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Topics - SerAnad

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1
OOC: Given that Mogan's semblance is time-based, I'd thank you if you could specify the timing of Jima's actions so we don't get confused and make mistakes.



"So, Jima, are you sure you want me to use my semblance?"

Mogan asked her teammate while entering one of Beacon's training halls, already wearing his combat gear. 

"You saw the damage it can do... "

This was the first sparring match he would have with one of his new teammates, and to be honest he was a bit worried. Not only because of his semblance (after all the chances of causing permanent damage, if he was careful, were reasonably low), but because during a fight he tended to show his competitive spirit and could come across as quite arrogant and smug. 

"But I can understand your reasoning. I too, as a general rule, try to fight without using my semblance and so have to adapt to opponents who are free to use their semblances. Take Suntalia, for example! Ahh... must be nice to have an easy and powerful semblance like hers."

Mogan reached the center of the stage and shrugged to loose up his shoulders.

"One last piece of advice, before we start: I'm a liar, so don't trust me."

He then fell into a fighting stance. He positioned sideways, slightly hunched like a coiled spring, offering a smaller target. With his left leg forward and his right arm close to his chest ready to deliver a full force punch, with the aid of Take, of course. His left arm, which was instead covered by Give (the one with the concealed blade and the whip), was before him. His left hand was open, with the palm facing upwards.

Spoiler: ShowHide




With a confident smirk, he gestured with his left hand, inviting her to get close and daring her to attack.

Spoiler: ShowHide




2
I had initially found strange and irritating to have to reach Mistral by going all the way to Vale and then from then to the continent of Anima instead or just getting there directly via ship from Vacuo. Reflectin on it though I realized that my client probably didn't want to take any chances and sought to minimize the possibilities of someone noticing my arrival by making me take a detour. As I said: irritating. But a job is a job, and besides, it was all paid. One thing that wasn't paid, and that I felt I quite needed after the long and uneventful travel from Vacuo to Vale, was a good fight. 
So, as is my custom, I reached out for Beacon students and/or Huntsman for a sparring partner. Just to shake off some rust, blow off some steam, and pass some time before resuming my travel towards Mistral.
Unfortunately, the only one to reply in a timely fashion had been a first-year student. Hardly a challenge, considering my experience and ability, but beggars can't be choosers and so here I am, strolling inside an old abandoned factory building and looking around with mild interest. 
What has that to do with anything, you might ask? In short, the answer is that my sparring partner for the day has a sparring ground of her own! That had been a lucky occurrence, that had saved me the trouble of renting a place for the occasion, and reduced the amount of traces I could leave behind. 

"I feel I should thank you again for offering this place as a stage for our little pastime... Amane, was it?"

I said addressing the girl that had accepted my request for a training partner. Of course, I hadn't used my real name and instead presented myself as Amelia Honeydew (I like honeydews, don't judge): a travelling huntress looking for some stress relief.   
I was wearing a pair of tight black but elastic pants, my combat boots, and a black leather jacket. Under it a black tank top and two pairs of holsters for as many guns.

"It's not often I happen to meet first-year students that have their own training ground. You must be quite rich, yes? But I digress... Since this is your place I feel compelled to ask if you have any rules you want me to observe or have any warning regarding the place. Should I pay attention to not shot towards the ceiling, lest it crumbles and falls on our heads or anything similar? Do you want a plain and unobstructed stage or do you want to set some obstacles and covers to spice things up a little?"

3
Plot Zone / Friendly Fights
« on: June 15, 2018, 02:30:43 PM »
Hello people! Since I have yet to have a chance to use one of my character in actual PvP, or any combat really, I was wondering if someone is interested in doing some friendly matches so I can properly test if they work as well as I think.
As for the details of said matches I'm open to any proposition: from fights to the death (done as non-canon), to training sessions with or without semblances, or 1vs2 or 2vs2 in which I and/or my adversary use one or two characters.
For time reasons I would prefer not to open more than two threads simultaneously.
So if you're up for it, please let me know!

4
Approved Characters / Shoko-La Bitter
« on: February 06, 2018, 02:33:11 PM »
CHARACTER

Name: Shoko-La Bitter

Age: 28

Species and Gender: Cougar Faunus - Female

Symbol: 


Occupation: Mercenary/Hitman

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESMyzfKdKU8

Appearance:
My most obvious physical characteristic is clearly my breathtaking good look. Whenever I glance at my reflection in a mirror I can see deep red locks casting dark shadows over bright golden feline eyes that shine with intelligence and concealed ruthlessness. Full red lips, often curved in a smug smile, hide pearly white teeth (and slightly longer than average canines) and are surrounded by healthy and silky smooth naturally tanned skin. My figure is enviable, as I stand at 1.75 centimeters and have all the right curves, not too much, not too little: just perfect. I'm also quite proud of my long tail, that I brush every morning, that has the same color of my hair and helps me quite a lot for maintaining my balance during acrobatic moves. Unfortunately, I have to keep it hidden most of the time, by coiling it around a leg or my waist (under my clothes, obviously). I'm a woman in my prime, dripping with sensuality. A predator: dangerous, yet oh so tempting nonetheless.
I don't want to waste too much time describing my attire, so suffice to say that I often change clothes depending on the circumstances and even have some outfits that would not be out of place in a spy movie.


History:
I would like to confess my sins, to have someone or something forgive me, but I can't because my heart is empty. And it's empty like a mirror that I'm forced to stare at. I see myself reflected in it, and I read only fear and disgust. I behold indifference towards both Faunus and humans, as they were unrecognizable. I catch glimpses of nightmarish images born from my fantasies and dreams. Sometimes I think that it would be just better to die... or better yet, to kill. 

Spoiler: ShowHide
I was born in a small village on miners north of Atlas, the only child of a poor couple of Faunus. My father worked in the mine, my mother in the kitchens of the workers. They wanted to give me a better life, and it was thanks to a bit of luck and a bit of careful planning that they managed to introduce me to the son of the manager of the mine. Lawine was a kind boy, well-behaved all things considered, he was just a year older than me, just ten years old at the time, and we liked each other from the start. My mother often told me that he was my chance for a better future, that if I could remain friends with him then he could have could have brought me to Atlas where I could have found a job inside a rich household. I listened when she told me to always be nice to him, to obey him and to always look pretty. The years passed, I went with Lawine to Atlas, to be his personal maid while he attended Atlas Academy. Life was good. I had to work, sure, but I had a comfortable bed, warm meals, and a friend that I hoped would be something more one day. I knew I was doing something right because Lawine was jealous and possessive and often called me pretty. My parents' letters were full of joy and hope for my future, and I was able to send them even some money. The other staff members were sometimes envious of the attention I received, and mean comments and teasing were ordinary. Even Lawine had to keep appearances, but I knew that he didn't mean it. He was everything I thought I wanted, and as we grew up I understood that he wanted me too.

Then one day, by mistake, I spilled some hot tea on a butler (one of the worst). Maybe they thought I'd done it on purpose, maybe they were just waiting for an excuse. I was badly beaten, during the night. I knew there was some animosity, but I never thought that so many would have taken part. When Lawine found out he was furious. He screamed and threatened, and I was so happy to see him defend me.
He attended combat school and offered to teach me how to defend myself. We disguised the lessons as dance classes, and two teenagers didn't take long to take this opportunity to make their relationship more "physical". It was the happiest time of my life. He said that he loved me, he sent me flowers and poems. He always told me that even if I was nothing to the rest of the world, as long as I was his I would be important and I would have the best that he could give me. Lawine was such a tender lover, always present and ready to help me, and before I realized I already depended on him. I loved him so much that sometimes I thought my heart would explode. Only much later I realized that those who are too loved do not give love, and whoever loves less is the strongest. As time went by he started to treat me less well, when we spent time together he did it like he was doing me a favor. He made me feel less important and dosed love and cruelty with perfection. He still was the most tender of lovers, but outside of the bedroom...
I guess there are no set rules in love, that you just have to be who you are, but the only true rule is that if you don't love yourself then nobody will ever truly love you back.

I thought it was my fault. How could be his? Our sparring sessions became more intense, and he even unlocked my aura when the bruises started to become too unpleasant to look at. "I like you more when you are pretty".
When we trained I was never good enough to give him a proper challenge, but I had learned that if I didn't do my best he would get angry. He said that he was doing it for my own good, that I had to learn to defend myself, but somewhere in my mind I think I understood that, while maybe that had been the original plan, at some point he just started to enjoy beating me, to see me struggle. Afterwards, he would sometimes force himself on me. There were days when I wanted to rip off my nose so as not to feel the stink of blood and bodily fluids left on me.
I started to send fewer letters and all the lien I managed to save to my parents: I didn't want them to know.
It was the cruelest of traps. It was like having my heart broken piece by piece and then having those pieces stolen away. It hurts, but you always hope that you'll get some of those pieces back. Sometimes he made small gestures of affection, and like the fool I was I dared to hope, I dared to be happy again even for a moment, only to have another piece of my heart torn away. There were moments, after a slap and kiss, when I wanted to cut off my tongue, because I had talked inappropriately or to just not feel the taste of his lips.

Dear child ... dear child, I do not know much about the world, but one thing I know: that every child deserves a mother who desires it, that gives happiness from all the pores at the thought of being able to hold him in his arms.
Dear child, you would deserve a mother who feels joy in feeling you grow inside her, a mother who knows how to show you the beauty of the world and who loves you with every fiber of her being, in every moment, forever.
But what kind of mother would I be? I who know nothing but pain and fear now, I can offer you nothing but a life like mine: a cursed life. I'm a mother who does not even want you. Dear child, forgive me if you can.
I cry for you, in this hell from which the beatings that have been addressed to me have saved you.
Forgive me.

I am a lower being, an object owned by another person. I have no eyes, no mouth, no hands. I can not hear or speak or love because I no longer have a heart. I can only go on, keep running until my charge runs out and I'll stop moving. I'm like a puppet. My spring is my one and only heart: the only living part of me, which however does not belong to me. I feel it ... I feel that it pulsates against my will. Bum ... bum ... bum ... Why do not you stop? Why do you keep hitting me? Do not you understand that you're hurting me? Bum ... bum ... bum ... if you continue like this I will never be able to stop crying.

Once upon a time, I was sure that we would have had a long and happy life. I've never been so wrong. There was this thought that started to grow inside me, after the miscarriage, while my ingenuity and innocence faded day by day: what was the point of giving my love to a man without pity, not even interested to understand my inner turmoil and torment? I came to the conclusion that I was no longer able to discern reality, I could no longer tell the sharp difference between the blindest love and the most stupid submission, I realized that in my incoherence and folly I had convinced myself that I could not exist without him. That was simply not true anymore. I had had enough and reached the point where I felt I could span at any moment. 

His sweaty hands grabbed my neck, so hard I thought he would tear my head off. Salty tears that came down my cheeks, silently. I'm nineteen, and everything has been taken away from me.
There were days when I just wanted like to stop feeling, sink into a muffled oblivion and simply sleep.
There were days when I simply wanted to die. That day, however, I simply wanted to kill.
I couldn't defend myself, even with aura unlocked I could not defend myself against him. What was aura for then? He told me that it was a manifestation of the soul and that semblances were somehow connected to it. So I just wished with every fiber of my being for something that could kill him, for something that would strangle the life out of him, for something that would make him experience what it meant to have something growing inside of you just to then have it roughly torn away, for something that would cling to him until the end, for something that could suck away his very essence, for something that, unlike me, would have been invulnerable.
And so I caressed his cheek, one last time, then put a finger to his lips... and poured all of my aura into his mouth.  He exploded from the inside-out.

It is said that when something or someone is hurting you, the only thing you want is to get away, to escape. It's not true. The first instinct you have when something or someone is hurting you is to destroy that something or that someone. The reality is that inside every one of us, Faunus or human, there is a beast. For some is a tiger, for others a pig, but each one of them is delighted when they hear the desperate screams of a victim. Life isn't precious or sacred: it's a fragile and common thing that we put on a pedestal because we are afraid of death. I'm still afraid to die, but I no longer care about the lives of others. Sure there is beauty and kindness in the world, there are innocence and love, but I simply don't care. It doesn't concern me. After all, everyone has to go through his own life on his own, and others are nothing but background characters inside your own painting.
The hell of the living is not something that will be; if there is one, it is what is already here, the hell that we live every day, that we form by being together. There are two ways to avoid suffering for it. The first is easy for many: to accept hell and become part of it to the point of not seeing it anymore. The second is risky and requires constant attention and learning: to seek and know how to recognize who and what, in the midst of hell, is not hell, and make it last, and give it space.
I choose the easy way out: I was finally able to see the world for what it is and I accepted it.
This is the story of how I obtained my freedom.

Now I can tell you the story of how I became a mercenary...
While I laid motionless on the bed with blood and gore all around me, tears streaming down my face that burned like drops of lemon juice, a sudden sense of clarity overcame me. I knew that I had just killed the heir of a rich and powerful family, I knew that I had no friends willing to help me and I knew I would probably be condemned to a life in prison in the best possible scenario if the authorities managed to arrest me. The solution was pretty obvious. A young faunus girl fleeing from justice that needed shelter, food, training, and resources really had just one option available: the White Fang. So I cleaned myself, with one of those long showers in which you try to clean not only your body but also try to wash away something deeper that you can't quite define. I packed all that I could, all the lien I could find (quite a bit, given the status of my ex-lover), the dust, Lawine's weapons (four double-barreled guns), clothes and so on, and then left in the dead of night.

I walked the dark streets without even looking on the ground, I was so tired ... I had suffered too much, I had already seen what could collapse on me. I had already been punished, for all my distractions or weaknesses and for every candid caress given to not feel the bitterness.

Finding the White Fang wasn't hard. I just had to ask around a bit in the faunus districts to be pointed in the right direction. I gave them a false name, said that my parents had died in a SDC mine and that was all I needed to be welcomed with open arms.
I had no interest in the White Fang or in their cause. To me, they were just bunch of deluded fanatics and terrorist, too blinded or stupid to see that violence could never manage to permanently change the opinion of an entire society for the better. But they served me well nonetheless, helping me complete my training and sheltering me from the authorities. Sure I had to do some work, take part in some operations, but it was worth it. I had all the time and the resources I needed to perfect my fighting style, adjust to my weapons and learn to use dust in ways that best suited me. Those were years of sweat and blood and broken bones. My training in the White Fang wasn't like those offered in the huntsman academies, but more a sequence of battles and fights that forged me and made me grow faster. But constant battle changes and twists a person.

Looking back to those days I have to say that it was almost like living the life of another person. A surreal experience derived from the fact that I had erected around me a series of walls and worn a series of masks in order to isolate myself from the world and metabolize my traumas. So while my body, almost on autopilot, trained and played the part of a fervent White Fang member, my mind slowly came to terms with her conflicts and doubts. For example, there was the matter of my parents towards whom I still felt affection, but that part of my considered at least partly responsible for my tribulations. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I owed them nothing, so I sent them one last letter, in which I explained how I was able to secure a job in Vacuo, and that was it. Who knows... if I had stayed in my home village I could have been happy. Maybe I would have been poor, but at least my soul would not have been tainted the way it was.
My time in the White Fang was my chrysalis stage, and when three years after my joining I decided to leave the terrorist group, I had finally decided how to live the rest of my life. My conclusion was to live for myself and no other. I was going to enjoy life my way, taking what I wanted when I wanted, without binding me to anything or anyone, I would live without rules if not my own and would not allow anything to hurt me anymore. I had learned that strength meant power, and power meant freedom. Lewine had such a hold on me because he had power over me, while I had none. I had been his property, in a sense, until I had obtained a power greater than his. This is the way Remnant works: the strong prey on the weak. Grimm prey on humans, humans prey on other weaker humans and or faunus and those prey on animals. There is no reason to deny this truth, no purpose in softening it with nonsense like "it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak" or "society is what counts and has power" because the worst enemy of all of us isn't really the closest Grimm, but the closest person.
And so the solution really is simple: to be as free as you can possibly be you need to get as close as possible to the top of the food chain.
In my case, since predators are on the top of the food chain, I had to become a predator myself. I already had the training and the skill I needed, so all that was left was practice.

