Impact the Shrimp

Impact the Shrimp is a Sonic OC made by KitsuneSoldier who appears in his stories. Impact is an anthropomorphic mantis shrimp and the self-proclaimed "sheriff" of his home, Lone Star Island.
To be reworked.
==Concept and Creation==
Impact was created because, similar to Tangle the Lemur, I wanted a character based on an obscure animal who could do a lot of cool things. Ultimately, I chose one of nature's real-life superheroes: the mantis shrimp. With its cool design and ability to lob destructive shockwaves, I came up with the basics of Impact's character. “Impact” just sounded cool for a guy whose deal is punching so hard it makes shockwaves - the name was decided before he even became a cowboy.
The original version of him lacked the cowboy motif and was a more laid-back, neutral character - he’d randomly pick whatever side he agreed with more in any conflict. However, when I joined Tumblr's Sonic community and told them about Impact, one user, can't remember who, said I should make him a cowboy. This inspired me to make him into the passionate sheriff he is now. His MS Paint design was created in a sudden eruption of motivation (I get those) long before I ever actually dedicated myself to Sonic art.
Impact, after like 6 years since IDW Sonic first came out to inspire his creation, would eventually be dusted off and re-exposed through Tumblr's Sonic OC Showdown, where I would refurbish and develop multiple new ideas around him.
==Appearance==
Impact is an anthropomorphic mantis shrimp with primarily teal skin and exoskeleton, and purple eyes. Uniquely, his hands are large pincers, highlighted in red, as are the patches of fur-like fiber on his forearms and legs. He sports a pair of multicolored antennae/feelers which curve down over his eyes, resembling eyebrows of sorts. The area around his mouth is white, with orange freckles. His stomach is plated with orange and red chitin, contrasting the teal chitin on his back and tail. He is highlighted in cyan on his arms, antennae, and tail.
For attire, Impact wears a pair of brown and red-brown cowboy boots, a brown cowboy vest with yellow buttons, and a red-brown cowboy hat with a dried sea star as a badge. While Impact’s attire may seem impractical underwater, it’s actually made of the same materials as swimwear, allowing him to comfortably swim and operate underwater with it.
==Personality==
TBA
Impact tries his very hardest to give off the aura of a gruff, intimidating cowboy, but whether he can really pull it off tends to depend on the situation. If he were to interrogate someone, his attention to detail could leave them a confessing wreck, but confront him in broad daylight and it’s Impact who may crumble.
Outside his hometown on Lone Star Island, Impact instantly starts acting more casual and lax than the “sheriff” mentality he keeps up at home. He doesn’t have to maintain his image out in public.
Impact secretly has a special interest in outer space and space travel, originated through a rabbit hole he fell down watching space westerns and eventually Super Robot anime series. He is known to keep costumes of some of his favorite pilots and heroes for Halloween and costume parties, and often hide the fact he owns them or has even watched the shows and movies. His ultimate fantasy is getting to become a full-fledged "Space Sheriff." He was always a bit of an imagination-powered kid, so he grew up calling his room his "outpost" and had a lot of cowboy-themed stuff in there. Some he wore out, some he just accepted being too old for, but there's still many an artifact and many a fond memory. In spite of his wild cowboy antics, he likes coming home after wild adventures and crashing in his own familiar bed.
==History==
Impact was born and raised on Lone Star Island, son of its sheriff. However, shortly after Impact was born, his father left the island, leaving Impact in the care of Archer the Fish's parents. As he grew up, him and Archer being like brothers, Impact swore to continue his father's legacy and become sheriff of the island, despite there not really being any crime there.
Lone Star Island resembles a mix of an Old Western town settlement and an idyllic seaside tourist trap. The main industries are fishing and mining, from surprisingly intricate underwater caves on/off the shore. The most famous person born on the island is Nile the Humpback Whale, a famous singer.
Due to the island's isolation, Lone Star only occasionally made contact with the outside world. Impact managed to make a living his own way. As the "Sheriff," Impact generally wanders about and does nice things for the community when he's needed - you know, if a seagull steals a donut or something.
==Powers and Abilities==
Impact’s pride and joy are his two pincers, which he can move at speeds exceeding sound. In addition to rapid-fire barrages of punches, Impact’s claws can be thrust forward at maximum velocity to perform the Pistol Fist, a shockwave attack that strikes with incredible force when used on land, can literally cook his enemies when used underwater, and has enough recoil to launch himself through the air or even allow him to run at high speeds by punching backwards.
Other than his hands, Impact’s eyes are his greatest asset, as he can see more colors and details than any other character, often noticing things that others don’t. He’s got a really keen eye for detail even without those colors, an almost photographic memory if he wants to have it.
Being an aquatic creature, Impact is an adept swimmer, and is also able to breathe underwater.
==Weaknesses==
Impact is secretly horribly afraid of the dark, as he refuses to enter deep water when he can’t see what’s in it. He even sleeps with a night-light - shaped like a star cowboy badge, on top of that.
==Relationships==
===Archer the Fish===
Archer is Impact's childhood best friend, brother figure, the brains to the shrimp's brawn, and in Impact's words, his unofficial "deputy." Both of them have long promised to take care of each other, and have saved each other's lives multiple times. Archer actually knows the truth behind the lack of an official sheriff on Lone Star Island and what Impact's father had done over the years, but could never bring himself to tell the shrimp. He was there by Impact's side when he had to go through the motions of finding out the truth.
===Friends/Allies===
* Archer the Fish (best friend)
* Bridgit the Stilt Bird
* Nile the Humpback Whale
* Flip the Salmon
===Neutral===
* Tyler Saurus (arch-rival/love interest)
==Trivia==
* Impact was my first real attempt at making a serious Sonic OC. He is meant to be a more down-to-earth OC who would not be out of place in the IDW comic world, or by extension the game world.
* Impact is actually not the first Sonic character to be a mantis shrimp, that honor going to Captain Striker, though Impact is based more directly upon the species. Captain Striker was, however, used as the basis for Impact's design.
* Originally, Impact was going to have a crush on Knuckles the Echidna. When I realized I had no actual plans for them to meet, I decided to give Impact a more natural love interest in the form of Tyler.
* While Impact is a power-type character, his special ability, rapid-fire punching, is more connected to speed.
* People frequently underestimate Impact’s age, much to his irritation. He blames his freckles, but won’t cover them back up.
Category:KitsuneSoldier
Category:Characters
Category:Heroes
Category:Males
Category:Aquatic Species
Category:Cowboys
Category:Cooks