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Leon was trying to think of the next two wishes. It was difficult for him to think of things that meant enough for him to want that didn't involve giving his hopes up.

"So. You don't want three wishes, but what if i could do something for you right now? Anythang, at all what would it be?"

Leon shook his head in disagreement, "It's not that," he tried to explain, "I just don't have enough faith in wishes to believe they would come true, so I don't have many real ones." He didn't know if Kendra could understand the amount of disappointment and heartache he had suffered over his life and how it had jaded him. He had been hurt to often by the harshness of reality. However, Kendra seemed to change the context of the question. What was something she could do for him right now. It was a little less 'give your hopes up' and was easier to come up with an answer for. Honestly it was fairly simple, since he come to the mansion he found there was plenty of food, and as such had become his closet thing to a go to comfort. "I'm partial to food" he said, though he didn't specify. Honestly as long as it was edible he would eat it and enjoy it.

He watched as Kendra played with the wildlife. He was somewhat indifferent. He didn't bother animals and they didn't buy him, not the hat and came near enough to him. They were smart enough to keep away from dangerous monsters, unlike people.

The day was nice, Leon had to admit that. He may be the eternal pessimist, but even he could see when the weather was nice and the temperature not to hot or cold. Generally the cold didn't bother him, his fur protected him from that, but heat could quickly become bother, the flip side of the coin. He found himself caught up in his own thoughts again, Kendra hadn't really said anything, so his mind went back to his quills and how long he had before they would grow to the point of being dangerous. They had started to regrow after about 2 hours after they were pulled it seemed. He knew they usually regrew in an hour if broken off, so assuming that once it was the size of a broken quill it would reach full size in about an hour, all he had to do was figure out how long that would take. It had been maybe an hour between the time in the doctors office and now, and the first quill looked about halfway the size of ones that usually broke off. It was a guess, but he would thing it would take maybe another hour to reach there, then that would make... 5 hours total between plucking and total regrowth... all that for 5 hours. Well, not even that really, getting all of them had taken 2 hrs, which meant, at best he had 3 hrs before he could be considered a risk again. Not much time.

"If'n you could have three wishes Leon, Would would those be?"

The question cut into his thoughts, turning his attention back to Kendra, who seemed to have decided to start asking questions again. Three wishes. He hadn't ever considered that. He had given up on making wishes, they always seemed a waste of time, false hopes and dreams that wouldn't come true. He could wish all he wanted and nothing would come of it. So what would he wish for? He'd want to be normal, but he had the feeling these weren't supposed to be those type of wishes. It was probably supposed to be things that fell into the realm of possibility. He would never be normal, he would never be able to put together everything he had ruined by nature of being him. What did he want that could happen? His quills gone? No. It was clear that was impossible as well. Honestly there was nothing he was able to change about himself. He was stuck as he was. Things that could happen...

"I'd wish..." he started, but faltered, unable to think of anything. Material things didn't matter, they wouldn't make him any happier, and everything he would wish for himself was pointless since he couldn't change it. He couldn't have anything he wanted, and everything else just felt empty. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to find something in himself worth anything. And then it came to him, something simple, and maybe possible, and maybe even something he wanted. "I'd wish... to have a life worth living." he said. It was the only thing he could really hope for. Not to have anything special, or be something he could not be. but just to have something that was worth it in the end. Something that made his life matter. Even if he was a monster, even if he was poisonous, if he just had something that made it worth it, something that justified his pain and loneliness. Something that would allow him to look at himself in a mirror and see something besides the useless creature he had become. IT was far fetched, he knew, but it was probably the only thing left he could realistically hope for.

With grace out of the way, Leon was ready to chow down, though he saw Kendra had placed cutlery by the plate.

"How's your food Leon?"

He grabbed the knife and fork rather ungracefully. They were small in his hands, it was rather laughable to see him trying to use it effectivly. They just weren't the right kind of hands for such a delicate task, and they slipped and slid in his paws doing nothing but pushing the food around. Growing with annoyance he placed them back down and grabbed the steak with his hands and took a big bite, his teeth slicing through the meat like a dozen serrated knives. No offense to Kendra, but he didn't have the patience to entertain the idea that he could pull off a elegant dinner display. He had finished the steak in two bites. It tasted good, though this applied to just about everything edible. "Hmmmm good." he said swallowing what remained down, and drinking the entirety of his cup .

