Early to bed, and early to rock, that...Wasn't, like, a motto or anything, but it was at least what Ginger Lockhearte had ended up doing this fine morning, her guitar hooked up to an amp to let her early jam session really go to 11! Plus, this place wasn't nothin' like Galar; there were so few folks in this 'city' that she really wasn't concerned about bugging anyone. Besides, most of the old folks could probably sleep right through this...
As Ginger kept riffing away on Roxie's OG hit single (though she was more partial to her latest hit, Baneful Bunker), she hadn't even noticed that her mum had knocked on the door at least five times, and having given up being acknowledged, had still rather politely opened the door to her upstairs room in a very quiet and subtle nature, waiting for her daughter to reach a lull in her session. Which she received by chance, when Cheepy, who had mostly been enjoying the rockout her trainer was delivering, had abruptly decided to waddle her way off the bedside and go messing with her amp, unplugging it midway through the next verse. "Wha-?! Cheepy! Why, you lil' bugger!" She brusquely nabbed up the bratty little Poison-Type, wrangling her away from her precious gear, when her mum's singsong voice echoed throughout the room, now devoid of ear-blasting sound. "Dear? Do you know what day it is?"
Only just now realizing her mum was in the room gave Ginger a bit of a start, but she recovered quickly enough, plopping Chili Pepper back onto the bed. "Whatcha mean? S'just a Wednesday, right?" Her mum, with what felt in the moment like an all-knowing smile, quickly pulled out a ticket, and it all came flooding back.
"...THAT'S TODAY?!"
"Indeed it is, sweetheart! You'd best not keep a Champion waiting, it would be awfully rude, and besides, I'm sure you've been looking forward to today!" With that heart-melter of a smile on her mum's face, Ginger didn't have it in her to tell that she'd been dreading it more than anything. Putting on a smile for her sake, she responded. "Yeah mum, f'course I have! Guess I....Better get ready." "Well, it's nice to be eager, but I want to make sure you get a good breakfast in beforehand! And, well...I'm not sure whether they have some other method of knowing you're one of the winners, so you ought to keep the ticket with you when you go." Being quickly handed the winning ticket, her mother began to leave back downstairs. "Be sure to come down once you're all packed up!"
Some time later...
Ginger's mum was great, but her doting nature had made actually leaving the house for this journey troublesome. Between making her breakfast and then expecting her to even have seconds of the darn thing (....which she did), and her fussing over her appearance (she still thought Ginger should lose the hair dye, but she put way too much work into this look to just toss it!), she'd been held up way longer than intended, but fortunately, making it to sleepy ol' Bark Town was as simple as a hop, skip, and jump. Just had to pass through Route 29, which she'd been through a dozen times at this point. Even while keeping Chili Pepper in her ball, most wild 'Mons steered clear of her on her path through, especially the poor bird Pokémon who were far from eager to get caught by a Nuzzle yet again.
Avoiding any major catastrophe, Ginger had made it to the end of the Route, and, well...The Champ at least made it easy to find them, with their signature Blaziken chilling outside their ball like they owned the place. Seemed she wasn't the first one here...And even more surprisingly, not the last, given how held up she'd gotten. With a deep sigh, Ginger strutted her way over, waving her ticket around as her sign of officiality. "Yo. 'M one of the winners. Judgin' by them," She commented, thrusting a thumb towards the stoic Blaze Pokémon. "I must be in the right place. Ginger." With that last bit, she motioned to herself to clarify that it was her name, and wasting no time, went to hug the other end of the exit to New Bark Town, leaning against the treeline away from the Champ and that other kid. It was way too early in the morning to end up in a proper chat, by her margins, and besides...She felt way too awkward trying to talk to the Champion, especially with their ace just casually out and about! Talk about intimidating. She couldn't even imagine measuring up to a Pokémon like that...
And so, having made her piece, Ginger was all too happy to keep her distance, tousling her multi-colored hair of the way as she went about re-tuning her guitar after the morning session.
Appearance: Ginger stands fairly tall at 5'9 (175 CM), but her build is lanky and unkempt, notably unathletic despite her choice of attire showing herself off. Her hair is...Obviously not natural. What gave it away, the six different colors? She uses plenty of dyes, and often too, though in the rare instances where she forgets or simply hasn't had time to keep up with her demanding hairstyle, her brown roots can start to tear through.
She wears a heavily cropped black tank-top that she rarely ever changes, even in extreme temperatures (much to her regret at times), and her thick cargo pants that share the same coloration, complete with a sortie of pockets she uses to hold all sorts of things, from berries, to medicine, to anything else a trainer could need...Or she would, if she were at all prepared for this. She also wears striped gloves and stockings, reminiscent of a Galarian Zigzagoon in a sense, and a belt that packs the same color combination, if not anywhere near the same sort of pattern. Lastly would be her muddy-brown boots, more than a little worn, as if she's already been on a few little adventures of her own.
Or maybe they're just old.
...Oh, and we probably shouldn't forget about her guitar, which ranks as her most important object on her person (....Okay, it's behind her partner's Pokeball. Barely.), and she can and will enact violence both physical and verbal upon anyone who so much as touches it without her express permission, of which she will never give...Probably.
Personality: Ginger is certainly...Rough around the edges. Having fallen in with the wrong crowd back in her homeland of Galar, this punk-rock gal has a bite to her that most aren't eager to bear with. She's quick to aggression, whether in or out of a Pokémon battle, and isn't afraid to get up in people's faces when she feels slighted or wronged in any way. Underneath the crass exterior, however, is a sweet girl whose just too upset with herself to get out of the funk she's been in for years, and her previous company didn't help in that matter. As such, while she's got an exterior rockier than an Onix, if you're willing to bear through with it, and if she can actually let some friendly advice reach through her thick skull, perhaps she can open up and be the kind gal she used to be.
Bio: Ginger's story begins in the region of Galar, raised by a single mother. She never knew her father, and frankly, as she grew up, without anything else to really think of the man, she just believed he was some asshole bum who left her greater-than-Arceus mum behind like a real class-act arse. Her mum was a Pokémon nurse, working in a subsidiary of the Pokémon Centers everyone knows and loves, so she made a more than acceptable living, and that reflected in that younger Ginger. She never had to want for much in life, and with her doting and kind mum by her side, she grew to be a kind and reliable little lady. Really, the only thing she ever 'wanted' was to take on the Galar Pokémon League, having grown up watching all kinds of exciting battles in stadiums region-wide, given the nature of her mum's work took them to and fro.
