🌌Mirage🌌

Mirage is a young adult male SandWing-RainWing hybrid attending Beetle Lake Academy as a member of the Light Winglet. He has an incredible talent in many forms of art, being one of the top members in the Pantalan Art Society, an Honor's society across schools all around Pantala. Growing up in Possibility, Mirage was abandoned and kicked from school due to rumors spread by his family, resulting him to live in the Scorpion Den for a few years with his grandmother. Before moving to Beetle Lake and becoming an activist, he worked as a painter. 
==Description==
Mirage is a small hybrid with a lean, regal and pale gold-pink-red body, and a friendly face. While his scale color is paler than an average SandWing, most of his scales are tight, compact and thick, except for on his face, where they become soft and large towards his snout and horns. Mirage has even lighter colored legs and wing frame, as well as his third row of diamond-shaped scales on his neck. Mirage has a strange underbelly that is duller and a bit darker than the rest of his colors, with textures that change between his neck and tail. His head and snout are long and diamond-shaped, with a SandWing appearance. Unlike SandWings, though, his snout is more pointed and long rather than compact and broad. The end of his snout and the top part of his head is darker and slightly redder than the rest of his scales, as well as almond shaped eyes that are a bright, glittery blue that turn purple in the absence of light.
Mirage's wings are tall and muscular, the only thing 'masculine' about him. The membranes of his wings are described as "a sky with an illuminated dawn and dusk at once", with pink scales that fade to a light coraly-orange, and at the tip, have a pale blue that looks like "saturated ice in art" that fades into the main pink color of his wings. Mirage's frill is less intense in colors, with a very pale pink fading to a lighter blue, although it gets darker and more vivid towards the end of it when his tail starts to curve. Mirage has a small ruff behind each ear that is a similar color to his main scales and large ears. 
He wears silver glasses with a black string attached to the bottom that ties around each horn, multiple earrings in each ear that resemble blue starfish, and diamonds shaped like teardrops behind each ear and his neck, somewhat resembling a NightWing's teardrop scales. The most notable accessory, however, is a deep, bright red velvet-like cape that is metallic and reflects a bright apple red color. The pendant is a gem that is the same gemstone that his earrings are made of, as well as gold appendages that resemble wings. A long gold chain is attached, and goes under the cape, and is attached to the other side.
==Personality==
Mirage is clever, mature, artistic, optimistic, emotional, likeable and opinionated. He is very book-smart and art-smart, and according to Stargazer, has too many facts stored in his mind in some painted way. Mirage likes presenting himself in a particularly feminine manner, and making that known, and speaks in a more feminine tone, especially when conveying a message of sorts. Mirage believes that every dragon is good, and there is a bright side to nearly any situation, and that dragons can change for the better. Many dragons enjoy his company, mostly because of his humor, his way of looking at things and his general aura.
The hybrid is also very emotional, and can get upset very easily, especially if it's a sensitive topic such as his past, family and discrimination against others. Despite his overall sensitivity, Mirage is also very logical and political, using logic to back any of his arguments. Mirage is not afraid to speak his mind on nearly any topic and will be bold about it if prompted. He feels a strong connection to his communities, such as the LGBTQ+ as well as the Beetle Lake community, feeling very loyal and intertwined with them. He is also known to be very serious when it comes to school.
Despite all of this, Mirage is also very insecure, unmotivated and oftentimes conflicted about things. While usually optimistic and giving others advice, he secretly feels his maturity is forced and he is just the younger brother that everyone hates and that his opinions are somewhat false, and he feels too strongly about them. He experiences burnout frequently, and quickly loses motivation on something even if he is really dedicated to it. He is very good at controlling and even stifling his feelings and thoughts of all sorts; however, his scale colors will unintentionally change dramatically.
Mirage sometimes has problems communicating his thoughts and will often resort to trying to fix someone's problem or show them something in his ways. He often becomes frustrated when others don't understand what he is trying to say and will even raise his voice at others if he is having a bad day. He always apologizes after this, even though he apologizes for nearly everything to the point others finds it annoying. Mirage has many pet peeves, including being distracted easily, being unable to remember something, others pushing stereotypes, and small yet easily noticeable errors in work. 
Mirage also frequently panics, has a strange sense of humor and is afraid of losing those close to him. 
==Biography ==
<tabber>
|-|Pre-Hatching=
Mirage's parents met at a festival celebrating Queen Heather ascending the throne. His parents were Asp of the SandWings and Melon of the RainWings. They quickly got along and started dating, before they decided to marry a few years later. Melon, who had two daughters from a previous relationship, brought them to live on the outskirts of Possibility where Asp lived. However, Melon had a dislike for hybrids, and had a bias for female dragonets (being the reasons why he valued his other dragonets so much).
When Asp had Mirage's egg, Melon was very disappointed, and worried. This drew a divide of sorts in Asp's and Melon's relationship. Melon barely wanted anything to do with the egg, while Asp cared for it and proudly paraded Mirage in the egg around the town. Asp didn't have any good name ideas, so when she asked her friends, many suggested "Mirage" shortly before he hatched.
|-|Dragonethood=
Mirage hatched and was immediately in his older sisters' shadows. He never really knew why, but his father and sisters would constantly torment him from day one. However, his mother always spent time with him and made sure that he was fed, cared for and loved. He started school in Possibility at a year old.
