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 Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 2:19 pm
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 1:35 pm
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 Name: Kaalnia
[Kaal (Long a) -nya]
Species: Alkidike
Class: Warrior (spear) (To Amazon)
Traits:
Kaalnia likes to think of herself as funny, and a lot of the things Kaalnia does are so ridiculous and absurd that you can't help but laugh at her rashness. She knows it, too. If she can make you laugh by being an absolute clown, she won't take offense – Instead, she takes it as encouragement.
Kaalnia is big, loud, and proud, and she's in-your-face gregarious. She can be too much for some people, and having a child hasn't done more than dull her slightly. She has definitely given a lot of headaches to a lot of people, but she has inspired others. Kaalnia finds it difficult to be calm and collected, and is constantly bursting with energy. A being of activity, she needs to be constantly active, otherwise she becomes bored.
Some people express themselves through words and nuanced gestures. Kaalnia more tactile, she expresses herself through touch. A “Hey-how-ya-doin'” is always followed by a solid pat (more like a friendly blow) to the shoulder, a “Oh-I'm-so-sorry” is punctuated by a gentle pat or stroke, a “shove-off-you-idiot” is accompanied by an actual shove. Caresses, tugs, pats, punches, shakes, and shoves almost seem like as much a part of her vocabulary as words.
Personality
Kaalnia is an energetic and friendly flirt of an Alkidike. She has trouble taking things seriously: she sees life as a big, fun, exciting, and dangerous party where she is the loudest one in the room. She is quick to laugh, and always laughs as much as she can. It it very difficult to get her down, and she is fairly easygoing.
She isn't all that bright or perceptive, but what she lacks in smarts, she makes up for in sheer presence. Sneaking isn't her strong suit- she's a very noticeable Alkidike and she likes it that way.
She is a highly social person, very outgoing and willing to interact with anybody. She's aggressive, but it isn't always violent- sometimes, she's just a big personality. In a fight, though she is okay with people getting hurt, her goal is not to hurt people, but to have fun. This makes it a bit difficult to understand people who are actually vicious, spiteful, murderous, or sadistic, which is why her bout with Ruelash at the tournament was so horrifying to her. She had never met a person like him before, and suddenly he was trying to kill her. It shook her up a lot. After meeting Votzhem, shes been more like her normal self. She does, however, still have jumpy moments.
Kaalnia has a great memory, for people especially. She has been known to remember even obscure or barely mentioned facts, and is very considerate about birthdays and such.
She has little concept of 'personal space' and frequently gets too close to people for comfort. She gets personal far too quickly, talking about subjects that she, should not be talking about - The sort of things that people may be uncomfortable talking to her about. She also has a small/nonexistant personal space bubble, and playfully hits on anybody female and of age that she meets.
Kaalnia has been somewhat diluted since her daughter, Kiunyki, has come into the picture. Kaalnia's world now revolves around that little girl, and she will drop everything – even flirtation with attractive hybrids – to attend to Kiki's needs. In a sense, Kiki has helped her to grow up a little, and she certainly needed it.
Kaalnia doesn't see, and has never seen, any problem with her behavior: She likes to think she's a fearless, brave, smiling warrior with lots of friends who she is willing and happy to humiliate herself to cheer up. Truth is, her imposing personality, lack of a sense of personal space (mental and physical), and tendency to be both rough and tactile makes some people uncomfortable, while her goofiness and lack of any real seriousness annoys those that would otherwise not mind her. She has an enormous ego to match! Of course everybody loves her! She's big and strong AND she's funny to boot! She cares about people and all their little personal problems! And she's smoking hot! Clearly she is Aisha's gift to women.
Since she cannot recognize her own flaws, change thus falls to Kiki's influence, and so far, so good – Kaalnia is changing for the better.
Internal Trait: Energetic. Like, really energetic. Like, Wont-shut-up energetic
Internal Concept: Butterfly
Theme Song
Color:Lipstick Purple
[color=#9E0025] [/color] |
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 1:39 pm
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History:
Kaalnia was the second of a pair of lotuses given to the Alkidikes Salaki and Emes, the other lotus being Briella, her best friend and awesome older sister. Their mothers were very strict and while Briella chafed under them, Kaalnia just thrived in spite of it. She simply didn't take them seriously, smiling and laughing freely no matter what they tried to do to set her straight. Punishment didn't seem to bring her down any number of notches because everything was a fun challenge or a game, even time out or chores.
For a while, she was her sister Briella's rock against their parents 'tyranny' and a focal point for daring rebelliousness. Kaalnia thought they were having fun. She didn't see that her tendancy to leap before looking, act rashly, and generally get them both hurt, in trouble, or both, was causing the two to drift apart. Before she knew it, her sister no longer was playing with her, and had instead gone off to the group of young Alkidikes headed by Maya. Kaalnia was confused and suddenly realized she was alone. Her mothers were not appreciative of her rampant and chaotic energy, and other Alkidikes would distance themselves once they learned of Kaa's lack of regard for privacy and personal space, and her tendency to play rough. Kaa, of course, was convinced that their abandonment of her was because they couldn't handle her awesomeness, or something like that.
When she was old enough, she joined a tree, but she was so obnoxious that they kicked her out. She lived nomadically in Jahuar for a time before returning home to Amara, where she at least had her own room, to annoy everybody there.
She did have one steady friend who somehow put up with her. Tzofi, an older prentice, was her girlfriend for a while, encouraging Kaalnia to stay in once place and attempting to stay with one woman. It helped that the other Alkidikes wanted little to do with her, but Tzofi felt jealous because Kaalnia still chased them. When the oppurtunity came to prove herself as a blade, she took it, hoping to impress Kaalnia enough to keep her faithful.
