Post by Molly on Aug 2, 2012 15:09:13 GMT -5
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Name: Shaw
Gender: Female
Age: 19, Born 151 ASC
Element: Air | Fire
Companions: (Someday a knowledge seeker)
Resides In: Roamer, lives from time to time on Ember Island or Air Temple Island, and owns property in Republic city
Appearance:
Shaw is not very tall, only standing at 5'4". Her body is slender, and to the naked eye she seems to bear no muscle. No one expects strength from her, but if need be she can trip someone up just long enough to sink into the shadows, or use her agility to take a large opponent down without laying a single finger on them.
She does take certain pride in her figure, a very slight hourglass, though her chest and hips are still very small, and she has little more than a small layer of lean muscles covering her bones, which gives her the advantage in agility.
Her dark ebony hair resembles silk, flowing down to her lower back when down, but usually she wears her hair up in a simple ponytail or at times curled into a bun of sorts. Sometimes she fantasizes of cutting most of it off, as she knows it can be a disadvantage in a fight, but she loves the way her hair is more than the thought of sacrificing it.
What mesmerizes anyone the most when they meet this slender airbender is her eyes. Looking into her gaze is like looking into the eyes of a dragon. A dark grey iris burns behind her pupils, and if you catch her in just the right mood some claim to see fire burning in her soul, as if being an airbender was a total mistake that had taken place in her genetics.
Despite her haunting eyes from afar she looks normal. She wears different clothing, but nothing that catches the eye. Mostly her assassins uniform as she likes to call it, composing of a baggy thin black shirt, that has a high ruffled collar that resembles a scarf almost, and form fitting pants that are also thin and can stretch so as not to loose agility or flexibility. She also wears black fingerless gloves that have small pointed platinum knuckles on them, but she only uses them in case of emergency. In her lightweight running boots are four concealed knives, two for throwing, two for close range fighting.
When she's not wearing her "assassins" uniform she wears form fitting blue jeans, made much like her other pants, her black boots, and a loose t-shirt or jacket.
Though no one ever sees, her bare skin is very pale, silky to the touch, but firm. Just on her hip is a small burn scar, slightly resembling a dragon, which she keeps hidden from all except who she trusts most.
Personality:
Shaw is very shy, not much to make friends. She has never really belonged with people, and when she is around them she usually only associates people as enemy or someone who can be trusted for mutual survival.
She is not one to immediately fight, but in times of need she can. Her favorite tactic is just to stun and run.
The relationships she does build with people are very close and strong. She cares deeply for Tenzin and feels she owes him her life, and through years of getting to know her the same feelings might be given to someone else.
She usually likes to be alone in nature, that is where she is most open and finds most peace. She prefers over anything to meditate and reflect on who she is and where she belongs, and someday hopes to find home where she truly desires. Though that desire will not be shared yet. Maybe not ever.
Backstory:
Born Fall, 151 ASC-7
to Firebender Rose, descendent of Avatar Roku, and Tyro, descendent of unknown airbenders.
Born to a loving couple on Ember Island, Shaw has always been an outcast. At a young age her parents believed her to be non bender, and no one had any problem with that, as non benders and benders lived in peace on Ember island, that is until she did bend. But not fire as she was born to, but air.
Baffled her parents could not figure out how that happened. The only airbenders and immediate descendent of airbenders alive during her conception where Avatar Aang and his three children. This caused her father and mother to delved into her father Tyro's family history, until it was discovered that he was a descendent of an airbender.
Tyro spent many nights meditating, wondering how after all these year an airbender was finaly born from his family line. He was not answered for over a year, until one day when both Avatar Aang and Roku visited him, and explained that without more lines of airbenders, they would soon go extinct again, and so through their spirit connections they helped pull out the dying airbender spirit from him and into his daughter.
After learning this Tyro fell ill, and shortly after telling Shaw and his wife he died at the young age of 31, leaving a confused 7 year old Shaw with her mother.
Age 7-10
Learning this her mother, Rose, brought her to Republic city where she met with the previous Avatars son.
"I know my daughter is young, but I can not teach her Tenzin, not alone. She has the heart of my nation, but she needs to know who she is, and only you can teach her that."
Tenzin declined, saying she had to wait to learn. He did offer them to bed for the night, and when Shaw woke up ready to leave her mother was gone. She ended up living at Air Temple Island and till the age of ten, meditating for hours on end, training relentlessly. Her airbending was not that of an airbender, but of a firebender, filled with passion and rage. All she could think about was how to get revenge on her mother. One day she burned Tenzin and his wife in practice, encircling fire with her airbending and feeding it with oxygen, throwing it wildly in her rage. Tenzin had her flown home that day, in fear of the island and his family's safety.
Instead of going home Shaw asked to be taken to the ancient home of the Sun Warriors. When she was not obliged she knocked out the man flying her home and took his map, leading Oogie to where she desired to go.
