Raphael

"Close yours eyes and turn your face into the wind. Feel it sweep along your skin in an invisible ocean of exultation. Suddenly, you know you are alive." - Vera Nezarian
Introduction xxxxxRaphael is only twenty-two years of age, and it seems at times - between his energy and looks - that he's barely one step separated from the students he instructs and protects. Once lost to the chaos of his own mutation, Professor Xavier tamed the winds against all odds, and now Raphael commands them to the benefit of a hopeful future. His students like him for his similarities, for his good advice, and for his willingness to occasionally shirk the rules as is his nature. History xxxxxRaphael Lennox had the good fortune of being born in Manchester, New York, as he would one day be needing the help of a certain neighbor. However, in his earliest years, he was just an unruly boy given to meandering off on his own adventures. He was like a contrary element to the suburbanite, white picket fenced environment into which he'd been born, always flighty and defiant of the rules. xxxxxShortly before the age of thirteen, Raphael began to change in ways which made his chaotic exterior a much more internal force. His thoughts became fluid, with his point of focus shifting from one thing to the next in an endless and unpredictable series. He had a gift for seeing things from so many angles, yet no means to ever have stability. All of this was a herald for his waking X-Gene, which would manifest itself in the most subtle of ways in comparison to what it would become. He discovered that he was able to expel small puffs of wind from his limbs and mouth, as if the tempest within him were teaching him the means to its escape. xxxxxFortunately, that certain neighbor had detected Raphael's emergence and arrived before the tempest had its way. Professor Charles Xavier came bearing an offer of a full scholarship at Xavier's School for Raphael, complete with room and board, and his parents were all too pleased to accept. The youth's erratic conduct had defied explanation and become too much for them to handle, which was entirely understandable. However, matters of the mind rarely defy explanation for Xavier. Headmaster and student spent much time together trying to sort out the turbulence in Raphael's thoughts. xxxxxWith time given to the demands of effort and patience, the Professor and Raphael did arrive at a solution. The elder of the two realized that his new student's existence was intertwined with remarkable closeness to air and wind, right down to the molecular level. It had changed him, body and mind. Rather than attempting to subdue what was now the young man's natural state, Xavier delved further and discovered an orderly pattern within Raphael's fluid thoughts. Yes, they were constantly shifting, but they examined each point of focus from countless angles. With the presence of order came the promise of control, and they successfully mastered an 'off switch' with which to give Raphael's mind peace. He could flick that switch right back to enlightened disorder if he so chose, but there was an entirely new world of normalcy to explore. xxxxxFrom the ages of thirteen through seventeen, Raphael lived at Xavier's School and was a popular, successful student. So much of that boundless energy within him was given to his studies, and the rest to getting into typically harmless trouble. His was a generally successful academic life, and he'd taken a particular interest in the martial arts from among his many courses. No good thing is meant to last forever, but when Raphael's determined efforts saw him exhaust the school's curriculum and graduate a year early (class of 2010), he was determined that he would one day return to the people and place he so loved. It was with this in mind that Raphael played to his gifts and migrated for the next four years to the University of Bridgeport, where the nation's only accredited BA in Martial Arts Studies was offered. xxxxxIt had proven to be a blessing that, in reality, Professor Xavier had ordered the true extent of Raphael's mutation to be held back during his instruction. This allowed him to live a mostly ordinary, undetected life while at University, with only the earliest of his mutations at his command. He did well at Bridgeport and certainly took to the field he'd chosen as his life's pursuit. It was also interesting to be out there in the world, alone for the first time, back into the trend of adventuring with the same spontaneity as his boyhood years. Raphael discovered himself at college as do so many students, but that ended, and he wanted more than anything thereafter to return to the nest. xxxxxWhen Raphael presented himself to Professor Xavier and requested to be considered as the school's martial arts instructor, he was met with a man pleased by the progress he'd made, as a person and in terms of living with his mutation as it stood. Charles elected to give him an opportunity at his first teaching position, welcoming him home and formulating further plans for him all in the same motion. Aerokinetics were a rarity, particularly ones changed down to their molecules as Raphael had been, and the young man potentially had much more to offer the world in the way of good deeds. Even though Raphael looked and sometimes acted no older than the students he would protect and teach, Xavier sought him as an X-Man