[Q] Cavalier Zoisite / Nico de Francesco [Crit?] | Page 1 | Application Quests | Guild Forums

Chibi Sheepcat

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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:02 pm

And all the girlies say I'm pretty fly, for a white guy~

Name: Nico de Francesco

Nicknames: He will tolerate Nic for anyone who feels the desire to anglicize his name.

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Birthday: October 26th

Sign: Scorpio

Blood Type: B-

School: Meadowview High School

Fav. Food: Pork shank, especially if it's home cooked. Do not get him started about his Nonna's cooking or he will talk until all you can think about is delicious food. (Truthfully, he loves anything from the pig, but you didn't hear that from him. His mother would kill him if she heard he likes street meat as much as 'real Italian cooking').

Hated Food: He can't stand the texture of melons, and thus avoids everything from honeydew to cantelope.

Hobbies:
- Guitar: Nico first learned to play guitar from his uncle when he was twelve and has been playing ever since. Most of his lessons since then have been self-taught from various internet sites. He has a collection of guitar sheet music... somewhere. Probably in his room. Just uh, check underneath the pile of 'shirts only worn once.' (His guitar, however, is in surprisingly good shape, which is proof that the boy can be neat when he wants to be).

- Soccer: Like his sisters before him, Nico was encouraged to pick up as many sports as possible during his childhood in the hopes that he might be a star player in one of them. While he's still no MVP, soccer proved to be a sport he was relatively good at, and when combined with his FIFA obsession it's no wonder he took it up as a serious hobby. Nico typically plays forward (as if he could play anything else!) but will begrudgingly play any position but goalie. With his work schedule he still manages to fit in some soccer practice for the school team, but his real games start in the summer when he can play for one of the city's varsity teams.

- FIFA World Cup: Italy is totally going to win the World Cup, and when they do he will drive around with all his relatives and tell the world how much they rule. His father's car even has a little Italy flag on the antenna in preparation. That is all.

- Cooking: While it's less of a hobby and more of his after-school family job, Nico still takes cooking very seriously and practices outside of "work" whenever he gets the chance. He can frequently be found browsing recipe websites during tech class (hey, he already knows how to type with two fingers so he deserves an A+ for just being there!) printing them off and bringing them home to try. Whenever he's not trying new things he drops by his paternal grandmother's house to help out with her cooking. After all, where better to learn how to cook than at the house of a master?

*It is worth noting that Nico will have no prior experience with a sword before becoming Zoisite. I would like for him to learn sword handling from another Cavalier. Preferably, I would like it to be from Kunzite/Miriam (provided this is cool with Coda) in the hopes of creating some interesting RP dynamics as well as testing out the Kunzite/Zoisite relationship.

Gemstone: Opal

~

Virtues:
Wears his heart on his sleeve -- While some may consider deception a strong point in some people, Nico is severely lacking in this department. That's not to say he can't lie, just that he's not very good at it, and hasn't really seen the need to be dishonest when it comes to his personal opinions. If he has something to say, he'll say it loud and proud. In a house hold full of extremely vocal family, Nico is used to lots and lots of yelling. Raising your voice means you care, and he cares very deeply about those he considers his family. Thus, you will always know where you stand with him no matter what the situation, simply because he'll come right out and tell you.

Give It My All (Passionate) -- When Nico loves something he really loves it. From soccer to family to cooking, he's a man of strong feelings, giving things his all when they have his attention and respect. He's the type to cheer whole-heartedly when his team wins, cry pitifully when they don't, and live in a world entirely comprised of emotions. Nico rarely shies away from living in the heat of the moment and experiencing his feelings first hand. Emotions are nothing to be ashamed of.

Until the End (Determined) -- Nico's focus has always been less than exemplary, but when he puts his mind to something he digs his heels in and nothing can budge him until he's completed his task. You can count on him (when he gives his word) to get things done, no matter what the cost. If your club needs $500 and is selling cookies door to door by God he will sell every last damn cookie even if he has to stand outside people's houses singing love ballads until they concede defeat. His cooking is perhaps the best example of this. It's something that he considers worth his time and energy, and as a result he practices diligently every day while working at his family's diner in order to keep improving.

