Conrad 'Birdie' Nigellus

> If all you're gonna do now is chase after ghosts, then I don't want in on it.
>
> Conrad 'Birdie' Nigellus

* Mistral
* Illyria

Conrad 'Birdie' Nigellus is a main character in Team OPRA's Story. He is a student at Haven Academy and a member of Team CRTN with Edwin Cobalt as his partner. His weapon is the Electric Guitar and Battle Axe combo called This Machine.

## Appearance

### Physical

Standing at 5'11 and weighing 145lbs, Birdie has tanned skin with lilac purple eyes and a rectangular head shape with a pointed chin and chiseled jawline. He has back hair styled into a pompadour with one strand that sticks out the other direction in front of his fore head. He has a firm and slightly muscular physique.

### Attire

Birdie’s attire consists of a white t-shirt tucked into a pair of black jeans, which are in turn tucked into a pair of washed out black jeans. Over the top, Birdie wears a coal black leather jacket. On his feet Birdie wears a pair of black doc martens. Birdie also wears black gloves to protect his fingers from the hard-light dust strings.

### Post Time Skip Attire - Black Parade

After the fall of Beacon, Birdie and his team are relocated to Illyria along with Team OPRA. There, Birdie dons new outfit thanks to Albert and the Illyrian Army. This outfit has Birdie wear a white button down shirt with a black tie tucked into a pair of black trousers. Over the top, Birdie wears a black leather vest with vine decorations on one side On his feet, Birdie wears black ankle boots with grey straps. Birdie also grows out his hair longer into a shaggy cut with a right-swept fringe.

## Personality

Birdie is a casual, laid back and charismatic young man. Being a musician, Birdie always enjoyed the spotlight and attention of others. He is very flirtatious much to his failures to court someone. Birdie also has a deep passion for music, this being very apparent in his weapon and demeanour. Birdie firmly believes that music can make an impact on the world around him. He is bitter and angry about how the world has treated him and his fellow people in Mantle. Birdie is also a devoted son to a strong single mother, but is often curious as to *who* his biological father is.

Birdie is also seen as a bit of a schemer, often making up plots on his own that can give him the upper hand in battle. Because of this, he often finds himself electing to ignore the plans and orders given out by others, evident in how he often elects to outright ignore Tanner's carefully set plans in favour of his own path to winning. This leads of Birdie becoming something that of a wild card, even a little unreliable in the eyes of some.

However with this attention seeking attitude, Birdie often comes off as vain to those around him and especially boasts about his status as a minor celeb in Mantle... which only works sometimes. Birdie is also monetarily 'greedy' by some accounts, and his reasons to be a hunter sometimes lead those to look down on him since he is only seemingly in it for the payment it gives.

After the collapse of Beacon, Birdie was almost a little too fine with being shipped off to Illyria instead of taking the logical choice to go back home to Mantle and be with his mother. However, deep down Birdie just wants to continue his stream of payment so he can *support* his mother. But during their time in Illyria, Birdie begins to grow frustrated with the state of his team, especially with Tanner’s obsession with finding Mai. This ultimately culminates during Volume 5, where Birdie goes as far as to chastise his team for their attitudes and attack Tanner after finding out his plan to find a White Fang base for help. However, while Birdie still holds Tanner responsible for their predicament during these events, he slowly begins to see his reasons to find Mai after talking to Idina.

## Background

Conrad 'Birdie' Nigellus was Born in Mantle to Brina Nigellus. Brina was a single mother, having given birth to Conrad out of an affair with a mysterious man who Birdie had never learned the name or identity of. Conrad grew up struggling in Mantle while the wealthy elite of Atlas had never had to worry about staying alive in such a nightmare of a city. When Conrad was 5 though, he watched a street performer on the main strip of Mantle's mall. The way that the street performer enraptured and caught the attention and admiration of the audience amazed the young Conrad and because of this he began to show a love for music. At 10, Birdie received his first guitar and began to teach himself how to play.

