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 Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:52 pm
Here goes nothing! DS's first (but probably not last) quest for Sailor Quaoar, Senshi of Creativity.
Azusa now has another quest thread: Cavalier Aeris of the Mountain
* Quaoar seems to signify creation, procreation, demanding, trying experiences, being placed under a microscope, viewing less attractive aspects, flaws or complexities, scientific activities; also, questioning, constructing, clarifying, revealing, creating abstract mental models, a spirit of discovery, the big picture.
* Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. Creativity is fueled by the process of either conscious or unconscious insight. An alternative conception of creativeness (based on its etymology) is that it is simply the act of making something new.
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:01 pm
Name: Azusa Reid- her name came from an old Jack Benny joke, "everything from A to Z in the USA"
Nicknames: Zuzu (if you're not her sibling she may hit you for calling her this)
Age: 16
Birthday: probably February 23rd
Sign: Pisces - I Believe (Moon in Taurus)
Piscean traits: artistic, deep, easily-led, escapism, hypersensitive, withdrawn, idealistic, imaginative, impressionable, inventive, misdirected, secretive, self-sacrificing, spiteful
Blood Type: AB-
Type AB traits: cool, controlled, rational, critical, sometimes standoffish
Fav. Food: Lowfat strawberry frozen yogurt - it lets her feel like she's indulging without all the calories. She's also partial to fresh fruit, especially berries, and tomato soup.
Hated Food: Onion Rings - deep fried ANYTHING makes Azusa want to gag, and the calorie count is astronomical! Also not a big fan of meat, particularly burgers and bacon, and really just about any greasy food.
School: Crystal Academy- Azusa went to a scholarship audition as a learning experience, to prepare her for how professional auditions were conducted. She did not expect to be granted a scholarship and very nearly refused it, saying that she should start working rather than go to school. Her mother insisted she accept, and since she has, Azusa's dedication to her art has increased a thousandfold.
Hobbies: None. No, really. Azusa considers people who have a number of different hobbies (*coughRoxannecough*) indecisive and unfocused. Once upon a time she was interested in things like art and canoeing, but she has dropped all former hobbies in favor of the following activities:
Family: Azusa's life. Despite her differences with a couple of family members, she is by and large devoted to them and does everything she can to help out. She does grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, and any other menial tasks she's asked to do- and many she's not asked to do- to try and help. This is the main reason she doesn't board at Crystal, but she is considering switching to the dorms next year so her parents have one less child to worry about at home.
Ballet: Azusa's soul. While her dad signed her up for a number of classes when she was little, ballet was her mom's idea. Initially, Azusa thought it was boring, and tired of doing endless plies at the barre. But one of her teachers started teaching choreography and theory in addition to technique. That teacher's passion for her art was what truly inspired Azusa, and she began to love it as well. While she even enjoys the rigor of technique practice now, her true passion is for choreography and improvisation, which is evident when comparing her performing that to a set piece.
Work: Paper or plastic? Absolutely determined not to be a burden on her family, Azusa found a job as a grocery bagger at a supermarket near her school. While she feels no attachment to her job, it's mindless enough that she can do it and think about other things, like ballet combinations and math equations. The money from this job goes towards expenses not covered by her scholarship, as well as food and clothing so her parents don't have to pay for it all.
Gemstone: Rainbow Agate
Virtues:
Hardworking: Simply put, Azusa does not stop working until she considers herself finished. It is difficult to keep her from completing a task once she gets started, and her expectations of herself are generally higher than what others would imagine. She has an excellent record of hard work, and will accept nothing less than the best from herself- or anyone else, for that matter.
Dutiful: As the eldest girl, Azusa is expected to set aside her own desires for the sake of the family. 99.9% of the time, she does. When someone Azusa respects asks her to do something, she will comply without complaint. This does not only apply to her mother, or even just to adults, but to anyone who has earned her respect.
Frugal: Azusa does a lot for her family, including most of the shopping. What the rest of the family doesn't know is that she goes to great lengths to pinch pennies. A store on the other side of town has a two-for-one sale on canned corn? Azusa's there. Pair of jeans ripped at the knees? She'll turn them into cut-off shorts and denim bag, or at least tell her family how to do it. What may seem like a simple task to others is serious business for her, and she researches all local stores looking for the best way to make her budget stretch.
Time-Management: The only way Azusa manages to get things done is by managing her time well and sticking to a strict timeline. Every day she wakes up early and goes to bed late, to get the most out of her day as possible. She carries a datebook with pre-planned agendas, and fights to stick to them. Most of these have built-in cushions for inevitable delays, but in spite of this she always acts like she's in a hurry and tries to save time whenever possible.
Flaws:
Perfectionist: Though it's true that Azusa puts a great deal of time and effort into getting things done, this is one of the results. She is not satisfied with anything other than perfection in herself, and will continue working towards it against the most negative circumstances possible. In the past, she has been known to work through injury, without food or sleep, until she accomplishes what she wants to, at great physical and emotional costs. She expects the same of others as well, and is easily annoyed by people she views as "lazy" or "unmotivated."