Her mother gave her the chance to eventually pursue this dream when she was around 14; while the staff never figured out who exactly had left it behind, a Pokémon egg was found in her mum's workplace, and when no one could be found to claim it as their own, she chose to bring it home to her sweet daughter, letting her raise the mystery Pokémon from its egg. When it hatched, color them surprised when a Toxel was what greeted their eyes; native to Galar, certainly, but far from a common Pokémon. It was exciting, certainly, but...Well, even raised from an egg, Ginger and the Toxel never seemed to be able to meet eye-to-eye. Regardless, after enough time had managed to make it at least vaguely agreeable in a battle scenario, she excitedly took her opportunity to journey through her home region.
However, her adventure was far from excellent. Toxel, while it always remained by her side, was a constant toxic thorn in her side with its needy, selfish behavior that the clueless young lass was completely unequipped to manage, and for whatever reason, she never quite seemed to get other Pokémon to be all too happy with her either. It was...Demoralizing, but far from the end of the world. She was confident that if she could prove herself in a Gym Battle, perhaps they would find her more approachable and enticing as a potential trainer. So, Ginger boldly went forth to the city of Turffield to face off against Milo, and...
Lost. Spectacularly.
She couldn't understand why; sure, Toxel was being as aggravating as ever, but she thought she had trained him as best she could, and they had a Type advantage, too! What had she done wrong?! While she was politely ushered off the field and to the Pokémon Center after her defeat, it clung to her like the Curse of a Ghost-Type. She was demoralized, and though she attempted the challenge a few times afterwards, they ended up about the same. Too ashamed to go running back with her proverbial tail between her legs to her mum, she half-heartedly wandered the region, and managed to end up in Spikemuth. In most circumstances, not much would've likely happened here, but as it turned out, her partner was quite the popular Pokémon around there. Unexpectedly, she got tied up with some punks in the dingy alleys of the town, and she found that...She kinda vibed with their style. Maybe it was because of how downtrodden and low she was, or maybe she just really needed to let loose, but she took to their reckless and bordering criminal at times activities straight to her heart. Whether it was spray-painting darkened walls or letting loose in big rock sessions, Ginger took to the energy of Spikemuth like a Ducklett to water. Which...Made things extremely awkward when her mom came to find out where her baby girl had gone off to.
See, her mum had apparently gotten a new job offer abroad in Johto, and had, at least initially, declined; she wanted to tell her sweet child about this before she made any decisions, especially since they were off on their all-important Gym Challenge! She was certain her brave young girl was already well on her way to qualifying for the big Tournament to become a champion! But, imagine her surprise when, for the first time in her life, Ginger didn't pick up her Rotom Phone! She tried a few times, but having given up after a week of missed calls, resolved to find her daughter herself, come Distortion World or high waters! It had taken her quite some time, but talking her way through a chain of folks who had seen her girl, mum had found herself in Spikemuth, with a rambunctious and uncouth lass who was almost unrecognizable to the demure and sweet girl who had left the apartment that faithful day.
...But it was still her daughter, and she recognized her instantly, in spite of everything.
While it made for a very awkward scene to have in front of her cool new mates, Ginger was eventually shuffled off by her sweet mum and told the news. At first, she vehemently denied the proposition, though told her mum that she could go if she wanted; that she could look after herself, now, and she had pals she didn't want to leave behind. Ever patient and understanding, her mum agreed, but offered to stick around for the next few weeks in case she changed her mind, also wishing to take the chance to catch up with her little girl. When she told her fellow punks and thugs, however, she got...A surprising response. They told her she should take the shot. They spoke of the kind of gal she was when they'd all first met her, and while they were happy to help her find something new to find strength in, they also knew she was just burnin' her wheels in circles here. She needed to get out there and do something, not just spend her life chumming out in the dark corners of a town that wasn't even her own. At first rightly pissed at their seeming turn, in the self-imposed isolation thereafter, she contemplated...And caved. They were prolly right. With a heavy heart, she gave her goodbyes to her good mates of Spikemuth, and beside her mum, made her way to the new Johto region, a chance at a new life...
And man, did it stink!
Having spent the last year in Cherrygrove City nearly drove her off her rocker. There were so few people her age there, all just a buncha old geezers who didn't get her vibes. Sweet Arceus, most of them hadn't even heard of Roxie! Could ya believe it?! It was bloody miserable. And as far as getting back into the swing of being a Pokémon Trainer? Forget it! There were so few in the area, and they were all novices, the lot of them! Worse yet, after she'd cooked most of their keisters, most of 'em wanted her advice! She couldn't bear all the little tweens and tots tryin' to pry her brain for a cookie crumb of information, so it led to her sticking to their rent-out house most days, and spending her time at night when the brats were put to bed. Still, there wasn't much to do even when a bunch of snot-nosed kids weren't shoved upon her, and, well....She knew she could try the Johto League challenge, but her time in Galar's League still weighed on her. She didn't feel ready...Didn't know if she'd ever feel ready again. So, she stuck to herself, messing about on forums with the home's computer and posting to her mates through her ever-reliable Rotom Phone.
...Things changed very recently. When she got home after a rare morning walk (as Toxel had gotten really pouty, so she relented and scrounged about the nearby route for a few Oren Berries for the ever-needy little lady), her mum had a weird smile on her face. When she asked what was up, it was like a torrent of information. Most prudently, that Ginger had been apparently signed up to some kind of lotto by her mum, unbeknownst to her. No biggie; not like they'd win anything. Except they did. Huh. So, she asked what they won. And it was...A journey through the region's Pokémon League with the Arceus-forsaken Champion of the bloody region?! She could feel her whole body growing cold at the prospect, and she screamed at her mum to do something, like, revoke the reward or something! But, sweet and patient as ever, she simply remarked that she'd already accepted it for her sweet girl, certain that this journey would go much better for her! And she'd have friends to travel with this time, too!