Age 10-12
Eventually she made it, and upon arriving she hid in the shadows, remembering how to find the Ancient dragons through her mothers tales. After searching she climbed the steps of the ancient sleeping grounds of the last two dragons and meditated where the retired Fire Lord and Avatar Aang stood. Each day she meditated on that spot, practicing her airbending forms, and the dancing dragon form.
Two years passed, hiding from the few remaining sun warriors and living off of the land. Here she learned to run, and hide in the shadows, killing her enemies and food with cunning not strength. No one was aware of her existence, unless they saw her every sun rise meditating where the dragons slept.
On the day of her twelfth birthday she climbed the steps and instead of meditating she performed the Dancing Dragon flawlessly, ending it with air instead of fire. A low rumble came from the earth, and immediately she stopped.
The rumbling ceased for a split second before Ran, and Shaw, the dragon for which she was named, shot from where they slumbered, encircling her, clearly enraged by the disrespectful act of airbending on their sacred home.
"I am no airbender! I am Shaw! My heart is filled with fire and I belong with you! Shaw! I am you!"
The dragons circled her, getting closer until she was face to face with the red dragon, Shaw.
"You are not Shaw, you are not firebender!"
"I am Shaw, and I am a firebender at heart!"
The red dragons mouth opened, but Shaw did not run this time. "I AM SHAW, I AM A FIREBENDER!" she screamed. Fire engulfed her, encircling her in a wild array of colors.
"You are an airbender, you are Shaw, but you are not a firebender!"
"Yes I am, I am in heart..." She fell to her knees, shaking violently in rage, before going limp and crying. At that moment the dragons circled below her, and then came back up, firebending as they did for Zuko and Aang years before.
"Your heart is filled with confusion, you are a firebender at heart young human, but you are an airbender, and therefor you must remember to be an airbender. But we will teach you that your rage does not make you a firebender, but your strength."
Nothing after that was remembered, Shaw only woke up, enlightened. She is not a firebender, she is fire. She bowed her head on the center of the ancient platform at the top of the stairwell.
"I am Shaw, I am air, and I am fire."
She got up, noticing a small burn on her lower abdomen, a symbol of her fire.
She returned to the wilderness that evening and the next day she set out to find her path in life. First she must go back to Tenzin. She wanted to apologize, and train under him again.
Upon reaching a small town thirty miles from the Sun Warriors ruins she realized she had no money, and no friends. Only the skills she had obtained from living alone. The skills of a thief were very becoming of her, so she slipped through the village, leaving it short of a fishing pole, a bread loaf, and a small purse of gold coins that belonged to a very wealthy looking child. She continued from village to village in such a way, careful not to take too much, just enough to survive, till she finally reached a harbor.
There she paid a wealthy looking commander the gold and copper pieces she had been saving to go back to Air Temple Island, though the man didn't seem keen on taking her money, as it was commander Bumi, brother to her airbending teacher. Luck indeed was on her side.
On the boat ride over another powerful man graced her presence, soon-to-be General Iroh, grandson of her retired Fire Lord Zuko.
"A pleasure"
"None at all"
That was all they spoke, but Shaw felt something important, even more than Bumi or Tenzin, come from this young commander. Those feelings were never acted upon though, as soon she was back to Air Temple Island. With glee she ran up the dock, excited to see Tenzin. She was met with a blast of air, knocking her back with a loud thud.
"I told you to never come back, you burned my wife, you stole Oogie, and now you return thinking I will have forgotten all of this!"
She dropped to her knees and bowed. "Forgive me Master Tenzin, but I promise I have found myself. I am Air, and I am Fire. But I am weak. Make me strong."
Age 12-15
Months went by as she trained viciously with Tenzin, proving herself by combining not only fire and airbending techniques, but also earth and waterbending forms. She meditated daily, hours spent soul searching.
On the day of her fifteenth birthday Shaw rose before the sun, and flew to the statue of Avatar Aang. She meditated at the base of the statue, Aang taking a fighting stance.
"This is not who we are Aang. We are airbenders, and we shall not be remembered for violence." She felt a tingling, and then she could see Aang before her as her father once did.
"You have proved yourself a true bender, no just of air, but of life. You, like I, understand."
She returned to Tenzin, and told him she must go. She had mastered airbending, and now she wanted to see her mother. General Iroh took her home, and in that journey she fell in love with him, but it did not matter, for her love for him had to wait. And besides, his love for her was at best a smolder.
Age 15-18
Home, she met with her mother, welcomed with open arms. Shaw shared her past years, her mother relieved she was alive.
"I'm sorry I left you my love, I blamed you for your fathers death. But I know it was not your fault. He exhausted himself searching for answers, and so have you. You have barely any meat on your bones."
"I want to live with you for a while, and work till I can get enough money to own a place, and live closer to Tenzin."
"Oh, ok"
For three long years Shaw worked hard, in the daytime tending her mothers garden, and selling produce at the beach, and at night performing "magic" for a few coins, risking being caught as an airbender. Some knew, and most accepted her, but eventually someone arose who would prove her enemy. A man several years older than her. She tries not to remember much of him, as one night when she was walking home through backstreets, looking to play a good game of cards, when fire surrounded her. She was cornered, and struck with fear, turning to see him, a man named Kolbi, strong and powerful. He pushed her against a wall, pressing his whole body on hers and holding her wrists.
