was set out for her independently. Sayuri readily agreed, secretly excited for what this trip might bring. She hoped to be able to meet at least one Hollow while she patrolled. She reached the town and rain had begun to fall. It was not a downpour but the rain came steadily. She loved the rain especially walking in it so her mood brightened slightly. As she walked the half-deserted streets, she first picked up a reiatsu spark she knew to be a Hollow. Even as she ran to it, she couldn’t help but think that it was her lucky day. Sayuri had not expected to meet a Hollow so fast but once she got there, her thoughts changed. Before her eyes was not one Hollow. It was a group of Hollows that had gathered because they had sensed reiatsu approaching. She looked around and found nobody that could be of aid to her. So, they all came for her at once. She had already pulled out her sword and began the very long fight. She used kidou to annihilate about three of the Hollows but there was still one more Hollow that was stubborn and refused to give in. Sayuri had suffered many cuts from the claws of this one Hollow and as she backed away to a dead end, she thought she would die at its hands. She felt immense pain as a claw pierced through her body. The familiar feeling of her body sailing through the air came back to her as she thought about her childhood. Her body hit the ground and she moaned slightly. She thought she was going to die but then suddenly, she was taken to a world much unlike Earth or Sereitei.

She had never been there before and never seen such a thing in her life. In a second her eyes met with a world she did not recognize at the slightest. The ground was covered with a light stream of fire but even as she walked across it, she did not feel the burning sensation that she would have felt if it had been fire in real life. She felt the heat from it though and looked around, searching for an answer. Finally she came face-to-face with a figure. As the shadow approached her, she first saw the crimson glint of her hair and the slight smile on her face. The girl had fair complexion and looked like a normal person that she would see on Earth or in Sereitei. Sayuri made her way towards the crimson haired woman and spoke softly, uncertain of where she was or who she was speaking to. But before she could speak, the other silenced her and told her to listen to what she had to say before posing the questions. Sayuri could only nod and wait for an explanation of sorts. The woman began in a whisper but her whisper was quite audible to Sayuri. The woman’s voice was like an angel; soft and sweet.

“You must be wondering where you are and who I am, right?” Sayuri nodded slowly and the girl smiled, nodding her head. “I shall attempt to answer your questions as best as I can. First, you should know my name. I am Hikari and you are in my world.”

“What?” Sayuri did not understand. She thought she was fighting the Hollow. How could she have gone from Earth to this place within seconds?

“Do not be alarmed at this Sayuri. You were fighting a Hollow but it has overpowered you. In a sense, I am here to help you. To answer the question of where you are and who I am, I will try to do so in a short period of time since you do have a Hollow waiting for you to purify. I am your sword’s spirit and this is the world that I live in, in other words, the inner world.” Sayuri was amazed and in slight disbelief at Hikari’s words. Even so, she nodded her head once more and looked at the red haired girl closely. Her words had not really registered in the Shinigami’s brain just as they were uttered but when a few seconds passed, Sayuri’s eyes widened. What? So this is the Zanpakutou spirit? Hikari is the name of my Zanpakutou? Even as she was thinking this, Hikari nodded her head and smiled at her, closing her eyes. When she reopened them once more, she waited for Sayuri to speak. The Shinigami took a deep breath and asked.

“So, why am I here? If you are my Zanpakutou spirit, why can I not release my sword? Why did you take me here? I should be fighting the Hollow!”

“That is correct. The reason why I brought you here is because I need you to understand that you and I share a bond together. Only through bonding with one another can you release me to aid you in battle. And you will also need the release phrase to be able to release the shikai. I intend to only ask that you know of my presence within your blade. I will be speaking to you through your mind now that you know who I am. Your body has never left that alleyway that you were fighting that hideous creature. It is your soul that has come here and that is talking to me now. Once you know the release phrase of the sword, you will be able to release it. But at the moment, you must listen to me. I will allow you to return to that place now and you will follow my instructions, understand?”

Before Sayuri could speak, she felt herself drifting from that world again. In a flash, she was back to the alleyway of Earth and looking at the Hollow who had thought she was dead. There were still many unanswered questions left in her mind but she knew that it was not the time to ask questions. Hikari’s voice once again rang in her mind and she told Sayuri to repeat the words after her. She would come to realize seconds later that the words uttered would be the release phrase of her shikai. The girl spoke quite softly and Sayuri repeated the words out loud, not knowing why she was doing it. The Hollow had turned its back from her and was walking the other way. Sayuri lifted her body up slowly using the aid of her sword as a gripping point. When she stood, she called out to the skies above.