Unfortunately, Tzofi lost her life. With that, Kaalnia simply returned to her usual life of occasional meandering around alkidike territory, and annoying everybody. She has not forgotten Tzofi, however.
A few years later, she heard tell of her sister for the first time in a long time. Apparently, she had become a blade and had a kid. Kaalnia was excited, so of course she had to visit them.
Along the way, she met the bizzare creature known as 'Man', including a male Alkidike of all things! She found them unattractive, but nice enough. The impression she made on them wasn't as positive, but that was just her.
Eventually she met a third man, Tau, who she hit it off well with and got serious advice about getting girls, and a lovely leaf lady, Pahana, who dances like a dream come true.
Kaalnia's world was happy and fun and exciting and awesome and maybe a little dangerous, and when the invitation to the tournament came, she was overjoyed. To her, a competition sounded right up her alley.
But...
In the first round, she was pitted against someone who didn't love fighting in the same way she did. She loved it for the movement and the excitement and the element of play involved. He wanted pain and blood. He came at her like a bat out of hell and beat her up badly. She was horrified by his bloodlust and spent the rest of the tournament fairly shaken up.
The only bright point, aside from her sister being around and ok, was her buying a Menk, popper. The little fishie-in-a-bubble kept her from despairing for a long while, but the tournament haunted her and eventually the nightmares, waking and sleeping, took their toll. She knew she should have been okay months after the tournament, but when it became clear that she wasn't going to be, she became convinced that she was somehow a coward, not worthy to be a blade. Popper could only do so much, and she became a shadow of her usual self.
One day, though, she was assigned to go to Sauti with a Male Hybrid to supervise him as he proved himself worthy of being a sister. His resemblance in nearly every way to Ruelash caused her to hate the man. They even fought on a small boat, nearly causing the death of both of them.
This man, Votzhem, saved her life then, and over their months of travelling (and especially after meeting his good-looking mothers) she became used to him being around. His resemblance to Ruelash helped her work out her pain, rage, fear, and frustration, and she began to act more like her old self. By the time she reached Chibale again, she felt better, more alive, but also more mature.
She didn't expect to be marked a Blade, or for her stomach to decide to turn on her. After a nasty bout of stomach sickness, she was well enough to go to the war, but not to fight. Instead, at Briella's request, she stayed to guard Dyakida, the Artisan, and keep her safe, as well as keep her company. She was glad she did: they lost the battle, but the dead reached the places they needed to go. Thus began Kaalnia's interest in death, the afterlife, and how people treated their dead.
The second battle of Neued saw her fighting, but she was forced to retreat, joining Biroki – a friend of her sister's – as they fled from the encroaching Obans. They rallied in the Tale, and Kaalnia prepared to fight for her freedom once again – with, of course, a break to hit on the strange, exotic fish-woman. She subsequently proved herself on the battlefield, fighting the Obans and their beasts.
The war won, Kaalnia moved onto other things, such as exploring her newfound and morbid interests and managing her tangled and amusing love life. Eventually, she was – as an able bodied Alkidike – called on to assist in the funeral preparations for the Alkidike that had fallen in battle. She did so, and at the same time aided a family of Shifters with their own mourning.
Feeling warm, fuzzy, refreshed, and at ease from all the good she had done, she returned to her friends, new and old, a warrior. She and Votzhem spent an especial amount of time with a young leaf lady named Iroia, and Kaalnia encouraged the budding relationship between the two of them. At the same time, however, she realized she was lonely.
Acting on a whim and a thought – the most logical thought she had ever had – she pled to Aisha to grant her a lotus, so that she would have someone to call “her” girl, a person she could really, honestly love. Aisha granted her wish, and some months later, Kaalnia anxiously arrived on Chibale and was given a bundle of life and light. Kaalnia was, finally, in love.
Kiunyki became the center of her world, the light of her life. Kaalnia's focus was completely – as completely as anything ever was with her – on this child and being her mother. Motherhood changed Kaalnia, giving her more responsibility and the resilience to deal with the future that was to come... |
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 1:50 pm
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Positive:
Kiunyki: Kaalnia's shy, timid daughter whos devotion to her mother is matched and exceeded by Kaalnia's devotion to her.
My little girl. I love her. I love her so much. She's going to grow up big, strong, and awesome, just like me. She's my everything, and I'd have it no other way.
Votzhem: Votzhem is an Ice tribe/Alkidike hybrid who looks oddly like Ruelash. Although Kaalnia used to think he was a huge jerk, they've settled into a close friendship and are rarely seen apart. They act very much like siblings, and have their squabbles, but there is always a deep respect and appreciation between them that has only grown stronger with the years...
Vosh is my brother, and a damn better brother than some sisters, let me tell you. He's got my back, and he's fun to spar with. Sometimes I like to tease him, just to get a rise...
Iroia: A leaf tribe girl who, though she doesn't seem to take to Kaa's flirtations, is still fun to be around. She definitely has a thing with Votzhem.
I'm all for her spending time with Vosh – he needs a lady in his life who will sleep with him and stay with him, and I think that she's at least pretty close to the one for him. So, I set them up and leave them at strategic times. I'm so clever!
Briella: Briella is Kaalnia's sister, who is eons more mature and awesome than Kaalnia. Kaalnia totally knows it and loves it. However, she vanished, and Kaalnia hasn't seen her in ages.
I hope shes' all right. Aisha forbid, if shes dead, then I hope she at least haunts me or something, so I can set her right or... or something... I miss her.
Tau: Tau is a male leaf-tribesman who Kaalnia met a long time ago...
