{ IMPORTANT: This section contains themes relating to or mentions/allusions of domestic violence, drug usage, police brutality, bullying, assault, and child abuse. If these topics are upsetting to you, please do not click on the spoilers. Stay safe. ♥ }


Tessa Sauvagess, born as Tessa May Virtue Baker, was born in the early hours of the morning on May 3rd, 2006, to high school sweethearts Dana Sauvagess and Kyle Baker. A product of teen pregnancy, her parents had a bit of a rough go in the early years, with Kyle's own parents kicking him out for getting Dana pregnant. However, Dana's parents were more than supportive, offering their home to Kyle, allowing them to raise Tessa in a hectic but not hostile environment. Tessa's parents made the decision to get married, believing it'd be the best. Not all was pleasant, however, as Kyle's abusive tendencies became increasingly exasperated and malicious, especially once they went to college. While he kept it under relative control during the first three years of Tessa's life, not wanting to get kicked out of his in laws' house, and also not yet having a drug addiction, everything began to unravel when they moved into a small apartment together. Kyle, having already toyed with meth in his younger years, grew a full-blown addiction in a matter of months, pushing his unpleasant but not yet violent abusive tendencies into a full-blown nightmare. What was once an infrequent verbal spat turned quickly violent for Dana, who became the primary subject of his abuse on a near daily basis. To make matters worse, Kyle got a job as a police officer, making it even harder for Dana to protect herself. As the years passed, Tessa also became subject to his abuse--while not as much as her mother, she was no stranger to being terrorized. What was much more common was her watching her mother take it all, then acting like all was well in front of friends and family.

When Tessa was 7, a savior came in the form of her aunt, Arden. Arden, also a police officer, had a long-standing hatred for Kyle, viewing him not only as a bad influence on her twin sister, but also someone who could truly ruin her life--or take it. She saw the look in Kyle's eyes, she saw him for the rage and hatred his soul possessed. Arden was unexpectedly smarter than she looked or even acted, and knew that Kyle was abusing her sister, despite Dana's attempts to cover it up. Not yet having enough solid proof, she waited to gather enough evidence to arrest him. And one day, as Tessa watched in horror as he choked Dana, she had the thought to call Arden, running to hide in her closet before doing so. Arden showed up, nearly effortlessly took Kyle down, and arrested him on the spot. While Dana only just narrowly survived, from that point on, Tessa's life would change undoubtedly for the better. Her parents would soon after divorce, and her father would be sent to prison for a whopping 22 years.

From then on, Tessa had a decidedly far more pleasant and even joyful childhood. Her mother, as angelic, loving, and patient as can be, raised her in a strictly nonviolent and loving environment, never one to raise her voice, use cruel words, or dismiss Tessa's feelings. She placed them both into therapy, and enrolled Tessa into specialized educational institutions, mainly Montessori schools. As her mother's income rapidly increased due to finishing her degree, Tessa moved to a much more spacious and comfortable home in Kelowna, no longer having the remnants of that cramped apartment at the forefront of her mind. Tessa was a happy child, always wanting to learn as much as possible and try new things. Dana, wanting the best for her daughter, never hesitated to teach her as much as she could, and took her on several vacations, visiting numerous countries and historical landmarks.

Her mother, a dietician, fought like hell to ensure Tessa had not only a healthy relationship with food, but also her own body, careful with her words to never make Tessa feel bad about her growing body--and even quicker to dispel anything society tried to impose on her sweet daughter. Tessa, thankfully, was therefore foreign to the pain of seeing one's weight go up on the scale. She didn't even have one, and when she went in for medical checkups, she showed zero regard towards it either way. Needless to say, Tessa was largely spared from body issues, always told her body is simply just a body, and that's all it needs to be. While Tessa still had wounds that persist to this day from her father, she found herself in a truly idyllic and supportive environment--far detached from the struggles of her early childhood.

In addition to providing an environment supportive of learning, she was also raised to serve humanity; more than anything else, taking care of others and Earth itself was top priority. Starting soon after her parents divorced, Tessa was frequently taken to volunteering activities and introduced to the art of dumpster diving. Her mother, a political activist on the side, urged her daughter to fight for the rights of everyone, not just saying people should, but actually doing so. Tessa spent much of her weekends for most of her life volunteering in some form; whether more grand, such as spending 8 hours making food for homeless people, or on a smaller scale, such as simply raking her elderly neighbors' leaves for them, Tessa was taught intensely so to serve society and make it a better place in whatever way she could. Tessa, thankfully, was extremely receptive to these teachings, finding incredible joy in volunteering.