Hey look, over there! (Opportunist) -- There are people who will always fight one on one no matter what the odds are in the name of honour, chivalry, and justice. Nico, however, is not one of those people. When he wants something, he gets it, and he's not afraid of playing dirty if it means he gets what he wants. The world isn't fair, and Nico doesn't see why he should have to fight fairly, especially when something of his is at stake. Girls who hit Nico can be expected to be hit back. Hey, the rules go both ways! He also cheats at cards (badly, mind you, but he still cheats).

Flaws:
Spare the Rod (Spoiled) -- As a child, Nico was never denied anything. If he wanted a toy his sisters had, he'd take it. When they complained, his mother would just tell them to "be more mature" and let him have it. Thus, Nico is prone to taking things without asking. While he's not the type to sneak around about it – if he's going to take your notes to copy he'll take them right in front of your face – he doesn't see the need to ask for things. Aren't you part of the family? Then what's yours is his! Just don't expect it to work the other way. Nico's not so keen on having his own things taken.

Like Looking in a Mirror (Vain) -- When most people think of vain, they probably think of the song. But not only does Nico think that this song is about him he has an extremely annoying habit of checking himself out in every available reflective surface. Yes, every reflective surface. Nothing is safe once Nico's caught sight of his own reflection, and he's frequently distracted from important conversations by the sight of himself in, say, a nearby store window. Sorry, were you talking to him? He just had to fix his hair. It was a little off to the—hey, where are you going? What did he do?

It's not my fault! (Victim Complex) -- Much like things were just handed to him as a child, nothing was ever really Nico's fault. Bad grades? His teacher didn't understand him. His sports team lost? Their goalie was subpar, don't worry. His girlfriend dumped him? It's okay, she was a whore anyways. No good for a guy like him. You get the picture. Nico is beyond abysmal at taking responsibility for his own actions (the flipside being he's pretty pro at blaming other people) and is ten times more likely to make up excuses than to accept he has a problem and move to fix it. After all, why should he? He is the perfect son, after all.

Hell Hath No Fury (Temper) -- Like a woman—wait. Did we just say woman? Regardless, the highly immature and spoiled Nico can throw quite the temper tantrum when he feels like things aren't going his way or he doesn't get what he wants. Wronging Nico, or his family, is something that brings out the absolute worst in him, playing on darker personality traits. He displays a natural tendency towards temper-invoking qualities: jealousy, obsession and even a strong desire for vengeance. Nico makes it his personal vendetta to make life hell for those who make his life miserable. With his current job schedule he doesn't have much time for well thought out and dangerous plans of attack (he usually sticks to egging houses); however, given the right incentive, he could be encouraged to do more than just a little damage.

~

Physical Description:

Hair: Though when his hair is short it appears to be straight, if left to grow to shoulder length and beyond, Nico's hair begins to curl. Theoretically, if he let it grow long enough it would tighten into a full 'fro, but he's never actually let it get to the stage. Instead, he only allows it to grow no further than his shoulders, slicking the top back to prevent too many unnecessary curls. The bits near his neck and shoulders, however, seem to have a mind of their own, and no amount of brushing or gel is able to convince them to settle down. (Hair colour up to artist; maybe something like this?)

Eyes: Slender in shape, green-blue colour

Face: A round, cherubic face, the kind that makes people take a second look just to make sure they're looking at a boy and not a girl. Nico desperately wishes his facial hair would grow faster.

Body: He has the typical gangly teenage boy look, where he's grown tall but hasn't quite managed to fill out yet no matter how hard he tries. Typically, he tries to solve this problem with clothing (see: fashion).

Fashion: With baggy pants slowly creeping down his bum, a thick hooded sweatshirt, and a large collection of gold jewelery, Nico's look could most accurately be described as 'wangster.' No ensemble could be complete, however, without a backwards turned baseball cap, which he is rarely seen without. While he does tone down his jewelery a little bit to go to school, he refuses to entirely get rid of what he calls 'self expression.'

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:05 pm

ABOUT ZOISITE

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Effeminate, petty, vain, temperamental Zoisite, youngest of the Shitennou was described as being the "youngest child type." Despite his status as youngest, he ranked higher than his older counterpart Jadeite, being the third highest rank under Kunzite and Nephrite.

