[OOC] Application @ fellden

[devilfisted]

PLAYER

NAME: Freya
AGE: 21+
PREFERRED CONTACT: doggystyle
OTHER CHARACTERS: N/A

CHARACTER

NAME: Nero
AGE: Exact age unknown, he's presumed to be about 19.
CANON & CANON POINT: Devil May Cry | Post-DMC4
RESERVATION LINK: HERE
HISTORY: Nero @ DMC Wiki

PERSONALITY: Nero is the brash new teenage protagonist we meet in the fourth installment of Devil May Cry, another white-haired part-demon, part-human who is ready to get the party started. And Nero certainly fills that role. Like the earlier version of Dante seen in the third game, Nero comes off as cocky and confident with the way he faces off against enemies. Never without a taunt or comeback, he seems in his element when he's sassing a demon--or any enemy, really. His quips are par for the course for the series, bordering on trying to be a little too edgy while equally cheeky, but his cockiness is not without a basis.

As expected, Nero is an excellent fighter--quick on his feet and quick to recover. He's not someone who tends to stand or sit still, usually fidgeting or moving back and forth, indicating excess energy and a need for a physical outlet for it. But for all the bravado, he does harbor insecurities about his abilities and what makes him different, such as how he doesn't initially take well to Dante patronizing him by calling him "kid".

This begins when he was a child, abandoned as a baby in Fortuna city. Who wants to be the kid that's left behind? He was bullied by other children because of the rumor that his mother was a prostitute, and with no father to be found, it's Nero's word against everyone else's. He was generously taken in by the family of Credo and Kyrie, the real saving grace in his life. Yet even with this bit of acceptance, Nero grew up as a loner and has a tendency to be anti-social into his teenage years. This continues when he eventually joins the Order of the Sword, a religious organization that believed the Demon Sparda came as a feudal lord in Fortuna to eradicate all other demons. He would take orders from Credo--not as a superior officer but as someone who has his respect--but generally worked alone. And it was best that way.

Nero is and was by no means religious--his affiliation with the Order was out of loyalty to Kyrie and Credo, and it gave him something to do that seemed worthwhile. Removing demons from the city? He can do that. He can do that pretty damn well. He had no interest in taking part in worship or ceremonies, but we do see him at the beginning of the game attending a service simply because Kyrie performs at the beginning of it. Once her part is over, he tries to listen to his headphones and quickly loses patience with the preaching and makes to leave right in the middle of it.

Consequently, he has no problem grinding other people's gears. His rebellious nature once again mirrors Dante's younger incarnation, ready and willing to give everyone the proverbial and literal finger. However flippant his attitude can be, it's notably more sardonic than Dante was. And he is definitely moody. Though he appears to keep his cool in most battle situations where he thinks he has the upper hand--and with most of the game's mobs, he does--Nero's prone to being hot-headed and angers quickly. "I don't have time for this" is a common phrase in his repertoire. Impatience usually turns to pacing and can turn to violent, such as when he doesn't bother taking the time to figure out why a gate isn't opening. Despite the fact he does have some engineering skills, it just seems better to shoot it with his gun out of frustration. It's pure luck (and silly game mechanics) that it solves the problem.

This quick temper can be a boon in battle if it means suddenly activating some of his demonic powers or as motivation, but it's also a hindrance and stops him from thinking clearly. In the first few missions of the game, Nero follows a series of bread crumbs as he slowly finds out what the Order is really up to, and he does a decent job of it. But as soon as it's not just him but the people he cares about that are in danger? That becomes the main mission. Nero is very much a "not my problem, won't get involved" sort of person, but when it is his problem? He is in it 200%. With tunnel vision.

This passion is really dedicated to the people he cares about, but mostly just one person: Kyrie. His love interest in the game and a very honest and sweet person, she is the main focus of his actions and good intentions. It's Kyrie being in danger when Dante first arrives that Nero gets involved--he was more than ready to just leave the chapel and let Order deal with Dante on his own--but her problems are automatically his problems. He's curious at what the Order is up to because it's arguably a mess what with humans trying to gain demonic power and actually transmuting themselves with it. But it's Kyrie getting used against him and captured that sends him into a rage. In any of the scenes where Nero seems close to blacking out or giving up, it's thoughts of Kyrie that keep him going.

