Post by Jess on Sept 12, 2022 15:39:09 GMT -5
Vida Valencia
Other Names:– Madam Moonshadow
Epithet:– "Wildfire"
Height:– 5' 10"
Build:– Slim and tall, broad hipped
Age:– 19
Gender:– Female
Race:– Hybrid Lunarian-Human ( ½ and ½)
Occupation:– Thief/Dancer/Homemaker
Bounty/Rank:–
Total X-Poinz:– 300
Used X-Poinz:– 150
Earned X-Poinz Record:–
+300 (Starting XPz)
-50 Sticky Fingers
-50 Hot Flash
-50 Wheel O' Wisp
Rebate X-Poinz Record:–
- N/A
+0
Remaining Rebate XPz:– - N/A
+0
Remaining Rebate XPz:– 0
A feisty female who is rather full of herself, Vida Valencia is the type who can be social and friendly but also absolutely must have the last word in an argument, which she can be prone to creating. A person who is outgoing and down to earth even if she is a little on the cynical side, having come from the rougher and poorer parts of town it can be fair to say that this young woman is lacking for naiveté, and can appear quite pragmatic and even lacking for scruples. Taking the world as it is rather than as she would like it to be, this fiery femme would be the first to admit that life isn’t sunshine and rainbows, and seems to maintain a complicated moral position because of this.
A realist without any high minded or heavy-handed idealism to spout, she tends to be the sort of person who tends to live her life in a fairly impulsive manner, and answers to few people other than herself. Perfectly comfortable with the criminal aspects of her lifestyle and in her own way believing that her abilities almost entitle to act in the way that she does, she doesn’t spend a while lot of time worrying about whether what she is doing is wrong so long as it feels right to her, and yet she still seems to possess a certain set of ethics at the same time.
Coming from ‘nothing’ and sympathizing with others who do, she hates the idea of targeting the poor or needy, and can readily provoke her significant temper if she sees people being exploited or oppressed, as she can tend to act out against that in spite of her better judgement. Disliking seeing the unfortunate suffer and also having something of a soft spot for children and pets, she would speak up for people who seemed unable and against those who would take advantage of them, which can create a certain irony given the fact that she can tend to habitually take advantage of those who are gullible, though does so with a certain code of her own. Taking only from those she thinks 'can afford it', she practices merely what she believes as a fairer redistribution of wealth, and can be generous enough with her gain as well, often buying a round of beers or ice creams for strangers when she's had a good payday.
Perceptive or at least believing herself to be, Miss Valencia does so a certain insight and ability to size people up quickly, at least at face value. Able to spot qualities like a person's wealth or rough personality based on first impression, she is a student of humanity so to speak, though tends to be a little superficial in her assessments. Often not taking the time to notice the deeper meaning behind traits and actions, she can be a little judgemental of others, and feels guilty and embarrassed if she has misjudged someone.
Quite the firecracker and never more so than in her feisty and fiery temperament, in spite of more sultry and smooth acts she might put on Vida is quite the hot-headed young woman, and while this can make her seem brave and even fearless at times can also come back to bite her as well. The mouth of the minx even faster than her mind, she can be argumentative and even brutal when she wants to be, and has developed a habit of trying to shoot someone down before she can be shot down herself.
Eager to go on the offensive when she feels flustered or vulnerable, there are times when she can hurt the feelings of the people that she is close to without intending to, and tends to make negative snap judgements more than she should. Kind of vindictive as well, she tends to hold grudges when she is truly hurt or upset by people, she can show her bad side by tending to prioritizing her desire to get even rather than reach understanding and has alienated people over misunderstandings because of this belligerence.
Not all about belly fire and boldness however, Vida has a fun-loving side which makes her quite playful and even mischievous, and rather flirty as well, in the right mood or company. Confident in herself for the most part and tending to be the type who finds it easier to share wisecracks and banter over anything truly heartfelt, she enjoys teasing the people she likes as her manner of being tender, expressing her affection in a somewhat 'schoolyard' manner, and usually does so with a smile on her face and often a hope that her victims will be as amused by them as she is, and can feel guilty if she realizes she has taken things too far.
