Rakka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
charcoalfeather) wrote2016-01-10 08:20 pm
charcoalfeather) wrote2016-01-10 08:20 pm
Entry tags:
Route App (Contains spoilers!)
Player
Name: Drizz
Personal Journal:lightdrizzel
E-mail: comedianarmy@hotmail.ca
AIM/Plurk/Etc.:
Timezone: PST
Current Characters in Route: N/A
Character
Name: Rakka
Series: Haibane Renmei
Timeline: Post-canon
Canon Resource Links: Spoilers for Haibane Renmei. Content warning: mentions of depression
It starts with a dream; one of falling through a dark sky, alone except for a lone crow that attempted to help her. It was useless though. Rakka thanked it anyways, and it took off, leaving her to plummet through the clouds, spinning and falling... until Rakka awoke to find herself inside a strange cocoon, somehow able to breath and hearing others outside. Fortunately, the cocoon hatched soon after, and Rakka awoke again under bedsheets, and surrounded by winged girls with halos who introduced themselves as Kuu, Kana, Hikari, Nemu, Hyoko and specifically Reki, who found Rakka's cocoon in the first place.
She couldn't remember anything about herself or why she was in the cocoon in the first place, not even her real name. The only thing she knew was the dream she had in the cocoon. All Haibane have a dream when they're in the cocoon, and all of them are named according to their dreams. Rakka dreamed was that she was falling through endless clouds. Ergo, her name basically means "Fall".
Before leaving her to rest, Rakka receives a glowing halo from a mold that floats above her head after some difficulty. Apparently all Haibane are supposed to get them. And after falling sick, later that night, wings sprouted out of her back in a particularly painful shower of blood. All of this happens on her first day.
Over time, Rakka was introduced to being a Haibane, the town of Glie that they live in, people that lived there, and the large stone walls that encircled their entire "world". No matter what, Rakka was told that she should never go near the walls. Although, there are many things that she still doesn't fully understand. Like, why do the Haibane exist? Why do they have wings? Where were her parents?
To fully explain it would be impossible, but the Haibane are a race separate from normal Humans as they come out of cocoons, grow wings out of their backs, and one day just disappear. It's not really known why this happens, or where the Haibane come from. And because they are different, they fall under the jurisdiction of the Haibane Renmei. They follow a set of rules as well. They cannot buy anything new; they must only take things that are used, and use a special notebook instead of money. Rakka's group of Haibane live in outside of town, in a place called Old Home. Which used to be an old school that was left for them.
As Rakka adjusted to this new life, she began to grow accustomed to the town, meeting a variety of people. Including, the Haibane of The Factory, another home for Haibane across the town. And the Toga, a group of strange people always wearing masks that are the only ones allowed to go beyond the walls. The Toga are also the Haibane Renmei, the group that house the Haibane and help them live their lives peacefully.
For a while, nothing happened. Rakka's life was pretty good, and while her search for answers to what she was proved fruitless, she was thankful that her new friends were there with her. But it wasn't long before she started to notice strange things. Immediately after being shown the town, Rakka found herself stalked by a crow that looked exactly like one that she saw in her dream. And then, one day her friend Kuu, the youngest Haibane, suddenly left one day into the forest, disappearing in a tower of light that stretched up into the sky. When the others got there, only her halo was left behind.
That was when she learned about the Day of flight. At some point, after a qualification has been reached, every Haibane eventually takes the day of flight, signaled by their halo blinking in and out. soon they disappear into the western woods, and disappear in a column of light. Kuu was gone, forever.
An entire month passed, and Rakka was still brooding over it. It was made even worse, as one day, black spots begin to appear on Rakka's wings. They slowly spread through her feathers, Rakka unable to stop them in any way. Desperately, she tried cutting her feathers and was discovered by Reki in the process. Revealing that she herself has the same affliction, Reki provides a solution that paints Rakka's wings their previous color and hides the black spots.
It is revealed to Rakka that she is "sinbound". A sinbound Haibane is one that has been plagued by sin and must free themselves. Somehow. As unless Rakka can save herself from her sin, she will be unable to take her day of flight when it comes. With Reki's help though, she is at least able to hide it.
