Quote:
DEUS EX MACHINA PERSONNEL FORM
The Hunter
Name: Prospero José Marcelo Alejandro Ruiz
Nicknames: Aero
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Category: Sun
The Weapon
Name: Zigor
Nicknames: Zig, Ziggy, Ziggy Stardust, Diablo, Zigzag, Montro, Igor, Ziggles, Matatan, and probably at least a thousand more as Aero thinks of them.
Type of Weapon: A Double-headed Meteor Hammer. Essentially, Zigor consists of approximately seven feet of flexible, thin chain with two swiveling metal weights fixed to each end. These weights are shaped like pointed fangs and are about the size of a softball, with the inside curve of the “fang” cut in such a way that it is serrated, like the sharp edge of a saw or knife. When not in his weaponized form, Zigor presents as a necklace that consists of two large fangs connected by a thin chain that hangs around the back of the neck (essentially, Daenarys’ necklace from Game of Thrones /SHAMELESSLY YOINKS)
Former species of weapon: Monster - Grootslang
Gender: Male
Personalities:
Prospero:
Profoundly lazy and woefully belligerent, Aero is probably the furthest thing from an ideal candidate as one can be at Deus Ex. Aero has seemingly few positive qualities at first blush: he's a sarcastic, snarling mess of a human being, a cornered mongrel with his hackles constantly raised. As foul-mouthed and uncouth as they come, Aero possesses a savage temper and has little to no control over his emotions, which can run the gambit from zen-like serenity to teeth-gnashing fury in a matter of minutes. He's jaded, he's cynical, he's withdrawn, he's crass, he's hurtful, he's violent. But, more than anything else, Aero is terrified, wounded, and desperately lonely. And, despite everything, he's trying to change. He's just not very good at it.
The very definition of a loose cannon, Prospero suffers from a severe lack of impulse control. He says and does everything without thinking because consequences don't even begin to remotely register in his head. Sometimes he says something with the intent to hurt, a barb that he knows will p***k a nerve, but more often than not Prospero is simply careless and ignorant. The thoughts and emotions of others remain a nebulous mystery to him, and frankly Aero is generally too selfish to give a damn one way or the other. In fact, he's likely to get irritated at someone for being offended or hurt by something he said. It's nearly impossible to wring an apology out of him, even if Aero acknowledges that he did something wrong.
Transience has always been a part of Aero's life, and so adjusting the rigidity (and authority) of Deus Ex Academy is also likely to prove a challenge for him. Aero has an innate rebellious streak and a knack for intentionally pushing buttons that is more likely than not to get him into serious trouble. He likes seeing how far he can stretch someone until they snap, gets a thrill out of toeing boundaries before diving off of them headfirst. That said, Aero isn't an idiot. Enough punishment and he'll learn his lesson, even if he has to learn it the hard way.
It's easy to dismiss Aero as a hot-headed buffoon with scarcely two brain cells to rub together, and admittedly he does little to disprove this impression. But it's not an entirely fair assumption -- Aero is actually brutally intelligent, almost remarkably so. Anyone who has the patience to actually teach him something will discover that Aero is a surprisingly quick learner, and he's naturally an unorthodox thinker who is able to devise efficient solutions to difficult problems on the fly. Again, the key word there is patience. Convincing him to actually bother learning something is an exhausting process, because he generally won't bother unless he immediately sees some sort of tangible benefit from it. Aero's problem is that he is almost unforgivably lazy, and he's generally not all that interested in challenging himself. He feels little need to pick up a book or put his intelligence to any actual use, and as a result Aero's mind likely seems stagnated to any outside observer: he has a limited (if not mortifyingly colorful) vocabulary, knows little to nothing about history, couldn't do algebra if you paid him, and his spelling is downright embarrassing. Aero sees no practical use for being "book smart" and thus has no interest in it, because what's the point? The only knowledge that truly interests Aero is knowledge that can be applied, like learning a new skill or craft. He likes working with his hands and actually finds satisfaction in physical labor and exertion, and the combat aspects of being a Hunter appeal to him. Expect him to do well in that regard.
For the people who manage to tolerate Aero for more than two minutes (and they are few and far inbetween, honestly) Aero is an... interesting friend to have. He doesn’t exactly have a heart of gold, but he definitely has a withered little heart made of bronze, perhaps. He’s not exactly good at being a "friend" in that he doesn’t really seem to comprehend the dynamics of it -- he’s not a shoulder to cry on, or a friend who gives good advice, or even particularly comfortable with strong emotions from other people. Aero is, however, unflinchingly, relentlessly loyal.
