Clover's Character Backstory: -LeavyArts-

Instructions

Clover grew up in a petite, friendly town, in the gorgeous ivy garden that had been in her family for generations. Clover's family had strong traditions and cultural ties to their garden, so a lot of Clover's childhood revolved around tending to the plants and embracing the garden as peace of mind. The Ivy Garden gave everything Clover wanted and needed as a kid: she would watch the butterflies flit around the ivy flowers at sunset when it was time to calm down for bed, or she would climb along the veggie stalks and do cartwheels along the fence when she was bored. Clover had all she ever wanted as a child - although, as she got older, she began to develop this nagging feeling that /something/ was missing. But what? Once Clover officially reached adulthood, she bid farewell to the town she had always known, and set out to explore the world. She wanted to discover what the world had to offer for her - she wanted to discover what it was she was missing. Ever since she was born, Clover had always been extremely curious and adventurous at heart, but there were limitations when it came to living in a tiny town. Maybe she was missing the feeling of exhilaration, danger, or freedom to roam the world? Over the years, Clover visited an endless number of places, from climbing the highest mountain in the world to swimming through the darkest depths of the sea to much more. No matter how daunting the adventure seemed, Clover was never swayed. The feeling of accomplishment and excitement she got from every journey was the best feeling in the world, and she wouldn't trade it for anything. However, as Clover continued to age and visit new places, she began to tire of the endless excitement and mental energy it took to run around day after day. She had seen so much and learned so much about herself - maybe it was finally time to settle down? Although Clover had considered returning to her hometown, she still wanted a new experience - she just wanted that experience to be less sudden, less tiring. So, she found a small town in the countryside on the other side of the mountain range. It was a fishing town with beautiful gardens and orchards. Clover began work as a botanist in a small flower boutique, tending to gardens and plants... But especially ivy and lotus flowers, which reminded her of her family's garden. It was a good life for Clover. One day, as Clover entered her garden as usual to begin the day's chores, she noticed some shiny items hidden under a lump of dirt amidst the lotus flower patch. Approaching cautiously, Clover brushed away the dirt to reveal two individual items: a katana with a hilt enrobed in worn leather straps, and a clover-green mask fitted perfectly to her own face. Clover had never really believed in miracles or magical coincidences or even fate, but the mask... It really did fit perfectly. She lifted the katana into the air and, although she'd never held one before, gave it a little swing. The air whooshed satisfactorily, the blade gliding exactly where Clover had intended. Standing there in her little garden with the katana and the mask just felt so /right./ Clover glanced backward and gazed longingly at her lotus and ivy flowers - she had come to this village and become a botanist specifically to escape adventure. Was she really ready to set out again? Part of Clover was heartbroken to abandon her garden, but the other part of her knew that this was what she had always been missing. It was good to find peace, but, she resolved, it was also important to find meaning. That's what she had learned from her childhood in such a beautiful ivy garden. Ivy flowers don't just need water OR sun to live, they need both. You need meaning AND peace. Despite all her sadness, Clover knew in her bones that this was the right decision: She was going to train to be a ninja. After joining an elite academy far off in another land, Clover studied, trained, and practiced daily. The work was arduous, the studies difficult, and the culture was much different than anything she had ever experienced before. But Clover refused to give up. Every time she doubted herself, even for a moment, she would just picture her ivy and lotus flowers, growing beautifully in the sunlight and the rain. She worked hard and, when the time came, finally graduated at the top of her class. Clover didn't plan to give up being a ninja any time soon, but by the time she'd graduated, she was missing her garden so much that the sadness was nearly unbearable. Her professor recognized this, and sat her down one day in the training fields outside the academy: "Clover, you are an amazing ninja. You work hard and show a dedication and passion for this that I've never seen anywhere else. But being a ninja isn't all there is for you... I can tell that you miss your garden. So, I have an idea. Go back to your garden, to your town. (con)