Caustic: A habit formed to protect her from hurtful people, Azusa is blunt and has a tendency to say hurtful things. Sometimes they are the truth, at least in her mind, and she's doing the person a favor by telling them. As often, they're simply harsh words tossed out there in hopes of tripping up her opponent. And when that doesn't work, she's not afraid of turning things into a good old fashioned smackdown, even though she is a pansy.
Avoidant: Between her family, her passion, and her position as a scholarship student (read: not one of the upper echelon), Azusa has no time for friends. She views anyone who isn't giving 110% as wasting their time and hers. Even truly dedicated people can be viewed as useless, if their goals don't coincide with her own. As such, she ignores most people, and when necessary, goes out of her way to be left alone. Teamwork is not something that comes easily to her; when given the option, she'd rather do all the work and share the credit than split the work with someone else. The real source of this trait is not her disdain for others, but rather her social awkwardness and fear of criticism that stem from her insecurity (see below).
Insecure: Despite her willingness to tell people off for being unproductive, Azusa doesn't think she's better than them. Far from it, actually. Those who compliment her are likely to be ignored, but anyone who says anything against her is taken at face value. Whether it's an offhand comment about her hairdo or a correction in class, Azusa takes all criticism personally and seriously. After obsessing over what she did wrong, she'll do whatever she can to fix the perceived mistake, even if nothing was really wrong. This is something she does unconsciously, without her trying to do so. If she changes something subtle, she's not likely to notice the change unless someone brings it up. If it's a larger change to her lifestyle, she'll think it was her own idea. Regardless, she'll "fix" herself according to any critique given, no matter how small.
This trait is Azusa's Achilles heel, and the rest of her personality is deeply connected to it. If someone tells her something about herself that could even remotely be construed as negative, she will take it as criticism and try to change it. If someone mentions a feature they like in a person, she will try to take on that feature. This affects her behavior as well: she can be hyper one day and calm the next, depending on who she's been talking to. While Azusa tries to tune out and/or avoid criticism when possible (see Caustic and Solitary), she can't totally escape it, and any comments she hears she will try to mold herself to, without knowing she's doing so. The only exception to this rule lies with change that would require her to physically harm herself or another person. Tell Azusa to jump off a cliff, or to push someone off? Not going to happen. Tell her you could use help studying? Expect her to ignore you and show up at your door two hours later. This trait makes Azusa extremely easy to manipulate, provided you can actually get her to stick around long enough to listen to you.
Physical Description:
Hair: Naturally white and wavy. Azusa has been dyeing her hair with Kool-Aid since a classmate called her an old lady when she was twelve. She rotates flavors depending on what she can find; her current favorite is grape, which makes her hair bright purple. It's a bit longer than shoulder length, with bangs, usually worn in a messy ponytail or bun.
Eyes: Hazel
Face: Heart-shaped, with a somewhat wide forehead that she tries to hide behind bangs. A small mole on her right cheekbone. She keeps her skin, which is a light tan/olive tone, well cared for.
Body: Tall for a ballerina, which worries her. Quite thin, but not quiiiite to the dangerous point. What meat is on her bones is muscle, but that isn't evident from afar.
Fashion: Azusa likes to wear things that are easy to move in, and will always have a leotard and tights or some variation thereof underneath whatever else she's wearing. Most of the time that's a simple t-shirt and leggings. Although she rarely admits it, Azusa does like feminine clothing with lots of lace and frills, and that shows up in her small selection of dressy clothes. She never wears heels, preferring ballet flats or Mary Janes, even when paired with her normal slouchy clothing.
- In regards to physical appearance, I've decided to let the artist decide most of it. My only request is that the Kool-Aid hair dye is kept, but the color and style are up to the artist, as are all other physical traits. The above is just for my reference.
Other Info:
Name Origin: Though Azusa's appearance doesn't lend itself specifically to any culture, her parents suspect that she's at least partially Arabic, Native American, or Indian. In an effort to give her a name that would encompass all possibilities, her dad came up with Azusa from an old Jack Benny skit. The name of a city in California, many people know the meaning as "everything from A to Z in the USA." In fact, the name traces from the Tongva place name Asuksagna, referring to the San Gabriel Valley and meaning "a place of water" or "skunk place" depending on who's asked. Coincidentally- or perhaps not- Azusa's name shares its roots with Quaoar, which was named after the Tongva creation deity.
Power Naps: Since Azusa doesn't go to sleep until quite late and wakes up early, the only way she can get through her day is by taking power naps. Usually she'll take a half hour nap during her lunch period, and, if necessary, another one between ballet practice and her shift at work. In order to avoid detection, Azusa takes her naps in a place not many Crystal girls would go: under the bleachers in the gym.