Unfortunately, her depression spirals out of control. Unable to find answers, or figure out why or how she has sinned, Rakka begins to wonder why she even exists at all. eventually breaking down in tears. At this time, the crow finds Rakka again and leads her into the forest, In there she finds a well and falls in, leaving herself stuck and trapped. In there she finds a bird skeleton, the one belonging to the bird in her dream. It had lead her there and Rakka slowly starts to understand her dream. Finding herself at peace with the bird, she buries the skeleton and is rescued by two members of the Toga that come across the well. They do not tell her anything about Kuu though, despite her pleas to them.
She tries to follow them but gets lost and eventually comes across a part of the wall. Despite the warnings, she touches it and hears Kuu's voice. The Toga communicator finds her and brings her to the right exit of the forest, Rakka opening up to him along the way. He teaches her that only she herself can make her sin disappear after a long convesation. Soon, the other Haibane find her, bringing her home just in time to get a terrible fever. As Reki watched over her, she learned that Rakka's wings were cured. Sinbound no longer.
There would have to be punishment for touching the wall, decreed by the Haibane Renmei. Thankfully for all, Rakka takes it in stride and accepts it. The job? Journeying down inside the walls to harvest glowing metals off the insides to be made into halos. She does it for some time, learning some of the Toga's hand-language, and eventually being given her own "real" name from the Toga. She is given Reki's "real" name to give to her. Because, without her help, Reki will be unable to free herself from her sin and take the Day of flight. Her wings will fall off, and she will no longer be a Haibane. It's up to Rakka to help her.
Reki on the other hand fell further and further into despair, as her friend has been cured of sin while she has not. Eventually, it all came to a head, when Rakka gave her the "real" name, and she remembered what happened in her dream. They fought, Reki telling Rakka she was just using her to save herself, and Rakka ran in tears. But despite that, and Reki very nearly falling victim to her sin, Rakka knew she actually cared. She rushed back to Reki, saved her from her fate, and the two of them were able to pull through. In the end, Reki took her day of flight, and Rakka continues to live and work in Old Home, never forgetting her friend.
Personality: As far as first impressions might let off, Rakka is a quiet soul who wouldn't normally raise her voice. While not usually one to speak very much in group conversations, Rakka's still a very nice young girl, easy to befriend, and nice to talk to if a little naive - something that's stuck to her up to this point. There was a point where she was shyer, but Rakka's developed into a stronger-willed individual. Becoming more experienced to conversation, she'll open up more to those that she likes and trusts.
At least at first, Rakka of Glie was a blank slate of sorts. Waking up without even the ability to recall her own name, she was understandably unsure of her own nature and deeply insecure about it for months on end after that. It's only rather recently that she's come to terms with this. Now, Rakka has become sure of herself, settled on who she really wants to be, and the new meaning to her name.
Rakka's curiosity knows no bounds. It drives her, making her want to know everything; about what she is, about what the Haibane are, about every new thing that gets in her way. Ever since her first few days, Rakka set out to investigate without not much of anything to go on from her memories. It wasn't long before she simply accepted it and calmly followed the example of others. Still, she had bouts of incredible imagination, and frequently enjoys reading as an exercise to fuel it.
Despite her apparent happiness, Rakka was essentially plagued with depression, something even she doesn't fully understand. For veritable months, it was bothering her, leading her to wonder why she deserves to be treated the way Haibane are, and worry about not pulling her weight. At its worst, Rakka felt like she didn't deserve to exist at all, worrying that there's no point to a Haibane if she'll just disappear one day anyways. But it's changed now; a string of helpful advice and self-reflection brought Rakka back to her normal mindset. All it took was Rakka finally opening up and asking for help.
Due to her experiences, Rakka's had an increase in empathy and her own ability to self-reflect, and her instincts leading her to think about more about the feelings and concerns of others. Her concerns for Reki's plight are what pushed her to ask about the older Haibane's past, and ultimately assist all of Reki's friends in reconciling with her before she leaves. It's this empathy she develops that lends a hand in her giving Reki the help she so desperately needs: the same kind she gave Rakka.
Her innocence comes and goes. As an endless bout of curiosity drove Rakka to explore, looking for answers to both this world, and the one she left behind. There is no doubt that she's absolutely grown to love the world around her, and the people she comes to befriend with time. The mystery of her family was always a driving force, but now Rakka's grown certain that at least one of them was out to protect her, even as a crow. She can appreciate that now, even if she'll never remember them.
