Post by MICHAEL on Apr 29, 2012 21:29:49 GMT -5
Michael Arthur Denton
SHE SAYS I'VE GOT THE BEST
beating heart in the world
SHE SAYS I'VE GOT THE BEST
beating heart in the world
HEY THERE, MY NAME IS EVAN
AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS PLANET EIGHTTEEN YEARS
TIMES, BUT I'VE BEEN ROLE-PLAYING FOR THREE YEARS.
THE OTHER CHARACTERS I PLAY HERE ARE CURRENTLY NONEXISTENT
AND OH, WAIT, ONE LAST THING. THAT PHRASE IN THE RULES ISPHRASE HERE/cheat and die;;!
AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS PLANET EIGHTTEEN YEARS
TIMES, BUT I'VE BEEN ROLE-PLAYING FOR THREE YEARS.
THE OTHER CHARACTERS I PLAY HERE ARE CURRENTLY NONEXISTENT
AND OH, WAIT, ONE LAST THING. THAT PHRASE IN THE RULES IS
IT MAKES HER WANT TO TWIRL AROUND
until she hit’s the ground
until she hit’s the ground
NICKNAMES: Mike
AGE: Seventeen
GENDER: Male
RACE: Gifted Human
CLASS: D Class Student
PLAY BY: Izaya Orihara[/size][/ul]
I SWEAR TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN
here before but we never looked away
here before but we never looked away
HAIR: Black/Dark Brown, Slightly Unkempt
SKIN: Caucasian
BODY: Slender yet deceptively powerful and athletic
UNUSUAL: Across Michael’s torso rests a scar slashed from just below his right shoulder to slightly past the middle of his chest. It has faded beyond the point of appearing grotesque, yet it still conveys the remnants of what was once a grievous wound.
OTHER FORM: N/A
APPEARANCE:
At a glance, Michael is hardly an imposing figure. When draped in a coat or, for that matter, a shirt whose sleeves conceal the arms, he looks no more a warrior than an average male of his age. There are none who would accuse him of being unhealthy; he looks remarkably slender and fit, to say the least. However, it is not until he sheds his heavier clothing in favor of light attire that he reveals his exceptionally developed physique. What he lacks in apparent mass, Michael more than makes up for in definition, boasting lean muscles from his arms to his abdominals, as well as broad, powerful shoulders. Even so, it would be inaccurate to liken him with a bodybuilder or champion weightlifter. Michael’s archetype is more the hardened martial artist, who has dedicated his life to attaining perfect muscular efficiency. The comparison becomes more apt when one considers that he measures in at under two meters- 1.8, to be exact, or just shy of five feet, eleven inches. He will, in other words, not attract attention based on his height.
What is likely to set Michael apart from the crowd is his body weight. He manages to break ninety-five kilograms, or approximately two hundred-ten pounds. For his height, this places him within the realm of obesity according to modern scales. In reality, this is because his body is made of sterner stuff. Both his musculature and skeletal structures are more tightly woven, resulting in greater mass without experiencing an increase in volume. His various systems are, on a molecular level, built differently to allow for a full range of mobility in spite of this excess mass, allowing Michael to retain an athletic shape despite his biological peculiarities. Michael’s abnormalities are, in essence, more visible than those of other Gifted Humans, yet still sufficiently disguised so as not to rouse suspicion in mixed company.
With regards to facial features, Michael is just as deceptive as his build. He most often can be found looking very relaxed, almost disinterested in the world around him, though this could not be farther from the truth. In general, the nuances and unique contour of his face are soft yet fixed into a look of relative stoicism. However, Michael’s deep brown eyes betray his true nature as a definitively good-natured, easygoing fellow. That said, he does bear an appearance of hidden strength which reaches beyond his physique, seeming inherently staunch and resolute just from the manner with which he carries himself. Michael’s shoulders are always back, his eyes raised to look into those of even the most intimidating figures. While his stature is by no means particularly impressive, he does manage to enter a room with a certain amount of presence through simple body language.
