[Bridlewood] Kid Application (AU)
OOC
Player name: Laenavesse
Player journal: laenavesse
Contact: AIM: laenavesse // Plurk: laenavesse // E-mail: laenavesse@hotmail.com
IC
Character Name: Death the Kid
Fandom: Soul Eater
Character Link or Summary: Wiki
Pony Type: Unicorn
Cutie Mark: The triple bar symbol, which looks like this: ≡. It has a couple of meanings, but in this case it's referencing the "identical equality" in mathematics definitions and reflects Kid's ultimate ideal with perfect balance and symmetry. Also, it's only on his left flank.
Element: Order
AU History:
Kid is from the Netherbarn-Death Valley to be more precise. A dark, dreary desert with steep cliffs surrounding the city, Death Vally is located away from the main Netherbarn communities, and for good reason. Death Valley is where those who gather the souls of the dead-"death ponies"-reside and perform their duty. Kid's father is a unicorn and one of the prominent and powerful death ponies. His family also comes from a long line of those who became death ponies. As Kid is currently the only son and first born, there is much expected of him, expectations that Kid fully respects and understands as part of his position. There are many reasons why a pony becomes a death pony, but Kid's father taught him that their family helped maintain the balance between the living and the dead. If a soul is left to linger too long, it could manifest into something more dangerous or be used for more nefarious purposes. That was why his family believed it was up to the death ponies to ensure that all souls were collected in a timely manner and brought to their eternal rest. Of course, not every death pony shared this view, but that was what Kid and his family believed.
This of course meant that Kid discovered his cutie mark fairly early on. He had already understood that he would be a death pony, but instead of focusing on the death aspect, he became focused (or rather had an unhealthy obsession) on the concept of order and balance. Though it followed his family's line of thinking, it was also a bit extreme. It wasn't until he had completed his first mission of retrieving souls that it became clear to him that everything relied on a perfect balance, and that he would have to maintain that balance. With the gateway between the Equestria and the Netherbarn opening more and more, souls were also slipping between the two realms. Kid's first mission involving entering into Equestria to retrieve those souls, and it wasn't until he completed it did he realize that whatever balance that had existed between the two realms was now deteriorating as more souls from the Netherbarn leaked into Equestria and vice versa. Of course, that just wouldn't do.
Thus spawned his cutie mark-three horizontal lines that represented "identical equality." However, his mark is different than most. It only appears on his left flank. His right flank is bare. This is more of a family thing than a death pony thing. As Kid matures and becomes more of a death pony, each stripe for his cutie mark will appear on his right flank, signaling his growth. Due to his obsession for balance and symmetry, this agonizes him to no end (to be detailed in the Personality section) and is one of the driving forces for him to try and understand what it means to be a death pony and how to achieve the ultimate order and balance.
Though his father had tried to tell him otherwise (or rather that he was taking it to the extremes), Kid was dead set (no pun intended) on his ambitions. Seeing that there was no real harm to it and that at heart Kid was doing what he believed was best, his father suggested that he explore Equestria to further understand that balance while continuing his training as a death pony by retrieving any souls that would leak through the gate. Their part of the profession had been rather neutral when it came to the going-ons of the Netherbarn, but Kid had only seen the "darker" side of their world and only heard of Equestria through history books. Now that the gate between the two have weakened and souls were leaking out (and in), they now had an opportunity to access Equestria. So under his father's advice, Kid decided to "study abroad" and try living in Equestria to see what their life was like while still performing his duties as a death pony and reporting to his father.
And so Kid will be traveling to Bridlewood. Not wanting to cause an uproar, he tries to pass off as an Equestrian native from another city. When not retrieving souls, he silently observes the other ponies and studies whatever is available in the libraries of Broncobuck Canyon. He goes by his nickname, "Kid," and makes no mention of his true origins. When questioned, he only responds that he is from a place called Neighvada and is studying abroad to learn more about Equestria. It wasn't too far from the truth and as they say. Half-truths are sometimes better than flat out lies, after all.
