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Updated: October 14, 2024

Reworked Character #7: Ralf Jones

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to divorce, death, and crime.

Real name: Rafael Paul Jonesbury

Esper title: Avatar of Flaming, Renewal, Controlling Quietus, and Physical Destruction

Aliases: One-Man Army and Marauding Lupine Carnivore

Occupation: Colonel of the Ikari Warriors

Retirement plans: Open a boxing gym and experience all thrill-seeking activities that society has to offer

Special skills: Driving military vehicles, close quarters combat, orchestrating stress relief programs, proficiency in all weapons, and mercenary work

Esper abilities: His go-to esper ability is the Vulcan Punch, a rapid-fire series of punches capable of obliterating everything from humans, riot shields, bulletproof armour and glass, cars, all known Slugs, small to medium-sized tanks, and smaller helicopters. His second go-to esper ability is the Galactica Phantom, which he activates by leaning back, rearing his arm, and then flinging himself forward to unleash an incredibly powerful and explosive haymaker.

Despite his belly being constantly bloody and inflamed, he experiences surprisingly little pain due to his exceptional pain suppression, increased blood vessel density, resistance to extreme temperatures, and rapidly regenerating organs. This unique combination, coupled with a secondary esophagus lined with razor-sharp, spiky hairs, enables Ralf to harness the inflammation and blood to vomit a controlled stream of scorching, burning red liquid that incinerates his enemies. The sole drawback of his perpetually bloody and inflamed belly is impaired digestion, leading to difficulties in processing food, which in turn causes persistent vomiting and diarrhea.

The skin on his torso, arms, and legs can harden into diamond-hard scales, providing impenetrable protection against bullets, blades, small bombs, and weaker cannon blasts. He can move at incredible velocities, effectively achieving infinite speed, allowing him to move indefinitely while time appears to stand still around him. Ralf can manifest up to twenty invisible arms composed of solidified telekinetic energy, which can be utilised to move around easily as well as bludgeon and slice through people and objects with precision. These arms appear to be malnourished and exhibit constant, erratic movements, reaching up to 20' 5" (622.5 cm) in length. He possesses the hearing and smell of a dog as well as the ability to manipulate red and orange flames. He can also induce explosive blasts with his punches or a mere touch of any of his fingers.

He has the ability to split his arms into six parts, exposing his coppery muscles and a gaping, organic muzzle that fires ten tentacles with sea lamprey-like mouths. These tentacles can insert themselves into the spine or brain of deceased enemies, injecting a tar-like orangish-black substance to reanimate them. In the process, they augment their physical strength and render them obedient to Ralf's commands. Whenever Ralf is killed, his body rapidly transforms into a cocoon adorned with serrated shell plates, as his corpse dissolves into a mushy, visceral substance. This cocoon then violently pulsates before rupturing, giving birth to a new, fully formed Ralf, covered in bloodied slime and emerging stark naked, with no visible injuries or scars on his body. Whenever this occurs, he experiences temporary blindness, dizziness, and intense, bitter coldness.

Hobbies: Baseball, participating in the biennial fighting tournaments that the Ikari Warriors host, taking his friends to carnival rides, camping trips, and science and art museums, rewatching his favourite anime movies and shows, and playing arcade games and iconic riffs on the electric guitar

Likes: A medal awarded from the President of the United States, the natural sounds of the jungle, collecting blades that look cool in his eyes, alebrije sculptures, and Clark

Dislikes: False rumours, venomous snakes, abuse of power, children being killed, and people hurting and insulting those he considers as “family”

Favourite food: Intestinal sausages and bubblegum that taste like watermelon and blueberry

Favourite drink: Root beer floats and brandy

Sexuality: Biromantic asexual

Gender: Male

Age: 25 (in 2022), 31 (in 2028), 33 (in 2030), 35 (in 2032), 37 (in 2034), 44 (in 2041), 46 (in 2043), 47 (in 2044), and 50 (in 2047)

Blood type: A+

Weight: 243 lbs. (110 kg)

Design: He's a 6' 2" (187.96 cm) American mesomorph of Latino, Ojibwe, and British descent with a robust build, decently chiselled musculature, broad shoulders, and a bit of a beer belly. He has almond skin, sunburst amber-sage green eyes, sharp claws, bear-like teeth, and six fingers on his left hand. He has slightly messy ash brown hair with wispy bangs, which he often ties into a braid that falls to the middle of his back. On his left deltoid, he has a tattoo of a stylized red otter playfully escaping the jaws of a black-furred wolf with piercing yellow eyes, clutching a ball of purple fire in its forepaws. On his right forearm, he has a tattoo of an alebrije with undulating cerulean horns, an orchid-purple eagle head, languid lavender eyes with aquamarine pupils, a fiery mane, a forest-green elk body, and a hot pink salmon tail with red-orange tiger stripes. Sprawled across the right side of the creature in a vertical line is a Spanish phrase in silver: "La sangre nos fortalece", which translates to "Blood strengthens us" in English.

Ralf's military gear consists of a chrome orange bandana with shaky rifle green spots and cinnabar fingerless driving gloves with four ivory spikes on the knuckles. He wears a waterproof dark green vest with the Ikari Warriors logo emblazoned on the back, and a coyote-fur trimmed collar. He wears cargo pants with an army green, brown, and silver-grey camouflage pattern, which aren't tucked into his beige jungle boots. He wears a grimy asparagus-hued sleeveless shirt paired with a yellowish-tan belt featuring four black pouches for bullets and a holster for his handgun.

Attached to his belt are two swords: Harpe, a khopesh-like sickle sword with a flint-encased adamant blade, and Yawarakai-Te, a double-edged katana featuring a green-grey hilt and a hardwood sheath adorned with iridescent crow feathers. When the air gently blows past Yawarakai-Te's blade, it produces a soft hissing sound. Yawarakai-Te's blade is unnaturally frigid, able to cut a leaf in half with ease, and compels its user to spare the innocent and undeserving from attack. Ralf dons a cardinal red waist pack that holds two cans of root beer as well as black elbow and knee pads. He also wears a black drop leg sheath for his Zantetsu sword, which features two pointed silvery stripes that form a triangular pattern.

Over his shirt, he dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries around his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. Above his belt, he has a dark brown bandolier for holding sticks of dynamite. Ralf carries around a yellowish-tan load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, maps for all continents, an extra pair of clothes, and a bag of THC-infused box gummies in light orange (mango peach), red (strawberry), and pale yellow (pineapple). His backpack also contains a faded photograph of him and Clark in their twenties, an army Medal of Honor, a silver milagro charm in the shape of a fiery heart for good luck and protection, a bottle of his chosen brandy, an empty spotted turtle shell, and a dreamcatcher adorned with a grey web design, song sparrow feathers, and colourful beads in red, white, yellow, and black.

He occasionally brings his copper-hued electric guitar and goldenrod-coloured pick holder, containing a rainbow of guitar picks (he jokingly says that he dislikes the purple one the most), on deployments and during downtime in the field. He wears hook earrings, each featuring three porcupine quills tipped with gaspeite beads, and a Jocla necklace made of alternating white wampum beads, copper beads, and raven feathers.

Thanks to Tarma, he owns a key to access his red-violet Matchless G3/L motorcycle, which has a purplish-black sheen. The gas tank features a sky blue fish scale pattern with malachite green dots at the centre of each scale.

Super Devil form: He's a 15' 7" (474.98 cm) draconic entity with a grotesque musculature and scaly, iridescent rifle green skin. He has a cerulean coyote-shaped head with sunburst amber-sage green eyes, a cardinal red nose, and a wispy silver-grey goat's beard. Ralf also has horse ears, an orchid-purple snout, two rows of olivine shark teeth, and a slimy, pointed tongue. His arms and legs are covered in ash brown otter fur, featuring six fingers and razor-sharp copper claws. He has eagle-like feet with copper talons, a fiery mane, and the upper skeletal body of an antlerless elk partially emerging from his back.

This skeletal elk body features otter-like teeth, an aquamarine forked tongue, and glowing goldenrod eyes. It’s covered in a layer of translucent flesh stitched to his back with forest green sinew. A hot pink salmon tail with red-orange tiger stripes lies flat on his back, attached to both the skeletal body and the muscle fibres, veins, and flesh of his back. The tail is slightly less than half the length of his actual tail and appears to flutter lightly every now and then.

Three rows of symmetrical, deadly sharp, conical spikes are positioned on his back, running from the base of his neck to just before the start of his tail. He has two massive bat-like wings, boasting an impressive wingspan of 21 ft (640.08 cm). Despite being dull and tattered, the wings' membrane displays silvery spots and a striking gradient from grenadier red to flush orange to selective yellow. Additionally, Ralf has olivine thumbs tipped with copper claws, and his forearms, wrists, and five fingers are dark green. He has a long, winding, serpentine tail that's twice his height, boasting distinctive coloration and markings reminiscent of a pickerel frog, and culminating in a silver arrowhead-shaped tip.

Character summary: He's a rowdy, sassy, outgoing, stubborn, and honest individual with a strong passion for action and thrill-seeking ventures. However, he also values his leisure time and ensures others take regular breaks to rest and recharge. He strives to maintain an optimistic outlook and is frustrated by pessimism and cynicism, wishing others could focus on the positive and appreciate life's blessings. After forming a new connection, he rapidly becomes emotionally invested and starts to regard the person as a close family member. He's extremely protective towards new recruits under his command, comrades, and friends, viewing them as family. Ralf is willing to go to great lengths to ensure their safety and the security of innocent lives, even if it requires taking bold action or putting himself in harm's way. However, he harbours a deep-seated hatred for betrayal, particularly among those in the Regular Army or whom he considers family.

He often enjoys teasing Clark, playfully poking fun at his serious nature while showing him brotherly affection, but also treats him with great respect and compassion. The thought of potentially losing his brother-in-arms, Clark, through unfair circumstances is unbearable to him. He secretly resents being scolded for harmless fun, but Clark's disappointment stings the most, filling him with remorse. Ralf is truly fascinated by Hyakutaro, drawn to his enigmatic origins and historic status as the first esper ever known to humanity. He finds Tarma and Nadia to be absolutely hilarious and has a soft spot for Trevor's nerdy and laid-back demeanour. He deeply cares about children, recognizing their importance to the growth and future of humanity, and is appalled by those who abuse and harm them. The thought of inadvertently causing harm to a child or being forced to do so is utterly devastating to him. Whenever possible, he enjoys connecting with children through entertaining storytelling sessions and lively games of baseball.

Ralf has a tendency to speak passionately about his interests, which range from his favourite anime movies to his admiration for Marco's team and Division 6. As a confident, self-sufficient, and resourceful individual, he thrives on hard work, deriving a profound sense of fulfillment from completing challenging tasks. When not fueled by excitement or anger, he exudes a calming presence, often serving as a mediator to resolve disputes among friends and comrades as he detests conflict. His insatiable curiosity drives him to explore thought-provoking questions and his surroundings, usually alongside those close to him. Notably, he shares a surprisingly close bond with Heidern, with many speculating that he views him as a father figure. This connection likely stems from Ralf’s gratitude for the opportunity to train under Heidern after being accepted into the Ikari Warriors.

Similar to Marco, he has a habit of concealing his deepest emotions, particularly those related to the many people he has lost during countless wars and terrorist attacks. Instead, he often tries to drown his sorrows with a few drinks, seeks comfort in the company of friends or indulges in reckless activities. Whenever he gets drunk, he exhibits forgetfulness, clumsiness, mild paranoia, excessive joviality, and loquaciousness. He has a habit of frequently mistaking people's names, often using similar but incorrect variations (e.g. calling Marco "Mark" and Fio "Fia"), which greatly embarrasses him, prompting him to profusely apologise for the mistake. He tries his best to avoid water activities like cruising and canoeing as they make him prone to seasickness. He's a deep sleeper, periodically punctuated by soft snores, but his restlessness is evident in his frequent tossing and turning.

He believes that immortality is unattainable for espers and humans, reserved for the psyche and most powerful deities. He's an animist who believes everything is interconnected, and everyone has a vital role in stewarding the earth. He's a devout believer in manitou, which represents the mysterious power of life and the universe. He loves participating in Talking Circles as it gives him an opportunity to connect with his friends and comrades through sharing stories. Surprisingly, Ralf is a skilled storyteller, often recounting his past experiences and sharing entertaining moral stories his father once shared with him. Although he's a fun-loving, hot-headed enthusiast of arcades and classic anime with a great sense of humour, he possesses remarkable wisdom and generosity. He's not fond of the false rumours that surround the goings-on of the world and his personal life. He closely holds onto the values his mother taught him, including independence, loyalty, dignity, self-respect, healthy pride, and respect for elders and authority figures.

Backstory: Rafael Paul Jonesbury was born on August 25, 1997 in North Dakota, United States. His father, Gabriel Jonesbury, was an Ojibwe shaman and owner of an arts and crafts shop with a spirit name of Kechewaishke. His mother, Javiera, was a British-Latina mercenary who served in the Regular Army. Like Ralf, she was an esper with the esteemed title of the Avatar of Physical Decay, Luminosity, and Fogginess. Gabriel would often share moral and entertaining stories that connected various figures from Ojibwe spiritual beliefs, such as the Thunderbird, Great Serpent, Mishipeshu, and Nanabozo. He also taught him about other important beliefs valued among First Nations peoples, including the Grandfather Teachings and the Medicine Wheel. He sparked Ralf's love for nature and encouraged him to fearlessly explore his identity and interests.

Javiera taught him numerous Latinx cultural values, the importance of family, and how his faith in God would be greatly rewarded. She often crafted wooden alebrije sculptures for him when she was away from home. She usually encouraged him to be proud of his cultural heritage and not let others bring him down for being different. While she appreciated his fondness for nature, she found his love for arcades and anime perplexing. She would unknowingly spark his interest in the military, particularly the mercenary lifestyle, through her stories and experiences.

At age 7, his parents decided to get a divorce due to their differing spiritual beliefs, which were starting to clash more and more. He lived with his father for the most part but was allowed to visit his mother whenever she was between assignments or not away on mercenary work. He also began to take up baseball, which became his favourite sport to play and watch on the big screen. He also developed a passion for extreme sports, often watching them on TV. Meanwhile, Gabriel would take him on extensive trips across the western, northern, and midwestern United States, exploring America's natural wonders, visiting First Nations communities, and attending conferences focused on Indigenous issues.

At 12, with the support of his father and his Ojibwe community, he embarked on his spiritual quest. Due to the extreme fasting, it put relative strain on his body, which activated his esper abilities. Ralf recalls that it produced visions of his future life as a great warrior and storyteller, revealing that he's an esper and teaching him how to harness his powers and access his Super Devil form. After a period of isolation and fasting, it revealed the spirits of his ancestors and his three guardian animals: the wolf, turtle, and otter. Through this experience, he developed his survival skills, gained maturity, and strengthened his connection with nature and the divine forces of life.

At age 14, before embarking on a mission against mysterious terrorist cultists, Javiera gave him her silver milagro charm for safekeeping, telling him it would bring him good luck and protection. Tragically, that mission proved to be her last, as she was captured and tortured to death. When Ralf received the devastating news, he struggled to come to terms with it and felt overwhelming guilt, as if her fate was his fault because he possessed her milagro charm. Although his parents were divorced, Gabriel was deeply saddened by the news and did his best to support Ralf through his emotional turmoil.

Contrary to rumours, Ralf didn’t drop out of high school and become addicted to LSD after losing his mother. Instead, he channelled his energy into his education, using it as a focus for his future. During this time, Ralf briefly explored dating, going on a few outings with both women and men, but eventually stopped searching for love when he couldn't find the right match. Ralf did experiment with LSD once, but the intense anxiety and hallucinations dissuaded him from ever trying the drug again.

When he turned 20, his father was killed during a robbery at the arts and crafts shop he owned. To make matters worse, he was facing financial difficulties at the time and struggling to find a stable job. In his desperation, he turned to an illegal fighting ring, drawn by the promise of cash prizes likely funded by other criminal activities. He participated in numerous fights, both in the ring and on the streets, for profit, eventually becoming the most skilled fighter among them. Ralf also discovered a fondness for THC-infused gummies, which provided relief from his emotional pain and served as a pleasant indulgence.

All of that changed when the Ikari Warriors discovered the famous street fighter's true identity as an esper after he joined their biennial tournament. With little convincing needed, Ralf joined the Ikari Warriors, driven by a desire to carry on his mother's legacy and explore the world. He excelled in all aspects of the military training he received, particularly in utilising his esper abilities and mastering hand-to-hand combat. The news that the Ikari Warriors had recruited another esper caught Clark's attention, but he was hesitant to approach Ralf. However, after a mission against a corrupt politician attempting to seize control of Brazil, Ralf and Clark became fast friends. During his time with the Ikari Warriors, he formed close friendships with several comrades, including General Kawasaki, Second Lieutenant Cook, Eikichi, Leland, and Byron. Leland gifted Ralf his copper-hued electric guitar, complete with a pick holder, as a birthday present and a symbol of respect—a treasured keepsake Ralf still holds dear.

Ralf has been on numerous missions for the Ikari Warriors, rising through the ranks to become a colonel due to his natural leadership skills and courage on the battlefield. He and Clark played a crucial role in defeating a secret society, referred to as the Serapion Fellowship, that had infiltrated and influenced much of Latin America's political and religious landscape, a group that would later evolve into the Ptolemaic Army. During a battle against the Serapion Fellowship on Ilha da Queimada Grande, Ralf narrowly escaped being bitten by a venomous golden lancehead viper. Later, in the Ecuadorian Andes, he had a harrowing encounter with a fer-de-lance, but in a panic, he managed to deflect it towards a group of Ptolemaic Army guerrilla troops. These two chilling incidents instilled in him a deep-seated aversion to venomous snakes. Rumours have spread that Ralf and Clark might have battled a group of invading Martians in the Baja California desert and emerged victorious. However, they haven't addressed these claims publicly, despite knowing they're entirely false.

In another notable operation, Ralf, Clark, and a few comrades successfully rescued Elise, the U.S. President's daughter, from a massive criminal organisation that had planned to exploit her to gain access to the President's funds and harvest her organs. Ralf fondly recalls this mission, as it earned him a Medal of Honor from the U.S. President. He acquired Harpe during a mission in Greece where terrorists had raided a recently discovered catacomb. Additionally, he obtained Yawarakai-Te during a separate mission in Yamagata, Japan where a cult with illegal weaponry had taken over an old village, intent on instigating a nationwide war.

Ralf has endured numerous tragedies, fueling his determination to improve and protect the innocent. He witnessed the devastating loss of General Kawasaki during a battle against a cartel in Mexico, where he was tragically crushed and burned alive by flaming debris from a missile strike. Second Lieutenant Cook fell victim to a traitor within the Ikari Warriors, who betrayed them to a bioterrorist group during a mission in Czechia, resulting in her assassination. While investigating a town ravaged by a guerrilla army in Saudi Arabia, Byron was horrifically devoured by a swarm of Man Eaters. Leland met a brutal end during a mission on a stolen submarine, where he was fatally gutted by a criminal. Eikichi suffered a terrifying fate when a Mutated Soldier latched onto him while investigating an abandoned laboratory, promptly exploding shortly after.

During the Great Morden War, Ralf made a name for himself as he single-handedly successfully defended the United States against the Rebel Army's invasion. Notably, he destroyed a massive Rebel aircraft that had been using captured men, women, and children as hostages and human shields. However, upon destroying the aircraft, Ralf was met with devastating news: there were innocent civilians on board, and they had all perished in the attack. This heroic yet tragic act caught the attention of the Regular Army's high command, who subsequently approached the Ikari Warriors to propose a strategic alliance. The offer was readily accepted, and as a result, the Ikari Warriors were integrated as the elite mercenary branch of the Regular Army.

