Vienna North

Colonel Vienna Alisa North, more commonly known as Vienna the Arctic Vixen, is yet another main protagonist in the Foxtrot: Foxes in Arms series. She is an animatronic arctic vixen who currently serves as an active-duty officer in the United States Marine Corps and is seen as a very inspiring and influential figure. Vienna is the most prominent leading female character in the series and has formed a close bond with the other foxes, particularly Arthur.

Physical Appearance
Vienna is an animatronic vixen about an average human’s size, though some might argue she's a bit bigger than the average female. She has primarily white fur covering her body with some black highlights on her ears, front torso, and tail tip. Vienna has tan skin on her ears and muzzle, though new concept art depicts her with white fur on her muzzle with three fur tufts. Vienna has a slightly curvy hourglass figure but is still considered pretty athletic and in top physical form.

Vienna has three small fur tufts on each side of her head (noted to be smaller than the males), as well as three bangs on the top of her head. Most notably, Vienna has long hair which is white like the rest of her fur, which, based on some depictions, can run as far down as a fourth of her back. She usually has her hair tied back in a ponytail while out in public, though it will allow it to "flow freely" when indoors.

For attire, Vienna most commonly wears a military green USMC vest which is over a midnight purple (and green) one-piece bodysuit. She'll also wear the standard USMC dress uniform for formal, ceremonial, or other special occasions, and she'll dawn combat gear over her usual attire. Different outfits could depend on the circumstances.

Early Life
Vienna was born in the home-rule city of Fairbanks, Alaska, on October 12, 1981. She was a member of a line of animatronic animals that could operate the same way as a human or other living creature could; she’d even develop from a small child to an adult-like a human would. Though a unique case for this vixen, she was born into a tribe of animatronic arctic foxes that was more traditional and nature-fairing, something unprecedented for robotic animals. Though this tribe is still fitting in with modern society, it always keeps "old" traditions that's lasted generations. Thanks to her upbringing, Vienna was exposed to many of nature's pleasures at an early age. This would ultimately make her grow an interest in the outdoors and exploring throughout her childhood.

As time went on, Vienna would develop into a well-mannered young vixen, though she'd still retain her younger side, mainly her passion for the outdoors. She would initially want to continue her family traditions revolving around the tribe, though she'd find that many paths would. A male arctic fox named Neil Nevada and a red vixen named Krystal Fox would become close friends of Vienna's as her teen years develop, and their positive influence rubbed off on Vienna to a significant effect. It would also be around this time that Vienna would even begin to take up an interest in yoga, opening the path to becoming a possible yoga teacher or guru.

Then, one day, Neil wanted adventure, and so he decided to go seeking it. He would end up joining the military to do so. Being a bit of an adventurous spirit herself, Vienna also gave some thought toward the prospect, though her parents advised against it, and for a good reason. Aside from being a nature-loving tribe, those within the tribe were primarily peaceful, though they will fight if they need to. However, parents' justifications made sense; on top of that, by this time, women didn't even have similar roles as men did within the military.

Despite her parents' initial refusal, Vienna's desire to travel and explore also intertwined with the idea of joining the military. Seeing how their daughter's heart was set on these ideas and believing that she'd make the best of whatever situation she faced out there, Vienna's parents allowed her to at least sign up for it. And so, once she'd come of age, Vienna went to enlist within the military. Specifically, she enrolled to join the US Marine Corps. Following initial trials at the recruit training, she was chosen for specialized training under the US military’s Animatronic Training Program after showing impressive physical fitness and endurance. Following some training, Vienna became the first vixen to graduate at the top of her class (many other animatronic vixens graduated, but not at the top). As per Animatronic Training Program guidelines, those that show stellar performance shall become a commissioned officer. Years later, she was formally commissioned into the Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant (O-1).

US Marine Corps Service - The Gulf War
The first time Vienna went abroad was around the turn of the decade. Vienna was one of over 40,000 military women (over 2,000 Marine women) to be sent into the Middle East under Operation Desert Shield. She arrived in Kuwait under the 2nd Marine Division as an ordnance specialist. When Operation Desert Storm kicked off, she was swamped when the Marines went on the offensive. As an ordinance specialist, Vienna’s job was to ensure the safe use of all weapons and ammunition used by her fellow Marines. Throughout the operation, she assisted with transporting artillery, preparing infantry firearms for use in combat, and various other duties. One of her favorite jobs to do was work on the M198 155 mm (6.1 in) Towed Howitzer artillery pieces used by the USMC. She would also get to work on the M1 Abrams main battle tank from time to time. Vienna took her job very seriously and left no firearm unturned, ensuring everyone she inspected was ready for use by the infantry and the artillery and armor divisions’ cannons. Though she wasn’t permitted to participate in direct combat with the Iraqis, Vienna clearly distinguished herself as a vital part of the Marines’ team and gained respect and friendship with her peers.

