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R O G U E

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Secret Identity: Ashlyn McKnight

Alias: Rogue (current), Illuminati (former), Ash (nickname)

Gender: Female (she/her)

Age: 27

Occupation:
None that she would openly admit to... but, she's a highly skilled thief, when not on mission for Lewis. More the Robin Hood type, than the steal everything of value for her own benefit type, not that she doesn't keep a few things for herself. A thief with a heart of gold... kind of. Old habits are hard to kick, though she has kicked a few. Ash was previously a gun (or knife, rather) for hire -an assassin- though she did live by a certain code... No innocents. No children, ever, and no parents, unless their child would be better off without them.

Theme: Alternates between Blackout, by AViVA and Gasoline, by Halsey

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Height: 5'7"

Weight: 135LBS before, 160LBS now (the arm adds some weight, but she's become somewhat accustomed to it over the years)

Hair Color: Varies

Eye Color: Blue, but the right is much more vibrant and noticeable than the left, though it is often covered by her hair.

Appearance
Ash is of average height and an athletic build, but she is heavier than she looks, due to certain cybernetic enhancements that took place after an accident in her early adult life.

Something she thought she would never bounce back from, but lo and behold, she's become a goddamned 'hero'. Begrudgingly. Possibly through blackmail... if you want to look at it that way.

Though it is often covered by shirts or jackets, Ash has a cybernetic arm. Or, more accurately, metallic plating over her actual arm.

One would be hard pressed to get a look under the metal, the skin is burnt and the muscles shredded, never healing fully after the accident- essentially, her arm is useless without the enhancements.

She has bright blue eyes, one brighter than the other. While it is not terribly obvious that it's not an organic eye, some do assume as much, due to the offset hues.

While she has a somewhat grumpy exterior, Ash smiles and laughs often. Sometimes its fake, as one would imagine, but when it's real, the act of laughing or smiling is almost effortless, and is always charming.

Ashlyn would be considered pretty or beautiful, if she put effort into her appearance, but she's never been the type to lean into vanity.

She looks the way she wants to look, and she doesn't give a damn what you think. And she's more than happy to tell you as much. What you see is what you get with Ash, nothing more nothing less.

She would best be described as... rugged? Or dangerous, maybe? Rough around the edges? Anything that would describe the opposite of one of those ditsy fairy tail princesses.

Ash would certainly not be considered preppy or too into her looks. Although, it is clear she puts a lot of thought and effort into her hair and the various tattoos and piercings that litter her body.

Whether she goes out of her way to stand out from the 'basic bitch' crowd, if her 'punk' appearance is an attempt to take control of at least one thing in her chaotic life or if she simply likes the look, is up for debate.

Although, she'd tell you to fuck off if you asked. Fair warning. Likely a combination of all three- she doesn't want to stand out, per se, but she doesn't want to be lumped in with the rest either. And hell, she thinks she rocks her look.

Rogue, on the other hand... she definitely fits the name, obviously playing into the role with the outfit she wears. She certainly looks like a Rogue, a thief, or potentially an assassin. Her outfit, or 'super suit' as some refer to them, is fairly simple but gets the point across.

Rogue is decked out in black from head to toe to cover the plethora of tattoos and scars, complete with a black wig to cover her own hair, and the tattoo on the left side of her head.

Parts of the outfit are leather, but the entire ensemble is not- that would be tacky. The outfit was not something she chose, but one that she was given by Babylon Technologies (Lewis) when she took on the mantle of Rogue.

While she doesn't like being so restricted, she has come to like the outfit and understands the necessity to hide her markings from public eye. Otherwise, she would be easily identified...

One commonality between Ash and Rogue, regardless of the situation, is a pair of headphones covering her ears, music playing at all times.

The headphones rest under Rogue's hood but on top of the wig, but they are easily spotted atop her head when she is not in the Rogue character and outfit.

When off the clock, Ash is most often seen wearing her favorite hoodie or a jacket and an old pair of jeans that has holes in the knees.

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Skills

The Thief - Ash is quite stealthy, knowing how to move silently and disappear in the shadows. She is also exceedingly talented at breaking into things, whether it be a building, safe or anything really. If it has a lock, she can pick it, a safe, she can crack it. She is very talented at boosting cars, and isn't too bad at precision driving.

