Character Showcase: Scarab

Ah, Scarab. I don't even remember how I thought him up. Why a Kabutops, one of the least known Pokemon out there? I knew nothing about Pokemon before the role-play I joined, so how did I figure out what this character would be?

Perhaps I should explain what he was created for. He was the first character I had in the amazing, epic forum role-play "Rise of the Shadows". The entire 820 page (and possibly growing, though it is ending) role-play is based off the idea of the Dusk. Human scientists created the Dusk virus as a way to prevent uprisings, a sort of super force. The virus could be injected into Pokemon and spread through wounds, so any war with uninfected Pokemon inevitably lead to more being infected. The virus itself had only a few symptoms; the skin, scales or fur of a Pokemon would turn black; and their mind would be infested with murderous Voices. Often the Voices drove the victim to madness, taking over their mind completely and transforming them into savage killers.

The world I created Scarab for was experiencing a mass uprising of the Dusk, which had escaped the labs and were running around in a frenzy. Leaderless, I could see that they wouldn't do well. So I created a leader. Scarab drove them, creating plans of attack instead of simply sending a swarm. He sharpened the Dusk weapon to a deadly edge. The Virus evolved as well with the change, training the Dusk to follow their leader's words.

Scarab suffered for his position, too. Far beyond being targeted by Dawn (a rebel group of uninfected Pokemon), Scarab's mind was decaying. All that kept him independent from the scheming Voices was his bond to Hands, a Noctowl that acted as his sister. With her around, his mind kept itself strong. They protected each other with their lives.

This, however, came to an end. Hands was captured by the Dawn, and the Voices took over in Scarab's moment of weakness. He forgot about Hands as a friend, knowing her only as a pest. He left his army during a disastrous battle, pursuing a new goal - strength. Dr. Insins, a human scientist who had helped create the Dusk virus, was there to help. He strengthened the Virus, giving it the capability to evolve Pokemon beyond their past limit. Buzzard, a Charizard that I will showcase later, evolved into a Charidon first. A second injection moved him up to a Charaptor, and then lastly a Charrosaurus. Soon the entire Dusk army, consisting of hundreds of Pokemon, was evolved.

As Terenas Menethil II said, though, no king rules forever. A mass cure was sent out by the Dawn. Many of the Dusk ignored it, surviving on loyalty to Scarab - until he was cured, too. With this, the Voices that drove him faded... and there was no mind to take over. His death shattered the Dusk.

Scarab would not have been what he was without the Dusk virus. His natural personality was that of a calm, quiet, humble and intelligent Kabutops that avoided leadership. The Virus drew out his hidden ambitions, though, and he became cool, calculating, ambitious beyond words and cold to anyone he didn't have complete trust in. He formed the Dusk as he never would have been able to, changing them from savage, mindless killers to thoughtful, determined revolutionaries. They had a goal under his leadership. And with his fall, so fell their goal, and everything they had fought for.

Rest in peace, Scarab.

(Next Showcase will be Buzzard)

A merry Christmas and a... melting new year?

This is my introduction AND a story (*Cough*) from my life! Why? I don't really feel like talking about who I am right now. That's why.

I live in Michigan, so typically it starts snowing right after Christmas. Now, this doesn't exactly help us live up to the dream of a white Christmas, but it does give us something to look forward to. A nice snow after Christams is very nice and poetic. It'd be nicer if the tree that we decided to put in our living room for some reason was outside and covered in snow like it should be, but that's a topic for a later day.

Our initial snow was about five inches, and it fell on the first of December. In the typical dreary Michigan fashion, of course, it then completely stopped snowing for a few weeks and just looked grey. Only small amounts of dry, useless snow fell to make up for any compacting of the first five inches. It wasn't exactly ideal, but for Michigan it was pretty nice. Plus, we got a nice white Christmas that way. Poetic. You could practically hear the Christmas carolers singing outside our door, except we live in the middle of nowhere and anyone outside our door should probably be in an insane asylum. You could practically see the halos of joy beyond the bloody fingers, pricked and torn open by pine needles that should be used for industrial work. Overall, a nice Christmas compared to the ones of old. (Going to Georgia to spend the entire time holed up in a boring little house in the middle of old folks land playing chess to amuse ourselves...)

Imagine my surprise, then, when I woke up New Years Eve to the sound of thunder. Yes. Thunder. And it wasn't like the thunder of a big snowstorm. I know THAT thunder very well. Protip, when it's snowing really hard and you go out to play, watch out. That really bright red flash that completely blinded you for a few seconds, then the sound of a jet plane flying low overhead? It's super lightning. It's really close super lightning.

Anyway. I believe I got off topic there. The point is, it was also raining. All of the snow was melting. I don't believe the song goes, "I wish you a merry Christmas and a melting, dreary, muddy new year!" In fact, I think our dear friend Mother Nature just sent the early snow to mess with us. You thought you were getting a nice, snowy winter, oh yes! But now, you see your snow melt! Watch, as I make the entire rest of the winter muddy, cold and grey! Can't you hear her? I can. And I wouldn't put this past her. She's been known to mess with us before.

So here's my demand, Mother Nature. Give us a bit more snow. In fact, give us a lot more snow. Preferably, Sunday night. Lets see the roads get cleaned for school THEN! (Of course it almost never works. The cleaners are outside every snowy night, catching the snowflakes before they hit the ground.)

I hope this completely pointless post has cleared up a few things about Michigan weather, and perhaps about my mental condition. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a massive Lovecraftian mutation to draw.