Miles Derek Haxton

Individual 

Character's full name: Miles Derek Haxton
Alias/ Nickname/ Code name: M.D. Haxton (a pun, because he wants to be a doctor), Inches (another pun, because he's short and his name is Miles).  Eventually, his codename would be Watchdog. 
Gender: Male
Age: 15
Date of Birth: February 15th, 1997
Nationality/ Ethnicity: Caucasian.  His father is from Indiana, his mother is Spanish.
Birthplace/ Home/ Place of origin: Virginia Beach, U.S.A.

Appearance

Hair color and style:  Dark brown, not too long, not too short, usually messy, combs and him are not friends. 
Eyes: Dark brown
Height: 5'
Build: He has an average build, with neither muscles nor bones showing through his skin.  He's short for his age and white-ish but not as pasty white as his father.
Visible mutation: When in "dark mode", his skin becomes coal black and his eyes glow red.  They grow brighter the more agitated he is.  His skin gets feverish and becomes very painful to the naked touch.  In this state, his voice is rasped, creepy  and usually loud because he's likely to be screaming.  He looks like an average teen when not in "dark mode".
Scars/ Tattoos/ Piercings: None.
Other features: None.
Everyday clothing style: He's a jeans, sneakers and t-shirt sort of guy, who cares very little about what he's wearing and even reuses his clothes several times before getting them washed.  Prefers practical clothing (pockets, strong fabrics, useful things) than looking fashionable.  Plain white, dark or neutral colors over flashy ones.  He can get a scruffy, disheveled look in time if left to his own devices.
Uniform: None.
Sleepwear: Boxers.  Long and loose.  Has no shame in walking around on them since they look more like plain shorts instead of underwear. They're usually plain and dark but a few have cartoon characters printed on them.

Character

Personality:  Miles is affable, willing to talk to anyone, with high tolerance levels to people's personalities, attitudes and beliefs, yet he's not very open, will always go for the jokes and the small talk rather than discuss the things that worry him or his own personal problems.  He's fond of talking about said problems to his dogs, who can't judge him, but doing so helps him get things off his chest.  He's very responsible, smart and practical.  He's also messy and evasive, but can be strongheaded when it comes to defending his beliefs, an opinion or a decision he strongly believes in.  

He suffers a personality shift when in "dark mode", which makes him act harshly, thoughtlessly and selfishly.  He's not easy to reason with in this state and he will feel a very strong, almost irresistible temptation to use his mutant  talent on the recently deceased.  It may seem like he's an entirely different person when in "dark mode", but once he turns back to normal, he remembers everything he said or did the entire time, regardless of how much he'd like to forget it. He usually regrets his actions afterwards and feels very ashamed of them.  

Hobbies/ Interests: Miles loves petting animals and turns into a playful idiot at the mere sight of a furry friend.  Likes puzzles, games and videogames that force him to think and solve problems, like chess or strategy games.  He's interested in becoming a doctor and  very, very interested in getting rid of his mutant talent somehow.

Job or part time job and description: Student.

Fears/ phobias/ concerns: He thoroughly dreads turning a human being, specially a friend or a loved one, into one of his thralls. He is terrified of getting stuck somehow in his "dark mode".

Special talents: He's quick of feet despite his size and has a tactical, problem solving mind. Was taught how to drive a pick up truck at age 13 during a summer with his grandfather at his farm, has some understanding of how the human body works, knows basic CPR and is fluent in spanish.

Morality

When not in "dark mode" he's a good, responsible and caring soul.  When in "dark mode",  his anguish can push him to do selfish or amoral acts, which he'll usually rationalize as being good and regret them later.

Mutations

Mutation description:  Dark mode

This is a physical and mental state that Miles can inadvertently turn into, triggered the moment he is emotionally distraught with anguish or sorrow, the kind one feels after losing a friend, relative or loved one.  He usually has to be pushed to tears or shocked in horror in order for the transformation to take place.  Once it starts, he can't stop it.

Once in dark mode, his looks and mental state change (as described in "visible mutation", "personality" and "morality") and Miles will feel irresistibly tempted to touch the recently deceased, if there are any nearby.  He will usually rationalize  or deceive others into thinking he's doing it to help, but in truth, his mutation compels him to reach out and touch the dead. 

