[ Application ]
[nick / name]: Meus/Ten
[personal LJ name]: counttosheep
[other characters currently played]: None
[AIM / messenger]: scarletsteps at AIM/Plurk
[series]: Air Gear
[character]: Spitfire
[character history / background]: Air Gear Wikia reference
Like many other stories of not so similar outcomes, Spitfire's story began in an underground laboratory known as Trophaeum Tower. A group of children marked by pupils shaped like crosses, who were better known as Gravity Children, were created with the idea of adapting them to combat in zero gravity conditions. These children were trained since birth to use customized Air Trecks, or A-T for short, which were designed as a way of movement inside a space without gravity. As their training continued on, some children stood out among the rest, while others were deemed expendable (Spitfire being one of these). Kilik, one of the lead Gravity Children, discovered the plans to eliminate those 'failing' children and led a rebellion against the scientists whom created them. Freed from the cage which had held them all their lives, the Gravity Children entered the surface world, finally seeing the sky for the first time.
Fast forward. A-T have begun to grow in popularity all over the world as a form of sport and pleasure. The Gravity Children had mostly spread out among the world, integrating themselves into society. However, as A-T grew in popularity, rumors about Trophaeum Tower and an all-powerful A-T part, otherwise known as a regalia, within it began to spread, prompting storm riders from around the world to head for the tower. Kilik, fearing that the technology contained within the Sky Regalia and the tower itself would bring about corruption and destruction in the world, as well as danger to the Gravity Children living in it. Under the suggestion of another Gravity Child named Sora, an A-T team known as Sleeping Forest was formed, composed only of Gravity Children who would fight back any storm riders who tried to approach the tower. Spitfire took his place in Sleeping Forest as King of the Flame Road, using the Flame Regalia he'd kept when escaping from the tower and became a regular part of the time.
Relations within Sleeping Forest, however, were not as happy as they first seemed. A difference of opinions with regards to the Sky Regalia in Trophaeum Tower erupted between Kilik, who wanted to keep the Sky Regalia locked away, and Sora and the rest of the team, who wanted to free the regalia. The battle of wills turned into a physical one and in the end, Kilik's side emerged victorious, leaving behind the shattered remains of his former teammates.Following the battle with Kilik, nearly all of the regalia belonging to the original Sleeping Forest were lost and scattered across the world, including Spitfire's own Flame Regalia. Spitfire, having damaged the tendons in his legs during the battle, struggled through his training to regain the abilities he'd lost. Nearly losing hope, it was with the support of his teams that Spitfire was able to continue with his training, eventually regaining the Flame Regalia.
Four years after Spitfire got back the Flame Regalia, a storm rider by the name of Ikki appeared in the A-T scene. Though Spitfire had been aware of his existence long before Ikki started using A-T, he didn't formally introduce himself until later. Spitfire, along with an associate from his times with Sleeping Forest known as Simca, began following the development of Ikki and his team, Kogarasumaru, with the hopes that he could become of use in stifling the battle between the current Sleeping Forest, headed by Ikki's close friend and nearly-sister Ringo, and Genesis, the team founded publicly by Simca but backed in secret by Nike, Sora's twin brother. Simca and Spitfire wanted to avoid another clash with Sleeping Forest, of which Kilik continued to be a member, so they plotted to have Ikki eventually join Genesis, hoping for his relationship with Ringo to pull through.
Things began to change in Spitfire's heart when he witnessed the battle between Kogarasumaru and Behemoth. Through his own battle, Ikki taught Behemoth and those watching about the thrill of simply enjoying A-T and the freedom in the sky it gave, rather than the battles over strength and power. From that moment on, Spitfire began to reconsider his personal actions as well as Genesis', which were still intent on gaining the Sky Regalia. The allure of the regalia paled in comparison to the vast freedom he had as a storm rider, but had cast aside for pointless battles.