...Ginger was crushed. Absolutely crushed. But...Perhaps some very small part of her held hope, that this might be just what she needed. Or maybe she was just mortified at the prospect of ignoring her reward, as if it would scorn the champion; that's the last thing she'd want! She kept up on the internet, the bloke was a menace! Er, on the battlefield, at least. As a person, from all the talk shows and stuff he just seemed kinda dead on the inside. Which she could relate to a bit. And, well, she did think he looked kinda cool, and even if most of his matches online were absolute stomps, they were a heckuva watch...
...Okay, maybe she'd bite. But only because the champion was involved!
Inventory: Having been caught completely unawares by this prospect, nothing, really. Though she always keeps a few Oran Berries handy for when Toxel gets her munchies to avoid becoming her shock outlet, and mum was on the ball for her, giving her five Pokéballs to work with...Not that she expected any Pokémon to actually be willing to shack up with her, if her experience in Galar and with her partner had taught her anythin'.
Trivia: Ginger will be using the hexcode c4df9b. She's also absolutely horrified of most Bug-Type Pokémon, to the point where it even shatters her rough-and-tumble punk exterior for brief moments when caught unawares. She's also a massive Roxie fan, and if she finds out you aren't, she'll certainly try and make you one.
Name: Chili Pepper (occasionally shortened to 'Cheepy')
Species: Toxel
Ability: Rattled - Bug, Ghost, and Dark-Type Moves scare her and raise her Speed.
Moves: Acid, Belch, Nuzzle, and Tearful Look
Nature/Personality: Naughty Nature. A Pokémon that seems to understand its standing as a 'Baby Pokémon', and abuses it maliciously to get what it wants. The only one who doesn't fall for her antics is Ginger herself, which might be why their relationship is as toxic (heh) as it is. Still, they get along well enough; definitely better than back in Galar, at least.
Held Item: Oran Berry. She gets very moody without consistent snacks, much to Ginger's chagrin.
Trivia: Does everything in her power to get Ginger's attention, which often includes things that also get Ginger in serious trouble, like briefly paralyzing random bystanders or sneaking random items out of a Pokémart.
Here's my hat into this metaphorical ring; hope Ginger and her little brat baby are up to snuff :3
"Th' names' Ginger, 'n don't ya EVER forget it!"
Character name: Ginger Lockhearte
Sex: Female
Age: 17
Appearance: Ginger stands fairly tall at 5'9 (175 CM), but her build is lanky and unkempt, notably unathletic despite her choice of attire showing herself off. Her hair is...Obviously not natural. What gave it away, the six different colors? She uses plenty of dyes, and often too, though in the rare instances where she forgets or simply hasn't had time to keep up with her demanding hairstyle, her brown roots can start to tear through.
She wears a heavily cropped black tank-top that she rarely ever changes, even in extreme temperatures (much to her regret at times), and her thick cargo pants that share the same coloration, complete with a sortie of pockets she uses to hold all sorts of things, from berries, to medicine, to anything else a trainer could need...Or she would, if she were at all prepared for this. She also wears striped gloves and stockings, reminiscent of a Galarian Zigzagoon in a sense, and a belt that packs the same color combination, if not anywhere near the same sort of pattern. Lastly would be her muddy-brown boots, more than a little worn, as if she's already been on a few little adventures of her own.
Or maybe they're just old.
...Oh, and we probably shouldn't forget about her guitar, which ranks as her most important object on her person (....Okay, it's behind her partner's Pokeball. Barely.), and she can and will enact violence both physical and verbal upon anyone who so much as touches it without her express permission, of which she will never give...Probably.
Personality: Ginger is certainly...Rough around the edges. Having fallen in with the wrong crowd back in her homeland of Galar, this punk-rock gal has a bite to her that most aren't eager to bear with. She's quick to aggression, whether in or out of a Pokémon battle, and isn't afraid to get up in people's faces when she feels slighted or wronged in any way. Underneath the crass exterior, however, is a sweet girl whose just too upset with herself to get out of the funk she's been in for years, and her previous company didn't help in that matter. As such, while she's got an exterior rockier than an Onix, if you're willing to bear through with it, and if she can actually let some friendly advice reach through her thick skull, perhaps she can open up and be the kind gal she used to be.
Bio: Ginger's story begins in the region of Galar, raised by a single mother. She never knew her father, and frankly, as she grew up, without anything else to really think of the man, she just believed he was some asshole bum who left her greater-than-Arceus mum behind like a real class-act arse. Her mum was a Pokémon nurse, working in a subsidiary of the Pokémon Centers everyone knows and loves, so she made a more than acceptable living, and that reflected in that younger Ginger. She never had to want for much in life, and with her doting and kind mum by her side, she grew to be a kind and reliable little lady. Really, the only thing she ever 'wanted' was to take on the Galar Pokémon League, having grown up watching all kinds of exciting battles in stadiums region-wide, given the nature of her mum's work took them to and fro.
Her mother gave her the chance to eventually pursue this dream when she was around 14; while the staff never figured out who exactly had left it behind, a Pokémon egg was found in her mum's workplace, and when no one could be found to claim it as their own, she chose to bring it home to her sweet daughter, letting her raise the mystery Pokémon from its egg. When it hatched, color them surprised when a Toxel was what greeted their eyes; native to Galar, certainly, but far from a common Pokémon. It was exciting, certainly, but...Well, even raised from an egg, Ginger and the Toxel never seemed to be able to meet eye-to-eye. Regardless, after enough time had managed to make it at least vaguely agreeable in a battle scenario, she excitedly took her opportunity to journey through her home region.
However, her adventure was far from excellent. Toxel, while it always remained by her side, was a constant toxic thorn in her side with its needy, selfish behavior that the clueless young lass was completely unequipped to manage, and for whatever reason, she never quite seemed to get other Pokémon to be all too happy with her either. It was...Demoralizing, but far from the end of the world. She was confident that if she could prove herself in a Gym Battle, perhaps they would find her more approachable and enticing as a potential trainer. So, Ginger boldly went forth to the city of Turffield to face off against Milo, and...
Lost. Spectacularly.