His body does not gain any extra strength or resilience while in dark mode, but he seems to feel very little pain in this state and making skin contact with him will cause great pain to the living.  If a transformation is imminent, the best course of action is to restrain him somehow, specially if there are dead bodies of any kind nearby.  Mutants with thick or armored skin can usually resist his pain-inducing touch much better than non-resilient mutants and they can hold him back accordingly.  Armor can do the trick of keeping the pain away, but cloth is usually not thick enough.

If Miles touches a recently deceased creature, he will hold it for a while and the cadaver will endure a transformation.  It's skin will turn coal black, any wounds or broken bones will heal or repair themselves, its eyes will open and glow bright red, its body will grow 1/4 larger than their original size and its muscles will also grow, making it look ripped and muscular.  The creature will no longer display any need for eating, drinking, sleeping or mating and from a certain perspective, it will seem like Miles has brought it back to "life".

 There are drawbacks to being brought back in this state, though. A mental link is created between Miles and the new creature, to the point he can give it mental orders, sense their location, see through their eyes, hear through their ears and smell through their noses.  He can't tell what the creature is thinking or feeling but the creature will understand and obey any orders it's given.  Miles will usually say them aloud, but there is no need, since the command is given through the mental link.  The creature will try to fulfill its orders in its own way (Miles does not "remote control" its every action).  The creature's personality is usually changed and they rarely exhibit behavior reminiscent of its past life.  They become thralls for Miles to command.

"Dark mode" fades off and Miles turns back to normal once he has calmed down.  If a "dark mode" episode was produced by the death of someone, it will bring him a great deal of mental peace to turn the deceased into a thrall and his dark mode will recede after that's done.  He will regret it as soon as he turns back to normal though, and turning a friend or loved one, in fact, turning ANY PERSON into a thrall, is one of Miles greatest fears in life.

Currently, Miles owns two thralls.  A large, boxer dog named "Astor" and a medium sized stray dog named "Tinaker".  Astor may be bigger and stronger than Tinaker, but the smaller dog runs faster and has much better senses of hearing and smell than Astor.  Both dogs sometimes show dog like qualities and Miles strongly believes there's still some part of the original dogs somewhere in there.  While they're not cute and no longer wag their tails or plead for belly rubs, Astor remains fiercely loyal and completely obedient to Miles commands, while Tinaker tends to prowl but will always come back if commanded. 

These two dogs are Miles' "offensive powers".  Astor is the attack dog while Tinaker can scout, provide support, track opponents down or spy for Miles if needed.

Miles limits regarding how many thralls he can create are not known to him and he has no interest whatsoever in ever finding out. He despises his "dark persona", believes he has no limit and can potentially field an army, but in truth he wouldn't be able to create or command more than five.  The physical effort of creating thralls would be too taxing for his mutation and his mind would be seriously handicapped trying to decipher the information he'd get from the eyes, ears and noses of several thralls at the same time

Strengths: Miles strength comes from his two overobedient dogs, which allow him to attack two opponents at once or attack one from two different angles, while still keeping a safe distance himself.  Their enhanced senses can also provide him with information regarding his surroundings and his tactical mind and mental link helps him work in coordinated unison with his thralls.

Weaknesses: Miles dark mode could potentially be triggered in the field of battle, leading to unpredictable circumstances. His greatest weakness, though, is himself.  While the dogs can fight and hold their own, he's still just a regular teenager giving them mental commands and can be taken out with a well placed punch to the jaw... if the puncher manages to get past the dogs.  The dogs have no answer for aerial attacks or for those coming from high ground. An unconcious Miles will usually cause the dogs to regroup to his side and stay there, protecting him.
The dogs do not have opposable thumbs and have serious trouble doing simple things like turning a doorknob or climbing up a tree.  While a large, muscular dog can be dangerous, Miles has no intention of ever killing anyone, for fear of turning them into thralls.

Fighting Style 

Explanation: Miles has the fighting skill of an average 15 year old teenager.
Pros for fighting style: None.
Cons for fighting style: All the cons the fighting style of an average 15 year old teenager could possibly have.

