OOC INFO
Player Name: Dem
Player Pronouns: prefer they/them, but not offended by any
Preferred Contact: journal PM, jigglyballs

Backtagging: Yes definitely! I don't really have an expiration date for threads. To keep up with plot, let's say it's nice to get the important stuff done within a month or so?
Canon Puncture: Fourthwalling in metatext is fine, talk to me about it happening ICly. If it's just some vague "Wow you're so weird you could be an anime character!" then go ahead without asking.
Threadjacking: Yeah, go for it! If it's an intense/serious thread, check with me first.
Off-Limit Topics: I think I can handle most things in text, will update if I find out otherwise.

IC INFO
Flirting: go for it! He will likely flirt back, but it probably won't be serious (unless you happen to be a sadistic psychopath who also thinks Squalo is the most amazing person ever, then all bets are off).
Fighting: go for it! He is decent at hand to hand, and an absolutely excellent swordsman.
Debate: uh... like... argue with him? Sure. He'll just keep yelling his point probably though.
Injury: check with me first, but most of the time I imagine it'll be yes -- but as I mentioned he's pretty good at fighting.
Death: check with me first! I'll do it for plot or if I think it's otherwise cool stuff.
Mimicry: like, someone pretending to be him? Go ahead, but he won't be happy about it!
IC Offensive Topics:
- pretty much anything negative about his boss, Xanxus;
- threat of losing his right hand;
- any damage to his hair;
- looking down on him in any way.

Other/Warnings:
- LANGUAGE. He swears casually and a lot, he's generally pretty disrespectful and overconfident. He also screams pretty much all the time.
- VIOLENCE/MURDER. He's a mafia hitman, has killed multiple people in the past for money and doesn't think much of it. He's usually not trigger happy while not on a job, but he does have a bit of a temper. He's also likely to use intimidation and/or threats to get what he wants.
- TOXIC MASCULINITY/RELATIONSHIPS. Don't know if this would come up, but his relationship with his boss sometimes borders on (mutual) domestic abuse. He also doesn't think much of things like supposed lovers punching or trying to kill each other and is likely to laugh off such topics (see: violence).
- DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR. He's not suicidal, exactly, but he also has a whole bunch of reasons (mostly his pride) where he might outright decide he'd rather die than make a (however small) concession.
- AMPUTATION. His left hand is artificial and he has a stump underneath it - he doesn't normally remove it, and he habitually wears gloves so the robotic hand is not immediately obvious, but it could come up. Observant characters might also notice the disrepancy in gestures and/or small movements.

You may opt out of interacting with Squalo for any reason here.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Visual: Tall (6'0), somewhat lanky but still fairly imposing. Completely white hair (and eyebrows, and eyelashes) that reaches below his ass. (On the island he tends to wear it in a braid). Very light gray eyes, somewhat sharp features. Dresses usually in all black, has a delinquent's sense of fashion (lots of leather, metal accessories, ripped jeans etc). Always wears leather gloves.
Aural: Loud, scratchy (think drill sergeant), energetic. Tends to sound cheerful as long as he thinks something is funny (he thinks murder is funny).
Demeanor: Energetic, loud, fast, expressive, confident, vain. Grins a lot. Has that "bad boy looks aloof but is totally ready to throw down at any moment" vibe. Might slouch or lounge, but always remains alert, like some kind of a large predator. He's capable of being polite or even charming if he wants to.

Detailed quick reference: [ link ]

OOC INFO
Name/Handle: Dem
Pronouns: they/them
Contact: PM, jigglyballs
Reserve?: yup!

IC INFO
Name: Squalo Superbi (he usually just goes by Squalo though)
Journal: sharktrash
Canon: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Age: 22-23
Species: human

Canon Point: ch398
Condition: Arrives alive and healthy, which is surprising to him because he just had a giant hole in his chest a second ago! If possible I'd like him to keep a scar from it though.


History: Wiki link but it barely covers anything so strap yourselves in:

We know nothing about Squalo's childhood or parents, aside from the fact that he originates from Italy and his family had mafia relations, since he was attending a special school for mafia kids (same one as Dino). It is also mentioned that he was a child fencing prodigy. As a teen he quickly became famous for his bloodthirst and skill with the blade (during this time he also traveled the world challenging swordsmen and learning their techniques in order to create his own style), and by the time he reached 14, he was already scouted by the Varia, the elite assassination group for Vongola Familia. Around this time, he also met Xanxus, Vongola's current boss' (adopted) son for the first time in some kind of mafia gathering, and was immediately drawn to him ("his rage", as he so eloquently put it. Love loyalty at first sight).

Squalo agreed to enlist to Varia in exchange for a duel with their current boss, Sword Emperor Tyr. Nobody thought much of it but he did the impossible and killed the guy (yup, only at 14. He cut his own hand off to do it), and therefore became the prime candidate to become Varia's next boss. Instead of taking the position, though, he gave it to Xanxus, who subsequently became the boss of Varia with Squalo as his right hand man and the Second Sword Emperor. Xanxus already harbored the ambition to eliminate Vongola's Ninth boss and secure the position for himself, and Squalo swore loyalty to him, also promising not to cut his hair until that plan becomes reality. (Because growing your hair out is something you do for your boss.)

