The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Charles wasn’t even winded from this display of dance and skill. He was used to dancing like this all the time. This was how he made his living -- mostly. But that meant he was always primed and ready to perform and, more often than not, it won the heart of a pretty young woman. The limberness that he displayed was enough to pique their interest in undeniable ways. Maybe Rhia could be counted among those ranks?
Hands at his waist, he chuckled when she agreed that it was nice to meet him and tried out a different moniker than what she originally had called him. While he knew it lost points with some people who loved the cutesy dancing animals, it was a film that he just couldn’t get behind. He hated cartoons, even as a kid. But at her next suggestion, his wide smile tugged at his lips.
”Footloose is a good alternative,” he grinned. ”Not a bad movie. Dance in the face of oppression. Good morals.”
If that could be called “dancing”. That was mainly a lot of ballet and one-man krumping. He wasn’t entirely sure that such a movie should be allowed in the annals of great dance movies, but he wasn’t going to say such things out loud. He had to give points to Rhia for trying.
He had to admit, he really liked her attitude and confidence. That had always been a major turn on for him so the fact that she met him with such bravado certainly piqued his interest. Even better, she wasn’t going to turn down a drink. With a smile he turned and started to make his way off the dance floor, walking backwards to make sure he kept her in his sight, smirking like a damn fool. The girl’s ate that shit up. He still eyed her before he spun on his heel and made a beeline for the bar.
”Vodka and red bulls, my good man!” he announced to the bartender. ”And a rum and coke.” Luckily he managed to sneak in just before the next rush moved up to the bar.
After being momentarily sidetracked, the man returned, poured both drinks and slid them across the bar, but stopped when he got a good look at Charles. “Hey, wait up. Lemme see your I.D.”
Charles sighed and shrugged his shoulders. ”Whatever my friend. I take it as a compliment.” Grinning he pulled out his wallet and showed the man his I.D.
It was a good fake. When he first arrived in New York he had a particularly bad one. It was good enough to fool the people back home and definitely not the more trained eye of the NYPD. It was a good thing he knew how to run fast...oh, and turn completely invisible. But now that he made enough money on average, the first thing he did was buy a damn good I.D., better than any high schooler’s trying to sneak into a club.
The I.D. was given a good once over before the bartender, annoyed with people calling for his attention, finally gave up and handed the I.D. back. Money exchanged hands and Charles was two drinks richer. One was quickly handed off to Rhia with a charming smile.
”Here you go, beautiful,” he beamed. ”An energetic drink for an energetic lady.”
Yeah. Charles knew he was failing in his attempts to woe. Most of the ladies he came across in these types of establishments were purring like kittens, ready for any stranger to show them just a little bit of tenderness before spilling everything. Unfortunately it seemed that this was not one of those cases. Far from it, actually. With that snarky laugh and the lazy look, he inwardly groaned. He knew the type of person this was: the Sarcastic Nihilist.
They were a growing breed of person that made his game difficult to play. They didn’t fall for the old tropes because they were too bitter against the world to feel any of his words. A tragic thing, of course, especially for one as pretty as her, but Charles knew when he was at the disadvantage. Looked like he wasn’t really going to get anywhere with her the old fashioned way. May as well get as close as he could before stealing what he could.
He snickered, visibly growing more relaxed after understanding he wouldn’t get anywhere with her (at least on the surface). ”You’d be surprised,” he chuckled, turning to face the bar and taking another shot of his drink. He partially hissed at the burning but shook it off and set the glass upside down.
She at least seemed somewhat interested in his process concerning his dance routine and choices of venues. The idea she offered wasn’t a bad one and happened to be one that he had thought of more often than once. He nodded in agreement.
”Yup. Done those. Establishments are cracking down on shooing us performers out of the way, though,” he lamented with a sigh. ”A surprising amount of thefts at those locations, you know?” he smirked and flagged down the bartender for another drink.
Charles’ been in New York for about a year now and he was fairly well versed in where the good money could be made. The problem was that he wasn’t here in an honest capacity. Not totally. He wanted to make his living the way he wanted to, at least until fame and his dreams plopped in his lap or his bought his way into it. Because of that he knew the underhanded and best ways to achieve what he wanted.
When asked about her sweater, she shrugged and admitted that it wasn’t hers. It was stolen. Interesting. So it seemed that he wasn’t the only thief here. If anything she was so blatant and uncaring about it that he wondered just exactly what was her deal. Seeing as his prospects were running dry, it was probably better to keep his interaction short.
He chuckled as he waited for his refill. ”You know what they say,” he said. ”If you can’t remember their names, their probably not important enough to remember.” He sighed, seeing his refill wasn’t coming and shrugged it off before turning to her. ”Well, Ms. Illinois, seeing as you are thus far immune to my best charms, I guess I’ll see myself off to other distant corners.” Standing up from the bar, he slipped one hand in his pocket, and held the other one out to her. ”A goodbye shake of good luck for the both of us?”
