Post by paprikathenewsalt on Jul 18, 2012 21:38:22 GMT -5
E RZSÉBET ENDRE HÉDERVÁRY
° N-ame || Erzsébet Endre Héderváry
° A-liases || Elizabeta/Elizaveta/Elizabeth or Elliot (nicknames given to her by her squad), László The Brave, Maid Eli, Nanny Erzsé, Super Maid, Ninja Maid, etc.
° A-ge || 31
° G-ender || Female, though she still expects to be treated like a man for the most part.
° F-amily || It is unknown whether her biological parents are deceased or alive, but she lost contact with her adoptive father and cut ties with her adoptive mother and adoptive stepfather. As far as she’s concerned, she has no siblings (blood or otherwise) and any other relative has never been made known to her. She now considers her squad to be her makeshift family.
° E-ye colour || Her eyes are a startling and vivid green that is often compared to a cat’s.
° H-air colour || Her hair can be considered honey brown, though there are some blond and auburn highlights in it at times.
° H-eight || 5’4”/163 cm
° W-eight || 128 lbs/58 kg
° D-efining features || Other than the colour of her eyes and how thick and rich in tone her hair appears to be, the only other visible features of note are the fact she behaves like a man (for the most part) and that she generally wears men’s clothing. There is also the occasional flower in her hair and a frying pan that never seems to leave her side. (Don’t touch it. Don’t even try to lay a finger on it if you know what’s good for you.)
° A-dditional features || Erzsébet is built, her muscles being well defined and toned, not to mention she has a rather generous chest. Though standing somewhere between being stocky and slim, there’s no doubt that she’s in shape and her posture is almost always straight, her head held high with her shoulders drawn back. She generally keeps her hair tied in a low ponytail so as to keep it out of the way, but it’s definitely not usual to find her leaving it loose.
Erzsébet’s mode of dress is, for the most part, her military uniform, but when off duty you can find her sporting casual, comfortable and plain work clothing (generally a simple shirt and a pair of breeches). She can sometimes be found wearing a dress on more formal, non-military related occasions (usually something traditional from her culture) when she’s in her more feminine bouts, but they will always be something she can freely move in. At any rate, you will always find her wearing her combat boots: She’s incredibly fond of them.
Erzsébet’s body is also riddled in scars, a testament to her rough childhood and time spent in the military, but since they’re in non-obvious or easy-to-hide places, they’re not noticeable and are kept out of the public’s view.
° J-ob || Staff Sergeant. Usually, she will be the one teaching new recruits the ropes and disciplining them when the drill sergeant isn’t around, and thus has the unofficial status of being the “big sister” or “nanny” of her squad. Officially, however, she can be found either training with her squad or making her rounds in the streets every so often.
° R-eason for current profession || She felt it would be as good of a place as any to prove to herself that she could properly fit in somewhere without feeling like she was overstaying her welcome. She also prefers the freedom of movement it offers her in comparison to the Cavalry, and the reason she hasn’t gotten any promotions beyond this is because she’s not exactly the best subordinate (and she’s a woman, which doesn’t help matters), but she’s good at what she does so there are more benefits to keeping her than in kicking her out of the army. Her job also allows her to keep an eye out on her squad and make sure they stay out of trouble; she wants to be an inspiration for them, if possible, or at least a good guiding hand. The desire to protect the citizens of her city as best as she can also plays a role in why she chose this job.
° D-istrict || Though she could afford to live in the Northern district (if she made the proper sacrifices), she resides in the Southern one since she feels more comfortable there and would rather have more spending money than nicer quarters to live in. She’s lived in worse, after all.
° P-ersonality ||
Other than how extremely friendly and energetic she proves herself to be, the most obvious traits that Erzsébet possesses is how incredibly stubborn— more like headstrong— she is, and as a result she has often been called bullheaded by her superiors. When she has got her mind set on something, she will work at reaching her goal until she succeeds, often finding it difficult to let things go even if it’s a preferable course of action. Because of her habit to argue ideas or orders she doesn’t agree with or finds ridiculous, she tends to get carried away with her emotions since she feels them so strongly, being practically unable to step down when challenged or to take a step back once her temper has been sparked.
Another major trait Erzsébet often demonstrates is how easy it is for her to get impassioned, a side of her mostly triggered while she’s in the middle of a debate, a fight, or when she’s thoroughly enjoying herself, especially with those closest to her. She’s indomitable, refusing to let others sway her or be cowed by them, as she is a very prideful woman and will make it clear that nothing will bring her to compromise her ego or to stop speaking her mind. (It’s also best to tread carefully when she’s in a bad mood.) This generally works in her favour, however, when it comes to achieving an assignment and completing her work: She wishes only to offer the best of herself at all times, and she will do all in her power to make sure she produces quality results. This has the side effect of being contagious, as she has used this before to energize her squad and instill confidence and faith in those who still have doubts or lack conviction in their missions. (It also has the tendency of making parties go a bit wild when she’s drunk, but no one really dares complain about it.)
Because of how ardent her emotions can be, Erzsébet isn’t one for propriety nor does she see the need to beat around the bush. If something needs to be said, she will be frank and say it outright, albeit with some tact depending on if she feels it’s necessary or not. She has often been compared to an open book by her peers, but this isn’t entirely accurate since she does know when to keep quiet about her thoughts: Generally, though, she feels no shame in coming straight out with her opinions on topics such as one’s attitude, behaviour and arguing stupid orders her superiors have given her and her squad.