Personality:
As a "death pony," Kid is well aware that his duty falls even farther down the morbid spectrum than most of those in the Netherbarn. It could arguably rival necromancy. However, as the son of one of the most prominent and strongest death ponies, he also takes his position and duty seriously. Despite still being young, Kid has a very high sense of maturity and responsibility. He will not slack off, he will do whatever necessary research or planning, and he will make sure that it is completed in the most efficient and perfect way possible. He will remain calm and collected in even the gravest of situations, and he does not panic easily-at least under normal situations. By being able to keep his cool, he is can quickly analyze situations and do quick modifications if necessary. He will also does not tolerate unnecessary foolishness and will reprimand or keep a check on those who may need it. In short, Kid has a more serious and reserved personality. That isn't to say he has no humor or doesn't know how to joke around or relax, but for the most part he holds up that "noble" and "dignified" stature. Again, this is mostly due to his family's heritage and how he wishes to carry on that legacy.
He also has a strong sense for "perfection," "balance," "order," and more particularly, symmetry. Basically, Kid has an OCD problem about things needing to be absolutely perfect. He will reorganize things so that they are in some kind of order or rearrange them so that they are perfectly symmetrical with one another. For Kid, symmetry is the ultimate aesthetic and example of a perfect balance-one side perfectly mirrors the other side. In fact, his unhealthy obsession for symmetry is one of his biggest downsides. He can be easily distracted by anything that is perfectly symmetrical. He will have to take a moment to stop and admire its beauty. He can also be distracted by anything that is not symmetrical.
This is where we come to the major exception to Kid's personality. As a stark contrast to his normally cool and levelheaded demeanor, Kid can also "freak out" in epic proportions when it comes to things asymmetrical or off balance. This varies on a case-by-case scenario, but if he notices something is off, his mind will just zero in and never let it go until it is fixed. For example, if he notices that a series of objects is set in a line but one is slightly off-centered, he will go into a bit of a fit and fix it so that they are all centered and perfectly spaced. The more asymmetrical the situation, the worst he gets, and he will need to fix it. He will even drop whatever he is doing and do whatever it takes. He will even spend hours if it meant making it perfect. This also includes any sudden doubts if something was left symmetrical or not. For instance, if he begins to wonder if a painting was left slanted just a bit, it is quite possible he will just return home to check before returning to wherever he was previously.
If he cannot amend the situation, he will break down and fall into a deep spiral of depressing, calling himself worthless. It takes quite a lot-sometimes even a few smacks-to snap him out of it. This sense of despair is rooted in Kid's own sense of low self-esteem and negativity. Though he knows he has high qualifications and skills, rather than looking down on other ponies, he looks up and strives to be equal to them. He wants to be on the same level. He may have the skills and the heritage, but he does not believe that makes him any better or worse than other ponies. He will always respect those who truly deserve it and berate those who are being idiots-but the only things that he will call "trash" are himself and anything that is truly an abomination to balance or the sanctity of the soul.
His cutie mark as well as the three white stripes in his mane and tail (two in the mane, one in the tail) are rather sore spots for him. Since his cutie mark is only on his left flank, he already feels incredibly imbalanced as it is not on his right. They also serve as a reminder that he is not a full fledged death pony yet, though that does not bother him as much as the asymmetrical nature of it. Since he adds on additional pressure on himself to fulfill those expectations, any mention of the fact will send him into an instant break down ("How can I be a proper death pony when I only have half of a true cutie mark!?"). The stripes are also a bad topic since those are also not symmetrical. For his mane, he essentially has four black stripes and two white stripes, and on his tail it is two black stripes and one white stripe. He will pick on the fact that the number of stripes aren't the same in some combination.
But as mentioned before, his OCD occurs on a case-by-case basis and are not always so severe. Kid knows that the world is not symmetrical and that even the pony's body is not perfectly symmetrical or balanced. That is why he can usually go through day-to-day life without almost dying from the moment he gets out of bed. It is only when he ends up noticing or focusing on the asymmetry or something is just too horrible that it can't be avoided that he ends up going into a fit.
Despite all of that, Kid is still a young pony who is not yet quite an adult. Though he acts much older than his age, he is still in his teens and thus still has those "young male pony" tendencies, such as goofing around with friends or enjoying a sport. He also enjoys just having a quiet moment to sit down and read. Kid does enjoy the company of other ponies, and does not mind socializing. He is also can be quite passionate and protective over what he believes in as well as over others. He will be quick to lend a helping hoof and is very much like a gentlepony, both in his general polite attitude and actions. Though he comes from the Netherbarn and is in Equestria for studying purposes, he does not look at the Equestrian ponies any differently, and certainly not lesser than himself. As mentioned before, he actually respects them and treats them as equals rather than just observational study. So deep down, he also wishes to have some kind of acceptance. Only then will he feel like he has achieved some progress in truly understanding how to reach that ultimate balance.