Without the backing of the White Fang it had become too risky to stay in Atlas, so I moved to Vacuo where I knew I would be as far as possible both from the Atlesian authorities and the White Fang (I wanted to start a new career, after all), besides having the best odds of finding what I needed. Vacuo was exactly how it had been described to me and even more suitable to my needs, as it was really true what they said: "if you can survive in Vacuo, then you are welcome in Vacuo".

I walked the streets of Vacuo with confidence, in broad daylight. Without thinking of anything in particular and regarding people with indifference. Long gone were the days when a single look could cause me turmoil.

The first thing I did was to search for jobs in the underground, and since requests were plentiful I was spoiled for choice. I started with fairly harmless chores to test the terrain and understand how to move, like guarding duty for warehouses full of illegal goods or helping in robberies, and as my skills began to be noticed I received more enticing proposals such as henchman (or henchwoman) for some mob boss or bodyguard and debt collector for usurers.
Soon after my third job I came to the conclusion that sex was a weapon too useful and pleasurable to have it spoiled by the risk (even remote) of a pregnancy, so I decided to undergo a surgery that made me completely sterile. Afterwards, I spent almost a week drinking myself into oblivion, crying myself to sleep, and eating sweets like I wanted to double my body-weight. Then, one morning I wake up and discovered that I wasn't distressed anymore.
At that point, it did not take long before I was commissioned the first murder. It was supposed to be a test of loyalty for my boss at the time (a corrupt politician) that wanted me to get rid of a nosy policeman who had received a good training in Oasis Academy but didn't make it into Shade. I was a cheaper to hire than a professional huntsman and since I didn't know the true identity of said boss he wasn't risking much by sending me. I knew that was my chance to really get in the business I wanted and most importantly to prove to myself if I could do it. It would not have been the first time I had killed, of course, since in the White Fang it wasn't uncommon to have to take a life during a mission (especially if you actually were able to fight). But to kill someone for money? An innocent with a family and loved ones? This was going to be a new trial.
It wasn't the easiest job to start with either: the man had aura, some training, at least a gun as a weapon, was almost never alone, often changed his routine, was kept under surveillance by his colleagues who knew he was a potential target and had a well-protected home. Long story short the chances of me killing him unnoticed were close to zero, especially if I wanted to meet the condition I had placed upon myself. First of all, I didn't want collateral victims, so no blowing up his car or something like that. Second, my identity was to remain unknown, so I couldn't attempt to get close to him and kill him in his sleep after seducing him or get a job in his favorite coffee shop to poison his morning espresso. I was confident in my disguises because a wig and some makeup could go a long way, but my build and skin tone was a bit too recognizable to the trained eye of policemen looking for the murderer of their partner. Third I wanted this job to go flawlessly, in order to impress my employer and spread the word that a new professional hitman had arrived in Vacuo.
So, after some careful planning, I decided to kill my target with style and in a way that no one could trace back to me except those that knew that it was me who was supposed to kill the previously mentioned policeman. I made sure that the policeman died for apparently natural causes. I had obviously done some research on the target and even placed a bug inside his car (thanks to my semblance) and found out that he had the habit of taking some kind of dessert after lunch and dinner, be it at home or in a restaurant, even if it was just a fortune cookie.
I knew that his daughter birthday was coming up and I only had to be in the same place they decided to go to celebrate in order to enact my plan. The restaurant was crowded that day, full of children and with several plainclothes guards, but a young woman with his boyfriend didn't attract any attention (I had taken the trouble of charming a random good-looking human just for the occasion). We took a table halfway between the kitchen and table of my target and enjoyed a pleasant dinner. My escort wasn't exactly my type but he knew how to behave and didn't bore me too much even if I was giving him only half of my attention, so halfway through the meal I had made up my mind that if I was going to get lucky that night with my first job, so would he with his first date.
When one of the waiters brought the cake out of the kitchen, I acted. When the waiter carrying a huge cupcake on a tray, passed by me, I turned to him and tapped him lightly on the forearm, asking for the bill. He smiled and he replied that he would let me have it as soon as he had finished cutting and serving the cake, or he would have communicated it to a colleague. Perfect. I watched with a polite smile my target's daughter laugh and blow on the candles placed on the cupcake, family and friends take photos with their scrolls, and finally, the waiter approached with a knife to cut and distribute the giant dessert. No one noticed the honey color droplet slip from inside the waiter's sleeve to the knife and then in the cake. I made the droplet move around inside the cupcake, waiting for the piece meant to go to my target, and just waited for him to eat it. I sensed the droplet being picked up, placed in his mouth, and then swallowed. Time for the finale: the droplet was a compressed jelly, so I just had to expand it a little to completely occlude the victim's respiratory tract and choke him, making it look like an unfortunate accident. Some people screamed, some just stared in silence, some tried to help with the famous maneuver that helps in this kind of situations, and some called for an ambulance, but it was all for naught. Tears streamed down the face of the family members gathered there, while I covered my mouth with both hands, and worn a disconcerted expression that didn't quite reach my eyes.             

This was just the first of a long series of murders that eventually led me to kill even the corrupted politician that had requested my services as a hitman for the first time (just the cherry on top, if you ask me), and allowed to become one of the most known and feared and demanded assassin in Vacuo by the age of 25. In some circles, I became known as "The Killer Geist", or "The Phantom Assassin" because some of my targets died in ways that simply could not be explained unless you accepted that said death had been caused by a seemingly harmless object, almost like some dark will was possessing it to ensure your demise. Truth be told I hate this nickname. Sure is convenient to be associated with something genderless, elusive and mysterious, but I think it lacks charm. Something like "Last wish", or "Murder Magician" would have been cooler, but alas it's not like I can go around spreading a different nickname, and what's more "Killer Geist" and "Phantom Assassin" somehow suits my type of assassinations (even if it couldn't be farther from my fighting style).

I walk the streets with a light step, in the evening. The streetlights light-up, people go home, and a thought crosses my mind: maybe this life isn't so bad after all, maybe it wasn't all wrong. Maybe it is right this way... maybe... maybe it is.
Ah.. who am I kidding? Life is like a shiver that flies away, its all a delicate balance over madness, mine and that of the world. But maybe this is precisely the right answer, the meaning of my journey? Maybe at the end of my sad story, I'll find the courage to face my sins and wipe them away. To finally feel again every moment, with his every emotion, as if it were the last.   
But until then I'll enjoy my life as best as I can!
I kill as few as possible to reach my target, I do clean, fast and precise work. My professionalism isn't in dispute. 
I take what I want, I remove what I don't like. No one can hurt me, no one can own me. I am young, I am beautiful, I am rich, I am powerful.
I am on the top of the food chain and I am ready to do anything to remain there. I am Free!       

 


T.L.D.R
Shoko was a poor faunus girl in Atlas, thanks to her parents she was introduced to a young boy from a wealthy atlesian family and became his childhood friend. His family hired her as a maid and they grew together, eventually becoming lovers. It was an abusive relationship, however, and while he did teach her how to fight and unlocked her aura, she was constantly beaten and had to submit to his every whim. Eventually, she became pregnant and had an abortion because of the beatings. Finally, when she was nineteen, she unlocked her semblance and managed to kill him. She went to the White Fang to find refuge and hone her skills, then moved to Vacuo and entered the underworld, eventually becoming a respected and feared hitman know with the nicknames of "Killer Geist" and "Phantom Assassin".

Personality:
I don't really like to talk about myself. I'm quite sociable, but that doesn't mean I like to socialize. I just want to enjoy my life, do whatever and whoever I want and sleep and eat and dance and feel the indescribable satisfaction of the rush I get from watching a person die by my hand. Oh but don't get me wrong! It's not like I'm about to go on a murder spree or anything! It's more like the good feeling at a job well done. I like to do things at my pace, I don't like to be rushed or ordered around. After all, cougars are ambush predators, and patience is a virtue.
I don't care for justice or for what's right or wrong. After all, what makes us humans or faunus is precisely the faculty of distinguish between right and wrong and the possibility of simply ignoring the difference. I like to think I'm a fun person to have around, all things considered. Soooo...
So you better watch out,
you better not cry,
better not trust I'm telling you why:
I just might decide of shooting you down!
I' like to make lists and check them twice,
Gonna find out who is naughty or nice if
Shoko-la is coming to town.     
I see you when you're sleeping,
I know when you're awake.
I know if you try to get away
but I'll kill you anyway! 
So you better watch out,
you better not cry,
you better not trust, I'm telling you why:
I just might decide of shooting you down!
 
Ok, all kidding aside I enjoy some company as much as the next guy. The only things I just can't stand are violence towards kids, forced intercourses, and gratuitous violence. Having said that, if you want to find out more about me, you'll have to get to know me from up close. 

Hobbies:
I don't have few fixed hobbies, instead, I like to do a bit of everything (except drugs). I like to drink, eat, dance, listen to music, read, do sports (even extreme ones), travel, visit museums and participate in cultural activities. I like to have sex, do robberies, assassinate people, earn a lot of money and spend them on luxuries. I like to train and fight and take care of my appearance. I sometimes enjoy gardening and have a couple of exotic carnivorous plants I take care of. I absolutely love dust and like to experiment with it and find new ways to make it explode. There are probably other things, but at the moment nothing else comes to mind, so this will have to do.     

Work ethic:
I don't kill anyone under seventeen. I don't kill pregnant women. I don't work in Atlas, so if you want me to kill someone from Atlas you have to wait until it leaves the kingdom. I don't cause unnecessary deaths, so no massive explosions in the middle of a busy street. I just kill, I don't like to inflict more pain than necessary and I don't use torture unless it's a personal matter. I decide when and how to kill my target, so if you want to place a deadline or some other restrictions I demand to know why and I reserve the right to decline the job or increase the price at my discretion. I don't haggle, so either you accept my price or you don't or either I accept a job or I don't, end of story. I just kill, I don't do deliveries, so if you want to kill someone with your own hands or something like that then don't bother me. I am a serious professional, so don't appeal to my goodwill or any such nonsense to have a discount or a job for free. I don't like to have debts, so if you think I owe you something either I don't or I plan to kill you before you can collect. If you owe me something (and I usually prefer not to put myself in this sort of situations) I'm usually in no rush to collect, but if I get so much as the smallest hint that you don't plan to pay me back or simply can't, I'll put you on my blacklist and you'll die sooner rather than later.
I do not entertain relationships, not during a job nor in other contexts, so if you try your luck with me you do it at your own peril (I will probably add you to my blacklist anyway just for trying unless you're able to really make me scream in the bedroom, I don't care if you're a man or a woman).   
Having said that I'm still open for other jobs besides my main one, but I have to consider them worthy of my time and efforts. I don't mind working for someone as long as I'm treated with the respect I deserve, this means that if you bother me too much I'll put you on my blacklist.
 

Aura and Semblance:
Jelly Pudding

This Semblance can be considered just a form of advanced aura manipulation. Shoko is able to condense up to 99% of her aura outside her body, and what turns out is a semitransparent jelly which looks made of honey (the color of her aura), that can be manipulated in various ways.

Spoiler: ShowHide
- The aforementioned jelly cannot move more than ten meters from Shoko, and its movements can be controlled with extreme precision. The jelly can be split up to three times, and each resulting jelly can be moved independently. The size of the jelly will obviously decrease as it gets split. If there are three jellies, each with 33% of Shoko's aura, then each jelly will be approximatively the size of a basketball (25cm in diameter). In order to usa a jelly effectively as a mean of defence, a jelly of at least 33% of aura is required, so if Shoko aura level goes down to 35% or so she will have to chose between using her semblance for a jelly or leaving herself without aura.

- The aura that constitutes the jelly has a viscosity comparable to that of honey, but it behaves like a non-newtonian fluid, displaying shear thickening properties. This means that anything that impacts the jelly will alter its viscosity: basically the harder you hit it, the thicker it becomes.

- Shoko can compress the aura-jelly until it reaches 1/10 of its original size in order to make it harder, or expand it up to two times its original size (halving its defensive abilities and speed), but she can't really alter the shape of the jelly (which will only change shape in response to outside forces, for example: it will take the form of a drop when it moves, the form of a container if it's forced in one, or the shape of an object if the jelly wraps around it).

- The jelly tends to stick to any surface it comes into contact with and it doesn't let go unless Shoko wants it to.

- When the jelly comes into contact with any form of dust it will alter its properties accordingly. It can become incandescent, or freeze at contact e so on. These effects are only temporary and depend on the amount of dust absorbed (a couple of seconds for an ordinary dust round, to a full minute for a full crystal or vial of dust). Once charged with dust, the jelly will discharge it all at once on the first thing it comes into contact with. Each jelly is independent even in this aspect. 

- Now let's put together the properties of this jelly and see what happens if you try to interact with it in the most common ways.
Punching the jelly, regardless of the strength of the blow, will be like punching rubber: the jelly will vibrate in response to dissipate the force of the impact, but it will not be damaged or scattered.
Cutting the jelly, regardless of the sharpness or the velocity of the blade will be like trying to cut a highly viscous fluid, so the movement of the blade will be slowed down and the jelly will stick to its surface.   
Shooting the uncompressed jelly with a normal metal bullet will slow down the projectile but won't actually stop it or slow it down enough to make a difference. Shooting the compressed jelly with a normal metal bullet will cause the said bullet to discharge all of its energy without being able to pierce through. The number of projectiles whose energy can be absorbed varies accordingly to the type of projectile. Once the maximum amount of energy is reached the jelly will forcibly decompress and dissipate the energy with vibrations.
Punching, slashing or shooting the jelly with the aid of any form of dust will produce the same results mentioned above, with the difference that the jelly will soak up the dust and take its properties (if the projectile that hits the jelly is made exclusively out of dust, then it will be absorbed in its entirety).
If the jelly comes into contact with a semblance that makes use of dust, if it is able to soak up some of the dust will depend on the way the other semblance utilizes it (for example the jelly would not be able to interfere with something like Weiss' glyphs, but it would be deprive something like Blake's dust clones of their added effects).

- Since after all, we are talking about Shoko's aura, she can still decide that it is worth using her jellies to defend her against incoming attacks is she is unable to block them in other ways. So let's say that someone shots her with a bullet that she knows she can't defend against while all of her aura is being used by her semblance, well Shoko has the option (if she can't intercept the bullet with one of her jellies) to block said bullet anyway as if it had struck her while her aura was active. This, of course, comes with a cost, and any loss in aura that she would have suffered will be doubled (this obviously has repercussions on the quantity of jelly she can produce with her semblance). 

- While using this semblance Shoko is obviously less protected by her aura, but on the bright side, she can't lose the aura that is outside her body, as it can't be damaged or dispersed. The jellies can be retrieved at any moment and the aura re-circulated in the body, any dust effect still lingering in the jellies will have to be discharged beforehand. Any jelly that leaves the limit of 10 meters will vanish and return to Shoko in 2.5 seconds.

- Because the jelly tends to stick to any surface it comes into contact with, someone might want to take it off his body or weapon. The problem is that the jelly is still basically a fluid, so any attempt to grab will not end in success. It's still possible to interact with it, but the only options to get rid of it without Shoko's approval is to blow it up or disperse it forcibly (to blow up one of these jellies she suggests mixing dust, using explosives, or semblances capable of reproducing a similar effect). If a jelly gets blown up, the aura will probably get further than ten meters, and so it will return to Shoko. To forcibly disperse a jelly once it sticks to a surface or, better yet, a body, one can channel his own aura inside the jelly via direct contact and the two auras will erase each other (this means that the target has to pour in the jelly the same amount of aura that she invested to make said jelly and both Shoko and her target will lose the same amount of aura in the end).
Once one jelly sticks to something, Shoko is still able to move it around. Her favorite use of this feature or her semblance is to stick a jelly to her target, make it move all the way up to the target face and suffocate it by blocking its airways from the inside, allowing the jelly to enter the nose and/or mouth (this of course wont work on a target who is able to dissipate the jelly with his own aura).

- Since the jellies are made out of Shoko's aura when they come into contact with something they give her some kind of basic tactile feedback. Nothing precise, but it allows her to "sense" what they are touching as if herself has touching hit through something like a thick cloth.

