Andrew Grant "Andy" Hughes

Sixteen, going on seventeen

Batman

Caucasian. Green eyes. Brown hair, cut short and left to its own devices. A decent jaw, and a gentle smile that often widens itself into a grin; it’s very rare to see Andy’s lips turned downwards, except for when in deep thought or high concentration. He’s got muscle on him, but not too much – he doesn’t look bulky so much as he does solid, his build the kind that allows for both strength and agility in equal parts. He stands at 5’ 11”.

Andy’s suit is made of an experimental material designed to be bulletproof and impervious to the elements. It’s coloured a black with orange highlights. An upside-down orange triangle sits on the centre of the chest; the emblem. The helmet is orange. His face is completely covered, with holes for the eyes, which are covered by white lenses. The suit itself appears to be moulded to Andy’s body shape, fitting like a glove. The helmet contains a voice filter, which he activates in the presence of people that know him.

Andrew Grant “ Andy” Hughes spent the first eleven years of his life in Australia, the product of a high school romance between a mechanical engineer in Wayne Enterprise’s (WE) WayneTech subsidiary in Brisbane and a police officer of the Australian Federal Police. Sam Hughes and Carlissa Rosenfeld got married at the age of twenty and had Andy at twenty-four. Eight years later, his little brother, Damon, was born. His parents’ marriage was far from idyllic; sure, they loved each other, but their arguments were constant and intense. A frequent topic broached by their clashes was Sam’s career – a hard worker and high achiever, he’d earned the admiration of his boss, who passed along word to WE headquarters in Gotham. Ever since Damon was born, Andy could remember his parents arguing about moving to New Jersey, his mother yelling that “I don’t care how much money’s in the offer, we’re not moving to that vigilante’s city!”, his father placating her with a quiet voice, declining the Gotham department’s insistent offers every time.

Tragedy struck the Hughes family when Andy was ten years old, tipping everything upside-down for the young boy. Carlissa was driving Damon home from kindergarten on one of her days off. Fresh out of an argument at home with Sam earlier that morning, she was angry and unfocused... drunk. Speeding through a four-way intersection, she realised too late that she’d run a red light – a car slammed into the right rear end of her own, sending her into a violent tailspin. She awoke at the hospital later that evening, a tearful Sam informing her that their two year-old didn’t make it. Damon succumbed to his injuries in the ambulance.

Andy remembers the divorce vividly: it was long, messy and painful. Carlissa didn’t just remove herself from Sam – she removed herself from Andy, from her own flesh and blood. It seemed like she didn’t want anything to do with them, and although Sam tried to reassure Andy that it was her guilt that made her feel that way, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d done something to make her hate him. With Sam and Andy no longer tied to Carlissa, they were plane-bound to Gotham City only days before Andy turned eleven, his dad promising him the best birthday he could ever imagine in America.

They went to a Big Belly Burger in Gotham Heights, celebrating with a dollop of burger and chip-shaped grease. It wasn’t much, but to Andy, it meant the world.

Sam went straight to work at his new position at WayneTech, working under Lucius Fox to develop a diverse range of technology that excited him to no end – although Damon’s death still affected him greatly, a job he loved and the opportunity to build a new life with Andy helped him move on more than staying in Australia ever could have.

Andy’s powers manifested when he was fifteen. He’d been walking home from work, having acquired a part-time job at Big Belly Burger. He was supposed to catch a cab – Sam made it very clear how uncomfortable he was with Andy walking through the streets alone, regardless of his boxing training at Wildcat Gym – but he didn’t want to spend what little cash he had on hand, and his paycheck wasn’t due for another couple of days, so he figured what the hell, why not put his life in frugality’s hands? He was walking down the corner of Gotham Heights’ Kane Street when he was pushed into a back alley by a group of muggers that had been tailing him. Beaten and held at knifepoint, Andy’s metahuman gene activated.

A miniature sun, no bigger than a marble, exploded in the palm of his hand; flames whipped out at his assailants, burning with the unrestrained ferocity of an uncaged beast. It made Batman’s job that much harder to help the teen.

After taking care of the muggers, the Dark Knight turned his attention to the admittedly more pressing matter at hand – the tiny, powerful ball of solar energy floating in front of Andy. Realising that he couldn’t get rid of it, Batman had no other choice, knocking Andy out as painlessly as possible. The flames dissipated with Andy’s consciousness.

He woke up at Elliot Memorial Hospital the next morning. He endured his dad’s relief-distilled lecture with a half-present mind, too occupied with the night’s events to feel guilty about how worried Sam must have felt. On the drive home, he resolved to do something with his newfound powers. Something irresponsible. Every night, he snuck out of his and his dad’s apartment to test out his powers and get the hang of them, occasionally jumping into dangerous situations to do his part for the city. For those few weeks, he had no idea that Batman was watching him.

The Caped Crusader approached Andy on one of his “patrols” (with no knowledge of urban traversal or the capabilities of his powers, there was only so much he could do to seek out street crime), explaining that he’d been watching Andy ever since the night of the mugging, gauging what kind of person he was – he didn’t tell Andy that it was because, given the nature of his powers, he could either make for a useful ally… or a powerful threat. Luckily for Andy, he passed the test, and Batman offered to train him, giving him the position of a secure location not too far from Gotham Heights. For the months following, Andy continued to sneak out, training with the mythical vigilante his mother had used to argue against moving to Gotham in the first place. Eventually gifted with a supersuit of his own, he took to the streets as Hellfire, boasting much more control over his powers than before, owing it to Batman and the Justice Leaguers he’d enlisted to help hone his abilities. He’d learned of Bruce Wayne’s identity by that point.

Come the summer of 2020, Andy was leaving Gotham for an extended writing and journalism course run by the Daily Planet, hand-picked by the Wayne Foundation Scholarship Committee with all expenses covered. That is, as far as his dad knew. Where he was really going was Happy Harbour’s Mount Justice… the headquarters of the Young Justice Initiative. With only a few months of experience on his belt, it would prove to be the adventure of a lifetime.

Andy is essentially a walking fusion reactor; a human sun. His body is able to create and manipulate all aspects of a star, including its energy, heat, luminosity, magnetism and radiation, to name a few. His powers’ volatility and extreme danger is apparent to all, and even his body, it seems – except for times of immense psychological and/or emotional stress, he can only manifest his powers as solar energy, channelling the nuclear fusion reaction outwards into concentrated explosions: unbelievably powerful flames. Andy’s body has altered itself into an organism capable of withstanding any and all effects of a sun – as a living fusion reactor, this is necessary so he doesn’t melt, inside and out. As such, his touch is warmer, almost toastier than a regular person’s… but inside his body, protons constantly collide in a furnace of solar energy waiting to be released.

