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Feb. 16th, 2014 04:18 amPLAYER
Name: Dae
CHARACTER
Name: General Cross Marian
Canon: D. Gray-Man
Age: Unknown(Presumed Early/Mid-40s)
Timeline: Episode 91, "Judgment" (Just before meeting up with Tykki, Allen & Co.)
If playing another character from the same canon, how will you deal with this?: N/A
Personality: Cross Marian is a devil. Not in the literal sense, of course-- Though as with so many things in life, he'd be quick to point out, that opinion does vary somewhat depending on the source from which one draws it. That being acknowledged, the original statement would no doubt still be concurred upon by his employers, his peers, his apprentice, and women the world over.
He's sardonic and prone to long bouts of what appears to be self-gratification and indulgence, primarily involving drinking, gambling, and womanizing. While that initial impression is not incorrect, it's also hardly all-encompassing. Though Cross does in fact greatly enjoy all of the above, nothing he does is ever without some ulterior motive. Usually, it largely boils down to gathering general intelligence or seeking out and monitoring some weakness or another. There are other ways to achieve these goals, of course, but it only makes sense to enjoy oneself in the process; life is so short, after all, and nobody knows that like an Exorcist does.
Cross is a surprisingly deep well, though precious few people are permitted a glance long or intent enough to ascertain as much. The man initially comes across as dry and aloof to most, with a side of snide remarks and a healthy dose of smug superiority that tends to keep almost anyone at a healthy distance. He hides a keen IQ behind a mask of shallow vanity, and a keen awareness of everything around him behind the show of being a surly drunkard. A reputation for being intolerable and flaky only serves to facilitate these airs, and Cross himself does nothing to alleviate the rumors that follow his name's mention. His distaste for working too closely with the Order which employs him keeps him almost constantly on the move, which only serves to further enhance his reputation for flagrant truancy where work is concerned. His actual flagrant truancy probably doesn't help matters either, but that's hardly his concern. Paperwork is a chore, and he has little interest in it. Field work, in its myriad forms, is much more worthwhile.
The General was tasked with raising his apprentice, Allen Walker, to complete his training and become an Exorcist of the Black Order, a phenomenally-important job to which he arose with almost no grace or panache whatsoever. He was brusque to the point of cruelty with Allen, harsh for the sake of garnering results, and appeared entirely flippant about the boy's fate up until it came time to concuss Walker in a hotel room and leave him to make his own way to Headquarters rather than escort him there in person. That's the kind of man Cross Marian is. And yet, upon close inspection, it's easy to see that treatment for what it really was; Above all, he was making sure Allen was ready, the best way he knew how. The man might never have been a gentle or a nurturing figure in his apprentice's life, but he was an undeniable driving force.
Cross also blatantly abused the boy's natural talents and skills for cards to "help out" now and then with the occasional gambling debt, but surely, that's neither here nor there. Surely.
Debts do arise when you live life the way Cross Marian prefers to; A penchant for fine wine(His favorite tends to run between $500 and $24,000 per bottle) and "beautiful things" (frequently including women, of course) tends to get expensive rather quickly. Which might pose a problem, if he was the one paying for everything. Rest assured, one way or another, that is very nearly never the case. The details aren't important in the end, but it's very clear that the General has his ways of taking care of such little matters without anything coming out of his own pocket when all's said and done.
It's easy to forget that somebody as seemingly reckless and lackadaisical as Cross is a scientist at heart, but that's a fact which truly cannot be ignored if one wants to grasp his personality in a nutshell. Though he may seem flighty and irresponsible, his actions are always calculated to the extreme, the possibilities weighed and measured before he ever stirs himself to act. People on the whole are predictable, and Cross knows this. Life is really just a series of equal-but-opposite reactions, and a smart man knows how to manipulate those to best ensure that they play to his favor.
Background: Such as it is...
Abilities:
~ EXORCIST - Cross is an Exorcist for the Black Order, a Holy organization tasked with the destruction of Akuma, or demonic spirits, which plague the world he comes from. Above that, he's a General of this order, an accomplishment very few can claim. The Generals are, in so many words, the best of the best.In short, he is essentially a demon-killing badass.
