CHARACTERName: Ace N. Thaholl
Age: 17
Species and Gender: Human Male
Symbol: Inconsistent
Occupation: Beacon Academy first-year
Appearance: Purposefully bland. Nearly all of his natural features can be classified as average, and this is intentional. Of course, it is not often one sees only his natural features. He is very fond of Sherlock Holmes style disguises. However, when his is not intending to deceive anyone, you may find him with pale blue and deep-set eyes, cybernetic hands, and his signature trench-coat. Other than that he will simply look like what (or who) ever he wants to.
History: Ace was adopted by a traveling group of gypsies when his parents somehow vanished. But this group was more than fortune tellers, that was just a façade. In actuality this group was among some of the most skilled thieves and con-men (and con-women) anywhere. Despite them not having any rides or games, they have dubbed themselves the “Carnival of Cons”. You won’t see their faces on wanted posters or bounty boards simply because they don’t get caught. They are not robbers. They are not bandits. They are cons. They are a family. And, they raised Ace as their own, causing him to develop a special… skill set. Early on he developed a talent for tricks and deceptions, favoring those involving light and mirrors. At first he made mistakes, sure, but he learned from them and quickly grew to be one of the most valuable assets to the operation.
As his prowess grew, so did his confidence. As his confidence grew, so did his cockiness. That ended when he was about twelve when he got cocky pulling a trick on a gang leader. Long story short he slipped up and the gang cut his hands off just before the wrist. It wasn’t hard to get him replacement hands, after all when your family is a proverbial village of thieves money is rarely a problem for long. Nevertheless the even was a bit of a revelation to Ace. Not only did he looses a great deal of his cockiness (but not his overall confidence, just how he shows it) but he also took an interest in combat. Just self-defense at first be he quickly took a liking to the art.
He found a mentor at around age thirteen. He was strange, even for his standards. He insisted on only being called The Armorer and accepted no payment. Additionally, he was a genius. He taught Ace to use his exemplary skill in deception in any combat situation. The Armorer did this by explaining the finer points of the placebo effect, describing the difference between reaction time and recognition time, and emphasizing on psychological warfare. But the one thing the troubled Ace was that The Armorer was the one person he could not lie to, no matter what. Ace could and had lied to every other individual he had ever met and succeeded. He used to brag that he had convinced one of his peers that the sky was green (whether or not this is true is up for debate). But he could never lie to The Armorer.
His lessons continued, he got accustomed to having mechanical hands (which actually helped his profession after a few minor upgrades), and life reached a high point for Ace. Many might say his early years were a tragedy, raised by traveling thieves without a “home”, but if you ask him Ace would tell you he would vomit if he had any other life (assuming he was telling the truth). His family: nomads, his home: the world, his wallet: everyone else’s. His mindset dictates that he has the perfect life. That life was going to change. Having not attended a combat school, he knew he had little chance attending an Academy. However, The Armorer insisted he make an attempt at the test. He was persuasive, and had prepared his student well. His family also encouraged him. Thieves as they may be they still cared for and wanted the best for Ace. So, using what The Armorer had taught him, Ace took the test. He didn’t know at the time why he was so motivated, but he worked harder than he ever had before. Afterwards, he couldn’t tell if he had done well but decided to feel confident.
Then, on the night before he would receive the results, Ace had a strange dream. A dream that would change the way he thought.
The Dream:
Ace found himself in a sea of white. Nothing was visible in any direction except his own body when he looked down. Noticing something, he stared at his hands for a moment. They were not the flesh he was born with nor he machine he had grown accustom to, but seemingly made entirely out of his aura. Stranger yet, they felt normal, even if he couldn’t tell what normal felt like. When he looked up, all the colors that made white began to separate in the void in front of him and take form. In moments, a grand library stood before him, easily the largest in the world twice over. Ace never cared too much for libraries but even he had to marvel at such a sight. Then, it began to melt. The grand pantheon of knowledge quickly liquefied and began to collect in the center. Without realizing it, Ace began to walk forward while the liquid library pooled at a single point. just as quickly as it appeared, the grand building was gone. In its place was a granite pedestal with a glass chalice on it. The chalice was filled with the liquid that had once stood before him as a library. Ace continued to walk until he was right in front of the pedestal. Without thinking, he took the cup in both hands and slowly began to drink. It was everything. The liquid was light and thick, bitter and sweet, sour and savory, harsh and smooth. As it traveled down his throat it caused unimaginable pain, yet was the single most soothing thing he could fathom. And he kept drinking. He chugged the entire chalice to the last drop. He craved more. It hurt but it was worth it. He took a breath and realized what he just drank. In his mind, he saw flashes of… everything. Of war, of love, of lies, and of truth. He saw joy and despair, wealth and poverty, fear and hope. Just as quickly as the flashes came, they were gone. Wiped clean from his mind. He wanted it back. He wanted the knowledge back. He looked down to see if any knowledge remained in the chalice only to find the chalice was gone. Additionally, his hands were no longer made of aura, but of the very glass that had made up the cup. When he looked up, the pedestal was gone. In its place was a sat of double doors made of glass. One door was a mirror while the other was a window and the doorknobs were obsidian. Through the window door, he saw an ocean. Not an ocean of water, but of knowledge. The ocean was dotted with islands he recognized as experience. Each island was more beautiful than the last. How could he resist? He threw open the doors and was ready to dive into the most beautiful sea. But before he could, he was blinded by a bright light, and woke up.
