Application for route_29
Character
Name: Ballad Hunter
Series: Zoids New Century Zero
Timeline: end of series
Canon Resource Links: Character profile in Zoids wiki
The series is pretty episodic, focusing on team battles run by an organization on the planet Zi, where living robots called Zoids are used for combat. Ballad started out as a mercenary, but it's not told how he got his start in that. He works with the Blitz Team to win battles and earn money, eventually participating in a tournament with them. That is the basic rundown of his history and the show as a whole.
Personality:
Ballad has a reputation for being a miser, always concerned with how much money he stands to make in any situation. He even opted out of battles before because he didn't stand any chance of making money. Along with his typically aloof and indifferent attitude toward his surroundings, at first glance, Ballad seems like the uncaring mercenary he claims to be. In a way, this impression is partially correct. Ballad is always looking out for himself and his own well-being above anything else. He's calculating and sly, much like the animals his associates with-the wolf and the fox-so his approach to life is a lot like his battle strategy: he weighs how much he has to lose or gain in any situation, and doesn't rush in based on his emotions. In fact, he's critical of people such as his team member, Bit, whom he sees as too careless and optimistic.
On the other hand, Ballad isn't necessarily as heartless as he would like to appear. Despite being a mercenary hired by the Blitz Team, he is registered as a team member and works with them as a friend. He helps people in need, even if they are strangers, when he has the opportunity to do so. For instance, he helps other warriors take out a gang that is terrorizing a local town even though he isn't being hired to do so. He also comes to the aid of his teammates despite not gaining anything from it, and even when it puts him at risk. Of course, he won't turn down an opportunity to make more money if it is there-he joined an illegal rival group to get his hands on their new weapon, only to double-cross them once he had what he wanted-but overall his intentions are good. Like a lone wolf, he prefers to keep his motives to himself and gain the upper hand through tricks or surprise attacks when they are available. However, he is loyal to the ones he cares about and has his own set of morals that he follows. He may be opportunistic, but he's dependable, hard-working when he needs to be, and clever.
Over the course of the series, Ballad shows both his sly, miserly side and his good heart. He also seems to grow closer to the Blitz Team and those around him. He even shows a growing bond with his zoids. Early in the season, he refers to the units more as weapons, but toward the end of the season, he seems to learn to open up more and treat them as partners. He shows an appreciation for their company, not just their abilities in battle, and admires the bond Bit has with his Liger Zero unit. As the Blitz Team grows as a group, Ballad also shows a lot of growth as a team member. He is even willing to sacrifice his position by holding off the enemy so Bit can reinforce his armor at the end of the series. He goes from being a distant, cynical loner to being a strong teammate that uses his cunning for the advantage of the group. It does take him awhile to warm up to new people, but the series demonstrates the different facets of all of the characters as they struggle through different challenges, and Ballad is no exception. He is determined, adaptable, and cool in a battle, and even with his faults, is a good warrior.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
Ballad is physically strong, able to handle extreme G-forces without passing out and fight multiple enemies in hand-to-hand combat. He's also a clever strategist, fooling his opponents into thinking he's not a threat so he can spring a surprise attack. As a mercenary, he's familiar with different battle tactics and using his environment, and he's a survivor above all else. His cool nature makes him a good person to have under pressure, and he's good at breaking out of facilities.
On the other hand, Ballad isn't always dependable. He's slow to warm up to new people and known to outright refuse to fight unless he has something to gain. He has a reputation for being a materialist, focusing on how much money he'll get and turning down challenges if they are only for sport. He's also more of a strategist and a thinker than a risk-taker. This works against him when he isn't familiar with something, since he has a habit of holding back and keeping his guard up when he's unsure of something new. He's slow to try new things, which can slow him down.
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Trainer
Starter: Houndour
Password: Sunflower Seeds
Samples
First Person Sample:
I think I'm lost. No, I take that back. I'm definitely lost.
