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Post - subject

1- Cert
2- Basics on Kisala
3- Basics on Shiori
4- Encounters (characters)
5- Photos
6- Shelves
7- Timeline
8- Growth
9- Rules
10- Credits
11- Introduction
12+ - rp and diary entries

About Shiori:

Basics:

Name: Tonbo Shiori

Meaning of Name: Dragonfly Bookmark; guide

Age: 22

Marital Status: Single, the man she was betrothed to died in battle against the Dark a year before their wedding was supposed to be. Her parents have not yet found a suitable replacement. She is being allowed some small amount of say in this...probably why they're having such difficulty.

Romantic Status: Currently, none. And she's not interested in one. Shiori enjoys being able to devote herself to her studies.

Family:

Mother: Tonbo Cho

A sweet, gentle sort of woman. Cho married in from the Opal clan. She's the scholarly sort, though she's also known for dabbling a bit in politics...inasmuch as she's willing to host parties and knows proper etiquette and all that, more than having any real political ambition. She's fragile, though, and so her husband takes tender care of her. All three of the pregnancies she went through were difficult, and Kazuhiko has declared that he will not allow her to try any more for fear that it will cost her life. Cho isn't sickly, just very small and delicate.

Father: Tonbo Kazuhiko

Kazuhiko is surprisingly militaristic for a member of his clan. He prides himself on his ability in a fight, and is driven by the desire to ensure that his family not be injured by members of the Obsidian clan still seeking revenge. He seeks allies openly, to build his own personal forces. He is one of the leaders of his family, and is clearly in charge of the family's military forces, only outranked by the Clan Daimyo. He isn't, however, a completely heartless soldier. He has a soft spot for his little Cho, and for his girls, though he and Aki tend to have discrepencies. Kazu is a good man, if a bit forceful in personality to outsiders.

Sisters:

Tonbo Eiko-- Boisterous and loud. Eiko was married to a high-ranking member of the Citrine clan, of all beings, and fits in there perfectly. She has some of the small features of her mother and sisters, but is in general taller and a bit more muscled than any of them. Eiko is not likely to show up anytime soon, as she's virtually cut off all ties with her family other than the occasional note that she's still alive and having another child or some such. She has two children so far, at the tender age of twenty, she married promptly at fifteen as she was eager to be out of Peridot territory.

Tonbo Hitomi-- The exact opposite of her older twin sister, Hitomi is sweet, quiet, and delicate like her mother. She has even more beauty, and Kazu is nearly as protective of her as he is of his wife. Shiori joins in this, and while Hitomi is not spoiled, she's certainly quite sheltered. She's twenty and a talented water Shugenja already with tons and tons of promise in her abilities. She's been allowed more leeway as far as choosing a future husband, and is not yet married, though the choices are getting narrower by the day.

Brother:

Tonbo Aki-- Shiori's older brother. He's happily married and lives peacefully about as far from his father as possible while still staying in Peridot territory. Akii's more pacifistic like Shiori herself, but he's also more openly against military action. He doesn't appreciate the military, insisting that it only flames the fires of anger the Obsidian Clan has against them and brings their attention. The more the forces amass, the less he gets along with his father. He does, however, get along relatively well with Shiori and she looks up to him nearly as much as she does her own father.

Likes: Waterfalls, Rain, Hot tea, Cold climates (well, she did grow up in the mountains afterall), the Emerald clan, Tattoos

Dislikes: Expensive fabrics, money troubles, hot climates, small rodents, and tea ceremonies

Fears: Enclosed spaces-- this qualifies as a phobia. Shiori is -terrified- of being shut into a small area.

Hobbies: Meditation under a waterfall. She enjoys reading histories as well, and philosophies. Shiori tends to attempt writing her own bits of philosophy occasionally, but in secret, and she usually burns them in the end. Enjoys horseback riding in a more recreational sense on occasion. Also, quite talented with Origami.

Appearance:
Hair: Cut short, Shiori's hair is a deep ebony black. She shaved it when she first joined the Dragon Order of the Emerald Clan, but has since let it grow out a bit. She still prefers to keep it to about chin length, however. It's soft and wispy, often falling into her eyes if she does not put it back with a comb or two. Thin as well, making it blow about in even the slightest breeze. It drives her mad on occasion, and it's likely she'll shave it all off again someday.

Eyes: Soft brown, they're a bit pale for a brown shade, but otherwise stunningly normal. They're framed by thin, lightly curled lashes that do absolutely nothing to make them prettier. She...uh..doesn't care to wear any sort of makeup either, and so her eyes slip into a sort of nondescript area of her face.

Face: Elegant lines. Shiori's face gives off the perfect impression of, say, an elf, with exotic high cheekbones and defined, though not sharp, features. Her eyes are slightly tilted upwards as well, rather than being just almond-shaped. The woman's lips are petite and her mouth small to match the rest of her body. Her nose, on the other hand, is a bit on the pronounced side, and probably the most easily recognizable feature on her face.

