Peony (Spring Petal)

"I like to think of myself as a stand-up gal. I'll be here all week!"

Peony had some big shoes to fill. She wasn't really ready for all this Magical Girl business, from the beginning. The whole thing sounded a little heavy, to her. She didn't even ask for powers! At least, not consciously. They ARE pretty cool, after all. But she DEFINITELY didn't ask for her senior teammates to graduate without her and leave her alone with the resentful Holly... And she would NEVER ask to be left completely behind by her sole remaining partner. 

Luckily for Peony, the up-and-coming Team Pastel asked for her. All she could ask for was a friend, after what happened, and now she has THREE new ones! Best of all, they're what true friends should be- kind, fun to hang out with, constructive about her shortcomings, and supportive through it all.

Finally, a crowd receptive to her attempts to make the world a happier, friendlier place. That's easy enough to do for the city at large, what with the whole Monster-Fighting Champion Of The People thing... But now, at the top of Peony's list? Reconcile with her former teammate, before the danger and the bitterness of being alone catch up to her.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

• About to hit a final growth spurt but currently average-height for her age group
• Round-faced, small amount of pudge
• Somewhat messy, slightly wavy hair, usually kept shoulder-length
• As a Magical Girl:
  • Pink hair in two peony-shaped pigtails low on her head; bright spring-green eyes
• As a Civilian:
  • Dishwater blonde hair and green eyes
• Wears lots of band t-shirts, generally doesn't have fashion sense

PERSONALITY

• Absolute goofball. Has never taken anything seriously in her life, ever (according to onlookers)
• Upbeat, sometimes to a fault. 
• Extraverted and socially outgoing.
• Will shy away from responsibility and commitment.
• Copes with negative emotions by cracking jokes. This makes it very easy for her to camouflage said feelings because she is always cracking jokes.
• Charismatic people-pleaser. Generally gets along well with everyone, and always tries her best to make sure others are happy.
• Will sometimes ignore her own wishes in favor of others'. Holly is one of the few that ever picked up on this, and why Peony's overall bubbliness grates on her - she sees it as dishonest. Skye, however, found it relatable.

TRIVIA/DESIGN NOTES:

• Peony's design is somewhat asymmetrical to resemble the Earth's tilt (ie what creates seasons). This can be seen in her tiered skirt, her hair fringe, and her hat bow. However, she is more symmetrical in design (including a pair of chakrams rather than one sword) as well as more even-tempered than Akiko, and more closely exemplifies the fact that Spring is an "equinox" season (equal night and day).
• Peony's appearance is somewhat inspired by Madoka Kaname; possibly obviously so, haha. I'm a fan of Madoka's pink pigtails and general aesthetic, especially for the kind of magical girl I wanted Peony to be. My hope is that Peony's own personality shines through, however!
• Peony's surname is a reference to Schauss Pink, AKA Baker-Miller Pink, a color developed and thought to reduce aggression. Interestingly, studies on this are inconclusive; sometimes showing increased aggression in response to the color. This fits with one of my foundational themes I had in mind for Peony, which is the idea that you can't please everyone all of the time.