Personal Information

Your Name: Panya Covin-Gwynn
E-Mail: lightfire(a)firechildren.net, will be hebe(a)firechildren.net if accepted.
AIM: panyachan, naienko
Y!M: panyachan

Character Information

Name: Seika Kasuko
Meaning(s) (if any): Kasu is another pronunciation of the kanji for 'spring' (normally pronounced haru), which corresponds to childhood and birth. The -ko suffix means 'child'. Seika means 'flower', 'essense', or 'glory', with a connotation of ethereality. Using other kanji, it can mean 'sacred song' or 'sacred fire'.
Nicknames (if any): sometimes Kasu
Sex: female
Age: 13
Birthday: January 10
Lives where: in a one-bedroom apartment near the Rainbow Café with her older sister, Seika Kachiki.
Family members:

mother : Seika Mikomi. deceased

father : Seika Taiyuu. deceased.

sister : Seika Kachiki. Kasuko's older sister, age 19, first year college. Kachiki attends Tokyo University full time, as well as holding down a part-time job at the Rainbow Café. Kasuko doesn't see very much of her at all.

grandmother : Shinsei Keika. Kasuko's mother's mother, age 61. Keika is a true Japanese housewife and dotes on Kasuko and her sister.

grandfather : Shinsei Soseiki. Kasuko's mother's father, age 66. Soseiki is retired from his position as a college professor of anthropology.

Physical description (be detailed):
appearance randomly generated at Visions

general : Kasuko's general appearance is terribly childish. Despite being an adolescent, she looks about 10, or maybe 11 on a good day. Her face hasn't lost that baby roundness, giving her chubby cheeks you'd just LOVE to pinch, and a pouty, babyish mouth. Her face looks eerily like that of a lifesize doll. In a small appeasement to Kasuko's desire to look older, she can achieve an adult tan easily, giving her dark skin with a golden glow. Now, if she could just grow taller than 4'10", and lose the baby fat to attain the willowy and elegant body she's sure she's meant for, everything would be perfect.

In her haste to look older and grow up already, one of the first things Kasuko did after entering middle school was get her upper ears pierced, so in addition to the normal two holes in her earlobes, she also has another hole in the upper part of her ears. She tends to wear earrings that have a chain between the two holes, connecting her upper and lower earring holes.

hair : Kasuko has probably one of the strangest hair colours of all the Asteroid Senshi. Primarily a shimmering honey blonde, she sports streaks of lavender-blue all through it. This is the same colour as her primary colour. Assuming she would ever break Asteroid tradition to the point of wearing it loose, the stuff would more than likely hang well past her knees.

However, Kasuko is not one to break tradition on that topic, and her typical hairstyle is just as crackfed as any other Asteroid. On the top of her head, about a third of her hair is pulled up into a ponytail, held in place and upright with a steel cylinder about a handspan tall. From the cylinder, three rope braids curve out and backward, one straight back and one to either side. (A rope braid is three strands of hair twined into a helix.) One strand in each braid is a lavender-blue strand. The end of each braid is capped with a lavender teardrop.

Of the rest of her hair, another rope braid hangs from just above her left ear to her knees. The matching one on the other side is pulled back and used to wrap the base of the ponytail of the rest of her hair, which is pinned together halfway down by another steel cylinder.

eyes : Kasuko's eyes are a dark grayish green, similar to the colour of unbroken buds. Super-long lashes so blonde they're barely visible shield the eyes from casual view ... or are supposed to. Given Kasuko's overall youthful look, the effect tends to be more that of a child trying to keep a secret. Probably a naughty one.

clothing : Sadly, Kasuko's taste in clothing runs to things she just can't wear, and she knows it. She would look absolutely foolish in that formfitting jumpsuits or tunic-and-leggings combinations she admires so, and couldn't even pull off the elegant dresses Michiru sported in her 20th century life. Thus, Kasuko tends to appear most often in plain scoopneck shirts and kneelength skirts. She has a fondness for darker colours in pure jewel-tone shades like deep ruby, blueviolet, or shaded emerald, which flatter her colouring well.

voice : Kasuko's voice is ... there's no way around it ... a childish treble. High, piping, and all too often on the verge of whining even when she's not, Kasuko hates her voice. She can't carry a tune in a bucket, and just wishes her voice would drop about an octave, to something sexy and mysterious. Being high and squeaky just isn't to her taste at all.