Despite how quickly her temper flares up and how strong minded she can be, Erzsébet isn’t quick to judge and will often take into consideration another’s upbringing, social situation, and financial standpoint when faced with someone who broke the law, and will try to understand what pushed them to commit the acts they have. Though understanding on this front, this doesn’t mean she’s one to forgive or to forget: It merely means that she will not go overboard when it comes to dishing out punishment (if the need arises) and that she will do her best to be fair with others. Scratch her back and she will scratch yours, but do her wrong and she will pay you back in kind, simple as that. This also comes as an advantage to her when it comes to listening to her peers’ problems when they come to her for help, and as a result, she has become the designated shoulder-to-cry-on for many of her squad members, though she’s much too proud to ask for the same in return.
Something that often surprises others is how patient and adaptable Erzsébet actually is. She can stay still for long periods of time if she must, is willing to wait for certain things to unfold at their own pace and doesn’t mind enduring rough terrain or weather as long as she can fulfill her mission successfully. She won’t hesitate to turn whatever she has at hand into a weapon, generally her frying pan, and she’s quick to analyze a situation and choose what she believes to be the most appropriate course of action: Usually running head first into it does the trick. Whether it be living in the outdoors or trying to gain the upper hand in a battle, Erzsébet has proven to her superiors that she can adapt very well to most situations she’s thrown into, even if she has trouble keeping her temper in check most of the time. This, however, doesn’t translate over into social situations all that well: She’s patient but not in the least bit tolerant of arrogance, contempt based on class or individuals who consider themselves better than the rest and she won’t mind making this obvious most of the time.
The fact Erzsébet has an acute sense of observation and can assimilate information quickly and effectively can also come as a shock to those who don’t know her well enough. She finds this very useful, as it helps her perform her job efficiently and makes her feel secure. This is born from the belief that these traits will help her better protect those she cares about and the citizens of her city: Those who do any of them wrong without just cause better pray she never finds them because she will do all in her power to make sure justice reaches them. She also makes use of this ability when it comes to trying to understand the people around her, wanting nothing more than to help them out to the best of her ability.
A word of note: When it comes to her squad and other close friends, Erzsébet will often be found doing all in her power to make them feel comfortable and at ease. She can be found acting as someone they can lean on, an emotional support for anyone who has troubles they wish to confess, a trustworthy companion who will help guide them through their troubles and she is always available for anyone who needs a listening ear. She presents herself as the nanny or big sister of her squad and will often go out drinking with them all or brawling with them playfully. She’s very cheerful and upbeat when around those she cares about, and it’s a well-known fact in her platoon that she has everyone else’s health and well-being as a priority, wishing all of them the best she can. If that means stuffing her inner turmoil and worries on the backburner, then as far as she’s concerned that’s a fair price to pay.
Finally, a facet of her personality that definitely shocks others is how incredibly shameless Erzsébet can be. Whether it’s watching couples make out in public without turning away and grinning wildly in response or discussing how much she would enjoy watching two of her comrades in arms get it on in front of her, Erzsébet is extremely fond of observing all demonstrations of affection and love, especially if it’s sexual in nature. This is bred from her belief that love is pure and meant to be enjoyed by all, so why shouldn’t she watch it? She sees no reason to be ashamed of this and barely does anything to hide her appreciation of this “sacred” display. If the subject comes up in conversation, don’t be surprised if she begins vouching for the pureness found in unadulterated sex, moreso if it’s between two men, or the idea of open relationships.
° L-ikes ||
• Alcohol, drinking games and drinking competitions or challenges.
• Music; she’s fond of listening to pieces composed for the piano.
• Cooking: She’s fond of well made meals. You will never find her without her frying pan.
• Paprika: Better than salt, if you ask her.
• Beautiful clothing.
• The other men and women in her squad, as well as those in her platoon. They’re her makeshift family, after all.
• Flowers of any kind, flower language and their use in medicine.
• Her culture, heritage, and people’s history; her national identity and being Hungarian, in other words.
•Public Display Affection. Affection, especially romantic, even more so if sexual, of any kind pleases her greatly. Between any gender, though preferably when it’s with two men.
• Fighting. What can she say, she grew up with them and can’t help but lose herself in the fray when a brawl is in progress.
° D-islikes ||
• Being in debt/Being unable to repay a favour.
• Feeling out of place.
• Making needless sacrifices.
• Restrictions she believes to be ridiculous, baseless or out of proportions.
• Presumptuous and arrogant individuals.
• Following orders she believes to be stupid, badly thought out or a waste of time.
• When someone tries to tell her how to do her job, especially if they have no idea what they’re talking about.
• The current government, but she’s wise enough not to say anything about it too loudly.
• How the military has become the government’s lapdog.
• Appearing weak to others/Revealing any of her weaknesses.
° F-ears ||
• Losing whatever place she’s found/Being unable to find a place where she feels like she belongs. (At the moment, she fears she’s not fitting well enough in the military, for various reasons.)
• Failing to do her job properly.
• Looking back on her life only to find she failed everything she hoped to achieve.
• Realizing somewhere down the line that she’s given in without a fight, again.
• The idea that she will lose sight of herself, what she stands for and what she believes in yet again.
