Post by Lepa on Apr 20, 2017 2:09:09 GMT -8
Name: Casey Calhoun
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Race: Human
Date of birth: January 24, 199X [Aquarius]
Quote: "...Whut were they called? The Templars?!"
Home: Aster City
Alliance: Ammo Clan (Chaotic Neutral)
Family: Unknown
Friends: Ammo Clan: The OHaras; Aedan Devitt, Switch, Omega Reload, Jack Baumer, Demarcus King
Rivals: Rival gangs (More as they're developed, along with interactions with other characters in roleplays)
Enemies: Johnathan O'Connor
Likes: Fighting, Ammo Clan, fighting Ammo Clan; sweet tea; freedom/self autonomy
Dislikes: John O'Connor; the cold; being called by his first name or Ammo Clan nickname (he prefers being called Calhoun)
Relationships: Leader of Ammo Clan. Underneath his rough and delinquent demeanor, he's actually kind of an awkward dork. He cares deeply about its members.
Personality:
He originally had a nasty temper. He was highly defensive, incredibly hostile and quick to violence. However, with some therapy, a healthy outlet for his aggression, and the natural maturity that came with aging, he has mellowed out considerably. He can still be loud, brash and incredibly juvenile, but this is part in being the leader of a rowdy fight club. Though he'll use brute force to solve trivial problems between members, he often tries to reign in his aggression. This is especially true when the well being of the entirety of Ammo Clan is involved, where he'll attempt to consider the consequences of his actions more carefully. After all, he believes he should carry a certain air of authority as head of the gang, especially when it comes to serious matters. He usually manages to do this with success... but sometimes he succumbs to embarrassment from friendly teasing from his comrades.
Powers:
Hand to Hand Combat:
He does not have formal combat training. Growing up on the streets, he instead gained fighting experience out of necessity to survive. He generally fights clean, but he's not above fighting dirty if the opportunity presents itself (ie, if he wants to end it quickly, or if his foe cheated first, or if the situation is life threatening to himself or others). His combat style has many swift arm strikes, though he'll hit bigger power moves with flashy kicks and somersaults.
Azure Flare:
Casey wields mysterious blue flames. They cannot be used as projectiles in combat. Instead, they only serve to enhance his hand to hand combat, cloaking his fist/leg/attacking limb with flames as an extra boost to his physical attacks. He was not born with this power, and instead obtained it through... a mysterious method. It seems these powers manifested some time after joining Ammo Clan...
If doused with water, Casey cannot activate his Azure Flare while drenched, though he can still fight. However, if he were to dry off a single limb well enough, he could probably reignite it - but only that specific limb. He also usually fights without the Azure Flare, especially outside of Ammo Clan. This is because it's a power he obtained in the Clan through secret methods. The method is a well guarded secret, and as such, he would prefer not to flaunt it. Instead, he tries to save it for serious fights, desperate situations, or rashly displays it when angered. Though he can simply pass it off as natural powers, he cares deeply about his gang and wishes to limit the exposure of the Azure Flare... perhaps out of some sort of respect.
Casey also prefers to fight without weapons - a poor choice for a gang that enjoys getting into fights with other gangs who're more than likely to use weapons. As such, he's usually at a disadvantage if fighting someone with a ranged weapon (such as a spear that can keep him away or a gun that can fire from a distance), or a weapon too dangerous to parry or block with his bare arms (such as a sword or a spiked bat). He'll usually try to remedy this by nabbing the nearest foreign object in self defense. He can still wield actual melee weapons if needed, but he's not as experienced with them as he is with hand to hand combat.
History:
Casey's childhood was a blur of anger. Born in the south, he had a fiery temper that he inherited from his father and often got into arguments with him, even as a small child. These escalated to a boiling point, prompting Casey to storm out and leave home out of spite. He was around 15 when he left to wander the streets, never looking back.
