Helen Arany (Nora Farkas) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
heroineaddict) wrote2020-08-25 10:02 pm
heroineaddict) wrote2020-08-25 10:02 pm
Helen's children (TW- depression, suicide, child abandonment)
Helen had four children in life- the first she abandoned without a name, the second she ran away from, the third she placed in trustworthy care and the last she raised.
Helen suffered from severe postnatal depression and felt disgusted with herself for several months after each birth. As is typical of postpartum depression sufferers, she would have urges to harm her newborn children and this brought on self-loathing she could not tolerate. As she refused to accept any help or admit to mental illness until after her final child was born, she instead distanced herself from them. Helen usually rationalised her surrendering her children to others as her simply finding babies to be boring or that her lifestyle was not suitable for children.
Because she had a tendency to be attracted to extremely tall men, negating her own short stature, they are all very large. All four have a beauty mark on their face and inherited Helen's attractive rear (to the point that on more than one occasion, when identified by butt alone, they are mistaken for one another). As evidenced by Helen's identical twin sister and clone, her capabilities were not genetic- but all her children are remarkable for their own reasons.
Name: Manya Winter
Age: 42
Summary:
Manya is the daughter of a Zagorian commander. He was in his mid-20s when he met the 19-year-old Helen. He took advantage of her attraction to him to assist his rise in station, her impressive strength already of note. He deliberately impregnated Helen with the intention of manipulating so he would have access to her power for life. Helen came to realise this early in her pregnancy, and the traumatic experience would subconsciously tar her attitude to children and pregnancy for the rest of her life, as weights to chain her down. Helen, in the wilderness and ill-prepared for birth at her young age, also found the delivery to be mentally scarring. As a result, she did not name Manya and mentally referred to her only as 'that thing' in her depressed state.
Fearful that she would harm the child and not able to care for her, Helen gave Manya away to the first people she met and never looked back. The elderly couple promptly sold the girl to the Zagorian army, who had recently begun to collect orphans as part of their plan to expand the scope of their military operations. Manya's given name was chosen out of a hat, her surname the season she was found.
Manya quickly proved herself to be a strong-willed individual who commanded the respect of those around her. Despite the military's best efforts, she was never indoctrinated and holds no loyalty to the organisation itself. Always feeling that she can rely only on herself, she desires control of her own life. She has thus been planning a coup to take control of Zagoria since she was twelve. She has risen to the rank of general, and when she was a frontline soldier, she earned the moniker 'Earth's Roar', as she would split the ground like a gaping mouth with her sword.
A stoic and pragmatic woman, she is all business and never cracks a smile. She is careful with her words and always takes the time to make sure that she says precisely what she wants to, so when she does speak, it's taken with some gravity. While she is practical and severe in almost every way, she makes an exception for her eccentric vanity and is always dressed in elaborate outfits and takes pride in the fact she has never worn her uniform to regulation if wearing it some other way would look better and wears her hair long. She almost always wears gloves and long boots to emphasise her leggy figure. Manya is powerful in conventional combat, but not much of a magic-user. Although she is strong, she favours a smart strategy that unleashes ferocious force only at the precise right time. A little like Rex, she has a kind heart she deliberately suppresses to get the job done and would be a benevolent ruler.
She also smokes weed. Like, a lot of it.
She meets Rex long before he becomes aware he has siblings, under the guise of Maxim Bind, a Zagorian master spy. She eventually realises he is not who he seems, but they continue to work together, towards placing Manya as the leader of Zagoria. They form a professional relationship long before they discover their personal one and Manya pretends it means little to her. However, Rex's overwhelming unconditional love for his sister leads her to consider him the first person she can rely on, and it softens her somewhat.
She has a very timid NEET daughter named Zasha about Rex's age whom she is overprotective of. Manya never particularly cared for Zasha's father, and doesn't mind his absence.
Theme:
Her theme is the maned wolf, a solitary canine species with a unique appearance. While they rarely co-operate with their own species, they have a large number of symbiotic relationships with flora and fauna. This isolated yet interactive state is reflected in Manya's lonely life surrounded by those that rely on her. Their distinct appearance lends itself to translating to thigh-high boots and elbow-length gloves, a favourite look of Manya. Not a fox, not a wolf, active in twilight, the maned wolf is a being between worlds just like the cold but kind Manya.
