.♛Towa♛.

Personality

Most commonly, people will first encounter Towa while he's on the job. Unfortunately, this is also when he tends to be at his most irritable. He's the stubbornly independent sort of man. He hates authority and taking orders, but still follows along when he needs to (albeit not quietly.) Naturally, this means that his ever-present list of commands from Stormbringer tends to be on his nerves. He's constantly in a state of being "done with this shit," as he so eloquently puts it. This reflects a lot in his behavior. He's incredibly expressive and dramatic. You'll always know exactly how he's feeling, though with his short temper, he's usually just angry. He has a very blunt and direct manner of interacting with others. He has no time nor desire to have to elaborate on things otherwise. He has no filter, saying the first thing that comes to mind in almost all circumstances. Usually, this tends to mean him swearing like a sailor. He's brave, but it works to a fault for him. He's very much a loose cannon, and is often regarded as reckless by others for the various stunts he pulls. However, this isn't exactly the case. He's not without reason, and is actually a lot smarter and more logical than he first appears. He's just more willing to take calculated risks than most if it means getting his work done faster. In almost all circumstances, he doesn't believe in backing down. If he thinks he can get something done, he's getting it done. Preferably as quickly as possible. Usually for him, the quickest way involves fighting. He's the sort of man who would solve all his problems by beating them up. He's vicious and eager to come to blows. The violent approach is easiest for him, and it's gotten him through enough encounters that he doesn't feel the need to find a better method. Besides, it helps him to blow off steam, so that's a win in his book. He still tends to keep enough restraint not to outright kill unless necessary, though. Alongside his temperamental demeanor, he's also very confident. He's bold, brash, cocky, and proud of himself, a fact that he establishes fast. Despite this, he's actually surprisingly respectful. He'll make jabs and tease a little, but he's not arrogant about it. He doesn't view himself as superior, or needlessly taunt or bully those he goes against. He just trusts himself and his ability. In spite of his confidence, he'll still get ridiculously flustered if you compliment or tease him. He's surprisingly more naive than you'd expect in those regards, but he'll kick you if you bring it up. He has almost stereotypical chihuahua energy: he acts like he's on top, but he definitely isn't.

Really, the only time Towa can relax is when he's around his family or close friends. In those circumstances, a much different side of him can start to emerge. He's ride-or-die loyal to those he cares about. There's not many things he holds in a higher regard than trust, and he takes honesty very seriously when it comes to those he knows well. He's not one to doubt or lie to his friends, and will always be in your corner once you've gained his favor. Though he'll feel very betrayed if you lie to him about big issues. He's a natural-born leader, even if he's barely given any time to show it in Stormbringer. His higher-ups are concerned that giving him too much executive power might backfire for them, given his feelings on them. However, he's also much more willing to amicable cooperate with orders given to him when he trusts the source. Alongside this, he actually has surprisingly sound advice and experience to lend. He would give you the most curse-filled pep talks you've ever heard, but still manage to help. While he's still temperamental and blunt, his typical mannerisms take on a much more playful tone in relaxed times. He'd definitely call you an asshole affectionately. He's also more willing to joke around and just have fun. He hates feeling "stuffy," as he puts it, especially when he's not working. While he's not overly formal at work unless he needs to be, he still doesn't really act out much beyond his words. He genuinely likes being able to just mess around on his own accord once his work is over. Give him a voluntary invitation to something fun and he'll more than likely be there. However, with trust also comes his insecurities. He struggles a lot with valuing his own life and identity. While he's confident and believes in himself, he doesn't inherently value himself. When he was younger, he was often very dehumanized by those around him. He grew up believing his life had little to no meaning. He often viewed living as more of an obligation than something he wanted to do, but he also didn't really want to die. After arriving in Stormbringer, while he's treated as a more important person, he feels that he's only seen as such due to his powers. He's still seen as more of a tool than a human being, viewed only by how useful he can be. He internalizes these conflicts more than he'd ever admit, and it's hard for him to really feel human as a result. He tries to empower himself through the effect he has on those close to him, like his family. He knows he matters to others, even if he struggles to matter to himself, and that means a lot to him. Others' feelings about him can help him cope to an extent, and can keep him in check so he doesn't go overboard. He doesn't want to hurt the people who care about him by getting into too much trouble, after all. However, he's still a bit too willing to risk his life in many situations. He values the lives of others more than his own, and he'll put himself in harm's way if it means helping those who care more for their own lives than he does for his. He's no stranger to engaging in dangerous activities just to try to find value in himself and truly feel alive. If he's put in a dangerous enough situation, one that could make him truly fear for his life, he figures he may finally be able to find the meaning he's missing. As much as he hates his work in Stormbringer, the riskier jobs he's often put on do give him opportunities to do just that. The problem is, he has too much pride to just let himself be hurt or scared. His skills can get him out of a lot of sticky situations, and he takes full advantage of that. As such, his idea of finding the one situation to make him care simply hasn't worked out. Deep down, he knows it's for the best. He knows his feelings are unhealthy and untrue, and that his life does have meaning, even if he can't feel it for himself. He just struggles to truly make himself believe it when faced with all his other doubts.