• Never finding someone who understands her and what she’s going through, as well as never being able to experience pure love herself.
° G-oals ||
• To help make the new recruits feel like they’re welcomed into the army and to make her squad feel comfortable.
• To carve out her spot in society and succeed in staying there.
• To help protect the citizens of her country along with those she cares about.
• To help establish a new government that will understand and respect its people (and preferably be a democracy), as well as to overthrow the current ruler.
• To always stay true to herself no matter what.
° H-istory ||
Erzsébet has only vague recollections of her early childhood: She remembers growing up in the slums somewhere in the Hungarian neighbourhood, already without parents and running around with the other homeless children. Through constant threats and screams that “he” didn’t belong in the middle of the street, that living wildly was terrible or that shoving “his” grubby hands in merchandise “he” couldn’t afford would result in “his” losing a hand or getting arrested, Erzsébet ended up developing two odd and somewhat perplexing conclusions.
The first conclusion was that she was obviously male and that she had been mistakenly named Erzsébet. In response to this discovery, she appropriately renamed herself Endre. (The name was vaguely familiar, though she was incapable of pinpointing why). For the rest of her childhood, Erzsébet believed she would eventually grow the correct organs, thinking this to be a natural process of some kind through twisted and misunderstood snatches of information she managed to get her hands on. (Well, if certain types of eels and frogs can do it, from what a random traveller said one day, why shouldn’t it be possible for humans? Where was the difference?) None of the other children she kept company with ever argued her logic (mostly because she was considerably stronger than most of them and would beat up anyone who disagreed), so she never had anyone confront her on her skewered belief.
The second conclusion she drew from these experiences was that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. Having heard many stories and after eavesdropping on numerous discussions about one’s class, the natural order of things and how everything and everyone had their place, she realized that wherever it was she belonged, it wasn’t here. What brought about this mindset was how she wasn’t able to stick with the same group of kids for more than a few months at most and how incapable she turned out to be at finding a stationary home. As she grew older, this became almost a burning need for her, and though she was generally a jovial and friendly, if boisterous child, she would grow somber at the thought that she didn’t fit in with this setting.
When she turned nine, she began working at a tavern, considering it to be her first official home, though she unfortunately felt rather out of place there most of the time. Her employer was a friendly but gruff old man who took her in on a whim and who would often ask her to keep the place clean. He always warned her to avoid being caught in the open when business was at its peak; when the tavern was full, she would stay in the kitchen where she learned to cook her first simple meals. She enjoyed the experience living there brought her, but after hearing “A tavern is no place for a child” one too many times she decided it would be best to move on.
She had been roaming the streets for three more years before she finally found work as a low-class merchant’s apprentice. Ibolya Héderváry and her husband, Álmos Héderváry, were a Hungarian couple living in the poorer parts of the Southern district and made a living off of selling antique toys. Business wasn’t the best, though it could have been worse, but they had enough clients that they could afford to have some extra help. Erzsébet asked if she could take the job and proved to be useful as an aide, keeping everything well organized and often cooking them their meals, and she soon became a valuable asset in getting all of the merchandise checked and packaged. After working for them for nearly a year, she was finally adopted since the Héderváry couple had no children and they already considered her practically family at this point.
Things quickly began turning sour when Erzsébet turned fifteen. For one, her physical gender had finally been discovered by her adoptive parents (since she was complaining about chest pains and had been freaking out she was getting sick and suddenly she was bleeding was she going to die?!), and they made it very clear they would cease treating her as a boy from this point on. Her adoptive father was rather lenient when it came to the clothes she decided to wear as opposed to her adoptive mother who insisted she should dress as a woman since she looked beautiful in dresses and skirts anyway. For another, Ibolya divorced Álmos in favour of marrying a richer merchant, a certain Robert Cummins, and took Erzsébet under her custody when they moved to the Northern district where the young girl soon lost contact with her adoptive father. On top of all this, her adoptive mother got much more demanding when it came to her daughter’s style of dress, behaviour and manner of addressing herself, especially in public.
The transition in class was a difficult one for Erzsébet. She was forced into several etiquette classes, along with regular schooling and education (music being one of the few classes she fully enjoyed), and had severely limited freedoms in terms of recreational activities and the people she was allowed to befriend. Being forced into acknowledging the fact she was a woman and identifying as such was also a bitter drink for her to swallow, both because she had to admit her theory was entirely flawed and incorrect (especially after the intense courses in Biology she was forced to go through) and because it meant most of her childhood had been based on false assumptions. She also felt extremely uncomfortable with the new social situations she was thrown into, often slipping back into her street manners and forgetting to behave like a proper young lady. The whole thing was thoroughly unbearable for her since she felt like everything she was forced to go through was nothing more than a pretentious sham and she wanted no part in it.
After several failed attempts to run away that were severely punished by both her adoptive mother and stepfather, Erzsébet finally resigned herself to her new social status and tried her best to convince herself that she was enjoying the new world of possibilities that had opened to her, along with trying to tell herself that being a woman wasn’t so bad. The charade of unhappy self-delusion was finally shattered when she turned twenty-three. It was a moment of self-discovery: She had finally been granted the chance to go take a walk in the city; lost in thought, she wandered off and away from her adoptive mother’s supervision and eventually found herself in the slums again. The sudden contrast between her place of birth and her current mode of dress was what snapped her out of her daze and made her realize that she needed to get out of that household and find her place her way or no way at all. The decision was sudden, but she bought herself some breeches and a simple shirt, sold her dress and most of her jewellery, and never returned home that day or ever: She would make her way in the world on her own and wherever she ended up, she knew it would be where she wanted to be. Or something along those lines, at any rate, she had no real plan of action.
