Application;

[aeolian]

Name: Kia
Contact Info: starswept
Other Characters Played:
Noire (bloodandblunder)
Sharon Rainsworth (unicornered)
Shirayuki (loliternity)
Requested apartment: N/A!

Character Name: Aria
Canon: The Sacred Blacksmith
Canon Point: Chapter 19
Background/History: Over here, but I'll go into some further detail here.

So basically, there was this huge war being fought between various countries, and to gain the upper hand, there came into existence something known as Demon Pacts. Upon sacrificing flesh to a spirit in the air and chanting the death phrase carved into their heart from birth, a human could become a demon of incredible strength. Granted, the whole thing was a very painful process, and since the demons didn't bear banners or markings to indicate where their allegiance rested, it very quickly became a mess of carnage for miles. Not only that, but towards the end of the war, not only soldiers, but average citizens were forced to make the contract, as the countries grew desperate to gain any sort of advantage. Eventually, what remained of the nations made peace and the Demon Pact became taboo. But forty-four years later, it started to resurface, and this is where Aria comes in.

Aria is actually a demon who was born on the battlefield as a sword, created from the hatred and anger of one who was forced to make the contract and who felt such enmity towards the creator (a demon known as Valbanill) for having these pacts exist in the first place. The depth of that hatred did not just create a sword with the intent of killing 'God' but was also strong enough to grant Aria a human form and name, although she didn't learn the circumstances behind her birth until much later. Before that (and after), she's being hunted by various agents and enemies from the different countries, all seeking to get the power of a demon sword on their side. In the process of being auctioned off to a new owner, she meets a human girl named Cecily, the first to call her a sword that protects and the first to become a very precious partner. ... And then shenanigans ensue.


Personality:

"I have to wonder... what am I, really?"

Aria is at once both aware of what she is and questioning of what she really is, right from the start. She's a weapon, a tool, responsible for the deaths of many every time she's been wielded. But unlike most swords, she possesses a very clear sense of identity, despite not knowing the nature of her existence at the beginning. From the moment she first wakes up on the battlefield, her first thought is confusion-- and the next is horror, being picked up and forced to kill, discarded, and then found again; it was a cycle doomed to continue, until she encountered Cecily. Having resigned herself to her fate as a weapon meant only for killing, Aria's completely stunned to hear from Cecily that that isn't the case: she can be a weapon wielded to protect. With her fate suddenly overturned and her future left in the hands of a city she deems beautiful and peaceful, she's moved to tears and vows to become a partner that Cecily can be proud of-- "And a sword never goes back on her word!"

Oddly enough, even with such a blood-soaked past, and being the very embodiment of a human's powerful hatred, Aria herself is a very sprightly and bright person, quick to smile and even quicker to tease others rather shamelessly. She's far from shy, whether it's introducing herself to complete strangers or asking new acquaintances whether they're lovers or not. She even suggests that Cecily get herself a katana from a taciturn blacksmith by showing off her very impressive chest without so much as a blush, and she really loves her seduction jokes, even if jokes are just what they are. Personal space? Nuh-uh, she's sharing the bed with you, or being all touchy-feely and affectionate, and she's completely unrepentant about it. She's the type to throw herself into living. Eat one of everything! Go out for drinks! Try on risque outfits! If it's exciting and fun, rest assured, Aria will go for it-- and usually be the one encouraging it, actually. Where's the fun in living if you can't be playful?

It can be difficult to compare the cheerful young woman to a demon sword soaked in the blood of many, but while Aria exudes confidence in her human appearance and feminine mannerisms, she doesn't try to hide her nature as a blade, either. She's very much aware of her past and the killing intent that compels her gaze towards the volcano that supposedly houses a very powerful demon (the source of the Demon Pacts, actually), and instead of running away from it, she seeks to learn more, to understand the why behind it. And she continues to smile, even as she acknowledges that she's a contradiction, a demon who acts human. That smile doesn't falter when she tells Cecily good-bye, that she's killed people again, and that she has to move on, but enjoyed the fun they had together. That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt her whenever she's forced to kill someone, but Aria has the habit of facing everything directly, and she's not afraid of doing that on her own. When she's told the truth of her existence, why only certain demon blades can take a human form, due to the strength of the hatred of a human being forced to undergo a Demon Pact, she doesn't run away from it. Her desire to know transcends her shock, as she reflects on it, that I'm not a human. I'm not an inhuman. I'm a... a doll made to vent someone's rage against a being which may or may not even exist. But... is that really all I am...? Yes, she knows that, as a sword, she's meant for killing. But even as her killing impulse towards the 'Creator' grows, and she's concerned about losing her senses to the hatred that created her, she fights it. She asks Luke to make her a sheath, to help her resist that urge, and declares that she'll decide her own value.

