Clement Cores

> "Look, I don't want any part in the spat you and Grayscale have, Ms. Light. A customer is a customer. I don't take sides in either argument. If Grayscale offers me an opportunity to create gear for her, I will take it. In fact, I shouldn't even be talking about what she wants to order. You can't make me spill the details, Ms. Light. Even if you so happen to be the Commander of the Protectors."
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> -Clement Cores[1]
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**Clement Cores** is a minor character in the roleplay. He is a Portuguese diminutive who serves as the blacksmith for the Protectors and Preservers, specialized in developing armor for both organizations. The wings, bracelet, cape, and hat decor featured on both groups are developed by him.

His first name, "Clement", is derived from "complement", based after his complementary color scheme of green and pink. His last name, "Cores" is derived from the Portuguese word for "colors"; it is pronounced with two syllables, "ko-res", rather than "cores". This is a constant bugbear for him in the roleplay, such as Chroma Key calling him "Calvin Coles" or BTJ calling him "Clement Coles".

## History

Clement Cores first appeared in post 17045 in a phone call where Dark Light called up on him to check up on him if he is still available, in which he answers and states that he was looking forward to making gear for the Protectors again. At the time, he was residing in Isle Delfino, searching for potential new materials to refine his armor. It is through him where he mentions that Grayscale was also accepting new members, much to Dark Light's dismay.

During Clement's stay at Isle Delfino, in Gelato Beach, Clement finds an empty vial on the beach while searching for seashells, contemplating to make armor specifically to address Dark Light's fear of water. Due to his sharp nose, he realizes that it contained the lost life essence of a Protector; this causes him to call Dark Light to inform her. Dark Light then tells Clement that the life essence was Ray Trace, who had his sucked out by the Marine family. Clement then wished luck on Dark Light on finding Ray Trace's lost life essence, as he and Dark Light both knew how life essences can embody another life form and make it much more difficult to find.

Clement was then subject to being kidnapped by Chrysolite Marine, as a last ditch effort due to her husband, Beryl Marine, being captured. This causes Grayscale to then kidnap Ultra Violet to blackmail the Protectors, which eventually led to Ray Trace kidnapping Scatter and Crepuscular Beam in retaliation. During Clement's stay with Chrysolite, he was busy making gear for her own personal use, though a bit indignant over Chrysolite's impatience.

Clement was eventually rescued by a deal struck between Mija and Chrysolite, where he and a recently captured Chroma Key were set free by Chrysolite in exchange for Mija slaving away for Chrysolite. This is where he met Chroma Key and introduces himself to both him and Gamma Yoshi and what he does. When the Protectors, powered up by Power Crystals, ask Clement to join them on their rescue mission, he declined, stating that he is not a fighter and that he prefers to simply live in peace.

## General information

### Physical description

Clement Cores is designed after an early Japanese character design for the cover art of *Vs. Wrecking Crew* until he was changed to Mario. The design was chosen due to a close resemblance to the Baby Mario Bros. and that it was a unique body design for a diminutive. Clement Cores has eyes in the shape of Pac-Man, while his nose is pointy and sharp for a diminutive. Clement Cores wears green overalls and a green hard hat, where he wears a pink shirt and magenta shoes. He typically carries a hammer, which is used to forge the armor used for the Protectors and Preservers.

Clement has other members of his family, which presumably have the same design as the characters in the early Japanese *Vs. Wrecking Crew* art, all who have the same, signature, pointy noses.

### Personality

Clement prefers not to get roped in affairs of others, sticking to what he does best, which is his metallurgy, and he values being paid for his work. He tends to speak briskly and in a staccato manner, and he forms sentences with short phrases. Whenever he addresses someone else, he speaks professionally and formally addresses them by "sir" or "ma'am". While he has his own ethics and morals, the sole reason he does not join the Protectors and Preservers is their tendency to get in fights which each other; he would rather be in the back stage making weapons without getting involved. Though he does not like being held hostage by Chrysolite, he still acted indignant due to her impatience, suggesting that he can be defiant, especially by those he perceives to not understand his process of working.

He is trilingual: he can speak Portuguese (his native tongue), Spanish, and English.

### Powers and abilities

Clement is mostly an ordinary diminutive, though his nose is particularly sensitive to materials and can be used to detect odors of all sorts, which aids his metal forging. He and his family are experienced in metallurgy, which is the main reason the Protectors and Preservers chose him to forge their equipment for them.

### Relationships with other characters

Clement has a high amount of respect for Dark Light, though he does not like being embroiled in her affairs. He always politely and formally addresses her whenever he has to speak with her, and he enjoys crafting armor for her group. In addition, Clement and Redshift are closer friends, due to a similar cultural heritage and both being able to speak Spanish.

Clement respects Grayscale far less than Dark Light due to her past history of initially being in the Protectors, though he is still willing to work for her as Grayscale is a notable and one of his best customers. On the flipside, Clement is one of the few people Grayscale does respect due to his keen ability to forge metal for her and has been her favorite blacksmith.

Clement despises the entire Marine family, barring Aqua Marine, and he especially hates Chrysolite Marine for kidnapping him, making him stuck in a "smelly, musty dungeon", being very creepy, and forcing him to make armor for her, even if he was still getting paid to do it. He has constantly referred to her as "Chrys the Sea Scum".

## Quotes

* "*Isle Delfino. Very tropical here. Lots of fruit. Won't make for good metal for weapons though.*"[2]
* "*Yes. That's precisely why I'm not part of your little group. Or hers. I'm doing what I love without all of the drama between you. Anyway, Ms. Light, are you gonna hit me up with an order? I don't want to be talking about this all day.*"[3]
* "*I'm really sorry ma'am. For what happened to your sergeant. I'm afraid he's going to be gone forever. There's no way we can retrieve his valuable life essence mixed in the giant ocean.*"[4]
* "*Madam, I am not a perpetual motion machine. I don't like being held against my will, being stuck in a smelly, musty dungeon. I've got my own plans. Sure, the pay is good. It doesn't feel good when you're constantly hungry all the time and you haven't seen sunlight for days.*"[5]
* "*Mãezinha...I've done everything that you wanted and yet you wanted to kill me anyway? Look, ma'am, I've told you already. I can't make exactly what you want without being back at my place. No way. This is unfair now.*"[6]
* "*You claim you're a Protector, eh? Huh. Well, you're not officially one yet. You don't have my wings on you. Nor my cape. Maybe that's why Dark Light called recently to chat with me.*"[7]
* "*Well, err...he DID save me, but yeah. You don't want to mess with Chrys the Sea Scum. She's very nasty and extremely off-putting and creepy. Ugh. I have a feeling with that...errr...Mija under her control, she's going to do a lot of horrible things now that may increase the time spent on this adventure.*"[8]
* "*....you see why I don't officially join you and the Protectors? Stuff like this. I can't believe guys treat me like a PRIZE that you have to win over, you know? I hate that.*"[9]
* "*No. As much as I appreciate you guys saving me, especially with your new recruit, I'm afraid I'm still not going to fight for anyone. I'm simply not a fighter. I prefer to live in peace. I can help you guys make armor and some weapons yes, but actual combat? No, I'm going to sit this one out. I can look after your base if you like. Maybe as a reparation for your rescuing, I can repair your armor without a cost. That's the least I could do for you.*"[10]