Michael Navel (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fbilittleguy) wrote2012-12-10 04:35 pm
fbilittleguy) wrote2012-12-10 04:35 pm
Entry tags:
Little Guy || Trauma Team || Application for Somarium
[Player name] World
[Age] 20
[Personal Journal]worldrescue
[Other characters currently played] N/A
[Character name] Agent Navel, "Little Guy"
[Age] Approximately 29
[Canon] Trauma Center series (Second Opinion, Trauma Team)
[Point in time taken from canon] The very end of Trauma Team.
[Background]
As a note, Navel is only a side character in the series, and little is known for sure about him. I will do my best to create a comprehensive background based on the information we are given.
FBI Special Agent Navel, or "Little Guy" as he is widely known, is an ex-terrorist, FBI Special Agent, and presumed con man. The name and background he gives to the FBI is not his true self, but an assumed identity- as such, most of his history is unknown. His first appearance is in Trauma Center: Second Opinion, where he works for the terrorist organization Delphi: a cult-like underground society lead by a man named "Adam." Delphi's goal is to annihilate humans and bring the world back into a harmonious state with nature where only members of the cult will be allowed to survive. One of Delphi's primary goals is to eliminate modern medicine, or at least provide a deadly enough disease that modern medicine will be unable to combat it. Much of their time is spent terrorizing the UN organization "Caduceus," a branch of the WHO that specializes in finding cures for severe diseases in many parts of the world. Alongside renowned scientist Kenneth Blackwell, Little Guy stayed faithful with Delphi until their demise, and had a small hand in unleashing their most deadly pandemic, GUILT.
During Navel's employment, Delphi hired an underground Doctor, Naomi Kimishima, as a double agent. Kimishima became nationally reviled in Japan after she was discovered to have used a healing magic, known as the "Healing Touch," in the operating room. Delphi offered to create a new identity for her in America: they gave her a new name and set her up with a post at a Christian hospital, St. Francis, as a cover. Kimishima's main job would be to report to Delphi and assist with illegal operations whenever necessary, as well as aid them with inhumane research. When she agreed, Navel was tasked with supervising Dr. Kimishima and ensure her orders are properly executed, as well as helping her maintain her fake identity and chauffeuring her from job to job.
During their time together, Navel came to find a peer in Naomi. Even when his job did not call for it, he remained by her side during difficult situations, such as during an outbreak in the Delphi facility, or when she insisted on treating a man during a blackout. Eventually, Delphi was stormed by the FBI, and Navel and Naomi were forced to part without much of a goodbye. Navel narrowly escaped, one of the few Delphi employees who managed to flee from their Santa Balboa base without being caught.
To be truly free from both Delphi and the authorities, Little Guy realized that he must create a new identity for himself. Over the next year, he constructed an American persona and assumed the name "Michael Navel." He faked university documents and previous employment records to show that he was highly educated and trained in computer sciences and forensics. To hide in plain sight, satisfy a desire for power, or even to test the strength of his lie, Little Guy immediately applied to work for the very authority that had spent a year searching for him: the FBI. His forgery went undetected, and Little Guy was hired as a special agent. Stationed in Portland, Maine, Little Guy was assigned as a liaison between CIFM, the Cumberland Institute of Forensic Medicine. To his surprise, his partner was to be no other than Naomi Kimishima, who had been hired there as a coroner.
Their first meeting ended badly. Naomi was very cold to the Agent, and angered by his smug behavior. She had spent the past two years in Witness Protection, and disgusted with how he had managed to fool the FBI, gave him the insulting nickname "Little Guy" as a refusal to call him by his new name. Naomi threatened that if her past work with Delphi was ever called into question, she would rat him out immediately and have him arrested. Still, Navel chose to stay with her, curious as to why his friend had changed drastically in two short years. In truth, Naomi was suffering from a terminal genetic disease. She was given only a few months to live, and chose to spend that time doing good. Navel does not learn this until the end.
Some time into their now cold partnership, Naomi and Navel are called to investigate a high-profile case, "The Raging Bomber." As Naomi and Little Guy had gotten too close to solving the mystery, the bomber targeted Naomi to put an end to their investigation. Unfortunately, Naomi's young neighbour Alyssa took the package that was meant for the Doctor, and the bomb detonated in her home. Naomi tried to rush into the burning building to save the girl, but Little Guy held her back - her home had collapsed on top of her, there was nothing more Naomi could do.
Bodies are recovered from the wreckage, but only Alyssa is alive. She is rushed to Resurgam First Care for surgery, but is at the brink of death. Though Naomi was disturbed that such a young girl had been put in harms way, she decides that she will solve the case in Alyssa's honour. She suddenly becomes a much stronger, more confident woman, and Little Guy expresses his surprise: the old Naomi Kimishima he admired has returned.
