Blind Interventions OCC

Phi Chisym

The ORIGINAL Phi-ADEMIC!
Original poster
LURKER MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
  1. Not accepting invites at this time
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. One post per day
  3. 1-3 posts per week
  4. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
10 AM - 2 PM: It all depends on if I'm working, doing homework, or having family time.
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
  4. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Agender
Genres
Fantasy, Modern, Magical, Romantic Fanatic, some Steampunk, Apocalyptic settings, a bit of Viral, Anthro. I'm new to writing SciFi and Horror but not afraid to play. (I need the practice).

Not too big on History, but will play a Fantasy History based RP if I have the time to do the research. At this point, I'm deeply into Japanese History based stories.

Not very good at Military genres and not strong in writing out fight scenes, but will jump in the center of the storm to better myself.


Blind Interventions

High School friends, Lakota Thomas and Shawnee Haddoway, were just that odd set of loners who became conjoined at the hip as they both helped each other cope with life. Lakota was Shawnee’s eyes and her security – helping her deal with her partial blindness and her growing depression. Shawnee was Lakota’s conscious and his confidence – helping him build his self-esteem and realization that drugs are not the solution to his problems.

They ended up following each other to the same college, and keeping up with each other as they mulled through college life, finding their new selves and dealing with how they seem to conflict with the rest of the world. (IDEA: They can be roommates, which will help build up the underlying issues they have before the pity sex.)

As Shawnee's eyesight continued to worsen, Lakota's confidence skyrocketed. Girls were all over him, which made him happy - becoming his anti-drug. But, deep down it caused Shawnee to block herself from her friend - now realizing that he didn't hold the same feelings for her as she did for him. To avoid her depression she threw herself into her school work - drowning her sunny disposition further.

One horrible comment from one of her acquaintances, and Shawnee turns into a huge wreck. This, along with Lakota's new interest in every girl on campus but her, and the last diagnosis about her eyesight; she fell into a dangerous pit of despair. Lakota found her in the worse state he's ever seen her in, and in a desperate attempt to bring her back to reality, he gave her something she's never had before...

The next morning, when Shawnee woke up with the other side of the bed empty, hear heart was crushed. The one who was always there for her just gave her his gift out of pity (rather than the love she's been hoping for). But for Lakota, after he'd left that morning for class, his heart was ecstatic. He's finally found the one person in his life he really loved (the one who had always been there for him).

Major fallout between friends - Shawnee didn't want to see Lakota anymore. Their separation causes problems for them both in more ways than one. And through their mutual friends, Mallory Gaines, Shawnee and Lakota learn of how the years between their separations had changed them. Secretly, they help each other out, keeping their intervention hidden from their new relationships, their friends, and even each other. But that one mutual friend reveals it all, and because of this, the idea that - perhaps - the other still cares, begins to change everything around in their new lives - for good or bad...



Name: Shawnee Haddoway

Age: 22

shawnee.jpg


Stands around 5’7 ¼” flat footed, holds about 143 lbs of muscle and a little bit of extra on the side, but when you don’t work out as hard as you use to things tend to bulk up. Shawnee’s still at a decent weight, to her, but she wishes she could get back into her old athletic form. Dark brunette hair falls to her mid back, but she’s thinking about cutting it to, at least, shoulder or chin length. Due to her eyesight, it’s difficult to work with it so long. She use to have those gorgeous puppy dog, light brown eyes, but they’re slowly dulling the worse her eyesight becomes – causing a slight, ghostly film to cloud over; worst than a thunderstorm…

Current Occupation:

Student by day, Starving artist by night. She’s exploiting her story, like any good poster child should, since it seems that’s the only way anyone would care to help out a poor, blind girl who caused her own deformity. She paints anything that pops up in her head, and amaze crowds of all ages when she informs them of how ‘terminally’ blind she is. She truly can’t see anything but lights, colors, and shapely shadows, but is capable of rendering timeless images in oils right before their eyes. Amazing!! She does have a part-time job at the campus library, but she gets most of her money for bills and living through selling her art.

Specialty:

Trying to complete her Bachelors in Art History, but considering dropping out. Street painter, can speak several languages, but hasn’t had a chance to travel yet…Um, can make a mean cup of java, in Choir and Language Club on campus, Dean’s List and stretching towards the President’s List in order to get that scholarship to finish her senior year in style.