Abilities: In general, Kid is a strong, young unicorn. He is quick on his hooves, both literally and figuratively. As mentioned in his personality, he can analyze a situation fairly quickly and is rather intelligent for one his age. He is also rather adept at fighting, though he only does so when necessary. Kid is also pretty good on a skateboard, and is able to perform high level tricks. The skateboard, Beelzebub, was a gift from his father and is actually special in the fact that it's special magic item that can make it fly. There are limits to how long it can fly and how fast it can go, though.
In terms of his magic, it follows the theme of death and souls. But he has a few other more general skills.
General Magic.
Death Magic.
First-person sample:
[note: Italics indicate what's written in the letter, and normal font is Kid speaking out loud.]
Honorable Father,
I have arrived into Bridlewood as scheduled. Though I have studied about Equestria in books, seeing it with my own eyes is more than I have ever read or imagined. For instance, it is a lot more colorful compared to Death Valle[ink splot.]
-No! This quill has never splattered before! Augh, now I have to start all over!!
[with a quick jerk of his head, the paper crumples and a clean new sheet is placed in its stead.]
Honorable Father,
I have arrived into Bridlewood as scheduled. Though I have studied about Equestria in books, seeing it with my own eyes is more than I have ever read or imagined. For instance, it is a lot more colorful compared to Death Valley, and I can already sense the energy from the souls within the Equestrian ponies. The signatures are different from the ones I am used to back home. They are generally more positive and uplifting. Of course, not all of the souls are the same, but that is the general theme. Or so I am sensing at this point in time, at least. However, I do detect some other Netherbarn souls, though I have yet to actually find them.
[he stops writing and leans closer to inspect the writing.]
...Hm. Somehow this seems a little off...
[using his magic, he now lifts the paper so he can inspect it closer before a ruler and several other measuring instruments float around. yes. he is now measuring each line and each space.]
No, everything is perfectly eve-[no. no it's not. what's with this paper!? he didn't see it before, but upon closer inspection-]-The edges are not even!! I can't send this letter to Father looking like this! What kind of death pony would I be if I sent him such an imperfect letter!?
[of course, his father wouldn't care a lick, but Kid certainly thought so. so he was now trying to find a paper cutter.]
It's here...I know it is...ah, there! Now, to slice just enough-but I will have to do it on all four sides. If I slice off exactly 1.25 centimeters, that should do it. I still have more to write so I will also need to do this for the other sheets of paper. [as he's talking to himself, everything around him is just floating around as he multi-tasks. the said sheets of paper fly towards him and settle behind the imperfect sheet.] ...Wait, now this piece of paper is just completely wrong! Who cut these!?
[irritated snort.] I'll just have to resize all of them so I won't have to do this later. I really should find who produced this particular brand and tell them of their carelessness.
[about an hour later, Kid is now looking quite pleased at the sheets of paper floating in front of him before they stacked together. he returns to his desk, the paper settling in the proper places before him and the quill rising up, poised and ready.]
I have acquired some living quarters and will be finishing the move soon. It has been a little difficult finding the right furniture, and I may have to concede to buying and modifying them so that they are perfectly balanced. But how are things back home? I should be returning within a week or two to give a fuller report, but I will continue to send a letter every Saturday to report on my findings and any souls I may have collected during the week.
Give my regards to everypony.
If anything happens or if you need me back home, just send a letter and I will return within the day.
- Death the Kid -
Third-person sample:
After Kid had sent the letter, he let out a breath. It had taken him a little longer than he had planned, what with having to fix all the sheets of paper so that they were perfectly the same. Really, who would sell paper with jagged or slanted edges?
Once he was sure everything had been placed back into their proper places, the young unicorn glanced at his bookshelf. Since arriving into Bridlewood, he had been slowly gathering reading material for both his leisure as well as self-education. There had been a number of titles and authors he had never heard before and they had piqued his curiosity. However, there was one particular title he had was missing. It had bothered him the night before, for how could he continue reading a series when he was missing a book in the middle? Oh how it had tormented him.
But now it was a new day and the stores should be open. Plus, it was another opportunity for him to observe the Equestrian ponies living their daily lives, another thing that interested him. His horn glowed and a double-sided saddlebag floated down from their rack and landed neatly and perfectly centered on his back. After checking that they were indeed perfectly centered and that his balance wasn't being compromised, he left his current residence and trotted toward the shops.
