Higa_Manami

Background
Off the shores of Okinawa, the diving is said to be fantastic, with amazing sights to be seen in clear waters, wonderful coral reefs to explore, and perhaps if you're lucky or blessed or favored by the gods, you might even see one of nature's most magical mysteries of all, the majestic, glorious mermaid!

And guess how many tourists that brings to the area each year, to escape the monotony of inland life and hit up the sea for some snorkeling or scuba diving, on the off chance that they might catch a glimpse of a creature of lore? Tons... and it was only a matter of time before someone cashed in on that.

Enter Manami (her given name), a real life maiden of the sea, and employee of the Hirata group, a tourism company based on Ishigaki island. Granted, she's less of an 'employee' and more of an 'asset,' but the distinction is a technical one. She lives on the tiny island of Hatoma, or rather is kept there, in a small home on the coast, mostly submerged and appearing quite like a rock to any who see it from the water.

Appearance
Manami is a slight girl, her body slender and lithe, with feminine curves where her hips widen slightly and skin transitions into silky scales. She appears to be somewhere around sixteen or seventeen years old, and she is fairly well endowed accordingly, her breasts full but not enormous enough to constitute an affront to physics. Her skin is a luscious creamy flesh tone and tail a soft, shimmering pink, and from her coppery red hair sprout her pearl-colored gossamer headfins, which move and pose to show her emotional state.

Personality
As an apparent one of a kind girl, Manami leans toward the shy side, and since the company she works for has tried hard to keep her sheltered and sequestered, she tends to be naive and curious about the world and those who walk on two feet across it. Boats scare her, as do most men thanks to her experiences with lecherous fishermen, but she is interested in females like her, eager for companionship and perhaps something more. She enjoys warm baths and relaxing swims with no destination in mind, and only recently has she started reading, and she very much desires to see the fantastical destinations described in the novels supplied to her. Her favorite food so far is sushi but she really really wants to try 'pizza' and 'hotdog'.

Abilities
Just like the mermaids of legend, Manami can breathe underwater, and has an exquisite singing voice, though she seldom uses it thanks to its sinister purpose (her voice, that is... it's hard to use breathing in a sinister manner). Designed to ensnare the minds and hearts of men in a web of seduction and hypnotic attraction, her song is more of a weapon than a thing of beauty... at least for men. Women who hear her find her voice emotionally moving and can feel her words resonate with their hearts, but it is extremely difficult to get her to sing voluntarily. For the most part she reserves it for personal defense, when she is being accosted by an overeager male.



OOC
There are several ways to set up a scene with Manami, and I figured I'd offer some options here! Please don't feel like you have to come up with something original and not mentioned here... the whole reason of putting them here is so they can be used. ^^;

• Divers and swimmers from nearby islands can conceivably make it to Hatoma from one of the other Okinawan islands.
• A fisher might have missed the message that the Hatoma fishing industry has died, and try to fish for tuna using dangerous, tricky nets.
• The untamed beauty of the island, free from mosquitoes and many other pests, offers an alluring destination for a hiking enthusiast.
• From time to time, employees of the tourism company stop by to work with Manami to arrange a surprise sighting by foreigners, or otherwise check up on her and ensure she is happy and healthy.
• The local Okinawan population (consisting of only one town) has a higher chance of spotting or noticing her even though she generally tries to remain hidden from them.
• The Hatoma school is often used as a destination for mainland Japanese students struggling with their classwork, and someone new to the island might be more willing to explore the far reaches of the island.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss anything with me, please do ask, I'm very approachable! Your best bet in getting an RP with me is if you have a firm grasp of the English language and you are laid back and cool out of character... Tightly wound players are a major pain. Oh, and bonus points if you have a profile picture for your character, though not a necessity! ^.^