Prior to Batman’s mentorship, Andy dabbled in some boxing at Wildcat Gym, and through self-training on his trampoline at his Australian home, he could boast a limited array of acrobatic skills – his roundoff backflip was pretty damn cool, he used to think. Enter Bruce, and Andy soon acquired skills he’d only dreamed of developing: proficiency in multiple martial arts (namely boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Taekwondo and Krav Maga), actual acrobatic ability, and a strategic mindset that’s only emerged since Batman’s training, fighting against Andy’s impulsive nature.

Andy’s Hellfire suit is made of a bullet-resistant material that’s nigh-impervious to the elements; the perfect outfit for someone with the physiology of a sun. It’s designed to absorb punishment, reducing lethal forces exerted against Andy into more manageable bone-breaking ones. That’s not to say that it can soak up all damage, though – hit Andy hard enough, and there’s a very good chance that he’ll die.

Andy’s stubborn about his beliefs. He likes to think that he’s flexible and open to arguments, but the truth is that when he sets his mind about something, it’s not likely that he’ll budge about it. You’re entitled to your opinion, he’ll think, But I’m not going to listen to it. This goes hand in hand with his insistence in seeing the good in everyone – his naivety – an admirable, if foolish trait that endears him to people, but also occasionally lands him into trouble. He can be incredibly impulsive, acting according to his instincts (and his heart) instead of his head, something that Batman’s training attempts to address little by little. Another very important limitation to note, at least for the time being, is his inexperience; yes, he has Batman’s training, but he’s still relatively new to the game, and that can lead to rookie mistakes – usually on account of his impulsivity.

Most of all, though, he’s only human – well, no, he’s a metahuman, but being a walking fusion reactor doesn’t give you bulletproof skin, nor does it give you an accelerated healing factor. Andy’s still flesh and bones, and he can most definitely die, let alone get injured. Not to mention that the Sun generates millions of megatons’ worth of energy every second – pack that into a 5’ 11” teenage boy, and you get a yield similar to that of a nuclear bomb. Imagine what would happen if that got exposed in an uncontrolled burst…?

Yeah. Not very nice to think about.

Juno Imako Hosi

19

Dr. Light AKA Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi, veteran League member, field team leader, prominent metahuman activist, and respected scientist. Juno's mother.

Juno is a young asian woman and inherited much of her mother's looks. She has the same slender and lean but naturally athletic build that was only further emphasized by a lifetime of physical conditioning. She has her mother's beauty as well. Juno is full-figured and her skin is a soft caramel tanned by the sun. Her eyes are a light brown and almond shaped, framed by an aristocratic face with high cheekbones and full lips. This is tempered by an almost girlish countenance that often makes her appear even younger than she is and will likely persist for quite some time, both to Juno's alternating annoyance and appreciation. Juno is tall for a woman, at six feet in height and cuts her straight night black hair at the shoulder, but ties it into elaborate buns or braids while in costume. Juno has a beautiful smile, but this is often obscured by her haughty exterior.

Juno's costume is derived from her mother's recognizable form-fitting black and white trimmed outfit. However there are several variations. Juno's cape is only a half-cape, colored black with a white lining, while the emblem on her chest is a white seven-pointed star. The white trim on the outfit is much more prominent, particularly on the sides of her chest, legs, and forearms. Juno's boots are slim, forming to her feet and are black with white soles. Her black and white gloves are fingerless. Instead of an ornate headdress, Juno wears a slim white coronet, with a matching utility belt clasped by a white seven-pointed star. Just like her mother, Juno eschews a mask. The end result is a faintly aristocratic outfit that also visually displays Juno's future as the next Dr. Light.

Juno was born the eldest child to Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi, both a widely respected scientist and a prominent superhero known as Dr. Light. She was born in Metropolis at a special maternity ward in a STAR Labs facility, due to the possibility of unforseen complications in a metahuman pregnancy. Juno emerged squaling and healthy, and tests confirmed that she had inherited Kimiyo's metagene and the potential for superpowers. Juno's powers, like most cases, would likely manifest at puberty if ever but there was a chance of her manifesting them at an earlier age and possibly endangering other children. There was also a natural concern to keep Juno shielded from both public scrutiny and possible retribution from Dr. Light's or the Justice League's enemies. And so Juno started preschool at the James Corrigan School for the Gifted, a private institution that secretly educated the children of heroes as well as metahuman children across the country, and which counted the hero Jefferson Pierce as it's headmaster, though the hero was often busy with other matters. In any case, Juno received a fine education all of her life, and was raised in an affluent lifestyle due to the profitability of both of her mother's careers.

A few years after her birth, she would have a younger brother named Galileo, nicknamed Leo, another heir to Dr. Light's photokinetic powers. Galileo was the result of Dr. Light's shortlived marriage with Juno's stepfather, a Japanese-American businessman. Dr. Light has never revealed the identity of Juno's father however, and there has been long-running speculation and multiple rumors among both the superhuman community and the media. One popular theory is that Juno's father was none other than Isuma Yasunari, a colleague of Dr. Light as both a physicist and the Japanese hero known as the Rising Sun and with whom Kimiyo had been involved in a romantic relationship. Neither Rising Sun or Dr. Light have commented on the rumors however, and Juno grew up with no knowledge of her father. The father figures she had in her life were her grandfather and several of Dr. Light's compatriots in the Justice League. For Juno, that was enough for the most part, and she grew close with both her family and several in the superhuman community.

It was clear from the get-go that Juno was special, even without her potential powers. Physical testing from STAR Labs showed that she was more naturally physically adept than the majority of children of the same age. And even as a young girl, she displayed confidence and keen intelligence beyond her years. There was much speculation among the scientists how much of that was due to genetics or the possibility of Dr. Light's photokinetic powers affecting Juno's development in the womb. Juno had a natural curiosity and analytical mind, even as a child, that great pleased Kimiyo and Juno excelled in her studies, especially in science and math. Being both wealthy and part of a rather unique social caste in society, Juno had little interaction with average children. All of her friends growing up were either metahumans or children of heroes and their allies. She herself was part of the "popular crowd" growing up, almost all of them legacy metahumans and children of prominent heroes.