Structure vs. Freeform: Azusa prefers things to be structured. She has schedules and routines and works herself to the bone to fit into other people's framework. And, since she puts so much effort into it, she can. Sort of. But she doesn't realize that she works much better letting things come naturally and working problems out as they come along- in short, improvising. The fact that she doesn't realize this is a strength of hers means she doesn't use it except in dire situations when all her plans have gone to hell in a handbasket.
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:11 pm
Sailor Quaoar, Senshi of Creativity
Challenge: [In the name of Quaoar,] consider your creative license revoked!
Attack #1: Novel Idea Spark!
A mental attack, Novel Idea Spark interrupts an enemy's train of thought by forcing a new idea into their mind. If they are performing a task that requires focus, it interrupts that as well. While it is briefly disorienting, the victim of the attack should be able to resume their focus after a few seconds have passed. It may inflict a small amount of damage to the victim's mind (the equivalent of, say, a sudden loud noise or bright light). Sailor Quaoar must have eye contact with her target for the attack to take affect, and it may not affect those with sufficiently high willpower or those who do not require thought for action (berserker types, for example).
--> Creativity is fueled by the process of either conscious or unconscious insight.
Attack #1A: Novel Idea Storm!
A powered-up Novel Idea Spark, this attack attempts to drown out the target's thoughts with a stream of random ideas lasting up to a minute. A person affected can still move and possibly even attack, but cannot perform any tasks requiring focused or directed thought. It is accompanied by a small amount of damage (equivalent to, say, a lasting loud noise or bright light). As with the previous attack, Sailor Quaoar needs to have eye contact with her target (but needn't hold it for the whole minute) and it may not affect those with sufficiently high willpower, or those who do not need to think to act (berserker types)
--> Creativity has been associated with right or forehead brain activity or even specifically with lateral thinking.
Attack #2: Creation Dance!
--> According to Tongva mythology, Quaoar sings and dances the world and other deities into existence.
Attacks are meant to show the procession of the creative process- the initiation of thought, sorting through ideas, and finally, the product of creative thought.
Fuku Colour: Ideally mostly white (the color of a blank canvas) with rainbow accents (infinite possibilities). In earlier forms, probably spring green (color of new life) and sunshine yellow (beginnings).
Fuku:
Collar -- Plain sailor collar. Yellow w/stripe for senshi and super senshi, white for eternal.
Bow -- Bows on chest and butt. Green in senshi and super senshi, for eternal they are made up of a number of smaller, multicolored ribbons.
Bodice -- A simple, sleeveless dress with a flared skirt. All white.
Sleeves -- None!
Brooch -- Plain is fine. No real ideas here. ^^;
Bottoms -- None~
Tiara -- Still thinking on this one.
Choker -- Ribbon'd choker maybe?
Shoes -- No shoes. Quaoar can have foot thongs so she doesn't cut her feet, but no shoes. See "gloves" for leg warmers.
Gloves -- Arm warmers? Or sleevelets or whatever, but the palms should be uncovered. Leg warmers too! Both are white and (super and up) rather bedecked with ribbons that flutter when she dances. Ribbons are yellow and green for super senshi, all colors of the rainbow for eternal.
Accessories -- More ribbons tied in her hair (worn loose). Belled anklets in super stage and up!
The theme for the fuku is artistic creativity- when she moves, Sailor Quaoar should catch the eye and the ear. The movement of the ribbons is meant to keep her appearance always changing and new, while the music from the bells is unscripted and inspirational. Or something. Would love feedback on the ideas here.
Development: Still in the works. However, my goals for Azusa as a Senshi include having her overcome her inability to work with people, her tendency to take on burdens she shouldn't be dealing with alone, and her idea that one must focus on one thing and one thing only in order to be serious about it. I'm imagining forcing Azusa to team up with people for higher stakes than a good grade will eventually make her loosen up- which will, in turn, make her more effective as the Senshi of Creativity. But as she eases out of her strict rituals, she'll run into all sorts of problems- her raging insecurities, total failures, and mental blocks, among other things. I don't like to plan too far ahead (what's the fun of RP if you already know what's going to happen?) but I look forward to her running into these obstacles and (hopefully) overcoming them.
Backup Sphere Concepts: Since Creativity may not be approved, am also considering Beginnings, Travel, Rhythm, Questions?
Sailor Quaoar must dance in order to use this attack. As she dances, a construct will gradually appear and, once complete, begin to attack (basic energy attacks, most likely). The construct must be given commands by Sailor Quaoar, or else it will attack at random (and potentially attack allies/civilians). It takes approximately 1-2 minutes to create the construct, which is made of energy and thus only affected by energy attacks. However, because it is insubstantial it is also completely ineffective as a shield. If Sailor Quaoar stops dancing for any reason, the construct vanishes. Sailor Quaoar must restore her stamina and willpower between attacks; unless she has at least ten minutes of uninterrupted rest, it is unlikely she will be able to use this attack twice in one battle.
