Slate
heart-in-hand
- Created
- 11 months, 10 days ago
- Creator
- heart-in-hand
- Favorites
- 11
Profile
- 5'6" || Strong Posture, Semi-Muscular Build || Thin Fur
- Medium Length Tail || Thin to Thick Fur, Focused around Bead
- Warped Bead & Bead Halo || Faint Aura is the Same Color as Eyes
- Faint Gradient on Leg Markings || Circle Marks are Natural
- Tattoo on Right Arm || Darkest Marking on Fur
Slate is what many would call Ironically Lucky, considering the scenarios he gets himself wrapped up in in his day to day life. He loves his job and is slowly reaching out to more ankuri as companions, but every time he heads in for work or goes out, something happens to him. From strange reactions from his AMDV M2 abilties, to specifially his bead getting caught in something and breaking, to recently getting (unwillingly) chosen by a beeper to be its new owner, his life is far from ordinary, depsite his ordinary looks.
But damn, if these weird scnearios haven't lead to some of the best or more story-worthy moments in his life. More than anything, Slate's greatest skill is learning to roll with the punches, and try to make the best of things. Even if management gets pissy with him for Yell, he figures out how to care for his new little buddy. Even if his bead breaks again and he has to buy a new one, it just means he has another excuse to see Iota or Osmo and tell them the story. Whatever the Hive throws at him, Slate's gonna try and throw back, no matter what.
- Despite his sharp expression, Slate is actually quite sociable and friendly, and enjoys spending time with others. He just tends to hold such an expression for work purposes, it helps counterbalance how much his attitude and stature detract from the "strong, capable guard" look.
- Slate has broken his bead more times than he can count on one hand! No he will not elaborate on how!! He is very embarrassed about it, there’s a reason he has a warped bead!!!
- Despite his clumsiness in his day to day life (source: his bead) Slate is actually quite skilled at parkour! He considers it his favorite way to stay toned and in shape, seeing it as one of the reasons he's still capable of a proper focused "flow state" when work requires it.
- When not occupied with his day job as a guard for the Hive, Slate spends his time focusing on his engineering hobby! In the event something prevents him from continuing his work in the Defense Division (AMDV Issues, Auric Complications, etc.), he hopes to divert his efforts to the Development Division and their specific fields of advancement.
Much of Slate's early life within the Hive can be noted as unremarkable, as much of Slate's more notable features or personality quirks had yet to develop. Being born and raised in the largest warren currently active kept him consistently busy however, enabling Slate to begin consideration of where he'd fit in the Hive, and how he wanted to leave his mark at an early age. Such busy body behavior definitely lead to instances where Slate's bead halo and general clumsiness caused a few minor accidents, but nothing catastrophic.
His experiences with his First was a formative point however, as it followed the first instance where his bead ended up breaking from an unidentified force, later revealed to be his ADMV abilities developing. One of his distant relatives was the one to take him on this trip, being the only other family member who possessed an ADMV ability in their entire recent heritage.
"You're a bit of an ironic luckster, you know." They commented, spending all night laughing about their similar clumsy experiences, and their attempts to adjust to their abilities as they grew up in such a bustling warren. He was the second of four children, with one older sibling and two younger siblings with far worse mutations or reactions to the pervasiveness of the Ancient's Fall than him. He had a lot to protect and assists with in his family, but he was determined to live up to it, and ensure his AMDV abilities brought some good fortune to his loved ones.
As Slate aged and began deciding which division to file himself into, a split came up of whether the Defense or the Development Division was the best fit. You'd need to pry to get him to admit it, but Slate partially regrets not heading into the Development Division considering his AMDV abilities and deep interest for engineering. But there's something about the look of the Guard, the social and visual allures of being seen as the Defender, the one's who Face the Ancients and Come Back Alive. It was a no-brainer for his teenage, social approval fueled brain.
Despite his minor regrets, Slate absolutely loves his fellow Defensive Division members, the guards he works with being what he'd consider his closest friends. They help him laugh and brush off his repeated "rube goldberg" esc accidents, were there for him when his AMDV abilities finally hit a breaking point and warped his bead beyond repair, and give him shoulders to jokingly hit or lean on. Just in case though, Slate continues to study engineering in his free time, just in case something happens one day.
The introduction of the Mainlanders to the Hive following the return of Alph, Sev, and somehow Saint Nine, Slate's life was thrown into it's most exciting and exhausting point yet. New curios intrigued by his existence, countless cases of having to chase after or fix-up their messes, and somehow getting bonded to by... a Beeper? what is this. It's a lot, and his go-to "roll with the punches" attitude is starting to wear him out a lot quicker than he'd expected. All thinks accounted for, however, he's quite intrigued by the whole thing. Maybe he can chat with a few of these new curios, try and... figure out their modus operandi.
