Post by LuJian Zands on Apr 7, 2011 23:30:08 GMT -5
Here goes, thoughts and opinions welcome.
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Full Name: Meiying Ishiza
Age: 16
Affiliation: Fire Nation
Bending: Firebender (see bellow)
Appearance: Meiying stands at around 5'11" with slightly short black hair and amber colored eyes that boast blue flecks. She has a head of short black hair, which is seldom stylized. She is thin, although not in an especially attractive way but not to the point of abject starvation. You get the impression that she is freakishly limber and while she has a pretty face and could be quite beautiful, it would seem dependent on her own personal upkeep at the time. If eyes are the window to the soul hers would be caked with dust. At times you get the feeling that your hair is standing on end in her presence. Her silence seems even more disturbing then her enchantingly beautiful voice.
Personality: During times of fair weather she comes across as happy, bubbly and optimistic regarding just about everything, during times of storm, arrogant, cold, perpetually miserable and easy to set off. Beneath the facades, struggling through the fog lies a broken but cunning individual seeking to rebuild herself and at the same time unwholesomely driven towards vengeful patricide. Wishes she could contribute to a strong, ordered society, and hates the idea that she may never get better. One whose frequent mood shifts and dual nature seems comes across as unstable and yet, capable of long-term planning and goals far beyond a disturbed madman. A troubled individual whose affliction masterfully conceals that fact she is still mentally competent, at least for now. An individual forced to play different characters in a play and whose acts shift literally with the weather.
Family: Father G'Tang Ishiza (46), Mother Yana Ishiza (Deceased)
History: From the journals of Shintao Misatao, former Fire Sage and Warden of Hanliu Asylum.
I took the role as Warden of Hanliu Isle in order to help those beyond help, just as I originally became a Fire Sage after my tour as a medic during the war. However, I’ve found that the life of a Fire Sage is more a ceremonial role, then the role it used to be in the days of old. It certainly gave me an uncanny education in spiritual matters, to compliment my knowledge of the body. Thus I continue my vigil over the disturbed, acting as sheppard over them. It’s a rare job, given most suffering from insanity in the Fire Nation are typically executed. However, there are some cases that you simply can’t do that to. Veterans are the most common, as the horrors of war wound their minds and their commanders aren’t wholly without compassion. Executing those for loyal service is not a message the Firelord wishes to send. However, we get our fair share of political patients as well like the one we received today, one Meiying Ishiza.
She is the daughter of one of Firelord Ozai's generals, General G'tang Ishiza. She is suffering from either over ambition or suicidal tendencies as she apparently climbed peak of the imperial mountain during a thunderstorm, and that only means one of three things. A young fool trying to master the cold blooded fire without her sensei's approval, someone seeking to end their life or someone would not mind either outcome. In this case however, she seems to have survived the attempt...although I would not say without scars. She came to us all of her hair seared off of her body and she seems to have become simple as a result. She doesn't talk much, but she seems incredibly polite, and always with a smile on her face. She seems to understand her position, which will certainly help her treatment. To quote her "I'm here because I got hit by bolt of lightening and it's broken me into pieces." She avoids any sort of conversation about her parents though. We've put her in a medium security block; after all she is still a Firebender. She also seems to have a case of male aphephobia, as when the male guards touch her at best she turns tense, and worst she lashes out, demanding not to be touched. Thankfully though, her Firebending suffers from a complete lack of drive and she seems more inclined towards depression then mania.
...
It seems Meiying's Chakra's are misaligned, for her once abundant Ying energy for yesterday is contrasted by tonight’s overflowing Yang. On some days we can hear her singing to herself, and she has a beautiful voice, seemed almost joy filled during the week. However last night she had a violent outburst, which was almost missed in the passing thunderstorm as she tried to bend her way out of her cell. Of course, her unstable condition meant a severe lack of breath control and so she ended up burning herself. Thankfully, our island is caught in a unique northern cold current and thus is one of the rare islands in the Fire Nation that suffers winter and a much cooler summer. It has dampened her bending abilities as was the intention when this asylum was constructed. I'm certain this failure on her part is going to cause a further lack of drive and further mute her powers.
...
I've had some counseling with Meiying, and she is a strange case. At times she is polite, pleasant, cheery and almost eager to please. At other times...well lets simply say no matter what mood she is in, a pair of guards with blowguns are present. I've tried to crack her, but if I didn't know any better I think she considering me almost like an interrogator. On good days, she is dismissive to therapy saying it would be better to go for a walk through the gardens and to seize the day. On other days she is wantonly disrespectful, cold and seems only to take pleasure in the frustrations of others. She doesn’t seem to be simple as I once though. She clearly knows that outbursts here are met with poisoned darts or harsh discipline. She also understands that my job isn’t just as warden, but also as a rehabilitator. For the most part, on the good days she works with me and on the bad…well she makes it clear she’d prefer her cell. I wish I knew what was triggering her mood swings. We are going to try some breathing, meditative and focus exercises to realign her energies and perhaps discover the source of her issues. Chi blocking techniques and acupuncture may also be considered but all of my staff who are proficient are male. Given no matter what mood she is in, the male aphephobia is present, forcing the issue is certain to cause an episode and distrust, which will get in the way of her treatment.
...
We received another inmate by the name of Tylyn today. He is the cousin of a judge, and was the prime suspect in the murder of several prostitutes and young girls. He was only spared execution due to his brother's influence as a judge and a lack of evidence. He has been put in maximum security, as he tried to bite one of the female guards while he was being escorted to his cell.
...
Meiying's paperwork finally arrived, making her case more tragic. Exceptional grades, Firebending Prodigy and a neigh flawless sense of memory. She was even given the honor of briefly training with and dueling the Princess Azula during her training. However, she was subject to military schooling, which in itself perhaps a reason that would lend towards this form of spiritual and mental damage or at the very least why she won't open up. It’s very odd that their parents would send a girl to military school, but it would seem all of General G’Tang’s ancestors went through the same treatment. The bend or break style of those institutions though, designed to churn out the next generation of iron willed, fanatically loyal, bloodthirsty conquerors has certainly lead to more then one resident being committed here. In her case though, there are gaps in her record, but one of her assessments listed infiltration skills as one of her many strengths; It looks like she was being groomed to be a spy or an assassin. She still shows the military routine, as she goes through the training motions in her cell at dawn every day. I’ve observed one of these routines from afar; it’s your standard military athletics, pushups, sit-ups and various katas. However, she seems frustrated at her Firebending, which barely produces enough fire to light kindling. She seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak and find some way to unlock her power, without success. Her style has begun to take on aspects of more mundane forms of hand to hand combat. It’s very odd, as the military tends to drill Firebenders relentlessly into cookie cutter forms of combat. She is a prodigy though, maybe she has some bizarre insight. I’m not going to disrupt her…for now as she seems to be hamstringing her bending prowess more then helping and that will make her more manageable. If she does stabilize her bending though, I’ll have to take steps.
…
Tylyn has further regressed, and the herbs that bring him down from his psychotic episodes are losing their efficacy. It's a compulsion of the worst kind, as it almost seems like he needs to kill, and preventing that is only deepening his hunger for blood. He tried to attack me again, and ended up on the floor as my training as a Fire Sage taught me ages ago on how to deal with simple ruffians. The only positive reinforcement he seems to care about is the chance to, in his words "Cut up the face of a dumb..well it's inappropriate." While I swore to aid even the worst of cases, usually the only aid for an individual like Tylyn is the guillotine.
...
