Insight
-
-
At further inspection
Gentiana stands out even before she does something out of ordinary. It is not really done on purpose, she just dresses and acts the way she wants and feels comfortable. First things to draw attention are her tail and ears. Rarely does she conceal them as she proud of these traits and who she is. They are black, however tail seem to have faint gray stripes.
Her skin has a specific tan, red-ish tone, strangely prominent after all the diluting of her Native blood. Same heritage shapes her face - high and wide cheekbones and forehead, slightly tilted and narrower eyes. They have striking blue color and slit pupils, like those of a cat. Around them there are dark markings - either a strange pigment of skin or lot of makeup (but most likely, the first). Usually, you don't get to see her eyes as she wears huge, thick sunglasses. It is one of the items she rarely parts with. Her nose is wide, but fits in with the rest of her face, lips are like carefully drawn, often set in a smirk.
She has thick, long hair, coal black. Usually, either braided in two braids or gathered on her back, with silver clasp holding them together around her lower back. Another thing she always wears is some kind of headband. It can be thin leather strap with strange silver symbol of gems or wide fabric band, but there is always something on her forehead. It works not only as style item, but also holds her hair back from falling in face.
Gentiana has a lot of piercings. Nine are on her nose, eight of them placed on both sides of nose bone, in parallel lines (white and black pairs) and another white stud trough her left nostril. The rest are on both of her more human ears (ten in right, five in left). There are rings, clasps and also holes for regular dangling earrings. There are no tattoos or piercings elsewhere on her body. However, there is birthmark at her left eyebrow.
In clothing, this girl prefers monochrome colors and leather. Some of her clothing has Native details, but most is adorned with metal, belts and spikes, like her boots - you don't want to be kicked with those. Occasionally, she wears jeans. Most of her outfits are tight, but not too revealing. She has few jewelry, with chains, locks, but they are intricately made. Gentiana doesn't use makeup much, if at all (except for the questionable spots around her eyes).
She has a good posture, light and graceful pace, as if heavy jackets and boots wouldn't weight at all. She is very agile and possesses a good deal of strength, and she prefers dodge, dodge, then suddenly attack tactics.
Gentiana is able to both hide and reveal her true nature. As she shifts, her body is covered with short fur in dark gray-black color, with few darker spots, around her eyes, on back, legs stomach. As she changes further, her face will shift into a muzzle of sorts, her hands and feet become more animal like. If she chooses to, she can transform into a huge panther-like creature. However, most of these changes cause stronger or smaller pain and the girl usually chooses to keep previously mentioned tail and ears, but nothing more.
In few words, Gentiana can be described as independent, proud and strong willed free thinker who gets in trouble for it too often. But there is more to her than this. A person with complex personality, it is hard to understand her and predict her actions. However, there are some main drives in her life that control some of her actions.
One of them is pride. It is not really the haughty, arrogant pride, it is a pride of being who she is - woman, shapeshifter, a Native Indian, biker or whatever she might associate her self with. She most likely won't deny any of it to save her skin and there is much higher chance she will stand up for those who share something in common with her. With her pride, comes a certain honor, too, but Gentiana gives back to you what you give others, so if you're a traitor or jerk, she will probably treat you the same (or do after you have taken the bait).
She will help the people in need, most likely for free, and she has no trouble making a small business and tricking some good out of it, if the other party involved has some 'shabby records'. She believes in this Honor codex of the Highway and likes to remind people of it when possible. Gentiana tries not to judge, but take in all aspects of situation and then find out the truth. If she is at a loss, she will consult the powers that cannot be influenced by prejudices. She often comes across as cocky, even haughty, and mean because of this as she keeps her distance and observes, coming to her own conclusions. She isn't easily impressed or influenced, especially with a brute-like showing off. She believes there should be more than simply force to any person.