As attacks by the current Sleeping Forest on Kogarasumaru and even Simca began, Spitfire began playing with and eventually decided to follow through with the notion of renouncing his title as Flame King. Selecting Kazu, a notable speed rider on Ikki's team, as his successor, he called the teenager aside and revealed the truths about Sora and Kilik's past, as well as the truths about Trophaeum Tower and the current and former Sleeping Forest. Before he could officially pass on his title to Kazu, however, their meeting was interrupted by the appearance of Nike. In a battle to protect both the Flame Regalia and its successor, Spitfire, Aeon Clock, and Mimasaka Ryou joined forces against Sora and Nike. Though Kazu was able to escape with the Flame Regalia, Aeon Clock and Mimasaka were critically injured by the end of the battle and Spitfire himself had lost his life.
Though Spitfire himself was dead, he continued to serve as a mentor for the team, and Kazu in particular, through an advanced AI program he'd left behind. Possibly too advanced, considering most of the team would often wonder if Spitfire was hiding in a nearby tree, watching them.
[character abilities]:
Spitfire is a storm rider, the term for people in his world who use A-T. A-T are, essentially, motorized roller blades which have the capability to propel people up walls, leap long distances in a single bound, and pretty much defy physics in fun and mind blowing ways. There are different types of storm riders, such as power and speed types, and the type of storm rider a person is essentially determines the rider's style of tricks. These tricks, while generally flashy in appearance, are the core of how a storm rider fights. Spitfire is a speed rider, which means most of his tricks center on moving extremely fast. He's also a follower of the Flame Road, roads being a further break down of a rider's style, which means that most of Spitfire's tricks center on generating heat through friction of the A-T against the ground. The tricks he's been shown to perform including raising a wall of illusionary flames to scorching a rooftop with real flames, all generated from his A-T.
He's also capable of performing tricks which use speed to give the illusion of manipulating time, such as freezing a person's body, but uses them with less frequency than he does flame-based tricks.
Aside from his AT capabilities, Spitfire's also an accomplished hairstylist and plays the piano. Classy.
[character personality]:
In a world where everybody seems to follow a 'act first, possibly think later when I feel like it' code of conduct, Spitfire is one of the few men whom has taught himself to act and speak with all the poise and dignity of a metrosexual hairdresser. Which he just so happens to be. Ever cool and calm, Spitfire's lived through a lot in his life, from the struggles of regaining his title of Flame King to fighting the ideals of a good friend, and the experiences have shaped him into a man confident in his capabilities and humbled by his limits.
Spitfire's become mindful of the place in life he feels he has, as that of both a inspiring leader and dedicated follower. When it comes to playing the role of a leader, he's the sort to lead with a firm hand; as a follower he strives hard to do what he can for the good of the group rather than the individual. His keen observation and organizational skills make him a good observer and information collector, though he's not necessarily known for it. In general, Spitfire conducts himself with a calm and warm attitude and frequently bears a light smile on his lips, even in the harshest situations.
That isn't to say that Spitfire's completely done away with the dumb-teenage-boy attitude he grew up with alongside his friends. He's been shown to encourage peeping on girls getting dressed and getting involved in dumb arguments over whose A-T trick was cooler in the middle of a serious battle. He's willing to lighten a dark mood with a light joke or two and flirts with male and female friends alike, though usually in jest. He's also developed the very odd habit of exclaiming the completely obvious or his own dumb mistakes, which usually tends to knock him down a few points on the 'cool guy' meter.
Spitfire's loyalty, both to his beliefs and to the bonds of friendship he holds, is one of his strongest points, so strong that he's willing to, and has, put his life on the line in order to uphold them. To his close friends in particular, Spitfire is willing to sacrifice time, energy, and his very body in order to support them. Spitfire's willing to shoulder a lot of the burden upon himself without seeking the assistance of others, a flaw of his in some ways, but Spitfire himself has said that if by doing this he can "spark a fire" in others, than he's satisfied.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Post chapter 163/Post-Death
[journal post]:
[ There's a moment of static onscreen as someone unseen attempts to work his communicator. He's gotten the voice to work, at least. ]
Ah, hello? Hello? Is this on? Oh no, I couldn't have broken it already, they don't give replacements on these...
[ A few more clicks on the keyboard and the screen suddenly flickers on to reveal a man upside down and far too close to the camera. ]
... Haha! How embarrassing. Let's hope that no one's keeping tabs on this network right now.