Oh yeah, him... I got my headdress from him, didn't I? And some war paint? I wonder how he's doing...
Yaholo: A leaf/alkidike male who Kaalnia met on the way to Briella's, a long time ago...
I remember this really neat Leaf-alkidike... I heard he had a bunch of lotuses. Aisha must really love him! Go him!
Neutral:
Ilyra: Ilyra is Briella's adopted child, whose adoption is what called Kaa to go see Briella in the first place, long ago when she was a lot younger. Ilyra went with Briella when she vanished...
I hope the kid's okay... Kids shouldn't die out in the jungle, you know?
Dyakida: Dyakida is a blind Alkidike crafter who is a little cold and not into Kaalnia's flirtations.
Still playing hard to get, still probably well worth the chase!
Tahigwa: Honestly, Tahigwa didn't like Kaalnia when they met while she was with Yaholo. That was a long time ago, and Kaalnia hasn't heard hide or hair of her since.
She was so cute! And funny! But I totally tired her out back then... I wonder how she's doing...
Thurchin: (NPC) Long ago, Kaalnia met this outfitter apprentice at the edge of the Tale. He has the dubious honor of being the first male Kaalnia had ever met. She has since forgotten about him.
Biroki: A shifter Sage who Kaalnia knew vaguely through her sister and met in person during the retreat from Neued. He's a little scary, but otherwise, Kaa has no opinion on him...
I dunno what to say, other than he's a little overpowered, you know? Someone with a temper should not be throwing fireballs around.
Negative:
Ruelash: During the Tournament, when she was a prentice, Kaalnia fought Ruelash and lost horribly. The terror of that day has never entirely left her... Until she fought him again.
I've almost died against him. Twice. But one day I will kick his a** and be free of his nightmares.
Other:
Pinpin:
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 1:59 pm
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Home
Kaalnia lives on Isle Amara with her daughter, but wanders often towards the Tale/Jahuar border where all the fun, apparently, is.
Inventory
Kaalnia has on her:
Scrolls on Earthling religion and spiritual practices, especially those to do with death. (who would have figured her for a scholarly type?)
Spare body paint
a Decorated spear
some random stuff, and...
Popper, a miniature Menk that Kaalnia picked up. It (his?) scales are very pretty and it has this way of looking absolutely adorable against the glass of it's enclosure. Popper cheers her up whenever she's feeling down and she spoils the hell out of that fish when she can figure out how to feed and care for it.
And Pinpin, a Roati as loved for her colors and fur as for her companionship...
Skills and Abilities
Kaalnia isn't so much a great fighter as a creative fighter. She likes to dance, and wielding a spear is, to her, just an extension of dancing.
Other than her dancing abilities and her limitless energy and enthusiasm, Kaa doesn't have much going for her martially but she's getting better! |
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 2:02 pm
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In Progress:
Trashed:
X - Parenthood is Hard <> Kaalnia and Kiunyki
X - At Large <> World Event Prompt: Kaalnia and Ilyra
X -BEAST BATTLE/RP: Feather Treasure <> Dyakida, Kaalnia, Briella, and a LOT of Scorra
X - Flowers and Snow and Graveyards <> Kaalnia and Yelena
X - The Main Attraction of the Tale <> Kaalnia and Keilana
Complete:
X - Speardance <> Solo (1437 Words)
X - Tzofi and the Weeping Tree <> Solo (1395)
XX - Alone at Last <> Kaalnia and Niabi, response is 274 words
X - In My Bubble <> Lassara and Kaalnia
X - That guy <> Solo (1224 words)
XX - To Bro or not to Bro... Why ask? <> Yaholo, Tahigwa, Kaalnia, response is 209 words
XX - Too Sexy for my Head Ornaments <> Kaalnia and Tau, Response is 237 words
XX - A bizzare Reunion <> Dyakida, Kaalnia, Briella, Ilyra , response is 212 words
XX - Don't Follow my Lead <> Pahana and Kaalnia, Response is 150 words
XX - Meta Ch 4: Tournament Stands <> (9 posts) Response is 390 words
X - Meta Battle: Tournament Round 1 <> Ruelash vs Kaalnia (LOST)
X - Terrible Aftermath <> Solo, 411 words
XX - I Know something is Wrong <> Kaalnia and Briella , response is 110 words
X - Reflection <> Solo, 726 words
X - Motherly Love <> Solo, 855 words
XX - Class Quest <> response is 278 words
X - Meta Ch. 5: Invasion, Camp <>
X - Meta Ch. 5: Invasion, Preparing for the Worst <> (2 points total)
XX - Meta Ch. 5: Invasion, Responses <> 274 words, 384 words
X - I Am Stronger Now <> Solo, 1675 words
XX - Night Terrors <> Kaalnia and Yitzah, Response is 246 words
X - The Magic of Death <> Solo, 1089 words
X - Closing the Circle <> Versatile Prompt Response 635 words
XX BEAST BATTLE: Raptrix (Win 2) - Retreat <> Biroki and Kaalnia (Counts for Battle)
X - The Retreat from Neued <> Solo, 775 words
X - Meta Ch 6: Final Battle, Tale Camp <>
X - Meta Ch 6: Final Battle, Battle <>
XX - Meta ch 6: Final Battle, Responses <> 145 and 204 words
X BEAST BATTLE (Aldabuck, loss) - Meat Time? <> Solo
X BEAST BATTLE (Aldabuck Win) - Now its REALLY meat time! <> Solo
XX - New Friends <> Kaalnia, Iroia, Votzhem
XXX BEAST BATTLE: I Saw your girl and I liked it <> Kaalnia and Kiyelt (RP Credit)
X BEAST BATTLE(Nondwa win x 1 Lose x 1 Failed to tame) - You could have just asked! <> Solo
X BATTLE: Iroia vs Kaalnia <> Won
X BATTLE: Kaalnia vs Vollerai <> Lost
XX Class Quest <>
X The Heart's Truth <> Baby Solo, 1371 words
X A Gift of Love <> Solo, 1325 words