Also, their pee smells like cannabis.
Other:
I never came up with a name for her father because he's not that important. He probably faded into obscurity without Helen to leech off of. If I was going to play her, I'd probably use Veronica Yuminowa of Aiki as a PB.
Name: Vasaloloa Lauano
Age: 29
Summary:
Born when Helen was 32. Helen often travelled the world by sea, and passing through a chaotic patch led her to one of many shipwrecks when her ship was destroyed by a combination of bad weather and an attack from The Terrible Dogfish. When she saw a man able to tame such violent waters with ease, riding a massive Tylosaurus and hunting the Terrible Dogfish with a spear, she instantly fell in love thanks to how cool he looked. She hitched a ride with the man, Loto Lauano, known as the Fisherman of Legend, who attempted to ditch her in the local villages as he insisted on living alone. Helen became fascinated with Loto and began to open the man's closed heart- the relationship became sexual earlier than it became genuinely romantic, and her pregnancy helped Loto open up. Unfortunately, the Helen had fallen for Loto because of his cold, stoic attitude. As he developed a less independent lifestyle she became less interested in him and in the wake of her postpartum depression, she simply left when Vasaloloa was a few days old when yet another storm struck the islands.
Vasaloloa was thus raised by her father and the village. Both her parents were considered heroic figures in the islands, and everyone believed that Helen would return when the chaos seas permitted her to. Vasaloloa was raised hearing tales of her incredible mother was and wished to live up to the legend of both parents. Loto would not go searching for Helen, as he was the protector of the islands now. So when Vasaloloa turned 15, she headed out into the chaotic seas, tamed the Terrible Dogfish, and went to find Helen and have adventures of her own. She never succeeded, of course, and gave up after a few years. Instead, she dedicated herself to having fun, unintentionally becoming more like Helen than she knew. This led to her turning to hedonism, as free from the innocent land of the islands seduced her with the adventures of the outside world. One thing led to another, and she quickly became one of the world's most feared pirates. While she is physically strong, her exceptional talent as a shaman was what truly brought her to fame. She started her career by raising shipwrecks and crewing them with spirits, often the willing dead, but now she has a varied armada of pirates. With her ability to influence weather and nature, she's especially dangerous at sea. She is, however, routinely defeated at sea by Dite Starr, the strongest human in the world following Helen's demise.
A trickster with no moral standing, the danger she presents to people varies depending on her mood. A jovial, friendly woman who does as she pleases and always has a trick up her sleeve to make things go her own way. She talks non-stop, and it's often meaningless rambling. Although charming, it's a bad idea to trust her as she often changes her moods and acts in her best interests. She is, however, an excellent admiral and takes good care of her crews as long as they do not defy her will. She values genuine friendship, and that is the only way to have any modicum of loyalty from her. Ultimately, if she's alone or with others makes no odds to her. She generally keeps a wild appearance, with her hair a puffy mess and wearing ripped up clothing, to ensure her muscular appearance is visible. Like Rex, she greatly enjoys fighting worthy opponents but unlike him embraces it wholeheartedly. Though typically aimless and simply doing what strikes her fancy, Vasaloloa's only longterm goal is eventually being recognised as the Pirate Queen by somehow proving herself a more celebrated pirate than Dite. Neither is aware that if she knew the truth, Dite would do anything for her best friend's daughter. At 7'3, she is the tallest of Helen's daughters, but ever so slightly shorter than Rex.
Vasaloloa comes into conflict with Rex a few times before they realise their relation. Whenever Rex crosses the seas, especially with Dite, there is a chance he will have to face her, and she skillfully resists Rex's manipulative scheming to make her another resource of his. When the truth comes out, Vasaloloa is at first resentful of Rex, who was not abandoned like she was and takes advantage of the weight Rex gives the relationship. They first bond when battling each other earnestly in the aftermath of that, and become close friends and family at that moment.