[third person / log sample]:
It's much later than expected when Spitfire had finally finished cleaning his station and the thought made him frown for a moment. He'd been hoping to finish on time and make a stop at a nearby cafe before they closed for the day, but a passing glance at the clock on the wall quite coldly informed him that he'd missed the deadline. A shame too, he'd rather been looking forward to it the whole day. Instead, it seemed a few minutes in the kitchen would be necessary for dinner that night.
The culprit of Spitfire's missed meal had been an unexpected one. His last client's hair had proved stubborn after being separated from its owner and refused to cooperate with his broom; he was sure his co-workers must have enjoyed the show of him chasing strands of snipped hair around the floor. The urge had been there to use alternate methods of removing the hair from the floors, but he'd already once experienced the owner's wrath of using A-T in the store and a repeat punishment wasn't high on his list of things to do today. At least he'd managed to finish while the amused looks were still at a minimum, and with a last smile and wave to those working the last shift he stepped out into the cooled evening air.
It was a refreshing change from the hot blasts of hairdryers and curling irons and a thankfully short walk to the bench he used for changing into his A-T. The other ladies had grown rather upset with him for using his A-T in the building, so he'd found it best to simply respect their wishes and change in and out of them outside. As an extra plus, the bench he typically used was a bit tucked away into an alley and for a brief minute twice a day Spitfire felt like Batman with a lot more style and a lot less spandex. A clear improvement in his opinion, though his respects toward the masked avenger remained quite high. It was hard not to respect a man who could pull off spandex so well.
The world always seemed to open up once Spitfire had his A-T on. It felt natural, right to have them on his feet, as if he'd been born to use the Flame Regalia, an idle thought that made him smile for a moment. The sky was only a short wall ride away, his own apartment just a few blocks down but the temptation of riding across the rooftops for a while was almost too much to resist. To set aside his job and his worries about recent events, about what he knew would be happening in just a few short hours, and simply enjoy riding again. Just as he had when he was younger, as they all had. He couldn't set them aside for long, his own sense of responsibility saw to that, but perhaps just ten minutes today wouldn't hurt anybody.
"Yes, the scenic route sounded like a good idea today," he murmured to no one but the empty sky above him before joining it.
[personal LJ name]: counttosheep
[other characters currently played]: None
[AIM / messenger]: scarletsteps at AIM/Plurk
[series]: Air Gear
[character]: Spitfire
[character history / background]: Air Gear Wikia reference
Like many other stories of not so similar outcomes, Spitfire's story began in an underground laboratory known as Trophaeum Tower. A group of children marked by pupils shaped like crosses, who were better known as Gravity Children, were created with the idea of adapting them to combat in zero gravity conditions. These children were trained since birth to use customized Air Trecks, or A-T for short, which were designed as a way of movement inside a space without gravity. As their training continued on, some children stood out among the rest, while others were deemed expendable (Spitfire being one of these). Kilik, one of the lead Gravity Children, discovered the plans to eliminate those 'failing' children and led a rebellion against the scientists whom created them. Freed from the cage which had held them all their lives, the Gravity Children entered the surface world, finally seeing the sky for the first time.
Fast forward. A-T have begun to grow in popularity all over the world as a form of sport and pleasure. The Gravity Children had mostly spread out among the world, integrating themselves into society. However, as A-T grew in popularity, rumors about Trophaeum Tower and an all-powerful A-T part, otherwise known as a regalia, within it began to spread, prompting storm riders from around the world to head for the tower. Kilik, fearing that the technology contained within the Sky Regalia and the tower itself would bring about corruption and destruction in the world, as well as danger to the Gravity Children living in it. Under the suggestion of another Gravity Child named Sora, an A-T team known as Sleeping Forest was formed, composed only of Gravity Children who would fight back any storm riders who tried to approach the tower. Spitfire took his place in Sleeping Forest as King of the Flame Road, using the Flame Regalia he'd kept when escaping from the tower and became a regular part of the time.