X The Bandit Cloth <> Solo, 2063 words
X What Will My Daughter Be? <> Solo, 951 words
X BATTLE: Kaalnia vs Ruelash <> Lost
XX Fight in the Marketplace <> Versatile RP, Dyakida and Kaalnia, 127 words
X Meta Ch 7: Rising Tide
XX Meta Ch 7: The Time has come, 180 words (1 vp, 1 battle)
X Battle: Kaalnia vs Ruelash <> LOST
X Endless White <> Solo, 984 words
X Endless Red <> Solo, 1700 words
XXX Moving is a Victory <> Beast Taming, 165 words
XX - Barter and Haggle <> Versatile RP: Votzhem, Kaalnia, Vallenhyyr, response is 152 words
XX - Remembering the Past <> Versatile Prompt: 852 words
XX - And then She fainted <> Iroia, Votzhem, Kaalnia (96 words)
X <> BATTLE: Kaalnia vs Nuawahn (WON)
X META Tournament Round 1: Xariy vs Kaalnia (Lost)
X <> Meta: Zena's Summer Festival: The Daughter of Ault
X <> Meta ch 8: The Grand Market
X <> Keep Smiling: Growth Solo
X <> BATTLE: Votzhem vs Kaalnia (Won)
Growth Progress:
Stage 4 to Legendary
RP Growth Reqs
0/80
EXP Growth Reqs
2/20
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 2:05 pm
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Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 11:17 pm
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That Guy – 1224 words
Kaalnia didn't feel like travelling to Emeka in a straight line. Why should she? She wanted to pick up some things for Briella and see the Tale and basically do the exploring she hadn't gotten to do for a while living on Amara. The island settlement wasn't boring so much as it was... okay, boring.
Only mildly so, really. It had its good bits. Kaalnia just wanted to see something different for a change.
She jumped off of the tree into the Tale borderlands, wiggling her feet in the blown-over sand. It was nice and soft, not bad to walk in, at least in this heat. It was still early and, unless Jahuar and Tale were completely different worlds, it was going to get hot and stay hot later. There were some neat plants here- some were short and had feathery things, others were spiky. Many had plain damn odd colors, like reds and greens and yellows- not the purple she was used to.
It was certainly more interesting than Chibale, if only because she wasn't used to it. She looked around for a moment.
Ahh, but it was boring because there wasn't anything but plants! She needed action, or something. She'd just seen the Tale, glimpsed it through some trees, and that was pretty neat, but where were all the critters? Leaves, was the Tale really just completely desolate? That was dull!
Her antennae twitched, her peripheral vision caught something just south of her.
Movement! Oo! She wondered what it could be. She had to investigate. She didn't bother sneaking. Sneaking was overrated, and besides, she was being friendly. Friendly people didn't sneak up, unless it was a sexy game, but you don't do that to people you just meet, or animals for that matter. The ladies didn't like it, and Kaa wasn't going to do soemthing that the ladies didn't like, oh no. Besides, in the case of a creature, if it was dangerous, it wouldn't want to hang around her anyway. If it wasn't dangerous, maybe she'd get a peek.
But upfront honesty was her game, and she would do it. Her way.
A humanoid figure stilled in the foliage. Clearly, they knew she was there. They also weren't fooling anybody, but hey. She wasn't here for harm.
"Hello there! How are ya!"
A friendly greeting went such a long way!
"H... hello...?" came the slightly wary reply. Kaa stopped for a moment. Well, it had been a voice, but it sounded odd. For one thing it was way too deep. Did the woman have a voice problem? Maybe she was sick or had eaten something? Some of her Alkidike sisters got deep voices when their throats were damaged.
She assumed this was an Earthling, which was awesome. Maybe they had throat troubles too.
"Yeah! Hello to you! Come out and say hi properly, friend!"
"Uh... okay?"
The oddest thing she had ever seen rose from the pushes, palms out and hands up in a position of wary surrender.
At first, she thought they were deformed.
Clearly an earthling, from their brown skin, green eyes, and crystals but something was wrong with her! Her chest was exposed, but it revealed only modest slabs of muscle where breasts should be. The hips were wrong. The groin was swollen. The face was odd, but faces could be odd.
Oh the poor woman, to be so deformed. Kaalnia bet that she would never find someone to love her. Well, good thing Kaa had happened along, right? Even though their looks were repulsive, she felt she had to do something for the poor dear, even if it meant just being nice.
So, in typical Kaalnia fashion, though with a bit of uncertainty.
"Hey there, girl." she made a show of looking them over, even though she winced inwardly each time, "I'm Kaalnia, but you can call me your hero" she gave them her best wink- even horribly malformed girls had a right to Kaalnia, moreso the poor dears- "Because I'm going to sweep you off your feet."
The earthling stared at her. And stared.
"I'm... not a girl?"
Kaalnia forgot about her pose and it was her turn to stare.
No. Nooo. It couldn't be.
"Well, what are you then?" she asked, off balance and puzzled.
"Uh..." The Earthling gave her a wary look, "I'm... a guy."
[b}"Wait, a guy? As in a man? As in a male?"
"Erm... Yes. And you're an Alkidike."
"Well, I know that part..." she left her pose to approach, maybe a bit faster than she should have, circling him, "Wait. So. You're a man. An actual man." She inspected him, rubbing her chin.