For the next couple of years, she could be found lingering in the Inventors’ district or taking odd jobs around the factories, feeling out of place as usual since she no longer felt comfortable living in the slums, the Southern district wasn’t what she remembered it to be and she had difficulties sticking with a steady job. At twenty-five, she came across a flyer requesting new recruits for the military: To say her decision made itself would be an understatement. Though she passed her physical inspection with flying colours, her superiors soon realized they had a real stubborn woman in their ranks who insisted she would fight alongside her peers no matter what. As a result, they would constantly punish her insubordination by making her clean all of the bathrooms and sleeping quarters, along with other punishments that never succeeded in breaking her spirit. Overtime, however, they realized she was a useful asset in their ranks despite her temper and gender since she possessed necessary leadership skills and could incite and ignite the trust and confidence needed in their troops.
Though she still wonders if this is where she truly belongs, Erzsébet feels as if this is the closest she’ll ever get to her ideal place and has since served the army with enthusiasm and gusto—for the most part. She disagrees with many of the decisions her superiors make, feeling as if they’re acting like they’re nothing more than lapdogs for The Leader, but she nonetheless believes she is doing good for her country and refuses to turn her back on those she serves with.
° R-oleplay example ||
Erzsébet’s pocketknife sliced cleanly through the thick strands of her hair, the long locks tumbling to the floor, curled and twisted where they had landed haphazardly.
She hadn’t cut off too much of her hair; just a bit under her shoulder had been judged to be enough, it was her pride and joy after all, but she wanted to avoid recognition from anyone that had anything to do with the Cummins household. It would all grow back anyway, over time, of which she would have plenty in the upcoming days.
Her mouth twisted into an unhappy scowl; lips pressed together tightly until they turned white, her tightly gripped pocketknife jerking aggressively through the last bits of stubborn hair that she practically yanked away from her and shoved on the ground as she sawed them off, the ends of what was left uneven and jagged as they rested on her shoulders and the top of her back. To think that she had spent the last eight years of her life cooped up in that stuffy old house, with its perfect corners and glinting windows with the curtains always tucked tidily away into the sides of their frames, the carpets always clean and the books kept untouched in their shelves in a smooth row. Everything gleaming and shining and the walls a fresh shade of white that blinded you when the sun’s rays peeked their way into the room; everything neat and straight and lavished in proper but elegant designs even a five year old could improve with just a few additional splashes of colour.
Erzsébet swore she would feel no loss whatsoever if she never had to see another shade of cream or beige in her life again, practically embracing the dark and gritty colours the filthy streets of the slums presented to her; trash haphazardly strewn across the road, the walls of the sunken homes all giving off the feeling of being rough as sandpaper and looking as though they didn’t know the meaning of spotless or new, some of them either a faded shade of purple or an evaporated orange under the thick sheet of grime that enveloped them. Even the air around her felt dirty, as though if she squinted she would be able to see how impure and stale it was compared to the quality that could be found in the Northern district.
Her dress was a stark pink, contrasting violently with the practically dead tones of the world around her, and frankly, she would enjoy nothing more than to rip off every single ridiculously heavy layer of fabric she wore and toss the remaining shreds to the wind: To Hell if that would result in her exposing more skin than would be considered proper or correct, what she wanted was the ability to run around without feeling as though she had to fight with some invisible restraint constricting around her legs to reach some non-existent destination.
What she yearned for, more than anything, was to scream each and every single blasphemous word she could think of, shout her rage to the pitch black roof of a sky above her head until she achieved the Zen state of incoherency and felt raspy rawness in her throat, the occasional glimpse of daylight poking through in various crevices above her head the only witness to this display, and dish out as much verbal abuse as she could to an impartial and hidden audience that probably wanted nothing more than to steal away with the sparks of jewellery she had strewn around her neck, dangling from her arms and hanging from her ears. As it was, she limited herself to furious muttering and grunts as she finally sheathed the small blade with a decisive SNAP and stuffed it in her pocket, fiercely looking around her for a familiar path that would lead her to the Southern district or to anywhere that would permit her to buy some decent clothes.
Erzsébet strode down the street, each step landing with a resounding smack as she slammed her feet on the hard pavement, her shoes with the heels an idiotic three inches in height gripped tightly in each swinging hand and simply waiting to make a beeline to the nearest concrete surface she came across. What use were three additional inches to her anyway, she didn’t mind her height in the least and she was moving much more swiftly without the tacky, glossy pink, open toed monstrosities shoed on. She moved with purpose but with no real destination, a motion she had been riding through since the day she was born. But this time, she promised herself, her eyes glinting darkly as she glared at the road ahead, she would find her way and not lose sight of herself.
Never again would she compromise her identity. She didn’t want to look back on her life and realize she had become nothing more than a pathetic sell-out.
Erzsébet had more integrity than that, and she wouldn’t lose it again.