In school, he was average in most aspects, but phenomenal in art. His art throughout the years was chosen to be displayed at multiple different places; The mayor of Possibility's house, the Scorpion Den, and even the SkyWing palace. His sisters envied him and were jealous of his achievements that they never had. Each year, his sisters tormented him even more.
His older sisters would steal his food whenever given the chance, lock him in closets for hours, verbally and emotionally abuse him, manipulate him to do things he didn't want to do and destroyed his parents' most precious things and blame it on him. A few times, they even brought him to places and left him there without telling their parents. Melon encouraged this and was in on it most of the time, and Asp defended Mirage less and less which left Mirage defenseless.
"Defenseless" included the unfortunate, but average run of the mill bimonthly abandoning or leaving Mirage places after going somewhere, and the RainWings telling the SandWing mother that he was just trailing behind - After all, he was younger, a small hybrid, and a little weak and not as worthy at that. The worst time he was abandoned was at Asp's friend's house who tried to get in contact with her for days, but when Asp finally came to get Mirage, he was scared. Asp insisted that she and Melon had to deal with one of the stepdaughter's emergencies (which was false, but Melon convinced Asp that she would make herself and her family look bad, especially as the mother).
Even though there was a large rift in Asp's and Melon's relationship, Asp still wanted to stay with Melon because she believed he could change, even when he encouraged his daughters to treat Mirage cruelly. Asp, despite no longer standing up for Mirage, started to become a little cold towards him because she believed he was about to start coming out of his dragonet years and needed to learn how to defend himself anyways. She did however feel very bad, yet she stayed firm on this stance.
Then, Mirage's older sisters started to test the limits of what they could do to Mirage before they couldn't get away with it. They would cut up his frill and leave the shreds of the scales around the house, locked him outside in the night to make him sleep outside, would even go as far as to wound themselves to get him in trouble. Mirage always got in trouble, and was beaten and told he was worthless, nothing and a mistake. He internalized this over time, and he really, really hated the things he could not help about himself. His mother, Asp, started to turn on him at this time too. But Asp wasn't safe from her stepdaughters' torment either.
They despised her too. They would be nasty and horrible and say cruel things to her. Asp would, of course defend herself, but was too easy on them and didn't discipline her stepdaughters because she felt as if they were just misunderstood and the way they are. Melon, despite siding with Asp usually, would flipflop and would subtly encourage his daughters to become even worse towards their stepmother as they would begin to destroy her stuff, scream at her, and threaten to spit at her with their venom just for any inconvenience. 
Around this time, at the age of four, Mirage started to gain a crush on his friend - who was male. Despite being gay was widely accepted, especially in Possibility, Mirage knew his father, his sisters, and possibly even his mother wouldn't approve because it was him who was a hybrid AND gay. Well, he thought he was gay, but at the same time, he wasn't. He started to question himself even more as to who he really wanted to date and wondered if he would only like his friend or if he would like anyone else too.
One day, Melon's father told Mirage in his usual, angry and aggressive voice that Mirage had a doctor's appointment because his mother was worried about the cuts on his frill. Melon dragged Mirage out of the house, followed by his half-sisters, and Melon left him in the most dangerous part of Possibility, and then they just... disappeared. Didn't attack or beat him, didn't yell at him, didn't tell him he's worthless and that's why they're leaving him there or force him to vandalize something, so he gets in trouble with the law, they just camouflaged and disappeared.
After coming home without Mirage, Asp and Melon fought every day since, and his sisters proceeded to plot to get him removed from his school and his art removed and never to be shown again - that was his passion, the little thing that he liked to do yet Mirage felt bad for. At this point, Mirage stayed there. He didn't find his way home like the times he had to go to his school for events or had to attend his older sister's extracurricular stuff which required an audience, he just... lived on the streets. At this point, Mirage decided he wouldn't go home anymore.
|-|Upbringing=
Still attending school as normal, he only felt supported by his friends. The school wasn't concerned and found nothing wrong, so he didn't have faith in the school bringing someone in to ask Mirage how his home life was, and his school was like "we taught your sisters once! Lovely dragons.". Meanwhile, his sisters and father plotted to make sure he stayed gone. They found out he was queer, found out his newest art project for school, and where his art that had been displayed at places of importance was now. Nobody knew what they did, especially not Mirage, but they destroyed part of his reputation.
Mirage's older sisters then proceeded to tell the school about his gayness (Which the school didn't really care) and even started lying about Mirage to the school - saying he always tormented and scared them, destroyed their parents' belongings, and stole others and their own art for school claiming it was his. These rumors spread around the school, and caused his boyfriend to break up with him, and he was kicked out of school shortly before the age of six.