Sailor Quaoar must dance in order to use this attack. As she dances, she will be able to create a symbol of her sphere (undecided) as well as symbols of the spheres of the other Senshi she's fighting with These symbols are made of energy and, when completed, can be used as separate attacks or combined with the help of the other Senshi into one larger attack. The time it takes for Sailor Quaoar to craft these symbols depends on the number of Senshi she's fighting with, averaging at about twenty seconds per symbol. As the symbols are immaterial, they cannot be used for cover or broken by physical force. If Sailor Quaoar stops dancing for any reason, the symbols vanish. Sailor Quaoar must restore her stamina and willpower between attacks; unless she has at least ten minutes of uninterrupted rest, it is unlikely she will be able to use this attack twice in one battle.
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:14 pm
Family and other information:
Bill Reid (50), father: A real-estate agent with a taste for the unorthodox, he alternates between being a businessman and an adventurer. He tries to choose unusual names for the kids, to take the family on quirky trips, and his hobbies include noodling (also known as barehand fishing), making chainmail, and planting tulips in the neighbor's garden. He encourages the kids to try new things, which makes his relationship with one-hit wonder Azusa a bit difficult.
Amelia Baker-Reid (46), mother: A silk painter and stay-at-home mom. Once upon a time, Amelia had a desk job, but she gave it up when she was found to have breast cancer. Three years and a double mastectomy later, she decided to spend her second chance at life doing things she enjoys. Her motto is "carpe diem" and her main encouragement is for her children to do what they enjoy. Azusa is very close to her mother, and tries very hard to help support her.
Vijaya "VJ" Reid (18 ), brother: A student at Meadowview High and pizza delivery boy. These days, Vijaya prefers to go by "VJ" and is a strong member of the Meadowview track team, especially in jumping events like high jump and hurdles. While dedicated to his sport, he does it because he enjoys it and is fairly balanced in his other interests. By far the most social of the Reid siblings, VJ is a stereotypically protective big brother- as long as his friends aren't around. As the oldest two, he and Azusa are especially close.
Roxanne Reid (14), sister: A student at Meadowview High, and self-professed Jack-of-all-Trades. Roxanne is easily bored and jumps from one activity to another like a ping-pong ball. Some of the activities she tries aren't exactly legal, and if Hillworth was co-ed, she might have found herself there. Instead, she has been through most of the clubs in Meadowview already, some more than once. Her selfish "anything for fun" attitude goes against Azusa's strict focus, and the two have clashed from a young age. Currently, they're obsessed with outdoing each other.
Kiara Baker (14), cousin: Amelia's niece, who came to live with the Reids when her parents were killed in a car accident. Kiara is a sweet girl who tries her best to please everyone and rarely acts for her own gain. One fairly noticeable aspect about her is the fact that she's missing most of her left arm. Kiara is still getting used to this aspect of herself and hates being treated differently because of it- not that she'd ever say so. Azusa adores Kiara, considering a far better little sister than Roxanne, and tries to help her whenever possible (or at least whenever it's not inconvenient).
More about the Reids: their decision to adopt, their financial situation, the car accident and Kiara's subsequent arrival, etc- to come!
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:18 pm
For random writings I do about Azusa/Sailor Quaoar.
Azusa Drabble: Date with Destiny
Azusa's enormous wall calendar was filled with important dates, but this one was circled in red, highlighted in yellow, and underlined three times with various ballpoint pens. She had woken up two hours early, showered, and changed into the nice dress she'd chosen days earlier. She had even done her hair nicely for the first time in months, pulling it into a neat bun and glossing over the top with hair gel. Rather than try to save money by riding her bike, she accepted her mother's offer to drive her, so there was no way she could be late.
There were dozens of other girls there. Azusa tried to tune out their nervous chatter, instead rummaging through her bag to make sure she remembered everything. Leotard, check. Tights, check. Ballet shoes, check. Pointe shoes, check. Extra pins and hair gel, check. Application, check. Of course she had everything she needed; she had packed and repacked her bag five times the night before.
Why was she so nervous anyway? She wasn't like these other girls, who were surely all certain they were the next big thing and waiting to be discovered. Azusa knew all too well how far she had to go. For her, this audition was merely another learning experience. Maybe one day, she'd be one of the excited, twittering girls hoping for a chance at success, but that was a way off. So her heart could stop beating a mile a minute, she told herself sternly.
She was so busy scolding herself that she didn't notice other girls being called for their interviews until her name was called three times. With a hurried apology, she let herself be led into a plush office that had to belong to a big wig. "Admission Director" was what the nameplate on the desk said, but before Azusa could consider that too carefully, she handed her application over and stood next to the chair in front of the desk.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Reid," the Director said mechanically, her eyes on the application. "Have a seat."
Azusa sat, but she couldn't keep herself from correcting the record. "I'm not nervous."
"Of course not." The Director still didn't look up, but she set the application on her desk and started to make notes on it. "Quite a big family, I see. Your cousin lives with you too? How do you handle it all?"
