Crux

This page belongs to EnigmaTheHybrid. Please do not take any content from this page. Crux is an entry in the Villain OC Contest.
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==Appearance==
As a first-generation hybrid from two different worlds, of course, Crux looks a little strange. Most noticeably his obviously SeaWing features paired with legs baring more resemblance to be an insect. Five legs to be precise, an extra leg sporting itself under his tail. His posture is held up high, with a look of ease at all point, smiling with all three corners of his mouth. A yellow jacket of fuzz encasing a pair of biggish wings and giving off an expensive fur coat look.
Crux is a creature of softened sharp edges. His head narrows to a rounded point, opening with two sets of jaws, in which a menacing pair of pincers await, revealing themselves only in a snarl. Though, his large, buggish eyes make him seem relaxed for the most part. Despite their dark coloration, he has bright yellow irises, making eye contact hard to break once he has your attention. Flowing from his eyes, like the HiveWing eyelashes, are fin-like lashes that mimic antennae or horns. Framing his face are more fins, which move similarly to ears.
Crux's torso is covered with furry pale yellow cases that protect his buggish wings. This fur lines his shoulders and the bottom of his ribs, along with either of his wrist to give off a very comfy looking illusion. His fins seem to flow constantly, twitching gently as if he's constantly underwater. Constantly getting a sense of his surroundings.
The only genuinely sharp edge Crux cannot help is his intimidating barb curling at the end of his tail. To his knowledge, and to the knowledge of tests and experiments, it's an only danger is that it is sharp, for venom never seemed to flow through his HiveWing mother's blood.
If it wasn't for his oddly placed fifth leg and contradicting color scheme, Crux would seem like a handsome hybrid. A gunmetal blue, reflective set of scales with dark stripes that absorb light, and his pale yellow fur and fin tips could catch anyone's eyes. He acquired redeeming factors from both of his tribes, and he values his appearance greatly enough to maintain the youth and shine in his scales.
==Personality==
Crux is very aware he's a privileged dragon. He's almost always been in a state of content. He's a wonderful story of being born into success and expanding upon an already dominating empire! He values anyone who can benefit him more than someone who doesn't agree with him. There's no point in debating a genius. Considering he's the one who mastered the timing and tricks to running a ferry business, the only business, in fact, that truly keeps the two tribes connected. After all, without his parents' work, and him running it, the tribes could fall apart as quickly as they were forgotten. How much of shame would it be if the lost continent was lost again?
As such, Crux is not used to being opposed. He'll be quite immature and whiny about anyone trying to compare to himself and sees any obstacle to his success bothersome with a need to be exterminated. He has trouble getting that type of thing off his mind but has mastered the art of acting out scenarios in which he still maintains a professional persona in public places. He appears as diplomatic as his parents, with wonderful wording and thoughtful vocabulary. But he's extremely vengeful without any outlet. He can't stand the idea of anyone having what he feels he deserves. His mind immediately goes to scheming, trying to take the wealth of those around him if he deems them unworthy, like a selfish dragonet whose favorite toy got taken. What enrages him most, it's not like they were born into wealth. They'll have no idea how to use it.
Luckily, he's not afraid to get his talons dirty. Crux was obviously raised not to condone the killing of other dragons, of course. For his parents directly saw the consequences of that. But they were also explicitly clear on their directions. That a business owner must be diligent and ready to take actions into their own hands. So Crux absolutely will. Of course, he's remorseful if he stops to think about the significance of his actions for too long.
So like a shark, he'll keep moving. Distracting himself with the frivolous, meaningless perks of being wealthy. Throwing parties, buying expensive art, hosting concerts and performances for those on the beach, watching the ferries take off. He's even considered funding the idealistic projects to make boats fly and force dragons to share the airspace. After all, what good is your money if you're not willing to test its limits? Because he can't stop spending, because maybe the employees will wise up. They'll finally stop and wonder, where is the money going, if not for our own families?
But in a world where there's really nothing money can't buy, and a business empire is just as good as a queen's kingdom, who will truly step up to the might of a mournful king?
==Abilities==
In all honesty? Crux is rather physically pathetic. He can't quite strain himself to a proper run, fly, or even a swim. By dragon standards, he's an average swimmer, but by SeaWing standards, he's worse than a young dragonet. His only intent to run, fly, or swim is for fun. He'd never be able to hunt or fight another dragon on his own with his brute strength alone. Anything would have to rely on his wits to outsmart his opponent.
