Post by schwimm on Aug 5, 2009 0:22:48 GMT -5
The Player In Question
Alias: Schwimm
Other Characters: He’s my first *giggle*
Planned Activity: …If I’m not online every day Violet will stalk me and hunt me down
Basic Character Information
Name: Devin Maknama (Remember the name)
Nicknames: Dev, Army Brat, the Blind Dude, that Jerk (Sexy Beast), Another Maknama!?!?!?!
Gender: Male (Hells Yeah)
Age: 32
Alliance: His mindset is somewhat neutral, but he has very close ties to the Kinamoto National Army (Veeeeeery close. Like awkwardly close)
Job: Trainer, part time Specialist for the KNA (Who can resist Alex’s puppy dog eyes? Not me-and I’m not ashamed to say so. Even if you can’t see it he gets this little catch in his voice and you just know you will give in)
Species: Human (But knowing my dad sometimes I wonder…)
Personality Information
Persona Description:
The first thing you have to know about Devin is that he is extremely intelligent, a bit of a dork actually (Am not!). He can wax nearly poetic for hours about the subtle nuances of Houndoom pack hierarchy, or about the ramifications of the Absol’s ability to sense impending natural disasters on their public image throughout history (its actually quite interesting, especially once you take into account the relative frequency of years of war versus years of peace-) I’m falling asleep here Devin, just let me do the talking! (But its interesting!) I know, but these people really don’t give a shit about it. (People who don’t want to learn will never get anywhere in life) I’m quite interested, but we’re supposed to be talking about your sparkly personality (my personality is quite glittery-hey, that makes me sound gay, doesn’t it?)
Speaking of sthpark-el-ing! (Stop it!) Devin is waaay metro *floppy wrist* he likes being clean and pretty (I’m not that bad!) No, he’s actually not that bad. Devin is very confident in his sexuality and open to just about anything. He has a really really dirty mind, so ‘anything’ includes an extremely wide range of partners, positions, and kinks (I draw the line at bestiality and feet. Feet are really dirty, walking on the ground all day. Really sweaty to. Taste like salt)…didn’t really need to know that. So, anyways, back to the gayness (not really flamboyant, just open. Being picky just limits your options. Spread the love, some people aren’t as lucky as I to be so…delectable) Did I say he’s very sure of himself? (Yes) As soon as he enters the room, he snags you attention and holds it, despite his diminutive stature. Devin is extremely confident, almost self-centered, but that self-centeredness has to be expanded to include his family and Pokemon. He cares about no one but his family and Pokemon. The rest of the world could jump into a randomly appearing void that travels to a world of zombies and creepily chanting Unown all ruled over by a snakey-lion thing. Devin’s family is everything to him. If one of them is in trouble, he will drop everything and come to their aid.
Speaking of Devin’s family, his extremely large number of relatives has shaped his personality very obviously. He cannot stand silences, or being alone. Even if it’s just a Pokemon or three, Devin is never alone, and he is always moving, talking, whistling, singing, making some kind of noise. He’s like a little kid with a sugar high sometimes; can’t sit still for a minute. This is partially because of his blindness-sound is very important to his world now. (don’t forget touch!) yes, touch as well; Devin is very touchy feely affectionate. Sometimes it’s just to get a rise out of someone, but other times a slight brush of the fingertips can give that extra information that help him stay in control of the conversation.
Its not that Devin is manipulative, it’s just that he likes being in control. Chaos is beautiful, as long as Devin is the one controlling the chaos. And he is GOOD at it. He has a tremendous insight into human emotions and the way people act. Sometimes he treats people like test subjects, trying to hone his manipulation techniques. A little nudge there, a seemingly innocuous comment here…its amazing how easy it is to make people react in a certain way. Some might think this heartless, and yes, it is pretty cold-blooded, but hey, I guess everyone’s got hobbies. (Gotta get my kicks somewhere, right?)
But with this insight into human nature come a drawback. Devin is extremely cynical. He knows how people lie to themselves and to others, sometimes without any reason at all. He has witnessed the dregs of society (and broken new ground down there, new lows to which a person can aspire). Devin enjoys crushing the spirits of the eternally optimistic-‘expect the best and be disappointed, expect the worst and be surprised.’ This might seem mean, but who ever said that Devin was a nice person? He’s not by any stretch of the words. He is unsympathetic, sometimes cruel, sarcastic, couldn’t give a flying fuck about people’s sensibilities, queasiness (I have an iron stomach!) or personal space issues. When he fights, Devin does so mercilessly. He has no problem pummeling a little Cleffa’s face into the ground over and over again, especially if it happens on one of his Bad Days. He is not a Prince Charming, come on a white steed to whisk the damsel in distress away from danger. If you are not willing to help yourself, Devin is more likely to make your situation worse and laugh at you than to help you.
Fear not! All is not lost! Devin is not the most horrible person on the planet! He may have absolutely NO patience for complaining, stupidity, pity, passiveness, pacifists, weaklings, shrill voices, morning people, annoying people, politicians, people in power….did I forget anything? (naïve people?) Oh yeah, naïveté pisses him off. But still, he’s not horrible I swear! Devin might not admit it to anyone, but he is a bit of an idealist. He ALWAYS roots for the underdog, and people who refuse to give up no matter the odds have a special place in his heart. They remind him of himself. Devin is as stubborn as a mule, and almost as contrary. He has a teeny tiny itty bitty problem with authority and rules (just a little). He cannot stand being told what to do. (Those rules are just begging to be broken. Its so satisfying to find some loophole the pompous rule-makers failed to cover). Indeed, Devin’s time in the Army resulted in the uniform regulations quadrupling in number (They didn’t specify how many buttons, so two little tiny ones near the bottom to show off my perfect chest totally filled every letter of the uniform regs) I’m sure. That poor female Lieutenant had to go have a lie down after you showed up in those ripped pants (it never said that the PANTS had to be whole, just that the ‘armor had to be in good repair’) Whatever you say mister…
Devin does suffer from an itsy bitsy teenie tiny eenie weeniepenis (What did you just erase? *tugs on paper* I KNOW YOU’RE MAKING FUN OF ME! *tears paper in half*) Haha! *pulls out second copy* (not funny). Anyways, Devin has a slight case of PTSD. In other words, his participation in the Crusades kinda effed him up in the head. He has nightmares most nights, the other nights he has pretty bad insomnia, which all contributes to his general Bad Mood. Irritability and mistrust are both symptoms, but Devin was quite irritable and distrustful to anyone outside the family before he was injured, so Devin’s overall personality might just be him. He doesn’t usually get flashbacks outside of the nightmares, but some things, like him hitting his head or migraines, can set off flashbacks and pretty intense physical reactions. (You make me sound like such a pansy, you know that, right?) Well…you can’t help it widdle devvy *hands him a straight jacket* (I’m not crazy!) Devin has bad days and good days which come and go depending on the weather, what the date is, and outside events that occur throughout the day. It just depends on whether you do catch him on a good day or not. Bad day, and his Pokemon might rip your head off before you even get to Devin. Over-Protective Mode to the max. But on good days-read: the rare ones where he actually sleeps all night-Devin is very relaxed and might actually be nice (*gasp* Say it isn’t so!)
Likes:
Being alone (people are stupid), fighting (I’m a guy, get used to it), good music (not that rap shit), Pokemon (yes, even the cute fluffy ones…I blame the empathy), intelligent conversation (key word is INTELLIGENT!)
