Tick

### Relationships

Tock (Sister Figure, deceased); Kinoshits Naoki (Father Figure); Four (Adopted Daughter); Sam (girlfriend); Snow (Biological Daughter, deceased); Damien (Semi-Biological Son, deceased); Lily (Ex-Girlfriend, deceased)

## Professional Information

### Nationality

American

**Tick** is a formerly freelance figure featured primarily in the Spiral Phase Arc. He is portrayed as a slightly unhinged character who will do morally questionable things to get what he thinks he needs. He takes partial responsibility for many of the events in the Spiral Phase Arc.

## Appearance

Tick is a white male around six foot one (one-hundred and eighty-five centimeters). He has long hair which is orange colored, styled in a messy ponytail. His left eye is missing, right eye colored green.

Tick is seen wearing grey loose fitting coat over a tank top. The tank top has a white cross pattern on the front. He wears black pants.

On his right arm and shoulder there is a tattoo. The design of the tattoo is abstract, seeming to be some sort of demonic figure surrounded by clouds and what may be machinery.

## Personality

Tick is a blunt and straightforward personality. He is very forward, even to the point of anger and violence. He has passion for the things he believes in, striving to find answers and figure out the best way to deal with a problem. This makes him seem bullheaded, incompetent, and sloppy at times. Under all of this is a father and a boyfriend who cares deeply for his found family. He would go to the ends of the earth to ensure that his family is safe, healthy, and alive, no matter the cost. This can be seen in the way he is willing to sacrifice himself at Sera's hand for the safety of Sam and Four, and how he accepts Watanabe's proposition after the doctor explains that Shibata will not stop coming after him until he and his family is dead. His family's safety is his primary goal, even at the expense of his own health.

## History

### Discovery

As a child, Tick suffered from an unknown accident which left him an orphan. He found himself on the streets of Academy City, having to fend for himself. He didn't even know his own name. Eventually, he was found by a woman who called herself Tock. Tock took him in, named him Tick, and integrated the young boy into her team of freelance agents.

Tock entered Tick into the ESPer program, where he developed the ability Time Dial. Tick never developed past Level One, which caused Tock a great amount of disappointment and anger. This eventually led Tock to physically punishing Tick, going as far as to take one of his eyes from him.

### Spiral Phase Project

Accustomed to his new lifestyle, Tick joined Tock in her journey to Academy City. He was too young to understand what was going on at the time, which was Tock becoming involved in a secret experiment. This experiment was called "Spiral Phase." The name referred to a recently developed ESPer power that had been observed overseas. This ESPer power was developed by an unknown and unidentifiable gemstone. The goal of this project was to replicate the ability and allow access into something called the Spiral.

The project lasted years, and overtime Tick became close with another member of the team whose name was Lily. Lily and Tick had close relations, eventually resulting in Lily becoming pregnant. Lily disappeared after that, not wanting to give the young Tick responsibility over a child.

The test subject for Spiral Phase died. A replacement was needed, and a young girl was brought in. This young girl's name was Snow. Tick did not associate himself with her much, especially after being blamed for the former test subject's death by Tock. After a few more years, Snow fought back against the Spiral Phase project and escaped. During this escape, Tock and Belle were killed. Tock was killed by Snow, and Belle was killed by Tick. Tick was the final survivor of the Spiral Phase team, leaving the facility behind to find his own way in Academy City. He swore vengeance against Snow for the death of his surrogate sister.

## Synopsis

### Pre-Dual Skill Arc

After the death of his sister, Tick was forced to fend for himself. Not knowing what else to do, the young boy threw himself back into the life he had always known. He became his own boss, in a way, taking up whatever job paid the most and honing his skills. He met another young girl named Sam. The two survive together for a long while, Sam eventually opening her own gun shop in the black market district. Tick grew away from Sam for a period, until he was reunited with her after losing a fight that nearly cost him his life. He moved in with Sam and over time the two fell for each other. After this, Tick no longer wanted to be in the line of work that he was. He wanted to clean himself up and be an overall better person. In doing this, he met a man named Kinoshita Naoki. Naoki saw in Tick what Tick could never see in himself: A good person. Naoki offered Tick a job at his mechanic's store, which Tick took with great gratitude. However, things did not stay uncomplicated for long.