Body: Tiny. As her people are descended from members of the Opal clan and the Emerald clan, Shiori is both short and lean. While her days in training have given her some small amount of muscle, she still leans more towards waif-ish than athletic, particularly as she enjoys the more scholarly pursuits of the monk training than the physical pursuits.

Distinguishing features: Not having seen battle so far in her life (though, as a Peridot it is quite inevitable that she will have to upon returning to her family) her body remains un-scarred. She does, however, have tattoos. The first is an arrowroot one which gives her some small ability to heal others. This tattoo decorates her left arm. On her back shoulder, next to her third tattoo is a tattoo of a hummingbird with flowers surrounding it. The third tattoo reaches from her right shoulder to her right cheek, the image of a bellflower, with the flower and its five petals sitting on her cheek. She also recently got a tattoo of a chinese-style dragon that goes across her back, from bottom to top on her left side with the dragon's head on her shoulder blade. This tattoo is the only one that is not in colour. On the lower back, beside the dragon, is a lotus blossom.

Clothing: Less is more. Shiori prefers to wear less cumbersome clothing, and given the Emerald's propensity for clothing which shows off skin and tattoos...well, it is safe to say that the majority of Shiori's clothing does both of these. It is rare that she is found wearing a shirt which has sleeves, and nearly as rare that she is found with one that does not show a bit of shoulder or stomach. More often than not, she simply has wrappings around her chest so as not to be completely indecent, and a pair of loose, baggy pants as is the style amongst her fellows. She prefers shades of green and gold, as those are popular in the Emerald territories where she currently lives. When possible, however, she wears blue or brown as well as gold, in honour of her own clan.

Personality:

Usual Moods: Primarily calm and balanced. Shiori is, to all appearances, at one with the world. She has a tendency to spout out words of (seeming) wisdom on occasion, and enjoys offering advice frequently. Shiori is not the sort to burst out in cheerful song, but neither is she the sort to brood silently in the corner. While not meek, Shiori tends to be quieter than most, and slower in her speech, as though she's mulling over her thoughts even as she's speaking them.

Character Interaction: Polite. Shiori doesn't go out of her way to start conversations, but when they happen, she takes a polite interest in whatever the other person begins talking about. She will voice her own opinions on the matters, or thoughts really. She's a terrible liar, though, so she tends to be sometimes painfully honest in her observations. It's not that she doesn't have tact-- she will avoid saying things that she believes will hurt others if possible, but if you ask her for an honest answer, you will receive it without any sugar coating.
Amongst those she is comfortable with, she drops some of the formality. She is more likely to smile and joke a bit, more likely to start a conversation. She is particularly interested in those varieties of people who are interested in some of the same things that she is, and loves to meet fellow monks in particular, though scholars have a place in her heart as well.

Personal Interaction: Shiori is even more tranquil alone than she is around others. She prefers quiet, easy pasttimes that help this sense of calm. Most of her days are spent in meditation or reading/philosophizing. She believes that she can unravel the mysteries of the world if she works hard enough to do so, and whatever future relationship she is in, the man may be in for a rather difficult time. Or not. She does, afterall, make time in her schedule to keep up with those whom she cares for, and is entirely devoted to said people. Shiori is loyal to a fault, refusing to see anything negative about those she loves, which is why she is often put between her brother and father to mediate. She's good at seeing both sides of an argument, and at mediation from a completely neutral standpoint...so long as someone she loves isn't involved, of course. She'll do her best even if they are, but finds it difficult at best.

Way of Life: Shiori believes in peace and tranquility. She sticks to the tenets of pacifism that many of her predecessors practice, and will not take a life unless by mistake. She will attack if attacked first, however, she does not believe in pre-emptive defense. Her focus is on the more positive, peaceful activities of life.

History:

Heritage: Shiori is, surprisingly, an actual line descendent of the Tonbo line. Her family can trace their history directly to the original Emerald and Opal couple that began it all. During the time when the Obsidian clan destroyed the original host of Peridot members at the base of the foothills, they were off on a diplomatic mission, and so were in luck. Ultimately, her family has consisted primarily of monks and water-based shugenja, and their ties lie strongly within the Emerald and Opal clans above all else. Her personal rank is as the second oldest child and oldest daughter of her family. It is only slightly possible that she may become a Daimyo, and this would hinge on not only her brother's passing over, but the passing over of a few cousins who also have strong ties to the original Tonbo lines. Her lack of political intention, however, makes it highly unlikely that she will find a place in the ruling class of her Clan. Unless she marries an ambitious man, of course, though she tends to shy away from that variety.

