[ooc] character info
Player's Name: Mei
Player LJ: biverbal
AIM or Email: biverbal | biverbal[at]gmail[dot]com
Timezone: EST
Other Characters Played: None.
Character: Axel (aka VIII, Flurry of Dancing Flames)
Series/Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Original or Template version: Template
Age: His precise chronological age is unknown, but he looks to be roughly in his twenties.
Gender: Male
Species: Nobody replica, i.e. a humanoid replica without a heart.
Sexuality: Bisexual.
Housing: Noble Street, Patonce House, Upper Cove
Marked?: Yes; crown near his left shoulder blade
Appearance: Axel is probably among the taller members of the Organization, though his height does nothing to draw attention away from how thin he is. Add those to a light frame, and it becomes apparent why many mistakenly think he has some kind of eating disorder. But looks are especially deceptive when it comes to Axel, as those who've witnessed his speed and strength in battle can attest to.
The rest of his appearance, however, is more of the "what you see is what you get" variety. Vivid crimson hair falls in a spiky mane to slightly below his shoulders, the fiery hue complementing his faintly tanned skin. It also contrasts the black leather of the Organization's uniform: an ankle-length black, hooded cloak with black gloves and boots. Hidden by this ensemble are two markings, almost brands - a small Nobody emblem on his chest and "VIII" around his upper right arm. Like naturally created Nobodies, he does not have a heartbeat; instead, there's a very very faint ticking sound like that of a clock coming from where his heart should be.
His face is somewhat vulpine, the features sharp but not imposing. As devious as he may look with his green eyes and the teardrop-shaped markings below them, Axel is quite capable of other expressions as innocent and casual as that of anyone with a heart. A wink there, a smile here…
But like the man himself, those too are often double-edged.
Personality: Let it be noted from the very beginning that Axel is not a nice person by any stretch of the imagination - at least not truly and certainly not to the common masses. Arrogant and cocky, he's what many people consider to be a bastard. Almost everything he says or does is without consideration for the feelings (or lack thereof) of others. Whether it's an openly sarcastic remark or just a seemingly innocent statement, he couldn't care less if another is hurt by it as long as he's entertained.
However, this is not to say he is as reckless in his speech and actions as he gives the appearance of being. One could say it is actually an indicator of just how little he thinks of things like morals and social restraints. Axel has no problem with manipulating people and situations for his own ends, and it goes without saying he is hardly the trustworthy sort. Being without a heart and thus without emotions means he bases his behavior off his thoughts and desires rather than what he feels. Even though the latter fuels some of his more impulsive actions, the former is what makes Axel a schemer to be reckoned with. Regardless of his informality with words, he actually takes great care not to let people know more about his intentions than he believes necessary. But at the same time, he delights in pushing the boundaries and bending rules to their full extent - often for no other reason than wanting to see how far he can go before he gets caught and into trouble.
Yet the more benign side of his personality can also be glimpsed on occasion. Despite the lack of a heart, Axel does have the capacity to form friendships. He can also be playful without intending to hurt, and in very rare instances he can be somewhat altruistic without harboring any ulterior motives. But those lapses in his nature are far and few, only reserved for a few individuals. If anyone calls him out on them though, they might get anything from a snarky reply to a chakram in the face depending on Axel's mood at the time and the identity of the instigator.
Abilities/Strengths: Axel's most prominent ability is his control over the element of fire, made even more noticeable by the fact that his flames are a glowing violet-black instead of the more familiar orange-red. Except for the heat, they're virtually indistinguishable from the darkness he summons his two chakrams from. His weapons, too, differ from the usual - being black on red rather than silver. He can use them for both long-range attacks (throwing) or melee combat (slashing), combining the two in battle with his pyrokinesis to create a swift attack sequence designed to keep his opponents constantly on the defensive.
Psychologically, Axel's confidence can be considered his greatest strength. And without a heart, hesitance is virtually unknown to him, thus giving him more opportunities to exploit situations than the average person restrained by doubt. His quick wit and intelligence often give him an advantage over others as well, and he's hardly shy about using them to knock someone off-kilter or to turn any circumstance to his advantage. Experiences in his past have also left him with a detailed knowledge of technology and its workings, making him an accomplished hacker.
Weaknesses: Axel may be a fast fighter, but it doesn't mean he can keep at it for a long while without tiring. Once his stamina is gone, he has to rely on his own strength instead of speed to win the battle - and it becomes pretty obvious who'll win the battle if he's up against a stronger and hardier opponent. Likewise, his ability to wield fire becomes fallible if he's fighting someone with an opposing element.