Dislikes:
people who try and help him when he doesn’t need it (people who do so should be carted out into the woods and shot), pity (try it and you will be carted out into the ocean and shot), people who can’t help themselves (should be carted out into the mountains and shot), naivety-stupid people annoy him (people are inherently complete idiots and should be carted out to the library and shot), stupid tree roots out to trip the blind person (should be carted out into the desert and shot…yes that works), there’s never enough Braille books (publishers should be carted out into the swamp and shot), loud thinkers (they shout, so they should be carted into a sound proof-room and shot)
Fears:
Being help-MPH! *bound gagged and shoved into a closet* (I’m not afraid of anything!) Me: MPH! (Does this section really have to be filled out?) Me: Mph *glare* (*whines* Guess I have to…she’s threatening me! Whatever. Scared of those happy peppy people who are always hyper and happy and loud and bright and UGH! Their bright sunny cheerfulness hurts my eyes-and yes that totally works-and scaredofbeinglockedaloneinthedarkallaloneandhelpless and no I’m not afraid of anything)
Hobbies:
Reading, listening to music, fighting with or without Pokemon (yes I am a guy and yes I’m an Army brat. Get used to it), reading, wandering aimlessly wherever the wind takes him (its called orienteering, a perfectly respectable hobby), reading, sarcastic quips (is so a hobby), and did I say reading? He’s such a dork (I am not a dork! I just appreciate information)
Appearance Information
Height: 5’4” (Yes I’m short…deal with it)
Weight: 135 (It’s all muscle I tell you)
Body Type: Short, lean and (sexy, you know it) I didn’t say that! (You meant it)
Skin Tone: Tan (I tan, I don’t burn-it’s kind of convenient. I save lots of money on sunscreen. And no I’m not going to get skin cancer)
Hair: Black, shortish, spiky, and pretty messy (but a stylish messy. So what if I forget to cut it for a few extra weeks. Doesn’t matter if it gets in my eyes, and girls love to mess with it and finger comb it.) He purrs (No I don’t!)
Eyes: Greyish, slightly angular (Yes I am pretty, get over it), and yes, the pupils do react to light, but no, none of that information makes it to the brain. He’s blind, but the eyes still work. It’s the brain part that doesn’t. You could say that he’s brain damaged (That’s technically true but has such negative connotations…)
Scars/Tattoos/Piercings: Devin has several marks on his body. He was quite a reckless youth, which got him into a lot of trouble with his father and his commanding officers. Included in this are several piercings, a few on each ear, a nose piercing, and eyebrow. He tried the lip piercing but it got in the way during important activities (my girlfriend hated it) so he let it heal. Now, he doesn’t wear most of the piercings anymore, but the holes are still there if you look closely. He does wear a single silver hoop in one ear. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass which ear. He’s just as likely to wear it in the right as he is in the left.
As far as scars go, Devin is relatively unmarked by major blemishes. He’s got a few from military training-it’s to be expected, and Devin was not the most careful of children when playing as a child so there’s the expected old scars on the knees and elbows (boys will be boys…I can’t believe I just said that. So cliché). A few scorch marks, slashes, superficial marks from battling Pokemorphs and Pokemon (blasted Skuntanks shoot fire from BOTH ends. I learned that the hard way). There is one scar of note. On the back of his head, hidden by his hair, is a long thin scar, completely unnoticeable unless you part his hair or feel for it. This is from the Injury. Yes, the Injury. The only one that matters for the long term. The one that permanently blinded him. Yeah, don’t ask. (*silence*)
Clothing:
Devin likes wearing black (it matches anything) as well as other darker, solid colors. His clothes are always clean and well-fitting-he has yet to lose that habit after years in the Army. His clothes may be clean, but Devin has a way of looking like he just came from an extremely hot and steamy make out session-so sexily disheveled. The top button of any shirt is always undone, sometimes the second as well, but it is oh so easy to imagine ripping that shirt right off his back (You’re drooling, did you know that?) Shut up delicious-man. You are my toy to fantasize about.
Devin has that extremely annoying ability to look good in just about everything, and he wears almost anything. (Veronica complained that I looked better in her prom dress than she did. Yes, I do own a kilt). He might have just rolled out of bed, but the confidence he excludes makes you think that every wrinkle and crease in his sweatpants was placed there purposefully. (Its called the just fucked look, you wouldn’t recognize that, would you?) That was mean Devvy! ;_;
He prefers comfort and functionality, yet manages to look fashionable at the same time. Jeans and a T-shirt, maybe a button down shirt over top or a zippered hoodie, completed by a leather belt and a pair of battered Converse shoes are his traveling outfit. He can get formal for a dinner with the family, but will NEVER wear a tie, and usually throws in a brightly colored belt just to throw people off (they can’t mention anything because they don’t know if its on purpose or by accident *snicker*)
Any outfit is never complete without a Pokemon lounging about on Devin’s shoulders of scampering by his side.
Devin still has his old KNA uniform, even though he has been dishonorably discharged. MAN does he look good in uniform! His uniform isn’t quite standard; he’s had a few things altered, including a stylized Absol on one sleeve and an extra slash or three of color on the legs.
Other:
Devin likes his accessories, including but not limited to handcuffs in place of wallet chains, spiked collars, an elegant silver chain with a pendant of the Roman numerals for 12, XII, earrings galore, sunglasses of every shape, size, and color, and even a few baseball caps. Out of this eclectic group of accessories, Devin’s favorite has to be his sunglasses collection. After he was blinded, he got sick and tired of his siblings making such a big deal out of it that he got himself a pair of those ‘mad-scientist’ glasses, complete with holographic swirls on the lenses. His siblings got the message. Now, a holiday can’t go by without him getting another pair of wacky sunglasses. A few jewels of his collection: literal beer bottle glasses, the ones with the pop-out eyes, pink with pineapples, and sexy black rhinestone studded ones. (I Wear Sunglasses At Night. And look damn sexy)
Devin has a large collection of weird belt buckles as well. From a marijuana leaf to a downward facing arrow, the collection isn’t as extensive as his sunglasses collection, but it is much raunchier. He might have to dress up like a buffoon sometimes, but beware you check his belt before all the little nieces and nephews ask what the ‘blue balls’ belt buckle of Uncle Devin means.
Dev is blind, and so uses a telescoping cane much of the time. But don’t call it a cane. It is his stick. Do not call it anything else. (And yes ladies, it is That Long)
Background Information
Hometown: Lupin Central, but lets people believe he’s from Foxtail
Family: Hold on, there’s a lot of them
Father: Samuel Sr. (75) is now retired from the Army, but is often consulted in strategic matters. He stays at home, lets Kayla baby him, and is improving his golf game tremendously.
Mother: Kayla (52) is as spry and as free as ever. She rediscovered her spirit after most of the kids moved out of the house and Samuel Sr. retired. She likes being pampered and has developed into an extremely good cook. Most of the upper echelon of KNA officers come up with any excuse to have dinner at the Maknama house.
Now for the siblings and nieces and nephews:
From Amelia (deceased), wife number 1:
--Sam Jr. (deceased 27 years ago at age 25)
--Andrea (48): married, classic Army wife, just waiting for her first grandchild to be born (she is the worst mother-in-law), works designing and sewing Army uniforms. Devin finds both Andrea and Sarah ok in small doses, but outright annoying in anything longer than about an hour. (They insist on helping me with EVERYTHING. And gripe about my clothes. I like black)
-----Carrie (29): married a store clerk in the town who absolutely dotes on her. They have one child, a girl name Catherine, who recently celebrated her sixth birthday. Is pregnant with her second child. (I send her a Christmas card, but that’s about it. We went to school together for a few years, but never were too close)
-----Johnathan (25): Squad member and avid surfer, looks forward to working his way up through the naval sector of the KNA. (Good to party with, but its kind of awkward to party with your nephew)
-----Jessica (17): Momma’s little girl, should be completely spoiled, but is actually quite kind and generous. Is looking into internships in the Medical Corps. (I like her. She talks to me if Andrea is being too overbearing)
--Sarah (48): widow of 7 years, also the epitome of Army wife, moved in with her sister after he husband died, also works in designing and repairing Army uniforms (she is great at getting bloodstains out of any kind of fabric).
-----Henry (28): Breeds Pokemon for the new recruits after a training accident left him with a bad back. Is a single dad to twin little girls, Anna and Hannah, age 3. His wife ran off with a rich guy from Bergamont 2 years ago. He has mellowed out quite a bit. (Ummm…not much to say. His girls are kinda cute, but the last time I met them they were still teething, and I was their favorite chew toy)
-----Andrew (22): He is still living at home. Has yet to really do ANYTHING with his life. He just sits around and doesn’t do anything. (There’s one in every family…)
From wife No. 2, Natasha (deceased 33 years ago):
--Mark (46): doesn’t talk to most of the rest of the family, although Devin and him are kind of close as both really don’t get along with their father. He has a soft spot for kids, so does give his nieces and nephews birthday gifts and has formed somewhat of a mentoring relationship with Jessica. He spent most of his life in Sam Jr.’s shadow, where he could never live up to his father’s expectations. After Sam Jr. died, Mark said a big eff you to his father and quit the Army to join the Medical Corps. He FINALLY got married to a fellow Medic (after a freaking 7 year engagement), and although they don’t have any children of their own, they have adopted of fostered many war orphans. (Our father hates us both, so we get along in that respect. He also doesn’t take crap from anyone, which is refreshing.)
