Talk:Veronica Perenna
This is a repository for the plans I have for Veronica in a future Mush.
Contents
Personality
Charismatic
Raised by wealthy parents with tales of their own importance, Veronica has quickly learned to be very expressive, never one to shy away from the spotlight. Her cheerfulness is frequently at the forefront, and she is first to approach her friends, often with an interesting anecdote she picked up along the way. She likes teasing, but not mocking, and she’s generally more inclined towards defusing tension than creating it.
Compassionate
Despite the polish of her upbringing, Veronica’s heart has always been soft. Rather, her generosity comes naturally, shaped by the awareness of how fortunate she has been. She’s caring to a fault, even if sometimes she is reckless and it leads her into trouble. To her, there is never a situation where caring is the wrong move: it’s the only thing strong enough to change anything at all.
Maverick
Rules are mere suggestions with good intentions to Veronica. She follows her own code: one built on her compassionate nature, not others’ say so. If the law gets in the way, well… It's the law that should rethink its priorities, and it shouldn’t complain if it falls victim to her mischief. Even her annoyance usually turns into a performance, though her irritation sometimes slips through, usually with a creased forehead or a slight narrowing of her eyes, like a cat sizing up an unknown.
Wonderstruck
Veronica experiences the world vividly; her emotions surface readily and her cheeks flush at small joys. Shimmers of light, the melody of faint chirps, or odd coincidences let her compassionate heart pick up cues just before her mind does. That sense of wonder is what keeps her noticing the smallest curiosities, and while it sometimes pulls her off course, it more often leads her to the right solution.
Secretive
For someone so expressive and cheerful, Veronica keeps a surprising amount hidden. If she stops helping, is she just like her parents? What if her wonder gets her ahead of herself, and she misses something important? What if her teases come on too strongly? These are the doubts Veronica keeps locked in her heart when she is alone, and she’d rather quietly fix her mistakes so that they are never anyone's problem.
Profile
Veronica was born in Seville, Spain, to Fernando Perenna and Aliénor Perenna, but relocated to her mother’s hometown of Cannes shortly afterwards, where Veronica was raised with an upbringing deemed suitable for the prestige of her affluent family, divided between a private school and personal tutors.
Gifted with bravado, quick wit and a compassionate heart, it didn't take long for Veronica to create the persona of the Princess of Sarek, inspired by a book she once read. Under this guise, her showmanship and sleights of hand became a tool for justice. Her aim: playfully steal from the corrupt and influential to aid those who had been wronged.
One day, while her parents attended an exhibition of Renoir’s works, curiosity drew Veronica away into the warehouse section of the Musée de la Castre. There, she discovered a painting of an elegant figure leaping beneath the moonlit sky.
Was it chance, or something more? The moment Veronica touched the painting, she unknowingly unraveled a powerful seal, binding her life to it. With the seal came a new responsibility: to maintain it and retrieve its precious relics. Embracing this duty with enthusiasm, she assumed the mantle of Princesse Chatoyante of Château Chatoyant, the phantom thief of a fairy island, sworn to battle Les Dessouhaits.
Background
Veronica was born in Seville, Spain, to Fernando Perenna and Aliénor Perenna, but relocated to her mother’s hometown of Cannes shortly afterwards, where Veronica was raised with an upbringing deemed suitable for the prestige of her affluent family, divided between a private school and personal tutors.
There, everything smelled faintly of polished marble and old money, and her parents’ penchant for an 1800s lifestyle only dove further into the oppressive luster, complete with a full array of tedious lessons.
Her tutors praised her poise between curtsies and gestures practiced endlessly, while needlework instructors admired her precise, nimble hands stitching lace and samplers. Veronica proved to be a model student, but inside could feel herself squirm, longing for the end more intensely each time.
Those same hands, however, were better known among the household staff for other reasons: she could make trinkets vanish, coins reappear behind ears, and ribbons slip free from knots in a blink. The staff adored her antics, and the brunette basked enthusiastically in their laughter.
Even with all the comfort most people only read about, Veronica felt it cling to her like tight clothes: literally so, given her parents’ love of 1800s fashion. The young girl gave it her all to slipping past gilded gates and watchful eyes, waging a quiet war against her parents’ attempts to keep her contained.