Perhaps the best way to sum up Aero is a famous quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth: full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. There's a heartbreaking emptiness to Aero sometimes, a part of him that seems hollowed and scooped out. But Aero's arrival at Deus Ex also kindled a small hope in his tiny, shriveled little heart: the hope of improving himself, of rising to the occasion, of being more than just an outsider looking in. He innately wants nothing more than to feel wanted, to belong, but his shitty personality often gets in the way of it. He's hoping his time at Deus Ex will help him change for the better, but Aero is nothing if not a realist -- he knows the other shoe is going to drop, like it always does. He's just waiting for it.
Zigor:
Being bonded to Zigor is a bit like being bonded to an overly excitable puppy, except pointier. Slavishly loyal and endlessly enthusiastic, Zigor has already decided that Aero is his Best Friend and they will be Friends Forever and Everything is Wonderful and Life is the Greatest. He has no filter and is constantly providing running commentary on everything going on around him. It's generally limited to banal observations like, "Oh! I like her hair!" and "Oh my goodness can you believe how lovely it is outside?" -- apparently being turned into an inanimate object has done little to dampen Zigor's spirits. He's bright and relentlessly optimistic, constantly looking for the silver lining to any situation. His boundless energy and cheer make him a strange foil to Aero's half-hearted pessimism, but Aero is surprisingly indulgent of Zigor's chattiness. The two seem to get along quite well, all things considered, and it's fairly safe to say that Aero considers Zigor something of a (very strange, super irritating, please shut the ******** up, sort of kind of) friend.
Zigor does have his moments, however. He'll admonish Aero if he thinks he's done or said something rude, and badger him to apologize. He's the Jiminy Cricket to Aero's foul-mouthed Pinocchio, a living embodiment of the conscience that his charge ought to possess but doesn't. Zigor adheres to a pretty strict moral code that Aero seemingly lacks, and will never cease to be amazed and appalled by his hunter's creative bouts of cursing or his penchant for picking fights. In fact, it's safe to say that Zig is looking to "reform" Aero in a lot of ways. He sees potential in him and wants to help make Aero a better man. Additionally, Zig is horrified when Aero chooses to buck authority, as the only thing Zigor is more loyal to than Aero is Deus Ex itself. He firmly believes that everybody is entitled to respect, kindness, and courtesy -- provided they aren't an enemy, of course. Because anyone who tries to harm Aero, or Deus Ex as a whole, must be put down. Brutally, and without mercy.
Maybe there's more to Zigor than initially thought.
Why did your human character choose to become a Hunter?
DRIVE BY HISTORY BULLET POINTS AWWW YISS:
Miami (ages 1-6 )
- Born to a young single mother (Sabrina) in Miami, Florida, Prospero Ruiz was an unexpected arrival in his mother's life. Her pregnancy was the final straw for her parents, who had been dealing with her drug use and delinquency since she was thirteen. At age sixteen, Sabrina -- then two months pregnant -- is kicked out of her home and told never to return
- With no knowledge as to her baby's father, Sabrina turns to an older cousin who lives in the same neighborhood. Married and raising a pair of newborn twins, Maria begrudgingly accepts Sabrina into her home on the condition that she stays in school, takes care of herself and her unborn child, and essentially turns her life around. Remarkably, Sabrina makes progress. She gets her GED and keeps clean for the remainder of her pregnancy. Just weeks after her seventeenth birthday, Sabrina gives birth to a young, healthy son.
- Things take a turn. Sabrina expects some sort of grand transformation upon becoming a mother, but realizes that she feels no connection to her infant. She resumes her partying ways while Maria is left to care for young Prospero, all the while trying to broker a reconciliation between Sabrina and her parents.
- Things get bad. Sabrina is back to her old tricks again, and is looking to move in with her current boyfriend. Initially she wants to take Prospero with her, but Maria is mortified at the thought of the baby being left solely in his mother's care. Unfortunately, caring for a third baby on top of her own is too much, both financially and emotionally. Maria manages to get Sabrina's parents to agree to meet their grandson. Despite the baby's nigh-constant squalling and abject misery, it's love at first sight. They agree to take Prospero home and raise him while Sabrina does whatever the hell she does. Sabrina agrees, as she has no real interest in caring for her child.
- Prospero spends six years living with his grandparents. These are probably the most happy, stable years of his life. Sabrina occasionally flits into his life to coo and dote on him, and occasionally make a vague threat of taking him away to live with her for good. Aero recognizes that she is his mother, but the two are essentially strangers.
- A little after his sixth birthday, Sabrina reappears and informs her family that she is moving to New York City to pursue her dream of being a singer, and also because her current boyfriend is moving there, and she wants to be with him because they are Young and In Love Forever. Despite her parents' pleading, she decides that her son will accompany her on this journey. Also, as "revenge" for them kicking her out when she was pregnant, she refuses to tell them her address, her phone number, anything. Sabrina cuts all ties.