-----Mary Carrol (16): MC is going through an extremely rebellious phase, saying she is going to run away and join Team Midnight, that kind of thing. Mark is nearly at the end of his rope and is thinking of shipping her off to stay with Devin for a while, just so she can see how the world really is. (She’s a cool kid)
-----Jorden (7): Jorden doesn’t remember his birth parents, but is a happy and healthy little boy who runs his parents ragged trying to keep up with him (his toys kept tripping me the last time I visited -_-)
--Juliette (44): Juliette has semi-retired from field work, leaving scouting to younger and, as much as she hates to say it, faster Scpecialists. She is actively involved in training Specialists and scouts, especially females. Juliette’s Jewels are her pet project, a special Squad of only femme fatales who specialize in espionage. Her husband left her for another woman, after which she swore off men forever and is now living quite happily with her girlfriend of almost 10 years. (Juliette has gotten better. Her 40th Birthday bash had to be one of the greatest parties I have ever been to. And I get to make lesbian cracks at her whenever I talk to her)
-----Diana (19): Diana followed her mother’s footsteps and joined the KNA, but on a more secratorial job, much to her mother’s dismay. She is really really good at organization. She tries to tell her mother that its paper that makes the Army run every day, but trying to tell Julie that is almost impossible. (She’s sweet, and handles the paperwork that gets me paid without much fuss about me technically not being a part of the Army)
--Matthew (42): ever since Samuel Sr. retired Matthew has had a chance to actually do what he wants. He is one of the KNA’s top strategists and takes every opportunity to take any mission that takes him away from Lupin Station, as he loves traveling. Matt hasn’t gotten married, but a 20-something vixen from the town has recently set her eyes on Matt. Watch out! (know this girl, and she has definitely been talking to Mom. I think they already have invitations picked out. Me and Matt like talking books together. He also plays a mean game of chess. There’s one game we are still playing over e-mail. I think we’ve been playing for three months now)
--Jared (40): Most of the rest of the family doesn’t talk to Jared very much…He doesn’t really speak to the rest of the family either. It works out. Jared is borderline psychopathic, but the Army needs some people like him to do jobs others can’t. (Jobs the KNA doesn’t want you to know about. But Jared can get the job done, as long as you don’t care how he does it)
--Veronica (39): Drill Sergeant extraordinaire, Veronica has a knack for hammering the most stubborn recruit into shape. She also tries to keep her siblings in line and talking to one another, which is incredibly difficult under even the best circumstances. She has five children with four different fathers and can never seem to keep a man for more than a year or two. Her children are Christopher (11), Charles (9), Cameron (6), Carl (4), Colin (4), and Eric(1). (V is So. Annoying! She sought me out and dragged me back into contact with the rest of the family. I swear, an email every 10 minutes until I gave in and called her)
--Theodore was killed about six years ago by a Pokemorph. His reckless lifestyle caught up to him in a big way. (Let’s just say that Teddy proved why playing chicken with a Rhydon is a Bad Idea) He left behind a son named Aaron, who lives with his mom and just turned 8. (Don’t see Aaron much, but sent him a Ultra Ball for when he gets his first Poke for his last birthday)
--Russ (35) has a wife who he dotes on and 4 kids under 5 (William, Jared, Shelby and Megan). He is Alex’s second in command on his Squad. (Russ is nice for when I just want a strong silent guy to back me up. As long as it doesn’t involve breaking the rules of course)
--Alex (33) is a Squad leader who mainly deals in special ops. He’s really good at strategy. He’s got a girlfriend, but hasn’t introduced her to the family yet (although with so many family members, probably half of us already know her some way or another. Alex is the one who usually comes to me if the KNA wants me to do a job for them. He somehow wheedles me into just about anything. I’m still bailing him out of trouble after all these years).
History:
Hmmm…how to start…(how about the beginning bozo) Hmph, someone is a little cranky! No need to be mean.
So, the beginning! There was a large BANG- (not that far back! Start with a relevant beginning). This is relevant. Just let me talk! (write you mean, write) whatever, write. There was a big BANG and a man threw himself in front of the General of the Kinamoto National Army, taking the hit and saving the General’s life. This is just one of many events in Samuel Maknama’s highly decorated career. He was an up and coming officer, possessing a strategic mind and an unwavering dedication to the cause that bordered on fanatical. Samuel rocketed up the ranks faster than anyone in the past century. Once he reached a sufficiently high rank, Samuel married a local girl, Amelia, as he saw his duty to produce the next generation of KNA soldiers. (one more mark on his checklist for success. He did actually have a checklist. He made it when he was 6. Become an officer. Get married. Have soldier sons. Creepy how close to the list he stayed). The couple’s first child followed soon after and was named Sam Jr. The pregnancy was extremely difficult on Amelia. She was never the same after Sam Junior was born; always weak and falling ill. The couple tried to be safe, not have any more children for Amelia’s sake. But, try as they might, some things just happen. Samuel’s…material…could not be stopped by anything, not even a condom and the pill. Amelia got pregnant again, and even worse, it was twins. This pregnancy was extremely difficult. She was on bedrest for most of it, wasting away. Amelia managed to hold on until full term, then, as soon as her girls were born, Amelia passed peacefully away. The twins were named Sarah and Andrea, as per Amelia’s last wish.
Samuel was sad enough, but marrying Amelia was more of his duty instead of real love. In fact, he got over his grief quite quickly, and looked for another bride. His duty wasn’t through with only a single male child to raise for the Army. Samuel found that woman in Natasha. She was a childhood friend of Samuel’s who shared his devotion to the KNA. She recognized that she would always be second in Samuel’s mind, just as he would be second to the Army in her mind. This worked for the couple. They formed a strong bond that eventually morphed into love. They completed each other, and their system worked. Samuel went off and fought while Natasha raised the next generation of soldiers.
Natasha also happened to be as fertile as Samuel. She came from a long line of Army wives, and was built for breeding strong, healthy children. She had a total of 8 children over 13 years; Mark, Juliette, Matthew, Jared, Veronica, Theodore, Daniel, and Alexander.(she popped them right out) Right after Alexander’s birth Natasha took a walk from which she never returned. She was caught in the path of a herd of rampaging Tauros and was brutally trampled to death. (I suppose she looked just a bit like a Miltank after 8 kids) Dev, that’s just not right. Speaking such a way of the dead (why does she care? She’s dead? I bet she appreciates something to laugh at)
Anyways, back to the story! (finally, I haven’t even been born yet!) Hold your placenta boy, you’ll see the light soon enough. After Natasha died, Samuel Sr. was devastated. The love of his life, his partner for over a decade, was dead and gone. He took a sabbatical, leaving his children in the care of some of his Army friends. Samuel Sr. traveled around Kinamoto, just trying to find purpose now that his love was gone. While in Foxtail Central, Samuel met Kayla, a beautiful tiny thing barely more than a girl. Her joyful attitude and zest of life pulled Samuel kicking and screaming from his depression and out into the light once again. Samuel returned to Lupin Station, new wife in tow. They were 1 month married and Kayla was 4 months pregnant (scandals of all scandals!).
Kayla may have been deeply infatuated with Samuel, but at only 20 years old, she was completely out of her depth raising 11 children, one of whom was only a few months younger than her, and with another on the way. Her free spirit didn’t fair well within the military atmosphere, and her empathy only worsened the matter. She adapted, of course, especially after Devin (FINALLY I AM BORN!)-yes, after Devin was born.
