InsaneJournal

name: California Blackwood
other names: Cali, Californication, any variant of his name.
date of birth: October 21, 2005.
age: 19.
family: Mother, Selene, probably still in Tokyo.

hair: White-blond, though it's usually a pale aqua or violet, now.
eyes: Golden-brown.
height: 5'8" ; 173 cm.
weight: 128 lbs. ; 58 kg.
distinguishing characteristics: His hair. He has pale teal leopard spots tattooed on both hips and fading near his hipbones and a few inches above his outer thighs.


basic background
Born to Josh and Selene Blackwood, California was named for the song "Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (no lie!), a band that his father discovered and liked. And perhaps being named for a woman was foreshadowing for the kind of young man he'd become.

Part of the US military, Cali's father frequently moved them around the world. Most of his childhood was spent in various parts of Japan, however (including Yokota Air Force Base in Tokyo), and so he grew up around the various teenage subcultures present there. He found himself very interested in Harajuku as he grew older, though, and began dying his hair and wearing very creative, colourful clothing early on. His mother, a half-blood, took on much of Cali's magical education. Cali proved to be brilliant, both in magical practice and at his various Muggle schools. He spent most of his schooltime in advanced classes, speeding his way through grade and then high-school.

When he was twelve, he was introduced to the Polyjuice potion, and was immediately fascinated by it. He began experimenting with creating different variants and trying them out. He was especially attracted to the idea of gender, and how he could transcend the idea of it-- he achieved this through Polyjuice. His Polyjuiced self wasn't so different, really; he was already an effeminate boy. But the potion gave him breasts, softening his already softened lines and angles further into a female's curves. He still wasn't quite brave enough to go completely femme, though, and as time wore on and he used the potion more and more often, he found that he didn't particularly want to.

His parents were, at first, horrified by the way he was altering his body. As time wore on, though, and it proved itself to be a part of his personality rather than a fad, they slowly began to support him.

And then tragedy struck: Cali's father was killed. Things quickly spiralled out of control after that-- his mother turned to alcohol, bill collectors came calling, and Cali dropped out of school to try to help. He was fourteen.

By sixteen, however, he realised that his mother was beyond saving, and didn't want to be saved. California, always independent and with a good head on his shoulders, picked up and bought a plane ticket to England. He took up with an older boy almost immediately, shamelessly using him for his apartment and meals, and finished school within the first few months. He left, then, moving into London and applying for university early. He's been there since, stripping to support himself and taking classes with no real aim or end in mind. He still has no idea what he wants to do with his life.

disclaimers
I am old lady, hear me roar. Also, I'm pretty sure I don't own Raquel Reed or anything involving Harry Potter. I do own Cali, though. Yay.