History

Birth

The afternoon sun cast it's sweltering heat over the African plains. A cheetah and her three cubs had just stopped to rest. Hot and exhausted, they hid themselves under the shade of a nearby tree. It had been a long day, and a moments respite was long overdue. The mother had barely begun to doze off when she heard the sounds of another creature approaching.

In her fatigue, she didn't get the chance to react to the hunter as he came into view. The last thing she experienced was the sound of the gun.

The mother had to die. Bringing in a full grown cheetah would have been too much trouble, but the cubs would make excellent specimens. The children had barely enough time to realize what was going on before they were locked away. They struggled and fought every second of the way, but they were simply too small to stop the fate in store of them. They were brought to a land they didn't recognize, saw creatures they couldn't comprehend. Many of them looked like the animals they had seen before, but something was off. They were giant, walked on two legs, communicated in a tongue they didn't understand. These strange beings brought the cubs before their leader, even more strange looking than the others. No fur or feathers, but wrapped in cloth. The leader picked up the cage the three were trapped inside, and took them away.

All they remember after that was pain.

So it went within the laboratory of Dr. Moreau.

Re-birth

It was a slow, agonizing process. The surgical enhancements, the chemicals, the radiation. Moreau didn't bother sedating the brothers as he worked. The agonizing screams echoed throughout the facility for what felt like an eternity. It wasn't a fruitless endeavor, however. After what felt like forever, the brothers went through yet another unexpected experience.

Sentience.

They were different then how they were before. They were giant, walked on two legs and, sure enough, soon learned to speak in a tongue they hadn't understood before. They were shuffled out to join the others. They were taught how to serve their new master, trained to fight, and finally given names.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Description

Physical Description

Right off the bat, Wildeye is an unusual sight; what with being a six foot tall anthropomorphic cheetah. Yellowish brown, spotted fur covers his body, with a white chest and stomach. Golden eyes, with the usual cheetah black "tear lines" streaming down his face. On closer inspection, though, one might notice that his left eye is actually cybernetic, with what you see being an electronic display. His build tends to fluctuate greatly, given the nature of his enhancements, but Wildeye is usually seen with a slim, athletic body. Lean muscle, not unlike an olympic runner. Various surgical scars can be seen at various points on his body, most notably one across his left eye.

Though the use of his holo-imager, Wildeye can create a holographic human disguise for himself, taking on the persona of Hermes Balewa. He appears as a young man of African decent with black, shoulder length, braided hair. Brown eyes hide behind a pair of round glasses. As it's often during Wildeye's downtime that he takes on this disguise, Hermes is typically an obese man, hovering around a good 400 lbs, with the hints of a muscled frame underneath.

From his stance, to his expression, to his speech patterns, Wildeye keeps a constant air of seriousness and alertness around him. His face often either stoic, or a hardened frown. His voice is deep and emotionless, with a hint of an African accent. His smiles are rare, and seldom anything more than a cocksure smirk; and his laugh is almost always cold and distant. He fidgets with his hands constantly, and he's always glancing in an almost paranoid fashion at all times, often having trouble looking someone in the eyes as he talks.

Psychiatric Evaluation

Wildeye's personality can be best described as "rough around the edges". He's always been the type to keep to himself, lost in his own thoughts. Combined with his outright shyness in unfamiliar groups of people, he tends to distance himself the best he can. He has difficulty discussing his feelings with others, often forcing people trying to get to know him to break through a shield of sarcasm and deflecting statements, especially when something happens to damage his ego. He has a lot of pride in his abilities, his speed, archery, and technical know-how, and is prone to the occasional arrogant bragging. When someone can match him, however, he takes great pleasure testing his own abilities against theirs, creating a playful rivalry. In combat, he's quick to insult and put down his enemies, and is prone to giving his teammates a "tough-love" treatment when they begin to fall behind him. He's a terrible workaholic, and usually absorbs himself completely on the task at hand.

Those who do manage to get close to him can see that his more caustic personality traits are a shield that was made to allow him to deal with his insecurities. His crabbiness is his way to discourage others from picking up on the way he tends to push down his feelings when he's upset. The law of the jungle is friendly to no one, and Wildeye has had his share of tragedies throughout his life, leaving him slow to open his heart to people who might not be around tomorrow. Those he does get close to, however, will find he's fiercely loyal and protective of them. Though he'll rarely verbally express his fondness for the people around him, he lets his actions do the talking.