While close to her mother, Dr. Light was mostly a hands-off parent, and did not do much to discourage Juno's confidence from turning into arrogance. Juno grew up with a certain sense of entitlement which she backed up with her academic achievements and domineering personality. Juno was determined to one day be as great a scientist as her mother. And when her powers manifested at the age of eleven when she inadverdantly created a bright sphere of white light, Juno was similarly determined to become a great hero. Juno began taking on electives and extracurriculars at Corrigan's that emphasized a future in heroism, along with her friends. She had already been an active reader and had extensively studied superhuman history, but now received prepatory education in a wide array of areas that would become relevant to her as a superhero. Her Junior High and Highschool years saw her receive education in subjects as varied as medicine, political science, and forensic investigation. She also completed college-level courses during high school such as physics, engineering, and astronomy.

Dr. Light, and other heroes, also trained her how to fight hand-to-hand, the basics of superhuman strategy, and how to control and improve her abilities. Juno quickly managed to stop accidentally using her powers, but struggled with the meditative techniques Dr. Light tried to teach her in order to attain tranquility and maximised application of her powers. However, Juno's skills and abilities still grew quickly and at age thirteen, she was officially made her mother's sidekick and received her first costume after attaining the power of flight. The young, bright, confident, pretty sidekick made an immediate impression on the public. She soon became a rising star among cape watchers and attained a great deal of positive coverage from media covering superhero activities.

Juno mostly helped out with emergency rescue operations where she quickly gained a positive reputation for efficiency and effectiveness and was quite photogenic besides. She also appeared to assist with charity events and made several public appearances with other young heroes-in-training, and even gave a few interviews. She surprised the media by being intelligent, well-spoken, and congenial despite her young age and her fame and popularity spread. At age sixteen, she finally accompanied Dr. Light on official missions and crime response calls, and helped the Justice League in several missions, earning the respect of her superiors in the League and the admiration of the general public. Despite mainly operating in Metropolis, Juno made appearances across the US and the world, and she soon became globally known. During this time, Juno even visited the Watchtower for the first time, an amazing sight to her, and met many of her childhood icons such as Wonder Woman, Batman, and especially the Man of Steel himself.

She and her fellow superhero scions, soon became a staple of media coverage and were icons for young cape fans, being known to the media as "The Justice Heirs", Juno herself made Time Magazine's "Top Twenty Young Heroes to Watch", and Juno soon accrued an extensive fanbase and social media presence. Juno became one of many superhuman spokespersons for public causes, and she herself promoted education, literacy, academic achievement and science in particular, as well as improved relations between humans and superhumans. Juno and her friends were the it crowd, and appeared at all manner of prestigious events and exclusive gatherings, where Juno stunned with her hardlight outfits and jewelry. Despite her popularity and charm when engaging with the public, Juno continued to socialize almost exclusively with other superhumans and potential heroes, and their exploits both as caped heroes and media personalities gained widespread attention and a loyal following.

Juno graduated Corrigan's at 17 with highest honors and with an impeccable record as a hero, and had a full scholarship to Metropolis University with a major in Astrophysics and a minor in Superhuman Studies. As Superman's home city, Metropolis University boasted many superhuman students who had grand aspirations, many of Juno's friends and schoolmates from Corrigan's included. Her connections to several promiment hero-scientists gained her a position at the local STAR Labs facility, the same one where she had been born. She also became a founding member of the exclusive "Triple Alpha" fraternity, which was both an exclusive co-ed social club for superhumans as well as a group to promote charitable activities and academic excellence, with many aspiring heroes, scientists, artists, and assorted future visionaries and leaders as its members. The Triple Alphas themselves soon became a media fixture, with their achievements in both public works and scholarship, and Juno was one of their primary spokespersons, one of the faces of the next generation of the Justice League.

It seemed Juno would be a cinch for membership once she turned 18, but an unexpected incident delayed her superhero career. Her brother Leo was also a photokinetic and even more scientifically inclined than Juno, but had decided to focus on a career as a scientist rather than try and become a hero. He had similarly excelled in his studies and entered Metropolis University the year after Juno, graduating high school early and quickly gaining an assistant position at STAR Labs just like her. But whereas Juno spent more time socializing and going on patrol, Leo was the more dedicated scientist of the two. He too, seemed to be destined to enter the League, though as a member of its' science division. However tragedy soon struck.

The local chapter of Intergang attacked the facility to steal its expensive technology and research in a blitzkrieg raid. Despite strong security, it was little match for the professional thieves. Leo was the only superhuman present, and it would take several minutes for heroic aid to arrive. Leo stood his ground and protected his colleagues, fighting back against Intergang. Despite his power and scientific skill augmenting his abilities, Leo was overpowered. The Justice League first responders found him clinging onto life with a thread, but thanks to his actions they managed to foil the robbery. Juno, on a study trip abroad in London, returned as soon as she heard the news. And exacted her revenge. She managed to persuade an analyst at the local League embassy to give her copies of their intel on the Metropolis Intergang Chapter. By the time she was done, the Intergang Chapter was almost completely dismantled and in quick, brutal fashion.

Official League reports have the result down to a combination of targeted League raids as well as infighting in the group itself. But the higher-ups and Dr. Light were privy to the truth. Juno's career was halted and she was suspended from all field operations, officially to be with her comatose brother. Grounded, Juno threw herself into her studies as doctors fought to revive Leo. She and her mother stopped speaking for quite some time, and Juno even retreated from the public sphere. It seemed as if the cold stasis would persist indefinitely, until finally Leo awoke thanks to Dr. Mid-Nite. Juno eventually reconciled with her mother as they celebrated Leo's return and life returned to normal somewhat, though Juno was still suspended from the field. She returned to charitable work and returned to the glamorous lifestyle she knew, but desperately wanted to get her career back on track. Convincing her mother and other mentors to speak on her behalf, Juno was given a second chance.

With the formation of a new team for young heroes, Juno was placed both so she could prove that she was ready to move on to the Justice League and to add credibility to the team once they became known to the public, as a popular and recognizable face among a group of largely unknowns. However, Juno was not made team leader, which irritated her, despite her respect for Conner Kent. Juno had advanced far enough in studies that she could complete the rest of her bachelor's degree with online courses and she moved to Happy Harbor, leaving behind her friends for the meantime though she keeps in contact online. Her second retreat from public attention has spurred quite a bit of speculation, and Juno is eager to make a grand return as part of a new superhero team. All of this, so she can get that position in the Justice League, she desires so much.

