Rukia Kuchiki

**Rukia Kuchiki** (*Kuchiki Rukia*) is a Soul Reaper and is the first one to be introduced in the series.

## Appearance

Rukia is short and petite, with light skin and purple eyes. Her hair is black with a strand of always hanging between her eyes. As a Soul Reaper, she wears a standard Soul Reaper outfit. During the first few story arcs of the series, she wears a simply shirt, skirt, and shoes. After regaining her powers, Rukia has her hair cropped into a bob that hangs about her face. She wears her Soul Reaper outfit, with fingerless white tekkos that extend above her elbows.

## Personality

Usually, Rukia is modest. She has a calm and cool demeanor. However, that's not to say that she doesn't have a humorous side to her. She has close tides to Ichigo Kurosaki, who's Soul Reaper powers she helped awakened by given up her own.

## History

Not much is known about Rukia's past, except that she learned how to develop her Soul Reaper powers. She was even childhood friends with Renji Abarai.

## Powers & Abilities

**Expert Swordsman**: Knowing the basics of swordsmanship, albeit the rudimentary skills, Rukia can hold her own in a battle.

**Enhanced Strength**: Despite her size, Rukia is strong enough to take on a superior opponent.

**Enhanced Endurance**: Rukia is resilient, able to withstand attacks thrown at her.

**Great Spiritual Power**: As a trained Soul Reaper, Rukia possesses a great level of spiritual energy.

**Kido User**: Even without her Soul Reaper powers, Rukia is still capable of using kido, knowing the basic of some spells.

**Keen Intellect**: Rukia has demonstrated keen intellect when going up against Lady Jaguara's soldiers, taking them out one at a time rather then head on. She has even done so when tempted by large, wolf stuffed-animals Riruka Dokugamine throws at her.

## Zanpakuto

**Sode no Shirayuki** (*Sleeved White Snow*): In it's sealed state, Sode no Shirayuki is an ordinary katana. It has a rectangular tsuba with a flame pattern on the long sides and a curved line on the short sides, inward-curved corners with curved slits above and below the blade, and a series of curved lines embossed on either side of the blade. The hilt is a reddish-brown.

**Shikai**: It's Shikai command is "Dance". Rukia holds her zanpakuto out and turns it in a circle counter-clockwise. While she turns it, the blade, hilt, and tsuba turn completely white. The tsuba becomes a hollow snowflake-like circle, a white ribbon forming from the pommel. The transformation is followed by a rush of cold air in all directions.

**Shikai Ability**: Sode no Shirayuki is an ice-type zanpakuto, which possesses two techniques known as "dances". Aside from that, it's main ability is freezing a target.

* **Some no mai, Tsukishiro** (*First Dance, White Moon*): Rukia calls out the name of the dance while she holds her zanpakuto upside-down. As the blade glows, she makes a slashing motion when her target is in position, then draws a circle with the tip of Sode no Shirayuki. The area in the circle's radius and anything inside it freezes. Not only does it freeze the ground, but everything in the circle radius' influence, including anything above it in the air. creating an extending pillar of ice, freezing all in the circle.
* **Tsugi no mai, Hakuren** (*Second Dance, White Ripple*): Calling out the name of the dance, Rukia punctures the ground in front of her four times in a semi-circle. As particles of ice starts to flow out from the punctures, she takes a battle stance. The particles build up at the tip of Sode no Shirayuki's blade, which are released into a powerful wave of ice, freezing whatever is in its' path into ice.

## Quotes

* "*I'm a Soul Reaper: a soul guardian that watches over spirits. But more importantly, to help the world's last remaining wolves reach the place they came from. Rakuen.*"
* "*Is he really that important to you? Do you really want to see him again?*"
* "*What if this was supposed to happen? What if I'm being punished? Maybe this was meant to be...*"
* "*Show them, Ichigo! Show them that no amount of despair will ever break your resolve!*"

## Notes & trivia

* In the beginning of the series, Rukia is similiar to herself in the Substitute Arc of the *Bleach* series.
* Rukia's theme song is "Dreamer" by One Ok Rock.
* After regaining her powers, Rukia takes on the appearance of herself in the Lost Agent Arc of the *Bleach* series.
* She has been seen using kido only once.