Very soon after that, Varia staged a coup, trying to assassinate the Vongola boss. It ultimately failed, and resulted with Xanxus being frozen in magical ice for eight years while the rest of the Varia stagnated, most likely having to deal with constant surveilance on their asses at least (I'm genuinely surprised they were not all shot, but apparently wiping out your own assassination squad is too much trouble). It seems as though most of their non-restrained efforts were put into waiting and trying to find ways to free Xanxus, as at least Squalo doesn't seem to have improved much over those eight years, his strongest move still being the one he used in his duel with Tyr. Also, he's become the Rapunzel we know today during his time, because he takes his dedication to his boss Very Seriously.

It's not very clear if it was Varia or some outside forces that managed to free Xanxus from his prison, but it finally happened, and Varia rejoiced. Or, more like, immediately moved to carry on another betrayal, this time aiming to eliminate both the Ninth and his chosen successor, the manga's protagonist Sawada Tsunayoshi from Japan. They somewhat followed protocol this time, that is, forging the Ninth's will (after sticking him into a machine that runs on a person's life force and using it as a lackey) which resulted in their and the protagonist's groups having a series of strictly supervised duels over the seven Vongola rings of the Sky Flames. (Yeah, you got it, they were arc villains).

Anyway, they somehow managed to eventually lose to a bunch of pre-teens, but after trying to take the rings by force, it turned out that the rings did not accept Xanxus and he almost died after putting one on (the official version is that he had no blood relation to the Ninth, but with how much he looks like Second, it's hard to believe. Most likely the Esteemed Ancestors still hovering inside the rings decided that he's too much of an asshole and they'd rather have Tsuna as a successor).

After that, they were all taken back to Italy, and for some reason, once again not dealt with in any consequential way (perhaps the Vongola decided that having their asses handed to them like this would finally Calm Their Tits, and it seems to have done just that). They proceeded to work for the Vongola and even aid the new generation at times, although Xanxus harbors resentment for Tsuna for the rest of the series, usually not even showing up at Vongola ceremonies that involve him. So they kinda go from villains to neutral. Never exactly to "good", and that's in a manga where the 'good' guys are friggin mafia.

Squalo takes his own loss a bit better; despite of almost dying (from falling into water and being torn into by a fucking SHARK) and spending some time in a wheelchair, he makes a full recovery and eventually forms something of a mentor-student relationship with the kid that defeated him.

A lot of other weird shit happens to the main cast, and everyone (including the Varia) receives memories from the battle their future selves fight ten years in the future, which is also where the whole Squalo teaching (and beating up) Yamamoto originates from (mostly offscreen). In the end, it ends well, though Squalo almost dies again as he shows up onscreen only to volunteer to stay behind and hold back a Big Bad while the protagonists get away.

He almost dies once more toward the main storyline's end, having his heart pierced by a zombie-like enemy who cleans the floor with Allied Team's five strongest fighters, in an attempt to shield Xanxus from harm. He Gets Better, although he will not be aware of this ingame as that's the point I'm taking him from.


Personality:

Pros:

- Ambition. Pride in all its varieties is really both Squalo's flaw and strength and the biggest reason he ticks the way he does. It's what drives him to push himself, to succeed, to protect his family and teammates and to sneer in the face of danger and/or death. Sure, he's a thrill seeker and seems to seek out fights like an addict would another dose, but a big part of it is the potential rush it will give him if he wins, further asserting his superiority.

- Loyalty/dedication. Squalo is absolutely and fiercely loyal to his boss, despite the fact that he's treated like trash on a good day. He is pretty much a knight in that regard -- although he has no qualms about fighting dirty and finishing off people who are on the ground already. He made an oath not to cut his hair until he saw Xanxus become the leader of the most powerful mafia family in the world, and he kept it for eight years after the other was imprisoned, making sure to keep their assassination squad up to mark in the meantime. Even when he discovered the truth about Xanxus' heritage and that he will never be a true successor, Squalo did not abandon him, and knowing full well it was against the current law, tried to help him take Vongola back by force. Twice. And, of course, he still hasn't cut his hair, though a reasonable person would argue that his promise can no longer be fulfilled and this perseverance is unhealthy at the least.

- Valor. Squalo is brave, and while part of it might stem from his confidence (detailed below), he also has just a little bit of disregard for death. He enjoys the thrill and glory that comes with battles, and he also likes the danger - he doesn't cower, doesn't run away from fights, and certainly doesn't run because he's scared. He's willing to make sacrifices for (what he considers to be) the right thing, displayed both when he cuts off his own hand to beat the Sword Emperor, and in the future, when he stays behind to fight an opponent that's basically an unknown force of nature, knowing he's unlikely to win or even survive, so the protagonists can flee.

- Confidence. It rather ties in with ambition/pride so I'm not going to expand on it terribly, but Squalo has a lot of faith in himself - a lot more than needed, to be honest. And it's not just lip service; he's worked hard to be where he is, and he's good at what he does. He's part of an elite team, he's been considered a fencing prodigy since he was seven, and he's defeated the Sword Emperor at fourteen - he likes to think that he hasn't slowed down since then. While he does not need validation from any source, there's certain implications of perfectionism seen when he chides his teammates for acting unprofessional, and he appears familiar with mafia formalities because there's nothing worse than bringing shame to your family with sloppy assassinations, half-raw steak or clumsy footwork in the ballroom. When he does something, he knows that he will succeed - and has likely put in some work to make sure that he does.

