Viva Cortez

Viva Cortez is an 8th grade student at Whistling Pines Junior High.

A character who first appeared in the Secret Paths series, Viva is one of Arrow's closest friends and band mates. Viva is vivacious, and very good at making music. She is also a talented dancer. She overcame great shyness and self-confidence issues when her ballet class changed their dance recital to modern/interpretative style, and Viva could perform the moves easily due to her shorter height. When Viva is first introduced into the series, she has a heavy accent; she is of Puerto Rican and Greek descent. She speaks fluent Spanish, often writing notes in the Spanish language to Ruben. Viva was voiced by Avellan Nydia and Jessica Fairwell.

Viva has light brown skin and brown/black eyes. Her black hair is afro-textured, and kept out of her eyes by barrettes or headbands. Viva has a tall, slender form and dresses with funk style.

Even though her birthdate is never specified, Viva is marked down as a Libra in her class astrology book, meaning she was born between Sept 23 and Oct 23. In the Rockett's World book, Are We There Yet?, for the calendar fundraiser Viva poses with Sharla for the September page, narrowing her possible birthday to the last 8 days in September.

Viva is the drummer in the band Arrow & the Explorers, but she has many other instruments appear in her locker throughout the games, including a mandolin and castanets. In Rockett's Secret Invitation, Viva plays tambourine in the informal jam session in the band room.

In addition to dance, Viva is also a gymnast and a good swimmer. She likes fairies and astrology.

Background
Viva is the only child of Jack and Yvonne Cortez. Yvonne is a dance instructor, and Viva thinks she is gorgeous. Jack's job isn't specified, but he is able to change his schedule to fit his family's needs since Viva complains that he'll be inconvenienced in driving her to her new school. She is of Puerto Rican and Greek descent, and she speaks fluent Spanish. Her maternal great-grandparents lived in Greece. Her mother is the Greek half of her heritage while her dad is the Puerto Rican side. Viva even lived in Puerto Rico when she was “little.” Viva attends Mass with her family.

Before Whistling Pines 8thgrade, she went to a performing arts school that focused on her musical and dancing abilities. Moving to a new school and the ensuing fight with her parents was the issue she had to face with the player's help in Secret Paths to the Sea.

Personality
In Secret Paths in the Forest, Viva is shy, self-deprecating, and timid. She is very hard on herself and lacks confidence. When others offer to help her or compliment her, she brushes them off, unbelieving of their sincerity.

In Secret Paths to the Sea, Viva is stubborn, argumentative, and slightly selfish. She complains and fights with her parents when they make a big change for her life, and she carries a pessimistic outlook. However, with her friend Arrow, Viva is supportive and excitable about the idea of starting a band together.

In the Rockett games, Viva is friendly, outspoken, and a little bit nosy. She has no problem approaching people and asking for what she wants, but she remains polite most of the time. Although she is vivacious, she still has confidence issues and really admires the confident trait in other people.

Interests & Skills
Viva is interested in astrology, music, dance, gymnastics, and fairies. Her dance specialties are ballet and interpretative/modern. She showed promise in interpretative dance, learning faster than the other dancers in her class, and her instructor put her up front for the recital performance. Viva is a good swimmer and has toned muscles from her gymnastics training.

With astrology, Viva keeps track of her classmates’ star signs, but it’s unknown if this interest affects how she interacts with people or whom she befriends.

She plays a variety of percussion instruments. She is the drummer in the all-girls band with her friends, Arrow & the Explorers. Viva can also play djembe, the bongos, tambourine, xylophone, maracas, cymbals, and castanets. Several times in the games, a mandolin is in her locker although she's never seen playing any stringed instruments.

Relationships
As a member of Arrow & the Explorers band, Viva hangs out with fellow members Arrow and Ginger more than anyone else. She also frequently associates with Wolf DuBois and fellow musician and Spanish speaker Ruben Rosales.

Viva doesn’t actively dislike anyone, but is never seen with The Ones’ members, the CSG girls, nor the delinquents like Sharla and Bo - so she could just be good at avoiding confrontation altogether.

Academics
Viva has Mrs. Tinydahl as her homeroom teacher. Her fall report card has her as a B/C average student with music being her best subject as it's the only class where she earned an A.

She and Ruben were chosen by Principal Herrera to be on the Fiesta Committee for the school’s Cinco de Mayo festival.

