OOC: Character info
I figured not everyone here will know Bleach very well or, by extension, Momo.
So I'm posting up the history, personality and samples for you guys, along with some basic info.
Name: Hinamori Momo
Gender: Female
Age: About 100. Give or take 20 years. Appears about 18, though. sometimes younger, if she's flailing
Birthday: June 3
Height: 151 cm (4'11½")
Weight: 39 kg (86 lbs)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Family: Her grandmother, who looked after her as a child, and her friend/younger brother, Hitsugaya Toushirou
Point in Canon: There isn’t a specific episode or chapter for the point I want her from. It’s before she appears fake Karakura, but after she’s had her period of insanity. So after we see her talk to Hitsugaya but before she appears to help Rangiku. She’s stable but still slightly fragile, knowing (at least on the surface) that Aizen is evil and ready to fight for Soul Society.
History: Momo had humble beginnings growing up in the first district of Rukongai in a small family unit consisting of herself, her grandmother and her close friend Hitsugaya Toushirou (fondly referred to as ‘Shirou-chan’, despite his vehement protests to the nickname). She was luckier than many of the souls living in the confines of Rukongai; she had a roof over her head, lived with people who loved her and had enough to eat, even though it was never luxurious. As a consequence, some of those from the lower districts regarded her as somewhat ‘soft’, though nowhere near as much as the ‘spoiled nobility’.
The only way a person from Rukongai can improve their station in life is to enter the Academy of Spiritual Arts and train to become a shinigami. Momo followed this path and passed the entrance exams highly enough to be placed in the advanced class. She was upset to leave her family, (especially Hitsugaya, who she treats as a little brother) but knew she would be coming back to see them in the holidays.
Once at the academy, Momo found that she had exceptional skill with kidou, second only to Kira Izuru, another of her classmates. She was a confident girl and enjoyed her classes, often coming top or nearby, doing her best to learn what she could. 6 months into her first year, a group of 6th rounders lead by the semi-famous Hisagi Shuuhei took their class to do field training in the transient world. Here she first teamed up with Kira Izuru and Abarai Renji, with whom she would later become firm friends. The exercise went well at first, with Momo and her friends easily completing the tasks set before them, but disaster struck in the form of an attack by a huge hollow. It killed two of the 6th rounders almost immediately and the third, Shuuhei, shouted for all the first years to get to safety. Running away and leaving Shuuhei to the hollow didn’t sit at all well with Momo and she quickly turned back, forcing Renji and Izuru to follow her. They managed to hold it off but many more huge hollows soon appeared, trapping the four students. They all would have surely died if backup hadn’t appeared; the captain and lieutenant of the 5th division, Aizen Sousuke and Ichimaru Gin.
Aizen and Gin quickly took care of the hollows, impressing the three young students with their display of power far beyond their current level, all three vowing to some day have power like them. Momo was particularly taken in by Aizen, the young girl beginning to idolise him. She worked hard and entered his division when she graduated, happy to serve under him. His kindly guidance began to change her as she spent her time working hard for his approval, her hard work leading to her becoming his lieutenant when Gin moved on to become captain of the Third Division.
Momo was perfectly happy in her role of lieutenant, glad that she could work with her idol, until Aizen began to change. He became secretive and stopped confiding in her, something which troubled her very much. To complicate matters, Soul Society was invaded by one Kurosaki Ichigo, a human boy determined to prevent the execution of Kuchiki Rukia, and his friends. The invasion troubled Momo, who didn’t want to fight with children, but her captain calmed her.
On her way to the office the next morning, Momo found Aizen hanging from a wall, a sword through his chest.
It sent her into a frenzy, Momo desperate to find who had killed her captain. Hitsugaya had warned her the day before to be careful of Gin and, in her grief deprived state, she attempted to attack him. Lieutenant of the Third Division, one of her best friends, Kira Izuru stepped in to prevent her from doing so. They fought, the distraught girl even releasing her zanpakutou in her efforts to get to Gin. Hitsugaya intervened soon after, stopping the two before the fight could become serious, and ordered both of them locked up.