It would seem Meiying will be a permanent resident of our facility for all of the wrong reasons. Her father is a powerful and famous general in the Fire Kingdom, the kind of person far too useful to the Firelord and far too beloved to have his reputation stained, not that they would believe the ramblings of an insane girl, or myself. The General would likely deny everything if he was in fact guilty and given I was once a Fire Sage, probably claim I was making a bid for political power. Regardless, if what the girl says is true the man is an animal, as this poor girl has been abused. We try to encourage patients to perform mundane tasks so they might one day return to society. I knew something was wrong when she hesitated to perform and a simple request for Meiying to fetch some food from one of the cellars.
However a gust of wind locked the door behind her and her claustrophobia was very evident once we found her, as she frantically tried to burn open and the claw at the door. When she came out she was crying, clearly troubled but still with that freakish constant grin that seems present on her good days. Oddly enough after the episode it took one of her bad mood swings for her to open up about it. Normally she’s completely uncooperative when they happen. She told me of how her father used to beat her and her mother whenever she failed and the times he would throw her into the cellar. Normally I'd dismiss it as a delusion, but I know that this is an old military wives tale that has no evidence of actually working. The theory being, if you keep the child in darkness eventually a child will learn how to Firebend in order to overcome their fear of darkness and produce light for himself. I didn't this anyone still practiced that idiocy, but General G'Tang is known for his sense of tradition so I'm told by some of the guards who served under him.
How far has our great nation fallen since the times before Sozin, that a man can do this to a child and be allowed to get away with it. Then again, she could be lying or delusional. However, it would further explain the aphephobia. Every time her father touched her it was to hurt her and every time a boy in her military schooling touched her, it was probably during combat drills. She wants to kill her father, and I can't say I blame her if what she says is true, but regardless I know the Firelord would have my head if she was released and performed the deed. A shame indeed, at least we will try to make her stay as comfortable as possible, and maybe the esteemed General will meet his end. After all, traditionally Generals lead from the front.
...
We seem to be missing a large amount of linen blankets and cloth...the frigid cold of our island typically calls for them. I've ordered the guards to find out what's happened with them, but most are self important military rejects. The last thing I want is inmates managing to come up with enough material to hang themselves with. I’ve requested more for the next supply shipment.
...
I haven't written in some time, but Meiying seems to be displaying considerable progress. It’s a shame my request for disciplined guards seems to have fallen mute. One of the guards forgot to lock her door tonight. She actually reported it to the guards when she herself discovered that it was in fact unlocked. I wish all the inmates would be that helpful. I believe to have discovered as to why her bending has been crippled. It is a fascinating case regardless. We made this discovery after she finally consented to having one of our experts examine her, and just as I thought, her Chakra's are misaligned. Pressure points that would normally disrupt one's chi are present, but located far from where they should be. She was uncomfortable during the entire process, and sadly the adept performing the examination seemed to hit one point too hard, causing Meiying to punch him. It was an accident, and she apologized immediately but that still ended the exam. As a sage, I was one of the foremost experts on the spiritual aspects of bending...and judging by the misalignment of her chakras, and the flow of her spiritual energy, her Firebending has been permanently crippled, not by a lack of drive but by the redirected flow of her chi.
Anja, the third eye, Vishuddha the throat and Manipura the stomach are all only slightly misaligned. Her Manipura is strong, which does aid in breath control and the power of will, as is her Vishuddha, although its alignment means the flows of energy from her mind to be directed to the other Chakras in ways that are somewhat beyond my understanding. Anja the third eye however is muted and damaged which is the cause of her phobias and mental distress as fear is a powerful illusion. I suspect that it was damaged before this bizarre spiritual crisis hit her.
Anhata the heart however, is in a state of misalignment and problems with Anhata can inhibit Firebending. The emotion and drive of the heart helps to fuel and control these forms of bending. This may also explain her shifts in mood and iron willed desire to murder her father.
Conversely, Sahasrara is the crown is overly ascendant. An overly ascendant crown can also disrupt one's connection to the celestial forces of the sun, moon and stars disrupting their subtle influence, favoring a more direct and mundane acquirement of chi. Such a wellspring of energy would typically benefit Airbenders and Earthbenders as the air, earth, storms and rock are more directly and terrestrially influenced. However, the disruption has vastly weakened her connection to the sun and aligned her with terrestrial forces of which Firebending simply has few of enough power to be of benefit. Perhaps she would find it easier in the presence of a Volcano, but her heart chakra would still cause disruption. Also given that Firebending requires passion and emotion from the heart, and not single minded mental clarity, the enhancement of her crown chakra would not be contusive to assist her Firebending.
My thought on the subject is that during times when the sun is ascendant, her mental state is strengthened, as it’s the only time she can draw upon its energy and when it is absent, say during the rain and storms, it’s weakened. If that was the case, though it would only be affected by exposure to the sun. Maybe that might be rooted in her claustrophobia disrupting her. Still, she seems fine indoors during times a sunlight. I’m going to keep a log of her mood swings. There’s a piece of the puzzle I’m missing here. No doubt her accident on the imperial mountain caused this misalignment of her Chakras.
Although we did not examine her root or sacral chakras, as that would have been both traumatic and inappropriate, but through supposition and observing the flow of her chi, they seem to be slightly misaligned as well and may be damaged as well. This may lead to various....problems in those areas, which may also lend towards how overpowering her aversion to male touch is. I've had her moved to minimum security, as we now know she’s far less of a threat then once thought, and it will make it easier for me to keep track of her progress.
...
Tylyn had an incident today with the guards, as apparently he tried to grab on of their swords. I should say, he narrowly avoided death as had to talk down one of the guards from killing him in cold blood. However, I’m not going to complete throw the guards under the tank quite yet. I’ve opted to have Tylyn spend some time in solitary confinement. I know the last warden of our island was very generous with its use, but I've found it tends to cause more illnesses then it helps. However Tylyn has done nothing but regress and consistently attempt to assault the staff, and to be honest I would be upset if I was a guard and had to deal with this diseased murder. While hate to do it to any soul, negative reinforcement seems like to only thing that will help him and this is pretty much a matter of last resort. We'll see if a week of staring at an iron door cools him off. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time before one of the guards kills him, or I petition the courts to have him executed.
...
Meiying continues to make progress, and my theories have proven correct. The warm days she is a treasure, and has taken well to gardening, she seems to like bamboo and harvests it quite often. She weaves baskets and various other items with it. She even weaved me an entire chair out of it. Sadly, it’s usually the stormy, rain filled days that we make the most progress as her head isn’t in the clouds, trying to be polite all the time. Sometimes she’s selfishly indifferent, other times she spews out hate as it gives her release and still other times she’s just plain cold and ruthless, usually in the colder months. She’s still loyal to the Fire Nation, and seems to have a bizarre but ingrained sense of patriotism. She hates that she’s a burden upon it rather then an asset to it. I’m surprised at her loyalty to the Nation, given her father. She says that she doesn’t like it when it’s sunny, as she feels so sweet, it’s sickening. Of course, when it’s sunny, she says that she hates it when it's stormy and she regrets and hates the way spews out bile and malice. She’s taken to sewing, which is good since we seem to be missing linens once again.
She blames her father for her condition, and I don’t think she’s delusional although, many who do suffer from them usually focus on a single delusion. Apparently she had feelings for a commoner boy, the sort of foolish crush you would expect from a young teenager. It didn’t go very far, but eventually her father found out and had the boy put to death for being a commoner daring to touch his daughter, and beat her within an inch of her life. She then climbed the imperial mountain seeking a way end her suffering, either by finding a way to kill her father or in the embrace of death and ended up the way she is now.
