EDITS
Full Name: Shi-Hao Ni Kaihua
Gender: Female
Age: 26
Element: Earth
Birthplace: Ba Sing Se
Position: Wealthy Heiress, Combatant
Training: Earthbending (expert), Nunchaku (expert)
Personality: (256) Outwardly proper and ladylike, a perfect upper class woman, the effect would be completely shattered if anyone were to see her in the underground gambling rings of Ba Sing Se. Only there did she reveal her brash nature, excitability, and tendencies for violence.
Though she had been raised in wealth, Shi-Hao never found herself fitting in with high society. While her parents had allowed her a large degree of freedom, they passed away when she was very young. Suddenly she found herself heavily restricted. Feeling forced, she hid her true personality behind a veil of prim indifference, then dulled and flattened almost entirely. Pragmatic and soft of voice, these traits made her the perfect arm-trophy for any man, and so she had suitors beating down her door.
After her parents passed away, her ability to command a household was revealed. Taking charge of the Ni Kaihua estates, managing the finances on her own, and very well at that, she inspired the loyalty of the servants and employees, revealing herself as an effective leader.
When it is safe to reveal herself, she is loud, passionate, and proud, as well as fiercely protective. She believes firmly in justice and fair treatment being given to everyone, not only those within her own social class. With the exception of the game parlors, there is nowhere for even a hint of her real self to emerge. Once she decided to hit the road, her prim personality faded more and more, though she still hid behind a veil of indifference quite often.
Abilities: (257) Once she had the freedom that her station allotted, Shi-Hao arranged it so that an earthbending master would travel to the estate and teach her privately; she chose to do so for the protection and security it would offer to a wealthy single woman. In the beginning, she had intended to learn just enough to handle herself, but the joy she felt at being able to let loose caused her to throw herself wholeheartedly into practicing and mastering all that she could. Though undocumented (at her own request), she was soon an expert in her own right, no longer requiring a teacher.
The abilities Shi-Hao had mastered first were mostly defensive. Along with the various rock walls and countermeasures that most earthbenders can call upon, she also learned to bring the earth up around her, sinking into the ground for short periods of time before emerging elsewhere - her underground air limit, so long as her exit point is clear, is a full sixty seconds. Usually, this move is coupled with her moving small pebbles and rocks around, creating a small whirlwind or dust cloud to hide her disappearance.
Offensively, her most common practice is to compress rocks into damaging projectiles, hurling them at her opponent, one after another. Shi-Hao does have one more risky gambit: encasing her hand and upper arm in rock, much like armor, she can temporarily increase her power. This ability is used in close range, with no other options, as it is very taxing on her body, but packs a powerful punch.
Appearance:
Height: 5'4"
Weight: Petite
Eyes: Light Green
Hair: Auburn
Skin: Fair
(244) A small, slim woman, Shi-Hao has the fair complexion commonly associated with high-class socialites, silky auburn hair and almond-shaped eyes that are typical to women born in the Earth Kingdom. Her mother had always loved her hair long, and so she keeps it that way, even now, in her memory. When she is in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, light makeup paints her face, but when she is incognito, she goes without.
Her clothing ranges from elaborate gowns to the rough fabric of the working class, for fighting garments. Her favorite colors combinations for such outfits are red and black, for her formal wear, and green, brown and white, for her more casual clothing. As far as jewelry goes, she generally only bothers with dangling earrings when dressing up; otherwise she keeps it to a bare minimum of a necklace which held both of her parents' wedding bands strung through the chain.
One thing that she does carry despite her different surroundings (and how little it matches her formal outfits) is a small, stylized purse. It looks rather like a stylized messenger bag, cylindrical in nature, with a single strap that goes over one shoulder. She claims that it is a souvenir from her visit to the Fire Nation Capitol, and it does seem to be, with its gold and white coloring... though within, along with a her identification papers, a comb, makeup and mirror, she conceals a pair of ornate nunchaku.
Weaponry & Other Gear:
Item Name: Jade-inlaid Nunchaku
Materials: Pasania wood, dulled bronze, and jade.
Description: This weapon looks as if it were only made to be ornamental. Jade and bronze encircled and sunk into the wooden sticks at both ends, accentuating the flowered designs burnt into the wood itself. A delicate-looking chain connects the two wooden rods, causing these nunchaku to appear ineffectual, at best. In reality, the make of the weapon was a guise; in the hands of one who knew how to utilize it, it could be quite lethal.
Item Name: Elaborate Purse
Materials: Gold and white material, gold-plated buckles
Description: Of Fire Nation make, this purse is elegant and stylish. Shaped like a cylindrical messenger bag, it does draw some attention, though it's usually appreciative. Inside she carries her identification papers along with a small amount of money, as well as a few feminine effects... and the aforementioned nunchaku. Even if someone where to look inside, they wouldn't discover the hidden pocket easily.
History: (590) Born of two high-class citizens of Ba Sing Se - a politician and a law practitioner - Shi-Hao wasn't spoiled by any means, but she also never went hungry and her clothing was in good repair, she had anything she ever wanted. Being outgoing and friendly enough, she often had several friends around her; generally with other well-off parents. Over time, as each child went into their prepared social standing, they all lost touch and no longer refer to one another.
As she grew, the young girl, who had been awkward and boyish, had become beautiful. Her slim form and attractive features, only helped by her social personality, endeared her to several different types of people. Perhaps that was what caught the eye of her multiple suitors, all with an eye on her estate, the prestige it afforded, and, of course, the bride. While introduced to several of them, Shi-Hao took no particular interest in anyone, and thus remained unmarried for years past her coming of age. Refined gentlemen clearly bore her; she's waiting for more excitement.
Finding herself in control of the Ni Kaihua estates, it became necessary for Shi-Hao to learn finance, managing and several other skills to keep the household running. After a brief period of restructuring and rebuilding, the manor ran as efficiently as ever, even prospering. It was only after fending off several suitors for her hand - some very aggressive - that the young heiress sought out the help of an earthbending master, undertaking his training.
Excelling in many earthbending techniques, the young woman discovered her love of fighting, spending more and more time in her private lessons, until it was declared that she had nothing left to learn from her tutor. At that point, Shi-Hao had despaired; there was no choice for her but to rejoin society and attend party after party after boring party...
Years later, while attending another tedious gala, Shi-Hao overheard a few of the guests talking about how their sons had been visiting a secret gambling house in the lower wrung of Ba Sing Se. They told of dim lighting, smoking incense, and hushed voices... still, she found herself both intrigued and excited. Two weeks later, after weighing the consequences of being found out, Shi-Hao made her way to the underground gambling ring, in disguise.
Time and time again she returned, to the point where the proprietors had discovered who she was, but neglected to reveal her, because of the revenue she represented. Indeed, she had lost rather a lot of money, winning a small amount of it back before losing even more. Lady luck was not on her side, but the gamble, the anticipation, the occasional payout... all gave her a rush that she had been missing from her life.
The earthbending ring gave her a greater outlet for her frustrations; she had never competed, but she often watched matches - betting on each of the outcomes. Each month, the location was changed, to dodge the authorities, but each time she came to the illegal matches, shouting and cheering with the audience. Soon, that was what she lived for; slogging through the niceties of socialite life only to return to her haven in the evenings. Still, she was unhappy where she was...
So, when she turned twenty-five, Shi-Hao packed her bags and took off into the world, ready to fight. For now, she's simply on her way to discover different fighting styles, to incorporate them into her own, but she isn't against taking in adventures on the side.