- Adaptability. One of the core qualities expected from an assassin in this series - the ability to react to circumstances and change their own way to best benefit from it. It's mostly explained as being able to read through another person's moves in the heat of battle and be able to recreate and improve them, reacting and strategizing on the fly, but it can also refer to social situations and keeping a (relatively) low profile when needed.

- Tactical thinking. This one's a bit unexpected, which is why I'm adding it in. Squalo might come off as the loud, brash type who bashes heads in first and asks questions later. That is not incorrect. There is, however, more to it than meets the eye. He can think before he acts, and he does it frequently enough (he just also often decides that violence is the best course of action, or at least the perks outweigh the cons). He is intelligent enough to de facto lead an assassination squad with a near perfect rate of mission success, and to quickly see through (or "read") his opponents' moves in the middle of battle - something shown several times in canon. His team also refers to him as "strategy captain" in the future arc, and he seems to be the one who planned their mission to take over a fortified enemy base with several times their numbers - successfully.


Cons:

- Arrogance. Each member of the Varia is design to represent one of the Seven Sins, and Squalo's is Pride, focusing of course on its negative aspects such as arrogance, vanity, narcissism and the like. Like Xanxus, he has a tendency of insulting and berating everyone else around him, especially when he's irritated, and he cares little for any critique on himself or his boss even if it may be well-found.

The most literal instance of it being a fatal flaw is during Squalo's initial story arc, where he's drummed up to be The Best Sword Master In The World and subsequently defeated by a Protagonist Kid, as it happens. There's a bit more than Power Of Plot going on there, however; Squalo consciously sabotages himself during the fight due to his overconfidence and completely underestimating his opponent. Because he's so convinced of his own superiority and because he prefers a challenge, he resorts to playing a game of cat and mouse, and instead of battling seriously, he limits himself to using only the same attacks as his opponent (after calling the particular sword style pathetic and outdated, no less), allowing him to eventually land a surprise hit to his head. In addition to this, when his Nice Opponent offers to help him out of the flooded battle arena, Squalo blatantly refuses, again out of pride (though he calls it tainting his "honor"), and is near-fatally mauled by a giant shark as a result.

- Violence/bloodthirst. Squalo will gladly solve minor annoyances by stabbing, hitting or otherwise lashing out at the source, and he's also not much for peaceful negotiations, even if he's capable of it to some extent. The violent way is more fun and usually faster, after all. It's likely he enjoys fighting as much as he does because it allows him to channel out all the destruction that he wants, and he's not above just randomly breaking things to make a point. He also clearly enjoys the aspect of killing and has on more than one occasion talked about "slicing up into ribbons" which is likely his preferred method of murder.

- Temper. Doesn't spell good news in addition to the above. Squalo is fairly easy to rile up or enrage, and he has tendency to react with violence, even if he's better at controlling himself than some other members of his squad. He is, however, also prone to just yelling a lot, which is slightly less deadly but honestly probably just as painful because his voice is LOUD.

- Impatience. He's bored easily when he doesn't have things to fight or yell at, and he hates waiting or spending time on unexciting tasks. His body language and facial expressions often indicate someone slightly manic or at least ready to tear into throats.

- Abrasiveness. Squalo has a really loud, grating voice and doesn't seem to be capable of whispering, which is not something particularly beneficial to an assassin. He also doesn't mince words and can be considered rude as a result - in fact, in the novel, his teammate comments at him being bad at hiding things or lying.

- Spitefulness/pettiness. Saying he doesn't like people messing with him would be an understatement. He can harbor a grudge for literal years (in the novel, he doesn't kill a traitor presumably so Xanxus can deal with him himself upon his return, which does lead into a much more painful death for the guy involved), and then there's all the little fights the Varia get into with each other over the peskiest things; food, whose turn it is to babysit a younger member, how to better deal with an issue and so on. There's one teammate Squalo shares a particular mutual dislike with, and aside from the numerous snide or insulting verbal remarks, he outright offers him to another family during a confrontation (but they don't want him either).


Inventory:
- the clothes he's wearing (full set of the Varia uniform, including coat and gloves)
- his artificial hand/prosthetic (will be functioning as a normal hand for the most part, no hidden tricks or anything, but obviously it's hard and he has no sensation in it. if it would be okay to let it stay a little bit stronger than his real one that would be cool, but up to you!)
- three pocket/sleeve/boot knives

stuff from his pockets (if applicable):
- satellite cellphone (is/will soon be dead)
- wallet (with a fake ID, a couple credit cards and some paper/coin euros in it)
- dental floss
- chewing gum (mint flavored)
- some strangulation wire


Powers/Abilities:
In canon, he has an ability called Rain Flames (think like chakra in Naruto, or bending in Avatar). It's a specific type of a wider power group that specializes in numbing/absorbing other types of Flames or energy, which extends to the human body e.g. coming in contact with Rain Flames can make it go calm and eventually numb. (At high enough level it stills everything to the point of death, but Squalo is not shown to have that kind of proficiency with it, and usually just uses it to supplement his weapons.) It does allow him to also summon a flying shark to do his bidding as a sort of soul manifestation/magic weapon.

In game, I assume he simply won't be able to activate Rain Flames at all, although if "dampening" is an option, we could say that he can make people feel numb or sleepy but he needs to be in direct physical contact for it? I'm good with either of those options. He also obviously won't be able to summon any sharks. The power is fairly recent to him and therefore not a huge part of his identity, so he isn't really going to need to adapt, although he might occasionally feel like something is "missing" from his entirety.

