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Ajani Kai: The Half-Breed
 Character Name: Ajani Kai (or Kai for short)
Race: Half-breed Human/Vampire
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Height: 6' 4" *Ajani Kai is pronounced: A-j-ah-n-E k-I ; the capital letters are where the emphasis on the name should be.*
Yep another character has arisen! Anyway, I just thought I'd give you a little story about her. She is only my third female character. She actually originated from the "Cyan" character, but in Ajani's case, it turned into a dual-sword user and a master with poisonous toxins instead of a timid little fearful creature. Her race changed a few times, but I finally settled on her current Race Classification. It will not change.
I will now share a little about Ajani's story with you, enjoy!
Ajani Kai: The Orphaned Half-breed
{Part 1}
"Half-breed!" "Mutt!" "Why don't you go back to work, you worthless piece of flesh!" The words rang in her ears as she picked herself up off the street. Not a single tear reached her green eyes. Her strange violet hair hanging in tufts from the bullying children who scoffed at her. She bent and picked up her notes for her booklet she'd been carrying moments before the attacking children arrived. Silently, without looking back, Ajani moved away from the bullies.
Anger seared her heart, but so did the pain they inflicted with their taunting cruel words.
Ajani Kai had been orphaned at birth. Neither parent wanted her. They had dropped her off as an infant at the nearest orphanage and never returned. Ajani had continually wondered about her parents, but each time she thought to ask the headmaster, she was beaten and tossed aside to some chores. Each time a child in the orphanage was adopted, Ajani would lose a chunk of her heart. No one had wanted her. Not her parents and certainly not a complete stranger. Ajani sighed as she sat, alone, on the steps to the backyard of the orphanage. Her strange green eyes held no tears, for she could not find it in her to shed any more useless tears. The headmaster, if she was caught with tears, would severely beat her until she could cry no more. Thus, she learned never to cry in front of others, especially in front of the Headmaster.
Ajani watched the other children play. She'd been ostricized from the other children due to her unique blood-line. She wasn't human like they were, but she wasn't vampire like the others were. So, both rejected her. She remained silent in her watchful place. She'd need to return inside to complete her chores soon. The Headmaster would be furious should he find her outside with the other kids, especially without completing her chores.
Ajani was never encouraged to play with anyone, much less make friends at the Orphanage. Even the Headmaster believed that she was nothing more than a waste of space and effort. Thus, she did not attend school like the other kids did. She wasn't good enough.
With a gentle hand she rubbed her knees. They were sore from the fall earlier while she had been shoved around. She was smaller than the other kids her age. With effort, she got back to her feet and stretched. Looking towards the Orphanage building she sighed again, Will I ever find a family? Will anyone ever really want me? Ajani thought as she headed back inside.
When she arrived inside, a painful tightening in her gut told her that something was wrong. "Aja!" Ajani hated that name, but that didn't matter to anyone but her. Snapping her eyes to the owner of the voice, she gasped. Although she could hide her fear and pain from the other children when they were around, it was quite a different story with the Headmaster staring her down. His strong tone filled the entire west wing of the Orphanage as he thundered lectures at her night and day. This time, his voice was so loud, Ajani was certain her ears would burst this time.
Flinching away from the loudness, she fell to her knees in pleading. "Headmaster! I'm sorry! I-I wasn't playing! I swear!" Ajani stuttered in her fear of the man before her.
With a swiftness that belied his size, for he was quite stout and chubby, the Headmaster grabbed a fistful of Ajani's hair and pulled her to her feet. Yanking her head back so her green eyes met his dull brown ones, he glared at her. Ajani saw the hatred for her in the reflection of his eyes. A small pain behind her own eyes made her quickly recover her composure from the sudden jolt. She would not cry, not in front of him, not again. Not ever. Ajani averted her gaze. "How dare you break the rules! I tell you to stay away from those kids and you go behind my back! I have sheltered you, clothed you, fed you! Yet your mere presence is a stench to my nose and a pain to my eyes - mongrel!" His words cut through Ajani's protective barriers like a knife. The pain of his hateful words nearly drew her to tears.
