Natasha

Pafea' Natasha is a neko celebrity Stonebird racer and ambassador who lives on the uncharted planet of Imperium. She has earned widespread fame for her racing skill as well as her commitment to positively representing her people on the cultural stage.

Appearance
Natasha is a short and overweight neko of Nyaren descent. Her prominent whiskers, fangs, tan skin and bushy fur are all hallmarks of this heritage, which -of the two neko bloodlines- is considered less pure and therefore lower on the species' cultural hierarchy. Nyaren neko are often considered working class, a stigma which is both partially true and partially positive in the eyes of many. Natasha is considered a hard worker by her peers, and her height and build are not unusual among her bloodline. Although other neko have been tempted to view her as inferior due to these physical traits, Natasha's good nature and celebrity status have earned her plenty of admirers both in and outside of neko culture.

Natasha is known not only for her racing skill, but also her iconic fashion sense, which she claims she learned growing up with the famous neko model Shae' Anya. Though she dresses respectably, her sepia toned wardrobe is popular among fans, who claim it represents her even-keeled personality.

Biography
Natasha was born to a lower-middle class family in the neko city of Costa Del Nyan, where the local 'pure-bloods' look down upon their Nyaren-descended brethren. Natasha was saved from much of this scrutiny due to her early and long-lasting friendship with Anya, who publicly defended Natasha from discrimination on several occasions. Their friendship has remained strong to this day, despite both women evolving into celebrities and pursuing busier and busier lives.

Natasha was not born into a natural athlete, nor did she show any interest in sport as a child or young adult. These facts make it all the more remarkable in the eyes of many that she eventually fell into Stonebird racing. Historically, the sport has been dominated by the Gato, ancestors and sworn enemies of the neko race. As a result, neko have long been either pressured or outright banned from racing. Despite these roadblocks, Natasha grew to love the sport through its international renown, and eventually pursued an extended internship at the famous Windrush Canyon, which acts as Imperium's central racing hub. It was also during this internship that Natasha rode her first Stonebird. Having been up for humiliation by the famous gato racer Don Mendez II, Natasha revealed her talent by guided a failing Stonebird safely from the roof of the canyon to the floor, and in the process earned the attention of the Earth Lord Krom'Thor. This showing earned her the opportunity to represent her people in the races, and since then she has risen to become the sport's most popular and successful athlete, at least within the last century.

Though Natasha's rise to fame may read like a fairy tale, it has not been without its repercussions. Natasha's presence in the sport has divided its audience by offending the gatos, who have historically been its largest group of supporters. Tempers have flared, attempts have been made to discredit Natasha, and she claims that her life has occasionally been at risk thanks to overzealous gato fans. Despite these hangups, Natasha has proven to be the winningest racer in the sport's current roster, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Natasha currently spends most of her private time in a floating home high above Windrush Canyon- an accommodation provided by the sport to all of its racers. Between races, she spends her time representing her people at miscellaneous events, and has become an unofficial ambassador both for all neko and for her Nyaren bloodline. Some credit Natasha as having helped establish the growing town of New Nyaren, though Natasha herself refuses to take credit for its founding. Regardless, she has reportedly poured much of her wealth into New Nyaren through establishing and running an upscale restaurant simply known as the New Nyaren Restaurant. Rumours have circulated that she has approached the notorious demon chef Vespa DuBrie and offered her a position as head chef at the restaurant, though no further news has arisen to prove or disprove such rumours.

Relationships
Natasha is known to keep her love life private, and little to no information exists regarding her current or past relationships, even in terms of rumour. Some claim that Natasha and her lifelong friend Anya are or have been lovers, though both women vehemently deny such speculation.

Notable Appearances

 * Natasha appears as a minor character in Axugaem2.

Trivia

 * Natasha is a self-admitted connoisseur of many alcoholic beverages, and has been known to take shifts at the bar in her own restaurant. Some claim she happily samples her wares during these shifts, though no staff member would dare confirm this.