Personality:

A calm and cool Capricorn, Shawnee has learned how living in the dark is like daily meditation. You don’t see the negative things of the world anymore – but you can hear them. When she closes the sounds of the chaos with her headphones, she enters into a new reality that she favors far more. She believes when she remains in this state, she can see clearly, just as if her eyes were perfect. This is where she finds her colors to paint with. She hates confrontations and conflicts – seeing them as nothing more than negative mind salad with the wrong dressing. She’s a peacekeeper – always been, even when she was younger. And despite her issues she’s a social butterfly, trying to get others to see that she’s not a bad person – just blind. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Shawnee fears – the dark… Yea, go figure; but it’s true. At night, she loses the lights and shadows she normally sees, only to be thrown into a life of pure, emptiness. She rarely sleeps…unless she’s able to keep a light shining right before her eyes, so her eyelids can glow with its illumination when they’re closed. At least, that gives her a guarantee that she hadn't lost what little sight she has left.

Brief History:

Like everyone else, life was peachy in elementary school, until things took a turn for the worse. After her car accident during her freshman year, where she lost her eyesight and a family friend, her family spent tons of money to help save her eyesight. She’s partially blind now, which seems to be worse than having no sight at all. Unfortunately, her sight continues to worsen, and soon she will be completely blind.

Since she wasn’t able to keep a job in high school, Shawnee sold her art on the streets in the city. In high school, she landed a few museum shows, which were prosperous, but she became another ‘one-hit wonder’, and the ‘next big thing’ turned her into a ‘has-been’. All she needed was money for college, since she had no one in her life to fund her like other teens did. Then, she received tons of scholarships – mainly because of her tragic story, and a distant relative dropped a huge inheritance on her. So, now she’s in college.

She wonders even now why her mother decided to leave her and her dad high and dry… Perhaps, she wasn’t the motherly time, like she’d thought. Not a lot of parents can deal with a handicapped child. So, it’s just her and her dad, a Metro Police Officer. Shawnee lived on campus for her first year of college, before moving into an apartment off-campus.

One Wish: There’s a way to save her eye sight, but it requires so much money… She would do anything for that…anything to stay away from the night. Her wish does come true...just not the way she wanted it to.

One Flaw: Shawnee’s been shunted and used by so many in her life, even the ones who are important to her. Because of this, she’ll fall into a depressed state at times. She does not has a difficult time talking to people, but she does have a hard time with posers faking their friendship with her.

She's tired of the name calling, the silent stairs (she can't see them, but she can feel people staring at her, avoiding her presence.), and her pet peeve, those overly-loving people that just jumps out of the wood works, "If I help you out, that'll prove I'm a good person!" Those fake friends... Those are the same 'friends' that avoid you when they're with their real friends... Too ashamed to be seen with her? Her flaw with that, speaking her mind - bluntly!

She only has one person in her life she respects and truly trust and that's Lakota Thomas.

One Connection:

She wants a new inspiration, but life avoids her at all cost…except for her dear friend - Lakota. He’s become her eyes, her descriptions, some sort of understanding in her mind of what she’s missing. He’s also the only thing close to the one thing she craves in life…but she’ll probably never get.

Unfortunately for her, not a lot of people care to deal with someone who's not perfect. Imperfections are high maintenance, are social cases no one has enough sympathy for anymore, and their exploited by others for their own gain. She might as well join the circus than try to make another decent friend. But, she goes on in life regardless…and just deals with it.




Lakota Thomas
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Age: 22

Looks:
5”11 with short, feathered, honey-colored hair and silvery-blue eyes…his looks were always something that Lakota could always be proud of. They were something he reveled in. Still, he would never let that show just how much he truly believed in his appearance. His clothes and wardrobe in general ranged in what were considered ‘the boring shades’. Mostly blacks, whites, varying shades of greys and browns. Occasionally, one might find him in a shade of blue or green which had randomly found itself into the mix.

In the colder months, Lakota’s attire consisted of a hoodie-sweatshirt, some heavier jeans, and work boots with a steel toe. He was never a tennis-shoe type guy for some odd reason though most mistake him for something of a “skater boy” (and oh how wrong they are). In the warmer seasons, he still chooses to wear jeans though most are more ragged with various rips and holes on the thighs and knees. He still wears his boots, and he sports T-shirts on school days and wife-beaters on the weekend.

His hair is never fixed, but is never messy either. I quick comb and tussle, and his hair lays flat --- naturally straight, and the occasional cow-lick just looks like he was trying to use gel to spike his hair. So the fact that he is lazy and generally a bum still works in his favor. The lucky bastard.

