Post by Cap'n Ryu! on Apr 27, 2010 17:14:30 GMT -5
A Long and Tedious Journey Awaits
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Username: Ryu-star!
Is This Character Canon?: Heck yeah!Link to Audition Thread:
Looking to the skies to save us.
Your Destiny is to Venture Upon It
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Name: Cid Highwind.
Aliases: Grumpy old man, Geezer, Grandpa, Jerkface, Mr. Fix-it.
Race: Human.
Age: 42.
Gender: Male.
Homeworld: Radiant Garden.
Your Decisions Will Decide the Outcome of the Universe
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Appearance:
While it is certainly impossible for any one person to represent an entire nation, Cid pretty much embodies what, in the real world, would be the stereotypical image of a Scottish man, with flawless skin and dirty blonde hair. Standing at just below average height, just under six feet tall, the mechanic actually has a tendency to appear just a bit taller than he actually is, with surprisingly good posture for one his age, his head held high. Though not a soul would think of – let alone even do – calling Cid an outright beautiful man, he’s at the very least ruggedly handsome, with a strong jaw-line, a straight nose, a pair of icy-blue eyes, and chiseled lines around his cheek and mouth. Matching rather well with this look is Cid’s hair, which is medium-length and dirty brown in color, though he spikes it up each and every day so as to keep it away from his eyes when he’s working. As far as his skin tone goes, it’s rather average for someone of his heritage, though it’s perhaps just a bit darker as a result of the long days spent outside, working with various machines. He also has a fair bit of stubble along his jaw, though it is quite difficult to see without taking a very close look at it. Whatever the case, he’s certainly a rather attractive man, no matter how unpleasant his personality may be.
The mechanic has a highly athletic build with little to no excess body fat, and despite being into his 40’s, he’s physically in better shape than most other people he knows. Broad shoulders, a strong chest, a flat stomach and well defined muscles in all the right places give Cid the appearance of having strength belying his age – which, admittedly, is quite true. One can tell just by looking at him that Cid’s body is the result of an incredibly healthy lifestyle and constant physical effort, whether it’s working with heavy machinery or just readying himself for battle. He also looks quite healthy as a result of his lack of scars, a sign of an incredibly cautious, skilled hand while working. Cid takes good care of his body and maintains it regularly, seeing no sense in allowing himself to get all flabby and gross, as that’d just give the kids more of a reason to make fun of him. And he certainly doesn’t want to encourage the youngsters. While still in the prime of his life, there are signs of wrinkles beginning to form in various spots on Cid’s face, as well as a grey hair here and there among his formerly flawless golden locks. However, he has the look of someone who has aged well, time being on his side as opposed to being against it.
Cid carries himself with quite a bit of confidence, while not looking arrogant in any way. He just appears to be someone who knows his strengths and weaknesses and is content with what he has. The mechanic moves with a relaxed confidence, casual but still always steady and aware of his surroundings, ready to spring into action on the off chance that it should present itself. On a normal day, Cid is seen with a fairly neutral expression, showing no emotion in particular, though one can, on occasion, catch a glimpse of the slightest smile on the old-timer’s visage. It is worth noting, however, that Cid is just as capable as the next person of showing his emotions – he just chooses not to. He has no problem presenting a heavy frown and a furrowed brow whenever he’s annoyed, while a smirk can be caught gracing his features if something amusing or exciting has occurred. And while he’s the type of person to do his best to hide his true emotions all the time, he really fails more than most. He’s just forced to live with his emotions on the outside, no matter how hard he may try to hide them.
In comparison to the rather... oddly-garbed denizens of Radiant Garden – cough Yuffie cough – Cid actually dresses surprisingly normally in comparison. A simple fitted, white, button-down shirt covers his torso, with a pair of navy blue pants pulled right up to his ribcage directly below them. Around the top of his pants is a very wide, very orange cloth belt, which doesn’t really hold his pants up, in reality. Nobody knows what it’s really there for, but... Cid’s weird. The bottom of his pants are tucked into high grey socks, which lead down into a pair of simple, comfortable black shoes. He also has a pair of goggles sitting on top of his head at all times, just in case he needs them. Which he often does. He’s an mechanic, after all. He also wears a simple wooden charm, secured by a rope, around his neck at all times. It’s special to him, and it’s one of the few things he’d truly be sad to lose. Yes, it can be said that Cid has a very basic and simple look about him, but at least he isn’t going to look ridiculous walking down the street.