She couldn't understand why; sure, Toxel was being as aggravating as ever, but she thought she had trained him as best she could, and they had a Type advantage, too! What had she done wrong?! While she was politely ushered off the field and to the Pokémon Center after her defeat, it clung to her like the Curse of a Ghost-Type. She was demoralized, and though she attempted the challenge a few times afterwards, they ended up about the same. Too ashamed to go running back with her proverbial tail between her legs to her mum, she half-heartedly wandered the region, and managed to end up in Spikemuth. In most circumstances, not much would've likely happened here, but as it turned out, her partner was quite the popular Pokémon around there. Unexpectedly, she got tied up with some punks in the dingy alleys of the town, and she found that...She kinda vibed with their style. Maybe it was because of how downtrodden and low she was, or maybe she just really needed to let loose, but she took to their reckless and bordering criminal at times activities straight to her heart. Whether it was spray-painting darkened walls or letting loose in big rock sessions, Ginger took to the energy of Spikemuth like a Ducklett to water. Which...Made things extremely awkward when her mom came to find out where her baby girl had gone off to.
See, her mum had apparently gotten a new job offer abroad in Johto, and had, at least initially, declined; she wanted to tell her sweet child about this before she made any decisions, especially since they were off on their all-important Gym Challenge! She was certain her brave young girl was already well on her way to qualifying for the big Tournament to become a champion! But, imagine her surprise when, for the first time in her life, Ginger didn't pick up her Rotom Phone! She tried a few times, but having given up after a week of missed calls, resolved to find her daughter herself, come Distortion World or high waters! It had taken her quite some time, but talking her way through a chain of folks who had seen her girl, mum had found herself in Spikemuth, with a rambunctious and uncouth lass who was almost unrecognizable to the demure and sweet girl who had left the apartment that faithful day.
...But it was still her daughter, and she recognized her instantly, in spite of everything.
While it made for a very awkward scene to have in front of her cool new mates, Ginger was eventually shuffled off by her sweet mum and told the news. At first, she vehemently denied the proposition, though told her mum that she could go if she wanted; that she could look after herself, now, and she had pals she didn't want to leave behind. Ever patient and understanding, her mum agreed, but offered to stick around for the next few weeks in case she changed her mind, also wishing to take the chance to catch up with her little girl. When she told her fellow punks and thugs, however, she got...A surprising response. They told her she should take the shot. They spoke of the kind of gal she was when they'd all first met her, and while they were happy to help her find something new to find strength in, they also knew she was just burnin' her wheels in circles here. She needed to get out there and do something, not just spend her life chumming out in the dark corners of a town that wasn't even her own. At first rightly pissed at their seeming turn, in the self-imposed isolation thereafter, she contemplated...And caved. They were prolly right. With a heavy heart, she gave her goodbyes to her good mates of Spikemuth, and beside her mum, made her way to the new Johto region, a chance at a new life...
And man, did it stink!
Having spent the last year in Cherrygrove City nearly drove her off her rocker. There were so few people her age there, all just a buncha old geezers who didn't get her vibes. Sweet Arceus, most of them hadn't even heard of Roxie! Could ya believe it?! It was bloody miserable. And as far as getting back into the swing of being a Pokémon Trainer? Forget it! There were so few in the area, and they were all novices, the lot of them! Worse yet, after she'd cooked most of their keisters, most of 'em wanted her advice! She couldn't bear all the little tweens and tots tryin' to pry her brain for a cookie crumb of information, so it led to her sticking to their rent-out house most days, and spending her time at night when the brats were put to bed. Still, there wasn't much to do even when a bunch of snot-nosed kids weren't shoved upon her, and, well....She knew she could try the Johto League challenge, but her time in Galar's League still weighed on her. She didn't feel ready...Didn't know if she'd ever feel ready again. So, she stuck to herself, messing about on forums with the home's computer and posting to her mates through her ever-reliable Rotom Phone.
...Things changed very recently. When she got home after a rare morning walk (as Toxel had gotten really pouty, so she relented and scrounged about the nearby route for a few Oren Berries for the ever-needy little lady), her mum had a weird smile on her face. When she asked what was up, it was like a torrent of information. Most prudently, that Ginger had been apparently signed up to some kind of lotto by her mum, unbeknownst to her. No biggie; not like they'd win anything. Except they did. Huh. So, she asked what they won. And it was...A journey through the region's Pokémon League with the Arceus-forsaken Champion of the bloody region?! She could feel her whole body growing cold at the prospect, and she screamed at her mum to do something, like, revoke the reward or something! But, sweet and patient as ever, she simply remarked that she'd already accepted it for her sweet girl, certain that this journey would go much better for her! And she'd have friends to travel with this time, too!
...Ginger was crushed. Absolutely crushed. But...Perhaps some very small part of her held hope, that this might be just what she needed. Or maybe she was just mortified at the prospect of ignoring her reward, as if it would scorn the champion; that's the last thing she'd want! She kept up on the internet, the bloke was a menace! Er, on the battlefield, at least. As a person, from all the talk shows and stuff he just seemed kinda dead on the inside. Which she could relate to a bit. And, well, she did think he looked kinda cool, and even if most of his matches online were absolute stomps, they were a heckuva watch...
...Okay, maybe she'd bite. But only because the champion was involved!
Inventory: Having been caught completely unawares by this prospect, nothing, really. Though she always keeps a few Oran Berries handy for when Toxel gets her munchies to avoid becoming her shock outlet, and mum was on the ball for her, giving her five Pokéballs to work with...Not that she expected any Pokémon to actually be willing to shack up with her, if her experience in Galar and with her partner had taught her anythin'.
Trivia: Ginger will be using the hexcode c4df9b. She's also absolutely horrified of most Bug-Type Pokémon, to the point where it even shatters her rough-and-tumble punk exterior for brief moments when caught unawares. She's also a massive Roxie fan, and if she finds out you aren't, she'll certainly try and make you one.
Name: Chili Pepper (occasionally shortened to 'Cheepy')
Species: Toxel
Ability: Rattled - Bug, Ghost, and Dark-Type Moves scare her and raise her Speed.
