Jack

~Bio~

Dull plumage is maligned among coatl dragons. The species’ natural state is one of vivid color and vibrant energy. Dullness, they say, is a sign of sorrow and pain. Some take it as a bad omen: a sign of misfortune to come of evil within.
It’s not natural. At least, that’s what they say.

It’s hard to know if Jack’s bad attitude came first, leading to the drabness of his oily, iridescent feathers, of if the stigma which followed him eventually poisoned his personality. He’s always been sour, disagreeable, and difficult to get along with. His coloration is off-putting to most of his own kind, and even led to unnecessary worry from his parents. They loved him just like he was, but they feared that the wider world would not be so kind. They didn’t want to see their child rejected, mistrusted, or feared. They did their best to prepare him for that possibility, but also to foster confidence and independence.

Sadly, it seems the world got to him first. Jack can take care of himself, all right, but there isn’t much room in his morose mind for positivity or pride. He’s lived most of his life quietly, avoiding the curious or accusing stares of others, and lashing out at most who get too close. He’s become accustomed to ridicule, and he’s responded only with growing bitterness. If the darkness in his feathers truly do provide a glimpse of the soul, then the way he’s been treated as a result has only made matters worse.

He isn’t a cruel dragon, but he is a defensive one. He’s got a morbid streak, always ready to make a joke or comment that others find dark or perhaps insensitive. He loves their revolted reactions and turned up noses. However, he’s also sensitive to direct criticism and pressure, and prefers to protect himself by setting low personal expectations. It means he doesn’t have to do much to impress anyone, and nobody else has to be disappointed..It’s a win-win, right?
And yet, the shade of loneliness creeps behind him, always flirting with his shadow. He hates it. It’s a weakness, he tells himself, but the truth is far more insidious: he hates it because it exposes a much truer weakness. How can a dragon be alone for so long? And why would anyone want to be near him, a grim and loathsome creature who knows nothing but aggression and mistrust?

So he keeps to himself, and he lashes out and those who might otherwise love him. He assumes the worst of others, for they have assumed the worst of him. That, unfortunately, has only added to his emptiness. The well-meaning have been chased away, and in his determination to protect himself from hurt, Jack has blemished his record more than once. He’s been in fights, and he’s baselessly accused others of crimes against him...no single trespass serious enough to have him banished, but enough that eventually, the well-wishers just stopped trying. Jack has suffered from his circumstances, but as the years tread on, he’s made them worse by his own stubborn mission to remain miserable.

There is, of course, a single exception. Her name is Sammi, and her sunny disposition has been unhindered by Jack’s aggression. The coatl has developed an affinity for her which he will not confess. Somehow, despite all the crude and snide comments, the aggressive body language, and the grim topics of conversation, he had not managed to chase her away. He’s become not only fond of her presence, but alarmed - for he doesn’t want to become dependent on her. He doesn’t want to hope for too much. Could he withstand another disappointment? Will he ruin it for himself, or will his curse lay another tragedy upon him?

...Or perhaps, will it finally be alright?

Is that too much to ask?

-Bio by Sirrush

~Art~

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~Stories~

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