Another rare instance in her life that the fight reaction took over, as he forced his mouth on hers she screamed, air flowing in gusts to push him away.
She pulled out one of her concealed knives and killed him.
The next morning when her mother woke up, Shaw was gone, a note saying she was moving to Republic City.
Age 18-Present
Returning on her own in a small boat she had stolen off the island, Shaw was blessed with calm seas and thankful for the map reading skills she obtained from the monks at Air Temple Island. She hoisted the small white sale and supplied a steady stream of air during the day and anchored down at night, fishing as needed, and occupying herself learning to play the lute she found on the boat. She wasn't very good, but she continued to practice.
A week went by and Shaw was starting to get dehydrated, running low on water and energy, as she still had miles to sail. Her bending was as weak as her body, and eventually she passed out, laying in the shade of the hull for over a day and a half unconscious.
When she awoke she was in the arms of a man carrying her up a slant, it seemed onto another ship. She struggled slightly but her energy was gone.
Another day passed and she awoke alone in a bed, noticing a large flask of water next to her bed. She quickly drank the whole thing, before throwing it all back up into a conveniently placed empty bucket.
"You're awake. Good! But you need to take it easy, sip the water, and you can only have small portions of food for now."
General Iroh stood there, holding out another flask and a plate with only berries and crackers. He sat at the foot of her bed quietly looking at the fire nation emblem in the cabin of the ship as she sipped her water and slowly chewed her food. After an hour she finished the small meal, blushing as she looked to the young general.
"Thank you General, I'm glad it was you who found me and not pirates or your crazy commander friend." They smiled at each other, but the silence became awkward, and they looked away.
"We are almost to Republic City, would you like to be dropped-"
"No, I'm going to the city."
He nodded, getting up and looking at her, leaning back on her elbows, skin extra pale. "I saw your scar, it's interesting. Where did you get it?"
She turned away and blushed, "A gift from the last living dragons." She had never told anyone about her scar before. She felt his hand move her face to look at him and he gently kissed her before blushing and walking out of her room.
She didn't see him again when she got off the ship, and tried to forget about it, instead searching for a home. She eventually found one in the upscale of town, making neighbors with a couple who owned a popular tea shop a block away. She had saved up enough to buy the house on the spot, but after that purchase she had nothing to buy food or furniture. Used to sleeping on the floor she spent the night in her cold empty house, and the next morning she visited her neighbors, asking for a place to work for a small while until she could find a different job, something more suiting for her.
Two months of working in the tea shop and slowly buying furniture Shaw finally found a better job with the neighborhood watch, a group paid by the police to settle minor disputes and report any large crimes. It was a new idea of theirs, and only taking place in her small district, but she was promoted captain and paid generously, even a favorite of Lin for her character.
Nothing much happened, she reported petty crimes and helped neighbors overcome disputes, and soon gained much karma with her district. She even started a self defense class for young helpless girls on her free time, and eventually boys started joining in too, as she taught them basic block and trip moves to escape enemies rather than risk getting hurt in a fight.
All was well till the neighborhood watch program was stopped and people started ignoring her.
The Avatar was in Republic City. An empty feeling spread in her, she was no longer needed. So she retreated into her home, counting up her saving and hoping she could turn her self defense classes into a business so she could start earning money again.
Shaw always knew Amon and the equalists existed, but she never found them a threat till she heard the first news of Amon taking someones bending. She was struck with fear of loosing her bending, and one day she found herself looking into his eyes as his thumb pressed hard on her forehead, a terrible feeling encompassing her as he bending was taken away.
After that she managed to slip away, crying as she ran home. She was no longer air, but she was still fire. Helplessly she sat in her home, crying. All those years soul searching to waste. Waves of rage and fear washed through her till she paused, noticing a candle before her had lit. It was not lit before but it was now. She was in awe, and immediately started meditating till she watched the candle flame grow. She was fire, but at the same time she did not want this part of fire, and never tried to firebend again.
Not long after Amon was taken down Shaw learned that the Avatar, Korra, could restore bending, and was going to do so for an hour each day till everyone had their bending restored. She was able to regain it her first day, as she contacted Tenzin, who was more than happy to let her cut in line.
The day she bowed, knees on the ground, head touching the floor of the building as it was her turn to have her bending returned.
"Thank you Avatar Korra, I am forever in your dept."
She rose, and within a few seconds she could feel the rising winds rush through her veins. She started turning and dancing, moving as a dragon, till she ended the move with a great blast of air. Before Korra could say anything she flew off on her glider, returning home determined to start her new life.
Image: Base Design based off of Lan Fan from FMAB
www.absoluteanime.com/fullmetal_alchemist_brotherhood/lan%5B2%5D.jpg[/blockquote][/size]
