Background/Info

[emotive]

Name: Ai Thao Kha
Age: 18
Birthday: June 21st
Affiliation: (Previously) The Esper Collective
Likes: Food, cinema, making friends, sightseeing
Dislikes: Being alone, being put on a pedestal
Talents: Handwriting, watercolor painting, and martial arts
Image Color: Pale pink

JUST A REGULAR GIRL

Ai Thao Kha is a young woman who is out on her own in the world and doing her best to navigate it all. Though clumsy and awkward at social interaction, she's sincere, kind, and eager to please. Her sweet disposition, however, is at odds with the fact that Ai Thao is one of the most, if not the most, powerful esper in her world. But when it comes down to it, Ai finds little value in being a glorified weapon or someone to look up to just because of her immense abilities. She longs for true companionship and to care for those who are stranded like herself.

She has pulled away from the expectations that have been set upon her by the Esper Collective, the main governing body of the psychic community, but continues to do her part in keeping the peace and answering the summons of those who need her power.

NETWORKING IN AN URBAN FANTASY WORLD

Espers a.k.a. psychics exist alongside magickind, concealing the truth of their existence from normal human beings on modern Earth. Psychics live in special communes all around the world in order to train one another in controlling and utilizing their special abilities. The overall governing body of psychics are known as The Esper Collective.

Historically, they flock into groups to be with those who are the same as them and tend to avoid integrating with normal people although there has been a recent trend in modern times of psychics losing their sense of camaraderie with their fellow espers and independently going out on their own and mixing with the outside world, causing a dilution of psychic powers. The Esper Collective has its own survelliance network that monitors other espers and takes in those without community so that their powers don't go awry or clash with magickind.

While the history of espers has long been obscured due to the lack of physical records and evidence, it is widely believed that they are all descendents of a fairy, a special immortal that previously lived in a different realm called, The Land of Bliss; a magical mountainous paradise, home to a certain species of fairies that is either lost forever or still exists and cannot be reached anymore. Fairies, from which espers claim their powers originate from, are also non-existent.

The Land of Bliss

Almost. There is a fragment of a fairy that exists and the Collective has taken great care to preserve. Years ago, a deal with the enigmatic Witch King was struck, and he helped drive the creation of cloned espers, all with varying results.

THE IMPOSSIBLE MADE FLESH

Long story short, is that Ai Thao Kha is a clone of a certain fairy who had powerful psychic abilities. She and her fellow clone sisters and brothers are a result of combining science and magics, but the finer details of their creation is hidden from the general esper population and for the clones themselves, their memories of their birth are wiped from their minds in order to keep the secret ironclad. Not many of them survived at first, but over time, a small group endured and they all shared the same trait; vivid and deep blue eyes.

Ai Thao is part of a pair and her "sister" Lien Kha was created at the same time in the Vietnamese esper commune located in the mountains of the country. While Lien was seen as functional and average, Ai Thao was considered to be a near miracle. Not only was she an almost perfect physical copy, but she displayed a variety of esper abilities with great potency. Her power was such that she nearly was driven mad at a young age while trying to deal with her telepathy, to the point that at least a third of her power was magically sealed by the Witch King. Even when running on two-thirds of her energy, Ai Thao is considered one of the most powerful psychics of the age. She is considered a success on all levels... Except as a person they wanted her to be.

NOTHING SPECIAL

Ai Thao Kha lacked the bravado and ruthlessness that the Esper Collective wanted from their strongest psychic. Although she grew up, trained, and mastered her powers with enough finesse, Ai remained sweet-natured and docile. She was conflict avoidant even when force was needed in many of the situations she was placed in. Whether it was against an enemy esper, witch, or some other supernatural force of nature, Ai was considered too soft and too merciful and prone to letting someone else take charge. What didn't help was that she was mostly sheltered since the Esper Collective did not want their strongest esper mingling with the modern outside world, as if it was something that would further taint her more than she already was.

In this environment, despite being surrounded by many other espers, Ai Thao felt very alone. She felt misunderstood and her basic personhood pushed aside because of expectations that opposed her default nature. Even though she had Lien as a fellow clone, her sister had her own struggles which left Ai adrift in a world that both feared and looked down on her. And although she made some positive impacts in the lives of others, more often than not, Ai was a bogeyman of the supernatural and paranormal world, a weapon for the Esper Collective to wield against their foes.