Momo spent the time brooding over Aizen’s death until she was visited by Matsumoto Rangiku. She brought a letter from Aizen addressed to Momo. Momo could hardly bring herself to open it, knowing reading it would be painful. The letter explained how Aizen had discovered a conspiracy and had gone out to confront the ringleader. He asked for her help in completing the mission if he could not and named Hitsugaya as his killer.
She, of course, then did not know what to do. Torn between obeying the last wishes of her captain and protecting her childhood friend, Momo was driven almost out of her mind. She attacked Hitsugaya but her heart was not in it and she was easily repelled, Hitsugaya then locking her up for her own protection. He then set out to find who he believed to have orchestrated the plot, Ichimaru Gin, but failed to realise that Momo would easily defeat his kidou barrier and follow him. She followed him to the room of the murdered Central 46, where it was revealed to her that Aizen had not been killed.
She was so overcome by relief at this that she didn’t care for the explanation, knowing only that Aizen was alive and needing nothing else. However, Aizen was not who she had always thought him to be. He was the true ringleader of the plot concerning Rukia. He stabbed Momo then, believing that death was kinder than letting her live after shattering her illusions.
Aizen, Gin and Tousen escaped Soul Society, leaving Momo to try and pick up the pieces of her life. Her body recovered slowly from the attack, but her mind retreated, not wanting to face the utter betrayal Aizen had dealt her. She refused to accept it, insisting Aizen had simply been lead astray by Gin, even begging Hitsugaya to spare his life.
It was not until many of her friends had visited her and she had been told many times of the atrocities Aizen had committed that Momo was finally able to see who he truly was. It took a long time for her to recover from the shattering of her illusions, but finally she was ready to face life again and fight the man who almost took it from her.
Personality: Momo was easy going, confident and happy when she first entered the academy. She was somewhat shy but had confidence in her abilities and was a very kind girl. Her sheltered Rukongai life had led her to become a little naïve but she always tried to see the best in people and her kind nature made her popular. She always followed her intuition more than any logical reasonings and formed deep connections with her friends and family. Momo has always been very protective, especially of Hitsugaya, and will not tolerate threats to those she cares about. Her encounter with Aizen went on to shape much of her life; she began to idolise him a little for saving her and her friends. Joining his division only built on this feeling, as she saw what a kind and strong captain he was.
She matured as a shinigami, retaining her kindness but losing some of her brash confidence. She remained hopeful and somewhat naïve where people were concerned, still seeing the best in a person’s nature. She can appear flighty at times because she is often found daydreaming, but will always give her full attention to those things she thinks important. Momo has never been afraid to work hard and remained very hardworking in the fifth, never ceasing to train and become stronger until she became the lieutenant. Here, though, Aizen began to manipulate her, making her dependant on him and his approval. It lessened her confidence in herself and, although she did remain a hard worker, left her unable to see that she should strive to become even stronger. Her fostered attachment to Aizen meant that she let a few of her other relationships slide, and her devoted concern to those she loves showed highly in her dealings with him. She appears calm and level headed most of the time, a little blind and devoted where Aizen is concerned, but a kind person and one who is well liked among most of the Gotei 13. Momo has an inner strength and reserve of will, shown in her anger when she thought Aizen had died and her immediate resolve to follow the path she thought was best.
The betrayal broke her for some time, Momo not strong enough to deal with all her hopes being shattered at once, her way of life turned irrevocably upside down. Slowly, her connections to her friends and her inner strength allowed her to return to herself. She is now rediscovering her old confidence and has a new determination never to be tricked by anyone again. Momo is harder than she used to be, more suspicious of those she doesn’t know, and she will work hard to make sure she’s never lied to again.
Items/things: Her zanpakutou (sword); Tobiume. Lieutenant badge. The uniform that she’s wearing.