Why did this matter? Azusa assumed she was going to be asked about her ballet experience, or why she was applying to the school. But she knew better than to protest, so she nodded. "Yes, ma'am. My parents were foster parents for a while. Then they decided to adopt, which is how they ended up with my brother and me. My sister was kind of a surprise, I think. And Kiara- my cousin- she was in a car accident a couple of years ago. She made it, but her parents..." She trailed off, a lump rising in her throat. The wound hadn't healed yet, and it took great restraint to not start crying in the middle of her interview.
The Director nodded and scribbled a note on the application. "I'm sorry for your loss. I see your mother has had her share of medical issues as well?"
Another sensitive issue. Azusa swallowed, her throat starting to feel dry. "She's okay now, we think. The doctors caught her cancer pretty early. Don't get me wrong- it was scary for everyone, and she still has to go to the doctor to make sure it doesn't come back. I'm still scared. But we think the last surgery really got all of it."
"But it didn't come cheap."
"No," Azusa admitted, feeling smaller and smaller by the moment. "We're still paying the medical bills. And Mom's not working a day job anymore, so it's a lot tighter than it used to be. We've gotten used to it, though. A lot of little changes go a long way." As did a part-time job, but Azusa knew better than to bring that up. She couldn't afford to look unfocused.
"I see. One last question, Miss Reid. Considering your background, what do you think you can offer Crystal Academy, and what do you expect in return?"
Even though she wasn't especially interested in becoming a Crystal student, Azusa was prepared for this sort of question. "Crystal Academy is well known for its comprehensive dance program. Anyone who wants to enter the world of professional dance couldn't hope for a better preparation." Much as she hated idle flattery, Azusa knew she needed it for this audition, and had practiced that line ahead of time. "As for what I can offer, I think that between my personal experience with goal-oriented studying and leadership, combined with my unorthodox dance training, as referenced in my application, I can offer a unique perspective to the class."
That time, the Director did look up. "A well-rehearsed line, Miss Reid. Are you sure you don't want to audition for the drama program as well?"
"No, thank you," Azusa said curtly. How could she have let it slip that she had practiced beforehand? She would have to work harder next time on her delivery.
"Very well. You may go change for the dance portion of the audition. And Miss Reid?"
"Yes?" Azusa stood and picked up her bag, waiting for another scolding.
"Good luck."
The Director's smile was as rehearsed as Azusa's speech. But for once, Azusa didn't argue. She nodded and turned, the door accidentally slamming behind her. Oops. Oh well, Azusa said to herself, smiling. Maybe she'd had the last say after all.
Azusa Drabble - 2B A Master
Amelia Reid sighed, setting the letter aside. "How exactly does one get suspended from school extracurriculars?"
Not meeting her mother's eyes, Roxanne chewed her gum loudly. "Don't ask me, ask them. I didn't do anything wrong."
"Of course not," Azusa said sweetly, setting her backpack on the kitchen table. "I'm sure that you weren't trying to vandalize the art room, just spruce it up. And the cheerleaders are all anorexic anyway, so it's not like they mind that their uniforms shrank in the wash. Although you might have gone too far by dyeing the mascot, but it's not a bad aesthetic choice."
Roxanne rolled her eyes and popped her gum. "Thanks for backing me up, Zuzu."
"Anytime." While she was putting on the sweet act for her mother, Azusa knew she wasn't fooling anyone. Roxanne finally got what was coming to her, and she was relishing the moment.
"Those dumb clubs were all boring anyway, Mom. If I can't find anything that interests me, then it's the school's fault, not mine." Having made her argument, Roxanne looked away again and started to blow a bubble.
Amelia sighed. "What don't you find interesting, sweetie? I know we encourage you to be creative, but..." The 'we' she spoke of was mostly her father, whose hobbies included catching fish with his bare hands and sneaking tulips into the neighbor's flower bed. "Surely they must have something you can enjoy."
Roxanne couldn't speak with the bubble, so she popped it with her finger and pulled the gum out of her mouth, earning a disgusted look from Azusa. "Don't get me wrong, Mom. There's some nice clubs there. But they do the same thing all the time. How can anyone stand it?"
"It's called patience, Roxanne. I'd suggest you go and get some, but it's not like you have a job either." Azusa poured herself a glass of milk and grabbed a couple of cookies from the jar. She didn't usually have an after-school snack, but today she felt like indulging.
"Most middle-schoolers don't, Miss Pot calling the Kettle black." Amelia gave her best "behave" look and then tried to be optimistic. "You take after your father, I suppose. A sort of 'jack of all trades, master of none,' just like him." What she didn't mention was that at least Bill had found a few hobbies to stick with. But she hoped Roxanne would find her calling too, sooner rather than later.
Roxanne grinned. "Jack of all trades? I like that!"
"And master of none. What's the point if you're not really good at any of them?" Azusa butted in, not ready to let her sister off the hook yet.
"Who cares if you're a master? I can do anything. Thanks, Mom!" Before Amelia could get in another word, Roxanne grabbed the letter, kissed her mother on the cheek, and ran upstairs.
