Marina "Masha" Orlov - The Thorny Rose
Marina is what most would describe a rich girl. As one of the heirs to the Orlov name, she and her brother Alexander belong to the upper class in russia. She is versed in many skills and showcases a wide variety of knowledge that she was taught from very young age on. But with such a childhood comes of course a lot of life lessons that she was taught as early as possible. Trust no one. Get rid of whoever stands in your way, before they even know they are. Marina became a coldhearted manipulator as young as 5 years old. Her schemes and plans didn't even spare her own family, as she is suspected to have poisoned her parents at age 13. And after she had been suspected of their murder for over a year she finally came back to society. Though not in russia but in japan, as a new student at Namimori Middle School.
She is a mean girl through and through, using her charm, good looks, influence and wealth to come out on top. She truly doesn't believe that there is true kindness, as people always only want to be the dominant one in the room. This makes her pick fights with basically everyone at any moment if she feels like it is apporpriate and would help her. She may not forget someone else doing something nice for her but it will not stop her from eliminating others in her way. Bully them before they can bully you. Establish yourself as the queen so nobody can touch you. And even if life at the top is lonely, she never has to fear of falling off. She knows she was born into these Circumstances. Of course she knows it.
Marinas story doesn't start with her birth but actually with a love brewing between a young Vassiley Orlov and the daughter of his families chaufeur. The girl was a bit of a wild card. She had a lot of energy and drive, a lot of love to give, but also a lot of love for herself, so she would not be shy of defending herself. Despite this the two children became good friends and a young romance began to blossom between them. His feelings for Nalia were true and pure but he was unable to be with her due to their different social standings. Eventually he bowed to his parents wish to marry a daughter from an even richer family, joining them together into an even wealthier Orlov name. The woman would give birth to a boy, who would grow up to become Alexander Orlov.
Through all this time, Vassiley kept contact to Nalia, seeking for the love he once felt for her and eventually it comes as it has to. Vassiley cheats on his wife with Nalia and his love becomes pregnant with a child. This child would become Marina Orlov. But this little couplement would not be hidden from Madame Orlov. She confronts her husband about the affair, but before he can even explain herself, she offers him a trade. They will take in the child under the Orlov name. She would grow up in luxury and wealth, with all doors open to her. This should be a far better deal for the child than her growing up in poverty by a single mother with no education. When asked why she wished for such a strange occurance the woman would simply tell her husband that she did not wish to become pregnant once more, but realized that the family needed more than one single child. To forgo the strain of a second pregnancy, she was willing to take another womans child under her roof and raise her as her own. When confronted with this opportunity, Nalia could hardly argue against the opportunity, though she wished for one thing in return. She wished to become both childrens caretaker. A nanny.
Nalia moved into the estate, becoming the childrens caretaker, showing especially a lot of love to Masha. Alex always saw Nalia as nothing more than a servant. He clung to his mother, and treated Nalia like a stranger. The exact opposite happened to Marina. She felt safe and loved by Nalia, while she felt abandoned and scorned by her "mother". Nalia would try to do the best for her daughter, trying to impart important lessons into her like standing up for herself and not bowing down to others. "A rose as beautiful as it is, has thorns to protect itself. Do not forget that you are a rose. Never forget that, my dear Masha."
Eventually the day came, Marina was 10 years old and became accostumed to calling Nalia "Mama" even if she asked Marina to never call her that openly in front of others. But in a fight with her mother, Marina eventually says out loud that she sees Nalia as more of a mother than the woman. She loses her composure and slaps Marina hard across the face before she storms out of the room. Marina who believed that she had to stand up for herself took some moments to calm herself before she ran after her, only to stop in her tracks when she heard the woman yell at her father Vassiley. And what she heard was the truth. About how Marina was a horrible child, a spawn of "that woman" and how "that woman" was putting Marina against her, who should be the only "mother" for Marina. About how Marina calling Nalia her "mama" would make people gossip and speculate. About how Nalia was becoming too dangerous and needed to be disposed of.
In fear, Marina ran to Nalias room, crying and hysteric, trying to warn her about the impending punishment. Nalia could hardly understand the stressed and hysteric babbling but eventually she heard Vassiley yell for her and knew something was up. She hid Masha in her closet and told her to be quiet no matter what happens. Just as she turned around to leave her room Vassiley barged into her room, stressed, shaking and with a revolver drawn. Immideatly she tried to talk her way out of the situations, hands raised, appealing to his humanity. He hesitated, cried, said there was no other way. They spoke back and forth, what about Marina? She would be well taken care of, she wouldn't miss anything in the world. What about their love? Love would never be strong enough to change society, people would never accept her as his beloved. And after minutes passed, the woman barged into the room, trying to physically force Vassiley to shoot, when
A shot fired and hit Nalia in the chest. In shock Vassiley let go of the gun, only for the woman to take it up and shoot 3 more times. She yelled about what an eyesore Nalia hat been, how much she despised her and her demon spawn. Marina sat silent in the closet, hearing it all, seeing her mother slowly die on the beautiful carpet. The woman left to get people who would "clean up the mess" and Marina watched her father sink to the ground next to Nalias body and lament that it had gotten this far. That he even fell in love with Nalia and doomed her to this fate. Marina watched her father lay his lips on Nalias, crying and sobbing, before a few lackeys came and disposed of Nalias body and removed the carpet. Marina stayed in that closet for hours until finally the room was empty for a few minutes and she managed to sneak out. When she was approached the next day she played innocent and unknowing, just saying she was upset over the slap she recived. As subtle as she could she asked about Nalia and was told that she was caught stealing and had to be let go.
