Appearance: Given her above-average height of 166cm (5'5"), Elise is a bit of an oddity among those of East Asian heritage—and something she jokingly blames her father's genes for in the first place. With nearly snow-white hair that barely reaches her shoulders and lightly colored eyes, though, Elise most definitely would stand out among a crowd—for better or for worse. Though not as athletic as her Pilot peers, Elise is at least physically capable enough to handle herself, both in the air and on the ground.
In terms of everyday garments, Elise prefers to wear more modern casual outfits, such as simple shirts and jeans, though she is by no means opposed to something sleek or formal when it suits her mood (rare as that may be). In combat, though, her outfit ends up as seen below (see Chi-Mechframe appearance).
Personality: In spite of everything she has seen and encountered, Elise seems to be able to keep a strong front and face the terrors of a post-Warped world without caving in to the pressures the world places in front of her... If only because she has already done far too much already. To break down would be to lose those close to her, and that pressure is what drives her onward. Determined though she is, Elise's heart and mind are not infallible. It is her awareness of that fact that leaves her willing to open up rather than closing herself off from others and the world around them. To that end, she is fairly friendly to the other Frame Pilots on the team and willing to put herself out there to help provide what help she can to both them and the other staff on hand.
With that said, Elise puts a lot more pressure onto herself than she lets on. The idea that the lives of others—her friends, family, and other allies—are in her hands remains firmly lodged in her mind, and balancing that fear against her own capabilities occasionally leads to her overexerting herself both on and off the field. Her own abilities in combat only serve to exacerbate that issue, as her Chi-Mechframe does not lend itself well to fighting on the front lines as many of her peers do.
History: The child of a Korean soldier-turned-translator and American businesswoman, Elise lived a fairly 'average' life in the United States. Much of her time and effort was spent towards academia, be they studying for exams or trying to look good in preparation for college and beyond. Things had been looking fairly good for her by the time she was in her senior year of high school, at least—her grades were good, all her applications had been put on the table, and all that was left was to see what accepted her and what didn't.
Pity that the Warped showed up when they did.
Despite efforts by the government to keep the Warped from crossing over the Atlantic, the monsters had reached the eastern shores of the United States within a few months. Living in New York was as much a blessing as it was a boon to the teenage Elise, who soon saw far more military presence in her day-to-day life as resources were diverted to protecting all of the rich businesspeople odd or egotistic enough to not take flight for greener pastures. But guns and steel were not enough to deter the first wave of Warped, who despite all odds managed to break through to the less fortified parts of the city and take them for themselves. Elise wound up critically wounded by the monsters as they eventually broke into the shelter they had been planned to weather the attack out in, and though many perished in the ensuing battle (her mother among their number), she and her father lived to see another day.
Rather than throw his life away chasing vengeance for his wife, though, Elise's father chose to prioritize his daughter's safety and the miracle that was her survival. Bringing the wounded Elise to a nearby medical facility, the old soldier found himself praying that she would live to see the morrow—and she did, though not solely due to the work of the medical staff on hand.
The years that followed were left a blur to Elise; though she had survived the encounter, she could see her father working himself to the bone in a desperate attempt to keep her safe—likely in part because he failed to keep his wife alive, or so she presumed. However, those days of being kept from trying to support him soon came to an end when a certain woman came to her home one day. She had been scouted, it seemed—her medical records off since the day of her mother's death—and was given the chance to either fight for the front lines or wait until the US government made their move to take her and do much of the same. Her father argued against joining such an organization, of course, but Elise chose to take the hand offered to her instead.
She had seen what hell the Warped had wrought, and rather than be forced into action anyways, being employed by an independent group seemed much less restraining. She had to do something with the second chance she had been given—doubly so if it was because of the monsters that took her mother from her—and to repay those who had been lost like this felt like the right thing to do.
Skills: Elise is actually well-versed in taekwondo, mainly in part due to her father's insistence that she pick up some sort of martial art for self defense and to attempt to connect with her cultural heritage. Besides that, though, she is multilingual, with Korean, English, and Japanese under her belt (though the last one was more incidental and less fluent, given what options she had back in high school).
She's also a fairly decent cook, even if she won't go out of her way to do so. When she misses the taste of home, though, expect her to slip into the kitchen to try and whip something up.
Abilities: Built from the core of an avian-based Warped, Selene is a Chi-Mechframe that leans towards long-range precision more than anything else. The halo that hovers atop the user's head works as an interface terminal that connects to the central system on the back remotely, allowing them access to rapid calculations and analysis of conditions to line up shots with ranged weaponry from afar. The 'wings' are connected to Selene in much the same way, enabling the user to fly in the air at whatever angle they so choose. This method of flight, though stable and maneuverable, comes at the cost of acceleration and reaction speed; this, of course, leaves the user ill-suited for close-range encounters.