This young woman doesn't think she knows everything the best or that she is the best. She is a good listener, to people and to the world around her. Most of the time, she prefers to do the latter, though. She can talk a whole deal and then be comfortably quiet for hours, not really despising or craving company. Most people can't really stand her, because Gentiana speaks what is on her mind, which can be very direct and many take as an insult. Still, even despite she can call someone coward in his face, she will also try giving a self-esteem boost, a talk of support, but without weaving around what the actual problem is. She doesn't really lie, but is not against a cunning play of words, if needed.
Gentiana knows she has still so much to learn, find out, experience, see and she is thirsty for knowledge, for traveling. She craves to find out the truth of every situation which is taking place or in the past. Staying in one place too long makes her restless, as if the road and world was calling her to move onward. Only sometimes Gentiana will stick around for a longer chain of events, if she feels her presence will actually change something. If she can help, she will not turn her back on anyone.
She isn't really cute or sweet in girly manner, but she can be caring and supportive. She is quite collected, using her head, and can hide that she feels awkward or flustered pretty well. How she would be if she fell in love, is hard to predict, since she hasn't had an actual relationship, but it's very likely she wishes for someone who would share her interest in world, culture, whom she could trust and rely on, spend long hours talking or just sitting on a hill in silence. It is possible she believes in such thing as Soul Mates.
Gentiana doesn't care much about how others perceive her, because only what she knows about her self matters. The few that could be considered friends know they can trust their lives to her, even if they don't really understand the girl. Much to surprise of many, Gentiana is very passionate person. There are things that light up her fiery side and not always in bad way. She loves art, culture, history and, of course, nature and animals. Protection of them is very important to her.
Born in Middle class family, Gentiana was strange, independent child from early childhood. City did not interest her, she always tried to get away from it. She never played with girls around her age, and rather preferred climbing trees and other boy games, but in the end, didn't feel deprived if she had to spend time with books.
Never too close to her parents (they were always busy earning money, climbing the stairs of prestige), Gentiana adored her grandmother who lived in countryside, and also was the first to find out the little girl's shifting ability. There had not been a shifter, 'monster' in the family for some generations, but the trait had surfaced from gene pool, as had the Native American blood.
It was grandmother's stories about history, long lost culture, that always fascinated Gentiana and as she grew up, this interest only grew with her. Due to her memory, studying was easy for her, but school it self - not. Gentiana always got in argues with teachers about asking too much questions or doubting the books. Her parents hated that and tried to change her, with harsh punishments, but nothing worked - the girl remained critical and knowledge-thirsty.
Her grandmother died when she was 14, leaving all she had, including the house, to granddaughter, also binding hands of Gentiana's parents, as no one could do anything with the property until she was of age. The girl started working few months later, saving every bit of money she could. She had dreams, a lot of dreams, and she was going to do everything to achieve them.
Graduating with all honors, Gentiana got a funded place in University of History and Culture. She moved away from parents around the same time, but after a year of studying, the girl was deeply disappointed. No one there taught the truth or actual history, it was all lies and empty blabbering. On each visit to museum or some historical sight, she could hear the things or ground telling the truth... Gentiana dropped out of the University and never looked back.
She spent next year and half working hard, investing all spare money in building her motorbike, and when it was done, left for the Highway. Traveling around, from one smaller or bigger city to another, sleeping in tent if needed, visiting every memorable place and making notes, helping people and getting in some crazy troubles is how she has spent the last year of her life.
Gentiana uses knives and chains as weapons and very well so, which summed with her speed, reflexes and strength makes her formidable opponent. However, in most circumstances, she will not kill. She has never done it and would like to keep it that way.
She has brilliant memory, however, it has a downside - to memorize, she has to associate anything, be it an event, person, name or scent, with certain action. So, often, one action word or a movement carries a lot of memories and it is not always easy to actually manipulate all the stored information in her brains.
Her dearest possession in this world is her motorbike. Other than it, her only distinctively tech items are her sunglasses that she rarely parts with (to read about them both, please see page 'Belongings').
She does not drink, at all, but occasionally, takes a smoke or two, especially when attempting to have a longer communication with Wind - the girl can 'read' smoke in a way.
She can speak and write various languages, however, most of them are long since gone, such as Latin and ancient Greek.