Squeeze between the bars of the gate? Soon they were sealed shut. Climb over it? They had it oiled so thoroughly that not even a monkey could grip it. Use the branches of a nearby tree? Every single one was sawed off. She fashioned climbing holds from stolen zip ties in the staff’s drawers. They installed cameras. She learned all the blind spots.
Both sides went to increasingly ridiculous lengths in their private battle of wits, and every new obstacle only made her grin wider: rules, to Veronica, were puzzles waiting to be solved.
Yet, her parents’ patience wore thin with every new escape attempt. Were it not for her good marks, she might have been grounded for life.
Eventually, they gave up the fight and assigned her a bodyguard, though it did little good. The moment they turned a corner, Veronica would vanish, leaving the poor employee pale and panicked, later pretending nothing had happened to avoid her parents’ wrath.
One day, on a whim, she wandered into a part of the city her parents had always spoken of with disdain. There, she saw for the first time how others lived: those who survived hand-to-mouth, or who had fallen prey to men with cruel intentions.
One of those evil men moved to silence her when the young girl noticed something she shouldn’t have, and things turned to a chase, one that pushed Veronica’s wits to their limit.
Despite all her best efforts, her escape attempts were soon cut short when an unfortunate turn brought her face to face with a wall that offered her no escape. Veronica stood there with her heart thumping against her chest, watching the shadows of the men coming closer with each passing second.
Then, somewhere nearby, a crate crashed to the ground, and the men started running elsewhere, their angry yells gradually fading away. Taking this chance she ran back home, and spent what was left of the afternoon in the comfort of her Russian Blue cat, Emery, who never moved a centimeter from her side, watching her with understanding eyes. Despite the scare, what stayed with her that day was the tears in people’s eyes and the sadness in their smiles, unable to shake the thought that no one should have to smile through pain.
Her parents never knew how deeply that afternoon changed her, and Veronica swore she would not stay put. Behind her bright smiles and expensive manners, Veronica began to carry a quiet anger at the unfairness she had seen.
It didn't take long for Veronica to create the persona of the Princess of Sarek, inspired by a book she once read. Under this guise, her showmanship and sleights of hand became a tool for justice. Her aim: playfully steal from the corrupt and influential to aid those who had been wronged.
One day, her parents brought her to an exhibition of Renoir’s works at the Musée de la Castre, to which they had donated a large amount of paintings years before Veronica was born, which had earned them a lifelong free entrance.
Much like usual, Veronica slipped away from her parents’ gaze, drawn by curiosity into the building’s warehouse section, having already memorized just about everything there was to see.
There, forgotten among crates, she discovered a painting unlike any she had ever seen, by the name of “Étoile Chatoyante”. Under a silver moon, a figure ran through the night: elegant, smiling, and elusive.
The painted moonlight almost seemed to breathe, like dust shimmering across the canvas, filling her eyes with wonder. Fascinated, Veronica reached out, and when she brushed the canvas, silver light exploded outward with rainbow hues.
Rainbow lights rushed out of the building, darkened by malignant energy, releasing three out of four demons known as Les Dessouhaits. These demons scattered the corrupted light on the other side of the world in the form of precious relics made to be coveted, at the magical nexus corresponding to Tokyo.
All Veronica was left with was the painting, and the Moonlit Sea Call: a calling card with undecipherable letters, and the insignia of a top hat and a catlike cane. When she returned to her parents, she kept quiet about what happened there. It was easier to smile than to explain, and even managed to keep hidden the energy drain making her a bit more tired every two weeks the Étoile Chatoyante would require to sustain the binds of the last demon.
After that day, Veronica had made her decision, and with much persuasion, she convinced her parents to let her study in Tokyo. Whatever had happened that day, if she was responsible, then she would make it right, using every trick she had learnt as the Princess of Sarek. Embracing this duty with enthusiasm, she will face her first challenge in Tokyo, fighting a youma of the four demons. As the Moonlit Sea Call will flare to life, Veronica will transform into the Princesse Chatoyante of Château Chatoyant, the phantom thief of a fairy island, sworn to battle Les Dessouhaits.