Abilities: Cannon abilities:
Expert ability with a sword
Kidou master (Bleach‘s particular branch of magic: binding and destructive types; tying people up and defensive magic and blowing things up)
Able to use shunpo to a high degree (’flash steps‘; the ability to move around really quickly)
Abilities given through her released zanpakutou (which, basically, is throwing fireballs around)
Most of these don't work very well here. Kidou is very watered down and does nothing much except put on a pretty light show. Shunpo doesn't really work, but it means she can go a little faster than normal. Her zanpakutou doesn't release, so she can't throw fire around.
Tobiume's still very sharp though, and she's still damn good with it ;)
First Person Sample: I still have conflicting feelings when I hear someone mention his name. I don’t want these feelings but I don’t know how to make them stop. Unohana-taichou says they’ll go away in time… I don’t know how much time I have. Kira-kun said that we’re supposed to be going to war this winter.
War… I can’t believe it’s come to this. I never wanted this; I never believed he could want this. What I’ve seen, what I’ve heard… The most horrifying atrocities retold to me as I lay near comatose in this bed. And his name attached to them. I didn’t want to wake up and face a world where that was truth. It was easier to blame Ichimaru-tai- Ichimaru. Much, much easier.
There are moments… when I still don’t want to believe.
I’m still in that same bed, looking out at the same sky from the same window. Slumped against comfortable pillows, wearing a soft yukata and ensconced in a beautiful, surreal bubble. It’s easy to live like this; to go to sleep whenever anything becomes painful. Here I can ignore the world, I can block out my friends and the bad things they say. I can perpetuate my idiocies.
I don’t want to live in a world without corners. Not anymore.
It’s easy to fall into a trap you don’t want to see.
I push back the covers, the linen feeling as if it weighs more than I can bear, and slowly, slowly turn myself to sit on the edge of the bed. It seems like a long drop to the floor and I swing my stockinged feet aimlessly in circles for several long minutes. I take a deep breath and push off from the safety of my bed. My muscles are weak from so long, but I cling to the table beside the bed, holding myself up. I can do it. I will do it.
I take those first, stumbling steps back into the real world, knowing it can, will, hurt me. It’s better than rocking myself to a demented sleep, huddled in an insecurity blanket. I need to face it. Not just for my sake, but for those who have bled for me, who have given so much to see me smile.
For them, I can live once more in this world of pain. This time, I will watch my step and walk the path that I choose.
I will not be lied to again.
Third Person Sample: Momo was absolutely terrified when she opened her eyes to find herself in a place she didn’t recognise. It wasn’t her rooms at home, - Unohana-taichou had finally given her permission to go back to them - it wasn’t the fourth division and it certainly wasn’t the fake Karakura because she couldn’t feel anyone else here!
She forced herself to take deep breaths - a technique Unohana-taichou had taught her to deal with her panic attacks. First she had to work out where she was and what threats, if any, there were here. That… looked like it was going to be difficult, judging by her surroundings.
Looking around now, Momo couldn’t really see anything out of the ordinary, if she was honest with herself. She had absolutely no idea where she was. The room looked like many she had stayed in during missions to the human world and there didn’t seem to be any obvious threats. But threats didn’t often have the courtesy to be obvious; she had found that out the hard way.
As the thought of him passed through her mind, Momo froze. She looked around the room again, once more, much more slowly than before, examining everything she could see. It can’t be… she thought, terror coursing through her as she entertained the idea even briefly. Momo shook her head hard, trying to disperse that thought.
The more she tried to dismiss it, the more she thought about it.
If Aizen truly had the power to steal her away from the fourth and trap her here… Here didn’t look like any of the reports of Hueco Mundo she had heard, though. But Aizen had the power to make anywhere look like whatever he wanted. She could be in a dungeon cell right now and not even know it.
“Stop being silly.” she whispered firmly, trying to calm her breathing. “You’re just working yourself up. What would he want with you anyway?” she muttered bitterly. “He tried to- kill you. Remember?” She was proud she’d managed that with only a slight pause.
Momo couldn’t help it, though. Until she knew exactly where she was, until she had proof she wasn’t in Aizen’s clutches, then she would continue to worry.