His hair, meanwhile, is either black or an especially dark shade of brown; Michael never really made much of an effort to make absolutely sure. All told, he does not pay a great deal of attention to his hair to begin with. He has merely been blessed with hair which falls into place rather fetchingly, granting a look of unkempt disarray which manages to work for him. Briefly running his fingers through it in the morning is all it really takes to give him his stylistic look. As well, Michael typically allows it to grow out a bit before getting it trimmed, though it never quite reaches the point where it falls into his eyes.
Michael pays a respectable amount of attention to what he wears, though he has never been one to accessorize. He does tend toward clothes which conceal his more outstanding physical features, preferring to appear as though he were not a threat until he is needed. However, he does not dress in baggy clothing. Michael prefers long-sleeved shirts which fit snugly and light jackets, giving the impression that he is an athletic, albeit skinny, young man still well within the realm of “average”. Typically, though, he does wear a more revealing undershirt- often foregoing sleeves altogether- for increased mobility should he suddenly find himself in a fight. The dramatic flair of theatrically casting aside his outer layer of clothing to reveal the build of a deadly martial artist is not lost on Michael.
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TWO SEATS INSIDE AN EMPTY ROOM
with one more night what’s left to lose
with one more night what’s left to lose
+Physical Conditioning
+Martial Arts
+Science
+Literature
+Playing Guitar
+Singing
+Technological Progress
+Anime
+Comic Books
+Fantasy and Science Fiction
+Daring Heroics
DISLIKES:
+Cynicism
+Opposition to Progress
+Cold-Hearted Logic
+Those Using Their Power to Oppress
+Politics
+Conflict
+Social Pressure
+The Closed-Minded
+Sunset
+Rural Environments
+Talking Down to Others
STRENGTHS:
• Enhanced Strength: From birth, Michael's elders took heed of his great strength, which seemed to progress at a rate far outstripping that of a normal boy. Twenty minutes of exercise saw the results of two hours' worth as performed by a mortal man. Until the age of his entrance into athletics, however, this was not so pronounced as to arouse much suspicion. Once he began pitting his strength against that of his peers and began a regular exercise regime, he himself was frightened at his rate of development. Though his strength progressed of its own accord, Michael still saw fit to continue increasing it further by any means necessary- tough as it was to find an exercise capable of straining his extraordinary prowess- until, at last, he surpassed what was commonly held as the upper limit for human strength. Countless hours have developed Michael’s body to such a point where he can hurl cars through the air and, albeit through Herculean effort, twist and pierce steel alloys with his bare hands. Despite having both feet planted firmly in the mortal realm, Michael’s physical strength is sufficient to match that of any supernatural being, however impressive their pedigree or lineage. While this stands as his only truly superhuman skill, however, he has developed and utilized it in rather inventive ways in the hopes of becoming more versatile.
• Increased Vertical Leap: For instance, Michael has shattered the subconscious, preconceived notion held by many that increased strength applies solely to the upper body. On the contrary, virtually all muscle groups in his body have been amplified in effectiveness, which he has applied to his legs to enhance his vertical mobility, which, as a human, is otherwise limited. Training with heavy weights fastened to his legs have granted Michael an approximate jump ceiling of five stories, allowing him to face off against opponents capable of taking to the skies. Landing is a matter of greater difficulty; true, Michael’s powerful legs need not fear injury, but the ground tends to suffer on his arrival from such dazzling heights, given his inability to limit kinetic energy released.
• Enhanced Durability: This particular trait is more a consequence of his incredibly dense muscular and skeletal structures. Note that, despite having the physique of a swimmer and a precisely average stature, Michael weighs in at forty pounds above his ideal weight. This comes not from any sort of body fat, but, rather, from muscles inherently superior to those of the average human being, at least in terms of the exertion of force. In other words, he is a fair bit hardier than the typical mortal man. Bullet and blade alike can still pierce his skin, though they do not penetrate much deeper than that without repeated strikes to the same area. To incapacitate Michael in short order requires no less than the onslaught of a similarly empowered individual, but mundane weaponry- even if wielded by an ordinary mortal- is still adequate given enough time.
• Hand-to-Hand Combat Proficiency: Unlike many consumed and undone by hubris, Michael has never once taken his power as an excuse to forego proper training. This quality served him well when he discovered a world teeming with entities with abilities vast and diverse. Fortunately, he has more than brute force to fall back on. The martial arts have done much to aid Michael in controlling his strength, but it has also acted as a channel for it. Just as a normal man may use the principles of martial arts to amplify his abilities, Michael’s fists are guided by considerable knowledge of kickboxing. Meanwhile, his grappling has been drastically improved by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Even in lieu of his supernatural talents, Michael would likely prove quite dangerous by human standards.
