.::OOC::. achtenberg Application

[rodless]

OOC Information;

Name: Fetchie
Personal journal: made_in_wonder
Contact Info: fetchie88
Characters played at Achtenberg: None~

IC Information;

Character Name: Malika Ishtar
Genderswap? Yes (Malik, in canon)
Character Series: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Character Age: 16

Campus Position: Student; paying out-of-pocket
Canon Background:YGO Wiki

AU Background:
Malika Ishtar comes from an Egyptian family of political protestors. The Ishtars believe all excavation of ancient Egyptian tombs should cease, with the treasures of the tombs returned to their original resting places. That Egypt has allowed its past Kings to be put on display, the Ishtars claim, is a symbol of how much it’s forgotten to honor its heritage.

Behind closed doors, the family’s true views are even more unusual: they have in their possession ancient texts that speak of three Gods and a nameless Pharaoh, who the historical record has erased. The Ishtars believe this Pharaoh will someday return and purge the Earth of evil - and the proof of his coming will be the Gods he wields. To keep these beliefs a secret, the “heir” of the family – the eldest male – is taught to read ancient Egyptian script, and on his tenth birthday has these ancient texts carved into his back. He also lives without contact with the outside world until his father’s death, at which point he takes over as champion of their cause. (Exposing the heir to modern ideals would only corrupt the child, after all.)

In the most recent generation, however, the chief Ishtar’s wife dies without giving birth to a son. She leaves behind her one adopted boy, nearly ten years old, and two girls: Isis and newborn Malika. Although the head of the Ishtar family had promised his wife Rishid could be heir if no son were born, he retracts his promise upon her death. Malika shall serve as temporary heir, he declares, as Isis is “too old” (at 4) and has been out in the world already. Instead, as soon as Isis is of child-bearing age, she’ll be married and will produce a son. Malika will no longer be needed.

Malika thus grows up with a complicated position in her family’s social circle. On the one hand, she’s set to be the first female heir in history: the first to be taught to read the prophecies and the first to undergo the initiation on her tenth birthday. She’s therefore treated with deference and respect among her (admittedly limited) social network: within the family, Malika’s position is second only to her father’s.

Said father, however, will never let her forget how little he wanted this stopgap measure, so Malika grows up being told that the moment a male heir is born, her worth as a human being will instantly cease. She’s determined for most of her young childhood to become the very best heir the Ishtars have had, hoping her father will permit her to remain in power.

The closer her initiation comes, however, the less she wants to inherit the family. She’s started to wonder what exists beyond the Ishtar household, and she’s terrified of the pain she hears taking the initiation involves. (Her father expresses doubt a woman will even be able to bear it.) She begins to poke around the Internet when her father’s not looking, grabbing information about the world however she can – backed up in this quest by her “brother” Rishid, who though passed over for her position in the family has devoted himself to her absolutely.

Afraid and resentful, Malika is dragged to the initiation on her tenth birthday, where her darker side develops as in canon. The events a year later also happen much like canon – now fed up with her only access to society being secret time spent on the Internet (and secret packs of “Duel Monsters” cards being smuggled in by her siblings), Malika convinces Isis to take her into town while Rishid covers for them. She loves the sights and sounds, captivated by all the different kinds of people, and wishes she could stay out longer.

The sisters run into an associate of their father’s in town, however, who wonders aloud whether even their trespass is the Pharaoh’s will. Unnerved and afraid the man will tattle, Isis urges Malika to head home quickly. They return too late: their father has discovered the deception on his own and is in the process of attacking Rishid with a ceremonial knife as “punishment”. When he believes Rishid has died, he turns on his own children, blaming Malika for what’d happened to Rishid and restating all the doubts he’d ever had that she’d be suitable.

Malika, unable to take this rejection, the thought of more pain and imprisonment, and the loss of Rishid, snaps. Her alternate personality surges to the fore, overpowering and murdering her father (while Isis watches). When Rishid awakens, Malika regains control of herself – but no memory of the immediate past. She panics upon seeing her father lying dead, wondering who’s to blame. When her father’s associate arrives and repeats his musings about the “Pharaoh’s will”, Malika jumps to a conclusion: this nameless Pharaoh her family has sacrificed everything for is returning after all. What’s more, he murdered her father, and will throw her entire family away.

Taking Rishid with her, Malika runs away from home that night, vanishing into the crowds of other beggar children in Luxor (the city she’s been living in). The siblings live hand to mouth while expanding their knowledge of the modern world, and Malika hits upon the popular “Duel Monsters” card game as a good place to start looking for the Pharaoh, as the monsters on the cards are inspired by carvings found in Egyptian tombs. The card game company has basically produced Gods for consumer consumption – and Malika’s determined to assemble the three rarest as proof she’s the chosen one of the prophecies, instead.

But if they’re going to defeat a King, they’re going to need an army. Rishid becomes involved in organized crime (though Malika always secretly has the last word), and Malika takes once more to the Internet, chasing down rumors and immersing herself in gaming culture. She discovers there’s quite the market for making a quick buck off of kids desperate for this gaming fad, and starts assembling a corps of Duel Monsters players known to stop at nothing to win. She christens her group the “Ghouls”, with her top players the “Rare Hunters”: card game maniacs who’ll help her track down the super rare “God Cards”. If she has to buy them, at least Rishid’s making the money. If they’re not for sale….well, that’s what the Rare Hunters and the other half of Rishid’s “career” is for.