While there are benefits to his devil-may-care outlook towards life and people, the downfalls are equally as potent. For example, while Axel rarely gets into situations he can't handle, his attitude has the tendency to get on people's nerves - meaning he is very likely to end up without anyone to help him if he does go in over his head. And since he doesn't have a heart and has spent the whole of his life around people with the same condition, he isn't the greatest at dealing with people who don't. Along all the situations those emotions tend to get them into.
History: Even in a world where the darkness can turn people into mere shadows and shells of their former selves, the way Axel came into existence was by no means normal. He was not born. Nor was he the remnant of someone whose heart had been ripped out by the Heartless.
He was created.
In the beginning, experiments on hearts and their properties were started by six ambitious apprentices and their master Ansem the Wise in a city known as Radiant Garden. Their goal was noble: to learn more about the heart and attempt to harness its power for the betterment of life for all people. But the results of the experiments were disastrous, leading to the destruction of the city and all six of the apprentices losing their hearts. In an attempt to both regain them and continue the studies without further risk, the Nobodies of the apprentices formed a group and dubbed it the Organization. Leaving the Heartless-overrun husk of Radiant Garden behind, they set out through the corridors of darkness between worlds to establish a new base of operations.
The end result was Template.
Before their arrival, it was a deserted city of silent skyscrapers and streets, inhabited by only Heartless and lesser Nobodies. But within a year, it came to possess a large heart-shaped moon as well. Indeed, the former apprentices had indeed stumbled upon a method of restoring their hearts - one involving the newly discovered Keybearer: a child by the name of Sora. Yet they did not abandon their exploration of other ways from which they could potentially gain a heart. It was thus determined that in order to increase efficiency, the Organization would need more than six members. Preferably other humanoid Nobodies, as they would also share the instinctive desire for a heart and work towards the same goal. But that alone did not guarantee loyalty. It wouldn't do to have petty power struggles distract the Organization from its purpose. And so the decision to create rather than search for such beings was made.
It took an additional year for the Nobody replicas to be constructed, and at the end of it the Organization possessed twelve members in total. The replicas were programmed to virtually follow any order given to them by the original six founders, and all of them were implanted with a fail-safe that would terminate them if the order was not fulfilled within a certain time-span. While structuring their personalities and mannerism in a similar way proved to be impossible, the lingering threat of fading away was enough to keep the replicas in line. At least for a while.
During that time, Axel worked diligently along with the other members of the Organization and rose quite high in its leader's favor. When it was judged that a second base of operations was needed, he was allowed to go with three of the six founders (Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion) to establish and oversee it. Accompanying them would also be two other neophytes (Marluxia and Larxene) who had also proven themselves worthy enough. Eventually, the entire Castle and the memory witch Naminé discovered within were entrusted to Marluxia - and it was then the infamous coup was attempted, in which Marluxia attempted to use Naminé's powers to turn the Keybearer into a tool that would allow him to overthrow the Organization.
Axel, of course, had been given special orders to take out the two other replicas should they show any open signs of treason. But he was secretly as discontent with the Organization as both of them and quite intrigued by the idea they could even consider betrayal in the first place. That implied there was a flaw, a crack in the supposedly foolproof system - one that Axel was all too willing to exploit. This was on his part mostly a gamble, as he had little idea what could happen to him if he went directly against an order. But it was a chance he was fine with taking, considering the alternative of remaining in forced servitude to the Organization.
As it turned out, the original six had in their arrogance neglected to program in one very important order: forbidding the replicas to hurt them. It didn't take very long for Axel to discover this and subsequently bring the Oblivion mission to a crashing halt, leaving everyone dead except for himself. When he returned to Template, he spun a tale of Marluxia and Larxene's treachery and how he eliminated the other replicas as ordered, though he was unable to stop the unfortunate losses of Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion in the process. And though the story was vague, he was believed.
Upon his return, he also met the newest member of the Organization - Roxas, the Keybearer's Nobody. Axel was ordered to take the boy under his wing so to speak and acquaint him with his duties within the Organization. An easy sort of camaraderie developed between the two during this time, though that was interrupted by Roxas's departure from the Organization to find out more about his origins. And of course, Axel was the one sent out to bring him back. Though he was given a year* to complete the task, he expected it to be quite easy. Really, how hard could it be to drag a blond teen back to Template kicking and screaming?
What he didn't expect was to end up in a different version of Template entirely on his way to Twilight Town.
*14 days have been added to this time due to a plot.
