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"Hey there, you seem pretty big. Wanna fight?"
They say for many that strength is born of hardship. Nowhere is this phrase more literal than in the case of one Marlon Hornsby Jr. A miniature giant of a man, the otter went through a great deal of adversity in his youth. Raised by a single father, he suffered abuse at the hands of the man who he was named for - and grew a great resentment for his identity. Such a resentment that he soon cast off the name entirely - and crafted himself into an entirely new person. That man, is Maverick 'Titan Slayer' Gunshow.
Now, travelling the world as a wrestler, photographer, model, athlete, and overall entertainer, this adventurous individual has made a name for himself - the name which he chose! Trying to act as an almost 'real life superhero' for kids everywhere, he pushes through life with a positive attitude, a big grin on his face, and a disconcerting amount of muscle on his otherwise small body.
Whilst described by some to be almost cartoonish in his manner, he honestly doesn't mind. If he's putting a smile on faces, that's all that matters!
| MAVERICK | |||
| [Full Name] | Maverick Gunshow | [Age] | 27 |
| [Nickname(s)] | Titan Slayer | [Gender] | Male |
| [Species] | Otter | [Sexuality] | Straight? |
| [Occupation] | Pro-Wrestler, Model, Photographer | [Theme] | Turisas - Stand Up And Fight |
| Appearance | |||
| [Height] | Incredibly short - around 5'3". | [Build] | Incredibly muscular, particularly top-heavy in terms of shoulders and pectorals. Built like a triangle. |
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[Features] |
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| Personality | |||
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A beacon of positivity, Maverick is an optimistic spirit, always grinning and inevitably cheerful. He has an energy for life described by some as 'infectious' and others as 'disconcerting'. Either way he's friendly, radiating a charisma capable of drawing others in.
Above all, Maverick values a challenge. Having earned the title of 'Titan Slayer' overseas for his wrestling career, he's built a reputation on looking at problems considered far above his capabilities, and launching himself at them whole-heartedly. He fashions himself after a superhero of sorts, wanting to act as an inspiration to young people - or at least to have an additional excuse to where spandex in public. After all, the otter is deep-down a show-off - and overcoming challenges whilst wearing tight pants is definitely an approach! Of course, he can - and does - have his serious moments. Whilst he comes across as almost overbearingly positive, it primarily comes from a realisation that there's a lot of negativity and misery about - and a wish to alleviate that. Those instilling their own negativity on others will soon find a much more dry, surly side to his persona. Push it too far... and he won't be afraid to push back. | |||
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[Dislikes] |
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| Personal History | |||
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Marlon Hornsby Jr did not have the best childhood. The unplanned child of a mother who soon left him, and a father whom he was named from, Marlon essentially bought himself up through his early years. Marlon Sr only provided the essentials to keep the boy alive til he could 'pull his own weight' around the house. Failing to hold any jobs for himself, he'd send the boy to run errands for money - money which he would then take to spend on gambling, booze and drugs.
Looking for an escape from it all, the young Marlon Jr turned his attention to superheroes - both those in his city and those in the fiction he sought as a way out of his own reality. He absolutely adored the idea of being one for himself, beginning to hide away some of the money he earnt to buy comics to be inspired by. One particular comic even came with a little pop-out cardboard mask, which Marlon inevitably - in his enthusiasm to be a hero - wore. Unfortunately, the elder Marlon caught his son in the act, and when interrogating his son on exactly where he garnered such an item, uncovered the boy's meagre collection. Furious that some money had evidently been hidden from him, he rounded on the boy, mocking him relentlessly. Telling his son that he COULDN'T be a superhero because he didn't have any powers, he beat on young Marlon telling him over and over that a hero needed to be strong and needed to be able to protect themselves, and his son couldn't even do THAT. As a final emphatic statement, Marlon's father took the comic books and tore them up, telling the boy that such ideals were so ridiculous he couldn't even sell them back to turn them into 'something of use'. Young Hornsby however, was stubborn. Having bought himself up under hardship, he'd gained a personal sense of fighting life against the odds. Working various small jobs, whilst the money went to his father, the effort began to shape him, toning his body for practical purposes. Any additional free time he could scrape went into further working out - so that he COULD be strong, despite his father's words. On one particular occasion, he was sighted by one Charles Fendinker - more commonly known as the wrestler