artfvlly
the empress.
Lucyfer
AAAAAAAAA ... she's finally done. I went WAY overboard but I'm feeling very EXTRA recently soooo yikes lmao. there's lots of tabs and buttons and scrolls it's such a fun code. I wasn't sure what to title this thread so I just did that for the moment, but I'm sure we can come up with something more fun later!!! I added a mobile friendly version too just in case you have any problems with the fancy, there's some stuff that I didn't add to the mobile friendly spoiler but it's nothing important mainly just extra stuff. so sorry if this is cringe/overboard, I'm super excited to see what you have for your OC!!!
filler! ignore
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♡design by natasha., coded by uxie♡
♡all images from pinterest, and belong to their rightful creators♡
➤ FIRST LOOK
✭ BASICS
name ❥ Kaia
age ❥ 19
gender identity ❥ Female
➤ FIRST LAYERS
✭ APPERANCE
Kaia has a petite, lean build. She's built for movement, exercise and combat. She's shorter than most, standing around 5"1, slight curves to her waist and hips but doesn't exaggerate her figure too much. She is built to be powerful, graceful and strong, and it's obvious in the way she holds herself that she's trained to enhance those skills. She has pale skin which is common for Fire Nation. She takes after her mother a lot, a sharp chin, jawline and high cheek bones. Her eyes are almond shaped and slightly hooded, leaning towards a mix of hazel and yellow in colour almost like dark honey. Her nose arched but small, matching her smaller sharp shaped lips that are a soft pink. Her hair is long, reaching her stomach and is a solid black tone with a sleek texture. She often has it in a half-up half-down style, keeping the top as a bun as a fire bender tradition. She also likes to have two strands framing either side of her face. Though, it is not uncommon to see her with her hair completely down or fully pulled back into a pony-tail or bun when training.
body modifications ❥ Pierced ears
scars or birthmarks ❥
Kaia doesn't really have scars or marks on her body that are publicly visible. She's quite private in general and knows scarring can say unsaid things about a persons life. Across her upper back and upper right thigh she has scars from large burns, they are visibly a few years old. She doesn't really talk about them much, nor does she like it when people bring them up so she keeps them hidden whenever possible. Other than that, she has a few freckles here and there as well as small scrapes and bumps from training but nothing that doesn't fade over time.
clothing ❥
click to see + ignore the royal headpiece in the bun
common / around the palace + artist
training [summer] + artist
training [winter] + artist (i think, correct me if i am wrong)
formal + artist
➤ HEART AND BONES
✭ PERSONALITY
Kaia, deep down is a sad, troubled young woman. The trauma if growing up during the war changed her a lot from the happy-go-lucky girl she was once, and as a consequence she withdrew herself from the world and let her heart turn to stone. She's emotional and doesn't know how to fix it, so instead she hides it deep inside her. The smallest actions or words dig into her like sharp blades, so she draws back and reserves her feelings, even hiding them from those closest to her. Being someone who can't even cry in front of her own mother without feeling weak and disgusting, it is unsurprising that she does so. She acts as if nothing can break her pristine, perfect image, especially after her father was arrested. She acts unemotional, untouched on the outside to reserve not only her own reputation but her family's reputation and pretends as if every mistake is actually a perfectly calculated move, rather than a cover to hide her own internal conflict. Many people have eventually read through this stiff demeanour and undercover her for a young woman who is just generally anxious and hurt. She's a perfectionist, to the point where it damages her own confidence, anxious and borderline antisocial at times. She has a crippling fear of failure, or letting those around her down. She works herself to the bone, overthinks and hyper-fixates on ideas of herself or her skill until it eats her alive.
Regardless of her sometimes pessimistic attitude, Kaia has grown to find she has confidence in herself and her abilities. It took months of training with Iroh but he slowly made her realise what she was capable of. She may be an anxious ball of stress who has a perfectionist streak, but she's trying her hardest to get jobs done perfectly with courageous spirit. She's perseverant, Iroh taught her that and continues to remind her that even if she does fail she can always bounce back, will herself to try harder and be as perfect as she wants to be. Kaia is also a rather protective person, she was never particularly close with many people but she is undyingly loyal. She has the type friendship you can guarantee could last a lifetime if you treat her well. She is honourable and sticks very closely to her moral code and values, no matter the pressure put on her. Kaia is often misread as being a anxious, teachers pet, when in reality she does know how to have fun. She's quite laid-back when comfortable or alone and likes to relax in her time off. She knows how to joke around, and be a bit mischievous at times which is surprising considering her usual unemotional demeanour. Kaia is also good for her blunt honesty, when in a situation where someone needs solid, realistic advice, Kaia will tell it straight and blunt and won't sugar coat it.