Eventually, Naomi and Little Guy discover the identity of the bomber, a woman named Sandra Lieberman, and Naomi goes to investigate the bomber's home while Little Guy tries to find where the woman has fled to. When Naomi enters the house, she is trapped in a room with five time bombs. Little Guy, expecting that she might encounter a trap, calls to make sure she is fine: Naomi pretends that nothing has happened, and tells him to continue his investigation. After disarming the five bombs, Naomi learns that the bomber had been headed to attack the First Lady at the Portland Airport. Disturbed that Naomi's line had gone silent, Little Guy phones her again, and Naomi tells him where they must go to find the bomber.
At the airport, Little Guy and Naomi confront Sandra, who has taken a plane hostage. Without regard for what might happen to her, Sandra has attached explosives all over her body. Little Guy tries to talk her down, but when Sandra makes a remark that she was disappointed she didn't get to see Alyssa "blown to cute little bits", Little Guy's cool attitude snaps and Naomi must take over. During their discussion, Sandra has an attack of an unknown illness, and drops the bomb's remote. It hits the floor and ignites the bombs, killing the officers surrounding her. Little Guy knocks Naomi to the ground and shields her with his body, and as soon as the explosion has subsides, takes charge and frees the hostages. The case of the Raging Bomber now solved, Naomi and Little Guy return to their normal lives... or so it would seem.
Following this incident, a massive outbreak of viral hemorrhagic fever grips Portland. Naomi and Little Guy race to find the cause, having pinpointed the origin of the virus to be a young girl named Rosalia who was killed two years ago. It is in this mission that Little Guy and Naomi are perhaps the closest. The two of them discover why she was killed and where the virus came from, and develop a serum. Little Guy, perceptive that Naomi felt deep regret for Rosalia, gives Naomi a "gift". He takes a broken tape recorder that had been discovered at the teen's home, and though he was not instructed to do so, or even allowed to do so, restores an audio file of the young girl talking about how happy she was to have lived and how thankful she was to be able to have a part in healing other people (as Rosalia's blood was being developed into medicine by her father, a researcher, at the time of her death). Naomi is appreciative, thankful that they solved the case and cured thousands of people on Rosalia's behalf.
Following this, Naomi approaches Little Guy. After another case solved and a serum made for those who had been dying from the pandemic, there still has been no word on what will happen to little Alyssa. Little Guy tells her that she will be put into a state-run orphanage. Naomi pleads him to allow the FBI to give her custody. Though Little Guy is not supposed to make such negotiations, he agrees to do it for her.
Though no sooner than Little Guy gets Naomi custody of Alyssa does Naomi succumb to her genetic disease...
This ends Little Guy's main role in Trauma Team. He does show up briefly in Naomi's hospital room after she collapses, but this is the last he is seen. It can be assumed that following Naomi's recovery, Naomi and Little Guy continue to work for CIFM as partners.
[Personality]
Above all, Navel is a self-preservationist. He is not (as far as we can tell) governed by a sense of right or wrong, but is more or less morally neutral, doing his best for the side he currently stands on. There are an equal amount of times where he acts almost sinister compared to when he acts kind-hearted, and it can be assumed that he does this based upon which role he has stepped into. His sudden change in attitude between the first and the second game fits with a self-centered perspective in his life. He will do whatever necessary to ensure his survival, even if it is unethical or against the law. During his time in Delphi, he begins to adopt the ideologies of his employers, seemingly not out of personal belief but to keep himself from suspicion. For example, he claims to Naomi that they must do evil things to be "completely freed from the shackles of modern medicine", seemingly contradictory to his forensic work in the next game. When he is employed in the FBI, he seems to find the thrill of his work and the intellectual challenge in tracking down criminals more important than actually doing good. Working in the FBI was definitely for his own benefit, as he now has a powerful organization to work for and hide behind. He does not try to convince to Naomi that he has had a change of heart, nor that he was a good person all along and only did what he thought was right: he seems to find her initial opinion on him, that he is a worm who should be thrown out if he weren't useful to a good cause, reasonable.
Despite this, Navel also seems to have a natural kindhearted streak. He seems to be troubled when those who do not deserve it get into danger (that he can see the immediate effects of, anyway, since helping to kill hundreds of innocent people indirectly with his GUILT research didn't seem to make him lose any sleep). In the Delphi base, when researchers have been infected with GUILT and are dying, he shows little guilt or concern for not protecting them, and sending them right back to work without time to recover. However, when a paparazzo crashes his car into a brick wall while trying to chase Little Guy and Naomi, instead of insisting that they leave no matter what, Little Guy turns around and assists Naomi in saving his life. He also loses his temper at the Raging Bomber when she suggests it was a pity that Alyssa did not die.