Despite having been born a cheetah, Wildeye holds a lot of pride over his artificial humanity. Like many manimals, he puts a lot of effort into avoiding falling into his animal instincts, preferring to rely on his human intuition. One of the fastest ways to upset him, as a result, is to treat him like an animal. He hates being called a cat, and often refers to people he finds truly despicable as "filthy animals" without a trace of irony. Though he's easy to anger, it's hard to provoke him into a full outburst, seeing it beneath him to lose his temper.

Despite his high intelligence, his lack of charisma leads to him often stumbling over his words and coming off more thick-headed than he intended. As a result, he rarely, if ever, uses "techno-speak" on those around him, both from a mix of not wanting to confuse people who might not understand him, and his own tendency to lose the words he's trying to say.

Abilities

Equipment

• Bio-Belt: Wildeye's belt and harness control a number of functions for him, such as his Holo-Com and Holo-Imager.

• Energy Javelins: Wildeye's belt and harness directly channel the bio-electric energy naturally occurring within his system. This allows him to essentially store up and release electrical 'javelins' against the enemy. Their power is affected by how much energy he has at his disposal at any time and are enhanced by his movement. In other words, his javelins are able to be much more effective and cause greater damage while either running or right after he finishes his super fast stride. The more energy which is utilized per javelin, the more of the bio-electric reserve is used. Depending on the amount, it is possible for him to be required to enter a cool down time as his body restores energy to the belt and harness to once again produce more javelins.

• Holo-Com- The Holo-Com is a device directed from his belt and voice activated. When enabled, this device creates a holographic screen and keyboard down Wildeye's arm and hand. The holo-com has several functions, including communication, hacking, data storage and transference, vital scanning, and accessing his computer mainframe for teleportation of himself or his equipment to and from HQ.

• Holo-Imager Built into his belt, this device projects a hologram around Wildeye, allowing him to appear as his human alter-ego. The change is only visual, and any physical contact going right through the hologram and blowing his cover. Wildeye mostly uses this to keep a low profile as he goes about his business in his downtime.

• Poseidon Armor Armored scuba gear designed for underwater exploration.

Cybernetics and Other Enhancements

• Kinetic Acceleration Technology, Mark 2: Usually shortened to KAT, this is the centerpiece to the entire cybernetic project and is what allows Wildeye to reach superhuman speeds. By hyper-accelerating the blood flow throughout his body, increased oxygen is sent to his brain and muscle tissue. His already quick, feline body is then overclocked, making Wildeye capable of reaching hyper sonic speeds of up to mach 10 (roughly 7000 mph). However, it is not possible to maintain this sort of speed for long. Much like how a cheetah is built more for speed than long distance running, Wildeye can only hold this stride for a ten to fifteen second period without risking serious injury to himself. He can use this speed to also create sonic blasts in his wake. The Mark 2 version has also enhanced his brain activity slightly. He is able to comprehend and process visual information at incredibly high speeds and react accordingly, giving him an overall much faster reaction time, even while he is not running.

• Reinforced Skeleton: A kendrium reinforced skeleton provides extra durability and protection from injury.

• Plasma Shielding: When Wildeye is in motion using his KAT, his nervous system assists in releasing an ionized plasma shield about him. This reduces the friction of his body in movement as well as provides protection against attack and impact, making him impervious to things such as small arms fire and the like while using his super speed. His shielding becomes stronger by an amount proportionate to his speed. In essence, he becomes a one man battering ram if and when his KAT is activated.

• Cybernetic Eye: A cybernetic ocular installed in Hermes' left eye providing several enhancements to his vision; including night and thermal vision, vital scanning, and telescopic vision. Though the use of his holo-com, he's also able to display a HUD into his own vision.

• Medical Nanites: A number of nanomachines which are typically dormant into Wildeye's bloodstream are activated when his body recognizes he has sustained an injury. They can quickly repair most wounds to his cybernetics and/or body within a matter of minutes to a few hours. While he could not repair a fully lost limb, cybernetic device or recover from death- inducing trauma, these protect him from most things while operating in the field which might impair him.

• Gyroscopic Stabilizer: Allows Wildeye to automatically right himself feet first in the air. In other words, this cat can always land on his feet.

• Shock Absorbers: Protects Wildeye by absorbing much of the impact of most anything he can be hit by. Used alongside his gyroscopic stabilizer, it can even absorb the impact of a fall from nearly any height, preventing Wildeye from being splattered by a drop. Combined with his KAT abilities, Wildeye can jump several stories in the air.

Weaknesses

• Electricity: With much of his body being cybernetic, an immensely strong electric shock or EMP detonation runs the risk of temporarily shorting out Wildeye's system, leaving him powerless until he has a chance to repair.