-- anxious, pretender, insecure, troubled emotionally, sometimes antisocial, outwardly unemotional, perfectionist, fear of failure, over thinker, over worker, confident (at times), laid-back, joker, realistic, loyal, honourable, perseverant, courageous, motivated, calculated, intelligent, observant
likes ❥ fire, training, combat, working with iroh, her family, animals, mischief, time alone or down time, feeling in control, sun, cuddling, sweet or spicy treats, comfy clothes, arts, cool drinks, lavender scents, the country side, flowers, cooking, crafting and creating, necklaces and earrings, collecting strange objects and weird looking rocks, daydreaming, talking with others, brightening someones day, running and swimming
dislikes ❥ anti-firebenders, cold, ice, rain, clams/oysters, being compared to others, expectations, failing, being hated/feared for her bending, rude wo/men, violent wo/men, anyone who man-handles her, floods, droughts, famine, sickness, injury, death, rumours, people staring, judgement, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, war, abuse of any kind, being overwhelmed, crowds (depending on the situation), small spaces
hobbies ❥
In her spare time, Kaia is quite creative. Not having many friends in school meant she turned to other forms of entertainment. She likes to read, sometimes go to plays if she has the time. She likes art, although she's not great at drawing she has done her fair share of doodles here and there. She also enjoys collecting strange objects or items like beads, rocks, shells or old coins. Sometimes she will make necklaces, bracelets or earrings which she gives to people she is friends with. She likes to think she's weaving some form of protection into the thread/string of each item so they will stay safe as long as she thinks of them. She knows magic isn't really real, but it's the thought that counts.
✭ RELATIONSHIPS
iroh ❥ Kaia has the upmost respect for Iroh. She views him almost as a second father figure within her life, considering the complicated nature of her bond with her birth father. Iroh has always been patient and supportive during her gradual growth, especially once she finally learnt to not fear her own gifts. Of course, Iroh is a good and tough mentor. He likes to question her thoughts and actions so she can mull over it and become both a better person and bender. Iroh has a close bond with his other students, much like his fondness of his nephew which Kaia is sometimes jealous of. But she lives in fear of disappointing him and understands the boundaries and roles of their friendship/mentorship.
zuko ❥ Kaia knows of Zuko's existence more than he would probably ever know of hers. She knew of him because quite obviously he was at first the infamous banished Prince, then the Fire Lord himself. She was sure that when they were young children the two of them may have met once of twice, considering their similar age and her fathers rank within the army. Kaia has a lot of respect for him, especially once he became Fire Lord. From the way Iroh talks about him, she knows that he has gone far over the years since they were children. She has decided that she is honoured to be associated with him in any form, and even after her training plans to stick around in the castle to support him. She likes his values and his relationship or connections with good, important influences such as Avatar Aang.
azula ❥ Much like with Zuko, Kaia is sure she has met Azula at least once or twice when they were children. They did go to the same school at one point, but were never friends like Ty Lee and Mai were. Kaia has always thought she was a bit stuck-up and full of herself, she was never sure why anyone was friends with her because she acted and spoke so cruel. Although she hasn't been around much (other than causing chaos), Kaia would never know if she could convince herself to trust or even like Azula. If Zuko were to include her more publicly within his family or the palace, Kaia wouldn't know how to feel. She knows that she isn't in a position to advise him, but if the situation were to occur she wouldn't know if she could prevent herself from doing so.
➤ SOUL AND BEYOND
✭ HISTORY
Kaia was born the youngest of 4 siblings, all boys. Her mother had always wanted a girl and kept trying until she got one. Her father wasn't home often and her mother balanced a raising her children alongside housework. Her mother was often plagued by migraines and left the children to do as they pleased, which usually ended up with Kaia as the victim of some game her brothers made up. Her brothers were protective of their baby sister for sure, but they were boys after all and could often times be cruel or hurtful without realising.
