Cast - Choose Your Character

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Bianca 'BB' Robinson

"Can we, NOT, do the crazy stuff?"

Bianca is always the cautionary voice among the group, though is often ignored. Whether it's walking through the woods, staying late at a carnival, or searching for missing friends, Bianca doesn’t want a part of it. The most daring things to her are only checking her homework one time before the due-date, and admitting her feelings to Tukk. Jess is always trying to get her out of her shell, being Bianca’s foil, and Bianca is always trying to reel Jess in. The push and pull only strengthens their sisterhood however, as Bianca trusts Jess more often than not. Even when it’s with things she is sensitive about…

"Wounds in the Mirror"

Self esteem isn’t Bianca’s strong suit. Her weight causes her issues, even though she is only 10-20 lbs heavier than other girls, they can be brutal. And her mind can be even worse. She is the opposite of Jess; shy, reserved, and quiet. To win Tukk’s affections, she tries to lose weight with the help of Jess (though she didn’t have to), but it doesn’t work, so she gets a girdle. This becomes a weapon used by Rol and Sig to hurt her in Tukk’s name. Normally, she would be the calmer voice, but her hurt has her lash out. The fallout of this has yet to be shown,

"Origins Unknown"

One mystery that hasn’t been brought up yet is Bianca’s origins. She is a Felenid who lives with the only Ave family in B.D. Species can’t interbreed, but even if they could, Porter is white.

Chryler Drakees

"Nation Above All"

Chryler is a solid patriot, a willing cog in the machine. He detests formal declarations of it however, and views them as vain attempts at garnering other’s attention. This comes to the detriment of most of his colleagues, and ‘more’. Cut-throat and merciless, he believes the ends justify the means, and to be right one only has to serve their country. For all of his efforts however, he has always been second-in-command to the undeserving Porter. He will never admit it, but he sees the blatant prejudice going on concerning Felenids, he just believes this is just due to his indoctrination. He tolerates the injustices, lying in wait for his time to come.

"Crack in the Stone"

For all of his rigidity and his hate-filled persona, Chryler has a weakness. That weakness’ name is Douglas Derman. If anybody could break his exterior, it was the joker of the battlefield. This was cemented when Doug saved Chryler’s life by taking a molotov cocktail to the back and carrying Chryler to safety. While Chryler has a nasty facial scar, Doug’s entire back is hairless along with half of his tail, and Chryler would know…

"Unwilling Veteran"

 For all of his quotes and quips of loyalty and patriotism, Chryler is something that is against his country’s values; gay. Carnos must multiply according to their doctrines, and Chryler knows this. But the only thing that has ever given him hesitation in his faith in his country is his love for Doug. They have many strains in their ‘relationship’ however, all brought upon by Chryler’s pride and sense of duty.

Jack Robinson

"SSDD"

Jack is an Ave, something he’s reminded of almost daily. Once he lived happily as a member of the Klaus family, now he is lucky to be on the Packball team. He was going to be the towel boy, but Tukk aggressively took that role from him. As much as he would love for things to go back to the way they were, he doesn’t share Tukk’s delusion, and tries to just scoot along day by day unnoticed. While he appreciates the gesture, and indulges in it sometimes, he wishes Tukk would calm down with calling them brothers. He hopes to one day leave B.D and find a place where he can just be a normal guy. Until then, it’s SSDD.

"Secret Family"

Cursed with a beak, as he would say, Jack has a family he can’t acknowledge. A secret son, a barred brother, he is many things that tear him up. At least Tukk fights to call him brother, and says they still are, Porter on the other hand has to distance himself. He blames Rol like the others. Now he sleeps in a hammock in a shack in the woods.

By the end of arc 3 he will have nearly completely phased out referring to Porter as his father.

"Retired Joker"

In the earlier pages of the comic Jack cracks jokes very often. However over the course of the story he has lost a bit of that, becoming more somber and reclusive as a result of the prejudice he faces. He reacts in the opposite way of Jess; where she tries to ignore it and fit in regardless, Jack just distances himself. The only time he tells jokes now is in the safety of his friends.

Jess Robinson

"Glitter and Glam"

A frugal fashionista, Jess tries her best to keep up with the other students’ trends, or set her own. She often has to deal with hand-me-downs and what her mother Mersala can make her, asking her to mimic the clothes of the other kids. If she isn’t dressing herself up, she is chasing around the other girls trying to give them makeovers. While the others find it annoying, Jess finds it therapeutic. Many fashions and makeups are designed for the other species, not Aves. So she gets to live vicariously through them…

Her fashion will evolve particularly in arc 3, as the new influx of people into B.D allows for outside influence. It will be VERY early 2000’s/late 90’s; rhinestone vests, berets, and more.