- But how fast can Shoko move these jellies? It really depends on her reflexes and her spacial awareness. If she can follow something with her reflexes and has clear in mind where she wants her jellies to go, then the jellies will be able to keep up with her and will reach the desired position moving along with her wishes. That also means that the jellies are not able to perform some kind of automatic defense or offense and are absolutely inert without Shoko's instructions. Given these circumstances, Shoko is exceptionally vulnerable to anything capable of hindering her senses, balance or concentration. That, coupled with a diminished defense while her semblance is active, means that her only retort to these kinds of effects is to deactivate her semblance.



Combat Behavior: 
I love a good fight. I relish the challenge and always strive to better myself. After all, I can't hope to stay on top of the food chain if I start resting on laurels. So it is my habit to meet weekly a professional huntsman or student in order to train, of course, I have to pay them and fed them some sad story about how I was once raped by a huntsman and had to learn how to defend myself and now just want to keep training. Long story short I'm a really good fighter, even if I'm not necessarily required to be given my style of assassination, so good in fact that I'm able to easily beat first and second-year students and consistently best even professional huntsman. This is if there are no semblances involved. Let me tell you I've come across some crazy ones... Once a sparred with a student that could manipulate metal and turned my guns against me. How is that fair? Another time there was this huntsman with a huge (and I mean freaking huge) sword and a metal arm with a cannon in it, with a semblance that could manipulate the weight of his weapon, so he swung it like a feather but when it hit it was like being run down by a truck. But little old me doesn't like to use her semblance during spars (it's best to keep it a secret), so I try to win using only my gun-kata, dust expertise, quick thinking and sweet acrobatic moves (the moves are similar to capoeira). I'm a sniper when using my guns but also a beast in close quarter combat. In terms of actual skill and experience I'm on par if not stronger than most huntsman and unlike them, I've trained in order to fight human opponents and not Grimm. Which in turn means that I have practically no experience in fighting non-humanoid opponents. Sure I have a summary idea of the most common types of Grmm, but I would most likely struggle against even a group of Beowulfs since I've never faced even one of them and I'm not good at all against multiple opponents. Four guns are awesome if you want to pressure one or two people (I can probably keep at bay up to three enemies if I also use my semblance) but a horde of man-eating monster that recklessly comes at you without regard for their own safety? Nope! I can't deal with that. Yeah, I know that a threat like that is something of a joke for a professional huntsman, but I'm no huntress so don't judge. I'm not saying I can't fight Grimm at all, but that I'm likely to do some stupid mistakes. Plus from what I've gathered, guns aren't exactly the best weapons to kill grimm (that's why Huntsman have swords, maces, axes and the like even if we have flying machines), because you need too many shots to bring down even one big ursa.   
But against humans my fighting style is pretty solid because I usually have the advantage in any range, so how do you beat me? Well, I'd like to say that you simply have to be a better fighter than I am, but that would not be strictly true. The fact is that fighting only with guns and being a quick and agile fighter means that my actual punches or kicks are actually pretty weak and I lack a true mean of defense against some of the big weapons hunters often use. How am I supposed to block a huge sword capable of shattering the ground or cleaving an ursa in two? My only option is to dodge or deflect if possible, and if I can't then I'm probably a goner. What's more, even if I blocked successfully my guns may be damaged or I could be disarmed by the impact. Another thing some huntsman use are shields... yeah I hate those. If the huntsman is any good he will probably be able to deflect every single shot... Finally I obviously heavily rely on my senses to fight, and while there are some able to continue to fight even with impaired vision, I simply can't judge distances or aim properly if I'm not at 100% in the sensory department. So I guess I have to be extra careful in defending my eyes and ears... Well, to be honest even a wound to a leg can be a death sentence because my mobility is pretty much the only thing that gives me a real edge against most other fighters and without it things can get complicated.   
But if you are not a Grimm and don't have a huge weapon or a shield, then your best bet is probably to get as close as possible and beat me in hand to hand combat. Enclosed spaces are also not very good for me because they limit my ability to jump around and keep my distance. But why the hell am I telling you these things? Go figure it your yourself dammit! It's not like I'm confident I can still kick your ass anyway or something like that... pffft, yeah I totally can!   
So... long story short: I fight with a double-barreled gun for each limb, while constantly moving (often close to the ground) with acrobatics, spins, somersaults and the like, firing continuously with the various guns and mixing dust ammunition to combine dust effects.



WEAPON


Name: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Ginger, Saffron

Primary Form: My spices!
You know these are actually the guns I stole from my first boyfriend? I had some tweaks done over the years, but the design has remained mostly the same. Each gun has two barrels and equips two different kinds of ammunition, so I can potentially have up to eight different kinds of projectiles at my disposal at any given time. The guns are very solid and can be used as blunt weapons or as a defense tool in close quarters. They are basically all identical, except for a little pendant that differentiates them. All are equipped with the same mechanism that allows to secure them to my custom made shoes, in order to allow me to fight with four guns simultaneously. The guns have two triggers so I can choose which barrel has to fire, but if I pull the two triggers at the same time the two ammunitions combine into one, mixing the dust they contain. For the guns anchored to my feet, the mechanism relies on my toes to activate the triggers.     

Secondary Form: Two of the four guns can mecha-shift and combine to produce a single barreled sniper rifle (unfortunately I have to bring and assemble the sniper viewfinder separately) that can fire any combination of the four types of ammunition contained in the original two guns. All the guns can mecha-shift this way, so I can decide which are best for the occasion and can potentially fight using two guns and a sniper rifle, instead of 4 guns. 

Dust Functions: Now here comes the part that I really love about my spices: the endless combinations of dust I get from combining the cartridges. It's practically impossible to predict what kind of projectile I'll shoot next, especially if I switch the guns from limb to limb or change the magazines during a fight. So... we have Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Lightning, Gravity, Ice, Steam, Propulsion, and the good old metal bullet. That makes ten kinds of ammunition. Now I could make a list of all the tricks I can pull of mixing dust, but as you can probably imagine that would be quite tedious for me, so I'll do it only if required and even so I'll probably stick to the most uncommon ones. However, just because I'm a nice person, I'll give you an example for free: what would happen if I fired a Steam ammo with a Fire one? You guessed it! Scalding Steam! That's really nasty if I manage to hit you in the face...
Or how about Water and Earth? You get mud, right? And what happens if I fire a third dust round into the fray? Say a Gravity one? My guess is that you get a very heavy mud that can hinder movements. Or I can dry it with Fire, or froze it with Ice. And don't even get me started with the most obvious ones like Lightning and Water. Anyway, I think this should suffice to give you an idea.
Of course, I usually equip propulsion dust in the guns that I anchor to my feet in order to get even more mobility.   

History: Nothing to say here, really. Just go read my story and the description of the weapons.

5
WiP Characters / Shoko-La Bitter
« on: January 11, 2018, 07:33:51 PM »
CHARACTER

Name: Shoko-La Bitter

Age: 28

Species and Gender: Cougar Faunus - Female

Symbol: 


Occupation: Mercenary/Hitman

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESMyzfKdKU8

Appearance:
My most obvious physical characteristic is clearly my breathtaking good look, which is explained by deep amber feline eyes, full red lips that hide pearly white teeth (and slightly longer than average canines), a healthy and silky smooth naturally tanned skin, and a long mane of bright deep red hair. My figure is enviable, as I stand at 1.75 centimeters and have all the right curves, not too much, not too little: just perfect. I'm also quite proud of my long tail, that I brush every morning, that has the same color of my hair and helps me quite a lot for maintaining my balance during acrobatic moves. Unfortunately, I have to keep it hidden most of the time, by coiling it around a leg or my waist (under my clothes, obviously).
I don't want to waste too much time describing my attire, so suffice to say that I often change clothes depending on the circumstances and even have some outfits that would not be out of place in a spy movie.


History:
I would like to confess my sins, to have someone or something forgive me, but I can't because my heart is empty. And it's empty like a mirror that I'm forced to stare at. I see myself reflected in it, and I read only fear and disgust. I behold indifference towards both Faunus and humans, as they were unrecognizable. I catch glimpses of nightmarish images born from my fantasies and dreams. Sometimes I think that it would be just better to die... or better yet, to kill. 

Spoiler: ShowHide
I was born in a small village on miners north of Atlas, the only child of a poor couple of Faunus. My father worked in the mine, my mother in the kitchens of the workers. They wanted to give me a better life, and it was thanks to a bit of luck and a bit of careful planning that they managed to introduce me to the son of the manager of the mine. Lawine was a kind boy, well-behaved all things considered, he was just a year older than me, just ten years old at the time, and we liked each other from the start. My mother often told me that he was my chance for a better future, that if I could remain friends with him then he could have could have brought me to Atlas where I could have found a job inside a rich household. I listened when she told me to always be nice to him, to obey him and to always look pretty. The years passed, I went with Lawine to Atlas, to be his personal maid while he attended Atlas Academy. Life was good. I had to work, sure, but I had a comfortable bed, warm meals, and a friend that I hoped would be something more one day. I knew I was doing something right because Lawine was jealous and possessive and often called me pretty. My parents' letters were full of joy and hope for my future, and I was able to send them even some money. The other staff members were sometimes envious of the attention I received, and mean comments and teasing were ordinary. Even Lawine had to keep appearances, but I knew that he didn't mean it. He was everything I thought I wanted, and as we grew up I understood that he wanted me too.

Then one day, by mistake, I spilled some hot tea on a butler (one of the worst). Maybe they thought I'd done it on purpose, maybe they were just waiting for an excuse. I was badly beaten, during the night. I knew there was some animosity, but I never thought that so many would have taken part. When Lawine found out he was furious. He screamed and threatened, and I was so happy to see him defend me.
He attended combat school and offered to teach me how to defend myself. We disguised the lessons as dance classes, and two teenagers didn't take long to take this opportunity to make their relationship more "physical". It was the happiest time of my life. He said that he loved me, he sent me flowers and poems. He always told me that even if I was nothing to the rest of the world, as long as I was his I would be important and I would have the best that he could give me. Lawine was such a tender lover, always present and ready to help me, and before I realized I already depended on him. I loved him so much that sometimes I thought my heart would explode. Only much later I realized that those who are too loved do not give love, and whoever loves less is the strongest. As time went by he started to treat me less well, when we spent time together he did it like he was doing me a favor. He made me feel less important and dosed love and cruelty with perfection. He still was the most tender of lovers, but outside of the bedroom...
I guess there are no set rules in love, that you just have to be who you are, but the only true rule is that if you don't love yourself then nobody will ever truly love you back.

I thought it was my fault. How could be his? Our sparring sessions became more intense, and he even unlocked my aura when the bruises started to become too unpleasant to look at. "I like you more when you are pretty".
When we trained I was never good enough to give him a proper challenge, but I had learned that if I didn't do my best he would get angry. He said that he was doing it for my own good, that I had to learn to defend myself, but somewhere in my mind I think I understood that, while maybe that had been the original plan, at some point he just started to enjoy beating me, to see me struggle. Afterwards, he would sometimes force himself on me. There were days when I wanted to rip off my nose so as not to feel the stink of blood and bodily fluids left on me.
I started to send fewer letters and all the lien I managed to save to my parents: I didn't want them to know.
It was the cruelest of traps. It was like having my heart broken piece by piece and then having those pieces stolen away. It hurts, but you always hope that you'll get some of those pieces back. Sometimes he made small gestures of affection, and like the fool I was I dared to hope, I dared to be happy again even for a moment, only to have another piece of my heart torn away. There were moments, after a slap and kiss, when I wanted to cut off my tongue, because I had talked inappropriately or to just not feel the taste of his lips.

Dear child ... dear child, I do not know much about the world, but one thing I know: that every child deserves a mother who desires it, that gives happiness from all the pores at the thought of being able to hold him in his arms.
Dear child, you would deserve a mother who feels joy in feeling you grow inside her, a mother who knows how to show you the beauty of the world and who loves you with every fiber of her being, in every moment, forever.
But what kind of mother would I be? I who know nothing but pain and fear now, I can offer you nothing but a life like mine: a cursed life. I'm a mother who does not even want you. Dear child, forgive me if you can.
I cry for you, in this hell from which the beatings that have been addressed to me have saved you.
Forgive me.

I am a lower being, an object owned by another person. I have no eyes, no mouth, no hands. I can not hear or speak or love because I no longer have a heart. I can only go on, keep running until my charge runs out and I'll stop moving. I'm like a puppet. My spring is my one and only heart: the only living part of me, which however does not belong to me. I feel it ... I feel that it pulsates against my will. Bum ... bum ... bum ... Why do not you stop? Why do you keep hitting me? Do not you understand that you're hurting me? Bum ... bum ... bum ... if you continue like this I will never be able to stop crying.

Once upon a time, I was sure that we would have had a long and happy life. I've never been so wrong in my life.
His sweaty hands grabbed my neck, so hard I thought he would tear my head off. Salty tears that came down my cheeks, silently. I'm nineteen, and everything has been taken away from me.
There were days when I just wanted like to stop feeling, sink into a muffled oblivion and simply sleep.
There were days when I simply wanted to die. That day, however, I simply wanted to kill.
I couldn't defend myself, even with aura unlocked I could not defend myself against him. What was aura for then? He told me that it was a manifestation of the soul and that semblances were somehow connected to it. So I just wished with every fiber of my being for something that could kill him, for something that would strangle the life out of him, for something that would make him experience what it meant to have something growing inside of you just to then have it roughly torn away, for something that would cling to him until the end, for something that could suck away his very essence, for something that, unlike me, would have been invulnerable.
And so I caressed his cheek, one last time, then put a finger to his lips... and poured all of my aura into his mouth.  He exploded from the inside-out.

It is said that when something or someone is hurting you, the only thing you want is to get away, to escape. It's not true. The first instinct you have when something or someone is hurting you is to destroy that something or that someone. The reality is that inside every one of us, Faunus or human, there is a beast. For some is a tiger, for others a pig, but each one of them is delighted when they hear the desperate screams of a victim. Life isn't precious or sacred: it's a fragile and common thing that we put on a pedestal because we are afraid of death. I'm still afraid to die, but I no longer care about the lives of others. Sure there is beauty and kindness in the world, there are innocence and love, but I simply don't care. It doesn't concern me. After all, everyone has to go through his own life on his own, and others are nothing but background characters inside your own painting.
The hell of the living is not something that will be; if there is one, it is what is already here, the hell that we live every day, that we form by being together. There are two ways to avoid suffering for it. The first is easy for many: to accept hell and become part of it to the point of not seeing it anymore. The second is risky and requires constant attention and learning: to seek and know how to recognize who and what, in the midst of hell, is not hell, and make it last, and give it space.
I choose the easy way out: I was finally able to see the world for what it is and I accepted it.
This is the story of how I obtained my freedom.

Now I can tell you the story of how I became a mercenary...
While I laid motionless on the bed with blood and gore all around me, a sudden sense of clarity overcame me. I knew that I had just killed the heir of a rich and powerful family, I knew that I had no friends willing to help me and I knew I would probably be condemned to a life in prison in the best possible scenario if the authorities managed to arrest me. The solution was pretty obvious. A young faunus girl fleeing from justice that needed shelter, food, training, and resources really had just one option available: the White Fang. So I cleaned myself, with one of those long showers in which you try to clean not only your body but also try to wash away something deeper that you can't quite define. I packed all that I could, all the lien I could find (quite a bit, given the status of my ex-lover), the dust, Lawine's weapons (four double-barreled guns), clothes and so on, and then left in the dead of night.
Finding the White Fang wasn't hard. I just had to ask around a bit in the faunus districts to be pointed in the right direction. I gave them a false name, said that my parents had died in a SDC mine and that was all I needed to be welcomed with open arms.
I had no interest in the White Fang or in their cause. To me, they were just bunch of deluded fanatics and terrorist, too blinded or stupid to see that violence could never manage to permanently change the opinion of an entire society for the better. But they served me well nonetheless, helping me complete my training and sheltering me from the authorities. Sure I had to do some work, take part in some operations, but it was worth it. I had all the time and the resources I needed to perfect my fighting style, adjust to my weapons and learn to use dust in ways that best suited me. Those were years of sweat and blood and broken bones. My training in the White Fang wasn't like those offered in the huntsman academies, but more a sequence of battles and fights that forged me and made me grow faster. But constant battle changes and twists a person.