More sensitive than she seems and tending to cherish her close company more than she lets on, Miss Valencia is compassionate and loyal girl who can be very protective of the people she cares about, and can be especially vicious toward anyone who might hurt someone she considers a friend or more. Seeming to be wary of rejection in part because of her father abandoning the family as a little girl, while she tends to show a tough and combative attitude she has a habit of keeping folk at arm's length in one way or another, and frequently uses flirtation and humour as a method to create a feeling of emotional space for herself and express herself on her terms.
Not letting all that many people see the sense of vulnerability beneath her fiery front, Vida hates to cry in front of other people, and tends to defer to her anger because of this. Never having had anything close to a serious relationship with anyone, while she has had flings and brief dalliances into romance she seems to struggle to allow enough intimacy and honesty with another person, and this can stand in the way in the way of her developing deeper connections with others. In fact often so guarded about her own feelings that she can become flustered if someone else guesses them, she dislikes it when someone guesses what she is thinking or feeling, or if they draw attention to a conflict or hypocrisy in what she is saying, and can lose her temper with such souls in a manner that might be reminiscent of a tsundere, showing that for all her tendency to tease others she is just as easy to get the better of herself, if one knows what they are doing.
Appearance
A tall and pretty bronze-skinned young with long and wild largely dark brown hair, Vida is an attractive young woman skilled in showing off how good she looks. Coming with an ample bosom and narrow waist which leads into a pleasingly broad set of hips fitted as standard, Vida’s frame belies the tone of an active young woman who keeps herself in great shape. A dancer's frame really, she is long legged and buxom, with an hourglass figure that most would envy, and a dusky complexion which only adds to her exotic allure.
The face of the girl a pleasing, slightly impish set of features, Miss Valencia has a slightly mischievous and foxy visage with her almond shaped eyes as well as her sharp jawline and nose, with full lips that just beg to be highlighted with a nice colour. Gifted with glittering green irises, Vida possesses eyes of a rich and attractive emerald colour, they can look quite dazzling when caught by the light and are framed by a set of long, dark lashes which can make a wink or flutter seem to hold such promise.
Keeping her rich and earthy locks rather long, they reach all the way down to her mid back, one might note that the sense of waviness that is possessed by Vida’s tresses could remind them of a rolling tide. Dark in colour but not quite black even if certain light makes it appear that way, the girl actually has a few streaks of silvery hair that comes through in her bushy mane, though this has been something she and her mother has tended to dye away, ostensibly for vanity, but really to better hide her Lunarian heritage. Very rarely liking to hide much of her pretty face, however, most commonly she tends to sweep her long and wavy locks over to one side in the manner of an old fashioned movie starlet or something, and on the whole tends to gravitate toward styles that could be considered refined classics over more modern stylings.
Tending to dress in a casual, feminine and perhaps somewhat flamboyant manner, though Miss Valencia was something of a tomboy as a child she has embraced a sense of flair as she has grown older, and wears clothing that is comfortable and flowing. Active in her style and disliking items which restrict her body too much, she tends to wear long skirts and loose blouses, often with a sash or belt at her waist to highlight the pleasing figure she possesses. Regularly wearing items in her hair like scarves and bandanna in part as an effort to control her sometimes unruly hair, she is also a major fan of jewellery, and wears bangles, earrings and has several piercings including her lobes, tongue and naval.
Traits
Elegant Ember Positive Trait
Elegant in her movements and noticeably graceful, Vida is a gifted acrobat and dancer, possessing poise and awareness as well as the necessary degree of flexibility and strength to pull off and pick up complicated or refined movements with ease.
Lunar Flame Racial Trait
The most prominent aspect of Vida but also something she tends to conceal wherever she can, the girl can seem to conjure flames as if from nowhere thanks to the Lunarian ancestry she unknowingly possesses, and having learned she can do during times of stress and danger as a child has managed to hone her ability so that she can call upon it when she needs to.
Burning/Vulcanized Rubber Switch Trait
Quick on her feet usually, Vida is a fast sprinter, but she finds that her abilities shift when she activates her Flame Powers, growing more sluggish by comparison as her body becomes more resilient in order to cope with her fiery abilities.