° U-sername || PaprikaTheNewSalt
° A-ge || 18
° T-ime zone || GMT-5
°W-hat is the secret phrase from the Rules? || Voyager – The Alan Parsons Project
° N-ame || Erzsébet Endre Héderváry
° A-liases || Elizabeta/Elizaveta/Elizabeth or Elliot (nicknames given to her by her squad), László The Brave, Maid Eli, Nanny Erzsé, Super Maid, Ninja Maid, etc.
° A-ge || 31
° G-ender || Female, though she still expects to be treated like a man for the most part.
° F-amily || It is unknown whether her biological parents are deceased or alive, but she lost contact with her adoptive father and cut ties with her adoptive mother and adoptive stepfather. As far as she’s concerned, she has no siblings (blood or otherwise) and any other relative has never been made known to her. She now considers her squad to be her makeshift family.
\-|-°-|-/
° E-ye colour || Her eyes are a startling and vivid green that is often compared to a cat’s.
° H-air colour || Her hair can be considered honey brown, though there are some blond and auburn highlights in it at times.
° H-eight || 5’4”/163 cm
° W-eight || 128 lbs/58 kg
° D-efining features || Other than the colour of her eyes and how thick and rich in tone her hair appears to be, the only other visible features of note are the fact she behaves like a man (for the most part) and that she generally wears men’s clothing. There is also the occasional flower in her hair and a frying pan that never seems to leave her side. (Don’t touch it. Don’t even try to lay a finger on it if you know what’s good for you.)
° A-dditional features || Erzsébet is built, her muscles being well defined and toned, not to mention she has a rather generous chest. Though standing somewhere between being stocky and slim, there’s no doubt that she’s in shape and her posture is almost always straight, her head held high with her shoulders drawn back. She generally keeps her hair tied in a low ponytail so as to keep it out of the way, but it’s definitely not usual to find her leaving it loose.
Erzsébet’s mode of dress is, for the most part, her military uniform, but when off duty you can find her sporting casual, comfortable and plain work clothing (generally a simple shirt and a pair of breeches). She can sometimes be found wearing a dress on more formal, non-military related occasions (usually something traditional from her culture) when she’s in her more feminine bouts, but they will always be something she can freely move in. At any rate, you will always find her wearing her combat boots: She’s incredibly fond of them.
Erzsébet’s body is also riddled in scars, a testament to her rough childhood and time spent in the military, but since they’re in non-obvious or easy-to-hide places, they’re not noticeable and are kept out of the public’s view.
\-|-°-|-/
° J-ob || Staff Sergeant. Usually, she will be the one teaching new recruits the ropes and disciplining them when the drill sergeant isn’t around, and thus has the unofficial status of being the “big sister” or “nanny” of her squad. Officially, however, she can be found either training with her squad or making her rounds in the streets every so often.
° R-eason for current profession || She felt it would be as good of a place as any to prove to herself that she could properly fit in somewhere without feeling like she was overstaying her welcome. She also prefers the freedom of movement it offers her in comparison to the Cavalry, and the reason she hasn’t gotten any promotions beyond this is because she’s not exactly the best subordinate (and she’s a woman, which doesn’t help matters), but she’s good at what she does so there are more benefits to keeping her than in kicking her out of the army. Her job also allows her to keep an eye out on her squad and make sure they stay out of trouble; she wants to be an inspiration for them, if possible, or at least a good guiding hand. The desire to protect the citizens of her city as best as she can also plays a role in why she chose this job.
° D-istrict || Though she could afford to live in the Northern district (if she made the proper sacrifices), she resides in the Southern one since she feels more comfortable there and would rather have more spending money than nicer quarters to live in. She’s lived in worse, after all.
\-|-°-|-/
° P-ersonality ||
Other than how extremely friendly and energetic she proves herself to be, the most obvious traits that Erzsébet possesses is how incredibly stubborn— more like headstrong— she is, and as a result she has often been called bullheaded by her superiors. When she has got her mind set on something, she will work at reaching her goal until she succeeds, often finding it difficult to let things go even if it’s a preferable course of action. Because of her habit to argue ideas or orders she doesn’t agree with or finds ridiculous, she tends to get carried away with her emotions since she feels them so strongly, being practically unable to step down when challenged or to take a step back once her temper has been sparked.
Another major trait Erzsébet often demonstrates is how easy it is for her to get impassioned, a side of her mostly triggered while she’s in the middle of a debate, a fight, or when she’s thoroughly enjoying herself, especially with those closest to her. She’s indomitable, refusing to let others sway her or be cowed by them, as she is a very prideful woman and will make it clear that nothing will bring her to compromise her ego or to stop speaking her mind. (It’s also best to tread carefully when she’s in a bad mood.) This generally works in her favour, however, when it comes to achieving an assignment and completing her work: She wishes only to offer the best of herself at all times, and she will do all in her power to make sure she produces quality results. This has the side effect of being contagious, as she has used this before to energize her squad and instill confidence and faith in those who still have doubts or lack conviction in their missions. (It also has the tendency of making parties go a bit wild when she’s drunk, but no one really dares complain about it.)
Because of how ardent her emotions can be, Erzsébet isn’t one for propriety nor does she see the need to beat around the bush. If something needs to be said, she will be frank and say it outright, albeit with some tact depending on if she feels it’s necessary or not. She has often been compared to an open book by her peers, but this isn’t entirely accurate since she does know when to keep quiet about her thoughts: Generally, though, she feels no shame in coming straight out with her opinions on topics such as one’s attitude, behaviour and arguing stupid orders her superiors have given her and her squad.