But Crux is smart enough not to get into a physical fight. A verbal fight, he's all for, with a cutting tongue and remarks that can fluctuate to school ground mockings to an intellect speaking to a fool. He also prides himself on his education, for he's a quick problem solver and quickly associates things to manipulate situations to benefit himself. Considering everything's connected, why not take hold and steer whatever's connecting them to benefit yourself?
By tribe standards, Crux has the capability to breathe underwater. But quickly runs out of "breath" and avoids swimming for too long. And after much checking and careful consideration, his family made sure his barb has no HiveWing venom. Though it's sharpness is so striking that one could cut themself just looking at it.
They never thought to test his blood. For, by some stretch of the imagination, it's properties somehow kill other dragons if ingested, destroying their immune system, slowly deteriorating over the course of a few days, until it gives out. But that's too vague to weaponize. Who could even discover such a thing about themself, much less manipulate dragons into drinking your blood?
The biggest thing you'd have to fear is Crux's immense business empire. He has associations everywhere. From the east coast of Pyrrhia to the shores of Pantala. Throughout the hives and poisonous jungles and even stretching itself around to the bay of a Thousand Scales, even the rainforest. Regardless of something you buy, it could probably be linked back to Crux, in some way, even the scrolls and baskets in your shelves and counters, Crux could navigate his way through the business world like a canine on a scent trail. His empire could suck any smaller business dry if he truly wanted to. But luckily for the majority of the dragon business owners, he's only really focused on the boat business.
==History==
Descretion: brief mention of self-harm; consistent themes of poisonings and murders
(Crux’s history very loosely follows the canon of the third arcs. Creative liberties were taken, ex: being set in a further from the current period in the books, don’t take contradictions or misalignments too close to heart!)
Named for a time of transition, difficulty, and time of unease, Crux hatched in a world in which was practically perfect.
His parents were rather directly responsible for the restored contact of Pantala and Pyrrhia. Both were extremely wealthy, extremely privileged dragons: his mother was a Lady of the HiveWings named Belostromatidae who contributed to the liberation of the SilkWings and LeafWings and took some of the most influential steps to make royal contact with the reptilian dragons once the government was reestablished. His father was a foreign ambassador of the SeaWings named Panaque. After war reparations, he still had a fortune and a half to spend to make contact with the insectoid dragon ambassadors. As the story goes, they joined in union and bore an egg, among a time they were desperate to try thinking of how to unite the continents once again.
As such, they established a ferry business, which made travel much safer than a direct flight, with the help of resourceful HiveWing and aquatic SeaWings. They treasured Crux and expected him to take on the business, and unite the continents further.
Being extremely important figures in modern history, Lady Belostomatidae and Ambassador Panque were extremely wealthy, along with a successful business that never made them worry. As a result, Crux never had a difficult day in his life. Before he could even remember, he was equipped with a family that loved him, the most attentive nannies, the most adaptable tutors, and the best life his parents could provide for him. His days were full of fun and compelling lessons. He was fascinated with the family business, taking rides on the ferry every chance he got, observing the continents that separated his two worlds, seeing how much help and joy this service was providing. But he was always rather focused on the ships themselves. The larger than life ferries that carried enough dragons safely for days without stopping. He was enthralled.
His parents had him enrolled in a highly respected school, dedicated to smart dragonets that blended Pantalan and Pyrrhian curriculums together, and training heirs to be fiscally responsible and intelligent business owners. The school was directed at the fiscally beneficial to their budget, anyway! Crux made friends and future business partners! His dragonethood flew by, as he graduated at the top of his class and spent free days lazily watching the ferries leave the shore, hitching rides, and even stealing his family's private boat for leisurely trips. He never had to rub elbows with the common dragon, for the wealthy around him had everything he could ever hope for!
Obviously he inherited the ferry business, and obviously, he wouldn’t stop at transporting dragons. Along with his friends’ parents’ inherited companies, they merged and blended their services to transport the resources of the continents, whether that be technological or mystical flora, magical or otherwise. For the future didn't lie in the interpersonal relationships of dragons, no, industries were what was getting bigger numbers.
But they weren’t the only business forward dragons in the world. Entrepreneurs appeared. They came and tried to come up with their own ferries. Cheaper ferries. Easier to access ferries. No one had ever done that before. No one had ever challenged Crux and he didn’t know how to think. His first instinct? Get upset! Make a fuss!
But before he could storm off, his friends stopped him. What could one small business do? There was so much to go around. But the numbers started going down. At least they slowed down. And that panicked Crux.