Relations within Sleeping Forest, however, were not as happy as they first seemed. A difference of opinions with regards to the Sky Regalia in Trophaeum Tower erupted between Kilik, who wanted to keep the Sky Regalia locked away, and Sora and the rest of the team, who wanted to free the regalia. The battle of wills turned into a physical one and in the end, Kilik's side emerged victorious, leaving behind the shattered remains of his former teammates.Following the battle with Kilik, nearly all of the regalia belonging to the original Sleeping Forest were lost and scattered across the world, including Spitfire's own Flame Regalia. Spitfire, having damaged the tendons in his legs during the battle, struggled through his training to regain the abilities he'd lost. Nearly losing hope, it was with the support of his teams that Spitfire was able to continue with his training, eventually regaining the Flame Regalia.
Four years after Spitfire got back the Flame Regalia, a storm rider by the name of Ikki appeared in the A-T scene. Though Spitfire had been aware of his existence long before Ikki started using A-T, he didn't formally introduce himself until later. Spitfire, along with an associate from his times with Sleeping Forest known as Simca, began following the development of Ikki and his team, Kogarasumaru, with the hopes that he could become of use in stifling the battle between the current Sleeping Forest, headed by Ikki's close friend and nearly-sister Ringo, and Genesis, the team founded publicly by Simca but backed in secret by Nike, Sora's twin brother. Simca and Spitfire wanted to avoid another clash with Sleeping Forest, of which Kilik continued to be a member, so they plotted to have Ikki eventually join Genesis, hoping for his relationship with Ringo to pull through.
Things began to change in Spitfire's heart when he witnessed the battle between Kogarasumaru and Behemoth. Through his own battle, Ikki taught Behemoth and those watching about the thrill of simply enjoying A-T and the freedom in the sky it gave, rather than the battles over strength and power. From that moment on, Spitfire began to reconsider his personal actions as well as Genesis', which were still intent on gaining the Sky Regalia. The allure of the regalia paled in comparison to the vast freedom he had as a storm rider, but had cast aside for pointless battles.
As attacks by the current Sleeping Forest on Kogarasumaru and even Simca began, Spitfire began playing with and eventually decided to follow through with the notion of renouncing his title as Flame King. Selecting Kazu, a notable speed rider on Ikki's team, as his successor, he called the teenager aside and revealed the truths about Sora and Kilik's past, as well as the truths about Trophaeum Tower and the current and former Sleeping Forest. Before he could officially pass on his title to Kazu, however, their meeting was interrupted by the appearance of Nike. In a battle to protect both the Flame Regalia and its successor, Spitfire, Aeon Clock, and Mimasaka Ryou joined forces against Sora and Nike. Though Kazu was able to escape with the Flame Regalia, Aeon Clock and Mimasaka were critically injured by the end of the battle and Spitfire himself had lost his life.
Though Spitfire himself was dead, he continued to serve as a mentor for the team, and Kazu in particular, through an advanced AI program he'd left behind. Possibly too advanced, considering most of the team would often wonder if Spitfire was hiding in a nearby tree, watching them.
[character abilities]:
Spitfire is a storm rider, the term for people in his world who use A-T. A-T are, essentially, motorized roller blades which have the capability to propel people up walls, leap long distances in a single bound, and pretty much defy physics in fun and mind blowing ways. There are different types of storm riders, such as power and speed types, and the type of storm rider a person is essentially determines the rider's style of tricks. These tricks, while generally flashy in appearance, are the core of how a storm rider fights. Spitfire is a speed rider, which means most of his tricks center on moving extremely fast. He's also a follower of the Flame Road, roads being a further break down of a rider's style, which means that most of Spitfire's tricks center on generating heat through friction of the A-T against the ground. The tricks he's been shown to perform including raising a wall of illusionary flames to scorching a rooftop with real flames, all generated from his A-T.
He's also capable of performing tricks which use speed to give the illusion of manipulating time, such as freezing a person's body, but uses them with less frequency than he does flame-based tricks.
Aside from his AT capabilities, Spitfire's also an accomplished hairstylist and plays the piano. Classy.
[character personality]:
In a world where everybody seems to follow a 'act first, possibly think later when I feel like it' code of conduct, Spitfire is one of the few men whom has taught himself to act and speak with all the poise and dignity of a metrosexual hairdresser. Which he just so happens to be. Ever cool and calm, Spitfire's lived through a lot in his life, from the struggles of regaining his title of Flame King to fighting the ideals of a good friend, and the experiences have shaped him into a man confident in his capabilities and humbled by his limits.