"Huh. With the way some of my sisters described it, I thought you'd be attractive. But hey" she shrugged, "Different preferences for different women, I guess" She laughed.
Well s**t. She met a man today. An actual, real life man. She had only ever seen them from a distance at the Ritual, and then only vaguely and briefly and she was too busy ogling the earthling women to really notice them.
"... ... Thanks?"
She laughed.
"Well s**t then! Okay, so my name is Kaalnia, I'm a prentice Alkidike" she gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder, causing him to squeak in surprise, "And I'm all about the ladies. You like the ladies too? Ladies are great!"
"Uhhhhh..."
"I also like exploring, coloring, and meeting new people, especially ladies." she put her arm around him, grinning, "So! Lets be friends, strange earthling man!"
He gave her a weak smile in return.
"Sure. I'm... I'm a leaf tribe prentice. I... sew."
"Cool!" she said.
Well that just made her day. A new friend. Sure he wasn't doing anything for her looks-wise, but hey. Friends were friends, male, female, animal, or tree or whatever!
"Wait." she gave him a quizzical look, "Whats a sew?"
"Its a female Snurt." he said abruptly and sarcastically, trying to edge away a bit from the Alkidike that, thank the spirits, wasn't trying to kill him, "and it has to do with clothing making..." He looked down at her clothing (or lack thereof)"Which you wouldn't know much about."
"Nope!" said Kaalnia cheerfully, not minding the snark or the boldness. There was very little that could bother Kaa.
"So! How do you make clothes? Normally, I just get the cloth and then wear it...?"
~~~
It was the beginning of a vivid conversation. On one side, honest, friendly straightforwardness. On the other, sarcasm stemming from the transformation of terror to annoyance to something resembling aquaintenceship.
The subject veered from clothing to men to women to earthlings to random plants and back to clothing, each subject lasting long enough for the earthling to say his piece, but none lasting long enough for him- either of them, really- to remember what he had forgotten to say.
His name.
They talked until the sun started to set and he had to go home. Kaalnia had to continue on her journey, and he had parents who would be worried.
~~~
"Allright, pal! See you later sometime, yeah?" she said, waving at his retreating form from the treeline.
"Yes. I'm sure it would be wonderful" He said, turning back to wave all the same.
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Or something like that.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:18 am
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Terrible Aftermath – 411 words
Kaalnia rushed out of the area and into the empty prep room she had previously been dancing around. She threw her spear haphazardly against the wall and, driven by a sudden disturbing urge, threw up over an available basin.
Eventually, she was out of vomit and she sat down, her throat raw and her eyes burning with freely flowing tears.
Oh Aisha, oh mother Aisha, she was so scared. She hugged her knees and cried hoarsely, shivering. She was so scared.
She couldn't believe what she had just experienced. Getting hurt was one thing- she dueled whenever she could, just to impress people. Duels were friendly. She had thought this was going to be just like them... but it hadn't been, not at all!
Those eyes, oh Aisha, those horrible yellow eyes. He'd been after her blood and her life. He hadn't been after honor or glory or her belongings or anything else. He had been intending only to hurt and maim her.
Oh Aisha, how was she not dead? Her life was spared but she still felt so vulnerable. She had never felt this way in her life.
She didn't want to uncoil or open her eyes for fear that she would see him coming through the entrance, that horrible knife raised to strike her down once and for all. She wished she had her lotus so that she could crawl back into it and be safe and cozy again.
It took her a good while to calm down enough to open her eyes and unfurl herself, and only then she did so because she was blazingly thirsty. There was another basin full of water and she cupped some in her shaky hands and drank it, feeling refreshed. She caught a glimpse of herself in the reflecting water.
Holy s**t she looked awful. She splashed her face with the cold water and shook her head vigorously, her dredlocks flying everywhere. She couldn't let anybody see her like this!
She washed her face properly and took a few deep breaths to try and put her game face back on. She would have to get out there eventually, and honestly she just wanted to find Brie and hug her. She tried a smile in the reflecting basin and shivered, remembering HIS smile.
Calm down, it will be okay she told herself, bracing to exit the safe room.
Healers first, then you go find Brie.
She swallowed and exited back into the stands.
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Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:50 pm
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Speardance – 1437 words, Class Affinity
Kaalnia felt the calmest she had felt all day. There were no stray anxious thoughts bouncing around her mind, no goals, nothing. She wasn't even trying to impress anybody. There was only movement. The spear she held felt as much a part of her as the rest of her arm, and it longed to move to the music she felt pulsing in her soul. So, she moved. She had no orders and no opponent: There was just herself, her spear, the world, and the music inside her.
She raised her spear to the sky for a moment, enjoying it's weight and feel before bringing it down in a slash and forward in a sharp jab, darting back and switching the spear around to strike behind her before twirling into a graceful block. She moved as she pleased, undulating her body sideways as she moved the spear in a Z-cut before leaping back and forth for another jab. She ducked, laying a hand on the ground to steady herself as she kicked out in a trip sweep before twisting and setting back up, spear at ready. She struck again at the air, twisting it to slash to the side.
"Kaalnia!"
She felt weightless and frictionless, capable of everything. She felt free: Free of the burden of impressing women, free of having to be more than herself. Free. She loosened her grip on the spear, letting it's butt hit the ground and bounce before she grabbed it again and leveled it with a loud, sharp, "HAI!".
"Kaalnia!"
In that moment, she felt like some sort of warrior-goddess: graceful, serene, and powerful. She crouched, spear at the ready, her muscles tensing to thrust it forward..