Catalyst
For the next year or so, Casey was willingly homeless, doing odd jobs for cash and staking out places to sleep. His temper still got him into trouble, however, so his employment often didn't last very long. Irritated, Casey would end up picking fights on the street to blow off steam. Unfortunately for him, his idle trash talk one day angered some thugs. Outnumbering him, they beat up Casey and stole what little money he had managed to work for. Angered at his loss, Casey nursed his wounds and sought out the group to fight them once more - not only to regain his money, but... to get even.
Casey ended up suffering more beatings, but his enraged determination simply grew. Having learned their fighting styles through so many losses, Casey was finally able to counter the group and eventually defeat them. He reclaimed not only his own money, but the thugs' money, too. Realizing he could get more money this way, he dropped his attempts at honest living and resorted to mugging people on the street. It was more laborious, requiring awareness with the threat of arrest always lingering overhead... but to Casey, something about it was just... fun.
Arrival at Aster City
Because of his criminal activity, Casey had to keep moving around in order to avoid the authorities. He became more adept/street smart about dodging them and gained more experience in brawling. At 17 years of age, he eventually ended up in Aster City. Because of the abnormal amount of hero activity going on, Casey took more of a gamble whenever he tried to mug someone, since any given person could've been super powered. Though dangerous to him, he welcomed the excitement of a new challenge.
After a few mishaps, quick getaways and mild-to-moderate injuries, Casey eventually got a better feel of who (and who not) to target. He was able to keep this up for a year until he one day made the most unfortunate mistake of targeting a certain man... He looked to be an average, well off businessman, but little did Casey know about the power he held. Shortly after attempting to mug him, Casey was immediately jumped by several other men, who quickly subdued him.
Knocked unconscious before he could realize what was going on, Casey awoke in a small room. There, he was met by the man he had tried to mug earlier. Casey immediately tried to attack him again, but found himself restrained by several bodyguards. It was then that Casey learned that the man's name was Johnathan. He agreed to forgive Casey for attacking him, promising Casey that he wouldn't turn him into the authorities if he was willing to undergo his treatment. Casey, enraged by the proposition, rejected him. John knew he had no choice, however, and simply left Casey in his new room.
The Black Sheep
Casey threw temper tantrums and constantly destroyed the room he was locked in, but because he couldn't escape, he eventually realized he could do nothing but accept John's help. After all, the doctor was adamant in wanting to help him, refusing to send Casey back to the streets or jail. He was even promised food and shelter... two basics that Casey struggled to attain for the last three years. The longer he was left alone to think about it, the more he realized it wasn't as bad as it seemed. So, he finally agreed and underwent therapeutic treatment.
After a year or so of learning anger management techniques, coupled with him naturally maturing (and some occasional disciplinary action from John), Casey was finally able to reign in his temper. Grateful to the doctor, Casey felt the need to repay John, who rewarded him with the position of one of his enforcers. Casey was ecstatic to put his best skills to good use again, and was more than happy to use them to help the man who helped him. For the next year, he proved to be one of John's best fighters. Sometimes his angry aggression would creep back up to the surface, getting him a bit too carried away with fighting... but otherwise, Casey prided himself on the fact that he had never lost a fight under John.
Blessing in Disguise
At some point, Casey had gotten wind of some street thug who had apparently disturbed some of John's other patients. Over the last few weeks, several other enforcers had been sent to deal with the culprit, but each of them failed. John, annoyed that he had underestimated the strength of this nuisance, finally sent Casey to fight him off. Eager to fight the culprit, Casey confronted them.
He lost.
Angry and sore at his first defeat as enforcer, Casey spat vitriol at the offender. Yet, to Casey's shock, his foe responded quite amicably. This "thug" stated he had only made a passing joke to some odd folks and meant no harm. When he was later attacked for it, he easily brushed off the assailants. When more came after him, he eventually realized that people were being constantly sent to deal with him. As a man who enjoyed fighting, he eagerly took this as a challenge. From then on, he had kept prodding and poking at these people, hoping to one day draw out a decent challenge. Casey turned out to be that decent challenge.