Frailty of Flame Negative Trait
Unfortunately the greatest strength of the girl also her greatest weakness, while she isn't immobilized by water like the user of the Devil Fruit, Vida can be forced into a state of shock by having her flaming abilities suddenly extinguished, leaving her more vulnerable physically than she ordinarily would be.
Fighting Styles
Name:– Untamed Flame
Focus:– Fire Trait, Martial Arts
Class:– E
Description:– Exploiting the Lunarian blood she unknowingly possesses, Vida combines her ability to produce spontaneous bursts of flame with dance moves and acrobatics, crafting a fluid and frenetic art which overwhelms her enemies with grace, daring and quite literal fire power.
Name:– Unfair Trade
Focus:– Thievery, Disarming
Class:– E
Description:– While not a conventional fighting style by any means but often Vida's 'go to' for dealing with conflict, she has developed a noted skill as a pickpocket and thief which can prove useful in battle, as she can swipe items from careless enemies without needing to fight them, or even disarm the unwary!
Techniques
Name:– Sticky Fingers
Fighting Style:– Unfair Trade
Rank:– 1
Description:– Sticking close to a target, Vida exploits the deftness , quickness and daring to swipe something from them with her hand, be it a wallet or their house keys or even a holstered weapon in the right circumstance!
Name:– Hot Flash
Fighting Style:– Untamed Flame
Rank:– 1
Description:– Activating her flaming abilities as she performs a kick, Vida can cast off a wake of fire which lurches from her to burn targets over distance, providing her with a red hot ranged ability.
Name:– Wheel O' Wisp
Fighting Style:– Untamed Flame
Rank:– 1
Description:– Using her acrobatic skill to perform a wheeling series of kicks with both feet, Vida activates her flaming powers to unleash an arc of burning devastation which she can spread wide to affect a crowd or employ in a more concentrated fashion like a combo.
Background
Perhaps some of the most pertinent details about Vida's life coming from the time before and after she was born, the girl was the product of a strong romance between her mother and a traveller to the land, the latter from whom she unknowingly inherited her Lunarian ancestry. Likened to an angel thanks to the wings he possessed and assumed to be from one of the sky islands such as Birka, he was a pirate who was on the run and wounded, and brought home by the woman out of sympathy and simple charity. Grateful for the room and board she offered to him, he worked around the house where he could to pay her back and the two grew closer, until they fell into a loving affair.
Vida the result of this and early on the trio happy, for the first couple of years of her life the girl enjoyed having both a mommy and a daddy, but the experience with the latter would be lost before she could have all that many lasting memories, due to the perils of his ancestry. More than aware of the danger that people with his blood possessed and doing what he could to protect his family, he cautioned her mother to dye away the streaks of silver hair her daughter had inherited from him in order to better hide her heritage, but when hunters came sniffing around at the word of the winged man he fled the island to lead them away as well, drawing these cutthroats with him in order to ensure the woman he loved and his darling daughter possessed would be as well protected from his burden as he could.
The girl herself not knowing the fullness of this story and much of what she now feels she understands seeming to be pieced together from the cover story her mother provided and the counterpoint offered by rumour and confrontation, while mama told Vida that papa had left with altruistic intent and noble mission as she grew older she couldn't help but doubt this, and tended to lean closer toward the gossip that he had abandoned the family for less than amiable reasons. I mean, she didn't want to believe her daddy was a bad guy, he seemed nice in the brief flashes of memory she possessed, but as she grew older and wiser she tended to realize that good men didn't leave their family to suffer while they gallivanted around the world, and as such continues to harbour a sentiment of hostility toward her patriarch because of this.
Away from the trials of her parentage little Miss Valencia proving to be cheeky and lively little lass, as a child she tended to be quite impish and outspoken, derided by some for being a bit of a bad mannered brat who was the polar opposite of her polite and kindly matriarch. Perhaps some of the reasoning for this growing up in a single parent household which was not the most affluent, her mother worked long hours as a cook and cleaner in order to provide for them, giving her daughter both a wealth of free time and perhaps a desire for attention. Learning to take care of herself from a young age, Vida would cook herself and her hard working mother meals and the like even when she was little, and proved a clever and able youngster, if something of a trouble causer in many people's eyes.