"KAALNIA"
The words were followed by a sudden and jarring smack to the back of the head, just behind her antennae. Startled, she lost her balance and fell flat on her face into the mud. For a moment, she was confused. Then she remembered. She blushed sheepishly. s**t. She had an audience.
She looked up guiltily at the face of the drill trainer, who was glaring fiercely at her.
"Kaalnia, you idiot. Get back in line before I hit you again, and no fancy radakushit this time."
"Yes'm." she said, feeling uncharacteristically humble as she got up off of the ground and walked back to the line of prentices. Some snickered at her and she managed to smile at them awkwardly.
Inside she was kicking herself. While she didn't mind their amusement much, she sort of wished she hadn't done that in front of them. Her spear dancing was a very personal part of her life. She didn't do it to posture or strut her stuff, she did it for herself, because she liked to move with her spear. It was something she considered uniquely and privately... her. Now, all these prentices (many of whom were very attractive) and the drill trainer
(who wasn't so bad herself) had seen her spear dance. She felt a bit exposed.
Why had she broken out into dancing? Sure the drills were boring as swampwater, but if she was good at them, she would have girls crawling all over her. Everybody liked martial prowess. She should have kept her concentration up and just did as she was told!
She had tried to focus on her spear and concentrate her being on its tip, just like the instructor said. It was so hard to concentrate. Her mind wanted to go everywhere at once and do everything. She wanted to think about her pickup lines, the ladies around her, her friends out in the Tale, everything.
But her drill instructor didn't want that. It had to be all about the spear. Kaalnia was trying, though, really she was. Several people had seriously chewed her out about being flighty and unfocused, and her sister had been less than pleased with her as well. Where Briella was concerned, Kaalnia would do anything to make her happy.
She had walked into training camp ready to fix her focus problems, and had tried as hard as she could, but the music in her soul just wanted to come out and no amount of trying and concentration was going to hold it back. She just had to move.
That was probably what happened. The drill had been boring and she had just needed to move. The trainer hadn't liked her improvising much, according to her still-smarting head. If only they knew. Then they would forgive her. She couldn't help it and she couldn't share the music with them either. They couldn't hear it. It was hers and nobody else's. It was a melody so irresistible that she could not help but do something with it, yet it resisted all attempts at humming it or writing it down.
Normally, she kept her cool in public, only giving in to the urge to dance with her training weapon at home and in private. This time, though, she had screwed up. This was bad- losing control was not a desirable trait. Bad... But not unsalvagable.
"Sorry, boss ma'am!" she said, smiling roguishly, "But I was good, wasn't I?"
"No, Kaalnia, no you weren't."
said the drill trainer sternly, ”You were terrible.”
<********.
She heard snickering rise around her again, but she kept her smile on her face and even managed to look like she really didn't care at all. She propped her spear in the ground and leaned on it. "Oh yeah?" she asked cockily, her posture relaxed and easygoing, "Well, boss, what'd I do wrong?"
"Well"
said the drill instructor, her expression neutral. Honestly, the drill instructor wasn't unattractive, though she was a bit on the old side for Kaalnia's tastes. Kaalnia loved that the woman seemed to stay unphased no matter what she did in class. "To start, you moved inefficiently. That... routine... you pulled off had too many extra moves with too much decoration between each one. You wasted time. Against a serious opponent, you can't waste time, otherwise you'll be spitted. Also..."
The drill trainer suddenly jabbed her quarterstaff at Kaalnia, knocking her off balance again and back into the mud, "You left yourself so open that a youngling could have beaten you."
She said as Kaalnia shook off the muck.
"Aww, come on, boss." Kaalnia said, managing to keep up the cheer even though her spirits were rapidly falling. Aisha's leaves, it was embarassing getting knocked into the mud twice, but hey. Sympathy attracted women too. "It looked nice, didn't it?"
She was met with a neutral expression and a moment of silence. "Get up and get back in line, Kaalnia. And do the drills like the others. No more improvising please."
Kaalnia kept up the cooperative and friendly facade, but inside she was miserable.
~~~
That evening she returned to her home, grumbling unhappily to herself. The Drill Trainer had taken her aside after class and had told her to 'behave' and to 'stop fooling around' otherwise she 'would never amount to anything'. That simply couldn't be true! She was Kaalnia, Aisha's gift to all women. She was a woman's woman, a big strong warrior. Obviously, she just needed to practice her dance more.
She looked one way, then another, just to make sure she was alone before getting out her training spear. She tried to relax again and find the music inside her, but she was too tired and it was too faint to hear. Dissappointed, she put her spear down and went to scrounge up something to eat.
~~~
The urge to dance hit her right as she was about to fall asleep. It started with a shifting of her feet under her light blanket. Then her fingers began to tap on her bedmat. Sleep fought the urge and, as she lost, she became aware of the melody within. It was faint at first, but as she lay awake it grew louder and louder until finally she slipped out from under her blanket and went outside with her practice spear.
She took a deep breath before plunging into her dance with reckless abandon, darting and whirling as if driven by a gale. She spun and slashed in complicated maneuvers that had no rhyme or reason other than her desire to move. Finally, with a grand leap, she landed in a crouch, her spear at the ready. Her muscles screamed with exhaustion, her skin glittered with sweat in the light of Jahuar's bioluminescence. Her breathing was labored from exertion, but she was smiling.
She felt right. Tired and satisfied, she fell into her bed.
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:02 pm
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Tzofi and the Weeping Tree – 1395 words
Kaalnia sat on a branch and stared out through the borderlands into the Tale. It was a cool day as Jahuar went and with nobody around to impress, she was feeling introspective. She sipped at the juice inside a broken hard-shelled fruit, trying to remember something. Her memory wasn't the best, but the friend she was trying to remember had been. The best, that is.