Selene also comes equipped with a long-range sniper rifle, able to fire both standard ammunition and beams of light with incredible piercing power. Said rifle can either be used while attached to the arm (allowing for some degree of freehand firing) or as a separate weapon (in order to increase stability and precision).
Appearance: Casual outfit. Rather on the light side, but it's not her fault that this country (or most) is too damn hot for her in the summer... She's a tiny girl, just under 4'9.
Personality: Relentlessly laid back and upbeat, she doesn't really give the air of anyone who went through something as traumatic as a Warped attack, let alone barely survived it... although, that might be because she doesn't remember it at all. Although enthusiastic about trying new things, Jennifer is prone to getting distracted, and then going off to do something else... intentionally or not.
History: Ordinarily, one would have expected this foreign-born and raised girl to have absolutely no involvement in the goings-on in the middle of Tokyo. Any involvement on her part should have been transient, a mere exposure to the Warped before she returned to being half the world away in safety. Nobody was likely to go scouring through every possible foreigner to find those who could potentially control a Chi-Mechframe. Jennifer's involvement was anything but ordinary, however. There were three outcomes to those injured in a confrontation involving the Warped. The most likely was just that someone got injured, but they avoided being infected by an Echidna, and were at the mercy of normal medical technology. The second was that they would be correctly infected while helpless, and go on to become one of the Warped. The least likely outcome would be the parasite launching an incorrect infestation and kickstarting the healing processes to the point that everything would heal normally. Jennifer is an example of someone who got incorrectly infested, but was simply too injured for even accelerated healing to fix everything. What it achieved was to turn extensive, fatal injuries into survival in a condition that simply shouldn't have been possible. Certainly, nothing that modern medical techniques could address with much hope of quality of life. Fortunately, this impossible situation brought with it the possibility of some uniquely experimental treatment. Instead of building a Chi-Mechframe as a completely external apparatus, why not repurpose as much of it into an internal one as possible? Not only would this vastly improve Jennifer's condition, it would allow a valuable opportunity for teasing out disparate parts of Chi-Mechframes into isolated components to help with future development and refinement. The obvious upshot of this was that the foreign tourist also became an unexpected immigrant to Japan, having to adjust to a very different environment, plus addressing the remaining language barrier. She's adapted surprisingly well, being an upbeat sort to start with, although having a rather low-intensity job as a 'research assistant' that mostly means 'okay, we need to use you as a guinea pig again' certainly helps. With things now moving and Tokyo being the target of major action against the Warped... well, it's handy, because it means she's still somewhere comparatively local, especially while transitioning from a more research-focused position to an active combat one. It's also handy because it means that she has plenty of time to actually pack her things up the four or five times needed to not leave anything behind.
Skills: Jennifer's skills are somewhat... odd. Her basic reflexes and co-ordination are preternatural, bordering on the superhuman, but things that take use of that? Not so much. She doesn't do any sports, she's not an athlete, not even particularly good at manual tasks. Her post-Mechframe state is improved in a lot of ways from before. The flip side is that her memory seems to have suffered, although generally improving: when prompted, she turned out to have a surprising amount of baking experience... and no recollection of how or when she ever learned it. Her scholastic record is similarly spotty. She tends to keep a notebook on hand with names and descriptions, just because of having forgotten people a few times.
Abilities: Albion's construction is rather unique, given its wearer's circumstances, and a portion of its abilities are actually available constantly... although without the full system and regulation provided by the rest of the armour, this would be completely unnoticeable if it wasn't so unusual for even a full suit to have: flight. Flight and manoeuvrability without seemingly any particular consideration to aerodynamics or obvious generation of thrust. Of course, without the armour, it's not like it's any faster than a running pace, dimensional considerations aside, but with it... As a complete system, Albion is exceptional for its speed and agility, which is very handy when it's comparatively limited in terms of both the punishment it can absorb and its offensive options. Jennifer doesn't have any particular combat-related skills to utilise, and the Mechframe doesn't come with much in the way of normal weaponry either. All it can do is release intense but melee-ranged energy blasts--primarily, and most powerfully, from the gauntlets attached, but it can come out of just about any extremity on the armour.
Other:: She doesn't really talk about how extensive her injuries were, but Jennifer's entire body seems to set off metal detectors.
Appearance: A bright and chipper young Japanese girl of average height for her age. See below for more detailed physical appearance.