The following day would change his life forever. First, he went to find out his results. He was shocked to find he had passed with flying colors and had, not only been accepted, but paid for to go to Beacon. He hadn’t put too much thought into which school he would have went to if he passed, but he was glad he didn’t have to worry about it now. When he returned home, he found that his extended family had prepared a gift for him. a highly-modifiable trench coat specifically tailored to Ace’s… skills. He was grateful and would end up wearing the coat constantly. He asked who had paid for his admission to Beacon but got only confused looks followed by more congratulations. The then sought out the Armorer to tell him the news and ask about the payment only to find he had vanished without a trace. Ace had a feeling he was the one who got him into Beacon. He chuckled to himself, thinking just how cliché the disappearing act was.
He would spend the months prior to his enrollment in his tent, honing his skills in preparation. However, whenever he had a spare moment his mind went back to that dream. He would think about how terrible the knowledge felt while simultaneously feeling so good. The more he thought about it, the more he craved it. He began going to whatever the nearest library was and spending hours just reading, trying to gain knowledge comparable to the liquid in his dream. It was slow, be he was learning. From then on he would have a literal thirst for knowledge. He could only hope Beacon could ease his thirst.
Personality: Sporadic, unpredictable, and mostly an act. But if he gets close to you, you may see some (but never all) of his true colors. He will never do anything without reason. That reason may not make much sense to anyone but him but a reason exists. Since his dream before the test he is constantly searching for knowledge, but even this could not change his habits. He is the liar that seeks the truth in all irony.
Ace loves three things (excluding his family and upbringing). In no particular order, he loves learning, lying, and pear juice (prior to the Armorer, he had no interest in pear juice, but as an exercise Ace ended up convincing himself that he loves the stuff). As far as hates go, the list is longer. At the top of said list is not knowing (in general), bad liars, and high-pitched noises. In fact, because of his affiliation with glass, he will feel genuine pain in the presence of high-pitched sounds. He really only has one fear, but this fear can cripple him if realized and can easily kill him if it is exploited. His one fear is being predictable, being unable to lie, having his true self fully revealed with no lies to defend him. Lies are his sword, shield, armor and crown. If someone could see through them, what would he be other than helpless?
Non-Combat Skills being raised by traveling thieves and tricksters living out of any kingdom or village, Ace has… picked up a few things. These are a few of the more noteworthy skills he has acquired.
-Disguise: Ace is well versed in the art of disguise, using putties and paints to make himself look like virtually anyone he wants (think Sherlock Holmes’ disguises)
-Misdirection/slight of hand: without going into detail, you will see what he wants you to see
-Survival: hunting, shelter making, signals, all things that come standard in living outside kingdoms and villages.
-Pyrotechnics: his prowess in this field comprises entirely of the making and distribution of smoke.
-Glass making: when life gives you lemons, you learn to make lemonade
-Various forms of gambling & card tricks: there are more than you think.
-Ventriloquism: the art of speaking without moving your mouth and making it sound like your voice comes from another direction. Very useful in his profession.
He odes posses other skills (putting it lightly) but these are among the noteworthy and non-miscellaneous.
Aura and Semblance: It is hard to say is aura’s color. Reason being is that when it is visible, his aura takes on a slight reflective property, like a mirror. If you are paying attention this simply looks odd but to the unaware it would be like he is almost a walking mirror. But if the glow of his aura is the only light in a pitch-black room, for example, then it would take on a very light grey.
Ace’s semblance is, simply put, glass-manipulation. His will can modify the clarity, reflectiveness, shape, etc. of small pieces of glass and effect similar, yet not as drastic, changes to larger pieces. He can also combine broken pieces of glass but this take more focus and is often used after fights or when he otherwise has a moment. This ability has no discrimination over what kind of glass, being that mirror-like, window-like or even odd variants like obsidian. He can also propel glass pieces toward or away from him. This is
NOT telekinesis of glass. It is actually more like magnetism, himself being the magnet. Glass either goes to or away from him. this is mostly used to amplify velocity of projectiles or return them to himself. He has been known to get creative with this but that is case by case.
Combat Behavior: Ace is a liar, that is just who he is. He takes this aspect of himself to the battlefield as thought it were his weapon of choice. In combat, Ace will use deception before anything else. Under the tutelage of the Armorer, he learned how to lie with more that words. He will use his manipulation of glass, light and the field to make his opponent, no matter who or what they are, think whatever he wants them to think. He knows full well the difference between reaction time and recognition time and will exploit it on a whim. Using mirrors, smoke and projections to create illusions and tricks to throw his opponent off. His adept ability to lie with word comes in handy when he weaponries the placebo effect. All that in addition to his sporadic behavior makes him an unpredictable and formidable opponent.
