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[heavenlyflame]

□ Name: Karen Kasumi
□ Series: X/1999
□ Canon point: End of volume 18.5

□ History:

This wiki should give a reasonable explanation of the series in general. For Karen, however...

There isn't all too much information given in regards to Karen's childhood. The earliest flashbacks of her, given in an extra at the end of volume 13, show her in the middle of a church (location not mentioned), her eyes sparkling as she watches little balls of fire float around her. No mention is ever made of her father; only Karen's mother is ever shown. What can be gathered from that short side story is that Karen and her mother are on the run, trying to hide from cults that wish to make use of Karen's unique pyrokinetic powers. Her mother sees Karen's ability as a curse from the Devil (the Kasumi family is, apparently, quite religious, with their beliefs rooted firmly in Catholicism) and frequently beats Karen, usually in response to Karen using her powers, but also simply because she fears her daughter and what her daughter might come to do with those powers. It's gets to the point where a neighbor is forced to call an ambulance to come take Karen away, due to the severity of the abuse. Karen's mother is killed in an accident during that time, hit by a car as she runs out into the streets in an attempt to get her daughter back.

It's unknown how Karen spends the rest of her childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, but she gains a job as a 'flower' (read: unofficial prostitute), works for various different soaplands (read: unofficial brothels) and eventually makes her way to Tokyo in 1999, where the series begins. It's also unknown (are we beginning to see a pattern here...) how she was informed that she was a Dragon of Heaven/one of the Seven Seals (the two titles are interchangeable) but it's something she's already well aware of when Kamui Shirou returns to Tokyo. She doesn't actively seek out the other Dragons; in fact, she doesn't even reveal herself to the group as a member of the Dragons of Heaven until everyone has gathered for Kotori's burial (though she meets both Sorata and Arashi, and Aoki on a separate occasion, she never divulges who she is).

She slips into her role as one of the Dragons of Heaven easily, working with the other Dragons to counter any attacks and moves made by the Dragons of Earth. It's during this time that she meets Nataku, a cloned individual who doesn't understand human motivation or emotion and who is a member of the Dragons of Earth, in a face-off. She becomes attached to him rather quickly, and he to her, and if it hadn't been for a rather rude interruption by Yuuto (another DoE), they most likely would have been able to come to quite good terms with each other. As it is, Yuuto and Karen, after a scuffle, come to a shaky compromise, agreeing to end the fight in order to tend to their injured compatriots (Yuuto to Nataku, and Karen to Aoki, who arrives after the battle has begun).

It's several weeks later that Karen, with Aoki in tow, encounters Nataku again, though this time, the ending isn't nearly as joyful. Once again, the two are interrupted, though this time by Fuuma, the leader of the Seven Seals, who is, well, a lot less easy-going than Yuuto. Karen tries to protect Nataku, but unfortunately, Fuuma has the upper hand. He is a wish-granter, in his own way, and Nataku has, unfortunately, two wishes: to die by the hand of the one he loves most (in this case, Fuuma) and to die protecting the one most important to him (Karen). Two birds with one stone. Fuuma walks away a few minutes later, leaving behind Nataku's corpse and a Karen so furious and upset that she has to be restrained by Aoki before she does something rash.

They end up burying him, and while Karen feels a deep sense of grief, the event also rekindles her sense of purpose. She's become a bit enlightened as to just how Fuuma works and what makes him tick, and it's from here that I'll be pulling her.

□ Personality:

As the oldest of the Seven Seals, Karen is extremely comfortable with all facets of her personality, and is fully equipped with a high level of self-esteem and confidence. She is well aware that she is a woman in the prime of her life, and this often leads to her being flirtatious and teasing around others. This does not make her proud or arrogant; rather, she still possesses a healthy amount of modesty and is unafraid to make fun of herself if the situation calls for it. She enjoys engaging in friendly banter even while in battle (even daring to flirt with the other party, as evidenced during her scuffle with Yuuto), and she is, for the most part, quite cheerful. This is somewhat surprising, as there isn't a single person amongst the Seven Seals who hasn't experienced some sort of personal tragedy during their life, Karen included. Her own mother abused her as a child, believing that Karen's pyrokinetic abilities were a gift from the Devil. More of an optimist than a pessimistic, Karen prefers to look forward rather than dwell on the past. She believes that group morale is important, and it's hope (and faith) that gets a person through their darkest hours.

