Mint Pepper (another OC)
After Sally (Steve Bandel's mom), it's the turn of Jack's mom !
(I know some of you will (not) like her, but i have a lot to share about her !!!)
(TW//CW: mentions of 4bVs3 and other sensitive themes)
Mint's full name is Margaret Pepper. "Mint" or "Minty" is her nickname
She's born August 26th 1869 in Mouseburg from a secretary and a teacher. However, her grandmother Alice was taking care of her while they were at work.
Issued from a working class family, Mint learned to read very early, without the help of her parents who were often absent.
At age 14, she met Sally Bandel (1877-) (who was seven at the time) and Marlone (1874-1900) and became their sister figure
Mint had a bookkeeper brother, Garett Pepper (1867-1904), who was a year older than her. Both were in good terms before, but they distanced for a little while when Mint got married.
At 18, Mint became the first woman to become a spy (before becoming a Paralegal Investigator (and not "Private Investigator", there's a difference) at 27)
During her days off, she met Ernest Chart, a very famous writer (and an albino mouse). It was love at first sight, but Mint chosed to focus on her career first.
She began to know Ernest more after saving him from the mob. Of course, he was immature andd irresponsible and wasn't the type of guy to support her work, but despite that, he wasn't that bad. They got married in 1887.
On January 21st 1889, the couple's daughter and first child, Jillian "Jill" Pepper (an albino mouse just like her dad), was born. However, Ernest rejected his first kid at birth because he wanted a son (which is why Jill has her mother's last name), and Mint didn't like it at all. Since that day, Ernest became a fonduehead and his reputation worsenened so much his editor refused to publish his books.
Growing up, Jill had to witness her parents fighting and to suffer cruelty at the hands of her father. However, her mother always stood up for her.
Mint hated seeing her kids suffer. she didn't even want to leave Jill alone with Ernest either, but she couldn't even take her to her work because she didn't want Jill to be in danger and because her daughter was at school. And when her husband told her he was hoping their son would be a boy, she started to think that he was treating their children like machines.
On April 16th 1896, in the dark lights of Mouseburg, a baby mouse was born. At birth, his lungs were as strong as steel. Seeing that beautiful boy being placed in her arms for the first time, she decided to call him "Jack". "Jack Pepper".
Everyone in the Pepper family (yes, because Mint has a lot of uncles, cousins, aunts...), including her parents and her brother who regretted not being there for her, assisted Jack's birth... except Ernest — who didn't care about his kids — and Jill whose dad forced her to stay at home...
When Mint came back with newborn Jack 4 days later, she saw Jill eating apart while her own father was partying with his friends. After her daughter told her the truth, Mint had enough. She tells all of Ernest's friends and girls he cheated on her with to "get the hell outta here" and kicked Ernest out. Her ex-husband tried to argue, but she shut him up because baby Jack was sleeping after being fed with a bottle of milk.
A week after Jack's birth, Mint and Ernest had a formal court divorce because Mint herself wanted legal recognition, child support, and freedom to remarry (even tho she didn't remarry after the second "divorce" that would follow) thanks to the neighbours who heard everything and thanks to her daughter who showed the proofs... Her large family aided for child support. By the way, when Ernest left, she was relieved.
Ernest and Mint's relationship is similar to Beatrice and Butterscotch Horseman's in BoJack Horseman. Except that the mother is the only parent who loves her kids.
16 months after Jack was born, Mint is back at work, but this time as a paralegal investigator (which was, once again, RARE for a woman in her era). So when she's at work, she leaves her kids at school, takes them to work or leaves them to the care of Garett, who stayed in his sister's house to help her. However, unlike Jill, when Jack was a baby and a toddler, he wasn't very fond of his uncle and instead wanted his momma to take care of him (see the baby Jack drawing I've made)
During an investigation, she unexpectedly came across her childhood friend Sally in a party. Five years after Mint married Ernest, Sally was married off to William Oxford by her mother. However, William had bad intensions towards Sally and their unborn baby, which is why she fled from Vaudeville to Mouseburg. Now she's a magician (she always has been, since she was raised in a wealthy family that practices occultism) and is the single mother of a son, future magician Steve Bandel. Steve was 7 months old when he first met Mint (his war buddy's mother).