Doctor Suplex. Impressed by both the young man's physique, plus his seeming dedication to self-improvement. Approaching the otter, Suplex invited him to join a small wrestling class he was hosting. Whilst at first refusing the offer, concerned about the cost of attending such a class, Marlon did in the end accept an invitation to at least attend a show the small wrestling school was putting on. He immediately fell in love. Seeing the big outlandish characters, the faces of the sport so similar to the heroes of his comics, standing up and fighting the villains... If he could do that, it would be almost like being the heroes of his comics. For a moment the ideal of anything being possible seemed to become strikingly real. Now... he just had to work for it. Pushing himself harder than ever before, Marlon began to spend barely any time at all at home. Skipping school to work - and then working beyond that. Becoming aware of his son's failing grades, the otter's father became increasingly abusive - insisting his son as a failure who couldn't do anything, claiming no matter what the young man wanted to do with his life he simply wouldn't be capable. Despite the continuation of this abuse, both verbal and physical, Marlon continued to fight through, working as much time as physically possible so as to have money to give to his father - whilst being able to earn just enough extra to begin paying for wrestling classes. He was increasingly tired and stressed, finding no time for himself and having no additional money to spend elsewhere - but he didn't care. The less time around his house and his father, the better. And now, training, he was beginning to form a life of sorts for himself. Unfortunately, this was not to last. Marlon Hornsby Sr. became increasingly suspicious of his son's activity - missing school and working more, and yet... no increase in money had found it's way into the elder otter's pockets. Evidently his son was up to something in his absence - and he was determined to find out what. Setting out to follow his son, he soon came across the wrestling school of Doctor Suplex. And there was his boy... failing. It had simply been a routine training session. The name of the game today was 'power moves' and young Marlon was eager to have a go. He'd been advised against it for now, considering he was certainly one of the smaller guys there, but he wanted to at least try! By all rights, he shouldn't've even been in that particular class, the rest of the day's participants being some of the largest that Suplex had to train - but for Marlon, attending was simply another excuse to avoid going home. Therefore, latching his arms around his much larger training partner, the young otter leant back... and nothing happened. He tried again and again, but could do nothing to lift the much larger man. And now someone was laughing. If noone had laughed, perhaps he'd've just accepted that it wasn't working and try to focus on moves more befitting his size. Instead though, that laugh tore his focus from the moment... onto his father. His father, in the room, laughing at him. Around the room there was an air of confusion at this stranger who had seemingly appeared to simply mock the poor small otter. Doctor Suplex, sensing an air of unease, asked him to leave, to recieve a simple response; "Not without my son!" Whilst noone there had been privy to Marlon's life outside the training school, the stench of alcohol running off the boy's father gave a pretty evident view as to the sort of situation at home. Concerned, Suplex attempted to defuse the situation - only for a dejected Marlon Jr. to pass him by, leaving the centre with his father in close pursual. Outside, it became evident that despite his drunken state, the elder Marlon had decided to drive there. Refusing to get in the car, the younger Marlon found himself on the end of another tirade of verbal abuse. His father challenged him, questioning if his son dared to try and 'wrestle his way away', saying he wasn't capable of any of the things that he was trying, that he was too small and too pathetic. As if to prove his point, he went as far as to shove his son against the side of the car, as if challenging him to fight back. He was rather surprised when he did. Losing his temper, the younger otter swung a fist at his father - breaking his nose and causing a significant amount of shock. Furious, the elder began to brawl with his son, both Marlon's tussling against the side of the car. Marlon Sr. soon discovered however, that his son was A LOT stronger than he'd anticipated. Shoving him away, he clambered into the car and made a quick drive away - catching the teenager with the side of his car as he turned out. Already worried, and having heard the outside commotion, Suplex and his class came outside to find the car speeding away - with the young Marlon laying on the ground, clutching at his abdomen. Contacting local emergency services, the boy was taken to Hospital for a brief time, having to recover from various injuries the impact had left him with. Despite some visits from his wrestling class, Marlon saw nothing of his father for this entire period. Eventually, having been released from the Hospital, the young otter returned home - only to find the locks had been changed. It seemed that after their altercation, his father had