The years passed, the children grew, Kayla got the crash course on how to raise children in a military household. Devin, the star of this story, grew into an intelligent and rebellious five year old who worshipped his eldest brother, Sam Jr. But just as everything was getting into a routine, Sam Jr was killed in combat. The large family was extremely shaken up by this loss. Samuel Sr retreated back into the Army ranks, leaving Kayla to comfort all the children herself. The family saw very little of the father for the next many years. (Didn’t really notice he was gone. With so many siblings, a big sweaty old man really isn’t missed)
Devin and Alex were nearly inseparable all through childhood. They were extremely close brothers, even though they did not share a mother and so Devin had the Foxtail Central ability instead of the camouflaging Lupin Central ability like all his half-siblings. (We didn’t even know we weren’t full brothers until we started learning about our abilities in school). Even though Alex was a year older than Devin, the two still managed to spend every minute not in class in each other’s company. Russ, the next older brother, was also never far from their side. With Russ’s strength, Alex’s imagination, and Devin’s leadership, the threesome wreaked havoc all throughout primary school. But of course, it couldn’t last. Russ went off to the upper level school, and Alex and Devin were left behind. Without Russ’s strength and imposing presence, Devin and Alex had nothing to protect themselves from the bullies they used to torment with pranks and tricks. (stupid thugs can’t take a joke) Devin and Alex only got closer during this time.
But then Alex went off to the upper level school and Devin was left alone (Alone!) for the first time in his life. Alone, without allies (although my niece and nephew were a few years below me in school, but younger didn’t help me against the big bad bully meanies) –You know you sound very juvenile, don’t you? (Deal with it! I was shorter than my niece and nephew, which is really Not Cool when you’re 12) Anyways, Devin spent a very miserable year without allies, working his butt off so he could skip a grade and join Alex in his year so they would never be separated.
Well, Devin succeeded in skipping a year, and joined Alex in the second year of what was basically Army-prep Academy. Taught by old Army vets (more like shouted at all day), they learned strategy, battle techniques, history, and drilled relentlessly on the rules and regulations of the Army. Devin rose to the challenge academically, but chafed at the many rules and restrictions. Far from being applauded like so many of his siblings, Devin was nearly kicked out of the Academy for all the demerits he gained. (And those were only for the things they caught me at *smirksmirk*)
But Devin may have toed the line of dismissal, but he never completely crossed over and made it to graduation. He swore into the Army right along side his half brother Alex. The two were place onto different squads, and the dynamic duo was separated once again.
Devin took this as a challenge and threw all his energy into gaining a sufficiently high enough rank that he could pull strings and put Alex on his squad. Far from his almost lackluster performance at the Academy, Devin was the quintessential Squad member. He still retained his rebelliousness (my uniform was NEVER standard), but now he had a goal, and that goal included not pissing off anyone who could give him a promotion. He rocketed up the ranks, even surpassing his father and brother’s record. During one particular battle, a few Squad leaders were killed, and Devin took over, leading all 5 Squads to victory. This position in control of 5 Squads was made permanent after the mission was completed with flying colors. Devin even managed to pull some strings and put Alex in charge of a Squad under his purview. (Alex got into WAY too much trouble without me there to talk him out of some of his more *coughcough* insane *coughcough* ideas)
Devin faired quite well during the Crusades and gained a lot of renown because, well, he was GOOD at killing Pokemorphs. His empathy made it difficult in some respects (dying people feel very loudly), but also gave him supreme communication with his Pokemon and an understanding of human emotions that gave him insight probable enemy movements.
Devin reveled in creating order from the chaos. He liked gaining control of a swirling mass of fighting and death. He worked closely with his many siblings in the Army, winning many battles and gaining much renown.
The Crusades settled somewhat, and then the Event occurred. In the days shortly after the Crusades, Alex’s squad was given the task of wheedling out any remaining Pokemorph guerilla fighters. Devin caught wind of an ambush, and, completely ignoring direct orders to let it happen, he rushed to his brother’s defense with his squad. His squad was almost all killed along with most of Alex’s, and Devin was severely injured. Alex survived unscathed.
Devin was rushed back to Headquarters where the medics tried to heal him, but Devin was left blinded. Disabled and having disobeyed a direct order, Devin was dishonorably discharged from the Army and disowned by his father. As soon as he was healthy, Devin was dumped in Bergamot with a few possessions and his Pokemon with no way of returning to the Army.
He spent most of the next few months drinking away his savings until he passed out on a certain doorstep. This doorstep belonged to Hitomi, a member of Team Midnight. She took him in (no idea why), and gave him a place to stay. I won’t say that she helped him any, she merely made fun of him until Devin dragged himself out of the alcohol haze enough to give as good as he got. (Stupid woman liked blasting music every single Arceus-bedamned morning). Once Devin had recovered sufficiently from his self-destructive spiral, the fireworks really began. Hitomi and Devin did not make very good roommates. After yet another noise ordinance from the neighbors after an especially spectacular verbal war, Devin found out a few things about his roommate. One, Hitomi was Pokemorph-blooded, from Allium Cove. Two, Hitomi was a member of Team Midnight, the ENEMY.
Now, Devin did not like feeling inferior, especially not to Hitomi. They got into a bit of a brawl about Devin being just a rotten drunk who’d never amount to anything since he just sat on his ass and griped all day. Devin blurted out that he was a former member of the KNA, Hitomi freaked since they were the enemy, threw Devin out (I LEFT! She did NOT throw me out), and the two basically swore to never talk to each other again.
Devin began traveling, something he had always wanted to do after hearing his mother’s stories all his life (the Crusades didn’t count as traveling. Nothing ruins tourist attractions like fighting for your life). He’s still traveling aimlessly, and has met many interesting people. Just ask for some travel stories and he could keep you there for hours.
Sample Post:
Devin nearly laughed out loud when Skie accused him of having something to do with the smuggling. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but the girl had it all wrong. He knew those smugglers were stupid enough to get caught, but he didn’t think they would bring his name into it. He didn’t think they would be that suicidal.
“Those fucking pricks,” he said quietly, giving a nearly silent chuckle. Cerb gave a growl to the side, recognizing Devin’s plan. “They went out and got themselves caught, and had the nerve to drop my name to the cops? What cowards, what pussies.” He gave a dark grin, seductive, yet promising wonderful things if Skie would only take his offer. “Give me five minutes with them and I can have them whining like the fucking cowards they really are.”
But then his entire demeanor lightened, and it was difficult to believe that this was the same Devin who had served in Pravus for 3 years during the height of the war. “Don’t worry Miss Loon, Mr. McAllister, I had nothing to do with those criminals. You will find that my record is spotless; you do-gooders haven’t been able to even peg me with a selling alcohol to minors charge yet.” The unspoken not for lack of trying echoed around the room. Devin was testing them, Kaine especially, trying to see what they knew about him, and what they could pick up from the subtext of a conversation.
But Devin wasn’t about to let the Rangers walk away with nothing, he did not like the fact that those pussies had dropped his name. “I can give you the descriptions of their accomplishes, and a few scraps of paper from their meetings, but at least some of their members were smart. They mostly used handsigns and wrote things down instead of saying them aloud. Illusion caught a glimpse of some of their papers, but she didn’t know the code. I think I do; a few of the symbols Illusion described to me sound like a code that was indicative of Pravus about 5 years ago.” Devin didn’t say how he knew Pravus codes, wanting to see if the Rangers could put two and two together and get five instead of four.
He traced random designs on the table with one finger, seeming to stare off into the distance. “As for descriptions…” his sightless grey eyes closed in concentration and his voice once again changed, sounding like he was reading off a list. “Moe, Curly, and Larry. You got Curly Q and Larry, better known as Hammer and Shark to their cronies, known to their mothers as Robert F. Gilher Jr. and Christoph H. Spiton. Larry was a Pravus Grunt before he was kicked out for poor performance 3 years ago where he joined up with Curly aboard the Remoorian Steamer Wingull. As you may well remember, said steamer was suspected in a series of smuggling oriented warrants issued later that year, but nothing was ever proven, and no charges were filed. Between you and me, the investigating officers were paid a hefty sum to keep their traps zipped.” Devin paused, collecting his thoughts for the next person on the hit list.
“Now for Moe, Moe is in a completely different league than Curly and Larry. Much smarter, he’s the one who always mediates the discussions and enforces the silence around the table whenever I am working the bar. Real name? I can’t help you very much there, but I do know he is probably a member of the Pravus Naval Division, maybe even as high up as Lieutenant, give or take a rank or three. Among his people, he is known as Shark.” Devin once again bared his teeth, the predatory urge growing inside as he received a mental sending from Illusion. But instead of allowing the Rangers in on his little secret, he decided to keep going, divulging the information he already possessed. “Moe is 6’3”, about 250 pounds, mostly muscle, wears jeans and steel toed boots. He has 5 Pokemon, unknown as to what they are, but at least three are water-types, judging by the scent of salt water around him. He is likely from Johto originally, but from the accent I’m guessing he lived in North Remoor for at least a decade or more. Moe drinks shots, two rapid fire, as soon as he sits down, then one every hour on the dot from then on out.” Devin gave a satisfied smirk, opening his eyes at the end of his rapid-fire information vomit.
