Suì-Fēng [Approved for trial until 01/05]

n/a || female || bisexual || non-rogue || squad 2
twenties || unknown || unknown (probably somewhere around the 200s or so)

APPEARANCE

PERSONALITY

From first impressions alone, at naught more than a single look, Suì-Fēng is a cold woman. She has a brisk way of speaking, her face betrays any emotion wading through her mind, she moves swiftly and silently, and her preference lies within the shadows rather than inside the light. As a Captain within the ranks of the Gotei 13, Suì-Fēng has a great deal of authoritarianism in her personality, and this trait bleeds through off-hours interactions as well. Any requests that she might make come off more as declarations than anything else. Whether she is within her uniform or relaxing in casual wear, Suì-Fēng always carries herself with a certain level of vainglory that she rarely removes. She believes--and often proves--that actions speak far louder than words possibly can, though that's not to say she's above flaunting her superior skill and power. Any time she does this, however, it is in the name of minimizing violence or discouraging weaker opponents from senseless injury instead of puffing up her proverbial feathers.

The Captain of the Second Division of the Gotei 13, Commander of the Onmitsukidou, and head of the Fēng family, she takes her responsibilities severely, having been trained from her first steps to fulfill a certain role, and she strives not just for competence but to excel well and above expectations. Any world view with less dedication than her own is offered no quarter--a person who commits themselves less than two hundred percent might as well quit and stop getting in her way. In the early stages of her life, Suì-Fēng wanted only to be of service to her mistress, Yoruchi Shihouin, and saw her as her beginning and end. Following this woman's abandonment from the Soul Society, Suì-Fēng went through a very drastic change in personality and outlook. During the century that Yoruichi had gone away, Suì-Fēng trained relentlessly, mastering the arts of stealth and poison. She eventually rose to the rank of Captain for the single goal of surpassing the woman who had left her like a broken toy. Where it was once her lady's word that defined her understanding of the world, Suì-Fēng now relies on her orders to provide her purpose and give her a reason for being.

Being born into a place of much lower nobility, there is a great value in the social strata within Suì-Fēng's heart: it exists with reason. Those who are strong lead and, at least in the Soul Society, the families were chosen for that strength alone. Falling into one of the minor houses, the Fēng family has served the Shihouin for generations, and she was brought up with the knowledge that she would fall into those same footsteps or suffer unquestionable exile for failure. As such, she's had to work painstakingly hard to keep her place (and, eventually, become the head of the family) and it reflects in how she addresses those of higher or lower birth status. In the professional setting, she's a downright callous Commander and an obedient subordinate, stating once that she believes it's best when a Commander and her subordinates are at odds--the tension drives the subordinate to improve until they can surpass the master. It's more likely, however, that she upholds this philosophy based on her own tragic history: she worshiped the ground at her Commander's feet only to be abandoned without warning or word, an experience she doesn't want to put anyone else through--it's better that her subordinates are indifferent to her death than to feel the same pain of being left behind by someone they admire or trust.

There is more to it than Suì-Fēng simply distancing herself away from those underneath her. On top of this, an icy shell exists around Suì-Fēng, offering rage or ruthlessness rather than revealing even the slightest of her sympathies. This is not to say that she's unfeeling--only that she refuses to let others see into those feelings, keeping anyone who dares to encroach on her personal world at arm's or, if necessary, sword's length. While generally cool and collected, Suì-Fēng's temper can run hot, especially if it concerns Yoruichi. In but a matter of seconds she can drop her poise to unveil a somewhat emotionally immature center, abandoning reason for reaction, discussion for violence, and thoughtfulness for short-sightedness. In most situations, Suì-Fēng can be expected to maintain her façade and, while she's unlikely to qualify as "friendly" or even allow someone close enough to call her friend, she keeps too much to herself to make an abundance of enemies.

Where Suì-Fēng lacks in social skills, she more than makes up for when in combat. Having spent her entire life absorbed in some kind of training or another, self-directed or not, her skill in battle is matched only by her skill in stealth. As someone at the Captain level in the Gotei 13, she's proven herself, developing the skills of her Zanpaktou to the point of "Bankai", considered all but a requirement to achieve her rank. Suì-Fēng fights on her own primarily, citing the presence of others as a burden or "getting in her way." This is half-in-half: half of this stems from her pride due to her numerous positions, while the other half lies in protecting her weaker subordinates from being dragged into a fight that's over their heads. Barring a certain cat transmogrifying Shinigami, she maintains her calm in battle and exhibits the ability to think past the moment and into the future. To cite an example, when engaged in combat with the Fraccion, Ggio Vega, Suì-Fēng purposefully withholds her strength, choosing to study her opponent's techniques and strength to better prepare her for stronger enemies. Her ability to think clearly in adverse conditions has saved her life on more than one occasion: even under the threat of immense pain, she will do what is necessary to keep fighting, once going so far as to order her Lieutenant to cut off her arm in order to keep herself in fighting conditions.

When it comes to Suì-Fēng, there are no shades of gray. There are no shades at all; the world, at least to her, is black and white, divided by orders and the letter of the law. Morality for the sake of itself is an unnecessary sentiment, something that "sounds good" but ultimately means nothing. (A fact she's keen to remind the Substitute Shinigami Representative, Ichigo Kurosaki, when he gets notions of saving the world.) Suì-Fēng will not fight or act for morality but so that she may survive and, so far as she can tell, people who say otherwise are just trying to make themselves sound better. At the end of the day, morality will never trump or even encroach upon Suì-Fēng's orders: what is right and wrong does not concern her, only that she successfully executes her assignments as a Captain.

HISTORY