Once he arrived into a particular bookstore, he immediately walked toward the aisle where he knew the missing book would be.
Except...it wasn't. His eyes frantically searched, yet he only saw duplicate copies of the other volumes.
"...How..." How could this be!? No, no, this wasn't too unusual. These were works of literature, and it was only expected that such an occurrence would happen. After taking a breath, he quickly turned away from that particular shelf and resumed browsing. He was already here, he may already see if there was anything else that he could get in the meantime.
But as he walked past another shelf, he had to stop and backtrack. "...This book does not belong here," he muttered, his horn already glowing as it pulled the book out. The book hovered in the air as the other books rearranged themselves back in their proper order. This of course made him scan the rest of the shelves, but they seemed to be in place. With a nod, he then continued forward, the book still floating before him. Several times this happened-Kid discovering a book out of place or books out of order, and he using his magic to reorganize them. Whenever he found a book's proper place, he would replace it and fix everything so that it was all back in order. At this point he had procured two baskets so as to hold all the books. There were also times when he even moved the bookshelves (at least the ones that could be moved) so that they were evenly spaced apart.
Of course, his efforts did not go by unnoticed.
"Um, excuse me, sir? What are you doing?" one of the shopkeeper's asked, more in awe than in annoyance.
"Reorganizing your books," Kid simply replied, his eyes only on the books shifting before him as they resorted themselves. "I realize that customers will move them around, but it would make things easier if somepony checked on the shelves at least once every hour. I have had to reorganize 543 shelves and replace 78 books so far. This should be the last shelf."
The other pony just gaped. "You...what!? But you-"
"I apologize if I have interfered with your business or employees, but in all honesty I could not stand for such disorganization." Once the books had settled, Kid now turned to face the older pony. "Also, I was able to benefit by discovering a number of books I may have passed otherwise." He glanced at the sizeable stack of books remaining in the two baskets, each stacked perfectly and evenly. If one paid particular notice, they would see that they were the exact same number as well.
The other pony could only stare. Really, who the heck did that? But if the strange young unicorn was going to buy books, oh well. No point in complaining.
"I do have a question, however," Kid asked as he looked at the other pony with a more inquisitive expression now. "Do you have the fifth volume of the Legends of the Netherbarn series?"
"You're actually interested in that?" the pony asked, eyebrow raising. "I know we got several copies of the others since not a lot of ponies are interested in it. But the fifth copy...if we don't have it, I suggest trying the store on Appledrive. If not there, try the library. They should have a few copies."
Kid made a mental note and nodded. "Thank you. Then I would like to purchase the books I have."
"All right, I'll ring you up at the counter."
Kid followed and waited for the shopkeeper to total the items in silence. Of course he could not tell the older pony the real reason why he was interested, even if asked. Since he was from the Netherbarn himself, it was actually rather interesting to see what the Equestrians had to say about it. Most of it was pure fiction, but some of it actually had some truth to it. If he was to understand Equestria, not only did he have to learn how the country was like, but also how the native ponies perceived those from the Netherbarn.
Once the shopkeeper had finished and Kid had paid, Kid gave a polite word of thanks, placed the books so that they would be perfectly balanced on either side of him both in weight and number, and then proceeded out of the shop and down the street.
Notes, questions, or comments: I hope the cutie mark being only on Kid's left flank is okay. If not I can revise and change it.
Player name: Laenavesse
Player journal: laenavesse
Contact: AIM: laenavesse // Plurk: laenavesse // E-mail: laenavesse@hotmail.com
IC
Character Name: Death the Kid
Fandom: Soul Eater
Character Link or Summary: Wiki
Pony Type: Unicorn
Cutie Mark: The triple bar symbol, which looks like this: ≡. It has a couple of meanings, but in this case it's referencing the "identical equality" in mathematics definitions and reflects Kid's ultimate ideal with perfect balance and symmetry. Also, it's only on his left flank.