• Tenacity: Above all else, this is how Michael managed to keep his wits about him and even thrive in a world of creatures whose heritage grants them a far greater number of innate powers. What he lacks in supernatural healing, he more than makes up for with sheer, inextinguishable resolve. When it seems the limits of his durable body have been reached, still he will fight on undeterred. The foreknowledge that an opponent is unbeatable is similarly ineffective in giving Michael pause. In his eyes, there is no plateau insurmountable to the adequate application of will. In other words, if only in spirit, Michael Denton is a man who will simply not break.
• Optimism/Compassion: This particular trait is a double edged sword, though its dangers will be covered later. Michael is by no means an unintelligent or ignorant man. He has been informed of and accepts the state of the world and the place of the supernatural in it. However, he maintains unwavering hope that things can and will improve given the proper leaders to make it happen. Further, he has never been one to deny another help under any circumstances, however unwise it may seem. Try as he might to exude an aura of detachment and a calculating nature, Michael’s rouse can never stand when faced with someone- anyone at all- in need of assistance. Fortunately, this has earned him a number of invaluable allies in the past.
• Intuitive: Michael, lacking neither brain nor brawn, is further bolstered in combat by quick wits and a fair bit of scientific knowledge. Certainly, physics is not his primary discipline, but he knows enough of it to find creative uses for his great strength. This sharpness of mind has seen him through battles against foes who may well have been impossible for him to defeat otherwise, through application of reckless force. Working with a single ability- albeit a powerful one- has made creativity necessary for survival when pit against a more versatile enemy.
WEAKNESSES:
• Flesh and Blood: However mighty he may be, Michael is still a human being, with all the limitations implied therein. Though his lungs are strong enough to hold and make efficient use of air for longer periods than the common man, he still needs it. As well, he possesses a rather vulnerable system of organs- several, to be frank- which he considers remarkably vital to his continued existence. This would not ordinarily be worthy of mention, but at the moment, Michael’s sole ability, which allows him to compete on an even playing field with the supernatural in the first place, necessitates a very physical fighting style.
• Reckless: This may come as a surprise given his previously established intelligence, but Michael boasts of a very fiery spirit. This could be considered the shadow of his tenacity. Michael will rush into battle regardless of the odds, so long as there is something that he considers worth risking his life for. Of course, most everyone he meets falls under that jurisdiction, and he will rarely give thought to proper strategy before hurling himself headlong into the fray.
• Trusting: Just as his foolhardy behavior is the negative side of his determination, so, too, does his compassion come with added complications. Too rare is the individual who Michael will mistrust until led to believe otherwise. For better or worse, he sees good in all but the most clearly-malicious characters. This makes it somewhat simple to direct the incredible power in Michael’s fists like a gun, provided that one is nefarious enough to take advantage of him to such an end.
• Relative Lack of Knowledge Regarding the Supernatural: Michael is not a complete stranger to the world hidden from mundane eyes, but he has not been steeped so deeply in it for his entire life. Of course, he intends to rectify this at the earliest possible opportunity, scholar that he is, but the fact remains that he does not have nearly as much knowledge of what hides just out of sight as most students at Akashibai Academy. This makes it easier to catch him off guard, at least the first time around. Take heed, however, of the fact that Michael does catch on quick.
• Easily Flustered: At a glance, Michael puts on the guise of a confident, aloof stoic. He remains silent, never with judgmental eyes, but, rather, with a look of detachment, and though he would never dare try to look threatening, he perhaps tends to appear more unshakable than he really is. If challenged by particularly intense social pressure, this façade would shatter into a million pieces, revealing something of a dork beneath the surface (for lack of a more eloquent term). Typically, Michael is remarkably well-spoken, but, be it a pretty face or merely someone calling him out on his true nature, he turns red somewhat easily.