She takes well to activities during the sunnier times, but during the rain if she’s not in therapy, I leave her be. She tends to stay in her room, trains and practices her bending, as it’s the only outlet for her overwhelmingly negative and nearly psychotic attitude. She’s set parts of her cell alight a few times still, and her bending form continues to be vastly different then a traditional Firebending stance. She refuses to accept the fact her bending will be crippled for life though, as her flames have only marginally improved with her self teaching. I don’t normally approve of inmates practicing combat that could potentially cause them to make trouble for the guards. However it keeps her occupied during those harsh thunderstorms I prefer her better practicing an art she will never get better at then spewing bile at the guards and myself, or pondering direct violence. I honestly wish I knew how to realign her Chakra’s without killing her, but then again if that happened, she’d probably be entrusted back to her Father.
...
I think one of the ships might have accidentally brought a prickle snake onto the island, and I think it’s taken up residence somewhere in the low security ward. I keep hearing an odd hissing and almost rattling noise at times. It’s usually in the distance, echoing throughout the halls. I’ve never seen one before, having not been to the Earth Kingdom but some of the guards say that’s the closest thing they would liken that sound to. It tends to occur most often during storms so the creature must be tensing it's quills. The inept guards of course can’t find it, oh well, maybe it will help deal with the rat problems we've been having.
…
We had an incident in the yard, and thank the spirits it wasn't worse then it could have been. We still aren't quite sure how he escaped, but Tylyn somehow managed to get out of his cell and stole pair of pruning shears from the garden shed. He laid in wait, and predictably attempted to stab and disfigure the most attractive individual of the opposite sex, in this case Meiying. After he caught Meiying by surprise while she was looking for a watering can, he stabbed her in the back and grabbed her, at least according to Meiying. Her response was far beyond what I ever expected as apparently she discharged raw lightening into the ground. I’ve never heard an awful thunderclap like that during a clear day.
It of course alerted the guards and when we found her, she had an awful smile on her face and was proceeding to try to electrocute Tylyn to death, as she issued lash after lash of the cold-blooded fire upon Tylyn's body. Two overly excited guards tried to remove her from Tylyn physically, despite my ordering to wait. Meiying unsurprisingly lashed out at them, as they were both men and they ended up electrocuting themselves instead of using their blowguns. Absolute idiocy! Thank the spirits that she didn't kill or permanently harm them, which is surprising considering this was the cold-blooded fire.
Upon realization at what she had done to the guards, she immediately knelled and put her hands behind her head and was subdued by a dart. We had a talk after she woke up, as to just how she managed to escape from Tylyn. She claims to have generated the lightening through her feet, because her arms were restrained. I never heard of such a thing, as the generation of lightening is such a rare gift and so difficult to master, it's near always done with the arms.
It becomes apparent that I was incorrect of my assessment of Meiying. It’s not the power of the sun that empowers her mental state and thus her bending. Her chakra's predispose her towards a terrestrial force that requires single minded clarity to draw upon. Fire requires emotion, but the cold-blooded fire of lightening requires its absence and is indeed a powerful enough terrestrial force to empower her. It's fitting really, she went up the imperial mountain seeking the cold-blooded fire and the spirits of the storms granted her wish. Now she is aligned with them, and is as capricious as the weather itself. It's like clockwork....serenity and overwhelming ying in the sunlight and overwhelming yang during storms. The erratic flows of chi present during a storm fuel her as coal does a fire.
I have no choice but to put her in the maximum security ward. She understands, which is a shame because she had made so much progress, but she knows she is a massive risk should she have a violent outburst. I’ll make sure her cell is well lit, as I have a mineral composition that can produce Phosphorescence. I'm not saying she wasn't justified in this case, but I have my doubts as to the state of the guards had this incident occurred during thunderstorm. Speaking of the guards, I've had them disciplined harshly for the incident, since they seem to lack it. Their captain was resentful of it, claiming that the guards they were just doing their jobs and she attacked them. He has been relieved of duty, as I regularly informed the captain of the various triggers and conditions of the patients and what sets them off so he could inform his men. Add to the fact that they allowed Tylyn to not only escape, but allowed him to get into the gardens undetected, it shows that they are missing their rounds and not doing proper cell checks. The fact that two of them grabbed Meiying despite direct orders is another lack of discipline.
There is one silver lining to this situation. Tylyn's anti-social behavior seems to have been cured as a result of the incident, although cured is likely not an apt word to use. Meiying's attack has left him a couple steps up from an empty husk, save for a massive case of Astraphobia. The lights are on, but whoever is home is passed out on the floor. Maybe he'll improve over time. If he does, well…I still wouldn’t think use of lightening to cure mental illness would be something I’d prescribe regularly, but maybe there is something to that.
...
Unbelievable, I received a letter from General G'Tang inquiring as to his daughter's condition, having heard that apparently that she possesses the gift of bending lightening. The captain I relieved no doubt spread his story and he caught wind of it. I never even really thought about the general's complete lack of concern for his daughter, as this was his first letter asking about her condition. What sort of man only takes an interest in his own daughter, when she's become a danger to herself and others? He wants to meet personally about it...and he's a general so I can't exactly decline. I don't like this at all. I've left Taopin in charge for my trip. He knows how to keep the patients better then anyone else. I've told him in no uncertain terms to not allow the guards to be derelict in their duties, and that they will answer to me for any breach.
...
I want to vomit, and not just from the ship...my meeting with the esteemed General G'Tang basically confirmed my suspicious about the man. He's a soldier, through and through, and only respects might. He wanted an update on his daughter to see if she was stable enough to be returned to him. I told him in no uncertain terms no and greatly exaggerated her mental instability and how she nearly killed two men and left Tylyn a vegetable. I also informed him of her personal hatred for him, to which is laughed and tried to shrug off as foolish childhood resentment of discipline. I thankfully caught myself and did not reveal my disgust, but instead feign admiration for his position. His ego loved that, and he of course was glad I understood and that we were at war and a master of the cold-blooded fire would be a great asset to the effort. He basically said in no uncertain terms said he wants her mind cured, but her bending skills intact and wants regular updates on her condition. He also wants to see if I can find out just how this happened to her, and if there is any way to duplicate the process. I told him that isn’t very likely, but he seems to have some ego issues of his own and has a differing opinion on the subject. He's personally arranged some guard reassignments…which I suppose is a double edged sword. On one hand, disciplined guards have been something I’ve requested for a long time, but on the other hand I would expect at least one or two spies within their ranks, no doubt to keep watch over me and his newest pet project. His attitude is the kind I'd expect from an over controlling child abuser. Thankfully, I received word from the island and apparently there has been an incident with Meiying, which was the perfect excuse to leave.
...
We caught a good tide and arrived early from my trip, and thank the spirits I did. Apparently some of the guards thought that it was acceptable to "contain" Meiying by locking her in solitary confinement. Yes...that is just the thing you should do to a claustrophobic, who wields the cold-blooded fire like it’s a child’s toy. They claimed she was resisting, which is a crock...Meiying has only ever lashes out when men touch her or is genuinely provoked, and their idiocy confirmed their lies. They left Meiying's dinner bowl in her cell and my knowledge of herbs made it easy to discover it was poisoned. Taopin, ever easily bullied, let them do it and it's not like he could do much to the men with the swords and spears, but he was smart enough to go along with it and send a messenger hawk to me to return immediately. It was revenge for Meiying electrocuting them and making them look like fools and forcing me to dismiss their captain who put up with their laziness.