New York (6-11)
- Aero -- as he is now frequently called -- moves with his mother and her boyfriend, a complete stranger, to a shitty apartment in the Bronx. It's immediately obvious that neither adult have any interest in caring for Aero, doing little more than buying him clothes and the occasional Happy Meal if they happen to remember. Aero is generally left to his own devices, and he quickly figures out ways to compensate for his mother's negligence. It isn't long before he's mastered the art of nicking candy from the grocery, of making sad faces outside of bakeries, of staring longingly at a toy that only costs a dollar, come on. He learns to cook, to clean, and attends school all on his own.
- Their life takes up a pattern: Sabrina meets someone, they move in, Sabrina breaks up with someone, they move out. Rinse, repeat.
- Things take a turn for the worse at age nine. Sabrina and her current boyfriend fight constantly. The fights are frequently violent and often center around Aero, who has begun to act quite strange. He screams and complains about seeing things in the periphery of his vision: shadowy figures that seem to lurk under every bed, behind every closed door, everywhere. Aero's every waking moment is filled with dread between his "family's" incessant arguing and his own horror. Boyfriend thinks Sabrina's son is sick in the head. Sabrina, in a surprising fit of maternal pique, thinks that's the last straw. She and Aero take what little they have and clear out, although Sabrina hadn't intended for this to be a permanent separation. Unfortunately, boyfriend changes the locks while they're out.
- Destitute and quite literally homeless, Aero and Sabrina make their way to a homeless shelter specializing in caring for families. They remain there for a month and a half while Sabrina meets with a counselor, who helps her transition into her own home and find work at a call center. They move into an efficiency apartment, sleep in the same bed, and are closer than ever. This leads to heated rows between the two, which frequently end with Sabrina breaking down and sobbing about her inability to be a good mother, and about how's she was cursed with such a miserable, troublesome child. Aero usually ends up comforting her, and they reconcile.
- Sabrina does well for a time, and so does Aero. Their life isn't easy, and they barely scrape by, but they manage. Aero attends school, where he spends most of his time sleeping and picking fights with the other children. His grades are poor, he can scarcely keep up with the other students, and he's already broken his nose twice in a fight -- but he knocked out the teeth of the other kid, so he figures it's even. A problem child outside the home, back in his tiny efficiency Aero is almost a different human being. He cooks, he cleans, he mends clothes. He takes care of his mother when she's too drunk to take care of herself. The shadows are still there, but Aero has learned to ignore them by now. He knows bringing them up only upsets his mother.
New York (11-13)
- Sabrina finds another boyfriend, and when Aero is age eleven she becomes pregnant once more. They move in with Sabrina's new boyfriend, who cares little for Aero and his incredibly shitty attitude.
- Aero quickly learns how to dodge a thrown bottle or an angry fist. He realizes that unless he wants to deal with New Boyfriend's ire every day, he's best off making himself scarce. He sleeps over at friend's houses a lot, but they ask a lot of questions. Why wasn't he in class? Did he really play hooky? Did Aero know he missed a test? Did he walk into a sign post or something? Aero becomes very, very good at spinning falsehoods and lying with the utmost sincerity.
- Sabrina goes into pre-term labor. She has a daughter, but she's too young to survive. The baby passes away, devastating Sabrina, New Boyfriend, and Aero.
- Sabrina and New Boyfriend try to hold it together for a while, but their relationship is irreparably damaged. They break up and Sabrina finds an efficiency once more, taking Aero along with her. He isn't sorry to see New Boyfriend go.
- Aero cares for his mother while she deals with her grief by drinking heavily. She stops going to work, eventually losing her job. Desperate and facing eviction, she contacts her parents to ask for money. They are far from wealthy, but they send what they can in exchange for a promise to see their grandson once more.
- Her parents visit, only to find the apartment is a mess. Aero is doing what he can but he's newly thirteen, and is obviously having difficulty having to be the adult. On top of everything else, he's failing all his classes (mostly because he almost never attends them) and is being held back a grade. Sabrina's parents convince her to allow Aero to come back home with them, but she's too proud to return to Miami. She decides to stay in New York and Make Things Work. Aero's grandmother remains in NYC to care for her while Aero and his grandfather return to Miami.
Miami (again) (13-16)
- Aero finds some semblance of stability back in Florida. No longer saddled with caring for his mother and dealing with living in abject poverty, Aero lives the life of a semi-normal teenager. His grades improve (although he's still a mediocre student at best), but his behavior remains questionable. He constantly picks fights even though he loses them more than half the time, and his temper is terrifyingly explosive. The sweet little boy his grandparents were familiar with is seemingly gone.