And so she got away with it again. Annoyed, Azusa dunked the biggest cookie into the milk and took a huge bite. "I don't get her," she grumbled, spraying cookie crumbs on the table.
"Close your mouth when you chew, dear." Amelia sighed again. "You're very different. Roxanne likes to try everything, while you like to work hard at what you know. They're both valid positions."
Not in Azusa's opinion, but she didn't want to argue with her mother right then. Instead, she had a question to ask. "If Roxanne's the jack of all trades, does that make me the master of one?"
"Hmmm. I don't know," Amelia said in her best thoughtful mom voice. "It takes a lot of work to be a master of anything. Most masters end up studying for years, focusing on their craft and nothing else, not accepting anything less than perfection. It's not easy. But I'm sure you could, if you wanted to," she finished, kissing Azusa on the top of her head.
Azusa smiled. "Then I will," she said firmly. She knew she was right, and she was going to prove it to Roxanne and everyone else. If she had to give up her other clubs, so what? There was no better time to buckle down and really get to work. She'd known for a while that dance was what she wanted to pursue, and she was willing to give up everything else if it meant making her dream come true.
And it would. She could feel it.
Azusa Drabble - A New Look
Azusa wasn't crying. She had stayed in the girl's bathroom until she was sure that she would be able to control herself, but even then she hadn't cried. She had just felt the words in her heart, eating away at what little self-esteem she had. Despite her disdain for her classmates and their whims, she was hurt whenever they said anything against her. And this really took the cake.
As soon as school was over, she grabbed her things and ran to the nearest drugstore. It didn't take her long to locate the beauty supply aisle, and soon Azusa was staring at a row of commercial hair dyes. They had a lot of colors, from basic black to boring brown to bright blonde, and rarer ones like blue and pink and green. To her, it looked like they had every color imaginable. But despite the differences in color, the dyes all had one thing in common: a price tag that was beyond her purse.
That was that. Azusa was even closer to tears then, but swallowed and started to walk around the store. The walking gave her an outlet for her energy that wasn't crying, and the browsing helped distract her. For a few minutes she started to feel better, and even considered forgetting the dye plan in favor of buying some Double Stuffed Oreos as a treat.
Those were highly sugary though, and Azusa took one more look down the food aisle before making her selection. It was then that she spotted it- sugar-free tropical punch Kool-Aid, on sale. Even though Azusa hated chemically concocted drinks, something about that was ringing a bell. One of her classmates had mentioned something about using sugarless Kool-Aid as a tye dye... having been inspired by seeing it used as a hair dye.
Quickly and calmly, Azusa bought five packets of the stuff and brought it home in a paper bag. Finding directions online was easy, and Azusa was precise in following them. Somehow she managed to sneak the plastic wrap out of the kitchen before dinner, and convince her parents that she'd just washed her hair (which wasn't untrue), hence the towel around her head at dinner. She hated to lie, but didn't want anyone to discover what she was doing until it was done.
The next morning, Azusa set her alarm for an hour earlier than normal, so she could wash the concoction out of her hair. It was really astonishing to see the effect. Before her classmates had laughed at it, Azusa had loved her hair, which reminded her of winter, or blank paper, or swans. Now it was stained a bright shade of pinkish-red that clashed with about half her wardrobe. It was different, and Azusa wasn't sure she liked it. No, she was sure she didn't.
Not that her opinion mattered. It was different, and no one would tease her about it again. When she thought about that, Azusa smiled. Yet again, she managed to solve a problem with herself. She was sure that the color would grow on her in time, and meanwhile, she was a better person because of it. Someday, she would fix all of her problems, and no one would ever be able to speak against her.
Someday.
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Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 11:40 pm
Quest Updates!
10/28: Came up with a challenge! "Consider your creative license revoked!"
Also changed one of her flaws- Insecure is what I was trying to explain with previous ones and didn't quite manage. Tweaked the attacks slightly and changed her birthday. XD;;;
10/29: Rewrote her hobbies section so that it mentions that she used to have hobbies but dropped them, and gave clearer pictures of her activities. Added a short list of backup spheres to consider. Added an "other info" section at the bottom of her civilian information and included information about the origin of her name and power naps. XD;
11/1: Added a virtue: Improvisation. Meant to be refer to the fact that while Azusa LOVES to have things planned out, her plans are not very good, and she's actually a lot better in unscripted situations just letting ideas come to her. Not that she'd ever jump into a situation without planning, but.
Debating whether or not to replace Frugal and Time-Management with Improvisation. Both of the above virtues take from Improvisation as well as her tendency to overplan (make into a flaw somehow?) but argh dunno. I do love her frugality.
Also put up a drabble of Azusa's scholarship interview at Crystal. I'm using what I can vaguely recall from my limited experience of dance auditions, so it may be inaccurate, but it's meant more to introduce the readers to Azusa's family and financial situations while reflecting her personality.
