Salmonella

The holy one.

"I'm a scum.."

—Sal, to himself.

**Salmonella** (サルモネラ *Sarumonera),* born **Sal Montana** (サルモンタナ *Saru Montana*) is a prominent character within the grey zone.

Salmonella is a holy figure in the grey zone praised for his "ability" to remove bad luck and his huge amounts of generosity. He is known to be charismatic and does not have a gang as many leaders offer services to him to pay back for his kindness. However, Salmonella eventually implodes with the guilt of his fake ability and withdrawal of the drugs he was taking and reverts to his former identity Sal, a depressed hitman who runs from his past.

## Appearance

#### **Salmonella**

Salmonella is a very tall man with a very muscular body. He has a similar face to Doghead (the blacked out head of a dog) with a golden flowing mullet. In addition, Salmonella's facial features are pure white, once again similar to Doghead.

Salmonella does not wear much clothing. He is often depicted wearing a black speedo (which is way too small). He can be also seen wearing camouflage pants but is never seen with something covering his chest. Salmonella's skin changes often depending on the weather, turning pale when it's cold and a tan colour in warmth. He is always sweaty from working out. Salmonella also has a third arm attached to his back. This is the arm he uses to preform his ability but it is a prosthetic.

#### **Currently**

Sal has many scars as to make sure people thought his crucifixion was real. He wears a medical eyepatch on one eye and has dark neck length hair. Although retaining his muscles, Sal took off his third arm and hides behind a thin red blazer which has a Lavender flower showing in the top pocket. This was a gift from Apollo. Though he does not wear a shirt and shows his bare chest in the blazer, Sal's entire body is covered in scars from the crucifixion. Despite not wearing a shirt and showing his bare body, Sal still feels the need to wear a black tie. The blazer is an attempt to hide the scars and still make people fear his strength. He also wears black gloves to hide his fingerprints. He wears classy shoes that are dull and dusty, he cannot afford shoe polish. He brushes his hair straight in an attempt to look completely different. Though his vision is blurry, Sal will not wear glasses as to remove himself of his past.

Despite the drastic change, the one thing that never changed was that Sal always wore a ring on his finger. In addition, Sal looked identical to his pre grey zone appearance before becoming Salmonella. The only difference is that he died his hair black.

## History

**TL;DR**: Sal was an architecture student who took his course abroad in England where he met his wife, who killed herself when Sal was falesly arrested for the deliquency his friend group got up to. Grieving his wife he moved to the grey zone and met Apollo, worked out with him and adopted a lost child. Sal, still grieving, took drugs and ended up attacking and ruining his friendship with Apollo. Sal would then take drugs everyday and take upon the new persona "Salmonella" where he would run around acting a fool. Eventually his drugs ran out and he crucified himself. He now lives as a depressed hitman.

**The Far Past**

Sal Montana lived in England studying Law at the University of Manchester. In this time, Sal rocked long shoulder length hair. His clothing consisted of a pink turtled neck with a trench coat never worn properly but around his shoulders. His most prized possession was his golden round glasses with pink lenses. At this time, Sal wasn't as bulky as he is now as Sal gained all his muscle mass in the grey zone. One night, after finishing class Sal began to walk back home. To his surprise, he was mugged and thoroughly beaten up. He had nothing on him at the time and was left unconscious in an alleyway. When he woke up, a small girl no bigger than 170cm was poking him with a stick. Her name would them be revealed as Himari Sato. Himari's hair was a dark brown colour and her eyes shimmered with the colour of a sapphire. Sal, in his rage, took the stick from her hands and threw it to the ground. However, instead of being petty and angry at him for his rudeness, she smiled. This shocked Sal as he didnt expect this. Himari picked up Sal and took him home with her as Sal was still a bit delusional from the attack. Himari explained how she was the exchange student from Japan studying in the same class as him. Sal had never noticed her. The doorbell rang and two other people walked in. Their names were Chris Moore and Chloe Brown. As time went on, these three would become close friends. Sal was often soft spoken and very charming during this phase of his life. The four of them would get up to trouble within their town being a general inconvenience to almost everyone. On one of their days of mischief, Sal had put Himari in a shopping trolley and ran out of the local Tesco with hundreds of pounds worth of products. They went back to Sal's small apartment and sat their laughing and giggling. Sal looked deep into Himari's eyes and held her hand. Sal kissed her. From that day on Sal and Himari were dating.

Often, Himari would ask Sal to sing for her. Sal's singing voice was incredible and Himari never grew tired of his sweet voice. Himari's favourite songs were Japanese, which prompted Sal into learning the language. They were truly made for each other.