• Limited Powers: Wildeye cannot maintain his powers constantly aside from the nanites in his bloodstream. Most of his offensive and defensive abilities are tied to the current state of his KAT. He cannot run indefinitely and things such as his plasma friction shield and energy javelins are tied to him being in super speed in order to be their most effective.

• Paraplegia: During the Monster Island Crisis, a stray bullet fired by a VIPER goon struck Wildeye in the spine, rendering him paralyzed from the waist down. His cybernetic implants allow him to walk again, though anything that shuts them down will leave the manimal immobile.

• Trauma: The facts behind Wildeye's time growing up and his subsequent time as a 'lab rat' have mentally and psychologically affected the hero.

Friends and Foes(Hermes has FRIENDS??)

Allies

• Skarius Snowtalon A big, friendly draconic alien from another planet, and a regular drinking buddy of Hermes. He sometimes finds Snow to be a bit too open and energetic for his taste (though the same could be said of most anyone he hangs out with), but the two have backed each other up more than enough times for the manimal to take a liking to him.

• Taki A fellow manimal and martial artist. The cat seems to be trying his best to get Wildeye out of his shell somewhat and, being one of the few people from the island Hermes has been able to find around Millennium City, he's at least making some small effort in going along with it. Time will tell if it succeeds, of course.

• Persephone Wildeye's own fixation on the Greek pantheon made it no wonder why he became friends with this musclebound goddess. Her generally friendly demeanor has allowed her to be one of the few people Hermes has occasionally opened up to, and he often looks forward to their meetings; both ripping all that stands in their path asunder in battle, or just hanging out at Club Caprice.

• Bronx After taking down a VIPER nest together, Wildeye has taken a bit of a liking to this hulking beast of a man. Words between them tend to be few, but the manimal can tell the kind heart under his fearsome exterior. Though the well-meaning comments about Wild's weight do have a tendency to cut the manimal a little deeper than he'll admit.

• Feral Wildeye is no stranger to victims of Dr. Moreau. Seeing one this far away from the island, where she can watch the change screw up her former life, is something he never thought he'd see. Seeing Lydia manage to shoulder the burden and carry on despite it has earned her deep respect from the manimal. Cheetahface aside, Wildeye finds her to be an intelligent and determined person, and enjoys her company.

• Sparrowhawk As the leader of the Protectors, Wildeye shows his respect to her like he would any superior of his. The two share a professional relationship, Wildeye's tendency to go off on his own for periods of time and his own inability to open up to others keeping the two from getting to know each other too well beyond that just yet. Sparrowhawk did assist Wildeye with upgrading his cybernetics and equipment in order to move past his time with ARGENT and become an even more capable (and stronger) hero.

• Razira With Razira's kindness being something Wildeye's not all that used to from other people, he finds the white wolf manages to be off putting, disarming, and strangely endearing. He's come to enjoy her company, though he finds difficulty admitting it.

• C.O.P. Under normal circumstance, the fact a machine is capable of such human thought and emotion would blow Wildeyes mind. Yet, he finds himself seldom thinking about such around him. Having fought side by side on more than one occasion, Wildeye's happy to have him as an ally and friend.

• Armory Wildeye met Michael "Armory" Renik while taking down a rampaging Kaiju storming out of the river. Impressed by his combat ability, Wildeye occasionally took to contacting him whenever he needed backup in a fight. Over time, the two began to bond a little; culminating during the Destroid invasion, where the two found themselves on opposite rooftops, entertaining themselves by trying to out shoot one another with the Destroids being their unfortunate targets. Wildeye has yet to admit it out loud, but he's come to respect the marksman, and might almost even consider him a friend. As such, he was quite delighted to find out that Armory was also to join the Protectors. He looks forward to fighting at his side once more.

Enemies

• ARGENT If dragging manimals off to be hunted for sport in their "Nature Preserve" didn't give him enough reason to despise ARGENT, this soulless corporation has taken everything Wildeye holds dear from him. His brothers, his home, and even much of his own body. Wildeye has a hatred for this company that can only be described as an obsession, and he takes cruel delight in doing whatever he can to both their latest schemes. The manimal has taken residence in an apartment building with a clear view of ARGENT's headquarters in Millennium City for the sake of keeping them under constant surveillance, waiting for a chance to strike.

• VIPER Though they've never done anything to him personally, their endless, sickening crimes against both humanity, and the people on his own island put VIPER on Wildeye's personal hit list. He's tangled with this organization more times than he can count, and he's always willing to face them again whenever they dare show their faces.