Skills
Bleeding heart, Quick-witted, Bravado Savant, Escape Artist, Master of Disguises, Smooth as Silk, Copycat, Feline Fine, Cane You Handle This?, Vanishing Hat, Sewmanship, Hue Got This!
Vital Trivia
Name: Veronica Perenna
AKA: Princesse Chatoyante
Gender: Female
Series: Cœurs du Clair Céleste: Dancing Masquerade
Origin: Cœurs Célestes
Grade: 9
Clubs: Stage Magic, Embroidery/Art, Music
Group: Radiant Heart Academy
Quote: Fairness is the game, and stealing my craft. So why don't I take your worries as well?
Age: 14
Height: 160 cm/5'3’’
Blood Type: 0+
Birthday: 19th of October
Likes: Magic Tricks, Smiles, Embroidery, Painting, Lilies
Dislikes: Unfairness, Detachment, Coarse Things
Favorite Food: Fish other than tuna, potatoes, pumpkin
Least Favorite Food: Boiled carrots, tomatoes, tuna
Favorite Subject: Art, P.E.
Least Favorite Subject: Biology
Online Tag: BlueMoonCat
Focus
When the first Princesse Chatoyante was struck by the Fade, with the demons sealed away, the Fée Chatoyante decided to entrust the Moonlit Sea Call to that same magical painting that she put all her effort into creating. If something were to happen to the Étoile Chatoyante, the Moonlit Sea Call would have been released, seeking the next Princesse Chatoyante with a spirit that would fulfill the role of an imaginative Phantom Thief fighting against greed.
Style
In her form as the Princesse Chatoyante, Veronica wears a blue tailored suit with a top hat of the same colour. A white band circles her hat, partially covered by a light blue ribbon.
Moving to her neck, she has put a blue choker decorated by a light blue ribbon there, and on her feet, blue boots rise up to just under her knees.
Under the suit the Princesse Chatoyante dons a white waistcoat, and a white bi-layered skirt with ruffles flows down from her waist. She also carries around a dark ebony cane with an elegant cat motif for its handle.
Unlike her civilian form, her ears are now feline ones on top of her head, and she has a cat tail directly coming out of her skirt with a blue ribbon at the tip adorned by white fabric below it. Ears and tail are covered by pale blonde fur, the same colour as her hair, which is styled as a long braid reaching down to her legs.
History of the Chateau Chatoyante
The Chateau Chatoyant is one of the many fairy realms dotting the secret spaces of Earth, and an island surrounded by an eternal sea, bordering imagination and reality. It is divided into three areas: a rosy sandy beach with a decent number of rocks that make natural seats for small gatherings; breezy plains, with grass, willows, ash trees and bushes swaying gently under a soft wind; a cave system hidden beneath the surface, with walls adorned by glowing blue crystals that illuminate the dark.
The silver doorway opened with the password leads directly to the beach, from which further exploration reveals a cave with crystals breaking through the surface of an underwater lake. A tiny patch of land sits at the center of the lake, where a willow stands peacefully.
Attracted by the boundless imaginative spirit of humanity, the fairy realm’s light fell towards the artists, and for centuries gave little shards of strength to artists that were nearing exhaustion, supporting them in completing their masterpiece, from the smallest artisan to the greatest.
But over time, greedy people eventually started collecting that beauty for themselves, hiding it away from the rest of humanity, and that same gleaming radiance slowly started turning to darkness. That shadow of greed grew and grew, until it gained a mind of its own in the 1800s, the sorceress Dâme Nation.
Seeking to expand her domain, Dâme Nation reached out to the purest source of imagination, that of children, and corrupted it with feelings of greed like those that gave birth to her, turning three children’s drawings (a deer, a snake and a goat) into her dark generals. A water cat with a pink ribbon and prism on her forehead, plus the distorted reflection of a moon, drawn by a girl named Nadia, was to be the fourth general, but something sparked inside that girl’s imagination and generosity.
The Chateau’s moonlight instead shone upon the sketch, which took life as the fairy Coralie. That day, Nadia awoke the Moonlit Sea Call from within the realm, a calling card deeply tied to it and became the Princesse Chatoyante, which allowed her to repel the dark general sent for the task. Accompanied by Coralie, Nadia would go on to fight the demons that became known as Les Desshouhaits, and turned the willow into her hideout with her imagination.