Looking back to those days I have to say that it was almost like living the life of another person. A surreal experience derived from the fact that I had erected around me a series of walls and worn a series of masks in order to isolate myself from the world and metabolize my traumas. So while my body, almost on autopilot, trained and played the part of a fervent White Fang member, my mind slowly came to terms with her conflicts and doubts. For example, there was the matter of my parents towards whom I still felt affection, but that part of my considered at least partly responsible for my tribulations. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I owed them nothing, so I sent them one last letter, in which I explained how I was able to secure a job in Vacuo, and that was it. Who knows... if I had stayed in my home village I could have been happy. Maybe I would have been poor, but at least my soul would not have been tainted the way it was.
My time in the White Fang was my chrysalis stage, and when three years after my joining I decided to leave the terrorist group, I had finally decided how to live the rest of my life. My conclusion was to live for myself and no other. I was going to enjoy life my way, taking what I wanted when I wanted, without binding me to anything or anyone, I would live without rules if not my own and would not allow anything to hurt me anymore. I had learned that strength meant power, and power meant freedom. Lewine had such a hold on me because he had power over me, while I had none. I had been his property, in a sense, until I had obtained a power greater than his. This is the way Remnant works: the strong prey on the weak. Grimm prey on humans, humans prey on other weaker humans and or faunus and those prey on animals. There is no reason to deny this truth, no purpose in softening it with nonsense like "it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak" or "society is what counts and has power" because the worst enemy of all of us isn't really the closest Grimm, but the closest person.
And so the solution really is simple: to be as free as you can possibly be you need to get as close as possible to the top of the food chain.
In my case, since predators are on the top of the food chain, I had to become a predator myself. I already had the training and the skill I needed, so all that was left was practice.

Without the backing of the White Fang it had become too risky to stay in Atlas, so I moved to Vacuo where I knew I would be as far as possible both from the Atlesian authorities and the White Fang (I wanted to start a new career, after all), besides having the best odds of finding what I needed. Vacuo was exactly how it had been described to me and even more suitable to my needs, as it was really true what they said: "if you can survive in Vacuo, then you are welcome in Vacuo". The first thing I did was to search for jobs in the underground, and since requests were plentiful I was spoiled for choice. I started with fairly harmless chores to test the terrain and understand how to move, like guarding duty for warehouses full of illegal goods or helping in robberies, and as my skills began to be noticed I received more enticing proposals such as henchman (or henchwoman) for some mob boss or bodyguard and debt collector for usurers.
Soon after my third job I came to the conclusion that sex was a weapon too useful and pleasurable to have it spoiled by the risk (even remote) of a pregnancy, so I decided to undergo a surgery that made me completely sterile. Afterwards, I spent almost a week drinking myself into oblivion, crying myself to sleep, and eating sweets like I wanted to double my body-weight. Then, one morning I wake up and discovered that I wasn't distressed anymore.
At that point, it did not take long before I was commissioned the first murder. It was supposed to be a test of loyalty for my boss at the time (a corrupt politician) that wanted me to get rid of a nosy policeman who had received a good training in Oasis Academy but didn't make it into Shade. I was a cheaper to hire than a professional huntsman and since I didn't know the true identity of said boss he wasn't risking much by sending me. I knew that was my chance to really get in the business I wanted and most importantly to prove to myself if I could do it. It would not have been the first time I had killed, of course, since in the White Fang it wasn't uncommon to have to take a life during a mission (especially if you actually were able to fight). But to kill someone for money? An innocent with a family and loved ones? This was going to be a new trial.
It wasn't the easiest job to start with either: the man had aura, some training, at least a gun as a weapon, was almost never alone, often changed his routine, was kept under surveillance by his colleagues who knew he was a potential target and had a well-protected home. Long story short the chances of me killing him unnoticed were close to zero, especially if I wanted to meet the condition I had placed upon myself. First of all, I didn't want collateral victims, so no blowing up his car or something like that. Second, my identity was to remain unknown, so I couldn't attempt to get close to him and kill him in his sleep after seducing him or get a job in his favorite coffee shop to poison his morning espresso. I was confident in my disguises because a wig and some makeup could go a long way, but my build and skin tone was a bit too recognizable to the trained eye of policemen looking for the murderer of their partner. Third I wanted this job to go flawlessly, in order to impress my employer and spread the word that a new professional hitman had arrived in Vacuo.
So, after some careful planning, I decided to kill my target with style and in a way that no one could trace back to me except those that knew that it was me who was supposed to kill the previously mentioned policeman. I made sure that the policeman died for apparently natural causes. I had obviously done some research on the target and even placed a bug inside his car (thanks to my semblance) and found out that he had the habit of taking some kind of dessert after lunch and dinner, be it at home or in a restaurant, even if it was just a fortune cookie.
I knew that his daughter birthday was coming up and I only had to be in the same place they decided to go to celebrate in order to enact my plan. The restaurant was crowded that day, full of children and with several plainclothes guards, but a young woman with his boyfriend didn't attract any attention (I had taken the trouble of charming a random good-looking human just for the occasion). We took a table halfway between the kitchen and table of my target and enjoyed a pleasant dinner. My escort wasn't exactly my type but he knew how to behave and didn't bore me too much even if I was giving him only half of my attention, so halfway through the meal I had made up my mind that if I was going to get lucky that night with my first job, so would he with his first date.
When one of the waiters brought the cake out of the kitchen, I acted. When the waiter carrying a huge cupcake on a tray, passed by me, I turned to him and tapped him lightly on the forearm, asking for the bill. He smiled and he replied that he would let me have it as soon as he had finished cutting and serving the cake, or he would have communicated it to a colleague. Perfect. I watched with a polite smile my target's daughter laugh and blow on the candles placed on the cupcake, family and friends take photos with their scrolls, and finally, the waiter approached with a knife to cut and distribute the giant dessert. No one noticed the honey color droplet slip from inside the waiter's sleeve to the knife and then in the cake. I made the droplet move around inside the cupcake, waiting for the piece meant to go to my target, and just waited for him to eat it. I sensed the droplet being picked up, placed in his mouth, and then swallowed. Time for the finale: the droplet was a compressed jelly, so I just had to expand it a little to completely occlude the victim's respiratory tract and choke him, making it look like an unfortunate accident. Some people screamed, some just stared in silence, some tried to help with the famous maneuver that helps in this kind of situations, and some called for an ambulance, but it was all for naught. Tears streamed down the face of the family members gathered there, while I covered my mouth with both hands, and worn a disconcerted expression that didn't quite reach my eyes.             

This was just the first of a long series of murders that eventually led me to kill even the corrupted politician that had requested my services as a hitman for the first time (just the cherry on top, if you ask me), and allowed to become one of the most known and feared and demanded assassin in Vacuo by the age of 25. In some circles, I became known as "The Killer Geist", or "The Phantom Assassin" because some of my targets died in ways that simply could not be explained unless you accepted that said death had been caused by a seemingly harmless object, almost like some dark will was possessing it to ensure your demise. Truth be told I hate this nickname. Sure is convenient to be associated with something genderless, elusive and mysterious, but I think it lacks charm. Something like "Last wish", or "Murder Magician" would have been cooler, but alas it's not like I can go around spreading a different nickname, and what's more "Killer Geist" and "Phantom Assassin" somehow suits my type of assassinations (even if it couldn't be farther from my fighting style). Maintaining my identity safe is easier than you may think once you know the right people and use safe means of communications, so I'm pretty much able to go around in broad daylight and only have to be careful when I go in certain places (in which cases I usually wear a disguise).
   
I kill as few as possible to reach my target, I do clean, fast and precise work. My professionalism isn't in dispute. 
I take what I want, I remove what I don't like. No one can hurt me, no one can own me. I am young, I am beautiful, I am rich, I am powerful.
I am on the top of the food chain and I am ready to do anything to remain there. I am Free.     

 


T.L.D.R
Shoko was a poor faunus girl in Atlas, thanks to her parents she was introduced to a young boy from a wealthy atlesian family and became his childhood friend. His family hired her as a maid and they grew together, eventually becoming lovers. It was an abusive relationship, however, and while he did teach her how to fight and unlocked her aura, she was constantly beaten and had to submit to his every whim. Eventually, she became pregnant and had an abortion because of the beatings. Finally, when she was nineteen, she unlocked her semblance and managed to kill him. She went to the White Fang to find refuge and hone her skills, then moved to Vacuo and entered the underworld, eventually becoming a respected and feared hitman know with the nicknames of "Killer Geist" and "Phantom Assassin".

Personality:
I don't really like to talk about myself. I'm quite sociable, but that doesn't mean I like to socialize. I just want to enjoy my life, do whatever and whoever I want and sleep and eat and dance and feel the indescribable satisfaction of the rush I get from watching a person die by my hand. Oh but don't get me wrong! It's not like I'm about to go on a murder spree or anything! It's more like the good feeling at a job well done. I like to do things at my pace, I don't like to be rushed or ordered around. After all, cougars are ambush predators, and patience is a virtue.
I don't care for justice or for what's right or wrong. After all, what makes us humans or faunus is precisely the faculty of distinguish between right and wrong and the possibility of simply ignoring the difference. I like to think I'm a fun person to have around, all things considered. Soooo...
So you better watch out,
you better not cry,
better not trust I'm telling you why:
I just might decide of shooting you down!
I' like to make lists and check them twice,
Gonna find out who is naughty or nice if
Shoko-la is coming to town.     
I see you when you're sleeping,
I know when you're awake.
I know if you try to get away
but I'll kill you anyway! 
So you better watch out,
you better not cry,
you better not trust, I'm telling you why:
I just might decide of shooting you down!
 
Ok, all kidding aside I enjoy some company as much as the next guy. The only things I just can't stand are violence towards kids, forced intercourses, and gratuitous violence. Having said that, if you want to find out more about me, you'll have to get to know me from up close. 

Hobbies:
I don't have few fixed hobbies, instead, I like to do a bit of everything (except drugs). I like to drink, eat, dance, listen to music, read, do sports (even extreme ones), travel, visit museums and participate in cultural activities. I like to have sex, do robberies, assassinate people, earn a lot of money and spend them on luxuries. I like to train and fight and take care of my appearance. I sometimes enjoy gardening and have a couple of exotic carnivorous plants I take care of. I absolutely love dust and like to experiment with it and find new ways to make it explode. There are probably other things, but at the moment nothing else comes to mind, so this will have to do.     

Work ethic:
I don't kill anyone under seventeen. I don't kill pregnant women. I don't work in Atlas, so if you want me to kill someone from Atlas you have to wait until it leaves the kingdom. I don't cause unnecessary deaths, so no massive explosions in the middle of a busy street. I just kill, I don't like to inflict more pain than necessary and I don't use torture unless it's a personal matter. I decide when and how to kill my target, so if you want to place a deadline or some other restrictions I demand to know why and I reserve the right to decline the job or increase the price at my discretion. I don't haggle, so either you accept my price or you don't or either I accept a job or I don't, end of story. I just kill, I don't do deliveries, so if you want to kill someone with your own hands or something like that then don't bother me. I am a serious professional, so don't appeal to my goodwill or any such nonsense to have a discount or a job for free. I don't like to have debts, so if you think I owe you something either I don't or I plan to kill you before you can collect. If you owe me something (and I usually prefer not to put myself in this sort of situations) I'm usually in no rush to collect, but if I get so much as the smallest hint that you don't plan to pay me back or simply can't, I'll put you on my blacklist and you'll die sooner rather than later.
I do not entertain relationships, not during a job nor in other contexts, so if you try your luck with me you do it at your own peril (I will probably add you to my blacklist anyway just for trying unless you're able to really make me scream in the bedroom, I don't care if you're a man or a woman).   
Having said that I'm still open for other jobs besides my main one, but I have to consider them worthy of my time and efforts. I don't mind working for someone as long as I'm treated with the respect I deserve, this means that if you bother me too much I'll put you on my blacklist.
 

Aura and Semblance:
Jelly Pudding

This Semblance can be considered just a form of advanced aura manipulation. Shoko is able to condense up to 99% of her aura outside her body, and what turns out is a semitransparent jelly which looks made of honey (the color of her aura), that can be manipulated in various ways.

Spoiler: ShowHide
- The aforementioned jelly cannot move more than ten meters from Shoko, and its movements can be controlled with extreme precision. The jelly can be split up to three times, and each resulting jelly can be moved independently. The size of the jelly will obviously decrease as it gets split. If there are three jellies, each with 33% of Shoko's aura, then each jelly will be approximatively the size of a basketball (25cm in diameter). 

- The aura that constitutes the jelly has a viscosity comparable to that of honey, but it behaves like a non-newtonian fluid, displaying shear thickening properties. This means that anything that impacts the jelly will alter its viscosity: basically the harder you hit it, the thicker it becomes.

- Shoko can compress the aura-jelly until it reaches 1/10 of its original size in order to make it harder, or expand it up to two times its original size (halving its defensive abilities and speed), but she can't really alter the shape of the jelly (which will only change shape in response to outside forces, for example: it will take the form of a drop when it moves, the form of a container if it's forced in one, or the shape of an object if the jelly wraps around it).

- The jelly tends to stick to any surface it comes into contact with and it doesn't let go unless Shoko wants it to.

- When the jelly comes into contact with any form of dust it will alter its properties accordingly. It can become incandescent, or freeze at contact e so on. These effects are only temporary and depend on the amount of dust absorbed (a couple of seconds for an ordinary dust round, to a full minute for a full crystal or vial of dust). Once charged with dust, the jelly will discharge it all at once on the first thing it comes into contact with. Each jelly is independent even in this aspect. 

- Now let's put together the properties of this jelly and see what happens if you try to interact with it in the most common ways.
Punching the jelly, regardless of the strength of the blow, will be like punching rubber: the jelly will vibrate in response to dissipate the force of the impact, but it will not be damaged or scattered.
Cutting the jelly, regardless of the sharpness or the velocity of the blade will be like trying to cut a highly viscous fluid, so the movement of the blade will be slowed down and the jelly will stick to its surface.   
Shooting the uncompressed jelly with a normal metal bullet will slow down the projectile but won't actually stop it or slow it down enough to make a difference. Shooting the compressed jelly with a normal metal bullet will cause the said bullet to discharge all of its energy without being able to pierce through. The number of projectiles whose energy can be absorbed varies accordingly to the type of projectile. Once the maximum amount of energy is reached the jelly will forcibly decompress and dissipate the energy with vibrations.
Punching, slashing or shooting the jelly with the aid of any form of dust will produce the same results mentioned above, with the difference that the jelly will soak up the dust and take its properties (if the projectile that hits the jelly is made exclusively out of dust, then it will be absorbed in its entirety).
If the jelly comes into contact with a semblance that makes use of dust, if it is able to soak up some of the dust will depend on the way the other semblance utilizes it (for example the jelly would not be able to interfere with something like Weiss' glyphs, but it would be deprive something like Blake's dust clones of their added effects).

- Since after all, we are talking about Shoko's aura, she can still decide that it is worth using her jellies to defend her against incoming attacks is she is unable to block them in other ways. So let's say that someone shots her with a bullet that she knows she can't defend against while all of her aura is being used by her semblance, well Shoko has the option (if she can't intercept the bullet with one of her jellies) to block said bullet anyway as if it had struck her while her aura was active. This, of course, comes with a cost, and any loss in aura that she would have suffered will be doubled (this obviously has repercussions on the quantity of jelly she can produce with her semblance). 

- While using this semblance Shoko is obviously less protected by her aura, but on the bright side, she can't lose the aura that is outside her body, as it can't be damaged or dispersed. The jellies can be retrieved at any moment and the aura re-circulated in the body, any dust effect still lingering in the jellies will have to be discharged beforehand. Any jelly that leaves the limit of 10 meters will vanish and return to Shoko in 2.5 seconds.

- Because the jelly tends to stick to any surface it comes into contact with, someone might want to take it off his body or weapon. The problem is that the jelly is still basically a fluid, so any attempt to grab will not end in success. It's still possible to interact with it, but the only safe option to get rid of it without Shoko's approval is to blow it up and disperse it forcibly (to blow up one of these jellies I suggest mixing dust, using explosives, or semblances capable of reproducing a similar effect). If a jelly gets blown up, the aura will probably get further than ten meters, and so it will return to Shoko.