As a way to support the Regular Army and show his respect, Ralf frequently trains new recruits to hone their melee combat skills. Due to his mercenary work, he rarely had the opportunity to meet members of the Regular Army's other special forces. He had always heard heroic stories about Hyakutaro and the elite members of the P.F. Squad and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., especially those from the Great Morden War and the Martian-Rebel Alliance War. He initially hoped to meet them in person, fascinated by their tactical prowess and teamwork. This dream eventually became a reality during a mission against the Invaders.

Updated: October 14, 2024

Reworked Character #8: Clark Still

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death and human experimentation.

Real name: Clarkeston Vince Stillwater

Esper title: Avatar of Flora, Wind, Vitality Syphoning, and Physical Adaptability

Aliases: Hard-Boiled Assassin and Coolness in the Strong

Occupation: Lieutenant Colonel of the Ikari Warriors and a tactical spy for the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. (formerly)

Retirement plans: Live in a cabin near a lake abundant with fish and become a professional photographer

Special skills: Survival mastery in many kinds of rough terrain, proficiency in wrestling and grappling, gathering information for missions, sniping with lightweight firearms, and ichthyology

Esper abilities: His go-to esper ability is the Super Argentine Backbreaker, which allows him to effortlessly lift and hurl a vast array of targets into the air, including humans, Martians, Invader Drones, smaller mutants, zombies, mummies, Sasquatches, medium to large-sized tanks, and helicopters. With this ability, he can catch his opponent up to three times in rapid succession, slamming their back into their shoulders before driving them forcefully into the ground.

He’s invincible to weak physical attacks, bullets, and smaller missiles, and can cut through almost anything by generating telekinetic soundwaves with swift hand movements. When activating his infrared x-ray vision, he can see through walls and perceive the heat signatures of people. He has three frilly fish gills located underneath the area of his lungs, allowing him to adapt to an underwater environment. He possesses the cunning predatory instincts of a fox, the acute hearing of a deer, and the swift running speed of a rabbit.

He possesses the ability to manipulate the motion and intensity of wind as well as control the growth, decay, and movement of flowers and vines. He possesses an additional pair of lung-like organs situated on his upper back, between his spine, connected to a pouch located directly behind the pharynx and pointing towards the opening of his mouth. This pouch is sealed by two wrinkled skin flaps covered in mucousal hairs. It can be opened to release a purplish-green breath that contains a deadly poison, causing brain hemorrhaging and organ dysfunction. Clark is immune to the poison contained within his specialised lungs, but occasionally, he inadvertently inhales air into that specific organ. It triggers a cough due to the irritating sensations and causing him to release a small amount of his toxic breath.

His skin contains four types of microscopic pigments: xanthophores, iridophores, melanophores, and leucophores. Unlike other animals, he possesses exceptional control over these specialised colour-changing pigments, enabling him to seamlessly blend into his surroundings. Additionally, he can temporarily render objects and people invisible by scratching or spitting on them. Clark can open the small, closed holes located slightly below the centre of his palms, revealing a seven-petaled flower-like structure. From this, he can extend cartilage pipes covered in spikes with a metallic bronze sheen and a blunt, tri-holed tip from which flame-coloured veins are released. He uses the pipes to pierce the hearts or brains of individuals, utilising the emitted veins to syphon their life energy, thereby healing his wounds, revitalising his physical strength, and preventing his own demise.

Hobbies: Reading books on interesting subjects such as the biology of fish and the history of secret societies, collecting guns, playing casino games, photography, and fishing

Likes: Rugby, his sunglasses, reading gun catalogues, successful fishing expeditions (especially when he catches rare fish), and sharing a couple of drinks with Ralf

Dislikes: The awkward movement and gimmicky controls of the Slugs, being woken up by loud construction noises, people doing obviously stupid things, betrayal of trust, and arson

Favourite food: Oatmeal, tuna and onions pizza, and caramel and cheese popcorn

Sexuality: Heteroromantic asexual

Gender: Male

Age: 23 (in 2022), 29 (in 2028), 31 (in 2030), 33 (in 2032), 35 (in 2034), 42 (in 2041), 44 (in 2043), 45 (in 2044), and 48 (in 2047)

Blood type: A-

Weight: 231 lbs. (104 kg)

Design: He’s a 6’ 3” (190.5 cm) Canadian mesomorph with an inhumanly imposing build, robust musculature, and semi-sloping shoulders. He has pale purple eyes with flecks of magenta, warm beige skin, and a rose gold quiff with subtle curls (it was once a honey blonde). A large patch of burned flesh extends from his left cheek, across his deltoid and shoulder, to the back of his trapezius. He bears a series of small scattered cut marks and a few stab wounds on his arms and torso. Additionally, he has two gunshot wounds, one located above his right kidney and the other near the left side of his navel. He has a long jagged scar on his right cheek, running from the underside of his ear to the centre of his upper lip. The skin on his arms and legs is a charred bluish-black and has a few stitches, and it can be a tad stiff at times, so he often asks Fio to give his limbs a well-kneaded massage.

Clark’s military gear consists of a light cyan tank top, a Bondi blue headband, and purplish-black elbow and knee pads. He always wears a cobalt blue cap with an embroidered Canada jay with outstretched wings, holding an olive branch in its talons. He wears purple-tinted sunglasses to hide a scar on his glabella, caused by Ralf's careless handling of his combat knife. He wears a cobalt blue waterproof vest adorned with the Ikari Warriors logo on the back and lined with grey fox fur. A white magnolia flower is pinned on the left side, just above his deltoid muscle.

He wears a fallow brown wristband with black spikes on his right hand and a blue-green glove with a silver eye surrounded by rays of light embroidered on the palm of his left. He has cargo pants with an army green, brown, and silver-grey camouflage pattern, tucked into his Persian indigo jungle boots. Clark wears a fallow brown belt with six black pouches for bullets and a holster for his handgun. He also carries a Japanese violet waist pack that holds bandages, a small package of cotton swabs, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and four rechargeable batteries for his camera. He wears two black drop leg holsters, each featuring two pointed silvery stripes that form a triangular pattern, holding his combat knife on the right and an electrical baton on the left.

Over his tank top, he wears a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, carrying his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. He wears two dark brown bandoliers, crossed in an X-shape, with the left one holding throwing knives and the right one holding ammunition for his handgun. Clark carries a fallow brown load-bearing backpack containing camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, a Black Aces Peacekeeper, a Minebea PM-9, a Benelli Supernova, a Mauser SP66, and a bluish-black digital camera. He also carries a comprehensive fishing kit, complete with various baits and lures, hooks, a rod, floats, monofilament lines, braided lines, fluorocarbon lines, and spincast, baitcasting, spinning, and fly reels. Additionally, he treasures a photo album filled with pictures he's taken from his teenage years to the present, holding it dear as a cherished keepsake. He wears a pair of small silver hoop earrings and conceals a portable, jagged piece of Sol Dae Rokker's red gem in the left pocket of his cargo pants. The red gem appears to be powerless except when reacting to the presence of individuals with malicious intent or those who pose a potential threat.

Thanks to Tarma, he owns a key to access his periwinkle-coloured Velocette MAC motorcycle, which has dark cyan outlining.

Super Devil form: He’s a 16 ft (487.68 cm) wolpertinger-like entity with a slender build, disproportionately muscular arms, and a body encased in iridescent blue-grey scales. Clark boasts a feline head with the left side of his face gruesomely rotted, distinguished by rose gold fur, a silver-grey snout, and fallow brown eye patches. It has majestic Persian indigo elk antlers, elegantly adorned with white magnolia flowers and delicate patches of hanging moss. The head features two jutting fangs and luminous pale purple eyes, accented with magenta flecks and blue-green pupils. He boasts a majestic mane of fluffy light grey clouds and razor-sharp black claws that seem to be forged from a resilient, crystalline material. He wraps himself in a shawl of rippling bluish mist, surrounded by a light scattering of purple leaves that flutter around him, circling his head like a halo.

His fingers are adorned with light cyan webbing, while his back features six prominent vertical cobalt blue streaks. He possesses four majestic 17 ft (518.16 cm) Canada jay wings and an additional pair of arms situated on his inguinal regions. Clark’s lower half is that of a grey fox, featuring silver claws and twelve symmetrically arranged purplish-black eyes along both sides of its back, extending to the base of its tail. His Smith's bush squirrel tail is entwined with a spiky, verdant vine, while the grey fox body's hind legs are replaced by fleshy, charred tree roots that twitch spasmodically and subtly ripple.

Character summary: He's a wise, introspective, hard-boiled, self-disciplined, and self-reliant pescatarian with a stoic demeanour, rarely showing emotion and possessing a taciturn personality. Initially shy and reserved around strangers, he gradually opens up and becomes more talkative and less aloof once he gets to know them. He exudes an unsettling calmness, intensely focused on his professional duties and the safety of others. While watchful and serious, he's not above showing a more playful side, engaging in witty banter and dark, dry humour. Clark often uses sarcasm to tease Ralf about his stubbornness and rowdiness, yet he deeply cherishes him as both his closest ally and surrogate brother. He genuinely worries about Ralf's well-being and will go to great lengths to ensure his happiness, offering comfort and support during difficult times. He frequently enjoys joking around with Ralf, while also keeping a watchful eye to prevent his friend from getting into trouble or engaging in destructive behaviours.

He’s fiercely loyal to Ralf, Heidern, Leona, and his comrades and friends, and will only consider betraying those close to him if presented with compelling reasons. He serves as a father figure to Rumi, cherishing her company, particularly after a gruelling mission, and harbours concerns about her safety whenever she's deployed to the battlefield. He empathises with her struggles to overcome the trauma of losing her two closest friends, Chris and Alexander, and provides comfort during her darkest moments. He has an incredibly close relationship with Leona, whom he views as the little sister he never had. He understands her struggles with forming social connections and respects her capabilities as a skilled fighter. He also admires her fearsome reputation and enjoys going on missions with her, often alongside Ralf. He adores his pets, Sparky, a rambunctious and playful young charcoal Bengal cat with white “goggle” markings and black rosettes, and Mr. Kibleton, a grumpy but affectionate older chocolate smoke Exotic Shorthair cat. He’s devoted to giving them a happy and fulfilling life, providing attentive care and showering them with love and affection.

Notably, aside from Ralf, he shows unexpected support and empathy towards those he genuinely cares about, offering a helping hand when they need it most. Clark is kind-hearted but brutally honest, harbouring a strong disdain for dishonesty, exploitation, and showboating. He has a low tolerance for liars, cheaters, and those who try to take advantage of him or his loved ones. With a keen eye for deceit, he isn't afraid to confront and expose wrongdoers, often calling them out in a blunt and uncompromising manner. He demonstrates significant respect for war veterans, elders, individuals he personally values as being heroic and level-headed, and authority figures who uphold moral justice.

He personally believes that everyone has the capacity to act in accordance with their own moral compass and make decisions based on their unique needs and values. Furthermore, he holds that every individual has an inherent and inalienable right to freedom and personal autonomy, and that suppressing this right is a violation of basic human dignity. It takes a lot for him to get angry, and when it happens, he appears menacing and difficult to approach. Clark gets easily annoyed when people do something he considers stupid or utterly absurd. He has a strong aversion to obstinate stubbornness and betrayal of trust, finding them frustrating and inconsiderate.

He's a light sleeper, prone to occasional sleep-talking and plagued by vivid nightmares that linger into the next day, haunting memories of the experiments he endured and the tragic loss of his parents and comrades. He has a melancholic and cynical side, and in the heat of battle, he sometimes trusts his instincts over strategic planning. Like Ralf, he enjoys diving headfirst into combat, using everything at his disposal, revealing his occasional impulsiveness and craving for adrenaline. He wouldn't hesitate to fiercely confront and verbally or physically shred anyone who tries to harm a child or one of his friends and comrades. He has some trauma that he's slowly coming to terms with, and a deep-seated fear of medical needles and laboratories, which causes him to panic when in their presence.

Backstory: Clarkeston Vince Stillwater was born on May 7, 1999 in Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He was born into a loving family that deeply valued the great outdoors, individual freedom, and their diverse expertise. His father, Kenrick Stillwater (commonly referred to as Kent), was a fisherman and a well-respected private detective, and his mother was a successful commercial photographer. He spent countless hours on fishing trips with his dad, Kent, who taught him the ins and outs of fishing, including which hooks and baits to use for each species. Kent also ignited his fascination with the criminal justice system and the complex psychology of criminals. Meanwhile, his mother nurtured his creative side, gifting him a digital camera and photo album on his sixth birthday. She guided him in taking professional-quality photographs, developing Polaroids, and exploring various photography genres.

At the age of 8, he tried out rugby and discovered a passion for the sport, although he only plays when he feels like it. He showed a natural talent for rugby, particularly when playing fullback during pickup games with friends in Crow Head at Sea Breeze Park. By the time he turned 11, he began regularly visiting a new library that had been built near his community two years earlier. He cherished the library's vast collection of intriguing books and the peaceful atmosphere, where patrons were genuinely quiet and respectful. His reading interests spanned various subjects, including criminology, military history, and the occult. He also enjoyed reading about secret societies, undercover operations, philosophical explorations of freedom, and ichthyology.

Before turning 12, he started experiencing symptoms such as persistent fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, recurring headaches, shortness of breath, and pulsatile tinnitus. As his condition worsened, he was forced to discontinue playing rugby altogether. This prompted concern from his parents, who quickly arranged a doctor's visit. Following a medical evaluation, he and his parents learned that he had been diagnosed with anemia, a blood disorder that runs in his father's family. The news disheartened him, but his parents did everything they could to keep him healthy, ensuring he received the best care for his condition. They encouraged him to continue pursuing his hobbies, focusing on those that were less physically taxing, such as reading and photography.

Despite his health complications, his life had been running smoothly, and he was doing alright in school, but this stability was short-lived. Just four months after his 14th birthday party, disaster struck. While he was asleep, his family home was engulfed in flames, set deliberately by unknown assailants seeking revenge against his father's refusal to comply with local criminal demands regarding fishing quotas. As the fire alarm blared, Clark caught a whiff of smoke and sprang out of bed, panic setting in as he heard the faint sound of firefighting sirens in the distance. In that harrowing moment, with smoke filling his lungs and fear gripping his heart, he experienced a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body.

Clark quickly ran out of his bedroom with his digital camera and photo album, desperately searching for his parents. But what he found was his mother, burning alive. Overcome with horror, he tried to exit the building, but the flames nearly trapped him. In a split second, he subconsciously summoned a harsh gust of wind, dissipating the flames and allowing him to escape. As he stumbled out, he saw Kent's lifeless body lying near the front porch, his throat slit and his face brutally stabbed multiple times. He broke down in tears, consumed by grief, cradling his father’s body in his arms. When the firefighters and police arrived, they were met with the devastating scene. One kind-hearted officer took Clark in, providing temporary shelter. Unbeknownst to him, the officer had also contacted the Regular Army. The next day, the Regular Army adopted him, providing shelter, food, clothes, and a new sense of purpose.

A few days after the incident, he received a revelation dream that unveiled his esper title and the key to unlocking his Super Devil form and harnessing his newfound abilities. However, the dream's cryptic nature left him struggling to fully grasp its meaning, hindering his ability to effectively wield his esper powers. Furthermore, he was physically weak due to his anemia, which made his esper training even more challenging and arduous. The Regular Army higher-ups took notice of his struggles and ordered the Amadeus Syndicate scientists to conduct experiments on him, aiming to enhance his abilities and overcome his limitations.

He doesn't recall much of this period in his life because he was constantly kept in a drowsy state. However, he recalls being injected with mysterious drugs that altered and reconstructed his muscles and brain chemistry, miraculously curing his anemia in the process. The experiments were agonising and left lasting scars, including charred bluish-black skin and stitches on his limbs. This incident would also cause him to have terrifying hallucinations, such as seeing blood pouring down the walls and hearing whispering voices that sang incoherent lullabies. The traumatic experiences left him with a deep-seated fear of needles and laboratories as well as a profound mistrust of the Amadeus Syndicate.

During his basic training to become a peacekeeping scout for the Regular Army, he learned valuable lessons in discipline and camaraderie. However, he struggled to come to terms with intense feelings of abandonment and anger stemming from his parents' deaths. Tequila, noticing Clark's aloofness and difficulty connecting with others due to his timidity and unresolved trauma, approached him with kindness. He invited him to a trip to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia region of North Wales, which Clark quietly accepted. The trip proved to be a turning point, as Tequila shared wise words on coping with his emotions and managing his past. From that day forward, Tequila became Clark's mentor, offering guidance and invaluable insights into the ways of a Regular Army soldier and Intelligence Agency agent.

After completing his training and successfully executing several missions as a tactical spy for the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. of the Intelligence Agency, Clark discovered a thriving mercenary group, the Ikari Warriors, was gaining popularity. He then attempted to resign from his position in the Regular Army, but initially faced resistance. However, following repeated requests, his superiors eventually accepted his resignation, recognizing that his unique expertise could be valuable in supporting the Ikari Warriors' missions by gathering crucial intelligence. He joined the Ikari Warriors after demonstrating his skills as a spy and esper by chasing down a disguised terrorist who had infiltrated the biennial tournament. He expressed his commitment to preserving global peace, earning his place among the team.

Upon joining, he befriended Leland and Eikichi, who were fascinated by his esper status and drawn to his kind and mellow demeanour. He also befriended Byron, bonding over their shared love of fishing. Clark’s heroics in single-handedly saving General Kawasaki's and Second Lieutenant Cook's mercenaries from a surprise counterattack by a powerful Mafia organisation earned him their respect. Later, he befriended Ralf, another esper, and they quickly became close friends after collaborating on a mission to take down a corrupt politician.

He frequently partnered with Ralf on numerous missions for the Ikari Warriors, including rescuing Elise, the U.S. President's daughter, from a criminal organisation and dismantling the Serapion Fellowship that was harming Latin America. For his heroism in saving the President's daughter, he received the Medal of Honor, but he prefers to keep it private, as he dislikes drawing attention to himself. His unwavering loyalty and impressive successes as a fighter and spy earned him a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.

However, he and Ralf suffered a series of devastating losses, including the deaths of General Kawasaki, Second Lieutenant Cook, Eikichi, Leland, and Byron in separate incidents, each of which was difficult to bear. During General Kawasaki's funeral, he remembered Tequila's words that the white magnolia symbolises deep, unspoken trust. He incorporated the flower into his attire as a reminder of his loyalty to those he cares about, both living and deceased. According to popular belief, following Ralf's pivotal role in preventing a takeover of the United States, Clark played a key part in collaborating with Leona and Heidern to draw the Regular Army's attention and persuade them to establish a mercenary branch, ultimately forming an alliance with the Ikari Warriors.

Updated: October 15, 2024

Reworked Character #9: Tequila

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, torture, suicide, child abuse, cannibalism, crime, alcoholism, and divorce.

Real name: Sermeg Bracquemond-Kagamihara (he legally changed his name to Sosuke N. Kanikoja)

Alias: Maestro of a Thousand Skirmishes

Nickname: Tequila

Occupation: Lieutenant General of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., Brigadier General of the Regular Army, Army Chief of Staff for the Rebel Army (formerly), and mercenary for the Theophylaktos Union (formerly)

Retirement plans: Open a florist shop, become a philanthropist dedicated to supporting child welfare and war veterans, and establish a company that designs and manufactures affordable, electric vehicles

Special skills: Coordinating covert missions, and training programs for new recruits, proficiency in tactical planning and the operation of heavy machinery, mastery of disguise, and rescuing hostages

Esper abilities: His body possesses a unique adaptive ability, granting him resistance to extreme temperatures, toxins, and other hazards. In response to environmental stressors, his organs automatically secrete a protective, opalescent slime that coats them. This slime serves as a barrier, preventing harmful microorganisms from entering his body and shielding him from infections and diseases. It also repels toxic substances and deadly gases, safeguarding his organs from damage. Furthermore, the slime produces purplish-black cells that play a crucial role in his thermal resistance, helping to regulate his body temperature and enabling him to withstand extreme heat or cold temperatures

Moreover, he's able to intentionally shed his skin, peeling it off like a removable garment. Following its removal, his skin rapidly regenerates through a self-materialising process, restoring his epidermal layer. This process allows him to remove harmful organisms that may have attached to or burrowed into his skin. Shedding contaminated skin also enables him to regenerate healthy tissue and develop enhanced immunity and resistance to biological hazards, including toxins, bacteria, and other harmful substances.