Willful and highly independent, Vida tended to be rebellious at times and rather something of a tomboy, and usually seemed to get along better with the roughness and toughness boys offered rather than having much patience for the innocence of girls. A cute kid of course but more the sort who liked to ramble through the dirt and skin her knees, she was an active and curious little soul who disliked things like boundaries, and frequently got into trouble for the climbing walls and towers of the city to explore and see the sights, or for playing pranks on those she had disagreements with.
The tight budget of her home also seeming to lead her to be a little on the sticky fingered side, while she didn't tend to pilfer from friends or friendly neighbours she felt little issue nabbing sweets or fruit from grumpy shopkeepers and churlish merchants, which naturally only seemed to perpetuate the chagrin with which many adults seemed to treat her. And then this only seemed to give her more and more reason to act out, and so the cycle revolved around and around again, with only those who seemed to know that she was largely doing this for attention seeming to sympathize and comprehend her.
The art of Performance seeming to be perhaps the one thing through which Vida tended to express herself more positively, dance classes and opportunities to perform in plays at school were some of the rare things she seemed to find focus in, since despite her obvious intelligence and aptitude she tended to fool around more in her education than anything else. Likely seeming to enjoy the chance to draw attention to herself on her terms and showing a deftness of form and understanding needed to make her good at things like ballet, mischievous habits also seemed to help her to be a pretty good liar, and so she seemed a cut above most in the field of acting as well. Enjoying the chance to escape into a role in fact and adopting some theatricality to her bearing because of this, costumes and accents were fun to toy around with both for dramatic presentation and impish design, and so she embraced her adaptability to broaden her horizons and deepen her interests.
Adventurous since she was a little girl and curious about the world around the mix of stone and dirt in which she grew up, Vida and her friends would often slip in and out of the city gate to explore the greenery which surrounded their home, and played games like pirate and ninja in the freedom of the untamed wilds around their home. Drifting further and further as their courage and confidence grew and delving into the mystery of the forest in search of fabled creatures like elves and pixies, one day when she was ten Miss Valencia and her fellows set off after what one of them swore blind was a fairy or a dwarf and ended up rather deep in the woods because of that, they happened upon a cave which they didn't realize housed the den of a pack of wolves, who rushed to the defence of the young within.
The children and Vida included scared for their lives when they faced snarling teeth and sprightly legs, they ran for their lives and seemed to only draw the sentries to follow after them, baying at their heels and easily quick enough to outpace and surround the kids. Far from the city and their cries for help not seeming to draw the attention of local guards because of this, a couple of her friends fell to the floor and started to cry while the others were frozen in fear, and only Miss Valencia seemed to have the courage and constitution to move when their lead lunged for one of the younger and smaller members of their group.
Reacting on instinct and sweeping up a rock from the ground, Vida swiped at the beast to try and fend it off but only seemed to find herself overwhelmed by it as she was thrown onto the ground and pounced on by it and a couple of its cronies, and then it happened. Left in panic and frightened for her life as she felt a sharp set of teeth and a strong jaw clamp around her arm, she thought she was going to lose an arm or worse, and this seemed to kick a dormant part of her into full gear to protect herself. Erupting with flame as if she had been thrown into a hearth, warmth and wrath seemed to lash out from her only for a few seconds, but long enough to make sure the wolves were far more frightened of her than she was them, and scurried back to their den with singed snouts and burns to heal.
Everyone, Miss Valencia included, seeming to be confused by what had occurred, the girl used the scarf she had around her hair as a bandage for the wound on her arm and together the group headed home, initially defeated, but as they walked seeming to find childish optimism and enterprise rekindling their spirits. All of her friends seeming to be fascinated by the act, though Vida tried to repeat what she had done wilfully it would be some time yet before she could call upon her flame on command, and so her and her friends gossiped and speculated about what it could be as they strolled back to the city.