The most obvious trait of Karen's personality is her compassion. She is a woman who wants to believe in the inherent goodness of others, and will do what she can to help others find happiness. She has a mothering streak in her a mile wide, and has the tendency to treat most younger than her as though they were her children. This is clearest in her relationship with Nataku, one of the Dragons of Earth. He is a clone of a dead child, aware and conscious for only a few weeks. Others don't see him as human, causing himself to think that he is incapable of such human emotions as love or sadness, but Karen disagrees with all of this. When she meets him for the first time, she notices the sad tilt to his eyes and takes the time to stop and talk to him, even though he is technically "the enemy." She treats him as though he was a child of hers, takes the time to explain the odd concept of 'emotions' to him, and it causes him to deeply care for her as well. Her treatment of others almost as children is not out of a need to be patronizing; she simply wants to make sure that they receive the love and affection she didn't as a child. She will be supportive, she will be nurturing, and if she really cares about you, she will put her life on the line to ensure your happiness. When Aoki comes to visit her in her flat to tell her about the events launched into action by the Dragons of Earth, she states outright to him that if there is any action that needs to be taken, she wants to be the one who gets it done. She even goes so far as to drug his tea with a sleeping potion so that he won't stop her. This isn't because she lives for action, or because she has a reckless streak in her, but because she doesn't want those she cares about getting hurt. If someone has to get hurt, it should be her, and part of this is driven by her biggest flaw: her assumption that no one will care if she dies.

Though she cares about others, often deeply, she can't seem to accept the fact that her feelings can be reciprocated as well. The one person who was expected to love her unconditionally - her mother - called her a demon, and told Karen repeatedly during her childhood that no one would care if she were to die. It is that assumption that underlies almost everything she does - her choice of work, her actions, her attitude towards others. She works at a soapland (a more "official" version of a brothel) because she can leave at any time with no effect on anyone else. She is one face out of many, and easily replaced. That's fine by her. After all, if her own mother won't cry for her, who will? This really doesn't influence how she treats others, but manifests more so in a seemingly resolute decision to sacrifice herself for others, even if it'll cause others pain. By the canon point that I'm pulling her from, she's starting to realize that there are actually people who will cry for her if she were to die, but she still feels the need to protect others and keep them safe at the cost of her own life, if need be.

And in the midst of all this, there is the fact she is still human, prone to grief and anger. She cries just as any human does (and isn't afraid to show her grief to the world) and she gets angry as well, though admittedly, her temper is a bit harder to bring to the surface. But it's there, and there's a reason she's been gifted with fire powers, rather than water or air. Anger her, threaten someone she likes, god forbid you hurt someone she loves, and there really is no saving you.

□ Age: Early 30s
□ Gender: Female, physically and mentally.

□ Appearance:

'eyyy sexy lady

Karen is fairly tall for her gender, standing at around 5’8” with a slender frame. Her hair is a rosy red and falls in soft curls to her shoulder, framing a face that features wide amber eyes and a sweet smile. She’s fairly curvy, and emphasizes what she has by wearing clothing that’s often form-fitting and revealing, yet fashionable at the same time. Lingerie is normal attire for her and she takes no shame in walking around in nothing but panties and a bra. Her posture is confident and self-assured and she moves with an inherent grace to her step. While she doesn’t appear to have any scars or tattoos, she does have her ears pierced and is frequently seen wearing a small cross on a chain, a symbol of her Catholic faith.

□ Abilities/Powers:

All of the Seven Seals have their own individual talents and powers. Karen's particular talent, which caused her mother so much pain when it manifested in her childhood, is her pyrokinesis, or ability to wield fire. She is able to create and manipulate fire, from creating small balls of fire to unleashing waves big enough to burn whole houses down. It is mentioned in one of the drama CDs that she doesn't think her power is all that useful, as fire is readily available from numerous other sources.

She also shares with the other Seals the ability to create and take down kekkai, which are essentially protective barriers or wards, often set up in preparation for a battle. It cuts a section away from reality and transports it into an alternate dimension. People trapped within the kekkai will not be able to leave (and vice versa) and anything destroyed within that kekkai will not carry over to the real world. However, this only holds true if the creator of the kekkai is still in good condition when he/she takes down the kekkai. If the creator is severely injured or killed within the kekkai or is psychologically unable to maintain the kekkai in any way, all the damage sustained within the kekkai will carry over to the real world. Karen's kekkai is in the shape of a cross, a reflection of her Catholic upbringing.

Physically, Karen is shown canonically to have a surprisingly high level of agility and balance. She can comfortably perch on top of telephone poles and trees, as well as jump down from dozens of feet above ground and still land as light as a feather. Apparently, she is also able to battle gracefully in tight-fitting skirts and heels without ever losing her balance. Oh CLAMP.