• Dr.Smolder A pyromaniac anti-mutant Frenchman in a heavy armored suit whom Wildeye first met during his attempts to burn down a manimal village, and all inside. After an enraged Wildeye delivered a painful and humiliating defeat to Smolder, it seems he began to hold a grudge. Smolder has gone one to make other attempts on Wildeye's life since. Hermes sees Dr. Smolder as little more than an overemotional fool with a lot of mindless followers and fancy equipment. This, in his opinion, potentially makes him just as dangerous as any criminal mastermind. It may be easy to make a bull charge, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take his horns seriously. Still, he would be lying if he didn't admit he found some enjoyment in watching the fat bastard bluster as he berates him.

Misc

Trivia

• Hermes enjoys reading, but has a lot of trouble relaxing with a book because his mental enhancements make him get through books within a matter of minutes. He tends to only read books digitally now so as not to fill his living space with books.

• Eats a lot. He requires a lot of calories to not burn out when his cybernetics enhance his physical capabilities. He always seems to be snacking on something in his downtime. When he gets to relax for an extended period of time, this catches up to him fast. It's amazing how quickly he can gain and lose fifty or more pounds over the course of a weekend.

• Ironically, can't cook very well. Not used to food preparation beyond killing something in the wild and roasting it on a stick, Wildeyes meals tend to consist only of things he can throw in the oven for a few hours and not have to think about, and seasoning seems like an alien concept to him. He often eats out or buys things pre-made.

• If the name he chose for himself among humans wasn't enough of an indication, Hermes is fascinated by Greek mythology. He owns several books on Greek myth, and knows the stories by heart.

• He enjoys playing video games to unwind more than he's immediately admit, mostly because their programing prevents them from being something he can rush through with his super speed. He seems to prefer games from the SNES era or earlier, finding them to be simpler to learn, and thus easier to shut his brain off for. He enjoys the challenge of playing against others, which is usually about the only way he'll loosen up enough to play them in front of anyone.

• On that note, has been heard humming the music from the NES game Cheetahmen on more than one occasion when he thought he was alone.

• Hermes owns a copy of the Lawgivers Texts, which contain the rules by which all civilized namimals live. He personally hand wrote this copy on whatever scraps he could find on the island, and keeps them on display in his living space. Messing with or mocking them is a fast way to earn his wrath.

• Has been heard purring when he's pleased, though he goes to great lengths to hide it if he thinks others can hear him, and vehemently denies it when brought up.

• For as uptight as he is in nearly every other regard, Hermes seems to have no reservations about nudity, surprising people who have come to his quarters unannounced. Side effect of spending ones life in a loincloth, I guess.

• He has absolutely no organizational skills. His room is always a mess. He claims that he still knows where everything is among the clutter, though there's no evidence that this is or isn't true.

• He made a Foxbat costume to blend in during Foxbatcon. He has since made use of it by putting it on one of his training dummies. Only one picture of him wearing it has avoided deletion. He refuses to comment on it beyond a sharp glare.

• Wildeye was one of the manimals you rescued from a cage during the Monster Island crisis. He appreciates it.

Public Opinions

"Damn fast and damn smart. We may not see him in the Barlowe as much as I'd prefer, but no one can refute his abilities or skills. I wish we had more of him around." - Sparrowhawk

"Wildeye is far different than any sort of 'beast' you might find on say, Monster Island. He's smart, strong, and insanely fast. I thought I was rather speedy in the skies but it's nothing compared to how fast he can run when he goes full throttle. Now only if he'd open up just a bit more when he was around the team..." - Razira

"Wait. He's on the team?" - Artifist

"I might give him a hard time when he's around, but Hermes is one of the few team mates I consider a friend. Actually, he's the only one." - C.O.P.

"He's a little brash and quick to act without thinking. Still, his speed is impressive, and his heart is in the right place. Keep an eye on this guy." Detective Lydia Grayle Aka Feral

v • d • e
Team Leader Sparrowhawk
Field Leaders: Captain Adamant • Peacemaker • Razira • Thundrax
Protectors Charter Members: African Violet • Atomac • Blue Cyclone • Blue Pheasant • Citizen 13 • Cosmic Glory • Fahrenheit • Gold Rush • Hydro Light Of Being • Lucky Shot • Marauder • Mercuriel • Oni • Sinsonte Azul • Tesseract • Wildeye • Witchery Way
Protectors Reserve Members: Aura • Noble • Psion • Wolfgirl