Eventually, with the Fade’s ultimatum approaching and her powers waning, Nadia’s desire not to leave her beloved Coralie alone in that situation stirred something in her, giving her the strength to create the Étoile Chatoyante, a painting inside which the demons would be sealed. Achieving that took all that she had, and it hastened the Fade, leaving her just enough time to spend one last day with the fairy.
After Nadia’s Fading, Coralie entrusted the Moonlit Sea Call to the Étoile Chatoyante, and kept watching over her beloved friend for Nadia’s whole life. Even after then, she kept an eye on things, faking being a different Russian Blue cat each time, up until she got adopted by Veronica under the name of Emery.
The only wish Coralie still had left was that a successor measured up to the standard set by Nadia. Sometimes, if she feels she has something valuable to impart, she approaches Veronica in her form as the water cat, but otherwise she keeps her distance from the magical girl. She never reveals herself as Emery, but the day may come when she finally opens her heart and lets someone in again.
Cœurs Célestes
The collective name for mahoujin with an affiliation to the Chateau Chatoyant. There are thrre ways they can awaken:
- Meeting the acknowledgement of the Moonlit Sea Call, the calling card tied to the Fairy Realm, and becoming the Princesse Chatoyante;
- The relics scattered by the demons hold the same power that allows Veronica to transform into the Princesse Chatoyante, and with the corruption of dark energy impressed on them by Les Dessouhaits, they can be awakened to form dark mahoujin if a person shows a sufficiently strong desire for power near them at a pivotal moment;
- Should they be purified however, the link to the Étoile Chatoyante will be restored, lessening the burden of providing energy Veronica has, and coupled with a creative and generous person’s desire to protect, they can be awakened to form magical phantom thieves to fight against Les Dessouhaits' ploys to strengthen greed, and more general threats;
Note: by nature of the storyline, villainous mahoujin that get their powers from a relic of the Étoile Chatoyante (those not empowered by Les Dessouhaits) will have to eventually pass to the side of good or change Origin.
Origin Default Powers
Enhanced Physical Process
Like all magical warriors, their strength, resilience, and agility are heightened beyond normal human levels, allowing them to fight with punches and kicks and perform exceptional leaps.
Magic Sense
Any magical warrior can perceive the flow of magic, and understand its nature and provenience.
Purification
The Chateau Chatoyant's magical phantom thieves all have access to at least one purifying ability. This does not apply to villainous mahoujin.
Creativity
They all have access to at least one ability associated to a personal creative endeavour expressed in a physical medium. Examples include, but aren't limited to, ceramics, painting, sculpting, jewerly making or calligraphy.
The Chateau Chatoyant
The doorway to the secret island can be opened by anyone tapping on the frame of multiple paintings in a 3-2-3-1-2 order of taps. It leads to the realm’s beach, and further exploration will lead to a cave filled with glowing crystals breaking through the surface of an underwater lake. At its center there is a tiny patch of land on which a willow grows, somehow both living tree and house. (Good side only)
Powers
Élan de Lune
Like all magical warriors, her strength, resilience, and agility are heightened beyond normal human levels, allowing her to fight with punches and kicks and perform exceptional leaps.
Magic Sense
Any magical warrior can perceive the flow of magic, and understand its nature and provenience.
Silverslip
She can become ethereal for a limited time, allowing her to go through things unseen.
Masque Chatoyant
She can change her appearance and clothes at will, but other people's form requires OOC consent. Transformations stay basically humanoid and biological, but when it comes to wings, their addition doesn’t grant flight.
Mooncall Cards
The Princesse Chatoyante has in her arsenal magic calling cards that will always find their way to the targets of her heists. The calling cards have the powers to mildly confuse others, and for civilians an urge to leave the place due to a sense of foreboding danger.
Prismatic Wall
The Princesse Chatoyante gives her ribbon choker a quick tug, and it bursts into tiny silver stars that scatter into the air. The stars then rapidly link themselves together, forming a prismatic wall of moonlight that shimmers with rainbow hues when struck. The ribbon reforms when the barrier fades.
