"Take it from me- it's a lot easier to like someone who likes you than to like someone who doesn't."
- Misty
BASICS
RETIRE INFO:
Misty: adopt
Syrenith: adopt
Ondine: retire
NAME: Mistiana, Misty to most
GENDER: Female
PRONOUNS: She/her/hers
ORIENTATION: Heterosexual
BIRTHDATE: Late Autumn 2746
AGE: 21 as of Late Autumn 2767
LOCATION: Fort Weyr
OCCUPATION: Bluerider, Searchrider, Apprentice Fisher
WING: Twilight Wing
APPEARANCE
EYES: Blue/green, the colour of a calm sea
HAIR: Red, messy, tomboyish style
HEIGHT AND BUILD: 5'8, slender, athletic
PLAY-BY: Misty (Pokemon)
FULL APPEARANCE:
Though slender and finely-boned, Misty has acquired layers of muscle from Turns of honest work, and by her time as a dragonrider. She is still growing into womanhood, with modest curves that are rarely on display. She doesn’t necessarily enjoy flaunting her figure unless the occasion calls for it, and dresses in practical clothing- save for swimming and Gathers, the former featuring clingy, cropped shirts and shorts, and the latter figure-hugging floor-length slitted dresses in jewel-tones.
With bright and fiery red hair, cut short and almost haphazardly, Misty doesn’t appear especially feminine normally. She usually pins her hair up in a side-runnertail, but has attempted some more intricate styles when the situation demands it. Rosy cheeks and pale pink lips might be more reminiscent of a child than a woman, but because she cares little enough for her appearance on a day-to-day basis, it only rarely bothers her. Her rounded face and small, button-like nose add to her youthful look. Romantic dinners are more problematic, so she tries some makeshift makeup to liven up her face a little.
A light sprinkling of freckles dust her cheeks, and because of her paleness she is prone to sunburn when out and about. Small scars speckle her hands and forearms, most acquired from forgettable fishing mishaps. With rather long legs and a small back, she is well suited to the more endurance-based athletic activities that she enjoys. Her face is very expressive, and she blushes easily. With sea-green eyes, Misty’s gaze can be as equally piercing as it can be captivating.
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY:
First impressions of Misty may leave some people reeling: she is very passionate. Her emotions bubble close to the surface, and she has no qualms whatsoever saying exactly what’s on her mind. Fiercely joyful and protective, she is well-meaning, sympathetic and endearing. Like a double-edged sword, there is also her anger to consider. Like a prodded dragon, she can be explosive and volatile. She doesn’t hide her disdain for those she doesn’t like, and can be catty and abrasive.
Turns of emotional abuse at the hands of her sisters have given her a thick outer skin and an enduring resilience, as well as a desire to fix perceived wrongs. Misty feels a great sense of personal responsibility towards pretty much everyone, sacrificing her own needs and desires to better help others. Her self-sacrificing nature doesn't come from any selfish desire to be a martyr, but genuinely because she thinks anybody else would do the same in her place. She believes the best about others, although it does not take her much proof to change her mind. Once fooled, twice a fool, right? Her grudges are long and difficult for her to forgive and let go.
A soft-hearted romantic, Misty adheres to the belief of traditional monogamous relationships, although she is not at all homophobic. Syrenith's frequent chasings give her some pause, but she has learnt to separate love from sex. Whilst she won't willingly seek out bedmates, she is more than ready to be swept off her feet- although she is incredibly shy and won't make the first move. It will take gentle nurturing of a careful and lengthy courtship to truly win her over, but Misty would be loyal to the end of days, romantic, charming and family-driven.
With a taste for expensive luxuries and clothing, Misty often puts her material needs above her emotional ones. She is incredibly proud of her weyr, and is very possessive of the things that are hers. Too long was she given hand-me-downs and third-hand clothes, so now she fights for any shiny bauble or gauzy dress that catches her eye. She has a very small and very private collection of dolls in a variety of mediums; as her greatest treasures, few are the people who get to glimpse them. However, her private weyr is her portal to re-live a happier and more satisfying childhood, allowing her to take off that rider mask and be a little more selfish and recalcitrant if the mood takes her.
