Demetrio D'Cruz (Desire) [Hero/Teacher]

THE BASICS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

PERSONALITY

Flirtatious - Mysterious - Loyal - Private - Intelligent - Savvy - Capable - Relaxed - Teasing

Demetrio constantly puts on a front of languid intrigue. A perpetual half-smirk and lidded eyes hide whatever he might actually be feeling at the moment, and getting a real expression out of him would be quite a feat indeed. On the surface, he’s flirtatious, ambiguous, stylish, clever, and a bit detached. Though obviously invested in his students, looking into his eyes would reveal a sort of distance, as though his mind is miles away and his day to day activities are kept going by whatever part of him is present. He jokes with others and enjoys teasing those around him to try and get a rise, but, he never gives anything about himself away, somehow always focusing the conversation on the other. Usually, when dealing with other adults, this comes in the form of shameless flirting.

There is no denying that Demetrio is intelligent, and he’s good at what he does. He shows an intense loyalty to his friends, students, and coworkers. He’s also incredibly savvy when it comes to those things that make the world go round. Trying to catch him off-guard is nigh unto impossible, and it seems like nothing surprises him. Even the most drastic situations are met with that same lazy expression and relaxed demeanor.

Underneath the front, Deme is a thoughtful and sad individual. He carries enough baggage from his past to feel a constant weight, and the awareness of what his name means drives him to constantly desire to prove that he is his own man. A complex individual who likes to be at least two steps ahead at all times, he’s a riddle that few have solved. Though, a long line of one-night stands and short relationships proves that many have at least taken a crack at it.

BACKGROUND HISTORY

Demetrio D’Cruz was born as the second son to the leader of a large mafia family based in Portugal. Raised in the upper class of Lisbon, he was granted all of the luxuries that his father’s ill-gotten money could buy. Private schooling, fine dining, and upscale parties filled much of Demetrio’s younger years. For the boy, this was simply normal. As were the constant presence of his father’s armed thugs, and the way that, sometimes, people who angered his father would simply disappear.

Cintio D’Cruz was not the stereotypical father. Rather than teaching his sons how to play a sport or engage them with games, he taught them the tools of his trade. It started as networking, leadership skills, money handling, and other useful lessons. Then, as time went on, the lessons became more sinister. Intimidation, interrogation, espionage, and other such less-than-savory items filled Deme’s days after school. Despite the understanding that these were not ‘nice’ things to do, the lessons took and the mafia became Demetrio’s way of life. By the time he turned sixteen, he had proven especially adept at using his quirk, and his natural charms, to pull information out of targets. His brother, Caesar, had a natural ability for combat and a mind for tactics. Between the two of them, they had the makings to expand the family’s underworld reach further than their father had ever dreamed. Deme was a natural at the behind-the-scenes handling, and Caesar could be the strong face and fist of the family. Despite the illegal nature of many of their activities, Demetrio was happy. He had instilled within him a loyalty to the family and a desire to protect them and do what was best for them. This allowed him to set aside any misgivings he may feel.

It was going well until Cintio made a critical error, one he would not realize even after its happening.

At seventeen, Deme took on the task of befriending, and possibly seducing, the son of a wealthy family whose business empire the D’Cruz family hoped to take. It would cement the D’Cruz family in a way nothing else could. Deme was the inside man, meant to ease the ‘transition’ along. No one accounted for the possibility of his failure, especially not him. He went into the task as he always did, suave, smooth, and ready to use whatever means necessary to ensure success. He’d studied his target, Antonio: a kind, charismatic young man who seemed to get along with everyone, and expected his kindness to take the form of naivety, making him an easy target. Nothing could be further from the truth. In his kindness, Antonio was surprisingly attuned to others and, in hindsight, Deme would realize that he hadn’t been fooling him in the least. They became friends, as planned. It started as invitations to yacht cruises, parties, and the like. Then, it turned to dinners and social gatherings, unannounced visits and impromptu lunches spent together. Deme can’t pinpoint where along the way he genuinely began to care for the other, but somewhere along the way, in the midst of trying to maintain his charade, he lost sight of his mission. As he listened to Antonio’s passionate humanitarian speeches, and interacted with his well-to-do family, he wondered for the first time if there was another way, beyond that of the shadowy underworld he was used to. For months, he was in turmoil, caught between his feelings for the man he was meant to destroy, and his loyalty to his family

Their first kiss took place in after dinner on the balcony of Antonio’s penthouse in Paris as the two were vacationing there. Soon after, consumed by his fondness for Antonio, Deme told him everything. The plans his father had laid, what was at stake should he fail, and his pain at needing to choose between them. He half expected, and perhaps hoped for, rejection. But, to his relief, Antonio applied his intellect and passion for aiding others, helping Demetrio to find a way out of the situation he was trapped in. If Demetrio failed to ensure that a peaceful transition happened, the D’Cruz family would take a more violent method of obtaining the company, which would mean killing those who were in the direct line of inheritance. Antonio explained that his own family had suspected something when Demetrio appeared as he had, but that he had asked for a chance to build a real friendship and perhaps find an ally. While Deme’s attempts to secure a relationship had been fueled by a sinister agenda, Antonio’s motives had been far friendlier. He encouraged Demetrio to bring down his father’s underworld network and stop him from harming not only Antonio’s family, but many others as well.

