Riz
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Description
Well over 6'7", Riz the Brown Bear is very visually imposing through his size, although his demeanor and posture usually displays a gentle and laid back nature. He's surprisingly strong, even for his physical appearance, and his clothing usually requires shopping at specialty stores for large animals. His fur is a soft brownish tan that seems to cover him entirely. His eyes are small, round, and pure black. His ears are rounded and his mouth, while large, seems to have a resting smile.
Abilities, Talents, and Skills
Super Strength
As a Large Breed Carnivore Brown Bear, second only in natural size to a Polar Bear, horrifying strength far above and beyond his peers comes naturally. As a Life Animal, consumption of Life or Nature Animals in any part can increase this even more for a time at the risk of addiction. This is even further enhanced when a Large Breed of Beast Island doesn't take their government mandated growth inhibitor medication.
Heavy Endurance
Carnivores are far more resistant to damage and injury than their Herbivore counterparts and any injuries sustained often do little when able to shrug off pain's otherwise crippling effects. Much like strength, this ability to become resistant to potentially lethal attacks can be enhanced even further through consumption of other Life or Nature Animals in any part and, for Large Breeds, being unmedicated.
Predatory Senses and Ability
Enhanced hearing, smell, dark vision, and reaction time are the base line for more Carnivores, although few city-born Carnivores allow themselves to be in tune with them. Furthermore, despite being a Large Breed, some Carnivores like Riz can be deadly silent when they want to be.
Actor with a Cunning Mind
Perhaps the most dangerous tool available to any animal, this allows for social manipulation on levels beyond average public understanding. Social Masks are easy to wear to present a more likable person than what hides behind it: trauma-fueled self-hatred and guilt over sins of the past. This level of sharpness has even allowed a measure of evasion of police investigation over murder. When needed, this is used to protect his vulnerabilities from those would happily judge him while protecting them from the therapy-soothed monster quietly watching from its cage within.
Additionally, a carefully used tone, speed, and cadence results in a very calming and ear-pleasing voice that serves the bear well in deflecting harsh judgments while helping to establish trust.
Master Chef
An innate understanding of ingredients, spices, and techniques in the preparation and presentation of food dishes makes for a natural master chef.
Flaws, Complications, and Hooks
Medical Dependence
Required by law to maintain a certain level of muscle-reducing medication at all times due to being a Large Breed Carnivore. The medication can cause immense pain or discomfort in the body or headaches, but is necessary to keep natural growth and strength limited for the safety of others. Without this medication, bodily recovery restores this missing bulk and strength over the course of just a few days.
Honey helps to relieve the pains of this medication. While the aches lessen with age as natural growth slows into full adulthood, the need for honey has become as much of a psychological addiction as a physiological one. As far as others can see, however, he's just a honey-loving teddy bear.
Predation Offender
Permanent Record marked and many restrictions now in place because of it. As a Carnivore that lost self-control and Devoured an Herbivore before reaching adult age, time was spent in Juvenile Detention with very modest therapy. With a society that is better at locking Carnivores away rather than rehabilitating them (or redefining society as a whole to better understand coexistence with those treated poorly due to the Carni-Herbi War's outcome), this will only make life far more difficult going forward.
Emotional Trauma
The memories of what happened and what he did will always haunt him and provide ammunition by his peers that know the truth. While he may at times be able to forgive himself, that doesn't mean that others will, and the stigma will likely follow him as a shadow no matter where he goes.
Background
Being one of the stronger species of animal in their society, Riz had to start taking muscle-reducing medications once he reached a certain size as required by law. Lending to terrible headaches, pure honey tends to soothe that ache. This is a problem that didn't appear until his time living in Cherryton Academy in Denko which placed him in the position of despising both himself and the pain he must endure to ensure the safety of those around him and the system itself: he wants to be appreciated for what he is, not what he must be seen as.
Tem the Alpaca was the first real friend Riz had that was truly interested in learning about his problems and, through that support, was able to open up and become a loving and caring classmate truly helpful to his peers. However, after years of this almost selfish friendship lending to a deeper attraction, Riz learned that Tem had feelings for a girl named Els instead. Jealously hurt, Riz decided he wanted Tem to see the 'real' him, to push beyond all judgment and prejudice, and he stopped taking his medication altogether. Becoming super strong and instinctually aggressive, this ended poorly when Tem decided to flee the encounter. Instinct took over and Riz killed and partially-devoured his best friend.
Covering his tracks surprisingly well enough to throw off police investigation yet also deeply traumatized by his guilt, Riz constructed a fabrication of memory in order to cope wherein Tem consented to the assault with a desire to be eaten to be a part of his bestest friend. When eventually found out by fellow classmate Legosi the Wolf, Riz hid behind his lies but wasn't afraid of using lethal force to protect his dark secret. However, Pina the Dall Sheep used his wit and cunning to keep the peace in the school and so Legosi planned a duel with Riz where they could settle the matter personally. Pina wound up getting overpowered by Riz, injured for the sake of blood in order to lie to Legosi about Pina's death, to trick the wolf into letting his guard down.
Outmatched by the sheer strength and endurance of the bear, Legosi only recovered by eating the leg of his best friend, Louis the Red Deer, and clashed with Riz in what was almost a stalemate in favor of the wolf, but Pina's escape and subsequent call to the police had them break up the fight and arrest Riz. He served time in Juvenile Detention undergoing psychological evaluation, medication, and counseling in order to rehabilitate him. His only company during this long period of time was the twice-a-month visits by none other than Pina; this arguably romantic relationship was the true source of Riz's betterment.
Due to the Animals United program put into place by Louis the Red Deer and the Horns Conglomerate, Riz has been able to return to school -- much to the dismay of many of his classmates -- while working a part-time job at a diner in order to get his life back on track.
Mood Music
Better Days: Adios Nonino by Piazzolla as played by Øystein and Rena
Worse Days: Superbeast by Rob Zombie