Terrified by the notion of being ‘just another girl’ and having her independence robbed by those who would judge without knowing, Misty makes an effort to complete her tasks with meticulous precision. Fastidious, hard-working and open-minded, Misty is both proud of her work and welcoming if criticism. It isn't so much about standing out- it's more about standing apart. She doesn't want to live in anyone’s shadow, and wants to make a name for herself that is truly her own. She chooses not to mention her familial ties to Tillek, and is hesitant to speak of her past to others. Those who knew Misty as a child are kept at arm’s length, out of fear that her clearly drawn lines between past and present will become blurred.
HISTORY
FAMILY:
- Father: Madaisan {2713 - Holder}
- Mother: Viatollya {2721 - Lady Holder}
- Sister: Daisika 'Daisy' {2741 - Lady Heir}
- Sister: Violetta 'Violet' {2743 - Herbalist}
- Sister: Liliya 'Lily' {2744 - App Weaver}
- Guardian: Levian {2706 - JM Fisher}
BIRTHPLACE: Cerulean Cove Hold (minor cothold beholden to Tillek)
HISTORY:
TW: Neglect, childhood bullying, stalking, violence
Mistiana was born last, the fourth daughter of a small Lord Holder by the name of Madaisan and his Lady Viatollya. Their minor cothold, called Cerulean Cove by the locals, exported fish and did some shipping as Tillek Hold dictated. It was a peaceful, quaint community, and Mistiana was soon a recognised face amongst its people.
As a child, she realised that her family were a little… different to the common Holdfolk or Crafter. Her sisters were very dramatic- and quick to tease her for looking so different. ‘Runt’, ‘ugly wherry’ or ‘wimp’ were part of the usual fare, but the young girl quickly learned to shrug off their comments. They may be prettier- and they were, there was no denying it- and their mother might have favoured them with her attention (and honestly, who would want a fourth daughter anyway), but she could make her own life- she could find her own happiness elsewhere.
She spent time at the docks. The repetitive labour had a sort of tranquil, welcoming air to it, from unloading and loading creates to untangling lines and casting them to sea. It was about patience and trust and loyalty and valuing small things- everything her family had forgotten as they had become entrenched with the domestic duties of a small Hold.
So she learnt from the fishers and seafarers, from the traders and labourers. She went from familiar to beloved over the course of Turns. Her sisters still teased her, but she made an effort to spend less time around them- lessons missed, Hold-duties forgotten. She crafted her first fishing line, brought home her first catch to eat, ventured out on small dinghies and ‘helped’ with the cargo when the bigger ships came into dock- as well as a young scrawny girl could, really.
When she turned eleven, Daisy was named as Lady Heir. It made sense- she was beautiful, responsible, and actually smart in comparison to the other two (at least, that was what Misty thought). Daisy teased her less, too, and Misty was rather fond of her eldest sister. Still, the others had apprenticed- Violet had taken an interest in herbalism, to assist the Healer who was stationed at Cerulean, and Lily enjoyed weaving.
There was really no room for a fourth daughter- especially not one so ‘wild’ and ‘untameable’, as her mother was wont to remind her. Misty felt, more than heard, the neglect that came from her family. One night during her twelfth Turn, Misty told her eldest sister that she was leaving. There was a ship that traded with Keroon- and she was bound to find work there as a fisher, or even a dogsbody. It wouldn’t matter. Pern was vast- and she’d only ever see a small bit of Cerulean. Adventure was out there, waiting for her.
Daisy wasn’t happy, but she kept the secret until Misty’s departure could no longer be stopped. Misty never learned of her parents’ reaction, but she imagined them angry, and the thought made her smile. It didn’t matter. They couldn’t reach her anymore, and she had a whole continent to explore.
She took instruction from the shipboard fishers, one of whom she was especially attached to: Levian was an old, somewhat intractable and endearing Tillek native who saw in Misty a shadow of his beloved granddaughter, sadly claimed by a bad infection a few Turns prior.
They took work at Keroon Hold, providing fish as needed, and soon Levian began suggesting they work their way up the river. Misty was fourteen, and completely in love with their semi-nomadic and peaceful lifestyle. The Weyr’s wars touched their lives very little.
They arrived at Plains Hold in her sixteenth Turn, where she was Searched by riders from Telgar. Their parting was melancholic, although amicable: Levian had grown used to his short-tempered, passionate assistant, just as Misty had come to trust Levian with her daily problems. It was a friendship that had buoyed them both; to Misty, it felt that he was truly her family. To this day he is one of the few people that she is truly comfortable around.