- Once one jelly sticks to something, Shoko is still able to move it around. Her favorite use of this feature or her semblance is to stick a jelly to her target, make it move all the way up to the target face and suffocate it by blocking its airways from the inside, allowing the jelly to enter the nose and/or mouth.

- Since the jellies are made out of Shoko's aura when they come into contact with something they give her some kind of basic tactile feedback. Nothing precise, but it allows her to "sense" what they are touching as if herself has touching hit through something like a thick cloth.

- But how fast can Shoko move these jellies? It really depends on her reflexes and her spacial awareness. If she can follow something with her reflexes and has clear in mind where she wants her jellies to go, then the jellies will be able to keep up with her and will reach the desired position moving along with her wishes. That also means that the jellies are not able to perform some kind of automatic defense or offense and are absolutely inert without Shoko's instructions. Given these circumstances, Shoko is exceptionally vulnerable to anything capable of hindering her senses, balance or concentration. That, coupled with a diminished defense while her semblance is active, means that her only retort to these kinds of effects is to deactivate her semblance.



Combat Behavior: 
I love a good fight. I relish the challenge and always strive to better myself. After all, I can't hope to stay on top of the food chain if I start resting on laurels. So it is my habit to meet weekly a professional huntsman or student in order to train, of course, I have to pay them and fed them some sad story about how I was once raped by a huntsman and had to learn how to defend myself and now just want to keep training. Long story short I'm a really good fighter, even if I'm not necessarily required to be given my style of assassination, so good in fact that I'm able to easily beat first and second-year students and consistently best even professional huntsman. This is if there are no semblances involved. Let me tell you I've come across some crazy ones... Once a sparred with a student that could manipulate metal and turned my guns against me. How is that fair? Another time there was this huntsman with a huge (and I mean freaking huge) sword and a metal arm with a cannon in it, with a semblance that could manipulate the weight of his weapon, so he swung it like a feather but when it hit it was like being run down by a truck. But little old me doesn't like to use her semblance during spars (it's best to keep it a secret), so I try to win using only my gun-kata, dust expertise, quick thinking and sweet acrobatic moves (the moves are similar to capoeira). I'm a sniper when using my guns but also a beast in close quarter combat. In terms of actual skill and experience I'm on par if not stronger than most huntsman and unlike them, I've trained in order to fight human opponents and not Grimm. My fighting style is pretty solid because I usually have the advantage in any range, so how do you beat me? Well to put it simply: you have to be a better fighter than I am. Your best bet is to get as close as possible and beat me in hand to hand combat. Enclosed spaces are also not very good for me because they limit my ability to jump around and keep my distance. But why the hell am I telling you these things? Go figure it your yourself dammit! It's not like I'm confident I can still kick your ass anyway or something like that... pffft, yeah I totally can!   
So... long story short: I fight with a double-barreled gun for each limb, while constantly moving (often close to the ground) with acrobatics, spins, somersaults and the like, firing continuously with the various guns and mixing dust ammunition to combine dust effects.

WEAPON


Name: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Ginger, Saffron

Primary Form: My spices!
You know these are actually the guns I stole from my first boyfriend? I had some tweaks done over the years, but the design has remained mostly the same. Each gun has two barrels and equips two different kinds of ammunition, so I can potentially have up to eight different kinds of projectiles at my disposal at any given time. The guns are very solid and can be used as blunt weapons or as a defense tool in close quarters. They are basically all identical, except for a little pendant that differentiates them. All are equipped with the same mechanism that allows to secure them to my custom made shoes, in order to allow me to fight with four guns simultaneously. The guns have two triggers so I can choose which barrel has to fire, but if I pull the two triggers at the same time the two ammunitions combine into one, mixing the dust they contain. For the guns anchored to my feet, the mechanism relies on my toes to activate the triggers.     

Secondary Form: Two of the four guns can mecha-shift and combine to produce a single barreled sniper rifle (unfortunately I have to bring and assemble the sniper viewfinder separately) that can fire any combination of the four types of ammunition contained in the original two guns. All the guns can mecha-shift this way, so I can decide which are best for the occasion and can potentially fight using two guns and a sniper rifle, instead of 4 guns. 

Dust Functions: Now here comes the part that I really love about my spices: the endless combinations of dust I get from combining the cartridges. It's practically impossible to predict what kind of projectile I'll shoot next, especially if I switch the guns from limb to limb or change the magazines during a fight. So... we have Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Lightning, Gravity, Ice, Steam, Propulsion, and the good old metal bullet. That makes ten kinds of ammunition. Now I could make a list of all the tricks I can pull of mixing dust, but as you can probably imagine that would be quite tedious for me, so I'll do it only if required and even so I'll probably stick to the most uncommon ones. However, just because I'm a nice person, I'll give you an example for free: what would happen if I fired a Steam ammo with a Fire one? You guessed it! Scalding Steam! That's really nasty if I manage to hit you in the face...
Or how about Water and Earth? You get mud, right? And what happens if I fire a third dust round into the fray? Say a Gravity one? My guess is that you get a very heavy mud that can hinder movements. Or I can dry it with Fire, or froze it with Ice. And don't even get me started with the most obvious ones like Lightning and Water. Anyway, I think this should suffice to give you an idea.
Of course, I usually equip propulsion dust in the guns that I anchor to my feet in order to get even more mobility.   

History: Nothing to say here, really. Just go read my story and the description of the weapons.



6
Approved Characters / Mogan Treehouse
« on: December 11, 2017, 06:00:17 PM »
CHARACTER

Name: Mogan Treehouse

Age: 20 (14 of amare 60 AC)

Species and Gender: Human Male

Symbol:  A slender white tree with curved branches surmounted by seven shining stars, on a black background.
Spoiler: ShowHide


Occupation: Huntsman in training - Beacon Academy - Third year

Appearance:
Mogan's look is quite ordinary. He's one meter and seventy-eight centimeters tall, not too muscular, not too lean. Has brown, straight hair, some in a long braid that reaches his chest. his most apparent feature is the deep scar that runs along his face, from a bit above the right eyebrow to the left cheek, running across the bridge of the nose. Mogan has a number of similar scars, a couple on his left leg, one on the left shoulder right beside the neck, three parallel scars on his lower back (clearly the work of a beowulf), a scar left from a stab wound on the right leg (boarbatusk)  and finally some scars on his right foot (due to surgery). All these scars caused by reckless uses of his semblance. Only when reading or watching his scroll or a screen, in order not to strain his eyesight, Mogan uses a pair of simple gray glasses that partially covers his eyes. Said eyes are a shade of reddish brown, surmounted by thick eyebrows the same color of his hair. A short unkept beard covers the lower half of his face. While awake, but only when it's not impolite to do so, Mogan keeps an unlit, short cigarette in his mouth. He doesn't smoke and the cigarette is, in fact, a reminder not fall prey to any kind of vice of that kind (all of his grandparents fell ill and died because of smoke and/or alcohol-related diseases).
Mogan likes to wear simple and functional clothes, always dark and monochrome, usually a sleeveless turtleneck shirt (to make it easier to wear Give or Take) covered by a jacket and black jeans and shoes.       
Spoiler: ShowHide
 
(Made with "Mega Anime Avatar Creator": http://www.rinmarugames.com/playgame.php?game_link=mega-anime-avatar-creator) Many thanks to Zerko for the link.


History:
It can't be said in all honesty that Mogan didn't have a happy childhood. He was born in a wealthy family, the Treehouse, known for being a family which had produced over the generations many noticeable craftsmen, be it sculptors, painters, carpenters, blacksmiths and so on. The accumulated riches of so many successful artists meant for Mogan the possibility to grow in a large mansion in Vacuo, with loving parents and the commodities that money can grant. Both Mogan parents were artisans, his mother a glass blower and his father a weaponsmith for huntsmen and huntresses, and both were equally demanding when it came to their children. Mogan and his sister Willow were always expected to excel in school or in everything else but were not forced to study or practice to the point of exhaustion, it was more a kind of constant psychological pressure. Mogan, in particular, was considered since his early years as a kind of prodigy (while in reality he just was a smart kid, nothing extraordinary) and was always pushed to be the best.

It was with this view that he was enrolled at Oasis Academy, so it wasn't exactly his choice to become a fighter, even if he acquired a taste for combat in time. If he had the chance to follow his aspirations at the time, he would have liked to become a musician, he didn't really have a choice in the matter and he liked to be an obedient child so he tried his best in combat school with praiseworthy success. His sister too was enrolled in the same school, a couple of years after him, but Willow always had a clear artistic flare that made clear to her parents that she would become a glass blower like her mother in time. Mogan, on the other hand, didn't seem to show passion for anything in particular, so he just followed the path that had been placed in front of him.

His first years at Oasis Academy were not easy. Initially, he didn't have any friends because he appeared as an arrogant and often asocial person, but in reality, those were just a twisted kind of shield to conceal his own insecurities. Combine that to the fact that he almost always defeated the other students in combat class and you have the recipe for the most hated guy in class. After a couple of years, he eventually managed to make some few precious friends letting go of the mask he usually wore, and to that the last years of combat academy were the happiest of his life. 
He graduated from Oasis Academy with top grades, and the next obvious step would obviously have been Shade Academy. Mogan, however, wasn't sure he wanted to become a huntsman (especially after discovering his semblance in his last year at Oasis), but he felt he had no passion, no real drive for anything, so instead to be smart and brave by really thinking about his future and his aspirations, he decided it was safer to stick to what he knew he was already good at. Some of his friends choose different paths, but three of them went with him to Shade Academy and together they formed Team LMNS (team Lemons).

Being the only male of his team, Mogan had promised himself that he would try to avoid developing romantic feelings for any of his teammates, in order to avoid conflict and confusion. That was easy for him, as he had known his teammates since Oasis Academy and he had never had any interest of that kind for them, nor they for him: they were friends, nothing more. In his second year at Shade all of that changed. One of his teammates, the one that gave the L to the team name, suddenly confessed to him. Having never had a proper girlfriend, but remembering his initial intention regarding his teammates, Mogan decided to play it slow. He wasn't absolutely against the idea, but he wasn't going to risk a fracture in the team either if things went poorly, so he agreed to go out with her to see if his feeling on the matter would change given the chance. He wasn't very optimistic but he was determined to try. Unfortunately, after just a couple of weeks, a mission came up that split the team in two. Mogan and his teammate Sylvan were sent on an easy search and destroy mission on a village, while Lavander and Nera stayed in Vacuo. The mission went smoothly, but due to adverse weather condition three weeks went by before Mogan and his partner could return. What he found was a team in shambles. Lavander had apparently cheated on him after just a couple of days, and that had lead to a break between her and Nera (that condemned Lavander's choice). Obviously, Mogan did not take the news with a smile, but for the sake of the team, he was ready to put it all behind and try to mend his and Nera's relationships with Lavander. What he didn't expect was what came next: Lavander requested to leave her original team. That only worsen the situation and, by the end of the year, Team LMNS was no more. At that point, Mogan felt he needed a fresh start, a new life, in a new place, with new people, and so he enrolled for his third year at Beacon Academy.   

Personality:
What to say, what to say? Mogan really doesn't have the most complicated personality, at least he thinks so. His most recurring emotion, the one that is the reason behind many of his behaviors, is fear. The fear of being hurt, the fear of being judged, the fear of being rejected, the fear of not being good enough.   
As a result, he is an introvert that never really knows how to behave in most situations, due to his very low self-esteem. He's really slow when it comes to trust someone, and even then complete trust is something that could require years (as you can imagine that may cause some problems when you are put in a team). He often prefers a good book and some music to going out among other people, but that doesn't mean he can't interact with people. On the surface, he appears polite and quiet, well-read,  serious, responsible and friendly, but that's because he is great at acting. Anyway, being really lazy, it's just too much work, so he just prefers to avoid social interaction (or at least that is what he tells himself).

Yeah, Mogan is somewhat of a compulsive liar. He derives entertainment from telling harmless lies and always comes up with made up excuses to avoid commitments or activities. It's not unusual for him to just lie without a real reason, for example, if you ask him if he ever had a pet while growing up he might say he had three dogs, while in fact, he had a cat. Lie after lie the result is a massive house of cards made of lies to remember that can crumble at the simplest slip-up. But what if this facade is the person that other people learn to know, instead of the real him that's behind the surface?
He has a sharp sense of humor (or so he likes to think), often misunderstood or kept to himself, but once he feels comfortable enough with someone he'll never hesitate in make fun said someone, which can make him really obnoxious sometimes. Mogan is a pessimist, and most often than not he'll deem some endeavors as hopeless before even trying.
At this point, the obvious question is: should someone with a personality like this try to become a huntsman? The answer is no, right? I mean this negative attitude, this barely concealed sadness and loneliness are bound to attract all manners of grimm! And this is where the last major tract of his personality comes up: he just doesn't think about it. Mogan goes on with his lives day after day, without too much care, without giving himself the chance to dwell on bad thoughts, and whenever they come to the surface he retreats in some of his fantasies, or in a book or a song to just drive everything away.

Alas, this unhealthy lifestyle can't be endured for long, and that's why Mogan decided to leave behind his old life and start anew in another continent, in another city, in another huntsman academy, in another team.
Switching to more mundane topics, what does Mogan like or dislikes? What are his hobbies? Well besides books and music and games, he loves to cook, then eat what he cooks. He's a real glutton and if it wasn't for his training he would probably weight like an ursa by now.       
And what about Mogan's motivations? What drives him during a fight? With what spirit he goes into battle? What kind of fighter is he? Well basically Mogan fights because he has to, his primary objective is to preserve is own life and he tries to see a fight as nothing more than a part of his line of work. So you'll never see him sacrifice his own life to save someone else or even take a hit that could injure him and compromise his safety if he doesn't have a backup plan. On the other hand, he is quite competitive and it's not uncommon for Mogan to enjoy defeating his opponent or better yet slaughter grimm, in short, he likes the sense of satisfaction and superiority that you get from winning.

These two aspects balance each other and the result is an analytical fighter that always tries to make an assessment of his chances of winning even before the battle starts. If he is not positive he can win he'll fight in defense and look for a way to escape or take his opponent by surprise, instead if he knows he will win he'll try to dominate his opponent and establish his superiority. It's petty, I know, and he knows too, but at least he apologizes after (usually). He becomes even more vicious if he has to fight an opponent who he feels is superior to him in some way (say someone with a powerful and cool semblance or an ancient grimm) and still manages to win. In this particular case, he will still try to end the fight as quickly and efficiently as possible, but he'll gloat for hours after (probably resulting obnoxious).
Until now the only things I described are Mogan's faults, but he has his merits too!
If Mogan had to describe his merits he would initially be unable to think of something, but those who know him and have been able to gain his friendship can testify that he can be a loyal and precious friend and be able to see the good in him when he doesn't see anything worth mentioning. First of all, he is a really good listener, attentive, not scared to tell the truth if he thinks it will do some good, and genuinely interested in others problems and eager to help and counsel if he can. He is extremely patient and always tries to give people the benefit of the doubt, and if someone mistreats him he will probably give that someone a second or even a third chance. Once he makes a friend, even if they have a serious quarrel and he thinks to be in the right, he will try to be the first to apologize and make up. He is discrete, helpful, generous. He's certainly not the most exciting person to be around, but he has his perks.

Aura and Semblance:
Aura: Mogan's aura is dull gray, nothing flashy. He has an average aura pool but strives to increase it and to master the skill of using one own's aura to emit waves of force in order to compensate for semblance that can potentially be very hard and difficult to use.