Malika’s living quite a successful double life when the people Rishid works with begin to be suspicious of his motivations, as he’s attracting various people to himself instead of functioning as a cog in a grander machine. She tells him to put their plans on ostensible hold – and, furthermore, that she can conduct her own business long-distance so he has a reason to be on the phone at odd hours: his “dear little sister” is away at school. She’s always wanted to see America, and has the funds for nothing but the best right now – so it looks like Achtenberg is the way to go.

Besides, it’s high time she developed a following in person. Girls whose families have connections, as are likely to attend such a distinguished institution, just might fit the bill.

Personality:
Both canon Malik and Malika are selfish, manipulative, illogical, and cunning, capable of both grim, duty-bound maturity and thoughtless childishness. Malika lives her life for one goal alone: to avenge her father’s death, collecting the three God Cards in the process. Only then, she believes, will she be able to properly enjoy the outside world that intrigues and fascinates her.

In pursuit of her goals, Malika is ruthless; unless members of her immediate family (or people she considers family) are involved, she’s incapable of feeling remorse about using, tricking, or even outright murdering other people if these acts would further her plans. Empathy is a luxury she doesn’t believe she can afford. Ignoring what she sees as “family duty” is also out of the question: as she can’t take the thought that she might hate her father, Malika’s determined to reinterpret the Ishtar prophecies in a manner she can fulfill. If she doesn’t avenge him, she’ll have proven her father right: she was worthless all along, when she’d very much like to consider herself exceptional.

To prevent such an unthinkable outcome, Malika values careful planning. If crossed, she’ll make the best of the situation as long as she can – then scrap everything and get upset. Malika (and Malik) isn’t a revolutionary; rather, she tries to twist everything in her life to suit her own desires. Logic is her most common victim: the case above is both the most extreme and the most destructive, where “wait for the Pharaoh’s return, wielding the three gods” (itself an irrational belief) becomes “fulfill the prophecy oneself, ending the Ishtars’ exclusion from the world”.

Such twisted strains of illogic develop because Malika can’t divorce herself from her upbringing. She needs the security of considering herself a good heir even while disobeying the family’s tenets. Similarly, she adapts her life so that every aspect of it correlates to her revenge in some way: even the way chooses to dress (and she likes clothes – denial of modern material pleasures has made her materialistic) corresponds to the “image” she wants to project for the good of her plan.

Her conscientiousness about her wardrobe extends to an awareness of herself and the people around her. Malika insists on being in control at all times – but prefers pulling the strings instead of taking center stage. She’s quite the “backseat driver”: help Malika and you’ll be getting instructions and advice, whether you want them or not. An obsessive perfectionist who demands poetic justice from all of her schemes, her temper’s volatile. (And with Rishid in Egypt while she’s in America – plus the convenience of having everyone always “on call” – Malika calls and texts incessantly. A real multitasker, this one.)

Not that anyone at Achtenberg will see the “real” Malika if she can help it. As in canon, Malika hides her real personality behind a façade of friendliness – bordering sometimes on flirtation. She knows it’s far easier to manipulate people who like you than those who don’t, and her isolation from other people most of her life has actually made her a people person, intrigued by the workings of other people’s minds and psychology in general even if she’s never learned to empathize. Because of the double life she’s lived since leaving the Ishtar estate, this “nice” act is an even more constant tactic than the original Malik used – Malika can only truly be herself when she’s alone, or with Rishid, who she has grown to rely on more than she realizes.

Quite a lot of Malik’s personality manifests differently in the shift from “Malik” to “Malika”, in fact. Because she wasn’t her family’s heir by default, the feeling of entitlement characterizing male Malik is lessened in Malika: she instead feels the strain of enjoying the privileged position she’d been handed clashing with her father’s remonstrations. She’s also internalized the idea that, as a woman, she is both different than and inferior to the men in her life – so rather than try and fight men or openly beat them at their own game, she’ll try to use them instead.

Never one to accept the status quo, however, Malika has grown fonder of the idea of developing a legion of female followers than she realizes. It’d be the perfect contradiction of her father’s misogyny (though she can’t admit as much). Other women fascinate her – she’s attracted to them, but beyond that they’re a fairly unknown entity. She’s particularly drawn to those she senses are grappling with overwhelming issues themselves. They’re more desperate for companionship, for one, which makes worming into their minds and good graces all the more satisfying. And as the Ishtar heir supposedly out to “free her family”, Malika’s got an ego-fueled savior complex. If she can “fix” other people, then not only is she right, she’s also the center of someone’s universe. She’s wanted to believe she’s worth something all her life. It’s high time those around her started to notice.

Although Malika’s resolve and stubbornness are second to none – she never quits, no matter the obstacles in her way – she’s motivated by the same fears and yearnings she’s possessed all her life. Already fidgety and restless by nature, Malika doesn't like staying indoors too long and can be stopped in her tracks if she recalls her past vividly enough. More dangerously, if she feels herself or someone she loves is in danger of dying, her darker side may take control. This “dark half” revels in the pain Malika’s repressed, and is determined to lash out at everyone in its path, hurting them slowly and reveling in their suffering.

Fortunately for everyone in-game, the chances of this happening at Achtenberg are practically nonexistent. Malika herself has no idea she’s harboring this monster, though she’s hardly a model citizen as-is. She’ll certainly seem friendly and helpful, and will seek to surround herself with a large circle of friends.

But friends become followers so easily, and followers can so easily be made into subjects. It’s all part of the plan.

RP Sample: here and here (both ongoing)