A dance challenge was not something that Charles took lightly. As he was trying to not only make this his career, but the entirety of his life, any challenge that is issued to him to “show his stuff” is one that he has to throw his awe into. And that was exactly what he did for the young woman in front of him. She asked him to dance to prove something -- and so he danced to prove something.
The music was not entirely his style but he could find the beat necessary to pull him into the rhythm. Once he found it, it was a fairly simple job to make his body react accordingly. With a slow build-up, eventually Charles was commanding the dancefloor with all manner of dance moves. And soon enough the blonde would realize the person that had bumped into her.
Their song came to an end and Charles stood there, with a Cheshire grin, knowing how impressive his moves were, and inquired if that was enough for her to accept an apology. He knew he didn’t have to apologize. Bumping into her was purely done in accident and the music choices, well, he didn’t own the place, they could play whatever the hell they wanted. But he was liking this game of theirs and wanted to know precisely how he was doing.
The look she gave him made her words sound like the purring of an interested kitten. This was encouraging. After gracing him with those sweet words of forgiveness, he held his hand over his heart in faux acceptance, still wearing his grin as he did so.
”So generous to forgive such a lowly dancer,” he chuckled. ”I’m deeply blessed to meet you, Rhia...”
Rhia. He was going to have to commit that name to memory. Now that he was standing long enough to get a good look at her, he had to admit that she was pretty, but very tough looking. She reminded him of farm girls he had seen in certain niche adult movies. Not that he needed to watch those movies too often. Though he did have a particular fondness for the very much acclaimed, “Melissa’s Rodeo Orgy” (M.R.O. for short). But he didn’t voice any comparison between Rhia and said movie, instead he offered her his hand with that winning smile of his.
”Charles,” he said in greeting. ”And please, don’t call me Happy Feet. I hate that movie,” he chuckled. He released her hand and then waved off to the side. ”Need a drink? Or think you can keep up with me for a couple more rounds, Rhia?”
Wow. She wasn’t paying attention. That was almost sacrilege. He was talking near her. That alone should have made her doubly pay attention to him. But...whatever. As she finally came out of whatever stupor her phone game put her in, he still shared with her that winning smile of his. What he wasn’t expecting was for her to casually gesture to the bartender that there was more there than just his annoyance at Charles helping himself to the alcohol.
Turning back to the man, Charles watched the blush color his cheeks before he turned away and tried to focus on a new customer. Interesting. Secretly he filed that away into his memory. Maybe he could use that to his advantage at another time. He wasn’t really interested in the bartender but he would lower his standards if it meant a warm bed and a hot meal for a couple days. Of course, eventually Charles would grow board and head off again, thus making this place uninhabitable in the future.
Bother. Oh well. He’d save that for a last resort kind of decision. Meanwhile, he was going to keep up his ruse of getting closer to the loaded blonde. If she were so free with flashing so many bills, clearly she wouldn’t mind floating a little more his way.
He snickered in reply. ”Maybe another day...when I’m not particularly enchanted by someone else.”
Wide smile pulled at his lips. Such words had been used before on many similar women. They were often too brainwashed by movies and books and TV shows where love proclamations were made within an hour of meeting a handsome guy. Often it resulted in these women becoming puddy in his hands. Made thieving from them much easier.
Sadly it seemed that his familiar tactics weren’t fully working on the girl. She had turned back to her game, muttered a curse under her breath, then turned to face him again. The topic had apparently shifted. She remembered him. Good. That was something he could build off of. Good conversation starter.
”Thank you. I do what I can,” he said and flagged down the bartender for another shot. The bartender returned, refilled his glass. Charles ignored it and instead watched the woman in front of him as she inquired as to his business practices.
He sighed and made a wavering gesture with his hand towards her question. Honestly it wasn’t as easy as all that. It depended on the day, the weather, and what was going on during the season. And he imparted that much onto her.
”Depends on the day,” he said. ”Fridays and weekends are usually the best. Usually tourist or weekend visitors who want to get drunk as early as possible. They usually tip the best because they rarely know how much they are dropping,” he snickered. ”Sometimes it just depends. Kind of a crap shoot when I decide to dance on the corner.” He gave her a nod. ”You just visiting New York or just an Illinois fan?” he asked, gesturing to the Illinois patch on her sweatshirt.
[/url] Charles is trying to have a good (and luxcrative time) at a club when he runs into a new dance partner. (Charles/Rhiannon) Birds of a Feather Charles finds a new target and follows her into a club. (Charles/Juniper) [/ul]
Charles wasn’t stupid. He knew how to play the game. If he wanted a handful of free butt, all it would take is a moment of concentration and he would never be caught. But when it came to these things accidentally happening, he had to poor on the charm. After all, there was no telling if the person he bumped into was muscle bound meathead or...a damned gorgeous woman in a tight dress. After he had just escaped several of her breed, he understandably should have been weary, but he wasn’t. No, this woman seemed far, far more interesting.