Baptism of Fire
During the war, Vienna and her unit moved on Iraqi positions near the Saudi Arabian border. As they advanced, one of their trucks struck an enemy landmine, damaging it and the Howitzer it hauled and injuring several Marines. The unit’s commander ordered that they set up a perimeter to defend their position. They did just that, with Vienna helping prepare weapons if the enemy came through. At ten minutes past 14:00, a flight of Iraqi MiG-23M fighter bombers made low passes on Vienna’s unit, unprepared for anti-aircraft combat. More trucks, Howitzers, and even some of the M60 tanks had been destroyed or disabled. An attack from Su-22 fighter bombers soon followed, leaving many Marines dead or injured, including the unit commander. 2nd Lieutenant Vienna was fortunate enough to be unhurt, but now she was the only one who could hold off the enemy. Keeping her composure, she used one of the surviving radios to report her unit’s status and call in support from allies. A few moments later, an Iraqi infantry division came through the area. Some of the soldiers came looking through what remained of the unit; they were not expecting to find Vienna. She took up arms and decided she would hold back the Iraqis as best she could. In the ensuing firefight, the arctic vixen proved to be more than a match for the entire group. She fired back on the enemy, broke into hand-to-hand combat in many instances. Vienna didn’t stop until everyone trying to attack her was neutralized. As it turned out, she got some minor cuts and bruises, but nothing would stop her from saving herself and her position.

While surveying her surroundings, Vienna caught sight of an Iraqi command and control center off the coast. While she was safe at the moment, she called in the center’s location for bombardment. She knew she couldn’t take on an entire base independently, so she continued to maintain a perimeter and watched over it. After three-quarters of an hour, the command and control center Vienna reported went up in flames, not from missiles, but from a series of large-caliber shells, bigger than anything she’d seen. She didn’t know it, but the command and control center she found and reported was hit by a series of 406 mm (16 in) high-explosive shells fired from the US Navy battleship USS Missouri (BB-63). After the command and control center was destroyed, a pack of 2nd Marine Division tanks and smaller vehicles came through the area and came to Vienna’s aid. As it turned out, this incident occurred after the Battle of Khafji started for the Coalition forces. Afterward, she continued to assist her fellow Marines in the following engagements. When the First Gulf War ended, Vienna was awarded for her actions and promptly promoted to First Lieutenant (O-2).

Later Service
Following the Gulf War’s end, Vienna continued to serve as an ordnance specialist for the Marines. She assisted in providing humanitarian relief in African countries and would also be a part of combat drills commonly conducted with her unit. Years later, Vienna was sent back to the Middle East. By now, she had been promoted to Major (O-4) and commanded her own unit but still not permitted to direct combat. Despite this, she preferred to be out on the field but maintained her distance from confrontations. She would spend the next few years commanding Marine units in both Afghanistan and Iraq. In both wars, Vienna faced similar situations she encountered all those years ago and performed similar feats. She gained a reputation for her actions throughout her service with the USMC. Finally, after too long of a time, women were allowed to take part in direct combat. Upon hearing this news, Vienna enrolled at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, graduating just before her birthday that year and becoming the first animatronic vixen qualified for an infantry division. Following a bit more time serving with the Marines, Vienna would get assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve, where she'd spend smaller amounts of time acting as a military officer. The reduced time allowed her to pursue her other interests while still retaining her ability to serve within the Marine Corps, though this would change.

After some years passed, a new threat began to materialize; it was so concerning the government started to become very concerned about national security. As a result, the military got a larger budget, so it began to build up a larger force if a large-scale war broke out. Among the new contingency plans, a new unit was designed within the Marine Corps, the 7th Marine Division. This division would be formed out of mostly reserved Marine forces that have been assigned to full-on active duty.

Vienna was put in charge of a newly created division known as the 7th Marine Division based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawaii. This division was formed on February 5, 2017. Vienna gained command after she had recently earned a promotion to Colonel (O-6). Usually, colonels only commanded regiments, but Vienna’s extensive experience and talents made the higher-ups consider her more than qualified and the right choice to command the division. Though Vienna would prove to be more than capable of commanding an entire division, she'd make much more of a name for herself as time goes on.

Personality
Vienna is a strong-willed girl who’s prepared to do what’s best for the greater good. She has a big heart and a strong sense of justice, and overall fairness. She also has a passion for exploring, traveling worldwide, and loves to work out. She tends to perform yoga and numerous other exercises while on her time off. Based on her actions throughout her service with the Marine Corps, Vienna is very brave and will take matters into her own hands if situations become tough. She’s authoritative but has an overall kind and friendly demeanor. As such, she has a pretty tactical mind and knows how to be an effective leader. Vienna is quite a social butterfly at her core, but practically growing up in the Marine Corps has also made her quite disciplined.