Semblance: "Be careful of what you wish and think carefully before you choose" also referred to as "Delay and increase the consequences" -
Mogan hates is semblance. Is as simple as that. Is a reflection of his personality that is unflattering, unforgiving, dangerous and most often than not just not usable. Is a stupidly complicated semblance with a lot of rules that, in the process of being discovered, earned Mogan his fair share of scars and miscellaneous injuries. It can be said that for Mogan using his semblance is equivalent to wagering. If he uses it from the beginning in a fight and he makes a mistake, then he'll pay by taking heavy damage that will take out a big chunk of his aura. But if he doesn't make a mistake, he can potentially get rid of his opponent in a handful of seconds and with just two or three well-placed hits. If he uses his semblance as a last resort, on the other end, when his aura reserves are already considerably reduced, just one mistake can result in serious injuries or directly spell his death. Using this semblance on a human opponent is even more risky, as said opponent could potentially understand the semblance's rules and exploit them to his advantage, thus having what is basically an extra semblance as long as he is fighting Mogan. Use the semblance from the beginning, without knowing what the enemy is capable of, and you run the serious risk of having said semblance turn on you by suffering too many hits and take too much damage (and/or reveal the rules of the semblance in the meantime). Activate it later, that is during combat, is risky because then Mogan must be able to not be hit by an opponent who has the advantage of having his own semblance and on top of that is already somewhat experienced in how to fight Mogan (it has to be said that his fighting style changes once the semblance is active, but you get what I'm trying to say).

Now that your curiosity has been tickled, here the semblance and its rules summarized for your convenience.

TL;DR
While his semblance is active, every hit suffered or inflicted by Mogan does not seem to have any immediate effect. All effects and consequences of the blow are delayed up to a maximum of ten seconds and then manifest suddenly, amplified directly in proportion to the time elapsed.
The semblance works with any kind of non-prolonged impact. What really triggers it isn't the impact itself but the "will" of the person (or Grimm) behind it. Mogan himself is subject to his semblance, so his opponents can take advantage of the semblance in almost the same way he can (while fighting him), the only difference being that he knows how the semblance works. There are other details and rules, but these are the main ones, for more information look the complete version below.


Now let’s explain in more detail how this semblance works, given that it has quite a number of annoying rules.

Spoiler: ShowHide
1) First of all it must be said that this semblance works with any kind of non-prolonged impact, such as punches, kicks, bullets, slashes, piercing attacks, explosion, shockwaves and so on. Things like holds or bites, on the other hand, might trigger the semblance at first, but it will soon stop if the pressure continues to be exercised. In this last case it will be as if the semblance had never been triggered and except for the very short delay, there will be no increase in the consequences of the bite.

2) While the semblance is active what really triggers it isn’t the impact itself, but the “will” behind it. Let’s say that someone is holding a gun and pulls the trigger with the intent to kill, wound, damage or incapacitate (or, more generically, by someone with violent intention), then the bullet fired from that gun will trigger the semblance even if it hits Mogan by mistake while it was aimed at someone else. But if the trigger was pulled by mistake or, for example, by someone who just wanted to scare by shooting upwards, in this case even if the bullet hits Mogan it will not trigger the semblance.
The same applies if there is an earthquake and a piece of ceiling falls on Mogan's head: the semblance will not be triggered. On the contrary, if someone is responsible for an explosion that causes the ceiling to crumble, in that case, the semblance will trigger if the one causing the explosion knows it will possibly hurt someone. So it doesn’t really matter what hits Mogan or how, as much as why he was hit in the first place.

3) The most annoying and dangerous aspect of this semblance is that the user is subject to it too so that its effects are exploitable even by his opponent. The only advantage Mogan has is to know the rules of the semblance and be accustomed to the precise timing it takes to use it effectively. That’s why is important, when battling a human opponent, to either end the fight as quickly as possible, to use the semblance as a last resort, or even to deceive the opponent to prevent it from discovering how the semblance works.

4) What exactly does “Increase the consequences” means? For every second that passes after the semblance has been triggered, the consequences of the hit (given or suffered) increase progressively, and after ten seconds (if the semblance gets fully charged) consequences three times the originals will crash on the target. Let’s say Mogan punches a Beowulf in the face it but lets the semblance work its magic: after 10 seconds the Beowulf will finally receive the effects of the punch as if it were three times stronger, faster and bigger then it originally was. That will most probably cave in the Beowulf's face, or break the Beowulf's neck, or tore his head from his shoulders, or explode the Beowulf's head, depending on the power of the original punch. For a hit by a blade, the cut that the attack would normally cause will be three times deeper, wider and longer. Against an opponent whose aura is unlocked, the aura will have to be factored in calculating the damage.

5) Fully charge this semblance it’s not very easy, especially while you are engaged in combat. But it’s not necessary to always charge for ten seconds to use this semblance. After all, for every second elapsed, the consequences of the strike are increased by 20%, 100% after five seconds and so on up to a maximum of ten seconds for an increase of 200% (which means three times the consequences of the original impact). But how do you decide when the semblance has to stop charging? The answer is simple: you don’t. The semblance will always keep charging until ten seconds have passed. There are only five ways to stop the power from charging completely:

-A) Hit the same target again before the previous strike has ended up charging. This will cause the first strike to immediately stop its count and be delivered early (appropriately amplified), while the second strike starts its countdown.

-B) Hitting who hit you first will have the same effect as the first method.

 -C) Remove the “will” of the person or Grimm, that is responsible for triggering the semblance in the first place. This means either to kill the target or make him lose consciousness. If this condition is fulfilled, the consequences of the strike suffered by Mogan will simply not appear and it will be as if he was never hit in the first place. Thanks to this rule this semblance (even if the risks remain the same and increase exponentially with the numbers of enemies) can even be used to fight multiple opponents if Mogan has an adequate backup or is able to not be hit in rapid succession. Let’s use as an example a horde of ursai: Mogan hits one ursa in the head or in the chest before it hits him, then moves to the next, and the next, repeating the same operation without being hit by the same Grimm more than once in rapid succession of before being able to hit the ursa first. In this scenario, after ten seconds, the ursai previously stricken will most likely instantly die if the hit was well placed, while the ones that actually managed to score a hit before Mogan could strike at them can be eliminated by eventual allies. If said allies manage to kill the Grimms that triggered the semblance before the ten seconds have passed, then it will not matter how hard he was hit by any singular ursa or by how many, for Mogan will not suffer any kind of consequence. This pretty much means that with the right backup Mogan can become an almost invincible entity on the battlefield. One mistake though, a single slip, will be fatal (because even if only one strike succeeds in charging to the limit, it will almost certainly erase a big part of Mogan’s remaining aura in one go or badly injure him, leaving him helpless and surrounded by creatures of Grimm).     

-D) Take a hit from the same target that triggered the semblance on you before on purpose, while “wanting” for said hit do harm you. This will not only stop the count of the first hit but will not trigger the semblance on the second one and will reset the countdown to zero for the first hit. This way both hits won’t have any additional effect (the first hit’s normal consequences will appear at the precise moment the second hit connects). Unfortunately, this trick only works if you already are under the effect of the semblance, so it cannot be used on the first hit even if you are willing to take it and be harmed by it.

-E) Mogan has to hit himself with the intention of doing at least half as much damage to himself as he would have normally received by the first hit he tanked. This effectively increases the initial damage by 50% but is always better than letting that damage become three times the original. This last rule is the only one that applies only to Mogan and not to his opponent because for all intent and purposes he is using his own semblance on himself to override the "will" behind his opponent's hit. This second blow also follows the previous rule and it won't have any additional effect.
   
6) At this point is quite clear that this semblance is very powerful, and it would definitely be overpowered if it could be activated and deactivated instantly, but that is unfortunately not the case. Before the semblance actually turns on, ten seconds have to elapse from the moment Mogan wishes to activate it. Once the semblance is active, it cannot be deactivated until at least 100 seconds have elapsed since the semblance was activated. After 100 seconds have passed Mogan can choose to keep the semblance active for another 100 seconds or turn it off. Mogan can keep his semblance active for a maximum of 300 seconds (five minutes) during the course of a day (that means that he can activate it up to three times for 100 seconds each, just one time for 300 seconds or two times dividing the duration). All the effects of the semblance have to be resolved, so if a hit is still charging when the countdown ends, then it will be immediately delivered with the appropriate increase. Once the five minutes end, before Mogan is able to activate the semblance again at least 12 hours have to pass and during those 12 hours, he must sleep for at least 3.
 
7) There are a couple of important clarifications to make about what can actually be affected by this semblance. Inanimate objects can be affected by the semblance if the user wants to destroy or damage the object, but only in these two instances. But what happens when it comes to weapons in a person’s hand? Are the weapon and the person considered as a single entity by the semblance? In this case, it becomes a matter of perspective. If the goal is to damage the opponent and not the weapon, then striking the weapon will not trigger the semblance because technically there is no ill intent towards the weapon. This means that it is theoretically possible to apply a charging hit to the opponent’s weapon and another charging hit targeting the opponent’s body without the two interfering with each other. But this applies only to weapons that objectively can be considered as “separable” from the opponents such as swords, hammers, staffs, while gloves or boots used as weapons are not objectively separable since any blow they receive will necessarily affect the user. But here is the catch: only Mogan knows of this rule. So if an opponent wants to punch him in the face, but Mogan deflects or blocks the punch with his armored hand, chances are that his opponent will not have the same ill intention towards what he most likely considers as a part of his target that's not worth trying to damage, so in the mind of Mogan's opponent it would be like striking something other the Mogan, and in so doing eluding the semblance. Figuring out how this rule works is the first and most important step to understand the semblance in its entirety and consciously turning it against Mogan. So he goes to great length to prevent this from happening, often bluffing, acting and lying to confuse and deceive his opponent.   

8) As final notes, let’s reveal two good points of this semblance: the first one is that there are no clues that indicate if the semblance is active or has been triggered (no visible aura, no flames, no sound, etc); the second one is that the semblance does not rely on the aura reserves of the user to work. This second note means that a hit charged by the semblance does not require aura to charge and that the semblance can be used even if the aura reserves of the users are almost empty.


Combat Behavior:  Having such a problematic semblance, Mogan has had to develop a fighting style that does not rely on it and that aims to have an extremely solid defence, which is based on dodging and deflecting incoming hits rather than blocking them (so as not to risk triggering his own semblance, if it is active), and waiting for the right time to counterattack. His high efficiency in hand to hand combat gives him an edge if he can get close to his opponent, and even against weapons like swords and the like he is still advantaged by the possibility of disarming his opponent. He is a very agile and quick fighter that jumps, dashes and dances, around the opponent if necessary, but that prefers to minimise his own movements in order to conserve stamina and whose strikes are very fast and accurate, aimed either at disrupting the enemy's pace in order to create openings (if the adversary in question his equally or more skilled) or at specific vital point (if an opening presents itself) in order to end the fight as quickly and efficiently as possible.

In short Mogan's fighting style is designed to keep him in fighting shape and, most importantly, alive for as long as possible. In order to complement his style, Mogan makes ample use of feints and tricks during combat, and always tries to understand how his opponent fights and thinks to obtain any kind of advantage and to be able to decide if he can afford the risk of activating his semblance or not (he always tries not to, in any case). 
Even with these adjustments, Mogan remains a heavily unbalanced fighter. For example, in a team, his sudden and unexpected defeat could lead to the collapse of the whole group. In a sense, this semblance is the result of Mogan's insecurities and fears. It's almost as if his semblance is challenging him, forcing him to believe in himself, to shoulder responsibilities and take risks when using it, or to always give his best in order to compensate for not using it. It forces him to think well before he acts, to plan ahead, evaluate and study his opponent or the situation. In short, his semblance forces him to improve, while he is on the contrary often convinced to not be good, strong or smart enough to achieve his goals.

On the bright side, as long as he doesn't need to activate his semblance, Mogan can serve as a tank or as bait against a fair number of enemies, but only if he is able to dodge or maneuver around them. Truth be told his worst matchups are things that most hunters would consider as minor threats: a flock of little nevermores is easily Mogan's worst nightmare. He lacks the means to dispatch them quickly and in great numbers, and even swinging around the whip on one of his arms can't compensate. If ever such a group of Grimms should attack him while his semblance is active, Mogan would die, is as simple as that. That's because every single scratch from every single nevermore would count up to three times its original damage, his aura would be completely drained in 30 seconds tops and in even less time he would probably bleed to death. Not the most enjoyable way to die. Following this trend, it's easy to imagine that against Mogan the bigger the enemy is, the better. Against a big target is easy to make each cannon shot count, and such enemies are usually slow, which is ideal if Mogan decides to use his semblance. He could kill a goliath alone without too much effort, probably even an entire group, but put him against a group of small nevermores, creeps or lancers and chances are he'll try to run away.   

As far as human (or faunus, I don't discriminate) opponents are concerned, anyone who can attack from long-mid range and is able to keep his distance can easily defeat Mogan without too much effort (the only things to watch out for are the cannon and the grappling hook, but any huntsman or huntress, should be able to dodge those no problem).
Of course, Mogan is aware of his weaknesses and always tries to engage in close quarters, where he has a substantial advantage. First of all his armored arms grant him a naturally strong defense, thus allowing for a more offensive approach against opponents who lack the ability to deliver strong blows. Slow and strong opponents are even easier because they probably won't be able to land a hit. Mogan's style and weapons, however, give their best against those that rely on their weapons and can be disarmed. Whether it be swords, hammers, daggers, scythes and so on, it's easy to catch, push, pull or strike aside them in a way that forces the user to either lose the weapon or suffer some blows to keep it.

All of Give and Take functions are pretty easy to understand: you have armor, a cannon, a blade, but the whip seems a bit out of place, right? First of all, when he designed his weapons, Mogan felt he needed some form of tool to reposition himself during a fight, so he thought of the grappling hook, but it seemed a bit of a waste to not add anything to that, so it became also a whip. Then again a whip was pretty much useless for the kind of defensive style he wanted, and would not even be a good offensive tool, so he added the lightning dust. Basically the whip is just a distraction, something to use in order to stun for a moment an opponent Mogan can't reach with fists and close the distance, or just wrapping the whip around the enemy's weapon can impair it's movements (giving him the chance to land a hit) and there is a chance to electrocute him through it (giving him the chance to disarm the target, probably using the other hand). In short, it should serve as a versatile mid-range option and not at all as a defensive tool (well maybe he could think of a couple of ways to use it to stop bullets, but it seems a bit far-fetched). Most of the time the whip will just be coiled around the wrist and Mogan will use the hidden blade on the same arm.     

WEAPON

Name: Give or Take

Primary Form:
Give or Take are basically two pieces of heavy armor that cover up to Mogan's shoulders and are usually carried around in a black business suitcase equipped with two very useful concealed openings on each side that allow for quick and easy withdraw of the weapons inside. Mogan inserts an arm in each opening, and the suitcase rearranges itself to cover both arms with the respective weapon/armor. The two pieces are quite different from each other but are not fixed to a specified arm and Mogan can decide (based on the side of the suitcase when he inserts his arms) on which arm put Give or Take.
What remains of the suitcase after Give and Take have been put on rearranges itself if the form of a utility belt that Mogan uses to store snacks, ammunition, snacks, dust, snacks, a flask of water, snacks, his scroll, snacks... I'm kidding, there are just one or two snacks... Really! Don't ask for them, he won't give them away, so you may just as well forget about their existence.
To put these three pieces together Mogan presses the palms of his hands together while keeping them parallel to the ground, and the armor on his arms collapses on itself to reform the suitcase, of which the utility belt will then rebuild the top and the handle. 

