Name: Danny Cruz
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Appearance: Standing at about 5’10” and weighing in at around 165lbs, Danny has a solid build. The slight bulk of his upper body gives the appearance that he spends a decent amount of time at the gym, which is partly true but most of his exercise comes from playing baseball and training. He is of Hispanic decent with a very lightly tanned skin tone. His short black hair appears un styled and maybe a little messy, when in actuality it takes significant effort to get it the way he likes it. He has dark eyebrows and his eyes are dark brown. His style of dress would be considered casual. He would normally be seen wearing sneakers, jeans and a t-shirt, most often having some type of print. Accessories might include a hooded jacket, baseball cap or shades. (I'll find a pic to replace this)
Powers: Exceptionally tough skin.
Personality: Danny is somewhat quiet and reserved which some people perceive as him being cold or unfriendly and that isn’t exactly true. While it’s correct that he can be difficult to get along with, he has a soft spot for those who are weak, such as children, the sick, elderly and animals. Although he isn’t the most sociable person, he does enjoy the company of others, in small doses. Unfortunately, he lacks patience and tends to rush into things without thinking. He also has the tendency to hurt the feelings of others when he looses his temper.
Likes: Baseball, Animals, Godzilla Movies, Fixing Things and Seeing how they Work.
Dislikes: Reading, Excuses, Losing, and Drugs.
Awakening:
Stepping outside Bruno’s pizza with his friend Will, Danny finished his slice with extra cheese and looked around to see the city lights were already ablaze. It was a summer’s evening in New York and the city didn’t plan on going to sleep anytime soon. “Damn, how long were we in there? I better get back home before my mom comes down here lookin for me.” He joked with a grin. Will laughed. ‘Yeah man, your mom’s crazy.’ Danny grinned. “Whatever, alright bro, see you later.” But before Danny could put any distance between himself and his friend, he felt Will grab his arm. ‘Yo, come with me real quick to drop something off ok?’ “Nah man, you know I’m not with all that.” Danny refused. Will sucked his teeth. ‘Stop being such a punk man, just come with me real fast, you owe me.’ Danny exhaled with annoyance and rolled his eyes. “Alright, come on man, hurry up.”
They walked several blocks in the cool summer night, the sound of motorists and sirens mixing into an erratic melody. Will prattled on about some new sneakers he wanted but the only thing Danny could focus on, was what he could expect to walk into when he got home. He was sure he would get a lecture from his mom before he even got both feet in the door, not to mention a few whacks to the head. Just as he was starting to lose his patience, they reached some rundown corner with two older kids he knew from the neighborhood. ‘Wait here man.’ Will said as he approached the two older kids. “Yeah hurry up.” Danny replied.
Casually glancing from the transaction with his friend, to the watch on his wrist, neither of the 4 youths noticed as a car with tinted windows whizzed by. When the shots rang out, each person scattered. Danny didn’t get too far before he felt something strike him in the back. He knew he had been shot and he collapsed just before he could reach a nearby alley. After a few seconds, he realized he was barely in any pain and as he pushed himself off the ground, he noticed that his hands were blue. Turning to see his reflection in the glass window of a store front, he was freaked out by the stranger he saw staring back at him and so he ran. Crouching in the alley, he hid behind a dumpster and some rubble, trying to concentrate on making himself normal again and after a while, it worked.
The intended target of the shooting was actually one of the older boys Will was dealing with, however Danny’s friend Will was the only person fatally shot that night. It took him a long time to come to terms with his friend’s death and why his friend had died while somehow he survived. After Will’s death, Danny’s parents decided to move them out of the city and that’s how they ended up in Pavar. So far Danny’s been able to keep the secret of his transformation to himself, however he still struggles with trying to control it.
History:
Danny’s life started out pretty normal. He’s the youngest of five siblings and his mother and father worked hard to provide for their family. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, he quickly became street smart but got into his fair share of trouble. When he reached his teenage years he started to realize just how different he was. First, he seemed to have a knack for sports, baseball in particular. Second, he was pretty good at fixing things. Finally, he realized that he had a strange ability. He didn’t know what to call it but he figured it could cause problems if other people found out. So far he’s been able to keep this ability a secret but he hasn’t been able to completely control it either.
After he was involved in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of his friend, his parents decided they needed to move out of the city. As soon as his dad was able to get a transfer at his job, the family moved to Pavar. Shortly after they moved, his next oldest sister left home for college, leaving him as the last sibling to remain with his parents. Starting over in a new town was an adjustment for him. Everyone moved at a slower pace than what he was used to, the people seemed more polite, he didn’t feel as though he had to constantly look over his shoulder, honestly, it was…relaxing.
The move came just in time for him to start high school. Almost as soon as he enrolled in his new school, he tried out for the baseball team and over the years became one of their star players. School and practice occupy most of his time, so he hasn’t made many friends but through that sacrifice he’s been almost assured a career in the sport he loves when the time comes.
