Welcome to Gaia! ::

So you wanna know about....

Hibiki Tokai's Family

"Grandpa? He's no one special, he's just grandpa."


Hibiki's Father:

Nathaniel Markstrom, Private.

Nathan as he goes by, comes from a small town to the south. Nathan has a mother, father, and six siblings currently (Of which he is the oldest), however, he has not gone to visit them since he joined the Gaian National Guard, much less since he recieved the strange Pendant/Child. So far his family does not know about Hibiki Tokai.

Nathan was raised the "Old Way". His family is straight laced, built oon discipline as the Markstorm men have been Marines for generations. Nathan signed up himself out of Tradition, as well as a bit of patriotic zeal. However, his Military Career has just started, and has been rough to him already.

Recently, on his first bit of Leave between completing his Basic and Advanced training, before he was even Deployed, he found himself caught up in a Riot in Gambino. During this Riot, he was shot several times, and suffered serious burns to most of his body trying to rescue one of the civilians nearby, a young girl.

In the end, the girl was killed despite his efforts. At least it was clean, one shot, right between the eyes.

Nathan himself was saved by a fellow Marine, one of the first to respond, Talon. Since then, he's been in the Hospital, recovering from his wounds.

It was on his way out, that he found The Card which will become Hibiki Tokai.

So you wanna know about....

Hibiki Tokai's Friends


"Friends are like mirrors, you see yourself in them. Go Hibiki, go to the city and make friends."



He's a datacard pendant with no means of communication. Hard to make friends that way.

Journal Entry #01: Boy Meets Pendant

"That's good sir. Come on, just a little bit more and you'll have it!"

The sickly sweet voice. Some little young thing trying waaaay too hard to be kind and supportive. It almost made him gag. To think he was that pathetic. He was at least hoping for Brave, maybe Hero status when he got into that big mess.

Course... Hero status is only really achieved if you succeeded. And he had failed miserably. He was toast. Several gunshot wounds, shattered bones, and severe burns over most of his body. It had been months and months in reconstruction, and now... now he was here in physical therapy, going through his last paces.

He was struggling, walking with the aid of two parallel bars. His legs complained, threatening to give out at any moment. His hands were iron strong, and a constant source of pain. His shoulders were straining, helping keep him up.

All as he made his way down, towards that damned physical therapatist who tormented him with sunshine and insufferable bubbly attitude.

He was almost at the end... And then... then he could just take a damned swing at his tormentor. Yeah. A smile came to his face imagining slugging that damned woman. After all that she put him through, it'd be justified. No jury in the world would convict him!

She seemed to understand what he was thinking, taking a step away as he reached the end of the bars. Just far enough that if he went after her, he'd probably just fall on his face.

Foiled again.

She fetched his wheelchair quick enough though, parking it out for him to fall into. And he was gracious for it. Even if it did mean he missed striking out against the Infernal One.

"Well Private, you seem to have near fully recovered. You're going to be released today."

Did I hear a crack in that bubbly optimism? Did she actually feign to be sad I was leaving? What, she didn't have enough victims? I rolled my eyes, wheeling myself for the door, "I can't get out of here fast enough..."

"What was that sir?"

Damned people. Everyone here seemed to have the sharpest hearing ever. He never seemed to get away with anything. A muttered comment, shifting about in his sleep, they all knew, no matter where he was, what he was doing. That whole Big Brother thing was just another reason to get out of here.

Just a short roll down the hallway, and I'd be out. A few more forms. Nothing big. Just a few more forms. It was my mantra, the one thing keeping me sane in this circle of hell, this den of evil.

I hit something, ran right over it, sent my left wheel up, not that Miss Satan's Right Hand noticed. She was already off, going to find another target for her evil machinations. I stopped, looking back, and saw a little keycard on the ground, with a little chain... necklace?

The damned Therapists keycard... now that could cause her some trouble...

The thought brought me the biggest grin I had in a long time. I scooped up the card without even thinking, hiding it off in a pocket before anyone even noticed.

Good. Good.

With my parting Revenge in hand, I wheeled my way out, ready to graduate to the crutches, and back home for some good ol' R&R.

"Leaving Already Private Markstrom? I think there's still a nurse without a black eye..."

Desk slave with a stupid sense of humor. Seems they were going to get in one parting shot too.

"Oh ha ha... just get me my damned release forms."

.........

.........

.........

Home. Or at least, his home while on medical leave. It was a struggle, opening up the door with one hand, trying to balance himself and his crutches all the while. But there was no way after the trip here he was going to go and sleep outside.

"Home" was little more than a motel room. Not a bad one. Probably one step above Dive. The whole thing looked like it hadn't been redecorated in 40 years. Still had that burnt orange carpet. This puke green curtains. Floral bedspread... Crappy air conditioner that barely seemed up to the job of cooling the small room, given how much it was rattling and complaining.

Nathan gingerly set himself on bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep for four days. The lack of painkillers were getting to him. Most everything but laying down hurt.

A lump pressed into his leg through his pocket. The card.

Stupid nurse.

He chuckled to himself, patting at the keycard, pulling it out, and setting it down on the nightstand.

"Sleepytime..." he murmured, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up to him.

Three seconds, and he was deeply asleep.

RPed #03: The Delivery

Hotter than hell today. Damn 105, and not a bit humid. Now, most people tell me the humidity just makes it hotter. But damn if I don't think the dry heat's worse. Just goes and sucks all the water right outta your body. Makes you feel like a dry husk. At least with humid weather I'm not dried up.

So today, we spent the day inside. Watchin' a movie, one about a submarine commander during the Great War. I liked it. The card... Hibiki, didn't seem to be minding.

At least, not much. I seem to notice it tries to move when it doesn't like where it is. Or what it's doing or what is inflicted upon it. Cold, heat, and several other things.

So... we're sittin' here, watchin' the movie, having a good time, right?

Door gets pounded on, someone callin' for me. Hell, took me a while to remember the big boss lady said she'd be sending some flunkies to go and give me some starter baby crap. Just so I wouldn't have to blow all my savings getting ready for Hibiki there.

Well lo and behold, it was the big boss woman again. And bearing lots of baby crap! Don't know why she brought that foul little teen with her. Damn guy had a more than a little more attitude than brains. Hell, if he was my kid I'd probably go and straighten him out, teach him some respect. But the Boss Lady seemed content to let him run off his mouth and make a fool of himself with his little displays.

All in all, short visit. Not much really happened. Though she did give me her number, and told me she knew a good list of baby sitters. The kid seems to like her too. Or so I picked up. Just some weird "vibe".

After she left, I got to readin' the books. Hell, I helped raise all my younger sisters and brothers. Not like I need to know how to change a diaper. Most of the books were crap. Didn't really tell me anything I didn't know. Sure, picked up a thing here and there... but hell, some of those articles like "Why you shouldn't hit your kids"... the hell they talkin' about? My kid does somethin' wrong, I'm going to let him know it. Build that discipline.

What was that saying? "Once bitten, twice shy"? Hell, know it wasn't about kids, and gettin' smacked when they misbehave, but it works. Damn sight knows it worked for me.

Tossing aside the books, I got settled back into bed, and continued the movie watching, just Hibiki and me.

Journal Entry #05: ((To be covered in Baby Hatching RPage))