Home Life: Shiori's family life was...somewhat strict. Her father kept a tight ship, but cared deeply for his girls in particular, and so allowed some lenience in their interests. He and Cho both made sure a proper etiquette was instilled in all of the children's lives, though Eiko took to it least of all. Aki first started disagreeing with his father around age ten or so, when he was beginning to search out a school that would suit his learning abilities and talents. He ended up going the way of the scholar, and went to an Opal school to learn. It was there that he met his future wife, though his parents had originally had different, unofficial ideas. Still, it would cement the ties with Opal lands, which Kazu felt would boost their military as well. He took his wife to the very borders of Opal and Emerald territories to build his house and continue his learning. Shiori was promised at a very young age to a high-ranking member of the Emerald ruling family. Unfortunately, during his training he was sent on a mission to the Dark to prove himself and was Tainted and eventually killed. Shiori was devastated. She'd known him since childhood, and the two were good friends, though neither knew whether it would become a form of love. She begged her father to allow her to travel to Emerald lands for her schooling, and to become a member of the monk order, feeling that meditation would help to soothe her. It did. Her parents decided that she would be allowed some say in her next marriage arrangement, because of the tragedy involved with her first. Most of Shiori's leanings are within her order, but her parents continually try to convince her of the importance of a more political match. Eiko, on the other hand, was easily enough swayed and left home with no qualms whatsoever and a laugh.

Tattoo refs:

http://tattoo.about.com/library/graphics/humbird1128.jpg
http://bp1.blogger.com/_YGLQQZTHoU0/SBtppADM0CI/AAAAAAAACZQ/gMsgmaRKCUE/s1600-h/arrowroot.jpg
http://www.shortcourses.com/naturelog/creeping-bellflower-01.jpg
http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2007/08/20/full-back-tattoo_18.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vtyo4Tlz_k0/R0Ysb9ZqtHI/AAAAAAAAAgU/TLp4zYuzol8/s1600/chinese+dragon+tattoo.jpg
http://pomac.netswarm.net/misc/DragonTattoo3.jpg

Photo Book

Timeline

Rules

1) Be Literate
2) Please PM to ask for rp, but feel free to drop off notes or gifts or whatever here if you like.
3) No, you can't have Kisala. Sorry. She's mine.

"Balance, you see, is quite key to any endeavor."

The girl nodded sagely, and Shiori admonished her,
"Therefore, you will have to go to the meditation room and think on your actions. When you have devised a suitable punishment, let me know."

She shuffled the child off towards the mentioned room quickly and headed for the library.

She had come to Gaia through a bizarre chain of events. She highly suspected the Dark had something to do with it, but she couldn't be sure-- she wasn't exactly privy to the Dark's master plans.

A local temple had been kind enough to provide her with a home. In fact, she felt nearly more at peace in this location than she had at her old home. At least here she did not have to worry about the pressure to find a husband. She could marry whenever she wished, if she decided to marry at all.

She had, however, lately considered the idea of children. Many of the Temple's patrons had informed her of an area of street where shops were located that would allow you to adopt children who needed homes. It seemed a very noble and kind thing to do, really.

It could also be a great learning experience for her-- and Shiori was always one for a learning experience-- so she'd decided that today after her duties had been tended to, she would go to one such shop.

The woman knew that her student would take quite some time to reach a decision. If she took less than a day, it would not be a suitable punishment, and so she changed from her temple clothing into a simple pair of jeans and a deep green tank top.

Her feet were bare, but they hardly touched the ground. What a sight she must have been, with her colourful tattoos peeking out around the clothing, traipsing about barefoot through the streets.

Still, Shiori seemed not to notice. She hadn't much to offer a child-- she lived as simply as possible-- but she was certain that her days' wages would be enough to find someone willing to let her care for one. She would try her best, at any rate.

She reached her house soon enough. She had a few things she wanted to collect before she went on her journey to find the perfect child. And she wanted to change. She wasn't sure her outfit would lend itself amicably towards whomever might want to adopt out a child as far as letting her become their guardian.

She found something covering a bit more of her body-- particularly the tattoos, as it was long sleeved and high necklined, but the dayflower on her cheek still peeked out, the bottom of it climbing vine-like below her collar. Still, it was something.

And with that, she headed off towards the alley she'd see earlier, confident she would find -something- at least.

The Cabbage had been acting strangely all day.

Or at least, it seemed to her that the thing was moving a bit more than normal. She was fairly certain there wasn't enough wind for it to move at all, really, and so she had called in sick to work for the first time in her life and was keeping an eye on it.

It was nearing evening, though, and she was beginning to wonder if she might be wrong. She'd just made some hot tea and was sipping at the cup when she noticed the shaking of the cabbage had become so violent she couldn't -possibly- have just imagined it.

She went outside, lighting the tiki torches around the garden and then pausing in front of the cabbage itself. There was a sudden split down the middle, and the cabbage fell apart. In the middle, where it had once been settled, was a small girl.

She couldn't have been more than a year or two old. She huddled there, arms wrapped around her knees. Suddenly, though, she released the knees and stretched her arms into the air, yawning and looking at Shiori imploringly.

Slowly, the woman knelt down, pulling the little one into her arms. She was an adorable little thing-- medium brown hair with big brown eyes and dressed all in yellow and white and green. She snuggled against Shiori as the woman picked her up, and headed inside. She would have to go shopping the next day-- she didn't know when the baby would arrive, so she hadn't purchased anything for her yet. Now, at least, she had an idea of what she'd need.