Character Personality:

Lakota…though he comes off as somewhat intimidating, is actually the strong and silent type. He does not often speak aloud his thoughts or opinions, never takes part in class discussions, never is among a huge group of friends chatting and laughing…that’s just not him. Not like Shawnee…

That’s where their friendship is rather strong…it’s as if she was made to be his voice whereas he was made to be her sight. This never bothered him, and in fact, he always thought that while it might be tragic about her vision…that maybe this was the way things were meant to be, and that’s why they had been drawn together. There was never one without the other…where there was Shawnee, Lakota was sure to follow.

And while he may be the strong and silent type…when he does tend to speak, it’s always when he is offering comfort and/or giving advice. While Lakota has a great sense of humor…his ability to crack jokes and make others laugh can be lacking at times, making him socially awkward. Through observation he has become a reader of human nature, and while others might find his ability to peer into people somewhat creepy, he uses this technique to his advantage in order to sway others towards his argument for the best of intentions.

Also, Lakota has an affinity for music…playing his guitar and singing. He is highly talented and while he never thinks that his fiddling with instruments will get him anywhere, still, it’s something he enjoys and others enjoy as well. It also earns him some cash on the side from time-to-time so he really can’t complain too much.

So…the caring, people-reading, and the music has made him something of a ladies’ man. Lakota gets the girls left and right, and while he doesn’t brag about how loose he has become with the women, he doesn’t complain about it either. It offers him the feeling of constant love and affection…something he never really got from home, so, it’s not a feeling he would easily part with.

The only problem with Lakota is that he has an addictive personality…

He always needs that next big thing, that adrenaline rush, that feeling, that high…something to keep his mind off of the things going on at home, the pressures he faces at school, and in the cities. Sometimes he tries to stop…but the darkness in him is like quicksand, and he can only float for so long before he finds himself sinking again. It’s like a never-ending cycle.

Also…occasionally Lakota’s small-silent-self snaps when he gets stressed, tense, and worn out, that’s when he gets a rather nasty temper. He blames it on his father, but, when Lakota is on a rage, just stay out of way…let him take a nap, cool down for a few hours, then try talking to him again, otherwise, you’re going to have a really bad time.

Current Occupation:

In high-school, Lakota was a delivery boy for pizza and worked this job 5 nights a week (only during the school days). It earned him his fair share of money, but that money was always wasted on harmful items, groceries for the house (that Lakota barely ever got to eat), and/or things for his parents.

Also…Lakota would sometimes get music gigs which would land him some extra cash. This money he often stashed and would save so that he could hang out with Shawnee.

Now in college, Lakota works at a distribution warehouse on the dock. He loads semi-trucks all day long and spends his nights aching. He is on the brink of being fired because of his involvement with a gang that he owes money too, and they have left their fare share of scars and bruises on the poor guy. His music still tends to make money here-and-there…but not as much as it used to.

Back Story:
Lakota comes from the typical slum town within the suburbs of the city. His house looks nice on the outside minus a few loose shingles and inside, the place is a true shambles. Walls are broken, pictures broken, both parents passed out in the recliners with a bottle of Bud Light in their hands.

This is Lakota’s every day life.

His job pays for the water and electric bills and buys a few little groceries that Lakota never gets to eat. He might escape the house with a sandwich or apple, and that’s when he knows that it’s going to be a good day. His parents weren’t so much physical abusive as they were mentally and verbally…they weren’t so much abusive towards him as they were towards each other…and when Lakota’s parents would fight, it was a surprise that either of them survived.

It was because he grew up so afraid, angry, and sad that Lakota took up substance abuse to become numb. He figured alcohol worked for his parents…so drugs and alcohol were sure to work for him too. Even while he knew all of it was bad for him, still, he needed an escape.

So while the drugs made him numb, the flow of constant women gave him pleasure, affection, and love. Both were addictions, both made him feel somewhat human, made life worth living, and Shawnee’s friendship reminded him that he still needed to stay down on earth and be responsible: go to work, pay the bills, buy food…

And it also gave him joy knowing that he was helping someone that didn’t judge him and that he could rely on Shawnee to have his back, no matter what. He had hers…that’s for sure.
 
Outline
Now, all of this is up in the air. There's so many scene possibilities, as well as NPC's that will end up popping up and changing everything. But with this outline, we have an idea on where we need to head towards as we come up with different ways to move the story through.

High School
High School friends since their junior year.
Lakota was involved with a small-time gang and taking drugs during high school, but Shawnee was his way away from it all - the social butterfly that helped him open up a little in a group. But he would always clam back up if she wasn't around.

