Sharp Bolt [READY]

[Harv0kz]

(Note: Because the app seems to be in lingo, I made some additions to the addendum, by adding more detail to Sharp's gear, as well as adding pictures. Should this in any way affect the current application (IMO Shouldn't, because although it adds on tiny bits of history, it doesn't effect the main core of the history, plus, it's a more, in-depth description of the gear so it's rp performance can be gauged), please allow me to now say that I am sorry, I did not know, and politely request it be read over again, even if it has to have it's queue position reset)

"Pop goes the Timberwolf!" ~Sharp Bolt Lining up and firing Spear, his rifle, at a lone Timberwolf

Name: Sharp Bolt

Gender: Male

Age: Young Stallion

Species: Pegasus

Eye colour: Blue

Character colour: Teal

Mane/Tail/Other: Mono-white colour, both Mane and Tail kept in a short and highly ordered manner that suggests professionalism and discipline from military. A few scars here and there, but a visible one on his right cheek gained from a lucky hit by an enemy's knife.

Physique: Lean and built for speed. No chance of direct stand-off against a Earth Pony unless he moves fast. His wings, however, have a slightly bigger surface area. Ponies who see him clearly see "definitely not up in your face", but "Agile, fast, sneaky pony"

Residence: Cloudsdale is where he permanently has a home, but he never stays in a single place, it could be months, weeks, or even years before he sees his home again. He has taken up residence in Canterlot and Stalliongrad before, as per his military career

Occupation: "Honourable" mercenary/Monster Hunter/Ex-Military Special Operations Sniper.

Cutie Mark: A circular crosshair. He has an insane amount of focused precision, and his eagle eye, not to mention his reflexes. The Cutie Mark is a continuation of his family's lineage of soldiers and guards, a tradition which carried today, also reflects in the Cutie Mark of the family member.

Unique Traits: Aside from his insane-like precision, he is also very well trained in military field and squad tactics, as well as wilderness survival and is deeply ingrained with military discipline and doctrine. He also has quite and extensive knowledge base on firearms, not enough to make them, but enough to do a fix-up job and to calibrate them for optimal performance. He also has a quick mind for practically applying physics, but can not do the equations, so to speak, an intutive understanding of how kinematics works. He also has skill with stringed ranged weapons, ie. Bow, Crossbow. He also has rudimentary training in siege/heavy weapons operation (ie. Cannons, Ballista, etc), and his Cutie Mark abilities also augment their operation (accuracy becomes very good, etc)

History (be warned of big story, it's told in a "story-like" fashion): They say you can't escape who you are, that you are bound by one destiny. Sharp Bolt fought against that thought. From his birth, his Father was a well known Captain in the Guard, a family line of Pegasi who devoted themselves to the art of war since before Ponies knew of Equestria. A traditionalist he was, Sharp Bolt was encouraged to fight in battle, to focus on strength and intelligence, and to ignore the texts of school. As were his elder Brothers. But not his younger Sister, who Sharp's Mother raised on books and brain. His Mother had enough of the military 'tradition' trying to shift Sharp away from it. Both parents battled to bring Sharp to their side of the house, but it was ultimately up to him.

For a while, he stood on the path between the two extremes of academics and militarism. He also had bigger than normal wings, which kept him in the good area of Flight School, though he was mocked qutite abit for being a blank flank when all others already knew their roles and Cutie Marks. His Father expected him to be a close-quarters fighter, as all Pegasi from his family line were, first into battle, last one out.. But that was not what the fates had planned for him, and it all began when he went down to Ponyville.

Whilst he was out playing, a few ponies invited him to play archery. Enticed by a new sport, he readily agreed to join them. After watching a few shoot their arrows into a tree, he was offered a chance to shoot, and gladly accepted. As he steadied his aim, the others behind bet their bits to see if he would get a bulls-eye or not. So Sharp lined up his shot, pulled the arrow back, and let go. The others were jaw-wide when they saw where the arrow landed. Smack dead in the centre. They encouraged him to shoot again, convinced the first time was beginners luck. And when the same results occurred, again, and again, and again. He was quite convinced that this was no ordinary thing, and his friends had given up their betting all together, convinced that Sharp was one of those "special kids".

