Okay, so.. maybe not so brief. Sorry if I got a little carried away. n_n;;
Name: Acacia Ridder
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Nationality: British
Years as a Runner: 22 - born and raised at Sundown
Description of appearance: Nearly everything about Acacia is petite, from her slight, 5'4" frame to her delicate hands to her slightly upturned nose. Her soft curves and ever smiling face give her the appearance of a perfectly gentle soul, which is, for the most part, right on point; but they also belie the agility and speed that she has honed for years, the tightly coiled muscles ready to release at the first sign of trouble.
Upturned hazel eyes sit in a pale, heart shaped face, which is framed by bluntly cut bangs and long, straight black hair that comes to the bottom of her shoulder blades when it's not up in a messy bun -- which it often is. Acacia usually wears a loose-fitting white t-shirt over dark heather grey leggings with red and white running shoes, throwing on a black leather bomber jacket and extra layers in colder weather. She is never without a small, red backpack that holds a host of essential medical supplies.
A brief bio: Sundown has been Acacia's home for her entire life, the Runners the warm blanket that lets her sleep soundly at night. She was born within the cloud-kissed sanctuary and has lived a relatively easy life, considering the overall state of affairs. While it would be impossible to grow up as a Runner and not be aware of the danger they all faced every day, Acacia's parents raised her within as much of a protective bubble as they could allow -- although whether this will end up helping or hurting her remains to be seen. For better or worse, a sort of wide-eyed optimism and naiveté has become one of Acacia's defining traits, along with a deep, deep desire to nurture and protect.. well, everyone.
From a very young age, Acacia observed, and eventually assisted, her mother, Iris, as she tended to the wounds and ailments of many of the Runners within the civilian sector. She proved to be a fast learner, eager and driven. By the time she was ten, Acacia was actively involved in treating nearly everyone who came to see her mother. Even if all she had to do was hold a tray or fetch more gauze, every second spent by her mother's side was an opportunity to absorb the knowledge that had been passed down through the generations, originating from the first Runner in their family, a doctor who helped to build Sundown with the rest of the original Runners Movement. There was nothing that Acacia loved more than helping others, mending them with her own hands, as if she could actually make a difference in their broken world.
Around her sixteenth year, Acacia began to long for something more, as teenagers often do. The persistent coughs and minor injuries they saw to day in and day out, while not unimportant, had begun to leave her feeling unfulfilled. They didn't see many Runners injured in the field, not in her mother's small clinic -- though she was an experienced nurse, Iris had very little experience with combat-related injuries -- but Acacia knew what went on beyond the walls of Sundown, despite her father's best efforts to continue to shield her from that harsh reality. Just like other Runners her age, she began to feel the call to join the group of elite Runners who protected their society. But it was not to be.
Acacia's father, Frederick, had always been loving, doting, and fiercely protective of his daughter. But when, at seventeen, she asked for his blessing to volunteer for assignment to one of the outlying Sectors, Frederick felt a primal fear rise within him at the thought of losing his only child, and immediately refused. Acacia found herself trapped in a life she had previously revelled in. It went against her nature to harbor any real resentment toward her father; instead, she focused all of the energy not already dedicated to helping her mother on training herself physically. She was determined to show Frederick that she could take care of not only herself, but others as well; that she would be an asset, not a liability, to whichever Sector she joined; and that instead of fearing the worst, he should be proud of the things Acacia was capable of.
Over the next four years, Acacia trained hard, pushing herself to new heights (literally and figuratively). She became an accomplished young woman, quick of mind and foot, and a competent nurse, thanks to the years spent in her mother's clinic. Though she had appealed to her father countless times to change his mind, and each time his response had been the same as the first, she hadn't given up hope. Things were looking up, and she was sure that soon, she would be able to get through to her dad and finally realize the dream that she had held onto for almost six years..
But then her mother got sick.
Really sick.
And in just a few short months -- before they even knew it -- she was gone.
Acacia, who had spent so many years mending wounds and comforting those in pain, found herself unable to break through the walls that her father put up following Iris's death. Without realizing it, she put up her own walls, too, pushing everything deep within until it crystallized into a single thought: her mother had slipped away before Acacia could do anything to save her, and she never, ever wanted to feel that helpless again. She put in her request for assignment soon after, shoving aside the guilt of leaving her father behind when she knew he needed her. If he wouldn't let her help him, then that was his choice. All she could do now was move forward.
Melee weapon: Acacia doesn't carry a weapon, instead choosing to rely on her ability to evade her foes, or use their momentum against them if forced into close combat.