- Juno inherited her mother's metagene and the power of photokinesis. She has trained with her powers ever since they manifested at puberty and has advanced far. Presently, Juno can absorb energy from visible light or draw energy from her body and use it to cast both simple and complex hardlight constructs. Juno can erect protective shields or domes that can be hardened against both physical forces and energy. She can also project blasts of white light that run the gamut from simply blinding someone to knocking them back and stunning them, to burning a hole through them. Juno can also project a hardlight "lens" that allows her to scan for energy all along the EM spectrum. Juno can also form a light field around herself that grants her the power of flight, and in which she can survive in extreme environments from the depths of the ocean to the voids of space.

- A passive ability she possesses is that light itself rejuvenates her. Minor aches and pains ebb away under light and Juno is much more active and content during the day or in lighted spaces. The rejuvenating effect is largely subtle, but STAR Labs scientists believe that her absorption of light also promotes Juno's nominal health and prolongs both her youth and lifespan, much like her mother, who still looks like a woman in her late twenties or early thirties despite being in her mid fifties. Kimiyo Hoshi's absorption of light during her pregnancy with Juno is speculated to also have influenced Juno's above average height and optimal physical and mental attributes. Even without her photokinesis, Juno is both more physically fit and has a higher IQ than the majority of Earth's population.

- Like Dr. Light, Juno has a keen scientific mind. She may not have a PhD, but Juno still has a firm grasp of subjects such as astronomy, physics, and engineering. With her scientific knowledge, Juno is able to use her light constructs and other abilities in creative and potent ways. She can also construct gadgets and can skillfully retrofit or repair equipment quickly with her abilities, providing she is able to study the machinery's properties. A lifetime of training her mental focus and discipline also greatly aid in the creation and maintenance of her constructs. And her analytical temperament also make her a competent detective if not a natural sleuth like other heroes, as well as helping her to quickly formulate solutions to problems that may not be readily apparent to others. Juno may not be a super-genius like some costumed heroes and villains, but she is still incredibly intelligent and her mind is as effective an asset as her powers.

- Juno has trained from a young age to be a hero someday, and was a sidekick to her mother. As such, she is skilled in a variety of areas useful to a superhero. In addition to being athletic and fit, Juno is trained in hand-to-hand combat, having learned under the League's trainers, who are some of the best melee fighters in the world. While competent, and able to handle herself against most common foes, Juno is nowhere near as skilled as more serious martial artists and relies on her powers to give her an advantage if she has to throw a punch. Juno also knows basic survival medicine and could treat a number of minor wounds or stabilize a patient, especially using her powers, but is no medical professional. Juno also has a firm grasp on hero team tactics and strategy, having spent her whole life studying the history of superheroism and villainy and being trained by her mother on how to lead. While she may not have the natural charisma some leaders have, Juno still has a skilled strategic mind. Lastly, while she is no social butterfly, Juno grew up under media scrutiny as a hero's child and future costumed do-gooder and is practiced at navigating the turbulent arena of public opinion and is a competent public speaker. Put together with her powers, Juno has great promise as a hero.

- Juno's outfit was made for her as a gift from Mister Terrific himself and is composed of an advanced artificial polymer that is both form-fitting and also offers protection from blunt trauma, blades, shrapnel, and bullets should her powers not work for whatever reason. Juno's utility belt is filled mostly with survival rations and medical supplies for victims of emergencies, as she has little need for gadgets herself. But Juno does have a holdout weapon in the form of a collapsible flashlight strapped to her belt, also designed by Mister Terrific that can be used to give her a quick burst of energy in an emergency and can bludgeon an enemy as well as shock them with the in-built taser.

- Juno inherited her mother's metagene and powers, but she is currently nowhere near as powerful as Dr. Light. While she has great potential and could someday be among the League's most powerful heroes, Juno still does not have access to the full extent of her abilities, as her powers are still growing and her control continually improves. While she is far from a scatterbrain, Juno does not have the same mental focus as the far more experienced Dr. Light, and sometimes struggles to center herself and calm her active mind. Someday, Juno will be a practical demigod, but for now she has a long way to go and there are a wide variety of advanced photokinetic techniques that Juno cannot yet utilize that her mother can, an ongoing source of frustration for the younger hero.

- Juno's current threshold of strength using a light field show that with intense effort and a near depletion of her energy reserves, she can lift and flip a tank over, and can pick one up and hold it for around ten minutes at a height of about fifteen feet off of the ground. Her strongest shield could withstand one tank round, but would shatter completely on the next blast. The more force Juno has to defend against, the more energy and effort she must expend, and she can be over-taxed or overpowered outright by a strong enough attack. Her top flight speed is just over the sound barrier, but she can only safely maintain this speed under optimal conditions for an hour at most, while a cruising speed akin to a commercial airliner can be maintained for hours on end as long as she has a light source to continually draw on. With her energy beams, Juno can melt through steel in seconds, and can maintain a burst of this intensity for up to a minute.

- Juno's constructs while intricate, cannot ever be confused for the real thing as they will appear as white light due to the fact that she has not yet learned to bend light to create convincing illusions. The more intricate the construct, the longer she holds it, and the more she creates lead to increases in concentration and energy. She is also as of yet, unable to create any permanent hardlight constructs. Juno hasn't tested how many simple objects she can maintain at the same time, but she can erect several before her concentration begins to be strained. It has been found that she can maintain two or three advanced, detailed constructs before her focus is overly taxed as well. She can keep one simple shape manifested for well over a day, while a few advanced constructs can stay for around an hour, depending on outside factors. These figures can vary based on how much ambient light Juno can draw, how focused she can get, and how much energy she has stored internally.

- Juno's only overt weakness in terms of her powers is that she requires ambient light to draw energy from. Unlike her mother, who has amassed a vast internal store and can draw energy from background radiation along the EM spectrum, effectively making her unable to run out of power, Juno must use visual light. Barring that she can draw on her own internal energy, but Juno has not maximized her storage capacity nearly as efficiently as Dr. Light. Currently, with a full internal store, and without any ambient light to draw on, Juno can use her powers for about half a day before being close to dangerously drained. The rate varies based on how conservatively or strenuously Juno uses her powers. Juno can't draw as much energy passively and unconsciously either, and must consciously draw the majority of her energy to fully charge. It takes her around fifteen minutes charging under a clear sun to fully charge, and the charge rates vary based on intensity of the light source. Juno can also use her own energy, and already eats twice as much as a normal person due to the high calorie demands of her powers, but this is dangerous. This mean that in dark or pitch black environments, Juno must rely on her internal storage, which runs the danger of draining her enormously if forced to strain too much for too long. If Juno has no energy stored and has no light to draw on, she cannot use her powers without putting her life in danger.

