PRE-GAME OOC CHATTER POST

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Just a space for pre-game chatter, plotting, claiming volunteer spots, etc.

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CHARACTERS: Manuel de la Rocha

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

Hi Hello! I'm bringing in Manuel de la Rocha (Empath). I'll try to keep this brief, but ya'll know that's not my strong suit. :')

Background:

Manuel is from Spain and descended from nobility that no longer has any actual wealth or status to speak of but still has all of the pomp and pride. So he grew up focused on his image and his accomplishments. He also developed the first of his powers (emotional manipulation) in early childhood and grew up...about like what you'd expect with all that aligning. His second power (empathy/emotional awareness) came along when he was a tween and wrecked his life because it can't be turned off and it overwhelmed him, leaving him in a pretty bad place. Enter Charles Xavier, who brought him to New York, helped him with his powers, and tried to make him unlearn the terrible lessons of his childhood.

While he's one of the older members of the team, he left when the school went public and some members started stepping into public roles. He didn't want that for himself at all and also figured that having a string-puller on the team would be a PR nightmare with the people they're hoping to reach out to. So he bailed and went off to study Music at NYU.

Currently debating on bringing him back in via the Genosha plot, but that's to be determined. But he's back now, regardless! My sympathies!

Personality:

Manuel is confident and proud on the surface but fundamentally insecure underneath and desperate to prove his worth (or, even better, his superiority). He's sophisticated and clever. Polished and particular. While he can be superficially charming, his moods change quickly and he's got a mean streak when he's feeling slighted or judged or out of control. For better or worse, he's a loyal friend and confidant that will take care of his people his way. He also has a Complicated, love-hate sort of relationship with his powers and doesn't really know how to function without them.

Timeline:

2004: Manifests emotional manipulation abilities as a lil' one and is terrible.

2011: Manifests empathy/emotional awareness abilities as a tween and struggles. A lot.

2013: Invited by Charles Xavier to the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters and reluctantly accepts because he can't handle this anymore. Once there, he gets a lot of one-on-one attention from Xavier (who is attempting to correct his moral compass) in addition to the standard education and training.

2014: Meets and befriends Emma Frost. Unfortunately for everyone involved, they form an instant kinship and are thick as thieves.

2015: Dancin' in the Dark -- This is not what he wanted to do in New York City at all. 0/10. But these sewer people matter to Emma now, so they matter to him at least a little.

2016: Joins the X-Men. There's a sense of freedom in being able to flex his powers and not get admonished for it (he's helping), but he's not entirely convinced playing hero will do them any good or that this is what he wants.

2018: Wildways -- Incensed that an extradimensional entity has been keeping tabs on them and that they're being dragged into a death game. Gets the shit kicked out of him until he figures out that his ability to manipulate emotions extends to any organic, sentient, sapient creature. This includes the wild variety of entities that can be found in Mojoworld. Good to know! Proceeds to sow chaos before they get the hell out of there.

2019: Days of Future Past -- Is a hard sell on protecting someone like Robert Kelly, but begrudgingly agrees that there's too much on the line not to intervene.

In the debate about going public, Manuel is a firm no. It will only make everything more difficult for them. And he still hasn't told his family he's a mutant. So there's that.

2020: God Loves, Man Kills -- Loathes these zealots and is ready to inflict as much damage as possible while getting Xavier back.

2021: Departs shortly before the school and the team go public, heading to New York City to study instead. Remains in touch but doesn't return in-person.

2022: Doesn't register under the MRA but is shaken by the unveiling of sentinels (since his powers would be utterly useless against them). He subtly takes out his anxieties on any anti-mutant protestors or outspoken bigots he encounters in the city -- get wrecked.

At the end of the semester, he intends to return to Spain to visit his family and is considering just staying. His home country isn't perfect either, but at least there are no giant killer robots. Unfortunately, he's intercepted by a Magistrate from Genosha on the way and abducted. There, he's hooked up to a device that amplifies his powers exponentially and used as another tool to keep the mutant population under control and the human population complacent. (À la his cameo in Age of Apocalypse).

2023: X-Tinction Agenda -- Is rescued by the team along with the other mutant captives on Genosha. The experience leaves more scars than he's willing to acknowledge, but residents of the institute get to share in the joy of his nightmares from time to time via subconscious emotional manipulation. Sorry, everybody.

Not long after, Emma offers to remove his memories of Genosha and he accepts. They follow through on this without consulting Charles (at Manny's request) or anyone else. This will certainly never have repercussions. He decides to remain at the institute for the time being and ends up teaching Music.

2024: Just before Christmas, finds Charles Xavier in a coma and gets a nasty psychic jolt when he tries to aid him. Womp womp.