Whirlwind Reyes

This is an article about Whirlwind the Hedgehog, a character created by CrimsonFlame2K on 08/21/2013. Don't let his friendly face fool your sorry asses! Whirlwind, real name Lucas S. Mason, will mop the floor with you if you push his buttons. He is a major protagonist in the Darkness Trigger series and the main protagonist of Wake Against Destiny.

He is a Major in the 5th Division of GUN's Armed Forces and a member of the Central Guard, which consists of GUN's most elite. By the Age of Genesis trilogy, he rose through the ranks and eventually became a Brigadier General.

Physical Appearance
Whirlwind has yellow quills and a normal quill-style, along with some rather spiky cowlick-like quills sticking out. He also has a tan muzzle and inside of his eyes and white chest-fur. He is also fairly tall, standing at 5'6" (4'6" in the WAD).

Darkness Trigger series
While in GUN, most of Whirlwind's uniform is colored white with cyan accents, including his longcoat, pants, and combat boots. However, whenever he goes into battle, he prefers to take off his longcoat, as it tends to limit his movements.

When off-duty, he wears a blue short-sleeved jacket, white undershirt, a pair of white fingerless gloves with blue cuffs, dark-blue baggy jeans, and a pair of blue sneakers.

Wake Against Destiny
Whirlwind's outfit initially consisted of nothing but a brown, ragged scarf and grey shorts. However, shortly after joining the Blue Rebellion, he got rid of the scarf and donned  a black vest that he usually leaves unzipped, a blue t-shirt under it, and blue sneakers. He also wears a pair of white gloves with white cuffs and cyan accents.

Darkness Trigger series
Whirlwind is a rather chill guy, yet clearly hot-headed and aggressive. Regardless, he's shown to be genuinely friendly to pretty much anyone who doesn't piss him off. Speaking of which,  he has some serious Berserk Buttons that should NEVER be pressed lest you have a death wish.

Since he works with GUN as a Major (Brigadier General in the Age of Genesis trilogy), many GUN soldiers respect him and some even fear his strength. However, unlike most higher-ups, Whirlwind detests formalities and prefers to be seen as a friend by his subordinates.

Another notable trait about him is his rare use of firearms. It's not that he dislikes using them, but he just likes to do his fists do the talking... and maybe his legs as well, if needed.

Wake Against Destiny
(WIP)

History


Family

 * Zephyr Mason - Whirlwind's daughter, making her debut in Clearing the Rust, she proves to be as fierce a fighter as her father. However, despite her happiness at finally seeing her father again, she can't help but feel a slight resentment towards him for not visiting Neptune City often. Fortunately, she grows out of it by the climax of the story.

Romance

 * Glacier Von Fang - Whirlwind's wife and Zephyr's mother, Glacier is the current protector of Neptune City, alongside her sisters, Aqua and Windy, and a fairly powerful cryokinetic. Initially, Whirlwind didn't think too highly of the wolf, but after a rather painful chain of occurences, he slowly opens up to her, eventually leading them to become good friends and even lovers.

Official

 * Sonic the Hedgehog - (Still got nothin')
 * Shadow the Hedgehog - A fellow member of GUN, Whirlwind and Shadow are considered by a number of GUN soldiers to be polar opposites among the organization's ranks, with Whirlwind being the Yin to Shadow's Yang. Initially, throughout Wake Against Destiny, their relationship was more of a "master-student" relationship but it slowly grew into a more brotherly one.
 * Miles "Tails" Prower - (Nyeh.)
 * Knuckles the Echidna - (Later.)
 * Amy Rose - (Revamping.)

Canon/Fanon

 * Blitz the Noisemaker - Whirlwind served as the bounty hunter and Knockout's CO during majority of the events of Surge of Shadows. It was later revealed that Blitz was actually one of the children he himself had saved during the climax of Wake Against Destiny and was inspired to become like him some day.
 * Zagan the Gravebringer - A Hell Creature who initially served as Krieg's prime soldier, Zagan later defected and joined Blitz and co.
 * Liam Scarlet
 * Knockout Shadeclaw
 * Obsidian the Marauder - One half of the mercenary team, the Inferno Strikers, Whirlwind is shown to be friends with the echidna and has mentioned that they worked together once before the events of the Age of Genesis trilogy.

Official

 * Rouge the Bat - A fellow member of GUN with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Intelligence Board, his relationship with her is purely professional. In addition, he finds her flirtatious personality and manners very distracting.
 * E-123 Omega - While he does find him to be a valuable member of GUN, he doesn't actually talk to him that much.

Canon/Fanon

 * Diablo the Pyro - The other half of the Inferno Strikers, Whirlwind has worked with Diablo before, though they haven't really interacted on a personal level. Also, he himself seems a wee bit concerned about the pyromaniac's drinking problem.