Personality:•General Persona:
First impressions of Cid Highwind are really rather one-dimensional, as sadly accurate as they may be. The moment anyone sees him in all of his space-admiring, accented glory, they notice that he’s really just not a pleasant guy to be around. This is, perhaps, most evident when one looks at how grumpy the guy is. He almost never smiles in the company of others, and is always scowling, or barking at someone who’s interrupted whatever it was he may have been doing. And while many just assume this to be a result of him being old, and, by association, becoming a jerk, that’s really just not the case. Simply put, Cid’s been alone a long time. He left home at a young age and has been living by himself ever since, and those two things put together have made Cid rather wary about letting anyone get close to him. As far as he’s concerned, if he lets anyone into the proverbial bubble he’s built around himself, they’ll just shoot down his rather lofty aspirations immediately, and call him a dreamer. Tell him that he’s being ridiculous, and that he should just get his head out of the clouds already. So, he just refuses to let anyone get any nearer to him than they need to be. He just pushes people away, time and time again, much as he’d like to perhaps get to know someone, and make some friends. He just can’t bring himself to. And this rather grumpy nature has led to another aspect of Cid’s personality: his anti-social side. Being an mechanic who almost never ventures out of his home unless it’s to tinker with some faulty machine that’s causing difficulty for the residents of the Garden, Cid’s never really learned how to be a social guy. He’s never had any problems just sitting around in his house and creating new things, and the idea of just venturing out and being friendly with total strangers is totally foreign to him. That’s not to say he’s shy or anything – quite the opposite, actually – it’s just that he can’t bring himself to bother greeting total strangers that he’ll probably never meet again. Sure, if it’s someone that he’ll see fairly often, he’ll grunt a hello at them or something, but otherwise, he just doesn’t feel as though it’s worth it. People generally equate to trouble, and trouble’s the last thing he needs.
To say that Cid loves his job would be a gross understatement. No, Cid Highwind loves his job. Ever since he was a young boy, he always loved the idea of tinkering with machines, or even building entirely new ones for the benefit of the Garden, or even just creating new devices for himself at times. While some people find that they love the idea of fighting, of designing clothing, or just selling various items at the local shops, Cid has found no greater love in his life that gears and bolts, shiny metal and the feeling of a welding torch in his hand. Cid’s more than an mechanic – he’s a freaking genius when it comes to fixing or just building new pieces of machinery. But it’s more than just a love for Cid. His one true passion in life is his job, and, by extension, his desire to one day make it into space. While some people say that they really want something, and that they’d do anything to get it, Cid’s the kind of guy who could say it and actually mean it. He would do anything to get the chance to just explore the vastness of space, no matter how long it may take him to do so. But there’s a downside to the sheer amount of passion that the mechanic has for his ambitions: he simply won’t permit anyone to tell him that he’s wrong for wanting something so seemingly unattainable. The moment that anyone tries to call him a dreamer, or tries to steer him away from a ridiculous notion, he becomes a stubborn, hot-headed man, immediately turning to the defensive. And that is the main reason why he’s considered to be such a heartless old jerk among the other residents of the Garden; because it is so common for someone to let it sleep that they think his dream is stupid, or just generally unattainable, and he lets loose on them, his passion immediately turning into rage that he uses to justify and defend his wish. It all may seem rather ridiculous and immature, especially for someone his age, but it’s the simple truth. For someone like Cid, who has nothing and no one, his dream means the world to him. And to see it mocked and ridiculed is something that he simply can’t bear.
Call Cid old-fashioned, but he isn’t very fond of things that cannot be explained in scientific or mathematical terms. If he can’t discover something’s origin via his computer, or if he’s unable to come up with a substance’s genetic compound, then he’s wary of it, and will refuse to have anything to do with it. And this becomes most prominent when it comes to the topic of magic. Some may say that it’s a result of his inability to use it, but that’s simply not the truth. He just doesn’t think it’s natural for a human being like himself to be able to send lightning forth from their fingertips, or create hurricane-force winds with but a thought. It’s just not natural. And it could be said with a fair amount of validity that the idea of magic, or just supernatural things in general, scares the mechanic. He’s none too fond of wizards or spell-casters in general, and has a tendency to be even less pleasant with them than he is with most people. That isn’t to say that he’s
going to outright harm them for being able to control something as inexplicable as magic, however. It just means that he’s going to do his best to avoid having to talk about, see, or even think about their supernatural abilities. And on the off chance that magic comes up in conversation, he won’t hesitate to voice his opinions. He will outright tell any spell-caster who attempts to sway him that he prefers technology over magic, and isn’t afraid to test his spear against their magic. Chances are that he’d wind up incinerated as a result, but he couldn’t care less. It’s just something that he doesn’t understand, and that he simply just doesn’t want to understand. And this brings us right back to his rather hot-headed nature. Being the type of man to think things through a hundred and three times before acting, it irritates him to no end when people act impulsively and recklessly. Why? Well it’s not because they’re being stupid or anything, it’s just that he fears that they may end up hurting themselves. That they might try and do something on a whim, without giving it sufficient thought beforehand, and will end up getting a sword in the gut, or will wind up imprisoned or something. And he certainly wouldn’t want anyone, not even a stranger, to have to deal with that.