"Strut the Pain Away"

As an Ave, a lot of bad stuff happens to Jess. Between being kidnapped, skipped over for cheerleading, or just having people make fun of her, she takes it in stride and tries to ignore it. Moreso, she tries to stop Sierra’s attempts to help, not wanting to stir the pot. Jess hopes one day that the other girls will change their minds about her and let her fit in. Vera is the worst about picking on Jess, making it her goal at every moment to tease her on sight. Jess hopes to be her friend someday, but that will never happen. In turn, Jess is the meanest to Rol next to Sig, though this changes in arc 3. 

"Dreamer"

Dream big they say, and Jess does. Her tendency to ignore her problems and others' hate for her lets her dream of being an actress, a fashion designer, and more. The chances of an Ave being anything more than a servant in B.D are slim to none, but Jess believes if she works hard and takes everything on the chin, she will succeed. Big dreams…if only.

Is there any way she could be MORE of an outcast? Well…no, that’s just playing. Girls hold hands all the time, and tell each other they are pretty. It doesn’t matter that ONE girl makes her feel a bit more giddy, it’s just because they are BEST friends, right? Friends ride ferris wheels together…

'Lee' Drakees

"Top Dog"

Lee is the head honcho of every situation he involves himself in. Popular at school? Check. Has the top cheerleader on his arm? Check. Best Packball player? …Let’s skip that one. Lee exudes confidence and coolness everywhere he goes, and it’s infectious. Especially for Sierra, who models her ‘cool’ persona off of him. Someone who it does NOT spread to as well is his ‘father’ (genetic donor more like) Chryler, who does not like his rebellious nature at all. Neither does his brother Sig, but those couple of stuck-up bozos wouldn’t know fun if it hit them in their nose.

A nose that Doug says is his…

"What Men Do"

A downside to his positive masculinity and bravado is a heaping dose of toxic masculinity. He is forward with Vera (really ANYONE), and tells people to suck up their issues. While these are bad traits, he does help his friends and tries to do good. Like when he is the only person to hear Tukk out after the note fiasco and brings Sig to justice. He even rallies the others to go fix things, even if he does it a bit brashly. He tries to model himself after his not-but-kinda-adoptive-dad Doug, though he is a bit more crass. When Doug gets hurt Lee goes on a rampage and tries to kill Cairfax with a friggin’ door he ripped off the hinges. To be fair, we WAS doped up on experimental military enhancements, but hey who hasn’t been?

"What Men DON'T Do

The downsides keep coming, as while Lee feels he CAN do anything as the top dog, there are things he forbids himself from doing as well. Even if they are natural to him, he represses a lot. For example, his goggles are more than just a fashionable piece of eyewear, as he has a penchant for crying when he is emotionally stressed. He also isn’t as brave as he puts off sometimes, cowering with Tukk at Lio. He also doesn’t tolerate talk about camp because obviously ONLY GOOD THINGS HAPPENED THERE. This even extends to his name, ‘Lee’. It’s actually not a traditionally masculine name, so he goes by Lee. It’s actually-

Sierra Derman

"One face seen, one face felt"

Sierra is two-faced, but not in a bad way. She weaponizes her anxiety into aggression to scare away people who threaten her friends (almost exclusively Jess), but tries to act cool in an imitation of Lee. This hot and cold has her stressed out often, as she doesn’t REALLY know how to act in most situations. Often it leads to her bottling up her anxiety until she gets home or someone does something marginally offensive to Jess so she can vent it out. 

Speaking of Jess~~ Sierra has an obvious crush on her. Like, BAD. No hiding it, but nobody really notices because they’re girls. Of course girls hold hands and play around. But Sierra truly loves Jess, willing to sacrifice herself to save her at the Carnival. If only they could be more than friends

"Straight to the Point"

Mincing words, or actions, isn’t Sierra’s strong suit. If she thinks you’re trying to offend her, you’ll know it. Even if she is scared, she will stand her ground in every situation. As for actions, well, she stole a hammer from the Carnival and tried to bring it to school…

"Intolerance of Intolerance"

A good way in Sierra’s mind to stop bullying is to bully back, and she does often. Vera is often the target of her retaliations, though sometimes it has been just random carnival workers as well. Someone who also is in her crosshairs often is her own father. She doesn’t understand his reactions to Jess and Jack and flags them as just more hate. This causes quite the strain on their relationship, as Doug doesn’t have the heart to tell her about his past, and she doesn’t have the heart to tolerate his perceived prejudice. 