Another 38 days have been added to this time due to a plot.
Player LJ: biverbal
AIM or Email: biverbal | biverbal[at]gmail[dot]com
Timezone: EST
Other Characters Played: None.
Character: Axel (aka VIII, Flurry of Dancing Flames)
Series/Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Original or Template version: Template
Age: His precise chronological age is unknown, but he looks to be roughly in his twenties.
Gender: Male
Species: Nobody replica, i.e. a humanoid replica without a heart.
Sexuality: Bisexual.
Housing: Noble Street, Patonce House, Upper Cove
Marked?: Yes; crown near his left shoulder blade
Appearance: Axel is probably among the taller members of the Organization, though his height does nothing to draw attention away from how thin he is. Add those to a light frame, and it becomes apparent why many mistakenly think he has some kind of eating disorder. But looks are especially deceptive when it comes to Axel, as those who've witnessed his speed and strength in battle can attest to.
The rest of his appearance, however, is more of the "what you see is what you get" variety. Vivid crimson hair falls in a spiky mane to slightly below his shoulders, the fiery hue complementing his faintly tanned skin. It also contrasts the black leather of the Organization's uniform: an ankle-length black, hooded cloak with black gloves and boots. Hidden by this ensemble are two markings, almost brands - a small Nobody emblem on his chest and "VIII" around his upper right arm. Like naturally created Nobodies, he does not have a heartbeat; instead, there's a very very faint ticking sound like that of a clock coming from where his heart should be.
His face is somewhat vulpine, the features sharp but not imposing. As devious as he may look with his green eyes and the teardrop-shaped markings below them, Axel is quite capable of other expressions as innocent and casual as that of anyone with a heart. A wink there, a smile here…
But like the man himself, those too are often double-edged.
Personality: Let it be noted from the very beginning that Axel is not a nice person by any stretch of the imagination - at least not truly and certainly not to the common masses. Arrogant and cocky, he's what many people consider to be a bastard. Almost everything he says or does is without consideration for the feelings (or lack thereof) of others. Whether it's an openly sarcastic remark or just a seemingly innocent statement, he couldn't care less if another is hurt by it as long as he's entertained.
However, this is not to say he is as reckless in his speech and actions as he gives the appearance of being. One could say it is actually an indicator of just how little he thinks of things like morals and social restraints. Axel has no problem with manipulating people and situations for his own ends, and it goes without saying he is hardly the trustworthy sort. Being without a heart and thus without emotions means he bases his behavior off his thoughts and desires rather than what he feels. Even though the latter fuels some of his more impulsive actions, the former is what makes Axel a schemer to be reckoned with. Regardless of his informality with words, he actually takes great care not to let people know more about his intentions than he believes necessary. But at the same time, he delights in pushing the boundaries and bending rules to their full extent - often for no other reason than wanting to see how far he can go before he gets caught and into trouble.
Yet the more benign side of his personality can also be glimpsed on occasion. Despite the lack of a heart, Axel does have the capacity to form friendships. He can also be playful without intending to hurt, and in very rare instances he can be somewhat altruistic without harboring any ulterior motives. But those lapses in his nature are far and few, only reserved for a few individuals. If anyone calls him out on them though, they might get anything from a snarky reply to a chakram in the face depending on Axel's mood at the time and the identity of the instigator.
Abilities/Strengths: Axel's most prominent ability is his control over the element of fire, made even more noticeable by the fact that his flames are a glowing violet-black instead of the more familiar orange-red. Except for the heat, they're virtually indistinguishable from the darkness he summons his two chakrams from. His weapons, too, differ from the usual - being black on red rather than silver. He can use them for both long-range attacks (throwing) or melee combat (slashing), combining the two in battle with his pyrokinesis to create a swift attack sequence designed to keep his opponents constantly on the defensive.
Psychologically, Axel's confidence can be considered his greatest strength. And without a heart, hesitance is virtually unknown to him, thus giving him more opportunities to exploit situations than the average person restrained by doubt. His quick wit and intelligence often give him an advantage over others as well, and he's hardly shy about using them to knock someone off-kilter or to turn any circumstance to his advantage. Experiences in his past have also left him with a detailed knowledge of technology and its workings, making him an accomplished hacker.
Weaknesses: Axel may be a fast fighter, but it doesn't mean he can keep at it for a long while without tiring. Once his stamina is gone, he has to rely on his own strength instead of speed to win the battle - and it becomes pretty obvious who'll win the battle if he's up against a stronger and hardier opponent. Likewise, his ability to wield fire becomes fallible if he's fighting someone with an opposing element.