Her fear does not drive her away. Rather, it seems to push her forward. It might be going in blindly, but it can also be Rakka purposefully trying to do the right thing. As seen when she goes to the Toga to accept her punishment, and when she rushed back to Reki right after being driven away in tears. Don't make the mistake - she's not courageous! But Rakka's still prepared to do whatever she can if she believes she can help somehow.
At the end of it all, Rakka has a kind personality and a light inside her that manages to shine brightly even after overcoming several difficult trials in her new life. And she's grown to become a helpful, older member of Old Home. Rkaka accepts who she is, and is ready to move onto better, happier days of her life, including excitedly anticipating the arrival of new Haibane into their world.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
- Amnesia (like a true protagonist)
Rakka is, first of all, a functioning amnesiac. Her entire life prior to being a Haibane was washed out of her mind the moment she hatched from the cocoon. As a result, and having just around a year of experience as a Haibane in a semi-modern society, Rakka knows almost nothing about life in the outside world. She can still experience muscle memory on certain things, such as riding a bike, but quite a few things about the modern world are lost on her.
- Naivety (bit of a birdbrain)
Adding onto the previous point, with little world experience comes a more innocent outlook. There's a sense of wide-eyed wonder that Rakka wears even now. Her naivety is fleeting, more now then before. But that wonder is such a big part of who she is that it's never really gone. There's a lot of new things to see in a brand new world.
- Low self-esteem (Something to work through)
Ah, that nagging feeling in the back of your mind that says you're nothing worth anything and never likes to leave you alone. Egged on in her early days by the loss of her memories and coupled with inherent anxiety, it's become a bit of an issue that Rakka deals with. Wondering if she deserves to be as happy as she is, and other self-loathing thoughts, just kind of pop up like weeds.
- Depression
An unfortunate problem; what affects Rakka the most, outside of her problems with self-esteem and her amnesia. Anxiety and confusion boil over into an all-consuming blackhole. Rakka is left wondering if she has any right to be as happy as she currently is. In a worse enough situation, it could lead to a complete emotional shutdown. But she's worked past much. That's what counts.
-/+ Homebody (wherever the heck that is.)
You asked about "strengths" and.... well, there's not much to go on for Rakka. Alas, the position of "Slice of Life Protagonist" hasn't left her with much in terms of outdoor survival skills. This means she can live just fine in a suburban setting, given enough time. Her first days of travel are not going to end well for anyone. Pray she doesn't fall off one of those ledges and twist her ankle.
-/+ Curious (distracted by shiny objects)
It's like a side effect of having amnesia; there always seems to be something that catches Rakka's wondering eye when she's exploring, and she simply must investigate. Note that this is not always a wise decision. It can lead her into quite a bit of trouble, but half the time it also leads to a nice thing. Rakka's the sort of person that may follow a bird if it interests her. So it's something of a blessing and a curse.
-/+ Scared but Brave (Put em up! Put em up!)
Being fearful is alright, but it's when you do something anyways, despite being scared that really makes you brave. And Rakka is... honestly kind of a little chicken. She's certainly not going into any haunted houses, unless she really has to that is. But put her in a situation where her friends are in danger, or she's in danger, and that's when her protagonist powers shine. Rakka is braver then she'll give herself credit for.
-/+ Pollyanna (Got to keep on keeping on)
Because what's one to do when you're depressed and feeling like there's nothing you can do? Try and smile through it and keep going, even if that might not be best in the long run. Even after a particularly rough spot, Rakka will try to pick herself up and move on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. She truly wants to be happy with her friends... even if life can ruin that a bit. Still.
+ Bookish (take a look, where are the books)
This girl loves to read. Given a library, she would sit at a table with a couple stacks and pour through that all day. It's a part of what drives her curiosity; a desire to learn things she doesn't know, or may have known once upon a time. Learning things this way is one of the basic ways that Rakka interacts with the world.
+ Friendly fluff-ball (To those that deserve it)
To that end, Rakka is still a protag, and that means she gets all the friends. Past the worst of her shyness is someone with a big heart and a very lighthearted personality. In the event that you're not a raging asshole befriending this Haibane shouldn't be too difficult. Rakka will do her best to help her friends whenever they need it, cause that's what friend's do. If they're feeling down, she'll try to cheer them up! Her friends are, for the most part, the most important things Rakka has, so she values each one of them greatly.
+ Determined (Never gonna give you up, etc, etc.)
Knowing that you have friends, and the desire to see them happy... it fills you with determination. Yes, as with her unlikely bravery, Rakka will muster up some spirit and set her mind to something if she believes in it enough. A book needs to be finished? Let her in on that! A friend in need? Don't worry, she'll be there!