Moves: Acid, Belch, Nuzzle, and Tearful Look
Nature/Personality: Naughty Nature. A Pokémon that seems to understand its standing as a 'Baby Pokémon', and abuses it maliciously to get what it wants. The only one who doesn't fall for her antics is Ginger herself, which might be why their relationship is as toxic (heh) as it is. Still, they get along well enough; definitely better than back in Galar, at least.
Held Item: Oran Berry. She gets very moody without consistent snacks, much to Ginger's chagrin.
Trivia: Does everything in her power to get Ginger's attention, which often includes things that also get Ginger in serious trouble, like briefly paralyzing random bystanders or sneaking random items out of a Pokémart.
In fact, if we were being more accurate, Kane hadn't obtained a good night of rest for nearly a week, barely able to squeeze out a few hours of rest before his mind would catch up with him, or rather, his heart. He lied on his messy and small apartment bed, staring vacantly up to the ceiling, as if God himself would inscribe a divine message for him to decipher. Of course, things weren't that simple.
He needed an answer, and fast.
With a begrudging grunt of effort, the young man hauled himself off, having to halfway wrestle the sheets from off of him. Still groggy and disoriented from his lack of rest, he bungled around for the lamp on his nightstand, nearly knocking it over in the process. Or, well...In truth, he did actually knock it down, as it careened towards the ground near his feet, threatening to shatter and give him more than a few nasty cuts. However, just before it made contact, a hand lunged forth, grasping it firmly as it placed it atop the stand once more, and opted to light it for the barely awake man as well. "Uh...Thanks?"
That thing again....
It had been a month at least (though probably longer; he wasn't exactly keeping good track of time as of late) since this entity became apart of his life, but he was still just as confused and baffled as to what it was from the start. He knew talking to it was a waste of time; it said nothing, and responded to...Well, not exactly nothing. At that exact thought, he casually had the scuba-like specter trail off into his cramped kitchen to find something for him to eat in the fridge. It didn't speak, but it listened to him on some subconscious level. Not only that, it had far stranger abilities than simply being some kind of creature permanently tethered to his person. Still, that wasn't important right now.
Now on his slightly staggering feet, Kane stumbled his way over to his desk, the laptop still burning brightly into the night. Either he hadn't been asleep for nearly as long as he'd hoped, or he'd finally managed to sleep...Through an entire day, that is. Neither prospect really pleased him, but at the very least he was thankful for the extended leave he'd gotten from work for the time being. It gave him a chance to at least try and collect himself, which also included some personal inquiries of his. That much was clear from what the monitor displayed; an article about the infamous Prowler's latest victim, one Megan Baker, aged 19. As like all the other cases, they were grossly in-depth into the incident (at least, as far as they could with even the police's flagging evidence), and despite claiming their hatred and disgust at the killer, it wasn't too far below the surface that one could tell they were eating it up, if only because these awful acts raked in viewers.
Kane pressed down on the power button. This was the last thing he needed to see right now, and besides, it was information that proved extremely pointless. No, he already knew where his current shot was...His workplace had its perks when it came to looking into these sorts of incidents, as it turned out. He already had done the preparations for his scheme, though what stopped him now was crippling fear. He was about to break the law, and if he got caught, who knows what might happen to him? He'd certainly lose his job if it came down to that, and much worse could happen as well. Hell, he could just get shot on sight as an invader, and that'd bring an awfully quick end to his story here. Overall, the only thing he could rely on was...
"Jesus!"
Kane nearly jumped out of his skin as the apparition-esque humanoid peeked around the corner, a greasy pizza box in hand. Leftovers from yesterday...Or maybe a bit later. Hard to say for certain. Regardless, once he'd caught his breath again, he merely motioned for it to pass the cardboard housing his hasty meal, to which it obliged. And so, rather unceremoniously, the young man sat on his bed, chowing down on a few chilled slices of meat lover's pizza. He probably would've heated it up under normal circumstances, but he already realized he'd wasted too much time when he saw it was well into midnight. This was his best chance...As doubtful as it sounded in his head.
Finishing what was left of the Italian cuisine, he had his personal ghost chuck it into his trash, though the force with which it did so made him startle yet again. This thing was strong, stronger than he probably understood himself. Granted, the tense musculature of its arms and legs hinted towards it. Shaking it off, he got prepared, opening his closet. He put on mostly black; if he was going to sneak into somewhere, he sure as hell wasn't going to be wearing a bright white coat. Beyond that, he took his bag. Normally stuffed with nutrient bars to carry him through a day, it instead held a different payload tonight. It had all his essentials, of course; the keys to his apartment and car, his phone and wallet, and....
He opened the bag, pulling out a silvery pin that he quickly clipped on. It was rather innocuous, with little styling apart of it beyond the emblazoned 'M'. To others, it meant nothing. To him...It was a promise. He had to see this through. Swallowing the fear churning in his gut, he rifled through the rest of the items to ensure his supply. Yup, there they were; a bandana and heavy-lensed goggles. Not perfect, but it was less conspicuous than buying a hockey mask or something. With these, once he was inside, he could cover up most of his identity. And, while gloves should be obvious to someone in his line of work to avoid any fingerprints, he had a trick up his sleeve for that...
With a resigned sigh, he looked towards the entity once more, which stared at him blankly and expressionlessly. To be honest, it sorta gave him the creeps. Still, if there was any chance of Kane figuring out this mystery, it would be with it. Making his steps to the exit of his apartment and out to the big wide world of New York City, he spoke to the figure once more. "We've got a highly secure Forensics building to break into. Let's go....Diver Down."
Appearance: Kane stands at what might be, in other people, a rather imposing 6'2 feet tall (or around 188 cm), were it not for his typically slacked stance, always carrying at least a slight slouch. On top of that, for all his height, he's rather wiry, only managing to weigh in a little over 150 lbs. His skin is a pale white, and his physical features are lightly gaunt, implying either a lack of care for himself, or perhaps a medical condition. He has no tattoos or markings to speak of, though he does possess a vague amount of facial hair in his shallow goatee, which shares the same jet-black coloration as his hair, while his eyes are a deep, harsh grey.
