Alex!Urahara

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Bleach/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Summary: Just a bunch of notes. Pretty much like the timeline for Stardust Legacy if that helps you decide whether to click.

 

Alex is demanding a version of Urahara, so a version of Urahara she gets.  (Not sure if male or female, but certainly AU.  This one is most probably because of Alex herself, as she not only did not manage to obtain Benihime, she also didn't have a clear idea of Urahara.  In this case, all memories and existence is probably fictional.  Though of course, that doesn't mean it feels that way to Alex.)
Theme Song: Workin' for the Weekend (Loverboy)
Zanpukto-Kodokuseishin (roughly Solitary Spirit, though Kodoku also refers to a type of poisonous black magic and Seishin is roughly 'sincere heart' or 'pure soul').  While Benihime has a reddish power type, Kodokuseishin has a greenish.  It has roughly two modes, mirroring Xan-kun's Kitanokitai.  Changing between the different types (and especially between mode) takes a while, and if bloodlust has begun to set in it can take serious effort to even think to do so.
Kodokuseishin has a claw for a hand-guard (and while it protects the hand, it also can 'close' onto the hand holding it, providing for a very snug grip, and a bit of an incentive to keep fighting.  If this needs to be changed during combat, however, Kodokuseishin's claw quickly lets go, faster than Byakuya's shunpo.)  The hilt looks and feels a little like a scroll, but is nowhere near as delicate.  There is also writing of a sort on the scroll, but it has gone undecoded as of yet.  It should be noted that the parchment-like 'scroll' uses the same material as that used in Shahei Kodokuseishin's fan.
The only time it changes (even when changing to Bankai) is the Shahei Kodokuseishin Bankai.  It basically looks like the plain, wooden fan Urahara uses for effect in the anime, though the fan part is an offwhite, and made of the same 'parchment' material.  There is a green enamel-like part along the edge.  When running a finger over the so-called 'enamel', it feels nice and smooth.  It's very, very sharp if used against an opponent, however, and you will definitely feel the bite.  The materials are only faux, however, as they are certainly much, much stronger than your average store-bought fan (and stronger than most zanpukto).
-Warau, Kodokuseishin!-  Laugh, Solitary Spirit!  This is the attack version.  Several different techniques can be used from this form.  Dragging out a fight with Urahara using the Attack Form of his Zanpukto is not recommended, as every encounter causes a slight weakening of the enemy and a slight strengthening of Urahara.  The effect is small, but with a master swordsman like him, any difference can prove a huge advantage.
--Motenasu, Uetakodokuseishin!--  Feast, Hungry Solitary Spirit!  (Above, but bankai.)  The only warning is the 'scroll' unraveling, and the writing on it flashing green.  It will go through his hand, between the claws, but only unravels in spirit, so it's still possible to maintain a grip (it's actually in two places at once, one less tangible than the other, for a brief period of time.)  In bankai, any cuts cause a draining effect, first upon power, then on life force.  This effect can be sped up or slowed down, as well as stopped entirely, depending on what Urahara's wanting.
-Mamoru, Kodokuseishin!- Protect, Solitary Spirit!  This is the defense version.  It can drain the effectiveness of any power used against it, fully dissipating anything less than the full power put into the defense by the user and zanpukto.  It can also draw most kinds of hurt out of a person (requiring a small piercing in the body (typically in the hand or shoulder)) and dissipate it safely. 
--Asaru, Shahei Kodokuseishin!-- Scavenge, Shielding Solitary Spirit!  Defense Bankai is the only obvious version of the various 'modes' of Kodokuseishin.  It turns into a fan that can cut through just about anything, including unprepared zanpukto.  Though unable to be seen, the reach of damage extends to about the normal length of Kodokuseishin (on a given day), so opponents facing this Mode regularly find themselves getting cut, a nasty surprise.  Any damage done allows Shahei Kodokuseishin to heal the same amount of damage, though just as with the Mamoru Shikai it must be used to cut the person first (and will leave a rather distinctive scar).  It can bring someone back from the brink of death, and might even allow resurrection (but has only done so once so far, though no one has realized it yet.  And possibly (probably?) never will, but that remains to be seen.~)  The power of Shahei Kodokuseishin is also undetectable.  Furthermore, it doesn't tend to affect Urahara as much, meaning that he is a more formidable opponent with this mode.  As it is still highly effective (if slightly more limited) in battle, this is the most likely version of bankai to run into should you be unfortunate enough to push him into using bankai.
This version of Urahara had a run-in with a hyena yokai while in the spirit world.  It wounded him (and would have killed him if he had not been saved...instead the yokai was supposedly killed).  He was wounded in the left shoulder, and occasionally he will feel pain, especially if Kodokuseishin feels he is being neglected.  (The yokai was female, the zanpukto is male.  It's possible that she was pregnant, but he's not quite sure on this particular account.)  He theorizes that this somehow affected him, so when he achieves his bankai, the spirit, Kodokuseishin, is basically the hyena yokai.  He's somewhat obsessed with the question of what zanpukto he would have had if this incident had not occurred, and doesn't quite trust it.  He does some research, and can be morbidly fascinated with testing it and its limits when he's not locking it in his closet and pretending he doesn't realize it exists.  He's a little more off balance than the normal Urahara, and occasionally worries his friends with his behavior.  He is genuinely depressive at times, and tends to mope if no one bugs him.  He also has periods of laziness in which all he really wants to do is lay around outside, preferably near a stream, with a hat over his eyes and just doze.  He is genuinely a gentleman when he wants to be, and always treats women well (aside from the occasional teasing and/or innuendo...but he doesn't actually mean anything by it).  In addition, innocents in danger will usually get action from him (though it may be indirect, as the instinct to have others underestimate him is pretty strong). 
In the heat of battle, Urahara's slightly affected by a bloodlust, one that he distrusts and even disgusts him.  Over the years, he's grown to dislike combat, and also has a fairly close relationship with Shunsui, in which the other Taicho senses a kindred soul.  Ordinarily, he would shun such things, but at this point he longs so much for someone to understand him he doesn't even bother to pretend.  He's gotten to be pretty good at hiding his feelings, and likes to sing, since it appears it's one of the few things that keeps his zanpukto at bay.  If possible, he even sings during in combat, as a way to keep control and a firm head without getting distracted by the battle.  (It also focuses him and makes him a deadlier foe.)  He's invented a few things that help him keep control, such as a slight transfer, eventually replaced and thus made an echo, of the saner Shahei Kodokuseishin into a fan he keeps with him at most times.  (If caught unawares, it also can serve as a replacement weapon, since drawing Kodokuseishin into existence or changing between methods can take far too long.)  Meditation can help.  Urahara is playful, flirtatious, violent, serious, and brooding, regularly within a short amount of time of each other.  He tends to be serious as he can possibly be in combat because he understands, perhaps more than anyone else, how dangerous it can be.  He prefers being underestimated, and it will take serious prodding (and probably an injury or two) to provoke him into calling on Shikai, let alone Bankai.  He'd rather resort to some improvised kido or odd inventions first.
He's drawn away from Yoruichi and Juushirou mostly from the same impulse-they're too observant, and he doesn't want them to worry.  Too much anyway.  He'd rather be a jerk or have people hate him for being lazy or a flirt or not taking things seriously than hurt them worse at some point when he loses control.  And in his darker, more depressive moments, the word is 'when', not 'if'.  He doesn't mind Isshin because they're both pretending to be idiots, and thus have a vested interest in keeping up the disguise (though he knows Isshin does worry about him, sometimes.  Just never actually voices the fact.)