He is somewhat maladjusted to normal human interaction. He is out of touch with every day life, and in more than one occasion, is puzzled as to why someone acts the way they do. He is shocked, for example, that a couple did not file a missing person's report for their daughter when she had been missing for a month: Naomi must remind him that tension between a young adult and their parents is quite common. At one point, when an old man lies about committing murder in order to protect the true killer's identity, Little Guy expresses that he doesn't understand why someone would be willing to be killed for someone else. When Alyssa visits Little Guy in his office, he isn't sure how to deal with her as he hasn't spoken to a child before, and awkwardly allows her to do as she pleases. After Alyssa's accident, Naomi is forced to continue investigating the Raging Bomber case. Though the 8-year-old child is dying, Little Guy remarks to Naomi: "Well, as long as she doesn't blow you up, everything will be okay!" Naomi takes offense to this, but instead of getting angry with him, warns him that he should avoid talking like that. Only then does he realize the implications of what he has said, and extremely embarrassed, apologizes. In life outside of his job, Little Guy is clueless.
"Do they have any small domesticated animals in their home?"
"They're called pets, Little Guy."
But one thing he is talented at is thinking like a criminal. He mentions that he is very good at detecting lies. As a man who has spent his who life lying, he boasts, he can see through any act. Little Guy interrogates many of their suspects personally, mentioning that it "takes a liar to catch a liar." Together, Naomi and Little guy have put many criminals behind bars, in small part due to Little Guy's persistent interrogations and dedication to catching the true criminal.
Navel always appears outwardly cold and serious, only becoming more open once someone gets to know him. He is usually level-headed and calculating, but tends to have emotional outbursts when confronted with something that he doesn’t know how to handle. During the Raging Bomber case, Little Guy notices that the guitar of a 50's musician he admired has been destroyed, and he throws a very passionate fit. When he meets the Raging Bomber in person, during their exchange he loses his temper and curses at her until Naomi cuts him off.
He is somewhat of a charmer, never missing an opportunity to impress someone (for example, he dresses up fancy in order to catch the attention of a camera crew outside the CIFM building, as well as sporting an unnecessarily stylish haircut and shades as a Delphi agent). His serious line of work also does not stop him from maintaining a history of dry and sarcastic jokes, as he teases Naomi continuously to try and gain her affection.
Because of his dark history, Little Guy has little fear of danger. He is a leader, brave, and cool-headed in a crisis. He is unafraid to do what is necessary: he physically holds Naomi back when she tries to save Alyssa's life, realizing that Naomi's impulse to do good could get her killed. He very calmly takes command after the Raging Bomber ignites a bomb in an airport: though many people had just died a few feet away from him, including his superior, he immediately gets to his feet and begins giving orders. He is even direct and authoritative to Naomi during the crisis, who he normally speaks to far less formally.
From what we see from his work in Delphi and in the FBI, he is dedicated to his job. He will do whatever necessary to ensure that his employment goes smoothly. He understands his place in the power hierarchy, and respects it, almost never abusing his position. Only Naomi is able to shift his priorities: he feels a certain affection for her, as he blushes at her touch and basks in her (however few) compliments, though his feelings are not reciprocated. Both of these factors may be due to an ingrained sense of loyalty towards those he can trust. When Naomi became sick and needed surgery, he was one of many who came rushing to her aid. When she is confronted by the Raging Bomber, Little Guy dives in front of her to protect her from an explosion. When Naomi begs him to personally bargain with the FBI and grant her custody of Alyssa, he first protests that such a request will put his job on the line, but eventually agrees, as he values their relationship. As Naomi leaves, he bashfully remarks that he's always been wrapped around her finger. Naomi appears to be the closest person to him in his life, as his solitary living due to his dark past has made him aloof and perhaps somewhat recluse.
[Abilities] Little Guy is very adept at finding information because of the nature of his post as an Agent. He has impressive offhand knowledge about forensic sciences, weapons such as guns and bombs, and criminal psychology. Though most of his job involves running samples or comparing information through a computer, he is able to answer many of the scientific questions Naomi poses to him off of the top of his head. He also, privately, has an enthusiasm for music.
As well, he’s a somewhat practiced bodyguard and chauffeur, knows how to handle a gun, and can drive a wide range of vehicles. He is also skilled at interrogation.
[Other important stuff]
As Little Guy's first name (of his assumed identity) was never revealed, there are a few fan names for him. One of these is Michael, so I will refer to him as Michael Navel when necessary. It is a pseudonym, anyway, so it isn't important whether or not it is actually his real name. (For the record, he wasn't given a real name, either: we are only told the name he is using is fake).
Also, I have to explain that it is never said what the reason is that Little Guy entered the FBI. For all we know, he COULD have had a change of heart. But from his past and current behavior, and very little evidence towards the idea that he is actually acting out of the "goodness of his heart" (he IS living a lie, no matter how you cut it), I will play him under the assumption that he is ever the self-preservationist and criminal he was in Second Opinion. Of course, he's not a bad person by any means! But I will operate with the headcanon that concepts of what is right and wrong don't particularly affect him.
[Sample post]
[First Person]
You see a bloody knife on the floor. What do you do or think?
It would take me less than an hour with a computer and the right equipment to get a full analysis run on that blood...
