Brayden Forester

Brayden is a new kid recently moved into Glade Park. Raised by a sheltering helicopter mother, he doesn't know that much freedom, but still tries to fill the boring hole in his young life with anime and games. But moving to a small town in the mountains has begun to improve his social life surprisingly enough, as he's become closer to a smaller, but connected group of other children his age.

## Concept and Creation

Brayden was mostly created as a joke. Meant to be a parody of kids who come from sheltering, upper-middle class, white suburban parents. However the joke was more of a reference to his mother, Karen, and Brayden was just an additive with a stupidly "unique" name and extreme naivety.

However, I'm rarely satisfied making supporting characters that are merely a one-note joke, so it was decided that he would play a role in the story where he tries to form a friendship with one of the main characters, Agil, and would act as a foil revealing Pin's issue with jealousy. After that story will be told, he'd continue as a supporting character, possibly with his own arc on the side.

## Personality

Brayden is extremely naive and sheltered. He knows very little about what the real world is like, and all the harshness that comes with it. He's quick to assume the best of every situation, which in some cases might make him seem either optimistic or plain stupid, but it's simply from a lack of knowing the most realistic outcomes. He also thinks he has better social skills than he really does. He is under the perception that he is charismatic and great with people, but in reality he can come off as a little bothersome and tiring.

He certainly has an issue with empathy, as he has also been constantly shielded from seeing or witnessing emotional pain. While he doesn't have any malice towards anybody, he easily misunderstands emotions and can't wrap his head around specific troubles that others are going through. That being said, it is difficult to have a serious talk with Brayden, but most children stick around him as his energetic demeanor keeps their interest.

## Relationships

### Karen

Karen, of course being Brayden's mother, has a lot of love for her son and he has love back for her. That's just the way it always has been. But it's still not the perfect relationship between them. Brayden is very obviously her favorite child, and he actually finds some discomfort in that as he still loves his older sister too. Karen often puts her son on a pedestal and shelters him way too much, and he's not totally aware of this fact considering how young he is. He does get tired of how over-protective she can be and he wants to have more freedom but feels restrained by her.

### Pin

Brayden has a great relationship with Pin. They're the best of buds, purest of pals, amazing amigos! Well... at least Brayden thinks so. Even though Pin is the type of guy who likes everyone, he sometimes cannot stand Brayden. Brayden is blissfully unaware of this fact and believes that they're good friends, even though it is painfully obvious to everyone else that Pin cannot keep up with his high energy. But Brayden don't care, because even though their personalities will often clash, they still get along well from time to time.

### Agil

Brayden thinks Agil is really cool. For starters, he wasn’t in town during her bad phase, so all he’s seen of her is a chill girl that disappears to the woods all the time. To him that mystery is kinda interesting, and he wants to pursue a friendship with her, but not necessarily a romantic relationship. However, a LOT of people believe he has a crush on her, even though he has nothing close to that. He’s just passionate about his platonic friendships.

## Trivia

* Brayden is forced to wear a bright orange hoodie all the time as his mother is paranoid of him being hit by a car.
* He is also a total weaboo and has written off all american animation in favor of the japanese variety.
* Yes, he has styled his hair in an attempt to resemble a super saiyan. However he doesn't have enough hair to do so, so instead he plays it off like he styled it to look like Phoenix Wright