Mirage (Remnants of the Cold War)

Mirage 	Mirage
 	
Art By 	NightWind the NightWing
Background Information	Background Information
Creator 	Eleven Fifty Two
Theme Color 	Digital Camo
Character Information 	Character Information
Age 	Six
Gender 	Male
Orientation 	Straight
Occupation 	Student
Tribe 	SandWing
Current Residence 	JMA
Father 	Sandstrom
Mother 	Caspia
Accomplices 	Aura, Emberwings, and Glide.
Enemies 	Communist Scavengers
Abilities 	Camouflage Scales, SandWing Fire, Sharp Claws.
This is Eleven Fifty Two's Original Character. Users who edit or use without permission are subject to being stabbed. People who steal are most likely to be found with twenty-eight stab wounds.
== Description ==
Mirage is an average sized SandWing that is described to have scales similar to the camouflage fatigues worn by scavengers. His eyes are grey, and not as dark as most other SandWing's eyes. Along with that, he is missing his barb. Instead his tail comes to an end at a point, like other dragons. Anyone who looks close can see the scars though. 
Otherwise, he is a side character in Remnants of the Cold War - Embers Rising, who is seen accompanying Emberwings. He also is a student at Jade Mountain Academy, who is a member of the 5019-5020 Gold Winglet. 
== Personality ==
Mirage is a storyteller, and he often attempts to poke fun in serious situations. Mirage can easily make friends, and is pleasant to be around with. He is a friend of Emberwing's and is loyal to Queen Thorn. 
Traits: Adventurous, daring, observant, smart, and slightly clumsy. 
Skills: Is adept at preparing foods, and knows some basic self defense and healing practices. 
== Life ==
Mirage was hatched late in 5013 AS in the outskirts of the urban sprawls that surrounded Queen Thorn's Stronghold. His father named him "Mirage" after he noticed how well the dragonet blended into the surrounding scenery, similar to his own name, Sandstorm. They both look very alike, with Sandstorm having a darker tone similar to that of his name. 
During the early years of his life, Mirage had a pleasant and comfy life, having plenty to eat and much to do. His mother dabbled in history and archeology, while his father did other things. They often would spend their free time at small oases, having fun around the pristine water. While they did see some strange things every now and then, it was mostly peaceful. 
Both of his parents were unemployed, living off an inheritance and their combined military pension, as they were some of the lucky few who actually received it. But that wasn't quite enough, so they eventually had to find another way to supplement their income. His mother, Caspia, was going to take a job in archeology. They left their home, and traveled a short ways a way in order to work on a dig site bordering the Sky Kingdom. 
At this place, Mirage found an interest in food, being exposed to a different culture's food. It turned out that the place was dominated by SkyWings, with the amount of SandWings being about one fifth of the total work force. Here, he was exposed to many strange mysteries. However, some were a little too strange. Unfortunately though, things got a little too strange, and soon a disaster struck the camp. 
The entire place was ruined, destroyed by explosive bombs and strange machines. That day it was storming, and Mirage was truly injured for the first time. There had been an explosion near the pit the little family had been hiding in, and a stray piece of shrapnel nearly destroyed Mirage's tail. But he got lucky, being able to fly again, as it had only hit the end of his tail. But the most SandWing part of him had been severed, lost, and never seen again. 
They returned with a meager profit, never to return to archeology or the place where they had found themselves in peril. Mirage pursued his interest in foods, and life continued. For another year his skills improved, and he gained some more confidence, experimenting with new flavors and produces. But then disaster struck them, for his mother had fallen ill. 
This lead to disaster in the family, especially since Mirage's mother would die a week later from unknown causes. Nobody could find out how she had died, except for a weird growth they found in her brain. With that, Mirage and his father were forced to make a living off of the food he made for the next two years. It remained like this, his father scrambling around to find work, and Mirage preparing gourmet meals for his peers. 
His father did eventually find a job, which was that of a mercenary of sorts. He would protect the trade between rich merchants from the Scorpion Den to the SkyWing palace. This payed well, but it was dangerous work. It often left Mirage alone, making a living off the small profit his meals could get him. His father insisted on saving up the extra gold for moving out of the poorer slums to a more pleasant place near the busy entrance of Queen Thorn's Stronghold. 