By leveraging his photographic memory and manipulating his genetic code and organic mass, he can shapeshift into any form he has visually memorised. He can also teleport short distances, allowing him to suddenly disappear and reappear in locations with which he has partial or full familiarity. He boasts flexibility rivalling that of an octopus due to his extreme hypermobility, and agility nearly identical to that of a cheetah. Furthermore, his senses are incredibly acute, featuring eyesight as keen as an eagle's, hearing as sensitive as a bat's, a sense of smell as discerning as an elephant's, and touch sensitivity as refined as a star-nosed mole's. When sensing the presence of danger or untrustworthy individuals within his range of sight and hearing, his mind instantly kicks into fight or flight mode, impairing his impulsivity and heightening his hypervigilance. This triggers a sudden surge of adrenaline, preparing his body to either confront the threat or flee to safety.

He can clearly read emotions and thoughts by proximity to an individual's aura within a 6 ft (182.88 cm) boundary. Additionally, he possesses psychometry, granting him access to accurate knowledge of an object's or person's history through physical contact, which triggers brief yet remarkably vivid visions. He can sense celestial events, planetary alignments, and cosmic anomalies, allowing him to vaguely predict global changes. Furthermore, he can passively sense environmental changes to predict weather, earthquakes, and other meteorological and geological events.

He has two black half-spheres, one in the centre of each palm, which possess a red-violet lustre and serve three distinct purposes. Firstly, they enable him to manipulate the organic fabric of sentient life forms and the four elemental forces that comprise the cosmos: earth, air, water, and fire. Secondly, they allow him to absorb memories and knowledge from the freshly deceased and bodies in various stages of decay. Lastly, by touching a sentient being or placing his hand in close proximity to one, they grant him the ability to communicate with them telepathically.

Hobbies: Gardening (especially cultivating deadly plants and sweet-smelling flowers), playing underground poker games, watching demolition derby events, tinkering with and customising his own vehicles, and engaging in friendly fire incidents during covert missions with military organisations

Likes: Gourmet grilling, the innocent curiosity of children, enjoying a drink after a long battle, the symbolism and cultural significance of flowers, and exploring exotic destinations and natural wonders

Dislikes: Captivity, troublemakers, being stuck in tight spaces (especially during an escape), bureaucratic red tape, and witnessing his comrades and children being exploited and oppressed or caught in situations of gratuitous violence

Favourite food: Tequila (tequila sunrise is his most favourite) and his own gourmet grilled food

Sexuality: Panromantic graysexual

Gender: Male

Age: 50 (in 2022), 56 (in 2028), 58 (in 2030), 60 (in 2032), 62 (in 2034), 69 (in 2041), 71 (in 2043), 72 (in 2044), and 75 (in 2047)

Blood type: A-

Weight: 109 lbs. (49 kg)

Design: He’s a 5 ft (152.4 cm) Canadian-Guatemalan ectomorph of French and Japanese descent with a lean, semi-lanky build, subtle softness around the midsection, and a weak yet surprisingly stocky musculature. He has sloping shoulders, beige skin (it was pale ivory during his younger years), and a small black mole on the right side of his chin. His face shows noticeable signs of aging with forehead lines, frown lines, tear troughs, and nasolabial folds. He has a missing second premolar on his lower jaw and heterochromia eyes: his right eye is a medium sky blue and his left eye is a deep cyan. Tequila sports a brownish-black spiky crew cut dyed a light auburn, which is paired with sideburns, semi-bushy eyebrows, and a slightly dishevelled five o'clock shadow. On his right outer thigh, he has a tattoo depicting a seven-horned Lamb of God, its legs bound, holding an olive branch in its mouth. The lamb is set against a backdrop of a gilded Chi Rho symbol (☧), which is encircled by a radiant, flaming aureola.

He bears numerous battle scars from past encounters, including: half of his upper back being heavily burned; a series of jagged cuts on his left arm caused by shrapnel; a deep, curved scar on his temple; a thin, horizontal knife scar on his chin; a slight cut on his left cheek from a bullet that flew past him; and a bullet wound below the right side of his diaphragm. Tequila also has a series of deep stab wounds on his right shoulder and right lumbar region, a severed tendon (flexor carpi ulnaris) in his left forearm, and a partially cut left thumb. After being experimented on, his body underwent significant transformations: his muscles now have a coppery hue with bronze streaks, his neck is adorned with bearded vulture feathers, his bones are gilded and steel-hard, and his legs are covered in shaggy, greenish-black fur.

His military gear consists of brass-plated goggles with yellow-orange lenses, a navy blue bandana mask, a bone white tank top with a slight rip just above the left hip, and greenish-black gloves. He wears army cargo pants in a camouflage pattern featuring cerulean, lavender grey, and Cambridge blue, which are tucked into spike-soled liver brown combat boots. His pants have two crudely stitched patches: a triangular brownish-red one on the right knee and a rectangular steel blue one on the middle of his left outer thigh. Tequila wears a metal dog tag necklace with his name, navy blue elbow and knee pads, a bronze-buckled leather belt, a sheath for his combat knife, and a drop leg holster for a handgun with a silencer. A Prussian blue waist pack is secured to the back of his belt, containing a bronze-finished flask filled with his tequila cocktail of choice for the day.

He wears a linden green flight jacket, often left unzipped, featuring a brown wolf-fur lining, a metallic silver zipper, and gilded epaulets. The jacket has four pockets and boasts the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. logo emblazoned on the back. It has two hidden compartments designed for firearms, but typically stores a sheathed machete and a scoped bolt-action rifle instead. Additionally, he wears a reseda chartreuse armband on his left sleeve, adorned with the Regular Army insignia. He typically wears a blue-green Lightweight Helmet (LWH), but occasionally opts for a gold-edged wedge cap of linden green seal fur instead.

Over his tank top, he dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a cerulean, lavender grey, and Cambridge blue camouflage pattern, which carries around his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. He wears three dark grey bandoliers: one draped over his right shoulder holds flashbang grenades, another over his left shoulder holds smoke bombs, and a third wraps around his waist above his belt, holding ammunition for his handgun. Tequila carries around a steel blue load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, a grappling hook, and a disguise kit that adapts to the specific requirements of each mission. It also contains a rocket launcher, grenade launcher, bazooka, fire gun, missile pod, practical tools like mechanic and lockpicking sets, and a photo album filled with Polaroid pictures.

The pockets of his flight jacket carry around a metallic blue-green lighter, the key to his motorcycle, noise-cancelling earplugs, and a hundred-eyed cowrie shell, a gift from Gimlet. Tequila also carries a collection of cherished photographs: one showing him with his ex-wife, Margaret, and their late son, Thomas; another with his former team, including a young Gimlet; a third featuring a Swiss brassy ringlet on a yellow mountain flower; a fourth capturing Red Eye playfully placing an orange cat on a sleeping Donald Morden; a fifth depicting him and Clark on a mountain hike; and a sixth showing him, Marco, Tarma, Gimlet, and Red Eye, taken one year prior to the Great Morden War.

He has a stash of cigars and a half-empty pack of cigarettes tucked away in the right pocket of his army cargo pants, while his left pocket is occupied by a burgundy instant camera, a digital recorder, a silver engagement ring featuring a princess cut diamond, and a golden wedding band. Ever since he encountered a Swiss brassy ringlet during a hike through the rocky meadows of the European Alps, he fell in love with them and proudly displays a pin depicting one on the left side of his flight jacket. He wears two distinctive necklaces: a black cord with a teardrop-shaped nazar charm and a gold chain holding a pendant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary impaled by a longsword.

His custom-made motorcycle is a glaucous BMW R75, adorned with forest green cheetah spots outlined in sandy beige. The motorcycle comes with a sidecar, which serves as storage for extra supplies and his load-bearing backpack. The sidecar features an intriguing design element: a Swiss brassy ringlet on the antler of an elk skull, proudly displayed on its side. The sidecar is outfitted with a greenish-black rocket turret, while two rotating miniguns are mounted on either side of the front wheel of his motorcycle.

Character summary: He's a cunning, wise, rebellious polyglot with a strong aversion to being bossed around unjustly. As a thrill-seeker, he has a tendency to bluff and revels in the raw power and adrenaline rush that comes with high-intensity situations, which makes him feel alive. He has a strong sense of camaraderie with those he considers comrades and close friends, going to great lengths to ensure their happiness and safety. Tequila is especially devoted to Marco, Tarma, Red Eye, Gimlet, Clark, Eri, and Fio, holding their well-being in the highest regard due to the deep affection he feels for them. Depending on the situation, he can be very blunt, believing that people need to quickly learn that the truth is often a hard pill to swallow. Whenever his patience is running thin or he deems it necessary, he isn't afraid to speak his mind, though his words can be abrasive and unsettling.

Despite his perpetual weary expression, he’s a fundamentally kind-hearted and morally upright leader. Tequila is a tough-as-nails and hypervigilant individual that has a tendency to engage in occasional reckless behaviour. He has a cynical, pessimistic outlook on life, which he occasionally masks through social drinking, reading the newspaper or immersing himself in his hobbies. As an introvert with an exceptionally high intellect, he finds it challenging to connect with others. He has a deep-seated compassion and strong protective instincts towards children who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Tequila views it as a moral obligation to safeguard them from harm and foster a secure environment that allows them to thrive. When drunk, he exhibits clumsiness, boisterousness, sorrowfulness, physical aggression, and increased insulting behaviour (far more than usual). Additionally, he's even more likely to make awkward attempts to flirt with anyone who catches his eye.

He's particularly self-conscious about his height and extremely hates being teased about it. When someone teases him about his height, he tends to retaliate by rudely insulting them, often targeting their appearance-related insecurities. When he's feeling scared or furious towards someone who has visibly angered him, he has a habit of jumping on their back, which may follow up with an attack. Tequila has zero tolerance for cowardice and incompetence, viewing them as lame excuses for people to avoid putting in effort and failing to contribute meaningfully to their roles in society. He dislikes people who are overly pesky or slimy, individuals with a bratty and entitled attitude, unnecessary trouble, political corruption, and duplicity.

As a devout Catholic who also believes in the evil eye, he abhors war and can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for new military recruits, knowing their innocent worldview is likely to be shattered. Nevertheless, he recognizes that everyone has their own reasons for enlisting and refrains from criticising their choices. He becomes vengeful when he encounters people who have been unreasonably hurt or when he feels betrayed and devastated after losing something he deeply cares about. He’ll only betray someone or a cause if he senses that they’re crossing into morally reprehensible territory. He lives with sleep paralysis, atypical depression, and mild borderline personality disorder and PTSD. When he needs time for solitude and contemplation, he withdraws to a cozy sanctuary, wrapping himself in a fluffy blanket and using earplugs to shut out the world.

He harbours a deep-seated hatred towards his former friend, General Morden, stemming from his subsequent betrayal when Morden's megalomaniacal desire for world domination consumed him. He perceives Margaret as promiscuous and attention-seeking, disapproving of her flirtatious behaviour as a means to cope with loneliness. Despite their divorce, he still cares about her well-being and has been gradually rebuilding their relationship, attempting to alleviate her loneliness. He has a strong affinity for Vasser, whom he sees as a surrogate son, striving to educate and guide him on the right path.

However, he often finds himself disappointed by Vasser's ill-tempered bully attitude, his excessive thirst for blood and action, and his tendencies to slack off, cause mischief, and make unwanted advances towards women. He also feels deeply disappointed when Vasser disregards his advice and falls short of the standards he envisioned, which were modelled after his deceased son Thomas—an exceptionally well-behaved child with a keen mind and an eagerness to learn. He's consumed by guilt, feeling that despite his best efforts, he's failed as a father and wonders if he could have done more to prevent Vasser's bad behaviour.

Backstory: Sermeg Bracquemond-Kagamihara was born on December 23, 1972 in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. His biological parents were Kafkasi Bracquemond, a French-Canadian construction worker from Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, and Tsukiko Kagamihara, a Japanese-Canadian entrepreneur who owned an open-air market selling homemade Japanese craft goods. He had an adoptive sister who was six years older than him named Ximena, who had been abandoned by her father, struggling with alcoholism. As expected, he had inherited Tuatha Dé Danann DNA from his parents, which became noticeable when he frequently mentioned seeing a pair of glowing red eyes watching him. Sermeg's parents had also noticed that his intelligence grew at rapid speeds, which they greatly encouraged. Between the ages of 1 and 4, he read numerous books on various subjects, including mathematics, engineering, sociology, psychology, architecture, ancient history, geography, political science, and world religions. By the age of 5, he had taught himself to speak Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, and German, and learned about their respective cultures.

Before Sermeg's 7th birthday, his father was assassinated by a hitman in retaliation for killing the right-hand man of a prominent Québécois organised crime family near Montreal. Prior to his death, Kafkasi had fled with his wife, Tsukiko, to Guatemala. The crime family, seeking revenge and viewing Tsukiko and her children as potential assets, had planned to force them into hard labour and prostitution. Out of fear, Tsukiko made the tough decision to put Sermeg and Ximena up for adoption, hoping they would be safe. Shortly after, Tsukiko vanished mysteriously, leaving behind only speculation that she had fallen prey to the Québécois crime family's sinister activities.

They were adopted by an organ harvester named Tecuani, who took pity on them after learning about the fate of their parents. Despite his illicit profession, Tecuani went out of his way to ensure that Sermeg and Ximena were well-fed and properly educated. He even taught them essential survival skills for navigating the dangers of the streets, giving them a better chance at thriving in a challenging world. However, their time together was short-lived, as Tecuani was promptly arrested after one of his employees reported him to the police for operating an illegal organ harvesting business.

As a result, Sermeg and Ximena were placed into the foster care system, where they experienced a tumultuous journey through four different foster families. The first family was neglectful and struggled with addiction, the second was intimidated by Sermeg's abnormal intelligence, and the third, although kind and lenient, harboured an uncle who posed a sexual threat to Ximena.

Tragically, their last foster family was a source of immense pain and suffering. The foster father, a business executive named Clifford, was controlling and abusive, lashing out physically and emotionally, especially when Sermeg dared to stand up for himself. The foster mother, a psychiatrist named Magdalena, failed to provide a safe and nurturing environment, neglecting their needs and belittling them with hurtful words that preyed on their insecurities. Ximena, who had always been dear to Magdalena, struggled with depression, PTSD, and body dysmorphia, which ultimately led to her eventual suicide when Sermeg was just 12 years old.

At age 15, Sermeg joined a newly formed cartel that promised him refuge and financial assistance in exchange for killing and cannibalising his foster parents. Initially hesitant due to his disgust at the idea of consuming his abusers, he was motivated by the prospect of exacting revenge. He followed through on the cartel's demands, completing his initiation and rapidly rising through the ranks thanks to his street smarts. He played a key role in gathering valuable intelligence for the cartel's boss and devising strategic plans for financial management and tactical attacks.

To cope with his emotional pain and seek excitement, he turned to drinking various tequila cocktails, eventually leading to an addiction and a particular fondness for tequila sunrise. His struggles with addiction led to him being dubbed "Tequila" by those around him, a nickname he unexpectedly embraced as part of his identity and later adopted as his codename for military operations.

The circumstances of his departure from the cartel are unclear, but rumours suggest that the cartel was either absorbed into or annihilated by a relatively obscure cult-like guerrilla group from Venezuela known as the Theophylaktos Union. However, it's confirmed that he did join the Theophylaktos Union at age 19, becoming a skilled mercenary and spy for the organisation. He admits that he had a boyfriend during his time in the Theophylaktos Union, but their relationship was cut short when his partner was killed in friendly fire. This was also when he began exploring mechanics and constructed his first custom-made motorcycle.

At the age of 21, during a raid on a Brazilian town, he encountered a frightened child clinging to her dead mother and her severely injured younger brother. Initially, he callously shot her, believing her to be an obstacle to fulfilling the Dark Lord's supposedly twisted desires. Yet, upon reflection, he questioned his actions and his allegiance to the Theophylaktos Union, ultimately realising that this path was not for him. He subsequently retired from the group, assumed the alias Sosuke N. Kanikoja for his protection, relocated to Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, and sought rehabilitation to address his escalating alcohol addiction. He also turned to Catholicism as a way to find new meaning in life and began working as a bartender and cashier at a flower shop.

While working as a bartender, he met Hyakutaro, who had just completed a challenging mission for the Regular Army. They quickly formed a strong bond after sharing their personal struggles and aspirations. Hyakutaro encouraged him to join the Regular Army, hoping it would give him a sense of direction and purpose. Inspired by their conversation, he enlisted in the Regular Army at the age of 25 and went on to specialise in hostage rescue missions. He also developed expertise in camouflage, secret identities, and intelligence gathering, earning recognition as the Regular Army's top covert agent. His exceptional leadership skills, tactical planning, and recruitment abilities further propelled him to the rank of Brigadier General. However, his experiences soon exposed him to the harsh realities of war and corruption, witnessing the brutal deaths of many friends and comrades. These traumatic events would haunt him, fueling recurring nightmares and night terrors.

Four years after joining the Regular Army and Intelligence Agency, he was among the first to be transferred to the newly established S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special forces unit, becoming one of its founding members, alongside Red Eye. He met Margaret Southwood shortly after the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. was established, encountering her at the Combat Academy section of the Intelligence Division. He immediately fell in love with her and decided to ask her out on a few dates, which blossomed into a romance. As their relationship grew, they eventually got married and had a single child together, naming him Thomas. Tragically, their marriage was short-lived after their five-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver. As they both struggled to cope with their grief, Margaret turned to promiscuity and Tequila turned to drinking as a means of distraction. Unfortunately, these coping mechanisms created an insurmountable rift, leading to their divorce.

At age 39, after exiting a pub and heading back to a nearby Regular Army base on his motorcycle, he noticed a malnourished teenage boy lying in an alleyway with a bruised and bloodied face. He took great pity on the boy and promptly aided him, noticing the boy's eerie silence and uncanny resemblance to Thomas. He decided to head back to the base later and instead brought the boy to a restaurant, buying him lunch. After a couple of minutes of trying to encourage the boy to speak, he finally introduced himself as Vasser Gutenschiff-Wolstenholme and shared his story of taking to the streets to escape his abusive father, Kanan. Moved by Vasser's situation and seeing it as a duty to protect children from harm, he vowed to enact vengeance. With the assistance of Vasser, he ambushed Kanan by breaking into his house, then adopted Vasser through the Regular Army's orphan program.

A couple of years after Vasser's adoption, he met Morden unexpectedly while serving with the North American Garrison, which was assisting the European Garrison and Middle Eastern Garrison in thwarting an Oceania military organisation's attempt to spark a full-scale nuclear war. Following the successful completion of this mission, they forged a bond over drinks and shared stories of their challenging childhoods. Morden also expressed his admiration for Tequila's courage in his espionage work and leadership abilities within the North American Garrison.