Therefore it was time to turn on just a bit of charm. He had no idea how things would unfold. Would she be a conquest or a personal ATM machine? It was the uncertainty and the anticipation that made him stay. He couldn’t wait to see how these events would unfold.
He apologized, of course, for bumping into her. She seemed somewhat surprised as it seemed to be a common occurrence this night with no remorse offered. A quick glance and he could understand why. Still, he wasn’t going to be a complete sleazy and stare down the cut of her dress. Instead his eyes met hers, chuckling at the comment. When the music changed over, he winced and snorted with laughter. Yet another thing to apologize for.
A teasing gleam filled her eye as she stated the terms for accepting his apology. She would do it...so long as he could prove that dancing was more his forte than walking. Oh. Wow. Color him in love. That both fed his ego and stung just a little bit. With a wide grin on his lips, he leaned back, watching her as she started first, swaying her hips and moving to the beat of the new, bastardized song.
”Oh...consider that a challenge accepted,” he said with a devilish smile.
He stood still, nodding as he started to sway, seeking out the underlining beat that was woven throughout the song. It didn’t take him long to find it and, when he didn, Charles easily slipped into the dance moves as if it were a fine, perfectly measured and customized glove over his hand. The level of his skill and ability quickly became apparent as he moved in unison with the beat, popping and moving with all the expertise of someone who had planned this choreography ahead of time.
He didn’t He was just that good. He had been dancing for so long he knew how to dissect tunes and beats, seeking out those specific patterns so he could move his body accordingly. In front of this pretty stranger, Charles danced some of his best, remaining close enough to her to prevent others from cutting in, but not so close that she would think him another freak.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught more movement, a strange flailing of sorts. He turned his head briefly and apparently found that trio of girls he had been dodging since he entered had all congealed into a single, dancing entity of twerks, pumps, and squealing. Truly a most terrifying vision of Eldritch proportions. At least they didn’t seem to be hunting him anymore. Instead he turned back to the dancer before him, smirking as she moved.
Not as a good as him, of course. But he wouldn’t say that outloud. Instead, he would dance and finish out the song with an dazzling flourish. With it, he grinned as he looked to the other woman. "Apology accepted yet?"
Charles knew a prime target when he saw one and he certainly saw one with the blonde who dropped a hefty bill into his hat. He could have let her go, fished the waters for easier prey without having to put in the extra work. But this seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. If she were willing to give her money freely to a street performer, then surely she wouldn’t have any problem giving a little more. It was for a good cause, after all -- his comfort.
It was pretty easy to trail her from behind. The jacket she wore flashed like a signal fire amongst the dredges of the crowd. Even better was the fact that she was walking into a club that he was increasingly familiar with. The bouncer was a perv, so much so that he was too busy oogly chests that Charles hardly needed to use his powers.
After the blonde entered, Charles waited until the next lady walked up. He pressed against a wall, just on the other side of the line. When a smaller, quiet, mousy girl stepped before him, she quickly lifted her shirt to give both the bouncer and, inadvertently, Charles, an eyeful. Not bad. He’d definitely have to find this little “Mouse” later. Maybe she had a warm burrow he could partake in after he was done robbing Ms. Illinois.
Speaking of…
It was simple enough for him to slip inside. The bouncer was too distracted and the appropriately nicknamed “Mouse” was too flush with embarrassment to notice him. Creeping in through the door, Charles follow the flashing of the lights and the scent of “grind sweat” that hung like a heavy fragrance in the air. Admittedly Charles didn’t occupy this place often but enough that some of the staff recognized him; it did make for an amazing hunting ground. People were close, everyone wanted to be touched, it was dark and heavily scented, the perfect picking grounds for the right kind of pickpocket.
And Charles was the perfection pickpocket.
But it was as his eyes drifted across the scene, picking out loose jewelry and the indentation of wallets, he soon spotted his quarry hanging out by the bar. She was alone, but with a bright smile. Her wandering eye was easily spotted, shifting between bartenders and seemingly ignoring a few of the other patrons who were trying to get her attention. Aside from that, the bar was mostly empty so it would be easy enough for him to get in close.
With swagger he carried himself over to the bar, ignoring those who catcalled or groped. He knew how much others wanted him but he wouldn’t be distracted from his current course of action. When he finally made it to the bar, he didn’t speak to the blonde, but instead faced forward, reached over the edge, and grabbed a bottle and a shot glass. The bartender, turned and shot him a dirty look. Charles just grinned.
“Come on, Charles, we’re busy,” the bartender said. “No helping yourself.”
”Oh come on, Benny,” Charles said, glancing to the blonde out of the corner of his eye, but smiling his brightest to the man. ”Some of the best things in life are seized from the grasps of others.” After a second he produced some of his freshly earned money and set it on the counter. ”See?” Charles said as the bartender took the money from him. ”I didn’t want to give you money and yet you took it. Feels nice, right?”
The bartender flipped him the bird, to which Charles placed his hand over his heart, feigning injury as he glanced to the blonde next to him.
