Taurus Rising
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| [[Image:|300px|]] | |
| Taurus Rising | |
| Player: @Yu Won | |
| Origin: | Science |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Tanker |
| Security Level: | 13 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Tonya Richards |
| Known Aliases: | 0-5 |
| Species: | Human (uh, mostly) |
| Age: | 17 |
| Height: | Unknown |
| Weight: | Unknown |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | N/A |
| Place of Birth: | United States of America |
| Base of Operations: | Dallas, Texas |
| Marital Status: | Who knows? |
| Known Relatives: | Hannah Richards - Mother
James Richards - Father |
| Known Powers | |
| Traditional 'super strength' and 'super speed. | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Unknown | |
| Equipment | |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
Originally just an RP mule (for a single RP no less), I ended up getting attached to the character and she's slowly but surely becoming my new 'main'. At least, I play her the most now. Need to get a picture. Rawrz.
Contents |
History
Tonya Richards, aka 'Taurus Rising', has neither a heroic tale of triumph or a heart-breaking story of tragedy to tell. The daughter of James and Hannah Richards, she was born in the most stereotypical Southern setting you ever would see; a small town where the number of people who called it home never went higher than three digits. To put it bluntly, her birth was a 'mistake'. Her mother never failed to remind her of it, and neither did her father. When he was sober.
As she got older, Tonya's response to the every day arguments became little more than a roll of her eyes. She spent most of her time outside of the house, especially at the rodeo, claiming still today she 'showed the boys how it's done'. The remainder of her time was spent singing with her surprisingly enjoyable voice along side a few friends at an old-fashioned country club. The pay wasn't great, but it was enough. Unfortunately for Tonya, enough was... Well, not enough.
Perhaps because of her upbringing. Perhaps just her nature. Either way, the teenager had become obnoxiously greedy by 16. To have a lab nestled in a town like hers was indeed an oddity, but not enough of one for Tonya to ever spare more than a passing glance. The sign on the front door told of money to be offered for subjects willing to help test new products in, you guessed it, Paragon City. The text on the advertisement was plentiful and small, not something that would attract the eye of a girl like Tonya. Rather, it was the scribbling under it reading: FREE DOUGHNUTS.
Not only had the writing been a prank by some 'damn kids', but Project Blue Snake was in reality an undercover 'mad scientist' sort of gig. The group was working on various illegal (and in the eyes of most, immoral) tasks, each one using humans as lab rats. In Tonya's case, and that of 20 others, they were morphed to have animalistic qualities. Ironically, Tonya was 'mixed' with a former rodeo bull. Along with being tagged as '0-5', some of the scientists jokingly began to refer to her as 'the Taurus', since her birthday falls on the sign.
The lab was broken into and many from her 'section' escaped. Obviously, Tonya among them, but not before literally goring the lead scientist of the project with the very horns they'd given her. Today, she complains more that some kids had written on the sign (meaning no free doughnuts) than the fact she was used as a lab rat.
Personality
Now aged 17 years, Tonya is all your 'Southern' with none of the 'charm'. Most of what you'll hear from her is vulgar or suggestive, from cussing out someone who accidentally stepped on her foot to hitting on some stranger she finds easy on the eyes (and don't think you're safe from it, ladies). If she has something to say (and she always does), she says it. The girl, literally, has no secrets. She'll tell you anything you want to know, and then a couple of things you really didn't. Because of her loud, non-stop mouth, one can reasonably (and correctly) assume she has no dark, hidden pieces of her past lingering behind her like a shadow.
However, that doesn't mean Tonya can't surprise those who stick around long enough to form an impression of her. A more immediate 'huh?'-prompting factor is the majority of her choice wardrobe suggests she came from a back alley and not a back road. More surprising still is that she reads in her spare time, has a strong grounding in the fandom of 'The Beach Boys', and her adoration of bunnies (and bunny people).
