Pink

**Pink** is a light colour found in plants, some minerals, and the morning sky. A darker shade of pink is also known as **magenta**.

## Real world

In Western cultures, pink is associated with girls and women. Before that, in the 1800s, pink was for baby boys, representing the fury of red; while baby girls wore blue to represent the Virgin Mary.

## In the Rabydosverse

### The Colour of the Trees

Pink is most associated with the Ontemazei and their beloved cherry trees. In fact, pink hair is their most common hair colour, originally for menial servants. Because of its association with Ontemazei and their war against Jerde, it is seen as an unlucky, demonic colour in Vozonid culture, and fittingly, Hell in Vozonid myth is also depicted as a pink fiery void.

In Vozolaz, people who have pink hair were feared as cannibals, a continuation of the historical phobia of Ontemazei people. Anyone who dyes their hair pink must wear a wristband of bells to prove they are not Ontemazei or cannibals: the same law was also placed on the few human-Ontemazei hybrids who were allowed into Vozolaz, born with pink hair.

Other peoples on Jerde also avoid pink hair for the same association with Ontemazei. This is why pink is one of the national colours of the country of Porashon, the only nation in the world with an Ontemazei majority, representing its people and their floral characteristics.

Likewise, the jousting fan club of Lindas Province sometimes uses pink as an unofficial colour, resulting in its members speaking in Rukanian and being invited to Rukanian jousting championships.

### The Royal Colour

On the other hand, Rukania loves and reveres pink as its traditional colour, in honour of the flower dye used in its ancestor-kings' flags. It is a common sight to see Rukanian knights wearing magenta tabards and robes, especially on national festivals and ancient ceremonies, such as Dazhbog's holy day or the birthdays of kings and saints.

This was also why they allowed Ontemazei to immigrate to their country, and even serve in their knighthoods. In turn, Ontemazei make risky voyages to reach this eastern kingdom, because it was one of a few countries in the world that welcomed them as fellow subjects.

While Porashon tends to wear pink in sports matches, whenever they play against a Rukanian sports team, they instead wear purple or orange. They also explain that it's not to bow in gratitude to Rukania, as rumours claim, but to avoid confusing both teams' players. And when playing against a Bujanski sports team (who usually wears orange), they revert to pink.

Referring to the plant aliens' pink hair, Rukanians may sometimes call Ontemazei as "walking trees" or even "flags" (Praportsy)!

### Elsewhere

In the Galaxy, pink is seen as the colour of weakness and frailty. In spite of this, the Republic of Kerason chose to use a pink and yellow flag.

Inzaril, a carer of an unknown species, has pink hair, and chooses to be feminine. Zey are in love with Tuperon, a drummer.

## Trivia

### Inspirations

* The pink-haired Ontemazei were inspired by Equestria Girls, most particularly Pinkie Pie; and also Princess Bubblegum and Prince Gumball from Adventure Time.

### Cossack raspberry

* The Rukanian association with pink was derived from the pink colour used in the Kuban Cossacks in Ukraine and southern Russia, historical Cossack flags whose red colour turned magenta due to the steppe sun, and the flag of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
* It was also from a suggestion by a friend on Discord to use a pink flag for Rukania, as it was primarily based on Ukraine.
* The magenta colour seen in Cossack flags is known as малиновий (malynovyj), or raspberry.

### Miscellaneous

* Porashon is the only country on Jerde with pink on its national flag.

## See also

* Orange
* Blue