Which brings us to our next point on this little insight into Cid’s mind: he’s actually a pretty nice guy, deep down. Yes, believe it or not, Cid Highwind, the epitome of all things grumpy and old, has a heart. He actually cares about people other than himself, and is perfectly capable of loving and caring for people, once he gets to know him. So why, one may ask, is he such a grumpy, insufferable old geezer? Well, as previously stated, he’s just afraid to let anyone in. He’s afraid that, once he does, they’ll shoot down his dreams, or just leave him, and he’ll be left alone, the way he’s been for quite some time now. So, he typically doesn’t bother getting to know someone unless he absolutely has to. Life’s just easier that way. But on the off chance that he does let someone in, which is destined to happen some day, Cid is perfectly capable of being that caring, nice guy who actually gives a damn about others. When it comes to his friends – or the friends that he’s destined to make, anyway, considering he has none at present – Cid’s that kind of fatherly figure. The one that watches over his loved ones, making sure they’re safe, and that they are not being forced to endure any physical or emotional trauma. Simply put, when it comes right down to it, Cid’s a rather protective guy. Whenever he lets someone in, he’ll do everything in his power to ensure that they will not be taken from him, even if it means putting his own life on the line to ensure their safety. Right next to his gadgets, any loved ones that Cid might gain mean the world to him, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that their lives are as enjoyable and pleasant as possible, hard as that may be to believe just by looking at him. However, this love does not just end with the people he cares about. No, one of the things that ranks quite high on the list of things he desires to protect is Radiant Garden itself. Being one of the older residents of the place, Cid’s seen it develop and grow into the wonderful place it is today, and would do anything possible to preserve it, and to keep it that way.
Except... he didn’t manage to do so. Having been away when the Anomalies attacked the Garden, he was forced to return home to something that was but a shadow of the glorious place it had once been. As a result, Cid has been throwing himself more and more into developing not only the ability to travel into space, but some sort of security system for the home he nearly lost. Having seen the way it ended up, even with the enemies who had damaged it defeated, he fears that anything else might prove to be the end for the place he’s called home for so long. As far as he’s concerned, the Garden takes precedence over all else, and he’ll stop at nothing to see it protected.
•Inner Thought Process:
Though many people wouldn’t realize it, Cid Highwind’s mind is actually a very complex, layered thing, with an almost unimaginable number of ideas, thoughts and desires running through it all the time. Obviously, first and foremost among these thoughts is his desire and drive to see his plan for space travel made possible. Having spent the better part of fifteen years working on blueprints, designs, and actual models for ships capable of entering the impossibly cold vacuum of space, it should come as no surprise that he wants that one thing more than anything else in the world. He thinks about it night and day, always coming up with no plans, new ideas for models, all in the hopes of one day being able to venture out to any other worlds that might possibly be out there. But this desire in itself raises another question. Why, exactly, would anyone want to travel to other, foreign, possible primitive and dangerous worlds? Well, simply put, he wants to see what sort of technology they may have. Perhaps those other worlds would have materials not available in Radiant Garden, allowing for better weapons, or even security capabilities for his home world. For all he knows, by travelling to those possible foreign places, he’s increasing the chances the Garden has of surviving. For if he returns with some impossibly strong material, capable of holding off any foe that may dare to threaten his home, he and everyone else that lives within the Garden would be safe.
And that right there is the second thing that runs through Cid’s mind – the safety and comfort of the other residents of the Garden. Though he doesn’t make a conscious effort to make sure that everyone around him is happy and safe, he’s just sort of... fallen into the habit of keeping half an eye on anyone he happens to be walking past. If he sees someone crying, he can’t just walk on by, much as he would like to. He’d have to stop, ask what’s wrong, and stick around until they’re feeling better, even if he doesn’t really want to give a damn about their problems. He just can’t stop himself. Being one of the older residents of the Garden, he’s seen most of it’s other residents grow up and become the adults they are today, and therefore, he feels a sort of personal connection with each and every one of them, even if he brushes them off whenever they try and make friendly with him. In a way, he’s like the Garden’s father – he feels the need to make sure that everyone’s okay, and can’t help but go out of his way to fix any problems that may arise. The truth is, he’s not really as much of a jerk as everyone thinks – he just doesn’t know how to truly open up to others.