The Headmaster threw Ajani aside and backhanded her with a swift movement, well practiced and well aimed. Ajani landed on her back from the smack, her face and head feeling every nerve ending explode in her head. Her eyes dimmed from the impact and she couldn't think straight right then. "I-I'm sorry, Headmaster, it wont happen again, I swear!" Ajani trembled from fear and from the painful shock of the Headmasters blow. Leaning in to within an inch of Ajani's nose, though she flinched back not just from fear but he smelled of liquor, "It better not. Or you will get more than so gentle a punishment! Now get out of my sight you bloody half-breed!" Ajani needed no encouragement for that. Without a word, she scrambled to her feet, wobbled a bit from dizziness and pain, but did not turn to see if the Headmaster had remained behind her as she headed for the kitchen.
It was midnight, Ajani stared off in to the darkness of the night. She had finished her chores only an hour before, so now she lay watching the heavens through her room's only window. Not allowed the same luxuries as the other children, Ajani lived in the servant quarters on the East wing of the Orphanage. It rested above the kitchen and dining areas. However, her room was barely large enough for her, let alone her bed. Her bed consisted of one worn out old pillow that had lost most of its fluff, a blanket that had more patches than original fabric and a mattress that was more like a doormat than a real mattress.
Her room had a tiny window that looked out to the East. But was only about as big as a letterbox. She also had two pairs of clothing in the small corner next to her bed on the right. One was for cleaning, the other for her very few and far between off days. Both outfits were either too large or almost completely covered in patches she'd made to cover the many holes.
A single tear fell silently down, unbidden. Grabbing her only true possession, a stuffed bear that had only one button eye, three limbs and a single button at it's belly. "One day, we'll get away from this place. We'll find more people like us - different... One day..." Ajani wiped the tears that flowed silently down her cheeks. Only here, in her small secluded room, did she allow herself to feel the pain of the day. Only here, all alone and unwanted by human or vampire, did she let the tears flow.
Morning came all to quickly for Ajani's liking. The light of the morning sun filtered into her room like a beam of sunshine. Her tiny window was pointed at the rising sun, so it usually filled her room with the rays of the dawning sun. One day... Ajani thought as she rose out of the bed, careful not to hit her head on the low ceiling. "Aja!" The Headmaster's voice boomed through her door from the kitchen. Hastening to the Headmaster's location, Ajani quickly dressed and left her room.
Without warning, the Headmaster rushed at Ajani, gruffly grabbing her hair and pulling backward so she had to look into his eyes. "I will not harbor a thief in my orphanage! Where is Jessie's necklace?!" The Headmaster thundered, his face was almost the color of a cherry. Ajani gaped, Jessie's necklace? I've never seen it! Much less taken it! I didn't even know she had a necklace! Ajani's mind roared as she fought the urge to cry. Once again, Jessie was blaming her for her own foolishness. But it was no use arguing. Ajani was never right, never wanted, never adopted, never liked and above all, never trusted.
Although she had done nothing to warrant these cruelties, they were inflicted on her for one reason, she was a half-breed. Neither one, nor the other. A mistake, a freak of nature. Ajani bit her tongue, hard. She wasn't about to say anything for fear of being beaten, or worse thrown into something solid.
"Where is it, you little mongrel half-breed? I will not suffer you any longer! That is it! You're through here! I've had enough of you and your half-breed stupidity!" The Headmaster's words shocked her, they actually shocked her. A new kind of fear crept into her heart and mind. If he throws me out, where will I go? Her thoughts terrified her as she went through every possible answer she could give that might possibly save her from being tossed to the streets.
But she could find no answer, save the truth. But like always, the truth from her mouth was seen as a lie. But it was the only thing she could say, "I-I didn't t-take it! J-Jessie's probably g-got it hidden s-somewhere!" That was the last thing Ajani remembered before being thrown against the wall and knocked unconscious in a heap on the floor at the Headmaster's feet.
