Monique

Monique
Legend of Mana artwork
First appearance	Legend of Mana (1999)
Latest appearance	Echoes of Mana (2022)
Homeland	Lumina
Role	Support
Gender	Female
Species	Sirens

Monique is a minor supporting character in Legend of Mana and a recurring character in the Mana series.

Background

A 21-year-old siren, Monique is the proprietor of Lumina's lamp shop called "Limelight". She is said to sing to the spirits in a bid to coax them into lighting her lamps, thereafter selling the lamps as her primary source of income. Monique is intimately acquainted with fellow siren Elle and the mermaid Flameshe, and is once the lover of Gilbert.

History

Legend of Mana

“A siren who works at Lumina's lamp shop. She sings to the spirits and asks them to light the lamps in return, then later sells the lamps.”

—In-game Encyclopedia

The Spirits' Light

Monique complains to the protagonist visiting her boutique in Lumina she is about to close her shop and move to another town because business has been slow lately. She hopes to sell six lamps today in order for her to change her mind. A lovestruck centaur named Gilbert overhears her conversation and declares she cannot do this as it would mean abandoning him. He tells the siren he will sell the six lamps necessary to keep her business afloat, considering this the first step of their romantic story. Outside her shop, he tells the main character to help him sell the lamps.

Should the player succeeds in selling all six lamps to local Dudbears, the centaur will enthusiastically tell Monique of the good news. The owner is glad and think hanging in this city for a while longer, but Gilbert urges her to go star-gazing with him. The siren agrees and go out on a date with him. There, the poet of love tries to coerce her into leaving her job and travel the world with him. However, Monique replies she likes her work and every day is a dream come true. This momentarily hurts the centaur's feelings, but he then claims he must search elsewhere to find his fated love.

A Siren's Song

The siren and proprietor of the lamp shop in Lumina is accused of shinking ships with her voice. Imperial soldiers investigating her unattended boutique states it's proof she's the culprit. However, Monique went to see her friend Elle in Polpota Harbor. She tells the protagonist she cannot find her, but a pair of soldiers storms the quay, immediately accusing her of sanking their ship. Despite her alibi of being too busing making lamps in her workshop, the imperial soldiers won't hear her reasoning.

She manages to escape to Madora Beach where she joins her friend Flameshe the mermaid in the attempt to free her other siren friend Elle from a giant birdcage. Elle was captured by the imperial army and imprisoned there because they assumed she sank their vessel. Monique doesn't believe this, as she only sang once and sailors are always pinning their misfortunes on them. Elle admits she likes being cooped up here, but this remark angers Monique, replying she has the right to be free like everyone. The captured siren remarks it's no different than her friend being in her atelier in Lumina all day. Monique remarks that freedom is inside her heart, and right now Elle is shutting herself off from that. Monique convinces Flameshe to let the hero inside her cage and battle a giant plant monster. They free Elle, but she states she wants to stay a while longer here.

Gilbert: Resume for Love

Gilbert has been turned into stone by Kathinja, a professor at Geo's Academy of Magic. He was then sold to Krissie, the proprietor of the Palace of Arts, then sold again to the Diggers in the Ulkan Mines. His poetic voices reverbs back in the hero's head, stating he misses his time spent with Monique and wishes to see her again. The protagonist go to Lumina to inform Monique about Gilbert, but she tells them that's none of her business anymore. The players follows her to Madora Beach where she is seen relaxing with Elle in her birdcage. Even though they think of him as weird, They agree to help him by asking the sorcerers at the Academy of Magic. They learn the spell necessary to undo the enchantment and proceed to chant it in front of the statue in the Ulkan Mines. Gilbert returns back to normal and is ever thankful of his true love rescuing him.

Circle of Mana

Monique makes a cameo appearance in the online game, along with several other characters from the Mana series. She appears in 2 sets of cards.

Rank	Attribute	Name	Classes				Quote
SUR	魔	リュミヌー	ランプ売りの少女	ランプ職人	[光]精霊の光	[闇]月夜の灯	「彼はもっと大きなランプが欲しい人なのに、私のランプはとても小さいの。」 "He wants a bigger lamp, but my lamp is very small."
SUR	魔	リュミヌー	ランプ売りの少女	ランプ職人	[光]精霊の光	[闇]月夜の灯	「手作りだから、味わって食べてね。」 "It's handmade, so please enjoy it."

Echoes of Mana

While not appearing in the game, Monique is mentioned along with Flameshe by Elle during her bond dialogues in Pinzton.She states they are two of her good friends.

General information

Personality

Contrary to appearances, Monique is portrayed as a practical individual, not prone to whimsical flights of fancy. This fact is best illustrated in Faeries' Light, where, in response to Gilbert's romantic, yet unrealistic, vision for her to roam the world of Fa'Diel with him as a fellow wayfarer, Monique declines, choosing instead to continue making a practical living through the craft of lamp-making.

It is through this same decision that Monique is observed to be not just an artisan who takes pride in practising her craft, but also a person who derives happiness from simple, uncomplicated pleasures; the joy that she expresses in response to the Dudbears' outpouring of praise and gratitude for her lamps proves as much.

This practicality of Monique's extends towards other fields; in A Siren's Song, it evolves into a strong sense of conviction and dignity, as she vehemently protests against her fellow siren Elle's decision to enter solitary confinement simply for following the call of her birthright through the act of singing.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Monique.

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  Monique encyclopedia entry

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