Name: Parity
Gender: Female
Species: Unicorn
Approximate age: 21
Picture:
Description: Parity is a stark white unicorn with a long curly red mane and tail. She has black streaks down both her mane and her tail. She has deep red eyes that are alight with love of life and fun. She is an unconscious beauty that does not try hard, but never fails to impress. Parity takes particular pride in her hooves and can often be seen giving herself a hooficure. She has gotten particularly adept at it because she does not enjoy going to the spa or salon. She finds the atmosphere too gossipy.
Background: Parity grew up in Ponyville with her parents. Her mother was often busy with work, because she is an important businesspony, but her father was always around. He is a mathematician who is working independently on a revolutionary proof that could change mathematics for pony-kind. As he works from home he took on the bulk of responsibility for Parity's day to day care. He saw in her interactions with the other neighbourhood foals that Parity was particularly shy, especially in working up the nerve to make an initial approach, so he taught her to play cards. Parity took to cards quickly, recognizing patterns, and becoming fairly good with a deck through sleight of hand and many techniques of fancy shuffling. Parity began to associate with her peers through the games she played and taught to others.
As Parity grew older she dreamed of moving to Las Pegasus; she knew she could strike it big there playing for money in the high stakes games and tournaments. Throughout high school Parity caught on quickly to math, music and poetry, but she had trouble with gym, drama, art, history and any number of other things. Her tenacity, along with her desire not to disappoint her (very academically focused) parents, got her through with mediocre grades. Her mother never understood her passion for cards, and though her father had some appreciation for it, he still attempted to get Parity to focus her talents on one of her more practical skills, like arithmetic.
Parity's relationship with her mother almost always took a backseat to her relationship with her father, but when Parity experienced a lot of mockery for still being a blank flank throughout high school it was her mother who was of the most comfort and support. Parity realized that just because her mother was frequently busy with work, did not mean that she cared for her any less than her father.
She graduated high school and struck out on her own. She moved to Las Pegasus and got a food service job to pay the bills while she played high stakes tournaments at night. She started out small, but her constant wins drew quick attention and she soon signed with Chicken Dinner, a Pony who made it his business to represent all talented players in Las Pegasus. Parity gained fame in tournaments throughout Equestria as a pro-player, but maintained a home base in Las Pegasus. All the while She made frequent visits to her parents' home in Ponyville to relax in a quiet, and familiar atmosphere. She made quite a horde of bits and bought a small cottage in Ponyville as a quiet spot to take a break from the hustle and bustle of her normal life in Las Pegasus. She stays in Ponyville aside from when she tours tournaments so that she can relax and be close to her family.
Personality: Very friendly and ingratiating, Parity sets the ponies around her at their ease. She is honest and fair. A well-played game is important to her; Parity may bluff if the game calls for it, but she would never cheat. If she is unable to feel in control in a situation she withdraws and becomes shyer. She is a little clumsy and uncoordinated, but she is tenacious in any goal she sets her mind to, so when she makes a mistake she recovers well. Parity is quite a showy player, and often does card tricks for the audience after a big win.
Cutie Mark: 3 red diamonds as on a playing card. Parity began playing cards professionally at around age 17. She was a late-bloomer and thus, still a blank flank. In one of her first tournaments in her new life in Las Pegasus Parity was offered a substantial number of bits to slip a card to another pony at the table. Despite her financial need, and her desire to be accepted in the pro-player community, she turned the bits down and refused to taint the game she loves. Her cutie mark appeared as a sign of Parity's belief in fairness and a level playing field.
Use: Both
Other: Parity still has the first deck of cards given to her by her father.