While there are benefits to his devil-may-care outlook towards life and people, the downfalls are equally as potent. For example, while Axel rarely gets into situations he can't handle, his attitude has the tendency to get on people's nerves - meaning he is very likely to end up without anyone to help him if he does go in over his head. And since he doesn't have a heart and has spent the whole of his life around people with the same condition, he isn't the greatest at dealing with people who don't. Along all the situations those emotions tend to get them into.
History: Even in a world where the darkness can turn people into mere shadows and shells of their former selves, the way Axel came into existence was by no means normal. He was not born. Nor was he the remnant of someone whose heart had been ripped out by the Heartless.
He was created.
In the beginning, experiments on hearts and their properties were started by six ambitious apprentices and their master Ansem the Wise in a city known as Radiant Garden. Their goal was noble: to learn more about the heart and attempt to harness its power for the betterment of life for all people. But the results of the experiments were disastrous, leading to the destruction of the city and all six of the apprentices losing their hearts. In an attempt to both regain them and continue the studies without further risk, the Nobodies of the apprentices formed a group and dubbed it the Organization. Leaving the Heartless-overrun husk of Radiant Garden behind, they set out through the corridors of darkness between worlds to establish a new base of operations.
The end result was Template.
Before their arrival, it was a deserted city of silent skyscrapers and streets, inhabited by only Heartless and lesser Nobodies. But within a year, it came to possess a large heart-shaped moon as well. Indeed, the former apprentices had indeed stumbled upon a method of restoring their hearts - one involving the newly discovered Keybearer: a child by the name of Sora. Yet they did not abandon their exploration of other ways from which they could potentially gain a heart. It was thus determined that in order to increase efficiency, the Organization would need more than six members. Preferably other humanoid Nobodies, as they would also share the instinctive desire for a heart and work towards the same goal. But that alone did not guarantee loyalty. It wouldn't do to have petty power struggles distract the Organization from its purpose. And so the decision to create rather than search for such beings was made.
It took an additional year for the Nobody replicas to be constructed, and at the end of it the Organization possessed twelve members in total. The replicas were programmed to virtually follow any order given to them by the original six founders, and all of them were implanted with a fail-safe that would terminate them if the order was not fulfilled within a certain time-span. While structuring their personalities and mannerism in a similar way proved to be impossible, the lingering threat of fading away was enough to keep the replicas in line. At least for a while.
During that time, Axel worked diligently along with the other members of the Organization and rose quite high in its leader's favor. When it was judged that a second base of operations was needed, he was allowed to go with three of the six founders (Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion) to establish and oversee it. Accompanying them would also be two other neophytes (Marluxia and Larxene) who had also proven themselves worthy enough. Eventually, the entire Castle and the memory witch Naminé discovered within were entrusted to Marluxia - and it was then the infamous coup was attempted, in which Marluxia attempted to use Naminé's powers to turn the Keybearer into a tool that would allow him to overthrow the Organization.
Axel, of course, had been given special orders to take out the two other replicas should they show any open signs of treason. But he was secretly as discontent with the Organization as both of them and quite intrigued by the idea they could even consider betrayal in the first place. That implied there was a flaw, a crack in the supposedly foolproof system - one that Axel was all too willing to exploit. This was on his part mostly a gamble, as he had little idea what could happen to him if he went directly against an order. But it was a chance he was fine with taking, considering the alternative of remaining in forced servitude to the Organization.
As it turned out, the original six had in their arrogance neglected to program in one very important order: forbidding the replicas to hurt them. It didn't take very long for Axel to discover this and subsequently bring the Oblivion mission to a crashing halt, leaving everyone dead except for himself. When he returned to Template, he spun a tale of Marluxia and Larxene's treachery and how he eliminated the other replicas as ordered, though he was unable to stop the unfortunate losses of Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion in the process. And though the story was vague, he was believed.
Upon his return, he also met the newest member of the Organization - Roxas, the Keybearer's Nobody. Axel was ordered to take the boy under his wing so to speak and acquaint him with his duties within the Organization. An easy sort of camaraderie developed between the two during this time, though that was interrupted by Roxas's departure from the Organization to find out more about his origins. And of course, Axel was the one sent out to bring him back. Though he was given a year* to complete the task, he expected it to be quite easy. Really, how hard could it be to drag a blond teen back to Template kicking and screaming?
What he didn't expect was to end up in a different version of Template entirely on his way to Twilight Town.
*14 days have been added to this time due to a plot.
Another 38 days have been added to this time due to a plot.