Post by justin on Feb 5, 2011 15:22:42 GMT -5
~~~Welcome to Dreaming of Utopia!~~~
~~~The Basics~~~
Character Image
Character Name
Justin
Character's Origin
Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH
~~~About My Character~~~
What is your character's history? Are they a hero, or a villain, a sidekick or guardian? What has happened to them in their lives to make them the way they are today?
Justin was one of twenty rats who managed to escape from NIMH after enduring cruel and painful experiments. He and the other rats, along with eleven mice were given injections, which vastly increased their intelligence, giving them the ability to read and solve complex problems.
The secret of their gifts were kept from the human scientists, and one night, they made their escape through the ventilation system using strings to climb though the metal shafts. Tragically, nine of the mice were lost, not strong enough against the pull of the air when the system suddenly turned on. Justin mourned their loss, but knew that they had to escape.
Thanks to Johnathan Brisby, one of the two mice who managed to survive, Justin and the others were able to escape the miserable place and moved on to a small farm outside of the town. Four years since their escape had passed, in which time the rats continued to evolve, learning how to use electricity, avoid traps set by the farmer, and create a small village of sorts several feet underground.
But despite their intelligence, they were still forced to steal from humans, just as they had in their previous lives. Nicodemus, their leader, came up with the Plan, which was to move from the farm to a place called Thorn Valley, where they'd be safe from the humans. Justin, who'd been named the Captain of the Guard by the wise rat, fully supported the Plan, along with most of the colony.
Unfortunately, one rat named Jenner, vehemently opposed leaving the rosebush and was working to sway the others to his point of view. Justin was never too concerned with this, trusting that the council would back Nicodemus, and that Jenner would eventually give up.
The Rats of NIMH stayed in touch with Johnathan, occasionally calling for his assistance when they needed to be in the farmer's house for a long period of time. Farmer Fitzgibbons owned a ferocious cat, appropriately named Dragon. The only way into the house was through a tiny hole in the kitchen, which was too small for any of the rats to squeeze through. So, when such circumstances arose, Mr. Ages, the second surviving mouse would brew a powerful sedative which would ensure that Dragon would sleep for hours while the rats safely took what they needed.
One fateful night, when Johnathan was performing this favor as he had many times before, he was spotted by Mrs. Fitzgibbons, who responded by letting Dragon in. Johnathan never had a chance. When Justin heard the news, he deeply mourned the loss of his friend.
Nine months had passed when Justin met Johnathan's widow, Mrs. Brisby. Her youngest son was deathly ill, and couldn't leave the house. But the winter frost had thawed much earlier than usual, and Timmy was in even greater danger from Farmer Fitzgibbon's plow if the Brisby home remained where it was.
Mrs. Brisby came to the Rats, desperate for their help. The council agreed to assist her, and so it was decided that they would move her house to the lee of the stone, where the plow couldn't get to it.
Knowing that Dragon would once again have to be drugged for this endeavor to be successful, Mrs Brisby offered to be the one to put the concoction in his food. At first, Justin opposed the idea, not wanting to see her hurt. However, seeing that she would not be swayed, Justin agreed to meet her at dusk.
Justin coached her through, and though she was successful, she was caught by Billy Fitzgibbons, who wanted to keep her as a pet. Justin hated to leave her there, but knew that he was needed to help move her home. He left for the site, but promised to return for her.
Though a storm had started, and the mud was making the task more difficult than they would have liked, the move was going as planned, and the cinder block that served as Mrs. Brisby's home was several feet in the air, slowly moving toward it's destination.
Suddenly, without warning, the ropes began to snap, and the equipment fell apart. The house plummeted to the ground as Justin led the group of rats through the broken pieces of wood and pulleys, only to discover that Nicodemus had been killed, crushed by the wreckage.
Justin was devastated, but was quickly alerted to Jenner attacking Mrs. Brisby, who'd managed to escape the house to warn them that NIMH was coming in the morning. Justin bravely defended her, quickly realizing that what happened to Nicodemus was not an accident, and had been planned by Jenner. He fought against the evil rat, eventually gaining the upper hand and stabbing him with his sword. Jenner stumbled back as Justin turned to address his fellow colony. He decreed that they would journey to Thorn Valley that very night, leaving no trace of their whereabouts. Though Jenner tried once more to deliver what would have been a fatal blow, a rat named Sullivan threw a small dagger at Jenner's back, killing him instantly.
