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Name: Hikari Konohana
Fandom: Strawberry Panic
Gender: Female
Age: 14/15
Time Period: After episode 24
Wing Color: Pale blue
History: Series overview | Character overview
Personality: Hikari is a shy, soft-spoken girl, polite and mindful of others. She tends to not draw very much attention to herself, remaining in the background as the personification of a wallflower. Sweet and cheerful, she warms up easily when she gets to know someone better. Yaya, her best friend and roommate, plays an important role in drawing Hikari out of her shell. She was extremely shy when she first transferred into St. Spica Academy in her second year and did not know anybody, but when Yaya compels her to join the Saintly Chorus, she is able to open up and begins making friends.
Her self-confidence is lacking and easily shaken; she doubts herself constantly. Even when Amane accepts her good-luck gift, Hikari second-guesses the progress of their relationship and her importance to Amane. She relies on her friends, particularly Yaya, to restore her confidence and reassure her of herself. Religion is important to Hikari, especially prayer; she is often shown praying to a statue of the Virgin Mary. Prayer is another source of strength for her when times are rough. It is difficult for her to muster up courage, but when she is determined a little more boldness shines through. As her relationship with Amane progresses, Hikari becomes surer of herself. But even then, she is afraid to admit her feelings and cannot bring herself to do it.
She tends to care more for the needs of others than for her own, putting her own happiness on the back-burner in order to make those she cares about happy. For example, when the student council president spears to her in another attempt to rope Amane into the Etoile election, Hikari remarks that while she would be very happy if Amane wanted to take that step with her, but if it is not what Amane wants then she does not want to force her to do anything. Hikari is very content to admire from nearby without closing the distance between them any further. What she already has is enough to make her happy. Hikari is very devoted to those she cares about. She is often shown standing by the pasture and watching Amane practice her horseback riding, quietly supporting her from the sidelines long after the rest of the crowd has dispersed. She of course returns Yaya's endless support, providing her best friend with an emotional crutch when it is needed.
She is not a confrontational person, preferring to avoid conflict instead. Arguments and fights are extremely rare for her. If there is conflict between her and someone else, something major has happened, such as when she distances herself from Yaya after Yaya forced herself on her. Even then, she is avoiding the problem rather than confronting it directly. Mild-mannered, Hikari is almost never angry - and it takes a lot for any sort of temper to flare up. When she does become angry, it is generally on behalf of her friends, such as when she actually has the balls to call Kaname despicable for attempting to use her to manipulate Amane.
Strengths:
Physical: Hikari is just a healthy, normal, average girl and thus there is nothing worth mentioning. Unless singing counts.
Mental/Emotional: As a friend, she is very loving and supportive. This is demonstrated numerous times throughout the series: for example, when Yaya is heartbroken due to Hikari's growing affection for Amane, Hikari reassures her that she is still her best friend and most important person, even if she is unable to return those romantic feelings. Despite her quiet and unassuming nature, she is quite resilient. Even through times of emotional difficulty, she can pull through with the support of her friends. She stands up for what she believes is right, when push comes to shove. Kaname and Momomi, ambitious members of the student council, constantly try to use her against Amane by means of seduction, but Hikari refuses to give into them, drawing strength from her feelings for Amane.
Weaknesses:
Physical: She is just an average girl, and a rather slight one at that, making it easy to take advantage of her physically. That's that.
Mental/Emotional: Her primary weakness is her fragile self-confidence. As discussed above, she often doubts herself and lets those doubts drag her down. After she messes up during the choral performance meant to congratulate Amane (on whom Hikari has a massive crush) for her athletic achievements, Hikari becomes very upset and considers quitting the choir forever. Her shyness also holds her back, relegating her to the background and making it easy for others to overlook her. She tends to lack initiative, choosing to hang back and wait rather than making the first move. It is only with Yaya's prodding that she begins to approach Amane, just like how she only joins the choir after Yaya notices her loitering in the church's yard during rehearsal, singing along by herself.
Samples
First Person: Q&A por favor
Third Person:
Any semblance of certainty evaporated from Hikari within thirty seconds of waking up. There was sand, and there was the nostalgic scent of the ocean, and the gentle rhythm of waves running themselves ashore. And there was a throbbing pain prickling through her shoulder blades. She sat up, shielding her eyes from the brilliant sun. That's when she noticed the unfamiliar white dress hanging loosely from her slender frame. The beach was unfamiliar too; nothing about it stirred her memories. So many questions crowded her mind. Where was she, and how had she gotten here?
Yaya would be worried about her. Then the realization that Amane wouldn't even notice her absence, because she couldn't remember... Hikari stared down at her bare feet and the sand underneath, trying not to let her eyes mist over with tears. He had to be strong; she couldn't let despair swallow her up. A deep, slowly-drawn breath, eyes closed in forced pacefulness. Focus on the present situation...
She climbed to her feet. The movement triggered a sharp peak in the pain hammering her back, and she gasped softly. Tentatively, she reached back to try to figure out what was wrong. Her fingers brushed against what felt like feathers. They were tender; it hurt to touch them. Shocked, she craned her neck to see behind her as best as she could. Wings. Her eyes widened. Two small wings had sprouted from her skin. Her legs felt numb and breathing became a manual effort. Was she...dead? Hikari frantically scoured her mind for an explanation. She had gone to bed, and then...nothing. Her memory ends there. Despite the hot sun beaming down on her, a still coldness gripped her heart. She clapped a trembling hand over her mouth. A terrible scene played in the theatre of her mind: Yaya waking up in the morning and crossing the room to nudge Hikari awake...except she would never wake up. Tears stung at her eyes and this time she did nothing to stop them from trickling out.
If this was heaven, it was nothing like she had imagined. There were no other angels in sight, no pearly-white gated city, and no enveloping sense of comfort and serenity. Shouldn't she be able to peer down through the clouds and see her loved ones? It might have broken her heart, but it would eventually heal the fragments with a peace of mind.