But when tricks fail he is no pushover in actual combat. He is willing to use anything on his person as a weapon, including his actual weapon. His retractable short sword is used mostly for parrying attacks and countering but he will never rely on it. Perhaps his most lethal attacks are the glass shards he sends flying from his sleeves. He will use this sparingly however since these same shards will be the glass he uses in his tricks, and he will always try that first.
It should be made clear that this guy is not invincible, far from it. He has an “it’s just crazy enough to work” mentality when he comes up with a plan, and it is not always true. He is quick on his feet, but he is not the quickest. The glass in his sleeves, much like everything he uses, is limited. If one were to see through his deceptions, he may start to panic when it is time for blade-to-blade combat. His mechanical hands may have an array of advantages, but at the cost of feeling and precision. With his sword he can handle blades to an extent, but blunt force can easily overpower him. Throw a rock at glass and it will likely break. But under certain conditions glass can withstand bullets.
TRENCH-COATOuter Layer: The outermost layer consists of a super-durable textile with an interchangeable/modifiable décor. The décor is used to make the coat look like anything he needs it to without sacrificing defense. Ace normally prepares a décor specifically for what he needs on whatever op he is trying to pull. Think of it almost like a decorative film around something, there only to provide exterior appearance. This layer is also designed to withstand intense temperatures and is mostly non-corrosive.
Second Layer: Sandwiched between the inner and outer layers of the coat is, in essence, a layer of glass. More specifically, an array of glass shards arranged throughout the interior. The pieces in his sleeves are much larger and are used as projectiles wile the rest have multiple purposes. If he is out of shards in his sleeves he can use the smaller interior pieces as projectiles, the smaller pieces may be more effective in some situations. Additionally, when used in coalition with Ace’s semblance, the interior shards can be used as a sort of armor, or at least shock absorber, in times of need. It’s not too effective but it is much better that nothing. After confrontations, or when the situation is otherwise "safe", he will use his semblance to gather as many glass fragments as he can to replenish those he deployed. however, he can essentially use any source of glass to restock and utilize, and ha seven learned how to cook glass from sand should the need and means arise.
Inner Layer: The innermost layer of the coat has much to offer. It to is made of textiles mostly to prevent any shards from the second layer cutting to his body. But more importantly, this layer houses a labyrinth of pockets and pouches to hold any number of things. The pockets are layered and arranged in such a way that only someone who has been wearing the coat for some time can navigate it. Also, this layer offers an array of belts and ties to adjust its size and constriction. An array of zippers in this layer also allow several removable sections, further increasing the coat's adaptability. Using these in coalition with the outer layer’s décor allows Ace to make his coat look like any kind of jacket he needs it to look like. Should the coat prove too thick for what it is trying to replicate, Ace has no qualms of adjusting it's interior to make it appear that it is he, not the coat, that bears the extra mass (in other words he has no problem pretending to be fat). From this layer he can also detach the lower section at around his waist, ditching the trench-coast for a normal coat.
History: This coat was a gift from his family the day he got the results back from his entrance test. It was custom made for him by all those who loved him. it is currently his most prized possession.
Contents: At any given moment, the many pockets of his coat will contain the following:
-2 flasks of pear juice
-A survival multi tool
-A deck of cards
-A trick deck of cards
-Extra batteries/ammo for his hands
-3 wallets (never keep all your cash in just one)
-Lock picking tool (he doesn’t need it but it pick locks faster)
-About 1 meter of wire
-2lb of beef jerky
-1 extra décor (folded tight) in whatever appearance he packed as extra
-diamond-tipped glass cutter (looks very similar to 11th doctor's sonic screwdriver when not extended)
He will have other items but these will almost always be among them.
HANDS Description: cybernetic hands and wrists acquired after a “con gone wrong.” Clearly Atlas tech however all emblems have been removed. The front of the hands have a detachable 'half-glove' of sorts that possesses an adaptive gel emitter that can replicate any finger/hand print. Ace will only bring this on missions where it is essential, since the gel is hard to replicate. Each fingertip contains a small smoke pellet that can be directly triggered from the hand. Knuckles are reinforced in case of punching. The back of each hand has small LEDs that can be used with his glass to create formless diversions or (at the cost of some extra power) create a blinding effect. they are essentially glorified, colored flashlights but with some cleverness they get the job done. These features run the batteries at a steady pace, but Ace always brings spares. The hands are easily concealed by gloves of any kind and have served him well.
It must be noted that having cybernetic hands does have its disadvantages. He has no nerves in them, making it impossible to feel with his hands. Since hand motion is less precise because of this. Also, cybernetic hands will not react as quickly as biological ones (however it is close). He would not know if his hands are damaged unless he physically inspects them. Also, it is hard to know their full strength. He has broken many glasses and cups while getting used to them and sometimes still has difficulty with it.
WEAPON Name: (inconsistent)
Description: a simple retractable short sword that easily stores in Ace’s sleeve. The face of the blade is polished to the point of being a mirror. (for reference think of Corvo’s sword from dishonored with a mirror like blade)
Topic: Ace N. Thaholl (Read 3767 times)