For attire, beyond the required ensemble that befits his workplace, Kane leans towards simplicity and comfort beyond all else. While it can vary slightly on the day-to-day, especially with highs or lows in temperature, he usually wears a long white coat with a metal pin attached that has the letter 'M' emblazoned upon it. Underneath that is a black samue with an equally black obi binding it somewhat about his midsection, which is sometimes paired with a white undershirt in cooler weather. This is followed by baggy black sweatpants, and his sharp white shoes, giving his desired outfitting a pleasant color contrast.
Personality: Kane is a man with a backbone comprised of tissue paper. Not to say he's cowardly (at least, not overtly so), but moreso that he's quick to fold when things get tough, and prefers to simply coast along rather than try to push against anything. This has resulted in him becoming a rather lazy individual, trying his best to avoid any pressure or expectations in favor of his own exceedingly low bar. In his own interest of keeping things as calm and simple as possible, he tends to put on a very casual, laid-back air to himself, as a way of keeping himself out of a stressful mind space.
In spite of his self-evident slothful nature, Kane is a surprisingly hard worker when he puts his mind to something, and beneath his sluggish exterior lies a sharp and creative mind that allowed him to get this far; even if he has undoubtedly squandered his own talents. Due to his profession, as well as other things, beyond his devil-may-care attitude is a kind soul who can't help but empathize and wish to help those in need, much to his own anguish at times. As such, these two sides of himself clash on occasion, and he tries to repress those feelings when he can in the interest of keeping his life as easy as he can.
Backstory: Kane always had big dreams; in his youth, he was consistently hospitalized, afflicted with a natural frailness that sadly followed through his family. However, in spite of those sorrowful circumstances, where sometimes he had to wonder if he would even walk out again, the boy gained a deep admiration and respect for all those who practiced medicine and tried to make the world a better and healthier place.
While he never quite fully recovered, Kane eventually started to be able to live a normal life, and he had those wonderful doctors and nurses to thank for that. As such, the boy spent much of his youth trying to pursue the very same profession that had managed to change his life. However, dreams quite rarely survive the crushing reality of the world....While the young boy was sharp and made for an excellent student, the stress of his lofty goals began to crash into him the older and closer he got. In the end, he gave up on his dream of becoming a doctor, and only barely managed to do the bare minimum that would be required for him to become a nurse. Sure, for most, this would still be pretty darn acceptable, but for Kane, it was a deep wound in his pride, and convinced him that he would never be fit for anything more than that.
So, that was that. After med school, Kane rented out a decent apartment and got a job as a nurse for the closest hospital he could find. In his work, he never tried too hard or attempted to push where he was at, content with his new status quo. This dragged on up until recently, when something changed for him. They had an older cancer patient who couldn't receive the help he needed, the doctors convinced they wouldn't be able to survive the operation necessary to remove the late-stage tumor. Thus, it was all they could do to ease the man's suffering and keep him bedridden until his time came. Of course, Kane knew all too well there was little he could do for the man if trained professionals were certain of his fate. Still, during one late night shift, he found himself compelled to visit him. For a moment, he simply stared, unsure of what he was even thinking of doing. Before his thoughts caught up to him, however, he found himself reaching out towards the man...And in that same movement, a new hand reached out from Kane himself.
There was a lot that passed through his mind, not least of which being shock and fear, but something told him that he needed to press forward; this was something he couldn't quit on halfway through. So, with this newfound power, he reached forward. To even further his shock, the hand passed right through the old-timer's head, and instinctively grabbed something. Then, just as easily as it had invaded his body, it left, with a cancerous growth in hand. Now his panic fully caught up to him. Clueless on what else to do, he freaked out, tossing the tumor into one of the hospital's waste bins and sprinting out of the room posthaste. It didn't take long for the news to reach the staff, with the man himself absolutely befuddled as to what happened, only vaguely remembering a spectral figure reaching out for him, as if a guardian angel had descended upon him. The doctors were dumbfounded, even moreso once they found the exact tumor wasting away in one of the nearby waste bins. All they could do was write it off as something completely incomprehensible and leave it at that. Kane, of course, knew better.
That was the night he had awakened to his Stand, though to this day he still doesn't even know that term, having kept all this to himself, and sparingly using this newfound gift in the hospital at night, helping those who he could with this unusual power. He knew that if he used it a bit more frivolously, perhaps he could actually make something of himself, but...With all this time of being resolved to stay in the sidelines, the idea of that frightened him. And besides, he didn't even truly understand his own ability, so he kept an air of caution about the whole circumstance. That was, until last week.
A young woman named Megan came in, horribly injured and near-death, apparently a victim of the mysterious murderer prowling the streets of New York. Doctors and nurses worked in droves trying to stabilize the victim, though it was quickly becoming clear that their efforts would end up in vain. Kane, however, was particularly mortified. He knew that if he used his gift, perhaps he might be able to save her life, but....Doing so would undoubtedly have witnesses this time, and then he'd have to try and explain something even he didn't fully comprehend. In the end, that cowardly hesitance cost Megan her life, dying shortly after arriving to the hospital. In spite of Kane trying to shake this off, the thought that he could've saved this woman began to haunt him day and night. Eventually, he came to only one conclusion; if he was going to right his guilty conscience, he would have to at least try and figure out who would do this to somebody. And perhaps his gift could be just the tool he needs to track down a mysterious slayer...
Misc:
While there wasn't a good place to dig into it in his backstory, Kane has a...Passable relation with his family. They're great, don't get him wrong, but he finds they're far too concerned with him and would prefer they leave him alone, if only so as not to bother them with his own troubles.
Kane has zero combat experience, whether it be with or without the use of his Stand.
Kane seems to live on a tighter amount of cash than one might expect. This is due to the fact he commonly donates to charity, though he does it discreetly.
Name: Diver Down
Namesake: The Van Helen album "Diver Down"
Stand Appearance: Diver Down appears as a humanoid Stand of average build attired with a highly stylized set of scuba gear to aesthetically resemble a diver. Its body has distinctive "D"-like symbols on its forehead, pecs, shoulders, and knees. Its has three dots on each side of its head as eyes and a thin vertical opening starting at its chin up to its nose.