Faction Allegiance 
Unaffiliated

History Of Your Character:

Miles lived the typical boring life of someone his age located in Virginia Beach.  His mother is a spanish descendant and his father is from Indiana.  He's the elder brother of a 12 year old sister and his mutant talent kicked in very recently, probably because he hadn't been in any kind of emotional turmoil until his older dog, Astor, got very sick and all indications pointed to the dog not making it through the week.

The boy loved his pet and on Astor's final days, he skipped school to look after him. Eventually, the inevitable happened as Miles waited for his father to come home.  He was alone at the time and had Astor's head on his lap, listening to his loyal friend's hard breathing as he struggled to stay alive.  Tinaker was there, keeping both company with a somber attitude instead of his usually cheerful and manic behavior, as if understanding what was going on.  Tears were running through Miles face and during the dog's last breath, Miles could not hold his composure any longer.  Astor had been at his side since he was a little child and to see him go like this hurt him deeply.

Then it happened.

Miles has described his "dark mode" on occasion as "feeling like a drug addict suffering from withdrawal and death is made out of cocaine".  Hugging his pet, he screamed as his arms turned charcoal black, his body temperature rose and an irresistible urge to keep the animal close grew.  He was digging his dark fingers on his pet’s dead skin as an inexplicable... something... flooded out of his body and into the dog.  It was like the darkness from his skin spread to the dog's, turning it black as well.  The dog spasmed, as Miles dark touch rescued him from the clutches of death.  Its body and muscles grew larger and after a violent shakedown it opened its eyes, glowing bright red and making him look like a hound from hell.

A sense of peace and accomplishment invaded Miles after the deed was done. The blackness of his skin faded and as he regained his senses, he stared in horror at what he had created.  It did not act like Astor at all.  There was no licking, no tail wagging, no nothing.  The dog just stared at him, stiff and ominous.
Explaining what had happened to the rest of the Haxton’s was difficult.  He lied and tried to keep his involvement to a minimum.  His mother locked the beast in the walled backyard, screaming for a priest.  His father, a more practical man, was dumbfounded and suggested calling a vet instead. The first that came simply told them “That’s not a dog” and quickly left the premises.

A week later, the Haxton’s household was against him.  Miles was adamant about NOT getting rid of the dog he felt responsible for, his mother was terrified of it and his father suspected Miles was hiding something.  He was under a lot of pressure and as much as he tried to keep it a secret, it didn’t last long.  They had been keeping Tinaker outside with Astor as well and the younger dog had been so afraid of Astor it managed to bolt outside into the street at a moment’s distraction.

It was hit by a car.  His father went outside to see what happened, the driver came out of his car, his sister was crying for Tinaker, there were neighbors nearby… and they all saw him turn black as night and bring the dog back to life.

They gasped. They called him names. Mutie. Freak. Someone even recorded it on a cellphone and it was up on the web that very night.  There were arguments between his parents and his mother ended up leaving the house with his sister in tow, staying at his grandmother’s.  Mr. Haxton stopped looking at him the same way and it was hard to tell what he was feeling.  Sadness?  Regret?  Contempt?  The neighbors outside were freaking out about “those demon dogs” and were close to starting a riot.  His grandfather came down to lend them a hand and they left the house that very night.

Grandpa Haxton had brought a windowless van where they could carry the dogs out but he also had brought a shotgun with him and knew a secluded place where they could get rid of the crux of the problem.  Miles refused to let them kill his dogs since it wasn't their fault they were this way, it was his.  They were his responsibility and he felt a connection with them he didn't feel with anyone else, so in the end, it was decided they would head up to New York.  They had hospitals and institutions that could probably deal with the problem and maybe even fix it altogether.

The trip was miserable.  His elders were freaking out about having to travel with the dogs in the van as Miles slowly realized how to use his mental link with them.  It was creepy and very worrisome for them, with constant arguments ensuing throughout the journey.  Halfway through it, his father got a call from his boss who inexplicably fired him, but Miles supected word had gotten out since the video of Tinaker's turning was making the rounds.

More fights ensued among the Haxtons. When they reached New York, Mr. Haxton vented on him, blaming him for ruining his life and all he had worked for so hard in less than a month.

