Asura

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

SEIMEI KEIKO

_{tags - nobody}

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Warm, comforting water. Thick, billowing clouds of fragrant steam. Soaking away one's woes on a chilly spring morning was something most of Heiseina's residents would probably relish. Most of the working sorts didn't have the luxury of bathing in the comforts of their own homes. Most probably preferred to do it in public anyway, where they could unwind and discuss all the little happenings of their sleepy village among friends and peers. Maybe that was why, even steeping with the smell of sweet citrus in her private tub, Keiko could not find solace from her melancholy. The Dance of the Serpent was upon them, a time of merriment and new beginnings when the villagers would be gathering together to celebrate Miorochi's return. For Keiko, it was nothing to look forward to. Every year, the festival only saw her sink into a black mood in the days leading up to and during. Witnessing friends and family line the streets, joking and playing, enjoying each others' company—it all served as a poignant reminder. A reminder that such things were absent from her life. She wouldn't have anybody to hang lanterns or exchange gifts with. If she was lucky, maybe her mother would accompany her to the shrine to leave an offering.

That would be the extent of her celebration. It always was.

The sullen thoughts swirling through her mind were far more bitter than any stray orange blossom floating about the bath water, and it didn't seem like a prolonged stay in the tub would help clear them. It was a foolish idea in the first place. Keiko knew herself. She was the type to get stir-crazy without things to do, and while she liked to busy herself whenever she slumped into dejection, the festival week had left her with no matters to attend to. Her mother had insisted she take the week off to celebrate the holiday and enjoy herself, either a cruel joke or a vain attempt to force the mending of bridges long since burnt. There was always studying, but she couldn't bring herself to retain the bounty of old tomes and scrolls in her current state.

A sigh, half of which came out of bubbling water, announced her rise from the bath. She couldn't just mope around home all day and expect it to lighten her mood. At least getting outside would provide a distraction, something for her to hone her mind in on aside from the gloom that had overtaken her. The splattering of water on smooth, cold stone filled an otherwise silent chamber as she stepped out of the wooden tub. The air was chilly despite the hot moisture that hung heavy in it, but that was trivial enough for her to overcome. She extended a thin finger and traced familiar symbols before her, a pale glow at its tip as she marked the space before her with two kanji. The glow brightened, then faded, and in its place, a gentle stream of hot air flowed from her digits. A flow she wasted no time turning on herself, sending droplets and wild strands of damp hair every which way.

If only it was as easy to Sign away her other problems.

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As cold as it was inside, it somehow managed to be even colder when Keiko stepped outside. There had been some vague hope that the sun would have banished some of the chill in its benevolence, but that hope was quickly dashed. It would surely warm up as the day went on, but that was of little comfort to the Signkeeper's apprentice as she descended the stairs of the tower and made her way around the side of the landmark she called home. There was one small treat waiting there for her—the fruits of her labor in seasons past, in the most literal sense. She had managed to convince her mother to plant a garden behind their illustrious home, ostensibly so that the many young farmers who came to practice their Growth signs had something to practice on. In truth, she simply wanted to have fresh fruit on hand to sate her sweet tooth whenever she wanted.

She had set about raising six trees in the year or two prior, and raise them she had. They were already taller than her, and producing fruit despite the unseasonably cold weather, a result of her daily tending as much as it was the valley's fertile soil. Even as she approached the largest of the bunch she could see fat, ocher fruits hanging from its many limbs. Big enough to be her breakfast, for sure. Maybe even big enough to be taken into the village on market day. She wanted for relatively little, but there was usually something interesting to bargain for, and if nothing else, she could always gloat at those sour-faced Moriyama about how much more productive her fledgling grove was compared to their own.

They would also make thoughtful gifts, she couldn't help but think as she plucked one, then another from its branches. Not that she had anybody, in particular, to hand them out to. But the matriarch of her little clan had been stressing in the months prior about turning over a new leaf. She wasn't a little girl anymore, she said. It was time to start making connections. To turn set down some real roots. She would be the village's Signkeeper eventually. Heiseina was her home.

"Tch."

Keiko couldn't contain her cynicism at the thought. An armful of oranges wasn't going to undo a lifetime of ostracism. If the villagers wanted to make friends with their would-be Signkeeper, they could do it on their own. Maybe if they were lucky she would forgive them.