They were planning on killing her, but they wanted her to suffer...those animals disgusted me. What kind of person would lock someone in solitary to satisfy a petty grudge. These people are sick, not monsters. I'm actually glad that Meiying beat me to four of them. Unlike the other cells the hole doesn't have a viewing panel so they couldn't use their blowguns to pacify her and when they tried to pull her out of the hole thinking that poisoning her food worked a second time, she killed one of them as soon as the door was opened and three more when they tried to close it. There is a reason lightening rods are made of iron. Even more distressing was the damage that the wing sustained. Lightening doesn't strike the same place twice, but their selfish actions must have angered the storm spirits for assaulting their chosen. The roof of the building looks like that cheese with all the holes in it. When I lined them up, they had the audacity to sneer claiming that no one would convict a member of the military for treating an insane individual poorly. That may, or may not be the case in our Fire Nation as it stands today. However, it is the case that a superior can punish insubordination with death, and that was punishment I gladly carried out upon them, personally.
It took me nearly a whole day to calm Meiying down, before I pulled her out of the hole. She hadn't eaten in the four days I was gone, and I doubt she slept. She's a complete emotional wreck and I know this has only deepened her phobias. She wouldn't even let me, probably the person she trusted the most, touch her, preferring the crawl out of the cell and back into the light, smiling as always even though she was suffering from a breakdown.
...
I managed to finally get Meiying alone in therapy with me; she doesn't talk much, as that time in the hole couldn't help but to cause her to regress. She still has swings, but she’s blunted and dulled. I told her about her father's interest in her and that seemed to bring her back from the void. She hopes he takes her way, for it would be the perfect chance to murder him of course. I however know, G'Tang isn't stupid, and he's an accomplished bender himself. I warned her of such and given I've heard that the Dai Li are now serving the Fire Nation, he'd probably try brainwashing that they are rumored for. She seems to sleep a lot more, even during the day.
...
I’ve received some reports of a figure sneaking around the facility at night. Not from the guards of course, this bunch is almost as bad as the last ones, but from the other inmates in the maximum security section. Probably a spy trying to gauge Meiying…of course I double checked and all the inmates seem to be accounted for. Given I don’t think any of them possess the mental capacity or ability to do such a thing…except for maybe Meiying herself who has no reason to do so as she spends most of her time sleeping in her cell. Besides, how can she get out, she’s locked up with no access to her lock from the inside of the cell.
…
Meiying has either regressed, or heeded my council, it's impossible to tell so that's either somewhat good news or depressing news. Her aphephobia has crossed over to even females who she is tense around and she's prone to wild outbursts and sadistic laughter, that were normally only restricted to her during the storms and she has likely developed trichotillomania, as she’s ripped out pieces of her hair. Thankfully her cell contains her, much to the distress of her cellmates. On the plus side, the reports of sneaking have stopped, no doubt that spy has seen her decent.
...
Sozin's comet came today, and even I felt drunk with it's power. I suppose this will bring an end to the war...I can't see even the Earth Kingdom being able to withstand such power. However, I had to personally make rounds as many of our patients are Firebenders who tried to escape today. Meiying however, seems to exhibit disturbing clarity today…perhaps the overwhelming chi of the comet has empowered her weakened chakras towards stability, as if whatever clouds her personality melted away. Her hair has mostly grown back, and she doesn’t seem to rip it out anymore. She looked serene for once, as if the fog had lifted from her. She told me that I was the only person in my life who has shown any form of compassion or mercy towards her and she wanted to thank me for everything I had given her. She said she wanted me to have an escape route from this place and a place to hide, just in case things got ugly.
I asked her what she meant by that but she didn't seem to want to talk about it any further, only asking that I promise her to do so. I can't say I wasn't touched...but I know that she's going to try to escape and I don't know how I feel about that. She's still a danger to herself and others, and I wouldn’t in good conscience want to see her freed in her current state. It just seems that this island...no this world turns more and more awful with each passing day. We are on an island, miles from the nearest shore...swimming is suicide and the ships leaving are routinely checked. She’s smart enough to know this, so likely her idea of escape will be also be an escape from the mortal coil. I promised her, for what good it did, she thanked me sincerely. The comet’s departure has returned to her to a slightly improved, but still regressed state.
...
News of the recent succession has reached us...and in a most disturbing way. Prince Zuko is apparently the new Firelord and the former princess Azula is due to be dropped of at our doors for treatment. I recall the young princess as a Firebending prodigy, and if she gets loose unmedicated, it will be an unmitigated disaster. I don't know how the new Firelord would react if anything happened to her. I know the two hated one another, but by the same token why wouldn't he simply have her executed if there was that much ill will between the two? I'm locating her into the maximum security ward, as there is no question that she is a danger to herself and others. If she gets out, I don't even know if I could defeat her from what I have been told of her prowess.
Other Background: Firebending: Meiying once was an incredibly gifted Firebender in her youth, but since her accident she doesn't quite bend like other Firebenders anymore. That's not to say she isn't capable, but from where once she could wield blue fire at even an early age. She seems to have lost the connection to properly maintain that mastery, due to the misalignment of her Chakra's and mental state. She possesses very poor execution in such attacks, and her form now would not seem to lend itself towards it’s betterment. Despite this, Meiying through endless hours training in a locked cold cell with nothing better to do, and uncanny attunement to the cold-blooded fire through her accident, she possesses an unparalleled mastery over lightening and wields it with far too great ease.
She is capable of feats that other Firebenders only dream of performing with lightening, the most intriguing being able to control and mute it on a much smaller scale, lowering the lethality of her attacks, but increasing the speed in which it’s wielded. Despite this skill, her capacity to produce flame is crude and poorly directed as her entire bending form seems dedicated to its new alignment. Unsurprisingly, this odd mastery and spiritual affliction has caused her power to wax and wane far less with sun and solstices, but instead with the weather weaker during clear days, stronger during rains and storms. Her style, once far more traditional stance now more closes mimics the sinuous snake style Kung-Fu in our world due to her focus on whipping arced lightning in fluid motions and precisely targeted bolts of electricity.
Other Abilities: Meiying was raised in a well schooled military family and is capable of fighting with spear and sword, much as snake style kung fu trains it's subjects in their use. She possesses a rudimentary and somewhat dated grasp of military tactics and procedure. Her long incarceration has yielded her skills far beyond one would expect given her background. She is an expert weaver, candle maker and seamstress having spent long hours passing time in her imprisonment. She is also incredibly stealthy, agile and limber as a result of her military schooling and having to squeeze and contort herself to quietly navigate prison like conditions. She also has a magnificent singing voice, but seldom makes use of it.
Current Status: Locked in an island insane asylum for troubled minds, and about to plan an escape that has taken years to prepare for. There's just one piece of the puzzle missing....
Likes: - Enacting horrible vengeance upon her Father
- The idea of being whole again
- People who can see past her condition(s)
- Rare moments of clarity
- Hot springs
- Gardening
- Weaving and sewing
- Congee
Dislikes: - Her Father
- The Cold
- The Dark
- Being Underground
- Her Condition
- Guards
- Pai Sho (although she is pretty good at it)
Strengths: - Unparallelled Mastery of Lightening
- Freakishly Agile and Limber
- Extremely Patient
- Eidetic Memory
- Able to pursue single minded relentless action when needed
- Stealthy
Weaknesses: - Unstable traditional Firebending ability
- Personality shifts with the weather
- Unhealthy desire for vengeance
- Claustrophobic
- Male aphephobic
- Teetering on the edge of mentally instability
- Sense of duty
Desires: Extract horrible vengeance upon her Father, become mentally and spiritually whole once again, become a respected Firebending Master, to never be locked in a cold dark room ever again.
Play-by/Alias: Yanyu
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Meiying Ishiza
[/shadow]"The only thing that sickens me more then him, would be a mirror."
