Midnight Mustang
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
'Bad times are coming -- let them come'
Midnight Mustang
They say the greatest suffering is to be unwanted, unloved, uncared for...
to be shunned by everybody, to be just nobody (to no one)
So when someone is born into such conditions, they're forever impacted by it, regardless if they choose to acknowledge it or not; and that is their first great task. Some are consumed by overwhelming animosity, others are humbled and vow to do better for themselves (to make up for what they've been denied), and some.. some turn out like Natalie Kjar. Sure, she enjoys the day to day happiness' in life... She holds a steady job, she is social, and proud for what she has made for herself, has a survivable income... But beneath the exterior there are cracks; resentments that threaten the very foundations of what life she has made for herself.
Yet it isn't enough
(because really -- when is it ever 'enough'?)
Her memories haunt her in the pitch of the evening, and they mirror her every movement in the day, following her everywhere like a shadow. They loom in her dreams, they plague her psyche.. The pain, the hurt -- it's all the same! The screams are distant echoes, and she can sometimes remember what her foster siblings fists felt like against her face. The warm, ached swelling an all-too-familiar sensation.. it is something she simply cannot seem to escape. Yet it doesn't end there: for they are not the only memories that trouble her. The terrorized faces of everyone she couldn't help when the sky fell are still freshly branded in her mind, and it's doubtful that she will allow herself to forget anytime soon. She wonders who they where, what the outcome would have been if they had been in a different place, at a different time. What the world would have been like if they had lived; would they have made an impressionable impact? She also wonders what in life they did to earn such a gruesome, and terrifying fate.
So why heroism?
why sacrifice herself to a society that didn't want her?
Because despite the wrong doings that has been dealt onto her, Natalie still feels the desire and need to be a part of something bigger. She wants to give to others what she, for so long, didn't have (and in some ways, still lacks); a voice. Security. Closure. It also helps her release the long pent up frustrations on those whom 'deserve' it. But this is where all that is admirable in her heroic actions takes a very wrong turn... More often than not, Natalie, when in her persona (of whom she has named 'Midnight Mustang'), contains a touch too much of zeal...
Midnight Mustang
the crusader of the young and hopeless
The main question asked in regards to how the name 'Midnight Mustang' came about is 'Why name yourself after a horse?'.. To which Natalie always responds: Power, Grace, Strength, Courage, and Freedom. These are the virtues in which the horse has been represented in cultures globally since the beginning of time, and it is these virtues that the Midnight Mustang is meant to represent in Paragon City -- or where ever it is she is needed most.
Hero or Villain?
because the grey is so very hard to define..
Heroes have laws. They have guidelines. Morals. Strict, honorable boundaries which they follow diligently. While true, Villains hold many of the same qualities, (generally) they're the polar opposite to all that is good. The Midnight Mustang, however, takes the definite labels of 'good' and 'bad' to a whole new level; this makes it difficult to define exactly what she is, being as her brand of bone crushing justice can sometimes make her seem more of a problem than a solution in a society as troubled as Paragon City. Instead of following a code of honor, the Midnight Mustang takes the law into her own hands, smiting those who dare threaten the innocent.
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Some people say I'm bitter.
Bitter?...Heh... they have no fucking clue.
Bruised and scarred, Natalie harbors a great deal of guilt upon her shoulders. Even her (eventually) terminal sickness has not holstered her sense of duty; during her first couple days on the job (before she swore herself to be a vigilante), she had responded to a routine bank robbery. Unlike most, she stood upon a nearby building, observing the happenings and learning the behavior before she simply barreled into the situation and being blindsided by her opponent. It wasn't, however, until she finally made her move, that she realized that she really HAD been knocked for a loop. Unmasked and well toned before her stood her very capable brother, Cole Lionheart...
For a brief couple seconds, both stood at a standstill, Cole less alarmed than the masked Natalie, but he knew her even with it. He gave her an ultimatum. Stop him and his friend and retrieve the money.. or the victims inside the bank lose their lives by her hand. Furious, Natalie's anger overcame her; but in the end, the innocent people inside were priority. She thrust a hard, swift fist into his face as she ran in; just as she reached the bound victims, she tore the bomb off just as it counted down to its final numbers, tossing it. It didn't even reach a couple feet before it exploded. However, not even a minute later, the building just next to the bank exploded.
There were seven casualties; children included...
Natalie will never allow herself to forget her mistake. And it was the point in her career as a costumed hero that forged the idea in her head that she will stop the criminals she faces, at any cost. Even her own life to ensure the safety of the people she's meant to protect..
Story title
...
Blah blah
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Ferocious Valor
...
After the explosion and her run-in with her brother, the Paragon Police Department met with Natalie (or rather, the Midnight Mustang) and told her in order to keep her hero's license, she needed to find a mentor within a reputable affiliation of notable heroes.