- Despite her superhuman powers, Juno is human. She may be more fit and smarter than the average human, but without protection, a bullet would still hurt or kill her. Beyond that, Juno has her share of personal flaws. She was trained to be mentally disciplined, but her energetic mind can often get in the way of that, and her enormous, almost egotistical self-confidence can definitely do so. Juno is not humble, and as one of the superhuman elite, often sees herself as superior to most people that she meets outside of her social circle. She is rarely overtly rude, but Juno often has little patience for anyone that she sees as beneath her and usually expects quick compliance from those she considers to be subordinate to her. Juno is a strong personality, and is unused to being a follower to those she doesn't respect. If she's in a position she doesn't like, she will do everything she can to advance herself. She is also often faintly haughty and is socially domineering, almost manipulative. Despite her formal tactical training, all of this can impede her when she works on a team with personalities she simply doesn't get along with.

- She sees superhumans as naturally superior to normal humans save for truly unique cases such as Batman, and sees the Justice League and superhero community as a whole as being both morally and practically superior to normal governments and general society. As such, her motivations for heroism are more out of a "Metahuman's Burden" and pity for humanity, as well as a deep-seated disdain for violent criminals, than pure alturism. Despite her apparent arrogance, Juno often feels pressured to live up to her brilliant and powerful mother, and has deep-seated issues with regards to the mystery of her father's identity. Juno's present inability to match Dr. Light secretly eats away at her and as such, a severe enough failure or emotional stressor could shatter her confidence, and ability to focus her powers. Despite her usually rational mind, Juno does have an almost frightening loyalty to those she does consider close to her, such as family and friends. She also cannot abide the suffering of innocents, especially children, and takes any harm done to fellow superhumans or costumed heroes very personally. If pushed far enough, Juno's rational temperament gives way to a terrifying fury where she will pursue vengeance, and damned the consequences.

- Juno is a voracious reader, and her codename is both a derivative of her mother's and Juno's attempt to reclaim a word from one of the worst books she ever read.

- She is not overly artistically inclined, but is skilled with the piano and has an eye for fashion.

- Juno is heterosexual, and knows how to use her feminine wiles, but is romantically inexperienced.

- Juno was raised Buddhist but has trouble embracing the philosophy and mentality, while still making use of teachings on mental discipline and harnessing one's potential.

- She has dual citizenship in both the US and Japan and is fluent in both English and Japanese.

- She has a childhood crush on Superman that has endured to this day.

Tachyus of Themyscira

18

Wonder Woman

Built like an ancient Greco-Roman statue, Tachyus is perfectly toned. His Olympian heritage ensures a certain level of physical fitness regardless of his training regimen, which, combined with the strict instruction of the warriors of Themyscira has sculpted his body well. His facial features would be cherubic if not for the lack of body fat in his cheeks, and the set of his jaw. His skin is darkly tanned due to his island upbringing, which contrasts with his abnormally-bright blue eyes (another result of his Olympian father) and his auburn hair.

Tachyus' goes into battle lightly armoured, with a tight-fitting chest-plate of lightweight, yet durable Olympian steel underneath a traditional doric chiton and a half-cape. He has bracers and grieves made of the same Olympian metal as his chest-plate, but other than that he is mostly unarmored.

Tachyus' birth was somewhat of a scandal among the Olympian Pantheon. Zeus had long ago forbidden the intermingling of Olympians and mortals, but Hermes had taken to a mortal woman in the city of Metropolis. In the guise of a mortal himself,
he wooed her, and together they conceived a child. Due to the child's demigod physiology, the mother did not survive the birth of her son,
and Hermes, uncharacteristically moved by the death of this mortal, took the child into his care, whisking the newborn away to Olympus.

However, upon his arrival, Zeus declared that the child should be destroyed, as it's very existence was a direct act of defiance to his laws. Hermes, ever quick of wit and sharp of tongue, pointed out that Olympus was full to bursting with Zeus' own demigod prodgeny, and managed to convince Zeus to let his son live, though Zeus would not allow the child to live among the Olympians, and would not grant the boy full godhood. Furthermore, Hermes would only be allowed to visit the child once every ten years for a brief time on the day of the child's birth. While Hermes couldn't keep his child safe with him on Olympus, he was able to take the boy to Themyscira, the next best place in the opinion of most of the Olympian gods.

So, Tachyus, despite being male, was groomed in the manner of the Amazon warriors. He was taught the arts of combat, language, mathematics, everything that an Amazon would learn. However, when the Godspeed manifested itself during his combat training after his tenth birthday (and his first meeting with his father) it was decided that a more personal touch was needed in his training, and so Diana, princess of the Amazons and a demigod herself, began to mentor him.

As his training continued, he became ever more curious about Man's world, continuously badgering his mentor to allow him with her on one of her adventures with the Justice League. For years, he was denied, until the formation of the new team for young heroes, which provided both the perfect testing ground for his powers, and a way to satiate his appetite for adventure. Wonder Woman put him forth as a candidate, and he was placed, though to his mild chagrin, not as team leader, despite (what he sees as) his extensive knowledge and combat training. He has taken the code name Quickling, as it is both quicker to say when speed is of import, and appropriate for his role on the team.

As a half-Olympian Demi-god, Tachyus is superhumanly strong, swift, and durable. Should he be damaged in some way,
his demi-god physiology is capable of self-repair at a super-human rate. Aside from these features of general demi-godhood, Tachyus is gifted with a unique power from his father Hermes, called the Godspeed. The Godspeed is an inner reservoir of Olympian power which allows Tachyus to move at impossible superhuman speeds.

Having been raised on Themyscira, Tachyus was trained in the arts of warfare by some of the greatest warriors on the planet. He is swift and agile, and proficient in the use of several weapons, and the art of deflection utilizing his Olympian Steel bracers which he was taught by Wonder Woman herself. His training, coupled with his innate abilities and the Godspeed make him a swift and hard-hitting melee combatant.

Tachyus is equipped with four artifacts forged by the Olympian god Hephaestus. First, his breastplate, which magically conforms tightly (yet comfortably) to the midsection of it's wearer. Second, Tachyus has a pair of enchanted bracers, which (like Wonder Woman's own) are capable of deflecting and absorbing kinetic and energy-based projectiles, and blocking all manner of physical blows if the wielder has sufficient strength and speed. Thirdly, Tachyus' grieves, are enchanted with a rather simple enchantment that ensures that they will never loosen or fall off. It sounds silly, but it's quite necessary when one is moving at the speeds Tachyus frequently does. While their enchantment is far from extravagant, they are still forged of Olympian steel, and can be used to kick through solid objects that would injure Tachyus' bare shins alone.

