Yōkihi Ai [done]

Ame Genin Posts : 38 Join date : 2009-09-30

"...Like the lotus, you are a flower more beautiful than any other."
- Emperor Xuanzong

Ame Genin Posts : 38 Join date : 2009-09-30

General Information:

Name: Yōkihi [楊貴妃], Ai [愛].
Geisha Name: Chizuki [千月] – Thousand Moon

楊貴妃 - Known as Yōkihi in Japan, she is one of the four ancient beauties of China
---
愛 (Ai) - love

Age: 14
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Asian
Place of Birth: Rain Country

Village: Ame no Sato
Rank: Genin
Profession: Apprentice geisha

Personal Information:
Height: 63 inches
Weight: 105 pounds
Blood Type: AB+
Eye Color: Blood ruby
Hair Color: Midnight black
Physical Appearance:
[exterior] Many have called her different names: a moon fairy, the half-daughter of a goddess, and an all time favourite, the reincarnation of Yōkihi - the legendary beauty. Fourteen years of age, and Ai has already embodied and surpassed the expectations of these titles. However, some outlooks are markedly absurd, as some expect the young girl to be as Yōkihi was in folklore. And according to folklore, Ai was to be so entrancingly beautiful that fish would forget to swim when she walked by, that birds would be enticed to still their wings and plummet to the earth, and that the moon itself would shy away when compared to her loveliness. Such occurrences are no doubt impossible. However, it is clear that the child is one of rare beauty, capable of stilling rooms while sending minds reeling in disarray. Often upon first meeting, people are stunned and at a loss for words. Even those who are familiar with Ai catch themselves staring from time to time, captivated and spellbound. With hair of starless night, skin that resembles the sheen of the moon, and eyes that gleam with the lustre of blood, Ai manages to enthral any who lay eyes on her. Even when no longer in her presence, thoughts of her beauty are often entertained.

[attire] Ai is often seen with elaborate kimonos, preferring to garb herself in the traditional costumes of feudal Japan rather than the customary attire of present day. Such silks are often the result of earnest offerings from her ardent admirers. Since the girl harbours the status of maiko, the adornment of intricate pins and silks are expected. However, Ai limits what is needed, for she prefers the natural state of her body – unmarred by trinkets and cosmetics. Rarely will she powder her face in the traditional white, and seldom will she house her hair with embellishments. When possible, the girl will don humble yukatas – comfortable, and of simple colour. Believing her beauty as a curse rather than a blessing, Ai often attempts to look plain through the lack of beautifications.

[conduct] Like a butterfly, Ai glides on silent wings. Like a flower, she moves with refined grace. And like the sun that sets and the moon that rises, Ai goes about her life bearing a regal listlessness. Along with her lethargic movements and mannerisms, there is a definite air of elegance. Every movement has a purpose, never miscalculated or misplaced. Whether it was trained or bred into her, none can tell. But there is no doubt that her demeanour portrays a lady of noble birth.

Personality:
A dove donning soot in an attempt to be as a crow.
- Unknown

[off duty] Living in the world of sex and intrigue, Ai has intoxicated herself with its particular brand of sophistication, while remaining untouched in the heart. Her thoughts, being reflective and introspective, are usually fought in the havens of her mind as opposed to the verbal arena. Because of her contemplative nature, there is a blankness about her - often mistaken as detached or uncaring. When situations call for her to speak, she expresses only a few choice words. But through what few words are expressed, there is an obvious air of bluntness - a source of unease for many. What is most agitating, however, is her formulaic style when relaying said bluntness. This unattractive trait is a defence mechanism, wrought from the trauma of her childhood. Although coming off as stoic and untouchable, Ai is but a child who is afraid of opening her doors. Underneath the cold façade, a childlike naïveté is revealed. For those who are fortunate enough to see her true interior, they are often surprised by how much innocence the child contains. In truth, Ai is very gentle, and it pains her whenever a rebuke flies from her lips. Her soul is constantly showered with sadness, but her spark of hope has yet to be extinguished.

[on duty] Ai is the perfect maiko; the child is well versed in dancing, poetry, instrumentation, pouring tea, and flirting. Many are often surprised that the child is not yet geisha. Of course, the average age for such a title would be eighteen to twenty, with sixteen as the customary age for maiko. Ai’s superiors, however, elected for her to begin maiko-hood during the years of fourteen. It is quite evident that they longed to milk the child for all her worth. While she is entertaining men in teahouses, Ai is flattering – often with undertones of playful, if not impolite, sarcasm. Unlike her peers, who prefer to embody traits of giggle-ish young girls, Ai plays her maiko personality dangerously close to her own. Certain behaviours are often belittling toward her guests, and some jokes rude and risqué. Yet it is all relayed with such grace and skill that no one can really be offended.

[tone] Whether it be on duty or off, Ai’s range of voice never exceeds that of forte. When assuming the role of maiko, her speech oozes the rich and deep lustre of learned lovers. When in her regular condition, Ai speaks with a mature lull that practically borders on monotony. However, with her infamous candour and cultured speech, conversations with the young girl often reflect something opposite of tedium. If exposed to her interior, the tone becomes childlike – with obvious lights of naïveté, curiosity, and a sense of gentleness that brinks the edge of timidity.