Candidacy was a wholly different kettle of fish. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to socialise- she had been around people for most of her life, in varying positions of power either over or under her; it was more that the Weyr lifestyle didn’t mesh well with her previous ways- where some might have called her lazy, Misty was inclined to think that she appreciated each and every second of the day, and her plans to fill her time did not necessarily go down well with the Headwoman. Still, despite early teething problems, she was allowed to Stand.
The Hatching itself was fast-paced and frantic; the first boy to Impress was also accidentally mauled by his dragon, setting the tone for the rest of the proceedings. Misty spent more of her time ducking and dodging than admiring or mentally welcoming a dragon. She did not notice the winding, sneaky Blue until she was tackled and pinned to the ground.
Misty, my sweet, your Syrenith has found you. A voice as soft as a river breeze brushed her mind, but behind it came such tremendous power that the young woman closed her eyes. Even the pain of the burning sands pressing against her skin did not bother her as much as Syrenith’s consciousness, forcefully wrapping around her own. It left her gasping for air and reeling with the shock of her dragon’s strong personality.
Her. Misty opened her eyes, but the dragon before her was most certainly of the female persuasion and blue. I am me! Her voice thundered in Misty’s mind, her eyes widening in surprise. You could not love another as you do me. Now feed me, Misty. And Misty realised that every word Syrenith spoke was true. Love had filled her heart and eased the shock of Impression. Just as Syrenith had known her, she too knew the blue dragon’s mind- fierce, loyal and protective, both loving and merciless. Misty wasn’t quite sure how she managed to gather enough wits to feed her sleek companion, but instinct had taken over and guided her for the rest of the day.
Weyrling training was difficult to say the least. Syrenith proved herself agile and strong, but also contrarian and argumentative. It wasn’t that she picked fights, more that she misinterpreted words and tones, and her scathing remarks often led to one kind of scrap or another. Misty felt that she spent half of her Weyrlinghood pacifying her dragon, and the other half pacifying her teachers and fellow weyrlings. Nothing was simple anymore- but she certainly couldn’t imagine her life without Syrenith.
After graduation, Misty found herself awkwardly shunted around the ranks until they were placed in a smaller Wing, where she might give Syrenith her head in Threadfall without risking others. Misty reined her in when it was needed- the blue was an enthusiastic flamer, but did tend towards brash heroics out of sheer stubbornness for her duties. One such feat involved the Wingleader R’dy and his Blue Sarenth: blinded by sunlight to a fast-approaching clump of thread, Syrenith dropped and dove at an angle, searing it moments before it would have met the man’s head.
From that day onwards, R’dy was grateful. Too grateful. What began as overt displays of affection quickly turned into obsession. Misty found herself watching the shadows, certain R’dy was waiting just around the corner, or had somehow managed to hide more things in her weyr despite her protests. Though her romantic side had initially been pleased by the attention, she grew frustrated and angry with his continued efforts, culminating in a physical altercation inside her room when she found him rearranging her possessions. He had moved her dolls. So she punched him. Syrenith, who had been feeding on Misty’s growing anger for weeks, roared him out of the weyr before he could return a blow.
Despite her fury, the experience had left the young woman shaken. Syrenith was furious, berating Sarenth as much, if not more, than his rider. The Wing’s leadership itself was being called into question, and Misty, despite knowing that she was not in the wrong, felt burdened by deep shame and guilt. The young woman made a decision to transfer, and wrote to Fort’s leadership, earnestly detailing her situation, along with Syrenith’s temperament and concerns. They were welcomed amongst Fort’s numbers shortly afterwards.
It has been a Turn since the pair relocated. Misty was gifted a feline by her old guardian Levian. The kitten was named Ondine, in memory of Levian’s granddaughter, and grew into a rather spoiled and possessive creature rarely seen outside of Misty’s weyr. The young woman also came into possession of a round firelizard egg, which recently hatched a joyful green that she named Togepi. Growing more comfortable with Fort and her new little family, Misty can be seen performing her dragonrider duties with a smile on her face.
UPDATES
- Early Summer 2767: Syrenith catches Garnet Xiometh, and sires a clutch with her. The clutch hatches (Late Summer 2767), resulting in Brown Langeth and White Taissath.
- Late Autumn 2767: Misty and Syrenith transfer to Twilight Wing.