...Not sure if I'm supposed to list non-supernatural abilities like swordsmanship, swimming or cooking? Let me know if it's needed and I'll expand this section!


TDM Sample:
Toplevel with comments!

Character Name: Squalo Superbi
Canon: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

What were they arrested for?: Property damage, which lead to being charged with a bunch of murders.
How long is their sentence?: Life probably lbr
How long have they been at Obsidian?: Let's say about a year.
Cell block: B (orange uniform).

Quick stats:
Age: 24
Height: 182cm tall (6 feet)
Weight: 75kg (with hair)
Birthday: March 13
Blood type: O-
Place of origin: Italy, Palermo

Looks and first impressions:
Hair: long and white, often braided and/or shaved on the left side.
Eyes: light gray.
Skin: very light white (unusually so for his homeland).
Build: thin/twiggy and angular, though reasonably toned. decent upper body strength. long limbs.
Voice: REALLY LOUD AND GRATING. It has that sort of unclear sandpapery quality that you can hear in people with sore throat. He talks loud; either fast, expressive and gestures with his hands a lot, or in a sort of lazy, smug drawl when he's being an asshole or very tired. His southern/sicilian accent becomes increasingly thicker when he's frustrated or exhausted; otherwise it's almost unnoticeable.
Mannerisms: Lots of talking with his hands. Loud and in your face presence. Only respects his own personal space, will easily casually touch other people while talking. Smirks or grins most of the time.
Stance: Stands straight or in a relaxed slouch, carries himself with confidence and a sort of lazy readiness, like a predatory animal.

History:
He was always going to end up in jail, really. Fruit of short lived love between a lowkey thug and a prostitute, he pretty much grew up in a familia gang. He did have quite a lot of natural talent hoever, and successfully acted as its enforcer/hitman since his mid-teens, hence the body count, eventually gaining a more prominent position in the hierarchy. He was most likely involved with his boss (not the top of the entire family, just his section) and completely enjoying it, even though the relationship was toxic as hell (think violence, manipulation and actual murders of third parties in jealousy fits).

He's dabbled a little in illegal night racing and regularly participated in knife cage fights for his boss' entertainment. At some point that got his left dominant hand fucked up; while he can clench a fist and do most daily tasks normally, fine control things (such as writing, knitting, tinkering etc) are very difficult to him and the results aren't exactly pretty. He also tends to type with only one hand, just in case someone smuggles a phone in, so that takes an unproportionally long time for him.

As the italian police started seriously cracking down on the mafia and organized crime in general, Squalo's boss eventually got in hot water, and he took the fall for him (which is, of course, a secret -- for now), though he is very much guilty of the crimes he's blamed for and more.

I'd like him to have been around Obsidian enough to get a bit of a warm up, but not long enough to actually be a prominent "business" figure - so I'm thinking about a year.

...As for his white hair, that's just some part-albino handwavery (gray eyes but sunburns easily, etc). He'll still wear it long like canon if allowed, though possibly braided or with sideshave.

Prison life:
He likely has something going on -- maybe small scale contraband and/or information brokering, or just acting as "security" to whoever can afford it -- he's a lot stronger than he looks, and he fights dirty. It's also likely he sometimes receives some nicer things, whether mailed or smuggled, as a "thanks" from his gang, and he's not stingy about trading it (or favors) or whatever else he needs at the moment. He would most likely be opposed to sexual favors however, unless he thought of it first, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. He knows he looks ahem exotic.

That aside, he's really more of a follower than a kingpin, so he'll likely gravitate to strong/powerful (personality wise, too) figures and become their bitch join forces, although said person might need to win a fight against him first before he agrees to work for them.

Personality:
While he generally won't bother someone who doesn't bother him, he's also extremely stubborn, proud and has a tendency to pick physical fights, which is quite an explosive mix especially in this kind of environment. (He's also most likely forced to eat all his meals with a spoon because of his history with stabbing -- quite possibly he killed someone in his previous prison.)

Overall he's loud, brash, rude and narcissistic, though also surprisingly loyal once he makes his mind up about it -- see the reason for his being incarcerated. He also tends to act more stupid than he actually is -- for example, he speaks several languages well, and has attended actual fencing classes at some point. He is brave to the point of recklessness, and cares little for collateral damage most of the time.

castmates.
Dino Cavallone cavallorampante ♕ Probably Squalo's best friend from back home, not that Squalo agrees. Shouldn't have been in Hell to begin with, but he was grateful when he was. It made some hard times a bit more comfortable.	Xanxus (TYL) figliodecimo ♕ Squalo's boss from the future, a lazy homebody with a terrifying temper. Responsible for Squalo developing anything resembling a sex drive. Was not happy to discover Squalo had hoed around before he got to Hell, but in an attempt to teach him a lesson, ended up breaking his heart so badly he still hasn't recovered.	Yamamoto Takeshi tsuyoi_ame ♕ How DARED he die this young? He was Squalo's legacy, god damn it. Squalo's student, and one of his favorite people. Did not belong in Hell, not YET anyway. Squalo continued training him until he left.	Xanxus scardaddy ♕ Squalo's boss, sun and stars, and favorite person ever. He tried to undo the damage done by his older version, but just as things were finally looking good again, he disappeared from Hell too, leaving Squalo heartbroken once more.	character journal ♕ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi at dapibus sapien. Donec nunc ligula, imperdiet sed imperdiet nec, laoreet ac lectus.
credit: exclusive