Emotional description (be detailed):

Kasuko's personality is in sharp contrast to her appearance. Since her parents died, and she came to Tokyo with Kachiki, she has matured enormously, attaining a very adult outlook and behaviour. That maturation also carries with it a large dose of pride. Kasuko considers herself an extremely important individual part of the team. A certain rigid inner pride keeps her self-respect always at a high level. She has learned to tone down her occasionally violent temper, and now a judicial and rather stern nature rules her personality.

Kasuko is very reserved. As a result of both her incurable lack of anything resembling tact and her sharply highpitched voice, she has learned to speak very rarely. She is, however, perfectly capable of communicating disapproval without saying even a word. On the other hand, she's very honorable, loyal, and devoted, with a keen sense of her duty.

Thoughtful and serious, Kasuko prefers to take the time to think everything through carefully before setting off in any direction. She usually has a sense of the right way of doing everything. She has trained herself to be conservative with resources and to have incredible patience. Combined with her temper, Kasuko holds grudges long past the time they should have been dead and buried. She is the type who would go back and parade around an enemy's grave once a year, rather than dance on it.

Kasuko finds it easy to follow instructions with care and she takes her duties very seriously. She is never one to shirk responsibility and has little use for those that do. That which matters most to her is her public image. Even though she despairs of ever gaining the respect as an adult which she desperately desires, she will still present an adult attitude to the world, expecting their vision of her to catch up and match her vision of herself.

A bit ruthless, Kasuko will sacrifice anyone in her way or anyone necessary in order to reach the goal, whatever it may be. Because she sets herself a bit apart from people, refusing to allow herself to feel very much, she can coolly calculate exactly who or what it would take to achieve a particular thing, regardless of the potential cost.

When she gets a plan worked out, though, Kasuko becomes very headstrong, pushing forward with her idea. Diplomacy and tact are not words that will ever apply to her approach, and she will run roughshod over anyone who opposes her. Very prideful, she usually believes her idea is the best, and has a tendency to simply go ahead with any of her plans without really consulting anyone else. She may spend considerable time thinking, but once she makes up her mind Kasuko charges forward.

At times Kasuko can be too serious. She doesn't really know how to laugh at life or herself, and tends to become stiff in her relationships with those she feels offended by. When it comes to the people she associates with, Kasuko is more than a bit snobbish. Right or wrong, she clings to her first impressions of people, especially if those first impressions were not good. She gives the impression of being fairly reasonable, because of being a good listener and rarely speaking, but this conceals a stubborn core that holds fast to what she believes, no matter if it's wrong. Often she seems untouched by emotions, distant and cool.

Sober and reserved in her dealings with others, Kasuko can seem mysterious. It takes her a good while to allow anyone close enough to be considered a close friend. She rarely speaks of her personal, private self. Yet once she opens up to someone, she can be a very caring, reliable, and most steadfast ally.

Kasuko uses her public image as a shield against casual aquaintances finding out how shy and vulnerable she can be. Her private side is somewhat different from her public side. Although she still doesn't do much talking, to a close friend she is willing to share her problems, and listen to theirs in return. To her few friends she is known to give good, reliable advice, and can always be depended on in a pinch. However, being a bit of a standoffish person, she dislikes to have anyone presume on their aquaintance with her, and will unleash her full vocabulary without hestitation on someone who intrudes too far into her private life.

She tries hard to make herself somewhat open to aquaintanceships, through her hobbies, but it is difficult and she rarely opens up. When she wishes to do nice things for people, she does them in secret, preferring that the recipient not know who the giver was. Thanks and praise embarass her unless she really believes she deserves it, and doing nice things doesn't fall in that category.

She struggles with more emotionally demanding relationships. Unsure of herself and her possible partners in intimate situations, she tends to avoid even the mention of romance, and even with her adult attitude can't control a harsh blush when the conversation turns to such things. Part of this is due to the chaotic nature of such relationships, which Kasuko is extremely unsure about.

Change is a bit difficult for her to handle, especially abrupt change, because it disrupts her carefully thoughtout plans. Tradition and stability are important to her, and she is likely to become closest to people she has tested over time and believes can be depended on.