Sometimes, it's hard to tell what she really means and what she's just saying as part of the 'tough guy (girl)' act. While Tonya is in fact as rough around the edges as she displays, she is not as disloyal and snarly as her behavior and words suggest. Often she'll remind those who she does know personally she'd sell them out if given the chance or abandon them if her own welfare was on the line. Most likely, this is untrue.
As a final note, Tonya is often a 'go-to girl' for information. Being rather, erm, 'loose' physically, she has no qualms using sexual means to obtain things. Perhaps more disturbing is just how much this will get you in the information black market. ((OOC Note: Player does not actually cyber, kthx.))
Weaknesses / Limitations
No person, hero, villain or otherwise is without a weakness. Tonya has multiple downsides, many (if not most) of which lie in her personality rather than her abilities.
- Standard 'tanker' weaknesses. Lacks long range attacks, etc.
- Extremely greedy. Doesn't sound like weaknesses, but has proven it can be. Tonya can easily be lured into a fool's game most wouldn't believe for a second if the promise of riches is on the line.
- Has a petrifying fear of needles. Developed long before the incidents at the lab, the sight of a needle with either cause her to freeze, send her running, or if desperate enough even clinging to or hiding behind someone.
- Constantly at risk of all sorts of bull jokes and puns.
Affiliations
- Jessica Avery: To the world of science and it's servants, who are either unknowingly or willingly turning a blind eye to her true nature, Jessica Avery is a respected woman of unimaginable intelligence. To Tonya, who knows her only as the second in command of Project Blue Snake, she's "a bitch who needs to die, and it doesn't matter who does it".
- Grimmalkin: This once human, now some odd combination of a ram, cat and who knows what else, is a fellow former captive of Project Blue Snake. His 'cage' was placed next to Tonya's, and many 'behavioral' experiments that required more than one individual they were put through together. Since Grim is basically Tonya's polar opposite, the two don't show signs of being as good of friends as they are. Behind closed doors, Tonya is actually more honest with Grim than anyone else, and far more comforting and supportive. To the outside world, she harasses him more than anyone else. Rest assured, even if you don't see it, her constant taunts and badgering of the poor guy are laced with well-hidden, and in some odd way well-meaning affection.
- Project Phantom / "Lucy": Formerly combined with Anatithenai, the awkward but cute girl is one of the two parties responsible for breaking into the lab and in turn setting Tonya and many others free. Tonya did not actually meet her until she had the misfortune to slam her horns into a door and got them stuck. Recently, the spell to separate Lucy and the demon has left her missing, and to Tonya at least, presumed dead.
- Anatithenai / "Rozalina": A demon until recently sealed inside Lucy, Anatithenai escaped at some point and fought with Tonya. The details are unknown, but after the squabble, Tonya could only speak with Lucy over the phone, claiming if she saw her (thus also seeing the demon) she'd beat her to death. Like Lucy, she is currently missing, but is known by Tonya (through a demon 'associate') to still be alive somewhere.
- Last-Stand / "Ray": First meeting Ray because he happened by when she was warning Grimmalkin that Jessica Avery had come to Paragon, the relationship became an at least shaky sort of friendship after a few more talks and a trip to the D. When Jessica's group of lackeys managed to overpower her after she rushed into one of their new labs, Ray was dominantly responsible for her release. After which Tonya claimed Ray should consider himself 'one of her own'. Previously throwing far less than subtle sexual offers his way, she now only flirts playfully with him at most.
Other Stuff
- Prior to being used in Project Blue Snake, Tonya had dirty blonde hair, paler skin, and obviously human ears and no horns or tail.
- Tonya is missing an eye, though often this fact is hidden by her choice of hairstyle. It was an accident that occured while being held captive, involving two 'cages' falling over, the other containing an individual that also had sprouted horns.
- Tonya has no siblings and both parents are still alive, though she hasn't seen either in years.
- Lacking far more than just the supposed 'charm' of the South. Save the heavy accent, Tonya seems to share nothing in common with others from where she's from. She's an admitted atheist, obviously bisexual (if not just a boardering hooker), and doesn't 'give a rat's ass' what anyone thinks of America.