Tick met a young girl named Four. Four was like him, but far more timid. He took her under his wing, adopting her along with Sam. Through Four and Naoki, Tick was caught back up in the fray. This came about in the fashion of Hako, who is an artificial intelligence program based around Naoki's granddaughter.

### Dual Skill

Because Hako was caught up in the Dual Skill group, Naoki, Tick, and Sam offered their help in the group's escape. Tick was reluctant, but obliged to give his aid. During the climax of the arc, Tick and Sam gave their help in the group's escape.

### Spiral Phase

After the events of Dual Skill, Tick received a phone call. Upon answering it, he learns that Snow has returned to Academy City. Reluctant and angry, Tick refuses to help. However, he seemingly has no choice. Tick goes to where Professor 17 calls him to, meeting Sera Scarlett. He and Sera are to work together to find out why Snow has returned to the city, and to bring her back to him. Tick is still reluctant, knowing the kind of power that Snow holds. He agrees.

After some time, Tick finds himself fighting against the young woman and his former mission partner (Sera Scarlett) in an attempt to bring the two down. After failing, he meets a boy named Damien. Damien holds the same ESPer ability that Snow did. Tick agrees to help him, the new goal being to take down Spiral Phase once and for all.

In the events that ensue, Tick finally seems to get his revenge. Snow is killed, Professor 17 is killed, and the Spiral Phase project is shut down. This ending, however, is bittersweet. Tick knows things now that he did not know before. Things that have changed him. Snow was his daughter, conceived during his relationship with Lily. Damien is a by-product of Snow, making him Tick's son and giving the blow of the boy's death an even greater impact. Something in Tick has changed deeply. Something he can't figure out.

After putting Damien's body to rest, Tick returns home.

### Time Skip

During a period of void time, Tick pulls away to try and find himself again.

### Post-Time Skip

After the time skip, Tick is not the same person he used to be. He is reclusive from his family, often being out for days at a time without checking in. He's taking more risks, nearly killing himself in some of his antics. The biggest of these being his decision to join team GHOST. Team GHOST is the newest edition in the Spiral Phase madness, and it is something that Tick plans to play a key part in. Why?

Well... in his own words... "Mark it up to personal feelings."

After GHOST's first mission, Sera Scarlett attempted to assassinate him on orders from Takeshi Shibata. He accepted his fate on the condition that GHOST leaves his family alone. Sera sends the killing blow, but Tick is saved last-minute by a mysterious group. Dying, Tick is rushed into a biologically altering surgery. He is only one of thousands who takes part in this expirement, and is the sole survivor. After being dropped off in the hospital, Tick makes his way home. A few nights later, he becomes sick and throws up a strange liquid. This development pushes him to contact the doctor who claims to have saved him. This doctor is named Watanabe Kihara Yoshito. The doctor explains that Tick is going through a transformation, in which he will end up as a Chemicaloid. Watanabe instructs Tick to hone the powers he has been given, in order to kill Shibata. Tick accepts.

## Quotes

* "Please."
	+ Tick, begging Tock to not fight Snow on the day of her escape. These are the last words he spoke to her before she died.
* "Mark it up to personal feelings."
	+ Tick speaking to Takeshi Shibata, explaining his reasons for joining team GHOST
* "There was no saving her."
	+ Tick, speaking of Snow after her death
* "We've both seen what she's capable of. We've both *lost* people, even if you don't have a *shred* of empathy for those people, because of her. I'm not about to risk my life or some girl's because you're caught on some dead fantasy."
	+ Tick speaking to Professor 17
* "You know Four... you're my hero, too"
	+ Tick speaking to his adopted daughter

## Fun Facts

* Tick is based off of a RWBY oc, meant to be the smaller brother of the in-show character Tock
* Tick is based loosely off of the Lost Boys from Disney's *Peter Pan*