"So sports huh? Bet it was football. We could throw a ball round of bit after lunch that sounds like fun!"


Leon made a muffled growl of discomfort, "Yeah... I don't do that anymore." he said. His last game had ended with him poisoning a half dozen people, scaring him with the memory of being surrounded by screams and convulsing bodies. And even if he could get past that, he knew it wasn't going to last. He didn't want to torture himself when his quills grew back. Playing football again, then having it torn away from him would be too much. He had enough disappointment today, and plenty more to look forward too.

If Kendra hadn't had stopped it, the steak would have been gone in a few moments. Leon would have most certainly wolfed it down, and his teeth ensured that anything was completely shredded, so it made it exceedingly easy. The wine was having no effect on him, not that he knew it. His immune system was built to process toxins, mainly because of his own, so the alcohol in his system had no effect on his faculties, physical or mental. Of course this also meant he didn't feel any sort of buzz either, which was likely a good thing given his general depression, if he could get drunk it would not likely end well in any case.

The meal Kendra made looked and smelled good, though in Leon's case this was somewhat lost on him. Anything looked and smelt good when you were not sure when your next meal was going to be. Even the microwave veggies were something he generally didn't get a chance at. He sat down at the table, waiting for for Kendra to finish saying grace. He wasn't that into religion. If there was some all powerful god somewhere, he had decided to curse him for no reason. It was kind of hard to have faith in anything if it meant your lord hated your guts enough to turn you into a monster. While Kendra prayed, he checked his tail again. A few more spine buds were growing, and the original one was getting longer. As he tried counting he could see that it all the holes his plucking had left were being filled again by the spine buds, which likely meant that they would all grow back. What did he have to do to catch a break?

A jukebox played in the background as a few guys were shooting pool. A dull cloud of smoke hung in the air from cigarettes and cigars. Manticore was used to it by now. His enhanced sense of smell had made hanging out here a pain at first, but eventually he got used to it. Now this place was a main hangout with his buddies from the store. The crowd here was a bit more easygoing towards mutants, and so he went mostly unnoticed since he was here a lot. Not that anyone would likely have the courage to make a big deal about him. If his initial predatory appearance didn't put that thought out of there mind, flashing a troublemaker a smile was usually enough to make them rethink that train of thought. It endeared him somewhat to the bartender, who didn't have to worry so much about security when a furry red lion/shark/porcupine thing scared the crap out of anyone looking to cause him grief.


"So three psychics walk into a bar," said Rick between his mug of beer, "And they knock themselves out, you think they would have seen it coming!" there was round of laughter around the table. Manti joined in, what could he say, it was funny. Anyone who knew his little group knew that the jokes were just that. Some people may have taken it too seriously, they all knew people so wrapped up in political correctness that they forbade any type of ribbing, but Manti would have none of that, it was only people with major control issues that would want to forbid laughter, and if you couldn't laugh at yourself, well you weren't all that fun to be around in the first place.

"Okay, okay, I got one," he said, thinking up his own, "So three mutants walk into a bar. The first goes to the bartender and say, 'Give me a free drink or I'll burn this place down with my pyrokinetic fire power!' the bartender says, 'I've seen your kind before, get out of here'. The second mutant says, 'Give me a free drink or I'll knock you through the wall with concussive blasts I can shoot out of my nose'. The bartender says 'I've heard that one before, get out of here.' Third Mutant says to the bartender, 'You better give me a free drink, I have X-ray vision' The bartender laughs 'What are you gonna do with X ray vision?'  and the guy says 'If you don't give me a free drink, then I'll tell everyone what I see underneath your trousers' The bartender says, 'Hey, hey, don't get crazy there fella, first drinks on me.' "

The table erupted in laughter, and Manti smiled as he took a swig of his own oversized mug. The alcohol had no effect on him, part of his powers, so it was just a social thing to hang out with the guys and have some fun.