Take (Usually on the right arm):
There isn't much to say about Take that isn't clear to see, really. It's a heavy piece of armor that provides an excellent defense, the forearm and the arm up to the shoulder are covered by overlapping plaques, curved and smoothed to facilitate the deflecting of hits. On the juncture with the wrist is what appears as a circular gemstone, but really is just a rechargeable container (made of an even more durable material) of powder dust. This ammunition get's used up all at once every time Mogan uses the cannon that this weapon becomes (more details under "Dust functions"). When in "cannon" mode the armor on the arm and forearm collapses in a cannon with two muzzles, one just above the wrist and the other at the elbow, while the hand remains unchanged.
The hand is, once again, very well armored and equipped with claw-like fingertips and spikes at the end of the first phalanx of each finger, and is used to tear, cut, punch or grip the opponent or his weapons. The grip, in particular, is considerably increased by a mechanical feature of the hand, making it quite hard to get free once it grips something.
Spoiler: ShowHide


Give (Usually on the left arm):
Give is a quite different from Take in terms of design, is leaner and clearly doesn't hide a cannon. It does, however, hide a blade that can come out from the forearm towards the wrist or towards the elbow (it's not long enough to come out from both extremities at once). The hand is equipped with the same grip augmentation device Take has, but it doesn't have any claws. What it does have is a whip with numerous spikes coming out of it. When coiled around the wrist the whip has four of its spikes in correspondence of the knuckles (just to give punches some extra punch, if it makes sense). As every good mechanized weapon in Remnant, Give is also a gun! Well... more like a grappling hook, but it still counts! The whip wrapped around the wrist can be uncoiled and be used as a whip, of course, but can also be shoot out at high speed and anchor itself to the first surface it touches (if the tip of the whip, which is a spike of solid metal, can pierce it, it will then spread open). Give has, of course, the right gear to automatically wind back the whip/grappling hook, and is able to lift the weight of one more person besides Mogan's (any more than that and the mechanism will simply fail and probably break under the stress). Is really hard to cut or damage this whip even when is under tension, but a scissor-like weapon with a strong user could still cut it. When it comes to Dust, Give has a hollow tube running along the length of the whip. Said hollow tube can be filled with dust powder that manifests itself through the spikes (more details under "Dust Functions).
The actual whip is three and a half meters long, while the grappling hook can reach up to 10 meters (only the part used as a whip is equipped with spikes and dust).   
Spoiler: ShowHide


Dust Functions:
Let's start by talking about the dust functions of Take (the one with the cannon), which really boil down to what kind of dust and ammunition it uses. The answer is simple: propulsion dust used to fire big explosive bullets. The result is a highly destructive impact that, if able to pierce the target, will detonate inside it causing serious damage to almost every kind of grimm. The downside of having such powerful ammunition is that every third shot the cannon must be recharged.   
Give is potentially more versatile, given that its whip could be charged with any kind of dust, but there really isn't any advantage in having a flaming whip or one that freezes on contact. Charge it with lightning dust however and once you try it you'll never want to change dust type again. The only thing lightning dust can do is electrocute the target, likely stunning them for a short while without doing any meaningful damage, but it's more than enough to gain the advantage and land a hit or two, or better yet a point-blank cannon shot. Grimm are quite easy to hit with the whip but most human opponents will either dodge it or block it with some kind of weapon, however, most weapons are made of metal and can potentially conduct electricity straight to the wielder. Even when the whip is coiled around the wrist of Give, it can be used to shock the enemy with each punch. Obviously, both Give and Take are made with non-conducting materials (at least externally), but if Mogan hits himself somewhere else by mistake with his whip he will be electrocuted like any other living being. 

History:
There really isn't much of a story behind Give or Take: they were made for Mogan by his father when he enrolled at Oasis Academy. The only noticeable feature is that they were remade several times over the years to add new features or tweak some aspects. Their first iteration was just simple armor with claws, the second one added the blade and the cannon, the third added the whip and the grappling hook, and the fourth and final one (once Mogan discovered his semblance) reinforced the armor and the defense it could provide and added the grip augmentation to the hands. 

7
Teams / Searching for third year Beacon teammates
« on: December 09, 2017, 05:06:35 AM »
Hello people! I'm looking for third year Beacon students to join a team or willing to form a team with my new character! http://rwby-rpg.rwbyfanon.com/index.php/topic,1249.0.html
I don't have any particular preferences, I'd only like the team to be an active one.
Let me know if you are interested!

8
WiP Characters / Mogan Treehouse
« on: November 25, 2017, 04:21:57 PM »
CHARACTER

Name: Mogan Treehouse

Age: 20 (14 of amare 60 AC)

Species and Gender: Human Male

Symbol:  A slender white tree with curved branches surmounted by seven shining stars, on a black background.
Spoiler: ShowHide


Occupation: Huntsman in training - Beacon Academy - Third year

Appearance:
Mogan's look is quite ordinary. He's one meter and seventy-eight centimeters tall, not too muscular, not too lean. Has brown, straight hair, some in a long braid that reach his chest. his most apparent feature is the deep scar that runs along his face, from a bit above the right eyebrow to the left cheek, running across the bridge of the nose. Mogan has a number of similar scars, a couple on his left leg, one on the left shoulder right beside the neck, three parallel scars on his lower back (clearly the work of a beowulf), a scar left from a stab wound on the right leg (boarbatusk)  and finally some scars on his right foot (due to surgery). All these scars caused by reckless uses of his semblance. Only when reading or watching his scroll or a screen, in order not to strain his eyesight, Mogan uses a pair of simple gray glasses that partially covers his eyes. Said eyes are a shade of reddish brown, surmounted by thick eyebrows the same color of his hair. A short unkept beard covers the lower half of his face. While awake, but only when it's not impolite to do so, Mogan keeps an unlit, short cigarette in his mouth. He doesn't smoke and the cigarette is, in fact, a reminder not fall prey to any kind of vice of that kind (all of his grandparents fell ill and died because of smoke and/or alcohol-related diseases).
Mogan likes to wear simple and functional clothes, always dark and monochrome, usually a sleeveless turtleneck shirt (to make it easier to wear Give or Take) covered by a jacket and black jeans and shoes.       
Spoiler: ShowHide
 
(Made with "Mega Anime Avatar Creator": http://www.rinmarugames.com/playgame.php?game_link=mega-anime-avatar-creator) Many thanks to Zerko for the link.


History:
It can't be said in all honesty that Mogan didn't have a happy childhood. He was born in a wealthy family, the Treehouse, known for being a family which had produced over the generations many noticeable craftsmen, be it sculptors, painters, carpenters, blacksmiths and so on. The accumulated riches of so many successful artists meant for Mogan the possibility to grow in a large mansion in Vacuo, with loving parents and the commodities that money can grant. Both Mogan parents were artisans, his mother a glass blower and his father a weaponsmith for huntsmen and huntresses, and both were equally demanding when it came to their children. Mogan and his sister Willow were always expected to excel in school or in everything else but were not forced to study or practice to the point of exhaustion, it was more a kind of constant psychological pressure. Mogan, in particular, was considered since his early years as a kind of prodigy (while in reality he just was a smart kid, nothing extraordinary) and was always pushed to be the best. It was with this view that he was enrolled at Oasis Academy, so it wasn't exactly his choice to become a fighter, even if he acquired a taste for combat in time. If he had the chance to follow his aspirations at the time, he would have liked to become a musician, he didn't really have a choice in the matter and he liked to be an obedient child so he tried his best in combat school with praiseworthy success. His sister too was enrolled in the same school, a couple of years after him, but Willow always had a clair artistic flare that made clear to her parents that she would become a glass blower like her mother in time. Mogan, on the other hand, didn't seem to show passion for anything in particular, so he just followed the path that had been placed in front of him. His first years at Oasis Academy were not easy. Initially, he didn't have any friends because he appeared as an arrogant and often asocial person, but in reality, those were just a twisted kind of shield to conceal his own insecurities. Combine that to the fact that he almost always defeated the other students in combat class and you have the recipe for the most hated guy in class. After a couple of years, he eventually managed to make some few precious friends letting go of the mask he usually wore, and to that the last years of combat academy were the happiest of his life. 
He graduated from Oasis Academy with top grades, and the next obvious step would obviously have been Shade Academy. Mogan, however, wasn't sure he wanted to become a huntsman (especially after discovering his semblance in his last year at Oasis), but he felt he had no passion, no real drive for anything, so instead to be smart and brave by really thinking about his future and his aspirations, he decided it was safer to stick to what he knew he was already good at. Some of his friends choose different paths, but three of them went with him to Shade Academy and together they formed Team LMNS (team Lemons). Being the only male of his team, Mogan had promised himself that he would try to avoid developing romantic feelings for any of his teammates, in order to avoid conflict and confusion. That was easy for him, as he had known his teammates since Oasis Academy and he had never had any interest of that kind for them, nor they for him: they were friends, nothing more. In his second year at Shade all of that changed. One of his teammates, the one that gave the L to the team name, suddenly confessed to him. Having never had a proper girlfriend, but remembering his initial intention regarding his teammates, Mogan decided to play it slow. He wasn't absolutely against the idea, but he wasn't going to risk a fracture in the team either if things went poorly, so he agreed to go out with her to see if his feeling on the matter would change given the chance. He wasn't very optimistic but he was determined to try. Unfortunately, after just a couple of weeks, a mission came up that split the team in two. Mogan and his teammate Sylvan were sent on an easy search and destroy mission on a village, while Lavander and Nera stayed in Vacuo. The mission went smoothly, but due to adverse weather condition three weeks went by before Mogan and his partner could return. What he found was a team in shambles. Lavander had apparently cheated on him after just a couple of days, and that had lead to a break between her and Nera (that condemned Lavander's choice). Obviously, Mogan did not take the news with a smile, but for the sake of the team, he was ready to put it all behind and try to mend his and Nera's relationships with Lavander. What he didn't expect was what came next: Lavander requested to leave her original team. That only worsen the situation and, by the end of the year, Team LMNS was no more. At that point, Mogan felt he needed a fresh start, a new life, in a new place, with new people, and so he enrolled for his third year at Beacon academy.   

Personality:
What to say, what to say? Mogan really doesn't have the most complicated personality, at least he thinks so. His most recurring emotion, the one that is the reason behind many of his behaviors, is fear. The fear of being hurt, the fear of being judged, the fear of being rejected, the fear of not being good enough.   
As a result, he is an introvert that never really knows how to behave in most situations, due to his very low self-esteem. He's really slow when it comes to trust someone, and even then complete trust is something that could require years (as you can imagine that may cause some problems when you are put in a team). He often prefers a good book and some music to going out among other people, but that doesn't mean he can't interact with people. On the surface, he appears polite and quiet, well-read,  serious, responsible and friendly, but that's because he is great at acting. Anyway, being really lazy, it's just too much work, so he just prefers to avoid social interaction (or at least that is what he tells himself).
Yeah, Mogan is somewhat of a compulsive liar. He derives entertainment from telling harmless lies and always comes up with made up excuses to avoid commitments or activities. It's not unusual for him to just lie without a real reason, for example, if you ask him if he ever had a pet while growing up he might say he had three dogs, while in fact, he had a cat. Lie after lie the result is a massive house of cards made of lies to remember that can crumble at the simplest slip-up. But what if this facade is the person that other people learn to know, instead of the real him that's behind the surface?
He has a sharp sense of humor (or so he likes to think), often misunderstood or kept to himself, but once he feels comfortable enough with someone he'll never hesitate in make fun said someone, which can make him really obnoxious sometimes. Mogan is a pessimist, and most often than not he'll deem some endeavors as hopeless before even trying.
At this point, the obvious question is: should someone with a personality like this try to become a huntsman? The answer is no, right? I mean this negative attitude, this barely concealed sadness and loneliness are bound to attract all manners of grimm! And this is where the last major tract of his personality comes up: he just doesn't think about it. Mogan goes on with his lives day after day, without too much care, without giving himself the chance to dwell on bad thoughts, and whenever they come to the surface he retreats in some of his fantasies, or in a book or a song to just drive everything away.
Alas, this unhealthy lifestyle can't be endured for long, and that's why Mogan decided to leave behind his old life and start anew in another continent, in another city, in another huntsman academy, in another team.
Switching to more mundane topics, what does Mogan like or dislikes? What are his hobbies? Well besides books and music and games, he loves to cook, then eat what he cooks. He's a real glutton and if it wasn't for his training he would probably weight like an ursa by now.       
And what about Mogan's motivations? What drives him during a fight? With what spirit he goes into battle? What kind of fighter is he? Well basically Mogan fights because he has to, his primary objective is to preserve is own life and he tries to see a fight as nothing more than a part of his line of work. So you'll never see him sacrifice his own life to save someone else or even take a hit that could injure him and compromise his safety if he doesn't have a backup plan. On the other hand, he is quite competitive and it's not uncommon for Mogan to enjoy defeating his opponent or better yet slaughter grimm, in short, he likes the sense of satisfaction and superiority that you get from winning. These two aspects balance each other and the result is an analytical fighter that always tries to make an assessment of his chances of winning even before the battle starts. If he is not positive he can win he'll fight in defense and look for a way to escape or take his opponent by surprise, instead if he knows he will win he'll try to dominate his opponent and establish his superiority. It's petty, I know, and he knows too, but at least he apologizes after (usually). He becomes even more vicious if he has to fight an opponent who he feels is superior to him in some way (say someone with a powerful and cool semblance or an ancient grimm) and still manages to win. In this particular case, he will still try to end the fight as quickly and efficiently as possible, but he'll gloat for hours after (probably resulting obnoxious).
Until now the only things I described are Mogan's faults, but he has his merits too!
If Mogan had to describe his merits he would initially be unable to think of something, but those who know him and have been able to gain his friendship can testify that he can be a loyal and precious friend and be able to see the good in him when he doesn't see anything worth mentioning. First of all, he is a really good listener, attentive, not scared to tell the truth if he thinks it will do some good, and genuinely interested in others problems and eager to help and counsel if he can. He is extremely patient and always tries to give people the benefit of the doubt, and if someone mistreats him he will probably give that someone a second or even a third chance. Once he makes a friend, even if they have a serious quarrel and he thinks to be in the right, he will try to be the first to apologize and make up. He is discrete, helpful, generous. He's certainly not the most exciting person to be around, but he has his perks.

Aura and Semblance:
Aura: Mogan's aura is dull gray, nothing flashy. He has an average aura pool but strives to increase it and to master the skill of using one own's aura to emit waves of force in order to compensate for his borderline suicidal semblance.

Semblance: "Be careful of what you wish and think carefully before you choose" also referred to as "Delay and increase the consequences" -
Mogan hates is semblance. Is as simple as that. Is a reflection of his personality that is unflattering, unforgiving, dangerous and most often than not just not usable. Is a stupidly complicated semblance with a lot of rules that, in the process of being discovered, earned Mogan his fair share of scars and miscellaneous injuries. It can be said that for Mogan using his semblance is equivalent to wagering. If he uses it from the beginning in a fight and he makes a mistake, then he'll pay by taking very heavy damage that will almost certainly wipe out all of his aura. But if he doesn't make a mistake, he can get rid of his opponent in a handful of seconds and with just one well placed hit. If he uses his semblance as a last resort, on the other end, when his aura reserves are already considerably reduced, just one mistake can result in serious injuries or directly spell his death. Using this semblance on a human opponent is even more risky, as said opponent could potentially understand the semblance's rules and exploit them to his advantage, thus having what is basically an extra semblance as long as he is fighting Mogan. Use the semblance from the beginning, without knowing what the enemy is capable of, and you run the serious risk of having said semblance turn on you by suffering too many hits and take too much damage (and/or reveal the rules of the semblance in the meantime). Activate it later, that is during combat, is risky because then Mogan must be able to not be hit by an opponent who has the advantage of having his own semblance and on top of that is already somewhat experienced in how to fight Mogan (it has to be said that his fighting style changes once the semblance is active, but you get what I'm trying to say).

Now that your curiosity has been tickled, here the semblance and it's rules!
While his semblance is active, every hit suffered or inflicted by Mogan does not seem to have any immediate effect. All effects and consequences of the blow are delayed up to a maximum of ten seconds and then manifest suddenly, amplified directly in proportion to the time elapsed.

Let’s explain in more detail how this semblance works, given that it has quite a number of annoying rules.

Spoiler: ShowHide
1) First of all it must be said that this semblance works with any kind on non-prolonged impact, such as punches, kicks, bullets, slashes, piercing attacks, explosion, shockwaves and so on. Things like holds or bites, on the other hand, might trigger the semblance at first, but it will soon stop if the pressure continues to be exercised. In this last case it will be as if the semblance had never been triggered and except for the very short delay, there will be no increase in the consequences of the bite.

2) While the semblance is active what really triggers it isn’t the impact itself, but the “will” behind it. Let’s say that someone is holding a gun and pulls the trigger with the intent to kill, wound, damage or incapacitate (or, more generically, by someone with violent intention), then the bullet fired from that gun will trigger the semblance even if it hits Mogan by mistake while it was aimed at someone else. But if the trigger was pulled by mistake or, for example, by someone who just wanted to scare by shooting upwards, in this case even if the bullet hits Mogan it will not trigger the semblance.
The same applies if there is an earthquake and a piece of ceiling falls on Mogan's head: the semblance will not be triggered. On the contrary, if someone is responsible for an explosion that causes the ceiling to crumble, in that case, the semblance will trigger if the one causing the explosion knows it will possibly hurt someone. So it doesn’t really matter what hits Mogan or how, as much as why he was hit in the first place.