•Fears:
` Never making it into space.` Dying alone and friendless.
` The Garden falling/being destroyed.
` The loss of anyone he begins to care about.
` Yuffie. She’s too colorful. He doesn’t get it.
•Pleasures:
` Tinkering with whatever machinery he can.
` Venturing out into new, unexplored places.
` Creating new devices, both for himself and for the Garden.
` Ensuring the safety and comfort of the Garden’s residents.
` Training and just becoming generally stronger.
•Quirks:
` Always has a toothpick in his mouth. No exceptions.
` Always has his goggles on his head. Again, no exceptions.
` Seems to have a permanent look of indifference.
` Clasping his wooden charm in his hand when things go bad.
•Facts:
` Speaks with a Texan accent, for some reason.But With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Character Class: Fighter, Tier 1.
Stats:
•Strength:
16.
•Cunning:
1
•Agility:
13.
Abilities: [ Insert the Link to your Abilities post here. It should be posted under this topic-starting post. Skill Rank Abilities need to have an (S) by them.]
Weapons:
Weapons:
Primary Weapon Name: Venus Gospel.
Primary Weapon Type: Bladed.
Primary Weapon Description: Previously, Cid wielded a very boring, very generic spear, used only on the off chance that he needed to thwack someone on the head with it. However, after witnessing the damage the Anomalies caused to the Garden, he developed a new spear that far surpasses the previous one. The Venus Gospel. Standing several inches higher than Cid himself, the spear’s shaft is made of a highly durable metal, polished each and every day to the point that he can see his own reflection in it. The blade of the weapon is gold in color, and is razor-sharp, with two slightly smaller blades curving back towards Cid, so as to enable both thrusts and slashes with the weapon to be fairly deadly. He certainly hopes that he will never have to use the weapon, but he has this odd feeling that he just might have to, one of these days.
Notes
The Venus Gospel is actually quite heavy, as a result of both the metal it’s made of and the various modifications Cid has made to it in the hopes of making it stronger in the future. Though he can still wield it quite easily. The old man’s got some mad muscles.
Items:
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But Your History Decides Your Version of "Responsibility"
[/b][/size][/center][/u]History:[/size]
Marcus Highwind had never expected to fall in love. He’d spent most of his life living and working in solitude, simply doing his duty as a Dragoon without really caring about making friends or meeting new people. However, when he was stationed in a town not far from the Garden itself, he met a young lady by the name of Maria. Maria was a well-known mechanic, and was well-loved within her community for her incredible skill in regards to working with machinery. She was the one person that they could depend on to fix any problem that might happen to arise, and they adored her for it. It was as though the entire town was a family, and she was the daughter that everyone wanted to keep happy and safe. And so, when cold, calculating, unfamiliar Marcus came into town and swept her off her feet, the other residents weren’t happy. They refused to allow the Dragoon to see the woman he had grown to love and care for, and told her that she should not be associated with such a strange, odd man. And yet, she couldn’t help herself. There was just this attraction, this spark between them that she couldn’t resist. So, in the middle of the night, she snuck off with Marcus, relocating to a quaint little home he had built for them in the mountains. Sure, that meant that he would have to leave his job as a warrior, and she would not have much work anymore, but they were together, and they were happy. They lived in this home together for quite some time, with very little happening. They had the occasional visitor now and then, even a rather unexpected visit from Marcus’s fellow allies with the Dragoons, but otherwise, they just lived a totally normal, totally boring life. And they couldn’t be any happier. After all, it wasn’t as though they had anyone in the area to cause trouble for them, or to inquire as to why a pair like them would like each other. They were just allowed to live their lives, and live them the way that they wanted to, away from prying eyes. And after living in their home for so long, and realizing that they would not be able to carry on the Highwind name alone, they decided that it was high time for them to have a child. This realization found them introducing a new member into their family: their handsome baby boy, Cid.