Leon had no idea what he 'felt' like, food wasn't something he generally got to choose to eat, and he really just took what he could get what he could without complaint. So being asked what he 'felt like' was comparable to being asked what kind of air he wanted to breath. "I... really don't know," he said, unprepared for being asked to actually cook something. When she tossed him an apron, he wasn't even sure how he was supposed to put it on. Last time he had even been in a position to cook, he was still living with his parents. Still he tried his best, though he got tangled in the apron sting trying to tie it, his large fingers clumsy when it came to handling small things.

"You do much cooking? You seem likea fella who likes to eat."

"Eating, yes, but cooking not so much." he said, a bit confused on what he was supposed to do here. It wasn't as if he didn't know what cooking was, but he knew enough about himself to know that being covered in fur and preparing something that people were supposed to eat didn't look very promising. It would be even worse if his quills returned, as something he prepared may end up literally poisoning someone.

"Hand me a fryin pan from under there will ya?"

Leon looked at the number of pots and pans available, and picked out a large skillet. This was the frying pan, right? He wasn't at all sure, but it was at least pan shaped.

Individual(AV)

Character's full name: Leon Manning
Alias/ Nickname/ Code name: Manticore
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Date of Birth: (4/7/1995)
Birthplace/ Home/ Place of origin: California
Nationality: American
Ethnicity/ Cultural Heritage: European

Appearance

Hair color and style: A mane of scarlet red hair, often unkempt, reminiscent of a lion's mane.
Skin Tone: Scarlet red fur on red skin.
Eye Color: Cyan blue
Height: 7’ 5” Standing, 5' on all fours(shoulder height)
Build: Well muscled, powerful upper body, though still retaining graceful movement.
Visible mutation: Red fur and lion-like features, claws, and a tail. Rows of sharp barbed spines run the length of his back and tail.

Everyday clothing style: A black biker jacket and blue jeans with modification for his tail. Often he will wear biker googles when he’s been riding his motorcycle.
Sleepwear: Usually the same as what he is wearing, though he may take his jacket off.

Character

Personality: Leon is a fun loving rebel, with a streak for adventure and thrills. Despite his appearance he hasn’t let anything get in the way of a good time, developing his own brand of confidence and way of seizing life by the handles. He is very sociable given the chance and is up for a bit of flirting, though he tends to be more playful then serious.

Hobbies/ Interests: Motorbikes, racing, parkour and stunt riding.

Fears/ phobias/ concerns: Dislikes water to some degree, and is a bit afraid of deep water that he can’t see through.

Special talents: A natural singer, and a skilled motorist from practice.

Morality

Good/ bad/ neutral/ other: Chaotic good- Leon may get into his fair share of trouble, but he is a good guy at heart and more than willing to step in if he see’s someone in trouble.

Mutations

Mutation description:

Manticore physiology:

Leon’s body has a greater muscle to bone ratio, resulting in enhanced strength. Leon can, under optimal circumstances, lift about a ton for short periods. His skin covered in fur, providing some resistance to cutting, as well as insulation against cold. His hands and feet have retractable claws, capable of rending flesh. His spine is more flexible and has extra vertebrae and his tail provides more balance, making him agile for his size, and able to twist himself in the air to right himself, as well as bend forward enough to curl into a ball. His physical senses are also enhanced, allowing him to track by scent, as well as see in low light conditions. Leon has three rows of razor sharp teeth that line his mouth, and a jaw that can dislocate (which is a very disturbing sight). His bite strength is comparable to a lion’s. He is capable of standing or walking on all fours.

Several rows of barbed spine-like hairs run the length of Leon’s back, from the base of his neck to the tip of his tail. When relaxed these spines become soft and flexible like normal fur. When Leon is agitated, these spines harden and stick up. In this state they are sharp, and can easily pierce human skin, in which the barbs hook on and the spines break off, growing back in about an hour. However, these barbs contain a toxic venom which attacks nervous system and skin cells, and is extremely painful, enough to cause a person to go straight into shock. Left untreated a person can die, but the similarities to snake and spider venom is enough to where the most common anti-venom are an effective treatment. The 'tuft' of his tail is a bundle of quills, however, these ones are not venomous, though they are still barbed and painful. Due to his venom, his immune system can handle poisons and toxins without issue.