Rola 'Rol' DiCaertes

"Social Outcast"

Rol can’t seem to fit in anywhere, though she tries. Having lived a sheltered life with her father before the events of the comic, Rol never grew up with other kids. She is still acclimating to having Tukk as a friend, and prefers to just play video games alone (or with him). Rol tries to fit in with the other kids multiple times, but it never seems to work out. The other members of the Mystery Club just remember her hurting Tukk, or use her as a lightning rod for their anger. She tries to supplement her lack of social skills with other means, magazine articles and carnival makeup stands. She often comes off as aggressive, so her attempts to fit in seem fake, though she genuinely tries. This extends to general society as well, as she would rather do things her way over what is traditional. One being her conflict resolution…

"Lets Get Physical"

Rol has two fists and less words for people who mess with her. She’s found that using violence is often the easier way to get what she wants. She often serves as a physical defender for Tukk. When Cairfax hurts Tukk, Rol’s solution is to end Cairfax, and almost forgets to give Tukk his shot in her need for revenge. Unfortunately she can’t punch all of her problems away, though she may try. She also tries this for other people’s issues, though not always in a painful way. When Tukk is hurting, she tries flirting with him, not knowing how to talk to him (they didn’t cover that in the magazine). 

"Rules for Thee, not Me

With her more insular mindset, Rol is quick to fall into sectarian beliefs. She knows that interspecies relations aren’t allowed in B.D, yet…She is willing to go to extreme measures to get what she wants, even helping Sig in his plot against Tukk. Though she feels bad for it afterwards

Sigmuend 'Sig' Drakees

"Uneven Scales"

Sigmuend is a smart kid. According to him, the smartest person around. So he sees how things are skewed against him. He also sees how it’s stacked against Aves, but that’s not HIM, so…Anyway, Felenid get advantages over others in B.D, particularly Tukk gets special treatment over Sig. While the others see it, Sig is the only one who will do something about it. When Tukk ALSO gets a girlfriend in Bianca (whom Sig has just started to notice…), Sigmuend decides then and there to even the scales…

"Inherited Ambition"

Feeling he DESERVES recognition, Sig will do whatever it takes to get what he feels he has earned. Even if that means hurting his friends. In arc 2 he formulates a plan to ‘level the playing field’ between him and Tukk, and recruits Rol into his scheme. After using his homework to forge a mean-spirited letter, Sig hopes that Tukk would be brought to size and his own achievements would be seen. To do this, he ends up with help from the least likely source, his warden/father Chryler. As the arc goes along he has his father’s shadow following him, poisoning his mind and pushing him further away from his friends. 

From the Shadows

Speaking of shadows, Sig would never do a direct confrontation however, he skipped that from Chryler. Instead he breaks into the school to get information to pick off Tukk’s closest friends one by one. For all of his pride and sense of worth, Sigmuend is a bit of a coward, like at camp. He is not one for direct confrontation, and panics when he is found out. When Lee corners him, he cries out to Chryler for help. This will change in the comic however, as Chryler’s influence gives Sig some confidence. He still prefers the indirect approach however, but how long can he harbor this anger at people who only wanted to be his friend? 

Tukker 'ukk' Klaus

"Naivety Manifest"

Always the peacemaker, Tukk believes that everyone can get along if they try hard enough, though this changes throughout the course of the comic. In particular, even though she is the reason his eye is damaged (and tangentially why it gets fixed), Tukk wants his friends to forgive Rol and accept her. This extends to more than just his friends, as he tries to talk down the Intruder at camp as they actively try to harm him. He also believes that his family can just be ‘fixed’ by moving Mersala and co back into their house. 

"Truth above all"

Honest to a fault, Tukk speaks his mind, often to others' detriment. This comes from not only his sense of good for others, but in opposition to his father, Porter, who hides things from him often. This leads to Tukk having a disdain for lying and secrets, even simple ones. For example, when Jack tells him about Bianca’s crush, rather than go with their plan to slowly hint at each other, Tukk proceeds to shout his feelings at Bianca. Another time he is at a rally with his father and Director Fellen where he sneaks onto the mic and says a few choice words. 