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Trainer most likely. (could you see this girl being a rocket?)
Starter: Doduo
Password: Pumpkin Seeds
Samples
First Person Sample: [The setting of this video appears to be a meadow; it's calm and silent, with only the distant sounds of Pokemon to break the night air. Something about the scene is immediately calming, Rakka's gaze drifting upward to the sky.]
Look.
[A simply command as she moved the screen until it was pointed up into the night sky. In this place, at this time, stars filled the sky, a great number of many lights the young girl was watching twinkle in and out.]
They're beautiful, right? ...But they're also strange. The stars here remind me of the ones back home. I wonder if any of them are the same. [Off-screen, Rakka breaths a quiet sigh.] Maybe not...
...Oh! That's right. [She perks up again, pulling the screen back into view of her.] I'm going to be in... Violet City soon! It's going to be the newest city I've been to since I woke up here, and I'd really like to meet anyone that's going to be there in a few days... Huh?
[Now is the perfect time for a sleepy Doduo to poke its heads into the frame and nudge its trainer. Absolutely. It helps Rakka finally piece something together, and the end result is embarrassment.]
Ah! I'm so sorry, I'm probably keeping everyone awake! [Wait, no, whisper time] Please excuse me, goodnight.
[Mercifully, she cuts the feed there. Rakka will be Rakka to the very end.]
Third Person Sample: Bellsprout tower, a tall tower, seemingly swaying in the slight breeze this afternoon. Or maybe that was just the strange pillar within that gave that effect. Either way, it did its job effectively: teasing Rakka's curiosity.
Although it wasn't just the tower that caught Rakka's eye; the rest of Violet city had done so the moment she and her Pokemon set foot in it. For starters, it was bigger then the last few, bustling with people and Pokemon. If she wanted to draw a comparison, it reminded her of Glie, right down to having a tall tower.
.... But, there were no walls. Nothing to enclose these people in, to keep her here. Yet. Maybe she'd run into some new walls, somewhere out on that next route...
"...Duo!" The now-familiar squawk of Rakka's pokemon steed rings in her ears, returning Rakka's focus to the current moment. Caught in her own thoughts, her trusted starter had wandered aimlessly around the foyer of the building on their own. Rakka just got pulled along for the ride. No one seemed to be paying this sight any mind, though. It was just a small, normal girl, riding in on her Pokemon. But hospitality wasn't dead, so Rakka slowly climbed off her mount.
"...Sorry, but I guess you can't climb the ladders here." She quickly mumbled an apology to her starter, fumbling for the pokeball in those multitude of pockets that would recall it. That's what they were for, right? If she could remember how to do that....
"Sprout?"
The things that startle Rakka nowadays... The young woman almost literally jumps. "Huh? Uh...?" She heard something, that much was obvious, but where... Was it the little plant looking up at her from the floor? Wait, no, it was another Pokemon; some... little flower with eyes, waving its branches back and forth. "Bellsprout!"
She crouched, already being short as she was, it's not long until she's closer to eye-level with this creature. "Uh, hello there." Was a greeting the right thing to do?
Maybe. It continued to wriggle oddly, like the column in the center of the room. That seemed to be a sign that she was doing this right. "Bellsprout!"
Seems like now is when she can finally smile a little easier, taking a moment to look back at her own Pokemon to show that she wasn't too scared now. "Hehe. I guess this Pokemon wants to be friends with us. What do you think?"
The reaction wasn't one she expected. It's not like Rakka expected some actual words from her bird companion, certainly not a few more agitated squawks before Doduo started backing away. Um. Okay. How strange... but maybe giant, two-headed birds just didn't enjoy the company of TEETH. TEETH
Horrifically large fangs, set in a floating jaw, bore down on Rakka where she crouched. Her eyes widen, her mouth opens, a number of distressed noises fall out but there's simply not enough air in her lungs for a scream. Alas, she merely falls onto her back and looks up at her doom as its jaws open wide...
.....No doom came, but... laughter instead? The jaws were laughing at her - at least, that's what they would be doing before they started melting, though instead of a liquid it turned straight to gas... with eyes that watched Rakka and her equally fearful starter before dissipating into the air altogether, leaving them alone.
...As Rakka sat there on the floor, recalling clearly that breathing was a necessary function to live, and swallowing the distressing urge to cry, a stray thought appeared front and center: this world was going to surprise her, and it wasn't going to stop.