One of the most notable things about Zoisite was that he got things done. Described as being more successful than his predecessors, he successfully obtained all seven fragments of the Silver Crystal and almost killed Sailor Moon (alas, Tuxedo Mask got in the way). Whether or not he was a particularly strong fighter was up for grabs, however he demonstrated a particular talent for dirty tricks. Fair and square did not appear to be part of his vocabulary, no matter what he claimed, as demonstrated in his fight against Tuxedo Mask when he promised to leave Sailor Moon alone while aiming an ice shard at her back.

Though he was recruited by Queen Beryl, his ultimate loyalty lay elsewhere. He would do anything for Kunzite, even going so far as to say that he would die for him. The pair frequently worked together, up until their last mission when Zoisite disobeyed Queen Beryl's orders to leave Tuxedo Mask alone. Perhaps angry because he was called off before he could finish what he started, he lured Tuxedo Mask into the open under the premise of dueling him. After stealing his remaining crystal fragments, Zoisite attempted to kill him. Unfortunately, he managed to not only fail to kill both Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon (though he mortally wounded the former), the wounding of Tuxedo Mask allowed Sailor Moon to become Princess Serenity (talk about major fail). As a result, he was killed by Queen Beryl.

He also demonstrated a similar kind of loyalty towards Endymion, though that may have been a teeny bit clouded by his "I don't trust you with that blonde haired hussy" response to Serenity.

*Details on his relationship with Nephrite are entirely up for discussion with his player. I'm happy to go with either the manga/anime relationship or a mix of the two depending on what death is being used.

~

VIRTUES
Head Held High (Confident) -- Whether it's up against one person or an entire team, Zoisite doesn't back down. He doesn't just think he's good, he knows he's good. After all, he's part of the Shitennou, the cream of the crop so to speak, and he never forgets it. This confidence boost gives him the necessary strength of belief to be efficient and to keep going even when things aren't necessarily in his favour. It's easy to not be afraid of defeat when failure doesn't even register in your mind.

Gets It Done -- The end justifies the means and nobody is more concerned about the end than Zoisite. Whether it's dressing himself up as a girl or chasing guardian cats through rat infested sewers when he wants something he goes above and beyond to get it. His motivation to finish it only doubles when Kunzite is involved, as Zoisite becomes especially eager to win the approval and respect of his Captain. While he works better alone than he does in a group (Kunzite excluded) he is willing to put aside some minor personal grievances if it means he gets what he wants at the end.

You Are My Everything (Loyal) -- Being part of the Shitennou means being part of a brotherhood. You stick together, you do what you're told and you ultimately triumph in the end. Despite being loyal to his other Shitennou brothers, Zoisite holds a special kind of loyalty for Kunzite. Whatever Kunzite wants is done, no questions asked. In response to the famous question "well what if I wanted you to die", Zoisite's answer would be "then give me the gun." His devotion to Kunzite is absolute.

No Secrets -- Zoisite isn't good at hiding things from his fellow cavaliers. This is partially the result of his temperamental nature (it's hard to keep your feelings a secret when you're screaming them to the world) and partially due to his confidence in himself. He's pretty darn sure he's right, at least most of the time, and as a result he has no problems sharing his opinion of things whenever the thoughts cross his mind. Zoisite will talk about his betrayal. Zoisite will discuss how he feels about the Prince and his Princess. Zoisite will even admit that he really doesn't enjoy small furry things unless they're for lunch (this, however, may be mumbled and followed by the worlds 'there's nothing wrong with this, right? RIGHT?')

FLAWS
Mirror mirror (Vain) -- You cut his face. You cut his face! HOW DARE YOU CUT HIS BEAUTIFUL FACE! NOW HE'S GOING TO HAVE A SCAR AND YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS. Zoisite takes his appearance very seriously, if you hadn't guessed, and thus every injury to his beautiful face is considered Serious Business. Insults are easier to brush off, but that's not to say that one couldn't rile Zoisite up with them. Insults that involve his sexuality or his effeminate appearance don't do very well, since he equates the latter two with being beautiful. Comments about his weight tend to do much better.

