Algernon Rusting

Name: Al (short for Algernon) Rusting

Nickname: The Mechanist, The Medic, "Sawbones", "Doc", My little Angel (only by mother)

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Age: 15

Date of Birth: July 31st

Height: 5’ 4” (rather short, but he hasn’t hit his full stride yet)

Weight: 100 lbs. (probably a lot more with the stuff he carries)

Eye Color: Blue

Hair: Pale Green, somewhat swept back with one long strand curving forward like an angler fish

Team: No team, fully adaptable medic, chemist/alchemist, hacker and reconnaissance (when required, hates the job though). He is support through and through.

Semblance: Unknown, though many call it "Molecular Bonding." Current capability to pull up required resources from the ground, effectively providing materials for any blueprints, concoctions or designs he has created. Side effect if used too much in one area: destabilizes the ground, causing tremors, sink holes, collapsing of topography etc.; can disturb surrounding ecosystem if flora and fauna are nearby. These materials merge together in a form of molecular bonding and fusion with minimal energy emission (something like that would normally cause a ridonculous amount of radiation or heat) to create the design imposed by Al (depending on the blueprints he uses). Unfortunately, the effect takes time despite the amazing effect this causes, compared to more conventional Semblances. He can make it go quicker, with the side effect of the blueprint having flaws (certain “welds” in a spider mine, auto-turret or defensive wall may not have been seamless, weakening the effectiveness i.e.: auto-turret jams after a certain amount of ammo spent or overheats, spider mine might have been a dud, wall might have weak points. The time it takes to produce said materials, depending on if he focuses carefully on performing the act, can be anywhere from 24 hours depending on the complexity of the materials (titanium, graphene hybrid etc.), down to minimum 30 seconds (copper, iron, gold, and other non-manmade metals, no alloys). He doesn’t necessarily have to use it for combat, and in most cases it is used for a medical bed, harness or other tools required to take care of team members, civilians or military in the area.

Secondary: Runic Etchings in palms of hands. The current explanation of these circular symbols are basic at best, as the person who had them placed (or etched them) into his palms has disappeared. These etchings (in a more basic term) are not made of Dust, despite all inclinations stating otherwise (he’s a tad allergic to it). These runes contain whatever Semblance Al has, acting as a siphon to a quite extraordinary ability (the implications that these control what could be a very powerful force are unsettling, and given his young age could cause irreparable damage). The main effect of the runes is a reflective screen placed on him that is invisible to the naked eye. Whenever something harms him, the same amount of damage and force is applied to the being attacking, effectively providing counter fire (Al still receives the strike however). Unfortunately for Al, this works both ways; Algernon cannot fight, as any punches, strikes with weapons, or anything on his person used to harm another creature results in pain and wounds suffered towards him as well. This severely limits his capability to assist in combat with any team, and until anyone gets to know him (surprisingly difficult given his personality and history) has great difficulty in fitting in reliably, excluding time provided to build his blueprints to provide a mechanical defense grid or healing to those who require aid (herbal concoctions, sealed Dust pills, in field surgery if needed). The ability to unlock the runes is a closely guarded secret held only by his father, Marco Rusting, whose current whereabouts are unknown. This has made it difficult if not impossible for Al to learn any sort of combat technique, and therefore he stays out of the field of battle where possible and dodges when he can't.

(A powerful ability I think would be the runes unlocking and changing at a certain point in time in the future, and him being able to create amazing designs like a clockwork dragon or a colossus bound to his will, but severely destabilizing the terrain, potentially giving him an advantage or disadvantage).

