Pendulum

Darius Abdoulaye Kalende, aka **Pendulum**, is a superhero and a mentor to Multi Sharp and many Flickr Fighters. He was instrumental to the hero's early career and helped play a part in association along with the team he belonged with.

## History/biography

### Origins

Darius Abdoulaye Kalende was born on 1987 to a pair of famous scientists in Senegal. His birth was complicated by his weak eyes prone to light sensitivity. He had to wear goggles designed by his mother, which could be retracted on the sides of close to his temples. She died when he was 5, leaving it as a gift and a tool.

Darius' father took his family to Pretoria to live for a few years, and eventually was raised in the United States when Darius turned 9 in 1996, settling down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Darius never knew the truth about how his mother died, but was eventually told by his father that she died from uncontrollable powers, due to an accident which spiraled out of control, and he inherited it as a secondary gift.

As he entered his teenage years. Darius would comply to his father's experiments in order to train himself in his powers, which the latter agreed to do so and monitor him safely. He eventually followed his father's footsteps in becoming a scientist, graduating from the University of Philadelphia in his 20s, with a PhD in earth science. Before Dr Kalende retired to Senegal, he reminded his son that practicing in martial arts like he did as a child was a great way to control his stance and keep himself in check.

### Early career

Darius kept his father's science work on hold as he would eventually research them in time, and became a part time professor at his university he graduated. To earn further money, he became a martial arts instructor when he moved to Boston, Massachusetts for work exchange. It was here where he met Jonathan Mak (the future Multi Sharp) in October 2015. He would visit Jon's dojo where he worked as a part time assistant. Darius dropped in as a regular and would secretly spar with Jon in secret, teaching him how to fight with advanced techniques. Both men kept a strong friendship and even fought together as mentor and protege while in their alter egos, but on January 3rd, 2016, Darius parted ways with Jon, which they would still keep in contact with one another, albeit not much when time went on.

### Encountering Villany

After the exchange ended, Darius returned to his home in Philadelphia. He would come across Brevan Dodds, (aka Faceglass). They would become enemies as they fought one another.

In 2017, Dodds would encounter his then protege, Sharp himself. Through their fights, Dodds discovered the connection between them as mentor and student over time. Darius contacted Jon in order to tell him of the villain's presence, which he did so. In an effort to rob a bank on a wide scale, Darius and Jon teamed up to beat Dodds, as he was taken to and locked away in Ravenwing Asylum

## Return

In 2020, Darius reunited with Sharp once more, after having travelled around Senegal and Africa. He was called by Jon acting as a emergency team, as he was out of backups. Darius accompanied Jon and Paola across wide scale adventures, where they would

Darius would help train Sharp and Paola in further chi meditation and fighting styles in between, to fulfill 'purity techniques'. Both would follow closely and executed his moves to near perfect replication.

When Jon and Paola eventually became a couple, Darius jokingly teased both by saying he would dedicate to their wedding with rocks and marrying them in a volcano (this was a poke at Paola's fiery personality and their close chemistry with one another). By October, Darius was invited by Sharp to join the Flickr Fighters, which he agreed and signed on as the resident dojo master and martial arts instructor. He would also return to his position at teaching at the University of Philadelphia.

## Personality

Darius often showed a calm demeanor, and was like a big brother to everyone else. He loved science like his parents did, and often honored his mother after her death by promising to be a better hero. Despite the lack of a maternal figure in his childhood, his father managed to be there even if he could not fill the void, as his father was concerned what could have happened to his powers, and sought to find ways and efforts to which Darius complied.

As a teacher and instructor, Darius was well loved by everyone, including his students and earned mutual respect with the people at the dojo. His relationship with Multi Sharp was very brotherly, as evident by their interactions and Darius willing to train the younger hero after dark, as well as fighting side by side as vigilantes. He would dedicate his hard work to the sciences as well, keeping a similar mindset as his father intended.

## Powers and abilities

**Trajcectory manipulation:** Inherited from his mother, Darius partook in voluntary experiments and training, and is very skilled in this power. He can curve bullets, projectiles and etc when used from his own array or from enemies.

**Link sharing:** Due to his impaired vision, he can share what he sees through his perspective and views with others, but only from those he trusts. It acts as a guidance tool as Darius used it to train Multi Sharp in stealth and combat.

**Martial arts prowess:** Briefly trained by his father in his late teens and eventually on his own, Darius was well versed in Escrima and Okinawan fight styles. He also knew boxing and Muay Thay.

**Chi control:** While not a superpower, Darius follows various Buddhist beliefs and regulates this self control, as it was a family tradition. It could help heal his internal energy and spirit faster and enjoys meditation, which keeps his emotions and feelings at bay.