Though it came as quite a surprise to his parents, who were used to seeing children flourish by being around larger crowds, and by association, living in well-populated areas, Cid actually seemed to enjoy living in their quaint little home in the middle of nowhere. Right from the day he was born, they could see that their son fit right into the quiet, peaceful environment he was born into, and were more than glad that they did not have to return to a populated place, where they might be faced with more ridicule and humiliation. As the years passed, the pair chose to teach their son from home, rather than sending him away to some foreign place, choosing to forego the regular subjects most children learned in favour of teaching him the skills they themselves were most proficient in. His mother spent the days teaching him how to work with machinery, teaching him the names of all sorts of materials, and all kinds of measurements and formulas that would help the young man, should he choose to pursue a career as a mechanic. His father, however, spent his designated time with his son teaching the young boy the way of the Dragoon, in the hopes of allowing the young boy to redeem the Highwind name within the group when the time came. He taught his son how to wield a spear with deadly skill, and even began teaching him highly advanced Dragoon techniques, that were usually reserved for warriors who had gone through years and years of training. And so, by the time he reached his teenage years, young Cid Highwind had already discovered two of the greatest loves in his life: machinery and battle, two things that would play very important roles throughout the rest of his life. However, by the time he reached age thirteen, he began to realize that he had learned everything he could from his parents, and that it was high time that he travelled to foreign lands, where he would perhaps be able to learn new things about either one of his loves. And so, leaving a letter for his parents on the table, the young man packed his bags and left for the famed Garden – the place that the entire world had been named after. It took him quite some time to find the place, what with his lack of any real directions and his lack of experience with navigating through the wild, but he eventually made it, finding a beautiful, magnificent place that he never would have imagined, even in his wildest dreams. A place that he would quickly come to think of as his home, and the place where he would reside – presumably, of course – forever.
However, much as he loved the place, he didn’t manage to find anyone that could teach him things that he didn’t already know. In fact, try as he may to find someone more skilled than himself, he came to realize that he was the best mechanic in the place. Which was quite sad, really, considering that he’d never gone to any real school to learn the trade. Whatever the case, he came to be known throughout the Garden as ‘Mr. Fix-it’, or ‘that kid who can fix anything.’ And actually, it was quite true. Being the most talented mechanic in the area made it so that he certainly never had a lack of work or anything. He was constantly busy, running around and attempting to fix anything that needed to be fixed. And yet, he wasn’t quite happy, despite the fact that he was doing what he loved. It was almost as if he wanted something more, that even he couldn’t really put a finger on. To say it was like a void within him, as totally cheesy as that sounds, wouldn’t be entirely accurate. He just wanted more than his present life was giving him, and he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Until, fourteen years ago, an explosion caused by a faulty machine of his found him outside in the middle of the night, gaze set on the starry sky above. And it was then that he realized just what it was he really wanted to do: he wanted to find a way to explore the black, cold vacuum of space. The one area that no one had ever managed to reach, try as they may. He wanted to be the first, and he would be the first. And it was that very night that Cid began work on his first ever blueprint for a ship that could travel out there, with him on board. He even went as far as to send his mother, whom he had not spoken to since he left home, a letter explaining what his newfound goal was. A letter that she quickly responded to by calling him a dreamer, and telling him that it was high time that he came back home and did what they had originally intended for him to do, rather than aspiring for something that could never happen. Frustrated and angered by the fact that the one person he had expected to agree that his dream was a good one, he threw himself whole-heartedly into his work, hardly sleeping, and certainly not bothering to go and talk to the other residents of the Garden, try as they may to force the mechanic to come out and get some sun.
But it seemed that the powers at work had other plans in mind for the mechanic, in the form of a pretty young thing by the name of Shera. He wasn’t entirely sure where she had come from, as he’d certainly never met her before, but he found himself unable to just send her away as he had everyone else. Rather, he had this odd, inexplicable desire to strike up a conversation with her, eventually leading to an unexpected request of hers: to become his apprentice. He had to consider it for a little while, but he found himself agreeing, as she seemed to be the one person who didn’t think his idea was ridiculous – and that was something that he respected. And so, Cid found himself becoming acquainted with the woman, spending years and years in her company, the pair of them working non-stop to ensure that Cid’s dream came to fruition. In fact, one could even say that the pair might have started to fall for each other without being entirely inaccurate. Cid just would never admit that himself, obviously. And things continued in such a way for fourteen years, right up until the Anomalies attacked. Having been away on a trip to visit his parents after being away for so long, he found them dead, having been destroyed by the Anomalies on their way towards the Garden itself. Fearing for what might have happened to Shera and the other residents, he hurried home to find the Garden in ruins, and his beloved Shera dead. That night, Cid made a promise to himself. He would become stronger, and he would ensure that their dream would come to light, no matter what it took. And that was a promise.
