Meaning:
Hiryuuno = hiryuu, meaning "flying dragon" combined with no, meaning "of"
Nushi = "owner; master; lover; god"
Can be translated several ways: "Owner/Master of the flying dragon" "Lover of the Flying Dragon" "God of the Flying Dragon"
Nicknames: Though Nushi has been called many names, most are only an attempt at insult based upon her complete disregard for reality.
Age: 18
Blood type: B+
Birth date: April 19th
Zodiac Sign: Aries, on the cusp of Taurus
Birthstone: Diamond
Favorite Gemstone: Diamond, Crystal Quartz, Bloodstone
Birthplace: NYU Downtown Hospital--New York, NY
Likes: Being raised in a fantasized environment, Nushi's interests tend to be more fanciful in nature. She enjoys anything historical, though she tends to ignore anything beyond the Medieval and Renaissance periods. She prefers the chivalry and hiarchy of these time periods to today's setting. Nushi also relishes in the heat of battle. Whether it is in sport--as a spar might be--to heighten one's skill, in result of a threat or an attack where she must lash out physically, or simply in a battle of wits or words, Nushi will always be ready and willing to join. She likes fantasy literature and most things that draw a person into a world far from our modern one.
Dislikes: Nushi's life has been almost entirely based in a fantasy world, and thusly she dislikes having to return entirely to reality itself. Computers and other items of technology are especially aggrivating to her, as they tend to solidify reality moreso in her eyes. Her love of battle and general personality tends to cause her to be fidgety if there is a fight she is not taking part in. She refuses to watch, and almost feels that if she is unable to join in the fray she is helpless. This often gets her into arguments and battles that are not hers to fight. Stronger perhaps that all of these, perhaps, is her dislike for the Japanese culture and anything linked to it. This stems from her relationship with her mother. Generally, casual mention of Nushi's asian lineage will result in either a scoff, or some form of retaliation.
Quirks: Nushi is rarely found out of her garb in some form or another. Her dialect sometimes slips in a strange old world phrase or two that she would use more frequently at the Ren Fest. She also tends to imagine that she is in a fantasy world, so it is not that peculiar to hear her call someone a satyr or ogre. She is probably imagining that said person is a satyr or an ogre to fit her present view of that person.
Hobbies: During her free time, Nushi can usually be found doing one of several things. If she has someone to compete against, she will be sparring--anywhere, either with her staff or her sword. If she is currently in the middle of a book, assignment, or project she can be found in either the park or her own yard, usually in a tree. If she has nothing to do, find Emery or Trey. She might be chasing them. Otherwise, she would be at home helping her father with something in his make-shift smithy. Of course, it goes without saying that if there is a Ren Fest in town, there is no question as to Nushi's where-abouts.
Strengths: Raised as she was, Nushi has a very creative and imaginative nature. She excells in such things as writing and roleplaying, as there is seldom a time when she does not have some new or absurd idea to throw in. Her writing is spiced with mythology and even her (very well hidden) poetry has a mystical air. She uses a good deal of symbolism, metaphores, and similies. As it could be argued that Nushi's entire life has been an act, she is quite the good actress. Becoming something that she is not comes easily to this young woman. On a similar note, Nushi was raised to use weapontry. She is adept with both her broadsword and staff. She has at least some knowledge of most melee weapons, including warhammers and maces.
Nushi's adventurous life has left her to be quite guarded and careful. She is an independent being, always relying upon her own ability rather than trusting what she sees or hears. She is a friendly person, when approached properly, and her views of honor and chivalry generally make it easy for her to keep these friends--if she stays in the same place long enough to know them.
Weaknesses: Nushi's fantasy based life only heightens her dislike for technology. It is a surprize that she has gotten so far in her schooling without most basic computer skills. There are still times when she must sit down in front of the computer with her father for an hour or so to figure out how to word Microsoft Word for an essay or report she must turn in. Generally, she knows how to do the simpliest of tasks, but there are times when her desire to ignore technology leads to her ignoring even this limited knowledge.
