Trickblade
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
What did it take to be a Solonik? More than one would think.
Alexander Viktorovich Solonik was anyone's worst nightmare. A true hitman. Nicknamed the "Superkiller", he was born in the Russian city of Kurgan. Sure, we could go on about his life - but it's not about him, he only plays a part. Known for having a few children, and rumored to have more; Nikolai Solonik is one of these children and rather than be known publicly, he was hidden away in the shadows along with his twin brother, [Data Missing] Solonik.
Nikolai and [Data Missing] were born in Moscow, Russia and raised in a life of crime - mothered by prositutes (when they're not working, of course) and showgirls along with their "fathers", of the Orekhovskaya and Solntsevskaya Bratva. By the age of twelve, Nikolai had commited his first crime - stealing. From there on out Nikolai kept on, cast by the devil upon his left shoulder, when the angel on his right shoulder seemed to be missing.
It wasn't long before he had his hand in everything; weapons, drugs, lives, and taking them away when the time calls for it. Countless times, he's committed murder though none of it was proven - even after he was prosecuted and imprisoned time and time again. Hell, most of his late teens and early twenties were spent there. He was one of the youngest to gain authority in the Solntsevskaya Bratva - though his brother, [Data Missing], always seemed one step ahead. He was never caught.
Nikolai was the fool. Playing girls, honestly, he shouldn't have messed with in the first place.
He lived a life, not knowing a single person who didn't have at least one ink imprinted upon them. Even the women he met, had some sort of symbol upon them. Every. Single. Tattoo. Has a meaning, a life story behind it and if you play your cards right, perhaps you might learn about Nikolai's just that bit better. Many use an encyclopedia on Russian Mafia Tattoos, to understand the man covered in them better. Sure, you may learn a few secrets but there are always those originals, that you could never find out what they meant and you wouldn't consider yourself much a lucky person once knowing.
A few ones to spot are stars. If they're upon the shoulder, it shows honor. Diginity. If they're upon the knees, it usually means they've been promoted to captain and they'd never fall on them.
Cathedral, church or Monasteries are usually on the chest, shoulder, or back. Depending on the number of steeples or towers that are shown on the tattoo, it translates to the number of years, or number times an individual has been incarcerated.
The number of symbolisms are countless. There have been books and documentaries, and even movies upon them. In the end though, it still cannot add up.
Or whatever the hell the real name of that place is. Who gives a shit? Really? It was shelter. Nikolai Solonik wanted to make something else of himself. He was tired of the Russian Mafia, tired of wasting years away in the Russian prisons. It's not worth it, you only have one life, and with how many "appraisal" tattoos he has already, he can barely fit anymore. He was nearly covered head to toe in his life of crime, even at his early age he's reached one of the highest rankings in his 'family'. It was time to retire - but because of what he's done, and who he is - it wasn't that easy to do.
A new idenity was thought up. Trickblade. Nikolai had escaped from Russia and into the Isles, a place he knew of which wouldn't care less who the fuck he was, just how he did his work. The competitive side of Nikolai rose up again, however - when he sliced his way to the top, starting out in the warzones as Bloody Bay, Siren's Call, Warburg and finally, again, to the top time-warzone, Recluse's Victory. He didn't care about winning the zone over, only for the battles that were held there. Assassinating heroes left and right, and sending them back to the medical bay. It was hilarious, exciting, and AMAZING fun.
And then came along...
THE BROTHERS OF CHAOS
A "biker" group known for their harsh ways, but also for the "family" circle they held close. The women were prostitues, the men were respected, or else someone would get shanked. Nikolai started out first in the Rogue Isles sanction, which he watched over - but the members were mostly Paragon-side, keeping the streets of Kings Row at bay. They were the main gangsters there, not the Skulls or Hellions. /They/ were the ones who kept the wars against those two groups going, so they don't disturb other people and only focus on each other. Of course, no one really cared or understood that method - but it worked well enough.