..........................................................

the rest.
Lucifer (NPC) odaystar ♕ Their warden and torturer. Squalo initially only pretended to be on his side, planning to take him down as soon as opportunity arrived. However with time, he's started to genuinely sympathize with him. After all, his favorite person has also been betrayed by his father...	Draco Malfoy theonewiththewand ♕ An actual goddamn wizard. Squalo's first sword student in Hell.	Jim Kirk universal_charm ♕ A guy who seems a bit too nice to be fun. However, he's saved Squalo from complete mutilation once. Squalo feels that he owes him, and is generally kind to him in return.	Jessica Hamby alsoagirl ♕ The times they've spoken can be counted on one hand's fingers, but it was a hoot every time. Lots of mutual bullying and some weird sort of UST.	Thor stormbreaking ♕ A god, apparently, who's given him some sound advice on how to fight one. They've sparred and exchanged information. Squalo trusts him.
Spike Spiegel pococurante ♕ A fellow mobster, though one that did not have much love for the life. An excellent bro to get into petty shenanigans with, such as SETTING FIRE TO THE HOTEL to get rid of bedbugs oops.	Andrej Koscuisko unreconciled ♕ A torturer in denial. Squalo enjoyed poking holes in his attempts to come off as a decent human being. They ended up hating each other quite spectacularly.	Styx styxtoshadows ♕ A funny goblin orc with a penchant for stealing things. Squalo liked him best out of his roommates and often shared food with him.	Loki dothelokimotion ♕ Thor's brother, so probably on their side. Does magic. Seems competent at what he does, if not particularly trustworthy.	Faye Valentine bountyhead ♕ She's hot. Also tried to shoot him at least twice. These two facts may be related.
James Kirk (mirror) invicto ♕ The evil twin. Good fighter, snarky asshole. They hit it off fairly well, fought things together, and had a fuckbuddy arrangement for a decent while, first and only time Squalo went for something like that.	Setsuna Mudou failed_antichrist ♕ A fallen angel or something. Squalo considers him a pussy and therefore does not like him much, though he doesn't go out of his way to antagonize him either.	Allura quintessent ♕ A princess. They got along fine and even sparred until Squalo's sin list was transmitted to the entire network. Things got awkward. She distanced herself from him and he gave her an existential crisis in return.	Héctor unpocoloco ♕ They met while affected by a truth serum and had a heart to heart about family love. Despite how unlikely it was, Hector ended up being Squalo's best friend in Hell, and has been there to pick up the pieces more than anyone else. They had a mutual trust, Squalo allowed him to see some of his vulnerabilities, and did his best to look out for and protect him, not to mention rooting for his redemption.	Garrett Hawke defaulthawke ♕ A big dude who fights good and has apparently been in a bunch of different worlds similar to this one. They did not get along particularly well but ended up helping each other when it mattered, and he was also one of the most avid supporters of Squalo dumping Xanxus.
Dodger smokedout ♕ Real name Jamison. Mutant with fire powers, which struck immediate attraction. Initially Squalo merely tried to use him as a discount Xanxus replacement, but ended up catching genuine feelings. They were very alike and absolutely toxic to each other, but kept coming back to each other regardless. The only person to date that Squalo has boned while Xanxus was present in Hell. Responsible for a few cases of trauma and Squalo's new haircut. They had promised they'd both stay in Hell, so Squalo felt betrayed when he disappeared.	Mugen stinker ♕ Spike's spiritual successor in being a bro to get into ridiculous shit together. There was a lot of screaming and insults and also sword fighting, so of course Squalo liked him.	Homelander superdick ♕ Dude's actually called Homelander, how ridiculous is that. He's very powerful and has a taste for murder however, so Squalo likes him, though he's still a little wary. They've also done some rebelling together when Barbas was first in charge.	Teddy Altman hybrid_prince ♕ Alien or something. They accidentally bonded over being dumped by their boyfriends. Squalo has also given him sword lessons.	Klaus Hargreeves bestfuneralever ♕ Squalo has met him on a rooftop while drunk, mistook him for a wise old sage and then they got high together while reminiscing about relationship bullshit. 10/10 would recommend.
Kisame samebito ♕ A fellow shark dude with a love for swords. Immediately hit it off, even though their temperaments clashed a little.	Ivar ragnarsson ♕ An actual viking. Also an actual cripple. Has proved that one can keep his pride even when on the ground. An excellent fighter despite everything; Squalo admired him.	Shion savedbyasong ♕ An innocent child who doesn't belong in Hell... at first glance. Squalo was surprised to discover he has killed someone, but he intends to attempt to nurture that.	Mammon (NPC) withgreed ♕ Squalo had left a good impression on him before; he's happy to try and use it to his advantage, but he doesn't fully trust him.	Monika holeinwall ♕ He's forced her to cover up his criminal activity, ONCE, and apparently has become part of her harem without even knowing it. There has been ups and downs, most notably him swearing vengeance on her for being pleased about Feitan's diasappearance and torturing her to death a few times, however things got more complicated after a magical brainwashing event made them believe they were mother and son. It's not incest if it's not real, right? This mess will probably only get worse from here.
Natalia Romanova krasnaya_smert ♕ Sparring buddies. Initially he just knew her as an acquaintance of Dodger, but after his and Hector's departure from Hell, as well as accidentally murdering her in a fit of blind rage that followed, they ended up talking more and gradually growing into something like friendship. Squalo has opened a to her a few times already, though he's still not convinced whether he will not regret it at a future date.	Feitan Portor meteorits ♕ The soulmate discovered in Hell. At first they were unimpressed with each other, until they ran into one another again during a torturepalloza and collaborated in skinning a demon alive. They went into the side room to bone and never split apart again until Feitan's unfortunate departure from Hell. They understood each other without words, sparred, tortured and murdered together, and had shockingly domestic life despite both of theirs insanity. Squalo has even learned his language. They both completely adored each other. The only person to date Squalo has openly referred to as his boyfriend. He'll feel this loss for a long time.	Seto Kaiba neutronblast ♕ An engineer and inventor. They met when Squalo needed repairs for his prosthesis, and quickly found common ground in being competitive assholes. It's developing into a sort of begrudging respect, along with discovering more similarities than either of them is willing to admit. Things have gotten a bit more awkward since Kaiba witnessed some unflattering hallucinations involving Xanxus.	Fitz hypoxic ♕ One of the smart  guys. Works for Lucifer and has succeeded with some projects. Headed the rebellion effort when Barbas took over. Should be aided whenever possible.	Suzaku swordofzero ♕ A guy with a penchant for saving people without being asked to. Initially annoyed with him, Squalo has discovered that apperntly Feitan has considered him a friend, and decided to look out for him... probably in a Feitan way.
Aiden Pearce the_vigilante ♕ Natalia's husband who for a long time held one hell of a grudge on Squalo for (accidentally) killing her, despite Natalia herself bearing no ill will. They gradually grew into something more like grudging-rivallous allies when the situation calls for it, especially after Natalia's departure from hell made them acknowledge having some empathy toward each other. "Dearly detested" is one way to put it...	Mordecai birdpapi ♕ A fucking insane mercenary from a distant garbagefire planet. Squalo enjoys his company, despite getting shot in the ass once when they fought over a sandwich during a scarcity event. Look, he can appreciate a guy who's willing to get his hands dirty to get what he wants. He'd be down to team up with him in the future.	Noiz zunge ♕ A weird nerd who has an obsession with pain. Squalo has indulged him a few times, though while curious he doesn't find him too interesting at the moment.	character journal ♕ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi at dapibus sapien. Donec nunc ligula, imperdiet sed imperdiet nec, laoreet ac lectus.	character journal ♕ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi at dapibus sapien. Donec nunc ligula, imperdiet sed imperdiet nec, laoreet ac lectus.
credit: exclusive
credit: exclusive