She is his softer side, showing kindness to him when no one else would. It's around her that we see him crack genuine smiles rather than cocky smirks. He shows her kindness in turn even if he still has to approach things in a stand-offish manner, what with not actually giving her a gift but leaving it next to him for her to find on her own, but he tries. It's protecting her that originally caused his Devil Bringer--his demonic right arm--to manifest in the first place. Because of it's terrifying appearance and worrying about her reaction more than anyone else's--at this point in time he would invite others to go fuck themselves--Nero tries to hide the arm behind a cast, though by his skills with it's clear he's practiced in secret. Even at the end of the game and he's saved her life and Fortuna, he still isn't sure she would accept him with all of his faults. That insecurity still lingers underneath no matter how much he learns.

Bingo Morihashi, one of the writers for the Devil May Cry franchise said he was inspired by a quote for Nero's story,

"I love you, so I protect the city you love."

And that does speak clearly to Nero's motivations. Fortuna, as a whole, has not been nice to him. The Order, as a whole, also sees him as an outsider and someone who is better kept at an arm's length. But Nero still ends up fighting for both because the people he cares about are there. And at the end of the day, once you have Nero's loyalty, it is unfailing.

Despite the fact that Credo nearly betrayed him, he still regrets not being able to save him, and not just for Kyrie's sake. He had been someone else that stuck up for him and helped raise him as well. We start to see budding respect for Dante to develop later in the game as well after it's established that Dante is not, in fact, his enemy. When the older man starts to encourage him (albeit with sarcasm) and entrust him with a very powerful family heirloom, Nero is ready to sass him back, but seems genuinely surprised when Dante tells him to keep the sword Yamato--which he previously stated meant a lot and needs to stay in the family--because "that's the only kind of gift worth giving.".

By the end of Devil May Cry 4, Nero has learned more about himself and his heritage. He knows that he is part demon, that he has some part of Sparda's lineage, and that he can come out in the end even when the odds are stacked against him. But more than that he ends up having people who fully accept him, faults and all, and while acceptance of the masses isn't something that Nero cares much about, the opinions of those that are close to him are very valuable.

Through his mask grumpiness and sarcastic remarks, Nero can be an impulsive and emotional person, but really just wants to be around the people he loves. While kicking some serious ass along the way.

ABILITIES/SKILLS: Nero has several skills regarding combat, fighting, and endurance...and he's also a secret nerd:

• Skilled Combatant: Nero has worked for the Order of the Sword in Fortuna, defeating demons and protecting the city at large, as there's a large need for knights and fighters. He's shown to be proficient in hand to hand combat, with a sword, and with guns. As with the style of all DMC games, he's known for some gravity-defying acrobatics and a blend of fighting styles.
  
  
• Superhuman/Demonic Strength: Because he is a quarter demon, Nero is much stronger than the average human. He's able to wield a sword that is nearly as tall as he is single-handedly, as well as hold his own and shield himself against against demons that are several stories tall, knock over pieces of monuments that are just as large, and even throw Dante around too. We see him often tossing his enemies through buildings and stone to watch it crumble.
  
  
• Superhuman/Demonic Speed: He is fast enough to make Neo in the Matrix look like the CGI actually is. His extremely quick reflexes and speed allow him to keep up with demons, switch weapons and reload--mid-air--in the middle of combat. He thinks it looks as cool as it does.
  
  
• Enhanced Healing: Much like his uncle, Nero has shown the ability to heal from wounds that should be fatal and to heal from non-lethal wounds very quickly. This includes being crushed and impaled.
  
  
• Devil Bringer: Nero's right arm is the physical manifestation of his demonic powers. It glows in the presence of demons (like Sting in the presence of Orcs) and is extremely tough, being able to withstand direct hits from weapons and can act as a shield. We see the glowing blue aura of a larger demonic hand that can extend from it and interact physically with enemies. He can also absorb the essence of other demonic objects through this arm and for hammer space storage.
  
  
• Demonic Energy Manipulation: With the use of his Devil Bringer (above), Nero is able to channel that energy to boost his shots and blows, as well as perform special moves that defy normal physics. (I.E. Stopping mid-air to perform a wild series of swings of his sword as well as boost the power of his swing.)
  
  
• Devil Trigger: A release of one's "demonic form" and demon abilities. Nero uses Yamato to bring out his own Devil Trigger which takes the form of a blue aura behind him. The demonic aura mimics Nero's own attacks for extra damage. It's not as strong as Dante or Vergil's, but it packs a heavy punch. It does not protect him in any special way from other enemies, so it's best to be on the offensive. He also can use Yamato to some extent in this form.
  