Hobbies:

cooking : Kasuko actually likes to cook. One of the ways she attempts to be nice to people is to give dinner parties. Lots of dinner parties. Fancy, lavish multiple course meals; simple small cookouts; birthday and celebration dinners; you name it Kasuko has tried it. While she's not one to reach out to people, sharing this skill with others is something she enjoys, and her ability to plan well helps out enormously. Kasuko never wings it when she's cooking; she follows the recipes, and still manages to make the food some of the best in Tokyo.

computer programming : Surprisingly enough, this is something Kasuko does to relax. It is logical, precise, neat, complex enough to be challenging, and requires a certain level of planning, all things that Kasuko prefers in her environment. She is fluent in many computer languages, and carries around a minicomputer with which to keep herself occupied while waiting for anything. She can turn out programs ranging from search-and-destroy to games (rarely) to multitasking cleanup.

jewelry making : By far Kasuko's strangest hobby, she truly doesn't mind making little things for people. Probably the single place where her creativity truly flows, and the most contradictory thing about her, Kasuko's jewelry hobby fills up a lot of her evening time. She designs and makes everything from gemstudded hairbands to huge dangling earrings to elegant and sophisticated rings. If something should turn up in your jewelry box that you didn't put there, chances are Kasuko made it and slipped it in.

Friends: Kashiki, her sister. Kasuko doesn't allow herself to become very close to her classmates.
Love interest (if any): ... she's 13.
History (detail):

A brief summation of Hebe's past history may be of use here:

Just as the four Asteroid Senshi Juno, Vesta, Ceres, and Pallas are linked to the greater planet Senshi Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury, so Hebe is linked to Saturn. An Asteroid Senshi is always of lesser power than the greater planet Senshi she is linked to; all Asteroids are deemed 'second-string'. Hebe herself is said to have wielded the power that lies between life and death, sometimes referred to as 'youth', and supposedly did not age. At this stage, it's impossible to say.
 

Seika Kasuko is from Kyoto, born second and late. The birth was difficult for Mikomi, to the point which she was told never to have any more children. Mikomi would have been perfectly satisfied with this restriction; what woman wouldn't, who already had two beautiful daughters? But Taiyuu wanted a son, an heir, to bring up and pass his business to, and applied increasing pressure to Mikomi. Kasuko, still in diapers, knew little of the tension in the house -- only that her mother came more and more frequently to take refuge in caring for her, for Taiyuu would not berate his wife before either of the children. Kachiki, also, began to spend much time in Kasuko's room.

Inevitably, Mikomi succumbed to her husband's demands, and in due time there were predictable results. The pregnancy proceeded normally, right up until the final month -- for when Taiyuu's long-awaited son came into the world, it was early and painful.

Neither son nor mother survived. Taiyuu blamed himself, and sank into a deep depression, spending more and more time staring at the bottom of a liquor glass. Kachiki, aged 10, took on the care of 3-year-old Kasuko. Kachiki, being young, never considered the effect such drastic news could have on a young psyche and explained the whole business to Kasuko.

Enter angst. Taiyuu spent more and more time neglecting his daughters and drinking himself into oblivion, and after a year of drinking breakfast lunch and dinner his liver gave out completely. After another agonising six weeks in the hospital, hooked up to a dialysis machine, Taiyuu gave up the ghost and followed his beloved wife into death. Both his daughters were by his side.

Life was steadily heading downhill for Kasuko. At the age of five, she had lost both parents and had only a much-older sister to cling to -- before she'd even entered school. Thrown on the mercy of their grandparents, Kachiki and Kasuko moved to Tokyo.

Since that time, little has happened that is memorable. Much that is notable for Kasuko has been a great deal of internal development, a great deal of personality alteration, from the more happy-go-lucky toddler she was before her parents' deaths to the serious, dispassionate, reserved child she is now. She does well in school, but does not stand out in any way. Basically the only person she truly trusts is her sister.

Since Kashiki entered college and began to hold down a wellpaying job at the Rainbow Café, the two sisters have moved out of their grandparents' house and into a small apartment nearby. Kasuko still gets an allowance from her grandfather, but for the most part the two sisters live on Kashiki's salary.

Kasuko doesn't know yet that she is Senshi.

Warrior

Name: Sailorhebe
Affiliation: Kurushi Senshi
Symbol (if any): triple helix, phoenix
Physical desc. (if different in senshi form): Hebe wears the standard seifuku of a Super Senshi. Her tiara is centred with a sparkly amethyst, her choker has the gold star, her front bow has the heart. Hebe's primary colour is a soft, bluish lavender     . Her skirt, glove bands, sailor collar, bow heart, choker, and shoes are all this colour. Her secondary colour is a maroon      so dark it's indistinguishable from black. Her front bow is this colour. Her back bow is a lighter, berry-like shade of maroon     . Shoes are ankleheight boots that lace up the front, like roller skates, only shorter and with pointed corners on each flap. They really are the same as Saturn's boots only shorter. And no heels!