11/2: Tweaked attacks and finished description for Creation Dance. Tossed up another drabble, this one about Azusa's decision to make ballet the ONLY thing in her life. Also meant to show how offhand comments can have crazyass ramifications when Azusa takes them way too seriously, and display some family chemistry (especially the rivalry between Azusa and Roxanne). Added a note on Structure vs. Freeform. Other minor tweaks.
11/??: Tossed up another Azusa drabble, this one concerning her decision to start dyeing her hair and reflecting on some of her big insecurity issues.
11/22: Reworked the description for her Insecure flaw/weakness, elaborating on how the rest of her life revolves around it. Minor tweaks to first two attacks, renamed the first Novel Idea Spark (after a spark of inspiration). Working on a new effect for Creation Dance- looking for ideas, may have to throw the concept out entirely.
Still looking for crits. heart
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:13 pm
I should tell you right now..the first thing anyone's gonna say is that the sphere of creativity is really really..realllyyyy broaad..! And also a very very hard sphere to do -like logic..or service -I knows they've told me soo lawls and when you put it up to be marked it might not get in because it is a hard sphere and unspecific-..etc..things like that- Though putting yourself up for a challenge is nice! And hey who knows! -snugs-
Anyhow crit time!
Love the family background -everyone loves backgrounds- And I love that you've put quite a bit of work into this, -totally epic- Quaoar totally cool -never heard of it, nice links btw very informative-
Her attacks are awesome! -well thought out and they seem cool- Youve got her outfit worked out..
Ehm, one thing that does seem a tiny bit off/odd..is that if she is the senshi of creativity -you should go with something more specific, pick a form of creativity or an outlet she uses- How can she have no hobbies? Shouldnt she be bouncing off the wall with overflowing creative juices and things she likes to do.
If her passion is ballet/hobbie/love and joy of hers, even if she doesn't consider it a hobbie -considers it like breathing air..her life- You should still put it in the hobbie zone and expound on it. -cause ballet...dancing..singing...cooking, reading..there all hugely used things in these quest threads and you want yours to pop out! YAY!-
Gemstone is gorgeous!
I love her virtues, very very interesting and well done.
Her flaws are also pretty well thought out..
She seems..Actually sometimes chars who's senshi form are completely different from how they are in home/school life can work wonderfully. It might be really fun to have a senshi who's totally exciting and artistic and yet when shes not being a senshi is rather normal and rigid in what she does.
Maybe if creativity doesnt work out as a sphere you could always go with senshi of dance/ballet if it is her love..Or senshi of Duty..something like that -shruggles-
I do absolutely love her concept and its cool to see you questing for it! YAAY! GOOD LUCK MYU!
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:35 pm
Thank you so much for the feedback! heart
I'm aware that Creativity is a broad sphere, and willing to put it to the test! The suggestions you've provided for backups are wonderful (I'd never considered Duty before) but would both require me to find a new astral body, I think, when I'm quite attached to Quaoar. Creativity is actually the... fourth sphere I've considered? I should really put a list of backups, shouldn't I?
It is odd, isn't it? :/ Azusa didn't always lack hobbies ICly, and actually has a canon reason that should be properly explained. The short version is that she believes sparing time for anything other than her goals means she's dabbling and not really focused, and it (like her unwillingness to cooperate) is actually one of the obstacles I want for her to overcome as a Senshi. That said, I'll definitely expand on it more in the hobby section.
One idea you gave me that I LOVE is that she prefers improvisation to choreographed pieces. While she works hard to master dances (and you can tell), her real pleasure, and what she really enjoys, is coming up with things depending on what she'd feeling. Sort of that even though she is very restrained and not allowed to express herself, it kind of leaks out that way. That could also tie in well with her second attack, which I'm having some difficulty coming up with an effect for.
And YES, I really like the idea of her acting differently as a Senshi and a civilian. There's all kinds of pressure on her already (most of which she heaps on herself) so one more won't stress her out. The question then is, if not the sphere itself, what makes her loosen up as a Senshi? Hmmm.
You've given me a lot to think about! heart Thanks again!
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:04 pm
I think I'd better put this on hold while I make sure I'm doing things correctly. Quest will either be put up for marking or dropped, pending a complete rereading of shop guidelines.
I thiiiiink I'm okay, though I'm sure the shop will tell me if I'm not. While I get the feeling there's still something I'm not understanding properly... quest is up for marks. Crit is still loved. heart
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:21 pm
I can certainly see her as a pity case, but I can also imagine her rejecting any pity given to her.
My personal opinion, for a Senshi of Creativity her Challenge is really... out there. It sounds really corny, even for the Senshi's :/ Again, personal opinion!
Her flaws and virtues fit nicely with her personality, but her fuku design feels a little plain to me.
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iStoleYurVamps
iStoleYurVamps
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:04 pm
OKAY
First off, where does her nickname of 'twinkle toes' come from? Zuzu is obvious, but the other leaves me wondering.