Though there IS something he is a bit shy about…his feelings for a certain Canin. This is something that he has just started to think about however, as he just went through the ringer recently in that department. Even though inter-species relationships aren’t allowed in B.D, surely they will see the truth later right? After all…how was Tukk born with Mersala as his mom?

"Privileged Rule-Breaker"

Tukk’s naivety and penchant for the truth ultimately come from his position as Porter’s son. He CAN say his mind, and doesn’t HAVE to hide his feelings, because Porter’s place in B.D allows him to wave away most things. And the things he can’t, Porter can…remove. This leads to Tukk believing he can just change people’s minds about deep seated hatreds and beliefs. He doesn’t understand that HE can call Jack his brother, but Jack can’t back, as that’s what caused the split in their family. Not only that, but Tukk is privileged AMONG the privileged, as citizens of B.D are all upper-class citizens and workers for Fellen. Enough so that Porter could just adopt Rol when her father was removed to be his playmate. So Tukk can break rules, but others can’t, which causes some obvious tension.

Porter Klaus

"The Masks We Wear"

If Porter can do one thing well, it is masking his emotions. When you’re in love with an Ave, and they are the current focal point for a long-lasting hate campaign, you have to learn when and how you can express that love. The whole reason he went to B.D was so he could bring Mersala, his “Trophy”, to a place of relative safety. To do so however he has to give off the impression that he doesn’t care about her (or the Ave kids) so no one suspects he loves them. For a time before the events of the Side Chapter in Arc 1 Mersala lived with Porter as his ‘maid’, but behind closed doors they were just a normal couple. 

Throughout the comic Porter feels he has to do bad things for the good of his people, and this is shown with him ‘losing his colors’. While this does allow him to protect his family, it has its downsides. Families have been broken apart due to it (he exiled a father to work manual labor in the mines to save Jack), Tukker has a strained relationship with him and can’t trust him, and he can’t call Jack his son (to his face at least), though he raised him. On top of all of that, as he has gotten older and repressed so much, the mask is starting to fall apart. There is only so long he can hide his true feelings and intentions from his authoritarian leaders… 

"Change from Within"

Porter hopes to change the current system from within it. A creed that Carnos hold is that “Might makes Right”, if you want to change the way things are then get stronger and own your own land to govern, like Director Fellen has done with B.D. Porter however wants to vie for influence within B.D and change things that way. He sincerely believes the only way that his family can be happy and whole is to play the game better, not knowing (or willfully ignoring) that the game is rigged against them. When Director Fellen gains an interest in Tukker, Porter starts trying to teach Tukk how to navigate their authoritarian, borderline fascistic system. 

"The Image of a Hero

Porter is a war hero; he lead a small team consisting of himself, Douglas Derman, Chryler Drakees, Mersala. A statue commemorating their victory is erected in downtown B.D. Unlike the other members of his team, he is still actively working, mostly to keep his image and status to push for his ideals. The downside to this being him having to keep a social distance from his family, he can’t risk people finding out about their interracial status until he has the power and position to enforce it as law. So…until then…he is nothing more than a lapdog to Fellen trying to earn his family, to the point that he actively hides his occupation from Tukker, telling him he is a Geologist.

Jack Robinson

"SSDD"

Jack is an Ave, something he’s reminded of almost daily. Once he lived happily as a member of the Klaus family, now he is lucky to be on the Packball team. He was going to be the towel boy, but Tukk aggressively took that role from him. As much as he would love for things to go back to the way they were, he doesn’t share Tukk’s delusion, and tries to just scoot along day by day unnoticed. While he appreciates the gesture, and indulges in it sometimes, he wishes Tukk would calm down with calling them brothers. He hopes to one day leave B.D and find a place where he can just be a normal guy. Until then, it’s SSDD.

"Secret Family"

Cursed with a beak, as he would say, Jack has a family he can’t acknowledge. A secret son, a barred brother, he is many things that tear him up. At least Tukk fights to call him brother, and says they still are, Porter on the other hand has to distance himself. He blames Rol like the others. Now he sleeps in a hammock in a shack in the woods.

By the end of arc 3 he will have nearly completely phased out referring to Porter as his father.

"Retired Joker"

In the earlier pages of the comic Jack cracks jokes very often. However over the course of the story he has lost a bit of that, becoming more somber and reclusive as a result of the prejudice he faces. He reacts in the opposite way of Jess; where she tries to ignore it and fit in regardless, Jack just distances himself. The only time he tells jokes now is in the safety of his friends.

