Post by Aqualad on Jan 28, 2012 18:29:35 GMT -5
Aqualad
"Some things were made for one thing, for me
that one thing is the sea..."
that one thing is the sea..."
"Fish tacos?! What were you thinking?! I'm from the ocean! These were probably friends of mine!"
THE BASICS;;
NAME: Garth
AGE: 18
SEX: Male
CODENAME: Aqualad
ALIASES: 'Aquadude'
AFFILIATION: Honorary Titan (Titans East)
STATUS: Doing his best to watch over Steel City with the Titans East, help out the Teen Titans when they need assistance, and carry on defending the surrounding oceans.
CANON: Yes
PLAYBY: Um...
THE GOOD STUFF;;
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Tall, dark and mysterious, Aqualad's admittedly handsome appearance tends to have a noticeable effect on members of the opposite sex when they first meet him.
Everything about his physical form is visibly built for underwater survival - his figure is slender, but strong, perfectly suited to be streamlined for fast swimming. His long, pitch black hair is kept slicked back out of the way, and always looks somehow wet, even if he's been out of the water for hours. His eyes are strange, almost alien, being completely black but for two dots of white, allowing him better vision in dark underwater conditions. Those unfamiliar with his unique eyes may find it difficult to read more subtle emotions in his expressions for this reason. He has gills to allow him to breathe under water on either side of his neck, though they are rarely visible.
His costume has been described, much to his chagrin, as a 'unitard', the outfit being apparently a one-piece suit consisting of a blue, scaly material, offset by black areas around the neck and shoulders, lower arms, legs and feet. It also has a stylised white trim around these black areas that appear as spiked lines.
Aside from certain members of the public questioning his choice of attire (which is, he defends, entirely practical), his tall, handsome and athletic appearance make him a fairly heroic looking character. The effect of his unusual, even off-putting black eyes is usually dispelled by a reassuring smile or a confident crossing of the arms that gives him an atmosphere of calm approachability.
PERSONALITY: Aqualad is usually a calm and collected thinker. He generally thinks through what he says before he actually says it, and though he is not the most boisterous of his team by far, and will often keep quiet when he feels his opinion is better off unvoiced. That said, he will fight steadfastly for what he believes in, and can be incredibly stubborn when he believes he is right and another (be it a teammate or an enemy) is in the wrong. Being slightly older than his peers, he is also, at times, forced to be the voice of responsibility and reason. Though this often results in his being dubbed the 'wet blanket' of the group, he insists that he too is able to kick back and have fun when the situation permits. These cases are not too often, though, as he still considers it his complete responsibility to defend all creatures and underwater landscapes of his ocean home, and with these duties combined with his role as an honorary Titan, he often finds that his plate is full. He stays determined to make the best of the situation though, and will never stop trying to do what is right. These are the qualities that make him such a reliable and dependable fighter and friend.
His house may the Titans East headquarters building, but he will always consider the ocean to be his true home, and returns to the depths as frequently as he is able (though he worries that he won't be available if he is needed by his team in Steel City on short notice - to this end he always keeps his communicator with him), and if he is not found in the sea, he can usually be found in the swimming pool of the headquarters, which he uses more than his bedroom. He insists that the thrill of swimming at supersonic speeds is unique, that there isn't anything like it in the world, and sometimes at the end of a particularly stressful day he will swim for a few miles just to blow off some steam. He values peace, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying a friendly rivalry with Beast Boy, around whom he can actually get quite competitive.
Having grown up surrounded by marine life, he of course has a deep appreciation for all creatures of the sea, and values their lives as much as the lives of humans. Even outside of the sea, he is a believer in the sanctity of nature and usually takes a quick disliking to anybody who defiles the beauty of the natural world.
Brave, dependable and honest, though at times stubborn or prone to biting off more than he can chew, Aqualad is a valued member of the Titans East and a proud defender of justice in Steel City and around the world.
POWERS AND/OR ABILITIES: Aqualad's powers are what allow him to be a guardian of the sea. He is perfectly adapted to underwater survival and combat. He can breathe underwater as easily as in open air.