- His grandmother returns, saying Sabrina is doing better and that she intends to keep in touch. Sabrina breaks this promise, falling off the grid again. Aero has no idea where she is, or what's become of her.
- Aero and his grandfather clash constantly. A teenager with a chip on his shoulder, Aero does not respond well to authority. His grandfather, on the other hand, expects respect from his grandson. The fighting is continuous. It's not uncommon for Aero to simply disappear for a few days and then suddenly return, his anger seemingly cooled. It usually isn't long before it flares up again.
- At age sixteen Aero decides he's had enough of school, of his grandparents, of everyone. He steals cash from his grandparents' wallets and takes off, although he leaves them the courtesy of a note and an IOU. After not returning for three days, his grandparents call him in as missing, but by that point Aero is already lost in the labyrinth of NYC.
New York (16-19)
- Aero searches for his mother. He checks all her old haunts, her old homes, her old boyfriends. No one knows where she is or what's become of her. His funds are quickly running low. Desperate for work, Aero manages to find a job unloading palettes for a grocer. He makes almost no money, but he gets paid under the table so at least it's tax-free. It's exhausting manual labor, but they don't ask questions, and it's easy enough for him to steal food when he needs to. He rents a hovel in a shitty neighborhood and continues to search for his mother in his free time.
- It's his eighteenth birthday and Aero receives a few unexpected visitors: his mother and her nine month old daughter. Sabrina heard through the grapevine that Aero was looking for her and so sought him out. It is a moderately tearful reunion, although Aero denies he cried to this day. He holds his baby half-sister. This makes him cry the most.
- Aero and his mother have a Talk. She explains that she's cleaned up permanently, that she's two years sober. She's getting married in six weeks. She's happy, living the life she was supposed to live. She left Aero with her parents and never contacted him for a reason.
- She loves him, but there's no place for Aero in her life anymore -- not this new one that she's worked so hard to achieve. There's no room for him.
- Happy birthday.
- She asks Aero not to contact her again, not to look for her again. She allows him the kindness of holding his half-sister one more time before saying goodbye.
- Aero shatters. He has nothing left. He leaves his apartment and just walks. He never returns to the apartment. He severs all ties. He spends the next year drifting, stealing, moving from homeless shelter to homeless shelter when it gets too cold. He survives, but only because dying feels like more of a hassle than just scraping by.
Deus Ex (19 - ?)
- Shortly after his nineteenth birthday, Aero is sought out once more. He is found in a park, sunning himself and seemingly oblivious to the world around him. He is made an offer: food, a bed, a purpose. A purpose. A purpose. This resonates with Aero more than he cares to admit.
- He accepts.
Weapon Ability
Whiplash: Aero strikes out with Zigor, hopefully hitting his opponent with a devastating strike from one of Zig's fangs -- of course, there's more than likely to be a little recoil as it swings back. (Gambler's Chance)
Physical Description:
Eye Colour: A very light and faded shade of gray, almost to the point of being nearly colorless.
Hair Colour/Style: Dark brown dreadlocks that, when worn down, fall to just below his shoulder blades. Aero rarely wears them down, however. He typically has them either tied back in a ponytail or rubberbanded away from his face.
Skin Colour: A warm, almost caramel-esque tone -- perhaps a few shades browner. Aero’s body is covered in colorful tattoos from the neck down, a series of abstract swirls and lines primarily concentrated on the backs of his shoulders, arms, sides, and calves. They don’t have any real significance, Aero just likes color and the interest they add to his skin.
Clothing Style/Colours: Aero finds most clothing to be too confining, and generally chooses to wear baggy shorts (that are like two sizes too big on him) and essentially nothing else. He can be coerced into putting on a tank top if people pester him enough about it, but Aero tends to draw the line when it comes to shoes, preferring to roam around barefoot whenever possible. Expect him to make as many alterations as he can get away with to his coat to make it less "confining" -- eg: cutting off sleeves.
Extra: Aero maybe weighs 140 lbs soaking wet, and has a very slim, almost malnourished look to him. He’s seemingly made entirely out of hard muscle and sinew, and stands at 6’1” in height. His nose is long and hooked, almost beakish in appearance. Aero has gauged earlobes and wears a small plug in each. He has a minor scar that cuts through his left eyebrow, creating a little slice of skin where hair no longer grows.
References: Aero is based on an old character of mine, whose gallery you can find here: http://imgur.com/a/0poyK/#0 Obviously some pretty significant differences exist between Aero and Aadil, but you get the general gist of it!