PLAYER INFORMATION

Player Name: Dem
Are you 18+?: yes i am old
Preferred Contact: PM / jigglyballs
Current Characters: -

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Character Name: Squalo Superbi*
*there's actually quite a lot of contradictions from canon sources about whether its spelled "Superbi" or "Superbia", and additionally which part is supposed to be his first name. I based my decision on what seemed to be the existing/most common surname in present day Italy out of the three, according to a few sites like this.
Canon: Katekyou Hitman Reborn! (common abbreviations "Reborn!" and "KHR!", and yes exclamation mark is included)
Canonpoint: Chapter 398, mortally wounded by Jager
Character Age: 22-23

Background/History: Wiki link.

Appearance (for quick reference):
Height: 182cm (6'0")
Weight: 75kg (165lbs) - a bit sticklike but fit
Age: 22

Squalo has long white hair that reaches past his waist. His eyebrows and eyelashes (and any other hair) are also white, and he sunburns easily. In Fasti, he will likely resort to some kind of braiding to keep it at bay.

His voice is famously loud and grating, and hearing him talk will sound much like someone yelling with an unclear throat.

His left hand is a prosthetic.


Strengths:

• Loyalty/dedication. Squalo is absolutely and fiercely loyal to his boss, despite the fact that he's treated like trash on a good day. He is pretty much a knight in that regard -- although he has no qualms about fighting dirty and finishing off people who are on the ground already. He made an oath not to cut his hair until he saw Xanxus become the leader of the most powerful mafia family in the world, and he kept it for eight years after the other was imprisoned, making sure to keep their assassination squad up to mark in the meantime. Even when he discovered the truth about Xanxus' heritage and that he will never be a true successor, Squalo did not abandon him, and knowing full well it was against the current law, tried to help him take Vongola back by force. Twice. And, of course, he still hasn't cut his hair, though a reasonable person would argue that his promise can no longer be fulfilled and this perseverance is unhealthy at the least.

• Valor. Squalo is brave, and while part of it might stem from his confidence (detailed below), he also has just a little bit of disregard for death. He enjoys the thrill and glory that comes with battles, and he also likes the danger - he doesn't cower, doesn't run away from fights, and certainly doesn't run because he's scared. He's willing to make sacrifices for (what he considers to be) the right thing, displayed both when he cuts off his own hand to beat the Sword Emperor, and in the future, when he stays behind to fight an opponent that's basically an unknown force of nature, knowing he's unlikely to win or even survive, so the protagonists can flee.