Element: Order
AU History:
Kid is from the Netherbarn-Death Valley to be more precise. A dark, dreary desert with steep cliffs surrounding the city, Death Vally is located away from the main Netherbarn communities, and for good reason. Death Valley is where those who gather the souls of the dead-"death ponies"-reside and perform their duty. Kid's father is a unicorn and one of the prominent and powerful death ponies. His family also comes from a long line of those who became death ponies. As Kid is currently the only son and first born, there is much expected of him, expectations that Kid fully respects and understands as part of his position. There are many reasons why a pony becomes a death pony, but Kid's father taught him that their family helped maintain the balance between the living and the dead. If a soul is left to linger too long, it could manifest into something more dangerous or be used for more nefarious purposes. That was why his family believed it was up to the death ponies to ensure that all souls were collected in a timely manner and brought to their eternal rest. Of course, not every death pony shared this view, but that was what Kid and his family believed.
This of course meant that Kid discovered his cutie mark fairly early on. He had already understood that he would be a death pony, but instead of focusing on the death aspect, he became focused (or rather had an unhealthy obsession) on the concept of order and balance. Though it followed his family's line of thinking, it was also a bit extreme. It wasn't until he had completed his first mission of retrieving souls that it became clear to him that everything relied on a perfect balance, and that he would have to maintain that balance. With the gateway between the Equestria and the Netherbarn opening more and more, souls were also slipping between the two realms. Kid's first mission involving entering into Equestria to retrieve those souls, and it wasn't until he completed it did he realize that whatever balance that had existed between the two realms was now deteriorating as more souls from the Netherbarn leaked into Equestria and vice versa. Of course, that just wouldn't do.
Thus spawned his cutie mark-three horizontal lines that represented "identical equality." However, his mark is different than most. It only appears on his left flank. His right flank is bare. This is more of a family thing than a death pony thing. As Kid matures and becomes more of a death pony, each stripe for his cutie mark will appear on his right flank, signaling his growth. Due to his obsession for balance and symmetry, this agonizes him to no end (to be detailed in the Personality section) and is one of the driving forces for him to try and understand what it means to be a death pony and how to achieve the ultimate order and balance.
Though his father had tried to tell him otherwise (or rather that he was taking it to the extremes), Kid was dead set (no pun intended) on his ambitions. Seeing that there was no real harm to it and that at heart Kid was doing what he believed was best, his father suggested that he explore Equestria to further understand that balance while continuing his training as a death pony by retrieving any souls that would leak through the gate. Their part of the profession had been rather neutral when it came to the going-ons of the Netherbarn, but Kid had only seen the "darker" side of their world and only heard of Equestria through history books. Now that the gate between the two have weakened and souls were leaking out (and in), they now had an opportunity to access Equestria. So under his father's advice, Kid decided to "study abroad" and try living in Equestria to see what their life was like while still performing his duties as a death pony and reporting to his father.
And so Kid will be traveling to Bridlewood. Not wanting to cause an uproar, he tries to pass off as an Equestrian native from another city. When not retrieving souls, he silently observes the other ponies and studies whatever is available in the libraries of Broncobuck Canyon. He goes by his nickname, "Kid," and makes no mention of his true origins. When questioned, he only responds that he is from a place called Neighvada and is studying abroad to learn more about Equestria. It wasn't too far from the truth and as they say. Half-truths are sometimes better than flat out lies, after all.
Personality:
As a "death pony," Kid is well aware that his duty falls even farther down the morbid spectrum than most of those in the Netherbarn. It could arguably rival necromancy. However, as the son of one of the most prominent and strongest death ponies, he also takes his position and duty seriously. Despite still being young, Kid has a very high sense of maturity and responsibility. He will not slack off, he will do whatever necessary research or planning, and he will make sure that it is completed in the most efficient and perfect way possible. He will remain calm and collected in even the gravest of situations, and he does not panic easily-at least under normal situations. By being able to keep his cool, he is can quickly analyze situations and do quick modifications if necessary. He will also does not tolerate unnecessary foolishness and will reprimand or keep a check on those who may need it. In short, Kid has a more serious and reserved personality. That isn't to say he has no humor or doesn't know how to joke around or relax, but for the most part he holds up that "noble" and "dignified" stature. Again, this is mostly due to his family's heritage and how he wishes to carry on that legacy.
He also has a strong sense for "perfection," "balance," "order," and more particularly, symmetry. Basically, Kid has an OCD problem about things needing to be absolutely perfect. He will reorganize things so that they are in some kind of order or rearrange them so that they are perfectly symmetrical with one another. For Kid, symmetry is the ultimate aesthetic and example of a perfect balance-one side perfectly mirrors the other side. In fact, his unhealthy obsession for symmetry is one of his biggest downsides. He can be easily distracted by anything that is perfectly symmetrical. He will have to take a moment to stop and admire its beauty. He can also be distracted by anything that is not symmetrical.