”See that?” he asked her. ”I feel like I could sue for harassment.”
Charles loved to dance. That was why he pursued it with so much fervor. Freedom of movement. The ability to push his body to the limits. And the reaction of spectators. That was what kept him moving, kept him dancing, and forced him to do everything possible to ensure his dream never died. There were too many people in the streets who had given up. Those people who danced on corners for change and pity. That wouldn’t be Charles.
But such heavy thoughts were not allowed to invade his personal headspace this evening. Not right now. Of course he would do what was necessary to make sure he didn’t leave Tex AF without at least some compensation, but he was going to have fun in the meantime.
He was an artist, after all. And an artist needed a canvas to create. The dance floor was open. Only a few people were there, clustered into tight groups that spun and ground against one another. In the midst of it, it almost felt like everyone was cogs in a machine, teeth interlocking to make one another turn in some giant, living mechanism. Every person, every piece, churned out the same, tired moves over and over again. But not Charles. He was the errant cog that this machine needed to become lively.
The music wasn’t the best but it was enough to allow Charles to slip into the group of dancers on the floor. He moved easily to beat, finding the perfect rhythm to match the vastly confusing song. Soon enough he was all smiles as she found himself surrounded by a pair of pretty ladies. He recognized them both. One of them was the Slut Bunny herself, Sen, and the other was part of their group, a girl who’s name he didn’t know.
Their dancing was...okay. They tried but they seemed dead set against reinventing the wheel and instead slipped into those old staples of twerking, gyrating, and well, he hadn’t seen the Cabbage Patch in awhile, but if that was what Sen wanted to throw at him, he couldn’t really stop her. Instead he just chuckled, shaking his head, hoping his expression was somewhat masked by the flashing lights.
The other first was doing considerable better. She seemed the more...creative of the group. Though tight-dressed like the others, the fox-earred headband seemed somewhat out of place. Though, it added to her appeal considering how much shorter she was. She continued to rub up against him, grinning wide and trying to catch his gaze.
He gave her a curt smile and a nod, but kept looked over her (which was a simple enough task) as he sought for another partner, or at least an exit. Still, whoever she was, she was relentless. Enough so that Sen had to intervene.
Her hands wrapped around his shoulders as she peered around his side and eyed the other. “Ugh, like, ohmahgod, Mati. You’re being such a hog.”
Mati, as he now learned her name, rolled her eyes, trying to wrap her arms around Charles neck but seemingly was too short to fully reach and instead opted for his shoulders. “Oh shut it, bitch. Don’t ruin my dance flow.”
“You mean your dance whore,” Sen muttered loud enough for them both to hear.
“Like, ruuude,” Mati hissed.
“Skank.”
“Douchebaggette.”
“Ugh. I love you.”
“Ohmahgod, I love you too.”
“We’re best friends.”
“Super best friends.”
“Hey, wanna dance with us some mo-”
Charles was already gone. As the two were bickering, he had slipped away, dancing into a new second of the dancefloor, but not before he came across another girl from that party. He remembered her, the one who’s butt he had grabbed. Aly. She turned to face him, immediately flashed him a winning smile and before she began to Pump-It.
“Hey cutie. Wanna dance?” She was still pumping it, and rather aggresively now.
”...” Charles moonwalked away. Slipping through the crowd again, moving around people, he finally stopped when he felt himself bump into another. He turned around, an apology on his lips. ”Oh wow. I’m sorry,” he said to the pretty blonde in the tight black dress. At this same time, the song finally changed...but not for the better. The pillaged and bastardized tones ofMr. Johnny Cash filled the air and he winced. He offered the blonde a smile as he pointed vaguely to wherever the speakers were. ”I’m sorry for that too.”
It was easy to steal. Honestly, for him, it was the easiest thing in the world for him to steal. However for as much fun as it could be, he needed other ways to fill his time. He wasn’t just going to be a thief for the rest of his life, ya know? And though he had a minor setback stealing from that director of that stage show he managed to be cast in (he’d get back at them eventually), his heart was still set on being a famous dancer.
One day. Meanwhile, he had to make a living somehow. He was good at stealing, but every now and again, he needed to do things the old fashioned way. It helped to keep him limber and sharpen his skills. Besides, the tourists and the already buzzed partiers often had loose wallets.
It was a simple set up: Find an empty patch of concrete, lay out a cardboard box, set up a music player, and dance your heart out. New York was a place built around creatives and allowing people to express themselves however they wanted in order to scrap by on the kindness (and gullibility) of strangers.
Charles was in his prime right now. Dressed down to just a pair of baggy jeans and a white tank top, he kept his music player (a Zune, because who would steal a Zune?) on a nearby table that belted out a high energy song for him to dance to. He moved in perfect rhythm with it, twisting and turning as he combined his capoeira skills with the high precision movements of his dance style. It was quite the show to behold.