Her father got to promoted as General when she started school, which meant he was home even less. Kaia and her siblings always had a strange relationship with their father, he was hardly home and when his mood was unpredictable. Kaia could usually tell how colonising the earth kingdom was going depending on how he acted. Sometimes he would be as Kaia expected a father to act, kind, helpful, playful. He would hum in the kitchen while helping her mother prepare food and let her brothers ride on his shoulders when they went outside to play. Other times he was cruel, he would drink himself into a rut and yell and her siblings and mother. They found it was best to keep quiet and play outside on those days. To her mothers credit, she was always the same. She always worked hard when she wasn't bedridden with migraines, she cooked, cleaned and helped them with their homework. On the days that her mother was sick, Kaia would help around the house as her brothers never would. She would prepare a simple dinner, hang out the laundry, help her brothers with their homework if she could.
Kaia was always a bright child, she did well in school and got good grades. It helped that she was quiet, put her head down and got stuff done without question or argument. She never really had friends in school, sure she would play with people but no one ever clicked. To be fair, she was quite content alone and often spent her lunchtimes collecting rocks or strange items that she might fashion into a necklace or bracelet. Plus, a lot of kids her age were intimidated by her family, especially her father. She was told by other kids that her father had a reputation to be a cruel man. He was born for war apparently, but Kaia didn't really know what it meant until she got older.
Around this time, Kaia and her brothers were undergoing fire-bending training. Her father was rather strict about it and would often ask to see their achievements when he visited home. Kaia was always cautious and a slow learner, this didn't help her brothers or fathers attitude towards her. In fact, her brothers were growing closer to acting like her father by the day. As a prank, her brothers decided to try and scare her while showing their father their bending achievements. They decided to pretend to attack her to see how she reacted, thinking she would stumble over her footing and embarrass herself. To no one surprise, the young Kaia did. She was anxious about bending and mostly untrained, so she could not block the incoming flame. Her brothers who had meant no ill harm messed up as well, one growing too confident with his flame he sent in her direction. The flame burned her upper right thigh, leaving a large scar that took some weeks to heal and still remains on her skin to date.
In her teenage years, Kaia was accepted into a prestigious school for girls from the fire nation. Partly because of her fathers influence within the military, partly because of her good grades. She didn't really fit in with the girls there, they were from rich families or war heroes. There she interacted with Azula a handful of times, Kaia mainly avoided her because she thought she was cruel. Kaia continued to get good grades, keep her head down and do her own thing. Her older brothers were slowly finishing high school and departing to join the military at her fathers demand.
Her mother was more sick, maybe from the stress of the war or the way her father acted because of it. She was bed ridden most days and Kaia would run the show. Between school and the firebending training her father made her do she would cook, clean and care for the household. Her father was more cruel than ever, and so were her brothers who modelled their personalities after him. Kaia still cared for them though, there were moments where her father would still be tender and caring. She occasionally caught him stroking her mothers hair as she lay bed ridden or telling his sons he was proud. Sometimes her brothers would help her cut the vegetables, or hang the laundry. Moments like those kept her going.
As her fire bending developed and she grew older, Kaia discovered something interesting. Her skill was finally honing in and she felt quite confident in her abilities. Then, one day, as she was practicing blocking with her mentor that her father had hired, something changed. As if on instinct the normal comfort of a warm flame changed to an arcing zap of electricity. Her mentor was stunned, she was stunned, the other students were stunned. She had... lightning bended? It didn't take long for her father to hear the news, he rushed home and they celebrated. His daughter, his only daughter had enough talent to produce lightning? Impressive, amazing they said. Even her mother managed to leave her bed to have dinner with them that night. But, it just turned Kaia's life upside down.
Kaia's father decided that it was time for her to leave school and focus on her bending. He got in contact with a new and improved mentor to help her advance further in her bending training. This did not settle well with Kaia, an argument broke out between her and her father, the first time she had ever spoken up for herself. Her father got too heated, and maybe for a moment he became so blinded by his rage he forgot who he was talking to. At least, Kaia tried to comfort herself with such thoughts. Her father raised his hands to grab her back the back of her shirt to stop her from leaving, but his anger was so consuming that he slipped up and burnt a large scar into Kaia's back. There was lots of screaming from everyone involved, but it was decided that Kaia would stay in school and her father return to war.
