The very essence of a Mary Sue is the fulfillment of one's fantasies. She is everything you cannot be, with all your virtues--though magnified--and none of your shortcomings. She can do what you've dreamed of learning to do, and easily. She's the best at it, even.
If you have flat hair, she has bouncy, full locks. If you have a beer belly, she has a taut tummy. She is a perfect specimen with your personality (minus the bad parts) tossed inside. She has not learned from her mistakes because she's never made any. If she has a dark past, it's because bad things happen to her; she has too much foresight to fall into a bad decision, you see, as she's the one usually writing the book.
Harley's father, a US Veteran, has never been supportive of her writing dreams; Harley has said so. Desperate for his approval, she tried to join some branch of the military. Because she failed, Harley had to memorialize her father's dedication to his country in some other way, so she wrote him a book. She at first based the protagonist on him, but he apparently grew into his own personality; his love interest, unfortunately, did not.
Like the Name of a Mary Sue, the characteristics of the Mary Sue fall into either the Wish-Fulfillment or the Cheap Disguise. The first shows some failing in the author, whether it be her appearance, personality, or accomplishments. The second encompasses all the author's positive traits, though in the Mary Sue, they are often exaggerated to put even the creator to shame. The three greatest elements of Kie's character are her dedication, her military rank, and her desirability. Here's how each has come to be:
Harley is dedicated. Say what you want about her plots, characters, and style--she's done more marketing than an 80's power-suit guy. She taught herself web-design in order to make websites for authors. She has like, 19 blogs about writing.
Kie is dedicated. She reads battle strategies for fun, and that's all she reads. Harley has a shelf of writing and style books, but that isn't all she reads! (What a stretch.) Kie isn't interested in frivolous things like brushing her hair or making dresses. She likes to practice by sparring with Elite captains. She breathes Kinir Elite; she wouldn't know what to do without her job, as she's too talented to be just a housewife.
Harley wasn't accepted to the military. She wanted to carry on her father's legacy by joining the So-and-So Guard; though they are not very exclusive, they did not want her. I assume this is because she didn't pass a fitness or an aptitude test.
Kie is a top member of an Elite military force. She is the best marksman on the team, gave the captain of the Tinally Elite a run for his money, and fought with her own commander while she was locked in a wizard's tower (oh, the originality!). Everyone insists that this is where she belongs...probably because her hymen was already busted by a pedophile dwarf, so she can't be married off to anyone respectable. The whore. And, speaking of hymen-busting (my vote for new Olympic sport)...
Harley has Daddy Issues. A lot of people do; it's nothing to flaunt, but it's certainly relate-able. Because of this, she's the kind of girl who squees at any male attention she receives. Girls who have babies in high school? Daddy Issues. Girls who get married when they're eighteen? Daddy Issues! (It wasn't always this way, but in this day and age, it's troofs.) Oh, and don't get me started on the wannabe tomboys who bitch about women. Who do they sound like? Your alcoholic dad? There's a reason for that.
Kie is irresistible to men. Despite her almost obsessive need to downplay her womanhood, she is consistently given more male attention than her flirtatious rival teammate, Aeli. Her captain, her commander, even dwarves (those nasty fuckers!), are all enchanted by this tomboy beauty. Even her male teammates (one of whom is going steady with Aeli) feel a possessiveness for her that suggests hidden amorous intentions, but only on their part--Kie is almost as unimpressed with the opposite gender as she is with her own.
