KAEDE "KAE" TSUDA

What would you do if one day, you realized that you'd been living someone else's life?

When Kaede was young, she did not socialize with others very well. Any time she would open up and express herself, she would be called awkward, or weird, or overly sensitive. With every rejection, Kae internalized one thing, over and over. There was only one way to get people to actually like her: just be someone else instead.

So, she got very good at being other people. She started to watch people, she learned to read them, and most importantly, she studied the unspoken social rules that had served as a barrier before. If there was a textbook, she'd have memorized the damn thing. Soon, she'd mastered the art of being perfectly likeable to everyone, with a mask for nearly every situation. But that's the thing about masks, isn't it?

If you wear one for long enough, everyone forgets what's underneath.

One day, the "real" Kae—or whatever was left of her—woke back up. The facts were this: she was a college dropout, working a minimum wage job, with a boyfriend who was picking out engagement rings. A boyfriend who routinely manipulated her and cheated on her, expecting her to tolerate it. And she had been tolerating it. She had no real friends, no real passions, and no real future. Over time, she'd hollowed out the parts of herself that she'd been hiding away, and now there was nothing of it left.

But she'd woken up just in time. Now, she just needed a push. A leap of faith.

TROPES & INSPIRATIONS

Much of Kaede takes inspiration from personal experience with undiagnosed neurodivergency, and the impacts it has on those who are capable of masking it well. As a result, Kae is a Stepford Smiler with Extreme Doormat tendencies, as her people-pleasing tendencies often prevent her from acting upon or even accessing her own emotions and opinions. I wanted to toy with the idea of what lies Beneath The Mask, and how distressing it is to be unable to distinguish your own thoughts from the ones you've adopted for the sake of social fluidity. The core of Kae's development involves Growing A Spine, as she reclaims her own inner life and becomes a bit braver.

In terms of direct inspirations, Jenna from the musical "Waitress" was a core touchstone for a lot of Kae's relationship with her ex, and how easy it is to fall into toxic cycles. Most of the characters from the Persona series could also be considered an inspiration, with Kasumi from P5R being the most obvious stand-in. Also, on vibes alone, Ryne from FF14, especially in terms of word choice and body language.

CURRENT PLOTS

STEP 1: GET A JOB

It is important to understand: Kaede is not an impulsive person. She'd once spent over twenty minutes working up the courage to ask for another drink at a bar. But on that fateful night—during a classic 3am panic attack—she'd decided to pick up her whole life and move to Hoenn... on very short notice.

Now, she's paying the price for it. She arrived in Hoenn with a few months savings and zero plan, so she is going to have to think fast, land on her feet, and adapt to her new life as quick as she can... or else.

SEEKING:

• employment opportunities! any and all.
• a mentor figure of some kind, whether they're rocket or league.
• some career path inspiration—Kae has no clue what to do with her life.

STEP 2: GET A LIFE

One day, Kaede came to an awful realization: "Kae" was nothing. She was no one. She'd spent her entire life wearing masks, tailored perfectly to be as likeable as possible, and now there's nothing of substance left underneath. When she'd rejected her ex's proposal, she'd just narrowly avoided losing whatever was left of her, and disappearing into him entirely.

At the very least, she's now aware of the problem... but she has no idea how to fix it. She has no hobbies, few prospects, and absolutely zero friends, as most had sided with JASON during the breakup. But at the very least, there's hope.

After all, Kae had chosen to come to Hoenn despite the tense political situation... or perhaps, because of it? Hoenn is a dangerous place, but it is undeniably full of adventure. It is as good a place as any to find oneself.

SEEKING:

• friends! kae needs some people on her side.
• role models, especially those who wear their hearts on their sleeve.
• adventure! kae is a civilian, but danger is always around the corner!

BATTLE FEVER

Realistically, Kae wouldn't consider herself a trainer.

Her few pokémon are more for the purpose of companionship, as opposed to battles. But in all honesty, Kae had never really given it a fair shot. She doesn't really like competition, as any outcome of a match is usually a lose/lose for a chronic people pleaser. Furthermore, while she'd supported JASON during his battling career, he'd been rather dismissive about her potential... though it'd been wrapped in his fake niceties and condescension, as usual.

But now, she's her own person. And with the knowledge of how expansive and welcoming Hoenn's gym system is, she can't help but feel a little itch inside of her. One that she thought she'd suppressed a long time ago. And now there's no one telling her that she's stupid for trying. Other than herself, anyway.

Inevitably, she is going to crash and burn, but least she can say she tried.

SEEKING:

• battles! wild threads! trainer stuff!
• someone to light a fire in her and get her actually invested.
• a thread or two with some gym leaders, to get her into gym battles.

OTHER PLOT HOOKS

PAST CONNECTIONS

• childhood friends from olivine, though she did not have many.
• university friends, especially those who have taken a different path.

NEW CONNECTIONS

• 
  

RELATIONS

ACQUAINTANCES & COLLEAGUES

• none

FRIENDS

• none

LOVERS

• JASON - ex-boyfriend. a toxic trainwreck of a relationship from start to finish.

FAMILY

• sidney tsuda - older sister. how did she end up so... self-assured? we couldn't be more different. still, we were close when we were young, even if we don't talk as much anymore. But now that we're so close to each other... there's no excuse!