Theme:
Vasaloloa is represented by the coyote, a canine species that is gregarious and solitary depending on the circumstances. In myth and general public opinion, the coyote is considered to be a trickster and a rebel against social norms, but also a nuisance. Sometimes a dangerous threat, sometimes an agent of change, sometimes simply pulling pranks, Vasaloloa is equally changeable. I've always seen coyotes as looking rather scruffy but making it work for them. Unkempt chic. People also tend to underestimate the danger of them, treating them like dogs until they get a chunk bitten off. If I were to give her a right-hand character, they would definitely have an American badger theme- individuals of the two species often have close relationships.
Other: Her dad is based on a Yu-Gi-Oh card I was fascinated with as a child, The Legendary Fisherman. I had a big crush on that card, man. The Terrible Dogfish is the name of the giant fish from Pinocchio (which was adapted into Monstro the whale) in the Disney version. It draws more on the book version, where it is a kilometre long (excluding the tail), larger than a five-story building and has three rows of teeth in a mouth that can swallow a train. I didn't put much thought into its origins, but it's probably the spawn of a World Beast, the truly gigantic animals used by the creator of the world to shape the planet.
Name: Mariko
Age: 25
Summary:
Helen travelled to the country of Nijan after hearing that several powerful martial art styles were practised there. She did not expect to be caught in a civil war, and met the samurai Takamaru Kobo when he was barring passage on a bridge. Takamaru was a dutiful warrior who placed a great deal of self-worth on honour and had the strength to back it up. He lived up to his nickname of 'Human Castle' and had been repelling an army for days, on his own. He expected to die performing his duty and was fine with that. Although he was unlikely to ever defeat Helen, he was strong enough for her to take seriously. At this stage of her life, at age 36, this was extremely rare for a single human. The crossfire of their fight forced the army to retreat. Deciding that she liked him, Helen allowed Takamaru to save face by destroying the bridge and widen the river into a canyon. Technically by allowing her to pass at that point, he did not fail to prevent anyone from crossing the river using the bridge.
Helen, in her quest to beat up Nijan's strongest, eventually became involved in the civil war when she forged a close friendship with Princess Mariko, the daughter of the current emperor. This coincidentally put her on the same side as Takamaru, and the pair fought side by side on multiple occasions, and Helen took great delight in being able to make him forget his honour to have a forbidden romance with her. However, the eventual conclusion to the war was that Princess Mariko would be wed to the rebelling shogun. Encouraged by Helen's free-spirited nature, Princess Mariko begged Helen to take her out of the country so she too, could experience freedom. Helen agreed and succeeded, but Takamaru was the one sent to retrieve her. Witnessing the battle, Princess Mariko mistook Helen's reluctance to use her full strength against her lover as impending defeat and committed suicide rather than return. Upon witnessing this, Takamaru cursed Helen for ever coming to Nijan and also attempted to kill himself in shame loving her and to atone for his failure. Driven into a berserk rage, Helen destroyed his limbs so he was unable and left him.
Helen's misery at these events only became worse when she discovered she was pregnant with Takamaru's child. This time knowing in advance she would abandon her child, she travelled to a country called Zhai where Helen had a lot of history. There she was considered a national hero and a close personal friend to the ruler (whom she had placed on the throne), Rama XIII. She placed the newborn in Rama's care. Whilst most believed she would return, Rama understood Helen better than almost anyone and knew she would never return to Zhai or want to see the girl.
Nevertheless, for the first time, Helen named her child- Mariko. Rama, not wanting Mariko to grow up expecting her mother to come back to her and being told tales of her greatness, passed a law that no one may discuss Helen and she was stricken from their history. Mariko was raised in the royal family but was not considered part of it.
Mariko, never given a last name due to her unique circumstances, was never told her origins or why it was forbidden to address. Older generations considered her the child of a hero, but younger people, including Mariko herself, began to think of her as 'The Forbidden Child,' the offspring of a terrible criminal or otherwise awful origin. Her name and appearance did not fit in with the population of Zhai, making her even more obviously different. In her youth, she even questioned her humanity. As a result, Mariko grew up with a deep desire to prove her value, that she deserved to live. Rama's instructions were well-meaning, but not necessarily the smart thing to do.