He approached the business owner, a SandWing, by the name of Moxa, prepared to start a conflict but they were so friendly, so calm. They wanted to discuss business strategy and whatnot, which caught Crux off guard. Moxa invited him to come for a friendly hunt. He was reluctant, for he never had to hunt before. They were patient with him but he finally agreed to join them.
Resulting in Crux getting terribly torn and scratched up, which Moxa brushed off and cracked a joke. Crux wanted to be angry but he was too proud of himself for somehow taking down a monster of a bull. All gentleman-like, he offered Moxa to dig in, wilting when he realized how disgusting the carcass was. They brushed it off calmly and dug in. Crux winced at the idea of an uncooked meal with his own blood on it but, to be polite, he took a disgusting bite or two.
They bid their goodbyes and Crux calmed down, before noticing the numbers again. Until Moxa was declared ill. Then died soon after the two met. Crux saw the numbers rise again, after all, Moxa never decided who would take their business if they died unexpectedly and untimely. Not that Crux was complaining.
Entrepreneurs seemed to pop up like meerkats, Crux noticed, and he had every intention to scrunch his nose up and insult their businesses, but for boat folk, they sure liked getting dirty. He did their “customary hunts” getting bruised and beaten up each and every time until he finally decided to back off and stop mingling with folks that obviously weren't as cultured as he was. But, ominously, it began happening. Each dragon he met continued to die, hardly a few days after they met.
Slowly he took over each business as it died with its owner, taking their numbers, their employees, and everything. Expanding the empire unintentionally because of the untimely deaths after his visits.
And he drew the parallel. Testing it on pre-cooked prey, he nicked his finger, and tested its properties on animals. Each one dropped dead within hours.
Crux first found this with shock and approached his mother. She was growing old, but she often enjoyed their visits. She shook her head and said she lacked any terrible venom like her family if they were to have any. But then again, she’s never intentionally stabbed someone with her barb! He laughed and they parted ways. Obviously, he had an ability, no, a gift that his mother wasn't aware of. He saw it as an opportunity for his business. A simple way to put away the competition, which was making his business grow and grow.
Mother Belostromatidae always said war was never an answer, but this wasn't a personal fight! This was simply business. The only consequence he faced was an influx of income, so long as he showed up, funded, and looked sad at the funerals.
He continued to expand, improve, and work. His friends watched as their project grew larger and larger, as they lived carefree, in luxury. "Entrepreneurs wouldn’t be a problem after all!!!" his friends had cheered on their boats and on the beaches. Crux smiled, nodding, for he had a simple business strategy of inviting the poor blokes over on their tours and roundabouts across the continents to his own estates. He offered them delicious meals! Made by the best chefs in the region. With a dressing he kept secret, but supposedly enhanced the meal. As a result of their visits, oh dear, they no longer seemed to be around.
This string of events, "good luck" for Crux, made him grow impatient. It was harder to be pleased with simple beach parties and ferry rides, considering he was getting everything he wanted so quickly, so consistently now. He faced the employees with disdain. The influx of workers, he realized, the bigger the numbers got, the lower the peak productivity was getting on his charts. He stormed in the boat engineering sites on the beach, he approached the captains of the boats, he addressed the dragons waiting at the docks. Improve the numbers, he barked, or they could easily be replaced as each of their business owners.
Morale sank. Productivity increased, for a panicked moment, but deteriorated with their attitudes. Crux's partners noticed this. He was approached, multiple times, being told his reigns were too tight, that he expected too much of his workers.
So he nodded. He stopped storming in every moody evening to criticize them. He simply compensated for their lack of numbers by taking a few from their pay. He thought there was nothing wrong with that.
It wasn’t until a close friend of his, Primrose, a Leaf/Night/RainWing, withdrew herself from the company, frustrated with Crux. They weren't blind to Crux's ways, they just didn't want to call out a friend. But Primrose was more confident than some of the others. She announced she’d tell everyone about the mistreatment of the ferrydragons. That he’d have no choice but to ease up and treat them with more respect. Or else she could just as easily use her assets to make her own alternative. So he began to panic.
In a frantic stir of emotions, he gave the ferrydragons raises, he gave them thanks and gifts, but not before letting a few insults about Primrose go noticed by the general dragons. There was a murmur in the common folk. Primrose would glare at him from her own modest home, as she essentially tossed her wealth into the common folks’ talons. At least in Crux's eyes.
So for the public, he apologized, announced his emotions got the better of him and it was a poor choice for him to say such terrible things, much less think them. So he addressed Primrose directly, inviting her to his home. A moment together for sincerity and apology. After a few months, she accepted.