Maybe.

Satisfied she had picked the ripest of the bunch, the girl tucked what extras she had into the folds of her kimono for safekeeping, holding the finest of their lot held between slim fingers. She tore into its unblemished exterior with them, peeling back the outside with just a deal more aggression than she had intended. The catharsis it provided, however mild, was enough to pull her from the downward spiral of her thoughts, and she feasted upon the pulpy flesh within, one wedge at a time, as she set off in the direction of the village. Perhaps the walk there would clear her head, and if not, well, at least she was in good company for the journey.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Seimei Keiko

SEIMEI KEIKO
晴明 恵子

_______________________________________________ // INFO Name Seimei Keiko Age Eighteen Gender Female Occupation Apprentice Signkeeper // PERSONALITY Mischievous Keiko is most defined by her impish nature. She is playful, sharp-tongued, and always looking for ways to amuse herself. Her mischief rarely reaches the level of malice, but she takes great joy in teasing her peers and cracking jokes at their expense. Her puckish nature has earned her few friends, but she insists it doesn't bother her, as those who can't handle a little naughtiness probably wouldn't be fun to spend time around anyway. Or so she tells herself. Impulsive Despite her best efforts, Keiko is something of a wild child. Chock full of bravado, she is foolhardy and rash, often letting her temper and impetuousness get the better of her. Her uninhibited character often leads her to act or speak without thinking through the consequences, then use her quick wit to justify her behavior after the fact and talk her way out of those consequences. Cynical For all bluster and glee she exudes, Keiko is a deeply suspicious person. She has, for as long as she can remember, been ostracized by her community in some form or another, and she has taken that distrust to heart. She jests and she ridicules as easily as she breathes, but she does not let others close enough to see her true feelings in a manner. She has a hard time trusting the intentions of others, and will almost always assume the worst of a person's actions if not given adequate evidence in short order—a dangerous combination when paired with her hot temper. // SKILLSET Clever While her demeanor wouldn't lead one to believe so, Keiko possesses a sharp mind and an equally quick wit. It makes her a fast learner and a gifted student, able to pick up new skills and tricks quicker than others her age. The acuity of her mind also allows her to come up with solutions to problems on the fly, or remember minuscule details that could be of help long after the fact. Sign Adept Possessing both talent and the privilege to learn at her mother's knee since she was small, Keiko is quite skilled with the usage of Signs. As the future Signkeeper of the valley, her repertoire is quite deep when compared to most inhabitants of the village, and she makes good use of what she knows, even going as far as to use multiple Signs in tandem to achieve more complex effects. Lightfooted As to be expected of someone with a trickster's nature, Keiko is especially light on her feet. She is swift, dexterous, and most of all stealthy. She has little trouble going unnoticed on the rare occasions that she wants to be and tends to slink off during (occasionally manufactured) distractions to avoid the duties she would rather not handle.