Devin leaned closer, not quite finished, still annoyed at Skie’s challenge and threat. His intimidating glare and menacing leer were not hampered at all by the fact that his gaze was just slightly off center, more focused on her eyebrows than actual eyes. “Any more questions Miss Loon? There’s a few rats in my bar that I must exterminate if you are through with playing detective.”
Alias: Schwimm
Other Characters: He’s my first *giggle*
Planned Activity: …If I’m not online every day Violet will stalk me and hunt me down
Basic Character Information
Name: Devin Maknama (Remember the name)
Nicknames: Dev, Army Brat, the Blind Dude, that Jerk (Sexy Beast), Another Maknama!?!?!?!
Gender: Male (Hells Yeah)
Age: 32
Alliance: His mindset is somewhat neutral, but he has very close ties to the Kinamoto National Army (Veeeeeery close. Like awkwardly close)
Job: Trainer, part time Specialist for the KNA (Who can resist Alex’s puppy dog eyes? Not me-and I’m not ashamed to say so. Even if you can’t see it he gets this little catch in his voice and you just know you will give in)
Species: Human (But knowing my dad sometimes I wonder…)
Personality Information
Persona Description:
The first thing you have to know about Devin is that he is extremely intelligent, a bit of a dork actually (Am not!). He can wax nearly poetic for hours about the subtle nuances of Houndoom pack hierarchy, or about the ramifications of the Absol’s ability to sense impending natural disasters on their public image throughout history (its actually quite interesting, especially once you take into account the relative frequency of years of war versus years of peace-) I’m falling asleep here Devin, just let me do the talking! (But its interesting!) I know, but these people really don’t give a shit about it. (People who don’t want to learn will never get anywhere in life) I’m quite interested, but we’re supposed to be talking about your sparkly personality (my personality is quite glittery-hey, that makes me sound gay, doesn’t it?)
Speaking of sthpark-el-ing! (Stop it!) Devin is waaay metro *floppy wrist* he likes being clean and pretty (I’m not that bad!) No, he’s actually not that bad. Devin is very confident in his sexuality and open to just about anything. He has a really really dirty mind, so ‘anything’ includes an extremely wide range of partners, positions, and kinks (I draw the line at bestiality and feet. Feet are really dirty, walking on the ground all day. Really sweaty to. Taste like salt)…didn’t really need to know that. So, anyways, back to the gayness (not really flamboyant, just open. Being picky just limits your options. Spread the love, some people aren’t as lucky as I to be so…delectable) Did I say he’s very sure of himself? (Yes) As soon as he enters the room, he snags you attention and holds it, despite his diminutive stature. Devin is extremely confident, almost self-centered, but that self-centeredness has to be expanded to include his family and Pokemon. He cares about no one but his family and Pokemon. The rest of the world could jump into a randomly appearing void that travels to a world of zombies and creepily chanting Unown all ruled over by a snakey-lion thing. Devin’s family is everything to him. If one of them is in trouble, he will drop everything and come to their aid.
Speaking of Devin’s family, his extremely large number of relatives has shaped his personality very obviously. He cannot stand silences, or being alone. Even if it’s just a Pokemon or three, Devin is never alone, and he is always moving, talking, whistling, singing, making some kind of noise. He’s like a little kid with a sugar high sometimes; can’t sit still for a minute. This is partially because of his blindness-sound is very important to his world now. (don’t forget touch!) yes, touch as well; Devin is very touchy feely affectionate. Sometimes it’s just to get a rise out of someone, but other times a slight brush of the fingertips can give that extra information that help him stay in control of the conversation.
Its not that Devin is manipulative, it’s just that he likes being in control. Chaos is beautiful, as long as Devin is the one controlling the chaos. And he is GOOD at it. He has a tremendous insight into human emotions and the way people act. Sometimes he treats people like test subjects, trying to hone his manipulation techniques. A little nudge there, a seemingly innocuous comment here…its amazing how easy it is to make people react in a certain way. Some might think this heartless, and yes, it is pretty cold-blooded, but hey, I guess everyone’s got hobbies. (Gotta get my kicks somewhere, right?)
But with this insight into human nature come a drawback. Devin is extremely cynical. He knows how people lie to themselves and to others, sometimes without any reason at all. He has witnessed the dregs of society (and broken new ground down there, new lows to which a person can aspire). Devin enjoys crushing the spirits of the eternally optimistic-‘expect the best and be disappointed, expect the worst and be surprised.’ This might seem mean, but who ever said that Devin was a nice person? He’s not by any stretch of the words. He is unsympathetic, sometimes cruel, sarcastic, couldn’t give a flying fuck about people’s sensibilities, queasiness (I have an iron stomach!) or personal space issues. When he fights, Devin does so mercilessly. He has no problem pummeling a little Cleffa’s face into the ground over and over again, especially if it happens on one of his Bad Days. He is not a Prince Charming, come on a white steed to whisk the damsel in distress away from danger. If you are not willing to help yourself, Devin is more likely to make your situation worse and laugh at you than to help you.
Fear not! All is not lost! Devin is not the most horrible person on the planet! He may have absolutely NO patience for complaining, stupidity, pity, passiveness, pacifists, weaklings, shrill voices, morning people, annoying people, politicians, people in power….did I forget anything? (naïve people?) Oh yeah, naïveté pisses him off. But still, he’s not horrible I swear! Devin might not admit it to anyone, but he is a bit of an idealist. He ALWAYS roots for the underdog, and people who refuse to give up no matter the odds have a special place in his heart. They remind him of himself. Devin is as stubborn as a mule, and almost as contrary. He has a teeny tiny itty bitty problem with authority and rules (just a little). He cannot stand being told what to do. (Those rules are just begging to be broken. Its so satisfying to find some loophole the pompous rule-makers failed to cover). Indeed, Devin’s time in the Army resulted in the uniform regulations quadrupling in number (They didn’t specify how many buttons, so two little tiny ones near the bottom to show off my perfect chest totally filled every letter of the uniform regs) I’m sure. That poor female Lieutenant had to go have a lie down after you showed up in those ripped pants (it never said that the PANTS had to be whole, just that the ‘armor had to be in good repair’) Whatever you say mister…
Devin does suffer from an itsy bitsy teenie tiny eenie weenie
Likes:
Being alone (people are stupid), fighting (I’m a guy, get used to it), good music (not that rap shit), Pokemon (yes, even the cute fluffy ones…I blame the empathy), intelligent conversation (key word is INTELLIGENT!)
Dislikes:
people who try and help him when he doesn’t need it (people who do so should be carted out into the woods and shot), pity (try it and you will be carted out into the ocean and shot), people who can’t help themselves (should be carted out into the mountains and shot), naivety-stupid people annoy him (people are inherently complete idiots and should be carted out to the library and shot), stupid tree roots out to trip the blind person (should be carted out into the desert and shot…yes that works), there’s never enough Braille books (publishers should be carted out into the swamp and shot), loud thinkers (they shout, so they should be carted into a sound proof-room and shot)
Fears:
Being help-MPH! *bound gagged and shoved into a closet* (I’m not afraid of anything!) Me: MPH! (Does this section really have to be filled out?) Me: Mph *glare* (*whines* Guess I have to…she’s threatening me! Whatever. Scared of those happy peppy people who are always hyper and happy and loud and bright and UGH! Their bright sunny cheerfulness hurts my eyes-and yes that totally works-and scaredofbeinglockedaloneinthedarkallaloneandhelpless and no I’m not afraid of anything)
Hobbies:
Reading, listening to music, fighting with or without Pokemon (yes I am a guy and yes I’m an Army brat. Get used to it), reading, wandering aimlessly wherever the wind takes him (its called orienteering, a perfectly respectable hobby), reading, sarcastic quips (is so a hobby), and did I say reading? He’s such a dork (I am not a dork! I just appreciate information)
Appearance Information
Height: 5’4” (Yes I’m short…deal with it)
Weight: 135 (It’s all muscle I tell you)
Body Type: Short, lean and (sexy, you know it) I didn’t say that! (You meant it)
Skin Tone: Tan (I tan, I don’t burn-it’s kind of convenient. I save lots of money on sunscreen. And no I’m not going to get skin cancer)
Hair: Black, shortish, spiky, and pretty messy (but a stylish messy. So what if I forget to cut it for a few extra weeks. Doesn’t matter if it gets in my eyes, and girls love to mess with it and finger comb it.) He purrs (No I don’t!)