Chris and Chloe would often bully them as they seemed polar opposites, a deceiving innocent girl who was really a mischievous delinquent and a sweet man trying his best to create chaos. However, one night whilst relaxing at Chloe's house, a police squad busted in and arrested them all. When interviewing Chris, the officer offered to let them free if they exposed who was behind all of these crimes. Chris blamed it all on Sal. Sal was jailed for a year. Everyday he would wait for Himari to come visit but she never did. He gained a strong hatred towards Chris and longed to talk to Himari again. After his jail time, Sal stormed into Chris's home, knife in hand. He slit his throat with a boxcutter he had snatched from a store and fled the scene of the crime looking for Himari. It was not Sal's luckiest day.

Himari's home was baron, empty. Roses lined the door and a framed picture read "We will miss you.". Sal broke down the door and rushed to her bedroom. Laying there in the middle of the bed was a ring and a single small note. "I'm sorry I couldn't ask you.". Sal learnt the week he was jailed, Himari killed herself. Himari relied on Sal and was deeply in love with him for the five years they were together. They were destined for each other but Sal wouldn't be so lucky. Sal lied in her bed for weeks, missing lessons and not showering. He would drink cans of beer and sniff the old teddy which smelled like her citrus fragrant hair. He recalls these day's so well, within such tragedy he found fake happiness within drugs, booze and tears. The only time he would leave her room was to read the paper as to not completely lose touch with the world as he had already missed the final year of his law degree. This was when Sal learnt about the fall of the government in a place called "the grey zone". Sal glanced at the ring that he put on the bedside table. The ring she was going to marry him with. He was to start fresh and not just have Himari love him but everyone in the world. He put the ring on and left his life in England to live in a place where you were free of your past. Leaving the burdens and chains of responsibility.

**Origins**

When Sal arrived in the zone, he knew nobody. Nothing had changed much about him apart from the fact he would now dye his hair. Sal had heard exercise would help with his depression and went looking for a gym. In his quest, he stumbled upon Apollo in a junkyard. Apollo explained how he would come here and use the abandoned gym equipment to work out. Apollo was just 23 around this time. The two of them would converse and help each other with their workouts. Months passed and Sal went through rigorous training. However, Sal had gained a physique of a body builder and did not lose any of his bad thoughts. In a fit of desperation, Sal purchased copious amount of drugs from Alessandra. On his first dosage, Sal had taken too much. Not enough to kill him but enough to make him have one hell of a trip. For a brief moment, Sal felt serenity. A feeling he hadn't felt since, her. Sal was at peace. Unfortunately, it did not last long. Sal's chest tightened and reality clasped him. He finally realised Himari was not coming back. He had been in denial ever since, reaching at strands, hoping that it was all a lie. But Sal knew now, he would never be truly happy again.

It glinted in his eye. The boxcutter he had kept from killing Chris. It just had to be coincidence that he had kept it. Nonetheless, Sal awoke the next day passed out in front of the gym doors. Apollo saw Sal half dead waking up at the doors and helped him up. Apollo asked Sal what was up and Sal spilt everything.

Apollo didn't expect this from Sal. He didn't know anything about his past life, his struggle with bronchitis due to the pollution in the zone or the son he had adopted. Due to Apollo's kind nature, he took Sal home to help him get over the past and give him advice. Sal didn't tell Apollo about the drugs. Though sceptical, Bucket allowed Apollo to keep Sal for a few nights. That night, whilst all alone, Sal felt the drugs in his pocket. He remembered the blissfulness and went for another round. Sal swallowed them and braced himself. This time, Sal's mind warped. His vision twisted and turned. Sal tried to collect his thoughts but only a few forced themselves into view. Sal felt like he had told Apollo too much. He felt like he didn't need Apollo's pity, he was fine by himself. Sal couldn't have everyone love him if they knew about his past.

It glinted in his eye. The boxcutter. What better weapon to kill the box wearing man. It was destiny. Sal stumbled and wobbled at first but slowly got his footing. He thudded his heavy feet on the ground searching for Apollo. Apollo didn't expect anything. He wasn't wearing his mask. Sal, still delusional, began to hack at Apollo. Sal managed to stab Apollo's abdomen leaving a small wound. But more importantly, he was able to scar his face. Apollo pushed Sal to the ground and the large sound alerted Bucket. Weapon in hand, the girl chased Sal from their house. Sal felt more alive than ever. The rush of adrenaline was better than any drug he could've bought. He wanted to run away from his past but right now, he felt like he was living it. Eventually, Sal was able to outrun Bucket. As he trekked back to the apartment, Sal noticed a dog mask in a trash can. He would get everyone to love him. If he pretended to be someone else, someone who could help and be of use, maybe people would love him. Sal slipped on the mask and Salmonella was born.