She was resigned to this life of obligation to the Collective and small glimpses of the outside world, never pushing back because if she did, Ai Thao was afraid of being truly alone.

It is the consequences of her inaction that shocks her to make a change to her life.

SYSTEM SHOCK

One day, one of the bodies of a failed clone was taken over by an outer world entity (dubbed "Mad Queen") and began to wreak havoc throughout several continents, utilizing the body's latent psychic abilities. Ai Thao and her fellow espers were sent to apprehend the Mad Queen and soon, they were able to track it down and corner it. The Mad Queen donned the same face as Ai and its powers were equally matched to her's. Although Ai started to have the upper hand, the possessed clone appealed to her better nature, bringing up a significant truth about the Esper Collective that Ai was uncomfortable with; the point being that she was a product to be used and had the fortune of surviving when many others like her did not and were consequently thrown away.

Ai's hesitance proved to be nearly fatal as the evil clone almost killed her companions who accompanied her on the mission. That was the vital turn that caused Ai Thao to finally deal the killing blow to the Mad Queen, destroying its stolen body, and vanquishing it forever.

In the aftermath of the mission, Ai Thao, backed up by her few friends and supporters, officially cut ties with the Esper Collective due to their treatment and ongoing plans to try and make more espers like herself. The Collective had to concede since they would not be able to exert control over her any more. As a result, she was cut off from most of their resources and support and the only life she ever knew.

It was a difficult time, but Ai began to find that she wasn't truly alone. She still had Lien, the backing of a certain Emerald Witch, supporters from in and out of the Esper Collective, and other unique individuals who cared for her well-being. This would ensure that Ai would not stray onto any wrong paths because she could now build a life with other people she cared about and not just look out for herself.

PRESENT DAY, LIFE GOES ON

Ai Thao Kha is now an independent esper, an agent of chaotic good and young woman who is learning to enjoy life and cultivate her growing friendships. Nowadays, when she isn't working, she's finding ways to make the most out of her newfound independence. Whether it's taking on small jobs for the Emerald Witch or covering shifts at the magical cafe, the Midnight Grind, Ai Thao finds herself growing up little by little. Should the world come under serious threat, she will be the first line of defense. But for now, Ai will live life of self-discovery.

STRENGTHS

🩷 KIND: She's generous and is always willing to lend a helping hand or an ear to listen to anyone else before herself.
🩷 SINCERE: Ai isn't very duplicitous in her actions or words, and rarely has underlying motives; she's very polite almost to a fault.
🩷 RESOLUTE: Though she needs to bypass internal obstacles, once Ai's made up her mind she follows through with her choices whether the outcome is good or bad.

WEAKNESSES

🖤 SENSITIVE: Prone to tears; her feelings get hurt easily when shut down by others or facing friction that isn't easily solved.
🖤 OBLIVIOUS: Because Ai wasn't raised in a normal environment, there are gaps in her social and cultural knowledge and she can be unaware of her own slip-ups.
🖤 ANXIOUS: Ai, however, isn't totally unaware of her own shortcomings and gets anxious when she thinks she's messed up which is a result of her upbringing where the people constantly scrutinized her actions and behavior.

Canon Abilities/Powers:

★ Telekinesis
Ai can move objects with her mind and it's strong enough where she can make multiple objects and people levitate without too much difficulty. She can crush the aforementioned should she choose to do so. Additionally, she can fly.

★ Electrokinesis
Ai Thao can produce electric power with her own power reserves which she uses as an offensive attack to shock and paralyze a target or short circuit electric objects. She gives it a defensive use by covering her body with an electric aura that could paralyze a person on contact.

★ Healing
Using her energy, Ai is able to heal wounds and even patch up broken bones. She can't heal diseases or sicknesses, but can ease the pain that comes along with it. This healing doesn't extend to surgery, so if a limb is lost, OH WELL.

★ Hypnosis
When Ai Thao focuses her gaze on someone, she can send a mild suggestion that one would feel inclined to follow or to make someone fall asleep; this doesn't work on higher leveled psychics or magic users. This ability is the weakest since she doesn't use it often and it's only used for misdirection or covering her tracks.

★ Sixth Sense
She's sensitive to changes in the atmosphere and is able to detect magic/supernatural/psychic auras from most individuals, objects, or areas and is able to see ghostly/spiritual forms.