THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE CHIMERA HEART WEBCOMIC! PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Personality:
Faji is confident and daring, priding herself in her athleticism. She is very competitive, and always wants to be on top. However, this competitiveness can make her very stubborn, and she can get very heated when she wants to be right in an argument. Although she can usually keep her sarcastic and confident demeanor, she gets easily flustered by Una.
Powers and Abilities:
Because of Faji’s hybrid nature, she can grow out her fingernails slightly to mimic claws. Plus, her catlike ears allow her to hear better, and her speed and agility is higher than that of an average person’s. She isn’t currently learning any unnatural magics, but she can learn them if she wishes.
Backstory (Spoilers):
Una and Faji were born fully human. Growing up in West Star City, the two were the best of friends throughout their elementary years.
One day while walking home from school, Una and Faji find a flyer advertising a summer camp. At the time, Una was ten years old, and Faji was eleven. This camp didn’t seem entirely legitimate, but after begging their parents, the two were able to go. When the day came, Faji and Una boarded the camp bus, which, suspiciously, consisted of entirely human campers. Despite these concerns, the two didn’t think anything of it, and arrived at Camp Chameleon.
The first few days of camp went by normally, but on the fourth day, some campers would mysteriously leave the camp, with the counselors blaming illness for their sudden departure. Faji and Una vowed to stay by each other’s sides throughout the rest of camp.
One night, Faji left the cabin to go to the bathroom, and Una, hearing her leave, followed after her. When Una entered the bathroom, she discovered mysterious people dressed in white lab coats kidnapping Faji, and they quickly took Una too.
Una and Faji were taken to an unknown building and put separate rooms. Una was strapped down to a table, where she was injected with something before losing consciousness.
When Una came to, she found herself in a cell-like room. Upon looking in the mirror, she discovered that her hair and eyes, which were originally dark brown, were now a vibrant green, and she had a peacock’s crest sticking out of the back of her head. Una and Faji discover that their cells are next to each other, Faji reveals that she was also experimented on, and now had cat ears and a tail, along with her hair and eyes becoming a bright yellow.
The two of them devise a plan to escape, and a few days later, Faji is able to escape her cell by picking the lock with her claws, retrieve the keys, and unlock Una’s cell. Before the two can free anyone else, the two are spotted and have to make a run for it. They escape the building, but after running through the woods, they become cornered on the shore of a lake. Una, feeling a sudden surge in her chest, is able to summon a pair of wings and carry her and Faji across the lake to safety.
After they land, Una’s wings disappeared. Faji and Una found a road and were able to wave someone down to call for help. The Crest of the Stars were able to enter the camp, rescue the victims, and arrested those who were involved with the experiment, which was dubbed “Project Zoophobia.” This experiment aimed to give humans natural animal shapeshifting powers.
Faji’s experimentation, along with her physical changes, gave her the ability to extend her fingernails up to a half-inch. They sharpen to a point on the ends in order to mimic claws, and she commonly uses these as an intimidation tactic. Her cat ears enhance her hearing, but can make her hypersensitive to loud or sudden noises. She also has picked up some catlike mannerisms, including purring and ear-twitching.
History in Chimera Heart (Spoilers):
Arc 1
Alongside her best friend, Una, Faji moves into House #13. When meeting the other housemates, Faji introduces herself as a “cougar-human hybrid” which confuses Ita.
On the way to class on the first day of school, Faji asks about Ita’s full chimera form. Ita summons her snake tail, Noodle, which causes Faji to excitably admire him. During lunch, Faji tells the group that she wants to do cross country running. After school, Yami’s message is broadcast on TV. Faji is confused and concerned at her message.
In Chapter 7, Faji attends the football game. After the game, Una receives a text from Kokoro, telling them that they have to walk home. On their way home, Faji cracks a sarcastic joke at Kashi, causing Una to laugh.
Suddenly, the group is attacked by a shadow monster. After Ita and Kashi shapeshift into their full chimera forms, Faji cheers them on. She gets frozen by the ankles by Masuku, a member of Yami’s Army. Daiyaru, another Army member, threatens to kill Una, to which Faji responds by grabbing his face, ready to sink her claws into him. However, Masuku orders the monster to shoot shadow magic at Faji. She is grazed just above her forehead, and while she tears up, she flashes a thumbs-up to Una, saying she’s okay. Before anything worse could happen to the group, they are rescued by a trio of Starriors. After the Army members escape and the ice at their ankles are melted, Una rushes to Faji, asking if she’s okay. This causes Faji to blush.
Arc 2
A couple weeks later, the lunchtime group is talking about homecoming dates. When Ita asks Una and Faji if they have dates, the two avert their eyes from each other and say they don’t. After school that day, Faji lays on her bed, reflecting on the attack from Yami’s Army. She realizes that ever since, her feelings for Una only grew, and Faji just wants to protect her. Even if it was just as friends, Faji wants to go to homecoming with Una. Faji slips a note under Una’s bedroom door, asking her to be her date. Una smiles and returns the note, accepting Faji’s request.
Una and Faji go to homecoming together. During a slow dance, Faji is about to ask Una something, but the slow song ends, and Ita drags Faji away before she can ask the question. Later on, Una asks Faji was she was going to ask, but Faji chickens out and says it wasn’t important.
In Chapter 16, Kokoro asks to sit out of a basketball game. Faji, confused, asks what's wrong, but Kokoro just says she needs to sit out. Faji takes her place in the game.
Arc 3
In Chapter 20, Faji wakes up early on a chilly February morning to go on a run. She is surprised to find Ita joining her. Ita says she needs to get into shape if she wants to become a Starrior, and Faji smirks, deciding to test her. The two start a three-mile run, but Ita quickly falls behind. Before Ita completely loses Faji, she transforms into her full chimera form, bolting ahead of Faji. Faji chases her up a hill and tackles her, causing the two to barrel roll and crash into a drift of snow.
Ita shifts back into her humanoid form as the two laugh and sit on top of the snow drift, watching the sun rise. Ita is unsure about her running ability, but Faji encourages her that she just needs to start smaller next time. Faji asks Ita why she wanted to become a Starrior, to which Ita responds that she’s still trying to figure that out. Faji states that Ita definitely has the determination, and the two go on about how much they admire each other’s confidence and determination.
Laying back in the snow, Faji remarks that everyone has their limits, causing Ita to ask Faji what her limit is. Faji admits that she hates talking about or confessing her feelings. When Ita brings up love confessions, Faji tells Ita about the crush she’s had all school year, but is scared to make a move out of fear of making the friendship weird. Ita reassures her that anyone would be lucky to have Faji as a partner, and if they’re a true friend, then they’ll still remain great friends. Faji thanks her, but then asks Ita what her limit is, causing her to shapeshift into her chimera form and dash away to avoid the conversation.
In Chapter 21, after Kokoro is powered back on and her and Taimu share a kiss, Faji pops out, remarking “What are we? Chopped liver?”