  
• Engineer Nerd: Nero is a tinkerer. He built one of his own pistols (Blue Rose), designed specifically so that it can fire two shots at a time, nearly simultaneously--the idea is that the kinetic force of one will pierce the armor of an enemy while the other will deal the finishing blow. Nero is able to upgrade other weapons that he has and bypassed the limiter on his mechanized sword as well as perform regular maintenance. In later canon he's shown working on a van as well, so it's safe to say that's a skill he's picked up along the way.

INVENTORY/COMPANIONS: Nero's weapons are his companions:

• Red Queen: Nero's large mechanized sword. It's highly customized off of the standard swords that the Order normally wields. The handle is modeled after a motorcycle handle and can be similarly revved up and charged. Flammable fuel will shoot out and he can use it to power up attacks or to propel himself around on the sword itself.
  
  
• Blue Rose: Nero's custom double-barreled revolver, designed to shoot two bullets at the same time. It's also got sights and a specialized muzzle.
  
  
• Yamato: One of Sparda's original swords and Vergil's weapon of choice--this sword is a katana-style blade imbued with demonic power. An experienced wielder (notably, not Nero) can use it to cut open dark portals, but it is so sharp that it essentially cuts through anything including space-time itself. Other demonic power can counter it. For Nero, it is used during his Devil Trigger and can cut objects very far away. At this point in canon, the sword is in Nero's care and absorbed into his Devil Bringer.
  

FACTION CHOICE: Stars.

REASON: For Nero in this incarnation, the biggest pull to Stars would be how he does his decision making: it's gut-instinct. Whether it's good or bad intuition, Nero is reactive and doesn't usually have a larger plan of action, very "in the moment". While he may have larger picture/greater end goals to specific situations or outcomes, how he gets there is all based on what happens next. He's more cynical than idealistic, but he does still have ideas how the world and things should be, he just accepts that they're usually not. For someone who is ready to jump into a fight when he thinks it's necessary, he also doesn't see a point in unnecessary conflict and would prefer people work it out.

(Also, truth be told, the locals being wary is something he's already used to and would generally prefer strangers not in his business anyway, so it would work well for him.)

TATTOO: The Scorpius constellation on his left butt cheek. (He'll never find it.)

SUITABILITY: The world of Fellden, from a high-fantasy standpoint, wouldn't be Nero's first choice in surroundings, but in the end it doesn't matter because the mission itself is the most important. While Nero is very much of a "not my problem" kind of guy, the fact of the matter is that his main motivation and reason he ends up fighting for the greater good is because of Kyrie. Of course he wouldn't really want the world around him to be destroyed because that would suck--and he's already put his life on the line for Fortuna against a problem that could have easily become worldwide--his involvement in it was more personal. And presented with the idea that worlds--nay, all worlds could potentially be in danger? That they could die away or cease to exist? Kyrie would still be the first thought in his mind. The world being in jeopardy means that she is in jeopardy, and there's really no world for Nero if Kyrie isn't in it. He would step in on her behalf in a heartbeat.

That being said, he isn't the most trusting. He'd be assuming that any assistance on his part would be because he's good at knocking heads together, but he is someone who is willing to work within an organization to a degree. He didn't really believe in all the religious aspects of the Order but still did work for them, and the goal in Fellden is something he would get more behind. What better cause is there for existence itself? He would be best suited for physical work and more readily take opportunities that would lead him to getting out and about.

At the start until he gets a better idea of the true differences between the factions, he'd be willing to do more odd jobs and missions. Whether or not his true alliance would be with any said faction would likely be affected by in-game events and how he sees the different factions approach the problem at hand. But when Nero does put his loyalty somewhere, it's above and beyond. It could move for "I have to do this because I want to make a safe place for the people I care about" to "this is a cause I actually believe in, WITH people I believe in", which would be the evolution I would hope for.

SAMPLES

NETWORK: [ Nero is decidedly not the kind of person who would take an active part in social media. But this? Well, it'll have to make due.

At least behind text he can be as surely as he wants, even if his rooming accommodations are decent. He isn't the kind of person who wants to sit around and wait for someone to fill him in. ]

ok so how long do we have to wait to get some answers around here? i'd think if we're agreeing to put our lives on the line they'd do better than pat on the shoulder of gratitude.

a tour of the kitchen is great and all but after being told my homeworld's existence is in jeopardy i've kind of lost my appetite.

is the emperor really the only one who can give the rundown? not the best on-boarding strategy and war's already got a pretty high turnover rate.

LOG: TDM Top-Level

NOTES, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS: Nero will definitely need some power nerfs when he arrives. Maybe some of his quick healing, toning down his strength a bit, and making his Devil Bringer not as easy to activate.