He would eventually become a revered mentor and friend to many, including Clark, Red Eye, Tarma, and Marco. Notably, he encouraged Vasser to join the Peregrine Falcons Squad, but this guidance had an unexpected consequence: Vasser began to reveal a more attention-seeking and bloodthirsty side, indulging in troublesome, slothful, and lecherous tendencies that led to several issues. In addition to rescuing hostages, he consistently went above and beyond to save children who were in imminent danger or at risk of harm, making their safety a top priority regardless of the mission. One mission that remains etched in his memory is when he rescued a group of children being trafficked and sold on the black market, while his team simultaneously took down the criminals responsible for this heinous crime.

He played a key role in the Arms Deal Barrage and defeating the remnants of the Serapion Fellowship. He's the primary reason the event bears the name “Barrage”. He orchestrated an artillery bombardment on the fortress housing a critical power facility and a massive space rocket, significantly weakening the Serapion Fellowship's defences. However, the mission would uncover a shocking truth: the Regular Army was secretly involved in an illegal arms deal with the Serapion Fellowship, a revelation he shared with Gimlet, Sagan, Logan, Hyakutaro, Red Eye, Morden, and Allen O'Neil. This moment opened his eyes to the Regular Army's secret corruption, but he remained silent, fearing that speaking out would make him a target for swift assassination as a whistleblower.

Three years after the Central Park bombing, Morden secretly approached him at a bar and convinced him to defect. Believing it was a good opportunity, he quietly resigned from the Regular Army and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. to join the Rebel Army. He excelled as a top-notch spy, often disguising himself as a Rebel in a woodland military uniform for land troops. He rose to become Morden's right-hand man, serving as the Army's Chief of Staff. However, after nearing one year of service, he discovered General Morden's true intentions and how he had fully succumbed to his megalomaniacal desires. Horrified, he promptly left the Rebel Army and defected back to the Regular Army, warning them about the impending rise of the Rebel Army. However, despite his inside knowledge, they were unable to prepare in time as General Morden successfully launched a surprise attack, overpowering them and rapidly consolidating his global dictatorship.

During the Great Morden War, he aided Marco in leading the governmental resistance against the Rebel Army. Although he held a higher military rank than Marco, he allowed Marco to take the initiative, recognizing his great potential to become a truly charismatic leader. After being ambushed by Morden and his forces, he was brutally tortured and forcibly killed in front of Marco and Tarma. However, Morden promised to bring him back in a greater form, sending his deceased body to Doctor Amadeus. Doctor Amadeus successfully revived Tequila, but as a semi-clone of Hyakutaro, significantly altering his existence.

Updated: October 11, 2024

Reworked Character #10: Gimlet

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, torture, neglect, SA, child abuse, substance abuse, necrophilia, cannibalism, and crime.

Real name: Vasser Gutenschiff-Wolstenholme

Esper title: Avatar of Theriomorphic Anima, Parasitism, and Aggression

Alias: Libertine of Animus

Nickname: Gimlet

Occupation: Chief Warrant Officer 3 of the P.F. Squad

Retirement plans: Doesn’t know what kind of purpose he’ll have after resigning from his military duties

Special skills: Foraging for food and edible plants in the wilderness, proficiency in dagger throwing and operating radio communication technology, orchestrating surprise attacks, mastery of escape, and quick drawing

Esper abilities: By focusing on the internal dynamics of his muscles and the rhythmic pulse of his blood, he can tap into the depths of his unbridled strength. When he does so, his veins bulge from his skin and his muscles spasm uncontrollably. However, this transformation enables him to deliver blows that cause the earth to tremble, crush his opponents' bones with a single grip, and lift and throw objects with ease, including those that weigh as much as a small mountain. By tapping into the irrational part of his soul, he can access a feral state of mind for 1 to 3 hours, amplifying his killing instincts and physical strength to nearly earth-shattering levels. However, the longer he remains in this primal state, the more his hostility levels intensify. Surrendering to this feral state of mind allows his id to gradually dominate his psyche, a process worsened by his cocaine addiction. Additionally, he can inherit the distinctive animalistic qualities and abilities of any animal he consumes, but this adaptation only lasts for 30 minutes.

He can unleash a loud, painful scream or cry of anger, generating paralysing vibrations that temporarily stun his enemies for three minutes. Additionally, he can teleport to targets within his line of sight, focusing intently on them. By superheating the water-rich waste materials in his intestines and blood, he can boil them to extreme temperatures and project the scalding, watery vomit at his opponents through regurgitation. He can create steel-hard weapons by drawing his own blood through minor skin incisions. Occasionally, he must consume the blood of others to replenish the nutrients used up by his powers. His body hosts a multitude of tiny parasites and viruses, which coexist harmlessly with his organs, blood circulation, and cellular structures. However, he can harness these microorganisms as a defence mechanism, releasing them to infect his enemies through physical contact and airborne respiratory droplets.

Gimlet has the ability to create worm-like creatures that are grotesque, breathing, and multi-eyed with additional mutations such as wings, serrated teeth, and elongated snouts. This can be achieved through impregnation or by introducing his bodily fluids into another person's body (e.g. through spitting in their mouth). As these two methods are a slow process, he turns to an expulsion mechanism involving a specialised, jade-coloured testicular sac situated centrally in the groin. Connected to the penis and digestive system by red-violet vascular appendages, he can expel a tar-like, seminal substance that rapidly transforms into a worm-like creature. When a host is impregnated, they experience rapid growth, severe stomach pains, and bodily soreness. However, this method often results in stillbirth. If a host is not impregnated but still has Gimlet's bodily fluids enter their body, they will eventually experience a debilitating stomach flu. This leads to vomiting, and the contents transform into a worm-like creature that inherits the host's eye colour and hair colour.

These creatures mature into bipedal worms, distinguished by sparse, wispy hair growth on their chests, armpits, scalps, and jawlines. They are also adorned with spiky, cartilaginous armour plating in dull silver or glossy black, which covers their faces, backs, and limbs. They serve as obedient soldiers and suicide bombers, possessing the same abilities as Gimlet. They can instantaneously self-destruct, releasing either a poisonous gas or a burning, gooey, glowing purple acid that engulfs their surroundings.

Hobbies: Treasure hunting, frequenting underground nightclubs, going to the beach, watching action-packed, splatterpunk, and pornographic films, and building scale models of military vehicles and historical war events

Likes: Intelligent women (such as Sagan, Eri, Fio, and Red Eye), trial and research weapons, abandoned radio towers, collecting rare pornography magazines and seashells, and the satisfaction he feels when killing a highly dangerous individual

Dislikes: Bees, necrophilia, becoming like his father, being underestimated and lectured, and opponents who aren’t willing to engage in a fair fight

Favourite food: Full English breakfast and grilled pineapple

Favourite drink: French gimlet (preferably if it has two parts sweetened lime juice)

Sexuality: Sex-favourable, grayromantic gynesexual

Gender: Male

Age: 27 (in 2022), 33 (in 2028), 35 (in 2030), 37 (in 2032), 39 (in 2034), 46 (in 2041), 48 (in 2043), 49 (in 2044), and 52 (in 2047)

Blood type: O-

Weight: 217 lbs. (98 kg)

Design: He’s a 6 ft (182.88 cm) British-German mesomorph with a perfectly chiselled musculature, a subtly rounded abdomen, semi-broad shoulders, and prominent thighs. He has rose beige skin, a black mole on the right side of his chin, and reddish-brown freckles scattered across his face, chest, and hands. He has sparkling rusty orange eyes and middle-parted maroon hair with subtle waves and neatly trimmed sideburns. His eyes were originally a light brown, and his hair was once a golden bronze colour with mutton chops and straight locks. His muscle fibres and intestines with a yellowish-green tint, and he possesses two forked tongues coated in a translucent, gelatinous slime mixed with his blood.

His forearms and shoulders are covered in healed minor incisions, and a massive scar extends from his left deltoid to his right hypochondriac region, organically zigzagging across his torso. His left hand and right leg have been augmented with cutting-edge prosthetics, featuring sleek, aerodynamic plates and agile, fibre-optic wires that blur the lines between human and machine. The prosthetics are infused with AI-driven neurosync technology, allowing for seamless integration and real-time synchronisation with his neural signals. His left-hand prosthetic features retractable blade claws made of razor-sharp adamantium, and they can extend and retract with a mere thought, thanks to the advanced neural interface.

Gimlet’s military gear consists of a mahogany headband, a metal dog tag necklace with his name, and a grimy meat brown sleeveless shirt with vertical Carolina blue stripes. He has a dark bluish-green belt with a bronze buckle, a sheath for his combat knife, and a gun holster for his Mauser C96 Broomhandle. He wears a dark goldenrod vest with four pockets, boasting the logo of the P.F. Squad on the back. Additionally, he wears persimmon-hued wristbands and dark green moss army cargo pants tucked into rose ebony combat boots. The pockets of his vest carry around iron knuckles given to him by Hyakutaro, a pornography magazine from his personal collection, a pontifical mitre shell, a flask of vodka gimlet, a bottle of Ritalin, a small plastic bag of crushed cocaine, a rolled-up piece of paper the size of a straw, and his motorcycle key.

Over sleeveless shirt, he dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries around his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. His are wrapped worn and dirty gauze, and he wears a rust-coloured bandolier draped over his right shoulder, holding throwing daggers. Gimlet carries around a dark bluish-green load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, two bottles of French gimlet, an APX P25 radio, a rocket launcher, a grenade gun, and a shotgun.

His backpack also holds four plushies from his childhood, which serve as trusty companions and help maintain his grip on sanity. This menagerie consists of four distinct plushies: Emmerich, a polar bear with a light coral bow tie; Theobald, an orange-eyed black tiger with Hunyadi yellow stripes; Philomena, an opalescent white dragon with lavender eyes and azure spines; and Linnaea, a bronze-horned husky with a white fur coat featuring blue-grey, citron, and fallow brown splotches. He wears golden huggie earrings, a silver ring featuring a square-cut fire opal on his left middle finger, and bronze-plated goggles with orange-tinted lenses.

He owns a state-of-the-art drop pack with a metallic blue finish, compact and aerodynamic, approximately half the size of his torso. This advanced pack features high-thrust mini-jet engines, each adorned with a light blue stripe at their entrance, and retractable, razor-sharp airplane wings that provide enhanced stability and maneuverability. Additionally, its integrated artificial intelligence ensures real-time weather analysis and automatic adjustments for a smoother, more stable flight and parachuting experience. Furthermore, it boasts rapid-deployment technology for quick and seamless wing extension, enabling swift response times in high-pressure situations. It has been built to withstand extreme weather conditions, including intense turbulence, heavy rainfall, and scorching temperatures.

Tequila built him a modified Ariel W/NG 350 with a bulkier, steadier design, boasting a camouflage pattern in fern green, golden brown, and taupe grey, and completed with a rusty orange leather seat.

Super Devil form: He's a 20' 11" (637.54 cm) reptilian kangaroo with bulging, viciously torn, infected muscular tissue that pulses with every heartbeat. His scaly taupe grey skin, which hosts a multitude of tiny parasites and viruses, is coated in a thin layer of translucent, gelatinous slime. Gimlet has a head shaped like a bear's, featuring three forked tongues smeared with bloody slime and four rows of dark goldenrod teeth that resemble those of a humpback anglerfish. His eight rusty orange eyes have flecks of moss that are dark green and metallic blue pupils that dilate in response to sunlight. His coarse, unruly middle-parted hair is strikingly two-toned with the left side silver-grey and the right side mahogany. The hair falls slightly over his broad shoulders, which are ridiculously wide and covered in jagged, cartilaginous spikes that stand straight up. He has persimmon-hued ram horns, twitching Apantesis phalerata antennae, and retractable, razor-sharp bronze claws and talons.

He has two pairs of arms: the first pair is elongated yet uncomfortably muscular, covered in shaggy coyote fur ravaged by mange; and the second pair resembles long puma-furred forelegs, but with uncannily slender toes. From his hip joints, he has notably large hind legs of a yellowish-green locust, complete with a deep red tibia and brownish-grey tiger-like stripes on the femurs. He has an exceptionally long, thin rose ebony rodent tail, twice the size of his torso, that splits halfway along its length. Additionally, Gimlet possesses wings similar to those of a migratory locust, but with a leathery texture and a subtle mahogany sheen.

His back is covered in writhing, sinuous tendrils that resemble dark bluish-green smooth-skinned serpents, each tipped with hook-like bronze claws. His neck features sixteen delicate, petal-shaped skin flaps that can open to reveal thirty-two small openings, which he can use to release his blood to create deadly weapons. Additionally, he possesses a pouch containing intestinal appendages with a yellowish-green tint, which he uses to spray scalding, watery vomit.

Character summary: He identifies as an agnostic Protestant Anglican that takes responsibility for his actions when it's convenient for him. He shows a willingness to take risks and face danger head-on, never backing down from a fight. He's resolute and unshakeable in his convictions to get the job done and to eliminate the weak and corrupt, even when advised against certain actions. He values his autonomy and privacy, preferring to work independently rather than as part of a team and keep his personal life and feelings closely guarded. While he thrives on constant action, excitement, and a desire for immediate gratification, he occasionally appreciates the quiet comfort of mundane routines and stillness. When he doesn't understand something, he exclusively seeks clarification from Tequila or Red Eye as he fears that asking anyone else might lead to ridicule or insults for his perceived lack of sophistication.

He's a mischievous, troublesome, highly opinionated, and forgetful prankster who enjoys poking fun at the cadets and has a passion for the thrill of combat and uncovering new horizons. He's a skilled conversationalist, but also a pathological liar who manipulates others through guilt-tripping and gaslighting. Occasionally, his grandiose sense of self-worth becomes apparent, particularly in situations that either threaten his ego or feed his overconfidence. When a military mission or chore lacks excitement, he becomes slothful and goes to great lengths to avoid it, much to Tequila's annoyance. When he’s drunk, he objectifies and harasses women, displays violent outbursts, engages in verbal altercations, and causes trouble with his rowdy behaviour.

He has a quick temper, which makes him prone to argumentative outbursts, physical and verbal aggression, and hostile behaviour. When extremely angry, he frequently resorts to shouting death and rape threats as well as making racially and sexually charged comments that are deeply hurtful and damaging. He becomes instantly offended and irritated when people compare him to his abusive, psychopathic father as he harbours a deep-seated fear of emulating him. He struggles to show remorse, particularly towards his enemies, people who get on his nerves, and those he's not emotionally invested in. He’s a street-smart, resourceful, attention-seeking thief with a yearning for physical and emotional intimacy and an aversion to being ignored. Notably, he quickly becomes emotionally attached to individuals who show him genuine kindness and tenderness.

He enjoys playfully teasing those he's familiar with as it's his way of alleviating tension. He isn't afraid to speak his mind and call out people when they do something that defies common sense, even if it means he sometimes comes across as a hypocrite. He has a dark, provocative, and irreverent sense of humour, which often leaves those around him feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. When he's deadly serious, he assumes a stoic and expressionless demeanour, exuding a menacing aura that commands attention. He's a bloodthirsty adrenaline junkie who derives sadistic pleasure from killing and torturing his enemies, taking his brutality to extremes by devouring their entrails and bathing in their blood. He strongly appreciates his friends and comrades and will go to great lengths to protect them from harm, but his anger issues and self-absorbed nature hinder his ability to fully care for them.

He's haunted by his emotionally scarred past, which he attempts to numb through substance abuse, alcohol, and sex. His ongoing search for purpose and moral direction contributes to his introspective and brooding demeanour. He's capable of being polite, tender, and compassionate, but his display of these qualities depend on his relationship with the person and his current emotional state. He's surprisingly gentle and nice with children, and, like Ralf, he enjoys playing with them whenever he has the time. He possesses a surprisingly adept talent for con artistry, which is most evident when he skillfully evades precarious situations or deceives his enemies with clever misdirection. He has a history of making unwanted flirtatious advances towards women, and his licentious behaviour in sexual relationships is often selfish and irresponsible. He’s known to rely on his glib and superficial charm to try to seduce women with the sole intention of gratifying his own sexual desires.

Despite viewing Red Eye as an older sister, he developed a troubling romantic and sexual obsession with her, which he attempts to conceal due to the immense shame it brings him. After undergoing human experimentation, he often mistakenly confuses her with Fio due to their similar appearance. He was once incredibly close to Sagan and Logan, considering them as his first true best friends. However, their friendship soured when he discovered they were secretly working as double agents for the Rebel Army. The betrayal was compounded when they fully defected to General Morden's side during the Great Morden War. Despite their falling out, he still finds himself sexually attracted to Sagan and hopes to rekindle a romantic connection with her. He admires her beauty, comparable to Red Eye, and is deeply impressed by her extraordinary intelligence, reminiscent of Tequila.

He deeply cares for Tequila, his adoptive father, and strongly fears losing him unexpectedly as Tequila was the only person willing to raise him as a son. However, he struggles with feelings of unworthiness to be considered the closest thing to a living son due to his frequent disappointments. He holds Hyakutaro and Margaret in high esteem, respecting them as his former drill instructors who played a significant role in shaping him into one of the Peregrine Falcons Squad's most exceptional soldiers. He frequently clashes with Marco because of his perceived intellectual superiority and willingness to confront Gimlet when he bullies their friends and comrades.

Backstory: Vasser Gutenschiff-Wolstenholme was born on October 8, 1995 in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. The Gutenschiff family of Germany originated as a mix of archaeological explorers and con artists in the field of historical documentation. However, they later made a name for themselves as formidable soldiers during various conflicts of the German Empire and Weimar Republic eras. Their reputation grew as a feared and ferocious family, revelling in the defeat of their enemies and thriving on the adrenaline rush of battle. In contrast, the British Wolstenholme family was known for their relatively peaceful pursuits, dedicating themselves to advancing the significance of radio communication and entertainment. Additionally, the Wolstenholmes were esteemed for their long lineage of historians, who uniquely shared their expertise by crafting intricate models of ancient civilizations and pivotal events that shaped the course of history.

Unlike the Wolstenholmes, the Gutenschiffs descended into darkness with rumours swirling that they embraced cult-like practices. It became a dark and sinister tradition among the descending families to have only one child, preferably male, to carry on their legacy. In cases where twins or multiple births occurred, the eldest child was forced into a horrific coming-of-age act: they were coerced into killing their sibling and then consuming their flesh.

Vasser's father, Kanan Gutenschiff, was a notorious commander in the European Garrison of the Regular Army. He treated all of his enemies mercilessly, taking sadistic glee in the carnage that surrounded him. After a few years of military service, Kanan was discharged by his superiors in the Regular Army. This decision was made after numerous complaints of workplace harassment were filed against him, and following an incident in which he fatally shot a comrade with a rifle during a heated argument. The discharge was likely intended to prevent damage to the organisation's reputation as a peacekeeping force.

Following his discharge, Kanan took up work at a pub in Birmingham, where he led a double life as a professional con artist. One quiet evening, he met Cerys Wolstenholme, a skilled radio and television service technician, and was immediately smitten. He shamelessly flirted with her, offering drinks and engaging her in conversation about their daily lives. As they spent more time together on several dates, Kanan's charm eventually won her over, and they became intimate, resulting in a surprise pregnancy with triplets: Vasser, Teresa, and Rugal.

Kanan was a controlling and strict father, who prioritised his own desires, using Cerys for his own sexual gratification while feigning concern for his children. However, he showed a marked preference for Vasser, who, as the firstborn of the triplets, received a disproportionate share of his attention. According to the Gutenschiff tradition, Vasser was designated as the chosen heir, prompting Kanan to mould him into a fearless and apathetic individual, adept in both combat and deception. Kanan occasionally resorted to physical discipline and emotional insults when Vasser misbehaved. Meanwhile, Teresa experienced sexual abuse at his hands every two weeks, being treated as an object rather than a person with only superficial displays of kindness. As for the autistic Rugal, Kanan neglected his emotional well-being, viewing him as a disappointment and an unwanted responsibility.

