Anchisa

Anchisa was an orphaned gang leader living on the streets of Sowe. She was mentioned in Emissarium, but her character was first seen in Deserter when she took in and helped to raise Valentine.

When on the Ray, Valentine refers to Anchisa as her sister.

Deserter
At the age of fourteen, Anchisa became the boss of a street gang, a group of children that banded together for mutual survival. While on the streets years later, she met Valentine. When Valentine asked to join her crew, Anchisa stated that Valentine "wasn't worth the trouble," but ultimately allowed her to stay for a few nights to get her on her way. During this time, Anchisa took advice from Valentine on how to catch a "bully", a larger and older orphan on the streets, so that they could have an easier time finding their way into soup kitchens and cafeterias. Anchisa realized that Valentine could be a valuable asset, and allowed her to stay in the crew indefinitely. Throughout the next three years, the crew's strongest rivalry was with a gang led by Pollo, who was a dangerous presence on the streets. Anchisa had many chances to kill Pollo, and Valentine strongly advised that she did, but she always let him go. Valentine knew that as Pollo lost more altercations with Anchisa, the humiliation would get to him and Anchisa would be sorry. However, Anchisa never took Valentine's advice.

One night, Pollo lured Anchisa off in private, kissed her, and then killed her. He strangled her, stabbed her in the eye, and threw her body in the river while Valentine watched from afar. Even thought Valentine avenged her the next day by killing Pollo, Anchisa's death would haunt Valentine for the rest of her life because she felt that she could have prevented it by simply killing Pollo earlier.

Personality
Anchisa had a strong, tough-as-nails resolve when she was leading her crew. The reason they could have survived so long was her unwillingness to back down from a challenge or a fight. However, she had a streak of mercy that served her well when she cared for her crew, but ultimately became her demise when she was killed by a boy she had spared the life of several times.

Quotes
""When I grow up, will I live with you?" "If you want. But you won't want to." "Yes, I will, I will!""

- —Valentine and Anchisa in Deserter