The Hunter
Name: Prospero José Marcelo Alejandro Ruiz
Nicknames: Aero
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Category: Sun
The Weapon
Name: Zigor
Nicknames: Zig, Ziggy, Ziggy Stardust, Diablo, Zigzag, Montro, Igor, Ziggles, Matatan, and probably at least a thousand more as Aero thinks of them.
Type of Weapon: A Double-headed Meteor Hammer. Essentially, Zigor consists of approximately seven feet of flexible, thin chain with two swiveling metal weights fixed to each end. These weights are shaped like pointed fangs and are about the size of a softball, with the inside curve of the “fang” cut in such a way that it is serrated, like the sharp edge of a saw or knife. When not in his weaponized form, Zigor presents as a necklace that consists of two large fangs connected by a thin chain that hangs around the back of the neck (essentially, Daenarys’ necklace from Game of Thrones /SHAMELESSLY YOINKS)
Former species of weapon: Monster - Grootslang
Gender: Male
Personalities:
Prospero:
Profoundly lazy and woefully belligerent, Aero is probably the furthest thing from an ideal candidate as one can be at Deus Ex. Aero has seemingly few positive qualities at first blush: he's a sarcastic, snarling mess of a human being, a cornered mongrel with his hackles constantly raised. As foul-mouthed and uncouth as they come, Aero possesses a savage temper and has little to no control over his emotions, which can run the gambit from zen-like serenity to teeth-gnashing fury in a matter of minutes. He's jaded, he's cynical, he's withdrawn, he's crass, he's hurtful, he's violent. But, more than anything else, Aero is terrified, wounded, and desperately lonely. And, despite everything, he's trying to change. He's just not very good at it.
The very definition of a loose cannon, Prospero suffers from a severe lack of impulse control. He says and does everything without thinking because consequences don't even begin to remotely register in his head. Sometimes he says something with the intent to hurt, a barb that he knows will p***k a nerve, but more often than not Prospero is simply careless and ignorant. The thoughts and emotions of others remain a nebulous mystery to him, and frankly Aero is generally too selfish to give a damn one way or the other. In fact, he's likely to get irritated at someone for being offended or hurt by something he said. It's nearly impossible to wring an apology out of him, even if Aero acknowledges that he did something wrong.
Transience has always been a part of Aero's life, and so adjusting the rigidity (and authority) of Deus Ex Academy is also likely to prove a challenge for him. Aero has an innate rebellious streak and a knack for intentionally pushing buttons that is more likely than not to get him into serious trouble. He likes seeing how far he can stretch someone until they snap, gets a thrill out of toeing boundaries before diving off of them headfirst. That said, Aero isn't an idiot. Enough punishment and he'll learn his lesson, even if he has to learn it the hard way.
It's easy to dismiss Aero as a hot-headed buffoon with scarcely two brain cells to rub together, and admittedly he does little to disprove this impression. But it's not an entirely fair assumption -- Aero is actually brutally intelligent, almost remarkably so. Anyone who has the patience to actually teach him something will discover that Aero is a surprisingly quick learner, and he's naturally an unorthodox thinker who is able to devise efficient solutions to difficult problems on the fly. Again, the key word there is patience. Convincing him to actually bother learning something is an exhausting process, because he generally won't bother unless he immediately sees some sort of tangible benefit from it. Aero's problem is that he is almost unforgivably lazy, and he's generally not all that interested in challenging himself. He feels little need to pick up a book or put his intelligence to any actual use, and as a result Aero's mind likely seems stagnated to any outside observer: he has a limited (if not mortifyingly colorful) vocabulary, knows little to nothing about history, couldn't do algebra if you paid him, and his spelling is downright embarrassing. Aero sees no practical use for being "book smart" and thus has no interest in it, because what's the point? The only knowledge that truly interests Aero is knowledge that can be applied, like learning a new skill or craft. He likes working with his hands and actually finds satisfaction in physical labor and exertion, and the combat aspects of being a Hunter appeal to him. Expect him to do well in that regard.
For the people who manage to tolerate Aero for more than two minutes (and they are few and far inbetween, honestly) Aero is an... interesting friend to have. He doesn’t exactly have a heart of gold, but he definitely has a withered little heart made of bronze, perhaps. He’s not exactly good at being a "friend" in that he doesn’t really seem to comprehend the dynamics of it -- he’s not a shoulder to cry on, or a friend who gives good advice, or even particularly comfortable with strong emotions from other people. Aero is, however, unflinchingly, relentlessly loyal.