The Assassin - Thanks to the extensive education that her parents paid for, Ash has a good grasp on human anatomy, which she uses to her advantage when facing an opponent, gunning for vulnerable spots and pressure points as well as major arteries, delivering crippling blows or shots. Once an assassin, she's not afraid to kill when absolutely necessary, and will not hesitate to do so if faced with no other option. Although, she has some reservations about killing needlessly...

The Escape Artist - As any good thief should be, Ash is a skilled escape artist. She is flexible and dextrous, able to maneuver through areas fluidly that the average man or woman would have issues with. Ash has a lithe, athletic musculature gained from training and running through the streets and over the rooftops during her time as one of the lost, the vagabonds. She has become rather skilled at freerunning/parkour over the years, using it to her advantage, to evade the police and the larger and clumsier people who choose to give chase.

The Fighter - While she is not formally trained in any martial arts, Ash lived in the streets for years. She knows how to fight pretty well, and tends to dish out more than she takes in a brawl.

Tech.

Arm - Ash's left arm is burnt, scarred and nearly useless, from the fire she set at her childhood home. After hiring Ash on as 'Rogue,' Lewis had her fitted for a cybernetic replacement. Well, more of a cybernetic shell. The arm is still there, hidden beneath metal, but it is nearly crippled. The enhancements allow Ash to use her arm, and also gives her a slight boost in strength and heightened reaction time in her left arm.

Eye - Ash has a cybernetic eye replacement, that offers a few different benefits. Each of the features can be turned off and on as Ash sees fit, a certain number of blinks in quick succession will do the trick, a different number assigned to each feature.

1. Artificial Intelligence/HUD. There is an A.I. and Heads Up Display built into the eye that only she can see, as it is a feature of the eye, not something showing in the real world. The HUD allows her to interface with Babylon when on mission, as well as access the archives, information compiled by the A.I. and saved in files. The A.I. (M or Em, Emily being the name assigned to it during creation) will take notes, records what she's seeing for future use, access online databases to search for things at request, and will converse with Rogue on occasion. It has developed its own personality, quite similar to Ash's. She will speak when spoken to, but will sometimes comment on a situation, offering helpful tips in dire situations. (1 slow blink, 2 fast)
2. X-ray vision. She is able to see through walls and into safes. (3 fast blinks)
3. Thermal vision. She is able to see heat signatures. (2 fast blinks, 1 slow)

Cost

Arm - 1 COST. The arm is still somewhat new, and Ash is still adjusting. It's heavy, adding roughly twenty five pounds on her left, so she's a little off balance. She's learning to live with it, but parkour/freerunning is a little dangerous at the moment- anything knocking her slightly off balance could cause fatal injury if she missteps. The arm still hurts her. Though the wounds have healed, she can still feel the burns on occasion, usually after physical altercations.

Eye - 2 COST. The cybernetic eye cost her one of her own. While it does offer convenience, when on mission, it is susceptible to electronic malfunction as well as EMP's. If the eye goes dark, she is blind in one eye- something she has not learned to live with. When the eye goes dark, her depth perception is off and she has a major blind spot, causing her to not fight nearly as efficiently. It is a benefit in some areas, but a major vulnerability in others.

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Personality
Ash is rough around the edges. She can be off-putting at first, due to her snarky personality, but she is a nice person, overall. She's happy to offer a helping hand, if she believes its needed, and will not hesitate to fight for the little guy, or simply root for the underdog, if they don't want or need her help.

While she is somewhat... gruff, she's a passionate woman, loving and hating with equal enthusiasm, though she is able to reign in her emotions, if she's told that she's overreacting. But... such a comment may draw her ire. Best to be careful.

Ash has a somewhat dry sense of humor, and sometimes dark. She's quick with a joke, but even quicker to anger if one of her friends is slighted. She's been known to break limbs, or necks, when friends are in danger...

Despite her rough exterior, she is still human at heart. She would never admit it, but she likes when she's noticed, when someone compliments her- as long as it's in good taste. Cat calling may get you a broken nose... if your lucky, worse, if you're not. She doesn't put up with sexist pigs or intolerant assholes in general.

Altogether, Ash is prickly on the outside, but once you get to know her, she's a good friend and fun to be around. She knows all of the best hangouts in the city, as well as the best hiding spots. She's a good friend to have, as well as a useful one.

Virtue
Loyalty... I am exceedingly loyal to those I consider friends.

Passion... while it can be a vice, it can also be a boon. When I commit, I commit. I always repay my debts.

