Canon Character: Hocus

[Neighborhood Watch]

Name: Hocus
Affiliation: The Unfortunates
Rank: Guru
Sex: Male, unaltered.
Breed: Unknown, mutt.
Age: 12

Personality:
Hocus is absolutely out of his mind. His old age has confused his brain, though no one is certain that he was ever really "normal." What is known is that Hocus and his Apprentices take care of the strays who wander into the Scrapyard and become Unfortunates. While most cannot understand a single garbled word that comes out of the massive geriatric's mouth, both Hex and Jinx can usually translate. There are many who believe that Hocus fakes a lot of his disabilities for fun.

He does have moments of clarity, when his inner fount of wisdom bubbles over and some marvelous universal truth is revealed to anyone within earshot.

Eccentric, brilliant, and the most generous, caring soul you will ever meet, Hocus wants only to make others smile and feel better than they did upon entering the Scrapyard.

While he does not heal with traditional means, his knowledge of herbs and natural remedies is more than adequate to treat the injuries he is presented with. While he cannot see into the future (or speak to the dead, etc), his old age provides him with life experiences and wisdom that he passes on to those younger (and more foolish) than himself.

Hocus is completely neutral in the conflict between the Legionnaires and the Old Market Gang. He will help anyone who asks him for help so long as it does not drag himself or one of those in his care directly into the fray.

Note: Hocus is blind and deaf in one ear, as well as partially crippled in his rear legs.

Important Relationships:

Doc: Hocus finds the little dog hilarious and rarely listens to a thing the Brit has to say about anything. There is an undercurrent of respect passed to the other dog, if only because Doc is also a caring, elderly soul.

Jinx: Hocus's "First" apprentice and eldest adopted son. Hocus is proud of both of his sons, but Jinx is much more level-headed and emotionally sound and so Hocus relies heavily on the Great Dane mix to manage the Unfortunates.

Hex: Hocus's "Second" apprentice and younger adopted son. Because of Hex's psychological imbalance, Hocus can only give the boy so many tasks to complete before having to let him rest and regain his composure. Like all the creatures he meets, Hocus feels only sympathy and love for his disturbed son.


Try-Out Scenarios: Choose one of the following and either PM it to Neighborhood Watch or post it here. Thanks!

-Hocus suffering one of Doc's lectures while only being amused by the uppity, proper dog.
-Hocus treating a stray near death and trying to teach his sons his techniques.
-Hocus refusing Hadrian's plea for support in the fight against Old Market.
-Hocus experiencing a "moment of clarity" and revealing something truly deep to one of the other strays.

If you are awarded the character, I will PM you and you can get him registered and start RPing! YAY!

Try-Outs Received:
-Ceridell

[Echo]

Lazy eye?

He's scary. o-o'

[Neighborhood Watch]

Yep, he's blind so his eyes kind of... drift. He's not scary, kind of a lovable old man (ala Uncle Iroh from 'Avatar'). There isn't a mean bone in his body (unless someone tries to hurt one of his Unfortunates, then... watch out).

[midnight]

Looks like there's quite a bit of Great Pyrenees to me, love that breed and I'd so try out for him except I already tried out for Hadrian.

[Valkyrie]

You can try out for as many as you'd like, I haven't set a cap on the number of canons people can play (there's only, like, 20 of us registered, lol).

Yeah, he's a big ol' mix, but I had the Tibetan Mastiff and Saint Bernard in mind when designing him.

[Josephine]

Olde Phart.

[Shield]

He looks rather freaky to me. XD

[Ceridell]

I HEART HIM LIKE SKINNY PEOPLE HEART CELERY!!
As soon as I get an original character established, I shll try out for him!

[nailteli]

I dunno why, but if he ever had a codename or nickname, it should be pocus, Hocus Pocus

[Ceridell]

Tryout

*Shards of glass, gutted out cars, oil spills, dog fur fluffs flying in the breeze, ravens cawing insaciably. Ah, no place like home, eh?*

*A low, mumbling sound that may or may not be reconized as singing rumbled out of the cab of a gutted Volkswagon Van. The inhabitant was just as unique and eye popping as the vechical itself. There, on the slightly torn yet plush seats lay a monster of a dog. Between actual body mass and fluff, the Peryness hybrid took up both seats, with little room for more. A paw the size of a dinner platter merrily bounced up and down on a rusted spring protruding from the cushion. Unfocus, glazed eyes twinkled, and large slathering tounge could now be found swinging happily to the beat. But dispite his size, and haggard appearance, this mutt was no threat. He was Hocus, the founder and caring leader of the Unfortunates...*

*And age may have caught up to his failing body and mind, but would never touch his spirit*