Eyes: Greyish, slightly angular (Yes I am pretty, get over it), and yes, the pupils do react to light, but no, none of that information makes it to the brain. He’s blind, but the eyes still work. It’s the brain part that doesn’t. You could say that he’s brain damaged (That’s technically true but has such negative connotations…)
Scars/Tattoos/Piercings: Devin has several marks on his body. He was quite a reckless youth, which got him into a lot of trouble with his father and his commanding officers. Included in this are several piercings, a few on each ear, a nose piercing, and eyebrow. He tried the lip piercing but it got in the way during important activities (my girlfriend hated it) so he let it heal. Now, he doesn’t wear most of the piercings anymore, but the holes are still there if you look closely. He does wear a single silver hoop in one ear. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass which ear. He’s just as likely to wear it in the right as he is in the left.
As far as scars go, Devin is relatively unmarked by major blemishes. He’s got a few from military training-it’s to be expected, and Devin was not the most careful of children when playing as a child so there’s the expected old scars on the knees and elbows (boys will be boys…I can’t believe I just said that. So cliché). A few scorch marks, slashes, superficial marks from battling Pokemorphs and Pokemon (blasted Skuntanks shoot fire from BOTH ends. I learned that the hard way). There is one scar of note. On the back of his head, hidden by his hair, is a long thin scar, completely unnoticeable unless you part his hair or feel for it. This is from the Injury. Yes, the Injury. The only one that matters for the long term. The one that permanently blinded him. Yeah, don’t ask. (*silence*)
Clothing:
Devin likes wearing black (it matches anything) as well as other darker, solid colors. His clothes are always clean and well-fitting-he has yet to lose that habit after years in the Army. His clothes may be clean, but Devin has a way of looking like he just came from an extremely hot and steamy make out session-so sexily disheveled. The top button of any shirt is always undone, sometimes the second as well, but it is oh so easy to imagine ripping that shirt right off his back (You’re drooling, did you know that?) Shut up delicious-man. You are my toy to fantasize about.
Devin has that extremely annoying ability to look good in just about everything, and he wears almost anything. (Veronica complained that I looked better in her prom dress than she did. Yes, I do own a kilt). He might have just rolled out of bed, but the confidence he excludes makes you think that every wrinkle and crease in his sweatpants was placed there purposefully. (Its called the just fucked look, you wouldn’t recognize that, would you?) That was mean Devvy! ;_;
He prefers comfort and functionality, yet manages to look fashionable at the same time. Jeans and a T-shirt, maybe a button down shirt over top or a zippered hoodie, completed by a leather belt and a pair of battered Converse shoes are his traveling outfit. He can get formal for a dinner with the family, but will NEVER wear a tie, and usually throws in a brightly colored belt just to throw people off (they can’t mention anything because they don’t know if its on purpose or by accident *snicker*)
Any outfit is never complete without a Pokemon lounging about on Devin’s shoulders of scampering by his side.
Devin still has his old KNA uniform, even though he has been dishonorably discharged. MAN does he look good in uniform! His uniform isn’t quite standard; he’s had a few things altered, including a stylized Absol on one sleeve and an extra slash or three of color on the legs.
Other:
Devin likes his accessories, including but not limited to handcuffs in place of wallet chains, spiked collars, an elegant silver chain with a pendant of the Roman numerals for 12, XII, earrings galore, sunglasses of every shape, size, and color, and even a few baseball caps. Out of this eclectic group of accessories, Devin’s favorite has to be his sunglasses collection. After he was blinded, he got sick and tired of his siblings making such a big deal out of it that he got himself a pair of those ‘mad-scientist’ glasses, complete with holographic swirls on the lenses. His siblings got the message. Now, a holiday can’t go by without him getting another pair of wacky sunglasses. A few jewels of his collection: literal beer bottle glasses, the ones with the pop-out eyes, pink with pineapples, and sexy black rhinestone studded ones. (I Wear Sunglasses At Night. And look damn sexy)
Devin has a large collection of weird belt buckles as well. From a marijuana leaf to a downward facing arrow, the collection isn’t as extensive as his sunglasses collection, but it is much raunchier. He might have to dress up like a buffoon sometimes, but beware you check his belt before all the little nieces and nephews ask what the ‘blue balls’ belt buckle of Uncle Devin means.
Dev is blind, and so uses a telescoping cane much of the time. But don’t call it a cane. It is his stick. Do not call it anything else. (And yes ladies, it is That Long)
Background Information
Hometown: Lupin Central, but lets people believe he’s from Foxtail
Family: Hold on, there’s a lot of them
Father: Samuel Sr. (75) is now retired from the Army, but is often consulted in strategic matters. He stays at home, lets Kayla baby him, and is improving his golf game tremendously.
Mother: Kayla (52) is as spry and as free as ever. She rediscovered her spirit after most of the kids moved out of the house and Samuel Sr. retired. She likes being pampered and has developed into an extremely good cook. Most of the upper echelon of KNA officers come up with any excuse to have dinner at the Maknama house.
Now for the siblings and nieces and nephews:
From Amelia (deceased), wife number 1:
--Sam Jr. (deceased 27 years ago at age 25)
--Andrea (48): married, classic Army wife, just waiting for her first grandchild to be born (she is the worst mother-in-law), works designing and sewing Army uniforms. Devin finds both Andrea and Sarah ok in small doses, but outright annoying in anything longer than about an hour. (They insist on helping me with EVERYTHING. And gripe about my clothes. I like black)
-----Carrie (29): married a store clerk in the town who absolutely dotes on her. They have one child, a girl name Catherine, who recently celebrated her sixth birthday. Is pregnant with her second child. (I send her a Christmas card, but that’s about it. We went to school together for a few years, but never were too close)
-----Johnathan (25): Squad member and avid surfer, looks forward to working his way up through the naval sector of the KNA. (Good to party with, but its kind of awkward to party with your nephew)
-----Jessica (17): Momma’s little girl, should be completely spoiled, but is actually quite kind and generous. Is looking into internships in the Medical Corps. (I like her. She talks to me if Andrea is being too overbearing)
--Sarah (48): widow of 7 years, also the epitome of Army wife, moved in with her sister after he husband died, also works in designing and repairing Army uniforms (she is great at getting bloodstains out of any kind of fabric).
-----Henry (28): Breeds Pokemon for the new recruits after a training accident left him with a bad back. Is a single dad to twin little girls, Anna and Hannah, age 3. His wife ran off with a rich guy from Bergamont 2 years ago. He has mellowed out quite a bit. (Ummm…not much to say. His girls are kinda cute, but the last time I met them they were still teething, and I was their favorite chew toy)
-----Andrew (22): He is still living at home. Has yet to really do ANYTHING with his life. He just sits around and doesn’t do anything. (There’s one in every family…)
From wife No. 2, Natasha (deceased 33 years ago):
--Mark (46): doesn’t talk to most of the rest of the family, although Devin and him are kind of close as both really don’t get along with their father. He has a soft spot for kids, so does give his nieces and nephews birthday gifts and has formed somewhat of a mentoring relationship with Jessica. He spent most of his life in Sam Jr.’s shadow, where he could never live up to his father’s expectations. After Sam Jr. died, Mark said a big eff you to his father and quit the Army to join the Medical Corps. He FINALLY got married to a fellow Medic (after a freaking 7 year engagement), and although they don’t have any children of their own, they have adopted of fostered many war orphans. (Our father hates us both, so we get along in that respect. He also doesn’t take crap from anyone, which is refreshing.)