Does Not Forgive and Forget (Vengeful) -- There is no 'fool me once, shame on me' for Zoisite. He has an excellent memory for people who do him wrong, especially those who try and ruin his beauty. In his pursuit of vengeance he becomes narrow-minded and short-sighted, so focused on the horrible end he's about to bring to his challenger that he doesn't even register the consequences of his actions. The finest example is his attack on Tuxedo Mask, where he went against Queen Beryl's direct orders because he wanted his revenge. It's all or nothing for this cavalier and he doesn't like being pulled away from his target before he evens the score. (This is a very good place to get the better of him. He can very easily be lured into traps or used to get rid of trouble simply because he's going after someone he thinks has wronged him.)

Temperamental -- Next to the emotionally stable Kunzite, Zoisite seems absolutely out of control. He's the first to lose his temper when things don't go his way, stomping his feet and cursing the world for daring to screw around with him. He is Zoisite! He doesn't have time for this bullshit! His temper tantrums don't just last for the initial explosion. Though he's easily riled up, it takes a while for his temper to burn out, and as a result once he's finished stomping he progresses into stage two: sulking. Zoisite will brood in his corner for hours, especially if he feels he's been wronged, and it takes quite a bit of persuasion to get him to come back and behave.

I Can't Lose! That's Impossible! -- Zoisite is a bad sport. It probably wouldn't be stretching the truth that much to call him the worst sport in the world. Zoisite does not believe in waiting until you're out of ear shot to start insulting your mother. Losing is never an option for Zoisite, and even in the face of actual defeat he will deny it until the cows come home. It's also not his fault that he's lost. If you had been faster/smarter/stealthier/prettier then we would have totally won! What is wrong with you?!

ZOISITE AND KUNZITE

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Kunzite is first and foremost Zoisite's idol. He represents everything that Zoisite wishes and aspires to be. Though every man in the Shitennou was obligated to answer to their Captain, Zoisite did so out of an unwavering respect. If Kunzite said heel, he stayed. If Kunzite said attack, he went. When under the control of Queen Beryl, the other members of the Shitennou worked independently or with their youma. Zoisite, however, was quick to take up a position as right-hand-man under Kunzite, and was only happy to have his help. With both of their determination they were a dangerous pair. He is extremely devoted to Kunzite, to the point of being willing to die for him.

I intend to play it that Zoisite has a small crush on Kunzite, though it is doubtful that he knows it himself (or would admit it to himself either). Regardless, Zoisite is quite possessive of his captain. I forsee Zoisite being Very Displeased if Kunzite has to team up with existing senshi, regardless of the reason. Kunzite doesn't need another partner now that he has Zoisite.

NICO AS ZOISITE

Nico and Zoisite share many traits in common, the most notable being determination and immaturity. Both are the "baby" of their little "family", and as a result tend to have a bit of a spoiled child complex about them. Zoisite was at a point in his life where he had somewhere to go, someone to lean on, and as a result showed a kind of single-minded determination in pursuing his goals. When he needed help, he had Kunzite to encourage him and instill in him confidence in his own abilities. Consequences were not something he considered, and while he did pay for it in the end, he ultimately had everything he needed (which may be the cause of his early success).

Family dynamics have helped shape Nico into someone who is both at the same time spoiled but also in serious need of guidance. He is a slightly younger, if not more inexperienced Zoisite who has not yet had the opportunity to find his place in the world. Nico represents unfocused, raw energy; a boy who has not yet come to understand how to control himself so that he can actually accomplish something in the future. He's unorganized, he runs on strong emotions, and he's prone to falling back on negative personality traits such as jealousy. Like Zoisite, he too is willing to "play dirty" for the sake of a victory.

While he has the potential to be something if lead by the correct hand, he also has equal potential to be led astray should he idolize someone who intends to use him for a different purpose. Zoisite's loyalty was and still is unwavering; Nico needs time and experience before he can fully live up to his counterpart's devotion.