Lastly, the Caduceus Staff of Vaulting is a weapon forged specifically for Tachyus, and his most prized possession. Though forged of the impossibly solid and durable Olympian Steel, the staff is enchanted so that at Tachyus' mental urging, it becomes flexible, and may also extend itself mystically, allowing him to use the staff in conjunction with his speed and agility to vault vast distances with ease.

Tachyus is boisterous and confident, having been told his entire life that he was half-god, and thus literally superior to mere mortals, his self-assuredness can often lead him to underestimate his opponent. This can (and does) frequently land him in dangerous situations, though he has yet to be truly humbled.

Tachyus can only lift approximately five-hundred pounds, which is high for a mortal, but not very impressive when considering his parentage. Although he is capable of withstanding more punishment than a human, he is not invulnerable by any means. He is susceptible to gunshots, stabbing, anything with sufficient piercing power. Blunt weapons and falls from heights are no threat, but a stab in the back or a sniper round will bring him down swiftly.

His main limitation, however, is his lack of Mastery over the Godspeed. Either due to his half-human blood or simply a lack of any guiding figure in the use of this power, he is unable to sustain access to the Godspeed for a protracted time. This means that he is capable of short bursts of extreme speed, but he cannot access it for longer than ten minutes without needing a resting period of at least half an hour. Additionally, should he push the Godspeed past his body's limit to withstand it, he will lose consciousness, making him an extremely open target. Thus, he must constantly manage his inner reserves. This balancing act means he is often a powerhouse early in a fight, but a battle of attrition will see his opponent the victor if he is not capable of ending them swiftly.

-Tachyus has a lack of modesty that can sometimes make others uncomfortable.
-Tachyus is bisexual, though growing up on Themyscira, has never explored with the same sex.
-Tachyus is well-versed in the arts and languages of the world due to his Themysciran upbringing. Though on Themyscira there is an emphasis on the classical, he is not unschooled in modern languages, arts, and mathematics.

Magnus Boyle

Fenrir

Nineteen

Hawkwoman

As a Man:Magnus Boyle strikes an opposing figure, standing at a respectable height of 6’1”, with broad, muscular shoulders that taper towards a lean, narrow waist. His limbs are long, though he doesn’t seem to have the ganglieness that often plagues tall people, instead moving with a smooth, unconscious grace. Nor is he unduly bulky, possessing a wiry, muscular leanness that one would associate with a wild alpha predator, not a shred of fat to be found on him. It doesn’t take a trained eye to recognise the explosive physical power restrained in his frame.

A mop of charcoal dark curls frames his features, wild enough to deny even the most vigorous brushing. Heavy brows sit atop intense, storm-grey eyes. His strong jaw is coloured with stubble, far more than on the average nineteen-year old’s. Most observers would note that there is something slightly ‘off’ about his face. While his strong bone structure seems conventionally attractive, there is a savagery about the lines of his face that makes him appear threatening, or even cruel in some lights. When he smiles - which is rarely – his teeth seem a touch too long and sharp to be considered wholly normal.

As the Beast:When he becomes the Beast Fenrir’s body contorts in a horrifically painful transformation that leaves him more powerful in almost every physical way. His frame expands until he tops 7’ (though a propensity to hunch leaves him appearing to be just over 6’10”). His head becomes larger and lupine-like, while his mouth elongates into massive canine jaws that end in rows of razor sharp teeth. His shoulders, already muscular, become even heavier, while his arms lengthen to the point that he can comfortably run on all fours. His legs twist and elongate until they become digitigrade, while all his fingers and toes develop long, tough talons, which are capable of shredding through armour plating. Wiry black hair sprouts all over his form, though it comes thickest upon his face, head, shoulders, arms, chest, and groin. Finally, his long bushy tail bursts from his lower back.

The costume: Fenrir’s costume consists of a sleeveless charcoal grey bodysuit, fist wraps, and a helmet. The bodysuit’s material is made from an experimental fabric developed by Kord Industries, which can stretch to an incredible degree while still retaining its base integrity. The bodysuit’s chest area darkens to black, being reinforced by a light kevlar-nomex weave that provides a degree of protection. The centre of the chest features an embossed silver wolfs-head, this serving as Fenrir’s insignia. The helmet is also crafted to resemble a snarling wolfs-head, designed by Shayera Hol to terrify her student’s foes. While it only covers his upper face and head, while leaving his jaw clear, he still finds It incredibly uncomfortable to wear, though has come to bear it thanks to the protection it supplies. The costume doesn’t feature shoes, as Magnus finds them even more constricting and cumbersome than the helmet.

Nineteen years ago, on a chill September afternoon, Charles and Wyanet Boyle were gifted with their first child, a boy. They named him Magnus, after Charles’ grandfather. Magnus was a strong and lusty baby, a Boyle family trait claimed Charles – though he himself was both sicky and scrawny. What couldn’t be explained away as a family quirk was the inch-long canines that their son developed after only two months, or the predatory intensity to his gaze that seemed so foreign on the face of a child.

Despite these peculiarities the Boyle’s endeavoured to love their son, as good parents should, but as he grew older it became more and more apparent that Magnus was no normal boy. He was walking by the time he was four months old, and running confidently at nine months, and yet he was over three years old before he uttered his first word, and even after that he barely spoke, instead using a combination of grunts, growls, yips and glares to communicate. He couldn’t be left alone with children his own age, as he was aggressive and socially dominant. All the doctors that the Boyles could afford were stumped in regards as to what was afflicting the boy, and the family found themselves ostracised in their small community thanks to their strange son.

Charles and Wyanet began to believe that was going to be their lives from then on, dealing with the hardship of having a clearly impaired child, struck by an affliction that no one could explain or assist with when their deliverance came in the form of doctor Anne Sexton. The doctor contacted them, claiming to be a renowned child behavioural expert and claimed she had heard of their plight, and wished to help them. After doing some background checks of their own, which all served to corroborate Sexton’s story, the family agreed to allow the doctor into their lives, in hope that it would help Magnus.

For several weeks tests were run, the doctor spending nearly every waking moment poking and prodding at Magnus, all under the watchful eyes of his parents. Charles and Wyanet could never be sure what she was actually testing him for, but they lived in hope that it would all lead to Magnus getting the help that he so clearly needed. Their hopes turned to horror however, when they woke up one morning to find Magnus missing, and the good doctor gone. The Boyle’s went straight to the police, but when they tried to file a missing person’s report they were shocked to find that there was no history of them ever having a child. No birth certificate, no medical history, not even any pictures of him on their online social profiles. Their family, friends and neighbours all supported them, and they had plenty printed pictures of their son, but as far as the virtual world was concerned, there was no Magnus Boyle.