Perhaps the best way to sum up Aero is a famous quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth: full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. There's a heartbreaking emptiness to Aero sometimes, a part of him that seems hollowed and scooped out. But Aero's arrival at Deus Ex also kindled a small hope in his tiny, shriveled little heart: the hope of improving himself, of rising to the occasion, of being more than just an outsider looking in. He innately wants nothing more than to feel wanted, to belong, but his shitty personality often gets in the way of it. He's hoping his time at Deus Ex will help him change for the better, but Aero is nothing if not a realist -- he knows the other shoe is going to drop, like it always does. He's just waiting for it.
Zigor:
Being bonded to Zigor is a bit like being bonded to an overly excitable puppy, except pointier. Slavishly loyal and endlessly enthusiastic, Zigor has already decided that Aero is his Best Friend and they will be Friends Forever and Everything is Wonderful and Life is the Greatest. He has no filter and is constantly providing running commentary on everything going on around him. It's generally limited to banal observations like, "Oh! I like her hair!" and "Oh my goodness can you believe how lovely it is outside?" -- apparently being turned into an inanimate object has done little to dampen Zigor's spirits. He's bright and relentlessly optimistic, constantly looking for the silver lining to any situation. His boundless energy and cheer make him a strange foil to Aero's half-hearted pessimism, but Aero is surprisingly indulgent of Zigor's chattiness. The two seem to get along quite well, all things considered, and it's fairly safe to say that Aero considers Zigor something of a (very strange, super irritating, please shut the ******** up, sort of kind of) friend.
Zigor does have his moments, however. He'll admonish Aero if he thinks he's done or said something rude, and badger him to apologize. He's the Jiminy Cricket to Aero's foul-mouthed Pinocchio, a living embodiment of the conscience that his charge ought to possess but doesn't. Zigor adheres to a pretty strict moral code that Aero seemingly lacks, and will never cease to be amazed and appalled by his hunter's creative bouts of cursing or his penchant for picking fights. In fact, it's safe to say that Zig is looking to "reform" Aero in a lot of ways. He sees potential in him and wants to help make Aero a better man. Additionally, Zig is horrified when Aero chooses to buck authority, as the only thing Zigor is more loyal to than Aero is Deus Ex itself. He firmly believes that everybody is entitled to respect, kindness, and courtesy -- provided they aren't an enemy, of course. Because anyone who tries to harm Aero, or Deus Ex as a whole, must be put down. Brutally, and without mercy.
Maybe there's more to Zigor than initially thought.
Why did your human character choose to become a Hunter?
DRIVE BY HISTORY BULLET POINTS AWWW YISS:
Miami (ages 1-6 )
- Born to a young single mother (Sabrina) in Miami, Florida, Prospero Ruiz was an unexpected arrival in his mother's life. Her pregnancy was the final straw for her parents, who had been dealing with her drug use and delinquency since she was thirteen. At age sixteen, Sabrina -- then two months pregnant -- is kicked out of her home and told never to return
- With no knowledge as to her baby's father, Sabrina turns to an older cousin who lives in the same neighborhood. Married and raising a pair of newborn twins, Maria begrudgingly accepts Sabrina into her home on the condition that she stays in school, takes care of herself and her unborn child, and essentially turns her life around. Remarkably, Sabrina makes progress. She gets her GED and keeps clean for the remainder of her pregnancy. Just weeks after her seventeenth birthday, Sabrina gives birth to a young, healthy son.
- Things take a turn. Sabrina expects some sort of grand transformation upon becoming a mother, but realizes that she feels no connection to her infant. She resumes her partying ways while Maria is left to care for young Prospero, all the while trying to broker a reconciliation between Sabrina and her parents.
- Things get bad. Sabrina is back to her old tricks again, and is looking to move in with her current boyfriend. Initially she wants to take Prospero with her, but Maria is mortified at the thought of the baby being left solely in his mother's care. Unfortunately, caring for a third baby on top of her own is too much, both financially and emotionally. Maria manages to get Sabrina's parents to agree to meet their grandson. Despite the baby's nigh-constant squalling and abject misery, it's love at first sight. They agree to take Prospero home and raise him while Sabrina does whatever the hell she does. Sabrina agrees, as she has no real interest in caring for her child.
- Prospero spends six years living with his grandparents. These are probably the most happy, stable years of his life. Sabrina occasionally flits into his life to coo and dote on him, and occasionally make a vague threat of taking him away to live with her for good. Aero recognizes that she is his mother, but the two are essentially strangers.
- A little after his sixth birthday, Sabrina reappears and informs her family that she is moving to New York City to pursue her dream of being a singer, and also because her current boyfriend is moving there, and she wants to be with him because they are Young and In Love Forever. Despite her parents' pleading, she decides that her son will accompany her on this journey. Also, as "revenge" for them kicking her out when she was pregnant, she refuses to tell them her address, her phone number, anything. Sabrina cuts all ties.