-----Mary Carrol (16): MC is going through an extremely rebellious phase, saying she is going to run away and join Team Midnight, that kind of thing. Mark is nearly at the end of his rope and is thinking of shipping her off to stay with Devin for a while, just so she can see how the world really is. (She’s a cool kid)
-----Jorden (7): Jorden doesn’t remember his birth parents, but is a happy and healthy little boy who runs his parents ragged trying to keep up with him (his toys kept tripping me the last time I visited -_-)
--Juliette (44): Juliette has semi-retired from field work, leaving scouting to younger and, as much as she hates to say it, faster Scpecialists. She is actively involved in training Specialists and scouts, especially females. Juliette’s Jewels are her pet project, a special Squad of only femme fatales who specialize in espionage. Her husband left her for another woman, after which she swore off men forever and is now living quite happily with her girlfriend of almost 10 years. (Juliette has gotten better. Her 40th Birthday bash had to be one of the greatest parties I have ever been to. And I get to make lesbian cracks at her whenever I talk to her)
-----Diana (19): Diana followed her mother’s footsteps and joined the KNA, but on a more secratorial job, much to her mother’s dismay. She is really really good at organization. She tries to tell her mother that its paper that makes the Army run every day, but trying to tell Julie that is almost impossible. (She’s sweet, and handles the paperwork that gets me paid without much fuss about me technically not being a part of the Army)
--Matthew (42): ever since Samuel Sr. retired Matthew has had a chance to actually do what he wants. He is one of the KNA’s top strategists and takes every opportunity to take any mission that takes him away from Lupin Station, as he loves traveling. Matt hasn’t gotten married, but a 20-something vixen from the town has recently set her eyes on Matt. Watch out! (know this girl, and she has definitely been talking to Mom. I think they already have invitations picked out. Me and Matt like talking books together. He also plays a mean game of chess. There’s one game we are still playing over e-mail. I think we’ve been playing for three months now)
--Jared (40): Most of the rest of the family doesn’t talk to Jared very much…He doesn’t really speak to the rest of the family either. It works out. Jared is borderline psychopathic, but the Army needs some people like him to do jobs others can’t. (Jobs the KNA doesn’t want you to know about. But Jared can get the job done, as long as you don’t care how he does it)
--Veronica (39): Drill Sergeant extraordinaire, Veronica has a knack for hammering the most stubborn recruit into shape. She also tries to keep her siblings in line and talking to one another, which is incredibly difficult under even the best circumstances. She has five children with four different fathers and can never seem to keep a man for more than a year or two. Her children are Christopher (11), Charles (9), Cameron (6), Carl (4), Colin (4), and Eric(1). (V is So. Annoying! She sought me out and dragged me back into contact with the rest of the family. I swear, an email every 10 minutes until I gave in and called her)
--Theodore was killed about six years ago by a Pokemorph. His reckless lifestyle caught up to him in a big way. (Let’s just say that Teddy proved why playing chicken with a Rhydon is a Bad Idea) He left behind a son named Aaron, who lives with his mom and just turned 8. (Don’t see Aaron much, but sent him a Ultra Ball for when he gets his first Poke for his last birthday)
--Russ (35) has a wife who he dotes on and 4 kids under 5 (William, Jared, Shelby and Megan). He is Alex’s second in command on his Squad. (Russ is nice for when I just want a strong silent guy to back me up. As long as it doesn’t involve breaking the rules of course)
--Alex (33) is a Squad leader who mainly deals in special ops. He’s really good at strategy. He’s got a girlfriend, but hasn’t introduced her to the family yet (although with so many family members, probably half of us already know her some way or another. Alex is the one who usually comes to me if the KNA wants me to do a job for them. He somehow wheedles me into just about anything. I’m still bailing him out of trouble after all these years).
History:
Hmmm…how to start…(how about the beginning bozo) Hmph, someone is a little cranky! No need to be mean.
So, the beginning! There was a large BANG- (not that far back! Start with a relevant beginning). This is relevant. Just let me talk! (write you mean, write) whatever, write. There was a big BANG and a man threw himself in front of the General of the Kinamoto National Army, taking the hit and saving the General’s life. This is just one of many events in Samuel Maknama’s highly decorated career. He was an up and coming officer, possessing a strategic mind and an unwavering dedication to the cause that bordered on fanatical. Samuel rocketed up the ranks faster than anyone in the past century. Once he reached a sufficiently high rank, Samuel married a local girl, Amelia, as he saw his duty to produce the next generation of KNA soldiers. (one more mark on his checklist for success. He did actually have a checklist. He made it when he was 6. Become an officer. Get married. Have soldier sons. Creepy how close to the list he stayed). The couple’s first child followed soon after and was named Sam Jr. The pregnancy was extremely difficult on Amelia. She was never the same after Sam Junior was born; always weak and falling ill. The couple tried to be safe, not have any more children for Amelia’s sake. But, try as they might, some things just happen. Samuel’s…material…could not be stopped by anything, not even a condom and the pill. Amelia got pregnant again, and even worse, it was twins. This pregnancy was extremely difficult. She was on bedrest for most of it, wasting away. Amelia managed to hold on until full term, then, as soon as her girls were born, Amelia passed peacefully away. The twins were named Sarah and Andrea, as per Amelia’s last wish.
Samuel was sad enough, but marrying Amelia was more of his duty instead of real love. In fact, he got over his grief quite quickly, and looked for another bride. His duty wasn’t through with only a single male child to raise for the Army. Samuel found that woman in Natasha. She was a childhood friend of Samuel’s who shared his devotion to the KNA. She recognized that she would always be second in Samuel’s mind, just as he would be second to the Army in her mind. This worked for the couple. They formed a strong bond that eventually morphed into love. They completed each other, and their system worked. Samuel went off and fought while Natasha raised the next generation of soldiers.
Natasha also happened to be as fertile as Samuel. She came from a long line of Army wives, and was built for breeding strong, healthy children. She had a total of 8 children over 13 years; Mark, Juliette, Matthew, Jared, Veronica, Theodore, Daniel, and Alexander.(she popped them right out) Right after Alexander’s birth Natasha took a walk from which she never returned. She was caught in the path of a herd of rampaging Tauros and was brutally trampled to death. (I suppose she looked just a bit like a Miltank after 8 kids) Dev, that’s just not right. Speaking such a way of the dead (why does she care? She’s dead? I bet she appreciates something to laugh at)
Anyways, back to the story! (finally, I haven’t even been born yet!) Hold your placenta boy, you’ll see the light soon enough. After Natasha died, Samuel Sr. was devastated. The love of his life, his partner for over a decade, was dead and gone. He took a sabbatical, leaving his children in the care of some of his Army friends. Samuel Sr. traveled around Kinamoto, just trying to find purpose now that his love was gone. While in Foxtail Central, Samuel met Kayla, a beautiful tiny thing barely more than a girl. Her joyful attitude and zest of life pulled Samuel kicking and screaming from his depression and out into the light once again. Samuel returned to Lupin Station, new wife in tow. They were 1 month married and Kayla was 4 months pregnant (scandals of all scandals!).
Kayla may have been deeply infatuated with Samuel, but at only 20 years old, she was completely out of her depth raising 11 children, one of whom was only a few months younger than her, and with another on the way. Her free spirit didn’t fair well within the military atmosphere, and her empathy only worsened the matter. She adapted, of course, especially after Devin (FINALLY I AM BORN!)-yes, after Devin was born.
The years passed, the children grew, Kayla got the crash course on how to raise children in a military household. Devin, the star of this story, grew into an intelligent and rebellious five year old who worshipped his eldest brother, Sam Jr. But just as everything was getting into a routine, Sam Jr was killed in combat. The large family was extremely shaken up by this loss. Samuel Sr retreated back into the Army ranks, leaving Kayla to comfort all the children herself. The family saw very little of the father for the next many years. (Didn’t really notice he was gone. With so many siblings, a big sweaty old man really isn’t missed)
Devin and Alex were nearly inseparable all through childhood. They were extremely close brothers, even though they did not share a mother and so Devin had the Foxtail Central ability instead of the camouflaging Lupin Central ability like all his half-siblings. (We didn’t even know we weren’t full brothers until we started learning about our abilities in school). Even though Alex was a year older than Devin, the two still managed to spend every minute not in class in each other’s company. Russ, the next older brother, was also never far from their side. With Russ’s strength, Alex’s imagination, and Devin’s leadership, the threesome wreaked havoc all throughout primary school. But of course, it couldn’t last. Russ went off to the upper level school, and Alex and Devin were left behind. Without Russ’s strength and imposing presence, Devin and Alex had nothing to protect themselves from the bullies they used to torment with pranks and tricks. (stupid thugs can’t take a joke) Devin and Alex only got closer during this time.