Begrudgingly, the Midnight Mustang complied to the authorities request. She went through the process of being accepted by a super group and was a member for two weeks. For the length of her membership, not once was included. So she left. At this point, she had two like-minded persons who often worked with her while masked...
And thus, Ferocious Valor was born.
Ferocious Valor is a small coalition of vigilante characters consisting of Hurt Kid, Alley Striker, Jaego Jones, Jesybel, Leon Gado.. While they have no defined leader (as Natalie prefers to make her decisions a group effort!), Midnight Mustang has the final say in most situations. Ferocious Valor is also in arms with The Hidden Sanctum.
The social group
they bring out the very best
Cole Lionheart
brother in...arms?
The closest thing to family Natalie has ever had. She and Cole grew up in the same foster home in Galaxy together, and throughout their childhood the pair were unseperable, and if they were, the other wasn't too far behind. Though, through their closeness, tensions were also built.
There did come a point when it became too much for the young duo to handle... The breaking point -- the destruction of Galaxy City -- would forever impact their lives. When push came to shove, Natalie prooved just as stubborn as her childhood friend. Of all decisions Natalie has ever made, the most difficult was choosing a life without Cole. He's never far from her thoughts.
Dash
Not all love stories are epic novels. Some are short stories..
(but that doesn't make them any less filled with love.)
Natalie met Dash in Pocket D on a rather dead evening. A relationship was quickly established not too long after, and then she moved in a week later. While their relationship was a happy one, it did not last. While Dash and Natalie haven't spoken since her departure, Natalie is still particularly fond of him, and probably will continue to be.
Alley Striker
a sisterhood to last
A chance meeting in Pocket D lead to a close friendship between Natalie and Mal. Natalie was quick to grow rather attached to the blonde girl, and Natalie would do anything for her. So when Mal had narrowly avoided a deadly explosion at her home in Croatoa, Natalie was quick to suit up and investigate. A few days later, Mal approached Natalie about a mentorship, and she gladly accepted.
A standing joke between the two lead to some amusing results; Mal and Natalie are biological sisters!
Hurt Kid
...
Of all persons in Natalie's life, Hurt Kid has proven to be something more than she ever anticipated. In and out of costume, Hurt Kid is often seen in her presence, or she is notable in his. They play, they fight, and more importantly, they are a team. While one moment they seem to be enjoying each others presence, jabbing at eachother and trying to one-up the other, the next they are taking swings at the other, intending to inflict injury. Yet oddly, each disagreement (..or any experience, really) only seems to bring them closer together.
Together, Hurt Kid and Midnight Mustang are an impervious team; ready and willing to take down whatever stands in their way.
Jaego Jones
...
A chance meeting in Pocket D, Natalie had first approached Jake when she had first dressed up in her winter wear. There seemed to be an immediate understanding between the two vigilantes, and Natalie was quick to pursue and recruit the man. Little did she know that their friendship would delve into something far more meaningful and deep. Of all persons in her life, Jake, perhaps is the one person she looks up to. The way he carries himself, the way he speaks, the loyalty he displays..
In a lot of ways, the two are very much so alike; fiercely protective of their own, very sharp witted, and observant of the world around them.
Leon Gado
king of the jungle, baby!
Natalie met Leon in Pocket D. While their encounters were casual for a long time, though she was quick to grow fond of the feral man, and accepted him into her life as a comrade, a brother, and a friend. She is often lurking near by, regardless of where it is he is, if not rested right up against his side. There is very little that Natalie wouldn't do for Leon.
Belligerency
...
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Commentary
what others think of midnight mustang
(if you want to add commentary here, please feel free to do so!
just try not to mess the html too badly!)
Nat? Rings a bell. Basically kind of a big deal. She knows how to fight and gets into trouble, a lot, and fortunately for her she met the one guy who knows his shit. - Dash
Mustang is a warrior. And that makes her tolerable for a young woman. But like most people, she can't get her shit in order. Still, she's formidable...in more ways than I care to mention. So fuck off. - Hurt Kid
Mustang is so much like me in regards to her past and her beliefs, I'm pretty sure that whatever hell I end up in when I die, she will storm the gates to bring me back... I would rather set the world on fire than have her do that for me. - Jaego Jones
Solid chick. Totally badass and lots of fun. Couldn't ask for a cooler friend, or a better half-sister. Nobody'll have your back like Nat will. ...Just don't ask her about her penis. - Alley Striker
Trivia
the more you know!
- Midnight Mustang is very much so a product of her enviornment. She has the potential to take any direction based on interaction in-game. Wish to try and manipulate her morals? Go for it! It might just work! Even I, as her player, have no control which direction she takes.
- Midnight Mustang was rolled and rerolled the past 2 years.
- She is a natural redhead.
- Natalie Kjar is the name of a dear friend who passed away. This is my way of honoring her memory...
