Jonathan Sparrow (a.k.a. Jon)
Physical Description
Jon is quite athletic and thin, and also rather tall. His wings are long with a broad shape similar to many songbirds and primarily brown and tan. Jon's hair is almost always long on the top and shaved into an undercut on the sides, held into a loose bun or ponytail at the back. He has few scars and no tattoos.
Jon's back is dominated by his wings and the ruff of feathers extending between them and up his back, over the back of his shoulders and slightly onto his neck.
Jon is a master ranked user of
Fire Mana, and frequent competitor at the Midsummer Fire Festival.
Jon generally wears a cheap puka shell necklace, in the same style as one given to him as a joke gift from an ex-girlfriend. He has replaced it several times, as it's become damaged, lost, or degraded over time, but claims it's still the same one.
Mental characteristics
Jon is one of many locals from the
Republic of Shanai, and has called the islands home his whole life. Living off of the main island, his home is a small re-purposed surf shack he bought when he turned 18 on one of the caldera islands. He grew up with
Asher Burman as his best and closest friend, the pair spending their teenage years both as romantic rivals when attempting to woo local girls, and as frequent 'on again, off again' lovers until finally cementing their relationship as a stable part of each other's lives.
Jon's parents are among
Fire God Vega's chosen priests- Jon himself was actually chosen himself, but his parents would not allow the god of fire to take him, and were instead offered that they could take his place and Vega would ensure he was cared for. Shortly after this, he was taken in by his best friend's mother,
Ira Burman. As a teen, he joined the Red Pineapple Corps alongside his part time job as a lifeguard.
Master fire mana training, and average high school education.
Jon has never had a steady full-time job and doesn't plan on getting one, instead mainly living off of his benefits provided by Shanai's government. As someone with family working as priests in the Cult of Fire and as a Master ranked fire mana, Jon has access to increased UBI benefits. Rather, Jon lived quite frugally, and only takes on a job when he needs or wants something that his benefits don't provide him enough money to get- Usually these are part time jobs or gigs. Most often, Jon will take on being a part time lifeguard in the off season, or fill in for Asher at the
Burman Cafe during his breaks or days off.
Jon is also a volunteer in the
Red Pineapple Corps, Shanai's emergency and disaster relief program. He is very frequently on call to deal with issues such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, and tidal waves, primarily working in distributing supplies and giving basic first aid, though has worked in rebuilding and recovery efforts before.
At a very young age, Jon was chosen to become a priest for Fire God Vega personally, due to his exceptional talent. Though his parents took his place for him, Jon still went on to graduate as a Master ranked fire mana early, at only 14 years old.
Personality Characteristics
Jon simply likes to take life easy and do as he pleases, be it hassling tourists or spending his time surfing at the beaches.
It is well known among locals that Jon despises tourists and vacationers to the islands, who often trash the beaches, harass locals, and often trespass on personal property in the name of their perfect vacation. He often directs his frustration to them in the form of general mischief, misleading them with bad directions, fake sights, or general harmless if annoying pranks. Rarely does he actually get destructive or cause harm, at the most tossing garbage or spoiled fruit at those who end up invading his property or pelting people with dyed water balloons in the summertime.
He is a skilled surfer and skateboarder, often hanging out at many of the city's surf and skate shops along the boardwalks.
Jon also gets irritated when people call him by the wrong last name, using his boyfriend Asher's last name for him, "Burman". Confusingly, him and Asher are technically engaged, and he does call Asher's mother, Ira, 'Mom'.
Social
He maintains close ties with most of Shanai's lifeguards and other Pineapple Corps members, often participating in their monthly potlucks and celebrations.
Jon's parents became priests for the Cult of Fire in his place when he was quite young, and as such, he does not see them often, almost always only when they are working at the festival grounds during the cult's holidays or on the new year. Despite the restrictions applied, he does often try to see them during the holidays and maintain as close contact as he can. Due to his living situation, he was taken in by Ira Burman, the mother of his best friend and later fiancé.
Fiance (technically) (Vital)
Fiance (technically) (Vital)
History
Jon and Asher are inseparable, having grown up together and spent their entire lives as best friends and accomplices in their antics to terrorize tourists and thrill seekers who come to Shanai with little regard for the locals. Their relationship is semi-open, both of them taking on occasional lovers outside of each other, with the other acting as a wingman and encouraging their own frivolous lifestyles.
They are engaged due to a bet that neither of them would have a steady girlfriend by the time they each turned 25, however, neither has any intent of actually getting married any time soon.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Surfing, swimming, and tormenting tourists
History
Soliairs used to teach young fire mana users in the Republic of Shanai, prior to their ascension as a god, and regularly returned to the islands to assist in teaching during shortages of masters. Through the programs hosted on Shanai, Soliairs was a part time teacher to Jon in his youth, and connected with him through their similar shared circumstances- the loss of parent(s) to becoming Vega's priests, the pressure of being notable users of mana, and the high expectations placed upon them. Soliairs was present when Jon graduated the mastery program, and offered to sponsor him if he ever decided to open his own school, though he declined. They do not maintain much contact, however, Soliairs does occasionally send cranes to check up on him in secret.
Both Jon and Asher have had frequent run ins with the God of Cranes, and have attended festivals with them as drinking buddies in the past. Although not quite friends, the trio do share enough history to be on good terms and hang out with one another when in the same area.
Soliairs is often entertained by Jon's volatile reaction to tourists and his frequent torment of them with endless pranks and general misdemeanor
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Causing havoc and mischief
Mother in Law? (Important)
History
Jon became friends with Ira's son Asher in elementary school, the two hitting it off and becoming inseparable quickly. Jon often would come over after school to play and do homework with Asher at the Burman's house, becoming close friends with Ira and Nirav as well. When Jon was selected to become one of Vega's priests and his parents offered themselves in his place, he was largely left without parental care until Ira stepped in, effectively taking him and and helping to raise the boy herself. Under her care, he did not know loneliness or go without being unloved.
Throughout his teenage years, Jon began to date Asher, to Ira's acceptance, and now with both boys having become adults, Jon maintains a close friendship with Ira. Often, he introduces her as his step mother, despite not being married to Asher (yet), and Ira has never questioned calling him her son.
History
Jon found this salamander as a child, when it was only a few inches long and brought it home to keep as a pet. With no supervision for him or the salamander, and no adults to tell him to release it back to the wild before it became tame, the newly named Sticky became dependent on Jon, to the point of being utterly useless at self sufficiency.
Sticky remains in Jon's house and a near constant presence around him, ever begging for food.
History
Raven and Jon were teenage sweethearts growing up, having an on again off again relationship for many years. Their relationship only ended when Raven was offered a sponsorship with a surfing league in the Republic of California, which she wholeheartedly accepted. Part of her contract required her to move to California, putting an end to her relationship with Jon.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Surfing, swimming, skateboarding
Shared Acquaintances
Asher Burman, Ira Burman
Jon is not rich by any means, and enjoys a humble lifestyle on the outskirts of Shanai. Not one for saving money, he quickly spends it on anything he desires in that moment, and rarely needs anything beyond his means. By his own words, 'if it costs a lot, it's not worth it.' The only exceptions to this self imposed rule are his surfboards, which he keeps in the upmost of care no matter the cost as his prized possessions.
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