He has superhuman strength and durability so he can stand the crushing pressure found at deep-sea levels, though this power also doubles to aid him in hand-to-hand combat, in water and out, as he can take greater hits than a regular human and has the force to dish them back out. Although he cannot match the likes of powerhouses such as Cyborg, he has demonstrated this power in acts such as ripping open the steel front door of Titans tower, and punching rock formations to rubble with little effort. Much of his strength is concentrated in his legs, allowing him to swim at incredibly fast speeds and causing his kicks to do massive damage when properly placed.
His senses, especially his vision, are at a higher level than the average human, allowing him to see more easily in the dark depths of the ocean, and giving him quicker reaction times.
Perhaps his most famous ability is his 'aquapathy', the power that allows him to communicate with, though not control, all forms of marine life. He has often used this to call schools of fish, sharks, dolphins, whales, squid and more to aid him in difficult situations. He dislikes putting his friends in danger though, so will rarely ever use this power in combat directly.
His final, and perhaps most useful ability is his hydrokinesis. This is telepathic control over water itself. He has shown the ability to raise geysers of water into the air, twist water into simple shapes and even utilise the force of it as a weapon. By contorting water into a powerful stream and swimming through it, he can also use it as transport over short distances and gain considerable speed for a long-distance attack. Using hydrokinesis while underwater has an entirely different effect, allowing him to form powerful, concussive blasts of water to launch at enemies.
WEAKNESSES: Although he is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in an underwater environment, his powers are also very much at their peak in this condition, and outside of the water Aqualad can often find that his abilities on dry land are lacking in usefulness. His hydrokinesis allows him to take whatever water there is nearby and utilise it as best he can, but this is still no substitute for being in his 'natural environment'. If there is no water in the immediate area at all, this proves even more of a problem, and although his strength and durability serve him well in hand-to-hand combat, he will quickly find that he lags behind his teammates in a battle situation as he is not formerly trained in melee combat the way that some of his friends are.
His affinity with water goes even further. Although he can survive quite comfortably on land, possibly for days if pressed, he does need full-body hydration to survive. Drier atmospheres will slow him down considerably and extreme cases, such as high altitude, will cause him to choke and suffocate. Since hydration keeps him going, it is only natural that fire is his elemental enemy. The way it dries out moisture can be especially dangerous to him, and if this happens, he will need to find water to rehydrate himself immediately, or risk death.
As previously mentioned, although he is a responsible and brave hero, he does have a tendency to take on more duties than he can properly deal with. He sometimes finds that he needs to be in multiple places at once, and can struggle in coping with the stress of the situation. In these cases, he is slowly learning how to ask for help, as this is part of being a team, but even still, if he thinks there is chance that he can deal with a problem on his own, he will probably try to do so regardless of the consequences.
GOALS: Like most of his fellow heroes, Aqualad is driven into action by a need to help those who are in trouble. This is mainly due to the fact that he is stronger than normal humans and gifted with superpowers, and this, in his eyes, is enough to warrant his doing his best to protect them from evil. Although it is hardly a complicated explanation, if one were to question his motives for defending justice and fighting bad guys, he would probably say that it was just the right thing to do.
Aside from the usual motives that keep a superhero going, Aqualad's wish to defend the creatures and habitats of the sea also drives his actions. To preserve the natural order and beauty of the world is one of his utmost goals.
HISTORY: Garth was born to the reigning monarchs of the underwater kingdom of Shayeris, King Thar and Queen Berra. While he was still an infant, however, radical idyllists rose up and murdered Thar, banishing Garth and his mother to Atlantis.
Although the people of Atlantis held little respect for the monarchy of Shayeris, the two were able to get by and survive in their new home, though their royal name would no longer serve them in any way. This meant that Garth, being of royal blood, was yet raised much like any other Atlantean child in the city of Poseidonis. He never had a father to guide him while he was growing up, but his mother made sure to teach him the lessons that would shape him into a hero - respect for all forms of life, the value of equality and the importance of defending those weaker than yourself. Many of these lessons his mother had only learned due to being forced to make a living after being banished from the throne, and yet if these lessons had been understood by the rebellious attackers that sent them to Atlantis, Garth's father would still be alive. This idea left the young Garth with a sense of justice that he would always preserve as he grew older.