Growing up on the streets of Mantle, Conrad began to form connections in the local underground music scene. While it was not safe for a 12 year old to wander alone in Mantle, Conrad had the smarts to go the right places for the most safety. At first people in the underground clubs and bars were concerned as to why a young teenager would appear, but those worries would become amazement at the sight of Conrad's talent with a guitar and his voice. One instance, an owner told Conrad that he sung like a little 'Birdie' and Birdie took on that monicker.

Birdie and his mother struggled financially but with these new gigs playing for various clubs, Birdie would be able to support his mother financially. But with the rising in utility and rent prices, this would eventually not become enough to support him and his mother. It seemed as if they would face their greatest fear of losing a roof over their heads but while wandering home, Birdie came across a group of thugs beating up on a faunus kid his age. Birdie tries to intervene only to be beaten up by the thugs before they leave. The kid, Isaac, helps Birdie and tells him about a dojo he can go to train at if he wants to actually win in a fight. After that, Birdie never saw the kid again but on his way home he passed by a poster that called for the enrolment of students to become hunters. As he stared deep into the eyes of the valiant hunter on the poster, Birdie had an epiphany, a realisation. If he couldn't support himself and his mother through music, then becoming a huntsman could.

Brina was understandably against the idea of Birdie becoming a hunter. She feared the worst thing a mother could: losing the only child she had left. But Birdie insisted by explaining how he could help her financially and ensure the security they both deserved... maybe even get far away from Mantle and buy a house on the coast like Brina had always wanted. This possibility eventually swayed Brina and she gave her blessing for Birdie to start his training. Home grown talent outside of combat schools was a rarity, but Birdie's appearance at the dojo he was given the name of would be the start of his journey.

At first Birdie undeniably struggled with his training at the dojo. The masters there did not hold back in the sheer physical demand that they wanted from their students, especially for Birdie if he wanted to become a hunter. Through the next three years, Birdie would push himself further and further to become better. Whenever he felt he couldn't, he'd think about the future of him and his mom in the coast-side house they deserve, one far far away from Mantle as possible. During these three years, Birdie would save up enough of his own money to have his electric guitar converted into the weapon he so wanted: An axe. He called it *This Machine*, as a tribute to the people who fought for equality and a voice in Remnant. During those three years of training Birdie also discovered his semblance, unfortunately accidentally stunning himself in the process.

Birdie's training and persistence would eventually pay off as he was accepted into Haven with just enough to provide. With Haven academy on the horizon, Birdie hopes that becoming a hunter will be enough to provide for him and his mother, and is willing to do what it takes for survival in Remnant.

## Abilities and Powers

Birdie is the close to mid ranged style fighter of CRTN. He uses his axe for heavy swings and clean swipes at his opponent to do the job quickly and cleanly. He is able to both defend himself with his axe as well as having a good grasp of having hand to hand combat. With his semblance, Birdie can catch enemies off guard and disorient them to gain the upper hand. While he is seen as a rogue element in combat, Birdie often creates quick and on the fly schemes that have varying success, though this proves he works well under pressure and can invent tactics in quick thought.

### Weakness

Birdie is often a rogue combatant and will often disregard battle strategies and tactics to enact his own ideas that he thinks will give him the upper hand. This has caused Birdie to fight enemies with strategies that are filled with flaws and play into his defeat such as his fight with Rocky Argyis. In addition to this Birdie is limited in range, making him easy pickings for snipers and archers. Birdie is also not immune to his own semblance which can harm him as well as his opponents.

### Weapon

Birdie’s weapon is called *This Machine.* It is the *Electric Guitar Battle Axe (EGBA).* In it’s standard form, This Machine is a black and grey electric guitar that Birdie plays in his spare time. It has a dark grey neck with a black body. On both sides of the guitar's bodies are steel silver platings. The guitar uses strings made from hard light. By pressing a button at the bottom of the guitar neck, an axe's head and back-spike fold out from the head of the guitar. The hard light strings will dissipate in this form as well.

### Semblance

Birdie’s semblance is called *Spotlight*. Spotlight allows for Birdie to create flash bangs based on his aura-laced sweat. By working up any swear on his body, Birdie can use his aura-laced sweat to create blinding flash bangs on the fly that can disorient enemies. In a pinch, Birdie can disorient enemies and gain the upper hand in combat by blinding them suddenly. However, Birdie himself can also be blinded by his flash bangs if he does not avert his vision, leading him to usually turn his head away from his swear when he uses his semblance to avoid being blinded.