Name: Drizz
Personal Journal:
lightdrizzelE-mail: comedianarmy@hotmail.ca
AIM/Plurk/Etc.:
Timezone: PST
Current Characters in Route: N/A
Character
Name: Rakka
Series: Haibane Renmei
Timeline: Post-canon
Canon Resource Links: Spoilers for Haibane Renmei. Content warning: mentions of depression
It starts with a dream; one of falling through a dark sky, alone except for a lone crow that attempted to help her. It was useless though. Rakka thanked it anyways, and it took off, leaving her to plummet through the clouds, spinning and falling... until Rakka awoke to find herself inside a strange cocoon, somehow able to breath and hearing others outside. Fortunately, the cocoon hatched soon after, and Rakka awoke again under bedsheets, and surrounded by winged girls with halos who introduced themselves as Kuu, Kana, Hikari, Nemu, Hyoko and specifically Reki, who found Rakka's cocoon in the first place.
She couldn't remember anything about herself or why she was in the cocoon in the first place, not even her real name. The only thing she knew was the dream she had in the cocoon. All Haibane have a dream when they're in the cocoon, and all of them are named according to their dreams. Rakka dreamed was that she was falling through endless clouds. Ergo, her name basically means "Fall".
Before leaving her to rest, Rakka receives a glowing halo from a mold that floats above her head after some difficulty. Apparently all Haibane are supposed to get them. And after falling sick, later that night, wings sprouted out of her back in a particularly painful shower of blood. All of this happens on her first day.
Over time, Rakka was introduced to being a Haibane, the town of Glie that they live in, people that lived there, and the large stone walls that encircled their entire "world". No matter what, Rakka was told that she should never go near the walls. Although, there are many things that she still doesn't fully understand. Like, why do the Haibane exist? Why do they have wings? Where were her parents?
To fully explain it would be impossible, but the Haibane are a race separate from normal Humans as they come out of cocoons, grow wings out of their backs, and one day just disappear. It's not really known why this happens, or where the Haibane come from. And because they are different, they fall under the jurisdiction of the Haibane Renmei. They follow a set of rules as well. They cannot buy anything new; they must only take things that are used, and use a special notebook instead of money. Rakka's group of Haibane live in outside of town, in a place called Old Home. Which used to be an old school that was left for them.
As Rakka adjusted to this new life, she began to grow accustomed to the town, meeting a variety of people. Including, the Haibane of The Factory, another home for Haibane across the town. And the Toga, a group of strange people always wearing masks that are the only ones allowed to go beyond the walls. The Toga are also the Haibane Renmei, the group that house the Haibane and help them live their lives peacefully.
For a while, nothing happened. Rakka's life was pretty good, and while her search for answers to what she was proved fruitless, she was thankful that her new friends were there with her. But it wasn't long before she started to notice strange things. Immediately after being shown the town, Rakka found herself stalked by a crow that looked exactly like one that she saw in her dream. And then, one day her friend Kuu, the youngest Haibane, suddenly left one day into the forest, disappearing in a tower of light that stretched up into the sky. When the others got there, only her halo was left behind.
That was when she learned about the Day of flight. At some point, after a qualification has been reached, every Haibane eventually takes the day of flight, signaled by their halo blinking in and out. soon they disappear into the western woods, and disappear in a column of light. Kuu was gone, forever.
An entire month passed, and Rakka was still brooding over it. It was made even worse, as one day, black spots begin to appear on Rakka's wings. They slowly spread through her feathers, Rakka unable to stop them in any way. Desperately, she tried cutting her feathers and was discovered by Reki in the process. Revealing that she herself has the same affliction, Reki provides a solution that paints Rakka's wings their previous color and hides the black spots.
It is revealed to Rakka that she is "sinbound". A sinbound Haibane is one that has been plagued by sin and must free themselves. Somehow. As unless Rakka can save herself from her sin, she will be unable to take her day of flight when it comes. With Reki's help though, she is at least able to hide it.
Unfortunately, her depression spirals out of control. Unable to find answers, or figure out why or how she has sinned, Rakka begins to wonder why she even exists at all. eventually breaking down in tears. At this time, the crow finds Rakka again and leads her into the forest, In there she finds a well and falls in, leaving herself stuck and trapped. In there she finds a bird skeleton, the one belonging to the bird in her dream. It had lead her there and Rakka slowly starts to understand her dream. Finding herself at peace with the bird, she buries the skeleton and is rescued by two members of the Toga that come across the well. They do not tell her anything about Kuu though, despite her pleas to them.