Despite being a baby, Jack was already smart for his age. He even figured out where ants were entering the house from before momma can put ant traps down. He was so proud of himself that her was really excited to show her he found where they were coming from.
In 1900, Mint went to visit Sally in the Bandel mansion (the mansion Steve inherited when he was a young adult (around 21-22, so a year after the end of the war (where he had interest for the Unknown))) while Garett was taking care of Jill and Jack. She caught her crying in her office. Why? Because she attempted reviving Marlone, her first love, via mechanics, but wasn't satisfied of the lifeless aspect of the robots she once built. All while raising her kid. So Mint comforted her in her arms. When a 3-year-old Steve, in pajamas, asked his mom for a hug, Sally readily accepted and smiled despite the tears.
For a few years, Mint managed to raise her son and daughter in a happy home. But when Ernest came back begging his wife to give him a second chance in front of their house door, Mint took pity of him. She thought that maybe he changed and grew a conscience.
When Jack met his father for the first time, he was 6 and his sister was 13. However, unlike Jack, Jill was terrified. And her brother didn't know why before.
At first, Jack loved spending time with his father (even if he preferred his mother more). But everything changed when something happened. Ernest and Jack were hunting when suddenly, they see a rabbit. Ernest wanted his son to shoot that rabbit, but Jack didn't want to, so his father used threats so he would obey.
When Jack was telling his mom about his day with his father (which ended badly) during dinner, she asked him and his older sister to go wash their hands, brush their teeth and go to bed. She was very furious against Ernest, but she didn't show that anger in front of their kids.
While he was in bed, Jack heard everything: his parents yelling, his mom trying to defend Jack and his father criticizing him. He was so scared that he cried that night... When everything was calm, Jack woke up because had a nightmare. So he called his mom, who went to comfort him instantly.
Once again, Ernest and Mint's relationship deteriorated, and once again, it was Jill who was taking the brunt of it. Mostly because of her father who was also a monster towards his brother. It was like that for a year. Until Ernest, who knew he could never change, decided to desert on April 16th 1903 at 3AM. For Jack's 7th birthday. When the family woke up and sees no trace of Ernest's belongings, Jack was a bit upset that he didn't have the dad he wanted (which is why he hates his dad so much). But he was very happy that his mother, his sister and him wouldn't have to suffer.
When Jack aged up and came to war, Mint was sending him letters everyday. And he luckily came back alive with Steve and Cornelius (who met Mint and Sally)!
Mint is cynical and calm under pressure, but also intelligent and sometimes agressive. However, she never mistreated her kids because she loves them.
Mint was a great source of inspiration for her son, which is why Jack is the P.I. we know: a strong guy who gives justice to the weakest and the victims. She was a victim; she became a saviour.
Mint continues to come and see Jack from time to time (like, a weekend per week), especially after her son saw his dad again recently (he kept visiting his alcoholic father in John's bar for at least a whole week. But as he knew his dad wasn't worth changing, well... you know, Jack, just like us, already cried multiples times through his life. But this... oh, this... Even John told Ernest to get out of his bar and never come back). She couldn't visit him a month ago because he was busy investigating in the shrew kidnapping at the hands of the mob, the corrupted cops and BMP, and she couldn't visit her daughter because she is in Ratsville and has her own life there.
But of course, even Jill is close to her !
Like Jack, Mint can sing. By the way, she started her singing career at 48.
As a kid, when Jack was going to the circus with his mom and his sister, a clown appeared close to him. He was so scared that he clung to his mother's skirt. Even now, Jill continues to tease her little brother about it, much to his annoyance and embarrassment.
Mint hates BMP. And mimes as well.
My voice claim for Mint is Wendie Malick (Beatrice Horseman from BoJack Horseman,...etc.)... but without the "bad mom" etiquette.
And that's everything to know about Mint Pepper ! What do you think ?
@dale-writes (sorry for the tag), you're not gonna believe which new mom I've drawn !