This is where we come to the major exception to Kid's personality. As a stark contrast to his normally cool and levelheaded demeanor, Kid can also "freak out" in epic proportions when it comes to things asymmetrical or off balance. This varies on a case-by-case scenario, but if he notices something is off, his mind will just zero in and never let it go until it is fixed. For example, if he notices that a series of objects is set in a line but one is slightly off-centered, he will go into a bit of a fit and fix it so that they are all centered and perfectly spaced. The more asymmetrical the situation, the worst he gets, and he will need to fix it. He will even drop whatever he is doing and do whatever it takes. He will even spend hours if it meant making it perfect. This also includes any sudden doubts if something was left symmetrical or not. For instance, if he begins to wonder if a painting was left slanted just a bit, it is quite possible he will just return home to check before returning to wherever he was previously.
If he cannot amend the situation, he will break down and fall into a deep spiral of depressing, calling himself worthless. It takes quite a lot-sometimes even a few smacks-to snap him out of it. This sense of despair is rooted in Kid's own sense of low self-esteem and negativity. Though he knows he has high qualifications and skills, rather than looking down on other ponies, he looks up and strives to be equal to them. He wants to be on the same level. He may have the skills and the heritage, but he does not believe that makes him any better or worse than other ponies. He will always respect those who truly deserve it and berate those who are being idiots-but the only things that he will call "trash" are himself and anything that is truly an abomination to balance or the sanctity of the soul.
His cutie mark as well as the three white stripes in his mane and tail (two in the mane, one in the tail) are rather sore spots for him. Since his cutie mark is only on his left flank, he already feels incredibly imbalanced as it is not on his right. They also serve as a reminder that he is not a full fledged death pony yet, though that does not bother him as much as the asymmetrical nature of it. Since he adds on additional pressure on himself to fulfill those expectations, any mention of the fact will send him into an instant break down ("How can I be a proper death pony when I only have half of a true cutie mark!?"). The stripes are also a bad topic since those are also not symmetrical. For his mane, he essentially has four black stripes and two white stripes, and on his tail it is two black stripes and one white stripe. He will pick on the fact that the number of stripes aren't the same in some combination.
But as mentioned before, his OCD occurs on a case-by-case basis and are not always so severe. Kid knows that the world is not symmetrical and that even the pony's body is not perfectly symmetrical or balanced. That is why he can usually go through day-to-day life without almost dying from the moment he gets out of bed. It is only when he ends up noticing or focusing on the asymmetry or something is just too horrible that it can't be avoided that he ends up going into a fit.
Despite all of that, Kid is still a young pony who is not yet quite an adult. Though he acts much older than his age, he is still in his teens and thus still has those "young male pony" tendencies, such as goofing around with friends or enjoying a sport. He also enjoys just having a quiet moment to sit down and read. Kid does enjoy the company of other ponies, and does not mind socializing. He is also can be quite passionate and protective over what he believes in as well as over others. He will be quick to lend a helping hoof and is very much like a gentlepony, both in his general polite attitude and actions. Though he comes from the Netherbarn and is in Equestria for studying purposes, he does not look at the Equestrian ponies any differently, and certainly not lesser than himself. As mentioned before, he actually respects them and treats them as equals rather than just observational study. So deep down, he also wishes to have some kind of acceptance. Only then will he feel like he has achieved some progress in truly understanding how to reach that ultimate balance.
Abilities: In general, Kid is a strong, young unicorn. He is quick on his hooves, both literally and figuratively. As mentioned in his personality, he can analyze a situation fairly quickly and is rather intelligent for one his age. He is also rather adept at fighting, though he only does so when necessary. Kid is also pretty good on a skateboard, and is able to perform high level tricks. The skateboard, Beelzebub, was a gift from his father and is actually special in the fact that it's special magic item that can make it fly. There are limits to how long it can fly and how fast it can go, though.
In terms of his magic, it follows the theme of death and souls. But he has a few other more general skills.
General Magic.
- Telekinesis. Like all unicorns, Kid can use his magic to move things around (it's how he usually reorganizes things).
- Duplicate. This only works for inanimate, small-to-medium sized objects, but Kid has the ability to duplicate objects. He usually only does this so as to create symmetry and balance should the need arise.