decided to complete disown his son - keeping all of the money and possessions the 16-year-old had managed to gain for himself behind that locked door. As of that point, Marlon Hornsby Jr. was homeless. Still, if there's anything life with his father had taught him, it was independence. Continuing to work as he had before, he earned enough money to keep himself living - scraping enough extra where he could to continue attending the wrestling school. He'd pay for classes, and from there, take advantage of the facilities to give himself shelter through the day. Of course, this didn't cover him for the nights, and thusly Marlon had to rough it out on the streets - sleeping in whatever space he could find unoccupied. This didn't go entirely unnoticed by one Doctor Suplex. Whilst not wanting to pressure the boy or probe too much into his personal life, it did become apparent that the young otter was increasingly rough, often wearing the same clothes for days at a time, whilst appearing physically quite dishevelled. Whilst Suplex lacked the time to dedicate to the boy, and much in the way of proper accomodation, what he did have was a lot of space in terms of the training school. One particular day, Suplex 'accidentally' left the key to the gym among Marlon's possessions. Marlon, being the good-natured spirit that he was, of course went to the gym to return the item - only to find at the back a makeshift bed, shambled together from various training mats. Not only that, but the conspicuously open back room - it's lights on to catch the curious boy's attention - had a partially stocked fridge, with a note by it's side suggesting it's availability to any who came to make use of the gyms equipment. Thus it was, that Marlon came to spend his nights at the training school. Whilst it wasn't ideal sleeping circumstances, it was certainly an improvement over life before. He tried his best not to take advantage, attempting to refill the fridge of anything he took from it when money would allow. Though soon enough he found - with an address to work from and no father to take what he'd earnt - that money was becoming less and less of an issue. Not only that, staying at the gym had other advantages - the gym itself! Maverick could make use of the place to work out when he wanted to, work out his frustrations, and even practise some of the wrestling techniques that Suplex had taught him. Whilst the Doctor did share some worries about him 'overdoing' himself, it became evident that the otter had a point to prove. Every piece of worry, every piece of doubt, every time he found himself not quite capable of doing something like lifting the biggest weight or throwing the biggest dude... it only drove him further and further. And whilst it arguably wasn't healthy... it was certainly succesful. Soon enough, the extra hours of practise bought him to a level where he wasn't only learning from Suplex - he was performing alongside him! When the school began to host it's own shows, he would be there, to bring his own brand of talents to the public eye. He was beginning to earn a reputation of sorts - and was finally beginning to settle in life. Of course, life unfortunately rarely a stationary thing, and whilst Doctor Suplex had done plenty of work to teach his students the art of wrestling, his true calling was as a performer. As such, when he was called back overseas, it became apparent that the training centre, whilst not to be permanently closed, would certainly be inaccessible for a long period of time. This left young Marlon with quite a conundrum. Whilst he had certainly saved enough at this point to afford himself a small place of his own, without the centre his life was seemingly... directionless. He'd began there as a means of wanting to be a 'hero' of sorts of people... and to prove to himself that he could do the things his father said he couldn't. And whilst he'd made a name for himself and become significantly stronger, he'd still never quite managed to take down the biggest of the big. He was still those few steps away from really making an impact. And with the arena closed for an indefinite amount of time, it seemed that perhaps now he'd just have to accept sinking back into a life of random oddjobs to scratch his way by. And then a thought struck him. The place that Suplex was travelling to was a land of giants in the business. The biggest names, the biggest people. If this was something that Marlon truly wanted to do... Well then perhaps he could go there too? Doctor Suplex agreed, and soon enough, Marlon was having to sort himself a passport. And it was at this point, another thought struck him... The name on that passport would be 'Marlon Hornsby'. The name given to him by his father, the name OF his father. A name that he'd have to carry across the world with him, a name that - should he succeed - would be put up in lights and be world renowned. And he didn't want that. His father didn't deserve that. He didn't want to stand in his father's shadow anymore... And thus it was that Maverick Gunshow was born. Maverick, individual, independent, breaking away from the shackles that had bound him. And Gunshow, because... well, he wasn't such a little guy anymore! It was a name that would stick in the mind... and did. For soon enough that was the name making the circuits overseas, first of