Despite how quickly her temper flares up and how strong minded she can be, Erzsébet isn’t quick to judge and will often take into consideration another’s upbringing, social situation, and financial standpoint when faced with someone who broke the law, and will try to understand what pushed them to commit the acts they have. Though understanding on this front, this doesn’t mean she’s one to forgive or to forget: It merely means that she will not go overboard when it comes to dishing out punishment (if the need arises) and that she will do her best to be fair with others. Scratch her back and she will scratch yours, but do her wrong and she will pay you back in kind, simple as that. This also comes as an advantage to her when it comes to listening to her peers’ problems when they come to her for help, and as a result, she has become the designated shoulder-to-cry-on for many of her squad members, though she’s much too proud to ask for the same in return.
Something that often surprises others is how patient and adaptable Erzsébet actually is. She can stay still for long periods of time if she must, is willing to wait for certain things to unfold at their own pace and doesn’t mind enduring rough terrain or weather as long as she can fulfill her mission successfully. She won’t hesitate to turn whatever she has at hand into a weapon, generally her frying pan, and she’s quick to analyze a situation and choose what she believes to be the most appropriate course of action: Usually running head first into it does the trick. Whether it be living in the outdoors or trying to gain the upper hand in a battle, Erzsébet has proven to her superiors that she can adapt very well to most situations she’s thrown into, even if she has trouble keeping her temper in check most of the time. This, however, doesn’t translate over into social situations all that well: She’s patient but not in the least bit tolerant of arrogance, contempt based on class or individuals who consider themselves better than the rest and she won’t mind making this obvious most of the time.
The fact Erzsébet has an acute sense of observation and can assimilate information quickly and effectively can also come as a shock to those who don’t know her well enough. She finds this very useful, as it helps her perform her job efficiently and makes her feel secure. This is born from the belief that these traits will help her better protect those she cares about and the citizens of her city: Those who do any of them wrong without just cause better pray she never finds them because she will do all in her power to make sure justice reaches them. She also makes use of this ability when it comes to trying to understand the people around her, wanting nothing more than to help them out to the best of her ability.
A word of note: When it comes to her squad and other close friends, Erzsébet will often be found doing all in her power to make them feel comfortable and at ease. She can be found acting as someone they can lean on, an emotional support for anyone who has troubles they wish to confess, a trustworthy companion who will help guide them through their troubles and she is always available for anyone who needs a listening ear. She presents herself as the nanny or big sister of her squad and will often go out drinking with them all or brawling with them playfully. She’s very cheerful and upbeat when around those she cares about, and it’s a well-known fact in her platoon that she has everyone else’s health and well-being as a priority, wishing all of them the best she can. If that means stuffing her inner turmoil and worries on the backburner, then as far as she’s concerned that’s a fair price to pay.
Finally, a facet of her personality that definitely shocks others is how incredibly shameless Erzsébet can be. Whether it’s watching couples make out in public without turning away and grinning wildly in response or discussing how much she would enjoy watching two of her comrades in arms get it on in front of her, Erzsébet is extremely fond of observing all demonstrations of affection and love, especially if it’s sexual in nature. This is bred from her belief that love is pure and meant to be enjoyed by all, so why shouldn’t she watch it? She sees no reason to be ashamed of this and barely does anything to hide her appreciation of this “sacred” display. If the subject comes up in conversation, don’t be surprised if she begins vouching for the pureness found in unadulterated sex, moreso if it’s between two men, or the idea of open relationships.
° L-ikes ||
• Alcohol, drinking games and drinking competitions or challenges.
• Music; she’s fond of listening to pieces composed for the piano.
• Cooking: She’s fond of well made meals. You will never find her without her frying pan.
• Paprika: Better than salt, if you ask her.
• Beautiful clothing.
• The other men and women in her squad, as well as those in her platoon. They’re her makeshift family, after all.
• Flowers of any kind, flower language and their use in medicine.
• Her culture, heritage, and people’s history; her national identity and being Hungarian, in other words.
•Public Display Affection. Affection, especially romantic, even more so if sexual, of any kind pleases her greatly. Between any gender, though preferably when it’s with two men.
• Fighting. What can she say, she grew up with them and can’t help but lose herself in the fray when a brawl is in progress.
° D-islikes ||
• Being in debt/Being unable to repay a favour.
• Feeling out of place.
• Making needless sacrifices.
• Restrictions she believes to be ridiculous, baseless or out of proportions.
• Presumptuous and arrogant individuals.
• Following orders she believes to be stupid, badly thought out or a waste of time.
• When someone tries to tell her how to do her job, especially if they have no idea what they’re talking about.
• The current government, but she’s wise enough not to say anything about it too loudly.
• How the military has become the government’s lapdog.
• Appearing weak to others/Revealing any of her weaknesses.
° F-ears ||
• Losing whatever place she’s found/Being unable to find a place where she feels like she belongs. (At the moment, she fears she’s not fitting well enough in the military, for various reasons.)
• Failing to do her job properly.
• Looking back on her life only to find she failed everything she hoped to achieve.
• Realizing somewhere down the line that she’s given in without a fight, again.
• The idea that she will lose sight of herself, what she stands for and what she believes in yet again.
• Never finding someone who understands her and what she’s going through, as well as never being able to experience pure love herself.