Lakota soon took the position of becoming her eyes and her body-guard, making sure she was safe and keeping her interest and curiosity about the world alive through his descriptions and his music. Through Lakota, Shawnee was able to still see life as it was in order to paint it as lively as she did. They were like twins - two loners finding ways to deal with their worlds through friendship...

There were times where Lakota would avoid staying at his place, He would head to Shawnee's and they would camp out in the tree house she had in the backyard ... Then, after school - still avoiding his house - they head to the city and he play his guitar while she does quick drawings of people to sell.

That's just one of the little things they did as friends sometimes... hanging out at the park, or going to a matinee of an old movie no one really cares to see - so he can describe the movie to her without disturbing anyone else.... or, they'll hang out at a cafe with friends from class. Shawnee would talk about Lakota's mad music skills to her girl friends while they smile at him; wondering if he's actually dating Shawnee or if they're brother and sister...

Last year of College
Then, they ended up going to the same local college rather than the big-city colleges they were hoping for. The loner thing maintained itself, which strengthened their connection even more. (If you want, they can actually be roommates, which will show how close they were and how much they respected each other. It's like they have an intimate friendship already, but it doesn't go beyond there...almost as if they're scared to take things further - for the right or wrong reasons.

Even though there's a lot of diversity in college, Shawnee still had problems when it comes to relationships, or finding real friends who did not pitying her or using her in some way. Their mutual friend, Mallory Gaines, hung out with them a lot, being one person, besides Lakota, who liked Shawnee as she was. Plus, she wasn't falling all over Lakota because she was already in a relationship. Shawnee's connection with Lakota was real - at the beginning. He wasn't with her for nothing more than friendship. But in college, all of that changed when they changed...

Shawnee, avoiding the issues that comes with her handicap on campus, she turns into a workaholic, striving to gain the next big scholarship so she doesn't have to use up all of her inheritance for college. Lakota stepped away from substance abuse just to keep up with Shawnee, but he didn't need it anymore since he'd become a stud on campus - all thanks to Shawnee.

She might have been the social butterfly between the two; but no one wants to deal with the blind girl. Everyone was more interested in the cute, shy guy who showed tons of compassion by always helping out the blind girl... This builds up his confidence even more, because other girls seen him being so nice to the handicap, it just turns them on and they literally throw themselves on him. This only fueled Shawnee's depression more - since, deep down, she really cared for Lakota and hoped he cared for her as well... But again, no one wants to be with a blind girl.

With results of her last eye exam being negative, her best friend running around dating every girl on campus but her, Shawnee drove herself further into her work - anything to avoid becoming more and more depressed. Then, one day a classmate told her something that just pushed her over the edge. Lakota finds her in a bad state of affairs and choose the only thing he could think of to help make her feel better....

Unfortunately, it didn't work out at all and their relationship takes a strange turn when he realizes that he's actually totally infatuated in her, and she's not even interested. (Mostly, she's pissed off that he'd only had sex with her out of pity.) This throws their friendship, and any other possible kind of relationship, out the door. Shawnee kicks Lakota out and states she doesn't want to see him again. She becomes a stranger to him in a split second and avoids anything that has anything to do with him - all except for Mallory, who secretly took him in.

This awful fallout between the two throws Lakota back into his old habits. Trying to erase his feelings of regret and self-loathing he has, put himself in a position where his parents no longer keep contact, he's about to lose his place, his college scholarship, and everything he has worked for. Then he runs into the worse trouble yet - something that can either put him in jail, or get him killed. Mallory not able to do anything for him but keep him as far away from those problems, but without Shawnee there - it's a waste.

Shawnee graduates, and Lakota doesn't. Shawnee leaves town and moves back in with her parents for a while. Lakota is stuck where he is with no way out... Mallory is his only connection right now to the world, and sadly she watches as he crumbles apart.


After College

Both of their lives are changed drastically, and they loose track of each other for about a year to cope with their personal issues. Lakota is about to have something horrible happen to him. Mallory intervenes by calling Shawnee, who has no idea that she's been keeping Lakota all this time - years after their college graduation. She tells her everything and her fears, asking for Shawnee's help - knowing she's the only one that can get some sense into his head. Shawnee is reluctant, but decides to kindly help him out anonymously. But when everything is okay, she drops everything and tells Mallory to never tell him. But, she does. Lakota is excited that Shawnee helped him and wants to know where she is...