• One Track Mind: As a follow-up to the earlier bit regarding his recklessness, Michael tends to keep going well past the point where it would be healthy or reasonable to do so. Considering he does not have regenerating skin, this has led to numerous injuries in the past. Perhaps an accurate assessment of Michael’s approach to conflict would be that he stops until either he emerges victorious, passes out, or dies. Once he becomes fixated on someone or something he must protect, he will doggedly pursue that goal to his last breath.
SECRETS:
-Aside from his true nature as a somewhat innocent, easily flustered young man, Michael’s deepest secret is, all told, the fact that he is an unapologetic geek. He keeps concealed his extensive collection of comic books and manga, as well as his high fantasy and science fiction literature, though that is not kept under quite as impregnable a lock.
-To the best of his ability, Michael hides from the world the fact that he plays the guitar. Certainly, he isn’t a prodigy by any means, but his skills are considerable nonetheless. This seems to be because it is his personal way of unwinding and relieving tension, of which he has quite a bit. Uncovering this particular secret would not be likely to elicit the same frantic response that finding his stash of comic books would, but one would stand a good chance of seeing Michael’s face turn red with embarrassment.
-Michael is also, however loath he may be to admit it, something of a romantic. Of course, he’s much too shy to pursue any interests he may have or even admit that he has them in the first place outside of his subconscious. Make no mistake, though, Michael is an idealist in all senses, and the rosy tone in which he views the world applies to romance, as well. Just don’t let on that you know around him.
OVERALL:
Michael is a man of contradictions or, at least, one whose words do not always match up with his actions. The image he attempts to exude is one of quiet stoicism- someone aloof, who stands above the trivial issues of a common youth. He faces the day with a confident swagger and eyes thoroughly jaded, seeming the very epitome of nonchalance and boasting an unshakable demeanor. Certainly, he never tries to come off as spiteful or condescending, instead appearing as a man ready to face most any situation with perfect pragmatism and strategy. Of course, at first glance, the very first assumption to be made about Michael would likely be that he looks out, first and foremost, for his own good. This could not be further from the truth, as is evident to anyone who spends more than three minutes talking to the young man. His detached outer shell is just that- a façade, and not an especially masterful one. Less than paper thin, Michael’s mask does nothing to hide the soul of an idealist.
In truth, Michael is almost unrealistically altruistic, feeling little else but love and devotion toward his fellow man, woman, and child. Behind his transparent barrier of skepticism beats a self-sacrificing heart which would enjoy nothing more than the opportunity to freely act on its own heroic impulses. To that end, Michael continually finds himself in the role of the protector to those who cannot protect themselves, even when it would be downright foolish to act in their defense from a self-interested vantage point. This attitude extends even to trivial dilemmas which, in all honesty, perhaps do not require or benefit from the intrusion of such a tenacious young hero. Michael is, in other words, always eager to help, though he may protest to the contrary in his daily toils.
His rationale appears to be, on a subconscious level, a certain awareness regarding the state of the world. As was covered above, he is far from stupid or even uneducated. On the contrary, Michael can lay claim to knowledge of music, literature, and- herein lay his true aptitude- the sciences. Perceptive boy that he is, he quickly noticed the state of the world with regards to the supernatural, as well as the discrimination that they faced and, in fact, still suffer. A world in which a secret war of such pointless bloodshed can be waged is, in Michael’s mind, not a world that he would like to live in. Yet, he remains an idealist, which he believes would earn him more than a little scorn from the supernatural community. Of course, he is quick to make the vital distinction that, in his eyes, “An idealist sees the world as it should be, and intends to make it that way”.
However, Michael is not one to blindly adhere to beliefs without having anything to back it up. Rather, he is merely an optimistic individual who struggles at all times to see the best in everyone he encounters, regardless of how world-weary he claims to be. To that end, his political ideology- insomuch as he is willing to discuss politics to begin with (not much) - is such that Gifted Humans like himself may act as a bridge between the mortal and supernatural realms. Though empowered humans face prejudice in certain circles, to be sure, he reasons that they are the best chance for peace. This is an extension of Michael’s adamant refusal to accept limitations and injustice solely because they are part of the status quo. In other words, he has ambition to support his ideals.