He didn't visit her families home again until the end of the war, he didn't apologise to Kaia, instead hugged her mother and announced he was to be put on trial for war crimes. Kaia wasn't surprised, she had heard plenty of stories from strangers and her brothers alike how her fathers cruelty had become infamous. He would torture earth benders with fire if they didn't surrender or give him the information he wanted. Kaia still loved him for all the times he was kind to her, but it made her sick to the stomach every time she saw him after he burnt her. Kaia was not surprised when her father was later imprisoned for his crimes.
Kaia finished high school soon after the war with perfect grades. Her brothers had returned from war and had pledged themselves to Fire Lord Zuko, later they were sent as extra hands/help to the rebuilding earth kingdom. Kaia picked up a job as a waitress in a tea shop, she worked there to save up extra money and to help care for her mother. Her mother had fallen into a depression for some months after her fathers imprisonment, as well as the illness it took a toll on her. After some time she slowly got better but continued to lean on Kaia for support.
Working at the tea shop was nice, the fire nation felt somewhat calm under Zuko's rule. She would often serve Iroh tea, he was close friends with her boss and often said it was his favourite tea shop. Around that time it was rumoured that Iroh was taking on apprentices, something about wanting to preserve and spread the art of true fire bending. Kaia was never one for rumours and kept her nose out of it. That was until Iroh approached her first.
It was a rainy day, her boss was home sick and business was slow. Kaia only had one customer come in that afternoon, and it was Iroh. As there was nothing else to do, and she liked the old man, when he asked her to join him she did. They spoke for some hours about things, not apprenticeships or war, just small things they liked or appreciated. Iroh liked her handmade bracelets and she liked his wise tales. He told her stories of his travels during the war, with his nephew Zuko. Kaia, without thinking told him of her experience growing up during a time of war. It seemed like something clicked, as Iroh recognised her family name. He told her of a story he had heard about a young lightning bender, daughter of a war general, who he had wondered if he would run into one day. Kaia quickly explained that she wouldn't lightning bend again, it scared her and it scared other people too.
After a long discussion, Iroh ended up offering her a mentorship. At first she turned it down, afraid of learning to bend again. Iroh didn't seem to mind, she told her the offer was always there and left. Kaia thought about it long and hard for some time, then agreed to be one of his trainees the next time he visited. She quit her job and moved to the palace to train under Iroh alongside 3 other students. Not all of them had lightning bending but were exceptionally skilled in their own way. Slowly, Kaia gained her confidence in her bending once more and grew close friends with Iroh. Occasionally she would visit her mother to check up on her, but the history of her childhood house makes her uncomfortable to be inside of it.
✭ BASICS
name ❥ Kaia
age ❥ 19
gender identity ❥ Female
➤ FIRST LAYERS
✭ APPERANCE
Kaia has a petite, lean build. She's built for movement, exercise and combat. She's shorter than most, standing around 5"1, slight curves to her waist and hips but doesn't exaggerate her figure too much. She is built to be powerful, graceful and strong, and it's obvious in the way she holds herself that she's trained to enhance those skills. She has pale skin which is common for Fire Nation. She takes after her mother a lot, a sharp chin, jawline and high cheek bones. Her eyes are almond shaped and slightly hooded, leaning towards a mix of hazel and yellow in colour almost like dark honey. Her nose arched but small, matching her smaller sharp shaped lips that are a soft pink. Her hair is long, reaching her stomach and is a solid black tone with a sleek texture. She often has it in a half-up half-down style, keeping the top as a bun as a fire bender tradition. She also likes to have two strands framing either side of her face. Though, it is not uncommon to see her with her hair completely down or fully pulled back into a pony-tail or bun when training.
body modifications ❥ Pierced ears
scars or birthmarks ❥
Kaia doesn't really have scars or marks on her body that are publicly visible. She's quite private in general and knows scarring can say unsaid things about a persons life. Across her upper back and upper right thigh she has scars from large burns, they are visibly a few years old. She doesn't really talk about them much, nor does she like it when people bring them up so she keeps them hidden whenever possible. Other than that, she has a few freckles here and there as well as small scrapes and bumps from training but nothing that doesn't fade over time.