Nushi tends to have a short fuse, and generally needs little prompting to enter an argument or fight. Though she generally does so to assist the underdog, this often gets her in more trouble than it is worth. It is near impossible for Nushi to watch a fight without joining it in some fashion. She is very open with her feelings: generally more open than most people would like to hear. She tends to be loud and boisterous, as well, which often scares off many potential friends.
Fantasy has become the focal point of Nushi's life, and, this being so, she often expects some adventure to be at every corner. This knowledge has left Nushi needing to keep on her toes, ready for anything that might come to pass. Though this has kept her ready and expectant for anything that might catch most off guard, it has also left Nushi a rather paranoid person at times. This side of her seldom surfaces, but when it does, it is difficult to prove to her that there is no need to prepare armaments and that there is not going to be an attack occuring soon.
In Nushi's growing dislike for her mother's heritage and traditions, Nushi has shunned much that her mother holds dear. As Nushi's mother was a lady of court, Nushi avoided the court frequently and learned little of what it meant to be lady-like and demure. She finds it difficult, now, to wear the frilly dresses of court and watched tight-lipped as things happen all around her. Silence is not a virtue that Nushi can hold to, nor are the restrictions of a stereotypical court lady. Nushi is her own woman. She is independant and asks little to nothing of those around her. This, as well, can often cause her problems. Nushi refuses any help that is offered to her, and a person would be hard pressed to get her to change her mind on this. Often, this leads her to fighting a battle that she cannot win on her own, with little to no help to save her from herself.
Fears: As Nushi's life is deeply rooted in a world of fantasy, she has many irrational fears. Though she is very proud of the fact that she fears no man or beast, there are things that she fears. Several of her fears revolve around the world of dragons and their existance, but these hold little to her personality and hardly effect her daily life. There are fears, however, that effect her more prominantly than these.
Nushi is a very proud and unstable person. Though she has yet to be beaten in a fight (not counting her father, who beats her on many occassions), she is not so vain to think that she is the greatest fighter living. She fears the day that she will encounter one of those few fighters that are more skilled than she. In a similar right, Nushi has become a very cautious person in her life. Always expecting the adventure of a fantasy filled life, Nushi remains alert. This does give her the fear, however, that she will be caught unaware. Again, she knows that she is not perfect, and, in this, she knows that she cannot see everything. This makes her jumpy, often turning at slight sounds as if she expects an attack.
Perhaps Nushi's greatest fears explain the most about her. Because of her mother's constant chiding and attempts at trying to convince Nushi that they do not belong here, Nushi fears her mother most. There isn't a conversation with Nushi's mother that passes without this fear rearing its ugly head. One word of 'home' will often send Nushi into an angry fit, usually ending in her storming out of the house. The thought that her mother could drag her back to Japan whenever she pleases scares Nushi, because she knows that, no matter how old she is, she could not actually say no to her mother if the situation arose. In a similar right, she fears looking too much like her mother. Honestly, she fears anything that would link her too much to her Japanese heritage.
Aspirations: Nushi really only wants to restart the Ren Fest that was her home and regather all of its members. She does, however, have the brilliant idea of making a stationary Ren Fest, bigger than a normal Ren Fest, with a larger budget so that it can be thought of as almost a theme park--without those fancy rides and such, of course. This way, she would have the home she is accustomed to, and it would be able to expand. More people could enjoy it, and her friends and "family" could return to their original profession.
Favorite Subject: History is Nushi's subject of choice, though this is generally limited to a certain time period.
Least Favorite Subject: Nushi loathes any computer course on her schedule, as she has a very low view of technology in general.
School: Nushi attends Elymus Public High as a Senior.
Appearance:
Nushi was fortunate enough to gain the genetic characteristics of both her mother and father, though at times she wishes she looked more like her American father. She stands at roughly 5'7", towering above her 4'10" mother. She keeps her plum hued hair back in a long braid which reaches the floor, actually dragging behind her by an inch or two (which causes a lot of problems like getting DIRTY, but she refuses to cut it). Her bangs are parted in a zigzag fashion at her left (our right when facing her), and she allows the long strands to hang over to the right, covering her cheek, ear, and half of her right eye. There are a few short wisps of bangs framing the left side of her face, but they are considerably shorter than those on her right.