I don't think I'm even on the right planet. Well, it's a lot greener around here. [Ballad sighs. Really, just when they were finally on a winning streak, too.]
Someone wanna help me out here? What exactly am I supposed to do now? I'm a warrior, not a trainer- [Below him, a Houndour cuts him off with an unhappy noise.]
Yeah, easy for you to say. You just have to catch your food.
Third Person Sample:
Great. Just great.
Ballad looked at the thin device again, but all it seemed to do was talk about these “Pokemon” things. The more he fiddled with it, the less helpful it looked like it would be. Which meant actually asking someone how he got there. On one hand, he could be thankful that he hadn't woken up tied to a chair-again--or been shaken awake by hard shelling--again--but finding himself in a strange bed wasn't making life easier. And it had only gotten weirder from there. The stranger that acted like she knew him, the bizarre music that seemed to follow him everywhere, and--
“Grrrr.”
Oh, yeah. And then there was that. Ballad looked over the screen at the black and red creature standing patiently in front of him.
“The dog thing. Almost forgot about you.”
The creature barked in agreement. Well, at least it was friendly enough. But what was he supposed to do with it? According to the Pokedex-the red folding screen of knowledge-the dog was a Houndour. Well, that just answered everything, didn't it? The old guy wasn't much help either, and the lady whose house he woke up in... No, it was better just to forget that whole thing.
At least it didn't seem like he was alone in all the confusion. Apparently whatever had happened to him had happened to a bunch of other people too, because they looked just as confused as he was. Which still didn't give Ballad any idea about what was going on or where he was supposed to go to get home. Or if he could get home. Not that he was particularly homesick, but he didn't like leaving the Fox in the base without him.
“I guess we don't really have a choice,” he told the Houndour. It looked up at him as if it understood what he was saying.
“I'm not gonna get any answers around here. We'll just have to see what we can find on the road. You're coming too, right?”
The Houndour barked and wagged its tail. Well, at least one of them was excited about the journey.
Name: Ballad Hunter
Series: Zoids New Century Zero
Timeline: end of series
Canon Resource Links: Character profile in Zoids wiki
The series is pretty episodic, focusing on team battles run by an organization on the planet Zi, where living robots called Zoids are used for combat. Ballad started out as a mercenary, but it's not told how he got his start in that. He works with the Blitz Team to win battles and earn money, eventually participating in a tournament with them. That is the basic rundown of his history and the show as a whole.
Personality:
Ballad has a reputation for being a miser, always concerned with how much money he stands to make in any situation. He even opted out of battles before because he didn't stand any chance of making money. Along with his typically aloof and indifferent attitude toward his surroundings, at first glance, Ballad seems like the uncaring mercenary he claims to be. In a way, this impression is partially correct. Ballad is always looking out for himself and his own well-being above anything else. He's calculating and sly, much like the animals his associates with-the wolf and the fox-so his approach to life is a lot like his battle strategy: he weighs how much he has to lose or gain in any situation, and doesn't rush in based on his emotions. In fact, he's critical of people such as his team member, Bit, whom he sees as too careless and optimistic.
On the other hand, Ballad isn't necessarily as heartless as he would like to appear. Despite being a mercenary hired by the Blitz Team, he is registered as a team member and works with them as a friend. He helps people in need, even if they are strangers, when he has the opportunity to do so. For instance, he helps other warriors take out a gang that is terrorizing a local town even though he isn't being hired to do so. He also comes to the aid of his teammates despite not gaining anything from it, and even when it puts him at risk. Of course, he won't turn down an opportunity to make more money if it is there-he joined an illegal rival group to get his hands on their new weapon, only to double-cross them once he had what he wanted-but overall his intentions are good. Like a lone wolf, he prefers to keep his motives to himself and gain the upper hand through tricks or surprise attacks when they are available. However, he is loyal to the ones he cares about and has his own set of morals that he follows. He may be opportunistic, but he's dependable, hard-working when he needs to be, and clever.