So I'm posting up the history, personality and samples for you guys, along with some basic info.
Name: Hinamori Momo
Gender: Female
Age: About 100. Give or take 20 years. Appears about 18, though. sometimes younger, if she's flailing
Birthday: June 3
Height: 151 cm (4'11½")
Weight: 39 kg (86 lbs)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Family: Her grandmother, who looked after her as a child, and her friend/younger brother, Hitsugaya Toushirou
Point in Canon: There isn’t a specific episode or chapter for the point I want her from. It’s before she appears fake Karakura, but after she’s had her period of insanity. So after we see her talk to Hitsugaya but before she appears to help Rangiku. She’s stable but still slightly fragile, knowing (at least on the surface) that Aizen is evil and ready to fight for Soul Society.
History: Momo had humble beginnings growing up in the first district of Rukongai in a small family unit consisting of herself, her grandmother and her close friend Hitsugaya Toushirou (fondly referred to as ‘Shirou-chan’, despite his vehement protests to the nickname). She was luckier than many of the souls living in the confines of Rukongai; she had a roof over her head, lived with people who loved her and had enough to eat, even though it was never luxurious. As a consequence, some of those from the lower districts regarded her as somewhat ‘soft’, though nowhere near as much as the ‘spoiled nobility’.
The only way a person from Rukongai can improve their station in life is to enter the Academy of Spiritual Arts and train to become a shinigami. Momo followed this path and passed the entrance exams highly enough to be placed in the advanced class. She was upset to leave her family, (especially Hitsugaya, who she treats as a little brother) but knew she would be coming back to see them in the holidays.
Once at the academy, Momo found that she had exceptional skill with kidou, second only to Kira Izuru, another of her classmates. She was a confident girl and enjoyed her classes, often coming top or nearby, doing her best to learn what she could. 6 months into her first year, a group of 6th rounders lead by the semi-famous Hisagi Shuuhei took their class to do field training in the transient world. Here she first teamed up with Kira Izuru and Abarai Renji, with whom she would later become firm friends. The exercise went well at first, with Momo and her friends easily completing the tasks set before them, but disaster struck in the form of an attack by a huge hollow. It killed two of the 6th rounders almost immediately and the third, Shuuhei, shouted for all the first years to get to safety. Running away and leaving Shuuhei to the hollow didn’t sit at all well with Momo and she quickly turned back, forcing Renji and Izuru to follow her. They managed to hold it off but many more huge hollows soon appeared, trapping the four students. They all would have surely died if backup hadn’t appeared; the captain and lieutenant of the 5th division, Aizen Sousuke and Ichimaru Gin.
Aizen and Gin quickly took care of the hollows, impressing the three young students with their display of power far beyond their current level, all three vowing to some day have power like them. Momo was particularly taken in by Aizen, the young girl beginning to idolise him. She worked hard and entered his division when she graduated, happy to serve under him. His kindly guidance began to change her as she spent her time working hard for his approval, her hard work leading to her becoming his lieutenant when Gin moved on to become captain of the Third Division.
Momo was perfectly happy in her role of lieutenant, glad that she could work with her idol, until Aizen began to change. He became secretive and stopped confiding in her, something which troubled her very much. To complicate matters, Soul Society was invaded by one Kurosaki Ichigo, a human boy determined to prevent the execution of Kuchiki Rukia, and his friends. The invasion troubled Momo, who didn’t want to fight with children, but her captain calmed her.
On her way to the office the next morning, Momo found Aizen hanging from a wall, a sword through his chest.
It sent her into a frenzy, Momo desperate to find who had killed her captain. Hitsugaya had warned her the day before to be careful of Gin and, in her grief deprived state, she attempted to attack him. Lieutenant of the Third Division, one of her best friends, Kira Izuru stepped in to prevent her from doing so. They fought, the distraught girl even releasing her zanpakutou in her efforts to get to Gin. Hitsugaya intervened soon after, stopping the two before the fight could become serious, and ordered both of them locked up.