° G-oals ||
• To help make the new recruits feel like they’re welcomed into the army and to make her squad feel comfortable.
• To carve out her spot in society and succeed in staying there.
• To help protect the citizens of her country along with those she cares about.
• To help establish a new government that will understand and respect its people (and preferably be a democracy), as well as to overthrow the current ruler.
• To always stay true to herself no matter what.
\-|-°-|-/
° H-istory ||
Erzsébet has only vague recollections of her early childhood: She remembers growing up in the slums somewhere in the Hungarian neighbourhood, already without parents and running around with the other homeless children. Through constant threats and screams that “he” didn’t belong in the middle of the street, that living wildly was terrible or that shoving “his” grubby hands in merchandise “he” couldn’t afford would result in “his” losing a hand or getting arrested, Erzsébet ended up developing two odd and somewhat perplexing conclusions.
The first conclusion was that she was obviously male and that she had been mistakenly named Erzsébet. In response to this discovery, she appropriately renamed herself Endre. (The name was vaguely familiar, though she was incapable of pinpointing why). For the rest of her childhood, Erzsébet believed she would eventually grow the correct organs, thinking this to be a natural process of some kind through twisted and misunderstood snatches of information she managed to get her hands on. (Well, if certain types of eels and frogs can do it, from what a random traveller said one day, why shouldn’t it be possible for humans? Where was the difference?) None of the other children she kept company with ever argued her logic (mostly because she was considerably stronger than most of them and would beat up anyone who disagreed), so she never had anyone confront her on her skewered belief.
The second conclusion she drew from these experiences was that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. Having heard many stories and after eavesdropping on numerous discussions about one’s class, the natural order of things and how everything and everyone had their place, she realized that wherever it was she belonged, it wasn’t here. What brought about this mindset was how she wasn’t able to stick with the same group of kids for more than a few months at most and how incapable she turned out to be at finding a stationary home. As she grew older, this became almost a burning need for her, and though she was generally a jovial and friendly, if boisterous child, she would grow somber at the thought that she didn’t fit in with this setting.
When she turned nine, she began working at a tavern, considering it to be her first official home, though she unfortunately felt rather out of place there most of the time. Her employer was a friendly but gruff old man who took her in on a whim and who would often ask her to keep the place clean. He always warned her to avoid being caught in the open when business was at its peak; when the tavern was full, she would stay in the kitchen where she learned to cook her first simple meals. She enjoyed the experience living there brought her, but after hearing “A tavern is no place for a child” one too many times she decided it would be best to move on.
She had been roaming the streets for three more years before she finally found work as a low-class merchant’s apprentice. Ibolya Héderváry and her husband, Álmos Héderváry, were a Hungarian couple living in the poorer parts of the Southern district and made a living off of selling antique toys. Business wasn’t the best, though it could have been worse, but they had enough clients that they could afford to have some extra help. Erzsébet asked if she could take the job and proved to be useful as an aide, keeping everything well organized and often cooking them their meals, and she soon became a valuable asset in getting all of the merchandise checked and packaged. After working for them for nearly a year, she was finally adopted since the Héderváry couple had no children and they already considered her practically family at this point.
Things quickly began turning sour when Erzsébet turned fifteen. For one, her physical gender had finally been discovered by her adoptive parents (since she was complaining about chest pains and had been freaking out she was getting sick and suddenly she was bleeding was she going to die?!), and they made it very clear they would cease treating her as a boy from this point on. Her adoptive father was rather lenient when it came to the clothes she decided to wear as opposed to her adoptive mother who insisted she should dress as a woman since she looked beautiful in dresses and skirts anyway. For another, Ibolya divorced Álmos in favour of marrying a richer merchant, a certain Robert Cummins, and took Erzsébet under her custody when they moved to the Northern district where the young girl soon lost contact with her adoptive father. On top of all this, her adoptive mother got much more demanding when it came to her daughter’s style of dress, behaviour and manner of addressing herself, especially in public.
The transition in class was a difficult one for Erzsébet. She was forced into several etiquette classes, along with regular schooling and education (music being one of the few classes she fully enjoyed), and had severely limited freedoms in terms of recreational activities and the people she was allowed to befriend. Being forced into acknowledging the fact she was a woman and identifying as such was also a bitter drink for her to swallow, both because she had to admit her theory was entirely flawed and incorrect (especially after the intense courses in Biology she was forced to go through) and because it meant most of her childhood had been based on false assumptions. She also felt extremely uncomfortable with the new social situations she was thrown into, often slipping back into her street manners and forgetting to behave like a proper young lady. The whole thing was thoroughly unbearable for her since she felt like everything she was forced to go through was nothing more than a pretentious sham and she wanted no part in it.
After several failed attempts to run away that were severely punished by both her adoptive mother and stepfather, Erzsébet finally resigned herself to her new social status and tried her best to convince herself that she was enjoying the new world of possibilities that had opened to her, along with trying to tell herself that being a woman wasn’t so bad. The charade of unhappy self-delusion was finally shattered when she turned twenty-three. It was a moment of self-discovery: She had finally been granted the chance to go take a walk in the city; lost in thought, she wandered off and away from her adoptive mother’s supervision and eventually found herself in the slums again. The sudden contrast between her place of birth and her current mode of dress was what snapped her out of her daze and made her realize that she needed to get out of that household and find her place her way or no way at all. The decision was sudden, but she bought herself some breeches and a simple shirt, sold her dress and most of her jewellery, and never returned home that day or ever: She would make her way in the world on her own and wherever she ended up, she knew it would be where she wanted to be. Or something along those lines, at any rate, she had no real plan of action.