Tzofi had been one of the few people who could tolerate Kaalnia. In fact, she had loved Kaalnia's dynamicism and personality. She was even Kaalnia's first kiss- they had been dating for a pretty long time by Kaalnia's standards.
She had been annoyed at Kaalnia's constant attempts to impress other women, though, and when she was old enough she had trained with gusto to become a warrior in the hopes that that would keep Kaalnia's eyes from wandering anywhere but her.
Kaalnia remembered when Tzofi had been given her class quest.
Tzofi had barged into Kaalnia's little campsite, so excited she could barely breathe.
"Kaa! Kaa! Guess what! An elder gave me a task!" she said breathlessly, grabbing her girlfriend's shoulders, "Do you know what this means?!"
"Yeah!" said Kaalnia, grinning, "It means you're gonna be promoted! Thats really great! What do you have to do!"
"Uhm..." Tzofi hesitated, "I... have to go out into Jahuar."
"Yeah? Like Andile?"
Tzofi frowned, "No, deeper in..."
"Why's that?" asked Kaalnia curiously, settling back on her fur-cusioned really damn comfortable bed.
"I just do..." Tzofi bit her lip, taking a few things off of Kaalnia's shelves and putting them in a bag. Kaalnia had told her that if she ever needed anything, to just take it from her, and Kaalnia noticed that all her food stores were going right into the bag. Which was fine! Kaalnia had plenty of food and could get more, but it also meant that Tzofi expected to be away for a while.
"Well, are you gonna go kill something? Find something? Rescue someone?" asked Kaalnia, turning to lay on her stomach, wiggling her toes. She had been about to sleep, but why sleep when she could be talking to her girl? About something so intriguing, no less.
"... Find something." Tzofi said reluctantly, "I have to find a magical stone and bring it back..."
"Whoaaaa, thats so awesome!" said Kaalnia, grinning, "Ooo, I bet you gotta go through a bunch of trials and stuff! She lifted herself of the bed and loomed over Tzofi to see what else was in the bag, Come on, come on, tell me more!"
"I... can't" said Tzofi, leaning her head briefly against Kaalnia's chest, "Sorry, Kaa. The Elders said I wasn't supposed to talk about it..."
"Well that sucks." grumbled Kaalnia, dissappointed, "I bet its really awesome too. Oh well." her smile returned as if it hadn't even left. "Well, you'll tell me about it later, right? Right?" she pressed a hand against Tzofi's shoulder, "Riiiight?"
Tzofi's serious face broke into laughter. "Of course I will, silly." With embellishments, of course. She turned around to face Kaalnia, brushing a hand against her face. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back. So..." she kissed Kaalnia on the lips softly, "You'll just have to be patient"
"'Kay. I'll try" laughed Kaalnia as Tzofi drew away. They looked at each other for a few moments.
"Well, I need to get going, Kaa. Be good, okay?" said Tzofi, hiking up the bag and heading out the entrance.
"Sure! I'll be good!" Kaalnia called after her, lying back down with a grin.
That was the last time she had talked to Tzofi. It was the last time she saw Tzofi. Alive, anyway.
Kaalnia often got in trouble with the elders for her overabundance of energy and her constant flirtation, so she often had punishment chores. She didn't mind those much at all because punishment was great for sympathy, and chicks loved to be sympathetic. And if they weren't sympathetic, they at least got a laugh, and Kaalnia figured that being amusing was pretty good too. A laugh was a hell of a lot better than a slap, and besides- laughing and smiling were good for you, so it was great all around.
She had had punishment chores to do around mother Aisha, which was nice. Gardening was fun and there were herb gardens around the tree for the mystics. Most people hated weeding, but not Kaalnia! Weeds were nasty and tough and she proved her toughness by ripping them from the ground.
She was gloating over her hard won victory over a particularly nasty weed when she saw an elder moving towards the tree, a bundle in her arms. Kaalnia, being distractable, stopped working to observe. The elder set the bundle down and Kaalnia's breath caught.
There was an alkidike in that bundle. The wrappings shifted slightly to reveal a bony and sagging face and an arm, barely much more than a twig. Despite the strangeness of the corpse, Kaalnia knew who it was.
"Oh s**t. Tzofi." she walked quickly over as the Elder unwrapped her and laid her out, "What happened to her?"
The elder looked at her sadly and shook her head.
"She's.... is she... dead?"
"Yes." the elder said softly, "Did you know her?"
Kaalnia nodded, stunned into silence for once.
The elder stroked Tzofi's cold face sadly. Kaalnia could see the scratches all over the body and the thick bloody bandage at her stomach. "Why... Why's she so thin? She wasn't thin when she left..."
The elder looked at her for a moment, then sighed. "I don't know." she said quietly, "I can only assume she became lost and wandered a long way. Tell me, young one, what was she seeking?"
"A stone... or something..." Kaalnia stared at the pale, dead face, "She wouldn't tell me. An elder told her not to..."
"Ah." the elder understood, "This is... tragic. Poor child. She was to be a warrior, and now she rests at our mother's feet." The great tree rustled, "See how she weeps for her daughter..." The elder re covered the body, save for the head, with the shroud, "I must make preparations. Since you knew her, will you stay with her?"
"Oh, sure. Yeah. Of course!" said Kaalnia as she watched the elder nod and walk away. She kneeled by her girlfriend's cold, sallow body.
"s**t." she said quietly, "s**t, Tzofi..." she grimaced, "This sucks."
for them both.
She'd heard rumors that Tzofi's body had been brought into Emeka by some weird earthling kid, and had been taken from his hands by elder Mashika, who brought her to Mother Aisha herself.