It took Demetrio two days to make peace with the idea. In that time, the two young man concocted a plan that would successfully collapse the D’Cruz mafia, while ensuring that minimal damage was done to any involved parties. Despite realizing that his father had to be stopped, Deme still loved him, after all, and had no desire to see him harmed.

The events following the inception of the plan would have been impossible for Deme to go through alone. Fortunately, Antonio stayed with him every step of the way. Through the initial call to the authorities, the testimonies, interrogations, background checks, the media blowup, and every bit of disgust and condemnation. Despite his willingness to cooperate, Demetrio had been responsible for many crimes as well, and was met with hatred from many, and sympathy from few. The police and heroes involved in the case collected an obscene amount of evidence with Demetrio’s help, enough to ensure that the ringleaders of the mafioso family would be sentenced to years of prison time, and their underlings would be unable to escape the justice that followed them. The D’Cruz network crumbled from the inside, bringing with it the fall of a number of associated criminals as well. Despite the negativity aimed at him, Demetrio allowed Antonio to convince him that his actions were for the best, and that his help would ensure the safety of many. Due to his help, Demetrio’s own charges were brought down to a bare minimum and he was given the light sentence of community service.

Demetrio expected to be taken under the supervision of the court. He was surprised when he was approached by a hero who said that he had been working on the D’Cruz case for a long time, and would be willing to show him a different path, if he so chose. At Antonio’s encouragement, Demetrio placed himself under a hero named Darklight, who specialized in the handling of underworld activity. With Demetrio’s criminal background and training, he proved to be a valuable resource. In return, Darklight taught him how to use his quirk to help others, rather than manipulating them for personal gain. After two years under Darklight’s teaching, Demetrio became a registered hero, something that was met with yet another media uproar.

Soon after, a vindictive villain whose enterprise had been harmed by the D’Cruz collapse struck Deme in the only way that would truly hurt him. An attack on Antonio’s life was made, and, though he survived, he was badly hurt. Realizing that he was still too close to home to escape his reputation and actions, Demetrio helped bring about the downfall of this particular villain, then, after saying a painful goodbye to Antonio, he left Portugal.

At Darklight’s suggestion, he went to Japan, a hotbed of heroic activity. His mentor called ahead, securing Deme a position in an agency where he would be put to good use. His past was never made a secret, since he was more than aware of the effects trying to hide previous criminal activity could have on his work.

In his sixth year of being the pro-hero Desire, Demetrio was given the task of mentoring a UA student on work study. At first, he was reluctant, all too aware of how his past might cause tension in the relationship between him and his intern. To his surprise, and some amusement, she was far more enthralled by his change of heart and rise to becoming a hero than anything else. He developed a protective fondness for his trainee and did his utmost to ensure that she was properly prepared for facing whatever might come her way. Unfortunately, sometimes, protectiveness is not enough, and, toward the end of their partnership, the pair was targeted. Demetrio’s quirk was more passive than his intern’s, meaning that she felt the need to make up for his lack of inherent combat ability by fighting the villain head-on, despite his objections. Her inexperience was her downfall, and, in a desperate attempt to protect her, Demetrio threw himself into the villain’s path to shield her. The attack nearly killed him, taking the form of an ethereal blade meant to cut through the target’s body and induce pain. It tore directly through his heart, spontaneously sending him into cardiac arrest. The second strike tore through the right side of his chest when he refused to move, despite his failing body. His survival was ensured when help arrived immediately following the attack.

Demetrio awoke in the hospital days later, alive, but scarred from the encounter. His trainee was unharmed, and their opponent had been safely defeated and secured. Demetrio apologized to his intern for being unable to better prepare her, to which she replied that there was no one she would have rather learned from and praised his abilities both as a hero and as a teacher. She was convinced that, had he not taught her what he had, she would have died in the battle.

Encouraged by her words. Demetrio began to seriously consider teaching. If he could somehow make up for his past actions by preparing a new generation of heroes who would stop people like his father and brother, he might finally be able to let go of the regret of his past. He could leave behind a legacy to counteract what his family had done and simultaneously help ensure that the heroes of tomorrow had the training they needed. With this in mind, he applied to teach at UA High.