In Who’s Running This Show?, Viva performs in the school talent show by dancing while Darnetta sings the blues.

Secret Paths in the Forest
Viva is self-conscious in dance class - she feels short and skinny compared to all of the other girls. Her perception of herself is very critical as she hates her hair, height, and body. She doesn’t believe the other dancers or her mom when they compliment her; since all of them are pretty, Viva thinks they can’t understand.

One day, the dance instructor makes an abrupt change to their upcoming recital's choreography and alters the ballet steps for interpretative dance moves. Shorter Viva is now at an advantage as she can do all of the flips and twists while the taller dancers are off-balance. Despite the boost in confidence, Viva is still insecure about her appearance.

After the player travels her path, a tranquility garden, Viva realizes she doesn’t have to look like a model for people to like her. The dance teacher puts her up front in rehearsals and everyone is complimenting Viva’s grace and form. Viva is looking forward to performing in the recital now.

The secret stones in her necklace are Creativity, Beauty, Transformation, Confidence, two story stones, and one unknown stone showing a peacock. Her story is “The Bird Who Couldn’t Sing.”

Secret Paths to the Sea
Viva’s parents have decided to send her to a new school that has a better curriculum for her performing arts talents. Viva resents the change and thinks this means her parents don’t love her because this isn’t what she wants. Viva continues to argue with her parents even knowing the decision is already made, complaining about leaving behind her friends and her dad changing his job hours so he can drive her to the new school.

After traveling her path, a bayou leading to an estuary, Viva considers how her parents just want to give her the best opportunities and that they do understand how hard this change will be for her. Viva is going to summon her courage and rise to the challenge.

The secret stones on her necklace are Trust, Understanding, Respect, the story stone, and one unknown that has an animation of a confused girl surrounded by question marks. Her story is "The Fire of Wisdom."

Viva also has a brief appearance as part of Arrow’s path. When Arrow is practicing drums in the band room, Ginger and Viva are with her. Viva tells the band teacher that Arrow is awesome and the three of them are going to start a band someday.

Rockett's New School
Viva has one physical appearance in the game. She can be seen during lunch, in line beside Nicole Whittaker.

The lockers reveal that Viva hits it off with Jessie Marbella in music class on the first day of school. The two talk about music and their heritage; Viva is slightly amazed that Jessie’s family comes from Spain, which she didn’t expect from someone with blonde hair. Later that night, Viva goes to Mass with her family and they light candles for her sick grandfather’s recovery.

Rockett's Tricky Decision
In school Viva and Arrow spend the morning asking other students where they can find and talk to Rockett. They need Rockett’s artistic expertise in designing Halloween costumes. Wolf DuBois has invited Viva and Arrow to his parents’ restaurant for a Halloween party and the costume contest offers $50 for first prize.

The duo finally meet Rockett in the girls’ bathroom and ask for her help with their costumes. The player can decide whether or not Rockett agrees to brainstorm ideas with them in the art room after school. A later decision can land Rockett in detention, making her miss the brainstorming session; but with some encouragement from Wolf, she’ll make some rough sketches and share them with Viva and Arrow before the party.

Viva attended Wolf's party as the "ghost of a dead queen."

Rockett's Secret Invitation
If the player gets Rockett sent to the principal’s office, Rockett can talk with Viva in the main office while she waits for the principal to sign her tardy slip. Viva has heard that Rockett got a secret invitation and wants to know the details. Rockett acts friendly but firmly says that she won’t be sharing the secret despite Viva’s promises not to tell anyone. Viva doesn’t tell Rockett how she heard about the invitation, but the player can learn from Viva’s locker that Dana of the CSGs told her friend Ginger who told Arrow, and then Arrow told Viva.

By now Viva also knows via Mavis that Rockett has a private personal belonging of someone else’s, but she doesn’t know what it is nor who it really belongs to.

After school, depending on the player's choice, Rockett visits the band room and finds Ruben, Wolf, and the Explorers, including Viva, in an informal jam session. At first, Viva is running the video camera. When Mavis shows up, Viva can show her how to play the bongos and join in the music, or Viva will play tambourines as Mavis and Rockett talk together.

Viva receives a homemade dream-catcher from Arrow as a Christmas present. In turn, Viva invites Arrow to attend midnight mass with her for Christmas.