Lunar Glare
With a snap of her fingers, the Princesse Chatoyante flicks a tiny wisp of moonlight toward her target. If it touches them, the wisp blooms into a dazzling stage spotlight overhead, flaring bright enough to blind briefly.
Uncloaking Shimmers
A mist of twinkling moonlight spreads through the environment, revealing illusions, hidden beings, and shapeshifters. It can also be used purely for cosmetic effect, letting the Princesse Chatoyante spread hues from its natural moonlit glow to light of any color of the rainbow (or even all at once).
Lunar Sketchstrike
The Princesse Chatoyante sketches with her cane a quick silver outline (a heart, bouquet, fan or whatever suits the moment) and the drawing snaps off the air canvas, crashing into the target with trailing silver sparkles.
Moonlight Masquerade
Illusionary water covers the ground, and a moon shines bright under the enemy. An enormous version of the hat of the Phantom Thief emerges from the ground. Whoever it passes through gets purified, and if they are a magical creation/a youma, parts of them disappear like somebody disassembled a toy.
Rainbow Gem-Ring
One of her relics that holds the essence of Chateau Chatoyant, which manifests as the Seven-hued Luster, a rainbow beam that can be expressed by moonlight or fire. To be acquired later. Can be lent to others affiliated with a purified relic of the Étoile.
Cat Language
She has the affinity to understand cats and speak with them, but has to learn the language from an appropriate teacher (Emery/Coralie, or a mahou with fluent animal speak).
The Chateau Chatoyant
The doorway to the secret island can be opened by anyone tapping on the frame of multiple paintings in a 3-2-3-1-2 order of taps. It leads to the realm’s beach, and further exploration will lead to a cave filled with glowing crystals breaking through the surface of an underwater lake. At its center there is a tiny patch of land on which a willow grows, somehow both living tree and house.
Enemies
Les Dessouhaits
Demons defeated by the previous Princesse Chatoyante, collectively called Les Dessouhaits (means both "the underside of desire" and "the unwishes" via puns). Ever since they were trapped inside the Étoile Chatoyante (painting, they have been powerlessly clashing against its boundaries, a chance they obtained when Veronica Perenna accidentally destabilized part of the Ward.
That act freed everyone except Dâme Nation (Damnation), the one who was bound the strongest, and now the generals of Les Dessouhaits seeks to unravel the Étoile Chatoyante once and for all, and free Dâme Nation to usher in a new era ruled by greed.
Les Desshouhaits have varying styles that suit their own personalities, but they are all united by the same recurve S in their designs, attached somewhere on their person. Prophèteur wears it as a necklace, while Minemise has pinned it to the right side of his jacket.
But the corruption of people is not the only end result Les Dessouhaits desire. When a person they touched becomes corrupted enough, their desire takes form, and a Voulorde (tl note: “heavy desire”) manifests into the world, a youma that can fight off with heroes and spread its source’s greed around itself.
As soon they were let out into the world, Prophèteur, Minemise and Oseille wasted no time in establishing a business as cover, and now Les Dessouhaits Inc. has joined Obsidian as one of its departments, manipulating news and spreading lies fabricated from truth, through which they spread their shady deals.
Dâme Nation
A dark sorceress that has been born from the shadow of greed cast by humanity; she is avarice in its purest form, the leader of the group, a dragon demon, and the only one whose animal motif is completely mythological. This dark sorceress is the one responsible for creating Prophèteur, Minemise and Oseille, and sending them into the world as her agents.
Prophèteur
(TL note: french for prophet and profiteer), the second in command and representative of “greed for what could be”; he is a goat demon, and incites people to greed by turning their desire into "fate" and making them stop at nothing to realise that “fate”. He has a tranquil, passive demeanor, and walks to his objective calmly. Why hurry if everything is already preordained?
Minemise
(Tl note: french pun that translates to “having a grip on someone’s appearance”), is the representative of “greed for what others currently have”; he is a snake demon, and sneaks his way into people’s hearts through their insecurities and envy for others’ fortune. He is by far the shrewdest out of the three dark generals, dragging down a victim alongside the subject of his patronage. The victim is encased in a crystal, which Minemise’s agent of the day is able to use to adopt their appearance and replace them in their lives.
