pkken
Izurich
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Arthur
“Yes, 'Callaway' as in the golf company. No, I've never tried golfing.”
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✶ BASICS ✶-
full name / nickname(s)
Arthur Daniel Callaway
- Cal (mostly by sports teammates), Art, Arty
gender / sexuality
Male / Heterosexual
age / grade level
Eighteen / 12th grade
occupation
Works at a small bookstore a few blocks away from Midwood High.
physical appearance
Arthur is well built for a high schooler, thanks to his dedication to hockey. Standing at an even six feet with a lean and athletic build, he can manage some intimidation factor, helped by his natural intensity and reserved expressions. Most often when socializing, he wears a subtle smile that brings out the boyish charm of his facial features. The wider and more genuine the smile gets, the more disarming it is, making it clear without a doubt that he's still just a teen.
Like many high school boys, he really doesn't put much thought in his clothing. Usually he'll just wear slim fit pants of any color, and t-shirts often under a flannel shirt, light sweater, or hoodie depending on the weather. On his feet, he wears plain black Vans that are four years old now, as he hates getting used to new shoes. He's not a stranger to wearing ties, dress shirts, pants, and shoes thanks to his history in competitive hockey. When there's a reason to dress up like that, he's more than willing.
Like many high school boys, he really doesn't put much thought in his clothing. Usually he'll just wear slim fit pants of any color, and t-shirts often under a flannel shirt, light sweater, or hoodie depending on the weather. On his feet, he wears plain black Vans that are four years old now, as he hates getting used to new shoes. He's not a stranger to wearing ties, dress shirts, pants, and shoes thanks to his history in competitive hockey. When there's a reason to dress up like that, he's more than willing.
-✶ IN DEPTH ✶
personality
Arthur is a relatively intense individual, in that he can be extremely focused, serious, and driven when dealing with something he cares about. Of fewer words than most of the jocks he tends to associate with, he's always been more of a leader by example, as demonstrated by the fact that he's the Alternate Captain of Midwood's varsity hockey team. The rousing speeches are for the Captain, while Arthur's title is to bring attention to his hard work, day in and day out. A side effect of this drive is a somewhat short temper, though over the years he's gained a handle on it--which is to say, he is still quick to anger, but he can keep himself from doing anything regrettable in the heat of the moment. This is also true about his emotions in general. Arthur is strongly empathetic towards others, but also quite judgemental. If he decides he doesn't like someone or something, it can take a lot to change his mind.
This is much of the reason why he's on the quieter side of things, though not nearly unsociable. He keeps many of his quick judgments to himself, understanding they aren't necessarily accurate. The boy does trust his gut immensely, though, so his actions are usually at least moderately influenced by it. Once one has worked their way through onto Arthur's good side, they've got a useful and genuine friend. Something of an agreeable drifter, Arthur's face is decently well known around the school. He has a foot in numerous friend circles, but only a foot. Along with his standard worries involving hockey, grades, and girls, not really having anyone he feels comfortable calling a close friend is something that bums him out when he thinks about it too much. It feels lonely. Luckily, between his teammates and all the people he has available to hang out with on any given day, it's not often he thinks about it too much.
Arthur's life plan had always been to play hockey as long as he could, and hopefully at least get scholarships out of it. From there, his desire to help people made him figure he'd end up working as a firefighter or a paramedic or something along those lines. Whenever he mentions that, the reaction tends to be positive, kind of like when he does well in hockey or in school. It impresses people, and that satisfies another of his desires, though one he's much less eager to mention, due to having some feelings of guilt and uncertainty over it. Helping people just so he could have them thank him didn't seem very selfless.
This is much of the reason why he's on the quieter side of things, though not nearly unsociable. He keeps many of his quick judgments to himself, understanding they aren't necessarily accurate. The boy does trust his gut immensely, though, so his actions are usually at least moderately influenced by it. Once one has worked their way through onto Arthur's good side, they've got a useful and genuine friend. Something of an agreeable drifter, Arthur's face is decently well known around the school. He has a foot in numerous friend circles, but only a foot. Along with his standard worries involving hockey, grades, and girls, not really having anyone he feels comfortable calling a close friend is something that bums him out when he thinks about it too much. It feels lonely. Luckily, between his teammates and all the people he has available to hang out with on any given day, it's not often he thinks about it too much.