Then, later on Shawnee tells Mallory that her new doctor is preparing to do some major surgery to repair her eyes - after so many years dealing with partial blindness, she's been given a second chance. Seeing that she's about to undergo something so dangerous, Mallory tells Lakota, and he secretly helps her out in the mist of it all - like she did for him. When she's out of the hospital, his help stops, for now he decides to visit her instead - so she can see him clearly after so long. And this, as well as the sweet things he's done for her while in the hospital, changes Shawnee's view about him altogether.

Their friendship returns through emails, FB's and phone calls; and soon small get-togethers that bring about - other things. This causes problems with the new relationships they've created after college.

I can actually see Lakota and Mallory being a couple - after all this time, it seems right. But, it will also cause problems between Shawnee and Mallory, since Mallory kept their relationship a secret. But, Mallory knew all along that Lakota and her were meant to be together - since they've never stopped thinking about the other. She knew her time with Lakota would be short and lifeless - because Shawnee filled his life, even when she wan't there...

I can see Shawnee actually being engaged to someone who's only with her because of her inheritance - winery in Italy. What he doesn't know is that she'd already sold her shares to her cousins in order to pay for her surgery. Her fiancee is determine to get her wealth and will do anything to do so. This portion is up in the air - we can figure something that will work in this situation, or just go with this...


Notes

Phi

So, do we want to start this off a little bit in high school, probably around the end of their senior year - then move into college life and all the interesting stuff that happens there in? Or, do we want to just jump right into their college years?

Or, do a bit of high school, then a bit of their first year in college, then jump to the place where their relationship really takes a major turn in college?

I'm good either way, but I think I would like to see a bit of how things were for them in high school - to see just how deep their friendship and emotions about each other were at the beginning. What do you think?


Nyati

It works for me either way...I mean, we can start off in college where their relationship is starting to get more serious because shawnee's friends are pressuring her, and at times, if you would like to...we can have Shawnee and Lakota kinda re-visit the past and skip to some high-school scenes that are triggered by location or whatever. That is more tricky to do...but sometimes it adds more depth to the story.


Phi

I like the idea of the flashbacks - that won't be too difficult. If we see a possible flashback scene that our charries' think of, then we can quickly chat about it here to make sure we're on the same path. We can get an idea of what the flashback is and how far we want to play it out, if we wish to. Then, return to the present to continue the thought through the scene.

So, I'll get a scene going then...Shawnee's too stressed to think, to worried about every little detail in her life and the lives around her... I can see Lakota trying to nicely get her to relax, but she's on the warpath... Then, one of her acquaintances (probably someone she really doesn't like in the first place) embarrasses her with that 'go get laid' statement, and that's it! She goes all depressed and starts chugging down Red Dog's and Ben & Jerry's Rocky Road Ice Cream.


Nyati

Lakota wouldnt even remark to the comment, but seeing her start chugging everything down he would probably keep trying to calm her down and tell her that she shouldn't do that unless she wants to make herself sick. Still, he would finally wait until the guy gets out of the public eye (like goes around a corner or something), then he would excuse himself from the table for a few moments, just to come back with a busted knuckle or two. Haha.
 
Geez, I'm still working on that OP. I've been sick, as you know. I've been trying to dig up more stuff about my charries so I can make a good intro, but I guess, the whole idea of starting it in the mist of the problem is what's bothering me.

So, if you agree, I'm considering the idea of starting this RP off like a month in advance. It's within the school year and things are fine with our two charries, but Shawnee begins her problems with several personal issues, one being her eyes, that starts to cause her problems. Also, an invitation to a sorority has come to her... maybe, this is what's caused her to start stressing out - which will lead into the comment that rocks her world.

Just a thought, but this is actually blocking me - besides the pollen count.

Let me know if this makes sense, or if I'm just too heavily medicated.
 
It makes perfect sense to me...
I like the idea of starting off right when Shawnee starts having all of her personal issues rise up against her, and the idea of a Sorority it really cool. I had an idea where they are eating at one of the commons caf'e and some dude makes a smart remark about Shawnee. She hides behind a book and Lakota excuses himself from the table just for a few moments and comes back like nothing happened even though he has terribly bruised knuckles and a speck of blood.

Also, I found a photo for Lakota Lakota Thomas.jpg
 
I like that!

K, thoughts are forming and intro developing. When you return, I'll open the IC then.

Will always be patiently waiting. :)
 
Just checking to see if you're still around... I really don't feel good posting an OP if you're not actually available to run the RP.

If you need more time, let me know. I'll wait until then. It would be better than to go through the trouble of an OP/ICC and you're not able to participate.