#dou.

‘‘No importa que seas, igual la sigues cagando.’‘

Meet CHAO-XING DOU. They are TWENTY THREE years old and hail from HONG KONG, CHINA. Chao embodies the star, DOU of the Chinese mansion, BLACK TORTOISE. They use she/her pronouns. Their faceclaim is KAHEI WONG.

Dou reminds me of tfresh grass tickling bare skin, the snicker of a mischievous child, unseeing eyes rolling constantly, a promise sealed with secretly crossed fingers, the vibration of earth beneath dancing feet, a defiant huff to accompany crossed arms, the rebellious act of being alive and happy at the same time.

BIOGRAPHY

With a foundation dating back to the early 1200s, the Dou clan –– named after the very constellation that sponsors so many of their witches –– has always been recognized as one of the most powerful families of earth witches. While not all of them have held sponsorships, each of them has been blessed with tremendous earth magic, gaining the historic favor of a few constellations. While some branches of the family have trickled into Western societies, the main family remains rooted in Hong Kong, their influence interwoven into every bit of daily life. They’re the teachers, the politicians, the janitors, even the local cabbage man.

For every generation, there is a leader. There is a known toxicity in the whole every leader must bring an heir mentality, but each head of the family knows their responsibility. For all of the power that the Dou clan has, their main job has always been to keep the family alive and be a foundation for their community. It has never been about whether the next leader was male or female or something in between; all that matters is the dedication to the family and the community.

To the surprise of everyone in the community, the latest heir, Chao-Xing, was born blind. There was tragic accident, no slow degradation of sight. She came into the world unseeing and grew up that way, too.

To the Dou clan’s credit, they didn’t see her disability as a flaw in any manner. She was still their heiress, meant to carry the family into the next generation. No one doubted her ability to lead the clan, nor did they doubt her connection to the earth. They did, however, perceive her as something to be protected.

With all of the best intentions, she was sheltered. Cousins would weave flowers into her hair, then hold her hand as she walked from her living room to her bedroom, as if she couldn’t memorize the floor plan of her own home. It was kind; it was exhausting; it was unwanted.

Even as a child, Chao’s frustration mounted with every passing day. She wasn’t helpless; it was a point that she tried to make her family recognize time and time again, only to go ignored. That was the thing about a love like that; it could be consuming to the point of suffocation.

Chao was four when her mark appeared. It was a small thing, resting on her left temple, hidden by her hair. She could tell the exact moment she received it. The world that’d been so dark and unforgiving was suddenly clear as day; she couldn’t see, not the way everyone else could, but she suddenly knew the world just as well as everyone else did. It felt, for the first time, like the earth was on her side, the way her family always insisted it was. Pulling her hand from her mother’s and slipping her feet from her shoes, Chao curled her bare toes into the grass and felt her anger disappear.

If her family thought she was hard to deal with before, they weren’t at all prepared for who she was now. Armed with the ability to sense the world with ease, she often snuck out of her home, venturing to experience the parts of the world that’d been hidden from her before. She was always caught and dragged home, of course. Independent or not, she was still the Dou heiress; her place would always be behind a desk, telling her family where to go and how to act.

Perhaps for another woman, the total power would have been seen as a gift. And she knew that there were others, even within her family, who would kill to be in her spot. But Chao was acutely aware of the fact that she was a child. She didn’t want power or authority, and having it forced on her was almost the same as having no power at all.

She found her reprieve in friends that her family would have never approved of; boys with choppy hair and smoke on their breath, girls with gaps in their teeth and their sneakers worn from overuse. There was a wildness in the group; they were just kids who wanted to have fun; they didn’t see her rank or her constellation or her wealth; she was just a girl and they were just having fun.

They were the reason she constantly broke her family rules. It was never malicious or intending to make her family upset; it was just gentle encouragement from other kids to remain a kid. No one forced Chao to listen; she was always the only person who could make decisions for her.

So when she decided to run away to Polaris, it was unexpected, but it was solely her fault.

While her family still isn’t happy about her decision to abdicate, they haven’t tried to drag her home. It’s the rare case of a family caring more about their child’s safety and happiness than that child’s destiny. They still worry about her being in such an unsafe school without a hint of eyesight to guide her, but she’s not exactly taking opinions on what to do with her life.

She has an unmistakable joy in life. She’s no sunshine child, but she’s not brooding or upset, either. She’ll happily fight someone, then go back to watching Nailed It! like nothing ever happened. She’s just enjoying life and enjoying freedom. In her eyes, it should never be more complicated than that.

INCLINATION

Throughout history, Dou has always selected users from the same family, as it holds inherent and violent powers that most cannot handle. Dou’s sponsored witches are usually marked within their first five years of life, so they have ample time to gain a connection with their power or, if need me, have their mark revoked before they become too dangerous. Tectonic plate shifting is a power that gets passed down to every sponsored witch, though the other powers vary. The current sponsee also has an advanced echolocation ability, where she can “see” based on sound and vibration, as well as minor shapeshifting powers.

CONNECTIONS

Filling the role of Winnie Clarke’s Dungeons and Dragons (Innocent Edition)

Filling the role of Beth Baker’s Insomniacs.

Resident Annoyance: Simply put, Chao-Xing is a brat! She’s fun to be around and she’s very protective, but she can also get on your nerves. This person has the misfortune of being her best friend. At least, that’s how she sees it. They don’t have to see it that way, but unfortunately, they can’t get rid of her.

Family Friend: Her family may have allowed Chao to stay at Polaris, but they didn’t let her do it alone. This person got sent along to watch out for her. She doesn’t let herself be babied or controlled, but she isn’t actively an asshole to this person. She may give them a heart attack or two every day, but she doesn’t hate them. She’s just having fun.