But then Alex went off to the upper level school and Devin was left alone (Alone!) for the first time in his life. Alone, without allies (although my niece and nephew were a few years below me in school, but younger didn’t help me against the big bad bully meanies) –You know you sound very juvenile, don’t you? (Deal with it! I was shorter than my niece and nephew, which is really Not Cool when you’re 12) Anyways, Devin spent a very miserable year without allies, working his butt off so he could skip a grade and join Alex in his year so they would never be separated.
Well, Devin succeeded in skipping a year, and joined Alex in the second year of what was basically Army-prep Academy. Taught by old Army vets (more like shouted at all day), they learned strategy, battle techniques, history, and drilled relentlessly on the rules and regulations of the Army. Devin rose to the challenge academically, but chafed at the many rules and restrictions. Far from being applauded like so many of his siblings, Devin was nearly kicked out of the Academy for all the demerits he gained. (And those were only for the things they caught me at *smirksmirk*)
But Devin may have toed the line of dismissal, but he never completely crossed over and made it to graduation. He swore into the Army right along side his half brother Alex. The two were place onto different squads, and the dynamic duo was separated once again.
Devin took this as a challenge and threw all his energy into gaining a sufficiently high enough rank that he could pull strings and put Alex on his squad. Far from his almost lackluster performance at the Academy, Devin was the quintessential Squad member. He still retained his rebelliousness (my uniform was NEVER standard), but now he had a goal, and that goal included not pissing off anyone who could give him a promotion. He rocketed up the ranks, even surpassing his father and brother’s record. During one particular battle, a few Squad leaders were killed, and Devin took over, leading all 5 Squads to victory. This position in control of 5 Squads was made permanent after the mission was completed with flying colors. Devin even managed to pull some strings and put Alex in charge of a Squad under his purview. (Alex got into WAY too much trouble without me there to talk him out of some of his more *coughcough* insane *coughcough* ideas)
Devin faired quite well during the Crusades and gained a lot of renown because, well, he was GOOD at killing Pokemorphs. His empathy made it difficult in some respects (dying people feel very loudly), but also gave him supreme communication with his Pokemon and an understanding of human emotions that gave him insight probable enemy movements.
Devin reveled in creating order from the chaos. He liked gaining control of a swirling mass of fighting and death. He worked closely with his many siblings in the Army, winning many battles and gaining much renown.
The Crusades settled somewhat, and then the Event occurred. In the days shortly after the Crusades, Alex’s squad was given the task of wheedling out any remaining Pokemorph guerilla fighters. Devin caught wind of an ambush, and, completely ignoring direct orders to let it happen, he rushed to his brother’s defense with his squad. His squad was almost all killed along with most of Alex’s, and Devin was severely injured. Alex survived unscathed.
Devin was rushed back to Headquarters where the medics tried to heal him, but Devin was left blinded. Disabled and having disobeyed a direct order, Devin was dishonorably discharged from the Army and disowned by his father. As soon as he was healthy, Devin was dumped in Bergamot with a few possessions and his Pokemon with no way of returning to the Army.
He spent most of the next few months drinking away his savings until he passed out on a certain doorstep. This doorstep belonged to Hitomi, a member of Team Midnight. She took him in (no idea why), and gave him a place to stay. I won’t say that she helped him any, she merely made fun of him until Devin dragged himself out of the alcohol haze enough to give as good as he got. (Stupid woman liked blasting music every single Arceus-bedamned morning). Once Devin had recovered sufficiently from his self-destructive spiral, the fireworks really began. Hitomi and Devin did not make very good roommates. After yet another noise ordinance from the neighbors after an especially spectacular verbal war, Devin found out a few things about his roommate. One, Hitomi was Pokemorph-blooded, from Allium Cove. Two, Hitomi was a member of Team Midnight, the ENEMY.
Now, Devin did not like feeling inferior, especially not to Hitomi. They got into a bit of a brawl about Devin being just a rotten drunk who’d never amount to anything since he just sat on his ass and griped all day. Devin blurted out that he was a former member of the KNA, Hitomi freaked since they were the enemy, threw Devin out (I LEFT! She did NOT throw me out), and the two basically swore to never talk to each other again.
Devin began traveling, something he had always wanted to do after hearing his mother’s stories all his life (the Crusades didn’t count as traveling. Nothing ruins tourist attractions like fighting for your life). He’s still traveling aimlessly, and has met many interesting people. Just ask for some travel stories and he could keep you there for hours.
Sample Post:
Devin nearly laughed out loud when Skie accused him of having something to do with the smuggling. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but the girl had it all wrong. He knew those smugglers were stupid enough to get caught, but he didn’t think they would bring his name into it. He didn’t think they would be that suicidal.
“Those fucking pricks,” he said quietly, giving a nearly silent chuckle. Cerb gave a growl to the side, recognizing Devin’s plan. “They went out and got themselves caught, and had the nerve to drop my name to the cops? What cowards, what pussies.” He gave a dark grin, seductive, yet promising wonderful things if Skie would only take his offer. “Give me five minutes with them and I can have them whining like the fucking cowards they really are.”
But then his entire demeanor lightened, and it was difficult to believe that this was the same Devin who had served in Pravus for 3 years during the height of the war. “Don’t worry Miss Loon, Mr. McAllister, I had nothing to do with those criminals. You will find that my record is spotless; you do-gooders haven’t been able to even peg me with a selling alcohol to minors charge yet.” The unspoken not for lack of trying echoed around the room. Devin was testing them, Kaine especially, trying to see what they knew about him, and what they could pick up from the subtext of a conversation.
But Devin wasn’t about to let the Rangers walk away with nothing, he did not like the fact that those pussies had dropped his name. “I can give you the descriptions of their accomplishes, and a few scraps of paper from their meetings, but at least some of their members were smart. They mostly used handsigns and wrote things down instead of saying them aloud. Illusion caught a glimpse of some of their papers, but she didn’t know the code. I think I do; a few of the symbols Illusion described to me sound like a code that was indicative of Pravus about 5 years ago.” Devin didn’t say how he knew Pravus codes, wanting to see if the Rangers could put two and two together and get five instead of four.
He traced random designs on the table with one finger, seeming to stare off into the distance. “As for descriptions…” his sightless grey eyes closed in concentration and his voice once again changed, sounding like he was reading off a list. “Moe, Curly, and Larry. You got Curly Q and Larry, better known as Hammer and Shark to their cronies, known to their mothers as Robert F. Gilher Jr. and Christoph H. Spiton. Larry was a Pravus Grunt before he was kicked out for poor performance 3 years ago where he joined up with Curly aboard the Remoorian Steamer Wingull. As you may well remember, said steamer was suspected in a series of smuggling oriented warrants issued later that year, but nothing was ever proven, and no charges were filed. Between you and me, the investigating officers were paid a hefty sum to keep their traps zipped.” Devin paused, collecting his thoughts for the next person on the hit list.
“Now for Moe, Moe is in a completely different league than Curly and Larry. Much smarter, he’s the one who always mediates the discussions and enforces the silence around the table whenever I am working the bar. Real name? I can’t help you very much there, but I do know he is probably a member of the Pravus Naval Division, maybe even as high up as Lieutenant, give or take a rank or three. Among his people, he is known as Shark.” Devin once again bared his teeth, the predatory urge growing inside as he received a mental sending from Illusion. But instead of allowing the Rangers in on his little secret, he decided to keep going, divulging the information he already possessed. “Moe is 6’3”, about 250 pounds, mostly muscle, wears jeans and steel toed boots. He has 5 Pokemon, unknown as to what they are, but at least three are water-types, judging by the scent of salt water around him. He is likely from Johto originally, but from the accent I’m guessing he lived in North Remoor for at least a decade or more. Moe drinks shots, two rapid fire, as soon as he sits down, then one every hour on the dot from then on out.” Devin gave a satisfied smirk, opening his eyes at the end of his rapid-fire information vomit.
Devin leaned closer, not quite finished, still annoyed at Skie’s challenge and threat. His intimidating glare and menacing leer were not hampered at all by the fact that his gaze was just slightly off center, more focused on her eyebrows than actual eyes. “Any more questions Miss Loon? There’s a few rats in my bar that I must exterminate if you are through with playing detective.”