Stopping at night at a gas station, Miles grandfather took off to buy some supplies, while his father went to the bathroom.  The boy took the small window of opportunity to grab his backpack, open the van's doors and take his thralls with him, leaving the elder Haxtons behind.  He didn't want to cause them any more trouble than he already had and hospitals or scientists wouldn't come cheap.  

Miles disappeared into the dark streets of New York and has been reported as "missing" by his father. 

Roleplay

Where did you learn about this site?: I just Googled "Mutant RPG" and you guys are on the top.  I was looking for an RP with decent activity.
Do you have any other characters on MRO, if so who: No.

Sample RP:

"Ok, here's where we stand.  This you see here?" he said as he stretched his palm, holding his cellphone towards them.  He waved his other hand's fingers at it, to help them focus their red eyes on the device.

"This here is Miles Derek Haxton"

He had made up his mind for sure.  Maybe it was the wrong decision, but he had made it anyway.  The cellphone had all the numbers of his friends and family and he barely remembered any of those off the top of his head.  His life, his whole identity, lay on the gadget's memory chip.  Without it, he was just a random teenager with no ties or connections to his past whatsoever .

The phone started to vibrate.

"What, can't he get a hint?" he fumed. "Seven missed calls isn't enough?"
His father had been trying to get a hold of him, probably to berate him for taking off.  He'd been doing nothing but that the entire trip. He had tried to help, that's for sure, but it had all blown up on his face and he was now blaming Miles for his misfortunes.  After the last argument they had, the boy had made up his mind to leave his two elders alone and spare them the trouble.  They had a point and they had made it quite clear.

Lose the beasts.  Be normal again.

It wasn't as simple as it sounded.  They weren't ordinary animals anymore.  They were bigger, stronger and every single order he gave them, they obeyed.  He could see through their eyes, smell what they smelled and hear what they heard and even then, losing them now wouldn't fix anything.  He could make more.  He didn't know how many more or how often, but as long as he had no control over his dark persona, the possibility would always be there.  Always.  Because he was a mutant.

That's what they had called him, back when he turned Tinaker.  Mutie.  Freak.  He'd looked it up.  He'd heard or read about it before but never paid too much attention to the whole issue and now that he had, he was damn sure it was not a disease or a condition you could cure with a cream or a magic pill.  It was on his genes, on the very fiber of his being.  Somewhere down the Haxton line there must have been a vampire zombie or something and now he had his gene in him.  Doctors could look at him, probe him, register him,  stick tubes up his arse  and in the end, they wouldn't do a damn thing.  It was like asking a doctor to make a black man white or maybe turn a man into a woman.  Oh wait, they could do that nowadays.

The phone started to vibrate again.  Miles leaned back, stretched his arm and threw the damn thing as far away as he could.  The darkness of the street swallowed it up and he didn't even hear it break into pieces. His dogs were staring at him with their glowing eyes, unfazed and unmoving, like black marble statues. 

Miles sat down on the sidewalk with both of his hands covering his face.  A single lamp post illuminated the trio as the night started to get a bit chilly.

"What am I going to do, guys?" he asked them, not really expecting an answer. "I've nowhere to go and I don't know anyone.  I'm in a strange street in a strange city. I don't know what the future holds for me and even if I don't have a clue what to do, I'd rather be here than back in the van!"

Not even a lick for comfort.  All he got for an answer was silence. Miles sighed.

"All right" he said, trying to think things through. "What's the worst that could happen to me right now?  I'm not worried about getting stabbed or raped because you've got my back.  So what's the second worst thing that could happen to me?  Hunger.  Cold.  I can try to find a job tomorrow and if I nab anything, that solves the hunger issue.  That leaves only the cold..." he reasoned, rubbing both of his hands together.  He looked at the smallest member of the team.

"Tinaker, you take the road and find me shelter.  A homeless shelter, the subway, I don't care.  Find me a place I can spend the night.  Keep your eyes and nose peeled for any food sources.  Astor, you stay your ass right here and keep watching my back."

The smaller dog bolted and lost himself in the darkness almost immediately.  Astor and the boy remained where they were.

New York was dark, cold and unfriendly, but as long as he had his thralls, he had nothing to fear.  They would work for him, fight for him and die for him. He'd find answers on his own, no matter what it took and above all... he would survive.