As Tessa approached her teen years, she became more active in school, joining several clubs and quitting in succession, trying to find her niche. Maintaining near perfect grades with ease (except math, naturally), she found school quite easy, even with her AP classes. She put focus on her extracurricular activities, finding enjoyment in soccer, being part of the student council, language learning, spelling bees, and sewing/knitting, while still doing her weekly volunteering work. Her child and teenhood was most certainly busy, but she quite liked it that way. And, when things did get tough, she was never pressured to burn herself out. This became especially crucial as her mother moved her to Los Santos for her high school years. Tessa, while going to an elite high school, struggled to fit in with her American classmates, finding the culture shock much larger than she expected, and being subjected to some light bullying early on. Still, she eventually adapted, though she dropped soccer and her place on the student council along the way.

High school was an interesting time for Tessa. For the first time in her life, she found herself facing things she struggled to overcome. Being autistic was much easier for her at her old school, as it was filled with many students who were similar, or at least open to understanding her. But this private school seemed to be filled with an excessive amount of elitist douchebags; and furthermore, she was far, far away from her friends she left behind in Canada. She was downright heartbroken that she had to leave her best friend Maya behind. Tessa became somewhat reclusive in the first year of high school, turning her attention to video games to cope. Her mother, never one to shame her daughter, joined her, doing her best to learn her hobbies and emotional needs. Tessa found immense support in her mother, and eventually made new friends at school, albeit only a few. However, it was plenty for Tessa; especially with the ridiculous amount of drama her classmates would bring.

Things quickly changed near the end of her junior year, soon after turning 16. Tessa got sick; incredibly sick. She spent several weeks in the hospital, battling meningitis. During this time, she picked up the hobby of origami, specifically making paper stars and paper cranes. She made over 500 paper cranes during her stay at the hospital, and was eventually well enough to return home in late August. However, this good news wouldn't last long, as Tessa would find herself subjected to a particularly repulsive crime one night in September. This incident would leave deep scars on her, removing some of the spark in her eyes for the next two years. Too terrified to speak out, she only ever told this story to her best friend, and to a young man she'd meet 2 years later, named Adam. Still, Tessa, a deeply resilient and strong girl, did her best to recover, and thankfully had good news in store for her in the future; her mother had married a man named Killian Delaney, who had become like a father to her. And better yet, her mother had "blessed" her with a younger sister; Eloise Delaney.

Despite the trauma, Tessa felt like she truly had a complete family. She was hopeful, happy, and safe.

And then Killian divorced her mother.

And then her mother was murdered.

"Nah, I'd win."

Trivia:

• Tessa hates being called "Tess".
• She was born into a vegan household, and has never once eaten animal products.
• Her ethnicity is a bit of a curveball; despite her father's name being just about the whitest name you can get, he's actually more than half Lebanese and Palestinian. Tessa's maternal lineage is also partially Lebanese, working out to her being approximately 30% Lebanese, 15% Palestinian, and the rest mostly French.
• She owns a male chinchilla named Big Guy.
• She can speak rudimentary Japanese, but can't speak a lick of French. This was an executive decision on her part.
• Underneath her bed is a cardboard cutout of Bernie Sanders, and another one of JSchlatt.
• She is ranked top 200 players in Overwatch 2.
• She hates Overwatch 2.
• Her favorite video game series is Splatoon.
• Almost all the furniture in her bedroom and objects she owns is from a dumpster or secondhand.
• Tessa is autistic, and also has CPTSD, anxiety, and depression. She copes with it through medication, but found therapy unhelpful after a few years, instead preferring to be her own therapist.
• She skipped a year in high school, and graduated at age 17.
• Tessa is an antinatalist and wants to get her tubes tied, as she has zero desire to be a mother.
• She believes it is her job to serve humanity, but ironically also truly dislikes the vast majority of people.
• She wants to go to college to get a degree in marine biology with a focus on conservationism.