The basics
Full Name: Meiying Ishiza
Age: 16
Affiliation: Fire Nation
Bending: Firebender (see bellow)
Appearance: Meiying stands at around 5'11" with slightly short black hair and amber colored eyes that boast blue flecks. She has a head of short black hair, which is seldom stylized. She is thin, although not in an especially attractive way but not to the point of abject starvation. You get the impression that she is freakishly limber and while she has a pretty face and could be quite beautiful, it would seem dependent on her own personal upkeep at the time. If eyes are the window to the soul hers would be caked with dust. At times you get the feeling that your hair is standing on end in her presence. Her silence seems even more disturbing then her enchantingly beautiful voice.
Personality: During times of fair weather she comes across as happy, bubbly and optimistic regarding just about everything, during times of storm, arrogant, cold, perpetually miserable and easy to set off. Beneath the facades, struggling through the fog lies a broken but cunning individual seeking to rebuild herself and at the same time unwholesomely driven towards vengeful patricide. Wishes she could contribute to a strong, ordered society, and hates the idea that she may never get better. One whose frequent mood shifts and dual nature seems comes across as unstable and yet, capable of long-term planning and goals far beyond a disturbed madman. A troubled individual whose affliction masterfully conceals that fact she is still mentally competent, at least for now. An individual forced to play different characters in a play and whose acts shift literally with the weather.
A Deeper Look
Family: Father G'Tang Ishiza (46), Mother Yana Ishiza (Deceased)
History: From the journals of Shintao Misatao, former Fire Sage and Warden of Hanliu Asylum.
I took the role as Warden of Hanliu Isle in order to help those beyond help, just as I originally became a Fire Sage after my tour as a medic during the war. However, I’ve found that the life of a Fire Sage is more a ceremonial role, then the role it used to be in the days of old. It certainly gave me an uncanny education in spiritual matters, to compliment my knowledge of the body. Thus I continue my vigil over the disturbed, acting as sheppard over them. It’s a rare job, given most suffering from insanity in the Fire Nation are typically executed. However, there are some cases that you simply can’t do that to. Veterans are the most common, as the horrors of war wound their minds and their commanders aren’t wholly without compassion. Executing those for loyal service is not a message the Firelord wishes to send. However, we get our fair share of political patients as well like the one we received today, one Meiying Ishiza.
She is the daughter of one of Firelord Ozai's generals, General G'tang Ishiza. She is suffering from either over ambition or suicidal tendencies as she apparently climbed peak of the imperial mountain during a thunderstorm, and that only means one of three things. A young fool trying to master the cold blooded fire without her sensei's approval, someone seeking to end their life or someone would not mind either outcome. In this case however, she seems to have survived the attempt...although I would not say without scars. She came to us all of her hair seared off of her body and she seems to have become simple as a result. She doesn't talk much, but she seems incredibly polite, and always with a smile on her face. She seems to understand her position, which will certainly help her treatment. To quote her "I'm here because I got hit by bolt of lightening and it's broken me into pieces." She avoids any sort of conversation about her parents though. We've put her in a medium security block; after all she is still a Firebender. She also seems to have a case of male aphephobia, as when the male guards touch her at best she turns tense, and worst she lashes out, demanding not to be touched. Thankfully though, her Firebending suffers from a complete lack of drive and she seems more inclined towards depression then mania.
...
It seems Meiying's Chakra's are misaligned, for her once abundant Ying energy for yesterday is contrasted by tonight’s overflowing Yang. On some days we can hear her singing to herself, and she has a beautiful voice, seemed almost joy filled during the week. However last night she had a violent outburst, which was almost missed in the passing thunderstorm as she tried to bend her way out of her cell. Of course, her unstable condition meant a severe lack of breath control and so she ended up burning herself. Thankfully, our island is caught in a unique northern cold current and thus is one of the rare islands in the Fire Nation that suffers winter and a much cooler summer. It has dampened her bending abilities as was the intention when this asylum was constructed. I'm certain this failure on her part is going to cause a further lack of drive and further mute her powers.
...
I've had some counseling with Meiying, and she is a strange case. At times she is polite, pleasant, cheery and almost eager to please. At other times...well lets simply say no matter what mood she is in, a pair of guards with blowguns are present. I've tried to crack her, but if I didn't know any better I think she considering me almost like an interrogator. On good days, she is dismissive to therapy saying it would be better to go for a walk through the gardens and to seize the day. On other days she is wantonly disrespectful, cold and seems only to take pleasure in the frustrations of others. She doesn’t seem to be simple as I once though. She clearly knows that outbursts here are met with poisoned darts or harsh discipline. She also understands that my job isn’t just as warden, but also as a rehabilitator. For the most part, on the good days she works with me and on the bad…well she makes it clear she’d prefer her cell. I wish I knew what was triggering her mood swings. We are going to try some breathing, meditative and focus exercises to realign her energies and perhaps discover the source of her issues. Chi blocking techniques and acupuncture may also be considered but all of my staff who are proficient are male. Given no matter what mood she is in, the male aphephobia is present, forcing the issue is certain to cause an episode and distrust, which will get in the way of her treatment.
...
We received another inmate by the name of Tylyn today. He is the cousin of a judge, and was the prime suspect in the murder of several prostitutes and young girls. He was only spared execution due to his brother's influence as a judge and a lack of evidence. He has been put in maximum security, as he tried to bite one of the female guards while he was being escorted to his cell.
...
Meiying's paperwork finally arrived, making her case more tragic. Exceptional grades, Firebending Prodigy and a neigh flawless sense of memory. She was even given the honor of briefly training with and dueling the Princess Azula during her training. However, she was subject to military schooling, which in itself perhaps a reason that would lend towards this form of spiritual and mental damage or at the very least why she won't open up. It’s very odd that their parents would send a girl to military school, but it would seem all of General G’Tang’s ancestors went through the same treatment. The bend or break style of those institutions though, designed to churn out the next generation of iron willed, fanatically loyal, bloodthirsty conquerors has certainly lead to more then one resident being committed here. In her case though, there are gaps in her record, but one of her assessments listed infiltration skills as one of her many strengths; It looks like she was being groomed to be a spy or an assassin. She still shows the military routine, as she goes through the training motions in her cell at dawn every day. I’ve observed one of these routines from afar; it’s your standard military athletics, pushups, sit-ups and various katas. However, she seems frustrated at her Firebending, which barely produces enough fire to light kindling. She seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak and find some way to unlock her power, without success. Her style has begun to take on aspects of more mundane forms of hand to hand combat. It’s very odd, as the military tends to drill Firebenders relentlessly into cookie cutter forms of combat. She is a prodigy though, maybe she has some bizarre insight. I’m not going to disrupt her…for now as she seems to be hamstringing her bending prowess more then helping and that will make her more manageable. If she does stabilize her bending though, I’ll have to take steps.
…
Tylyn has further regressed, and the herbs that bring him down from his psychotic episodes are losing their efficacy. It's a compulsion of the worst kind, as it almost seems like he needs to kill, and preventing that is only deepening his hunger for blood. He tried to attack me again, and ended up on the floor as my training as a Fire Sage taught me ages ago on how to deal with simple ruffians. The only positive reinforcement he seems to care about is the chance to, in his words "Cut up the face of a dumb..well it's inappropriate." While I swore to aid even the worst of cases, usually the only aid for an individual like Tylyn is the guillotine.
...