Crux waited in his mansion, an accumulation of his abundant wealth, but it’s walls empty. At least empty of sentimental meaning. It towered on the eastern coastline, a relic, rather, a gift from his family’s fortune, intended to be a place Crux grew up with his own family. But solemnly, he waited, at the edge of his dining table, his personal chefs busying themselves in the kitchen. Primrose arrived, greeted by the servants and eventually by Crux. With a faux warmness, he welcomed her, apologizing for any lost time or bad blood and excused himself to check on the chef’s progress.
He entered the kitchen and the door shut behind him. The chefs minded their own business but acknowledged Crux, who stormed towards the presentation plates and pushed dragon leaning carefully over it away. He looked down at the meal, carefully labeled “Ms. Primrose.” With a delicate movement, he bore his teeth and his mandibles stuck out, in which he nicked his talon. Dropping the dark ooze carefully into her appetizer soup bowl, he took a napkin, covered his talons, and apologized for the delay. She didn’t mind. After all, the food was delicious. It was wonderful to meet up with him again. She even played with the idea of joining the partnership again. Certainly, there were no hard feelings between them.
Likewise.
It had to be hardly a week later when Primrose had been declared dead. Crux announced his remorse and grieved with his friends at her funeral. Then, behind closed doors, he smiled to himself. It was surprisingly easy. Obviously, it hurt, burying a friend. But… it wasn’t personal. It was purely business. Surely, she could understand that. For if the Primrose issue could be put away so quickly, who could really stand in Crux's way now?
Not long after a small skirmish and make up with the LeafWing exporter, Lilac, had occurred between him and Crux, they were declared dead too. Then August the NightWing engineer, Monarch the Silk/SkyWing manufacturer. Crux went silent, for, clearly, he was grief-struck. His closest friends, the people around him since he was a dragonet, were dying at an alarming rate. Foul play was suspected, some radical mercenary who wanted to regress the progress that had been made!
Crux snickered to himself, behind closed doors in the dark. He would lie in bed for days, struck with the guilt of stealing everything from these friends. But they would understand, after all, they were wise business dragons. But what do you do with money? Ah, he bought, and he indulged, and he treated himself. He bought the finest wines, the most expensive art, the best food and entertainment money could buy. He bought dates to spend dinners with royalty and spoke at multi-tribal city celebrations. Filling his home with meaningless knickknacks he put his money into, while his company only grew, and grew, and grew.
He felt terrible, yes, but he didn’t feel bad about what he had done. It was strictly a financial decision, destroying his partners. Had to have been done for the company. There were more boats leaving the coasts of Pantala and Pyrrhia every day. Productivity had been higher than ever, with the influx of employees.
But he frowned at the numbers. He saw how the grid stooped right under the peak productivity. He scowled and became petty, indirectly punishing these employees for not doing their previous employers proud. More money he could put into preserving his dear friends’ memories.
But what could anyone truly do? Any unions were quickly shot down. Some shamed the workers for criticizing a grieving dragon's choices, for the ferry business was still afloat, after all this time! The least they could do was make their boss proud. Very few truly committed to the idea that Crux was involved with the theories of foul play. Anyone who spoke too loudly about it ended up found at the bottom of an ocean cliff, along with a couple of incorrect theorists, just for safety.
Crux maintains his business still. A figure behind a curtain anymore, less vocal, obviously too afraid and upset to show his face outside again. Though, the ones who do always have a story to tell after coming out of his mansion. And the ones who don't would always have a much interesting story. Such a shame that they never were found.
Destroying anyone who dares challenge his business is an easy task. And for the most part, nobody suspects a thing! No, it's obvious the employees are distraught and the customers aren't always satisfied, but no longer is it his own concern.
As long as the numbers increase, they'll get their money's worth. Until then, please don't speak ill of the poor, poor, empire owner.
==Gallery==
CDEFEB0E-8653-4837-B468-0EF576614169.png|"concept art" visualizing his design before writing anything down
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*going to make a rivalry situation with a skywing company working on the development of air balloons/blimps/etc. and currently focusing money developing their own ferry competitor until airships can be considered safe enough to use for multiple dragon use
*crux wants to poison them but :flushed: it doesnt work ???? 
**invites the skywing often so often to try poisoning them SO HARD but what the h??? its not working?? and now they look like really good friends who the public wants to see their relationship blossom
as for history notes
*develop the idea of his awkward uneven fifth leg
**"not buggy enough" on pantala and "too buggy" on pyrrhia
**defense from his parents made him think any time he's upset its justifiable and people need to bend to his whims to make it up to him. very bratty like this basically
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