She tries to follow them but gets lost and eventually comes across a part of the wall. Despite the warnings, she touches it and hears Kuu's voice. The Toga communicator finds her and brings her to the right exit of the forest, Rakka opening up to him along the way. He teaches her that only she herself can make her sin disappear after a long convesation. Soon, the other Haibane find her, bringing her home just in time to get a terrible fever. As Reki watched over her, she learned that Rakka's wings were cured. Sinbound no longer.
There would have to be punishment for touching the wall, decreed by the Haibane Renmei. Thankfully for all, Rakka takes it in stride and accepts it. The job? Journeying down inside the walls to harvest glowing metals off the insides to be made into halos. She does it for some time, learning some of the Toga's hand-language, and eventually being given her own "real" name from the Toga. She is given Reki's "real" name to give to her. Because, without her help, Reki will be unable to free herself from her sin and take the Day of flight. Her wings will fall off, and she will no longer be a Haibane. It's up to Rakka to help her.
Reki on the other hand fell further and further into despair, as her friend has been cured of sin while she has not. Eventually, it all came to a head, when Rakka gave her the "real" name, and she remembered what happened in her dream. They fought, Reki telling Rakka she was just using her to save herself, and Rakka ran in tears. But despite that, and Reki very nearly falling victim to her sin, Rakka knew she actually cared. She rushed back to Reki, saved her from her fate, and the two of them were able to pull through. In the end, Reki took her day of flight, and Rakka continues to live and work in Old Home, never forgetting her friend.
Personality: As far as first impressions might let off, Rakka is a quiet soul who wouldn't normally raise her voice. While not usually one to speak very much in group conversations, Rakka's still a very nice young girl, easy to befriend, and nice to talk to if a little naive - something that's stuck to her up to this point. There was a point where she was shyer, but Rakka's developed into a stronger-willed individual. Becoming more experienced to conversation, she'll open up more to those that she likes and trusts.
At least at first, Rakka of Glie was a blank slate of sorts. Waking up without even the ability to recall her own name, she was understandably unsure of her own nature and deeply insecure about it for months on end after that. It's only rather recently that she's come to terms with this. Now, Rakka has become sure of herself, settled on who she really wants to be, and the new meaning to her name.
Rakka's curiosity knows no bounds. It drives her, making her want to know everything; about what she is, about what the Haibane are, about every new thing that gets in her way. Ever since her first few days, Rakka set out to investigate without not much of anything to go on from her memories. It wasn't long before she simply accepted it and calmly followed the example of others. Still, she had bouts of incredible imagination, and frequently enjoys reading as an exercise to fuel it.
Despite her apparent happiness, Rakka was essentially plagued with depression, something even she doesn't fully understand. For veritable months, it was bothering her, leading her to wonder why she deserves to be treated the way Haibane are, and worry about not pulling her weight. At its worst, Rakka felt like she didn't deserve to exist at all, worrying that there's no point to a Haibane if she'll just disappear one day anyways. But it's changed now; a string of helpful advice and self-reflection brought Rakka back to her normal mindset. All it took was Rakka finally opening up and asking for help.
Due to her experiences, Rakka's had an increase in empathy and her own ability to self-reflect, and her instincts leading her to think about more about the feelings and concerns of others. Her concerns for Reki's plight are what pushed her to ask about the older Haibane's past, and ultimately assist all of Reki's friends in reconciling with her before she leaves. It's this empathy she develops that lends a hand in her giving Reki the help she so desperately needs: the same kind she gave Rakka.
Her innocence comes and goes. As an endless bout of curiosity drove Rakka to explore, looking for answers to both this world, and the one she left behind. There is no doubt that she's absolutely grown to love the world around her, and the people she comes to befriend with time. The mystery of her family was always a driving force, but now Rakka's grown certain that at least one of them was out to protect her, even as a crow. She can appreciate that now, even if she'll never remember them.
Her fear does not drive her away. Rather, it seems to push her forward. It might be going in blindly, but it can also be Rakka purposefully trying to do the right thing. As seen when she goes to the Toga to accept her punishment, and when she rushed back to Reki right after being driven away in tears. Don't make the mistake - she's not courageous! But Rakka's still prepared to do whatever she can if she believes she can help somehow.