After a particularly physics defying move, Charles kicked his legs up, twisted his body and landed with a thud on his feet. Straightening up at the end of the song, he grinned as he turned his gaze onto the crowd, all of whom were clapping, smiling, and completely enamoured with his performance. He gave a small bow and watched as a particularly pretty blond set some money in an upturned hat of his.
She was pretty, but there was something more interesting about her...the money she flashed. Hell, it looked almost as if she had just had a payday. Well, hello gorgeous. Grinning wide, he gave her a particular broad smile then turned and started to collect his things.
It was fairly quick to grab everything. His Black and red, button-up shirt was slipped over his tank top, he folded and tossed the cardboard into a nearby trashcan, and, after collecting his money, slipped his hat back onto his head. With a smile and a bow, he bid the crowd a farewell before stepping off after the blonde.
He only made it a few steps before he caught sight of her. But instead of approaching, he hung back, simply following as nonchalantly as possible to figure out where she was going. It didn’t take long. The club wasn’t far from his location and she seemed to be steering herself there. Good. Dark space. Loud music. Lots of close dancing. Honestly, she made stealing from her as easy as possible.
The Tex AF Club. No one expected that it would be as big a hit was it was. Hipster-Techno-Country Rave music wasn’t exactly a growing niche in the world, and yet, here they were. TEX AF was getting more and more popular. Celebrities tweeted about it, it was the first stop for many freshly turned 21 year-olds, and vendors all over the city scrambled to get their wares inside those hallowed halls. After all, when something popular pops up in New York, it is best to jump on the opportunity for as long as it lasts.
That was the exact reason that Charles Red Fish was here. The most popular place, while well-guarded, would result in poor decisions; poor decisions that he could easily take advantage of. Honestly, it was shooting fish in a barrel -- or rather, stealing cash from Speedigram influencers.
Getting in was simple enough. It was all about timing. With the bouncer at the door, all Charles had to do was wait for the right size group to be let in. Thankfully that came with a large party of tightly, neon-dressed girls, all giggling and posing with duck lips as they were allowed entrance. He rolled his eyes at them, definitely marking them for theft the second he had a chance.
The last girl flashed her I.D., plus a wanton smile at the bouncer, who then stepped aside and unhooked the rope from the door. The girls all squealed in delight, sauntering into the club. It was easy for Charles to slip in with them as any accidental touches and gropes could easily be mistaken for a friend getting too excited to party.
“Ugh! Sen!” One girl chided another with a laugh when she felt her butt being squeezed. “Don’t be such a slut bunny.” She grinned and winked at her friend.
The other girl, Sen, was noticeable confused but shrugged her shoulders. “Whatevs, Alexis.”
Charles smirked as he slipped by them and into the club where he finally peeled off on his own. That was just as easy as pie. Though, it aided him greatly that he was invisible the entire time.
It’s funny. All the comic books, movies, and novels always talk about how corrupting the power to be invisible is. It is such an innocuous power. After all, people go unnoticed all the time. How many times a day do people ignore one another, refused to talk or even acknowledge another person. It’s easy to be invisible and to not be corrupted by it. If anything, Charles viewed it more as leveling the playing field. So many others have so much more than he will ever see. What’s wrong with just taking what he deserved?
A solid philosophy if he’s ever heard one.
In the shadows of a dark corner, Charles settled himself, waiting until no one was around. Once it was clear he was not in view, he craned his neck, breathed out, and dropped his invisibility. He faded in slowly, some parts of him becoming sharply visible before others. Within a few seconds, Charles Red Fish was completely visible, a gift to those who looked upon him (or so he thought).
He was a handsome man. Looked more in his 20s than his youthful 18 years old and had a firm, muscular body from his years dancing and the regiment that he put himself through. His raven black hair was cut short, messy, but presentable which added to his devil-may-care aura. Dressed in stylish torn jeans, a black shirt, and a very nice leather jacket, Charles was indeed a heartbreaker. But he was one people needed to watch out for.
Not only would he steal a heart, but he’d steal the wallet and any valuables that were attached to it.
Peering around the club of flashing neon lights, cowhide patterns, and match decor, the club definitely looked like someone’s attempt at Neo-Western-Futurism. It actually hurt Charles’ eyes. But no matter. He would endure. Admittedly, the techno remix of “I Fought the Law” wasn’t too bad. But that was enough sightseeing. It was time to make some new “friends”.
Swiftly he made his way to the dance floor. It was easy to slip into the crowd...and even easier to start earning from praise and attention with his amazing dance moves. The predator was hunting...
Character's full name: Charles Red Fish Alias/ Nickname/ Codename: Obscure Gender: Male Age: 21 [Updated: 4/12/2023] Date of Birth: January 12, 2002 Birthplace/ Home/ Place of origin: San Diego, California Nationality: American Ethnicity/ Cultural Heritage: Native American (Sioux)
Appearance
Hair color and style: Short and usually gelled into a type of faux-hawk or a controlled mess. Skin Tone: Golden copper Eye Color: Deep, earthy brown Height: 5’11 Build: Toned and extremely well-built. A dancer’s body. Visible mutation: More like…INvisible. Hehehe... Scars/ Tattoos/ Piercings: Stud piercings in each ear. A tribal fish tattoo on his right forearm. Other features: Persistent cocky smirk that he knows you like and that suits him perfectly.
