amelia notes v0.1

I'm going to expand on the model sheet with some of this info but I may as well dump it on you for now, in case it serves any inspiration ---

summary

I'm working on a comic about a tomboy who's fiercely competitive by nature, but during middle school she learns this makes her unpopular and hard to put up with. So she suppresses it and by high school she becomes the council's super serious secretary, but she feels socially-stifled and wants to have fun again.

> She normally has blue hair, but dyes it brown as part of her facade; the dye dissipates if she gets wound up/excited
> She's a huge weeb - reads manga online, gives herself a Japanese nickname like Ai-chan, drops Japanese loanwords, has Japanese fetishes - but keeps it to herself or really close friends
> When someone brings her out of her shell, whether out of kindness or arrogance, she blitzes them at the event of their choice without fail; she treats these lapses of self-control as her "supreme darkness form", showing chuunibyou traits

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change of character

My first design for her was fine enough, if a little basic, but the longer I thought about it the more I realised Conner [the main character of the comic] would be interacting with her a lot anyway (infraction-induced complaints from teachers and club leaders), and all the energy in their dynamic was generally one-sided, she was reduced to the stock girl-of-the-group-in-a-webcomic 'clucking hen' archetype against someone who theoretically had a lot more to offer. So she changed from 'stoicly dealing with his bullshit' to 'passively/playfully antagonising him', to 'both of them trying to embarrass/piss each other off' to developing a relationship... and she just seemed like all the more fun a character to be proactive rather than reactive.

Now instead of a person that sort of shows up to threaten expulsion, she has her own issues as a troubled teenager and her own quirks. And rather than necessarily orbiting around Conner's story, there's enough to work with that she could theoretically have her own stories, while being a greater parallel/contrast to Conner himself. He has a recurring rival/antagonist.

> both are socially-handicapped to different degrees and have self-esteem issues that they try to fight, on top of issues that they vew as defense mechanisms (Conner's "me vs the world" attitude, Amelia's self-control); they both try to help each other overcome them
> he reads comics, she's a big weeb, they slowly assimilate each others' tastes
> both respect one another (Amelia is a standard of aptitude that Conner wants to beat out of pride, Conner as a club-trotting non-councillor from a different family has freedom and confidence that Amelia desires)
> both piss one another off (smug winning Amelia winds up Conner badly, rule-ignoring blockheaded Conner frustrates Amelia immensely)

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losing on purpose/learning to improve

When Amelia demolishes someone at a game, does she treat it like she barely won or does she rub it in their face? Or does it depend on the person's attitude? The prototype Bakugo from pre-serialization MHA was supposed to be this super-chipper "you can do it if you try" archetype that would piss people off by being unintentionally condescending, I'm wondering if Amelia is the same way, like does she go "that was a close on I barely made it" to be an intentional ass or just clueless.

Anon: There's also the possibility that she could lose games on purpose and her lack of anger/malice/bitterness over a loss rubs the winner all the wrong ways. [/A]

That's even better. Either they short-circuit because they don't know how to react, or they realise they're being patronised and get even angrier than if they'd lost conventionally. I think up to a certain extent it would backfire though - the person would stop getting angry and just be dejected or feel resignation, and that would make Amelia feel bad (pushing things too far). Since she's strong at games and sports, it'd be nice to see her flustered in social situations that she loses control of, and then practice to save face for the next time it happens. Getting peoples' contacts on a smartphone or Discord to talk to them, studying books and videos on reproduction, observing slang in action, etc. Having a character that improves as we see them, rather than having them just make a declaration of intent/progress.

I feel like if Conner were attracted to her then he'd hold off on making a move until he could legitimately beat her at something. Alternatively he gives up on the rivalry early on and starts trying to find a "worthwhile" partner to keep her occupied

Anon: > studying books and videos on reproduction
So she watches porn online like any other teenager in this day and age.
That would humanize her immediately if she's seen as some sort of perfect being. Perfect blackmail material for Conner to keep for emergencies. [/A]

> So she watches porn online like any other teenager in this day and age.
Absolutely, she's addicted. She's probably more into doujins but she'd watch videos for curiosity's sake. Might be stereotypical to make her a BL fan if she's into doujins though - more futa, lesbian, tomgirls, incest etc. (Conner's favorite smut artist is just her under a pseudonym. It would kill him inside if he knew.)
> Perfect blackmail material for Conner to keep for emergencies.
> blackmailing a councillor
absolute madman

Anon: Sounds to me like you're setting those two up to hatefuck. [/A]

It's going to be 100% blueballs, straight up. It's gonna be great.

Anon: I expect Rudy [Conner's step-brother, unwanted-harem protagonist kind of character] will make fun of them both. [/A]

Anon: > she realises he's a sore loser so she loses on purpose to try and placate him, it backfires
> she beats him badly to make up for it, it backfires
> she tries to get him to take the lead and hatefuck her, he acts dense out of spite/insecurity
Someone in this story is going to get murdered
>>111397052
> Conner acting smug/giving advice when Rudy complains about beating boys and girls off with a stick
> Shoe's on the other foot
> Conner refuses to vent to/seek help from Rudy, even though from his perspective it's all water under the bridge
(God help him if Rudy is jealous of Amelia)
Someone in this story is going to get murdered [/A]

Anon: Sure sounds like highschool, with all the hormones running rampant.
Maybe Conner is actually beating her at helping people, but it's not something either of them realize.
Like Conner's help to others actually lasts, like good medicine.
While Amelia's brand of help is more like a painkiller. [/A]

The medicine/painkiller analogy is very apt. I thought at first that Rudy should be the painkiller, since he's the popular kid always being asked for advice and expected to help with emotional issues, but it's all superficial wisdom or it walks you through every step of your self-recovery. Whereas Conner would get people to question and re-evaluate themselves. Rudy is always around to redispense help and hold your hand, while Conner takes an interest, says something foreign to your point of view, and then fucks off leaving you to take self-initiative. Perhaps Amelia's guidance as a councillor skews towards Rudy's style at first, but begins to adopt and adapt the 'foreign point of view' intentionally.