New York (6-11)
- Aero -- as he is now frequently called -- moves with his mother and her boyfriend, a complete stranger, to a shitty apartment in the Bronx. It's immediately obvious that neither adult have any interest in caring for Aero, doing little more than buying him clothes and the occasional Happy Meal if they happen to remember. Aero is generally left to his own devices, and he quickly figures out ways to compensate for his mother's negligence. It isn't long before he's mastered the art of nicking candy from the grocery, of making sad faces outside of bakeries, of staring longingly at a toy that only costs a dollar, come on. He learns to cook, to clean, and attends school all on his own.
- Their life takes up a pattern: Sabrina meets someone, they move in, Sabrina breaks up with someone, they move out. Rinse, repeat.
- Things take a turn for the worse at age nine. Sabrina and her current boyfriend fight constantly. The fights are frequently violent and often center around Aero, who has begun to act quite strange. He screams and complains about seeing things in the periphery of his vision: shadowy figures that seem to lurk under every bed, behind every closed door, everywhere. Aero's every waking moment is filled with dread between his "family's" incessant arguing and his own horror. Boyfriend thinks Sabrina's son is sick in the head. Sabrina, in a surprising fit of maternal pique, thinks that's the last straw. She and Aero take what little they have and clear out, although Sabrina hadn't intended for this to be a permanent separation. Unfortunately, boyfriend changes the locks while they're out.
- Destitute and quite literally homeless, Aero and Sabrina make their way to a homeless shelter specializing in caring for families. They remain there for a month and a half while Sabrina meets with a counselor, who helps her transition into her own home and find work at a call center. They move into an efficiency apartment, sleep in the same bed, and are closer than ever. This leads to heated rows between the two, which frequently end with Sabrina breaking down and sobbing about her inability to be a good mother, and about how's she was cursed with such a miserable, troublesome child. Aero usually ends up comforting her, and they reconcile.
- Sabrina does well for a time, and so does Aero. Their life isn't easy, and they barely scrape by, but they manage. Aero attends school, where he spends most of his time sleeping and picking fights with the other children. His grades are poor, he can scarcely keep up with the other students, and he's already broken his nose twice in a fight -- but he knocked out the teeth of the other kid, so he figures it's even. A problem child outside the home, back in his tiny efficiency Aero is almost a different human being. He cooks, he cleans, he mends clothes. He takes care of his mother when she's too drunk to take care of herself. The shadows are still there, but Aero has learned to ignore them by now. He knows bringing them up only upsets his mother.
New York (11-13)
- Sabrina finds another boyfriend, and when Aero is age eleven she becomes pregnant once more. They move in with Sabrina's new boyfriend, who cares little for Aero and his incredibly shitty attitude.
- Aero quickly learns how to dodge a thrown bottle or an angry fist. He realizes that unless he wants to deal with New Boyfriend's ire every day, he's best off making himself scarce. He sleeps over at friend's houses a lot, but they ask a lot of questions. Why wasn't he in class? Did he really play hooky? Did Aero know he missed a test? Did he walk into a sign post or something? Aero becomes very, very good at spinning falsehoods and lying with the utmost sincerity.
- Sabrina goes into pre-term labor. She has a daughter, but she's too young to survive. The baby passes away, devastating Sabrina, New Boyfriend, and Aero.
- Sabrina and New Boyfriend try to hold it together for a while, but their relationship is irreparably damaged. They break up and Sabrina finds an efficiency once more, taking Aero along with her. He isn't sorry to see New Boyfriend go.
- Aero cares for his mother while she deals with her grief by drinking heavily. She stops going to work, eventually losing her job. Desperate and facing eviction, she contacts her parents to ask for money. They are far from wealthy, but they send what they can in exchange for a promise to see their grandson once more.
- Her parents visit, only to find the apartment is a mess. Aero is doing what he can but he's newly thirteen, and is obviously having difficulty having to be the adult. On top of everything else, he's failing all his classes (mostly because he almost never attends them) and is being held back a grade. Sabrina's parents convince her to allow Aero to come back home with them, but she's too proud to return to Miami. She decides to stay in New York and Make Things Work. Aero's grandmother remains in NYC to care for her while Aero and his grandfather return to Miami.
Miami (again) (13-16)
- Aero finds some semblance of stability back in Florida. No longer saddled with caring for his mother and dealing with living in abject poverty, Aero lives the life of a semi-normal teenager. His grades improve (although he's still a mediocre student at best), but his behavior remains questionable. He constantly picks fights even though he loses them more than half the time, and his temper is terrifyingly explosive. The sweet little boy his grandparents were familiar with is seemingly gone.