Everyday clothing style: T-shirts, jeans, tank tops, usually looser fitting clothing so he can easily pocket and hide things on his person. Uniform: He has certain jeans and shirts that have extra, hidden pockets. Sleepwear: Boxers and/or a pajama bottoms only. Miscellaneous clothing: A bead necklace that his sister made and gave to him for his birthday.
Character
Personality: Charles is a bit of a complex individual. He isn’t the nicest guy but he isn't the worst either. Growing up in his household, where his sister garnered all the attention, he sometimes feels he needs to put on a show to remain the center of attention. This can make him appear pretty conceited (which he is as he has tremendous belief in his appearance and skills) but deep down he is just a young man looking for validation. That is the one thing that he will never admit about himself, how much he needs others to accept him. But these are deep down thoughts, how does he interact with everyone else?
The truth is that most people who don’t know Charles, and most who do, view him as a bit of a self-assured jerk. He makes fun of others, he constantly picks on the one thing that he finds that bothers them, and then accuses them of being too sensitive when they snap at him. He is conceited, he believes he is the most talented in the room, and will often go out of his way to prove it.
However, underneath the irritating behavior, Charles is actually just trying to make his way in the world and can see when others are in the same circumstance. He really only steals from people whom he deems deserve it and will often buy groceries for elderly neighbors or will lend a helpful ear when it’s asked for. It just takes a lot to drill through surface Charles’ narcissism and to the begrudgingly caring individual he really is. Hobbies/ Interests:
Dancing: For all of his boasting, Charles is actually a magnificent dancer. The way he moves and undulates, it shows just how much focus and energy he put into his talent and the dedication to which he continues to work with it.
Music: His family is musical so he knows a few things. He can pick apart most songs and figure out an instrument if he really wanted to try it. However he prefers to stick just to dancing.
Sleight of Hand: Due to some of his more criminal undertakings, Charles is pretty adept with some sleight of hand. Sure he can do a couple of magic tricks here and there but for the most part he uses his “gift” for picking pockets, stealing watches, and whatever else he can get his hands on.
Lovin’: He does have a wandering eye, and not specifically for a single gender. He has been known to flirt with both genders, and has carried it further than that on many, many cases. He believes in following his impulses and dealing with any aftermath well afterwards.
Job or part time job and description: Street performer / Thief Fears/ phobias/ concerns:
Being Ignored / Forgotten: He doesn’t know this but one of his worst fears is being ignored. Started when his parents lavished so much attention on his older sister, Charles inadvertently goes over the top to seek approval and “be seen” by everyone he comes across.
River Red Fish: As much as he is jealous of his sister, he worries about her -- especially now. She has lost touch with the family and he doesn’t know where she is in the city now. All he can do is try to not think the worst.
Failing: He doesn’t want to fail. He wants to succeed and he fully believes that he will do so simply with grit and determination and talent. If he fails, even at small tasks, he tends to take it hard and goes on benders.
Trypophobia: Ugh! Holes! So goddamn gross!
Special talents: He is double jointed and can make some impressive moves.
Morality
Good/ bad/ neutral/ other: Bad-ish
Mutations
Mutation description: Invisibility via Light Bending Field -- Charles has the unique ability to generate a lightbending field around himself and objects he touches. This field is flows like an electrical current around his body, bending light and making him, and anything he is holding, completely invisible to the naked eye. This includes his clothing, technology, and anything else that he is holding save for another fully grown person or animal. He has used, and abused, this gift a number of ways and it has certainly gotten himself out of more trouble than one could ever consider. However, like any mutant ability, it does have its ups and downs.
Strengths:
Now You See Me...Now You Don’t-- The most useful effect of his ability is that he can turn himself completely invisible. By taking less than a second, he can vanish from sight. Physically he is still in the same space but he completely disappears from view from both living things and surveillance devices. This also allows him to run away, carry things, or fight without being seen.
Now You See This...Now You Don’t-- Not only can Charles make any clothing he is wearing invisible, but he can also do it with objects he is holding. So long as it is no bigger than 3ft. Anything more than that will only partially be invisible, the rest will appear as if cut off. This makes it easy for him to hide things he’s stolen, like wallets, jewelry, and weapons
Now You Don’t See This...Now You Do!-- Charles can get the drop on people when they think he is unarmed. His ability allows him to carry dangerous weapons like a knife, baseball bat, even a gun. This makes him extremely dangerous and should not be taken lightly.
Now You Don’t See This...And Won’t!-- Charles has such control over his invisibility that he can make just portions of himself or things he is holding invisible. Example, if he stole someones watch, he can slip it on his wrist and make just the item itself invisible, or he can hold a lead pipe that invisible and use it to strike others./li]
Weaknesses and Limitations:
Like a Bubble-- Though Charles can make himself invisible, he still occupies the same space so when he is standing in the rain or walks through an extremely foggy day, his silhouette will still appear like a bubble within it. This will make him somewhat visible, at least until he drops his invisibility.