It would seem Meiying will be a permanent resident of our facility for all of the wrong reasons. Her father is a powerful and famous general in the Fire Kingdom, the kind of person far too useful to the Firelord and far too beloved to have his reputation stained, not that they would believe the ramblings of an insane girl, or myself. The General would likely deny everything if he was in fact guilty and given I was once a Fire Sage, probably claim I was making a bid for political power. Regardless, if what the girl says is true the man is an animal, as this poor girl has been abused. We try to encourage patients to perform mundane tasks so they might one day return to society. I knew something was wrong when she hesitated to perform and a simple request for Meiying to fetch some food from one of the cellars.
However a gust of wind locked the door behind her and her claustrophobia was very evident once we found her, as she frantically tried to burn open and the claw at the door. When she came out she was crying, clearly troubled but still with that freakish constant grin that seems present on her good days. Oddly enough after the episode it took one of her bad mood swings for her to open up about it. Normally she’s completely uncooperative when they happen. She told me of how her father used to beat her and her mother whenever she failed and the times he would throw her into the cellar. Normally I'd dismiss it as a delusion, but I know that this is an old military wives tale that has no evidence of actually working. The theory being, if you keep the child in darkness eventually a child will learn how to Firebend in order to overcome their fear of darkness and produce light for himself. I didn't this anyone still practiced that idiocy, but General G'Tang is known for his sense of tradition so I'm told by some of the guards who served under him.
How far has our great nation fallen since the times before Sozin, that a man can do this to a child and be allowed to get away with it. Then again, she could be lying or delusional. However, it would further explain the aphephobia. Every time her father touched her it was to hurt her and every time a boy in her military schooling touched her, it was probably during combat drills. She wants to kill her father, and I can't say I blame her if what she says is true, but regardless I know the Firelord would have my head if she was released and performed the deed. A shame indeed, at least we will try to make her stay as comfortable as possible, and maybe the esteemed General will meet his end. After all, traditionally Generals lead from the front.
...
We seem to be missing a large amount of linen blankets and cloth...the frigid cold of our island typically calls for them. I've ordered the guards to find out what's happened with them, but most are self important military rejects. The last thing I want is inmates managing to come up with enough material to hang themselves with. I’ve requested more for the next supply shipment.
...
I haven't written in some time, but Meiying seems to be displaying considerable progress. It’s a shame my request for disciplined guards seems to have fallen mute. One of the guards forgot to lock her door tonight. She actually reported it to the guards when she herself discovered that it was in fact unlocked. I wish all the inmates would be that helpful. I believe to have discovered as to why her bending has been crippled. It is a fascinating case regardless. We made this discovery after she finally consented to having one of our experts examine her, and just as I thought, her Chakra's are misaligned. Pressure points that would normally disrupt one's chi are present, but located far from where they should be. She was uncomfortable during the entire process, and sadly the adept performing the examination seemed to hit one point too hard, causing Meiying to punch him. It was an accident, and she apologized immediately but that still ended the exam. As a sage, I was one of the foremost experts on the spiritual aspects of bending...and judging by the misalignment of her chakras, and the flow of her spiritual energy, her Firebending has been permanently crippled, not by a lack of drive but by the redirected flow of her chi.
Anja, the third eye, Vishuddha the throat and Manipura the stomach are all only slightly misaligned. Her Manipura is strong, which does aid in breath control and the power of will, as is her Vishuddha, although its alignment means the flows of energy from her mind to be directed to the other Chakras in ways that are somewhat beyond my understanding. Anja the third eye however is muted and damaged which is the cause of her phobias and mental distress as fear is a powerful illusion. I suspect that it was damaged before this bizarre spiritual crisis hit her.
Anhata the heart however, is in a state of misalignment and problems with Anhata can inhibit Firebending. The emotion and drive of the heart helps to fuel and control these forms of bending. This may also explain her shifts in mood and iron willed desire to murder her father.
Conversely, Sahasrara is the crown is overly ascendant. An overly ascendant crown can also disrupt one's connection to the celestial forces of the sun, moon and stars disrupting their subtle influence, favoring a more direct and mundane acquirement of chi. Such a wellspring of energy would typically benefit Airbenders and Earthbenders as the air, earth, storms and rock are more directly and terrestrially influenced. However, the disruption has vastly weakened her connection to the sun and aligned her with terrestrial forces of which Firebending simply has few of enough power to be of benefit. Perhaps she would find it easier in the presence of a Volcano, but her heart chakra would still cause disruption. Also given that Firebending requires passion and emotion from the heart, and not single minded mental clarity, the enhancement of her crown chakra would not be contusive to assist her Firebending.
My thought on the subject is that during times when the sun is ascendant, her mental state is strengthened, as it’s the only time she can draw upon its energy and when it is absent, say during the rain and storms, it’s weakened. If that was the case, though it would only be affected by exposure to the sun. Maybe that might be rooted in her claustrophobia disrupting her. Still, she seems fine indoors during times a sunlight. I’m going to keep a log of her mood swings. There’s a piece of the puzzle I’m missing here. No doubt her accident on the imperial mountain caused this misalignment of her Chakras.
Although we did not examine her root or sacral chakras, as that would have been both traumatic and inappropriate, but through supposition and observing the flow of her chi, they seem to be slightly misaligned as well and may be damaged as well. This may lead to various....problems in those areas, which may also lend towards how overpowering her aversion to male touch is. I've had her moved to minimum security, as we now know she’s far less of a threat then once thought, and it will make it easier for me to keep track of her progress.
...
Tylyn had an incident today with the guards, as apparently he tried to grab on of their swords. I should say, he narrowly avoided death as had to talk down one of the guards from killing him in cold blood. However, I’m not going to complete throw the guards under the tank quite yet. I’ve opted to have Tylyn spend some time in solitary confinement. I know the last warden of our island was very generous with its use, but I've found it tends to cause more illnesses then it helps. However Tylyn has done nothing but regress and consistently attempt to assault the staff, and to be honest I would be upset if I was a guard and had to deal with this diseased murder. While hate to do it to any soul, negative reinforcement seems like to only thing that will help him and this is pretty much a matter of last resort. We'll see if a week of staring at an iron door cools him off. Otherwise, it's only a matter of time before one of the guards kills him, or I petition the courts to have him executed.
...
Meiying continues to make progress, and my theories have proven correct. The warm days she is a treasure, and has taken well to gardening, she seems to like bamboo and harvests it quite often. She weaves baskets and various other items with it. She even weaved me an entire chair out of it. Sadly, it’s usually the stormy, rain filled days that we make the most progress as her head isn’t in the clouds, trying to be polite all the time. Sometimes she’s selfishly indifferent, other times she spews out hate as it gives her release and still other times she’s just plain cold and ruthless, usually in the colder months. She’s still loyal to the Fire Nation, and seems to have a bizarre but ingrained sense of patriotism. She hates that she’s a burden upon it rather then an asset to it. I’m surprised at her loyalty to the Nation, given her father. She says that she doesn’t like it when it’s sunny, as she feels so sweet, it’s sickening. Of course, when it’s sunny, she says that she hates it when it's stormy and she regrets and hates the way spews out bile and malice. She’s taken to sewing, which is good since we seem to be missing linens once again.
She blames her father for her condition, and I don’t think she’s delusional although, many who do suffer from them usually focus on a single delusion. Apparently she had feelings for a commoner boy, the sort of foolish crush you would expect from a young teenager. It didn’t go very far, but eventually her father found out and had the boy put to death for being a commoner daring to touch his daughter, and beat her within an inch of her life. She then climbed the imperial mountain seeking a way end her suffering, either by finding a way to kill her father or in the embrace of death and ended up the way she is now.