- His grandmother returns, saying Sabrina is doing better and that she intends to keep in touch. Sabrina breaks this promise, falling off the grid again. Aero has no idea where she is, or what's become of her.
- Aero and his grandfather clash constantly. A teenager with a chip on his shoulder, Aero does not respond well to authority. His grandfather, on the other hand, expects respect from his grandson. The fighting is continuous. It's not uncommon for Aero to simply disappear for a few days and then suddenly return, his anger seemingly cooled. It usually isn't long before it flares up again.
- At age sixteen Aero decides he's had enough of school, of his grandparents, of everyone. He steals cash from his grandparents' wallets and takes off, although he leaves them the courtesy of a note and an IOU. After not returning for three days, his grandparents call him in as missing, but by that point Aero is already lost in the labyrinth of NYC.
New York (16-19)
- Aero searches for his mother. He checks all her old haunts, her old homes, her old boyfriends. No one knows where she is or what's become of her. His funds are quickly running low. Desperate for work, Aero manages to find a job unloading palettes for a grocer. He makes almost no money, but he gets paid under the table so at least it's tax-free. It's exhausting manual labor, but they don't ask questions, and it's easy enough for him to steal food when he needs to. He rents a hovel in a shitty neighborhood and continues to search for his mother in his free time.
- It's his eighteenth birthday and Aero receives a few unexpected visitors: his mother and her nine month old daughter. Sabrina heard through the grapevine that Aero was looking for her and so sought him out. It is a moderately tearful reunion, although Aero denies he cried to this day. He holds his baby half-sister. This makes him cry the most.
- Aero and his mother have a Talk. She explains that she's cleaned up permanently, that she's two years sober. She's getting married in six weeks. She's happy, living the life she was supposed to live. She left Aero with her parents and never contacted him for a reason.
- She loves him, but there's no place for Aero in her life anymore -- not this new one that she's worked so hard to achieve. There's no room for him.
- Happy birthday.
- She asks Aero not to contact her again, not to look for her again. She allows him the kindness of holding his half-sister one more time before saying goodbye.
- Aero shatters. He has nothing left. He leaves his apartment and just walks. He never returns to the apartment. He severs all ties. He spends the next year drifting, stealing, moving from homeless shelter to homeless shelter when it gets too cold. He survives, but only because dying feels like more of a hassle than just scraping by.
Deus Ex (19 - ?)
- Shortly after his nineteenth birthday, Aero is sought out once more. He is found in a park, sunning himself and seemingly oblivious to the world around him. He is made an offer: food, a bed, a purpose. A purpose. A purpose. This resonates with Aero more than he cares to admit.
- He accepts.
Weapon Ability
Whiplash: Aero strikes out with Zigor, hopefully hitting his opponent with a devastating strike from one of Zig's fangs -- of course, there's more than likely to be a little recoil as it swings back. (Gambler's Chance)
Physical Description:
Eye Colour: A very light and faded shade of gray, almost to the point of being nearly colorless.
Hair Colour/Style: Dark brown dreadlocks that, when worn down, fall to just below his shoulder blades. Aero rarely wears them down, however. He typically has them either tied back in a ponytail or rubberbanded away from his face.
Skin Colour: A warm, almost caramel-esque tone -- perhaps a few shades browner. Aero’s body is covered in colorful tattoos from the neck down, a series of abstract swirls and lines primarily concentrated on the backs of his shoulders, arms, sides, and calves. They don’t have any real significance, Aero just likes color and the interest they add to his skin.
Clothing Style/Colours: Aero finds most clothing to be too confining, and generally chooses to wear baggy shorts (that are like two sizes too big on him) and essentially nothing else. He can be coerced into putting on a tank top if people pester him enough about it, but Aero tends to draw the line when it comes to shoes, preferring to roam around barefoot whenever possible. Expect him to make as many alterations as he can get away with to his coat to make it less "confining" -- eg: cutting off sleeves.
Extra: Aero maybe weighs 140 lbs soaking wet, and has a very slim, almost malnourished look to him. He’s seemingly made entirely out of hard muscle and sinew, and stands at 6’1” in height. His nose is long and hooked, almost beakish in appearance. Aero has gauged earlobes and wears a small plug in each. He has a minor scar that cuts through his left eyebrow, creating a little slice of skin where hair no longer grows.
References: Aero is based on an old character of mine, whose gallery you can find here: http://imgur.com/a/0poyK/#0 Obviously some pretty significant differences exist between Aero and Aadil, but you get the general gist of it!