At the end of it all, Rakka has a kind personality and a light inside her that manages to shine brightly even after overcoming several difficult trials in her new life. And she's grown to become a helpful, older member of Old Home. Rkaka accepts who she is, and is ready to move onto better, happier days of her life, including excitedly anticipating the arrival of new Haibane into their world.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
- Amnesia (like a true protagonist)
Rakka is, first of all, a functioning amnesiac. Her entire life prior to being a Haibane was washed out of her mind the moment she hatched from the cocoon. As a result, and having just around a year of experience as a Haibane in a semi-modern society, Rakka knows almost nothing about life in the outside world. She can still experience muscle memory on certain things, such as riding a bike, but quite a few things about the modern world are lost on her.
- Naivety (bit of a birdbrain)
Adding onto the previous point, with little world experience comes a more innocent outlook. There's a sense of wide-eyed wonder that Rakka wears even now. Her naivety is fleeting, more now then before. But that wonder is such a big part of who she is that it's never really gone. There's a lot of new things to see in a brand new world.
- Low self-esteem (Something to work through)
Ah, that nagging feeling in the back of your mind that says you're nothing worth anything and never likes to leave you alone. Egged on in her early days by the loss of her memories and coupled with inherent anxiety, it's become a bit of an issue that Rakka deals with. Wondering if she deserves to be as happy as she is, and other self-loathing thoughts, just kind of pop up like weeds.
- Depression
An unfortunate problem; what affects Rakka the most, outside of her problems with self-esteem and her amnesia. Anxiety and confusion boil over into an all-consuming blackhole. Rakka is left wondering if she has any right to be as happy as she currently is. In a worse enough situation, it could lead to a complete emotional shutdown. But she's worked past much. That's what counts.
-/+ Homebody (wherever the heck that is.)
You asked about "strengths" and.... well, there's not much to go on for Rakka. Alas, the position of "Slice of Life Protagonist" hasn't left her with much in terms of outdoor survival skills. This means she can live just fine in a suburban setting, given enough time. Her first days of travel are not going to end well for anyone. Pray she doesn't fall off one of those ledges and twist her ankle.
-/+ Curious (distracted by shiny objects)
It's like a side effect of having amnesia; there always seems to be something that catches Rakka's wondering eye when she's exploring, and she simply must investigate. Note that this is not always a wise decision. It can lead her into quite a bit of trouble, but half the time it also leads to a nice thing. Rakka's the sort of person that may follow a bird if it interests her. So it's something of a blessing and a curse.
-/+ Scared but Brave (Put em up! Put em up!)
Being fearful is alright, but it's when you do something anyways, despite being scared that really makes you brave. And Rakka is... honestly kind of a little chicken. She's certainly not going into any haunted houses, unless she really has to that is. But put her in a situation where her friends are in danger, or she's in danger, and that's when her protagonist powers shine. Rakka is braver then she'll give herself credit for.
-/+ Pollyanna (Got to keep on keeping on)
Because what's one to do when you're depressed and feeling like there's nothing you can do? Try and smile through it and keep going, even if that might not be best in the long run. Even after a particularly rough spot, Rakka will try to pick herself up and move on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. She truly wants to be happy with her friends... even if life can ruin that a bit. Still.
+ Bookish (take a look, where are the books)
This girl loves to read. Given a library, she would sit at a table with a couple stacks and pour through that all day. It's a part of what drives her curiosity; a desire to learn things she doesn't know, or may have known once upon a time. Learning things this way is one of the basic ways that Rakka interacts with the world.
+ Friendly fluff-ball (To those that deserve it)
To that end, Rakka is still a protag, and that means she gets all the friends. Past the worst of her shyness is someone with a big heart and a very lighthearted personality. In the event that you're not a raging asshole befriending this Haibane shouldn't be too difficult. Rakka will do her best to help her friends whenever they need it, cause that's what friend's do. If they're feeling down, she'll try to cheer them up! Her friends are, for the most part, the most important things Rakka has, so she values each one of them greatly.
+ Determined (Never gonna give you up, etc, etc.)
Knowing that you have friends, and the desire to see them happy... it fills you with determination. Yes, as with her unlikely bravery, Rakka will muster up some spirit and set her mind to something if she believes in it enough. A book needs to be finished? Let her in on that! A friend in need? Don't worry, she'll be there!