*With a deep howl, Hocus finnished his song. His lungs were tired now, and needed a rest. Not to mention, there wasn't a whole lot he could sing about today. Things had been slow at the scrapyard, no newcommers in about a week. Now, to most that would be a good thing, a sign that the street dog population was down. But Hocus knew better. They were out there. Cold. Hungry. Alone. Hurt...Fighting...he groaned slightly as he lay his head down, continuing to play with the spring by his chin. ONly for one moment did he cease his borde play. Black nose twitched as he scented someone comming. With a smile he continued to pounce his paw. Hex, his son. The guru had once seen his son, and knew that he grew to his size quickly. The scrambling of feet and clacking of nails indicated that he was in a bit of a hurry. Not an emergency, however, Hocus would have been able to scent that. Finnaly, the old man felt the van creak as another tried to enter*

-Um, father, we have guests down at the gate. Haidren, and a few others, wish to speak with you...should I send them away again?-

Naw, naw, I go. Springy sprongy growing old, anywho...

*Stiffly, Hocus drew himself to his feet, showing what a giant he was. His floof of a tail swung slowly back and forth as he turned his body around to leave out of the driver side door, where Hex stood. Such good boys he had...'course, the old man had never run across a bad dog in the scrapyard. The large white head streached up, letting the two flaps of browns swing at his neck. It was indeed time to get up and about, and now he had a good excuse to do so. Eyes focused nowhere and realatively sollonm face swung to where he scented his adopted son.*

OH, Hex?

*As quick as the old man could go, his white booted feet swung to the horn on the steering wheel, and his face flung forward, heat butting the Great Dane and leaving them forhead to forhead*

BEEP BEEP! AHHAHAHA!

*The mass of fur jumped out of the van, laughing rancously, leaving his son behind to wonder about his dear old dad...*


*It didn't take long for Hocus to get to the gate, years of walking there made it a sinch..not to mention he could smell the pit bull from here...by that time, Hex had caught up (the Great Dane was more than used to the healer's anctics). Heavy shoulders and head swung with his slow, lumbering gait, a tired smile on his face. As they drew closer to thier guests, grey eyebrows lifted and nose twiched again. With a mischivious smile, he swung his head to Hex and whispered*

Midget Funny Baldy Dog with him?

*With a fiegned, exasperated sigh, Hex replied*

-Yes, dad, Doc is there...-

*The gentle giant licked his lips into a smile. He loved Doc...so funny with his new fangled ways and puny hairless body. Hocus had lost count of how many phony threats he had made to eat the youngin'...but now was no such time for games, he had serious company. With a huge, slobbery tounge, he reached out to his aprentice and gave him a kiss*

I speak with my mouth, not through you...

*Hocus knew Hex would understand. No translator today. He would make himself perfectly clear...for it was perfectly obvious what was comming...With a woffle of a bark, he announced his coming to the Legionaries.*

Heo! Leader of the condractidory peace force of squirrells and brothers alike! Why here today? Why not...say...hm...tomarrow?

*Of course, the leader began to talk, but Hocus had heard it all a million times before. These mutts wanted to drag him into thier war. It was none of his bussiness, the Unfortunates were peacefull, demanded nothing out of anyone. He knew deep in his heart, Haidren knew the answer too, but he was a plucky little bugger...Instead he used his nose to pinpoint the location of the Chinese Crested. Sucessful, the madman focused right on the direction, making sure to unerve him slightly. After a few minutes of full throtal staring, Hocus slowly pulled his jowels back into a wide toothy, manic smile...*

*He would have killed to see the look on his face...*

*Haidren didn't, to Hocus' disapointment, take heed. He continued to talk on and on about thier cause. Finnaly, the mass took a seat, eyes looking at the ground with frustration. It was time to place this topic to rest...*

Enough...

*He wispered quietly, so quietly that the pit didn't even hear. That made him all the more flustered. With a slight snarl, he lifted his head and barked*

ENOUGH!

*All, expectedly, was silent now. The old and brittle face of the leader of the Unfortunates was now strong, and forcefull, tail held high and authoritative.*

I have heard it all before, and I say now, I will hear it no more. The Unfortunates are here for kindness and support. Who am I to say we will support one and not the other. What does a title rank mean to us? Nothing here. An injured body is an injured body. A wounded soul, a wounded soul. Who am I, or anyone else, to jugde who deserves kindness and treatement. No, Haidren, we will stay as we are. Supportative of all who need us...

*There was yet another silence. Even the birds seemed to be marking his words. Hocus let it spread for a moment, knowing that what he said would have an impact...wether it be good or bad, not even he knew. With a powerful step backward, he spoke yet again, as even as before*

And one more thing...WOOF! AHAHAHA!

*The trademark mademan laughter echoed as the ever changing guru turned his tail and made his way back to his van...that spring was waiting for him...*

[Ceridell]

Quick, edited repost