-Long stylized shirt made to expose much of his torso and his entire right arm. Made of a porous, light material for fast movement and lack of hinderance to his quirk usage. This article of clothing comes in white for day usage and black for night patrol.

-Black, flexible pants made of a slightly thicker material

-Sturdy boots

-Thigh holsters for his escrima
-Hip holster for stun gun
-Interior pockets for carrying light bandages and antiseptic packets


Weapons:

-Collapsible Escrima: A pair of escrima that, in their collapsed form, are only about a foot in length. When extended, they reach a maximum of two feet and lock in place to avoid collapsing during combat. The end opposite the grip is designed to deliver a high voltage shock that functions much like a taser. These must be charged in order to work properly, but, barring shock usage, are strong enough to function as blunt weapons. When fully extended, the escrima can be locked together to create a short staff for slightly longer reach.
-Stun Gun: An item designed specifically to counteract his weakness to distance attacks, the stun gun fires a capsule charged with a high voltage electrical pulse. It's painful, and might be enough to knock someone on their back, but isn't lethal. It's purpose is to buy Deme enough time to close distance for real combat. It can safely hold six capsules in a magazine and is designed much like a generic handgun, with a range of about 18 meters. These capsules are specially made by his former agency's support staff.


Vehicle:

-Deme owns a very nice bulletproof muscle car. Black with tinted windows, of course.

QUIRK & SKILLS

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Rosa Almíscar

TYPE:  Emitter 
RANK/LEVEL: B+
SUMMARY:

Demetrio was born with an enhanced and very complex pheromone release system. His power lies in his cognitive control over his pheromone glands, which are more numerous and more productive than those of an average human. His pheromones are secreted normally though his pores and are made more intense when he sweats, but, their release is made more potent by a series of specialized organs in his forehead and throat. These organs open depending on how much effort he’s applying to his pheromone release. Demetrio’s usage of his quirk comes in two ‘flavors’: attraction and repulsion.



Attraction: Demetrio uses his quirk to release pheromones that will attract others to him and increase favor toward him. He may choose to use a low ‘dose’ of attraction in a crowd to gain social favoritism, or a high dose on a specific target to win sexual attention.



Repulsion: Demetrio can release pheromones that repulse others, driving them away from him or causing them to dislike him. He may use this during a fight to add to an opponent’s already agitated state or to ward off unwanted admirers.



Usage: Demetrio thinks of his quirk as operating in three stages, normally. When releasing his pheromones, Demetrio sends a conscious signal to his glands to ramp up production. This is the first stage, which simply puts his glands into overdrive. Release is the second stage, and occurs naturally through his pores. The third stage, which he calls ‘accelerated release’ occurs when he initiates use of the organs in his forehead- a series of large pores that allow him to put off more pheromones than a normal human could. In a normal situation, he will only go as far as the three stages, but there is a fourth stage, which serves as his special move. When Demetrio feels the need to release a powerful ‘dose’ of pheromones at once, a larger pore over his throat opens, allowing for release directly from the glands located in his neck. This is rarely used, as it’s incredibly taxing.



Post Logistics:

Demetrio’s stages of release mean that his pheromones take effect at various intervals. Effects depend on what kind of effect he’s hoping for and the physiology of his target. Please note that it is up to the player whether or not this quirk would effect their character. If, for instance, they have some of the specialized equipment listed below, or a physiology that would not accept Demetrio's pheromones, they would not be effected.  


-Stage Two- Natural Release: Demetrio’s pheromones take effect at touch range, with the target in close proximity. This is a very subtle effect that should gradually take hold over a long period of time. At the first post, he would release, but the target may not feel the effects until the fourth post or even later. These effects manifest as an inclination toward or against him, depending on the types of pheromones released, and will grow stronger the longer the target is exposed. This is a subtle thing and may not be immediately noticeable. Demetrio can output at this level for up to twelve turns before suffering backlash. The twelfth turn puts him in the 'danger zone' of his quirk usage.


-Stage Three- Accelerated Release: The pheromones are released through the pores in his forehead, pushing his reach to close range (approximately three meters in radius). In this instance, the release occurs in the first post, with the effects being felt in the third to fourth posts. The affected target should feel a strong inclination toward or against him, depending on the types of pheromones released. The effects will grow stronger the longer the target is exposed. This is a subtle thing and may not be immediately noticeable. Demetrio can output at this level for up to six turns at maximum, and must cease output in the seventh turn or risk suffering backlash. 