Confronted with this setback is it any surprise that the authorities failed to find either Magnus or Doctor Sexton, whose own online presence turned out to be completely fabricated. The Boyle’s never stopped looking for their son, but years have passed, and with no real headway made into the investigation, they have all but given up hope of finding their son. Like it or not, Magnus was gone.

Or at least, he was. Unbeknownst to his parents, Magnus reappeared years later just outside of New Orleans, where he assisted Hawkwoman in battle against one of her old enemies, St Roch. Magnus impressed Shayera, who offered the feral teen a place to stay, if he allowed her to train him. He had a lot of potential, she said, but if he didn’t learn to temper his emotions, he would end up wasting his gifts. Magnus agreed, and so began his heroic career as Hawkwoman’s partner, Fenrir. The two worked together well, and when talk of a new team of young heroes was bandied around, Shayera was quick to volunteer Magnus.

As a Man:Magnus is physically superior to any baseline human. S

As the Beast:

As a Man:Perhaps Magnus’ most damaging weakness, though probably not his most obvious one, is his arrogance concerning his own physical capabilities. While he’s willing to admits that there are individuals who are stronger, tougher or faster than he is out there, he finds it far more difficult to accept that, even with all those advantages, there are any who could beat him in a straight confrontation. Part of this is due to the alpha male mentality that colours his personality, his belief that he should be at the top of any social hierarchy due to his physical superiority to those around him, though the greater part is due to the fact that he has yet to be beaten. He’s still got the confidence of an unbeaten champion, but who’s to say what might happen to that confidence when he is faced with the prospect of an out and out defeat.

On top of this, he isn’t a well-rounded combatant. All his training thus far has focused on allowing him to use his increased strength, speed, and ferocity to overwhelm his opponents physically, and beat them into submission. While this works on many untrained or unexperienced foes, he has little-to-no defensive skills to fall back on if his full-frontal assault fails, other than his increased durability and survivability, and then it just becomes a case of weathering his opponents storm, a method which is far from infallible. To make matters worse, he disdains tactical expertise. While he’s more than capable of formulating a plan, a good one even, he instead chooses not to. He much prefers the simplicity of beating a foe mano a mano, rather than getting their better through cleverness or double-thinking.

As the Beast: The Beast shares many of the Man’s shortcomings, though most of them are exacerbated in the extreme. Unique shortcomings for the Beast are a lack of fine motor control and an inability to process complex tasks. Simply put, this means he wont be doing anything like driving a car or typing at a keyboard while in wolf-form. Perhaps the Beast's most dangerous trait is his difficulties with impulse control. The Beast does everything on instinct, which means no double guessing or moralising. If he is hungry, he eats; if he is tired, he sleeps; if he encounters an enemy, he kills it. Straightforward, but problematic in it's own way.

Kassandra Keigwan

16

Aquaman

Kassy is about 5’6 and rather pudgy, with dark skin and thick, curly white hair. Her eyes are bright orange, with wide pupils. She tends to wear feminine clothing and lots of jewelry, long skirts and a continuous lack of shoes when inside the base.
What does your costume look like?

Kassandra was born with a rare type of magic, one that had been systematically expunged from her race's DNA long before she was born. Magic powers over the spirit, the mind, the unconscious - things that couldn't be quite quantified or explained. Many centuries ago, Atlanteans with that kind of power used it to do all sorts of unspeakable things. Rule over others, change their emotions, create forced loyalty or fear, or love. They were called 'sirens'. It took a massive uprising to release them from the sirens' control, but once they did, they took care to try and kill each and every siren they found, whether they had done anything wrong or not. Some survived, burying their power and keeping it hidden, never staying in one place for fear of discovery.
Kassy's grandfather could read minds. Her mother could speak to the dead. Kassy herself can cast illusions of all sorts, tricking minds into seeing or hearing things. Her mother and father traveled the planet, never staying in one place for a long time. Her mother took work from those who didn't hate her power, and they lived this way until Kassy was about eight. Her mother's spirit was torn from her body in the middle of a channeling, and despite attempts to keep her vessel alive, her body ceased to live. Her distraught father took young Kassy to the home of her aunt, promising to return for her soon. He never did.

Young Kassy grew up isolated. She was shunned by the townspeople, and shamed by her aunt. Her aunt considered her a freeloader and a budding sociopath, and was determined to beat the magic out of her. Her uncle did nothing to stop his wife's poor treatment of their niece. Kassy's only solace was in her cousin Leonce, who ignored his mother's opinions and treated her as a sister. The two grew up close, and he was her savior many times over.
Her aunt was not much kinder to her own son, and as soon as her cousin became of age, he pledged (married) to someone and moved far away from home. While he did offer to take Kassy with him, she declined. Left on her own, Kassy honed her magic in secret, growing more controlled and powerful by the turn of each tide. All she had to do was make it four more years, and then she would be an adult in the eyes of the law.
Unfortunately, four years proved to be too long. Her aunt’s attitude got worse, and without her cousin interfering, Kassy felt she was close to snapping. After one particularly rough night, Kassy gathered what she had and left home, determined to find somewhere that she belonged. She swam on and on, only stopping permanently in the massive city of Atlantis. When browsing the market for food, she ran into - and stopped - a robbery attempt with quick use of her magic. Instead of being thankful, the man she helped was terrified. She didn't have time to consider the consequences of using her magic in such a public space, and word spread like squid ink in clear water.
She was arrested that same night, and brought to the palace. Although the guards were skeptical of how someone who was still just a girl could be dangerous, Kassy agreed to go, already defeated in spirit and feeling she deserved to be in prison. She spent the night locked up, most of it crying and absolutely certain she’d never see the outside world again.
With the new morning came a change in fate. Kassy was fed, bound, and led to an official chamber for sentencing. There she was introduced to no less than the king of Atlantis, Arthur Curry himself. Her immediate thought was that the lifetime in prison she thought she was destined for had been upgraded to an execution. However, the king took pity on her, saying that she had potential – not to be a hindrance, but a hero.
They spoke for hours, and by the end of it, Kassy agreed to his offer to be trained as a royal magician. She was given a room, a small stipend, and several tutors. Her skill grew, and her magic flourished. When the King got word of the new team being formed, he volunteered Kassy for it. Kassy still isn’t sure she’s the right fit.