Physical Description Despite the larger-than-life persona she tries to project, Keiko is quite the opposite. Standing at only five feet in height, she is shorter than most girls in the valley and fittingly lithe. Her features are soft and child-like, accentuated by her large, chestnut-colored eyes that twinkle with usually playful mirth. Framing her curiously innocent profile is an untidy mane of dark, lustrous brown hair, always sticking up this way and that, just as wild as the girl who bears it. The thick locks help highlight the relative paleness of her skin by comparison, smooth and unblemished despite the dirt beneath her fingernails or the devil-may-care manner she carries herself. Her complexion is an indication of her scholarly background and one of the few she bears. Despite her potential for beauty, Keiko does not consider herself to be especially feminine and does not dress as such. Her wardrobe is typically comprised of loose, comfortable kimono of a subdued color paired with the typical, tucked hakama of the village's laborers. Knee-length black tabi and accompanying straw sandals clad her delicate feet, and she usually dawns a long, sleeveless haori when out and about in the village, the mon of her adoptive family painstakingly sewn into its back. Character Conceptualization Keiko's story is one of an outsider. Having been born beyond the idyllic peace of the village, in a hamlet that as far as anyone knows, or will ever know, befell some sad fate or another, Keiko was dealt the black mark of a stranger despite having only ever known the lake and fields of Heiseina. She was but a toddler when she arrived, brought home by the village's Signkeeper one chilly fall day and taken in as a daughter despite their lack of relation. In all ways, she was raised as a Seimei, a respected family of lore keepers who had for generations carefully cataloged and disseminated the Signs that kept life in Heiseina running smoothly. Yet she was never quite afforded the respect of her mother or late grandfather. In a community so small and traditional, any external entity was met with suspicion. Suspicion which colored the young girl's view of the utopia she called home from the earliest years. It made raising an already difficult little girl all the harder. Precocious from the get-go, Keiko proved herself to be a bright, willful child. One who was aware enough to recognize the scorn that was leveled her way and respond in kind. She quickly developed the reputation of a troublesome little nuisance, despite her mother's best attempts to keep her in line while simultaneously fulfilling her duties as Signkeeper. Acting out was all the young Keiko could do to rebel against the injustices she felt. Heiseina was a picturesque settlement, after all, where everybody knew everybody and everyone got along. But nobody seemed to want to get along with her. Just as they rejected her, she rejected them, and her developmental years were marked by an ever-growing divide as her actions worked to further ostracized her from her peers and their families. It wasn't until she was eight or nine years old when she began her Sign training that things began to change, however slightly. Rambunctious as she was, her mother had deemed that she should begin putting her excess energy into learning the family's trade, an excellent decision in hindsight. Inquisitive as she was wont to be, Keiko took to Signcraft like a duck to water. It occupied her keen mind and provided her an avenue for praise in place of the scolding she had become accustomed to. More importantly, it also sent a message to the community; she would be a useful contributor to the village as a whole, and would one day succeed her mother in her capacity of Signkeeper. As she grew from troublesome girl to quarrelsome young woman, Signcraft became her outlet and haven, something she excelled at that gave her worth, and made others acknowledge her even if they had misgivings in accepting her. But no longer is she a girl. Now a woman grown, Keiko must contend with a fast-approaching future. One of responsibility and dignity, of finding acceptance and belonging among those she had subtly railed against her entire life. If only she knew just how important finding that acceptance would be, in the trials to come. Other Information Cooler than you.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Pokémon Showdown! [Invite Only]

Sirius Leverant

_{Interacting with: @Lemons — Location: School Hallways}

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There was a brief moment, a small, fleeting few seconds where Sirius was almost worried. The wide, stupid grin that plastered itself across the face of the girl—or obstacle, really—that he had crashed into might've indicated the impact had knocked all sense out of her head. The words which came pouring out of her mouth soothed those near-worries: there surely hadn't been any sense rattling around in her skull even before she found herself bowled over like so many pins. Like most of his 'peers', he hadn't bothered to learn her name. Not until she all but foisted it onto him in her hurried little introduction, so over eager that she hadn't even deigned to wait for a response in kind before firing off more inane banter. Perhaps that was what qualified as manners in the backwater that was forsaken Mistralton.

He watched her with cool, disinterested eyes as she hurriedly backpedaled down the hall, content enough to disdain her from afar as she went back to whatever business such an... excitable girl managed to get up to. But his contentment was short lived. So caught up in his own contempt, it only donned on him after she insisted he hurry along that they hadn't been going in opposite directions when they collided, but rather the same direction. His disinterest turned to alarm, and then just as quickly to indignation.

"Oh, no no no. Do not tell me you are on this year's battle team," He could practically feel the scorn rolling off his tongue as he was finally moved to speak, "You can't even dodge a passerby! I'd hate to see how your Pokemon fare against actual moves."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Just to be clear, the Mystral live in matriarchal tribes, right? Because the OOC says patriarchal but the men are all chased off.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Had a doctor's appointment to settle today, will have something out tomorrow.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

VAGRANT
Those who lug around massive, bladed weapons such as axes, greatswords, and scythes. They rely on overwhelming their opponents with powerful, animalistic blows that border on inhuman. There have been many stories of such individuals forging covenants with strange shades.

das me.

A Final Fantasy Roleplay Set In an Original World!

I don't know what any of those words mean, but I've been meaning to play a monster hunter type character with a big heckin' sword.

A Final Fantasy Roleplay Set In an Original World!

Throwing in some tentative interest.

星空 不朽 | Hoshizora Everlasting: Vae Victis