Stormcloud

By Akari of Duskshire

• September 2, 2015




Age: 19-29

Gender: Female

Species: Non-Pony

Appearance: What you see in the image is how she looks when things become dire. In a relaxing situation, her mane is loosely tied with the same white ribbon, kinda sorta like Applejack's. The necklace she wears is a white magatama, meant to bring good fortune and ward off bad luck.<br /><br />She's about as tall as the average male Equestrian stallion.

Cutie Mark: The wind represents her skill with archery, how the arrows fly through the air. Stormcloud also has a theory that it represents herself constantly seeking something, be it freedom, knowledge, or some other abstract concept. Kirin cutie marks tend to be left open to interpretation.

Personality: Like swordplay and archery, Stormcloud tends to switch between two personas in a heartbeat.<br /><br />If she feels that a situation is serious, she ties her mane into a ponytail and becomes incredibly stoic and nonsensical. She finds herself unable to rest until she is absolutely sure the problem that sent her into this mode in the first place is gone. In the meantime, she tends to create an emotional distance between herself and others and even get a bit of tunnel-vision.<br /><br />In all other situations, she still keeps a short leash on her emotions, but she's much more amicable and good humored. Much more willing to lend a helping hoof, but still a workaholic and strict when she feels the need. In this mode, she also has a tendency to have her head in the clouds.<br /><br />The only constants are her compassion for beginners and her dislike toward those who don't offer second chances.

Backstory: In the Kirins' land, the wars had long ended, more were born, and some were even beginning to explore the world, but the strict tradition of raising warriors was still prominent. Stormcloud's family was one of them, the warrior tradition running strong in their line. Her parents were excellent swordsmen during their time of service, while both her older brother and younger sister were both good with swords. But Stormcloud's first break with family tradition was when she earned her mark: Wind, symbolizing archery. Not that it was considered a bad thing, since it was still a martial art.<br /><br />Overtime, stories of the world beyond her homeland reached her ears, be they from Kirin who went exploring or from foreigners who came to their land, and it was all she could think about. What is there that isn't here? Could I honor the warrior tradition by striking out into the world? It was her desire to continue the tradition, but she also wanted to see it. Not just hear about it, read about it, or taste the food brought from those places, actually see it with her own eyes and feel the strange ground with her own hooves. Seeing how many older Kirin looked down on the ones who returned from faraway lands and on foreigners, she kept word of her desire away from her family. But her sharp-eyed brother and her perceptive mother would soon arrive at that very conclusion.<br /><br />One day, Stormcloud was practicing her archery. Occupied with other thoughts, her aim wasn't very good that day. Somehow, her arrow missed her target and deflected off of something, almost piercing a passerby in the skull. When she got close to retrieve the arrow, she came face to face with her older brother, a green unicorn stallion, and a smaller purple unicorn filly who appeared to be the latter's daughter. All three, especially the filly, appeared to be quite surprised, with an arrow between her older brother and the male stranger. Putting two and two together, she bowed her head many many times, saying "Sorry!" in her native language, Neighponese. Her older brother calmed her down and scolded her, the stranger chuckled to himself and asked who she was, and the stranger's daughter just... stared.<br /><br />Her older brother introduced her in their native language. "This is Stormcloud, my younger sister. Stormcloud, this is Mr. Juniper, he is a nurse from Equestria, and this is his daughter, Fantasy Moon. I believe you two are about the same age?" Fantasy Moon just nodded her head, Stormcloud just as quiet because she nearly shot her own brother and Fantasy Moon's dad and thought she hated her now. Very awkward, to say the least. But as the two stallions continued to talk (something they were both doing even before they almost got shot), Stormcloud felt she had to say something.<br /><br />"Could... could you understand me?" Stormcloud asked her with a heavy accent, using what little Equestrian she picked up. Fantasy Moon nodded in reply after a few long seconds. "What... is... home?" she said slowly, unsure of herself. The unicorn was puzzled by her question, asking,"Mine?" "Yes. It is nice?" This got the pale kirin another nod. Their conversation continued like that, consisting of lots of broken Equestrian sentences and some failed attempts at Neighponese on Fantasy Moon's part. But as they talked, they slowly began to understand each other's words more and by the end of it, they were more or less saying simple words and phrases to each other in passable grammar. At the conversation's end, Stormcloud, eager to be her friend, gave her an address to mail letters to. Fantasy Moon gave the kirin her's, but it would be a little while before she finally replied to her first letter.<br /><br />While they talked, her brother noticed Stormcloud's intense curiosity in that faraway land known as Equestria. When the unicorns and the kirin went their separate ways, he got her alone before dinner and asked her about her interest in traveling. After some failed dodging, she finally spilled and confessed her desire to see the world. Her brother simply smiled and revealed that he and their mother had figured that was her desire for a while now and she just confirmed it. He said to her that he had nothing against her and would help her chase it no matter if it's approved or not.<br /><br />She could hardly believe it. She had a very nervous and awestruck look when they got to the dining table for dinner, even more so when she and her brother revealed (or more like confirmed) to everyone that she wanted to travel to Equestria. Their mother agreed to it, and after lots of arguing and compromising, so did their father.<br /><br />She became an exchange student and went to study in Equestria. After a few more years back at home, she came back to explore the land somemore. Many times, she met up with Fantasy Moon and over time, the latter would finally consider her a true friend.<br /><br />