He wasn't known as "Nikolai Solonik" in the group. He had faked a cajun accent he'd be working on, and took up the name "Rex", or rather, nicknamed "Gator" by the rest of the crew. New life, remember? That meant no Russian, even if he let a few russian curse words slip - and his addiction to his favorite Russian Vodka. Eventually, "Gator" broke into Paragon and took up the name "Trickride", to help out the group stationed in Kings Row. His non-caring and fuck you ways brought him to a position as Vice President. Which he sucked at, because he seriously didn't give a shit.
The group disbanded and "Gator" was kicked out. Again, with the not giving a shit. The only thing he's thankful from that group is...
A black leather suit, cat years and that sexy cat-tail. Not a real cat, but damn did he enjoy that pussy. Cataclysm. A sex-drug to all men, but one that they could never touch or have. She enjoyed making "Gator"'s life a living hell, as well as the group's but he took a strange interest in the "kitty", as he called her. She did things herself that could cause chaos, yet she decided to judge the group on the way they dealt with things. As stated before - "Gator" didn't give a shit so long as she walked around in that skin-tight suit, he was okay with it.
And then Juliette came in. A woman "Gator" wasn't familiar with. She was shy, sweet, innocent. He's grown up around hookers, prositutes, showgirls, sluts, whores - all of them. No innocent girl would step foot into the place he lived, so he's never known one. Juliette had a grasp on his heart fast - and for once, "Gator" gave a shit. He'd wait around for the woman, offer her things, attempt to treat her like a goddess (as best as a gutter-rat like him could). But of course, his old ways were hard to bury at first. When she wasn't around, he'd find himself macking on other women, offering to by them a drink and obviously, telling them how lovely they looked. Yet, once Juliette entered the room, the other women were disregarded like pieces of trash.
His ways always hurt her in the process. "Gator" showed his true side to her, the side of Nikolai - risking his cover to show her the real man he is. The russian gutter-rat, Nikolai Solonik and yet, she still liked him for who he was. Eventually, his ways began to fade, and it was all Juliette, all the time. He became her puppy, when usually - it's the other way around. His interest in Cataclysm even came to a halt, feeling the need to stay respectful to his 'woman', Juliette. Little did he know, they were one in the same.
Upon a mission that Nikolai brought Cataclysm along with - she was hurt. Her voice changed, and her persona did as well. He realized that the one woman he didn't care if died - was the one woman, he'd die if she ever did. He quickly took her to his home and bandaged her up, looking after her day and night, and of course - with anger as well, for her lies to him. It was a hard time between the two, but eventually - it was forgotten.
Due to that mission, however - Juliette's parents were later murdered. Nikolai's past was catching up to him fast, and he knew she was next. The only reason she was safe was because she had spent that night with him. It felt like things would never get better for her, and he couldn't really... understand her pain. He's never lost a loved one, until he realized how he'd feel if she had died. Nikolai moved in, staying on guard 24/7 until his past life took a hint, and left the woman alone.
But it was too late, Nikolai's heart was broken for the first time. Juliette had had enough, and broke it off with him - told him to go home and not to come back.
It was hard, but Nikolai went back home to the Isles, where he stayed - drowning himself in Vodka, weed and a black lung from cigarettes. Because he was so careless, distracted by his broken heart - Nikolai lost his arm in a battle. Of course, he ended up beating the shit out of the person who tore it off with the arm, but still! He spent days in the D, sitting at the bar and complaining of his broken heart, over and over. At one point, even nearly became a priest. Eeventually he saw a warmth in Juliette that proved she still loved him. Now, he's trying to win her back.
Nikolai "Trickblade" Solonik is open about his Russian side now. Besides, he's run out of fake names anyway. He's helped out Juliette's old group to do something or another, he can't remember - it was just his way of trying to win her back again.
Now, he's attempting to become a vigilante, to move between Paragon and The Isles without having to keep changing his name to due so. What next? Who gives a shit! MOTHERFUCKIN' TRICKBLADE, BITCHES!
(WIP)
- "Master Exploder" by Tenacious D