Michael, fortunately, is also armed with the sheer grit and determination to see himself through in his endeavors. Despite possessing powers quite remarkable to a human, he does, indeed, live in a world in which he is considered to be of the lowest Class of student. What he lacks in variety, though, he more than makes up for with resolve. Keeping Michael down is a daunting task for even the most revered supernatural being. Whether outmatched or outnumbered, he will fight on through injuries that would have incapacitated a lesser fighter without fail. This impressive willpower is only amplified when he is fueled by a cause that he feels strongly about. Many creatures of higher birth have been unpleasantly astonished by his great strength, but they were more shocked by his capacity for rising again and again, his conviction wholly unwavering.
This tenacity goes hand-in-hand with what could only be described as a chronic need to indulge in heroism, though this term does not perfectly encompass his condition. Michael is not made uncomfortable by the lack of heroic deeds so much as he is by the knowledge that, somewhere, there is someone in need of assistance. True though it may be that he does not occupy the highest spot in the supernatural hierarchy, he feels a compulsion to use the gifts he does have to save as many as he can. Should he encounter anyone at all in dire straits, be they a complete stranger or an arch rival, Michael will drop whatever else he may be tasked with and aid them in any way possible. To do otherwise would be to ignore the pleading voice of his subconscious, relentlessly urging him to action.
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WE LAY WITH NOT A WORD TO SAY
alone we’ll wait ‘til something’s wrong
alone we’ll wait ‘til something’s wrong
FATHER: Joshua Denton, Age 44
SIBLINGS: Paul Denton, Age 23
OTHER PEOPLE: N/A
HISTORY:
Following his birth, Michael displayed a bizarre affinity for athleticism which baffled most of his father's contemporaries. Biologically- at least initially- he was built as one would expect a young boy to be. However, whereas one boy might slowly increase his capacity for dealing and receiving punishment over the years, Michael's strength of body developed at amazing speeds. Ever the scientific mind, his father was intrigued and slowly began inching Michael into the world of exercise, albeit in a heavily controlled environment, at first. The results of his trials were astounding, as Michael, starting from a point of relative normalcy, progressed at an astonishing rate. The work of one day was as a week of strenuous activity for another boy of equivalent built and metabolism. Further, his tolerance for the muscle-degrading effects of exercise grew in a similar fashion, suggesting that Michael's body was inherently built for growing in strength. By the time he arrived at Middle School, he was able to compete with even the most renowned of Varsity athletes. This trend continued in a most quadratic fashion, and Michael's entrance into high school marked the point at which he exceeded the commonly accepted ceiling for human strength.
It was, to the Denton family, the greatest blessing imaginable to find that Michael was capable of exerting control over his strength, albeit not without the occasional slip in his earliest years of increased strength. He was raised a conscientious young man, seeming to bear in the deepest depths of his soul an inherent appreciation for life’s value and a gentleness to contrast starkly with his powerful hands. This pure nature, along with his father’s profession, led him to intellectual pursuits, particularly the sciences. The better armed he was mentally, Michael reasoned, the more equipped he would be to face the world embracing his powers wholeheartedly. With knowledge of physics came a feeling of security and an increase in control, while biology brought with it the hope that he would someday understand his unique physiology.
Prior to developing a spark of interest in what might be considered “scholarly” literature, Michael became steeped in the geekier side of popular culture. For sake of this biography, it must be noted that superhero comic books were among the realms he became involved with. He was enamored with the heroic depictions of such strong men, interested only in the well-being of others, who would use their vast power as a means to a more altruistic end. Well into his teenage years, this fascination continued. Though Michael stayed away from sports for sake of the other competitors as well as the secrecy of his own abilities, he exercised in any way he could and began his tutelage in the martial arts. He did this in preparation of what he considered a higher purpose.
Michael grew up in the depths of New York City, though not in the midst of its less secure streets. He was, however, close enough that he caught sight of more than a few incidents. Enticed by the feats of his childhood heroes, Michael took to occasional forays into vigilantism. While he may have been far from a masked crime fighter and interfered with criminal activity far less frequently than he would have liked, to save even one life was worth any amount of effort as far as Michael was concerned. To avoid the sharp eyes of his parents, however, he was forced to operate from the shadows and use his strength in only the subtlest of ways. To disguise his durability, he wore a Kevlar vest, and he withheld from his blows enough force that he appeared to be within the realm of normalcy, if only barely.