Personality: Diver Down lacks a personality of its own, and unlike some Stands, never makes any sounds of its own, though it does have a distinct reverb-like sound effect when it makes impacts or quick movements. This makes it uniquely rather stoic in comparison to other humanoid Stands, which is compounded by their lack of almost any facial expression to speak of.
Stand Stats:
Destructive Power: A Speed: A Range: E Durability: C Precision: B Development Potential: B
Abilities: Diver Down is a close-range Stand with plenty of speed and power to back it up, though of course, this is far from its limits, although they certainly help carry aspects of it much farther. Diver Down has two main abilities, though one of which is far less complicated, so lets handle that first.
Diver Down can store its attacks inside of the objects it strikes, effectively entrapping the full speed and strength of a strike to be utilized later. There's no discernable upper limit as to how many strikes can be stored at once, and the Stand User can decide exactly when the stored strikes are released, adding to their surprise factor. Not only does this serve as an interesting ace up the sleeve if used correctly, but it's also a shockingly lethal technique as well for as much subterfuge is behind it, as DD's raw strength and speed are more than enough to kill a human in a single solid strike, if connected properly. Of course, even beyond used directly for combat, there could be some more niche applications, should they arise.
The second half of Diver Down's kit is the one its most known for, that being its ability to restructure objects and entities by phasing inside of them and manipulating their structure internally. Interestingly enough, while almost any Stand has at least some phasing capabilities, Diver Down is actually able to phase through other Stands, adding yet another layer to this ability. Additionally, unlike other Stands, DD is capable of phasing objects it holds through things, which is a strange and potentially useful ability in a lot of scenarios.
Okay, enough of the weird stuff, let's get into the real deal. DD can restructure things it enters into, making it able to repair and heal as easily as it can destroy and kill. The only real limit to this ability is that it has to be actively phased into the target to alter its design, and that whatever it changes has to be physically holdable. It can warp musculature or bone structure all it wants, but it can't do anything about your blood or saliva, for instance. It can also take things out from the objects or creatures it phases into, or even add things into them, which can lead to a lot of gruesome options, should push come to shove. Alternatively, while phased into objects, the user can hold onto parts of Diver Down to allow for easy mobility on nearly any surfaces, making them all the more problematic. Also, if Diver Down is phased into a living creature, it can serve as a shield against attacks (though of course, any resulting damage will return to the User), and even simulate missing limbs. It is truly a versatile Stand, with its only major flaw being its incredibly close range, which even then, it has ways around.
Appearance: Kane stands at what might be, in other people, a rather imposing 6'2 feet tall (or around 188 cm), were it not for his typically slacked stance, always carrying at least a slight slouch. On top of that, for all his height, he's rather wiry, only managing to weigh in a little over 150 lbs. His skin is a pale white, and his physical features are lightly gaunt, implying either a lack of care for himself, or perhaps a medical condition. He has no tattoos or markings to speak of, though he does possess a vague amount of facial hair in his shallow goatee, which shares the same jet-black coloration as his hair, while his eyes are a deep, harsh grey.
For attire, beyond the required ensemble that befits his workplace, Kane leans towards simplicity and comfort beyond all else. While it can vary slightly on the day-to-day, especially with highs or lows in temperature, he usually wears a long white coat with a metal pin attached that has the letter 'M' emblazoned upon it. Underneath that is a black samue with an equally black obi binding it somewhat about his midsection, which is sometimes paired with a white undershirt in cooler weather. This is followed by baggy black sweatpants, and his sharp white shoes, giving his desired outfitting a pleasant color contrast.
Personality: Kane is a man with a backbone comprised of tissue paper. Not to say he's cowardly (at least, not overtly so), but moreso that he's quick to fold when things get tough, and prefers to simply coast along rather than try to push against anything. This has resulted in him becoming a rather lazy individual, trying his best to avoid any pressure or expectations in favor of his own exceedingly low bar. In his own interest of keeping things as calm and simple as possible, he tends to put on a very casual, laid-back air to himself, as a way of keeping himself out of a stressful mind space.
In spite of his self-evident slothful nature, Kane is a surprisingly hard worker when he puts his mind to something, and beneath his sluggish exterior lies a sharp and creative mind that allowed him to get this far; even if he has undoubtedly squandered his own talents. Due to his profession, as well as other things, beyond his devil-may-care attitude is a kind soul who can't help but empathize and wish to help those in need, much to his own anguish at times. As such, these two sides of himself clash on occasion, and he tries to repress those feelings when he can in the interest of keeping his life as easy as he can.
Backstory: Kane always had big dreams; in his youth, he was consistently hospitalized, afflicted with a natural frailness that sadly followed through his family. However, in spite of those sorrowful circumstances, where sometimes he had to wonder if he would even walk out again, the boy gained a deep admiration and respect for all those who practiced medicine and tried to make the world a better and healthier place.
While he never quite fully recovered, Kane eventually started to be able to live a normal life, and he had those wonderful doctors and nurses to thank for that. As such, the boy spent much of his youth trying to pursue the very same profession that had managed to change his life. However, dreams quite rarely survive the crushing reality of the world....While the young boy was sharp and made for an excellent student, the stress of his lofty goals began to crash into him the older and closer he got. In the end, he gave up on his dream of becoming a doctor, and only barely managed to do the bare minimum that would be required for him to become a nurse. Sure, for most, this would still be pretty darn acceptable, but for Kane, it was a deep wound in his pride, and convinced him that he would never be fit for anything more than that.
So, that was that. After med school, Kane rented out a decent apartment and got a job as a nurse for the closest hospital he could find. In his work, he never tried too hard or attempted to push where he was at, content with his new status quo. This dragged on up until recently, when something changed for him. They had an older cancer patient who couldn't receive the help he needed, the doctors convinced they wouldn't be able to survive the operation necessary to remove the late-stage tumor. Thus, it was all they could do to ease the man's suffering and keep him bedridden until his time came. Of course, Kane knew all too well there was little he could do for the man if trained professionals were certain of his fate. Still, during one late night shift, he found himself compelled to visit him. For a moment, he simply stared, unsure of what he was even thinking of doing. Before his thoughts caught up to him, however, he found himself reaching out towards the man...And in that same movement, a new hand reached out from Kane himself.