She takes well to activities during the sunnier times, but during the rain if she’s not in therapy, I leave her be. She tends to stay in her room, trains and practices her bending, as it’s the only outlet for her overwhelmingly negative and nearly psychotic attitude. She’s set parts of her cell alight a few times still, and her bending form continues to be vastly different then a traditional Firebending stance. She refuses to accept the fact her bending will be crippled for life though, as her flames have only marginally improved with her self teaching. I don’t normally approve of inmates practicing combat that could potentially cause them to make trouble for the guards. However it keeps her occupied during those harsh thunderstorms I prefer her better practicing an art she will never get better at then spewing bile at the guards and myself, or pondering direct violence. I honestly wish I knew how to realign her Chakra’s without killing her, but then again if that happened, she’d probably be entrusted back to her Father.
...
I think one of the ships might have accidentally brought a prickle snake onto the island, and I think it’s taken up residence somewhere in the low security ward. I keep hearing an odd hissing and almost rattling noise at times. It’s usually in the distance, echoing throughout the halls. I’ve never seen one before, having not been to the Earth Kingdom but some of the guards say that’s the closest thing they would liken that sound to. It tends to occur most often during storms so the creature must be tensing it's quills. The inept guards of course can’t find it, oh well, maybe it will help deal with the rat problems we've been having.
…
We had an incident in the yard, and thank the spirits it wasn't worse then it could have been. We still aren't quite sure how he escaped, but Tylyn somehow managed to get out of his cell and stole pair of pruning shears from the garden shed. He laid in wait, and predictably attempted to stab and disfigure the most attractive individual of the opposite sex, in this case Meiying. After he caught Meiying by surprise while she was looking for a watering can, he stabbed her in the back and grabbed her, at least according to Meiying. Her response was far beyond what I ever expected as apparently she discharged raw lightening into the ground. I’ve never heard an awful thunderclap like that during a clear day.
It of course alerted the guards and when we found her, she had an awful smile on her face and was proceeding to try to electrocute Tylyn to death, as she issued lash after lash of the cold-blooded fire upon Tylyn's body. Two overly excited guards tried to remove her from Tylyn physically, despite my ordering to wait. Meiying unsurprisingly lashed out at them, as they were both men and they ended up electrocuting themselves instead of using their blowguns. Absolute idiocy! Thank the spirits that she didn't kill or permanently harm them, which is surprising considering this was the cold-blooded fire.
Upon realization at what she had done to the guards, she immediately knelled and put her hands behind her head and was subdued by a dart. We had a talk after she woke up, as to just how she managed to escape from Tylyn. She claims to have generated the lightening through her feet, because her arms were restrained. I never heard of such a thing, as the generation of lightening is such a rare gift and so difficult to master, it's near always done with the arms.
It becomes apparent that I was incorrect of my assessment of Meiying. It’s not the power of the sun that empowers her mental state and thus her bending. Her chakra's predispose her towards a terrestrial force that requires single minded clarity to draw upon. Fire requires emotion, but the cold-blooded fire of lightening requires its absence and is indeed a powerful enough terrestrial force to empower her. It's fitting really, she went up the imperial mountain seeking the cold-blooded fire and the spirits of the storms granted her wish. Now she is aligned with them, and is as capricious as the weather itself. It's like clockwork....serenity and overwhelming ying in the sunlight and overwhelming yang during storms. The erratic flows of chi present during a storm fuel her as coal does a fire.
I have no choice but to put her in the maximum security ward. She understands, which is a shame because she had made so much progress, but she knows she is a massive risk should she have a violent outburst. I’ll make sure her cell is well lit, as I have a mineral composition that can produce Phosphorescence. I'm not saying she wasn't justified in this case, but I have my doubts as to the state of the guards had this incident occurred during thunderstorm. Speaking of the guards, I've had them disciplined harshly for the incident, since they seem to lack it. Their captain was resentful of it, claiming that the guards they were just doing their jobs and she attacked them. He has been relieved of duty, as I regularly informed the captain of the various triggers and conditions of the patients and what sets them off so he could inform his men. Add to the fact that they allowed Tylyn to not only escape, but allowed him to get into the gardens undetected, it shows that they are missing their rounds and not doing proper cell checks. The fact that two of them grabbed Meiying despite direct orders is another lack of discipline.
There is one silver lining to this situation. Tylyn's anti-social behavior seems to have been cured as a result of the incident, although cured is likely not an apt word to use. Meiying's attack has left him a couple steps up from an empty husk, save for a massive case of Astraphobia. The lights are on, but whoever is home is passed out on the floor. Maybe he'll improve over time. If he does, well…I still wouldn’t think use of lightening to cure mental illness would be something I’d prescribe regularly, but maybe there is something to that.
...
Unbelievable, I received a letter from General G'Tang inquiring as to his daughter's condition, having heard that apparently that she possesses the gift of bending lightening. The captain I relieved no doubt spread his story and he caught wind of it. I never even really thought about the general's complete lack of concern for his daughter, as this was his first letter asking about her condition. What sort of man only takes an interest in his own daughter, when she's become a danger to herself and others? He wants to meet personally about it...and he's a general so I can't exactly decline. I don't like this at all. I've left Taopin in charge for my trip. He knows how to keep the patients better then anyone else. I've told him in no uncertain terms to not allow the guards to be derelict in their duties, and that they will answer to me for any breach.
...
I want to vomit, and not just from the ship...my meeting with the esteemed General G'Tang basically confirmed my suspicious about the man. He's a soldier, through and through, and only respects might. He wanted an update on his daughter to see if she was stable enough to be returned to him. I told him in no uncertain terms no and greatly exaggerated her mental instability and how she nearly killed two men and left Tylyn a vegetable. I also informed him of her personal hatred for him, to which is laughed and tried to shrug off as foolish childhood resentment of discipline. I thankfully caught myself and did not reveal my disgust, but instead feign admiration for his position. His ego loved that, and he of course was glad I understood and that we were at war and a master of the cold-blooded fire would be a great asset to the effort. He basically said in no uncertain terms said he wants her mind cured, but her bending skills intact and wants regular updates on her condition. He also wants to see if I can find out just how this happened to her, and if there is any way to duplicate the process. I told him that isn’t very likely, but he seems to have some ego issues of his own and has a differing opinion on the subject. He's personally arranged some guard reassignments…which I suppose is a double edged sword. On one hand, disciplined guards have been something I’ve requested for a long time, but on the other hand I would expect at least one or two spies within their ranks, no doubt to keep watch over me and his newest pet project. His attitude is the kind I'd expect from an over controlling child abuser. Thankfully, I received word from the island and apparently there has been an incident with Meiying, which was the perfect excuse to leave.
...
We caught a good tide and arrived early from my trip, and thank the spirits I did. Apparently some of the guards thought that it was acceptable to "contain" Meiying by locking her in solitary confinement. Yes...that is just the thing you should do to a claustrophobic, who wields the cold-blooded fire like it’s a child’s toy. They claimed she was resisting, which is a crock...Meiying has only ever lashes out when men touch her or is genuinely provoked, and their idiocy confirmed their lies. They left Meiying's dinner bowl in her cell and my knowledge of herbs made it easy to discover it was poisoned. Taopin, ever easily bullied, let them do it and it's not like he could do much to the men with the swords and spears, but he was smart enough to go along with it and send a messenger hawk to me to return immediately. It was revenge for Meiying electrocuting them and making them look like fools and forcing me to dismiss their captain who put up with their laziness.