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Trainer most likely. (could you see this girl being a rocket?)
Starter: Doduo
Password: Pumpkin Seeds
Samples
First Person Sample: [The setting of this video appears to be a meadow; it's calm and silent, with only the distant sounds of Pokemon to break the night air. Something about the scene is immediately calming, Rakka's gaze drifting upward to the sky.]
Look.
[A simply command as she moved the screen until it was pointed up into the night sky. In this place, at this time, stars filled the sky, a great number of many lights the young girl was watching twinkle in and out.]
They're beautiful, right? ...But they're also strange. The stars here remind me of the ones back home. I wonder if any of them are the same. [Off-screen, Rakka breaths a quiet sigh.] Maybe not...
...Oh! That's right. [She perks up again, pulling the screen back into view of her.] I'm going to be in... Violet City soon! It's going to be the newest city I've been to since I woke up here, and I'd really like to meet anyone that's going to be there in a few days... Huh?
[Now is the perfect time for a sleepy Doduo to poke its heads into the frame and nudge its trainer. Absolutely. It helps Rakka finally piece something together, and the end result is embarrassment.]
Ah! I'm so sorry, I'm probably keeping everyone awake! [Wait, no, whisper time] Please excuse me, goodnight.
[Mercifully, she cuts the feed there. Rakka will be Rakka to the very end.]
Third Person Sample: Bellsprout tower, a tall tower, seemingly swaying in the slight breeze this afternoon. Or maybe that was just the strange pillar within that gave that effect. Either way, it did its job effectively: teasing Rakka's curiosity.
Although it wasn't just the tower that caught Rakka's eye; the rest of Violet city had done so the moment she and her Pokemon set foot in it. For starters, it was bigger then the last few, bustling with people and Pokemon. If she wanted to draw a comparison, it reminded her of Glie, right down to having a tall tower.
.... But, there were no walls. Nothing to enclose these people in, to keep her here. Yet. Maybe she'd run into some new walls, somewhere out on that next route...
"...Duo!" The now-familiar squawk of Rakka's pokemon steed rings in her ears, returning Rakka's focus to the current moment. Caught in her own thoughts, her trusted starter had wandered aimlessly around the foyer of the building on their own. Rakka just got pulled along for the ride. No one seemed to be paying this sight any mind, though. It was just a small, normal girl, riding in on her Pokemon. But hospitality wasn't dead, so Rakka slowly climbed off her mount.
"...Sorry, but I guess you can't climb the ladders here." She quickly mumbled an apology to her starter, fumbling for the pokeball in those multitude of pockets that would recall it. That's what they were for, right? If she could remember how to do that....
"Sprout?"
The things that startle Rakka nowadays... The young woman almost literally jumps. "Huh? Uh...?" She heard something, that much was obvious, but where... Was it the little plant looking up at her from the floor? Wait, no, it was another Pokemon; some... little flower with eyes, waving its branches back and forth. "Bellsprout!"
She crouched, already being short as she was, it's not long until she's closer to eye-level with this creature. "Uh, hello there." Was a greeting the right thing to do?
Maybe. It continued to wriggle oddly, like the column in the center of the room. That seemed to be a sign that she was doing this right. "Bellsprout!"
Seems like now is when she can finally smile a little easier, taking a moment to look back at her own Pokemon to show that she wasn't too scared now. "Hehe. I guess this Pokemon wants to be friends with us. What do you think?"
The reaction wasn't one she expected. It's not like Rakka expected some actual words from her bird companion, certainly not a few more agitated squawks before Doduo started backing away. Um. Okay. How strange... but maybe giant, two-headed birds just didn't enjoy the company of TEETH. TEETH
Horrifically large fangs, set in a floating jaw, bore down on Rakka where she crouched. Her eyes widen, her mouth opens, a number of distressed noises fall out but there's simply not enough air in her lungs for a scream. Alas, she merely falls onto her back and looks up at her doom as its jaws open wide...
.....No doom came, but... laughter instead? The jaws were laughing at her - at least, that's what they would be doing before they started melting, though instead of a liquid it turned straight to gas... with eyes that watched Rakka and her equally fearful starter before dissipating into the air altogether, leaving them alone.
...As Rakka sat there on the floor, recalling clearly that breathing was a necessary function to live, and swallowing the distressing urge to cry, a stray thought appeared front and center: this world was going to surprise her, and it wasn't going to stop.