Niccolo Salinas

## Description

He has lighter brown skin that in his hybrid state, carried his fainter tabby stripes, and brown cat ears too. He'd got some fur alone the back of his neck trailing from his hands and cat paw pads on his hands. Niccolo also has retractable claws in this state and a thin, tail that gets fluffier near the end. He has amber eyes.

He often can be seen in a larger hoodie and with or without a beanie depending on the day and his mood. He prefers jeans over other forms of pants.

## Personality

Niccolo is introduced as a shy guy that doesn't like confrontation and someone who tends to be more supportive than anything. He doesn't want a central role in anything despite his boyfriend's position and them being animalfied first. Niccolo is quicker to second guess himself and thus, leaves decisions to those better than him. He's seemingly nervous or reluctant around Kiemo too and there's tension there.

Eventually when he becomes leader, he takes massive amounts of responsibility on for himself but still doesn't want to act, wanting all the details first before acting. He's terrified of making mistakes and will do anything to avoid them. Niccolo also has a belief that he must save everyone and anything less isn't okay and pushes himself hard because of that. He also seems self-aware as he knows what he's doing a lot and feels guilty for loving someone other than Morgan so quickly, but feels he deserves an escape and to live for himself too.

## Story

#### Pre-Rp

Niccolo grew up living with his father, eventually leaving for the new school due to his treatment at his past school and for opportunities. Sometime before coming to the school, Kiemo and him had been close, tension somehow sparking due to an unknown event and causing them to treat each other badly, Kiemo more so due to his emotions surrounding the matter. They never expected their paths to cross again though as Niccolo switched schools again.

#### The Rp

Niccolo was surprised to meet up with Kiemo again at the school, his shock making him cower, especially when Kiemo remained openly hostile to him. Morgan protected and defended him a bit from the boy but Niccolo didn't disclose the exact reason for why Kiemo had been so hostile out of shame and guilt. Instead, he continued to fail at different battle tasks where Kiemo succeeded due to his interests in hunting and weaponry. Niccolo chose not to care and instead bonding further with Morgan. The two hung out more in spite of Kiemo where they were the first ones tracked down and captured for the experiment. They awoke in the same room together and Niccolo tried to escape before passing up. Upon waking up, he didn't want anyone to see him in the state he was, but eventually allowed it for Morgan, still timid but steadying himself. They were broken from the moment as another student-Domingo-started dying. They went to help, but they weren't fast enough and Niccolo witnessed his first death.

Niccolo remained close to Morgan and they began to date, Morgan serving more as a leader for the students in the given moment while Niccolo was his second in command more than anything. Niccolo never cared for leading and was able and willing to leave most to Morgan, only offering love and support, something that soothed him. They would attend many dances together and Niccolo would be there watching and supporting, never pushing himself in too much. However, as Morgan's condition worsened and Kiemo had taken power, they reached a rough patch. People would come to him wanting to know what Morgan thought they should do and at first, Niccolo struggled to cover things up. Niccolo went back to Morgan to discuss what to do and he was instructed to promise to help the people around them. Niccolo accepted, choosing and promising to lead until Morgan was better. He never wanted this position but it was too late to refuse.

While Morgan was unable to be out and about giving direct support and leading, Niccolo did it in his place, having to challenge Kiemo in the process. Kiemo didn't take nicely to him and would openly mock his name, in front of him or not. Niccolo didn't retaliate directly, his first interest being the people he supported and his group. He refused to jump into Kiemo's mission of escaping without planning, resorting to researching until they knew why they were there and what awaited them. This annoyed Kiemo who saw it as Niccolo being cowardly and indirectly killing them with his inaction. This isn't entirely wrong. What was made worse was Kiemo and Niccolo's secret pasts that kept them both from working together and the fact they'd once had a bond, Niccolo wouldn't directly kill him. He was okay if someone else would but his hand couldn't do it. Even if he wanted it. He continued to be leader and was shocked when Kiemo had rigged the Battle Event (of 2019). He was terrified to watch without being able to help as Kiemo attacked Fletcher and nearly killed him and his resolve began to change. If he needed to kill Kiemo to stop all of this...he might be willing. But there was obviously more going on here.