Arthur's life plan had always been to play hockey as long as he could, and hopefully at least get scholarships out of it. From there, his desire to help people made him figure he'd end up working as a firefighter or a paramedic or something along those lines. Whenever he mentions that, the reaction tends to be positive, kind of like when he does well in hockey or in school. It impresses people, and that satisfies another of his desires, though one he's much less eager to mention, due to having some feelings of guilt and uncertainty over it. Helping people just so he could have them thank him didn't seem very selfless.
superpower
Absorption
Forces of most any kind against Arthur can be dampened. This happens mostly passively, though with varying amounts of conscious effort Arthur can either remove the effect or amplify it. As an example of it's current effectiveness: when fully focused, Arthur can jump from around twelve feet up and land with no kind of discomfort or shock to his legs.
A more active application of the power, which the boy has essentially zero control of at this time, is Assimilation. Temporarily, Arthur absorbs an object, combining it and its properties with his own body, changing his very structure. The first example of this (and when he first discovered he had powers at all) was when he was washing his hands. His fingers became soapy water that still held the shape of his normal fingers. They acted like water, with the exception that they always returned to form a finger no matter how much he moved them. After only several minutes, water began to fall away, normal skin and bone replacing it gradually all the way up to the fingertips. A second accidental example of this power was when Arthur was eating with a fork. The stainless steel became infused with his fingers again, the spoon misshapen from the material that had been taken from it. When the steel was expelled from his body this time, it came out as a thin string.
A more active application of the power, which the boy has essentially zero control of at this time, is Assimilation. Temporarily, Arthur absorbs an object, combining it and its properties with his own body, changing his very structure. The first example of this (and when he first discovered he had powers at all) was when he was washing his hands. His fingers became soapy water that still held the shape of his normal fingers. They acted like water, with the exception that they always returned to form a finger no matter how much he moved them. After only several minutes, water began to fall away, normal skin and bone replacing it gradually all the way up to the fingertips. A second accidental example of this power was when Arthur was eating with a fork. The stainless steel became infused with his fingers again, the spoon misshapen from the material that had been taken from it. When the steel was expelled from his body this time, it came out as a thin string.
backstory
Arthur was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and stayed there for the first dozen years of his life with two younger sisters. Here he learned to skate almost at the same time he learned to walk, thanks to his hockey-loving father. He began playing the sport early, and evidently his father's love was contagious as there was nothing the boy looked forward to more than his games and practices. Other than excelling at the sport, life was a standard, middle-class fare. The first spot of difficulty was when his family moved to Montreal, Quebec, where Arthur's mother's family resided. The move was to assist Arthur's recently widowed grandmother.
Where many young kids would find difficulty with such a change in scenery, Arthur enjoyed it, especially since it appealed to his adventurous side. Leaving behind friends he'd played hockey with for years was tough, but the sport was vastly more popular in Montreal, which was a big upside. In the three years he lived here, he came to consider it just as much a home as Minneapolis. Montreal was where he got his first girlfriend, learned some French, got his first job, went to his first concert, played his most competitive hockey, and more.
Eventually, it was time once again for the family to move on. His father chasing a job opportunity, they went to live in New York where Arthur began to attend Midwood High. This time the move was a bit more difficult on him, but he still dealt with it well enough--though having to reset again is much of the reason why he doesn't feel like he has any truly close friends. For three more years, life went on normally, as it did. Hockey, school, part-time jobs, friends and relationships.