You're asked to take someone out for a date. Do you agree? If so, describe what you would do. If not, tell why.
Uh. Why would someone ask that? Is it for some sort of... political purpose?
If it would get the information we need for a case, or if it would improve relations with someone we need to impress, fine. I'll meet with this girl, feign interest, and the night will be over. I'm not interested in tying myself down to anything yet, though, so I won't promise more than that.
[A beat.]
...It is a girl we're talking about, right?
Your country is in the middle of a war. What do you think of it? Do you support it or try to solve it yourself by going on an epic quest? Explain.
Be ideal if you want, but war isn't going to disappear. These things are better handled by the government. One person working on their own is going to get themselves killed. But I'm not stupid enough to pledge myself to just a flag. If I had the choice, and it ensured me a comfortable life during this war, I'd do what I could for whichever country has the better odds. And trust me, I'm pretty confident that's going to be America.
Would you consider yourself a lover, a hater, a sinner, or a saint? Or maybe a mix?
Hah. Wouldn't you like to know, Doctor? [He looks pleased at his joke, but then his cocky smile fades.] ...I actually have to answer this? You're kidding.
[An annoyed sigh. What's with all the personal questions?] I don't make it my business to get involved in anyone's personal life, okay? And I don't hate anyone unless they give me a damn good reason. An adult who calls themselves a saint is a liar... or delusional. Is that good enough for you?
You have two options: either save your friend who is hanging from a cliff, or chase after the bad guy who put them in a position. If you choose the former, the bad guy will get away and it will be hard to catch him. If you choose the latter, the cliff will crumble and the friend will fall to the spiky rocks below. What do you do and why?
I'm not abandoning anyone, here. Naomi- Shit- Sorry, my "friend"- comes first. I'll catch the bastard once I've cleaned up his mess.
Would you consider yourself a well traveled person? If so, what are some of your favourite places? If not, would you want to travel or is there some place you want to go?
[Well, he's no longer living his normal life, and he has nothing to hide from this person...] You'd be surprised where medical terrorism takes a person. But after the fifth or sixth big trip, you start to realize that every major city is about the same. The world's getting smaller every day. If I had to go somewhere, it'd be away from all that, though I can't think of where it would be.
[Third Person]
His first night here and Little Guy refused to sleep, not knowing what consequences such a thing would have. The Agent cursed his luck! He had turned away from his work for one moment - one moment! - to entertain some inane thought. A song, of all things, had been stuck in his head- the next instant he was aware, he had been taken here.
Served him right for not paying attention.
Navel stared hard towards the apartments that were to be his new residence. A dream world? What the hell did that mean? He would be given a stable income for others to look into his head? He paced idly about the shopping district, hoping (and fully aware of the irony) that this would turn out to be a dream.
It wasn't a fear for his personal safety that was keeping him awake. He would be fine, he was a survivor. ...But he found himself at a loss to discover Doctor Kimishima had been here for some time already.
What happened now? In a dream world, what couldn't be shared? He valued her opinion more than he would like to, and now this illogical twist threatened their partnership. He felt... an encroaching sense of shame. In truth, he felt no guilt for what he had done in their past, and even wondered what might have become of him, as one of the last men left alive, had Delphi fulfilled their goals. He felt slightly anxious that someone might learn that, and the empire he had built for himself would be ruined. But most of all, he felt ashamed that Naomi might now know.
For the first time in as long as he could remember he was concerned for his image: his true image, not the one he had imagined for himself. Normally he didn't have a problem with his relationships with others: they didn't exist.
But Naomi... They had a silent, mutual agreement to keep mum on their pasts: it seemed that the truth that Naomi had discovered about Delphi had been too much for her to carry on her conscience. He had worried, back when she joined, that she might turn on them if she knew the whole truth. Doctors had an unfortunate tendency towards altruism, and he and the others had kept her in the dark for that reason. True to his expectations, it wasn't long after Delphi dissolved that she ran to Witness Protection. It wasn't that he blamed her. But...
Damn it! What would she think?
Michael folded his arms and looked to the moon thoughtfully, drowsiness catching up with him and a sense of foreboding with it. What was he to do? He would have to tread carefully.
Here, there was no past to chase him down. He could be whatever he wished.
But there would be no secrets, here.
[Why do you want to play this character in Somarium?] I think the idea of playing a morally grey hero in a dream world is a lot of fun! Since Little Guy doesn't have the clearest of motivations, it could give some depth to the character that other places wouldn't be able to. Fans are unsure if Little Guy falls more on the "evil" or "good" side of the scale, and I would like to explore his neutrality here. As well, I'm excited about the amount of castmates Somarium has managed to accumulate. Trauma Center is a somewhat obscure fandom.
[Which rule was your favorite and why?] I liked the "stay in character" rule and the guidelines that follow if you find someone to be ooc/you are ooc. I haven't seen it really enforced in other games, and it is nice to see that you have an unbiased system. I like it!