From this experience, Michael gained much, both in terms of prowess and insight into the world he lived in. The need for quick escapes without overt uses of his strength shaped him into a competent free runner, able to traverse environments of most any nature with the utmost grace and precision, though he specialized in urban playgrounds. To keep up appearances of being a normal yet physically fit man, Michael had to be able to perfectly control his powers. At the forefront of his mind, at all times, was the thought that one false move could splatter a man’s innards across the wall behind him as though he were hit by a buck shell point-blank. Even the untimely death of a criminal, especially in that fashion, was unacceptable to Michael.
Most importantly, however, Michael learned of the existence of other supernatural beings through his endeavors. An excursion into the deepest depths of the criminal underground saw Michael squaring off against a man who appeared no more than four or five years his elder, yet spoke with the refinement and elegance of one from centuries past. In the dead of night, the two came to blows, and Michael was shocked to find an adversary whose bare hands could make him feel pain. He possessed not only strength which nearly matched his own, but also a myriad of other equally deadly skills the likes of which Michael had never imagined possible outside of mythology. Intuitive boy that he was, he did consider that there were others like him, but never did he think that there were such powerful beings roaming the Earth under his nose.
Needless to say, the young man was overmatched against this juggernaut, but he managed to hold his own impressively enough that he was spared. “You have impressive powers for a Man,” he was told as he struggled to drag himself to his feet after yet another devastating blow, “to face off against a Pure Blood and give him pause.” To the very last, Michael stared defiantly into his attacker’s eyes, expecting a deathblow at any moment. Though injured and taken aback by the fury and strength behind his fists, this strange opponent was nowhere near as exhausted as Michael. Indeed, in his place, a man of lesser tenacity- which is to say, most men- would have been out cold. His vision was blurred, his chest bloodied, and his muscles ached. The man uttered something about knowing one’s place, a sort of cosmic food chain. However, all that Michael clearly retained was a bit of off-handed advice ending with the words “Akashibai Academy”.
When next he came to his senses and regained consciousness, Michael was alone in the alley where he had fought the man, squinting into the rising sun. The back street was torn asunder by the encounter. Debris was strewn about haphazardly while the brick walls had gaping holes punched in them. He was quick to leave by way of the rooftops, slipping away unnoticed with regained agility. After giving a sheepish explanation to his horrified parents, Michael received his overdue medical attention and spent the next few days wandering the city, kept company only by his own thoughts.
Four weeks of research followed as he hit up every contact he had amassed for information on this “Akashibai Academy”. He acquired bits and pieces over time, until, at last, he had separated truth from rumors from outright fabrications and constructed the whole story. He was, of course, overjoyed to find that they had opened their doors to the sub-species known as “Gifted Humans”, which he seemed to fall into. For two reasons, this appealed to Michael. It seemed that there truly were others like him, which was reassuring in an existential sense. However, more importantly, he had been plagued by feelings of inadequacy since that night in the alleyway. Never before had he felt so helpless. It was not a feeling that he particularly enjoyed.
Having seen the might of one sitting atop the cosmic totem pole, Michael made the decision that he was not at all satisfied with the current scope of his might. How could he be of any real help when men and women of such incredible strength and speed would, were they so inclined, feel obliged to lash out against the defenseless masses? Moreover, Michael had, in his studies, read of a war that had been going on under his nose for some time. Apparently, the supernatural population, being powerful yet small in numbers, had faced subjugation, as well. This did not please Michael, either, and he wished to take action against such a world as the one he lived in.
Of course, the ordeal changed Michael in very subtle ways. Whereas he was very overt with his optimism in past years, he became a fair bit more subdued with the knowledge he gained. As he prepared to leave for Akashibai Academy, he reasoned that the other species dwelling there would not be so accepting of a man with his ideals. Certainly, he did not wish to offend anyone, nor imply in any way that he did not sympathize with their plight. So, to prevent making any unnecessary enemies due to a careless slip of the tongue or unknown faux pas, he resolved to focus solely on bettering his skills and further developing his powers for the time being.
No matter the alleged hierarchy surrounding the world of the supernatural, Michael would become strong enough to protect the innocent from any threat, regardless of species or lineage.