clothing ❥
click to see + ignore the royal headpiece in the bun
common / around the palace + artist
training [summer] + artist
training [winter] + artist (i think, correct me if i am wrong)
formal + artist
➤ HEART AND BONES
✭ PERSONALITY
Kaia, deep down is a sad, troubled young woman. The trauma if growing up during the war changed her a lot from the happy-go-lucky girl she was once, and as a consequence she withdrew herself from the world and let her heart turn to stone. She's emotional and doesn't know how to fix it, so instead she hides it deep inside her. The smallest actions or words dig into her like sharp blades, so she draws back and reserves her feelings, even hiding them from those closest to her. Being someone who can't even cry in front of her own mother without feeling weak and disgusting, it is unsurprising that she does so. She acts as if nothing can break her pristine, perfect image, especially after her father was arrested. She acts unemotional, untouched on the outside to reserve not only her own reputation but her family's reputation and pretends as if every mistake is actually a perfectly calculated move, rather than a cover to hide her own internal conflict. Many people have eventually read through this stiff demeanour and undercover her for a young woman who is just generally anxious and hurt. She's a perfectionist, to the point where it damages her own confidence, anxious and borderline antisocial at times. She has a crippling fear of failure, or letting those around her down. She works herself to the bone, overthinks and hyper-fixates on ideas of herself or her skill until it eats her alive.
Regardless of her sometimes pessimistic attitude, Kaia has grown to find she has confidence in herself and her abilities. It took months of training with Iroh but he slowly made her realise what she was capable of. She may be an anxious ball of stress who has a perfectionist streak, but she's trying her hardest to get jobs done perfectly with courageous spirit. She's perseverant, Iroh taught her that and continues to remind her that even if she does fail she can always bounce back, will herself to try harder and be as perfect as she wants to be. Kaia is also a rather protective person, she was never particularly close with many people but she is undyingly loyal. She has the type friendship you can guarantee could last a lifetime if you treat her well. She is honourable and sticks very closely to her moral code and values, no matter the pressure put on her. Kaia is often misread as being a anxious, teachers pet, when in reality she does know how to have fun. She's quite laid-back when comfortable or alone and likes to relax in her time off. She knows how to joke around, and be a bit mischievous at times which is surprising considering her usual unemotional demeanour. Kaia is also good for her blunt honesty, when in a situation where someone needs solid, realistic advice, Kaia will tell it straight and blunt and won't sugar coat it.
-- anxious, pretender, insecure, troubled emotionally, sometimes antisocial, outwardly unemotional, perfectionist, fear of failure, over thinker, over worker, confident (at times), laid-back, joker, realistic, loyal, honourable, perseverant, courageous, motivated, calculated, intelligent, observant
likes ❥ fire, training, combat, working with iroh, her family, animals, mischief, time alone or down time, feeling in control, sun, cuddling, sweet or spicy treats, comfy clothes, arts, cool drinks, lavender scents, the country side, flowers, cooking, crafting and creating, necklaces and earrings, collecting strange objects and weird looking rocks, daydreaming, talking with others, brightening someones day, running and swimming
dislikes ❥ anti-firebenders, cold, ice, rain, clams/oysters, being compared to others, expectations, failing, being hated/feared for her bending, rude wo/men, violent wo/men, anyone who man-handles her, floods, droughts, famine, sickness, injury, death, rumours, people staring, judgement, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, war, abuse of any kind, being overwhelmed, crowds (depending on the situation), small spaces
hobbies ❥
In her spare time, Kaia is quite creative. Not having many friends in school meant she turned to other forms of entertainment. She likes to read, sometimes go to plays if she has the time. She likes art, although she's not great at drawing she has done her fair share of doodles here and there. She also enjoys collecting strange objects or items like beads, rocks, shells or old coins. Sometimes she will make necklaces, bracelets or earrings which she gives to people she is friends with. She likes to think she's weaving some form of protection into the thread/string of each item so they will stay safe as long as she thinks of them. She knows magic isn't really real, but it's the thought that counts.