Oseille
(Tl note: French for sorrel and slang for money), representative of “greed for what you have already obtained”; he is a stag demon with power over plants. Those who fall under his influence start clinging to their dearest places, seeking to combine them into a single hoard, and he dispenses evil blessings to let them root everything together. He rushes fast into his objective, but once he is close to realising it, he becomes complacent. Why pause? Why press on?
Lune de Mer
The Moon of the Sea, a dark energy clone created by Les Dessouhaits, mimicking an alternative path the current Princesse Chatoyante could have taken in terms of personality, a ruthless no-nonsense dark magical girl that believes people who get preyed on deserve it, and is only interested in punishing the criminals without aiding the victims.
Lune de Mer sports long, flowing silver-white hair cascading past her waist with cool blue undertones that endow it with a spectral vibe, complete with it looking as if suspended underwater, mirroring her deep blue eyes.
The moonlit magical girl wears a sleeveless black dress with translucent blue sleeves, adhering to the torso before fanning into a short, dark ruffled skirt which mimics the form of a jellyfish. Below it, nothing is worn on her feet, which are separated from the ground by a layer of water reflecting a moon that is not there, following her wherever she goes.
Spectral white-blue fabric descends from her hips at each side, imitating the tendrils of a jellyfish, just like the ribbon of the same colour affixed to her back, and the dress’ neckline plunges into a narrow diamond-shaped panel.
Powers
Sea Moon Masquerade: Creates bodies of water (approx. 50 square meters in area and 2 meters deep) throughout the city. These serve as terrain manipulation, as obstacles (forcing traversal by leaping) or as cover/escape routes. There is a reflection of a full moon in them regardless of time of day or moon phase, but it's purely an illusion.
Tidebound Grace: she can walk on water and breathe in it.
Cloche Lunaire: Summons jellyfish formed from moonlight. These entities drain energy upon contact.
Prismatic Wall: Generates a protective barrier of moonlight, like a prism.
Lunar Glare: can temporarily blind an enemy.
Transient Lunar Flare: a beam of moonlight that strikes the enemy.
Moonmask: she can change her appearance and clothes at will but, with her heart closed, can’t copy another person’s exact form. Transformations stay basically humanoid and biological, but when it comes to wings, their addition doesn’t grant flight.
Forms and Outfits
Casual
In her civilian form, Veronica presents herself with long light brown hair reaching her waist with a thin braid on the right side of her head and bright blue eyes. Out of school she adds a white bow with blue stars on top of her hair.
There she also usually wears a cropped pastel yellow top that exposes her midriff, decorated with five small moons in different phases across her chest, plus a lavender hoodie with cat ears sewn into the hood.
Right below there is a short pleated pale blue skirt with a faint periwinkle tint and blue socks peeking out of a pair of white-and-blue sneakers tied with broad white laces in neat bows.
Veronica's school uniform is the typical orange and blue offered by Radiant Heart, but she also wears a white lily just above her thin braid, in place of the starry bow.
Sonata Cheer
A product of the Princesse Chatoyante's disguise magic. In this form she looks like an excited idol ready to strike with joy at the hearts of fans and enemies alike.
Sporting long flowing dark pink hair with hair strands tinted in a dark blue, plus two heart loops on top of her head held in place by pink ribbons and two clef hairpins and pink eyes, Sonata Cheer wears a black dress with two layers of pink and golden ruffles underneath.
Rainbow bracelets with clefs gently clinch her wrists, and orange and black headphones with a red mic rest on top of her head. Below her chin, an orange choker circles her neck, decorated by purple flowers and a blue moon.
On top of her bust there is a yellow bow clipped to her top by a pin of a blue cat napping on a jellyfish. The black dress has a pink center section below the ribbon delineated by golden lines, both vertical at the sides and oblique over it. A procession of three golden hearts accompany the lines on each side.
Walking atop thick golden outsoles, she wears black boots with pink flaps on top and white vamps outlined by golden lines and a pink ribbon with stripes clinging around the boots. Her legs are covered by white stockings with clef pins and rainbow lines resembling a music sheet near the top.