[Where did you hear about Somarium?] Derek Stiles' mun!
[Any questions?] Nope!
[Age] 20
[Personal Journal]
worldrescue[Other characters currently played] N/A
[Character name] Agent Navel, "Little Guy"
[Age] Approximately 29
[Canon] Trauma Center series (Second Opinion, Trauma Team)
[Point in time taken from canon] The very end of Trauma Team.
[Background]
As a note, Navel is only a side character in the series, and little is known for sure about him. I will do my best to create a comprehensive background based on the information we are given.
FBI Special Agent Navel, or "Little Guy" as he is widely known, is an ex-terrorist, FBI Special Agent, and presumed con man. The name and background he gives to the FBI is not his true self, but an assumed identity- as such, most of his history is unknown. His first appearance is in Trauma Center: Second Opinion, where he works for the terrorist organization Delphi: a cult-like underground society lead by a man named "Adam." Delphi's goal is to annihilate humans and bring the world back into a harmonious state with nature where only members of the cult will be allowed to survive. One of Delphi's primary goals is to eliminate modern medicine, or at least provide a deadly enough disease that modern medicine will be unable to combat it. Much of their time is spent terrorizing the UN organization "Caduceus," a branch of the WHO that specializes in finding cures for severe diseases in many parts of the world. Alongside renowned scientist Kenneth Blackwell, Little Guy stayed faithful with Delphi until their demise, and had a small hand in unleashing their most deadly pandemic, GUILT.
During Navel's employment, Delphi hired an underground Doctor, Naomi Kimishima, as a double agent. Kimishima became nationally reviled in Japan after she was discovered to have used a healing magic, known as the "Healing Touch," in the operating room. Delphi offered to create a new identity for her in America: they gave her a new name and set her up with a post at a Christian hospital, St. Francis, as a cover. Kimishima's main job would be to report to Delphi and assist with illegal operations whenever necessary, as well as aid them with inhumane research. When she agreed, Navel was tasked with supervising Dr. Kimishima and ensure her orders are properly executed, as well as helping her maintain her fake identity and chauffeuring her from job to job.
During their time together, Navel came to find a peer in Naomi. Even when his job did not call for it, he remained by her side during difficult situations, such as during an outbreak in the Delphi facility, or when she insisted on treating a man during a blackout. Eventually, Delphi was stormed by the FBI, and Navel and Naomi were forced to part without much of a goodbye. Navel narrowly escaped, one of the few Delphi employees who managed to flee from their Santa Balboa base without being caught.
To be truly free from both Delphi and the authorities, Little Guy realized that he must create a new identity for himself. Over the next year, he constructed an American persona and assumed the name "Michael Navel." He faked university documents and previous employment records to show that he was highly educated and trained in computer sciences and forensics. To hide in plain sight, satisfy a desire for power, or even to test the strength of his lie, Little Guy immediately applied to work for the very authority that had spent a year searching for him: the FBI. His forgery went undetected, and Little Guy was hired as a special agent. Stationed in Portland, Maine, Little Guy was assigned as a liaison between CIFM, the Cumberland Institute of Forensic Medicine. To his surprise, his partner was to be no other than Naomi Kimishima, who had been hired there as a coroner.
Their first meeting ended badly. Naomi was very cold to the Agent, and angered by his smug behavior. She had spent the past two years in Witness Protection, and disgusted with how he had managed to fool the FBI, gave him the insulting nickname "Little Guy" as a refusal to call him by his new name. Naomi threatened that if her past work with Delphi was ever called into question, she would rat him out immediately and have him arrested. Still, Navel chose to stay with her, curious as to why his friend had changed drastically in two short years. In truth, Naomi was suffering from a terminal genetic disease. She was given only a few months to live, and chose to spend that time doing good. Navel does not learn this until the end.
Some time into their now cold partnership, Naomi and Navel are called to investigate a high-profile case, "The Raging Bomber." As Naomi and Little Guy had gotten too close to solving the mystery, the bomber targeted Naomi to put an end to their investigation. Unfortunately, Naomi's young neighbour Alyssa took the package that was meant for the Doctor, and the bomb detonated in her home. Naomi tried to rush into the burning building to save the girl, but Little Guy held her back - her home had collapsed on top of her, there was nothing more Naomi could do.
Bodies are recovered from the wreckage, but only Alyssa is alive. She is rushed to Resurgam First Care for surgery, but is at the brink of death. Though Naomi was disturbed that such a young girl had been put in harms way, she decides that she will solve the case in Alyssa's honour. She suddenly becomes a much stronger, more confident woman, and Little Guy expresses his surprise: the old Naomi Kimishima he admired has returned.