**Jester**

    Salmonella was a saint. Unlike the gangbangers and thugs, he was one for justice. Everyone loved him. After all, a body builder dog mask would make anyone laugh. But it wasn't his appearance. Salmonella's personality would brighten up anyone's day. However, it wasn't true to Sal, as he was drugged out of his mind. Salmonella was convinced, in his ever-lasting high, that he had the ability to remove people's bad luck. His mind's way of perceiving people enjoying their time around him. He would hold rituals, and people would believe him. Unfortunately, more so inevitably, Sal ran out of the drugs he had bought from Alessandra, he had one left. Knowing nobody would like him as Sal, he concocted a plan to leave swift and painlessly his false persona. Sal took the last one and got to work. He spat on some thugs and let them beat him mercilessly. Bruised, he used his own boxcutter to scar his eye. The final part was simple. He would crucify himself.

#### **Present day**

Sal was trapped. He couldn't return to Red Eye. He couldn't apologize to Apollo. He bought himself a new suit and bandaged himself up. He was like a new man. He couldn't ever be as good as Salmonella. He spends his days taking hit missions, brutally beating people to death on the command of his employer and drinking himself to sleep. A vicious and never ending cycle.

## Personality

#### **Salmonella**

Simply put, Salmonella is Sal high on drugs. Throughout this period of his life, Sal would take all the drugs he had left in his small packet. Sal would take them everyday and trip for two days at most. He would prance around in his speedo and dog mask becoming loved by everyone for his stupid nature and charismatic character. Gang leaders loved him so much, they would give him gang members. Salmonella named these his disciples. Sal barely remembers events from the peak of this period. What he does remember is when he ran out. Sal's withdrawal was unimaginable. Almost instantly, he feels useless and horrible. That's when he noticed one last one. He took it and his altered mind conjured a plan to leave this persona without disappointing his fans. That is when he crucified himself. Sal was knocked out cold on the cross for two weeks. Salmonella was simply a junkie with no respect for his body.

#### **Currently**

Sal is very depressed. He becomes a nihilist believing life is meaningless. He becomes a raging alcoholic. Sal stresses constantly about someone finding out his new identity. Sleeping on the streets, Sal often cries at night in secrecy. Sal wishes he wasn't alive. He feels he is a husk of a man and now he will never be loved. Sal wishes an opportunity would arise, a door to open, a reason for him to enjoy living again. Sadly, nothing is waiting for him. All he can do is sing to himself, until the end comes for him.

Sal hopes, once he finally escapes the pit he's dug for himself, he can leave the grey zone and search for Himari's grave. So they may speak once again.

## Abilities

### Bad luck transfer

Salmonella has the ability remove someone's **bad luck** (不運 *Fuun*) . However, the bad luck is then passed onto Salmonella or someone else . This causes Salmonella to often hurt himself due to the bad luck he gives himself. Also, his mental health deteriorates as his personal life falls apart. Salmonella could use his ability to transfer big amounts of bad luck upon people killing them in an instant but does not, as he refrains from violence. He does not use this ability after becoming Sal as to hide his identity.

In honesty, Sal's ability is completely fake. It is truly just a placebo that his fractured and lonely mind hallucinated and believed to be true. His confidence rubbed off on those who he "redeemed". The mental and physical deterioration as a side effect is nothing more that Sal's guilt.

### Disappointment

Sal was bestowed the ability of **Disappointment** (失望 *Shitsubō*). This ability allows him to disappoint almost everyone he meets, refraining him from making friends. He often writes about the failure to make friends within his diary.

### Sledgehammer

By the command of his employers, Sal has to make his killings painful (this is the reason for the high pay). For this reason, he uses a **sledgehammer** (大型ハンマー、大槌 *Ōgata hanmā, Ōtsuchi*) to use blunt force on everyone he kills. Sal found the sledgehammer by the side of the road and knew it was the weapon for him. Sal often thinks about the moral choices he's made after bludgeoning someone to death with it. Often, he wishes to give it a name so he can treat it like a friend but fears like everyone else, even the sledgehammer would leave him.

It is known that the sledgehammer is the same sledgehammer from before Sal became Salmonella from when he raised Red Eye as a hitman.

## Trivia

* Salmonella was one of the first Gangsonas created.
* Original concepts to Salmonella include: A scythe for a weapon, being dog head's Indian cousin, an obsession with justice and a lack of the Sal personality.
* It is rumoured that in his speedo, Salmonella lacks genitals. Instead it is believed he has a fourth arm.
* Sal has chronic bronchitis so the Salmonella mask had an air filter in it, stolen from Red Eye.
* Sal's unofficial theme is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHquHx1JsLM.
* Sal can speak basic Japanese.
* Though he once took drugs, Sal is now completely clean of drugs despite being an alcohol.
* Sal is a great singer.