This was complicated by the fact that, despite being the daughter of the strongest non-hero human in history and one of the strongest men of his generation, Mariko is a weakling. She is weak and clumsy, with no scientific, magical or psychic skills whatsoever. Attempts were made repeatedly to find strength comparable to her mother, and it's just not there. This does not stop her from having an indomitable will- she is willing to stand between a Demon Lord and an injured Rex with nothing more than a kitchen knife, shaking and crying, but ready to die for what was right.
Mariko has the most stalwart heart of all of Helen's children and always does her best, does what's right and cares for everyone. Lacking subtly, she's known for her expressive face and wild reactions, which can penetrate even the strongest of emotional defences. When Mariko feebly slaps a bandit and tells them off, they feel bad about what they've done. People, seeing the pitiful Mariko struggle so earnestly, just want to do better and be better. Mariko has no official position in the Zhai government but spends all of her time just generally... helping. Mariko, by some miracle of genetics, looks exceptionally similar to Helen except she is 6'5 instead of 4'11. And unlike Helen, who carried her immense power with an inherent grace, Mariko is an inelegant mess. Unlike Helen, whose pride controlled all of her actions, Mariko has no pride at all. She cares only for being kind.
Rex and Mariko mutually adore each other from their first meeting, and they quickly realise their relationship. Their unconditional familial love is instantaneous from that moment on. They represent, to each other, that they really do have a place in the world, and a history, and a right to exist.
Theme:
Mariko's animal theme is the dhole. The most social and least territorial of canines, they can live in groups of over 40 (though usually much less) and have little hierarchy. Dholes are known to be extremely supportive of each other, and often it is the weakest amongst them that are prioritised at feeding. They even tolerate other species sharing their food. Dholes will face up against tigers that can kill them with a single swipe. All in all, they're pretty boss critters. Ironically, however, they are quite a bit smaller than the wolf that Helen is based on.
Other:
If I were to play her, her PB would be Shiino Tomoyo, from My Broken Mariko. It's not a coincidence that Mariko has that name, either. Probably my favourite supporting cast member.
Name: Rex Arany
this dumb fuck
Helen suffered from severe postnatal depression and felt disgusted with herself for several months after each birth. As is typical of postpartum depression sufferers, she would have urges to harm her newborn children and this brought on self-loathing she could not tolerate. As she refused to accept any help or admit to mental illness until after her final child was born, she instead distanced herself from them. Helen usually rationalised her surrendering her children to others as her simply finding babies to be boring or that her lifestyle was not suitable for children.
Because she had a tendency to be attracted to extremely tall men, negating her own short stature, they are all very large. All four have a beauty mark on their face and inherited Helen's attractive rear (to the point that on more than one occasion, when identified by butt alone, they are mistaken for one another). As evidenced by Helen's identical twin sister and clone, her capabilities were not genetic- but all her children are remarkable for their own reasons.
Name: Manya Winter
Age: 42
Summary:
Manya is the daughter of a Zagorian commander. He was in his mid-20s when he met the 19-year-old Helen. He took advantage of her attraction to him to assist his rise in station, her impressive strength already of note. He deliberately impregnated Helen with the intention of manipulating so he would have access to her power for life. Helen came to realise this early in her pregnancy, and the traumatic experience would subconsciously tar her attitude to children and pregnancy for the rest of her life, as weights to chain her down. Helen, in the wilderness and ill-prepared for birth at her young age, also found the delivery to be mentally scarring. As a result, she did not name Manya and mentally referred to her only as 'that thing' in her depressed state.
Fearful that she would harm the child and not able to care for her, Helen gave Manya away to the first people she met and never looked back. The elderly couple promptly sold the girl to the Zagorian army, who had recently begun to collect orphans as part of their plan to expand the scope of their military operations. Manya's given name was chosen out of a hat, her surname the season she was found.