People often mistake her eye color for white, though truly it is a strange metallic silver that nobody in her family has ever had, so there is no way of explaining it genetically. Her eyes are almond shaped, beautifully large and full. Though she truly despises the fact that her skin tone links her quite obviously to her mother, she prides herself on her creamy orange complexion: the telltale Asian, oriental skin. She has a short, thin nose that is also quite frequent to those with her heritage. Though it is rare for someone to agree with her, she feels that her ears are slightly pointed and almost Elvin in appearance. It is true that the shape of her ears is slightly odd, but to go as far as pointed... though it isn't much of a stretch. She currently has three piercings in each earlobe with a golden hoop in each piercing.
Nushi enjoys flaunting her lush features and full figure. No matter how much she might stand out in the process, she adores wearing her Ren garb as frequently as possible. Attire reminiscent of episodes from Xena and gypsy scarves flourish her wardrobe. Her favorite shoes are her garb boots: soft doeskin that laces up her calf.
Personality:
Nushi is a very radical and outgoing young woman. She would love nothing more than to continue traveling with her father and mother in the Ren Faire. Now that this is impossible, she has promised herself to make a lasting impression. She has been to other schools before and has always had the same reaction from her peers. "Who is that girl?" "Who does she think she is?" "What on EARTH is she wearing?" Though hearing such comments never made her back down before, this year she plans on actually making friends (since she lost all her Ren Faire friends she now has none).
Nushi's attitude often gets her into trouble. She's good at sticking up for the little guy, though she feels that every person just needs a push to become strong enough to stand up for his/her self. When she stands up for a person, it's usually her way of pushing him/her. A lot of times she will get in a fight simply because it is there. She loves arguing and usually goes a long way to make a short point. Then again, her points are usually so bizarre that they are impossible and incorrect anyway. That doesn't mean she believes them with any less conviction.
This high school senior has an extremely short fuse. One word of disagreement sends her into a furious argument. If someone does not agree with her and voices his/her opinion, he/she should be ready to face an onslaught of Nushi�s views. When she has a conviction on any topic, Nushi will defend her ideas to the end. It is almost impossible to change her mind on a subject. If you do manage to change her mind, however, you will have a strong ally in said argument.
As a child, Nushi was brought up around brash men who drank, belched, and spoke their minds. Now she's no different (except she doesn't drink very much and she doesn't belch) than they are. If Nushi thinks something is right or wrong, she'll say it. If she feels a person is doing something stupid, she'll stop him/her. She doesn't care what others think or what they say. As long as Nushi is happy, she doesn't really mind what goes on in the world around her.
When things get difficult, Nushi has been known to fantasize. Whatever might be surrounding her at the time turns into a completely different world. Trolls, dragons, ogres, and faeries often scatter throughout her every-day life. If she has a hard time talking to or dealing with someone, she images them as something more familiar: a centaur perhaps. When dealing with new experiences, Nushi has a knack for making herself right at home in the environment. Everything has its chance to be new and exciting. At the moment, her favorite life is within the world of the �castles and mountains� of New York itself.
Being raised within a society where both women and men were equal and almost anything was acceptable, Nushi retained some rather unconventional values. Promiscuous women were often her role models, since she refused to see her mother as someone worth admiring. These women�usually the Ren Faire�s wenches, barmaids and rogues�taught Nushi everything her father couldn�t teach her. Romance, courting, love, beauty and grace were among the values she gained from these women. Of course, this makes her completely untraditional in today�s society. She knows what romance and love are. She has been in several �relationships� in her time.
In love, Nushi knows her place: at the top. Of the relationships she has been in, she has learned that few guys take the initiative in actual commitment. As much as she adores the courtly love of the hopeless romantic, she will not settle for flowers and candle-lit dinners if the man she is dating refuses to make a stand with his heart (this might not make any sense, but that is almost exactly how Nushi would word it, as well). If she hears the words �I love you� too soon, Nushi doesn�t run in fear or curl into a little ball; she slaps the man who spoke those words. There is no way this woman is about to listen to anyone try to play games with her heart. She knows that when the words are spoken in truth, she will recognize them. She has yet to recognize them spoken in truth.