✭ RELATIONSHIPS
iroh ❥ Kaia has the upmost respect for Iroh. She views him almost as a second father figure within her life, considering the complicated nature of her bond with her birth father. Iroh has always been patient and supportive during her gradual growth, especially once she finally learnt to not fear her own gifts. Of course, Iroh is a good and tough mentor. He likes to question her thoughts and actions so she can mull over it and become both a better person and bender. Iroh has a close bond with his other students, much like his fondness of his nephew which Kaia is sometimes jealous of. But she lives in fear of disappointing him and understands the boundaries and roles of their friendship/mentorship.
zuko ❥ Kaia knows of Zuko's existence more than he would probably ever know of hers. She knew of him because quite obviously he was at first the infamous banished Prince, then the Fire Lord himself. She was sure that when they were young children the two of them may have met once of twice, considering their similar age and her fathers rank within the army. Kaia has a lot of respect for him, especially once he became Fire Lord. From the way Iroh talks about him, she knows that he has gone far over the years since they were children. She has decided that she is honoured to be associated with him in any form, and even after her training plans to stick around in the castle to support him. She likes his values and his relationship or connections with good, important influences such as Avatar Aang.
azula ❥ Much like with Zuko, Kaia is sure she has met Azula at least once or twice when they were children. They did go to the same school at one point, but were never friends like Ty Lee and Mai were. Kaia has always thought she was a bit stuck-up and full of herself, she was never sure why anyone was friends with her because she acted and spoke so cruel. Although she hasn't been around much (other than causing chaos), Kaia would never know if she could convince herself to trust or even like Azula. If Zuko were to include her more publicly within his family or the palace, Kaia wouldn't know how to feel. She knows that she isn't in a position to advise him, but if the situation were to occur she wouldn't know if she could prevent herself from doing so.
➤ SOUL AND BEYOND
✭ HISTORY
Kaia was born the youngest of 4 siblings, all boys. Her mother had always wanted a girl and kept trying until she got one. Her father wasn't home often and her mother balanced a raising her children alongside housework. Her mother was often plagued by migraines and left the children to do as they pleased, which usually ended up with Kaia as the victim of some game her brothers made up. Her brothers were protective of their baby sister for sure, but they were boys after all and could often times be cruel or hurtful without realising.
Her father got to promoted as General when she started school, which meant he was home even less. Kaia and her siblings always had a strange relationship with their father, he was hardly home and when his mood was unpredictable. Kaia could usually tell how colonising the earth kingdom was going depending on how he acted. Sometimes he would be as Kaia expected a father to act, kind, helpful, playful. He would hum in the kitchen while helping her mother prepare food and let her brothers ride on his shoulders when they went outside to play. Other times he was cruel, he would drink himself into a rut and yell and her siblings and mother. They found it was best to keep quiet and play outside on those days. To her mothers credit, she was always the same. She always worked hard when she wasn't bedridden with migraines, she cooked, cleaned and helped them with their homework. On the days that her mother was sick, Kaia would help around the house as her brothers never would. She would prepare a simple dinner, hang out the laundry, help her brothers with their homework if she could.
Kaia was always a bright child, she did well in school and got good grades. It helped that she was quiet, put her head down and got stuff done without question or argument. She never really had friends in school, sure she would play with people but no one ever clicked. To be fair, she was quite content alone and often spent her lunchtimes collecting rocks or strange items that she might fashion into a necklace or bracelet. Plus, a lot of kids her age were intimidated by her family, especially her father. She was told by other kids that her father had a reputation to be a cruel man. He was born for war apparently, but Kaia didn't really know what it meant until she got older.
Around this time, Kaia and her brothers were undergoing fire-bending training. Her father was rather strict about it and would often ask to see their achievements when he visited home. Kaia was always cautious and a slow learner, this didn't help her brothers or fathers attitude towards her. In fact, her brothers were growing closer to acting like her father by the day. As a prank, her brothers decided to try and scare her while showing their father their bending achievements. They decided to pretend to attack her to see how she reacted, thinking she would stumble over her footing and embarrass herself. To no one surprise, the young Kaia did. She was anxious about bending and mostly untrained, so she could not block the incoming flame. Her brothers who had meant no ill harm messed up as well, one growing too confident with his flame he sent in her direction. The flame burned her upper right thigh, leaving a large scar that took some weeks to heal and still remains on her skin to date.
In her teenage years, Kaia was accepted into a prestigious school for girls from the fire nation. Partly because of her fathers influence within the military, partly because of her good grades. She didn't really fit in with the girls there, they were from rich families or war heroes. There she interacted with Azula a handful of times, Kaia mainly avoided her because she thought she was cruel. Kaia continued to get good grades, keep her head down and do her own thing. Her older brothers were slowly finishing high school and departing to join the military at her fathers demand.
