Kalissa

age | 12

nicknames | Kali, Ducky

pronouns | She/her

ethnicity | Kinnaak

gender | Female

height | 5'2

sexuality | Bisexual

occupation | N/A

from | Kinnaak Villages

Step, step, twirl. Or was it twirl, step, twirl? Kalissa didn't remember. She remembered her mother's voice as she explained it, remembered her smile and kind, tired eyes as she sang alongside Kali's attempts at imitating her. But she was starting to forget the steps, and that made her cry. She'd cry and sit on the spot where the water met the earth, the spot where she'd last seen her.

Would she be proud of her? Of who she'd become? Kalissa made braids like her, told her jokes. Would her mom be happy she had met Kira? Would she like Mortimer? Kalissa told them both about how amazing she was, would she do the same? It felt like life had ripped her mother away from her, gone with the incessant waves of Navine. The river had swallowed her mother whole one day, and then Kali was alone. Even when she was alive, her mother wasn't hers. Her mother was owned by that disgusting, vile man, the one who'd drink all day and call Kalissa stupid, the one who'd interrupt their dancing and crown weaving and take her mother away, leaving her behind, a small kid lost in a big new town.

Twirl, twirl step. Step, step, step. Kalissa felt angry. Kalissa felt afraid. Kalissa was alone. Nobody wanted her. Was this all she'd ever be? A beggar, a con artist? A poor little girl to be pitied, not loved?

Step, twirl, step. Her mother loved her. Twirl, twirl, twirl. Maybe she could love herself one day.

Physical Description

The Wave twirls and leaps out of your grasp, yet her movement is so mesmerizing you can't look away. She smiles and giggles as if she were the happiest little girl in the world. But there's a pit in her mind where the bad thoughts go into the darkness, a shut box yet to be opened, lest the anger and sadness spill out. She's trying to enamor you for food. She's trying to make you think she's odd, interesting, unique so you'd remember her. The pity you feel for her is fabricated yet genuine. She's always hungry, her back always hurts. But she still dances like no other.

Kali has oil bronze skin, buck teeth, and medium-light brown curly long hair usually kept in braids. She has a round, small face, and dimples under her eyes.

Kali is tall for being 12, lithe and lanky. Long limbs, nifty fingers. Has a scar on her right shoulder, a cut from hitting a rock. Has two little beauty marks on her left hand.

Character Traits

With the Waves, comes a Thought | A lot is in Kali's mind. She likes to think of ways to express herself! She's very creative and loves to find new ways to express herself.
Practiced giggles and twirls | From having to fend off for herself to being raised by Kira Garber, Kali has gained an ability to utilize her toothy grin and cheerful tone to her advantage.
What hides beneath the river pebbles? And the dirt?... And your eyes? | There's so much to discover, so much to know. It's fun! Kali loves to ask questions.
Bouncing, bouncing, bouncing heartbeat | Kali is really lonely. She doesn't have any friends, it isn't easy for her to talk to kids her age.
Amongst the rocks beside the river, she fell | There's a lot of damage to Kali, even if she's not aware of it.

The River starts and ends with the Hills | Comes from being raised by Kira. Kali looks down on people, and her first reaction is to look for ways in which they'd be advantageous to her.
The stream follows its own path | Kali doesn't stick to commitments, she does what seems most appropriate at the moment, regardless of law or promises.
Mischievous, lonely girl | Kali likes to test the limits of people, see what bits of them she can push and bend.
Such tragedy, so young | Kali isn't mindful of how others have suffered pain akin to her own.
The wave's smile never wavers | Kali can't put her barriers down. She doesn't know how to.

Character Backstory

Kali is a young homeless girl from the Kinnaak Villages, even though she doesn’t have many memories about her time there, having moved into town early in life. Kali was born into an abusive household, her father being physically abusive to her mother. Still, Kalissa has a lot of good memories of her mom, of her being cheerful, positive and bubbly. Her mother taught her about the river, Navine, and that Kali had to keep a smile on her face, despite whatever hardship she went through.

When Kali turned ten, her father was drafted to war, leaving her and her mother alone. During this time, Kali’s mother’s attitude shifted, becoming nervous, somewhat catatonic and quiet. After two weeks, she disappeared, leaving Kali homeless in town, her only source of comfort being Navine’s shifting waves. Kali believes her mother committed suicide, and when asked will say that her mother got deathly ill.

Sometime after adapting to her new life, Kalissa met Kira, who offered her clothing and food, though not a shelter. Kalissa became very attached to them, and the two have been close through the two years that have passed.

Notable People

OKKAN.

30 | Kinnaak | ?

His laugh was loud. Not nice or heartfelt, just loud. He had a beard and long hair, both usually unkept. He didn't like hearing he was wrong. Sometimes it felt like he didn't like people in general. He certainly liked a good drink, though. Tall, perhaps? Big? But everyone is tall and big to a tiny kid. He's gone.

My dad... Uh … my dad left for the military.

Kali's dad. Okkan was an alcoholic who Kali only has vague memories of. He physically abused Umi, having fits of anger that would lead to beatings. He would yell very loudly at the both of them, verbally degrading Kali at most circumstances.Okkan only hurt Kali physically once, throwing her onto rocks beside the river, hurting her back and scarring her shoulder.Eventually, he told Kali he was drafted to war, and dissapeared from her life, Umi following closely afterwards.

UMI.

26 | Kinnaak | ?

Long legs, very skinny. She loved to put flowers in her long hair. She smiled wide, it almost distracted from her eye bags (were they eye bags?). She had unwavering optimism-- more of a best friend than a mother. Great weaver. She danced and sang like the moving stream. You couldn't hug her too hard, the squeezing always hurt.

My mother was the best! She was really tall, and really pretty, and really sweet. I like to think that I look like her… I miss her a lot.

Kalissa's mother. A bubbly, optimistic woman. Felt very connected to the earth and the river, despite not having the gift. Had Kali when she was very, very young.Kali's memories of her are very blurry and rose-colored. She wanted to teach Kali a lot, since she was happy her daughter had the gift. She tried to spend a lot of time alone with Kalissa, teaching her how to dance and braid. Was very impressed by how talented Kali was, tried to protect her from her father a lot.Umi had a big shift in attitude through the week after Okkan left. She was quiet and cried a lot, until she dissapeared as well. Kali believes Umi committed suicide by throwing herself into the river.