~ INNOCENCE - In the world of D. Gray-Man, Exorcists utilize a material known as "Innocence," compatibility with which being what classifies them as what they are. Wielders(or "Accommodators") of Innocence are relatively uncommon, and those who are compatible quickly find themselves working with the Black Order. The precise details of Cross's revelation as an Accommodator are unknown, but it is speculated that it was discovered due to his working alongside Innocence during his days as a scientist for the Order. Regardless of the specifics, he is now the only known person to claim not one but two kinds of Innocence;
+ JUDGMENT - Cross's "Equipment-Type" anti-Akuma weapon, Judgment takes the form of a massive Revolver embossed with filigree and able to fire off a variety of special attacks. Once fired, Judgment's rounds always find their target despite any obstacles they may encounter. (Further clarification on Judgment's uses can be found in Cross's Wiki).
+ GRAVE OF MARIA - Cross's "Parasitic-Type" anti-Akuma weapon, Grave of Maria does not in fact "belong" to Cross at all, but rather to the woman whose animated corpse he summons for his own use as an Exorcist. It is remarked upon in the series that his use of Necromancy to take control of Maria for such an end is "taboo" and "forbidden," but their compatibility with one another is undeniable. Maria is used primarily for defensive techniques(Further clarification on Grave of Maria's uses can be found in Cross's Wiki).
~ SCIENCE - As previously mentioned, Cross is a scientist at his core. Despite the dismissive and oftentimes crude way he may speak of the world, anybody who watches the General for any length of time will have a hard time denying that he's always thinking things through so that he might better weigh the pros and cons. This also extends to his history of Akuma experimentation and eventually modification, something which previously had never been accomplished.
~ SKILLED MARKSMAN - Though he's only ever shown using Judgment in-canon, which admittedly never misses, Cross wields the revolver with an undeniable comfort and speed.
First Person:
Ah-- Oh, hello.
[The voice is a wry drawl, unsurprised after the initial exclamation. Having awoken on a train, rather conspicuously without the usual hangover which he has come to expect from such situations, Cross appears to have drawn a logical conclusion. He spends a few moments turning the thought over in his mind as he reaches into his breast pocket and withdraws a cigarette case, selecting one and lighting it with measured calm. Exhaling the smoke, the General turns to regard his watch's screen with a single, burgundy-colored eye.]
A train like this is hard to forget, I must say. I assume I'm once again back en route for... Hell, what was it?
[He takes another slow drag from his cigarette, looking pensive.]
Some city or another. Yes... [Looking out the window now, he nods, unamused.] Here we are now. Ruby City, that was it.
[He doesn't bother to close the watch before standing as the train begins to slow, instead letting it hang from its chain and display a lopsided, rapidly-swinging view of the next few minutes; his casual disembarking from and prompt disregarding of the train car, followed by his almost lazy stroll back towards the city. This is, in case there were any doubt, clearly a man who has been through this all before.
Almost as an afterthought, he draws the watch back into his hand and addresses it directly.]
All right, then. Allen, Junior Bookman, Lenalee... Any of you who might still be around, check in. I'd like to know what I've missed, and how long it is that I've been away. [As he speaks, it becomes apparent that the General is making his way, unerringly, towards the pub.]
I imagine you'll all know where to find me.
Third Person: When none of his specified three underlings had checked in, Cross hadn't been terribly surprised. If what he'd garnered of this city the last time still held true, it wasn't much of a shock that none of the "familiar" faces he'd come to expect would still be around, either. It was a shame, in more ways than one... Cross hated to leave things undone, at least things he'd actually been anticipating, and there had been quite a share of unfinished business on his docket when he had been returned home.
Drumming his fingers idly against the tabletop, the General sighed and glanced around the half-empty pub. More new faces, and most of them male. A shame, given how the place had been swarming with beautiful women when last he'd seen it. Truly, a shame. He gave the remaining wine in his glass a swirl before raising it, inhaling deeply to savor its scent, and swallowing the remnants before letting the breath out in another slow sigh.
Ah, well... Some things couldn't be helped. Patience, after all, was a virtue, and-- Oh, oh hello. One hand half-raised to signal for another glass, the redhead finally seemed to register the barmaid who was already en route with it. All long legs and sweet curves, this one... It was enough to make a man remember why he didn't mind being in Ruby City after all.
"Ah, there's a good girl... And here I was afraid I might not be able to win your attentions so quickly." Aiming a debonair smile up at the girl as she approached, the General all but purred. "I wonder if I should perhaps just order a whole bottle, so you have an excuse to sit and spend more time with me..."