Phobia(s):
Philophobia - fear of falling in love or being in love
Taphophobia - fear of being buried alive

Other Information:
Likes : Anything that contains ink - books, paintings, calligraphy, etc. Anything sweet.
Dislikes: ‘Mistreated’ food, off-tuned instruments, chord progressions that do not resolve, people staring openly
Habits: Taking long baths, always 'fashionably' late, use of formal speech, reading anything written

Ame Genin Posts : 38 Join date : 2009-09-30

History

[age 8] Due to Ai's otherworldly exterior of pale skin and wide chestnut eyes, the civilian village dubbed her a ‘monster’ and ‘the bringer of misfortune’. She was often bullied, and was the recipient to many hateful glares and statements. Food shortages, along with other bizarre occurrences, were often, if not always, blamed upon her. As a result of their loathing, the villagers sacrificed Ai to the ‘mountain god’, thus effectively displacing her far from civilization, and deep within the wilderness of the mountain shrine. As the newly christened ‘mountain priestess’, no mortal was to come in contact with the child. She was also forbidden to leave the mountain, thus making food a scarce commodity for the eight year old child. Sentarou, Ai’s only friend, often stole into the mountain in the deep of night, bringing with him food and clothes. For many years, this was the only human contact Ai received. But as the villagers were content, so was the girl, for she was now free from the constant strain of hate.

Spoiler:

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[age 10] The mountain grew to be her playground. By day, she roamed the many hills and crevices, never loosing her way. By night, she returned to the mountain shrine, waiting faithfully for Sentarou’s arrival. On most nights, he failed to appear. But it was to be expected, as it was dangerous enough for the boy to visit her at all. One moonlit night, a presence splashed into existence within the pool that resided nearby. Thinking it to be Sentarou, Ai splashed after it. When the child saw the bloodied water, her heart flew, immediately thinking that her friend was injured. She brought the unconscious boy into her abode, by then realizing that he was not Sentarou at all, but rather a boy of fifteen, whom she’s never before seen. Nevertheless, she tended to him, crushing what herbs she could gather into ointment, and tearing what clothes she owned into bandages. By morning, the boy, whose name was Ichimoku Ren, awoke, thanking the girl for her care. He claimed to be a ninja, and since Ai hailed from a civilian village, Ren had some difficulty in explaining his kind. He also explained his situation, and stated that he was wrongfully accused for committing a crime. He had been attacked, thus he fled to the civilian villages. He refused to elaborate any further, simply stating that he would not be able to move actively due to a special wound, and due to his need to keep a low profile. In return for her kindness, Ren vouched to teach Ai the basic ways of the Shinobi. The young girl, awed by the presence of this boy, agreed. For two years they grew together, cultivating a special, but secret, friendship.

......

[age 11] A famine struck. The villagers grew restless, fevered by how they cannot feed their families. Groans turned to doubts, doubts to rumours, and rumours to bitter action. A group of friends followed Sentarou one night, discovering that he had been stealing into the mountain and that the ‘monster’ was actually alive and well. Enraged, the people dragged Ai out of the wilderness, bound her to her family, and proceeded to ultimately sacrifice them to the mountain god. They spat at Ai, cursing her for breaking the laws and for angering the god. Again, the villagers blamed her for their troubles. With a resounding blow, they knocked the family out, pitching them into an open grave so as to bury them alive. Ren, abandoning his cover, snatched Ai away, leaving the infuriated villagers behind. While still unconscious, Ai dreamt that the mountain god came to her, and said deity struck up a proposition.

“I will save the lives of your family, as well as your beloved Sentarou. However, because the lives I save are three, you are to suffer the same amount of consequences. You are never to see your loved ones again. Should you attempt a meeting, they will die. You will never belong to one man, but to all men. And whatever man earns your love, will lose his life to death. The curse cannot be undone, lest snow falls in summer, men outrun the wind, and time repeat itself. These are the terms, do you accept?”

Ai, after a calculated pause, consented. From that day on, Ai and Ren drifted from village to village, avoiding any large population when possible, for fear of being identified.

Spoiler:

......

[age 12] A year had passed since the incident. Ai confirmed, thanks to the eavesdropping skills of Ren, that her family and Sentarou were somehow alive and well. Over the course of their travels, Ai grew in her skills and was able to learn taijutsu in the form of dancing - courtesy of a performing troupe. One fateful day, the hungry pair settled in a food stall by the side of the road, and when Ren left to order their meal, an old man – garbed as a beggar – approached Ai. The man commented on the pair’s ‘closeness’, and inquired about their relationship. Ren admitted that, after four years, she had fallen in love with him. The beggar’s hood fell away, revealing the face of a long-forgotten dream – the mountain god. With heart pounding, Ai turned in time to see the shop owner puncture a bloody hole into Ren’s guts. Someone had recognized him. In that instant, tears of red gushed from Ai. No longer were her eyes the tame colour of brown. Now, they were the startling hue of blood, marking the beginning of her curse.

After Ren’s death, Ai sealed away her heart, and wondered about the villages aimlessly. Soon, rumours of a ghost haunting the countryside were circulated. Over time, Ai stumbled into the walls of Ame no Sato, where she was immediately whisked off in training to become geisha. Understanding that she also possessed shinobi skills, the headmistress granted Ai entrance into the ninja academy. Ai – with the pain of her mistake riding heavily upon her back – simply watched as her life played out before her.

Spoiler:

......

[age 14] Having completed her training, Ai is now a full-fledged maiko. Although she is now one of the most sought-after females of her village, she is far from content. Sleepless nights are the norm, as guilt and unrest plague her dreams. The rest of her story has yet to unfold…

Ame Genin Posts : 58 Join date : 2009-09-28

Approved to the rank of Genin.