all at the side of Doctor Suplex - and eventually by itself! Building himself up more and more, both physically and in reputation, he began to challenge the biggest targets he could find, determined to prove to anyone who dared doubt that he was here to make a name. And whilst the name he'd branded himself with was 'Maverick', the name they gifted him... was 'Titan Slayer'. Now, having finally built a legacy for himself on those foreign shores, he's returned to his home country. Whilst before it had seemed a dark scary world filled with heroes only in the confines of the pages, now it seemed a land of opportunity! And for all the kids out there like him, who'd needed a hero... he would be a very real one. Maverick Gunshow - the Titan Slayer - was ready to prove to everyone; It's not the size of the dog in the fight... it's the size of the fight in the otter! | |||
| Conflict Traits | |||
| Equipment | |||
| [Flashy Camera] | An old camera Maverick often wears around his neck - if he's not out with any particular objective, he'll make sure to bring this with him. A hobbiest photographer, the otter likes to always have the camera on hand, so as not to miss a prime opportunity! | ||
| [Carry Weights] | Because sometimes you gotta do everything you can to stay swole, Maverick has a pair of ankle and wrist weights he occasionally wears to assist with working out, and help maintain a level of exercise even on days where he perhaps doesn't have time to get to a gym. Plus, should worst come to worst, and he has to defend himself, they can really pack a punch if you smack someone with 'em! | ||
| Skills | |||
| [Cultivated Physique] |
Maverick is a physical specimen - a wall of muscle, not only built to appear strong, but disciplined to actually be put to use. The result is an individual who is INCREDIBLY strong for his size - and whilst he lacks any powers in the way of super-strength, he has trained to a degree where he could perhaps take on such individuals should they take their supernatural edge for granted. Furthermore, he is conditioned not only for strength, but for constitution, and even a degree of agility. Whilst his focus is strength, he realises that alone would often lead to him falling flat. As such, he tries to make sure he at the very least has the speed and fortitude to make practical use of the power he has. | ||
| [Wrestling] | When it comes to the squared circle, the Titan Slayer is a well-versed combatant. Having trained from a young age, and then having travelled across the world, he has a huge range of experience when it comes to competitive wrestling - and is more than willing to put it all to good use whenever he needs it. This makes him a dangerous force in and out of the ring - and someone you don't want to pick a fight with. | ||
| [Aquatics] | Due to his otter-y nature, Maverick has an affinity for various water- and beach-based sports. Whilst perhaps not as agile as many of his brethren when it comes to such activities, he's more than apt at them. | ||
| >[ | Swimming ] Maverick is an extremely capable swimmer, able to cut through water at rather deceptive speeds for his build. He has a large deal of control in the water, capable of a number of feats of athleticism to better move through the currents. | ||
| >[ | Surfing ] Maverick has a basic degree of capability when it comes to using a surfboard. Whilst unlikely to be found performing any tricks, he can at the very least ride waves. | ||
| >[ | Volleyball ] Having spent a little bit of time on the volleyball field, he could definitely outclass people out for a casual game. Against other regular players however, he's somewhere close to the bottom of the pile. | ||
| [Photography] | Being a big fan of photography, Maverick has spent enough time practising to get a real knack for it. Whilst he's not exactly a professional photographer, he has had a few pictures featured in magazines, recognising his talents. | ||
| Combat Tactics | |||
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Maverick is a hard-hitting individual - intent more on dealing out damage that counts, rather than flurrying his opponent down through a series of blows. Maverick plays the power game, taking advantage of his huge strength to control any combat he's in. For the most part, the Titan Slayer likes to get in close and shove through his enemy's attacks - trying to knock aside blows so that he can get in close and grab onto them. From there, it's just a matter of applying his power - using it to throw around and slam whoever he's battling into submission. For those he can't quite grab, he's more than willing to throw punches - his tree trunk arms carrying significant force if it boils down to a slugging match. As well as his power game, he does have a surprising level of speed and agility for his build. Where his strength may fail him, he may resort to older tricks of his - taking to the air to try and use his whole body as a weapon against his foes. Though not a common sight, Maverick is of course a showman - he's more than willing to take opportunities like this to show off during battle. | |||
| Strengths & Weaknesses | |||
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[Weaknesses] |
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| Misc. & Trivia | |||
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