Rikka

“I  just can’t imagine choosing not to save you.  There’s nothing else I’d go this far to do”

-- Rikka

NOTE:  Additional backstory and personality information to be added soon.

A runaway human teenager/raven hybrid that ran away from home with her best friend Niko in hopes of eventually finding a more peaceful place to live a new life together.  Comes to the Crossroads in hopes of finding a way to lift a curse that’s slowly killing Niko.

Backstory

Rikka grew up in an emotionally and physically abusive home, makingwith both of her parents using their second daughter (her older sister she barely knows was in college by the time she was born and doesn’t talk to her parents anymore for some reason) taking their as their emotional punching bag.  Especially her alcoholic mother.  Rikka from a young age was vigilant, aggressive and she often got into fights with other kids.kids at school once she started getting bullied for being helpless and weak.  EventuallyShe hated school.  “Home” was worse and she had no one, and hardly a reason to live.  Until in middle school, something as small as losing her science textbook led to some genuine fortune for her.

Rikka left a science textbook in class one day and didn’t notice, but a boy in her class did.  He wanted to return it escalatesto her, but on the way got cornered by Rikka’s main bully.  Rikka noticed him from across the hallway and walked towards him.  He attacked when she got close, but she just about managed to fight back and scare him off but not without getting several injuries.  She then noticed something odd.  Her injuries began healing.  Looking behind her, she noticed the boy casting a healing spell on her and holding her textbook.  Rikka didn’t know how to react.  Was someone actually showing her kindness?  Both her and the boy she later found out was named Niko were sent to detention.  Rikka for fighting, Niko for using magic on school grounds.  There, Rikka showed some gratitude to Niko.  They began talking, and realised they had a lot in common.  Before long, both had their first ever real friend.

Overtime, their home lives started to get even worse.  In Rikka’s case, conflicts began escalating even faster and one night after venting about her fear for her own safety, Niko proposed something that sounded insane at first, but Rikka would in time agree to:  Running away.  Despite Rikka’s initial fears of having to live on the street, the worse things got for her (even one point trying to get the authorities involved which didn’t work) the more she desired to just escape her hellish life and start anew.  If she had her friend with her, then it would be worth the risks.

Niko made a plan, and they left in the middle of the night with the clothes on their back and what they could fit in their pockets and fled to a pointnearby wheretown.  They conserved every penny and piece of food they had.  Having to steal at times.  Even with how difficult their new lives were, they still found a sense of hope that one day, they’d finally be able to just live somewhere they could consider a true home.  At some point, Rikka was approached by a woman whilst Niko was inside a shop to buy her homesome gotfood. so unpleasantHe andsensed dangeroussomething was off outside but ran out only to find that Rikka was gone.  She had gone with the woman who told her she decidedcould to run away withget her only friend, Niko.  

Rikka and Niko startedsome scrapping up moneyfood and resourcessupplies if she followed her which she agreed to moveout toof desperation.  Turns out, the woman was using a newdisguise town away from their old lives.  Along the way, Rikkaand was kidnappedactually bya anpart undergroundof magea mysterious, deadly cult that cursesused slowly kills people after which they are usedhumans as an energy source for their machinery and crystalsas fortest their sceptres.subjects.  SheTargeting especially those they perceived helpless and whom not many would care about if they died.

Rikka was intendedseconds toaway be their next target before Niko stepped in  with a blinding light attack, only for that to result in himfrom becoming the onelatest victim of their signature curse;  One that makes a substance grow in your body, slowly killing you until your body is turned source for the cultist’s technology shortly after your death.  Niko intervened at the last second, using a Flashbang spell that caused the cult leader to drop his staff on the ground, landing pointed straight in his direction.  Causing him to get cursed instead.instead of Rikka.  TheAs Rikka broke free from being restrained by two other cultists, she grabbed Niko and ran away.  After that, they’d scour libraries and looked desperately for any cure/way to lift Niko’s curse after moving between several different towns to both avoid the cult and those who’d recognise them from their hometown.  Rikka’s desperation and fear of losing theher only personfriend worsening overtime, especially given the possibility brought up by Niko the cult still may want their original target (he is right.)

After learning the prize for victory in the Cross Tournament is a wish, Rikka simply wishes to use it to cure Niko.  However, her friend only growing accepting of his death as she trulygrows caresdesperate, wishes for leaves Rikka desperate to find a cure by any means necessary, the motive that led her to acceptinginstead thebring invitationthem to the Crossroads.new quiet, safe home they always wanted so her safety can be guaranteed as they enjoy what time they have left together.

Personality

Aggressive, often close mindedminded, andstubborn stubborn.but loyal.  RikkaRikka’s isdetermined hyperfocusedto on achievingachieve her goals atand allthere’s costs.little she wouldn’t do for them.  She is immenselydeeply loyal to Niko, and has a hard time trusting anyone else.  She tendsoften to assumeassumes the worst in other peopleothers and is always on guard around them, especially knowing she’s in a fighting tournament.tournament and how she’s been treated in the past.  While Rikka often comes off as tough and aggressive, most of her anger is a mask for her sadness and fear.

Rikka may also be judgemental depending on the opponent’s motive.  This doesn’t just apply to those with morally questionable motives, but ones she may consider shallow, vain or towards those with no real motive at all.  She has a general distrust of those in positions of authority and who come from wealth and affluence, as well as those who do claim to be paragons of morality.

It’s hard for her to feel and show empathy, but she doesn’t lack it.it, it’s difficult for her since it’s something she hasn’t exactly learned to show or have much of.  She’s always had to fight back against most people that weren’t Niko, who she's willing to show a more vulnerable and childlike side around without her mask of toughness.