Cerys devoted herself to nurturing Vasser, Teresa, and Rugal, imparting valuable life lessons, homeschooling them, and sharing joyful moments with them. Vasser's most treasured memory of his mother is the gift of Philomena on his 6th birthday, a cherished keepsake he holds dear to this day. She introduced Protestant Anglicanism into the lives of Vasser and his siblings, a faith he still holds onto to this day. However, due to Kanan's abuse and her worsening depression and agoraphobia, she relocated to the basement, where she became increasingly emotionally withdrawn and absent. Kanan would seize this opportunity to fatally asphyxiate Cerys, and then repeatedly commit a horrific act of necrophilia with her lifeless body.

When Vasser turned 14, Kanan attempted to manipulate him into killing his siblings to solidify his position as the Gutenschiff heir. However, Vasser was horrified by the suggestion of slaughtering his family members in cold blood, which infuriated Kanan. Kanan taunted Vasser, branding him a coward and an embarrassment to the Gutenschiffs. In a twisted display of power, Kanan brutally murdered Teresa and Rugal in front of Vasser, forcing him to witness the atrocity while subjecting him to verbal abuse. Later, Kanan used the bodies of Teresa and Rugal to prepare a meal, coercing Vasser into consuming it and leaving no remains.

Kanan would continue to try to mould Vasser into a successful Gutenschiff heir through coercive behaviour and emotional mistreatment, but eventually gave up when Vasser became more defiant, anxious, and aggressive. As Vasser was labelled a failure in his eyes, he began to neglect and abandon Vasser's emotional and physical needs, focusing instead on his own desires, hedonistic lifestyle, and exploitative relationships with sex workers. After discovering his mother's lifeless body in the basement, Vasser packed his belongings and took his deceased sister's most treasured plushies (Emmerich, Theobald, and Linnaea). He fled his toxic household and took to the streets, where he honed his resourcefulness through cunning and stealth, mastering the arts of deception and thievery to survive against the odds.

He found refuge in an abandoned radio tower, using it as his shelter and an excuse to tinker with radio communication technology. Despite being practically homeless and living on the streets, he was faring well in this new lifestyle. However, everything changed when he inadvertently caught the attention of a group of bullies in his neighbourhood. They relentlessly harassed him, and the abandoned radio tower became an increasingly vital safe haven, while his plushies served as a source of emotional comfort. At 16, the bullies torched the radio tower, leaving Vasser feeling defenceless and vulnerable. Seeking vengeance, he attempted to fight back but was vastly outnumbered. They brutally beat him and quickly fled the scene, leaving him in an alleyway with a bruised and bloodied face.

It was then that Tequila found him and, in a surprising gesture of kindness, treated him to lunch at a local restaurant. This act of kindness led Vasser to form an instant emotional bond with Tequila, and he found himself opening up about his current situation, driven by a desire to further fuel his quest for vengeance. To his surprise, Tequila was deeply moved by Vasser's story and vowed to ensure Kanan would pay for the pain he had inflicted. After lunch, Vasser led Tequila to his father's house, deliberately drawing attention to himself as a distraction. Inside, a drunken Kanan violently dragged Vasser into the house, intent on using him to satisfy his twisted desires. Just in time, Tequila slipped inside unnoticed and silently ambushed Kanan, saving Vasser from harm.

With the deed done, Tequila took Vasser under his wing, providing him with a stable and nurturing environment, complete with nutritious food, proper education, and a sense of belonging. He was once a shy and curious child, but after forming a close bond with Margaret, who showed him motherly care and affection, he began to grow more confident and outgoing. After coming to regard Margaret as a mother figure, he thoroughly enjoyed her company from that point on. With Tequila's support and encouragement, he explored new interests and discovered a passion for treasure hunting, seashell collecting, and building scale models of military vehicles and historic battle scenes. He still remembers a trip to the beach where he found a rare hundred-eyed cowrie shell, which he gave to Tequila as a token of heartfelt gratitude.

Little is known about his life after being adopted by Tequila, but it is known that he went on to work as a radio technician apprentice after completing his education. He started visiting establishments with adult entertainment and underground social clubs as a way to unwind and have fun, but soon found himself developing a dependence on well drinks like margarita and gimlet, and substances including cocaine and amphetamines as a coping mechanism for his traumatic experiences. His friends began calling him “Gimlet” due to his fondness for the cocktail, a nickname he embraced because it sounded cool and served as a distraction from his past.

After completing his apprenticeship, he felt a sudden sense of purposelessness wash over him. He wondered if he was headed in the right direction and if emulating his mother's career was genuinely his own aspiration. Tequila noticed his struggle and persuaded him to join the Peregrine Falcons Squad, hoping it would give him direction. Initially, Gimlet was hesitant, opposing the idea of engaging in warfare and using violence against criminals and terrorists. However, after a night of contemplation over drinks, he decided to join the P.F. Squad, shortly after completing a stint in rehab, which Tequila had helped him seek out after discovering his struggles with substance abuse.

Once he joined the P.F. Squad, his true nature began to surface, leading to several issues, including making inappropriate advances towards women, taking a disturbing delight in the demise of his enemies, and taunting the cadets. He quickly formed strong bonds with Sagan and Logan during a treasure hunt in the Bahamas, which, although unsuccessful, allowed them to share their life stories, aspirations, and interests. He remembers having a one-night stand with Sagan, which subtly shifted the dynamics of their friendship and introduced a hint of sexual tension. A year before the Arms Deal Barrage, he met Red Eye and quickly came to regard her as an older sister, but soon found himself developing romantic and sexual feelings for her, which filled him with shame.

He played a crucial role in the Arms Deal Barrage as a fighter, during which he exposed the Regular Army's secret corruption. He would develop a deep-seated aversion to bees after accidentally disturbing a beehive with a stray bullet while navigating the jungle during the Arms Deal Barrage. Initially, he playfully taunted Tarma, Marco, Fio, and Eri when they joined the P.F. Squad and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special forces units. However, after Marco stood up to him for his excessive teasing of Tarma and crude behaviour towards Eri, and Tequila reprimanded him for bullying the cadets, he ceased his teasing and gradually formed friendships with them.

During a mission in Indonesia, where he was combating a rogue military organisation involved in illicit activities such as bioterrorism, murder, and weapon trafficking, he sustained severe injuries in battle, losing his left hand and right leg. These injuries were subsequently replaced with advanced cybernetic prosthetics, designed by Tarma, for which he remains deeply grateful.

Tragically, during the Great Morden War, he was brutally tortured and executed in front of Marco and Tarma. Unbeknownst to him, Morden had secretly promised Tequila to revive him in a new form, and his body was sent to Doctor Amadeus. Through Doctor Amadeus' expertise, Gimlet was successfully revived, but as a semi-clone of Tarma, drastically altering his existence.

Updated: October 15, 2024

Torquil, Guilherme, and Ferdinand

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, suicide, verbal abuse, and neglect.

Torquil Aitken

Nickname: Torrie

Occupation: Private First Class and a vehicle driver of the Rebel Army and a volunteer for transportation services (formerly)

Hobbies: Performing his accordion and singing traditional Scottish songs at social gatherings, upgrading and fine-tuning cars and tanks, and fostering kittens and puppies

Likes: Guilherme (especially his calm and compassionate nature), his mom’s cooking, and archaeology

Dislikes: Being told to stop joking around, seeing his friends bummed out, and animal torture

Favourite food: Kedgeree and gummies (preferably gummy worms and sharks)

Sexuality: Heteroflexible asexual

Gender: Male

Age: 28 (in 2022), 34 (in 2028), 36 (in 2030), 38 (in 2032), 40 (in 2034), 47 (in 2041), 49 (in 2043), 50 (in 2044), and 53 (in 2047)

Design: He's a 5’ 3” (160.02 cm) Scottish-American mesomorph with robust musculature, a subtle roundness of his belly, and semi-broad shoulders. He sports medium-length coppery red hair with gentle curls, styled in a shaggy crop with sideburns, and often wears it tied back into a bun. He has tanned pale ivory skin, brown freckles, dull jade green eyes, a cleft chin, and a metallic gold prosthetic left arm. He sports a prominent scar that stretches from the right side of his forehead, organically zigzagging down to the middle of his left cheek. He dons a metal dog tag necklace with his name and the standard Rebel land troop uniform, which varies depending on his deployment location. Above his right breast pocket, is an embroidered badge featuring a scarlet horizontal stripe with a thin white stripe centred within it and a black X emblazoned across the middle.

He carries a maroon duffle bag containing his accordion (a family heirloom), a versatile toolkit for mechanics, and a rocket launcher equipped with homing missiles. Torquil wears a pink lavender waist pack on the left side of his rosy brown belt, containing a flare gun, 12 Gauge rounds, and two bags of gummy worms and sharks. He often shares these treats with his friend Guilherme, particularly when he's starting to feel anxious or overwhelmed. He would share some with Ferdinand, but he isn't a fan due to their chewy texture, which bothers his jaw.

Character summary: He's a cheerful, happy-go-lucky extrovert whose charisma stems from his fun-loving attitude and ability to make others laugh with jokes tailored to their sense of humour. His carefree and enthusiastic demeanour gives way to a more serious and concerned attitude only when he senses that something is deeply wrong. As a confident individual, he exudes swagger in his step and rarely shows fear in the face of adversity, but it can sometimes tip into recklessness and overconfidence. He'll stop at nothing to protect his comrades, but can't resist charming the ladies and indulging in the occasional bout of mischief. He’s naturally curious and gets excited by things he finds to be cool.

On the battlefield, Torquil's preferred war machine is the Type-4 Girida-O, his absolute favourite, but he occasionally switches to the T-2B Melty Honey when he's feeling particularly confident. The only vehicle he refuses to drive is the Type-5 Iron Iso, due to its rarity on the battlefield and the fear of destroying it too quickly. To alleviate his boredom on the battlefield, he periodically bursts into traditional Scottish songs, eliciting either amusement or annoyance from his comrades. He honestly fears Ferdinand due to his overly serious and ill-tempered nature, yet he admires his exceptional skills on the battlefield and values his wise mentorship. Guilherme is his reluctant partner-in-crime for whom he holds deep affection and secretly harbours romantic feelings.

Backstory: Torquil Aitken was born on November 15th, 1994 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. His father, Vernon Aitken, was a renowned archaeologist driven by a passion for adventure and a desire to share his discoveries with the world. His mother, Elspeth, is a veterinarian who also works part-time as a convenience store clerk. His parents loved him dearly and did everything to ensure he would lead a successful, resilient, and optimistic life, instilling in him the fearlessness to tackle any challenges that came his way.

Vernon would share with him his archaeological endeavours and contributions to the advancement of ethical archaeology. In contrast, Elspeth taught him the value of treating animals with kindness, while emphasising the importance of companionship, love, and living a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, he often assisted his mother with meal preparation, with dinner being his favourite meal to prep. Torquil was a mildly quiet and worrisome kid who was anxious around strangers, but once they had earned his trust, he would become a talkative jokester when he felt comfortable around them.

Sadly, just four months after he turned 13, Torquil's father met a tragic end. Vernon and his team of fellow archaeologists were attempting to escape a sudden mummy uprising in an ancient tomb within a previously unexplored pyramid in Ajirabia, as their careful probing inadvertently awakened the curse of Nephthys. In their frantic bid to contain the mummies, debris dislodged by dynamite fell and crushed him. This was devastating news for Torquil and his mother, plunging her into a state of melancholy. However, Elspeth knew she couldn't give up easily, so she did everything in her power to raise Torquil on her own.

After losing Vernon, Torquil adopted a more extroverted, carefree, and fun-loving demeanour reminiscent of his father. As he now lives with his mother, Elspeth, who is struggling financially, he took it upon himself to find a way to support both of them. Leveraging his interest in fine-tuning cars and tanks, he came up with a brilliant idea: volunteering for businesses that required transportation services. By making deliveries and carrying materials, he earned a steady income, allowing both him and Elspeth to stay afloat financially for a while.

At 33, Torquil's life took a dramatic turn when a friend informed him that the Rebel Army was recruiting new members. With minimal persuasion, Torquil saw this as a thrilling opportunity to witness tanks up close and eagerly volunteered. However, his mother was hesitant to let him go, fearing the dangers of warfare and the possibility of losing her son. She worried about his safety and whether he would return home alive. Torquil reassured her, confident that he would be fine.

Guilherme Carvalho

Nickname: Guil

Occupation: Private and a sniper of the Rebel Army and a fortune-teller (formerly)

Hobbies: Writing and sketching around in his journal, honing his cardistry skills, and crocheting

Likes: Lupine creatures, nu metal and post grunge music, and the unique meanings that each tarot card has

Dislikes: Panic attacks, incurable diseases, and people exploiting his kindness for their own selfish gain

Favourite food: Coxinha

Favourite drink: Limonada suíça with condensed milk

Sexuality: Homoromantic graysexual

Gender: Male

Age: 31 (in 2022), 37 (in 2028), 39 (in 2030), 41 (in 2032), 43 (in 2034), 50 (in 2041), 52 (in 2043), 53 (in 2044), and 56 (in 2047)

Design: He’s a 5’ 1” (154.94 cm) Brazilian ectomorph with a lean figure, a mediocre musculature, sloping shoulders, and left hand that has six fingers. He has wavy chocolate brown hair styled as a textured quiff, umber skin, and sunburst green-hazel eyes. His neck bears heavy scarring on the right side, and he has two distinctive facial moles: one located above his eyebrow and another near the centre of his chin. Like Torquil, he dons a metal dog tag necklace with his name and the standard Rebel land troop uniform, which varies depending on his deployment location. Above his left breast pocket, a circular silver badge trimmed in scarlet features a pair of outstretched black dragon wings extending from either side.

He carries a chestnut-hued satchel bag containing his crocheting tools, four yarn balls in different colours, a pencil, an eraser, a red ink pen, and a treasured family heirloom: a worn, handmade Spanish blue leather journal passed down from his great-grandmother. He uses it to record his thoughts, observations, and insights, often accompanied by sketches of the people and environments he encounters. Guilherme wears a navy blue waist pack at the back of his dark teal belt, holding a deck of tarot cards that he often shuffles through to calm his nerves when feeling anxious. A faded greyish-green bandolier is slung over his right shoulder, which securely holds his rifle's ammunition.

Character summary: Due to his compassionate and nurturing nature, he has a habit of prioritising the needs of others over his own, which can sometimes lead to self-neglect. He’s a shy, resourceful, melancholic individual that listens actively and shows genuine interest in others' concerns, but his patience wears thin when his paranoia takes hold. He strives to remain calm in high-pressure situations, but when overwhelmed, his composure can give way to ruthless and reckless behaviour. Guilherme is often taciturn, but will become a skittish loudmouth when impatient and extremely paranoid. He's an incredibly observant person who often notices details that others miss, and has a habit of fleeing from situations he deems particularly grim.

Despite being a down-to-earth sharpshooter, he's surprisingly prone to anger when his rifle jams, particularly in high-stakes situations. When feeling anxious or awkward, he exhibits one of two behaviours: rubbing his hands together or picking at his skin. He deeply admires Torquil's confidence and courage in battle, which inspires him to be more fearless and push through daunting situations. He regards Ferdinand as a wise mentor and strives to prevent him from lashing out at Torquil when he inadvertently provokes Ferdinand's frustration.

Backstory: Guilherme Carvalho was born on April 3rd, 1991 in Salvador, Brazil. Guilherme was deeply scarred at a young age when his father took his own life with a hunting rifle in front of him. Compounding this trauma, his mother was largely absent from his life, leaving behind a legacy of secrets and mysteries surrounding his family. His anxiety stems from his childhood experiences growing up in a violent and cruel environment, where he had to find ways to survive. Fortunately, his aunt and great-grandmother provided a safe haven for him to stay in until he was mature enough to venture out into the world on his own. He remembers his aunt as strict and grumpy at times, but deeply loving, while his great-grandmother was incredibly compassionate and would often regale him with stories of Spanish mythology and her own life experiences.

He was formerly a devout Catholic, often praying to God for hope in a better future and the strength to persevere. Additionally, he would pray to Menina Izildinha for good health, protection from harm, and deliverance from diseases for himself, his aunt, and his great-grandmother. To earn a living, he turned to fortune-telling, using tarot readings to predict the future, and also created handmade crochet items like scarves, ponchos, sweaters, and hats to sell on the side.

However, he lost his faith in Catholicism when his great-grandmother died from a hemorrhage after a devastating fall. Shortly after, his aunt passed away from a debilitating disease with no available cure. These losses left him consumed by sadness and loneliness. But then, he inherited his great-grandmother's journal and began using it to record his insights and observations, and sketch the people and environment around him. He would also adopt a lop-eared rabbit with a harlequin fur coat named Janaina. Journaling and the companionship of his newly adopted bunny brought him some solace, alleviating some of his sorrow and isolation.

As an adult, he continues to explore his surroundings, still haunted by questions about his family: What happened to his mother? Does he have any brothers and/or sisters? Driven by a desire for answers, he embarks on an odyssey to find more members of his family. After a long and arduous search, he finally finds his lost sister, Geovana. As they spend time together, he learns that she's a successful surgeon.

However, his life takes a dramatic turn when he stumbles upon a propaganda flyer promoting recruitment for the Rebel Army. Feeling unfulfilled and without direction, he makes the difficult decision to leave Janaina in his sister's care and joins the Rebel Army two months before the Great Morden War. Once he joined, he was frequently picked on by the others for being timid and a person of colour, which caught the attention of Torquil. Torquil offered to be Guilherme's friend, which he hesitantly accepted, and they have been on relatively good terms since then.

Ferdinand Hofbauer

Nickname: Ferdan

Occupation: Specialist and a Gatling soldier of the Rebel Army and a landscape architect (formerly)

Hobbies: Attending classical opera performances, rock balancing, and collecting taxidermy

Likes: His beloved house pets, fine art enthusiasts, and baroque architecture

Dislikes: Winter, being reminded of his wife’s death, and needlessly wasting functional technology and edible food

Favourite food: Homemade apple strudels and bosna

Favourite drink: Wiener Melange and grape soda

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Gender: Male

Age: 38 (in 2022), 44 (in 2028), 46 (in 2030), 48 (in 2032), 50 (in 2034), 57 (in 2041), 59 (in 2043), 60 (in 2044), and 63 (in 2047)

Design: He’s a 5’ 7” (170.18 cm) Austrian endomorph with a partial beer belly, decent muscles, and broad shoulders. He has straight jet black hair styled as a crew cut, warm beige skin, blue-grey eyes, and a finely chopped goatee. A cut scar crosses his left cheek, and he has a prosthetic right leg that almost seamlessly blends with his skin. He has a shimmering silver-grey glass eye in place of his right eye, marked by a scar from a severe stab wound. Like Torquil and Guilherme, he dons a metal dog tag necklace with his name and the standard Rebel land troop uniform, which varies depending on his deployment location. On his right breast pocket, a metallic black skull with a missing jaw and scarlet eyes hangs from a silver-white ribbon, secured by a golden clip.

Ferdinand always carries around two photographs: one with his deceased wife from before the Great Morden War and one with his two best friends from the Rebel Army. He wears a harvest gold waist pack on the right side of his brownish-black belt, equipped with his silver-plated night vision binoculars, a pack of cigarettes, an almond-hued lighter, and five cans of grape soda. He often shares a couple of these cans with his closest friends, Torquil and Guilherme. He's always armed to the teeth, carrying a heavy minigun with a back-mounted ammo supply and a machete sheathed at his left hip.

Character summary: He's quite serious and overprotective of his two best friends, Torquil and Guilherme, due to a deep-seated fear of losing them, stemming from the tragic loss of his pregnant wife. He’s a by-the-book individual who carefully follows protocols and expects the same from others, maintaining a stern expression while trying to avoid distractions. He’s a strategic thinker that rarely complains, preferring to keep his true emotions hidden behind a stoic mask. He has a fearsome temper, triggered only when people neglect their duties or stir up unnecessary trouble. He asserts himself confidently, especially when defending those he cares about, and doesn't back down easily, refusing to accept "no" as a final answer.