Spitfire's become mindful of the place in life he feels he has, as that of both a inspiring leader and dedicated follower. When it comes to playing the role of a leader, he's the sort to lead with a firm hand; as a follower he strives hard to do what he can for the good of the group rather than the individual. His keen observation and organizational skills make him a good observer and information collector, though he's not necessarily known for it. In general, Spitfire conducts himself with a calm and warm attitude and frequently bears a light smile on his lips, even in the harshest situations.
That isn't to say that Spitfire's completely done away with the dumb-teenage-boy attitude he grew up with alongside his friends. He's been shown to encourage peeping on girls getting dressed and getting involved in dumb arguments over whose A-T trick was cooler in the middle of a serious battle. He's willing to lighten a dark mood with a light joke or two and flirts with male and female friends alike, though usually in jest. He's also developed the very odd habit of exclaiming the completely obvious or his own dumb mistakes, which usually tends to knock him down a few points on the 'cool guy' meter.
Spitfire's loyalty, both to his beliefs and to the bonds of friendship he holds, is one of his strongest points, so strong that he's willing to, and has, put his life on the line in order to uphold them. To his close friends in particular, Spitfire is willing to sacrifice time, energy, and his very body in order to support them. Spitfire's willing to shoulder a lot of the burden upon himself without seeking the assistance of others, a flaw of his in some ways, but Spitfire himself has said that if by doing this he can "spark a fire" in others, than he's satisfied.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Post chapter 163/Post-Death
[journal post]:
[ There's a moment of static onscreen as someone unseen attempts to work his communicator. He's gotten the voice to work, at least. ]
Ah, hello? Hello? Is this on? Oh no, I couldn't have broken it already, they don't give replacements on these...
[ A few more clicks on the keyboard and the screen suddenly flickers on to reveal a man upside down and far too close to the camera. ]
... Haha! How embarrassing. Let's hope that no one's keeping tabs on this network right now.
[third person / log sample]:
It's much later than expected when Spitfire had finally finished cleaning his station and the thought made him frown for a moment. He'd been hoping to finish on time and make a stop at a nearby cafe before they closed for the day, but a passing glance at the clock on the wall quite coldly informed him that he'd missed the deadline. A shame too, he'd rather been looking forward to it the whole day. Instead, it seemed a few minutes in the kitchen would be necessary for dinner that night.
The culprit of Spitfire's missed meal had been an unexpected one. His last client's hair had proved stubborn after being separated from its owner and refused to cooperate with his broom; he was sure his co-workers must have enjoyed the show of him chasing strands of snipped hair around the floor. The urge had been there to use alternate methods of removing the hair from the floors, but he'd already once experienced the owner's wrath of using A-T in the store and a repeat punishment wasn't high on his list of things to do today. At least he'd managed to finish while the amused looks were still at a minimum, and with a last smile and wave to those working the last shift he stepped out into the cooled evening air.
It was a refreshing change from the hot blasts of hairdryers and curling irons and a thankfully short walk to the bench he used for changing into his A-T. The other ladies had grown rather upset with him for using his A-T in the building, so he'd found it best to simply respect their wishes and change in and out of them outside. As an extra plus, the bench he typically used was a bit tucked away into an alley and for a brief minute twice a day Spitfire felt like Batman with a lot more style and a lot less spandex. A clear improvement in his opinion, though his respects toward the masked avenger remained quite high. It was hard not to respect a man who could pull off spandex so well.
The world always seemed to open up once Spitfire had his A-T on. It felt natural, right to have them on his feet, as if he'd been born to use the Flame Regalia, an idle thought that made him smile for a moment. The sky was only a short wall ride away, his own apartment just a few blocks down but the temptation of riding across the rooftops for a while was almost too much to resist. To set aside his job and his worries about recent events, about what he knew would be happening in just a few short hours, and simply enjoy riding again. Just as he had when he was younger, as they all had. He couldn't set them aside for long, his own sense of responsibility saw to that, but perhaps just ten minutes today wouldn't hurt anybody.
"Yes, the scenic route sounded like a good idea today," he murmured to no one but the empty sky above him before joining it.