Name: Dae
CHARACTER
Name: General Cross Marian
Canon: D. Gray-Man
Age: Unknown(Presumed Early/Mid-40s)
Timeline: Episode 91, "Judgment" (Just before meeting up with Tykki, Allen & Co.)
If playing another character from the same canon, how will you deal with this?: N/A
Personality: Cross Marian is a devil. Not in the literal sense, of course-- Though as with so many things in life, he'd be quick to point out, that opinion does vary somewhat depending on the source from which one draws it. That being acknowledged, the original statement would no doubt still be concurred upon by his employers, his peers, his apprentice, and women the world over.
He's sardonic and prone to long bouts of what appears to be self-gratification and indulgence, primarily involving drinking, gambling, and womanizing. While that initial impression is not incorrect, it's also hardly all-encompassing. Though Cross does in fact greatly enjoy all of the above, nothing he does is ever without some ulterior motive. Usually, it largely boils down to gathering general intelligence or seeking out and monitoring some weakness or another. There are other ways to achieve these goals, of course, but it only makes sense to enjoy oneself in the process; life is so short, after all, and nobody knows that like an Exorcist does.
Cross is a surprisingly deep well, though precious few people are permitted a glance long or intent enough to ascertain as much. The man initially comes across as dry and aloof to most, with a side of snide remarks and a healthy dose of smug superiority that tends to keep almost anyone at a healthy distance. He hides a keen IQ behind a mask of shallow vanity, and a keen awareness of everything around him behind the show of being a surly drunkard. A reputation for being intolerable and flaky only serves to facilitate these airs, and Cross himself does nothing to alleviate the rumors that follow his name's mention. His distaste for working too closely with the Order which employs him keeps him almost constantly on the move, which only serves to further enhance his reputation for flagrant truancy where work is concerned. His actual flagrant truancy probably doesn't help matters either, but that's hardly his concern. Paperwork is a chore, and he has little interest in it. Field work, in its myriad forms, is much more worthwhile.
The General was tasked with raising his apprentice, Allen Walker, to complete his training and become an Exorcist of the Black Order, a phenomenally-important job to which he arose with almost no grace or panache whatsoever. He was brusque to the point of cruelty with Allen, harsh for the sake of garnering results, and appeared entirely flippant about the boy's fate up until it came time to concuss Walker in a hotel room and leave him to make his own way to Headquarters rather than escort him there in person. That's the kind of man Cross Marian is. And yet, upon close inspection, it's easy to see that treatment for what it really was; Above all, he was making sure Allen was ready, the best way he knew how. The man might never have been a gentle or a nurturing figure in his apprentice's life, but he was an undeniable driving force.
Cross also blatantly abused the boy's natural talents and skills for cards to "help out" now and then with the occasional gambling debt, but surely, that's neither here nor there. Surely.
Debts do arise when you live life the way Cross Marian prefers to; A penchant for fine wine(His favorite tends to run between $500 and $24,000 per bottle) and "beautiful things" (frequently including women, of course) tends to get expensive rather quickly. Which might pose a problem, if he was the one paying for everything. Rest assured, one way or another, that is very nearly never the case. The details aren't important in the end, but it's very clear that the General has his ways of taking care of such little matters without anything coming out of his own pocket when all's said and done.
It's easy to forget that somebody as seemingly reckless and lackadaisical as Cross is a scientist at heart, but that's a fact which truly cannot be ignored if one wants to grasp his personality in a nutshell. Though he may seem flighty and irresponsible, his actions are always calculated to the extreme, the possibilities weighed and measured before he ever stirs himself to act. People on the whole are predictable, and Cross knows this. Life is really just a series of equal-but-opposite reactions, and a smart man knows how to manipulate those to best ensure that they play to his favor.
Background: Such as it is...
Abilities:
~ EXORCIST - Cross is an Exorcist for the Black Order, a Holy organization tasked with the destruction of Akuma, or demonic spirits, which plague the world he comes from. Above that, he's a General of this order, an accomplishment very few can claim. The Generals are, in so many words, the best of the best.