He harbours a deep contempt for the fanatic land troops, whose unstable behaviour and penchant for sabotaging vehicles he finds utterly reprehensible. Ferdinand is a wise and hard-boiled individual with a penchant for surveilling his surroundings due to his hypervigilance. He lives with chronic depression, but he prefers to keep it private due to concerns about the stigma surrounding mental health. He sometimes finds Torquil's overconfidence and playful nature grating, particularly when it leads to slacking off and distractions. In contrast, he’s deeply concerned about Guilherme's fragile mental state and makes a conscious effort to offer comfort and support him during his darkest moments.

Backstory: Ferdinand Hofbauer was born on August 26th, 1984 in Kufstein, Austria. His father, Herschel Hofbauer, was a distinguished police officer who had once aspired to be a therapist. However, he changed careers after noticing the alarming rise in crime rates. Tragedy struck when his wife died during childbirth, leaving him a widower. Recognizing the importance of both parents in a child's life, he remarried, hoping to provide a mother figure for his son. His stepmother, a public opinion analyst, presented herself as a charming and affectionate person, but beneath this façade, she was a hedonist who was verbally abusive and neglectful towards Ferdinand, viewing him as an obstacle to her husband's affection. In contrast, his father was a simple man who cherished the lives of the innocent and his family above his own, finding joy in the small things in life during his quiet moments.

At the age of 7, Ferdinand began exhibiting signs of child verbal abuse and neglect, which deeply concerned his father. When Ferdinand revealed that his stepmother was responsible for the mistreatment, Herschel was consumed by strong displeasure and even regretted remarrying. He made the difficult decision to divorce Ferdinand's stepmother and severed all ties with her, prioritising his son's safety and well-being above all else.

While attending university to study architecture, he met the love of his life, Franziska. They went on numerous dates and grew closer, and after completing their college education, Ferdinand proposed to Franziska. After getting engaged, they married a year later and spent their honeymoon in the Caribbean, where they began thinking about starting a family. Four years after landing their dream jobs–Ferdinand as a landscape architect and Franziska as a law clerk–they decided it was time to start a family. Franziska became pregnant, but tragically, her life was cut short. At just five months pregnant, she was brutally mugged and killed by an unknown assailant on a snowy day while out getting lunch. Ferdinand, who was at work, learned of his wife's passing via a phone call from his mother-in-law, leaving him utterly devastated and heartbroken.

After his wife's passing, he quit his job, feeling lost and aimless, as Franziska had been the source of his happiness. Struggling to move on, he became withdrawn and distant, and developed self-destructive habits: chain-smoking, frequenting bars, and getting into trouble with the law for public indecency and starting fights. Seeking comfort, he adopted two pets: a Russian Blue cat named Franziska, after his late wife, and a Styrian Coarse-haired Hound named Benedikt. This decision brought some solace to his sorrow.

Amidst the turmoil of the Great Modern War, Ferdinand stumbled upon an advertisement for the Rebel Army, recruiting new soldiers. Seeing an opportunity to find purpose, he decided to join the army and become a soldier, hoping to do something meaningful for once. Once he joined, he met Torquil fixing up his Type-4 Girida-O and Guilherme sketching in his journal at the campsite where he was staying. Not wanting to be potentially bullied for being a loner, he decided to approach them, and they quickly became best friends, remaining close ever since.

Updated: October 15, 2024

Reworked Character #11: Red Eye

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, torture, neglect, SA, child abuse, crime, and alcoholism.

Real name: Ruoxi Adrichem (as her real self), Shufen Wei Du (prefers to go by Red Eye), and Lydia Muyskens (prefers to go by Liddy)

Esper title: Avatar of Creeping Shadows, Human Identity, Quietude, and Morality

Alias: Noiseless Spy

Nickname: Red Eye

Occupation: Major General of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S.

Retirement plans: 

Has no idea what to do after her military service ends (As Ruoxi)

Become a neuropsychologist (As Shufen)

Foster many birds, buy a superyacht, get a girlfriend, and become an ornithologist (As Liddy)

Special skills: 

Acrobatics, prestidigitation, managing paperwork, interrogation techniques, and detecting enemy traps (As Ruoxi)

Proficiency in infiltration, escaping captivity, and evading surveillance systems, codebreaking, sabotage, neuropsychology, and astrobiology (As Shufen)

Proficiency in tracking down enemies and bribery, document forgery, safecracking, and ornithology (As Liddy)

Esper abilities: She can swiftly teleport up to 450 ft (137.16 metres) in front of her by manipulating the vibrations around her. Her palms and the soles of her feet are covered in microscopic, hardened hooks and a thin layer of opaque mucus, granting her the ability to scale both rough and smooth walls and ceilings with ease. When tapping into light speed, she gains hyper maneuverability and agile swiftness, enabling her to effortlessly dodge projectiles and perform complex tasks, actions, and attacks in even the most challenging situations and areas. She has complete control over shadows, allowing her to blend into darkness and move unseen, hijack a person's shadow to stealthily eliminate them, create shadowy illusions of herself, and generate tendrils to restrain her foes.

When absorbing both weak and strong light sources, she can accelerate her reflexes, enhance her spatial awareness, and propel herself at incredible velocities. This energy infusion also increases her feline flexibility and grants her perfect balance when navigating treacherous terrain and maintaining stability in intense situations. Furthermore, it amplifies her physical power, allowing her to effortlessly tear apart enemies and smash through medium-sized war machines. As her muscles become infused with the energy of various light sources, her endurance and stamina are boosted, making her highly resistant to fatigue.

She possesses a 17 ft (518.16 cm) aura that can shift between calm and soothing to anxiety-inducing and sinister, allowing her to either comfort or intimidate others at will. She can create a dome of silence, capable of accommodating up to 20 people, which muffles external sounds and distractions. She moves with complete silence and can see through any disguise by tasting a person's saliva or blood. By peering into someone's eyes, she can psychically rummage through their brain's hippocampus, amygdala, and limbic system, catching glimpses of their deepest desires and fears.

After physical contact, she can sense fluctuations in a person's moral character, emotional state, and hostility levels, regardless of the distance between them. She possesses the ability to analyse a person's moral compass and true intentions in a matter of nanoseconds by gazing into their soul. With this insight, she can redistribute karma, punishing the wicked and rewarding the virtuous. By cupping a person's face, she can summon a manifestation of their conscience, forcing them to confront the consequences of their moral choices. She can also manipulate emotions and thoughts to vividly recreate memories from a person's past, bringing their inner demons to life.

Additionally, she has the ability to shatter a person's sense of self and alter her own identity for up to 20 minutes. She possesses the ability to alter her identity by changing her physical features and shifting into one of the faces gruesome­ly etched onto the muscle fibres of her back and front torso. These eerie imprints represent the souls of the victims she has absorbed, both physically and mentally. Furthermore, this power allows her to cheat unnatural death as her body can rapidly reconstruct itself when fatally wounded, reforming into her chosen identity. However, if she extends this identity shift beyond 20 minutes, there's a risk of causing dissociation, which could potentially trap her in an alien identity.

Hobbies: 

Making origami swans, jumping frogs, and lotus flowers, practicing mentalism, scrapbooking, and parkour (As Ruoxi)

Reading books on neuropsychology and Chinese history, visiting local parks at night, completing escape rooms, playing the banhu, and tea-making (As Shufen)

Birdwatching, stealing luxury items, going on expensive cruises with friends, and collecting adult animal onesies and souvenirs from the Netherlands (As Liddy)

Likes: 

Wind chimes, mixing soda drinks, the physical intensity of parkour, and recording dreams in her scrap-booked journal (As Ruoxi)

Deciphering secret messages and codes, watching psychological horror and political thriller movies, the E-Armour that Rumi gave her, extraterrestrial life forms, and isolation tanks (As Shufen)

Books on bird anatomy and psychology, frolicking through tulip fields, peering out of windows, and extravagant things (As Liddy)

Dislikes: 

Engaging in small talk and trivial conversations, her stomach being touched, rape culture, and disorganisation (As Ruoxi)

Being underestimated due to her gender, submerged artificial objects, detrimental mistakes, mindless obedience, and bright lights (As Shufen)

The idea of getting a debilitating illness, obnoxiously loud sounds, empty threats, and homophobia (As Liddy)

Favourite food: Mooncake and dragonfruit (as Ruoxi), jiaozi and herbal tea (as Shufen), and patatje oorlog (as Liddy)

Sexuality: Questioning (as Ruoxi), demiromantic asexual (as Shufen), and sex-indifferent lesbian (as Liddy)

Gender: Female (as Ruoxi and Liddy) and demigirl (as Shufen)

Age: 35 (in 2022), 41 (in 2028), 43 (in 2030), 45 (in 2032), 47 (in 2034), 54 (in 2041), 56 (in 2043), 57 (in 2044), and 60 (in 2047)

Blood type: B+

Weight: 167 lbs. (75 kg)

Design: She’s a 5’ 5” (165.1 cm) American endomorph of Dutch and Chinese descent with a pear-shaped figure, semi-sloping shoulders, and a left eye that has a dark red sheen. She has a smaller bust, a partially rounded midsection, and some of her weight carried in her upper arms and thighs. She has sand-hued skin, dull silver-grey eyes, straight dark brown copper hair, which is occasionally tied into a messy bun, and black freckles scattered across her face and neck. After undergoing experimentation, she now has olive skin, blue-grey eyes, orangish-brown hair with blunt bangs, and reddish freckles. She bears several scars: whip marks on her back; a long cut mark that curves slightly, running down her upper arm; a small slice mark on the right side of her neck, just above the collarbone; and a jagged scar that extends from the left corner of her lip to the centre of her cheek, revealing a hint of her back teeth.

As Shufen, she’s a Chinese mesomorph with a semi-curvaceous body, a sturdy musculature, a subtle roundness of her midsection, and sloping shoulders. She has warm ivory skin, big umber eyes, and curly jet black hair with choppy bangs, which is usually styled in a low ponytail. She has four reddish-brown moles: one below her left eye; one above the right side of her upper lip; and two clustered near the centre of her collarbone. As Liddy, she’s a Dutch ectomorph with a rectangular build, a lean figure, a flat chest, subtle muscles, broad shoulders, and prominent thighs. She has beige skin, sunburst pink-lavender eyes, and shaggy emerald green hair with long, eye-covering bangs, which is sometimes tied into a braid. Shufen and Liddy share the same height, dark red sheen in their left eye, and scars that Ruoxi has.

Her military gear consists of a metal dog tag necklace with Ruoxi’s name, a jet black tank top, and a tomato red cap featuring an emblem of a windmill behind a roaring white tiger's head with an amber eye. She wears a tomato red Harrington jacket, adorned with the embroidered S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. logo on the back. She dons bittersweet shimmer driving gloves, a leather bandolier slung over her right shoulder, holding 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges for her dual pistols, and black combat boots. A bronze-buckled leather belt secures her knee-length blue-green cargo pants, complete with two triangular hip vents overlaid with a lapis lazuli fishnet panel, revealing a glimpse of her black underwear. Her additional gear consists of a hatchet sheath, a combat knife sheath, and a redwood waist pack, attached to the back of her belt, holding twelve sticks of dynamite. Two drop leg holsters are strapped to her thighs: a left-side holster for her Luger P08 pistol and a right-side holster for her Walther P38 pistol.

Over her tank top, she wears a lapis lazuli ceramic-plated bulletproof vest called E-Armour, which is designed to absorb and dissipate the intense kinetic energy of tank blasts. The vest's advanced, nano-tech infused Kevlar-inspired material provides flexibility and protection. Tactical pouches integrated into the vest's lower hem securely store ammunition for her other firearms. Strategically positioned, reinforced trauma plates—sculpted to mimic toned, muscular contours—fortify the chest and midsection, ensuring critical vital organs remain safeguarded. The Regular Army insignia is emblazoned on the centre of the vest in a non-reflective, matte finish. Complementing the E-Armour vest are articulated lapis lazuli knee, elbow, and shoulder pads. Each features four strategically angled, tungsten-carbide spikes, which are designed to deflect shrapnel and incoming projectiles.

She carries around a redwood load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, a thermos full of her herbal tea of choice, a red-violet laptop for codebreaking purposes, a disguise kit, a bazooka, a missile pod, a fire gun, and a banhu. The pockets of her vest carry around her walkie-talkie, a pack of mint gum, and an obsidian lighter. They also hold a keychain that Nadia bought for her during a vacation in Guangzhou, depicting an azure dragon reminiscent of the one on the national flag of China during the Qing dynasty. The dragon encircles the traditional Chinese character for “good fortune”, 福 (fú), in gold.

As Liddy, she swaps out a few pieces of clothing, donning a mauve bomber jacket with red fox fur lining and the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. logo on the back, gunmetal grey wristbands, and a steel blue T-shirt. She dons a mauve cap featuring an embroidered design of a male European green woodpecker on the side of a beech tree. Her outfit is completed with a Tyrian purple belt that secures her sky magenta cargo pants, which are tucked into gunmetal grey combat boots. She likes to wear a gold chain necklace with a common kingfisher’s head pendant, a left-handed bracelet with canine teeth-shaped jade beads, and a fuchsia lace choker with pink pearls lining the top edge. Additionally, she always carries a small, jaggedly carved piece of amethyst, a pair of dark purple binoculars, and an assortment of safecracking tools, including a thermal lance and a relocker. Furthermore, she owns two vapes: one with a baby blue exterior, featuring diagonal soft pink stripes and offering a cotton candy flavour; and a second one with a Kelly green exterior, adorned with two paradise pink circles and teardrop-shaped black accents, providing a watermelon kiwi flavour.

Super Devil form: She's an 18 ft (548.64 cm) arachnid entity with a sylph-like, twisting torso, bittersweet shimmer skin, cow-shaped ears, and sixteen arms that range from malnourished to disturbingly muscular. Her entire head is enveloped by forty emerald green serpents, each with glowing mauve eyes. A pair of 3 ft (91.44 cm) wings with jet-black feathers flank the sides of her head, occasionally spasming and flapping. Beneath the serpents lies a blank face, featuring a large mouth with prominent, crooked teeth suited for an omnivorous diet. Her elongated neck resembles a spinal cord, granting her extreme flexibility. Surrounding the base of her neck are two sets of twenty arm-length tendrils, each translucent and blue-green in colour. These tendrils are capable of moving independently and aid in absorbing light.

Her torso is a grotesque, distended abdomen-like structure, featuring a massive ribcage that opens to reveal an organic mass. The organic mass contains numerous faces, each with soulless black eyes, contorted in agonising fear. At its centre lies the flayed head and torso of her original form with pus-filled eyes and the furless forelegs of a tiger placed between her head. The torso transforms to embody her current personality, while her large mouth-eye, which has a dark red sheen, changes colour to match. The colour shifts between silver-grey, umber, and sunburst pink-lavender.

Her back is covered in a black tortoise shell rimmed with actual amber tulip heads. Eight limbs sprout from the costal scutes, each ending in three-fingered bony hands that constantly twitch and flex. She has reptilian legs equipped with blue-grey claws resembling those of a hawk and lapis lazuli footpads similar to a tiger's. A winding, serpentine tail, twice her height, extends from her body, covered in azure carp scales, similar to those on her muscular legs. Two 10 ft (304.8 cm) wings, one a sky magenta on the left and the other a redwood hue on the right, flank the base of her tail, fluttering occasionally. From the base of her tail, a wild tangle of spiky, silky smooth tomato red hair runs along its length, culminating in a tuft shaped like a raging flame.

Personality: Following a traumatic childhood, Ruoxi developed dissociative identity disorder as a coping mechanism, resulting in the creation of two distinct alter egos. Shufen is the primary and most dominant identity, while Liddy emerges at random intervals as the secondary identity. Due to Shufen’s dominance and Liddy's intermittent control, Ruoxi's core personality is considered largely dormant. Due to this, little is known about Ruoxi's personality since people rarely have the chance to interact with her.

However, she’s a polite, gentle, taciturn person who savours the tranquil moments in life and struggles with extreme trust issues. She becomes increasingly anxious around new people and has a tendency to lash out violently when she perceives someone as a threat. Initially, she treats unfamiliar people with a mix of ruthlessness and aloofness, but as they earn her trust, she gradually reveals a more empathetic and tender side. Ruoxi is a self-doubting individual who views small talk and trivial conversations as a waste of time. She has a strong aversion to disorganisation, which frustrates her and impairs her ability to think and function effectively. In addition to her disdain for predators, she also has a strong dislike for individuals who heavily rely on luck, viewing it as unpredictable and untrustworthy.

She experiences a range of symptoms including depersonalization, derealization, the inability to recall personal information, mild depressive episodes, suicidal ideation, and night terrors. She feels powerless over her life, plagued by self-criticism and self-sabotaging tendencies. As a result, Ruoxi frequently withdraws herself from others and turns to alcohol to numb her emotional pain. She has maladaptive daydreaming and struggles with feelings of frustration when others see her as pathetic as she knows she's capable of more than they perceive. Despite her deep longing for love, she paradoxically fears intimacy and avoids close relationships, instead seeking attention and validation through safer, more distant means. She’s oblivious to the fact that Shufen and Liddy are the same person as her and is often perplexed as to why people refer to her as Shufen.

Shufen is a surprisingly intimidating Buddhist, despite her innocent appearance, which makes approaching her challenging. However, she finds it amusing that both friends and foes who are unfamiliar with her are afraid of her. She often smiles as a way to unsettle her foes, creating a false sense of security, while also appearing friendly and welcoming to potential friends. She's intelligent, wisecracking, and quick-thinking, using her intellect to outmaneuver enemies, multitask with ease, and trade witty banter and humorous jokes. With unshakeable confidence, she’s supremely self-assured in her intellect, bravery, and skills as a covert agent, never once doubting her own capabilities. She possesses a strong sense of loyalty and camaraderie towards her comrades and loved ones, and she doesn’t tolerate betrayal lightly, seeking fierce retribution when it occurs.

She's a respectful, compassionate, and watchful listener who only speaks when necessary, unless she's in a talkative mood or directly addressed. She values her friendships and excels at offering emotional support and physical comfort, although she sometimes struggles to provide wise advice and deeply empathetic understanding. She takes sadistic glee in tormenting those who disgust her, and shows no mercy towards enemies and traitors, acting with cold-hearted ruthlessness. Shufen has no qualms about employing any psychological tactic to manipulate others and bend them to her will, even if she intends to discard them once they've outlived their usefulness. Despite this, she’s generally a laid-back person who appreciates the simple things in life, and it takes a lot to test her patience and put her in a bad mood.

She has a strong dislike of superficial people, bigots, detrimental mistakes, mindless obedience, and bright lights, the latter causing discomfort in her left eye. Although she tends to be a lone wolf by nature, she’s surprisingly more receptive to teamwork than Gimlet. Whenever she's bored, she has a habit of blurting out random trivia, disturbing questions, and off-colour jokes. Shufen frequently displays unimaginable fearsomeness, yet ironically has submechanophobia, specifically in relation to shipwrecks and destroyed submarines. To her, these remnants represent a disruption of the ocean's natural beauty. The thought of countless lives lost, with their watercraft destroyed either by enemies or the ocean's own power, is deeply disturbing, depressing, and anxiety-inducing.

She views Gimlet as a younger brother and strives to prevent him from making irrational decisions, while offering emotional support and physical comfort. Aware of his unhealthy romantic and sexual fascination with her, she occasionally playfully and seductively teases him about it. Despite lacking parenting skills, she surprisingly excels as a mother figure to Celaphios, fiercely protecting and nurturing her. She's a close friend of Tequila and values their time together, both during missions and off-duty. She sees him as a wise hero and enjoys listening to his stories.