• Confidence. It rather ties in with his driving force so I'm not going to expand on it terribly, but Squalo has a lot of faith in himself - a lot more than needed, to be honest. And it's not just lip service; he's worked hard to be where he is, and he's good at what he does. He's part of an elite team, he's been considered a fencing prodigy since he was seven, and he's defeated the Sword Emperor at fourteen - he likes to think that he hasn't slowed down since then. While he does not need validation from any source, there's certain implications of perfectionism seen when he chides his teammates for acting unprofessional, and he appears familiar with mafia formalities because there's nothing worse than bringing shame to your family with sloppy assassinations, half-raw steak or clumsy footwork in the ballroom. When he does something, he knows that he will succeed - and has likely put in some work to make sure that he does.

• Adaptability. One of the core qualities expected from an assassin in this series - the ability to react to circumstances and change their own way to best benefit from it. It's mostly explained as being able to read through another person's moves in the heat of battle and be able to recreate and improve them, reacting and strategizing on the fly, but it can also refer to social situations and keeping a (relatively) low profile when needed.

• Strategic thinking. This one's a bit unexpected, which is why I'm adding it in. Squalo might come off as the loud, brash type who bashes heads in first and asks questions later. That is not incorrect. There is, however, more to it than meets the eye. He can think before he acts, and he does it frequently enough (he just also often decides that violence is the best course of action, or at least the perks outweigh the cons). He is intelligent enough to de facto lead an assassination squad with a near perfect rate of mission success, and to quickly see through (or "read") his opponents' moves in the middle of battle - something shown several times in canon. His team also refers to him as "strategy captain" in the future arc, and he seems to be the one who planned their mission to take over a fortified enemy base with several times their numbers - successfully.

Weaknesses:

• Violent/bloodthirsty. Squalo will gladly solve minor annoyances by stabbing, hitting or otherwise lashing out at the source, and he's also not much for peaceful negotiations, even if he's capable of it to some extent. The violent way is more fun and usually faster, after all. It's likely he enjoys fighting as much as he does because it allows him to channel out all the destruction that he wants, and he's not above just randomly breaking things to make a point. He also clearly enjoys the aspect of killing and has on more than one occasion talked about "slicing up into ribbons" which is likely his preferred method of murder.

• Temperamental. Doesn't spell good news in addition to the above. Squalo is fairly easy to rile up or enrage, and he has tendency to react with violence, even if he's better at controlling himself than some other members of his squad. He is, however, also prone to just yelling a lot, which is slightly less deadly but honestly probably just as painful because his voice is LOUD.

• Impatient. He's bored easily when he doesn't have things to fight or yell at, and he hates waiting. His body language and facial expressions often indicate someone slightly manic or at least ready to tear into throats. In addition, in a canon side-story it is stated that he doesn't have the patience to meticulously wash his long hair - he always does it surprisingly quickly (and angrily) and dries it with a fan to spend as little time on it as possible - yet still managing to take proper care of it enough to avoid split ends.

• Lack of subtlety. Squalo has a really loud, grating voice and doesn't seem to be capable of whispering, which is not something particularly beneficial to an assassin. He also doesn't mince words and can be considered rude as a result - in fact, in the novel, his teammate comments at him being bad at hiding things or lying

• Spiteful/petty. Saying he doesn't like people messing with him would be an understatement. He can harbor a grudge for literal years (in the novel, he doesn't kill a traitor presumably so Xanxus can deal with him himself upon his return, which does lead into a much more painful death for the guy involved), and then there's all the little fights the Varia get into with each other over the peskiest things; food, whose turn it is to babysit a younger member, how to better deal with an issue and so on. There's one teammate Squalo shares a particular mutual dislike with, and aside from the numerous snide or insulting verbal remarks, he outright offers him to another family during a confrontation (but they don't want him either).

Fatal Flaw:
Pride (arrogance). Each member of the Varia is design to represent one of the Seven Sins, and Squalo's is Pride, focusing of course on its negative aspects such as arrogance, vanity, narcissism and the like. Like Xanxus, he has a tendency of insulting and berating everyone else around him, especially when he's irritated, and he cares little for any critique on himself or his boss even if it may be well-found.

The most literal instance of it being a fatal flaw is during Squalo's initial story arc, where he's drummed up to be The Best Sword Master In The World and subsequently defeated by a Protagonist Kid, as it happens. There's a bit more than Power Of Plot going on there, however; Squalo consciously sabotages himself during the fight due to his overconfidence and completely underestimating his opponent. Because he's so convinced of his own superiority and because he prefers a challenge, he resorts to playing a game of cat and mouse, and instead of battling seriously, he limits himself to using only the same attacks as his opponent (after calling the particular sword style pathetic and outdated, no less), allowing him to eventually land a surprise hit to his head. In addition to this, when his Nice Opponent offers to help him out of the flooded battle arena, Squalo blatantly refuses, again out of pride (though he calls it tainting his "honor"), and is near-fatally mauled by a giant shark as a result.


Driving Force:
Pride (ambition). Pride in all its varieties is really both Squalo's flaw and strength and the biggest reason he ticks the way he does. It's what drives him to push himself, to succeed, to protect his family and teammates and to sneer in the face of danger and/or death. Sure, he's a thrill seeker and seems to seek out fights like an addict would another dose, but a big part of it is the potential rush it will give him if he wins, further asserting his superiority.