Wilderness Survival -
Despite being a member of the Defense Division, Slate has a very minimal grasp on how to survive up on the surface. Not only has Slate only ever lived in the Hive, when offered the chance to work a shift on the surface, he always directed it to Iolite. Even if this was done out of kindness for Iolite, this dampered any chance of Slate properly learning any survival skills organically, and has thus been left as a severe disadvantage. One has to wonder if this could be the cause for his accident during the fall of the Hive...
Communication -
Slate has always been a curio of the people, believing the best way to connect with someone was through shared experiences and casual banter. No matter where Slate goes, he always works to make a good first impression and match the general tone and energy of the group he is with, with a little bit of his own spin on it. Whether it be the workplace or the bar, Slate is always chatting up a storm and keeping the concept of "I know a guy" alive on his back alone. As a result, many can attest to the general charisma Slate holds; more to the tune of being an easy guy to talk to rather than a ladies man. But he's in enough folks good graces, and that's what counts.
Mechanical Engineering -
For a period in his life, Slate was more interested in being a part of the Development Division over the Defense Devision, a choice that was very impulsively changed due to the whims of teenage ego and persona appeal. Even with this sudden career change however, he continues to practice his mechanical skills through the craft of mechanical pets. (And later down the line, his own leg augmentations!) While is skills are far from exceptional, he's extremely diligent about practicing and finds a great joy in being able to create "little guys" as he says in the form of his mechanical friend army. One day, perhaps somewhere in the Mainlands, he hopes to further refine his mechanical skills and perhaps find a secondary career with it...
- Has a pet Beeper named Yell!
- Slowly collecting inorganic pets, currently has a Mech. Pillbug named Honk and a Bugfriend named Jango!
- Learning to ride his new mount, Theorem the Miminyka.
- Equipped with a Switch Module from his time in the Hive.
Despite their otherwise unorthodox introduction, Io has quickly become Slate’s closest friend, forming an almost comedic “opposites attract” dynamic with him. More often than not if Io is near by, Slate is too, and vice versa.
Even if Slate calls himself a stable person, Io's acted as a rock for Slate in the face of everything, more often than he can count. He’s calming, compassionate in his own ways, and makes him feel at home when he’s around him, which is a rarity in the Hive nowadays.
More than anything, he wants to be sure Iolite feels as happy and welcome around him as Io makes him feel. Whatever it takes, rain or shine.
Even if Iota would never say it, Slate himself is happy to site Iota as one of his favorite guys to work with. There’s a level of respect despite his unfortunate luck that Iota offers him, and honestly, it’s the little things that count.
Having heard everything that Iota has experienced too, Slate feels legitimately honored Iota is patient with him. Sure as hell makes Slate want to be a better guard, and above all, a better man. Gotta make him proud.
Similar to Iota, Osmo gives off the energy of “I know what I’m doing” to Slate, pushing him to really puff his chest and try to work a little harder when they share a shift. He really wants to crack that work persona though, really prove he can be fun! You know?
Despite that though, he entirely understands and respects Osmo’s whole deal. Slate himself is super lucky his experiences have been mild, so he always wants to be sure he gives Osmo that little bit of patience. Maybe he won’t peep his cards next time, just maybe.
One of the more serious co-workers Slate has, he knows he needs to be on his best behavior when on shift with Tau. But that's not a bad thing! Tau pushes Slate to be the best he can when they work together, and acts as a much needed example of seperating work and play.
...However, Slate does relish in the chance to rope Tau into his adventures, especially if Esko is there to boot. He hopes even if he comes off as a little annoying, he can bring a small bit of joy to her otherwise solo afternoons.
Esko is a rare friendly face in the Hive, someone Slate LOVES getting to see and loves even more to go on adventures and work-out with! It's a simple friendship, but it still brings Slate joy.
Slate's keenly aware of her connection to Blake though, which admittedly peaks his interest. But he shan't pry, as many of his friends seem to have their secrets, and he's not the nosey type. He just hopes they're happy here at the Hive, and all works out for them.
As the owner and main bartender at the Five to Nine, Slate has run into Blake a fair amount of times both on and off the job. Blake's dry humor and ability to keep an interesting conversation afloat naturally drew Slate to him, so whether he likes it or not, he's sticking around.
He does note Blake's similarly serious exterior, feeling a small deeper connection thanks to it. Whether it's for as simple of reasons as Slate are beyond him, but it pushes him to be more patient and kind with Blake. He deserves it, from what it seems.
The first time Slate’s bead uh, blew up? And got this warped, Zeta was the first person he went to for help. His interest and near dissertation level explanations on why it happened may have partially flown over his head, but hey! He knew how to fix it!
Zeta is the main reason Slate was able to get back to the field as quick as he did, though, and that’s something he cannot thank him enough for. He tries though, he shoots him a nice gift basket every holiday as thanks, and a written promise he hasn’t blown his bead up again.
...yet.
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