Masha knew that was a lie. Of course she knew.
For 3 years Masha would plan her revenge. She would play nice and the perfect daughter. She would seem so normal albeit a bit too intelligent for her own good. And on her 13th birthday, she gets into a fight with her brother. It's so harsh she bans him from the property and her parents relent, sending him out of the house until midnight. Through a rather carefully planned scheme she ends up helping to prepare dinner for her and her parents, subtly putting two seperate chemicals into the food and the wine. Alone the substances are harmless, combined however they become deadly. And as she watches her parents eat, she asks to have a toast together with the wine. They clunk their glasses and as both take their sips, she watches.
The chemicals react and as the woman and her father start to retch and gasp for air, she calmly takes a sip of her own unaltered wine, watching as the woman collapses first on the table. She quietly gets up, as her father falls from his chair gasping, panting and shaking, walks over to the woman and confirms that she's dead. She turns to her father and calmly walks over to him. He only has a few more moments, but as he looks up into Marinas face, he realizes that she must know the truth. In his last moments he apologizes in tears, begging god for forgiveness.
"Did you ever even believe me to be your daughter?"
"Not any less than your brother. You'll always be my girl, Masha. You'll always be an Orlov. Not once did I doubt it."
He dies on the ground. just a few moments before Alex returns home and finds their dead bodies.
Masha immideatly gets into the investigation crossfire. For one whole year she is detained. Despite the clear cut case, it's hard to find substantial evidence that is more than circumstantial. Eventually they have to let her go and under the order of the Igorevich family she is relocated to Namimori for the time being. Sasha follows her to keep an eye on his "lunatic of a sister" and so Marina Vassilevna becomes a student at Namimori Middle School.
Marina is not just incredibly intelligent, having skipped a class in her youth, but also very calculating. She was raised in high society, so things like dancing, singing, playing instruments and other cultural aspects are ingrained in her. Manners, dresscode, behavior, it has all been polished. She knows how to navigate difficult situations and doesn't shy away from using her acting abilities to her utmost. She doesn't trust anyone but herself so she is always on guard and very observant. Aside of these skills she has aquired quite a vast knowledge of poisons in her journey to execute revenge. She is athletic and skilled, almost seeming superhuman with her assets.
When it comes to actual combat, Marina can definitely shine with her masterful fencing and flexibility. She has perfect form, maybe a bit stiff, but good enough to protect herself. Her TYL counterpart shows also a mastery over illusions, being a Mist Flame user as her brother Alexander. In the future she also took up marksmanship so she could widen her skillset.
The Rose and the Magpie (Masha and Sasha)
When it comes to Mashas relationship to her brother there is not much positive to say, considering that they were always at odds. Alex has a very typical only child demeanor and hates being around Marina, as he sees her as an annoying nuisance. It only got worse after her murder of his parents. Since what she saw happen that fateful day is a secret to her alone, Sasha was left in the believe that Masha found out about her birth mother being a commoner and wanted to off their parents before they changed their testament, claiming him as the sole heir. In his eyes she is a shallow and malicious person with no redeeming qualities that will even kill for money.
When it comes to Mashas feelings for her brother its not dissimilar. She sees him as a misogynistic, condecending asshole who sees women, poor people and whoever he deems fit as less than him. She absolutely despises the way he orbits around Rena and won't leave her alone, not because of sympathy but because it is in her eyes his worst version. But to say she truly hates him is a stretch. She definitely dislikes him and doesn't get along with him, but never does she ever say that she hates him. She hated his parents, but she never hated him.
Once Masha finally shares her secret of witnessing what happened to Nalia, he becomes a lot more empathetic to her and softer, showing real compassion and brotherly love towards his sister. While he will never forgive her, he is still shocked to see the true colours of his parents. Could she be lying? Yes, of course, but Sasha has lived so long with Marina that he can tell her truths from her lies rather easily.
The Same Flower, But Different Colour (Masha in Reborn! Next->)
A lot of Mashas relationship towards Rena changes depending on verse. She is a lot less abjectly horrible and nasty to Rena in Reborn! Next-> on the ground that Mashas biggest problem with Rena is her believing that Rena was pretending to be kind and generous, when Marina has deeply internalized that there is nobody among high society who could possibly be so naive and stupid. So Renas entire personality is a farce and a lie to her.
In Reborn! Next-> however, Rena runs away from her life in russia. She throws wealth, security and family away, because the strain is too much for her. This shows Marina that Rena might've been truly a kind person stuck in a terrible environment and Marina deeply admires Rena for her decision. That's why, in Renas hour of need, when she is to be married off to some guy who sees her as nothing but an object, held basically at gunpoint, Marina and Sasha both stand by Renas side to protect her as her knights. While Sasha does this because of his infatuation with Rena, Marina does it soley because of the Orlov loyalty to the Igorevich family. She is confronted by the fake Renas Mother if that shouldn't mean that she follows the orders of the current Igorevich heads, but she argues that she only fights for the safety and happieness of the next generation, aka Rena.
After Rena is saved it is Masha who helps clean up things in russia and finally eases Renas worries about the future of the family, by promising to support the family as the Orlov have done for generations now.
Yeah Masha has become a silent fave of mine. I just can't stop it orz But yeah I hope I get to talk more about her because she is slowly developing into a really fun character. Don't get me wrong, she is aweful and will read you for filth, but she gets better the more she is around genuine people. Hell I even dabbled in the idea of exploring her in combo with Ryohei because I feel like those two could be a really funny combo.