Of course Sharp had to tell his parents of this. And so he did, his Father knew that destiny would take over, and thus Sharp was forced down the path of militarism. Each day, his training involved improving his accuracy, and making his shots faster. Unlike the earlier sessions, this was actually fun and bearable for Sharp. It relaxed him, gave him confidence. But that was not all that his abilities were applied to. Almost everything he did that needed precision was done with an unusual level of precision and accuracy. He was known for this back in Flight School too, an uncanny trait among the many who have skills of acrobatics and flight. So when a talent show came along, his Father knew exactly what to do.

Though Sharp detested at his Father's forced attempts to show off the talents that Sharp had, he was nonetheless forced to follow along, otherwise not attend the talent show at all. With a very difficult act to perform, including both flight and archery, his Mother thought that things were going a little too far. So when came the night of the show, he was understandably nervous, shaking his hooves, as his sister might have said. But he needed calm to focus. And that he did. Executing the performance cleanly, he manage to shoot arrows into all three targets without issue, and landed safely from what others might've called a death-defying trick (of course not, the props were safe, and there were a few anti-arrow precautions). It was the night that Sharp's Cutie Mark appeared. And all according to predictions, his Cutie Mark had to do with what he was already good at. And so our intrepid pony though that he would be locked into one path.

But Sharp was not even of age yet to run around the fields of battle. And as his relations with his brothers (who already went off to serve for Celestia and Country) became cold, the only other sibling he could turn to was his younger Sister. They both bonded very well, despite their differences. Both helped each other hoof in hoof, getting by in the years to come. The remaining childhood that Sharp had was mired by uneventful events and the usual teenager antics. And then came young adulthood. The moment of truth whether Sharp was to enter service for Equestria as a soldier, or as a academic. So then Sharp's Father tried one last gambit to win him over to tradition.

The War Story.

So the Father weaved a tale of honour, glory, duty. Exaggerating the finer points of each, and detailing the consequences. A pony like Sharp shouldn't waste his talent on books and papers, but with weapons and skill. Those who fought bravely and fell were remembered to all time, and those who survived the battles were honoured as heroes. "And so they came to say, that a hero wasn't born, Sharp Bolt, but they are made. And our family has had heroes since time immemorial. Are you willing to just stay with a bunch of books and papers? Equestria hasn't aged a day since Discord was overthrown and Luna was banished and returned. The threat of many creatures is near and high, as are ponies who will do anything, to get the things they want. The world is not a truly happy place beyond the Heartlands, but cold, savage and demanding." Sharp's Father ended his tale, and spurred forth by tales usually told as lies to entice the foolish, he signed his contract.

Though Sharp's Mother and Sister tried to make him see reason at first, it was quite impossible, because his mind had been set and locked onto a single path. After a while, they gave up. When time came for enlistment, he jumped at the chance, and when it came time for him to ship out, he left the home without a goodbye, and without farewell. His first days were rough, keeping mostly to himself and doing what he should do. He spent his free time improving his aim, and training his physical condition, and when it was night, he spent his time reading, learning, understanding the things that he should. Due to his talent and his skill, he was quickly placed as a Markspony, alone among the sea of Unicorns, he had pressure. But he pulled through, top of the leaderboard.

His assignments and ranking went on for years. Until one day, because of his skill, achievements, and rank (he had become a Sergeant at this point) and a commendation from his CO, he was moved from regular forced to a remote area in the Northern mountains, and re-tasked as a Sniper. There, he was assigned to a Special Operations unit, the 6th "Ghost Wolves". And given the crash course on his new area, as well as a new toy to play with: The Rifle.

He feel in love with his new weapon, the explosive bang that sent enemies into fear when it was fired, the sudden effects of the discharge, the stats, his colleagues might say he was in love with it. He cherished it, used it well, and even read on it's operation to understand the best way to optimize it. His accuracy was something he took pride in, something that the others respected. And in time, a growing camaraderie between them was blooming. They were unstoppable. The criminals feared them, taking the longer routes to avoid them, and the Monsters fell fast to their steel. And since they were based in Stalliongrad, tales of their deeds were sung by the local folks, and they were treated to endless supplies of food and shelter. They were, in a way, heroes. Exactly like Sharp's Father described. This carried on for a few years, the majority of his Young Stallion years all gone by service in the North.

But a twist of fate was about to occur. One that would change Sharp's path all together. During a routine patrol, the squad was ambushed by a unknown creature. The attack was swift, and little time was given to respond. Sharp was the first to get knocked out. And for the duration of the fight, he was unconscious while the fighting went on. By the time he gained conciousness, well... lets just say he had to trudge his way back to camp, alone, in low spirits (FYI, nothing grizzly, but he did loose all of his members. again, just for effect). Traumatized and brought into low spirits. The "Heroes of Stalliongrad" became singular. As did the "Ghost Wolves." Now the last survivor of his Squad, he was reassigned to Canterlot Guard duty.