## Relationships

### Team CRTN

* Edwin Cobalt: At first, Birdie enjoyed teasing Edwin but that was quickly mitigated with surprise over Edwin's confident and competitive attitude. After that the two men form a strong brotherly bond. Throughout their period of studying at Haven and Beacon, Birdie often wishes that Edwin would go with his plans over Tanner's, thinking that his semblance would be perfect for his schemes. Beyond that however, the two men see each other as good friends and very talented fighters.
* Rosi Aime: Birdie took an immediate liking towards Rosi. He deeply admires her aspirations to become a disaster-relief huntress and help others in need. He also respects her status as a faunus woman and is not afraid to stand up for her if she faces harassment, much to her own ire and insistence that she can handle herself. Deep down, Birdie hopes that he can maybe help Rosi with wanting to make the world a better place for people whose lives were upended by disaster, because he knows that when it comes to equality, nobody should do it alone.
* Tanner Ackerman: There's no doubt that there's a definite strain between Birdie and Tanner. He's always shown a particular distaste towards the people of Atlas, especially the elite and the military. And with Tanner being all three of these things, Birdie has reason not to trust him. Birdie particularly loathes that Tanner thinks he can boss his team around because of his status as an Atlesian. Over the course of their time training to become hunters however, the two men begin to show a begrudging respect for one another, especially their tenacity for planning/scheming. But after the Fall, Birdie begins to doubt Tanner and become annoyed over his new sudden devotion to find Mai, knowing that it's only going to end badly.

### Team OPRA

* Ophelia Demoiselle: 'Cute' is the one word that Birdie would use to describe Ophelia. He enjoys getting a rise out of her and making her flustered through teasing her. However, Birdie also secretly admires Ophelia and her persistence, seeing her as a good leader.
* Pierre Navarro: Birdie has positive opinions about Pierre but like with a lot of people, often feels creeped out over the idea that he's *definitely* hiding something.
* Rhea La Roja: Birdie has good opinions of Rhea, and particularly enjoys her sharpshooting skills. However because of his flirtatious attitude and often cocky arrogance, he has definitely noticed that Rhea doesn't share the same opinions as him. He doesn't mind, maybe he can do something to change it one day.
* Albert Régalien: Unlike Birdie's distrust towards Tanner for his status as an Atlesian Army Brat, Birdie and Tanner immediately founded a deep, brotherly bromance with each other. The two young men particularly bond over their journey to seek romance and flirt with cute girls during their time at Haven and Beacon, much to their failure.

### Other

* Brina Nigellus: Birdie loves his mother deeply. He is an unashamed mother's boy and will always do anything she asks. Because of this, Birdie hopes that through being a hunter he can financially support his mother and also hopes that they can live a better life together in a world like Remnant. With this goal, Birdie stops at nothing in his path to be a hunter so he can provide for the only family he has left. Deep down however, Birdie feels that his mother knows the true identity of his father and maybe she is hiding it for his own 'wellbeing'.

## Trivia

### Allusion

* Birdie alludes to the character of Conrad Birdie from the 1963 musical *Bye, Bye Birdie*.

### Colour Naming Rule

* Birdie's real name, Conrad, is a Proto-Germanic name meaning 'Bold Ruler', indicating to colours of nobility such as gold, red and purple. His nickname Birdie is a slang term used for birds.
* His last name, Nigellus, is an old english last name meaning 'Black'.

### Miscellaneous

* Birdie's guitar, *This Machine*, is an allusion to the term 'This Machine Kills Fascists'. The term was coined by American folk musician and anti-fascist activist Woodie Guthrie, who famously had the phrase painted onto his guitar. This phrase has become an icon of anti fascism culture, especially in music.
* Birdie is skilled in Electric Guitar and Bass.
* Birdie's favourite band is Speaking Mouths, which is a reference to the 1980s New Wave Alternative Band Talking Heads.
* Birdie's star sign is Virgo.