Entertained by their fight, he introduced himself as Devitt. He was eager to befriend Casey, inviting him to hang out with him and his own circle of friends. Casey declined, however, still feeling his debt to John. He was annoyed by Devitt's carefree attitude and instead vowed that he would one day defeat Devitt so long as he continued to provoke his family. Devitt looked forward to it.
With each provocation, Casey would go after Devitt, and each time, Casey lost. And each time, Devitt questioned Casey's restricted way of living. "What, you got a curfew? Why do you need a curfew? You're an adult, aren't you? What's just stopping you from hanging out with me?" His tone was always amiable and lighthearted, but the true weight of his questions would linger in the back of Casey's mind. When his doubts about John began to form, Casey would quickly remind himself about how he owed the doctor for helping him. He was John's enforcer, and fighting was what he was good at - hell, it was all he was good at. John had given him an opportunity to put his skill to good use, so it was only fair that he repay him. And if Casey could repay John by defeating this Devitt guy...well, then that's what he'd do.
The Last Straw
Weeks of fighting passed. The more Devitt questioned Casey's freedom, the more Casey thought about his place with John, but he continued to push his doubts away. Casey refused to betray the doctor, and was determined to prove his worth to John by defeating this street thug who dared to mess with his "family." Ironically enough, it was this fixation that raised several flags with John. Realizing Casey's obsession with Devitt began to take priority over his own control of Casey, John dismissed Casey from the mission, "assigning" him some time off.
Half willing and half forced back into his room, Casey was gripped with confusion and anger. He had heard John order another enforcer to "permanently end the conflict" with Devitt, and Casey seethed at the thought. All Casey wanted to do was help John... He had assigned him to fight off Devitt, and now the doctor was taking away his purpose! By ending his rival! And when this realization hit him, Casey's thoughts froze. Was... John going to have Devitt killed? No... No, he couldn't. That was something... Casey didn't want. For the first time in a long time, Casey didn't agree with John. He didn't want Devitt dead, not when they had a score to settle. Hell, what if Devitt was already dead...?! Shifting from anger to panic, Casey frantically sought a way to break out, determined to find Devitt.
Escaping from his home, Casey sprinted to their usual fighting spot. To his relief, Devitt was alive and well, waiting around as he always did. Nothing was out of the ordinary as far as Casey saw. Devitt questioned why he was so late, chuckling like usual when Casey admitted that he had to sneak out. Cautious, he asked Devitt if anything unusual happened. "Nothing really," he responded. "Just that some guy tried to shoot me, but it was otherwise uneventful." Casey's heart skipped a beat at the murder attempt, but Devitt brushed it off. As far as he was concerned, it was nothing to worry about. He was more interested in fighting Casey, which the latter couldn't help but oblige.
Freedom
Filled with a relieved determination, Casey held his own in this fight. Little by little, he had learned Devitt's fighting style over time, matching him blow for blow and countering his trickiest attacks. In fact, he came dangerously close to winning... but in a last ditch effort, Devitt revealed his trump card: his fire powers. With them, he gained the advantage to overpower Casey, defeating him once again. The revelation shocked Casey... since it meant Devitt had been holding back this entire time.
It was nothing personal; Devitt saw the potential in Casey, desiring to see him grow stronger with each fight. He understood Casey's aspiration to surpass him as well, but the revelation of his fire powers only demonstrated that Casey still had a long way to go. In fact, Devitt game him this ultimatum: either he leave his "family" behind and live with Devitt's friends so he could grow even stronger, or return to his overbearing "family" with Devitt promising to stop bothering them once and for all. "After all," Devitt had shrugged. "That's what you originally wanted, right?"