Chibi Sheepcat

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Chibi Sheepcat

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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:06 pm

DIRECTION: EAST

The direction east has a variety of different meanings, however I've chosen to incorporate the ones that I felt best suited the character. According to ancient Celtic symbolism, the East represents the element air, and with it communication, new beginnings, new growth. The East is also designated as the future, femininity, and youth. Both Zoisite and Nico represent the untapped energy of youth. Nico especially demonstrates particularly passionate emotions in both the positive and negative aspects of his personality (jealousy, determination). If provided with the right outlet and guidance, the energy he has can be put towards a positive goal in such a way that things can be accomplished in the future. Zoisite is renowned for his effeminate nature and appearance (not to mention the little stint of gender changing in the dub), and while Nico does try to stay as far away from being the pretty boy as possible, he is ultimately a fairly feminine character in several aspects of his personality.

SEASON: SPRING

"Hope springs eternal" as the saying goes, and as the changing season between winter and summer, spring is the season of life. The earth manages to bounce back from dormancy in the winter and get started again in the spring, which ties in to Zoisite's ability to keep going even when the going gets rough. This kind of determination is also echoed in Nico, who doesn't let anyone get in his way. Like in the summer, the spring can also be a time of dangerous storms, especially thunderstorms, hail storms and hurricanes. I tried to reflect a little bit of this in the unpredictability of Nico's temper, as well as the danger he is to both himself and other people if left to the darker bits of his personality.

PLANET: MERCURY

Described as being an "inconstant, vivacious, and curious planet" among other things, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and has the fastest orbit. It was named after the Roman God Mercury, who was said to be the messenger of the gods (comparable to Greek Hermes). The variability of temperament and the opportunistic nature attributed to this planet are the two characteristics that show up best in Nico's personality.

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:12 pm

Additional Character Background/Motivations

Nico was born in Destiny City, third child and only son to Sergio and Antonia de Francesco. His parents, along with many of his aunts and uncles, run a local diner which specializes in good, home-cooked style meals. His grandparents immigrated to Destiny City from Italy when they were young, and were the founders of said diner. Though they no longer run it, they continue to be a part of the family's life, his maternal grandparents living at home with him and his paternal grandmother living in the house just down the road.

As the long-awaited son of the family, Nico has been coddled and spoiled his entire life, especially by his grandparents. Being a boy, he was encouraged to play as many sports as possible, though he was always enrolled in summer "little leagues" for soccer. Whether his team won or lost the games he was always a "star player" at home, a theme that continued (and continues) through the rest of his life. Everything he did was fabulous, whether it was finger painting or his first creative writing assignments. If he got anything lower than a B or a C that was okay too; his teacher just didn't see his potential. Einstein never really went to school either and he did just fine. Thus, Nico has never really strived for very much, especially not in school.

Despite this, his future career has already been planned out for him. Whether he passes or fails out of high school he has a guaranteed job at the diner in the kitchens. He works there almost every day after school, beginning around 6pm and staying until closing time (~10 pm). Cooking is one of his few skills. It's also one of the only things he treats as worth his time, dedicating himself and his energy to becoming good at it. Cooking is an art form, and the preparation of good food is almost as revered as God in his family.

His job at the restaurant is the one thing in his life that he has no wiggle room in. His grandparents especially react very negatively to any suggestion that he might want to do something else with his life. (Is there something wrong with the diner? Are you embarrassed? Are you? He's embarrassed by us, Joe, can you believe it?!) His parents are equally unsupportive of most other jobs.

At school, Nico does well in English, Phys-Ed and shop. History isn't really his thing, nor is any subject that requires too much straight up memorization. His school work organization and focus is poor, having never been taught proper time management skills. He's the kind of person who forgets about things until the last minute and does them in a rush the night before. Sports and club-wise he plays on the school hockey and soccer teams, but is not a member of any club currently.

Nico wants to grow up, marry a nice girl, and continue the family tradition in the diner. He has no problems with filling the shoes his family has laid out for him. Nonetheless, he still has childish dreams of being some kind of bad-boy save the day type along the lines of James Bond or Indiana Jones. He has a secret desire to be a super hero, wanting to be recognized and kick butt at the same time. Being praised and fawned over is also pretty high on his list of "things to do." Even if he can't be famous as a super hero, he still has plans to make his family diner famous and turn it into a restaurant chain.

