Maria Barcelito

Maria Barcelito is a young sword-wielding assassin working for the Gandor Family. She is featured as one of the leading protagonists in the Light Novels, in 1933: (First) The Slash ~Cloudy to Rainy~/Chapter 2: Spear and Knives and Katana.

Appearance
Maria has brown hair that she ties up in a pony-tail, with a rose flower accessory that she keeps in her hair. She wears vibrantly colored clothing that is unusual for assassins of mafia families to have. On her sides she keeps her two samurai swords "Murasamia" and "Kochite". She is described as being very beautiful, with men often mistaking her for an actress, but her childish nature causes some trouble for her employers, the Gandor Family.

Personality
Maria has a very child-like personality despite her womanly looks. She often refers to people as "amigo" (such as Luck Gandor and Tick Jefferson). She can be very flamboyant and dramatic in her actions, especially when she is "chopping up people" with her swords. In her debut as the Gandor Family assassin, she is seen being scolded by Luck Gandor because she has taken the task of guarding the casino dancers too far, resulting in completely destroying the casino because of her blades. She loves her blades and is always dying to "cut something up". She briefly experiences depression after being defeated by Adele and Ronnie Schiatto due to how they questioned her abilities, but is able to overcome her grief with the help of Tick and Claire.

Abilities
Maria uses two samurai swords (Katanas) : "Murasamia" and "Kochite", she is very skilled with blades, as she was trained at a young age by her grandfather. Her strength is noted to be highly valued by Gandor Family employees, and even Claire Stanfield notes that she has the potential to be stronger if she could have more devotion to her skills.

Biography
Maria is from a small town in northern Mexico, descending from a family of assassins. At a young age, her parents died at the hands of her grandfather, who cut them down for straying from the path of the sword and becoming infatuated with guns and machinery. Maria's grandfather passes onto her the principle of using the blade to cut down everything, and of thinking of swords as more than pieces of metal. Devastation strikes Maria when her grandfather passed away, as she had promised to be the one to kill him with her blades.

Maria makes her living by carrying out hit missions for mafia families. In 1932, though she is initially hired for a job by the Runorata Family, she decides to join the Gandor Family that they were feuding with. She is more of a guest to the Gandors than an employee, but she remains a valuable ally to them due to her strength.

1932 - Drugs and Dominoes
Maria first appears with a group of assassins tasked by Gustavo Bagetta of the Runoratas in taking the Daily Days and countering the threat of Vino. She participates in the climactic battle of the information shop and faces against Vino but is defeated hastily, Vino mocks her beliefs and skills and Keith of the Gandor family steps up in her defence. Maria subsequently is in debt the Gandors and hastily calls off her employ from the Runoratta family to join the Gandors as their guest. Luck places her as a body guard and assassin even though she is not in their employ, she chooses to remain due to Keith Gandor's influence.

1933 - The Slash


After a year of joining the Gandors, Maria grows bored with her duty as the Gandor family's bodyguard after destroying one of their Casinos. Luck, frustrated that he is not able to control her or have Keith ask her to take another job, pairs her with Tick Jefferson to meet with Jacuzzi Splot for enroaching on their territory and discuss a settlement plan. Maria enthustiastically accepts as this could be an opportunity to practice her skills with the blade. She sits with Tick as he trims some flowers while they discuss their interest, before departing for their assignment.

Luck notes the success of the mission to be very hard to determine due to Maria's unpredictable nature.

Later on, they discuss their histories together and Maria's confidence in her abilities while Tick tells her of his own falling out with his brother, hence his tendency to hurt and torture people in order to believe in reality. He says that he too will be hurt one day and he wouldn't mind. Maria swore to protect Tick and they press on towards the mansion where their employer requested.

They skip the mansion and subsequently backtrack to the backdoor of the Genoard estate and are confronted by Chane. Maria accepts her challenge and they fight a little before Chane retreats, Maria and Tick separate with her pursuing her rival while Tick decides to enter through the front door.

The two reunite at the front entrance of the Genoard estate where Tick catches eye of Tim, the instigator of the meeting. After seeing Dallas' regenerative abilities, Maria is ecstatic of the discovery and cuts him up. She vows to keep cutting him until he wishes he was dead, infuriating Tim who needs Jacuzzi and the gang to acquire immortal bodies. He orders Adele to fight with Maria.

The fight turns out to be equal on both sides until Adele's words starts to break Maria with regards to her skills and confidence, it culminates with Adele gaining the advantage and wounding Maria. Maria, not willing to back down, insists on fighting until Ronnie Schiatto intervenes, causing their weapons to vanish and appear in his hands as he was losing patience. Maria is dejected by her chance to redeem herself as Nice incites an escape due to the dangerous presence of both crime families in their sponsor's home.

Maria and Tick end up at a secret hideout in the midst of a rain storm on New York. Maria has become mellow and depressed due to her swift defeat, but Tick corrects her that Adele didn't defeat her but it is infact Ronnie who did so. Sad, Maria apologises for not protecting Tick but he dismissises this and tells her that she is still strong. With the mission a failure, the two decide to return to Luck Gandor and report.

The next day, on their way back to the Gandors, they notice the Genoard home is occupied by someone. Maria decides to investigate yet Tick says it is not safe, for fear of police presence. Maria is greeted by Eve Genoard, who recognizes her from last year when she worked with Gustavo. Maria decides to hold Eve hostage to take them to Jacuzzi Splot in order to bargain a business deal with them. Fang and Eve accompany them to the hideout Jaccuzi allegedly fled to, where Tick chastises Maria's reckless behaviour. Upon arriving, they are greeted by Claire Stanfield and Chane Laforet. Claire recognizes Maria from last year as well and asked why was she still weak, prompting Maria to lash back at Claire. Tick quells the situation noting their relations and they quickly form an allegiance with Eve to find Dallas Genoard and Jacuzzi Splot at Mist Wall, a large building owned by Nebula.

Maria accompanies them and they arrive at the building, where Larvae and Lamia are conducting an operation to kill all Nebula employees on behalf of Huey Laforet. She sees Adele and is still pressured by doubt until with Tick's convincing, she is able to rise to the occassion and challenge her foe. Adele dismisses Maria as an inadequate opponent until she was defeated by Claire, losing her sanity due to her inferior complex she tries to kill Jacuzzi but Maria intervenes. Finally, she gains the confidence and understanding of what her grandfather imparted on her and manages to defeat Adele in skill and combat. She raises her sword to the skies and declares that she too can cut God, prompting the sky to open amidst the rain, all characters claim this to be a miracle but Ronnie would know better.



Maria helps Tick carry Tim and Adele to a doctor in New York and returns to their territory afterwards.

Luck, angered that they have not reported in at the right time and had to get all the story from Ronnie, demands that she and Tick go to the Daily Days to sell information. She forms a bond with Tick and wishes to call him boyfriend, they race together at the streets of a sunny New York city, ending their journey and she remains confident still.