Abilities:
*Illusions - Kassy's most versatile ability is that she can form illusions of all 5 senses. Sight and sound are the easiest for her; tactile illusions a bit more difficult. Smell and taste are possible for Kassy, but she's not very good at them; mostly because those are quite subjective. Her favorite tricks are to make herself invisible and soundless, leaving her able to easily surprise unaware enemies.
Her illusions do not work on robots or electronic devices, and most of the time, animals won't be fooled by the sight/smell illusions. The more people she is trying to fool, the weaker the illusions are.
*Resistance - Kassy has a natural resistance, and in some cases, immunity to other mental attacks. Another illusionist will be ineffective against her, and another mind controller would have to be extremely powerful (and only focused on her) to defeat her.
Atlantean Physiology: Due to generations of living under the sea, Atlantean have evolved to breath underwater and be far superior to any other human.
Equipment:
*Mage Armor – Kassy’s battle dress is magically reinforced to be durable and element resistant, made of the same material that other Atlanteans’ suits. It also absorbs water, to keep her cool and hydrated in battle.
*Elemental Staff – The staff Kassy carries is made of metal with a magical core, and it’s covered in various runes. She has elemental spells ‘programmed’ in, ones that she can use at will to control fire, water, air and earth. There is a figure of an octopus that tops the staff, whose eyes light up to correspond with the running spell. (Kassy has named this figurine Damiek.)
*Static Illusion charm – Kassy has a pendant that she wears when outside of the team quarters. It gives her a human appearance, changing her white hair to black, and her orange eyes to a more human-standard brown. When she’s at home with the others, she leaves it off.
Skills:
*Staff combat – Kassy’s magic staff is very durable, and she’s learned to use it as a physical weapon. The octopus figure topping it is weighted, and packs a punch.
*Knife combat – While she would much prefer to stay out of the action, if she has to, Kassy can defend herself with a small hooked fishing knife.

*Aquatic form - Kassy has to sleep submerged in water, and has to drink constantly to properly maintain a bipedal form. If she gets dehydrated, she reverts back to what many would call a 'merperson'. Further dehydration would be fatal. While she does drink almost constantly to counteract this weakness, there is no way around this part of her physiology.

*No Confidence – Kassy is capable of more than she knows. Due to her Atlantean physiology, she is capable of great strength and has superhuman durability as well. However, she doesn’t really believe she can do anything spectacular. She is usually convinced she will fail, and punishes herself harshly for not meeting expectations.

*Kassy really likes all the fun foods that dry land has to offer. She will eat anything once. Anything. (Do not ask about the team goldfish. Kassy is still apologizing for the team goldfish.)

*Kassy has a beautiful singing voice, but very few people know about this. She only sings when no one is present to hear her.

Rannik Telo

17.

Bernhard “Buddy” Baker, The Animal Man.

Rannik looks like your average Korugaran in most respects. Scarlet skin, golden eyes and black sclerae, tall and slim and superficially similar to humanity. As with most of his people, he also has somewhat elven traits, being tall, slim, with sharp features and a recessive mutation found in the Korugaran genome that causes his ears to end in a tapering point. His dark hair and naturally Romanesque features would usually make him appear regal and intimidating, but he instead comes off as gentle and somewhat goofy, with a soft expression and equally open smile perpetually on his face. “Warm” comes to mind. His human disguise is similar, albeit appearing as a pale Caucasian male with brown eyes (and obviously lacking the elven ears).

Rannik’s costume is a specialised bodysuit. Short-sleeved and cut-off above the knee, it’s white with red accents on the arms, chest, and around the waist, with black down his sides. A stylised white Green Lantern Corps. logo is placed in the centre of his chest, manipulated to look like a large letter “A”. He also prefers to go barefoot. Cause, you know, he’s basically an alien hippy.

Something here about destiny and magic and non-racial redskins.

Rannik is an Avatar of the Red, a Flesh Elemental directly linked to the Life Web that reaches out and permeates the fabric of the universe, unifying all forms of animal life within its seemingly infinite boundaries. As the Red’s Avatar, Rannik has an array of metaphysical abilities that are esoteric in nature and not clearly defined. This link grants him mastery over flesh and life itself, allowing him to manipulate his own body to grow and change and adapt, powered by the primordial energies of the Red itself. He can take on the traits of animals in Earth’s biosphere, heal wounds with focus, and interpret the “blueprints” of animal organisms he comes into physical contact with. He also wields an extra-sensory ability to communicate with and command various animal life, though organisms near sentience are more difficult to “commandeer” than non-sentient creatures. This ability extends itself to allowing his “life essence”, or the information that makes up his being, to live on past his physical body’s death, though he hasn’t tested this gift quite yet. With enough experience, his abilities could be near-limitless in the realm of animal life.

Rannik’s costume is also made of an experimental STAR Labs/WayneTech polymer designed to alter its shape and structure to accommodate his changing form, based on the polymorphous material used by heroes such as Beast Boy and Ralph Dibny.

Despite his role as a universal Avatar, Rannik is still very young and inexperienced in the use of his abilities, and tends to limit himself subconsciously cause of certain fears. Taking on aspects from the Life Web and changing his own structure isn’t instantaneous and takes him momentary meditation to search through the correct blueprints he requires for the transformation. Rannik also prefers to solely alter himself, only altering other lifeforms when he is forced to as a last resort as he’s both afraid of his inexperience and of harming the recipient.
As mentioned above, Rannik’s ability to communicate with lifeforms and mentally command them is inhibited by the willpower and willingness of the target. A dog is easier to manipulate than, say, a dolphin or human. However, he finds domineering any animal to be reprehensible and instead prefers to “ask” for creatures that are capable of being asked.

While his connection to the Web is an extensive boon, it also acts as a blatant Achilles Heel. Constantly feeling and being “one” with all life allows him to fall victim to the intense suffering of organisms around him, and a sufficient level of harm to life in his vicinity will cause immense mental backlash. Rannik is also a pacifist; while willing to commit violence in self-defence or survival (as is the way of life), he abhors unnecessary death and pain and will go out of his way to prevent this, especially to his own detriment. Hell, he’s not even that good of a fighter; before being recruited by the Initiative, he’d never received official training.

- In his human disguise, Ranik is known as “Nick Teller”.
-“Rannik” is the masculine form of “Soranik” on Korugar. Coincidence? Or lazy writing. You decide.
-Has learned English through a willing empathic link with Buddy Baker.
-Buddy Baker smells like $2 cologne and retirement.