Mother certainly not lacking for worry when she had to dress a 'dog bite' her daughter had gotten later on but strangely the injury not worrying Vida all that much, instead she was as fascinated by her fiery powers as any of her friends, not least because they seemed special and unique and became to topic of interest for her little gang for some time to come. Looking in library books and even asking teachers veiled questions about the topic, with this the popular choice seeming to be the idea that she had eaten one of those fabled Devil's Fruit somehow without knowing, though this was disproven when she threw herself into a pond and felt no paralysis or tendency to sink, which was luck really. After all, she was probably the best swimmer of her bunch.
Ultimately unable to figure out all that much about how she managed to create that fire and so setting out to prove it wasn't some fluke or something, though it took a while, eventually Vida learned to spout a flame or two by her own design. Remembering the feeling of desperation and odd sensation which had swept through her at the time, while it seemed harder to provoke without the aid of an angry pack of wolves, the girl gradually learned to produce flashes of flame and used these as a bit of a party trick for a time, at least until her mother caught her doing so.
The woman happening upon her daughter while she was showing off for her friends, she pulled her away from the group with a look of sternness and seriousness which her little girl had hardly seen in her life, and swore both her and her friends to the strictest and most punitive secrecy if they ever revealed what she could do. Miss Valencia not often the sort to do as she was told mind you but on this occasion seeming to agree, there was something about the sheer terror which her matriarch showed that frightened even her, and assumed it was something to do with the danger of the flame, and swore to only use it when she had no other option to protect herself. She was right about the peril, of course, but didn't realize that if the wrong person saw it and her bronzy complexion then she would likely be the most in danger of anyone.
The advent of Vida's teen years seeming to help her blossom into something of a beauty as she became a young woman rather than a girl, while her green eyes and dusky features had always made her something of a looker she only became sultrier as she matured, and perhaps she knew that a little too well. Wilful and confident and seeming to grow more assured in her appeal, both the friends of her childhood and those who might have given the cheeky prankster a wider berth seemed to notice her looks, and she wasn't so lacking in scruples that she didn't mind taking advantage of that.
Happy to lead the odd boy here and there on to get a nice trinket or something pretty, much of the tomboyish manner of Miss Valencia seemed to settle beneath the surface, and she started to grow her hair out and wear dressed and skirts rather than the shorts of her youthful years. In truth however not all that interested in romance and coupling up however, while the occasional spicy flirtation with the right figure might have gotten her proverbial motor running enough to give away a little intimacy, ultimately she showed that she was just as untameable as she once was as a bratty runabout. Loving her mother dearly but certainly having no intention of ending up stuck with kids and a stove back home or something, while many tried to be her suitor, none would ultimately claim a girl with far grander interest and ambition than your average pretty slum girl.
Unsure of exactly what she wanted to do with her life but damn sure of what she didn't wish to do, Vida ultimately decides to indulge her adventurous spirit, and aimed to see some of the world around her when she was old enough to leave. The laws of the land saying a child was an adult when they reached the age of eighteen, while the love for the woman who raised her meant that she had a note of reluctance in departing and leaving her on her own, ultimately she knew that she wanted to make something of herself and rise above the poor part of town she grew up in. Oddly, this seemed to make her matriarch say she was like her father in this regard, which she resented, but didn't change her plans.
Working toward this goal as she waded through the depths of her teenage years, Miss Valencia worked through some part time jobs waitressing and working in kitchens to make money, though her hot spirit tended to land her in trouble often. A pretty girl and ever more so a feisty one, she did not take all that kindly to unwelcome attention or crude words from travellers and drunks, and was often the type to back talk those who paid her wage, which meant she was not always looked upon terribly kindly regardless of the effort she put in.
Because of this seeming to indulge a few bad habits to help herself out when her shifts seemed to wane in favour of more docile replacement, she put that pretty visage and theatrical history to good use working as a pickpocket and con artist. Posing as a veiled crone to act as a fortune teller, she would use her keen insight into people to offer false readings to wealthy travellers and rip them off as she did so, or approach them under the guise of premonition and worry, and swipe wallets and watches from people as she tried to warn them about a misfortune coming their way. It didn't always work, but every once in a while she found the right kind of mark, and her homeland became increasingly busy with visitors thanks to changes which occurred in the interceding years.