As a teenager, Garth met Aquaman, a hero who shared his sense of righteousness and love of peace and harmony in nature. Seeing in Garth the qualities that he himself had as a young man, Aquaman quickly took the boy on as his protege, and soon came to fulfil the role of the father figure that had always been missing from Garth's life. Perhaps to represent this, Garth took on the moniker Aqualad when he began acting as his hero's sidekick.
The two of them shared many adventures defending the kingdom of Atlantis and all forms of life in the sea, and Aqualad developed his physical abilities, as well as learning the talent of aquapathy from his mentor. Eventually, however, it became evident that Aqualad had learnt all he could from his hero, and after disagreements which led to arguments between them, they decided that it would be best for them to go their separate ways, though both heroes would continue to fight for justice, and forever hold one another in the highest respects.
After this time, Aqualad found himself spending more time away from Atlantis, daring instead to explore the wider reaches of his ocean home, and battling injustice wherever he found it. Along the way he met an outcast named Tramm, and the two became friends, often relying on one another support when it couldn't be found anywhere else.
Aqualad first came into contact with the Teen Titans while on the trail of the evil mastermind Trident, who was planning to use nuclear energy to clone himself and rule both Atlantis and the surface world. Some competitive difficulties that arose between himself and Beast Boy aside, Aqualad was able to help the Teen Titans defeat Trident. He and the team became steadfast friends after the event, and as a result and as a reward for his assistance, he was made an Honorary Titan, and in doing so made a contract that meant he finally had somebody on the surface he could contact if he needed help, and they would do the same for him.
Some time later, Aqualad was one of the heroes called to the Challenge of Champions by the inter-dimensional being known only as the Master of Games. Although the competition was revealed to be a trap in order for the Master to gain the powers of the individual heroes, this event was also the first time Aqualad was to meet his future teammate Speedy. The two of them were paired together in battle, and although Aqualad out-maneuvered Speedy for the duration of the fight, he was eventually defeated by him and trapped by the Master of Games along with the other competitors that lost their battles. Once released, Aqualad and the rest of the heroes were returned home once again.
The next time Aqualad approached the Teen Titans was with a call for assistance against the enemy Brother Blood, who, with his H.I.V.E. Academy, had fought with the Titans before, and now had set up base under the sea using Cyborg's unique technology. Assisted once more by Aqualad, the team launched a mission to destroy Blood's base before he was able to use it to create a tidal wave capable of destroying the whole of Jump City. They were barely successful in doing so, but Brother Blood managed to escape.
Acting with fellow hero Bumblebee, who had been a double-agent inside Brother Blood’s academy, Aqualad tracked Brother Blood down to Steel City, and it was at this point that the team known as the Titans East were formed, with the sole purpose of defending the city from Blood and any other criminals that would arise. Aqualad joined Bumblebee, Speedy, and two super powered Spanish twins named Mos and Menos to make up the roster. Unfortunately, just as the team was starting to come together as a unit with the help of Cyborg, Brother Blood invaded their headquarters and managed to brainwash the Titans East into doing his bidding, and only after a fierce battle with Brother Blood was Cyborg able to release them from his hold.
The Titans East remained as enforcers of justice in Steel City after Brother Blood's defeat, and began to make a name for themselves on the streets as the new heroes in town - however, when they were called to take care of Jump City by the Titans during the war against the Brotherhood of Evil, they found a rather lack-lustre reception waiting for them. Control Freak, one of the Teen Titans enemies, ambushed them, at first unsuccessfully, and then again, setting them separate tasks that would test their abilities and their right to be called Titans. Aqualad was forced to shut off a vent that would otherwise let polluted water into the city's water supply... while defending himself against a giant robotic shark. Once he successfully completed his task, along with the rest of his teammates, Jump City began to appreciate them as heroes in their own right, and the Titans East returned to their home in Steel City having made a name for themselves.
Currently, Aqualad still resides in their Steel City headquarters with his teammates, trying to cope with his new life living with his friends, as well as defending the city from evil doers. He is determined never to forget his roots, however, and routinely returns to the sea to make sure all is well.
THE NITTY-GRITTY;;
SCREENNAME: Astalakio (or just Asta)
Time spent roleplaying: Gah, I dunno... Like, six years, or something?