Limited Fields-- He may not act like it but even Charles has his limits. The easiest thing for him to make invisible is his own, bare body. Clothes he is wearing are extremely simple so long as they are not too encumbersome like an astronaut’s suit. Lastly in the easiest to make invisible are handheld objects, like valuables, jewelry, weapons, etc. He can affect up to about 30 pounds of material that is no more than 3 ft wide or tall. Anything beyond that will appear cut off in midair and immediately draw suspicion.
Concentration--Charles can only make so much invisible for so long. For his own body, clothes, and items he is holding, it is fair simple. But large items, take more concentration and results in strain on his abilities. It exhausts him to the point that he has to drop the field or he falls unconscious.
Touch Required-- Charles can keep himself, the clothes on his back, and held items invisible for as long as he his conscious. If he is knocked out or falls asleep, he will shift back to being visible. It an item leaves his hand, he drops something, clothes are ripped over, his blood is spilled, those items will immediately become visible again as it requires constant physical touch.
Physical Abilities
General Physical Capabilities: Charles is an experienced dancer, street performer, and thief, which means he is in peak physical fitness. He is strong enough to hold up a dance partner, he is flexible and can bend and twist in different directions, and fast enough to outrun most seasoned police officers. Fighting Style: Charles is a dancer and, thus, has studied an art of fighting that mixes well with his physicality: Capoeira. Fighting Style Pros/Cons: PROS: Fluid movement Unexpected strikes Flashy and distracting motions
CONS: Not physically strong Outmatched by more skilled opponents Not good in small spaces
History Of Your Character Charles is the second child of William and Rain Red Fish, the younger brother of River Red Fish. Charles was born to a loving and sweet family, in San Diego, California, however his life started under the shadow of his extraordinary and amazing sister. River was always the family favorite, the most talented, the one who everyone seemed to love without condition. Of course Charles was also loved but even at a young age, he could sense that his parents just poured a little more love into his sister rather than himself.
Really, Charles and River got along as well as any other healthy brother and sister. They squabbled with one another, frustrated each other, but, at the end of the day, they did love one another. Deep down, he wanted desperately to be like his sister. Not only because she was popular but because their parents had so many high hopes for her. How could he not want to follow in her footsteps? However, with time, that admiration slowly turned to bitterness.
River was always the favorite. So much so that Charles could see his parents affections being offered to her just a bit more than to himself. Most would have been happy with these state but Charles was understandably greedy. Shouldn’t parents love both of their kids equally? Whatever the case, the young man slowly grew resentful of them and especially of River, and soon began to pull himself away from them.
Living in the shadow of a star was not all it was cracked up to be. River and her musical talents were immediately accepted by their parents as a sign that she was gifted. Charles, meanwhile, had deviated into an utterly different path. While he didn’t share River’s ability to play an instrument, he did have a certain knack for music in the form of dancing and that put the divide between him and his sister further.
Added to that, Charles started to get himself into trouble. Slipping in with the wrong crowd, Charles was quickly learning things that he shouldn’t. If never went above some petty theft and pickpocketing, but still, his future was in jeopardy. Eventually he stole from the wrong person and was quickly taken in by the cops. He would have spent time in jail if not for the impassioned plea of his mother to try and channel his behavior into something else.
The Red Fish house was soon filled with the sounds of River’s harp playing, but one room alone was different from the rest. Charles learned of his affinity for an altogether different type of music. What tickled his ear was more rhythmic and modern music. Electronic, house, techno, that was the type of music for Charles -- especially as it aided his ability to dance.
Dance was where Charles truly found himself. It helped him to deal with his frustrations and annoyances with his family. He was able to express himself in ways he didn’t think possible, even going so far as to burn off any resentment he had towards them. This was especially useful in school when he was struggling to make a place for himself. But he wanted to find his own path, make his own friends, and become something that even his sister couldn’t achieve -- being a mutant.
The one thing that Charles never expected for his life was that he would turn out to be a mutant. While he had always wanted to separate himself from his perfect sister’s shadow, he had never imagined that his genetics would alter things that much.
One night, while out partying at a friend’s house, Charles’ abilities would be manifest as he was soon engaged in a dance battle with a rival for another girl’s heart. The duo squared off, Charles watching intently as his challenger danced her heart out. It was impressive and would have sent anyone scurrying away, but Charles was confident enough in his abilities to continue the dance-off. However, while dancing to a particularly energetic song, he didn’t realize that he had vanished from sight.
Several nights followed, after his family went to bed, that Charles would practice with his newfound abilities. He found that that with concentration he could make himself completely invisible. Not only that, but he could also make other items invisible so long as he held onto it.. But it would be an ability that would lead him to even deeper trouble.