Manya quickly proved herself to be a strong-willed individual who commanded the respect of those around her. Despite the military's best efforts, she was never indoctrinated and holds no loyalty to the organisation itself. Always feeling that she can rely only on herself, she desires control of her own life. She has thus been planning a coup to take control of Zagoria since she was twelve. She has risen to the rank of general, and when she was a frontline soldier, she earned the moniker 'Earth's Roar', as she would split the ground like a gaping mouth with her sword.
A stoic and pragmatic woman, she is all business and never cracks a smile. She is careful with her words and always takes the time to make sure that she says precisely what she wants to, so when she does speak, it's taken with some gravity. While she is practical and severe in almost every way, she makes an exception for her eccentric vanity and is always dressed in elaborate outfits and takes pride in the fact she has never worn her uniform to regulation if wearing it some other way would look better and wears her hair long. She almost always wears gloves and long boots to emphasise her leggy figure. Manya is powerful in conventional combat, but not much of a magic-user. Although she is strong, she favours a smart strategy that unleashes ferocious force only at the precise right time. A little like Rex, she has a kind heart she deliberately suppresses to get the job done and would be a benevolent ruler.
She also smokes weed. Like, a lot of it.
She meets Rex long before he becomes aware he has siblings, under the guise of Maxim Bind, a Zagorian master spy. She eventually realises he is not who he seems, but they continue to work together, towards placing Manya as the leader of Zagoria. They form a professional relationship long before they discover their personal one and Manya pretends it means little to her. However, Rex's overwhelming unconditional love for his sister leads her to consider him the first person she can rely on, and it softens her somewhat.
She has a very timid NEET daughter named Zasha about Rex's age whom she is overprotective of. Manya never particularly cared for Zasha's father, and doesn't mind his absence.
Theme:
Her theme is the maned wolf, a solitary canine species with a unique appearance. While they rarely co-operate with their own species, they have a large number of symbiotic relationships with flora and fauna. This isolated yet interactive state is reflected in Manya's lonely life surrounded by those that rely on her. Their distinct appearance lends itself to translating to thigh-high boots and elbow-length gloves, a favourite look of Manya. Not a fox, not a wolf, active in twilight, the maned wolf is a being between worlds just like the cold but kind Manya.
Also, their pee smells like cannabis.
Other:
I never came up with a name for her father because he's not that important. He probably faded into obscurity without Helen to leech off of. If I was going to play her, I'd probably use Veronica Yuminowa of Aiki as a PB.
Name: Vasaloloa Lauano
Age: 29
Summary:
Born when Helen was 32. Helen often travelled the world by sea, and passing through a chaotic patch led her to one of many shipwrecks when her ship was destroyed by a combination of bad weather and an attack from The Terrible Dogfish. When she saw a man able to tame such violent waters with ease, riding a massive Tylosaurus and hunting the Terrible Dogfish with a spear, she instantly fell in love thanks to how cool he looked. She hitched a ride with the man, Loto Lauano, known as the Fisherman of Legend, who attempted to ditch her in the local villages as he insisted on living alone. Helen became fascinated with Loto and began to open the man's closed heart- the relationship became sexual earlier than it became genuinely romantic, and her pregnancy helped Loto open up. Unfortunately, the Helen had fallen for Loto because of his cold, stoic attitude. As he developed a less independent lifestyle she became less interested in him and in the wake of her postpartum depression, she simply left when Vasaloloa was a few days old when yet another storm struck the islands.
Vasaloloa was thus raised by her father and the village. Both her parents were considered heroic figures in the islands, and everyone believed that Helen would return when the chaos seas permitted her to. Vasaloloa was raised hearing tales of her incredible mother was and wished to live up to the legend of both parents. Loto would not go searching for Helen, as he was the protector of the islands now. So when Vasaloloa turned 15, she headed out into the chaotic seas, tamed the Terrible Dogfish, and went to find Helen and have adventures of her own. She never succeeded, of course, and gave up after a few years. Instead, she dedicated herself to having fun, unintentionally becoming more like Helen than she knew. This led to her turning to hedonism, as free from the innocent land of the islands seduced her with the adventures of the outside world. One thing led to another, and she quickly became one of the world's most feared pirates. While she is physically strong, her exceptional talent as a shaman was what truly brought her to fame. She started her career by raising shipwrecks and crewing them with spirits, often the willing dead, but now she has a varied armada of pirates. With her ability to influence weather and nature, she's especially dangerous at sea. She is, however, routinely defeated at sea by Dite Starr, the strongest human in the world following Helen's demise.