There was a lot that passed through his mind, not least of which being shock and fear, but something told him that he needed to press forward; this was something he couldn't quit on halfway through. So, with this newfound power, he reached forward. To even further his shock, the hand passed right through the old-timer's head, and instinctively grabbed something. Then, just as easily as it had invaded his body, it left, with a cancerous growth in hand. Now his panic fully caught up to him. Clueless on what else to do, he freaked out, tossing the tumor into one of the hospital's waste bins and sprinting out of the room posthaste. It didn't take long for the news to reach the staff, with the man himself absolutely befuddled as to what happened, only vaguely remembering a spectral figure reaching out for him, as if a guardian angel had descended upon him. The doctors were dumbfounded, even moreso once they found the exact tumor wasting away in one of the nearby waste bins. All they could do was write it off as something completely incomprehensible and leave it at that. Kane, of course, knew better.
That was the night he had awakened to his Stand, though to this day he still doesn't even know that term, having kept all this to himself, and sparingly using this newfound gift in the hospital at night, helping those who he could with this unusual power. He knew that if he used it a bit more frivolously, perhaps he could actually make something of himself, but...With all this time of being resolved to stay in the sidelines, the idea of that frightened him. And besides, he didn't even truly understand his own ability, so he kept an air of caution about the whole circumstance. That was, until last week.
A young woman named Megan came in, horribly injured and near-death, apparently a victim of the mysterious murderer prowling the streets of New York. Doctors and nurses worked in droves trying to stabilize the victim, though it was quickly becoming clear that their efforts would end up in vain. Kane, however, was particularly mortified. He knew that if he used his gift, perhaps he might be able to save her life, but....Doing so would undoubtedly have witnesses this time, and then he'd have to try and explain something even he didn't fully comprehend. In the end, that cowardly hesitance cost Megan her life, dying shortly after arriving to the hospital. In spite of Kane trying to shake this off, the thought that he could've saved this woman began to haunt him day and night. Eventually, he came to only one conclusion; if he was going to right his guilty conscience, he would have to at least try and figure out who would do this to somebody. And perhaps his gift could be just the tool he needs to track down a mysterious slayer...
Misc:
While there wasn't a good place to dig into it in his backstory, Kane has a...Passable relation with his family. They're great, don't get him wrong, but he finds they're far too concerned with him and would prefer they leave him alone, if only so as not to bother them with his own troubles.
Kane has zero combat experience, whether it be with or without the use of his Stand.
Kane seems to live on a tighter amount of cash than one might expect. This is due to the fact he commonly donates to charity, though he does it discreetly.
Name: Diver Down
Namesake: The Van Helen album "Diver Down"
Stand Appearance: Diver Down appears as a humanoid Stand of average build attired with a highly stylized set of scuba gear to aesthetically resemble a diver. Its body has distinctive "D"-like symbols on its forehead, pecs, shoulders, and knees. Its has three dots on each side of its head as eyes and a thin vertical opening starting at its chin up to its nose.
Personality: Diver Down lacks a personality of its own, and unlike some Stands, never makes any sounds of its own, though it does have a distinct reverb-like sound effect when it makes impacts or quick movements. This makes it uniquely rather stoic in comparison to other humanoid Stands, which is compounded by their lack of almost any facial expression to speak of.
Stand Stats:
Destructive Power: A Speed: A Range: E Durability: C Precision: B Development Potential: B
Abilities: Diver Down is a close-range Stand with plenty of speed and power to back it up, though of course, this is far from its limits, although they certainly help carry aspects of it much farther. Diver Down has two main abilities, though one of which is far less complicated, so lets handle that first.
Diver Down can store its attacks inside of the objects it strikes, effectively entrapping the full speed and strength of a strike to be utilized later. There's no discernable upper limit as to how many strikes can be stored at once, and the Stand User can decide exactly when the stored strikes are released, adding to their surprise factor. Not only does this serve as an interesting ace up the sleeve if used correctly, but it's also a shockingly lethal technique as well for as much subterfuge is behind it, as DD's raw strength and speed are more than enough to kill a human in a single solid strike, if connected properly. Of course, even beyond used directly for combat, there could be some more niche applications, should they arise.
The second half of Diver Down's kit is the one its most known for, that being its ability to restructure objects and entities by phasing inside of them and manipulating their structure internally. Interestingly enough, while almost any Stand has at least some phasing capabilities, Diver Down is actually able to phase through other Stands, adding yet another layer to this ability. Additionally, unlike other Stands, DD is capable of phasing objects it holds through things, which is a strange and potentially useful ability in a lot of scenarios.
Okay, enough of the weird stuff, let's get into the real deal. DD can restructure things it enters into, making it able to repair and heal as easily as it can destroy and kill. The only real limit to this ability is that it has to be actively phased into the target to alter its design, and that whatever it changes has to be physically holdable. It can warp musculature or bone structure all it wants, but it can't do anything about your blood or saliva, for instance. It can also take things out from the objects or creatures it phases into, or even add things into them, which can lead to a lot of gruesome options, should push come to shove. Alternatively, while phased into objects, the user can hold onto parts of Diver Down to allow for easy mobility on nearly any surfaces, making them all the more problematic. Also, if Diver Down is phased into a living creature, it can serve as a shield against attacks (though of course, any resulting damage will return to the User), and even simulate missing limbs. It is truly a versatile Stand, with its only major flaw being its incredibly close range, which even then, it has ways around.
Wheel Of Fortune, Hey Ya!, and Diver Down would be some good choices for a stand. Do you want to DM me so we can brainstorm stand picks/character ideas?
Yeah, we could do that at some point; I'm pretty busy rn though, was just dropping in to place those as food for thought before I get back to it. When I'm free though, I'll be sure to DM you.
Heyo! A lil' late to the party, but I'm here regardless. Currently thinking through a few Stand options, namely Wheel of Fortune, Surface, and Diver Down....With a more joking pick of Hey Ya! if I'm feeling cheeky. I'll figure things out eventually, though ofc if any of these four look suspect in some way, I'm willing to remove them as options (might make things easier on me tbh lol)
op2024
A Moody Writer
Snowdrops
TheMushroomLord
Ezekiel
Simple Unicycle
Damycles
Hitman
Eviledd1984
