In the Dojo (O.O.C. Chat - Session Zero)

[Silanon]

Just to provide a viewpoint - by and large, the Mutanimals do not see themselves as human. This is in large part because they are outside of human society and are treated so very differently, often feared on sight! Mutant animals have a wide array of perspectives on this subject - some like having anthropomorphic bodies and that's where their link to humankind ends. Others love having opposable digits, the gifts of language and learning, often powerful bodies, and most of all - a brain of the likes they did not imagine even existed when they were animals!

Thanks for the perspective - the way I'm envisioning it for her, she wouldn't define herself as human. She does, however, have the capacity of pretty human-like thoughts - and while others might embrace that as you wrote, she's reluctant at best. Complex thoughts come with a lot of doubts, fears, responsibilities and the like - quite easily a burden if one could instead just be a simple bird and not give a damn. That's one of the inner conflicts I'm looking at for her - that a humanoid mind is not always a blessing, but sometimes a curse as well.

 

[Purr]

For she is tainted with mankind's heritage, and part of that is the curse to care. To care enough, she knows, to forget today's lessons, to stand in for a cause that seems worthy enough.

In the name of capitalism, communism - ideology.

Silanon Here's another thing that might get under Alya's craw (annoy her) - she might be one of the few mutant animals that care about politics, humans killing each other, and human wars in general. Those mutant animals who aren't just trying to get by aren't fixated on human things but far more driven to care about animal matters - especially their own species.

One example: "Hey! I'm a mutant pangolin! Pangolins are the most hunted and most endangered species on the entire planet, Earth! They're hunted and killed everywhere they go! Humans sell pangolin body parts as luxuries for themselves! Why don't more people care about us?" That "us" there is very big in their world.

Most Mutanimals (in my world anyway) are just trying to get by from day to day. There are far, far too many humans and far too few people who fear Mutananimals. A thing many humans are right to fear! Mutant animals most definitely come in Miscreant, Aberrant, and Diabolic Ailgnments too!

I'm not recommending you change anything about Alya, mind - I... just realized I can't think of a single Mutanimal of my own creation that gives a darn about human politics. Most in my world think, "Who cares? Human politics are about humans - when is it dark again so I can try and move around San Francisco without someone spotting me and calling Animal Control, S.F.P.D., or worse? Me and my kids are hungry!"

That too might be something Alya's not happy about? She'd be far from alone there.

(More later. Real Life Strikes Again! Rawrz!)

 

[Silanon]

Here's another thing that might get under Alya's craw (annoy her) - she might be one of the few mutant animals that care about politics, humans killing each other, and human wars in general. Those mutant animals who aren't just trying to get by aren't fixated on human things but far more driven to care about animal matters - especially their own species.

One example: "Hey! I'm a mutant pangolin! Pangolins are the most hunted and most endangered species on the entire planet, Earth! They're hunted and killed everywhere they go! Humans sell pangolin body parts as luxuries for themselves! Why don't more people care about us?" That "us" there is very big in their world.

Most Mutanimals (in my world anyway) are just trying to get by from day to day. There are far, far too many humans and far too few people who fear Mutananimals. A thing many humans are right to fear! Mutant animals most definitely come in Miscreant, Aberrant, and Diabolic Ailgnments too!

I'm not recommending you change anything about Alya, mind - I... just realized I can't think of a single Mutanimal of my own creation that gives a darn about human politics. Most in my world think, "Who cares? Human politics are about humans - when is it dark again so I can try and move around San Francisco without someone spotting me and calling Animal Control, S.F.P.D., or worse? Me and my kids are hungry!"

That too might be something Alya's not happy about? She'd be far from alone there.

(More later. Real Life Strikes Again! Rawrz!)

Interesting insight - For me, that came naturally with the origin of hers, and felt right with her way of growing into her existence under ther circumstances she did (i.e. protected and surrounded by others of different non-human origins. Think I like that part about her, though - which means I might have found an area where to spend my skills, actually. Meant to go for a feral approach just like the one you described, but I'll find room for some skills on history and human nature.