After being kicked out of school, Mirage fled to the Scorpion Den, where his mother had lived before moving to Possibility. He had a rough start there, knowing nobody and finding a hard time finding a home and a job. He was discriminated against for being a hybrid in some areas of the Den. He met his grandmother (Asp's mother), who welcomed him and took care of him. She helped him find a job, and actually treated him like a regular dragon. Mirage's grandmother was also very angry with Asp and how she treated Mirage growing up and cut contact with Asp who had insisted Mirage was fine through semi-frequent letter exchanges.
With the help of his grandmother, he got a job as a painter, and was commissioned to paint portraits, landscapes, sculptures and other things like birdhouses or wind chimes. With his natural talent with art, he made a lot of money, and his paintings were very prized. Despite this, he knew nobody, and only lived with his grandmother in a more remote part of the Scorpion Den.
After feeling more confident and no longer being considered a dragonet, he started to make friends over time after starting to feel more comfortable and travel around the city, although he was seen as inferior by a number of others. Mirage even met a dragon who would eventually become his girlfriend. Mirage also started to question his identity and who he was attracted to at this time, because he found the time and support to. He also applied for other jobs so he could use his art career as a side job, and so he has a stable income.
When Mirage was hired to be a designer, he stayed at a low level because he didn't have any sort of certificate or degree showing he had a complete, average education. So, he decided he would apply for some schools (And with the help of his grandmother, tried to get into somewhat prestigious ones)
|-|Enrollment=
Mirage applied for the University of the Scorpion Den, an art school by Queen Heather's stronghold, and even Jade Mountain Academy as a joke of sorts. He was denied from the University of the Scorpion Den, because they were somewhat familiar with his controversy in Possibility, and the art school denied his application because he wasn't fully dedicated to one sect of art. 
Jade Mountain Academy also declined his application due to having too many students, so Mirage applied to Beetle Lake Academy out of impulse and hopelessness. Mirage and his girlfriend at this time also mutually broke up, due to the situation and his girlfriend having interest in another dragon.
After returning home from work, he got an envelope informing him he had been enrolled into Beetle Lake Academy. At the age of eight, Mirage quit his job, packed his things and moved to Pantala. He severed most of his connections so he could get a fresh start. He didn't adjust at first and had a rough start at the school. He still had income, from continuing art commissions, which gained him some recognition in the school. 
He also made some friends over the first months, slowly becoming connected with the community, and joining the Pantalan Art Society. By the end of his first year, he had many friends and extra-curricular activities and had passing grades and was very open about exploring the aspects of his identity. By the time he started his second year at Beetle Lake, he was a top member of the Pantalan Art Society and already on the path to graduating with special Honor cords.
</tabber>
==Relationships ==
<tabber>
|-|Asp=
Mirage once had a good relationship with his mother. Over the years, though, his relationship with her declined as he got older as she stopped defending him and didn't remove him and herself from Melon and his daughters. Asp and Mirage often spent time with each other, and Asp sympathized and silver-lined Mirage's struggles and concerns. Mirage hopes that one day she realizes the error of her ways, and they could reconnect. He also wants Asp to be present or his graduation.
|-|Melon=
Mirage strongly dislikes his father but can't find it in his heart to hate him or his daughters. If he could hate anyone, however, it would be them. Melon would constantly torment and abuse Mirage, and Mirage feared and avoided him in return. Melon constantly made Mirage feel lesser than for being a hybrid, non-straight and a son rather than another daughter. He also hopes that Melon never gets to visit Pantala, or ever interact with him again, and also hopes that Melon lives miserably.
|-|Half-sisters=
Mirage strongly dislikes his half-sisters but can't find it in his heart to hate them. Mirage was always tormented and abused by them, and always stuck in their shadow. His half-sisters are a large source of his insecurity, another large source being his father. Mirage, even though he is somewhat open about his past, doesn't like talking about and naming his sisters. Mirage still feels resentment and fear from them getting kicked out of his school and outing him as panromantic (At the time, he believed he was gay). Mirage, out of anyone, hopes they never gets to visit Pantala and never interact with him again, and he also hopes that his half-sisters die young.
</tabber>
==Gallery==
File:MirageTemplateLuni.png|Reference by Sillius Goofius
File:SandWingBase.png|An average SandWing, by Joy Ang
File:RainWingBase.png|An average RainWing, by Joy Ang
File:SandWing Sigil.png|SandWing Sigil, by Platypus the SeaWing
File:RainWing Sigil.png|RainWing Sigil, by Platypus the SeaWing
==Trivia==
*According to Google, the definition of Mirage is "an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, especially the appearance of a sheet of water in a desert or on a hot road caused by the refraction of light from the sky by heated air:"
*Mirage's personality is somewhat based off of mine.
**The main traits being him being opinionated, easily burnt out and loyalty towards communities.
**Mirage has ADHD, which I also have.
*Mirage considers himself femboy.
*Mirage was originally a distant relative of the SandWing royal family from the 1st arc.
Category:Characters
Category:SandWings
Category:RainWings
Category:Hybrids
Category:Males
Category:LGBT+
Category:Status (Commoner)
Category:Occupation (Artist)
Category:Occupation (Student)
Category:Mature Content
Category:Content (Sillius Goofius)