Other Characters: N/A
RP Sample:
It isn't possible to grumble with discontent underwater.
This was an interesting fact that Aqualad had learned only recently, though it had presented itself over and over again since then. Often it was the actions of his teammates, the rest of the Titans East, that sent him into temporary, self-imposed exile. He would take to the sea and dive down to the depths, feeling his troubles begin to disintegrate in the cold silence and darkness. Then he would remember how stubborn Speedy could be, or how Bumblebee thought that being the leader of the team meant she didn't have to have any respect for the rest of them, and that was when he would realise once again that one simply could not grumble with discontent underwater.
But everything was alright down here, below the surface.
He stopped swimming and closed his eyes, and for a moment the aquatic teen simply basked in the stillness of the ocean, feeling the gentle currents push him back and forth on the spot, his black hair dancing out behind him freely.
As thoughts of his problems began to fade away, the world became a pleasant empty space. He felt as if he could hover there, suspended in time, forever, and he would have no regrets.
Suddenly, his peace and quiet was shattered like glass, as all around him he heard the sounds of distress. The gentle currents that had been shifting around him suddenly faltered. Opening his black eyes, Aqualad looked up, startled by the intrusion, and saw a school of fish, scattered by something above. As they passed him, he reached out with his telepathy to try and discern what it was that had provoked them, but he could only sense their fear.
Alarmed, he twisted in the water, a single, fluid movement, and then kicked his feet out and sent himself up through the water at great speed. As he rocketed up from the depths, the blackness of the water became green, and then the green became blue as he reached the surface. He could see now what had startled the fish - there was a car, sinking rapidly down from the surface. Looking closer, and with startled eyes, he realised that there were still people in the vehicle - it must have been driven off the peer!
Seeing even from a distance that the driver and his passenger were struggling to hold their breath as the water leaked into the car from all angles, Aqualad didn't waste a second in shooting toward the vehicle, coming up beneath it and ramming into it. He gripped the front of the car with his hands and stretched out with his arms, while forcing more power into his legs to kick out and drive the object back up the way it came. The weight of the car was immense, but surrounded by water, his strength was enough. To give the car one final boost, he reached out with his hydrokinesis, feeling the way the molecules of water around him connected to one another, understanding how they fitted together, and then tugging at them with his mind - at the same moment, he gave an almighty push with his arms, and the combined forces were enough to launch the car up, out of the water and back onto the peer.
Using the water to propel himself up, he leapt out after it and landed lightly on the stone surface. Moving swiftly, he circled around the machine, the front end of which was now crumpled like paper, and ripped the passenger door open.
"Are you alright?" He asked, looking from the passenger, a woman, to the driver, a middle aged man.
"I… I think so…" The woman muttered deliriously, "We… swerved to avoid a car and… and…"
"You saved us!" The man added, looking at Aqualad with star struck eyes.
"Yeah." He replied, "Well, as long as you’re sure you’re both alright, you-"
He was cut off by the tone of his communicator, which he took up and flipped open to see Bumblebee's visage on the little waterproof screen.
"Down town. We need you. Now." She said told him simply.
"I'll take the waterways." He responded immediately, with a nod, "I'll be there in a second."
He clicked the device shut and ran back toward the edge of the peer.
"Thank you!" The woman in the car called as he dived off. He turned about in mid-air.
"Don’t mention it! Drive safe now!" He called back as he fell out of sight, and then there was a splash, and he was gone.
The warmth of the waters embraced him again, but this time Aqualad didn't stop to appreciate the calm. In a flash, he was soaring through the water on his way to the pipes that he knew led directly to the city centre.
Even as he rocketed through the water, a thought occurred to him. Before, he had thought that he could stay beneath the calming waves forever, away from the hassle of human life, with no regrets, forever at peace. But he realised now that that wasn't true - he would have one regret, and that would be that he didn’t do more to defend innocent life, like the people in that car. His desire to forget everything was a selfish one. The peace he felt before was a lie, and he had to keep on fighting for what was right. He would rest when he was dead, he decided, and until then, he would have to cope with his teammates and the weight of the world on his shoulders. And he wouldn't have it any other way.