Momo spent the time brooding over Aizen’s death until she was visited by Matsumoto Rangiku. She brought a letter from Aizen addressed to Momo. Momo could hardly bring herself to open it, knowing reading it would be painful. The letter explained how Aizen had discovered a conspiracy and had gone out to confront the ringleader. He asked for her help in completing the mission if he could not and named Hitsugaya as his killer.
She, of course, then did not know what to do. Torn between obeying the last wishes of her captain and protecting her childhood friend, Momo was driven almost out of her mind. She attacked Hitsugaya but her heart was not in it and she was easily repelled, Hitsugaya then locking her up for her own protection. He then set out to find who he believed to have orchestrated the plot, Ichimaru Gin, but failed to realise that Momo would easily defeat his kidou barrier and follow him. She followed him to the room of the murdered Central 46, where it was revealed to her that Aizen had not been killed.
She was so overcome by relief at this that she didn’t care for the explanation, knowing only that Aizen was alive and needing nothing else. However, Aizen was not who she had always thought him to be. He was the true ringleader of the plot concerning Rukia. He stabbed Momo then, believing that death was kinder than letting her live after shattering her illusions.
Aizen, Gin and Tousen escaped Soul Society, leaving Momo to try and pick up the pieces of her life. Her body recovered slowly from the attack, but her mind retreated, not wanting to face the utter betrayal Aizen had dealt her. She refused to accept it, insisting Aizen had simply been lead astray by Gin, even begging Hitsugaya to spare his life.
It was not until many of her friends had visited her and she had been told many times of the atrocities Aizen had committed that Momo was finally able to see who he truly was. It took a long time for her to recover from the shattering of her illusions, but finally she was ready to face life again and fight the man who almost took it from her.
Personality: Momo was easy going, confident and happy when she first entered the academy. She was somewhat shy but had confidence in her abilities and was a very kind girl. Her sheltered Rukongai life had led her to become a little naïve but she always tried to see the best in people and her kind nature made her popular. She always followed her intuition more than any logical reasonings and formed deep connections with her friends and family. Momo has always been very protective, especially of Hitsugaya, and will not tolerate threats to those she cares about. Her encounter with Aizen went on to shape much of her life; she began to idolise him a little for saving her and her friends. Joining his division only built on this feeling, as she saw what a kind and strong captain he was.
She matured as a shinigami, retaining her kindness but losing some of her brash confidence. She remained hopeful and somewhat naïve where people were concerned, still seeing the best in a person’s nature. She can appear flighty at times because she is often found daydreaming, but will always give her full attention to those things she thinks important. Momo has never been afraid to work hard and remained very hardworking in the fifth, never ceasing to train and become stronger until she became the lieutenant. Here, though, Aizen began to manipulate her, making her dependant on him and his approval. It lessened her confidence in herself and, although she did remain a hard worker, left her unable to see that she should strive to become even stronger. Her fostered attachment to Aizen meant that she let a few of her other relationships slide, and her devoted concern to those she loves showed highly in her dealings with him. She appears calm and level headed most of the time, a little blind and devoted where Aizen is concerned, but a kind person and one who is well liked among most of the Gotei 13. Momo has an inner strength and reserve of will, shown in her anger when she thought Aizen had died and her immediate resolve to follow the path she thought was best.
The betrayal broke her for some time, Momo not strong enough to deal with all her hopes being shattered at once, her way of life turned irrevocably upside down. Slowly, her connections to her friends and her inner strength allowed her to return to herself. She is now rediscovering her old confidence and has a new determination never to be tricked by anyone again. Momo is harder than she used to be, more suspicious of those she doesn’t know, and she will work hard to make sure she’s never lied to again.
Items/things: Her zanpakutou (sword); Tobiume. Lieutenant badge. The uniform that she’s wearing.