Though initially torn, Devitt constantly pointing out how restrained Casey's life was helped him realize... that he didn't really owe John anything at all. For the last two years, Casey lived to serve the doctor, only doing what he was told, when to do it, and how to do it. He had no freedom of his own, and his worry for Devitt reflected this. This was the final push that broke Casey free of his conditioning. Desiring to embrace freedom and fight on his own terms, Casey took up Devitt's offer and ultimately followed him.
Fire-Forged Friends
As it turns out, Devitt's circle of friends was a gang called Ammo Clan - a rough but friendly bunch who loved nothing more than fighting each other. Revealing himself as the leader of the group, Devitt introduced Casey to the others, who welcomed him with open arms. Though it took some time to adjust to, Casey came to call Ammo Clan his home, never regretting anything about his decision to leave John behind. ...Except for his gang nickname, which Devitt had christened to be Minigun, much to Casey's chagrin.
Casey remained close to Devitt for the next few years. At some point, Casey admitted that it was thanks to him that Casey realized he was part of some sort of cult. Devitt was as surprised by this as Casey was, assuming he just had a weird extended family. Though a minor, quiet detail, it gave Casey even more reason to look up to the guy who broke him free. Not only did he look up to Devitt, but he owed him his freedom.
This made it all the more devastating when Devitt one day vanished. Casey had been in Ammo Clan for three years by that point. Though the group struggled and searched for him for months, they found no trace of him. Eventually, a group brawl was determined to decide the new leader. The final five came down to the likes of Devitt's inner circle - Crossfire, Trigger, X-Caliber, Omega, and
The transition was awkward at first, but Casey took his position very seriously. The members insisted he didn't have to be so serious, but he was determined to take care of the group for Devitt's sake. Casey's dedication ultimately built a better relationship within the gang and its members, while Ammo Clan has remained vibrant and bustling to this day.
Now at age 24, it's been a little over one year since Casey assumed the position of leader of Ammo Clan. It also seems that he's manifested fire powers similar to Devitt within the last few years...
Anything else:
- Though he grew up with a southern accent, he's learned to speak without it. It's still slightly audible when he speaks, but it comes back in full force when he gets excited or angry.
- He used to beat up the people John assigned him with. (John eventually wised up and assigned him to live with people who were stronger and more physically imposing than him.)
- Unlike many other regulars of Ammo Clan, Casey doesn't drink much. He'll drink on special occasions, but never enough to get drunk. Otherwise, he prefers sweet tea. While he doesn't remember much of his childhood, sweet tea provides him with a sense of nostalgia.
- His quote is an in-gang meme. When X-Caliber told him of his plans to leave and join the Templars, Casey originally exclaimed "The Dragon templars?!" in surprise. His inflection and tone, while conveying shock, was almost whimsical. Ever since then, on the rare occasion the Templars are ever brought up, the gang likes to repeat "The Dragon templars?!" in the same inflection as Casey originally did. The gang also gets excited whenever it's clear that Casey has to mention them (so they can repeat the phrase), but at this point, Casey groans and facepalms whenever it happens and ends up saying the group's name in the flattest, deadpan voice he can muster. (It doesn't stop them from repeating it in glee.)
- Casey's old nickname was Minigun when Ammo Clan was under Devitt's command. He originally disliked hearing it because it was diminutive and highlighted his status as "younger brother" figure to Devitt. He now dislikes hearing it because it reminds him of Devitt's disappearance. Although he did try to think of other gun related nicknames to go by, Casey ultimately decided not to replace his old one out of respect for his old leader. He goes by his surname Calhoun, instead.
- Casey will not tolerate being compared to Devitt, especially if this is being argued against him. This isn't because he's jealous of Devitt (which he's not), but because he knows damn well that he's not Devitt, and comparing the two is no contest. If anything, Casey's fury would come from the fact that someone would bring up Devitt so disrespectfully, as well as questioning his authority when he's proven that he's more than capable of taking care of Ammo Clan.