Next, I don't (personally) see the need to list the traits of blood or star sign.
on her virtues:
-hardworking is a good one, a bit overused IMO, but, hey, combined with other things you have going with her, it's well done. :>
-dutiful: On this, I want to know, WHY is she so dutiful? She has a mom and dad, PLUS an older brother.
-frugal: again, WHY is she such a penny pincher? Why is this so important to her? From her family history I can see, but, also given her age and the fact she's not even an adult yet, leaves me wondering WHY.
Time management: alot of the same as above. Why?
Flaws:
-perfectionist combined with hardworking can be overdone, so, again, WHY is she such a perfectionist? What drives her to be such a model daughter?
Caustic: You say she does this protect herself from other crystal girls, but keep in mind, ALOT of the crystal girls are/can be like this. Also, why is she the one 'To keep her family in line'? Shouldn't that be up to her parents and not the child?
Solitary/Insecure: these are both good flaws to give to characters, as they can work really well together, but, right now, I'd would want to know what brought about her insecurity and her need for distancing herself from other students. She isn't the only scholarship student at crystal. Does this apply to those students as well?
other notes:
Personally, I would love to see her ability to have order but be able to improvise included onto her basic form. It could become a VERY good virtue.
SENSHI:
Attack one is pretty good. It could be used as a distraction both on opponents and youma. However, given it's only a short burst, this does leave it up, does she then physically attack her enemy and, who might it not effect?
attack 1.5 is good, and I like how you say it lacks the power to work on berserker and those with stonger will power. You might want to included specifics like this into the first attack as well.
attack 2:
as is, I'd say it's a bit OP. Maybe stemming from the fact you want to included the myth of a creation dance, perhaps she does a little inspiration jig for her allies, cutting down the time they're allowed to attack.
Overall, she looks like a support senshi, and while good, keep in mind, this means that as a RPer, she will most liekly need to team up with other senshi to beat opponents.
Overal, WHile she has a good concept, her current 'history' leaves me wondering why she's become this dutiful daughter who feels thew need to support what I see as a fully functioning family. It would make more sense if her mother was in the hospital still and her older brother was some slacker, whe he is not. To me, it looks like she feels an unneeded desire to support her family when just from looking at it, doesn't require it?
I hope this might help you.
edit: FFFF I NEED TO STOP TYPING IN DARK ROOMS |D
AND I LIKE THE CHEESY LINE :< Senshi have cheesy lines, it's part of what makes them senshi XD
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:21 pm
Wow, that is some great crit. o.o! Thanks so much!
"Twinkletoes" was a nod to her dancing, but if it isn't blatantly obvious (as it was meant to be), I'm fine removing it. Azusa's not really a nickname kind of gal.
As to the "why" on her virtues, most of her pressure is self-inflicted. I referenced this in Insecure, but should really expand on it because it's where lots of her personality comes from. Azusa takes EVERYTHING personally. The casual remarks about how she could do things better, the little jokes about picking a favorite child, everything. This has been taken to extremes- to the point where if someone comments about something she's doing wrong or a mistake she may have made, she'll fix it. All of her virtues stem from this, which I view as both a crippling weakness and a flaw. As such, she strives to be the "perfect daughter," regardless of whether her parents actually want such behavior out of her.
The above is exactly the reason she's such a perfectionist. (As to why she's so sensitive and takes everything literally, I view that as more of a nature trait rather than a nurture one, but if that doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll work on it). As to the caustic flaw... you're right. Now that I think about it, it's more of a defense mechanism against people in general, not strictly Crystal girls. For keeping the family in line, that should be altered, as it refers more to her sister (with whom she has a bad relationship) than anyone else. Her solitude is developed from a mix of "You'll only get in my way," and "I don't want to be hurt by you." Azusa scorns everyone who doesn't put 100% into their work- again, something stemming from what meant to be a passing remark. At the same time, because she takes everything so personally, it's really easy to hurt her. For Azusa, it's easier to function alone.
I really hadn't thought much about having her improvise in battle, but now that you mention it, it would be an excellent asset. It would make sense too, since she only resorts to it in difficult circumstances, and most battles are likely to fall into that category. XD; It could, actually, be how she discovers it as an ability and how she starts to loosen up. surprised Wow.
I thought I had mentioned the exceptions in the first attack. o.O I definitely will change that. Neither attack would affect those with stronger willpower (at this point, probably anyone stronger than a Lieutenant and even some Lieutenants). As to the berserkers, well, not like they have thoughts to interrupt. XD;
Her teaming up with other senshi is exactly what I want. My main goal for Azusa as a character is for her to realize that she has to count on people and they need to count on her, and have her be able to function on a team. But that's a long, long way away.
Overall, I'm glad she seems to have a good structure! You've actually hit the nail on the head there- her desire to support her family is totally unnecessary and stems from her own insecurity and desire for perfection more than an unstable situation. But I do need to get that across better, which will be my main goal now.
Thank you so so SO much for this crit, it really helped me get a better handle on Zuzu! AND I'M GLAD YOU LIKE THE CHEESY LINE heart
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