Clothing and Body: Brown duster with heavy leather pads on elbows and shoulders, dark green cargo pants filled with an assortment of tools poking out the pockets along with a brown leather belt with small loops to hold vials and a toolkit, multi-pocketed grey hoodie with odd pocket protector on the side for pens and pencils, tactile gloves to work his personal tablet laptop, brown hiking boots with metal toe covering, brown kneepads, very large leather backpack with assorted blueprints, vials, and other equipment poking out the flaps along with extra materials for on the fly drone operation, portable walls or his first defensive emplacement or mines (they aren't in his hand when they blow up, so he doesn't get hurt from the reflection. Grenades do however so he doesn't use them and avoids them like the plague). Tends to wear a checkered black and grey scarf covering his mouth and just below his nose. Also wears a completely modified pair of aviator goggles on his forehead that he uses to zoom in down to a microscopic level of detail, allowing him to see to the cellular structure of an object. He also has a very impressive bone microphone system for advanced communication and slicing software, which isn't usually seen. He's thin and his clothes show it, with his pants and hoodie being baggy on his person. Has a built in wing suit to the duster that allows him to soar like a flying squirrel (no jetpack though, just small parachute for one built into the backpack).

Weapon: Not Available, unless could be considered a tool. Tool: “The Wall.” The Wall is a multi-tier compound dual pole walking staff that comes apart, having multiple shielded openings for pills, samples, herbs and sensors, as well as some very high end electronics very few people beyond military are allowed to see. The name “The Wall” comes from the fact that the staff can be slammed into the ground and the second pole can be pulled outward, creating an energy barrier capable of withstanding significant punishment. This staff is highly useful for defending a downed teammate while Al gets them back on their feet or retreats to a safer location to tend to their wounds, repair their weapons, or allow him to build a defense quickly. The barrier itself does not act as a physical defense per se, as any projectile or attack is frozen in place until the staff is put back together, allowing the attack to continue forward. Grim caught in the field are held like glue, causing them to wrestle with the locked down tool until they can pull it from the ground (a not so insignificant thing to accomplish given the electromagnetic claw that unlatches at the base once placed in the ground), or until Al retrieves it (not a wise thing to do during combat unless the small grappling tether on his arm is finished rewinding or teams/military can down the enemy attacking).

Personality: Curious, highly perceptive, incredibly intelligent (child prodigy), but does not speak (semi-mute). Rather timid given his history, but friendly and smiles when with people who treat him nicely (friends if made, family, teachers and professors). The four words he speaks are Yes, No, Ely (his much older brother and one of the most legendary Hunters known) and one final Acronym: E.D.G.A.R. (Evolved Dynamic Gargantuan Armored Robot). Also highly traumatized given his family history, and may snap if certain events similar to his past arise. He has been diagnosed with PTSD. Has a massive crush on Penny (he thinks she’s perfect) but won’t admit it (way too afraid, and given he doesn’t speak, difficult to do). He is constantly scribbling and drawing new designs and blueprints for technology he can use in the field or provide to others, and sends creations back to his mother (who believes some of them are better designed than her R&D teams). When not busy, the designs are always being improved and upgraded, and they don’t always work on all Grim or in all situations (line of sight, tracking for turrets, reinforced portable walls, riot shields, spider mine explosive ordinance or armor penetration, healing salve potency etc. he’s even willing to upgrade team member’s weaponry or armor if offered, though it takes time and may not always work if the improvement isn’t adapted to for the team member i.e.: it could make the member even a worse fighter if they are unused to the change in weight or recoil of a gun, accuracy could be dropped etc.) Tends to act like a turtle when he falls backwards due to his backpack, but he is very agile and capable of dodging in a fight (think the Wily Cats from ThunderCats 2011).

History: Son to Eva Rusting, the CEO of Rusting Industries and world leader in all forms of technology (Military and Civilian), and Marco Rusting, a very distinguished scientist and well respected inventor, Al is the youngest of three children, with Ely being the oldest and Nania, his older sister, the middle child. Coming from a rich family, he was given the best education, and was soon found to have a knack for electronics and machinery as well as a surprising capability to soak up information faster than his private tutors could give it to him. At such a young age, he already has multiple doctorates, not even needing to be at beacon in the first place. At just the age of 8, he watched as his sister joined to become a huntress just like his older brother had done, and chose to show her skills to him when they went exploring outside of the city with some of her friends. Unfortunately for them, large Grim had been sighted in the area, and her hot headedness led to her untimely death at the age of 16, right before his eyes.