~ INNOCENCE - In the world of D. Gray-Man, Exorcists utilize a material known as "Innocence," compatibility with which being what classifies them as what they are. Wielders(or "Accommodators") of Innocence are relatively uncommon, and those who are compatible quickly find themselves working with the Black Order. The precise details of Cross's revelation as an Accommodator are unknown, but it is speculated that it was discovered due to his working alongside Innocence during his days as a scientist for the Order. Regardless of the specifics, he is now the only known person to claim not one but two kinds of Innocence;
+ JUDGMENT - Cross's "Equipment-Type" anti-Akuma weapon, Judgment takes the form of a massive Revolver embossed with filigree and able to fire off a variety of special attacks. Once fired, Judgment's rounds always find their target despite any obstacles they may encounter. (Further clarification on Judgment's uses can be found in Cross's Wiki).
+ GRAVE OF MARIA - Cross's "Parasitic-Type" anti-Akuma weapon, Grave of Maria does not in fact "belong" to Cross at all, but rather to the woman whose animated corpse he summons for his own use as an Exorcist. It is remarked upon in the series that his use of Necromancy to take control of Maria for such an end is "taboo" and "forbidden," but their compatibility with one another is undeniable. Maria is used primarily for defensive techniques(Further clarification on Grave of Maria's uses can be found in Cross's Wiki).
~ SCIENCE - As previously mentioned, Cross is a scientist at his core. Despite the dismissive and oftentimes crude way he may speak of the world, anybody who watches the General for any length of time will have a hard time denying that he's always thinking things through so that he might better weigh the pros and cons. This also extends to his history of Akuma experimentation and eventually modification, something which previously had never been accomplished.
~ SKILLED MARKSMAN - Though he's only ever shown using Judgment in-canon, which admittedly never misses, Cross wields the revolver with an undeniable comfort and speed.
First Person:
Ah-- Oh, hello.
[The voice is a wry drawl, unsurprised after the initial exclamation. Having awoken on a train, rather conspicuously without the usual hangover which he has come to expect from such situations, Cross appears to have drawn a logical conclusion. He spends a few moments turning the thought over in his mind as he reaches into his breast pocket and withdraws a cigarette case, selecting one and lighting it with measured calm. Exhaling the smoke, the General turns to regard his watch's screen with a single, burgundy-colored eye.]
A train like this is hard to forget, I must say. I assume I'm once again back en route for... Hell, what was it?
[He takes another slow drag from his cigarette, looking pensive.]
Some city or another. Yes... [Looking out the window now, he nods, unamused.] Here we are now. Ruby City, that was it.
[He doesn't bother to close the watch before standing as the train begins to slow, instead letting it hang from its chain and display a lopsided, rapidly-swinging view of the next few minutes; his casual disembarking from and prompt disregarding of the train car, followed by his almost lazy stroll back towards the city. This is, in case there were any doubt, clearly a man who has been through this all before.
Almost as an afterthought, he draws the watch back into his hand and addresses it directly.]
All right, then. Allen, Junior Bookman, Lenalee... Any of you who might still be around, check in. I'd like to know what I've missed, and how long it is that I've been away. [As he speaks, it becomes apparent that the General is making his way, unerringly, towards the pub.]
I imagine you'll all know where to find me.
Third Person: When none of his specified three underlings had checked in, Cross hadn't been terribly surprised. If what he'd garnered of this city the last time still held true, it wasn't much of a shock that none of the "familiar" faces he'd come to expect would still be around, either. It was a shame, in more ways than one... Cross hated to leave things undone, at least things he'd actually been anticipating, and there had been quite a share of unfinished business on his docket when he had been returned home.
Drumming his fingers idly against the tabletop, the General sighed and glanced around the half-empty pub. More new faces, and most of them male. A shame, given how the place had been swarming with beautiful women when last he'd seen it. Truly, a shame. He gave the remaining wine in his glass a swirl before raising it, inhaling deeply to savor its scent, and swallowing the remnants before letting the breath out in another slow sigh.
Ah, well... Some things couldn't be helped. Patience, after all, was a virtue, and-- Oh, oh hello. One hand half-raised to signal for another glass, the redhead finally seemed to register the barmaid who was already en route with it. All long legs and sweet curves, this one... It was enough to make a man remember why he didn't mind being in Ruby City after all.
"Ah, there's a good girl... And here I was afraid I might not be able to win your attentions so quickly." Aiming a debonair smile up at the girl as she approached, the General all but purred. "I wonder if I should perhaps just order a whole bottle, so you have an excuse to sit and spend more time with me..."