Charles kept his mutation a secret from his family, a family that was already trying to deal with the fact that River had moved across the country to New York City to be with her new fiance. He had never met the mysterious “Agnes” but assumed that River was head over heels for her considering that she moved across the country and gave her up life as a traveling harpist. But, at the end of the day, Charles begrudgingly wished his sister well and prepared to step into the spotlight with his parents; he would reveal to them that he was a mutant.
Several months later, that was how Charles ended up in New York City. His parents didn’t take the news well and thought he was a freak. He began to follow a darker path, thieving, taking whatever he wanted, and with little care for what other people thought of him. With no home anymore, he fled to New York to seek out his sister in hopes of finding at least one kind face there. And that was the worst part -- he didn’t. His sister, River, could not be found.
Having been in New York for almost a year now, Charles has set out on his own, making his own way. He still thieves when it’s necessary but mostly he dances on street corners and takes odd jobs to make ends meet. He had one shot where he was discovered by some talent scout who saw him on the street and got him a job in a big production. However, Charles would lose that opportunity when he was caught stealing. Now he says screw you to the world and will forge his own path -- by any means necessary.
Roleplay What’s your OOC alias?: Jorge Where did you learn about this site?: Ugh. Who even remembers anymore... Do you have any other characters on MRO, if so who:Jorge Cervantes , Belladonna Honey , Booker B. Bookman , Akshay Malik , Celeste Sample RP: It was warm today. Unseasonable warm for January. But it was warm nonetheless. People were cautious outside, still wearing jackets but mostly regretting to do so. They were sweltering now, struggling to stay cool or trying to keep their coats in hand while carrying everything else they normally carry. For that reason alone a lot of the faces passing by were grim and grumbling, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone else. It was a shitty day, to say the least; but for some, it was full of opportunity.
Standing off to the side, another table situation amongst a long line of them all selling items of all kinds to anyone who would listen. Gold plated jewelry, knock-off movies, bogus fortune telling, asbesto-filled bears, all sorts were here to sell and to take whatever they could from the populace. This was New York though. The citizens knew, for the most part, that this was all B.S., but it wasn’t the populace that they were after -- it was the tourists.
The first wave of them came through and they wandered off with bright, stupid smiles, alluding to a sense that they had made the deal of the century. But these salesmen knew better. This was just the first phase in a longer game.
Charles was practiced at this. It was how he made his way across America from San Diego (mostly). At 17 he stole and lied his away across several states before he managed to get his hands on a car. For a year now he has been in New York, paving his own way, doing anything and everything he needed to do to stay here in search of the sibling that he once loved, the last family member who could possibly give him hope.
But New York was big. And until such a time as he could find River, he needed to focus on other things, namely, how to to survive. So that is what he has been doing for the last year. Surviving…
Moving through the crowd of people, he made his mark the second he saw him. A large, rotund man with a shiny gold watch, waving money around as he haggled with the street vendors. He may as well have had a huge bow on his head.
Slinking through the crowd, Charles stayed behind him until they made it to the street light. He waited, patiently, just behind him until the light was just about to turn. He started forward a couple steps early and the second the light turned for them to walk, Charles bumped him. Not a hard bump, but just enough to for him to float by without being seen. The dark-haired teen was already slipping past him, when the back of the rotund man’s jacket fell against his backside.
There was a small rush of air, just enough to get the man’s attention. Reaching back, he felt his back pocket and suddenly gasped. ”M-My wallet. MY WALLET!” he screamed in a thick, German accent. His shouting drew a passing officer’s attention, who zeroed in on Charles with his head down, his hoodie up, and hands in his pockets.
“Hey! You!” The policeman shouted!
”****!” he grumbled under his breath. Suddenly he ran.
The pursuit started, Charles running through the crowd, across the street and turning the corner. His sneakers made his feet bounce as he bolted, allowing him to easily move between people, until he found an obvious alley to duck into. Running into it, he tosses some trashcans to the side to throw off the police officer and ran to the end -- directly into a brick wall. He cursed again and turned just as the officer was about to turn the corner.
The patrolman ran in, stared down the alley, and slowly began to creep forward. His flashlight out, he swept the beam to every dark corner, illuminating everything in order to find his quarry. When his light shined in Charles eyes, the two stayed there, still for several moments, until the officer finally cursed, kicked away an empty can and shook his head.
“I’m not climbing that shit…” he said. He pulled up his radio as he began to exit the alley. “Yeah, dispatch. Suspect got away…”
Charles listened to the sound of his description as the officer left the alley and waited for several more moments. When enough time had finally passed he breathed in relief. Slowly his body began to reappear, as gift an invisible sheet had been covering his body and was now being eaten away. When the last of it was gone, a fully visible again Charles Red Fish stood in the alley and smirked as he began to go through the wallet.
Pulling out the cash and tossing the credit cards and wallet, he folded it, slipped it into his pocket and moved on. ”I think I’ll pick up some lunch…” he mused. ”I earned it.”