So they moved to their new home when Mirage was five, and everything changed. Mirage's stand made more profit than ever off of the busy streets, and even attracted the attention of a desperate SandWing. One who bashed Mirage over the head with a plate, and ran away with the stolen food. Such things weren't allowed to take place just outside of the fortress, and it was Queen Thorn's responsibility to make sure those types of things didn't happen. 
But her soldiers never found the criminal, for Mirage's father had his head within a day. Unknown to Mirage, the criminal had not only been responsible for the previous crime, but also many others related to expensive fine goods. Otherwise, Queen Thorn made sure that the dragonet's injuries were cared for. This was the closest Mirage had ever been to the inside of the castle, and he made sure to leave a good impression of himself. 
A year and a half later, this would be the thing that helped Mirage get entry to Jade Mountain Academy. But there was more to how he was even allowed to head there. That was because Sandstorm had come home one night bloody and paranoid. He explained that they had been ambushed by some horror when they were resting, and left a small pouch on the counter when he left to address the Queen about whatever had happened. 
The small bag had various mysterious metal items in it. There were several minuscule pineapple shaped balls and cylinders of the same size. Also, there were several other elongated metal objects, some lined with wood. Almost everything in the bag had flaked blood on it, so Mirage never attempted to get a closer look. He had always wondered what they were, but his father had never explained. What he did announce the next day was that Mirage would be going away to Jade Mountain. 
"Everything is going to change," Sandstorm had stressed. "And I'd like you to at least get a better education before the world turns into another heap of camel dung." His father had a hunch that something was going to happen, but Mirage didn't get much time as he was soon enraptured by Jade Mountain's aura. A week after his arrival, the MudWing and SkyWing in his winglet had been murdered under mysterious circumstances, and was replaced by a smoldering SkyWing with a stiff wing within another week. 
The smoldering SkyWing's name was Emberwings, and he soon explained what he had been involved in. He exclaimed things similar to the horrors Mirage's father had seen, and for once had names to go along with it. He also was really dangerous, so being on his good side would be a pretty intelligent thing to do. So that's what Mirage did. Befriending a firescales may seem crazy, but Mirage managed to pull it off. 
== Relationships ==
* Emberwings was the first SkyWing Mirage really befriended. Everyone else was an acquaintance or someone to talk with if you had too. Mirage thinks he can do some pretty interesting things with Emberwings, and is ready to push the boundaries if it means having a good time or an epic adventure. 
* Since being Emberwing's friend meant being Glide's friend, he quickly got to know him pretty well. He is not always the most supportive of his cautious attitude, but appreciates when Glide somehow manages to save his hide. 
* Aura, or "Ember's Girlfriend" as he joking calls her is always around Ember. Mirage was pretty surprised that she still stuck around Ember, even though he is a firescales. He very much respects her for that amount of dedication, and knows she would do anything for them as long as it somehow involves Ember. 
== Injuries ==
* Due to the amount of dedication he has spent to gourmet cooking, he has multiple cuts and burns from various food preparing instruments. Most of this are minor, and have healed without scars. 
* When Mirage was five, a desperate SandWing grabbed a dish and smashed it over Mirage's head in order to steal food. He was out for the next few hours, but recovered afterwards. 
== Trivia ==
* Mirage claims to have "gotten on the good side of" some scavengers and acquired information about gun-smithing and powder creation from them. 
* Mirage also calls Emberwings by his nickname "Ember" 
== Gallery ==
SandWing_Mirage_NW_BG.png|Mirage's Headshot by NightWind the NightWing
MIR.png|Mirage Reference
Mirage 3.png|Headshot by Queen Bluefire
Mirage by missingecho.png|Mirage in his early days. Art by Missingecho, colored by NightWind the NightWing
Category:Males
Category:SandWings
Category:Occupation (Student)
Category:Dragonets
Category:Work in Progress
Category:Content (Eleven Fifty Two)