Eventually, Naomi and Little Guy discover the identity of the bomber, a woman named Sandra Lieberman, and Naomi goes to investigate the bomber's home while Little Guy tries to find where the woman has fled to. When Naomi enters the house, she is trapped in a room with five time bombs. Little Guy, expecting that she might encounter a trap, calls to make sure she is fine: Naomi pretends that nothing has happened, and tells him to continue his investigation. After disarming the five bombs, Naomi learns that the bomber had been headed to attack the First Lady at the Portland Airport. Disturbed that Naomi's line had gone silent, Little Guy phones her again, and Naomi tells him where they must go to find the bomber.
At the airport, Little Guy and Naomi confront Sandra, who has taken a plane hostage. Without regard for what might happen to her, Sandra has attached explosives all over her body. Little Guy tries to talk her down, but when Sandra makes a remark that she was disappointed she didn't get to see Alyssa "blown to cute little bits", Little Guy's cool attitude snaps and Naomi must take over. During their discussion, Sandra has an attack of an unknown illness, and drops the bomb's remote. It hits the floor and ignites the bombs, killing the officers surrounding her. Little Guy knocks Naomi to the ground and shields her with his body, and as soon as the explosion has subsides, takes charge and frees the hostages. The case of the Raging Bomber now solved, Naomi and Little Guy return to their normal lives... or so it would seem.
Following this incident, a massive outbreak of viral hemorrhagic fever grips Portland. Naomi and Little Guy race to find the cause, having pinpointed the origin of the virus to be a young girl named Rosalia who was killed two years ago. It is in this mission that Little Guy and Naomi are perhaps the closest. The two of them discover why she was killed and where the virus came from, and develop a serum. Little Guy, perceptive that Naomi felt deep regret for Rosalia, gives Naomi a "gift". He takes a broken tape recorder that had been discovered at the teen's home, and though he was not instructed to do so, or even allowed to do so, restores an audio file of the young girl talking about how happy she was to have lived and how thankful she was to be able to have a part in healing other people (as Rosalia's blood was being developed into medicine by her father, a researcher, at the time of her death). Naomi is appreciative, thankful that they solved the case and cured thousands of people on Rosalia's behalf.
Following this, Naomi approaches Little Guy. After another case solved and a serum made for those who had been dying from the pandemic, there still has been no word on what will happen to little Alyssa. Little Guy tells her that she will be put into a state-run orphanage. Naomi pleads him to allow the FBI to give her custody. Though Little Guy is not supposed to make such negotiations, he agrees to do it for her.
Though no sooner than Little Guy gets Naomi custody of Alyssa does Naomi succumb to her genetic disease...
This ends Little Guy's main role in Trauma Team. He does show up briefly in Naomi's hospital room after she collapses, but this is the last he is seen. It can be assumed that following Naomi's recovery, Naomi and Little Guy continue to work for CIFM as partners.
[Personality]
Above all, Navel is a self-preservationist. He is not (as far as we can tell) governed by a sense of right or wrong, but is more or less morally neutral, doing his best for the side he currently stands on. There are an equal amount of times where he acts almost sinister compared to when he acts kind-hearted, and it can be assumed that he does this based upon which role he has stepped into. His sudden change in attitude between the first and the second game fits with a self-centered perspective in his life. He will do whatever necessary to ensure his survival, even if it is unethical or against the law. During his time in Delphi, he begins to adopt the ideologies of his employers, seemingly not out of personal belief but to keep himself from suspicion. For example, he claims to Naomi that they must do evil things to be "completely freed from the shackles of modern medicine", seemingly contradictory to his forensic work in the next game. When he is employed in the FBI, he seems to find the thrill of his work and the intellectual challenge in tracking down criminals more important than actually doing good. Working in the FBI was definitely for his own benefit, as he now has a powerful organization to work for and hide behind. He does not try to convince to Naomi that he has had a change of heart, nor that he was a good person all along and only did what he thought was right: he seems to find her initial opinion on him, that he is a worm who should be thrown out if he weren't useful to a good cause, reasonable.
Despite this, Navel also seems to have a natural kindhearted streak. He seems to be troubled when those who do not deserve it get into danger (that he can see the immediate effects of, anyway, since helping to kill hundreds of innocent people indirectly with his GUILT research didn't seem to make him lose any sleep). In the Delphi base, when researchers have been infected with GUILT and are dying, he shows little guilt or concern for not protecting them, and sending them right back to work without time to recover. However, when a paparazzo crashes his car into a brick wall while trying to chase Little Guy and Naomi, instead of insisting that they leave no matter what, Little Guy turns around and assists Naomi in saving his life. He also loses his temper at the Raging Bomber when she suggests it was a pity that Alyssa did not die.