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WITH FACES PRESSED AGAINST THE
wall lets show the world what we are about
wall lets show the world what we are about
RP SAMPLE:
The atmosphere pervading Time Square, though not entirely different from how Michael most often perceived it, was almost poetically suited to what would be his last night in the bustling metropolis until his first break. To one observing only the streets, the drizzling mist of rain and congested sidewalks would have seemed cold and unpleasant. So, too, did Michael give off an impression of solemnity at a glance. However, he was always one to keep an eye turned toward the brilliant display of dancing lights and advertisements spanning the entire spectrum of visible light, or the billboards displaying the latest in glitz and glamour courtesy of Broadway. While his first long-term departure from home would be a bittersweet experience, to be sure, Michael could not help but inwardly grin at the prospect of such an opportunity. He gave a dreamy sigh which came out as a puff of steam, slowly dissipating into the moist air until it was spread too thin to be visible. It was just one more component of the night air that Michael loved so much, however tainted it may have been by the carbon emissions of the fleet of taxis scattered about the roads.
Michael strode on with his hands in his pockets, heading nowhere in particular as the clock struck eleven. In his aimless travels, he passed the stores that he had become so intimately familiar with over the years, though he did not know the rooftops of Time Square quite as well as he did its streets. No, his occasional stints moonlighting as a vigilante were in far less ritzy locales. That was, after all, where Michael was needed- a hero would not have done much good where the cops actually bothered to patrol. Still, the freedom he felt in the city's seedier areas was nothing compared to the way Time Square took his breath away every time he went there. The incomprehensibly tall constructs of steel and glass, designed with deceptively intricate architecture and efficiency, stood as testaments to human achievement. Of course, Michael was beginning to wonder just how much of human achievement he could take pride in, having recently learned of the more unsavory aspects of his species.
Nah. By and large, these people around me are solid gold. He mused, looking around at the citizens, most none-the-wiser about the supernatural world. Still -- I guess that doesn't really bother me as much as what that guy went on about. Considerable time had passed since his ill-fated duel with the night lurking criminal, yet his words were at the forefront of Michael's mind even then. He spoke of his "superior birth", talking to the boy as if he were inherently inferior based on his lineage. However, it turned out that there was, in fact, little he could have done in the first place. Regardless of how well Michael held his own and, so to speak, "gave as good as he got", he was up against someone who definitively outclassed him. Since then, he had doubled the intensity of his training regime, but no matter how strong he became, the fact remained that his strength was all he had.
It was time, then, for formal training. I'm sure that's all I need. There's gotta be a thousand things about my powers that I don't know. Thought Michael. I mean, it's not like I've ever been able to just ask anyone how to make my powers work better. The most I ever got were a couple of cryptic proverbs while that Vampire-[/i] (his research had turned up a scant few results, aside from the name and location of Akashibai Academy) -was beating the stuffing outta me.[/i] Of course, no matter how fiercely he clung to his reserves of optimism, to deny his fear would be to bow his head to ignorance. He had grown up entirely in the dark regarding the supernatural; anything at all could have awaited him and likely did. Daemons, Faeries, and Angels alike may have surrounded him his whole life, for all he knew.
Unfortunately, Michael's train of thought was interrupted as he bumped into a fellow pedestrian- an inevitability when walking the streets of New York City unawares. This being who it was, however, the man was knocked off his feet, saved from the pavement only by the reflexes of a frantic young man. His featureless expression broken, Michael acted upon his immediate reflex to keep him on his feet. Had his control been less than what it was, the poor man could have broken every bone in his body. "Er, I- I'm so sorry, sir! Are you okay?" Said Michael. The sole silver lining was the inattentiveness of most New York citizens as they went about their daily routines like clockwork. Even the man himself gave only a shocked yet accepting nod and was on his way. Heaving yet another sigh- this one born of relief- Michael hung his shoulders and watched his breath evaporate before beginning his trek home. Besides, maybe some time in a less crowded area will do me some good- relieve some stress or something.[/i]
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this application was created by CHLOEOATS.
lyrics are Best Beating Heart by Sing It Loud.
This was made for this site, do not steal or
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this application was created by CHLOEOATS.
lyrics are Best Beating Heart by Sing It Loud.
This was made for this site, do not steal or
remove this credit!!