Over the course of the series, Ballad shows both his sly, miserly side and his good heart. He also seems to grow closer to the Blitz Team and those around him. He even shows a growing bond with his zoids. Early in the season, he refers to the units more as weapons, but toward the end of the season, he seems to learn to open up more and treat them as partners. He shows an appreciation for their company, not just their abilities in battle, and admires the bond Bit has with his Liger Zero unit. As the Blitz Team grows as a group, Ballad also shows a lot of growth as a team member. He is even willing to sacrifice his position by holding off the enemy so Bit can reinforce his armor at the end of the series. He goes from being a distant, cynical loner to being a strong teammate that uses his cunning for the advantage of the group. It does take him awhile to warm up to new people, but the series demonstrates the different facets of all of the characters as they struggle through different challenges, and Ballad is no exception. He is determined, adaptable, and cool in a battle, and even with his faults, is a good warrior.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
Ballad is physically strong, able to handle extreme G-forces without passing out and fight multiple enemies in hand-to-hand combat. He's also a clever strategist, fooling his opponents into thinking he's not a threat so he can spring a surprise attack. As a mercenary, he's familiar with different battle tactics and using his environment, and he's a survivor above all else. His cool nature makes him a good person to have under pressure, and he's good at breaking out of facilities.
On the other hand, Ballad isn't always dependable. He's slow to warm up to new people and known to outright refuse to fight unless he has something to gain. He has a reputation for being a materialist, focusing on how much money he'll get and turning down challenges if they are only for sport. He's also more of a strategist and a thinker than a risk-taker. This works against him when he isn't familiar with something, since he has a habit of holding back and keeping his guard up when he's unsure of something new. He's slow to try new things, which can slow him down.
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Trainer
Starter: Houndour
Password: Sunflower Seeds
Samples
First Person Sample:
I think I'm lost. No, I take that back. I'm definitely lost.
I don't think I'm even on the right planet. Well, it's a lot greener around here. [Ballad sighs. Really, just when they were finally on a winning streak, too.]
Someone wanna help me out here? What exactly am I supposed to do now? I'm a warrior, not a trainer- [Below him, a Houndour cuts him off with an unhappy noise.]
Yeah, easy for you to say. You just have to catch your food.
Third Person Sample:
Great. Just great.
Ballad looked at the thin device again, but all it seemed to do was talk about these “Pokemon” things. The more he fiddled with it, the less helpful it looked like it would be. Which meant actually asking someone how he got there. On one hand, he could be thankful that he hadn't woken up tied to a chair-again--or been shaken awake by hard shelling--again--but finding himself in a strange bed wasn't making life easier. And it had only gotten weirder from there. The stranger that acted like she knew him, the bizarre music that seemed to follow him everywhere, and--
“Grrrr.”
Oh, yeah. And then there was that. Ballad looked over the screen at the black and red creature standing patiently in front of him.
“The dog thing. Almost forgot about you.”
The creature barked in agreement. Well, at least it was friendly enough. But what was he supposed to do with it? According to the Pokedex-the red folding screen of knowledge-the dog was a Houndour. Well, that just answered everything, didn't it? The old guy wasn't much help either, and the lady whose house he woke up in... No, it was better just to forget that whole thing.
At least it didn't seem like he was alone in all the confusion. Apparently whatever had happened to him had happened to a bunch of other people too, because they looked just as confused as he was. Which still didn't give Ballad any idea about what was going on or where he was supposed to go to get home. Or if he could get home. Not that he was particularly homesick, but he didn't like leaving the Fox in the base without him.
“I guess we don't really have a choice,” he told the Houndour. It looked up at him as if it understood what he was saying.
“I'm not gonna get any answers around here. We'll just have to see what we can find on the road. You're coming too, right?”
The Houndour barked and wagged its tail. Well, at least one of them was excited about the journey.