Niccolo worked to protect Fletcher and the others, overworking himself as he carried the secret of Morgan growing weaker. He pushed passed his worries, sending himself into harm's way during the raids. He also defended Fin's involvement with Kiemo when it came to light and let him join as a spy, urging everyone to trust him, presumably because he'd look like a hypocrite if he didn't. Fin and him had a good relationship because of this, the two often trusting each other. Niccolo also had Zakra in his corner, someone he trusted as his second-in-command. When Morgan eventually passed away, Zakra supported him and talked to him, the other man having lost his boyfriend to the researchers as well and they needed to continue. It was clear, however, that Zakra hadn't moved on and when they went on the raid, Zakra was trying to figure out what had happened to his boyfriend. They ended up getting the picture and getting Michael Lucas' file which Zakra kept on his person, revealing the contents to no one but himself as Fin made a copy of the image. This cost them time and in it, the researchers found them out and Zakra was killed. They were unable to keep the body in order to grieve and return it to Chaison. Chaison turned his back on Niccolo, blaming him for Zakra coming with in the first place.

Niccolo needed to name another second in command after Zakra to preserve the peace and normalcy and in part because of her connection to Red and because Otis would endanger Fin, while guiltily reminding him of Morgan making some of Niccolo's actions harder to carry out without being disturbed or questioning himself, he chose Savannah. They questioned him about this and he answered honestly for the most part.

He assists with the rescue of Red after Kiemo asks and looks distrust as Kiemo whispers something to him after they save Red.

Niccolo is reportedly visiting his group less and less and assigning Savannah instead in his absence. Eventually when he holds a meeting, Chaison challenges him before leaving. Niccolo doesn't try hard to defend himself and looks suspicious in turn. He accepts this before Gagan and Fletcher are later ridiculed and upon their return, he exposes the fact he knew about the missing but did nothing in order to keep what little they had alive. He self-exiles, perhaps out of duty or to avoid consequence and shows up at Ilya's classroom to ask for a part in their assassination of Kiemo.

Niccolo seems bent on this plan and aims to finally take responsibility before he notes Emory in the halls. He resolves to try and get information out of the person once closest to Kiemo but Emory matches his wit. Emory tries getting things out of Niccolo, while also being depressed over his own situation and Kiemo not sharing his feelings for him any longer. Niccolo eventually remarks that he can relate to those feelings when Emory asks what his relationship was to Kiemo. Though Niccolo implies he doesn't feel this way any longer and it's very complicated now. Emory also calls out Niccolo's behavior, comparing him to Kiemo and explaining that Niccolo's a killer too even if it's indirect. His plan is heckled too by Emory who instead proposes that they both will kill Kiemo if he crosses or betrays them. But Emory insists that Kiemo's changed. Niccolo doesn't believe this but also made his new promise where he wasn't going to let anyone die, especially not because of Kiemo. He proposes a meeting between Kiemo, Emory, himself, and a neutral party. Emory agrees to ask Kiemo and they meet at the fountain Niccolo has history with. Niccolo double crosses Kiemo here bringing Fletcher instead of Savannah and Chaison, who hates both Niccolo and Kiemo. Kiemo is defensive in this situation but Emory gets Niccolo to spill what he knows. Niccolo confesses to his affair with a researcher and that he knew about the condition of the world outside. He claims he told no one out of fear people would lose their already fragile hope and that he could protect them. He also didn't want them leaving and more getting killed. If they stayed in stasis, no one would die. Chaison asks if he told Zakra and Niccolo says no, he couldn't break his spirts. Chaison is upset with this and that Zakra died getting information Niccolo already knew. And Niccolo didn't tell him. Chaison threatens Niccolo who weakly tries to defend himself while partly believing he deserves this but was also right, a necessary evil. Kiemo pulls Chaison off but threatens Niccolo himself to get him to reveal more of what he knew. Kiemo spills about the fence just enough to satisfy people and ultimately, the groups agree to let Kiemo have Berris alone at the time of their escape if all groups work together to escape.