The virus kind of did a good job of ruining that normalcy. As much as high school could suck at times, it was definitely preferable to what followed. The shock of people Arthur had had conversations with dying... His grandfather's passing was one thing, but when otherwise healthy teenagers' lives were cut so short, it made his chest hurt. When the virus befell him, the panic it caused his family was worse than the illness itself. He told them he'd be fine. He wasn't ready to die yet. And he kept that thought ever in his mind, through the fear and the pain. Of course, people had died because of the same virus. But he wouldn't--because he hadn't done something worthwhile yet. Nothing to make sure he was remembered. Always a fighter, he eventually recovered as he had promised. Thankfully, his family was entirely alright as well, and Arthur found he was nearly as untouched by the tragedy as one could hope to be. Perhaps a dark benefit of not being too close to anyone in the city.
Soon after his recovery, he discovered his power by absorbing water into his hands while washing them. After some experimentation, he got the beginnings of what one could call a handle on his ability. He's kept it entirely to himself, too uncertain of the consequences if someone were to find out. As a result, he's extremely hesitant to touch anything for more than a few seconds, especially in public, lest he accidently absorb something again.
As time had gone on and he's seen how the lives lost to the virus affected those around him, Arthur can't help but experience feelings of guilt. Ideas of using his strange ability to be some kind of hero to make up for the fact that he made it out alright have begun to root themselves in his thoughts, but at the moment he's just using hockey and school to keep his thoughts away from negativity, as difficult as it may be.
Where many young kids would find difficulty with such a change in scenery, Arthur enjoyed it, especially since it appealed to his adventurous side. Leaving behind friends he'd played hockey with for years was tough, but the sport was vastly more popular in Montreal, which was a big upside. In the three years he lived here, he came to consider it just as much a home as Minneapolis. Montreal was where he got his first girlfriend, learned some French, got his first job, went to his first concert, played his most competitive hockey, and more.
Eventually, it was time once again for the family to move on. His father chasing a job opportunity, they went to live in New York where Arthur began to attend Midwood High. This time the move was a bit more difficult on him, but he still dealt with it well enough--though having to reset again is much of the reason why he doesn't feel like he has any truly close friends. For three more years, life went on normally, as it did. Hockey, school, part-time jobs, friends and relationships.
The virus kind of did a good job of ruining that normalcy. As much as high school could suck at times, it was definitely preferable to what followed. The shock of people Arthur had had conversations with dying... His grandfather's passing was one thing, but when otherwise healthy teenagers' lives were cut so short, it made his chest hurt. When the virus befell him, the panic it caused his family was worse than the illness itself. He told them he'd be fine. He wasn't ready to die yet. And he kept that thought ever in his mind, through the fear and the pain. Of course, people had died because of the same virus. But he wouldn't--because he hadn't done something worthwhile yet. Nothing to make sure he was remembered. Always a fighter, he eventually recovered as he had promised. Thankfully, his family was entirely alright as well, and Arthur found he was nearly as untouched by the tragedy as one could hope to be. Perhaps a dark benefit of not being too close to anyone in the city.
Soon after his recovery, he discovered his power by absorbing water into his hands while washing them. After some experimentation, he got the beginnings of what one could call a handle on his ability. He's kept it entirely to himself, too uncertain of the consequences if someone were to find out. As a result, he's extremely hesitant to touch anything for more than a few seconds, especially in public, lest he accidently absorb something again.
As time had gone on and he's seen how the lives lost to the virus affected those around him, Arthur can't help but experience feelings of guilt. Ideas of using his strange ability to be some kind of hero to make up for the fact that he made it out alright have begun to root themselves in his thoughts, but at the moment he's just using hockey and school to keep his thoughts away from negativity, as difficult as it may be.
✶ THE SURFACE ✶-
extracurricular activities
Hockey and all that entails, going to parties, reading books while listening to music inbetween other activities, and hanging out with people he knows.
supporting cast
Gerald Callaway: Arthur's father.
Julie Callaway: Arthur's mother.
Phoebe Callaway: Fourteen years old, Arthur's younger sister.
Maya Callaway: Nine years old, Arthur's youngest sister.
Julie Callaway: Arthur's mother.
Phoebe Callaway: Fourteen years old, Arthur's younger sister.
Maya Callaway: Nine years old, Arthur's youngest sister.
other
