So...does this mean Mist is open after all?

Darnit, just when I finally had enough time to get my Mist candidate up.

Prspero Merlin, Mist Guardian candidate [+]

Might have to modify a few things, let me know

Name: Prospero Merlin

Age: 12

Gender: Male

Country of Origin: America

Role: Kid Magician, Potential Vongola Mist Guardian

Flame: Mist Flame

Weapon/Fighting Style: Magic-tricks and illusions. Specifically he uses weaponized versions of magic tricks and props to fight and bolsters them with his legitimate ability to create illusions. For a few examples, using throwing knives that look like playing cards and creating shadow duplicates as he throws them, shooting illusory lightning-bolts from his cane to hide that it's actually a disguised taser, conjuring snakes from his sleeves to bind someone with when they're actually just silk handkerchiefs knotted together and mixing these with ordinary illusions to trick opponents. In the future he relies a lot more on the Construction properties of Mist flames to make 'Real Illusions' although keeping the stage magician theme

Appearance: Current appearance on the left, ten years later on the right

Personality: Prospero is a deeply conflicted individual. Life with his father forced him to obsess over becoming the greatest magician and illusionist in the world. This extends even to the point of constantly wearing a mask to show that his pride as a magician on the stage and as an illusionist who hides the truth behind false appearances is more important than his identity as a person. Prospero is equally obsessed with finding his father's killer and getting revenge and is willing to go to nearly any lengths to achieve his goal. He'll insist that everything he does is merely to further his own goals. In contrast to this, around fans or the public he'll try his best to be a charming showman and play towards whatever his audience expects

However, Prospero secretly longs to know what it's like to have friends and a real family, something he never experienced even when his father was alive. If ever presented with either he behaves much more light-hearted and affectionate though also immature and bratty, perhaps compensating for not having much of a childhood by acting like even more of a child. His true tastes could be considered childish as well, since he loves sweets, candy and stuffed animals. He also likes bunny rabbits and keeps a small plush one in his magician's top hat, although he tends to use it as a prop for illusions.

At 22 years old while Prospero still remains as driven as ever, he's a much more stable person. Rather than striving to be the best, he has a firm confidence that he is the best at what he does. He now works for the Vongola less out of necessity and more out of friendship though he insists that this isn't the case and that it's just that 'performing without an audience is boring'. He still uses them to pursue his own goals though, and will say that his main interest is in eliminating rival illusionists witin the Mafia.

History: Prospero's entire childhood revolved around his father Manuel Merlin, a retired stage magician and illusionist kept down by several severe injuries from a failed escape artist's trick. Prospero never knew his mother as far as he could remember and his father rarely talked about her, insisting that she left both of them shortly after he was born. Prospero was treated harshly by his only family and trained strictly to become as skilled and famous a magician as possible. Prospero longed for affection from his father and despite earning little praise for his efforts he worked as hard as he could as both a magician and an illusionist, soon proving to be a child prodigy at both. By the time he was ten years old he was already good enough to perform professionally. But what Prospero didn't know was that Manuel had been pushing him so hard because he was in severe debt to several different Mafia families. One night after a show Prospero found his father backstage, dying after being viciously attacked by an unknown Mafia hitman. Manuel had just enough time to apologize to his son for how he'd been raised and tell him that the Mafia were responsible for his death.

Since then Prospero has been searching the criminal underworld for any hint or information about the assassin and plotting his revenge, all while perfecting his skills as a magician in memory of his father. He used the money from his shows to achieve legal emancipation and eventually traveled to Namimori, both following leads and trying to find out more about the Vongola.

Other: As mentioned above Prospero likes being a showboat regarding his magic tricks as well as sweets and cute things as well as rabbits. As far as quirks, he's never seen without some kind of mask or other face-covering, even in situations where it would be improbable, insisting that it's a mark of his 'pride as a magician'.

Overview: Prospero Merlin is a child prodigy stage magician and illusionist searching for his father's killer. He insists he only cares about becoming strong and achieving his own goals but also longs for friends and family.