For the next couple of years, she could be found lingering in the Inventors’ district or taking odd jobs around the factories, feeling out of place as usual since she no longer felt comfortable living in the slums, the Southern district wasn’t what she remembered it to be and she had difficulties sticking with a steady job. At twenty-five, she came across a flyer requesting new recruits for the military: To say her decision made itself would be an understatement. Though she passed her physical inspection with flying colours, her superiors soon realized they had a real stubborn woman in their ranks who insisted she would fight alongside her peers no matter what. As a result, they would constantly punish her insubordination by making her clean all of the bathrooms and sleeping quarters, along with other punishments that never succeeded in breaking her spirit. Overtime, however, they realized she was a useful asset in their ranks despite her temper and gender since she possessed necessary leadership skills and could incite and ignite the trust and confidence needed in their troops.
Though she still wonders if this is where she truly belongs, Erzsébet feels as if this is the closest she’ll ever get to her ideal place and has since served the army with enthusiasm and gusto—for the most part. She disagrees with many of the decisions her superiors make, feeling as if they’re acting like they’re nothing more than lapdogs for The Leader, but she nonetheless believes she is doing good for her country and refuses to turn her back on those she serves with.
\-|-°-|-/
° R-oleplay example ||
Erzsébet’s pocketknife sliced cleanly through the thick strands of her hair, the long locks tumbling to the floor, curled and twisted where they had landed haphazardly.
She hadn’t cut off too much of her hair; just a bit under her shoulder had been judged to be enough, it was her pride and joy after all, but she wanted to avoid recognition from anyone that had anything to do with the Cummins household. It would all grow back anyway, over time, of which she would have plenty in the upcoming days.
Her mouth twisted into an unhappy scowl; lips pressed together tightly until they turned white, her tightly gripped pocketknife jerking aggressively through the last bits of stubborn hair that she practically yanked away from her and shoved on the ground as she sawed them off, the ends of what was left uneven and jagged as they rested on her shoulders and the top of her back. To think that she had spent the last eight years of her life cooped up in that stuffy old house, with its perfect corners and glinting windows with the curtains always tucked tidily away into the sides of their frames, the carpets always clean and the books kept untouched in their shelves in a smooth row. Everything gleaming and shining and the walls a fresh shade of white that blinded you when the sun’s rays peeked their way into the room; everything neat and straight and lavished in proper but elegant designs even a five year old could improve with just a few additional splashes of colour.
Erzsébet swore she would feel no loss whatsoever if she never had to see another shade of cream or beige in her life again, practically embracing the dark and gritty colours the filthy streets of the slums presented to her; trash haphazardly strewn across the road, the walls of the sunken homes all giving off the feeling of being rough as sandpaper and looking as though they didn’t know the meaning of spotless or new, some of them either a faded shade of purple or an evaporated orange under the thick sheet of grime that enveloped them. Even the air around her felt dirty, as though if she squinted she would be able to see how impure and stale it was compared to the quality that could be found in the Northern district.
Her dress was a stark pink, contrasting violently with the practically dead tones of the world around her, and frankly, she would enjoy nothing more than to rip off every single ridiculously heavy layer of fabric she wore and toss the remaining shreds to the wind: To Hell if that would result in her exposing more skin than would be considered proper or correct, what she wanted was the ability to run around without feeling as though she had to fight with some invisible restraint constricting around her legs to reach some non-existent destination.
What she yearned for, more than anything, was to scream each and every single blasphemous word she could think of, shout her rage to the pitch black roof of a sky above her head until she achieved the Zen state of incoherency and felt raspy rawness in her throat, the occasional glimpse of daylight poking through in various crevices above her head the only witness to this display, and dish out as much verbal abuse as she could to an impartial and hidden audience that probably wanted nothing more than to steal away with the sparks of jewellery she had strewn around her neck, dangling from her arms and hanging from her ears. As it was, she limited herself to furious muttering and grunts as she finally sheathed the small blade with a decisive SNAP and stuffed it in her pocket, fiercely looking around her for a familiar path that would lead her to the Southern district or to anywhere that would permit her to buy some decent clothes.
Erzsébet strode down the street, each step landing with a resounding smack as she slammed her feet on the hard pavement, her shoes with the heels an idiotic three inches in height gripped tightly in each swinging hand and simply waiting to make a beeline to the nearest concrete surface she came across. What use were three additional inches to her anyway, she didn’t mind her height in the least and she was moving much more swiftly without the tacky, glossy pink, open toed monstrosities shoed on. She moved with purpose but with no real destination, a motion she had been riding through since the day she was born. But this time, she promised herself, her eyes glinting darkly as she glared at the road ahead, she would find her way and not lose sight of herself.
Never again would she compromise her identity. She didn’t want to look back on her life and realize she had become nothing more than a pathetic sell-out.
Erzsébet had more integrity than that, and she wouldn’t lose it again.
\-|-°-|-/
° U-sername || PaprikaTheNewSalt
° A-ge || 18
° T-ime zone || GMT-5
°W-hat is the secret phrase from the Rules? || Voyager – The Alan Parsons Project
