Hoping I'm making it here in time to join up. A return to roleplaying is sorely needed, and I've been sitting on this character for a few years. lol
Name: Erik Z. Osteriecher Jr. | “Zacharius Eckert” (‘Zack’)
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Appearance:Bio: Erik, or “Zack” as he’s grown preferable to, has been subject to what has at best been a checkered upbringing. He was raised, for the greater part of his life, by a single father, never knowing his mother as she died due to pregnancy complications upon his birth. Yet the father-son bond that might have been expected between the two was nearly non-existent; though maintaining financial stability, a steady housing arrangement, and proper nutrition for his son, Erik Sr. was generally divested from his son's early life. The rare moments of connection between the two frequently came when Jr. would seek to train in swordplay with his father, who had been a rising star in the town’s annual Struggle Tournament.
Even so, the sessions were far from supportive development of a father teaching a son. Zack’s dad employed a relentlessly ‘Spartan’ philosophy of sink or swim. Zack often found himself trailing far behind his father on morning runs, and left to stagger himself to his feet after practice matches even after Erik Sr. had returned to their house to rest.
Despite this, or perhaps in spite of it, the son persisted in following his father. Zack was determined to find an even keel with his father, even as the parent seemed set on ignoring him when not roughing him in training. The young boy was perpetually at the ringside during the man’s Struggle matches, never missing a single one; he was confident that the pursuit of this competition was the path to manifesting the bond he saw with his sole caretaker. It was in this that he would bear witness to Erik Sr. winning two consecutive Struggle Championships. Elated by his father’s accomplishments, Zack attempted to offer his praise, only to be crowded and pushed away by a swath of fans and press writers.
It was in the aftermath of Erik Sr.’s second Struggle victory that Erik Jr.’s life took it’s biggest hit: the departure of his father, leaving him little more than a note saying “I’m leaving; important business.” and some spending money to get him by for a while.
Unable to fully support himself, the young Erik spent the next several years floating between the homes of friends and schoolmates. Though finally in the midst of more loving and morally supportive caregivers, the boy’s aspirations towards a meaningful relationship with his missing father stuck with him. After much time dedicated to his own training, he began competing for the Struggle Tournament, in the hopes that a good showing in the event would bring his father back. Facing initial difficulties, he was, in his first attempts, unable to make it past the preliminaries. It was also in this time that Erik Z. Ostereicher Jr. found himself living deep within his father’s shadow, prompting him to adopt his new moniker of Zacharius “Zack” Eckert, a name crafted from his middle name and what he knew to have been his mother’s maiden name. Like a shot in the arm, this newer sense of self propelled Zack into making a run to Struggle Finals, and a chance to win a championship for himself.
Personality: Zack stands within the intersection of several psychological crossroads, and amid his share of unresolved conflict. He outwardly presents a genuine confidence, which in itself comes from an honest sense of self-worth; yet he’s obscenely driven to continue working even after the work is done, never truly seeing himself as having arrived anywhere or achieved anything of note, and only seeing the next level without fully appreciating whatever one he may be at in a given time. He’s earnestly skilled and well-honed for his age, yet makes brash decisions in his endeavors, often taking on challenges that may (and typically do) best him in the end. Deep down, he remains single-minded in his effort to connect with the father who abandoned him for unknown purposes, yet openly despises that he has ultimately been perceived by others as a carbon copy of that father.
In many ways he takes after Erik Sr., chiefly in a manner of shortsightedness when it comes to those around him, frequently moving along with things even as they would stop to rest; it’s not uncommon for his friends and classmates to usher him back from his insistence on the “constant grind.” Though fully carrying a friendlier disposition than his absent parent, he maintains a similar drill sergeant mentality, being one to push those around him, sometimes to their own displeasure, as he easily gets carried away in the belief that he is merely pushing others to achieve their best. This behavior is not beyond reproach or control, though the manic nature in which it manifests requires a firm hand and a strong personality to corral him back to his better senses.
Weapon: (Everyone will be able to become a Keyblade Wielder when the plot gets rolling. So go ahead and leave this blank until then.)
Spells: (Similar to the Keyblade. You'll be learning these after the plot picks up, so feel free to leave this blank for now.)
Abilities: (Attacks like Strike Raid or Sonic Blade can go in here, in addition to more passive abilities. But like with spells, leave it blank for now.)