Open-minded... this doesn't just encompass social and religious issues. I'm always open to critiques and willing to adapt, when someone offers up a better plan than I've come up with.

Vice
Amoral compass... I have a weak sense of morality, though it is improving over time.

Passion... I give into my emotions more often than I'm proud of.

Trust... I have issues trusting people. Even my closest friends don't know who I am - Lewis being the exception.

What do you Regret?
Getting caught. And... killing all of those people. Not my parents, they had it coming.

What do you Fear?
Becoming my mother or my father... stooping to their level. Again.

What do you wish to protect?
My family in the streets, as well as my new family at Babylon Technologies.

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Ashlyn was born to a wealthy family, the McKnights. They were old money, and had their hands in cookie jars all over Texas, as well as the United States in general. The McKnights were well known for investing in oil, stocks and... war. They were war profiteers. Something Ash didn't find out until her teenage years.

Born to a wealthy family in Houston, Ashlyn was afforded the best education money could buy, private schools and excellent tutors, throughout the course of her childhood. She was head of her class and was destined to be the valedictorian, or at least it was assumed that she would be, but she never finished her schooling, disappearing at the age of thirteen and never looking back... at least not until much later.

One night, Ash snuck into her father's study while he was away on business, as she often did, to play games on the old game systems he collected. She wasn't allowed to play video games, something her mother had forbidden in lieu of her education. She was to be groomed as the next head of the household, the heir to the McKnight fortune, so gaming was not allowed in her busy schedule. But, as kids do, she disobeyed.

That night, the curious girl she was, she chose to snoop around on his computer, something she would come to regret. Digging deep into her father's files, she found many things she didn't wish to see. Things that couldn't be unseen, forgotten. Things that painted her father, her parents, in a different light. As murderers, thieves... monsters.

Ashlyn ran. She ran as fast and as far as her legs would carry her, not caring to bring anything along. No ID, nothing that could link her to the McKnight family. That night, hidden in a dark alley in an old part of the city, she cut off all of her hair and covered herself in dirt and grime, making sure she wouldn't be found, a lost rich girl trying to get home. She didn't want to go home. She was through with those monsters... the monsters that bore her. Was she a monster, too?

Over the years, Ash fell in with a rough crowd. Lost and alone, she depended on them for support and safety in the city's underbelly. But, eventually, they beat the rich, proper girl out of her and forged something new. She was no longer Ashlyn McKnight, she was Ash- independent, strong and damn good in a fight.

She worked a few jobs with her friends in the streets, before setting out on her own, and, in time, making a name for herself as one of the most skilled thieves in the city. Illuminati... a name the police based off of a glimpse of one of her many tattoos, that was caught on camera, in a job she worked in one of the higher end museums. The only mistake she has been known to make to this day.

The longer she evaded the law, the more like her parents she became. Vicious, brutal and lacking a moral compass. The cops got close a time or two... not to figuring out her identity, but nearly catching her on a job. Detective Frank was persistent. But, in the end, she escaped with her prize every time. Even if she had to shed blood to escape... hers or someone else's.

Though the police and the public assumed she was stockpiling her stolen goods, she was actually fencing them and giving her friends in the streets a better life. Repaying them for the kindness they showed her, when she needed it most.

Ash quickly moved to the top of the criminal hierarchy in Houston, though she was known only as Ash to her friends and Illuminati to her admirers and rivals. She never revealed her true identity, as one bred from old money, money that helped cripple those she chose to seek refuge with all those years. They would have turned on her. At least she believed so.

In time, she took a few jobs here and there... jobs that weren't just to steal, but to kill. At first, she did plenty of research, only accepting contracts on people she thought were evil. But, eventually, her reservations faded away as her former identity had so long ago. She became a knife for hire, killing for cash.

One day, after a particularly vicious job, Ash spotted herself in the mirror... eyes distant, blood staining her skin. She was no longer herself. She had become a monster, just like her father. Just like her mother...

That night was a haze, and still is. All she remembers is ending the night outside her childhood home as it burned, covered in blood and her arm burnt far beyond repair. She awoke the next morning, bandaged and taken care of, resting in one of the many remote rooms of Babylon Technologies, Lewis sitting in a chair nearby.

The McKnight's were dead, burnt to a crisp in their own home. There were plenty of suspects, given their history, but Ash was not among them. Thanks to the strange man watching her, who had presumably saved her life, or at least saved her from a life sentence.

She stared daggers at the man, but she knew. She knew she owed him.

Connections

TBD