Kumo Strife



Kumo Strife was born at a farmhouse near the ruins of midgar, at a small chocobo farm. Her father is Cloud Strife, and her mother is Tifa Lockhart from the series Final Fantasy VII. Her family settled after the destruction of Midgar, and Tifa gave birth to her soon after. She is a character in the series of storybooks named The Academy for Heroes-in-training, as found on the site The Young Writers Society.

Personality
Kumo is described as level headed and focused, although she finds it hard to make friends. Her attitude is not unfriendly, but she tends to rely on intimidation to get her point across, which never make her overly popular. She is fiercely loyal, however, and if anyone messes with someone or something she cares about, she will not rest until she has 'made it right'. In Academy for Heroes-in-training Redux, her materia were stolen, sparking a chase and much anger. She was shown to be angry pretty much the whole remainder of the story book, riding around on her 'chicken' (Pez) looking for either Bart or the object of her ire at the time.

However, in the third storybook, (under construction) she is said to be good with animals and usually level-headed and reasonable, whether that turns out to be the case is yet to be known.

History
Kumo grew up on a small chocobo farm. She spent much of her time following her father around the farm, helping him look after and raise his stock. She was schooled by her mother Tifa at home, due to the lack of a closeby school.

Because Kumo was prone to walking the monster infested area around the farm while looking after the stock, it was a necessity that Cloud taught her to fight from a young age. It was soon discovered that the taint of mako had been carried from the parents into their daughter, enabling her to perform feats of strength impossible for her size. She especially enjoyed swordplay, and could even weild any of her father's large collection of swords, and took to carrying them around as soon as she was tall enough to keep them from dragging on the ground when attached to her back.

When she was seventeen she was sent to the Academy for Heroes-in-training, hoping to live up to her father's legacy and the family's honour.

Powers
Level 0: Swordplay with the Buster Sword.

Level 1: Counterstrike level one - this allows her a chance to strike back or parry an attack.

Level 2: Increased melee damage

Level 3: Low damage Ice attacks

Level 4: Increased melee damage

Level 5: Counterstrike level two - more often than not, granted an immediate strike back.

Level 6: Mid damage fire attacks

Level 7: Increased melee damage

Level 8:High level lightening attacks

Level 9: Barrier All - all allies nearby gain invisable one-way shield resistant to physical damage for a limited time

Level 10: Summon Bahamut. Bahamut is a large draconic creature that sends a high energe non-elemental beam at all enemies, causing catastrophic damage. Requires a Kumo being able to speak and move to cast.

Familiar
Kumo owns a gold chocobo called Pez. He was bred by Kumo herself from her father's stock and her own, which has now been turned over to her father's care. She took Pez to the Academy when she left. He is intensely loyal to her and will attack if provoked, being battle- trained. As he levels, he gains the ability to attack in battle with first his beak and later his claws, and at his last level can cross almost any sort of terrain.

Trivia

 * Kumo appeared in the first three versions of the story book.
 * Within these three storybooks, her personality has changed little, although she only gained her backstory in the third one.
 * Kumo is driven by Nutty.
 * Kumo started the third book with her familiar, taking a loan out in order to pay for him through points later gained.
 * Kumo is (to my knowlege) the only character to escape having to pay for her weapon, due to it being essential to her levelling and powers.
 * All of Kumo's powers are reliant on her items. Magic requires materia, melee requires her sword. Attempting to use another sword would throw her off balance, due to the buster sword's almost unique balance and weight.
 * Kumo resides on the second floor of the girl's dorm, also known as Townsville Hall. Her roommate is Caroline.