Enemies

 * Dr. Eggman - Whirlwind has held a personal grudge against Dr. Eggman for taking his family away from him.
 * Sigma the Tyrant - While he hasn't actually seen him in person, Whirlwind dislikes Sigma because of his ambitions and the fact that he inadvertently made the Hell Prizm a constant threat until the end of Savage Retribution.
 * General Serges - considered to be his main rival in the Darkness Trigger series, Whirlwind lost to him the first time they fought during the events of Surge of Shadows. However, when he finds out that Serges is alive during The Cybermal Onslaught, he's actually somewhat happy about that, stating that he's been granted the chance to even the score.

Aerokinesis
Whirlwind possesses the ability to manipulate air. He usually utilizes it to enhance his physical attacks, but is capable of other applications such as firing projectiles of highly-pressurized air, using compressed air pressure to unleash bursts of speed, potentially making him as fast as Sonic for at least a few seconds.

His Typhoon Breakers enhance both his aerokinesis and his physical prowess in that he can use it to charge up the power of his attacks. However, it does have limits that shouldn't be crossed over without activating the Galeforce Drive, a mechanism that temporarily grants Whirlwind a boost in attack power.

Equipment
Whirlwind's equipment usually revolves around his physical prowess.
 * Typhoon Breakers - Two gauntlets that balance out his immense Aerokinetic powers and physical prowess.
 * Galeforce Drive - Installed into each gauntlet, the Galeforce Drive amplifies his Aerokinesis and his already-tremendous strength.

Statistics
Attack: 7 - A veteran of many battles, Whirlwind has fought with the best of them and become stronger as a result.
 * Stats are based from 1-10. 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.

Defense: 6 - His defensive capabilities are decent, especially compared to Sonic's.

Speed: 7 - His speed can be enhanced with his aerokinesis, giving him a boost for a few seconds.

Magic: 8 - His natural mastery over the wind give him a certain edge in battle.

Evasion: 7 - His speed compliments his power by letting him evade powerful blows and dish out his own striking moves.

Intelligence: 7 - Slowly maturing over the years has made Whirlwind think more about what does... but he just can't help laying a massive beatdown at times.

Skills: 8 - His adventures have made him grow into the powerful fighter he is today.

Accuracy: 6 - Training in GUN has made him improve his finesse in combat.

Stamina: 7 - He is quite strong and able to keep going in battle for a while.

Tolerance: 7 - His adventures have toughened him up and made him less susceptible to pain.

Overall: 70%

General

 * Storm Rocket: Delayable. Serving as his Trigger move, Whirlwind charges his gauntlets and unleashes a powerful punch.
 * Galeforce Drive: Whirlwind's Limit Break. His gauntlets' charge are temporarily at maximum power.
 * Zephyr Blade: Delayable and OK in midair. Whirlwind unleashes a lethal blade of highly-pressurized air that travels a fair distance but deals little damage. If fully charged, range is decreased in exchange for more power.
 * Rising Hurricane: Whirlwind carries the opponent to the sky with a powerful rising uppercut wreathed in air. He can follow-up with a devastating dunk punch.
 * Monsoon Comet: Performed in midair. Whirlwind knocks the opponent back to the pavement with a deadly dive kick.
 * Tornado Cutter: Whirlwind leaps forward and performs a Hurricane Kick-esque attack with both of his legs.
 * Split Second: Whirlwind performs a feint. If hit while the feint is active, Whirlwind will perform a swift counterattack.
 * Typhoon Spear: Delayable. One of Whirlwind's Critical Triggers. The hedgehog gathers a great amount of Aerokinetic energy into his fists and unleashes an uppercut followed by a devastating punch wreathed in air.
 * Galeforce Fury: Whirlwind's other Critical Trigger. He goes into a Dempsey Roll that deals heavy damage before finishing with a painful Rising Hurricane.
 * Galeforce Onslaught: Whirlwind's Overkill in the series. He engages his Galeforce Drive and unleashes a frenzy of punches then sends his opponent into the sky with an uppercut. As his victim falls down, he charges one of his Typhoon Breakers and performs a devastating punch that sends them to places unknown.

Weaknesses
Despite being very strong, Whirlwind has his fair share of weaknesses. First and foremost, being one more aggressive than others, Whirlwind tends to be reckless during a fight. To add up to his aggressive nature, he usually haves trouble with enemies prefer a more tactical approach, such as Deadline and his impressive aim.