- Organize. A rather weird spell, but it basically automatically sorts objects by one of the following ways: alphabetical, numerical, size, height, weight, shape, or topic. Kid will decide which category and the magic does all the rest.
Death Magic.
- Soul Perception. One of Kid's signature skills is his ability to sense and essentially "see" the soul wavelengths of others. He is able to determine a number of things about the pony or creature such as personality traits and their strength. However, this doesn't mean he will know everything. Only a few dominant traits and a general sense of how that pony or creature is like, like the concept of one's aura. Though it can cover a large area, it's still limited in range. He will have the strongest perception for those closest around him and only vaguely sense others farther away.
- Soul Collection. As a death pony, Kid has the responsibility of collecting the souls who have passed on. He does this by using his horn and absorbing them into his body, where he will then bring the souls back to Death Valley.
- Soul Shot. An offensive magic type spell, Kid can "fire" laserbeam like shots of energy with his horn. However, the power feeds off his own soul wavelength rather than pure magic. If the target is hit, instead of bleeding they feel a sort of sharp pain that goes away relatively quickly (unless they're hit a lot, then it might take longer). But nothing to severe. It would be sort of be like being hit by a paintball gun rather than an actual gun.
- Death Cannon. A high level offensive magic type spell, it's a highly concentrated version of the Soul Shot. Reserved only for extreme emergencies, Kid can release a huge blast of energy (again, feeding from his soul wavelength) that goes down one, linear path. Since it requires a lot of energy and "charge up" time, it can leave him vulnerable. Also, due to the amount of energy used, he can only do this once and will be unable to perform it again until he is able to regain the necessary amount of energy.
First-person sample:
[note: Italics indicate what's written in the letter, and normal font is Kid speaking out loud.]
Honorable Father,
I have arrived into Bridlewood as scheduled. Though I have studied about Equestria in books, seeing it with my own eyes is more than I have ever read or imagined. For instance, it is a lot more colorful compared to Death Valle[ink splot.]
-No! This quill has never splattered before! Augh, now I have to start all over!!
[with a quick jerk of his head, the paper crumples and a clean new sheet is placed in its stead.]
Honorable Father,
I have arrived into Bridlewood as scheduled. Though I have studied about Equestria in books, seeing it with my own eyes is more than I have ever read or imagined. For instance, it is a lot more colorful compared to Death Valley, and I can already sense the energy from the souls within the Equestrian ponies. The signatures are different from the ones I am used to back home. They are generally more positive and uplifting. Of course, not all of the souls are the same, but that is the general theme. Or so I am sensing at this point in time, at least. However, I do detect some other Netherbarn souls, though I have yet to actually find them.
[he stops writing and leans closer to inspect the writing.]
...Hm. Somehow this seems a little off...
[using his magic, he now lifts the paper so he can inspect it closer before a ruler and several other measuring instruments float around. yes. he is now measuring each line and each space.]
No, everything is perfectly eve-[no. no it's not. what's with this paper!? he didn't see it before, but upon closer inspection-]-The edges are not even!! I can't send this letter to Father looking like this! What kind of death pony would I be if I sent him such an imperfect letter!?
[of course, his father wouldn't care a lick, but Kid certainly thought so. so he was now trying to find a paper cutter.]
It's here...I know it is...ah, there! Now, to slice just enough-but I will have to do it on all four sides. If I slice off exactly 1.25 centimeters, that should do it. I still have more to write so I will also need to do this for the other sheets of paper. [as he's talking to himself, everything around him is just floating around as he multi-tasks. the said sheets of paper fly towards him and settle behind the imperfect sheet.] ...Wait, now this piece of paper is just completely wrong! Who cut these!?
[irritated snort.] I'll just have to resize all of them so I won't have to do this later. I really should find who produced this particular brand and tell them of their carelessness.
[about an hour later, Kid is now looking quite pleased at the sheets of paper floating in front of him before they stacked together. he returns to his desk, the paper settling in the proper places before him and the quill rising up, poised and ready.]
I have acquired some living quarters and will be finishing the move soon. It has been a little difficult finding the right furniture, and I may have to concede to buying and modifying them so that they are perfectly balanced. But how are things back home? I should be returning within a week or two to give a fuller report, but I will continue to send a letter every Saturday to report on my findings and any souls I may have collected during the week.
Give my regards to everypony.