A trickster with no moral standing, the danger she presents to people varies depending on her mood. A jovial, friendly woman who does as she pleases and always has a trick up her sleeve to make things go her own way. She talks non-stop, and it's often meaningless rambling. Although charming, it's a bad idea to trust her as she often changes her moods and acts in her best interests. She is, however, an excellent admiral and takes good care of her crews as long as they do not defy her will. She values genuine friendship, and that is the only way to have any modicum of loyalty from her. Ultimately, if she's alone or with others makes no odds to her. She generally keeps a wild appearance, with her hair a puffy mess and wearing ripped up clothing, to ensure her muscular appearance is visible. Like Rex, she greatly enjoys fighting worthy opponents but unlike him embraces it wholeheartedly. Though typically aimless and simply doing what strikes her fancy, Vasaloloa's only longterm goal is eventually being recognised as the Pirate Queen by somehow proving herself a more celebrated pirate than Dite. Neither is aware that if she knew the truth, Dite would do anything for her best friend's daughter. At 7'3, she is the tallest of Helen's daughters, but ever so slightly shorter than Rex.
Vasaloloa comes into conflict with Rex a few times before they realise their relation. Whenever Rex crosses the seas, especially with Dite, there is a chance he will have to face her, and she skillfully resists Rex's manipulative scheming to make her another resource of his. When the truth comes out, Vasaloloa is at first resentful of Rex, who was not abandoned like she was and takes advantage of the weight Rex gives the relationship. They first bond when battling each other earnestly in the aftermath of that, and become close friends and family at that moment.
Theme:
Vasaloloa is represented by the coyote, a canine species that is gregarious and solitary depending on the circumstances. In myth and general public opinion, the coyote is considered to be a trickster and a rebel against social norms, but also a nuisance. Sometimes a dangerous threat, sometimes an agent of change, sometimes simply pulling pranks, Vasaloloa is equally changeable. I've always seen coyotes as looking rather scruffy but making it work for them. Unkempt chic. People also tend to underestimate the danger of them, treating them like dogs until they get a chunk bitten off. If I were to give her a right-hand character, they would definitely have an American badger theme- individuals of the two species often have close relationships.
Other: Her dad is based on a Yu-Gi-Oh card I was fascinated with as a child, The Legendary Fisherman. I had a big crush on that card, man. The Terrible Dogfish is the name of the giant fish from Pinocchio (which was adapted into Monstro the whale) in the Disney version. It draws more on the book version, where it is a kilometre long (excluding the tail), larger than a five-story building and has three rows of teeth in a mouth that can swallow a train. I didn't put much thought into its origins, but it's probably the spawn of a World Beast, the truly gigantic animals used by the creator of the world to shape the planet.
Name: Mariko
Age: 25
Summary:
Helen travelled to the country of Nijan after hearing that several powerful martial art styles were practised there. She did not expect to be caught in a civil war, and met the samurai Takamaru Kobo when he was barring passage on a bridge. Takamaru was a dutiful warrior who placed a great deal of self-worth on honour and had the strength to back it up. He lived up to his nickname of 'Human Castle' and had been repelling an army for days, on his own. He expected to die performing his duty and was fine with that. Although he was unlikely to ever defeat Helen, he was strong enough for her to take seriously. At this stage of her life, at age 36, this was extremely rare for a single human. The crossfire of their fight forced the army to retreat. Deciding that she liked him, Helen allowed Takamaru to save face by destroying the bridge and widen the river into a canyon. Technically by allowing her to pass at that point, he did not fail to prevent anyone from crossing the river using the bridge.