"I have to keep fighting, in order to reach my goal of becoming a 'defender sword'!"

This defiance and determination in part stems from her friendship with Cecily. When Aria meets another demon sword, albeit one much more emotionless, she realizes that this was essentially her, before she met Cecily: a weapon without volition, something created only to kill 'God'. Even after becoming Cecily's partner, she still has her moments, making no indication to defend herself or argue when someone offers to buy her and refers to her as 'it' and 'a thing', because it's what she's accustomed to; she's then genuinely caught off-guard and touched when Cecily immediately bristles and demands that she be treated like an actual human being. Because of her friend's care and consideration for her, Aria is extremely loyal to her, and does her best to keep her safe and uninvolved in her own concerns. She doesn't tell her what's troubling her, not because she doesn't trust her, but because she doesn't wish to be spoiled and in order to stand beside her proudly, she needs to face some things on her own. Their bond has not only strengthened her will, but also helped her further develop her identity, as Cecily Campbell's partner, someone she can take pride in, and not just a demon sword.

Abilities/Powers: Aria possesses the ability to take the form of a rapier at will-- one that can harness the power of wind. There are certain things she can do on her own as a blade; she can control the amount of wind she generates, using it to increase her wielder's speed, precision or power, or to cushion a fall, or to keep harmful substances in the air at bay. As a sword, the damage or treatment she receives transfers over to her human form. If she's battered as a sword, she'll be bruised as a human; if her blade is polished, she's absolutely radiant. She's also capable of listening to the wind in her human form, being able to pick up on the otherwise inaudible words of a dying man. It's worth noting that Aria can only transform by chanting a certain phrase, and doesn't seem to be able to change back while she's in the middle of combat.

Also of note; if put through extremely severe combat and forced to feel frailty, there's a risk that Aria will lose the ability to transform into a sword, and will reach the end of her life as a demon blade. She also gets her energy from the spirit essence that Valbanill-sealed-in-a-volcano spews out into the air, so I... have no idea how that'll work here, but there you have it.

Items/Weapons: One maid outfit, and her sheath. Really, all the necessities right there.

Sample Entry: Here or here!

Sample Entry Two:

If Aria were the sort to believe in divine punishment, she might have wondered if she was being punished for not unloading all of her troubles onto Cecily's already burdened shoulders. But her partner needed someone who could stand just as tall beside her, and she'd already decided that she'd had quite enough of 'God' and its influence on her life. So none of that, she concluded. And what good was pondering something like that, anyway? It wasn't going to solve the immediate problem of where she was, and how she was going to get back.

And what kind of partner would she be if she started panicking now? Answers first. No faltering. Cecily would surely be fine, and Aria would return to her side. If she had to find a temporary wielder here to ensure that she could return, so be it. This didn't seem like a typical kidnapping, and this time... she wouldn't allow herself to become a tool if anyone fancied the idea. If she just kept her spirits up, her determination was sure to follow. There were people here... likely people with answers. And she was fairly certain that she could at least get a few of those answers from some of the more interested-looking men of the bunch.

"Well, then..." She propped her hands on her hips, sucking in a deep breath. Head up, chest out. It was time to get moving.

... By latching onto every poor unfortunate soul she encountered in the hopes of asking whether they'd seen a busty redheaded girl around, probably trying to seduce really grouchy blacksmiths.

Whatever got her the results fastest was what she was banking on... and Cecily didn't have to know, right?