Combat

Towa's main strength is his ability to manipulate sound. At his most basic, he can amplify or mute any sound on command. He can also "edit" soundwaves to take on different characteristics. For instance, he could make someone's voice sound like another person's, or make a sound appear to come from a different location than its source. Being able to mute footsteps and even small tells like his breathing and heartbeat would make him a master of stealth, though he can never be quiet and composed enough to just do that. However, he's also no stranger to getting creative with his abilities. For instance, he can airdash by propelling himself with sound waves. He's also not bound to just audible soundwaves, allowing him to use ultrasonic waves in various ways. He's capable of turning audible sounds ultrasonic as well, should he choose to. He can use these to disarm others or even destroy things. Though the louder/more intense he has to make the wave, the more energy it takes for him. He's no stranger to wearing himself out by going overboard with his powers. He's also susceptible to the wind. There's not much he can do if a breeze affects any wave he's trying to use. Usually, he'll use his own voice as the catalyst for his powers. He's loud and knows how to yell, after all.

To work in tandem with this ability, Towa carries a microphone weapon. He can wield it like a polearm for basic combat, and it's usually his go-to choice. Though he can also use it to store soundwaves and convert them into shockwave-esque projectiles. This allows him a wider range of mobility and positioning, as well as a more surefire way to control where the waves he manipulates go. When not in use, he carries his microphone folded up in a case. In addition to this, he is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat. However, he almost exclusively uses kicks and not punches. He won't divulge why that is. He knows how to use other weaponry, and carries both a knife and handgun on him. However, he doesn't use them unless absolutely necessary. They're just not his style, compared to his main options.

History

NOTE:I'll flesh this out more as I go along! Might make changes here and there, add things, you know.

Towa lost his parents at a very young age. He hardly remembers them, nor the event that killed them. He lived out most of his childhood in a poorly-run orphanage, Hope Springs Children's Home. It was overcrowded and underfunded, leading to incredibly poor building conditions and supply issues. The staff would regularly abuse their positions of power, treating the children more like prisoners. They were often put through dehumanizing treatment, all for the staff's amusement. In the rare event of a visit, the worst issues would be quickly swept under the rug to avoid suspicion. The children would be forced to play along in the public eye, or risk even worse treatment. It very quickly devolved into a "survival of the fittest" sort of situation for Towa. He had to fight hard if he even wanted basic necessities, many times going without. He was often left feeling less than human. The neglect and abuse he endured took a toll on his growth, causing the short stature he still carries in the present.

When he was around 13, a group of much younger and weaker kids were brought into the orphanage. There were five in total, and they had all been rescued from the wreckage of a recent crisis. The details were kept tightly under wraps, but rumors floated around that it may have been Stormbringer's doing. Towa took pity on the children. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps they reminded him of himself in some way, or perhaps he was just tired of seeing the people around him being mistreated for so many years. He decided to take them under his wing, becoming a sort of older brother figure for them all. He did all he could to protect them from the conditions around them. He began to purposefully misbehave so any abuse or other conflict was directed his way instead of theirs. It earned him a bad reputation as a troublemaker, but he didn't care. So long as it meant his siblings, as he called them, were safe, he could take that treatment. After two years, he had enough and instead ran away with his siblings. They took refuge in an abandoned factory at the edge of town, a place they figured no one would look. Towa started stealing in order to get by and support them.

However, one day he made the mistake of stealing from the wrong people: Stormbringer themself. After discovering what happened, a squad from Stormbringer was sent after him and his siblings. Towa knew he was outmatched, but he didn't back down. He did all he could to protect his siblings, discovering his power of sound manipulation in the process. While it wasn't enough to win him the fight, due to his inexperience with it, this caught the attention of Stormbringer's boss. He knew that such an ability could be a valuable asset when trained correctly. He gave Towa a backhanded invitation to join his group, with the caveat that refusal would mean the death of his siblings. Towa relented and agreed to join. He was trained into Stormbringer, learning how to utilize his ability to the fullest. He started rising the ranks due to his sheer skill and obedience, earning himself a respectable rank within Stormbringer. With this arrangement came a stable home for himself and his siblings. While he appreciates the accommodations, he still hates his position there. He's simply stuck for the sake of his siblings' lives.