“Moetsuku Hikari Nisou!”

The words uttered and the sword that was in her hand glowed. In a moment, the silver blade turned a dark red, like fire. A thick coat of fire was surrounding the blade as well as the hilt but she felt no burning sensation. But there was some sort of warmth that she felt while gripping the blade. One slash and the Hollow was purified. From that time on, she knew the name of her sword and developed a very strong bond with Hikari. Even so, her rank within her division only changed once. That one time was her promotion to third seat.

Gin had found that Sayuri possessed great talent in both zanjutsu and kenjutsu, with the latter being her primary strength even before her graduation from Shinigami academy. He had waited to see how much she would advance in terms of strength before giving her a test of rank. It had been five solid years of training before he approached her one day with the news that she would now accept the test for third seat. It was a great honor to be able to take the test in itself because third seat was a very important rank within the division. She tried her hardest and passed the test with minor cuts and bruises. At the time, she released her shikai but could only perform one of the techniques within it. But it was enough for Gin. He deemed her to be sufficient for the rank and she vowed from that day forward to serve third division as well as Earth to her best ability. Indeed, she did not go back on her words.

Through the years of becoming third seat and just prior to the devastating betrayal of Gin to Sereitei, Sayuri spent most of the time training kidou and zanjutsu, knowing that her kenjutsu skills would never weaken because of her training in the Special Forces. She did not give up her duties within the Special Forces because she truly enjoyed the training she got every time she went out on a mission with the others. It would take her almost two more years of training even after becoming captain of third division in order to become a Corps Commander or gundanchô of one of the five divisions within the unit. But for the time being, she was content to be part of the unit in itself, trying to develop an even more concrete bond between herself and her Zanpakutou spirit. But amidst her training, Sayuri was struck with the devastating news of Gin’s betrayal to Gotei 13. She could not believe that her captain would do such a thing. Even so, she had lots to learn about the art of kidou since kidou was her weakest.

Therefore, once she learned of Gin’s betrayal to Sereitei, Sayuri asked General Yamamoto for a transfer of division. The reason was because she needed to improve in kidou. She knew that if she asked for a transfer, she would probably be giving up on a promotion to a higher seat in third division but she wanted to improve on her weakness. Therefore, she asked for a transfer to the fifth division. Sayuri wanted a new transition of surroundings and since she heard of Aizen’s betrayal along with Gin and ninth division taichou Tousen. The girl wanted to train to revive her rank as third seat so she trained even harder, every day trying to master a kidou spell. She would not leave the training grounds until she has. She watched as a new taichou took over the fifth division and hoped that through hard training, she could become the third seat of fifth.

Through the years she has strived to become a captain level Shinigami through endless training. First she was promoted to third seat of fifth division rather quickly because of her experience. One year later she was again promoted, this time through a formal testing given by the then taichou to become fukutaichou. The taichou at the time had recognized her capabilities and believed that she had what it took to take on the responsibilities of a vice-captain. The battle was not hard, she was able to fully master her shikai. Without much difficulty, she was promoted, adoring the division insignia on her right arm. She thought that it would take her another gruesome ten years before taking on taichou testing but she was in for more of a surprise.

Her taichou had been assigned on a mission to kill an Arrancar that had been spotted terrorizing Karakura Town. She was accompanied by two others. The woman had suffered major injuries from that battle. It had been about two years since Sayuri was first promoted as fukutaichou. Because her taichou was severely injured, she was unable to attend to the affairs of the division. Thus, the commander general once again oversaw her taichou testing. It was a sudden and haste process because Gotei 13 could not have one taichou missing especially in times of trouble with the rise of Arrancar and Hollows. It was at this time that Sayuri learned the bankai

[Akagawa Sayuri]

form of her Zanpakutou. She was able to release it and it was by chance that she had passed the test. It was not because she defeated General Yamamoto, it was because she was able to call on her bankai. She was given the haori of the fifth division, granting her full control of her division.

