Dalia: Omadobu- Circus App

My app for

"There is nothing more precious than the freedom to do what you love."

Name: Dalia
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Height: 5'2

Faction: Circus

Animal: Ocelot

Technique: Night vision; she can see and maneuver even in total darkness.

Job: Acrobat/Martial Arts Performer

Personality: Dalia appears to be simply a loner at first glance. Her strength and creativity are her most apparent features. Most of her free time is spent choreographing and rehearsing her fight scenes and stunts, and the ocelot doesn't like to mingle or socialize unless she's being asked for help with something. The level-headed woman deals with any problems with a cold tenacity. Despite a flat disinterest in anything outside of her routine, the circus and exploring the town, she has concrete ideals and preferences, which she hard-headedly protects. Anything that threatens or insults her home is in for a kick in the ribs. (She will restrain her violent retaliation while in animal form, to protect the reputation of the circus and prevent any investigation of the animals.) When it comes to the circus and those in it, she's protective, remaining in tune to the group's needs. Dalia can be as territorial and possessive as a normal ocelot, but only once she's taken a great liking to a belonging or person. She tends to come off as grumpy and unhappy, though she's usually just trying to seem tough, hence the hiding of her stuffed animal collection. Her rebellious, anti-captivity nature hasn't worn off yet, and she doesn't like the idea of being attached to the others, but she's getting over it enough to try and make friends.

Likes + Dislikes:
+ Stuffed Animals (Soft things are the best. She buys them at the zoo and keeps her collection hidden.)
+ Balloons (Batting at them is fun, plus they make good target practice. Red ones are her favorite)
+ Rehearsal (It's relaxing and comfortable to work on the routines.)
+ The Colors Red and Black (Bold color that goes well with her fur.)
+ The Rain (Walking around in it, the sound, the color of the grass afterward... it's great.)
+ Shepherd's Pie (Meat, potatoes and cheese. Yes.)
+ String Music (It can be calming or energizing, and it's perfect to dance/rehearse to.)
+ Baggy Clothes/Jackets (It's like wearing a comfy blanket -w- )

- People Knowing She Likes Stuffed Animals (They aren't cute things. -n-)
- Closed Spaces (Including her sleeping cage. She values the freedom she has.)
- Funnel Cake (Powdered sugar gets everywhere...)
- The Color Pink (Pastels aren't her thing)
- Hot Weather (Dalia + hot fur= irritability.)
- Raw Vegetables (Nope. Not a herbivore.)
- Teenage Humans (Why are they so whiny and picky?)
- People Who Mistreat Others/Animals (*^* You're dead.)

   History:  The only kitten born to an Ocelot mother in South America, Dalia was only ever vaguely aware of their roles as hunters. When a butterfly or rabbit would stray near the den while her mother was out hunting dinner, she'd watch it for a while before shooing the creature. Sometimes the kitten would copy the motion of the animals she watched, trying out a hop, a slow lope, a bounding stride. She liked these different ways of moving. Dalia kept still and quiet around her mother, trying not to show the things she'd learned from their prey. Once she'd hopped around and her mom had asked if she had mites. The inexperienced kitten started to leave the den at the average age of four months. On her third solo outing, while using her night vision to stalk a degu through the brush, light and sound surrounded her, and she was hauled up by a pair of what she could only call grabbers. Snapping at and squirming in the grip of the gloved hands that had scared off the rodent she'd been following, Dalia made as many sounds as she could to alert her mother in case this was some kind of predator. The men who'd nabbed the ocelot quickly made their way to a car parked at the limits of the forest, far from the den where her mother was waiting.
A long trip was spent in a pet carrier that slid around in the back of the four-door car. There was food, sort of, and water too, but the enclosed space and bars were her enemy. She scratched, threw herself against it, and used any tme the poachers took her out to try and make her escape. After a further car ride spent in the discomfort of a secret nook beneath the back seats, she'd crossed every border between her home and where she'd been promised for money; Arizona. For over a year after changing hands and being thrown into the 'Reckland Big Cat Zoo' that was both unregistered and avoiding charges of mistreatment of animals in Mexico, she waited and studied her surroundings, going through the motions that would see her studying uninterrupted. There were ten small cages that the cats were cramped into, and one empty one that had formerly held a pair of apes. The small cages opened into a larger, more open barred area where all the big cats in the zoo had to mingle and attract visitors during the day. Dalia was called 'Champ' and she spent her days showing what she' learned from other animals. People seemed to like it, and when Reckland was happy with her performance he would provide live rodentia for her to eat.  She listened to stories, watched guests' faces, figured out some of what humans were like, and came to the conclusion that she was escaping as soon as Reckland let his guard down. According to the grapevine of information heralded by big-mouthed visitors, the 'zoo' had lost both its former ocelots; one was seized from Reckland's home by a big cat rescue/animal rights group, and the other died after eating something thrown into his cage by a visitor.
At five years old, Dalia decided she was strong enough to overpower Reckland and his one, rather unintelligent, assistant, and she began to take measures to make sure her cage would be opened. The 24 pound ocelot refused feeding, snarled and hissed at guests, got into fights with a lioness who was in on the plan, and clattered against the bars of her cage at night. Before he could do anything about her erratic behavior, however, Reckland was located and arrested by Arizona Police. While relocating the mistreated cats to a rescue facility, they had a hard time with the ocelot called "Champ" who resisted being touched or moved and bit anyone who came within range. She was not going anywhere with more humans, no matter what they said about helping her. They were putting the animals in more cages... For a month no one was sure what to do with her, but after putting a posting with an international network, they received an email from the Director of a Circus who was looking for any animals they couldn't get rid of. Naturally they didn't want to burden a circus with the semi-violent cat, but after explaining what they did in a circus they found her a little more willing to cooperate.
After she arrived at the Yatsudoki Circus, Dalia tried to escape twice and then refused to enter the cage she was offered. Only once she'd met the director and had watched a small show put on by the other animals did she relent and settle in a bit. She was difficult and cold, but got into the swing once she was told that she could learn whatever she liked and move in any way she wanted. When she found out that the animals, including herself, took human forms in the evening, the ocelot felt free for the first time in years. She studied motion and styles of fighting so that she could perform aerial tricks, sets, and show-fights  in either form. The only thing missing from her act is a partner, as the loner is still hesitant to socialize or become close with the others. After all, she'd spent 4 years with the cats at the zoo only to be separated.

Extra Info:
Birthday: December 21
Hobbies/Interests:
Wandering the Town/Visiting the Circus
Choreographing Fight Scenes
Drawing Costume Designs
Watching Martial Arts Movies
Walking in the Rain
Watching the Vendor Make Cotton Candy
Guessing Which Guests Are Animals from the Zoo and Aquarium
Buying Trinkets and Gifts from the Zoo

Roleplay:  Script comments, Lit style notes, or either form in a group chatroom. Just ask if you ever want to.