Transformation (if any): Hebe Crystal Power, makeup!

Kasuko raises her crystal-less henshin pen into the air, calling out the words. As she says "makeup!", the winged crystal whizzes by her head, trailing three strands of light, one in each of her colours. As the crystal locks itself to her henshin pen, the strands of light form a triple helix about her body, starting at the top and spiralling down to her toes. When the strands of light surround part of her body, that part appears translucent and glows with a pale lavender light. When the helix surrounds her whole body, it begins to revolve downward, revealing Hebe in her fuku. She puts her left hand out to the side, where the Star of the Guardians appears at such an angle that the base is at her feet. Her right hand is behind her back and her head is turned to the right and down.

Powers:

reborn the phoenix
appearance : Hebe holds her arms out as though on a cross and calls out the words. A rush of purple-tinged fire in three bands whirls upward from her feet, blowing everything upward briefly, then plunges downward toward the target, enveloping them in cleansing fire for about 5 seconds.

effect : This is Hebe's true healing spell. It heals minor wounds without a trace. Minor wounds are things like common colds, the flu, bruises, scrapes, scratches, flesh wounds, hangnails, etc. If the wound goes much beyond the skin layer it is beyond the power of this spell to heal.
Hebe spends half as much energy as the body normally would healing each wound, so how much it costs her in terms of energy depends on what she is healing. Hence, there is no specific limit to how many time she can use this spell per day -- it is dependent on how much she has healed during the day. Hebe replenishes the energy she spends in this spell during sleep.

relevancy : the phoenix is a symbol that has long been associated with rebirth. Phoenixes are reborn in fire, hence the use of fire here. Again, Hebe's triple helix appears as in her henshin.

crystal wind helix
appearance : As Hebe chants this power, shards of crystal begin to appear around her body. A wind rises, slowly at first, and then stronger as she concentrates. The crystals begin to chime melodically until she releases them with a gesture at the target, when the wind whips to hurricane force, driving the crystals in a whirling helix at the target.

effect : This is Hebe's single true attack power, where she uses her powers for harm instead of healing. Unsurprisingly, she'd rather use this one rather than any of her other powers. However, because it is somewhat of a perversion of her sphere, it requires considerable energy, limiting her to one use per day. This attack is strictly aimed, thus the target can use a shield, move out of the way, or otherwise dodge.
When the crystals strike, they cause myriad small cuts in the skin of the target, much like papercuts. Then the crystals vanish, leaving behind the cuts and the pain. Skin could be human skin or mecha armour, meaning that this attack affects both but not at the same time -- if she hits the mecha then it's the mecha that is cut, and not the person inside. Oddly enough, the use of this power is accompanied by a gentle floral scent.

relevancy : Hebe needed an actual attack power for one. Concerning the use of wind, air is the element associated with spring in magickal correspondences, and spring is associated with youth and birth, hence air is as well. Scent is another thing that is associated with air, spring, and youth.

energy borrow
Kasuko can only use this skill in her transformed state, but it's still not really an attack or defense spell. When Hebe has need of power, she can borrow the energy of some of the people around her. The effect is similar to that one where children are being so hyper the parents say "I'm tired just watching them." This is how the people she borrows from feel. She can't take very much, so it doesn't make a significant difference, but at a point when things are on the line, what power she can pull using this skill can be the difference between life and death -- Hebe's sphere.

Weapons: Star of the Guardians : Hebe's ranseur, a 5'6" tall polearm which comes to a point and sports two hooked points on either side. It resembles a trident with a much longer handle.
Items: henshin pen
Strengths: serious, dedicated, fairly powerful as the Kurushi Senshi go, capable of taking orders
Weaknesses: unskilled at teamwork, tactless, headstrong, dispassionate

Other Stuff

Comments: http://www.firechildren.net/lightfire/characters/_creative/hebe.html <-- webpage version
Writing sample (1-5 paragraphs): I have a degree in Creative Writing, can I just skip this?

Bribery strongly advised!: ... I think I will say nothing. Anything I say might be used against me.
© Panya Covin-Gwynn & PawPrint Productions.