Rumi is another close friend, and she enjoys discussing everything from their daily experiences to their post-mission plans. However, she deeply worries about Rumi's safety, especially when she’s inadvertently sent into battle. She admires Marco's leadership skills, finds his affection for cats endearing, and is inspired by his stoicism. However, she occasionally finds his emotional reserve concerning and is deeply disturbed by his expressions of suicidal ideation. She knows Liddy, but finds her to be annoyingly persistent and self-absorbed with a focus on maintaining a good reputation.

Liddy is a self-described germaphobe and hypochondriac who has a compulsive habit of washing and sanitising her hands frequently, especially after coming into contact with people and surfaces that may be contaminated with germs. She's a hedonist who admires the luxuries of life and indulges in things she deems extravagant and worthy of her time, but only reveals this side of herself when she's not on the battlefield. She's incredibly skilled at getting what she wants through strategic persuasion, using bribery and subtle manipulation to exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of those around her. She’s proudly lesbian and unapologetically open about her identity, but she has zero tolerance for homophobia and isn't afraid to speak out against it.

She possesses a high self-regard that she doesn't outwardly show, but her bold and assertive nature can sometimes come across as overconfident. She’s sensitive to belittling comments from others, which make her feel insignificant. She’s concerned about maintaining a good reputation among her comrades and friends, fearing that she’ll be viewed unfavourably and potentially abandoned. She tends to act impulsively in high-stakes situations and can be impatient when things move too slowly. Nevertheless, Liddy is a kind and compassionate person who delights in socialising and seeking thrilling experiences. She has a childish and affectionate side, but can quickly shift into serious and ruthless mode when the situation demands it.

She's incredibly stubborn, refusing to concede even when retreat would be the wiser option, driven by a hatred of admitting defeat. She despises boasting, hypocrisy, and empty threats, seeing them as signs of weakness. She enthusiastically shares bird facts, light-hearted jokes, and tales from her adventures. Liddy dislikes being confused with Shufen, preferring to stand on her own merits rather than being compared to a skilled tactical spy based on appearance and behaviour. She finds it amusing that Celaphios confuses her with her mother figure, Shufen, but she embraces it because she finds the young Invader Drone to be adorable and innocent.

She shares a fun-loving connection with Nadia, enjoying missions, shopping sprees, and playful antics together, appreciating her silliness and surprising intellect. She views Fio as a scaredy-cat and frequently teases her, often pranking her with insects and creepy crawlies, much to Fio's dismay. This often results in Eri giving her an earful, Marco intimidating her or Tarma politely but firmly telling her off.

Backstory: Ruoxi Adrichem was born on September 18, 1987 in Beira, Mozambique. She grew up in a tough neighborhood where physical assault, rape, break-ins, robbery, poverty, unemployment, and gang activity were commonplace. Her parents are immigrants from the United States who moved to Mozambique for unknown reasons. father, a Dutch-American, was a member of a local street gang, and her mother, a Chinese-American, financially supported his associates. Ruoxi was frequently molested and guilt-tripped by her father, while her mother physically abused her for any sign of defiance or attempts to escape. She was neglected and emotionally abused, leading to a disorganised attachment to her parents. When occasionally allowed outside, she was restricted to the local park, where other children tormented her for being vulnerable and isolated.

After a drunk stranger assaulted her near the park at just 5 years of age, Ruoxi turned to her imagination as a desperate escape from the unrelenting trauma, finding refuge in fantasy and creativity. This event would also awaken her dormant esper abilities, to which she slowly adjusted and practiced in secret, hiding her progress from her parents. She spent most of her days indoors, where she pursued her hobbies, crafting origami animals and flowers, creating personalised scrapbooks, and honing her skills in magic tricks. Origami, scrapbooking, magic tricks, and daydreaming became her forms of escapism, offering a way to find happiness and momentarily block out the trauma that had become her reality.

After turning 6, she experienced a revelation dream that revealed her esper title, sparking a newfound sense of self-assurance and a desire to enact revenge on her parents. A few months later, once she was confident enough to use her abilities, she forced her parents to confront a manifestation of their conscience before brutally murdering them via shadow manipulation. Following her actions, she grappled with intense feelings of remorse and self-reproach, leading her to hesitate using her abilities against others unless absolutely necessary.

She had finally found freedom, but it was short-lived. Her father's gang soon got involved and kidnapped her. Despite their actions, they refrained from harming her, fearing her esper abilities and status. This fear stemmed from a previous incident where she had forced one member to confront their inner demons and shattered another member's sense of self. They decided to put her up for sale on the black market, desperate to pay off their debts to drug suppliers and weapon traffickers. Ruoxi’s fate was to be sold into human trafficking, transported to a notorious red-light district in Hong Kong. She was exploited by those who would take advantage of her, and her pimp would exert power over her through coercive and abusive means on a regular basis. She would spiral into alcoholism and escape into daydreams as reality became overwhelming.

To cope with the trauma, she dissociated and developed two distinct alter egos. Shufen Wei Du embodied her confident and assertive side, allowing her to confront those who had hurt her and others, while also embracing a more carefree and open approach to life, leveraging her street smarts and academic intellect. In contrast, Lydia Muyskens, also known as Liddy, represented a childlike innocence lost too soon, but now tinged with a deep-seated fear of contamination, manifesting as germophobia and compulsive hand-washing.

When experiencing a dissociative episode as Shufen, she utilised stealth and extreme measures to break free from her captors. For the next couple of years, she survived on the streets, relying on her cunning wit, stealth skills, and intimidating presence to get what she needed and command fear from others. During this time, Ruoxi’s core personality became largely dormant, while Shufen emerged as the dominant alter ego with Liddy occasionally surfacing to assert her intermittent control.

As Shufen's influence expanded, she embraced Buddhist teachings, cultivated an appreciation for life's simple joys, and explored new intellectual pursuits in neuropsychology and cryptography. Shufen would teach herself to speak Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swahili, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, and Dutch. In contrast, Liddy revelled in a life of hedonism, stealing luxury goods, cultivating a thrill-seeking attitude, and prowling through high-end shops that caught her eye. Liddy would also develop a deep fascination with birds and begin exploring her sexual identity.

People fearfully referred to her as "Red Eye”, a nickname that Shufen herself adopted because of its ominous tone, which she liked. The Regular Army had heard rumours of a young esper roaming Hong Kong and were determined to find her. After saving a group of urban troops battling a terrorist group in her Super Devil form, the Regular Army discovered her identity as the elusive Hong Kong esper. Recognizing her potential, they welcomed her into their orphan program at the age of 12. They provided her with comprehensive support, including therapy, nutrition, clothing, and secure accommodations in Mauritius, while fostering personal growth by encouraging each personality to explore diverse interests, such as parkour and ornithology. The Regular Army aided in fostering new skills in each personality, such as interrogation techniques for Ruoxi and safecracking for Liddy, as they aimed to mould her into a formidable tactical spy.

By age 19, she was accepted into the Intelligence Agency, where her covert agent skills flourished, distinguishing her from her peers and culminating in her promotion to warrant officer. She has successfully completed numerous missions, earning a reputation that inspires awe and strikes fear into the hearts of her comrades and adversaries.

She had heard numerous stories about Tequila and aspired to emulate his excellence as a covert agent. At 21, she crossed paths with him while supporting his mission against a corrupt French regime that sought to commit genocide against people of colour. Following a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro, where she taught him to play the banhu, they formed a strong bond. However, Tequila found it challenging to connect with Ruoxi due to her anxiety around unfamiliar individuals. Initially, he was hesitant to befriend Liddy, perceiving her as immature and materialistic. Nevertheless, after a birdwatching excursion in Sri Lanka, he warmed up to her and they became friends. Following the dismantling of a rogue military organisation that had collaborated with the Pipovulaj Army for nefarious purposes, the Intelligence Agency established the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. unit, appointing her and Tequila as its founding members.

Sometime after Tequila befriended Donald Morden, Red Eye met Morden when he visited the Intelligence Division to personally meet her, whom Tequila had fondly told him about. At the time, they were decent friends, and she accompanied him on a couple of missions, impressed by his charisma and firm respect towards his soldiers.

Three years prior to the Arms Deal Barrage, Red Eye encountered Rumi stranded on the battlefield in Arizona, carrying a bag full of supplies for her team. She rescued Rumi from a sinking submarine, but at the cost of watching the others drown and burn to death, which would later develop into submechanophobia. Out of gratitude, Rumi repaid Red Eye by gifting her the E-Armour, a newly produced bulletproof vest designed to withstand the kinetic energy of tank blasts. Over a cup of herbal tea at a pleasant cafe in Gerhardt City, Red Eye and Rumi bonded and became surprisingly good friends.

Red Eye would occasionally observe Gimlet from afar, and Tequila would often fill her in on his latest antics. Due to her demanding schedule of covert operations, she hadn't had the chance to meet Gimlet until just a year before the Arms Deal Barrage. When they finally met, they spent hours discussing their hopes for the future, sharing stories of past missions, and enjoying laughs together over drinks. This encounter sparked a strong bond, and Red Eye came to regard Gimlet as a younger brother. Ruoxi would frequently avoid Gimlet due to the bad vibes she got from him. In contrast, Liddy would often coax him into joining her on thrill-seeking adventures, and they would get into mischief together.

She met Marco, Eri, Tarma, and Fio a couple of years after the Arms Deal Barrage and befriended them, drawn to their intriguing dynamic as a team of eccentric soldiers. Red Eye became Marco's second best friend after he stepped out of his comfort zone to connect with others in the Regular Army, bonding with her over shared laughs, despite his signature awkwardness. Liddy discovered Fio's limitations as a fighter and her intense fear of bugs, often teasing her until Eri intervened with verbal aggression. Initially, Ruoxi took time to warm up to the group, but Tarma's calm demeanour, Marco's gentle nature, Eri's empathy, and Fio's kind-hearted politeness helped her open up faster than usual.

Two years after the Central Park bombing, Red Eye began dating Colonel Tender, having developed a strong emotional connection with him after he helped her in a previous mission. They had rescued hostages from an unethical laboratory involved in illegal weaponry and human experiments. Initially, they were on good terms, but their relationship took a dark turn. While Ruoxi was practicing her mentalism, Colonel Tender revealed his true nature and attempted to murder her out of jealousy, driven by his longstanding desire to surpass her exceptional covert skills and eliminate the obstacle standing in the way of his own success. This traumatic event triggered her dissociation, and she switched to Red Eye. Red Eye was appalled by his actions and fought back against him, successfully defending herself. However, he fled the next day, stealing sensitive Regular Army documents on special operations and weapons, and defected to the Rebel Army.

During the Great Morden War, Red Eye captured Colonel Tender on a moving freight train after he attempted to push her off and escape. Cornered, he begged for forgiveness, kneeling before her and apologising for his betrayal of the Regular Army and the pain he caused her. However, Red Eye, unforgiving, snapped his neck and then shot him in the heart to ensure his demise. Later, when captured by Rebel Army forces and subjected to brutal torture, General Morden promised her that she would serve a greater purpose in an enhanced form, just like Tequila and Gimlet. Following her execution in front of Marco and Tarma, her body was sent to Doctor Amadeus, who revived her as a semi-clone of Fio, drastically altering her existence.

Reworked Character #12: General Morden

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, alcoholism, and torture.

Real name: Donald Humphrei Morden IV

Aliases: Devil Rebirth and Your Excellency

Occupation: General of the Rebel Army, Vice Admiral of the Marine Corps (formerly), Tactical Commander for the Intelligence Agency (formerly), Commander of the Middle Eastern Garrison (formerly), and Field Marshal of the European Garrison (formerly)

Retirement plans: Buy a secluded tropical island, build a cottage in the northern forests of New Brunswick, and raise more exotic pets

Special skills: Political science, strategic negotiation, planning for ambushes and tactical assaults, sniping with heavyweight firearms, and the ability to craft persuasive messages and distort reality

Hobbies: Reading classical poetry and Shakespearean plays, playing complex piano compositions, studying geopolitical events, building wooden cabins, and hunting

Likes: Forested landscapes, his remaining family, the fearless devotion of his army, finishing things straight to the end, and smoking Cuban cigars before leading off to a battle

Dislikes: Ignorance, objectivity, people with no ambitions, governmental and military corruption, and a lack of proper etiquette and table manners

Favourite food: Creamed salmon spaghetti and maple walnut ice cream

Favourite drink: Scotch whisky

Sexuality: Heteroromantic sapiosexual

Gender: Male

Age: 49 (in 2022), 55 (in 2028), 57 (in 2030), 59 (in 2032), 61 (in 2034), 68 (in 2041), 70 (in 2043), 71 (in 2044), and 74 (in 2047)

Blood type: AB+

Weight: 249 lbs. (113 kg)

Design: He’s a 6’ 5” (195.58 cm) Canadian mesomorph with a chiselled musculature, an upside-down trapezoidal chest, and broad shoulders. He has limestone skin (it was once a rose beige), a cleft chin, a brownish mole on the left side of his nose bridge, sparkling sapphire blue eyes with flecks of blood red, and bushy eyebrows. He has wrinkles on his face, characterised by forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, and nasolabial folds. He has neatly trimmed, chin-length caramel blonde hair with sideburns, a bushy, lampshade-style moustache, and an encircling band of silver-grey in the centre. As Morden is now officially a cyborg, he possesses a revolutionary self-resurrection mechanism. A rhombic dodecahedron microchip embedded in his spine springs into action whenever his vital systems fail. The chip emits a low humming frequency and flashes a cyclical pattern of blue, white, and red for precisely 50 seconds. After this brief interval, he awakens in a newly prepared cyborg body, fully restored and ready for reactivation.

His right eye has been brutally gouged out, which is indicated by the heavy scarring from six stab wounds. This would be replaced by a cutting-edge, cybernetic implant, expertly crafted by the Amadeus Syndicate. The cybernetic orb's sclera has a dark, polished chrome finish, adorned with crimson micro-circuits that mimicked the appearance of veins. At its centre, a pupilless blue-grey iris radiates a soft, luminescent glow. When it transitions to a fiery amber, its intensified brilliance signals heightened alertness and strategic recalibration. Equipped with cutting-edge scanning and data-processing capabilities, this cybernetic implant enables visual recall of critical information, threat detection, and instant recognition of key objects and individuals for future reference.

General Morden wears a pair of rusty orange boxer briefs, a glossy black eyepatch over his cybernetic right eye, and a Persian indigo armband on his left arm, adorned with the insignia of the Rebel Army. He wears a feldgrau military beret, distinguished by a scarlet band with white piping and an embroidered emblem featuring a black dragon's head swallowing a winged gold sword. He wears a white dress shirt and gloves, a flame-coloured tie, a metal dog tag necklace with his name, and a brownish-black leather belt secured with a gilded snap-on buckle. His shoulders are draped with a long brownish-black coat featuring cuffs edged with scarlet piping, golden maple leaf clasps linked by a chain, a Persian indigo, and a prominent fur collar dyed a pinkish-orange. He wears feldgrau army cargo pants, tucked into black combat boots with spike soles and lined with coyote fur. He wears a feldgrau military coat featuring a left-side white aiguillette, two breast pockets, and a scalloped rear vent with flap pockets. It also features scarlet cuffs and a turned collar with Persian indigo piping, gilt-brass buttons, and golden shoulder boards adorned with two vertical white stripes.

He wears five badges: a black bar with two vertical golden stripes and a horizontal white stripe above his left breast pocket; a gilded skull with draconic wings on the pocket flap; a silver circle with a scarlet X on a white-edged red-orange ribbon and a gilt-brass roaring dragon's head on an ultramarine ribbon, both on his left breast pocket; and a gilded six-pointed star with a scarlet-edged white circle hung on a jade ribbon, secured with a gold clip on his right breast pocket. Morden's belt supports a sheath for his combat knife and a secure strap for his military baton, featuring a white elephant ivory shaft, a scarlet velvet-wrapped grip, and flat-topped gilt-brass end caps, each set with 12 circular rubies.

He wears a drop leg holster for his Chiappa Rhino 40DS revolver and a black bandolier, slung over his left shoulder, holding .357 Magnum cartridges for the firearm. His military coat pockets contain a rose gold lighter, keys to his personal Space Tank, and a treasured photograph of his late family. The pockets of his army cargo pants carry around a pack of Cuban cigars, the Ajirabian Teardrop, a copper-hued flask of Scotch whisky, and a walkie-talkie. He wields an M20 rocket launcher, designed with a leather shoulder strap and featuring an olive green, tan, and dark grey camouflage pattern, which fires anti-tank missiles.

Morden owns the greyish-green Space Tank, a floating tank saucer emblazoned with the Rebel Army insignia on its front. Constructed as a birthday gift and token of allegiance by loyal Rebel Army members and the Pipovulaj Army, this vehicle incorporates advanced Martian and Tuatha Dé Danann technology. The Space Tank's upper body bears a striking resemblance to the Dai-Manji, while its dark grey chassis is reminiscent of the Nop-03 Sarubia's. The tank boasts extremely thick armour, a silver antenna protruding from its left side, and a gold-painted rim accented with a scarlet edge. Primarily serving as his personal transportation, the Space Tank can also be deployed on the battlefield when necessary. It features a built-in metallic blue cannon that can only be activated by inserting the Ajirabian Teardrop into a designated slot within the tank. This action opens the front compartment, revealing a cannon reminiscent of the Denturion's, and enables Morden to harness the powers of the Ajirabian Teardrop.

Character summary: Previously, General Morden was a compassionate, dependable, and reliable leader who deeply valued the lives of every soldier under his command. However, the tragic loss of his family, exacerbated by the government's and military's corruption and culpable inaction, ignited a desire for vengeance. He seeks to topple an unjust system, even if it requires dismantling all governmental powers. His vision for the New World involves unifying warring nations under a rigid, authoritarian regime, achieved by overthrowing the Earth Federation and eliminating its allies through forced assimilation and strategic neutralisation. Despite being a charismatic and adaptable leader with a strong sense of justice, he ultimately descended into ruthlessness and megalomania, becoming a bumbling madman. Upon encountering his enemies, he frequently erupts into mocking laughter, regarding them as feeble-minded and ignorant foes. Nonetheless, even in the face of humiliation and defeat, Morden’s dignity, charisma, and commanding skill always remains the same.

Despite being an atrocious person who comes across as mean and cold, he’s surprisingly sweet and kind, especially towards those who support his ambition, work alongside him or are part of his family lineage. He's a tough, efficient, and introspective individual who can be demanding of his soldiers, yet he feels genuine empathy and understanding for his troops. Although he's prone to frustration when missions don't go as planned, he never gives up. Despite the challenges, he consistently demonstrates resilience and determination, always pushing forward to achieve his objectives. General Morden is a man full of pride, often boasting about his greatest feats on the battlefield. Depending on the situation, he'll abandon his position behind the battle lines and fearlessly charge into combat. He lives by a personal code of honour that prioritises restraint, avoiding unnecessary violence whenever possible. He isn't afraid to make sacrifices when necessary and occasionally spares or even helps civilians, showing a glimmer of empathy beyond his military duties.

He's an exceptionally intelligent and cunning strategist, always thinking several steps ahead of his adversaries. A skilled manipulator, he expertly entices others to do his bidding through false promises and strategic persuasion. However, he's highly resistant to manipulation himself, and his sharp wit and worldly wisdom makes him immune to naivety. If he discovers someone attempting to deceive him, he'll confront them directly and give them a nasty glare that conveys a clear message: he sees through their ruse, and denial will only worsen their situation. When he's drunk, he becomes sorrowful, careless, and overly attached around Sagan and Logan, grows increasingly agitated, and frequently mumbles incoherently and gazes blankly upwards.