Rp sample:

An outline of a person could be seen walking the empty streets of Earth. The wind roared fiercely and the sky threatened to start a downpour. The figure did not quicken her pace even as she sensed the faint flicker of Hollow reiatsu in the distance. Her strides were slow and relaxed but her hand was always on the hilt of her blade. Her sandals lightly tapped the ground as she walked. Suddenly she halted; catching something of interest. It was not really something too interesting. Aside from the spark of reiatsu she had noted earlier, she also noted another reiatsu different from that of a Hollow. This caused her to wonder whether she should pursue it. But she decided not to because a moment later, the reiatsu was closing in on her. A smile emerged on her face as she waited for the reiatsu to meet with her. Ah, but that was not the case. As she stood there, she noted that the Hollow had moved in as well and if she continued to stay there in wait of the stranger approaching, the Hollow might take advantage of this and strike.

The figure stepped forward; her hand now clamped the hilt of her Zanpakutou even tighter. It was not the first time she had encountered a Hollow and given her status within Gotei 13; a mere Hollow was far from any danger to her. But she kept her guard knowing that she must be prepared to expect the unexpected. A second later, the figure of a gruesome creature found its way in front of her. This was fun she thought to herself as she prepared for battle. Yet before she unsheathed her blade, there came another figure that had readily charged against the Hollow. She was dressed in human clothing. Then it dawned upon the captain that the girl before her was a Ryoka. Smiling to herself, she released the grip on her sword and waited for the two to continue. There was no need for her involvement at the moment. She would rather stand there and watch.

“You do know that you should be helping right?” Hikari was whispering silently. Sayuri nodded but did not plan to help. If the Ryoka believed that she had the power to match that of the Hollow, there was absolutely no need for her interference. As the spar progressed, Sayuri noted another spark of Hollow reiatsu that was fast approaching them. Hikari continued her speech. “Looks like we have company…” This time her hand did not automatically fall to her sword. There was no need to be so haste. Only time would tell whether she needed to worry about the Hollow and at that moment the Shinigami merely waited. Her eyes narrowed as the Hollow reached the street and its gruesome figure was more prominent than mere shadow.

There was not much need for words as this second Hollow joined up with the first. It began to attack the Ryoka. Glancing at the situation, Sayuri knew it was time to make an entrance. Her metal portion of her blade colliding with the inside of her sheath could be heard as she unsheathed her sword. Perhaps there was no need for Hikari’s assistance this time. But she was so used to having her sword in her hand that it became second nature. Sayuri leapt to her feet gracefully and landed in the middle of the threesome. She gave off an eerie smile as she hissed.

“Two against one…don’t you think it’s a little unfair?”

She did not await an answer from the Hollows. She slashed at the closest one with her blade and flash-stepped behind it a second later to land another vertical slash to its back. It was not as difficult as she thought. Sayuri had thought about using shikai but from the way it looked, there was no need. Flash step was such a useful tool. The girl then gathered reiatsu to the palm of her hand. The numbing sensation indicated that the time had come for her to release a kidou spell. She had thought about using kenjutsu but kidou was more convenient. As the Hollow turned towards her and lashed out a claw at her, Sayuri jumped backwards. Her hand outstretched, she hissed.

“Hadou no sanjyuu ichi-Shakahou.”

A wave of energy shot forth from her hand and directed towards the Hollow in front of her. As the two collided, the Hollow was purified. It was quite simple and needed less effort than she had originally planned. The Shinigami turned her attention then to the Ryoka still dueling with the first Hollow. A sense of desperation and impatience clouded over Sayuri. She walked over to the two and asked the girl in the nicest way possible. “Would you like to finish this on your own? I have a way that would make this simpler and faster.” The girl looked hesitantly but decided to allow Sayuri to pick up from where she left off. She raised a hand and signaled for the girl to step back whilst she flared her reiatsu. The Hollow looked at them both before charging at Sayuri. She gave him a small smile and added “Good choice my friend.”

With that she quickly flash stepped behind him and jumped up, her sword up vertically over her head. This would take two seconds at the most. As her blade made contact with the Hollow, she felt the sense of pride once again wash over her. It was good to feel that she had accomplished something. Landing softly and watching the Hollow disappear, she unsheathed her sword. Without another word to the Ryoka, Sayuri turned to leave. But something caused her to stop abruptly and turn her attention to the girl. Giving her a half-smile she whispered.

“A job well done.”

Then she flung her head back and walked down the deserted street once more. Even as she did so, she thought about the Ryoka. The girl had done well with the Hollow and she was impressed. A portal was created at the end of the street and she stepped into it, leaving the streets of Japan in the calm state that it had been when she first arrived.

[vy]

Accepted.