Helen, in her quest to beat up Nijan's strongest, eventually became involved in the civil war when she forged a close friendship with Princess Mariko, the daughter of the current emperor. This coincidentally put her on the same side as Takamaru, and the pair fought side by side on multiple occasions, and Helen took great delight in being able to make him forget his honour to have a forbidden romance with her. However, the eventual conclusion to the war was that Princess Mariko would be wed to the rebelling shogun. Encouraged by Helen's free-spirited nature, Princess Mariko begged Helen to take her out of the country so she too, could experience freedom. Helen agreed and succeeded, but Takamaru was the one sent to retrieve her. Witnessing the battle, Princess Mariko mistook Helen's reluctance to use her full strength against her lover as impending defeat and committed suicide rather than return. Upon witnessing this, Takamaru cursed Helen for ever coming to Nijan and also attempted to kill himself in shame loving her and to atone for his failure. Driven into a berserk rage, Helen destroyed his limbs so he was unable and left him.
Helen's misery at these events only became worse when she discovered she was pregnant with Takamaru's child. This time knowing in advance she would abandon her child, she travelled to a country called Zhai where Helen had a lot of history. There she was considered a national hero and a close personal friend to the ruler (whom she had placed on the throne), Rama XIII. She placed the newborn in Rama's care. Whilst most believed she would return, Rama understood Helen better than almost anyone and knew she would never return to Zhai or want to see the girl.
Nevertheless, for the first time, Helen named her child- Mariko. Rama, not wanting Mariko to grow up expecting her mother to come back to her and being told tales of her greatness, passed a law that no one may discuss Helen and she was stricken from their history. Mariko was raised in the royal family but was not considered part of it.
Mariko, never given a last name due to her unique circumstances, was never told her origins or why it was forbidden to address. Older generations considered her the child of a hero, but younger people, including Mariko herself, began to think of her as 'The Forbidden Child,' the offspring of a terrible criminal or otherwise awful origin. Her name and appearance did not fit in with the population of Zhai, making her even more obviously different. In her youth, she even questioned her humanity. As a result, Mariko grew up with a deep desire to prove her value, that she deserved to live. Rama's instructions were well-meaning, but not necessarily the smart thing to do.
This was complicated by the fact that, despite being the daughter of the strongest non-hero human in history and one of the strongest men of his generation, Mariko is a weakling. She is weak and clumsy, with no scientific, magical or psychic skills whatsoever. Attempts were made repeatedly to find strength comparable to her mother, and it's just not there. This does not stop her from having an indomitable will- she is willing to stand between a Demon Lord and an injured Rex with nothing more than a kitchen knife, shaking and crying, but ready to die for what was right.
Mariko has the most stalwart heart of all of Helen's children and always does her best, does what's right and cares for everyone. Lacking subtly, she's known for her expressive face and wild reactions, which can penetrate even the strongest of emotional defences. When Mariko feebly slaps a bandit and tells them off, they feel bad about what they've done. People, seeing the pitiful Mariko struggle so earnestly, just want to do better and be better. Mariko has no official position in the Zhai government but spends all of her time just generally... helping. Mariko, by some miracle of genetics, looks exceptionally similar to Helen except she is 6'5 instead of 4'11. And unlike Helen, who carried her immense power with an inherent grace, Mariko is an inelegant mess. Unlike Helen, whose pride controlled all of her actions, Mariko has no pride at all. She cares only for being kind.
Rex and Mariko mutually adore each other from their first meeting, and they quickly realise their relationship. Their unconditional familial love is instantaneous from that moment on. They represent, to each other, that they really do have a place in the world, and a history, and a right to exist.
Theme:
Mariko's animal theme is the dhole. The most social and least territorial of canines, they can live in groups of over 40 (though usually much less) and have little hierarchy. Dholes are known to be extremely supportive of each other, and often it is the weakest amongst them that are prioritised at feeding. They even tolerate other species sharing their food. Dholes will face up against tigers that can kill them with a single swipe. All in all, they're pretty boss critters. Ironically, however, they are quite a bit smaller than the wolf that Helen is based on.
Other:
If I were to play her, her PB would be Shiino Tomoyo, from My Broken Mariko. It's not a coincidence that Mariko has that name, either. Probably my favourite supporting cast member.
Name: Rex Arany
this dumb fuck