Where he went back just in time for the Canterlot Changeling Invasion. He fought his hardest, trying to forget his loss. But then, a darker side of him seeped in. His rage. As he fought, his strikes became inpony. He killed without mercy, disregarding his order to capture or disarm the Changelings. He had enough of this. Nopony should forget that he was a hero, a soldier. Yet they did, and his situation wasn't changed as he repelled the Changelings. When it was all over, Sharp was due for another commendation, and a few medals. But he turned them all down. Resigned, and cut all ties. He only kept his rifle, two revolvers that belonged to his friends (as a memento), and a trenchcoat that was issued to the Northern special operations units. And then he just disappeared off the grid. His Father was angered, his Mother and Sister worried, his Brothers too far away to even get the news.

So for a time Sharp just simply wondered around the land, helping ponies with their monster problems where the guard could not. His techniques were regarded as brutal and direct, but he got his job done. And he had places to stay and food to drink. He stocked up on his gear in places and went on his way. And soon, he felt the thrill of exploration, being open and free was a strange feeling to Sharp. To have nopony expecting you to do anything, to be able to do anything without loss. But he couldn't do that. His experience in Canterlot told him he had to discipline and control himself. And he did. He spent time away from ponies, taking in the nature, and all around, giving into the wanderer's spirit.

When he returned back to Canterlot, he chanced on an old accomplice. They both talked for a long time, reliving the past, though Sharp was reluctant to peel too far back, and kept his Special operations activities silent. Hen Sharp went on about what he did in the now and then, his friend suggested he become a mercenary, and a hunter of monsters. Sharp would've detested, but how else was he going to make the bits to keep living like this. And that was what he did. He set out from Canterlot once more. This time, a Mercenary, a Hunter, and a pony with a past to match.

Character Summary: On first impressions, if the arsenal of weapons that Sharp carries is not intimidating, then his expression would be. A pony who had been beaten down all his life, only to bring himself back up, his eyes betray a hardened mind, and his face the sign of veteran status. Yet, he appears to be quite calm when approached and talked to, and quite sociable. Especially around the bar when the Cider flows. He is usually cautious, stemming from his paranoia and constant alertness, even around friends, family, and home. When those who seek to hire his services approach him, anything that sounds the slightest bit dirty only earns them a punch from his hoof, or when he doesn't need the trouble, a polite, yet forced decline with a clear message of "get out of my sight scum!".

As a pony of honour and duty, he refuses to do the dirty and the dank, sticking to helping other ponies get along with their lives without much disruption from pirates, bandits, monsters, etc. He always shoots to kill Monsters and those who he deems an threat to the innocent. Sometimes he shoots to disable, as per request, but he never shoots the innocent until proven. But then again, he believes that nopony is innocent until proven, so instead, he doesn't shoot unless attacked first.

He refrains from talking much about his past, preferring to divert the subject somewhere else. He tends to stay away from touchy subject, such as his trenchcoat's origin, and well as where his arms came from. Though that doesn't mean the answer can't be pried out. It's just very hard. His personality tends to drift between easy going, and stone cold depending on the situation. The only ponies he ever talks to openly are probably, his Sister (whom he trusts the most), and his friends (that still live). Everypony else he scrutinizes, his hubris sometimes taking over, but usually shooting them down. In groups, he is the realist, the pessimist, and the guy who always says the glass is half empty.

In battle, he is dependable, if not the guy who usually goes solo. Although he works best alone, he works better in groups, as he becomes an asset. Regardless, he is very cooperative, and willing to go the extra mile when somepony is having his flank mauled by a manticore. He knows that in his line of work, conflicts between the team, even if personal, hamper group performance. He usually fills a scouting/markspony role, staying behind or infront of the rest. The detail he puts into his work is tremendous.

He also tends to be quite the collector. He usually ties objects to something memorable in life, and a lesson to be learned from those events. The Rifle he uses is one such happy symbol. A sign of changing times and his superiority in the field of battle. His trenchcoat conveys a sadder tale, one that makes him never look at the military in the same way. He keeps more of these mementos with him if they're small, but the bigger ones he sends back to his permanent house. He thinks these memories will help him along his path as he struggles to find out what took out his squad.