Personality: A cheerful and exuberant, friendly girl. She always tries to see the best in others, and in spite of the dire situation that humanity faces she never seems to let anything get her down. To her, always pushing ahead, always keeping her head up, and always facing forward is the way she treats her life. Hoshiko is friendly to a fault, almost aggressively trying to get to know others and introducing herself with a smile on her face. She is perhaps a little too open at times, and can be a little senseless. She is deeply dedicated to the idea of protecting others and saving people, claiming that the reason she's still alive is because someone saved her, so she should pass it on. However, in spite of this bright exterior, Hoshiko's personality is not all that it seems. Deep down, she nurses a deep sense of survivor's guilt, which compels her to do everything she can to throw herself wholeheartedly into protecting others and making sure no-one else has to suffer. This is often to a dangerous disregard for her own safety.
But if she burns out protecting people... is it really so bad...?
History: Hoshiko was an ordinary Japanese girl before the Echidna struck. Even as the crises worsened, her family kept an optimistic attitude, certain that eventually everyone would pull through and that the next day could always be better, an attitude that imprinted itself on her heart. And indeed, it was in this way that they persisted. It seemed this optimistic attitude really was leading to better days, as parts of the world began to recover. Their hometown became a safe haven, not as secure as the big cities but still protected from any major threat.
The optimism could only last so long.
The semblance of normalcy in her hometown was shattered.
Preparing for a school trip to the local natural history museum, which both herself and her best friend Aoki Megumi were very excited about, an attack by a Warped that seemingly appeared from no-where claimed the lives of one of her teachers and many of her peers, leaving any survivors cripplingly injured before it was finally destroyed. Among those injured was Megumi, who suffered a crippling injury to her lower spine that would rob her of the use of her legs. As for Hoshiko, she remembers a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest as a piece of debris punched a hole in her heart. An injury that should have been lethal without immediate medical attention, and yet Hoshiko recovered miraculously the next day. This was because she had been infected, an Echidna parasite entering through the open wound and accelerating her healing process.
Now an asymptomatic host of the parasite, Hoshiko struggled with the quarantine. As soon as she was able to, she wanted to...
She didn't know what she wanted to do. She felt a hollow space inside of her. And yet, she kept smiling, because that was what had got her through everything before, right?
The first thing she did when she was able was to visit Megumi, who was still hospitalized.
She learned she would never walk again not long after.
When she was scouted, Hoshiko jumped at the chance.
She couldn't let anyone else suffer ever again.
Skills: Hoshiko is quite athletic, fast on her feet. She can think quickly, but is rather dense when it comes to school subjects. If you count eating as a skill, Hoshiko is quite accomplished.
Abilities: Hinotori is a high speed melee offense frame. It utilizes rocket boosters arrayed on the back of the armor to propel Hoshiko rapidly across the battlefield and through the air. her chief weaponry is her hands and feet, which she uses to deliver punches and kicks to her opponents. Her gauntlets and greaves are also equipped with boosters, allowing her to increase the amount of force put into each blow by a considerable amount. Highly maneuverable and capable of rapid pursuit, Hinotori allows for a considerable number of offense options in spite of being limited to punches and kicks. Additionally, by building power into a gauntlet, she can deliver an explosive punch for heavy damage.
Appearance: Monolithic 6'6'' (200 cm) with a muscular build. Scandinavian-born, the Norwegian is notably missing his right arm just below the shoulder. Four jagged scars horizontally across three-quarters of his front. The first across his pectorals lined up with the end of what remains from his right arm. The second, third, and fourth each spaced a few inches below: across the ribs, navel, and just below the belt.
Personality: Rune possesses an unyielding determination. Once he sets his sights on a goal, nothing can deter him. Challenges merely ignite his fiery resolve, driving him to surpass his limits. His unwavering commitment and perseverance make him a force of nature. When Rune gives his word, he moves mountains to honor it.
In the realm of emotions, Rune wears his heart on his sleeve, effortlessly revealing his innermost feelings. Yet, amidst his emotional transparency, he maintains a composed exterior. His cool-headedness allows him to clearly navigate emotionally charged situations, making sound decisions. However, beneath his calm facade lies a smoldering temper, ready to erupt when provoked.
Rune's relentless pursuit of perfection often becomes his own worst critic. He holds himself to sky-high standards and feels disheartened if he falls short. This self-critical tendency erodes his confidence and impedes his ability to appreciate his achievements.
History: In a desperate battle against the encroaching outbreak, Rune and his Scandinavian comrades united to defend their homeland. Trained to rescue survivors and evacuate danger zones, their mission was to minimize casualties and contain the spread of the Warped.