Another obvious weakness is that Whirlwind's aerokinesis is logically weak against Pyrokinetics and Electrokinetics. Although, it's more of a 50% chance in the case of Pyrokinetics as wind can also put out fire. When reaching enormous levels of rage, Whirlwind will impulsively attack his foe, which can leave him wide open for foes that are more strategic. Though, this seems to be the opposite against telepaths, as most are not able to read actions made throgh impulse.

One weakness concerning his gear is that the Typhoon Breakers can short-out temporarily if Whirlwind puts too much pressure in his attacks. Other weaknesses include  his fear of his heights and his severe allergy to lemons.

Carry On by Avenged Sevenfold
This song serves as Whirlwind's main theme in the Darkness Trigger series, representing his will to fight against the odds at all costs.

Connection to Character

 * Some people LIVE that selfish desire! Some choose to shout when they speak, and they'll be the START...! - Whirlwind taking note of the selfish goals of the series' antagonists
 * Caught in the flame of those deep in fire! Seeking out those with a voice! ONE FOR TOMORROW...! - Whirlwind relentlessly taking part in the battles the heroes face


 * Search endlessly...! Fight till we're free...! Fly past the edge of, the sea...! No bending knee, no MOCKERY! Somehow we still, CARRY ON! - Whirlwind staying steadfast even against the looming darkness that is coming


 * Silence your FEAR! We've got to move higher! / Unlock the stars in the sky! Guiding us ALL! - Whirlwind joining his allies to band together and use their powers to fight back against evil


 * Battle the WILL of those who conspire! / Take back the passion to live! VANISH THE SORROW...! - Whirlwind vowing to prevent the enemy's actions from tearing the world apart


 * Destroy their perfect crime, / Watch the power fold! - Whirlwind taking the fight to the villains and preventing their plans from coming to fruition

Blow By Blow by Traz Damji
This song serves his VS Theme against Darksteel Voidlance in the Darkness Trigger series. The theme emphasizes their rivalry that has reached a boiling point in the conflict against the Destroyer.

Connection to Character
''I don't NEED a gun! I've got you on the run! / HERE I COME! You think that you can BEAT me?!'' - Whirlwind and Darksteel using melee weapons as their weapons of choice

''SAVE YOUR SOUL! You're gonna meet your maker! I'M STONE COLD! / You won't BREAK me! KNOCKED OUT COLD! I'm gonna give it to ya BLOW! BY! BLOW!'' - Whirlwind and Darksteel using their full strength against each other

''No pain! No gain! / I'm unchained, gonna show you NO MERCY!'' - Whirlwind wanting to even the score with Darksteel

''You don't MESS with me! You just wait and see! / LOOK OUT! I don't wanna fight fair!'' - Whirlwind being a respected officer in GUN, and willing to use his full power to win

I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin
This song serves as his main theme in Wake Against Destiny. It represents his angry, foul-mouthed, and overall jerkass facade and the struggles he went through to avenge his family.

Connection to Character



 * Now the dark begins to rise... / Save your breath, it's far from over! - Whirlwind intending to face Eggman on his own once the time comes
 * Leave the lost and dead behind... / Now's your chance to run for cover! - Whirlwind having lost his family, and wanting to get revenge on Eggman for taking them away from him
 * I don't want to change the world! I just want to leave it colder! / Light the fuse and burn it up, take the path that leads to nowhere! - Whirlwind initially only joining the Blue Rebellion as to further his agenda
 * All is lost again... / But I'm not giving in! - Whirlwind not willing to give up even at the face of death
 * I Will Not BOW! I will not BREAK! I will shut the world away! / I will not FALL! I will not FADE! I will take your breath away! - Whirlwind refusing to back down against those that threaten him and his allies yet also being vigilant on not trusting anyone
 * Watch the end through dying eyes... / Now, the dark is taking over... - Whirlwind's rage and hate being the main influence of his actions
 * Show me where forever dies! / Take the fall and run to heaven! - Whirlwind having to fend for himself on the streets before joining the Rebellion
 * And I'll survive! Paranoid! I have lost the will to change... / And I'm not proud! Cold-blooded fake! I will shut the world away! - Whirlwind being seen as a stern jerkass, when he is actually broken inside and wanting to have a normal life again

Trivia

 * Whirlwind shares a few similarities with Cyclone the Hedgehog.
 * Whirlwind's surname, Mason, is a reference to Alex Mason, the main protagonist of Call of Duty: Black Ops. (The choice is understandable once you realize that Black Ops is the only CoD game Crimson has ever played.)
 * However, it could also be a reference to one of his hobbies, stone masonry. This is further proven once you realize that his middle initial, S, stands for Stone.
 * Anyone getting Major Armstrong vibes whenever Whirlwind strips off his longcoat? ...No? ...Okay then.
 * An aerokinetic afraid of heights... Ironic, huh?