Abilities: Cannon abilities:
Expert ability with a sword
Kidou master (Bleach‘s particular branch of magic: binding and destructive types; tying people up and defensive magic and blowing things up)
Able to use shunpo to a high degree (’flash steps‘; the ability to move around really quickly)
Abilities given through her released zanpakutou (which, basically, is throwing fireballs around)
Most of these don't work very well here. Kidou is very watered down and does nothing much except put on a pretty light show. Shunpo doesn't really work, but it means she can go a little faster than normal. Her zanpakutou doesn't release, so she can't throw fire around.
Tobiume's still very sharp though, and she's still damn good with it ;)
First Person Sample: I still have conflicting feelings when I hear someone mention his name. I don’t want these feelings but I don’t know how to make them stop. Unohana-taichou says they’ll go away in time… I don’t know how much time I have. Kira-kun said that we’re supposed to be going to war this winter.
War… I can’t believe it’s come to this. I never wanted this; I never believed he could want this. What I’ve seen, what I’ve heard… The most horrifying atrocities retold to me as I lay near comatose in this bed. And his name attached to them. I didn’t want to wake up and face a world where that was truth. It was easier to blame Ichimaru-tai- Ichimaru. Much, much easier.
There are moments… when I still don’t want to believe.
I’m still in that same bed, looking out at the same sky from the same window. Slumped against comfortable pillows, wearing a soft yukata and ensconced in a beautiful, surreal bubble. It’s easy to live like this; to go to sleep whenever anything becomes painful. Here I can ignore the world, I can block out my friends and the bad things they say. I can perpetuate my idiocies.
I don’t want to live in a world without corners. Not anymore.
It’s easy to fall into a trap you don’t want to see.
I push back the covers, the linen feeling as if it weighs more than I can bear, and slowly, slowly turn myself to sit on the edge of the bed. It seems like a long drop to the floor and I swing my stockinged feet aimlessly in circles for several long minutes. I take a deep breath and push off from the safety of my bed. My muscles are weak from so long, but I cling to the table beside the bed, holding myself up. I can do it. I will do it.
I take those first, stumbling steps back into the real world, knowing it can, will, hurt me. It’s better than rocking myself to a demented sleep, huddled in an insecurity blanket. I need to face it. Not just for my sake, but for those who have bled for me, who have given so much to see me smile.
For them, I can live once more in this world of pain. This time, I will watch my step and walk the path that I choose.
I will not be lied to again.
Third Person Sample: Momo was absolutely terrified when she opened her eyes to find herself in a place she didn’t recognise. It wasn’t her rooms at home, - Unohana-taichou had finally given her permission to go back to them - it wasn’t the fourth division and it certainly wasn’t the fake Karakura because she couldn’t feel anyone else here!
She forced herself to take deep breaths - a technique Unohana-taichou had taught her to deal with her panic attacks. First she had to work out where she was and what threats, if any, there were here. That… looked like it was going to be difficult, judging by her surroundings.
Looking around now, Momo couldn’t really see anything out of the ordinary, if she was honest with herself. She had absolutely no idea where she was. The room looked like many she had stayed in during missions to the human world and there didn’t seem to be any obvious threats. But threats didn’t often have the courtesy to be obvious; she had found that out the hard way.
As the thought of him passed through her mind, Momo froze. She looked around the room again, once more, much more slowly than before, examining everything she could see. It can’t be… she thought, terror coursing through her as she entertained the idea even briefly. Momo shook her head hard, trying to disperse that thought.
The more she tried to dismiss it, the more she thought about it.
If Aizen truly had the power to steal her away from the fourth and trap her here… Here didn’t look like any of the reports of Hueco Mundo she had heard, though. But Aizen had the power to make anywhere look like whatever he wanted. She could be in a dungeon cell right now and not even know it.
“Stop being silly.” she whispered firmly, trying to calm her breathing. “You’re just working yourself up. What would he want with you anyway?” she muttered bitterly. “He tried to- kill you. Remember?” She was proud she’d managed that with only a slight pause.
Momo couldn’t help it, though. Until she knew exactly where she was, until she had proof she wasn’t in Aizen’s clutches, then she would continue to worry.