He's a melancholic, cautious, headstrong, sophisticated individual who's fairly merciful to his subordinates and skilled at evading capture. He indulges in the luxuries of life, surrounding himself with wealth, yet harbours a lesser-known artistic passion for playing the piano. Loyalty and camaraderie are paramount to him, but betrayal from within the Rebel Army is an unforgivable offence. Morden’s intolerance for failure is absolute; those who deliberately falter face severe punishment or elimination. His ego is easily bruised by ridicule or underestimation from his enemies, threatening his self-image as a fearless warrior and exceptional leader. He has no qualms about torturing and executing enemies and traitors, whether publicly or privately, and considers advancements in military technology to be essential to achieving his objectives.

He struggles with mild alcoholism as a coping mechanism for the loss of his family, borderline personality disorder, dyscalculia, trypophobia triggered by honeycombs and decaying flesh, and the fear of dying a dishonourable and gruesome death. He views domestic cats as a far cry from their majestic ancestors and larger wild relatives, often going so far as to forcefully shoo them away. Although capable of aggression and violence, he usually maintains a calculating, serious, and calm demeanour. However, beneath his surface lies a volatile temper that periodically ignites into explosive outbursts when overwhelmed by intense feelings of rage, shame, and self-loathing. Despite his resolute ambition, he secretly grapples with the moral implications of his actions. His doubts are ever-present, but he consistently prioritises his goals over his conscience. His courage falters only when faced with extremely bleak circumstances or painful reminders of his family's tragic loss.

He generally tolerates his troops' actions against external parties, but draws a firm line when it comes to harming their own comrades. He's a strict disciplinarian, swiftly addressing conflicts and misconduct amongst his ranks. When issues arise, he demands accountability, forcing the offending soldier or group to apologise, backing this demand with the threat of demotion or public embarrassment. He views the Rebel Army as a surrogate family and enjoys celebrating victories and spending downtime with them. He cherishes Allen's friendship, appreciating him as a trusted companion for casual nights out and lively conversations, but Allen's impulsivity and relentless drive for action often test his patience. He feels a pang of jealousy towards Allen, which he keeps secret, because Allen's family is still alive, whereas his own family is either deceased or estranged.

He gets along well with Doctor Amadeus, who demonstrates genuine interest in his cause and the technological advancement of the Rebel Army. Although he admires her genius-level intellect, finding it captivating and beautiful, he’s sometimes intimidated by her calculating and enigmatic nature. He secretly harbours a deep-seated fear of Rootmars, knowing she has the power to effortlessly crush him and his army if he incurs her wrath. Despite this, he holds Rootmars in high esteem, admiring her leadership skills and formidable reputation, even if their visions for the New World greatly differ. He regards Ptolemaios with skepticism, stemming from his disdain for cults and religious extremism, compounded by their past confrontation during the Arms Deal Barrage. Additionally, Ptolemaios' reluctance to engage directly on the battlefield raises concerns. Nevertheless, he acknowledges his exceptional wisdom and deeply respects his unwavering commitment to leading the Ptolemaic Army.

He’s fiercely devoted to his younger cousins, Sagan and Logan, the only family members he remains in contact with, and will stop at nothing to ensure their safety and happiness. He’s extremely protective of Sagan and Logan, treating them like his own children. He goes out of his way to safeguard them, swiftly and aggressively defending them against anyone who poses a threat, causes harm or violates their personal boundaries. However, when Sagan and Logan disagree or get physical with each other, General Morden calmly intervenes, resolving their conflicts with a gentle yet firm, understanding, and patient approach. He has zero tolerance for Sagan's habits of casually issuing death threats and making crude remarks about her comrades, whether jokingly or seriously. He also dislikes how Logan occasionally disregards Sagan's wishes, intentionally doing things she's explicitly forbidden, which often escalates into heated arguments or fights. Furthermore, Logan's tendency to engage in physical altercations with comrades and getting disoriented when exploring the wilderness consistently gets under his skin.

Morden and Tequila were once inseparable friends, sharing stories of their lives over drinks and exploring exotic destinations that Tequila had always wanted to visit. He deeply admired Tequila's worldly wisdom, courage, and profound insight into the human condition. However, their bond was severed when Morden's lust for global domination took hold, driving Tequila away and forcing him to turn against his former friend. The betrayal left a bitter taste in Morden's mouth, a painful reminder of the friendship he had lost. He has a deep-seated hatred for Marco and Tarma, as they foiled his nearly successful plan to achieve his vision of a New World during the Great Morden War. He especially despises Marco, who gouged out his eye at the end of the Great Morden War and played a role in getting the original Sagan killed during the Martian-Rebel Alliance War.

Backstory: Donald Oghma Morden IV was born on January 24, 1973 in New Brunswick, Canada. He hails from a long lineage of hunters, courageous soldiers, militant commanders, esteemed politicians, and wealthy businessmen. However, whispers abound that he's the direct descendant of a legendary Tuatha Dé Danann sovereign, fabled to have played a pivotal role in the downfall of Atlantis. The Morden name originates from a British family that served as royal advisors, food merchants, and nobles in the 19th century. Although they were of British origin, they resided in Germany, specifically within the Fortress of Königsdrache. From this strategic location, they exerted significant influence on the country's politics and military affairs. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Mordens distinguished themselves as exceptional leaders and skilled soldiers, renowned for their strategic intellect rather than brute force.

He was born into a large, middle-class Canadian family, being the sixth of eight children with three older brothers, an older sister, and a younger brother and sister. His siblings, from oldest to youngest, are Edmund, a successful woodcutting industry businessman; Quentin; Timothy, a Private in the Eurasian Garrison; Kourtney; Reynold; and Vanessa, a supervisor in food packaging manufacturing. His grandfather, Donald Humphrei Morden III, was a seasoned, worldly-wise veteran who retired after the birth of his fifth grandchild and subsequently pursued a career in hunting and sustainable meat production. His father, a Corporal in the North American Garrison, was known for his adventurous and carefree spirit. His mother, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps, balanced stern discipline with tender affection. Due to their demanding military careers, his parents had limited time with him and his six siblings, relying on his grandfather to provide regular care and support.

Although Morden keeps his childhood private, a few details have emerged. Remarkably, all of his siblings demonstrated exceptional intelligence, but Morden's rapid development surpassed them all. This stirred jealousy among his older siblings, who admired his swift intellectual growth, while his younger siblings looked up to him in awe. Despite this, he was incredibly close to his siblings, sharing countless hours exploring the nearby woods and enjoying board games together. Donald III taught Morden entrepreneurship basics, war history, and practical skills like hunting, wood-chopping, and shelter-building. Whenever his mother was home on leave, she would delight him with piano music, fostering a deep love for the instrument. At just 7 months, he spoke his first word: "papa”. Between ages 2 and 5, he demonstrated remarkable autodidactic abilities, exploring diverse subjects that he grasped with ease, including sociology and legal theory. By age 6, he had become a budding piano prodigy and began reading Shakespearean plays and sonnets.

At the age of 7, Quentin was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, a condition prevalent in the Morden family. Tragedy struck again a year later when Reynold went missing during a nature walk, and his father was fatally shot in combat. Six months later, he stumbled upon Reynold's mutilated, rotting corpse, infested with maggots and covered in fungal growth. The gruesome sight triggered his trypophobia, and ever since, the image of honeycombs infested with bees and decaying matter would evoke unsettling memories of that incident. Before Morden turned 10, Quentin died from health complications. Just a month later, his mother was tragically killed in an unexpected airstrike ambush. At age 12, Donald III mercy-killed Kourtney, who suffered from multiple sclerosis and debilitating complications following numerous surgeries that severely impacted her health and mobility.

As Donald III struggled with a terminal brain tumour, he made the difficult decision to place Morden and Vanessa into the Regular Army's orphan program to ensure their care. Meanwhile, Edmund relocated to Saskatchewan with Timothy, seeking a fresh start and a brighter future for the two. The series of tragic losses had left the family fractured, and Donald's remaining siblings lacked the emotional resilience to keep the family together. Morden felt deeply abandoned and betrayed as Edmund and Timothy departed, leaving their dying grandfather and younger siblings behind. Vanessa, overwhelmed by grief, deliberately distanced herself from Morden. In contrast, the Regular Army provided Morden and his younger sister with stability and support, covering their essential needs. He wondered if he had more relatives and set out to find additional family members while balancing his education, but eventually abandoned his search when he couldn't locate any direct blood relatives.

He met his future wife, Penelope, in grade 11 and began dating her, forming a strong romantic connection. After graduating at the top of his high school class with highest grades, Honour Roll distinction, and six prestigious awards (five scholarships and one bursary), he went on to study geopolitics, jurisprudence, and Marxist sociology at university. At 22, he married his high school sweetheart in a shotgun wedding after learning she was pregnant with their daughter, Dorothy. Three years later, they welcomed their son, Lawrence.

After graduating at the top of his class from university, he relocated to Riyadh and enlisted in the Regular Army Marine Corps. His exceptional leadership skills and tactical expertise propelled him to attain the rank of Vice Admiral. He then assumed roles as Tactical Commander for the Intelligence Agency and Commander of the Middle Eastern Garrison. Following his transfer to Cumbria in North West England, he was reassigned to the European Garrison, where he achieved the esteemed rank of Field Marshal. During his time in the military, he earned a reputation as being a tough, efficient, and caring officer of the Regular Army, and is held in high regard by his troops as he treated them with equal amounts of respect. He was also known for being a devoted and compassionate father to Dorothy and Lawrence, and a loving and supportive husband.

After Morden joined the Regular Army, Sagan and Logan became aware of his existence due to his impressive reputation and some family photographs their father had received from Edmund. Intrigued, they were surprised to learn they had an older cousin. Eager to connect, they decided to arrange a meeting with him. They sent Morden a letter inviting him to meet with them in Bavaria, where the Fortress of Königsdrache is located. When Morden travelled to the location, he met Sagan and Logan, and they had a warm and engaging conversation, getting to know each other and finally uniting as family. Alongside Sagan, Logan, and other key figures in the Arms Deal Barrage, he would learn about the Regular Army's deep-seated corruption, but he kept it a secret.

In 2023, during a trip to Ottawa, the Central Park bombing shook the city, claiming the lives of many innocent victims, including Penelope, Dorothy, and Lawrence. Having survived the devastating attack, Morden discovered that it was allegedly linked to an intelligence failure within the Regular Army and widespread corruption within the government and military at the time. After relying on alcohol to cope with his sadness and anger, he resigned from the Regular Army, retreated from public view, and began secretly planning a rebellion. Many loyal followers from his Regular Army days chose to stand by him, and with the support of Sagan, Logan, and his most trusted soldier, Allen O'Neil, he initiated plans for a coup aimed at rooting out corruption within the government and military.

He assumed the rank of General and formed the Rebel Army, drawing support from disillusioned Regular Army personnel and multiple radical organisations sympathetic to his ideology. During his time building up the Rebel Army, Sagan and Logan transferred ownership rights of the Fortress of Königsdrache to General Morden. As the last remaining Armitage family members, Sagan and Logan originally inherited the Fortress of Königsdrache, but chose to bestow it upon General Morden as a token of gratitude and respect. Morden was also gifted six exotic pets by his most loyal men: a serval named Othello, a Burmese python named Sycorax, a blotched blue-tongued skink named Troilus, an African grey parrot named Cymbeline, a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog named Banquo, and a capybara named Desdemona.

His mental state deteriorating, he amassed power and resources for a large-scale offensive. In 2026, Morden initiated his coup d'état, seeking to dismantle the Earth Federation and its alliances and establish global dominance. The Rebel Army, led by General Morden, swiftly defeated the Regular Army and seized control of all major cities worldwide within 170 hours. Upon receiving intel from Madoka that the Regular Army had begun mass-producing the SV-001, codenamed "Metal Slug”, following successful testing, Morden launched a strategic attack. His objective was to destroy the factories manufacturing the SV-001 and capture the units already built.

Upon learning of Morden's betrayal, his ruthlessness, and his remarkably swift coup d'état, as well as the destruction of the SV-001 factories, the US President declared him as the reincarnation of the devil. He would be responsible for brutally executing Tequila, Gimlet, and Red Eye in front of Marco and Tarma, shooting them in the head with his Chiappa Rhino 40DS revolver. Before the execution, he gruesomely gouged out Marco's left eye and then ordered Allen O'Neil to sever his left arm.

In the final showdown of the Great Morden War, Marco gruesomely gouged out General Morden's eye, avenging the torture he and Tarma endured and the execution of his comrades and friends. The Great Morden War served as a stark wake-up call for the Regular Army, prompting a significant shift in their approach to counterterrorism. In the aftermath of the war, the Regular Army began to take terrorist threats with utmost seriousness, reevaluating their strategies and protocols to prevent future attacks.

After escaping imprisonment with support from the Rebel Army and Pipovulaj Army, he secretly allied with Doctor Amadeus to exploit her knowledge of Tuatha Dé Danann technology and bioweapon development. This alliance would pave the way for the mass production of specialised cyborgs, the creation of Wysteria, the revival of Tequila, Gimlet, and Red Eye, and the development of terrifying creations such as the Flying Killers and Mutated Soldiers. He planned to utilise Wysteria as the ultimate bioweapon to achieve global dominance, and deploy Tequila, Gimlet, and Red Eye as super soldiers to serve the interests of the Rebel Army and Amadeus Syndicate.

When he formed an alliance with Doctor Amadeus, she gifted him a canine experiment named Enobarbus, who could breathe fire, as a sign of respect. This is made possible by the dog's salivary glands, which produce enzymes that generate heat and flames when they react to oxygen. This canine experiment is a 8’ 1” (246.38 cm) burly wolf with razor-sharp silver-grey teeth, prominent fangs, glowing amber eyes, and a thick Prussian blue coat that gradually transitions to a watery blue and pure white at the ears, paws, and tail tip.

Blue neocardinia shrimp 💙

MY LITTLE HOBBY :)

Active duty

Designer Max Cyr [IG, Ravelry].

Sweater’s page on Rav.

Size: M. My bust circumference is 92cm / 36in.

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Duo. DK. 55% / 45% merino / cotton, 124 m (113 yards) / 50g. MC - 212 (brown), CC - 2564 (yellow).

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7, 4mm / US 6 (for ribbing).

Gauge: 24 sts & 25 rounds = 10cm / 4in in colorwork stockinette in the round.

Yardage: MC - 681m / 623 yards, CC - 496m / 454yards.

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Top down seamless sweater with raglan construction.

With a height of 160 cm I worked: rounds 1-61 of the body chart + ribbing; rounds 1-75 of sleeves chart + ribbing After 75th round I had 60 sts per sleeve -> next round with decreases -> 56 sts in total for ribbing.

Body length (front center, from collar) 53.5 cm / 21.1 in; Sleeve length (from collar) 65.5 cm / 25.8 in.

Active duty

Designer Max Cyr [IG, Ravelry].

Sweater’s page on Rav.

Size: M. My bust circumference is 92cm / 36in.

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Duo. DK. 55% / 45% merino / cotton, 124 m (113 yards) / 50g. MC - 212 (brown), CC - 2564 (yellow).

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7, 4mm / US 6 (for ribbing).

Gauge: 24 sts & 25 rounds = 10cm / 4in in colorwork stockinette in the round.

Yardage: MC - 681m / 623 yards, CC - 496m / 454yards.

---------------------------------------

Top down seamless sweater with raglan construction.

With a height of 160 cm I worked: rounds 1-61 of the body chart + ribbing; rounds 1-75 of sleeves chart + ribbing After 75th round I had 60 sts per sleeve -> next round with decreases -> 56 sts in total for ribbing.

Body length (front center, from collar) 53.5 cm / 21.1 in; Sleeve length (from collar) 65.5 cm / 25.8 in.

Active duty

Designer Max Cyr [IG, Ravelry].

Sweater’s page on Rav.

Size: M. My bust circumference is 92cm / 36in.

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Duo. DK. 55% / 45% merino / cotton, 124 m (113 yards) / 50g. MC - 212 (brown), CC - 2564 (yellow).

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7, 4mm / US 6 (for ribbing).

Gauge: 24 sts & 25 rounds = 10cm / 4in in colorwork stockinette in the round.

Yardage: MC - 681m / 623 yards, CC - 496m / 454yards.

---------------------------------------

Top down seamless sweater with raglan construction.

With a height of 160 cm I worked: rounds 1-61 of the body chart + ribbing; rounds 1-75 of sleeves chart + ribbing After 75th round I had 60 sts per sleeve -> next round with decreases -> 56 sts in total for ribbing.

Body length (front center, from collar) 53.5 cm / 21.1 in; Sleeve length (from collar) 65.5 cm / 25.8 in.

E mais prática... #nofilter #acrylicpainting #corfix #staedler #hobby (at Guarulhos) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfxxfaYs0lk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Let’s Cover the World With Glitter and Pearls

https://www.redbubble.com/i/backpack/Marble-Angelfish-by-Moopichino/62010387.K1KHE?asc=u

My third attempt at a Victorian/Edwardian look. I particularly like the blouse and even found this beautiful little broach to add at the top of my collar.

Every now again I just randomly upgrade my art style by 100.

So, uh, appreciate Von Steuben, but drawn well.

Low quality picture, but you get the point.

I swear it looks nicer in person, I'll upload a good pic LATER❤️❤️❤️❤️

We love procrastinating around here. That's why I'm failing math.

Don’t mind me

Introductions!

Namaste wonderful souls, families, nature lovers, and dear readers. My name is Somaly. I am from Cambodia. I live in Australia. I value education, personal aspirations, and self-developments. I have enjoyed learning different aspects in my life.

I love to share my experiences, memories, and learning new ways to be creative. I have been working in the education sector almost 15 years. I love growing plants, lifestyle to be self-sustainable and the simple life. I love flowers and animals especially wild birds. Yoga, crystals, and spiritual things also mean to me.

Icie teaches me English, music, art, beauty.

Now, I work on building my own personal brand and expend my passions on creativities. I love to create more flexible and freedom lifestyle in future. You can find me on Facebook Page: (So&Jo better lifestyle, So&Jo Fairy Garden, and So&Jo Khmer-Australia life), YouTube (So&Jo better lifestyle, So&Jo Fairy Garden, and So&Jo Khmer-Australia life), and Blog(So&Jo Khmer-Australia life, and Yin and Yang lifestyle). If you would like to get to know about me, here is my personal blog address: soandjostories.blogspot.com

Kumusta friends! I’m Icie, originally from the Philippines but moved to Australia a long time ago. I value my love of anything that can be done indoors, education (particularly self-studying) and self-development.

I love to share and talk about the things that I love: anime, games (video, board, card, word), binge watching, movies food, art, events, music, languages, fashion, reading, writing stories and trying out new things. I am they/them, atheist (but maybe I love paganism) and have ADD. Plants and animals tether me especially cats, so does Kundalini Yoga.

Now, I am working on staying still at my current job because I have been so many things and I haven’t settled down: call-centre agent, copy writer, professional artisan baker, librarian and now kindy teacher. I don’t have a brand, but I want to help Somaly expand hers.

Somaly teaches me about gardening, mindfulness, sustainability and getting out of my house.

We created Yin and Yang lifestyle in 2024 because it benefits our lives. It’s about enjoying everything around you, be it geared towards feminine things or masculine things. Mindfulness is our main focus and we would like to share our journey to people who are willing to stop, look, and listen. And if you like our journey, we hope it benefits you.

This is our logo because we talk about the yin and yang philosophy. We are (technically) both women and this logo represents our personalities: sometimes, one of us is more feminine than the other and the other one is more masculine and that’s ok. Yin and Yang is in everyone and we spend time together despite our differences. This made us better people as we work together, always aspiring towards the same goal.

Thank you for being part of our community. Thanks for the likes, comments, share, reblog, and follows!