If anything happens or if you need me back home, just send a letter and I will return within the day.
- Death the Kid -
Third-person sample:
After Kid had sent the letter, he let out a breath. It had taken him a little longer than he had planned, what with having to fix all the sheets of paper so that they were perfectly the same. Really, who would sell paper with jagged or slanted edges?
Once he was sure everything had been placed back into their proper places, the young unicorn glanced at his bookshelf. Since arriving into Bridlewood, he had been slowly gathering reading material for both his leisure as well as self-education. There had been a number of titles and authors he had never heard before and they had piqued his curiosity. However, there was one particular title he had was missing. It had bothered him the night before, for how could he continue reading a series when he was missing a book in the middle? Oh how it had tormented him.
But now it was a new day and the stores should be open. Plus, it was another opportunity for him to observe the Equestrian ponies living their daily lives, another thing that interested him. His horn glowed and a double-sided saddlebag floated down from their rack and landed neatly and perfectly centered on his back. After checking that they were indeed perfectly centered and that his balance wasn't being compromised, he left his current residence and trotted toward the shops.
Once he arrived into a particular bookstore, he immediately walked toward the aisle where he knew the missing book would be.
Except...it wasn't. His eyes frantically searched, yet he only saw duplicate copies of the other volumes.
"...How..." How could this be!? No, no, this wasn't too unusual. These were works of literature, and it was only expected that such an occurrence would happen. After taking a breath, he quickly turned away from that particular shelf and resumed browsing. He was already here, he may already see if there was anything else that he could get in the meantime.
But as he walked past another shelf, he had to stop and backtrack. "...This book does not belong here," he muttered, his horn already glowing as it pulled the book out. The book hovered in the air as the other books rearranged themselves back in their proper order. This of course made him scan the rest of the shelves, but they seemed to be in place. With a nod, he then continued forward, the book still floating before him. Several times this happened-Kid discovering a book out of place or books out of order, and he using his magic to reorganize them. Whenever he found a book's proper place, he would replace it and fix everything so that it was all back in order. At this point he had procured two baskets so as to hold all the books. There were also times when he even moved the bookshelves (at least the ones that could be moved) so that they were evenly spaced apart.
Of course, his efforts did not go by unnoticed.
"Um, excuse me, sir? What are you doing?" one of the shopkeeper's asked, more in awe than in annoyance.
"Reorganizing your books," Kid simply replied, his eyes only on the books shifting before him as they resorted themselves. "I realize that customers will move them around, but it would make things easier if somepony checked on the shelves at least once every hour. I have had to reorganize 543 shelves and replace 78 books so far. This should be the last shelf."
The other pony just gaped. "You...what!? But you-"
"I apologize if I have interfered with your business or employees, but in all honesty I could not stand for such disorganization." Once the books had settled, Kid now turned to face the older pony. "Also, I was able to benefit by discovering a number of books I may have passed otherwise." He glanced at the sizeable stack of books remaining in the two baskets, each stacked perfectly and evenly. If one paid particular notice, they would see that they were the exact same number as well.
The other pony could only stare. Really, who the heck did that? But if the strange young unicorn was going to buy books, oh well. No point in complaining.
"I do have a question, however," Kid asked as he looked at the other pony with a more inquisitive expression now. "Do you have the fifth volume of the Legends of the Netherbarn series?"
"You're actually interested in that?" the pony asked, eyebrow raising. "I know we got several copies of the others since not a lot of ponies are interested in it. But the fifth copy...if we don't have it, I suggest trying the store on Appledrive. If not there, try the library. They should have a few copies."
Kid made a mental note and nodded. "Thank you. Then I would like to purchase the books I have."
"All right, I'll ring you up at the counter."
Kid followed and waited for the shopkeeper to total the items in silence. Of course he could not tell the older pony the real reason why he was interested, even if asked. Since he was from the Netherbarn himself, it was actually rather interesting to see what the Equestrians had to say about it. Most of it was pure fiction, but some of it actually had some truth to it. If he was to understand Equestria, not only did he have to learn how the country was like, but also how the native ponies perceived those from the Netherbarn.
Once the shopkeeper had finished and Kid had paid, Kid gave a polite word of thanks, placed the books so that they would be perfectly balanced on either side of him both in weight and number, and then proceeded out of the shop and down the street.
Notes, questions, or comments: I hope the cutie mark being only on Kid's left flank is okay. If not I can revise and change it.