They were planning on killing her, but they wanted her to suffer...those animals disgusted me. What kind of person would lock someone in solitary to satisfy a petty grudge. These people are sick, not monsters. I'm actually glad that Meiying beat me to four of them. Unlike the other cells the hole doesn't have a viewing panel so they couldn't use their blowguns to pacify her and when they tried to pull her out of the hole thinking that poisoning her food worked a second time, she killed one of them as soon as the door was opened and three more when they tried to close it. There is a reason lightening rods are made of iron. Even more distressing was the damage that the wing sustained. Lightening doesn't strike the same place twice, but their selfish actions must have angered the storm spirits for assaulting their chosen. The roof of the building looks like that cheese with all the holes in it. When I lined them up, they had the audacity to sneer claiming that no one would convict a member of the military for treating an insane individual poorly. That may, or may not be the case in our Fire Nation as it stands today. However, it is the case that a superior can punish insubordination with death, and that was punishment I gladly carried out upon them, personally.
It took me nearly a whole day to calm Meiying down, before I pulled her out of the hole. She hadn't eaten in the four days I was gone, and I doubt she slept. She's a complete emotional wreck and I know this has only deepened her phobias. She wouldn't even let me, probably the person she trusted the most, touch her, preferring the crawl out of the cell and back into the light, smiling as always even though she was suffering from a breakdown.
...
I managed to finally get Meiying alone in therapy with me; she doesn't talk much, as that time in the hole couldn't help but to cause her to regress. She still has swings, but she’s blunted and dulled. I told her about her father's interest in her and that seemed to bring her back from the void. She hopes he takes her way, for it would be the perfect chance to murder him of course. I however know, G'Tang isn't stupid, and he's an accomplished bender himself. I warned her of such and given I've heard that the Dai Li are now serving the Fire Nation, he'd probably try brainwashing that they are rumored for. She seems to sleep a lot more, even during the day.
...
I’ve received some reports of a figure sneaking around the facility at night. Not from the guards of course, this bunch is almost as bad as the last ones, but from the other inmates in the maximum security section. Probably a spy trying to gauge Meiying…of course I double checked and all the inmates seem to be accounted for. Given I don’t think any of them possess the mental capacity or ability to do such a thing…except for maybe Meiying herself who has no reason to do so as she spends most of her time sleeping in her cell. Besides, how can she get out, she’s locked up with no access to her lock from the inside of the cell.
…
Meiying has either regressed, or heeded my council, it's impossible to tell so that's either somewhat good news or depressing news. Her aphephobia has crossed over to even females who she is tense around and she's prone to wild outbursts and sadistic laughter, that were normally only restricted to her during the storms and she has likely developed trichotillomania, as she’s ripped out pieces of her hair. Thankfully her cell contains her, much to the distress of her cellmates. On the plus side, the reports of sneaking have stopped, no doubt that spy has seen her decent.
...
Sozin's comet came today, and even I felt drunk with it's power. I suppose this will bring an end to the war...I can't see even the Earth Kingdom being able to withstand such power. However, I had to personally make rounds as many of our patients are Firebenders who tried to escape today. Meiying however, seems to exhibit disturbing clarity today…perhaps the overwhelming chi of the comet has empowered her weakened chakras towards stability, as if whatever clouds her personality melted away. Her hair has mostly grown back, and she doesn’t seem to rip it out anymore. She looked serene for once, as if the fog had lifted from her. She told me that I was the only person in my life who has shown any form of compassion or mercy towards her and she wanted to thank me for everything I had given her. She said she wanted me to have an escape route from this place and a place to hide, just in case things got ugly.
I asked her what she meant by that but she didn't seem to want to talk about it any further, only asking that I promise her to do so. I can't say I wasn't touched...but I know that she's going to try to escape and I don't know how I feel about that. She's still a danger to herself and others, and I wouldn’t in good conscience want to see her freed in her current state. It just seems that this island...no this world turns more and more awful with each passing day. We are on an island, miles from the nearest shore...swimming is suicide and the ships leaving are routinely checked. She’s smart enough to know this, so likely her idea of escape will be also be an escape from the mortal coil. I promised her, for what good it did, she thanked me sincerely. The comet’s departure has returned to her to a slightly improved, but still regressed state.
...
News of the recent succession has reached us...and in a most disturbing way. Prince Zuko is apparently the new Firelord and the former princess Azula is due to be dropped of at our doors for treatment. I recall the young princess as a Firebending prodigy, and if she gets loose unmedicated, it will be an unmitigated disaster. I don't know how the new Firelord would react if anything happened to her. I know the two hated one another, but by the same token why wouldn't he simply have her executed if there was that much ill will between the two? I'm locating her into the maximum security ward, as there is no question that she is a danger to herself and others. If she gets out, I don't even know if I could defeat her from what I have been told of her prowess.
Other Background: Firebending: Meiying once was an incredibly gifted Firebender in her youth, but since her accident she doesn't quite bend like other Firebenders anymore. That's not to say she isn't capable, but from where once she could wield blue fire at even an early age. She seems to have lost the connection to properly maintain that mastery, due to the misalignment of her Chakra's and mental state. She possesses very poor execution in such attacks, and her form now would not seem to lend itself towards it’s betterment. Despite this, Meiying through endless hours training in a locked cold cell with nothing better to do, and uncanny attunement to the cold-blooded fire through her accident, she possesses an unparalleled mastery over lightening and wields it with far too great ease.
She is capable of feats that other Firebenders only dream of performing with lightening, the most intriguing being able to control and mute it on a much smaller scale, lowering the lethality of her attacks, but increasing the speed in which it’s wielded. Despite this skill, her capacity to produce flame is crude and poorly directed as her entire bending form seems dedicated to its new alignment. Unsurprisingly, this odd mastery and spiritual affliction has caused her power to wax and wane far less with sun and solstices, but instead with the weather weaker during clear days, stronger during rains and storms. Her style, once far more traditional stance now more closes mimics the sinuous snake style Kung-Fu in our world due to her focus on whipping arced lightning in fluid motions and precisely targeted bolts of electricity.
Other Abilities: Meiying was raised in a well schooled military family and is capable of fighting with spear and sword, much as snake style kung fu trains it's subjects in their use. She possesses a rudimentary and somewhat dated grasp of military tactics and procedure. Her long incarceration has yielded her skills far beyond one would expect given her background. She is an expert weaver, candle maker and seamstress having spent long hours passing time in her imprisonment. She is also incredibly stealthy, agile and limber as a result of her military schooling and having to squeeze and contort herself to quietly navigate prison like conditions. She also has a magnificent singing voice, but seldom makes use of it.
Current Status: Locked in an island insane asylum for troubled minds, and about to plan an escape that has taken years to prepare for. There's just one piece of the puzzle missing....
Up Close and Personal
Likes: - Enacting horrible vengeance upon her Father
- The idea of being whole again
- People who can see past her condition(s)
- Rare moments of clarity
- Hot springs
- Gardening
- Weaving and sewing
- Congee
Dislikes: - Her Father
- The Cold
- The Dark
- Being Underground
- Her Condition
- Guards
- Pai Sho (although she is pretty good at it)
Strengths: - Unparallelled Mastery of Lightening
- Freakishly Agile and Limber
- Extremely Patient
- Eidetic Memory
- Able to pursue single minded relentless action when needed
- Stealthy
Weaknesses: - Unstable traditional Firebending ability
- Personality shifts with the weather
- Unhealthy desire for vengeance
- Claustrophobic
- Male aphephobic
- Teetering on the edge of mentally instability
- Sense of duty
Desires: Extract horrible vengeance upon her Father, become mentally and spiritually whole once again, become a respected Firebending Master, to never be locked in a cold dark room ever again.
Behind the Mask
Play-by/Alias: Yanyu
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