Despite how overwhelming his dedication to Xanxus is at present, it actually comes from the same place. What little we do see of younger Squalo, before he's met his future boss, implies that he had been pretty much the same all along - confident, bloodthirsty, eager to prove himself and to force the world to acknowledge him. Initially he wants to improve his skills with a sword to be the best, to be in control of his fate - and to have "everything bow down to (him)". And yet, despite being on the path to his goal, he runs into one guy he thinks he can't beat, and decides to follow him instead. So what changes? Not so much, actually. He is still doing it for himself and because he wants to - as strange as it is to see someone like him accept abuse and legwork without ever even attempting to strike back. Unlike the majority of his squad, he's not afraid of Xanxus and is seen talking back at him on several occasions, so it's most likely that it is a power dynamic he accepted all by himself. Rather than putting all his eggs in one basket, so to speak, he finally shares that ambition with someone else - he still takes pride in himself and his skills, but he's also proud of being Xanxus' subordinate, and he's proud of Xanxus himself - he's strong, powerful, fit to be #1 with Squalo close behind him as his second, nobody else in the world anywhere near them (or so he would believe). Squalo gives Xanxus the Varia because he believes he deserves it, and because he expects it to be ultimately beneficial to them both in the long run. Being #2 is acceptable when your #1 is that great, no matter how much you wanted to be Supreme Overlord Of Everything when you were younger.

With that out of the way; it's no doubt Squalo's ambition and pride in himself that starts him on the path to be the Sword Emperor (an actual title he secures by killing the previous best swordsman in the world and later winning 101 battles in a row) in the first place.  In fact, the previous Emperor had only accepted Squalo's challenge because he was certain he would win - a mistake he didn't live to regret. Squalo finds enjoyment risking his life for his goals, as the potential of reaching them is worth it to him (and also he's kinda messed up in the head as in he takes pleasure from life or death duels). It even goes so far that he would choose death over having his pride "tainted" as explained above, as it's that important to him. Looking deep enough, it's the reason behind most (bigger) things he does overall.


Patron:
Okay so I'm not 100% set on this so I welcome any insight into this;

While the bloodier Ares would probably be the snugger fit, I think Mars is still a solid and my first choice. Squalo is a prime example of a warrior, and despite his numerous... numerous flaws, he does have quite a few qualities commonly valued in one; courage, honor, loyalty, strength, love for a challenge. He's good at what he does, and he's persistent to a fault; an excellent addition to the force of fighting Titans. If there's a way to beat them, he's ought to power through to it eventually, and if he doesn't succeed, at least he'll make a show worth watching...

Squalo also ticks off pretty much every negative trait of the house as elaborated above; he's temperamental and impatient, easily resorts to violence and tends to lose sight of the bigger picture once he's set his mind on something (for example: make Simba Xanxus the king boss). He's destructive and loud, and the battlefield is the place where he feels the most alive.

However there's also a few reasons to consider Neptune as well - Squalo has a few good and bad traits associated with this patron; namely his determination, competitive streak, hot temper and the sheer amount of salt (yes, he will hold a grudge forever, even if he can be an adult enough to not let it get in the way of an alliance if necessary as is shown when he allies with the series' protagonist on a few occasions, yet still does not address him with any amount of respect and keeps his sights on getting that fancy boss seat for his own guy). Additionally, he has a bit of a thematic connection to water; both multiple references to fish in his character design, and his way of fighting, its forcefulness compared to "rain that washes away everything" which eventually leads to the reveal of a specific energy type he possesses.

Also I suppose Juno could be debated with the ambitions, confidence, loyalty and vengefulness, although Squalo isn't very interested in politics and while he's likely had some diplomatic missions considering he's still (somehow) one of the most level-headed Varia members, he absolutely despises it, especially when it takes up time that he could be spending fighting someone or breaking stuff.

GAME INFORMATION

Setting Suitability:
While Squalo is rather particular who he gets his orders from, he never turns down a challenge, especially if fighting and glory is involved. He is an excellent swordsman, a competent combatant/battle strategist, and he's somewhat lacking in the department of self preservation, which means that in this case the "fighting war" part isn't something he would need to deal with - he'll likely enjoy it. The main challenge for him will be finding his footing and place without his familia - and, when push comes to shove, finding an identity completely separate from his boss, which I would look forward to exploring.

Since he hails from Italy and has attended a pretty good school, he's likely familiar with Ancient Rome history in reasonable detail, and he's at least a little bit of a fan - as implied by his canon weapon of choice. His eagerness to DUEL TO THE DEATH!! would also fit right in with the messier, more bloodthirsty gladiator legends. He would have a blast actually getting to experience it all in authenticity rather than stories or dusty books, and he would actually make an effort to fit in - he may not particularly like being stuck in the period, but he respects it, damn it, and he's here to do business. Hope it's violent enough for his liking.

In regards to maturity, Squalo is a hitman for the mob, so death, sex and drugs are all rather mundane for him. He is also perfectly self-reliant, can be responsible, and occupies a leadership position in canon. However he, as well as most of his coworkers, are still perfectly capable of throwing fits (think: violence) when things don't go their way, and acting on petty impulses such as pushing someone standing near a pool in, or shivving someone who looked at them wrong, although these might more related to entitlement (you know them rich powerful men with poor manners...) than outright immaturity. Speaking of which, losing his status from back home is also something that he will need to learn to cope with, as all of the sudden "lesser" people won't be falling over themselves to get on his good side.


Sample:
TDM toplevel
TDM w/ Daud