He is somewhat maladjusted to normal human interaction. He is out of touch with every day life, and in more than one occasion, is puzzled as to why someone acts the way they do. He is shocked, for example, that a couple did not file a missing person's report for their daughter when she had been missing for a month: Naomi must remind him that tension between a young adult and their parents is quite common. At one point, when an old man lies about committing murder in order to protect the true killer's identity, Little Guy expresses that he doesn't understand why someone would be willing to be killed for someone else. When Alyssa visits Little Guy in his office, he isn't sure how to deal with her as he hasn't spoken to a child before, and awkwardly allows her to do as she pleases. After Alyssa's accident, Naomi is forced to continue investigating the Raging Bomber case. Though the 8-year-old child is dying, Little Guy remarks to Naomi: "Well, as long as she doesn't blow you up, everything will be okay!" Naomi takes offense to this, but instead of getting angry with him, warns him that he should avoid talking like that. Only then does he realize the implications of what he has said, and extremely embarrassed, apologizes. In life outside of his job, Little Guy is clueless.
"Do they have any small domesticated animals in their home?"
"They're called pets, Little Guy."
But one thing he is talented at is thinking like a criminal. He mentions that he is very good at detecting lies. As a man who has spent his who life lying, he boasts, he can see through any act. Little Guy interrogates many of their suspects personally, mentioning that it "takes a liar to catch a liar." Together, Naomi and Little guy have put many criminals behind bars, in small part due to Little Guy's persistent interrogations and dedication to catching the true criminal.
Navel always appears outwardly cold and serious, only becoming more open once someone gets to know him. He is usually level-headed and calculating, but tends to have emotional outbursts when confronted with something that he doesn’t know how to handle. During the Raging Bomber case, Little Guy notices that the guitar of a 50's musician he admired has been destroyed, and he throws a very passionate fit. When he meets the Raging Bomber in person, during their exchange he loses his temper and curses at her until Naomi cuts him off.
He is somewhat of a charmer, never missing an opportunity to impress someone (for example, he dresses up fancy in order to catch the attention of a camera crew outside the CIFM building, as well as sporting an unnecessarily stylish haircut and shades as a Delphi agent). His serious line of work also does not stop him from maintaining a history of dry and sarcastic jokes, as he teases Naomi continuously to try and gain her affection.
Because of his dark history, Little Guy has little fear of danger. He is a leader, brave, and cool-headed in a crisis. He is unafraid to do what is necessary: he physically holds Naomi back when she tries to save Alyssa's life, realizing that Naomi's impulse to do good could get her killed. He very calmly takes command after the Raging Bomber ignites a bomb in an airport: though many people had just died a few feet away from him, including his superior, he immediately gets to his feet and begins giving orders. He is even direct and authoritative to Naomi during the crisis, who he normally speaks to far less formally.
From what we see from his work in Delphi and in the FBI, he is dedicated to his job. He will do whatever necessary to ensure that his employment goes smoothly. He understands his place in the power hierarchy, and respects it, almost never abusing his position. Only Naomi is able to shift his priorities: he feels a certain affection for her, as he blushes at her touch and basks in her (however few) compliments, though his feelings are not reciprocated. Both of these factors may be due to an ingrained sense of loyalty towards those he can trust. When Naomi became sick and needed surgery, he was one of many who came rushing to her aid. When she is confronted by the Raging Bomber, Little Guy dives in front of her to protect her from an explosion. When Naomi begs him to personally bargain with the FBI and grant her custody of Alyssa, he first protests that such a request will put his job on the line, but eventually agrees, as he values their relationship. As Naomi leaves, he bashfully remarks that he's always been wrapped around her finger. Naomi appears to be the closest person to him in his life, as his solitary living due to his dark past has made him aloof and perhaps somewhat recluse.
[Abilities] Little Guy is very adept at finding information because of the nature of his post as an Agent. He has impressive offhand knowledge about forensic sciences, weapons such as guns and bombs, and criminal psychology. Though most of his job involves running samples or comparing information through a computer, he is able to answer many of the scientific questions Naomi poses to him off of the top of his head. He also, privately, has an enthusiasm for music.
As well, he’s a somewhat practiced bodyguard and chauffeur, knows how to handle a gun, and can drive a wide range of vehicles. He is also skilled at interrogation.
[Other important stuff]
As Little Guy's first name (of his assumed identity) was never revealed, there are a few fan names for him. One of these is Michael, so I will refer to him as Michael Navel when necessary. It is a pseudonym, anyway, so it isn't important whether or not it is actually his real name. (For the record, he wasn't given a real name, either: we are only told the name he is using is fake).
Also, I have to explain that it is never said what the reason is that Little Guy entered the FBI. For all we know, he COULD have had a change of heart. But from his past and current behavior, and very little evidence towards the idea that he is actually acting out of the "goodness of his heart" (he IS living a lie, no matter how you cut it), I will play him under the assumption that he is ever the self-preservationist and criminal he was in Second Opinion. Of course, he's not a bad person by any means! But I will operate with the headcanon that concepts of what is right and wrong don't particularly affect him.
[Sample post]
[First Person]
You see a bloody knife on the floor. What do you do or think?
It would take me less than an hour with a computer and the right equipment to get a full analysis run on that blood...
You're asked to take someone out for a date. Do you agree? If so, describe what you would do. If not, tell why.