-Stage Four- Special Move: Instinct: In this final stage, Demetrio uses the pore over his throat, giving him a short-range access to his glands. The pheromones are pushed almost violently through all of the pores in a powerful burst for maximum effect. The pheromones are released in the first post and should begin to take effect in the second for those standing in close range (three meter radius), the third for those at medium range (five meter radius), and the fourth for those at long range (seven meter radius). In this instance, the effects may be startling and a character will likely be cognizant of and instinctive shift toward or away from Demetrio. Those with strong wills may resist the pull and bear through it with the understanding that the effects will continue until he runs out of ‘steam’, or, they might immediately listen to their instincts. Despite its power, this stage is the most dangerous to Demetrio himself. Demetrio can output at this level for two turns, with the third being his last possible turn of output and thus putting him at risk of backlash. 



After Demetrio stops using his quirk, it will take only one post more for the pheromones to dispel into the air and be rendered ineffective.




WEAKNESSES/LIMITATIONS:

-Production: Demetrio’s biggest limitation is the production level of his pheromone glands. While he has more than the average human, they are only capable of holding so much. When it’s gone, it’s gone, and it can only be replenished after a long period of rest during which he must allow himself to secrete more without interruption. It is this drawback that causes his special move to be so devastating to him as well. In the fourth stage, he essentially shoves everything he can out into the air, using up his stores rapidly, if not depleting them entirely.



-Slow to Build: Demetrio’s quirk is useful, but it’s a slow process. He has to ensure that he’s continuously pumping enough pheromones for them to successfully reach the target, be inhaled, and begin to work on the target’s brain. That may take a while, and, in the heat of combat, he may not have enough time.



-Area of Effect: Demetrio cannot control who is affected by his quirk. Allies and enemies within his range are both at risk when he uses it.



-Backlash: Using stage four of his quirk can be painful. If he overstimulates his glands, he will be subject to a burning sensation around their locations and risk damaging them. This backlash strikes as soon as he hits the danger zone and will last even beyond the end of the thread depending on how far he overreached.



-Reliant on Physiology: While those with exceptionally strong senses of smell might be more quickly affected, those with breath masks or who do not need to breathe due to the nature of their quirk will not be affected at all. Deme’s quirk is entirely reliant on the target physically breathing in his pheromones. Even a strong gust of wind might disrupt his process, keeping them from reaching the target. Demetrio’s quirk is useless in water as well, where there is no air to transport the pheromones.

-Fresh Air: If the target can get out of his range quickly or has some other means of getting fresh air, they can purge the effects of the pheromones from their system. This makes it difficult for Deme to use his quirk in an outdoor setting, where air currents might work against him and dilute the effects of his pheromones. 

-Distance: Deme's greatest enemy. Those with range weapons or quirks can attack from outside his area of effect, 

RANK/LEVEL: B
SUMMARY:
As a member of a mafia family, Deme was trained in a variety of fighting methods and styles. He excelled especially at close-quarters combat, since it was what went hand-in-hand with his short-range quirk. It was also the only one he really cared to carry with him into his hero work. Deme uses a variety of styles to fight with utmost efficiency, never sticking with one for too long. He mixes hand and foot techniques with weapon usage in an attempt to overpower his opponents at close range.

RANK/LEVEL: C
SUMMARY:

Though he never used it outside of training when working for his father, Deme was taught how to shoot a gun. He applied this to his hero work in order to make up for his weakness to range attacks, using his stun gun to counter those he can't fight in close quarters. Shooting is, admittedly, his weakest combat skill, but, he can do it in a pinch. This skill applies exclusively to handguns and pistols.

RANK/LEVEL: A
SUMMARY:
Deme’s upbringing revolved around organized crime and learning how to move efficiently in the underworld. As a hero, he’s taken his knowledge of how to seek out unsavory contacts, strike illicit bargains, and avoid detection from the authorities and applied it to his hero work. He knows how criminals think because it was how he was taught to think, and it serves him extremely well.

RANK/LEVEL: A
SUMMARY:

Deme is capable of commanding a room without saying much at all. Part of this is natural charisma, the other part is entirely based on the other aspect of his upbringing. He was meant to work behind the scenes to back his brother up in their family’s criminal network, part of which entailed being the pretty face and public relations expert. He’s good a schmoozing. He can pick out the power hub in a crowd, the alpha in a relationship, and who would be a good ally with a bit of observation and small talk. Then, he makes friends. As a hero, he’s used his networking skills to gain alliances and garner influence, eventually leading to his entry into UA. 

RANK/LEVEL: B
SUMMARY:

Another component of Deme’s training under his father’s tutelage was the acquisition of numerous languages. He is fluent in Portuguese (his native language), Spanish, English, and Japanese. The last, he picked up after his arrival in Japan, the others, through training. He is able to passably speak and understand Mandarin Chinese, Italian, and French. These, he picked up out of necessity through various business dealings in his late teens.

Jax

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