Strengths:

Leon is physically strong agile with many natural weapons at his disposable in the form of his claws, teeth and spines. His spines also make close combat risky, as his venom can easily incapacitate an opponent, and kill them if not treated.

Weaknesses and Limitations:

His height can make navigating smaller spaces difficult, and his tail makes conventional furniture uncomfortable. His spines also tend to stick into things he sits against if in a hardened state.

His fur can be uncomfortable in hot weather, and while it provides some small resistance from cutting, it is still just fur and a sharp enough blade can still cut it.

His venom can also be denatured with extreme heat (such as red hot steel, roughly 1200 degrees Fahrenheit), thus if the barb is removed and the wound cauterize, it can neutralize it if done immediately before the venom spreads.

His sense of smell can be thrown off by especially strong or irritating scents.

His hands and feet are an awkward combination of human hands and lion’s paws, while able to use them for most everyday tasks, it makes fine dexterity difficult, though he is overcoming this with practice.

Leon has a low level of animal instincts, while not strong enough to manifest in his behavior, it does cause some low-level reactions to certain stimulus, for instance his quills rising when he is agitated. However, nepetalactone and actinidine have a strong attracting effect on him, and have a strong euphoric effect that pacifies him.

Physical Abilities

General Physical Capabilities: (Strength/Speed/Reflexes/Stamina/Flexibility)

Able to lift 1 ton in optimal conditions, can run roughly 50 mph on all fours, though only in short bursts. Above average agility and balance.

Fighting Style:

When in a fight, Leon will generally go to incapacitate first, using the non poisonous barbs on his tail, saving his poisonous spine for real emergencies. He will use his strength and agility to his advantage with his parkour skills to maneuver and take down opponents, using his fists first before his claws, and if that is not enough, he will use his teeth.

Fighting Style Pros/Cons:

Despite his agility he is quite a large target, and can be hindered by an enclosed space. While his quills are effective, he still has only so many before he needs to wait for them to regrow.

History Of Your Character

Leon was growing up a normal kid who loved sports and the outdoors, which lead him to joining the football team in high school. He had no real goals yet, though he day dreamed about joining the big leagues as teenagers often do. But life had different plans for Leon, as he soon discovered. Leon had the misfortune of being mugged, or rather the mugger had the misfortune of trying to mug Leon. The stress triggered his mutation, turning him into a furry lion with shark’s teeth and poison quills. The mugger fled in fear, and Leon was left with a body that was stronger, faster, and in his own opinion, looked totally awesome. With this came some big changes in his life. He couldn’t play football anymore, due to obvious reasons, but it only opened way for him to find another passion to put his energy into. He developed an interest in motorcycles and engineering, while expending energy in parkour when not tearing up the streets. He finished high school and eventually got a job in New York in a pro-mutant bike shop, where his co-workers affectionately referred to him as Manticore. Acting one part bike specialist and one part security, life was certainly going his way.

Roleplay
Where did you learn about this site?: Stumbled on it while looking at marvel based rpgs.
Do you have any other characters on MRO, if so who: Manticore (MRO version)
Sample RP:

Manticore tightened the bolts on the wheel of the Ducati Diavel cruiser. Manticore was almost jealous of the owner, if not for his own sweet ride he had. He could tell a lot of care had been put into this one, and it probably wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been in an accident, blowing out the spring forks and damaging the ignition circuit. Honestly it could have been worse, if the what the owner said had been true and a mutant had been involved, though he failed to mention any specifics. He had of course put the same amount of care he put into his own bike in the repairs, if he had anything to say about it the owner would find it better then when it came it.

“Hey Manti, you closing up?” came the voice of Rick, his coworker, “Yeah, just putting on the finishing touches over here.” He called back. Generally the last one out locked up, and Manticore wanted this bike ready for pickup in the morning. “See you at the bar later?” he asked. Him and the guys went out for drinks, it had little effect on him since his system processed toxins without issue, so he could pass as designated driver if anyone got dead drunk. “Sure thing,” replied Rick, “Catch you in a few hours.” He turned and headed out.