During a chaotic evacuation, Rune's squad faced a ferocious canine-like Warped. With innocent lives hanging in the balance, Rune made a split-second decision. He engaged the monster, diverting its attention while bolting toward the cleared combat area.
Despite his efforts, the beast relentlessly pursued Rune, closing in as he reached an open street where heavy firepower awaited. It was a race against time. As the creature lunged at him, Rune fought back with all his might, knowing his survival was uncertain. The blow threw him down the street, leaving him dismembered and gravely wounded.
Miraculously, Rune survived his mortal injuries healing in a matter of days. Only to be quarantined in a remote Icelandic research facility. After enduring years of humane experimentation, an opportunity arose when someone from Japan showed interest in him. Keen to reclaim his freedom and humanity, Rune eagerly seized the chance, longing to assist others while finding his own liberation.
Skills: He used to love tinkering with cars and machines. Circumstances as they were, these skills fell by the wayside. He did find an appreciation for cooking, finding it easy enough to do most things in a kitchen with one hand. He's no expert, though, having only begun learning in the last year or so.
Muscular and notably strong, He spends a portion of every day exercising. Though not the most dexterous or quick, his endurance is unreasonable.
Rune speaks Norwegian, English, and he's been diligently studying Japanese from the moment the organization first contacted them. It took some time for all the arrangements to be made so he has a principal understanding of the language, even if some things get lost in translation.
Abilities:A bulwark of protection! His Frame matches his body, only having the left arm. Peculiarly it has no weaponry, only a large shield. The carapace covers his entire body offering incredible defense at the cost of air maneuverability. However, what he may lack in aerial agility, he more than compensates for with raw, unbridled strength and unparalleled endurance.
With explosive force, he can leap to incredible heights and run with impressive speed. He uses this strength and defense to pummel and delay their opposition while providing ground support. Effectively acting as an obstacle on the battlefield.
He theorizes that his weapon was linked to his dominant arm, but he only has the shield without it.
Appearance: Rozaliya has a lean, athletic build and is of above average height for a woman at 5’ 8”. She was a soldier even before becoming a Frame pilot and as such is in good shape. Her blonde hair is messy and unruly, her eyes a pale shade of blue and her facial features sharp and angular.
Personality: Outside of the battlefield Rozaliya is exuberant and boisterous; she carries herself with an excessive amount of cheer, speaks with excessive volume and familiarity and generally has exaggerated mannerisms. On the battlefield she is much more taciturn and focused on the job, but also has a tendency towards recklessness.
History: As a teenager Rozaliya never expected that she would have to live through an apocalypse. Growing up in the Southern-most parts of Russia, near the coast of the Caspian sea, her life before the Warped appeared was normal, mundane; she often complained that things were too normal, her slow-paced life boring and uneventful and there were times when she dreamed of living an exciting existence in interesting times. Spending the last years of her teens and the first years of her twenties as a soldier and then an experiment was not what she had in mind.
If the Warped had never appeared, she would have finished high school and attended university in a big city somewhere as an art student. On graduation she would have looked to emigrate to America, so she could live in New York where thing happened and she could become a famous artist. Instead she found herself enlisting in the army, her family and most of her friends consumed by the expanding tide of… things spilling out from the west. She found herself, gun in hand, fighting for her life against monsters.
Two years ago, Rozaliya was on patrol on the outskirts of a town in what was considered to be a fairly safe area. So safe that she and the other soldiers with her couldn’t help but let their vigilance slip a little as they walked the same routes they had all walked dozens of times without incident. But this time, there was a Warped. Just the one, but that was all it took to tear her chest open and kill most of the others. By the time the creature was put down, there was just one other survivor besides herself, who very graciously dragged her all the way back to town in an attempt to save her life.
It wasn’t until she was being examined by the surgeons that it became clear her survival had more to it than just good luck.
Skills: Rozaliya is an artist; or at least, she was trying to become one. She likes to think she was pretty good, though she hasn’t painted or drawn anything in years. More practically, because of her years spent as a soldier fighting the Warped she is decently skilled in the use of firearms and explosives, mostly through experience as any training she had was hastily completed. Aside from that she is multi-lingual, able to speak both Russian and English fluently and has been learning Japanese since being recruited as a Frame pilot.
Abilities: The abilities of this Chi-Mechaframe suit should be fairly obvious due to the rather prominent features it has; the large red blades protruding from its forearms are an effective weapon, capable not only of cleaving through even steel but also of conducting a powerful electric current through the entirety of their length. The suit also includes a prehensile tail tipped with spikes that are equally as sharp as the arm blades, but lack the electricity. Further, the suit boosts the wearers physical abilities beyond human levels; not by a lot, but enough that cutting through metal is not a chore.