On another note, she’s still got a bit of that young charm in her. Vienna can be a bit of a jokester with her friends, especially the boys. None of her jokes are mean-spirited; she does know what buttons to push to get a rise and a laugh out of those she knows. This is what she does to help decrease tensions, and sometimes she’ll say things to help boost morale.

Now, she does have her flaws. While she is pretty brave, she did have some phobias while growing up, including the lower end of acrophobia. On top of that, she can be a bit over-confident at times, but there is one thing she can’t stand. Early in her service, she was looked down upon because of her gender, but that lessened over time. Despite any flaws she has, Vienna has worked hard to get to where she is now, and her time in the Marine Corps helped her get over her fears (mostly). To sum up, Vienna’s kind and brave soul who anyone can come to if they have a problem and will follow into battle.

Abilities
Vienna is quite the Devil Dog, as described by those who know her well. She’s strong, fast, and flexible. Vienna has been in top-physical health throughout her life, so none of these are shocking. She goes for workouts often and has a hobby of doing yoga. Despite all this, she still has enhanced physical strength, more so than humans; even for a vixen, she’s exceptionally gifted for physical talent. As an ordnance specialist, Vienna has a great understanding of weaponry, what they look like, what they do, and how they’re supposed to operate.

She’s also pretty cunning, which is why she’s been put into a command setting after many promotions. She has a knack for figuring out problems and working through solutions.

Despite not being permitted to get a job in direct combat until 2016, Vienna has proven herself to be quite the marksman. As one local legend describes her, “she can hit the nipples off a chicken from 20 klicks away.”

Vienna is also quite the negotiator. She may feel that fighting the enemy is a just reason for the good of the country, but she disapproves of fighting between allies, and she’s able to get to a compromise when two individuals fight.

Romantic Relationship with Arthur Snow
Oddly enough, Vienna's time within the new 2018-2020 war would lead to her finding a partner, specifically a romantic partner. She encountered Arthur Snow, a male arctic fox serving as a United States Navy captain in Hawaii during the breaks between deployments overseas. It got a bit of a shaky start, but the two arctic foxes became well acquainted relatively quickly. And soon enough, Vienna secretly began to develop feelings for Arthur; she'd never experienced feelings as strong as these in her life, so it had to have been a sign. Vienna began hanging out with Arthur more often when they could, and needless to say, her attraction toward him began to grow. Even when Vienna's division was sent on an amphibious run during deployment missions, she would end up growing reliance on the naval gunfire support Arthur provided from his battleship, the USS Missouri. However, Vienna was initially hesitant to tell Arthur how she was genuinely feeling about him, and as she would find out, so was Arthur. Following a mission where the fear of either one would become a casualty, Arthur was the one to open up first. Since Vienna also had feelings for him, it came as a relief that he felt the same way she did, and vise versa. It would be at this point that both arctic foxes vowed to protect each other no matter what happened. As the war went on, they always kept to their word.

Friends and Allies

 * Arthur Snow (love interest)
 * Sewell Snow
 * Justin Redding
 * Swefred Hayden
 * Major Neil Nevada
 * Captain Krystal Fox
 * Marines under the 7th Marine Division

Enemies

 * Arian Torres

Honors and Awards

 * Combat Action Ribbon
 * Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
 * Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
 * Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
 * Distinguished Marksman Badge
 * Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
 * Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
 * Afghanistan Campaign Medal
 * Silver Star
 * Legion of Merit
 * Good Conduct Medal
 * Southwest Asia Service Medal
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal
 * Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
 * Five Service Stars (at the most)

Trivia
So far, Vienna is the first major female character introduced into the series.

Originally, during the designing phase, Vienna was just going to be a potential love interest for Arthur. Though as time went on, she'd become a much more interesting character that might be able to relate to Arthur a lot more.

Vienna shares her name with Austria’s capital city, incidentally, where her parents met. Speaking of these two animatronics, neither one was military-bred. Vienna wasn’t initially, but she joined at an age where she practically grew up and matured in the USMC.

Vienna is the first animatronic introduced to officially represent the United States Marine Corps (Arian “Arthree” Torres was USMC as well, but he defected).

Vienna has many similarities with Arthur Snow (her eventual love interest) aside from the obvious. They’re currently the same rank (O-6), they served in the same conflicts. They are pioneers and have gained a positive reputation with their respective branches.

Referring to the anime Strike Witches, many of Vienna's personality traits and demeanor are shared by Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, a veteran Witch from Karlsland (Imperial Germany from WW1), and the CO of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. Vienna is also relatively calm and collected like Gertrud Barkhorn, but not as much of a hot-head or a “by the book” kind of military member. It can also be stated that Stephanie Sheh, the voice actress for Barkhorn in Strike Witches, would fit Vienna.

Many Five Nights at Freddy’s fans’ interpretations of how the Mangle looks like before constantly being taken apart by kids in a “Take Apart & Put Back Together” attraction inspired Vienna’s overall design.

Unlike the other main characters, Vienna is the only character not to have a known ID number despite being an animatronic.