The country having undergone upheaval during her teen years after all, while she didn't pay that much attention to royalty and government, the death of both the kind and queen from illness resulted in their young son inheriting the throne. A boy of less than ten when he assumed the position and certainly not ready to rule in anything more than official capacity, this prompted a time of upheaval as his ambitious first minister seemed to take control of the fate of the country, and started a period of development and industrialization under the idea of modernization. Lagging a little behind their neighbours and in need of a shot in the arm, the wily man saw an opportunity and went for it, and over time both the country and its capital was remoulded by his design.
In Vida's opinion this seeming to only make the city a worse place to live, portions of the poorer parts of town were demolished and large factories were built in their place, and yet despite the supposed enhancement to society life seemed to move from simple toward complicated and difficult. Most of her friends seeming to end up working long and gruelling hours in them as they tried to branch out on their own, life became a little lonelier as she lost touch with most of the people she had been close to either through hard work or a desire to move away to somewhere kinder in a different part of the island.
This seeming like something that was wise in her mind, she found her tolerance for her home waning as the state of it worsened, and even though she knew it would not be long before she left Miss Valencia tried to suggest the same idea for her mother, expecting the woman would be happier working in or even running an inn in the countryside than coping with the increasingly pressures of the big city. However, age and her own ever demanding workload seemed to leave the woman tired, very tired, and perhaps dismissive of the idea of leaving her birthplace and the workplaces she was loyal to because of this.
In hindsight wishing she had paid attention to this detail and pushed harder on the issue but sadly more concerned with her own issues than the wellbeing of her matriarch, Vida went about her business as best she could and looked to the future, and even had a ticket for passage to a distant land booked and a date for departure to distract herself. However, before she could act on the idea, unfortunately, her plans to leave were put on hold as her mother was suddenly and seriously taken ill.
Realizing that the weariness of the woman was the first warning sign of something nasty after the fact, one day Miss Valencia arrived home from a day of less than honest work to find a neighbour waiting at her door, and raced to the local clinic because of it. Mama collapsing at work from what was initially assumed to be exhaustion but ultimately far worse, shortness of breath and constant nausea as well as heart problems had all seemed to seize the woman, and leave her in quite a sorry state really. Spending a few days there being treated by tonics that would help with the symptoms before she was allowed to return home, it was a worrying time for her daughter, and one that seemed to curtail her plan to leave home for the foreseeable future.
Selling her ticket for travel and using the savings she had made to keep the house running and pay for medicine while the woman recuperated, Vida had hope that a little rest would see her mother improve, and while she did to some degree, she was exhausted doing simple tasks like washing dishes or sweeping the floor. Taking over these tasks for her because hell the woman had earned it, after a lifetime of living without much care for the amount her matriarch would work to support them the daughter felt a swell of guilt and responsibility for the state of the woman, and resolved to stay until she was well.
Unfortunately even the money she had saved for her trip running dry quickly given how expensive good medicine was, though she suspected the doctor was swindling her, ultimately she had little choice but to go back to 'work' not to pay for some chance at a getaway but rather for the sake of the woman she loved so much. The doctor advising that not only medicine but fresh food brought in from overseas would be the best for the woman's health, Vida couldn't disagree with how the land around them seemed to be festering, and though more expensive put in the work to provide for the woman. Though, others were not so lucky.
Mama not the only one who seemed to be falling ill and even Miss Valencia herself seeming to feel like she had bouts of wooziness and the odd 'off day' here and there, around her it seemed that many houses in the neighbourhood had one or more people which seemed to be afflicted by this strange 'plague', as the authorities called it. In fact the poorer parts of the city seeming to but put in something of a quarantine, city guards would monitor those who left for symptoms of illness and turn back any who seemed to be ill, and those from other parts were discouraged from going down there. Not that a few fools in tin helmets would stop Vida getting what she needed, mind.
Not convinced however that this was a mere plague going around though and as time went on the girl feeling more and more like something else was responsible, she couldn't help but feel there was too much 'convenience' of coincidence that a once simple but healthy people were suddenly falling ill after those factories sprang up, and set about proving they were responsible. All she needed was an in, and proof that they were ruining the town, and hopefully then SOMETHING would be done. And she wasn't going to stop, even if she had to get the World Government involved…