His older brother came to his rescue before he could meet the same demise, though he was never the same after, given his closeness to Nania. Each of them had special Semblances beyond anything most had seen, and given the fact that all had impressive effects most felt it was in the bloodline of the Rusting family. What little knew was that Marco had secretly experimented on his children, and his wife found out after Al was born. This led to a divorce that has caused Marco to jump around the lands, for what reason remains unknown. The experiments must have been for something, as he dearly loved his wife and children. Al wants to know where his father is now, as he has an urge to figure out just why he has the Semblance he has. His trail has ended so far at Beacon, and maybe Ospin may know of his whereabouts…

Until he gains enough intel to move on, he will apply to Beacon and be a student, though he has been consistently pestered to be a professor of R&D given his robust background and education (also his mother’s very powerful connections). He will not be placed in any one team, as given his very unique effects, he is capable of supporting any number of them, whether one or multiple in the field at the same time depending on the requirements. When not needed in the field, he is content with research and blueprint upgrades for equipment, designing new weapons and emplacements or concoctions with his training in alchemical studies and herbal supplements (Dust he understands quite well, he just hates working with it given his allergies. If he ever has to use it, he’ll wear a hazmat suit). (With this history, it makes the character adaptable to move to the forefront, hide in the back or not be anywhere at all. He hardly speaks, and is socially awkward but friendly if given the chance).

E.D.G.A.R.: Evolved Dynamic Gargantuan Armored Robot, E.D.G.A.R. is a family bodyguard for the Rusting family, and as so far has not been seen outside the Rusting Industries HQ. He is the only best friend Al has ever really had given his sheltered life and is fiercely loyal to the family, though he is nowhere near Algernon now; there is also a close connection between the mech and Al’s rune etchings in his hands, what this may be is unknown to all except Marco Rusting. E.D.G.A.R. is a fairly large quadruped mech with an as yet unknown highly intelligent A.I. to all outside of the corporation, and for all intents and purposes could be the prototype for Penny’s programming and code. He is mainly designed as a combat mech of unparalleled capability, with three tiers of weaponry depending on the severity of the situation (Tier 1 is conventional weapons, Tier 2 is high energy beam weaponry and Tier 3 is damned near nuclear). He is capable of repairing himself by “eating” metals in the surroundings, constantly to the anger and annoyance of the family and employees of the megacorporation (What Generator? I don’t see one…). His whereabouts are presumably hidden somewhere in Rusting Industries HQ or the family residence with his mother. He also hates squirrels and mice and will go after them with a vengeance that would make gods jealous.

He is incredibly resilient in a firefight. You don’t want to be on the receiving end of the damage he dishes out with just his simple tier 1 weapons, consisting but not limited to multiple autocannons with armor piercing and high explosive rounds, as well as micro and cruise missiles. Whether his design will be released to be used by Vale’s military or any other, or to be used as a private military force under the control of Rusting Industries, remains to be seen. No PR has been given about what E.D.G.A.R. is.

“At the end of the day, YOU are the one in the hole.”

(As a test idea, I figured E.D.G.A.R. might show up as the sent bodyguard for Al, but given the strict rules on A.I. I figured it was best he stay home, and he can’t fit inside the halls at Beacon. The relationship would be somewhat the equivalent of a Big Daddy and Little Sister from Bioshock mixed with the Iron Giant with Hogarth, with Al being thrown on his back while E.D.G.A.R. cleaned house. Also, I worry he’d destroy Beacon trying to kill squirrels and mice, or be considered overpowered, so Al gets teams to protect him while he does his thing to support them. His look is kinda like a quadruped Titan from Titanfall meets an assault droid from Star Wars, but his weaponry pops out and condenses like in the Mass Effect Universe; he tracks targets almost like a Phalanx system on aircraft carriers).