Her mother was more sick, maybe from the stress of the war or the way her father acted because of it. She was bed ridden most days and Kaia would run the show. Between school and the firebending training her father made her do she would cook, clean and care for the household. Her father was more cruel than ever, and so were her brothers who modelled their personalities after him. Kaia still cared for them though, there were moments where her father would still be tender and caring. She occasionally caught him stroking her mothers hair as she lay bed ridden or telling his sons he was proud. Sometimes her brothers would help her cut the vegetables, or hang the laundry. Moments like those kept her going.
As her fire bending developed and she grew older, Kaia discovered something interesting. Her skill was finally honing in and she felt quite confident in her abilities. Then, one day, as she was practicing blocking with her mentor that her father had hired, something changed. As if on instinct the normal comfort of a warm flame changed to an arcing zap of electricity. Her mentor was stunned, she was stunned, the other students were stunned. She had... lightning bended? It didn't take long for her father to hear the news, he rushed home and they celebrated. His daughter, his only daughter had enough talent to produce lightning? Impressive, amazing they said. Even her mother managed to leave her bed to have dinner with them that night. But, it just turned Kaia's life upside down.
Kaia's father decided that it was time for her to leave school and focus on her bending. He got in contact with a new and improved mentor to help her advance further in her bending training. This did not settle well with Kaia, an argument broke out between her and her father, the first time she had ever spoken up for herself. Her father got too heated, and maybe for a moment he became so blinded by his rage he forgot who he was talking to. At least, Kaia tried to comfort herself with such thoughts. Her father raised his hands to grab her back the back of her shirt to stop her from leaving, but his anger was so consuming that he slipped up and burnt a large scar into Kaia's back. There was lots of screaming from everyone involved, but it was decided that Kaia would stay in school and her father return to war.
He didn't visit her families home again until the end of the war, he didn't apologise to Kaia, instead hugged her mother and announced he was to be put on trial for war crimes. Kaia wasn't surprised, she had heard plenty of stories from strangers and her brothers alike how her fathers cruelty had become infamous. He would torture earth benders with fire if they didn't surrender or give him the information he wanted. Kaia still loved him for all the times he was kind to her, but it made her sick to the stomach every time she saw him after he burnt her. Kaia was not surprised when her father was later imprisoned for his crimes.
Kaia finished high school soon after the war with perfect grades. Her brothers had returned from war and had pledged themselves to Fire Lord Zuko, later they were sent as extra hands/help to the rebuilding earth kingdom. Kaia picked up a job as a waitress in a tea shop, she worked there to save up extra money and to help care for her mother. Her mother had fallen into a depression for some months after her fathers imprisonment, as well as the illness it took a toll on her. After some time she slowly got better but continued to lean on Kaia for support.
Working at the tea shop was nice, the fire nation felt somewhat calm under Zuko's rule. She would often serve Iroh tea, he was close friends with her boss and often said it was his favourite tea shop. Around that time it was rumoured that Iroh was taking on apprentices, something about wanting to preserve and spread the art of true fire bending. Kaia was never one for rumours and kept her nose out of it. That was until Iroh approached her first.
It was a rainy day, her boss was home sick and business was slow. Kaia only had one customer come in that afternoon, and it was Iroh. As there was nothing else to do, and she liked the old man, when he asked her to join him she did. They spoke for some hours about things, not apprenticeships or war, just small things they liked or appreciated. Iroh liked her handmade bracelets and she liked his wise tales. He told her stories of his travels during the war, with his nephew Zuko. Kaia, without thinking told him of her experience growing up during a time of war. It seemed like something clicked, as Iroh recognised her family name. He told her of a story he had heard about a young lightning bender, daughter of a war general, who he had wondered if he would run into one day. Kaia quickly explained that she wouldn't lightning bend again, it scared her and it scared other people too.
After a long discussion, Iroh ended up offering her a mentorship. At first she turned it down, afraid of learning to bend again. Iroh didn't seem to mind, she told her the offer was always there and left. Kaia thought about it long and hard for some time, then agreed to be one of his trainees the next time he visited. She quit her job and moved to the palace to train under Iroh alongside 3 other students. Not all of them had lightning bending but were exceptionally skilled in their own way. Slowly, Kaia gained her confidence in her bending once more and grew close friends with Iroh. Occasionally she would visit her mother to check up on her, but the history of her childhood house makes her uncomfortable to be inside of it.
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