Mersala Robinson

"Everyone's Mom"

Mersala cares deeply for all of the kids, and tries to mentor them. Even Rol, who is a newer member of the group. Though Tukk isn’t formally allowed to call her mom, she promotes it in secret. While Mersala can’t afford to give the kids presents, gaming consoles, and new clothes, she does cook them loving homemade meals with ‘secret stuff’, and make them clothes when she can find the time. Currently the only way she can make money is by textile work, as she is good at it and doesn’t have to interact with other Carnos. They pay bottom dollar for work done by Aves, so she has to work everyday just to not break even with buying (and scavenging) old fabric. When she isn’t keeping an eye out for scraps, or watching the kids, she has to keep an eye out for vandalism. A rough life for an undeserving and good woman, though it wasn’t always this way…

"Unwilling Servant"

Sadly, Aves are treated as 3rd or 4th class citizens in B.D, so Mersala tries to keep the kids out of sight and out of trouble. Bow, curtsy, keep your beak hidden, all to placate the hate. Sadly this is a better fate than outside B.D, and it was a fiasco for Porter to get them in in the first place. When the kids were younger, in middle school, Mersala and Porter used to live together under the guise as his maid. Behind closed doors however they lived a very peaceful life of equality and love. Porter and Mersala have been together for a very long time, and while it certainly has had its strains and issues, has remained strong, if not secret. This is only going to get more tested however, and the comic goes on. It all has to hit a head at some point…

"Shoot to Kill"

All of this loving care and feigned servitude go to the wayside when the kids are in danger however, as is shown when she shoots a guy’s arm off for hurting them. This isn’t something that would be out of the ordinary as well, as Mersala owns quite a few improvised and crafted weapons hidden in her home. While she trusts Porter, she trusts her trigger-finger more. Jack has made a few guesses at her past, none close to ex-military. Mersala’s history as a field operative, and her continued activity and practice to keep the kids safe, has her almost at the level of Chryler in combat effectiveness, if only for his penchant to get in melee range. 

Douglas 'Doug' Derman

"Last Call My - "

Doug has a bit of a habit. He likes to drink, and fight. Most of his appearances in the comic are either fighting something, drinking his pain away, or trying to set a good example for his kids. Sierra is his biological daughter, and Lee is his adoptive son, though not formally. Currently they live in a bit of a dingy house due to Doug’s neglect of common chores next to Chryler. In the upcoming arc however employs the former carnival workers.

"Burning Love"

Turns out, you can be a lover AND a fighter, as Doug fights ferociously for the ones he loves, and sometimes fights the ones he loves ferociously. He and Chryler have had some…’lovers quarrels’. But Doug doesn’t just put his hands on Chryler (lol), as he throws down with a mutated Cairfax with no hesitation for the kids. Infact, the only thing has has stopped him in the past is, well, his past, as he is haunted by visions of Aves from A.D he killed. These tend to crop up whenever he sees fire for extended periods (leading him to not be the best chef) or he interacts with Aves for too long. Especially if they are in distress.

This fear is taken by Sierra as just more prejudice, as it seems every time Jess comes around Doug orders her away. This hurts Doug quite a bit, as he loves nothing more in this world than his kids, and his own weakness is driving Sierra away. Mersala tries to explain to Jack at one point that Doug’s feelings are different, but it doesn’t stick. If only she knew what Doug has done for the Robinson family, like building their house and providing Mersala with a way to defend herself. But his mental scars keep him from having a more visible connection with them, though as the comic goes and Sierra and Jess become closer, Doug will keep trying to push against the fire.

"Battle-Scarred"

Not all of Doug’s wounds are psychological, though they don’t show as easily as Chryler’s. It hasn’t been shown in the comic yet, but the entirety of Doug’s back up to the back of his neck is scarred and hairless, along with half of his tail and part of his jawline from a molotov he took to the back to save Chryler in A.D. The drinking helped when he first got the scars, and the drinking stayed…

Doug DOES have ptsd from his service however, He frequently sees his past whenever he is reminded of fire or Aves. He doesn’t let this cause him to hate Aves however, he just avoids them. The guilt eats at him, burns him from the inside. Doug, not having someone to talk to about these things, fights fire with fire and drinks himself into a stupor to banish the figments of his past.