Effie Strongheart

This is Effie. She has big dreams and an even bigger head.

Aerolen is a world of floating islands that exists above the clouds. As such, travel between the islands is very important. Each kemonomimi living there takes great pride in their wings. The more beautiful, big, and/or strong your wings are, the more attractive you are considered. 

Enter Effie. She was born with a set of tiny, dinky blue wings that are not strong enough to support her. She is a Flightless and often has a hard time going from place to place. Flightless are considered a deadweight on society, and as a result, are shunned and met with ridicule. Whether it's due to wisdom or idiocy (most likely the latter), Effie remains optimistic and is largely deaf to the backlash she receives. She wishes to become a Crimson Courier - elite messengers whose line of work earns them respect and allows them opportunities to see the world. Currently, she is employed as a baker. She does not appear to have a plan that'll get her into the Crimson Couriers. She still carries herself as though she's destined to take on the world. Her boss waves off her fantasies and will often send her away to the back of the bakery for a moment of peace and quiet.

For some reason, the head of the Crimson Couriers extends an invitation to Effie: an opportunity to assist with the most important delivery in Aerolen - a peace treaty from the King to the ruler of their enemy nation. Effie is ecstatic. But her peers are perplexed. Who in their right mind would invite a Flightless on such an important mission, let alone Effie? Little do they know, the head of the Crimson Couriers knows Effie's secret. 

You see, Effie is a Cromie, a rare individual who can summon the Gods of Pride and Hope into her wings and utilize their magic. This ability grants her wings larger and more powerful than anyone could imagine... but only for a short period of time. Though she's never needed to use her powers, Effie is quite familiar with them and was hoping to use it as an excuse a valid reason to join the Couriers. She never dreamed they'd be the ones to approach her!

And yet, her dreams come tumbling down instantly. She was summoned, not to join the Couriers as their equal, but as a mere "good luck charm" on their journey, for Cromies are believed to carry the graces of the Gods with them. Her presence on the ship is largely disregarded, and Effie is treated more like a lackey than anything. 

One might even call her a side character.

For the TRUE hero of our story is the amazing Gary-Stu, the newest member of the Crimson Couriers who may or may not also be a prince. His power and bravery overshadow his inexperience, and many hold Gary-Stu in higher regard than their own Captain. Needless to say, Effie is furious. This was the future she wanted - the story of a hero! A main character! She trained to understand her magic all her life, only to be blown away by Gary-Stu's hot bod and inhuman ability to learn the violin in 2 minutes. Highly envious, Effie spends her days trying to be the hero, sabotage her rival, and out-Sue him, only to met with much slapstick and misfortune along the way. She is joined by a small cast of characters who also don't know why they are a part of this story. As the world bends to Gary-Stu's every whim and will, these side characters can only watch and be dragged along with him until the plot demands their 2 seconds of fame. Such is the life of Effie and her friends...