There was some speculation that the boy had killed her. Some Alkidikes wanted to go over to Emeka and punish the boy, one way or another. The elder, however, had said no, and some Alkidikes from Emeka had laughed.
"Oh, that kid? Nah. He's harmless. Doesn't even hurt flies."
Still, some people grumblingly thought that they should teach him a lesson anyway. Kaalnia wasn't one of them. She'd never met the kid, but kids were good people and she bet that he had just found her somewhere and brought her back, which was really damn decent of him. She'd thank him if she ever met him.
Eventually, thanks to Elder Mashika's careful managing and the passage of time, people stopped grumbling about the little earthling boy and the dead alkidike prentice and went on with their lives.
Yeah Kaalnia thought, watching the clouds drift beyond the branches of the tree, Life went on.
She had been sad, sure, but she was okay. She'd been a little shaken a few years ago, but she'd gotten over it. People live and people die, that was just how it was. She'd been busy too, trying to impress the ladies and generally be herself.
She hadn't forgotten, though. Tzofi had been something special, and you don't forget those special people. Even if they weren't The One. Even if she had thought of Tzofi as a really hot friend. Sure, she missed Tzofi every once in a while, but she was okay, really.
She bit her lip as she looked out over the Tale.
Really.
Well, enough of introspection. It was starting to get her down, and that wasn't good. She hopped down from the tree and headed back towards the Alkidike settlements.
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Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:53 pm
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Reality- Meta Ch. 4 – 390 words
Kaalnia took a moment, while Briella looked the other way, to just... shudder inwardly. She couldn't believe she had been looking forward to this tournament not a few hours ago. She'd been in a few duels before, but all in fun between sisters. She'd thought it would be more of the same- all in fun. Fights had always been in fun.
She hadn't realized that she'd been lucky all her life. Until that... blue... man. She could still see his piercing yellow eyes when she tried to close hers. He hadn't been playing for fun, he'd been playing to win. Or... or... She didn't even know. She was so scared- she had been so scared.
And if that wasn't enough, apparently there was going to be a war. If what that... that MONSTER in the ring had done was an example of the real life-and-death fighting, then a war would be a lot of that. No glory, no dancing, nothing. Just death and blood and death and blood...
Just thinking about it made Kaalnia feel ill. She couldn't let Brie know, that was for freaking sure. She picked up Popper's glass ball and watched him swim around.
Things are going to be okay. They will be okay. Just look at the cute fish. It will be okay. she thought, trying to believe it.
Popper was definitely cute, but it wasn't working. She didn't want to die. She didn't want Brie to die. She wanted to go back to speardancing and flirting and fun. But even though the strange man said they had time, she didn't feel like it. She felt like there was a sword hanging over her, ready to fall and strike at any moment.
And those eyes... Those eyes were still there.
She shook her head vigorously and tried to put on a smile. Briella knew something was up, but maybe she could get out of admitting she was scared.
She looked at Popper and laughed. "Yeah, and maybe I can turn the tides back, right buddy?" she laughed again, resigned, "Yeah..."
She picked up her pack and joined a group of sisters. She might... or might not... hang around Briella's tree, but she knew where she was going as soon as possible. She needed space to breathe, somewhere quiet to put all thoughts of scary blue things behind her.
Amara.
Home.
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:48 am
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To Bro or not to Bro... Why ask? – 209 words
Kaalnia was so proud of herself! She had made something out of wood that looked vaguely like a sword and she had made another wood something that looked vaguely like a spitorog. She'd never made something that looked vaguely like anything!
This was great! Her sister would love it and she bet her little tyke would love it too! That guy had given her some GREAT advice! She couldn't wait to show Brie what she'd made!
She started skipping, dancing a bit as she walked.
Suddenly, she stumbled. She managed to right herself, but the 'sword' and the 'spitorog' fell with a plop into a mud puddle! A deep mud puddle!
She watched with dumbfounded horror as they sank beneath the surface before she rushed over and pawed at it. Nooooo, those were her gifts!
After unsucessfully covering herself with mud, Kaalnia shrugged and stood up.
Oh well. They had kinda sucked anyway. Besides, she thought with a grin, My presence is totally the best present ever.
It would have been nice to bring them something, but hey. Whatever. Jahuar wanted them, she could have them! Kaalnia could make more another day, right?
She thought she was pretty close to Emeka, and continued tromping off, still pleased with herself.
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:49 pm
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– Too Sexy for my Head Ornaments 237 words
Kaalnia, at her campfire, turned the headdress gently in her hands. She could scarcely believe that it was hers.
It was just so awesome!
It wasn't that she'd never heard of headresses or seen them around, but her Sisters didn't often wear them- their antennae were usually enough. Kaalnia thought that was an oversight, one she would be happy to correct. Alkidikes might already have lovely head ornaments, but that didn't mean they couldn't have more! Especially not one with brightly colored feathers!
Kaalnia tried to put it on by firelight, hampered by the lack of a reflective surface. Her first try was itchy and uncomfortable- it wasn't made for antennae. Her second try was less itchy but uncomfortable, still.
Finally she arranged it just right. The feathers felt balanced between her antenna- it'd need to be taken in a bit, but otherwise...
Kaalnia stood up, striking a pose.
Other than that, it felt awesome. She felt proud and happy and energized. She even did a little bouncing dance by the fire. The headdress flopped around a little- she would definitely need to modify it- but she felt great.
She'd have to thank Tau for it again when they met. Maybe by teaching him dancing? Yeah! A favor for a favor!
She hummed a little tune as she took the headdress off carefully and set it aside for the time being. Things were going to be great!
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