Uh. Why would someone ask that? Is it for some sort of... political purpose?
If it would get the information we need for a case, or if it would improve relations with someone we need to impress, fine. I'll meet with this girl, feign interest, and the night will be over. I'm not interested in tying myself down to anything yet, though, so I won't promise more than that.
[A beat.]
...It is a girl we're talking about, right?
Your country is in the middle of a war. What do you think of it? Do you support it or try to solve it yourself by going on an epic quest? Explain.
Be ideal if you want, but war isn't going to disappear. These things are better handled by the government. One person working on their own is going to get themselves killed. But I'm not stupid enough to pledge myself to just a flag. If I had the choice, and it ensured me a comfortable life during this war, I'd do what I could for whichever country has the better odds. And trust me, I'm pretty confident that's going to be America.
Would you consider yourself a lover, a hater, a sinner, or a saint? Or maybe a mix?
Hah. Wouldn't you like to know, Doctor? [He looks pleased at his joke, but then his cocky smile fades.] ...I actually have to answer this? You're kidding.
[An annoyed sigh. What's with all the personal questions?] I don't make it my business to get involved in anyone's personal life, okay? And I don't hate anyone unless they give me a damn good reason. An adult who calls themselves a saint is a liar... or delusional. Is that good enough for you?
You have two options: either save your friend who is hanging from a cliff, or chase after the bad guy who put them in a position. If you choose the former, the bad guy will get away and it will be hard to catch him. If you choose the latter, the cliff will crumble and the friend will fall to the spiky rocks below. What do you do and why?
I'm not abandoning anyone, here. Naomi- Shit- Sorry, my "friend"- comes first. I'll catch the bastard once I've cleaned up his mess.
Would you consider yourself a well traveled person? If so, what are some of your favourite places? If not, would you want to travel or is there some place you want to go?
[Well, he's no longer living his normal life, and he has nothing to hide from this person...] You'd be surprised where medical terrorism takes a person. But after the fifth or sixth big trip, you start to realize that every major city is about the same. The world's getting smaller every day. If I had to go somewhere, it'd be away from all that, though I can't think of where it would be.
[Third Person]
His first night here and Little Guy refused to sleep, not knowing what consequences such a thing would have. The Agent cursed his luck! He had turned away from his work for one moment - one moment! - to entertain some inane thought. A song, of all things, had been stuck in his head- the next instant he was aware, he had been taken here.
Served him right for not paying attention.
Navel stared hard towards the apartments that were to be his new residence. A dream world? What the hell did that mean? He would be given a stable income for others to look into his head? He paced idly about the shopping district, hoping (and fully aware of the irony) that this would turn out to be a dream.
It wasn't a fear for his personal safety that was keeping him awake. He would be fine, he was a survivor. ...But he found himself at a loss to discover Doctor Kimishima had been here for some time already.
What happened now? In a dream world, what couldn't be shared? He valued her opinion more than he would like to, and now this illogical twist threatened their partnership. He felt... an encroaching sense of shame. In truth, he felt no guilt for what he had done in their past, and even wondered what might have become of him, as one of the last men left alive, had Delphi fulfilled their goals. He felt slightly anxious that someone might learn that, and the empire he had built for himself would be ruined. But most of all, he felt ashamed that Naomi might now know.
For the first time in as long as he could remember he was concerned for his image: his true image, not the one he had imagined for himself. Normally he didn't have a problem with his relationships with others: they didn't exist.
But Naomi... They had a silent, mutual agreement to keep mum on their pasts: it seemed that the truth that Naomi had discovered about Delphi had been too much for her to carry on her conscience. He had worried, back when she joined, that she might turn on them if she knew the whole truth. Doctors had an unfortunate tendency towards altruism, and he and the others had kept her in the dark for that reason. True to his expectations, it wasn't long after Delphi dissolved that she ran to Witness Protection. It wasn't that he blamed her. But...
Damn it! What would she think?
Michael folded his arms and looked to the moon thoughtfully, drowsiness catching up with him and a sense of foreboding with it. What was he to do? He would have to tread carefully.
Here, there was no past to chase him down. He could be whatever he wished.
But there would be no secrets, here.
[Why do you want to play this character in Somarium?] I think the idea of playing a morally grey hero in a dream world is a lot of fun! Since Little Guy doesn't have the clearest of motivations, it could give some depth to the character that other places wouldn't be able to. Fans are unsure if Little Guy falls more on the "evil" or "good" side of the scale, and I would like to explore his neutrality here. As well, I'm excited about the amount of castmates Somarium has managed to accumulate. Trauma Center is a somewhat obscure fandom.
[Which rule was your favorite and why?] I liked the "stay in character" rule and the guidelines that follow if you find someone to be ooc/you are ooc. I haven't seen it really enforced in other games, and it is nice to see that you have an unbiased system. I like it!
[Where did you hear about Somarium?] Derek Stiles' mun!
[Any questions?] Nope!