and lifted the ban on teaching him to fully master his mutation. xxxxxRaphael's training took his gifts to new heights. He became light and swift as a feather, and he eventually took to the skies in flight. The culmination of it all was becoming the air and wind itself, abandoning flesh and blood as necessary to delve into his molecular nature. Compared with the gifts he'd mastered when he was a student, he was a versatile force as an X-Man. That said, he'd developed a phobia of being physically constrained when he manifested flight, and it demanded many adjustments to his life. Loose clothes, a larger room, and even a special ultra-light uniform for his clandestine duties. Nevertheless, Xavier saw more gains than losses in the effort. Raphael brought energy and enthusiastic morale to the team in even the darkest of storms, and if the worst should happen, he could turn off the 'switch' they'd invented to regulate his thoughts and allow him to see entirely new strategies in seemingly hopeless situations. xxxxxIt has been one year now since Raphael returned to Xavier's School, becoming a teacher and an X-Man, successful to date on both fronts. His popularity continues, for he's not only an open ear and mind for his students and colleagues, but also a sometimes surprisingly good source for kernels of wisdom. An echo of that many-faceted mind, perhaps. He looks so young (and fit for magazine covers, granted) that he's often be mistaken for one of his pupils, which amuses him greatly. Whenever possible, Raphael uses that mental connection to make his lessons interesting and the apprentice-master bond meaningful. There are times - more often than would be preferable, but which he cannot help - when he'll overlook or even involve himself in the students' mischief. One can tame the wind, but only to a certain extent. Powers Air Blasts: The first mutation Raphael ever exhibited was the ability to expel small puffs of air from his limbs and mouth. Needless to say, training has made this base tool far more effective. He can now incorporate it into his martial arts and, as necessary, fire off powerful blasts of air. The potency of the blast can be regulated to some degree, from a push to a truly damaging blow. Enhanced Breathing: Raphael can hold his breath for an indefinite period, as his body effectively generates its own air supply. His lungs also filter airborne poisons such as those of a gaseous nature, rendering him immune. Lightness: Due to molecular changes in his body, Raphael is oddly light, even though he doesn't look it. It's the reason behind that slight spring in his step, which most people tend to see as a carefree or relaxed demeanor. The end result enables him to leap to great heights, to move very quickly, and to perform acrobatic feats. This is another aid to his martial arts. However, the fact that he's so light means he's easily grappled if his evasion and tricks fail him. Someone with enhanced, mutated strength could toss him about like a rag doll without breaking a sweat. It's no wonder he always stays on the move! Flight: The first thing Raphael learned to do when he began studying as an X-Man was to fly, one of the most stereotypical gifts of an aerokinetic. He is fast and highly maneuverable in the air, and given that it doesn't exhaust him, he prefers to incorporate flight into his fighting tactics. Unfortunately, with the revelation of flight came a phobia of being physically constrained. He can't stand feeling bound, and so he's adopted everything from loose clothes to the most open room Xavier could provide for him. Air Form: The greatest manifestation of Raphael's mutation is the ability to 'give in' to his X-Gene's molecular changes and shift into a semi-mist like air form. While in this state, he still resembles a humanoid until he moves, at which point he becomes more of a cloud. He can still project air blasts and fly while in air form, and physical attacks with guns or in melee are useless, making this a powerful tool. He can flow through even the smallest of cracks in obstacles and reform on the other side, unharmed. Flying rapidly at someone may aggressively knock them off of their feet or, more helpfully, briefly carry them upon his own breeze to safety or higher ground. He suffers neither physical nor mental harm for existing in this state, which is almost as natural as his human one, and can remain in air form indefinitely. There are tradeoffs for so many gains of becoming truly one with his element. He may be immune to physical sources of harm, but energy- and psionics-based attacks are not at all hindered. As well, things which consume air (a blazing building, flame attacks from another mutant, etc) could cause him grievous harm as they feed upon his very body, demanding that he become corporeal once more. It need not be said what a complete vacuum would do to him. An ultra-lightweight X-Man uniform has been designed for him to flow into and out of, not only because of his phobia, but for the convenience of this power. Raphael doesn't take his physical belongings with him, so he needs that ability to fill the suit and revert back to human form. Otherwise, he must amusingly (or sometimes dangerously) reform in the nude. Skills Martial Arts: The most obvious of his aptitudes, Raphael began studying the martial arts as a student of Xavier's School, taking to it like they were meant for each other. He