This does not mean, however, that Nushi�s life is loveless and chaste. On the contrary, Nushi has had many �private� relationships. Though she is only eighteen, she has already had the scare of a late period twice. She doesn�t doubt that she�ll have that to worry about more than a couple times in her life. Since the Ren Faire disbanded, she broke up with her most recent boyfriend (the tall, lean pickle-seller who used to watch her dance at the gypsy booth with a longing in his eyes). She wasn�t emotionally attached to the young man; she didn�t have any problem with a face-to-face, clean break-up.
History:
Hiryuuno Jigin, Nushi's father, led an interesting life before he met Nushi's mother, Edano Yanagi in Tokyo. Jigin's birth name was Edward Stuart, but during his life and travels he grew to hate that Western 'office name', as he would call it when he later told Nushi his stories. Jigin left his family at the age of twenty, quitting college for the more robust life of a Ren Faire rogue. There was no making a living traveling with this band of friends he had made. He acted, and made enough money to survive and continue his fantasy-based life. In desperate need for money and a change in scenery, 'Edward Stuart' and a well-off friend flew to Tokyo. They had always been interested in the strange Eastern culture (especially the ancient samurai warriors).
Edano Yanagi lived in Tokyo with her wealthy father, Edano Kashi. He owned several ancient samurai artifacts that he loaned to a local museum. As President of a large technological firm, he had the ability to spoil his daughter as he saw fit. Yanagi and 'Edward' met one day in the museum where Kashi's artifacts were on loan. Immediately, the two were attracted, though neither could place what drew them together. 'Edward' stayed in Tokyo as long as he possibly could, just to stay near this woman. He courted her, and they quickly fell in love. When 'Edward' was so low on cash that he knew he had to leave, he asked her to go with him to America. Yanagi had always been fascinated by everything Western, and eagerly accepted.
Their relationship had been a chaste one, but it had been in secret. When Kashi heard that his daughter wanted to leave for America with this man, he was furious. It took many hours of tears and explanations from Yanagi before her father came to his senses. He realized that she was in love, and this was the best thing for her. He consented to the marriage, and even promised to support the newlyweds for as long as they needed his help (which would be until the day he died and they were willed his fortune).
'Edward' legally changed his name to Hiryuuno Jigin just before the marriage.
The merciful eye of the flying dragon.
~*~
Nushi was born in New York, where her father's Ren Faire had been traveling at the time. All her life, all Nushi has known that has been permanent has been this world of fantasy and role-playing. Her mother played the courtly lady in the faire, though Nushi took little interest in the lifestyle. Her father, however, trained her in everything that he knew. She quickly picked up on the antics of the jesters, nobles, knights and gypsies as if they were natural in this day and age.
About a month ago the Ren Faire her family worked at moved to New York (gee, what a coincidence). Shortly thereafter, the 'King', and main financial asset of the group died in his sleep. This had been expected, as he was very old and fragile. However, none expected his will to read as it did. No finances left to fund the Ren Faire, it disbanded, and each 'family' within the group went its separate way. Nushi's father decided it would be best if he stayed in New York and find a job. She was enrolled in Elymus Public High for her senior year. For once, it seems, she would be staying in the same school for an entire year. Her father bought a small home for them with what was left of their inheritance from Edano Kashi and found a job working in an office (which he loathes, but he has few skills that are useful in the modern work world).
Images by Amie's artist bitch (tm), Cobweb:
--What was she thinking? Alright... who drugged Nushi or hypnotized her to actually agree to wear the frilly pink princess dress and tiara? She's smiling. What's wrong with this picture?
--Again I ask, what were you thinking, beloved artist? Nushi... are you ill? Do you have a fever? Let me check your temperature. You're in mundane, and you're blushing. It must be a fever... she's flushed. Someone call a doctor.
Images by Rei Helen of Cafe Elorhe and more:
--Face to face, these two unlikely allies stare at one another. Reality? Fantasy? They are a boy and a girl from two different worlds, nothing more.
--Nushi finally convinces Emery to join her at the local Ren Fest. Darkness only knows how she convinced him to wear such garb.