But their troubles were not yet over. Mrs. Brisby's house had fallen into the mud, and a cave in was causing it to sink. The rats hurried to tie ropes around it once more and pull it back up, but it proved to be impossible. Justin had no choice but to pull Mrs. Brisby back as they helplessly watched the house disappear beneath the mud. Suddenly, a red stone pendant that Nicodemus had given to Mrs. Brisby on behalf of her husband burst out of the mud, glowing brightly.
Justin and the others watched in awe as Mrs. Brisby took hold of the stone, the glow transferring to her. She held the one piece of rope that was still attached to the house, lifting it out of the mud and guided it to it's proper place. The effort was exhausting for the her, and she collapsed to the ground in a faint. Justin carefully cradled her in his arms and took her inside, laying her in her bed to rest.
After assuring her children that their mother was fine, just very tired, Justin turned to go, but a small tug on his sleeve stopped him. Mrs. Brisby had opened her blue eyes, and was reaching for the amulet around her neck. She reached for Justin's hand and carefully handed the stone to him. Justin didn't want to take such a precious thing from her, but Mrs. Brisby had insisted. The stone's powers could one day be needed again, and he could use it to protect the other rats, as she'd used it to save her children.
Justin was named the Leader of the Rats by the council, and continues to lead them in the way that Nicodemus would have wanted, living off their own efforts, rather than that of humans.
Describe your character's personality. What are their strengths and weaknesses, what are their passions? What qualities do they have that are good or bad?
Justin is brave and valiant, a true hero. He's a bit of a joker, and enjoys having a bit of fun, mostly with ruffling Mr. Ages's fur. Though he is often not as serious as the other rats would like, his heart is always in the right place, and it is this reason that Nicodemus put so much trust in him. Justin greatly respected his mentor, and still misses him deeply.
Justin's strengths, however, are also his weaknesses. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and greatly underestimates the darkness in others. Ever the optimist, he lets his emotions rule most of what he does, rather than his head.
But for all his faults, Justin truly is a loyal friend, and a great leader to the Rats of NIMH.
~~~Sample~~~
Give us a small sample of how you will play your character. Give us at least three paragraphs.
Justin sighed as he sat on the edge of the large stone in Farmer Fitzgibbons' field. His brown eyes focused on a particular spot below him, where one year ago today, Nicodemus had been killed, murdered by Jenner. The rats managed to clear the wreckage and buried their former leader in the spot where he'd fallen. Justin came here often, to visit Mrs. Brisby and her children... but today, he'd come for a different purpose.
"I miss you, old friend." Justin whispered into the wind. Tears began to leak out of his eyes, soaking into his fur. If only he'd taken Jenner seriously before, if he'd taken the time to realize how serious he was about not moving to Thorn Valley... Mr. Ages even said it, that Jenner would be their undoing, but Justin had brushed away his concerns, and it was too late for Nicodemus.
Unlike last year, winter was still in full force, and though there hadn't been any snow on the ground for several weeks, the earth was still hard and frozen, much like Justin's heart felt right now. It was rare for it to feel so heavy, and the pain of it was almost more than Justin could bear.
A cold breeze ruffled his fur as he pulled his jacket closer, trying to keep warm. Still focused on Nicodemus' grave, silent tears continued to fall as he found himself wishing to hear his voice... just once more.
~~~Bonding~~~
Why this character? What draws you to them, what makes you want to play them? Do you have anything in common with them?
The Secret of NIMH has always been one of my most favorite films. Though Mrs. Brisby is without a doubt, the true hero of the film, I always held a special place for Justin as well. Like I said, he's brave and noble, but also has a playful streak in him, which I think makes him a much more three dimensional character. He treasures his friends, much like I do, and follows his heart. I'd love to see where it leads...
What would you like your custom title to be? This can be anything you like in reference to your character and will appear under your name.
The Leader of the Rats
Who else do you play here?
Elisa, Giselle, and Eris