later went on to earn a BA in Martial Arts Studies. The course required him to master one form, but he had the energy for two, Aikido and Karate. These defensive arts prize swiftness and turning an opponent's force against them, the ideal approach for a speedy individual. They are also appropriate styles to be taught at the School, as opposed to more aggressive choices. Fluid Thinking: As an early consequence of molecular changes to his body and mind, Raphael is capable of very fluidly shifting his focus from one point to the next. This was a chaotic state at first, one which the Professor worked with him to develop an 'off switch' for. It's preferable that the switch remain on, but there are certain times when flipping it has advantages. If he does so, he can rapidly view a situation from many different angles, giving him insight concerning solutions and tactics. However, the chaotic state is one he can't manage for very long before it consumes him, and so this skill is a last resort tucked away for emergency situations. Psionic Self Defense: As with all freshmen at Xavier's School, Raphael attended and passed the self-defense course against psionic assault and intrusion. It's by no means an extraordinary shield, but it offers him the same level of resistance any other graduate who'd completed the course would have. Personable: For anyone who appreciates a casual, youthful attitude and an open mind, Raphael has the upper hand. He's twenty-two, but some portion of his mind is trapped in that teenaged state. He's never too easily discouraged by anything, is always energetic, and tends to be friendly by nature rather than the strict sort of teacher (he actually gets into trouble alongside his students more than a little). His pupils have found him to be a good source of advice, which he's surprisingly good at providing without judgement. A diplomatic soul, one might say, and/or eternally young at heart. Acrobatics: Being almost weightless, even if he doesn't look it, Raphael's inclination toward acrobatics is almost second nature. One couldn't quite compare him to the likes of Doctor McCoy, but he's still very good. Morale Booster: Even in the darkest moments, Raphael has found within himself the courage and talent to see silver linings. He's excellent at whipping his comrades and students into a positive mood when things go wrong and times are grim. This isn't to say that he's a superb leader, but he's more of an excellent motivational force, which can be just as crucial in its own way. Connections Friends Coming soon. Foes Coming soon. And everything in between Coming soon. Trivia Random facts you think are worth knowing about your character. And more random facts! And more. Gallery [[Image:|x150px]] [[Image:|x150px]] [[Image:|x150px]]	Raphael Lennox Codename Aeolus Birthdate 1993-02-07 (Age 22) Birthplace Manchester, New York Species Mutant Affiliation Xavier's School/X-Men Alignment Chaotic Good Powers Aerokinetics Occupation Teacher - Martial Arts & Self-Defense Registration Status Unregistered RP Hooks Sociable - From his days as a student to the present, Raphael has always been highly sociable. He'll talk to anyone, sometimes to lift their spirits or guide them to a better path. At other times, just because he's friendly. Teacher - Mister Miyagi, only without the self-discipline. Raphael's a popular teacher given his ability to relate to his students, and he makes his class interesting via that connection. Sometimes, he has those wise words to offer, as well. Confidant - In his way, Raphael acts as a sort of unofficial guidance counselor to his students and open ear to his colleagues. He's surprisingly good at offering up useful kernels of wisdom, possibly as an echo of his previously uncontrolled mind's many perspectives. Youthful - Raphael's appearance often leads to his being mistaken for one of his own students. His looks may be fit for the cover of a magazine, but he still resembles a teenager. This can be advantageous in some ways, and very much the opposite in others. He still finds amusement in it, though. Cleithrophobic - After learning to fly, Raphael developed a variation of this phobia of being held down or trapped. He can't stand being constrained, to the point that he always wears loose clothing and had to be given the most open room the Professor could find for him. Energetic - This may be a consequence of his mutation, or it might just be natural. Either way, Raphael possesses seemingly boundless reserves of energy. They carried him to graduation from Xavier's School a year early, onward through college, and right back to the School. He seldom sleeps and is most always up to something. Prone to Mischief - Along with the continued looks of a teenager, Raphael has the heart. He's often right in the thick of those getting into harmless trouble. It's just the nature of the wind to be unbound and a little chaotic, but it does make him a lot of fun. X-Man - Martial arts instructor by day, hero by night! Raphael was immediately put into training as an X-Man when Xavier hired him to teach, during which time he mastered the rest of his known mutations and became a part of the team. He's a versatile ally, never giving up and always there to have a comrade's back. Raphael believes very much in Xavier's hopeful vision of the future, and he'll fight to protect it.
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