3) The most annoying and dangerous aspect of this semblance is that the user is subject to it too so that its effects are exploitable even by his opponent. The only advantage Mogan has is to know the rules of the semblance and be accustomed to the precise timing it takes to use it effectively. That’s why is important, when battling a human opponent, to either end the fight as quickly as possible, to use the semblance as a last resort, or even to deceive the opponent to prevent it from discovering how the semblance works.

4) What exactly does “Increase the consequences” means? For every second that passes after the semblance has been triggered, the consequences of the hit (given or suffered) increase progressively, and after ten seconds (if the semblance gets fully charged) consequences ten times the originals will crash on the target. Let’s say Mogan punches a beowulf in the face with a force that normally would simply daze it but lets the semblance work its magic: after 10 seconds the beowulf will finally receive the effects of the punch as if it were ten times stronger, faster and bigger then it originally was. That will most probably cave in the beowulf's face, or break the beowulf's neck, or tore his head from his shoulders, or explode the beowulf’s head. For a hit by a blade, the cut that the attack would normally cause will be ten times deeper, wider and longer. Against an opponent whose aura is unlocked, the aura will have to be factored in calculating the damage.

5) Fully charge this semblance it’s not very easy, especially while you are engaged in combat. But it’s not necessary to always charge for ten seconds to use this semblance. After all, after just two seconds have passed, the consequences of the strike are doubled, triple after three seconds and so on up to a maximum of ten seconds. But how do you decide when the semblance has to stop charging? The answer is simple: you don’t. The semblance will always keep charging until ten seconds have passed. There are only five ways to stop the power from charging completely:
-A) Hit the same target again before the previous strike has ended up charging. This will cause the first strike to immediately stop its count and be delivered early (appropriately amplified), while the second strike starts its countdown.
-B) Hitting who hit you first will have the same effect as the first method.
 -C) Remove the “will” of the person or Grimm, that is responsible for triggering the semblance in the first place. This means either to kill the target or make him lose consciousness. If this condition is fulfilled, the consequences of the strike suffered by Mogan will simply not appear and it will be as if he was never hit in the first place. Thanks to this rule this semblance (even if the risks remain the same and increase exponentially with the numbers of enemies) can even be used to fight multiple opponents if Mogan has an adequate backup or is able to not be hit in rapid succession. Let’s use as an example a horde of ursai: Mogan hits one ursa in the head or in the chest before it hits him, then moves to the next, and the next, repeating the same operation without being hit by the same Grimm more than once in rapid succession of before being able to hit the ursa first. In this scenario, after ten seconds, the ursai previously stricken will most likely instantly die, while the ones that actually managed to score a hit before Mogan could strike at them can be eliminated by eventual allies. If said allies manage to kill the Grimms that triggered the semblance before the ten seconds have passed, then it will not matter how hard he was hit by any singular ursa or by how many, for Mogan will not suffer any kind of consequence. This pretty much means that with the right backup Mogan can become an almost invincible entity on the battlefield. One mistake though, a single slip, will be fatal (because even if only one strike succeeds in charging to the limit, it will almost certainly erase all Mogan’s remaining aura in one go and badly injure him, leaving him helpless and surrounded by creatures of Grimm).     
-D) Take a hit from the same target that triggered the semblance on you before on purpose, while “wanting” for said hit do harm you. This not only will stop the count of the first hit but will not trigger the semblance on the second one and will reset the countdown to zero for the first hit. This way both hits won’t have any additional effect (the first hit’s normal consequences will appear at the precise moment the second hit connects). Unfortunately, this trick only works if you already are under the effect of the semblance, so it cannot be used on the first hit even if you are willing to take it and be harmed by it.
-E) Mogan has to hit himself with the intention of doing as much damage to himself as he would have normally received by the first hit he tanked. This effectively doubles the initial damage but is always better than letting that damage become ten times the original. This last rule is the only one that applies only to Mogan and not to his opponent because for all intent and purposes he is using his own semblance on himself to override the "will" behind his opponent's hit. This second blow also follows the previous rule and it won't have any additional effect.
   
6) At this point is quite clear that this semblance is very powerful, and it would definitely be overpowered if it could be activated and deactivated instantly, but that is unfortunately not the case. Before the semblance actually turns on, ten seconds have to elapse from the moment Mogan wishes to activate it. Once the semblance is active, it cannot be deactivated unless all of it’s effects has been resolved, ten seconds have elapsed after the last effect has resolved, and at least one hundred seconds have elapsed since the semblance was activated.
 
7) There are a couple of important clarifications to make about what can actually be affected by this semblance. Inanimate objects can be affected by the semblance if the user wants to destroy or damage the object, but only in these two instances. But what happens when it comes to weapons in a person’s hand? Are the weapon and the person considered as a single entity by the semblance? In this case, it becomes a matter of perspective. If the goal is to damage the opponent and not the weapon, then striking the weapon will not trigger the semblance because technically there is no ill intent towards the weapon. This means that it is theoretically possible to apply a charging hit to the opponent’s weapon and another charging hit the opponent’s body without the two interfering with each other. But this applies only to weapons that objectively can be considered as “separable” from the opponents such as swords, hammers, staffs, while gloves or boots used as weapons are not objectively separable since any blow they receive will necessarily affect the user. But here is the catch: only Mogan knows of this rule. So if an opponent wants to punch him in the face, but Mogan deflects or blocks the punch with his armored hand, chances are that his opponent will not have the same ill intention towards what he most likely considers as a part of his target that's not worth trying to damage, so in the mind of the Mogan's opponent it would be like striking something other the Mogan, and in so doing eluding the semblance. Figuring out how this rule works is the first and most important step to understand the semblance in its entirety and consciously turning it against Mogan. So he goes to great length to prevent this from happening, often bluffing, acting and lying to confuse and deceive his opponent.   

8) As final notes, let’s reveal two good points of this semblance: the first one is that there are no clues that indicate if the semblance is active or has been triggered (no visible aura, no flames, no sound, etc); the second one is that the semblance does not rely on the aura reserves of the user to work. This second note means that a hit charged by the semblance does not require aura to charge and that the semblance can be used even if the aura reserves of the users are almost empty.


Combat Behavior:  Having such a problematic semblance, Mogan has had to develop a fighting style that does not rely on it and that aims to have an extremely solid defence, which is based on dodging and deflecting incoming hits rather than blocking them (so as not to risk triggering his own semblance, if it is active), and waiting for the right time to counterattack. His high efficiency in hand to hand combat gives him an edge if he can get close to his opponent, and even against weapons like swords and the like he is still advantaged by the possibility of disarming his opponent. He is a very agile and quick fighter that jumps, dashes and dances, around the opponent if necessary, but that prefers to minimise his own movements in order to conserve stamina and whose strikes are very fast and accurate, aimed either at disrupting the enemy's pace in order to create openings (if the adversary in question his equally or more skilled) or at specific vital point (if an opening presents itself) in order to end the fight as quickly and efficiently as possible. In short Mogan's fighting style is designed to keep him in fighting shape and, most importantly, alive for as long as possible. In order to complement his style, Mogan makes ample use of feints and tricks during combat, and always tries to understand how his opponent fights and thinks to obtain any kind of advantage and to be able to decide if he can afford the risk of activating his semblance or not (he always tries not to, in any case). 
Even with these adjustments, Mogan remains a heavily unbalanced fighter. For example, in a team, his sudden and unexpected defeat could lead to the collapse of the whole group. In a sense, this semblance is the result of Mogan's insecurities and fears. It's almost as if his semblance is challenging him, forcing him to believe in himself, to shoulder responsibilities and take risks when using it, or to always give his best in order to compensate for not using it. It forces him to think well before he acts, to plan ahead, evaluate and study his opponent or the situation. In short, his semblance forces him to improve, while he is on the contrary often convinced to not be good, strong or smart enough to achieve his goals.
On the bright side, as long as he doesn't need to activate his semblance, Mogan can serve as a tank or as bait against a fair number of enemies, but only if he is able to dodge or maneuver around them. Truth be told his worst matchups are things that most hunters would consider as minor threats: a flock of little nevermores is easily Mogan's worst nightmare. He lacks the means to dispatch them quickly and in great numbers, and even swinging around the whip on one of his arms can't compensate. If ever such a group of Grimms should attack him while his semblance is active, Mogan would die, is as simple as that. That's because every single scratch from every single nevermore would count up to ten times its original damage, his aura would be completely drained in 20 seconds tops and in even less time he would probably bleed to death. Not the most enjoyable way to die. Following this trend, it's easy to imagine that against Mogan the bigger the enemy is, the better. Against a big target is easy to make each cannon shot count, and such enemies are usually slow, which is ideal if Mogan decides to use his semblance. He could kill a goliath alone without a worry, probably even an entire group, but put him against a group of small nevermores, creeps or lancers and chances are he'll try to run away.   
As long as human (or faunus, I don't discriminate) opponents are concerned, anyone who can attack from long-mid range and is able to keep his distance can easily defeat Mogan without too much effort (the only things to watch out for are the cannon and the grappling hook, but any huntsman or huntress, should be able to dodge those no problem).
Of course, Mogan is aware of his weaknesses and always tries to engage in close quarters, where he has a substantial advantage. First of all his armored arms grant him a naturally strong defense, thus allowing for a more offensive approach against opponents who lack the ability to deliver strong blows. Slow and strong opponents are even easier because they probably won't be able to land a hit. Mogan's style and weapons, however, give their best against those that rely on their weapons and can be disarmed. Whether it be swords, hammers, daggers, scythes and so on, it's easy to catch, push, pull or strike aside them in a way that forces the user to either lose the weapon or suffer some blobs to keep it. All of Give and Take functions are pretty easy to understand: you have armor, a cannon, a blade, but the whip seems a bit out of place, right? First of all, when he designed his weapons, Mogan felt he needed some form of tool to reposition himself during a fight, so he thought of the grappling hook, but it seemed a bit of a waste to not add anything to that, so it became also a whip. Then again a whip was pretty much useless for the kind of defensive style he wanted, and would not even be a good offensive tool, so he added the lightning dust. Basically the whip is just a distraction, something to use in order to stun for a moment an opponent Mogan can't reach with fists and close the distance, or just wrapping the whip around the enemy's weapon can impair it's movements (giving him the chance to land a hit) and there is a chance to electrocute him through it (giving him the chance to disarm the target, probably using the other hand). In short, it should serve as a versatile mid-range option and not at all as a defensive tool (well maybe he could think of a couple of ways to use it to stop bullets, but it seems a bit far-fetched). Most of the time the whip will just be coiled around the wrist and Mogan will use the hidden blade on the same arm.     

WEAPON

Name: Give or Take

Primary Form:
Give or Take are basically two pieces of heavy armor that cover up to Mogan's shoulders and are usually carried around in a black business suitcase equipped with two very useful concealed openings on each side that allow for quick and easy withdraw of the weapons inside. Mogan inserts an arm in each opening, and the suitcase rearranges itself to cover both arms with the respective weapon/armor. The two pieces are quite different from each other but are not fixed to a specified arm and Mogan can decide (based on the side of the suitcase when he inserts his arms) on which arm put Give or Take.
What remains of the suitcase after Give and Take have been put on rearranges itself if the form of a utility belt that Mogan uses to store snacks, ammunition, snacks, dust, snacks, a flask of water, snacks, his scroll, snacks... I'm kidding, there are just one or two snacks... Really! Don't ask for them, he won't give them away, so you may just as well forget about their existence.
To put these three pieces together Mogan presses the palms of his hands together while keeping them parallel to the ground, and the armor on his arms collapses on itself to reform the suitcase, of which the utility belt will then rebuild the top and the handle. 

Take (Usually on the right arm):
There isn't much to say about Take that isn't clear to see, really. It's a heavy piece of armor that provides an excellent defense, the forearm and the arm up to the shoulder are covered by overlapping plaques, curved and smoothed to facilitate the deflecting of hits. On the juncture with the wrist is what appears as a circular gemstone, but really is just a rechargeable container (made of an even more durable material) of powder dust. This ammunition get's used up all at once every time Mogan uses the cannon that this weapon becomes (more details under "Dust functions"). When in "cannon" mode the armor on the arm and forearm collapses in a cannon with two muzzles, one just above the wrist and the other at the elbow, while the hand remains unchanged.
The hand is, once again, very well armored and equipped with claw-like fingertips and spikes at the end of the first phalanx of each finger, and is used to tear, cut, punch or grip the opponent or his weapons. The grip, in particular, is considerably increased by a mechanical feature of the hand, making it quite hard to get free once it grips something.
Spoiler: ShowHide


Give (Usually on the left arm):
Give is a quite different from Take in terms of design, is leaner and clearly doesn't hide a cannon. It does, however, hide a blade that can come out from the forearm towards the wrist or towards the elbow (it's not long enough to come out from both extremities at once). The hand is equipped with the same grip augmentation device Take has, but it doesn't have any claws. What it does have is a whip with numerous spikes coming out of it. When coiled around the wrist the whip has four of its spikes in correspondence of the knuckles (just to give punches some extra punch, if it makes sense). As every good mechanized weapon in Remnant, Give is also a gun! Well... more like a grappling hook, but it still counts! The whip wrapped around the wrist can be uncoiled and be used as a whip, of course, but can also be shoot out at high speed and anchor itself to the first surface it touches (if the tip of the whip, which is a spike of solid metal, can pierce it, it will then spread open). Give has, of course, the right gear to automatically wind back the whip/grappling hook, and is able to lift the weight of one more person besides Mogan's (any more than that and the mechanism will simply fail and probably break under the stress). Is really hard to cut or damage this whip even when is under tension, but a scissor-like weapon with a strong user could still cut it. When it comes to Dust, Give has a hollow tube running along the length of the whip. Said hollow tube can be filled with dust powder that manifests itself through the spikes (more details under "Dust Functions).
The actual whip is three and a half meters long, while the grappling hook can reach up to 10 meters (only the part used as a whip is equipped with spikes and dust).   
Spoiler: ShowHide


Dust Functions:
Let's start by talking about the dust functions of Take (the one with the cannon), which really boil down to what kind of dust and ammunition it uses. The answer is simple: propulsion dust used to fire big explosive bullets. The result is a highly destructive impact that, if able to pierce the target, will detonate inside it causing serious damage to almost every kind of grimm. The downside of having such powerful ammunition is that every third shot the cannon must be recharged.   
Give is potentially more versatile, given that its whip could be charged with any kind of dust, but there really isn't any advantage in having a flaming whip or one that freezes on contact. Charge it with lightning dust however and once you try it you'll never want to change dust type again. The only thing lightning dust can do is electrocute the target, likely stunning them for a short while without doing any meaningful damage, but it's more than enough to gain the advantage and land a hit or two, or better yet a point-blank cannon shot. Grimm are quite easy to hit with the whip but most human opponents will either dodge it or block it with some kind of weapon, however, most weapons are made of metal and can potentially conduct electricity straight to the wielder. Even when the whip is coiled around the wrist of Give, it can be used to shock the enemy with each punch. Obviously, both Give and Take are made with non-conducting materials (at least externally), but if Mogan hits himself somewhere else by mistake with his whip he will be electrocuted like any other living being. 

History:
There really isn't much of a story behind Give or Take: they were made for Mogan by his father when he enrolled at Oasis Academy. The only noticeable feature is that they were remade several times over the years to add new features or tweak some aspects. Their first iteration was just simple armor with claws, the second one added the blade and the cannon, the third added the whip and the grappling hook, and the fourth and final one (once Mogan discovered his semblance) reinforced the armor and the defense it could provide and added the grip augmentation to the hands. 

9
So... Hello! It'a pleasure to meet you all! 
First of all let me apologize in advance for all the mistakes i'll make while writing, as english in not my first language and i'm only really used to reading or listening, and not actually using it. I've had in mind to join a Rwby inspired rpg for a while now, but i couldn't find even one active italian forum on the topic (yes, i'm italian), so here i am! It's been a couple of years since my last rpg by forum, and it was obviously in italian, so i can only hope i'll be able to make this new experience work, with your help of course!

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