Waking up Ajani shivered. She couldn't feel the warmth of her blanket, nor the security of her teddy bear. With a start, she sat up. Blinking several times, trying to find out where she was, her heart sank and her last vestige of hope was slashed into a billion pieces. She was sitting on the dirty ground. Covered in dew from head to toe, Ajani looked around her. She wasn't in the Orphanage district, plus she could not identify any of the buildings from town. Several voices head of her told her there might be people in that direction.
Afraid and alone, Ajani got to her feet and headed for the many voices. Her stomach rumbled, revealing she had not eaten since... since she couldn't remember when. How long have I been asleep? Ajani thought to herself as she looked at herself. Her arms were scarred as was her hands and feet. Her legs were black and blue from recent bruises. Her hands gently touched her face, making her flinch in a sting of pain. Her violet hair clung to her in a sweaty ratty mess.
The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air and caused another rumble of her stomach, Ajani followed the smell towards a small village like place. People thronged all about; some in groups, while others were browsing alone. Her stomach continually grumbling and cramping, Ajani knew she needed to find food. When she approached a bread stand, she realized that this was where the bread smell had come from. With hungry eyes she stared at the bread. So focused on the food before her, Ajani did not hear the woman behind the counter of the stand speaking to her. "Excuse me, but are you going to buy something?" The wealthy woman asked. Her voice was haughty and snobbish. Her clothing was lavished with jewels and precious gems. Revealing her wealth.
Ajani gasped, But, I have no money... Shaking her head, "No, ma'am." The woman looked upset and pointed a finger accusingly at her. "Then shoo! Off with you! I'll not have a vagabond around my delicious breads! Shoo!" Ajani lowered her head and turned away leaving behind the fresh bread stand and disappearing into the crowd.
As the day wore on, her hunger grew. But so did her fears. She'd heard of what happens to little girls in the squares if they are caught after nightfall. Ajani may be many things, but she was not foolish enough to remain out in the open after dark. The crowds were beginning to disperse. Her body weary, sore and hungry, she sought a place to make a bed for the night.
A sword blacksmith's building rested on the left of the center of town. With a firm nod, Ajani forced herself towards the buildings growing shadows. She looked for any kind of covering, as it was autumn and the nights were only getting colder. When she'd finally made a cocoon she was certain it was passed midnight.
The sound of many voices came to her sensitive ears. Blinking awake, Ajani stretched and yawned. It had been a fitful night. Her stomach protested it's emptiness, plus her head throbbed from sleeping sitting up against a wall. If I'm going to live in this village, then I need to find a way to defend myself, plus I need food... With the thought of food, her stomach pinched and gurgled in protested. Ajani looked around her little make-shift bed. Anger pinched her heart as she thought of her warmer and more comfortable bed back at the orphanage.
Ajani heard the blacksmith working within his building. The metal on metal clanging was unmistakable.
A thought dawned on her as she got to her feet. Looking at her hair she smiled with a hint of a smirk. Maybe, I can apprentice here... I can cut my hair and look like a guy, after all - I'm not very developed...yet. She looked down at herself. She'd always been told she looked like a boy, well, now was her chance to put those accusations to the test. Searching for anything that could be used to cut her long violet hair, she found a rusty old pair of metal sheers used for blacksmithing the metals of swords, axes and other sharp edged weapons.
Ajani proceeded to cut her hair short, but leaving it at shoulders length. Tying it back up she checked her clothing and looks in a puddle of dirty water before smiling to her self. Then, maybe this will work, I will get to be free - I'll make my own weapons, I'll finally show them that I am not so worthless after all! Ajani thought firmly to herself. With a gulp of water that flowed from a fountain outside the blacksmith's building - which Ajani guessed was a coolant water source, Ajani entered the blacksmith's building...
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