Speaking of which, that is his current goal. To find out what, or who, was so deadly, that they took out his entire squad in a manner of seconds. He has never forgotten that moment, sometimes having nightmares about it at times. Others have made him try to forget about it, that it wasn't his fault. But Sharp knew that he was playing scout, and that he should've found out in a manner of seconds. In a way, he failed. And it was his neglegennce and incompetence that fuels his guilt, and the reason why he constantly trains harder. So the same would never happen again.

Although there is much to weave and tell about Sharp, that is as short as the History can be. So to summarize it: TLDR: Pony's path between going to school and going to military torn by tradition and revolution. Gets Cutie Mark after talent show and daredevil stunts, told lies and slander by Father, goes to army, good career track, transferred to specOps, revered as local heroes, continue career track, squad ambushed, traumatized, goes back to Canterlot, repels invasion, gets commended and medals, rejects all and resigns, goes wander, talks with friend, assumes a proper mercenary and hunter occupation.

Addendum:

- Sharp's Major Gear listing bellow

"Spear" - Marsin-Neigent MDsc/NNM Standard Issue Rifle modified. Load five round box clips. Custom made variable-zoom scope ranging from x2-x8. Each round is 7.92x57mm. Modified to utilize Mareser 98K bolt system without failure, as well as other relevant mods to effectively accommodate and utilize ammo size.

First issued stock when he joined the "Ghost Wolves", he often complained about maintaining it, until a fellow sniper lent him his Mareser while Sharp was waiting for replacements, and he fell in love with it's bolt system and design. Later requesting a modified Mareser 98k bolt system that fits and works with his own rifle perfectly. Alongside the bolt system modification, he also upped the size of the barrel, added a box clip, and changed the bullet size. The rifle itself has undergone multiple refits and minor modifications to the point where it is distinguishable from a stock Maresin-Neighant. Basically, it's easier to use and maintain, and packs a bigger punch at distances.

"Edge" & "Blade" - Custom-built Celeston Model Discord, New Equinne model. Cylinder modified to accept .50 Celeston rounds. However, in order to keep the revolver stable and practical, ammo capacity had to drop to four rounds, in addition to a slew of rebalancing and calibration modifications to the basic structure.

Sharp wasn't a fan of pistols. They were small, short-ranged, and randomly accurate at best. That was, until rifle bullets became hard to find as he left his post. He had tried many, from the new semi-automatics, to the venerable revolvers. When his travels brought him back to Stalliongrad, he went to his old friend, a reputable gunsmith, who listened to Sharp's whining. Taking it as an challenge, the gunsmith forged two revolvers based on the Celeston Model Discord frame and design, taking care to make it powerful and accurate. The end result was a revolver with power and accuracy to match a rifle. Sadly, range will always be unmatchable, but what was implemented, was a factor of speed. Sharp now uses this gun as a "quick snap" weapon.

Equestrian Special Operator's Combat/Survival Knife Recon Mod. Mark V. - EqSOpCSK RecMod. MKV

Never bothering To give this weapon a name, he just calls it a knife, but really, it's built specifically for deep-level operations where surviving off the land may be necessary. It is coated in black, non-rust layer, and the edge is made of a sturdy, but light alloy. It's double edge allows it to be used for many purposes, such as stabbing enemies, or carving a notch for a arrow.

Equestrian Special Operator's Special Issue Trenchcoat Recon Mod. Mark III - EqSOSIT RecMod. MKIII

Designed for uniform for use and ease of controllability in urban environments, it's multiple-adaptive slots and pockets,allow it to be used in any environment and situation, especially padding. Which is why sharp can wear it even in the Heartlands without breaking a sweat. It still bears the squad symbol of the "Ghost Wolves", but has an empty spot where a patch indicating rank should be. Currently, it's colour is white, but it's material allows for rapid colour change by using a special dye set.

(Notes: NNM = Nightmare Moon, Dsc = Discord, Celeston = Remington (Yeap. Ponified IRL guns. So uncreative). Use if villains denotes time era when gun/revision was made. Rest of RL references are obvious for the WW2 nut.)

- Pictures

"Ghost Wolves" Emblem/Patch/Symbol as seen on Trenchoat

A drawing of Sharp Bolt

[GhostGirl]

This all looks good to me. This is a nice, round character you've got here. I'm going to pass this up to an SRPH. If they have any problems with it, they'll let you know. >w0

[Armony]