Nico fears being ostracized from his family and his community, and thus despite seeing himself as a "bad boy" he still remains well within the boundaries of his family's beliefs. He goes to church every Sunday, he works his shifts at the diner, he helps with the community sauce making, and he always cheers for Italy in the World Cup. He also has a deep seated fear of homosexuality and tends to over emphasize his "manliness" as a result.

FAMILY

- Sergio de Francesco: Father;

- Antonia de Francesco: Mother;

- Cristina de Francesco: Eldest sister, 21;

- Maria de Francesco: Elder sister, 19;

- Paola de Francesco: Elder sister, 17;

EXTRA RANDOM CHARACTER STUFF
- Irrational OMG-KILL-IT-PLEASE fear of rodents. Yes he will leap up into your arms or onto the nearest surface if he sees one. Naturally, he will deny it afterward. (See here)

- Because of the influence of Zoisite, Nico will unconsciously seek Miriam's approval of things (i.e. if she likes his clothing). This will probably end up in a lot of wtf moments for him, as he tries to understand why he cares what she thinks about him.

- Nico is prone to idolizing men, especially if they do what he considers to be heroic or brave deeds. Though Indiana Jones and James Bond currently top his list, it's likely that Kunzite will soon be added. It'll be something that he can share with Zoisite, which would further add to his devotion to the Captain of the cavaliers.

- Despite the even number of children, Nico has never had to share a bedroom. His three sisters shared a room until Cristina and Maria moved out for university, at which point Paola finally got the room all to herself. Nico, however, had his own room since he was old enough to sleep alone.

Chibi Sheepcat

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Chibi Sheepcat

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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:31 pm

Updated with better background and different virtues/flaws~ <3

Suggestions/comments/critique welcome!

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:47 am

Hey again, Chibi! Love this font, btw. *shot*

B- or B+? <3

Hobbies
Soccer — So, is Nico just a fan of soccer or does he play it? I know that you explained it more in his background information, but maybe a little extra here would be good, just in order to square everything off.

I’m liking the idea of having him learn swordplay once he’s a Cavalier. That could definitely lead to very dynamic RPs/relationship building, as well as a way to develop the character along the way.

Virtues
Until the end — I like what you have going here, I’m just curious; does he care about other people’s problems enough to help them? The way you have his flaws being things like Spoiled and Vain, and even his Victim Complex, it was a little surprising to see that his Determination will give him that push to help until the end, instead of cutting ties when it seems like a losing battle. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t see where he gets the motivation from to be determined, especially after reading his background.

Also, by the way you’ve worded it, it seems as though his Determined virtue is more him being stubborn. Perhaps you might want to think about formatting it differently to explain just how his determination helps him, or even change it to Motivated instead? I feel that it would explain his virtue better, at least to me.

Opportunist — Strangely enough, to me this sounds more like a flaw than a virtue. You mention that he’s not willing to fight for honor, chivalry, or justice, but instead will do what he can to get what he wants. I mean; you’ve made it clear that he’s a spoiled brat, but how is this going to help him?

I think that if you explain more about it, or edit it a bit, you can get your desired outcome, but for now it sounds like it’s just a split from his spoiled/temper flaws. Is he an opportunist because he doesn’t let things pass him by? Is it because he does things/doesn’t do things without regret? Does he make split-second decisions? Or is what you’re trying to get at — he does things to save his own neck, more along the lines of self-preservation? In that case, I can understand how it’s a self-virtue. But he’s vain and spoiled, so it’s going to be about himself, anyway, right?? <3

I really like his flaws, though. I just feel like you could tie his virtues into them a bit more than what you have going already.

Zoisite
Oh my goodness, I love the screenshots you’ve included in this. I’m remembering how much I loved Zoisite in the series.

I’m also really enjoying his virtues and flaws. I think you have them very well developed and I can’t think of anything that stands out or bothers me.

I am also really enjoying how you’ve incorporated the symbolism of “east” into the characters. I can definitely see how it plays into their characters and their youthfulness, and then “summer” with his temper.

I also think that the bits of extra information really add to his character!

Overall, I really like Nico/Zoisite! I feel that he’ll be a very fun character to play and will offer a lot of dynamic to a group. <3