The Melodious Nocturne
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It's Demyx Time! |
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— Himself |
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Once upon a time, Demyx was a normal human with a love of music and water. Some have speculated that he might have been a surfer. How he lost his heart is a mystery to even him, but when he became a Nobody he was recruited into Organization XIII.
Unenthusiastic about the Organization's agenda but eager to belong, Demyx was not their most formidable member. However, in the end, he chose to side with the Guardians of Light, playing a pivotal role in helping the loremaster Ansem the Wise to support the Guardians of Light in their final battle against Xehanort.
Whether because he was once defeated and reborn or due to another cause entirely, Demyx is a Nobody -- but he's a Nobody with a heart.
Background
Once upon a time, Demyx was a normal human with a love of music and water. Some have speculated that he might have been a surfer. The full details of his old life have been lost to him, but his life was by all accounts fairly normal -- until he was taken by the heartless. Having lost even the memory of how it happened and separated from his heart, Demyx was able to endure as a Nobody.
As a Nobody, Demyx attracted the attention of Oganization XIII, who recruited him to their cause by offering him a place to belong. Unenthusiastic about the Organization's agenda but afraid to be left behind, Demyx was not their most formidable member. He was eventually defeated by Sora, and he might have been reborn as a human if not for the interference of Xehanort, who ensured Demyx remained a Nobody and tried to bind Demyx into his service again. Demyx was discontented and no longer trusted the Organization, however, so when the opportunity arose to break with them, he did so.
Joining with Even (formerly Vexen) and Ienzo (formerly Zexion), Demyx helped reunite them with their former mentor, the loremaster Ansem the Wise, and together they brought critical support to the Guardians of Light in the final battle against Xehanort. Demyx discovered a curious thing in the aftermath of the battle. Somehow, while he was still a Nobody, he had recovered his heart. It seemed a paradox, and perhaps in truth Demyx is no longer a Nobody at all, but something more, but he still thinks of himself that way.
The thing is, Demyx may be a Nobody -- but he's a Nobody with a heart.
SIGNATURE ABILITY
Wave Gigs
As some others do, Demyx has a "Limit Break" ability that he calls Wave Gigs, which combines his talent for water with his love of music. Playing an energetic melody, he whips up a storm around him, able to channel powerful blasts of water with the force of a typhoon. He can only maintain this for a few minutes; however, at the end of the effect, if Demyx is still standing then the Wave Gigs concludes with a massive attack that will leave him drained and depleted, unable to fight further, but the resulting water attack is powerful enough that usually even the mightiest foes are also defeated and unable to continue to fight.
SKILLS
Athletics - Expert Level
Charm - Competent Level
Combat - Competent Level
Dance - Expert Level
Lore - Competent Level
Music - Expert Level
Spellcasting - Competent Level
Stealth - Competent Level
Subterfuge - Basic Level
ABILITIES
Power: Dark Corridors - Supreme Level
Being a Nobody, Demyx can open tunnels of darkness to travel between different locations, even between worlds. These have an extremely long range, and travel between familiar places is almost instantaneous, though unfamiliar locations may take greater time (based on what is narratively appropriate). These tunnels are dangerous to travel through unless you're wearing a specially enchanted protective cloak.
Magic: Hydromancy - Enhanced Level
A natural spellcaster, Demyx has great affinity for the element of water. Without his sitar, Arpeggio, he can exert Basic control over water, but with his musical focus, his magic increases to Enhanced level. At that level, he can control water over a sizeable immediate area, up to that of a large room, and within that space shape and move the water in any ways he likes. By summoning these "water forms," he can create weapons, shields, or minions out of water, which can be quite formidable. He can also create blasts or bursts of water for more basic, direct attacks. Out of combat, he can manipulate water in subtler and gentler ways, shaping or channeling it as he sees fit.
Power: Physique - Enhanced Level
Perhaps in part due to being a Nobody, Demyx has a considerably more robust physique than a normal human. If he does take enough hits to be hurt, he can recover from significant damage if given time to rest, coming back from even seemingly fatal wounds after a night's sleep.
ADVANTAGES
Arpeggio
Demyx's "weapon" of choice is Arpeggio, an enormous sitar. This stringed instrument is in many ways similar to a guitar, and while it makes beautiful music, in battle it allows Demyx to channel magic to exert more powerful control of water. (While wielding it, his hydromancy rating increases from Basic to Enhanced.)
A Heart
While it's widely claimed that Nobodies lack hearts, this is not always the case. While at one point Demyx seemed to have been feigning his emotions and lack true internal conviction, he has since found new depths within himself. This may be in part due to magical transformation after his original defeat, but the reborn Demyx shows all the signs of retaining his Nobody status while still having a heart.
Dark Garb
Though the black coat of Organization XIII is a bit drab, it has the virtue of protecting the wearer from the potentially harmful effects of traveling through the Dark Corridors. It's also kind of cool and ominous in a goth rock way, especially when he wears the hood.
Nobodies
Nobodies are what's left of the bodies and souls of strong-willed individuals who've lost their hearts. The strongest Nobodies, like Demyx, retain their human appearance, while others look like pale shadows of human forms, abstracted and amorphous. Unlike Heartless who run purely on destructive instinct, even lesser Nobodies are fairly intelligent, capable of carrying out complex tasks like cooking and cleaning, and will even seek to alleviate boredom when idle by doing things like cooking, cleaning, and playing games. Simple-minded and lacking hearts as they are, however, Nobodies can be dangerous if left without guidance, even without meaning to be.
Lesser Nobodies tend to seek out greater Nobodies, who can command their lesser counterparts. Each member of Organization XIII was given the ability to command the lowest forms of Nobodies, Dusks and Creepers, along with a higher-ranked form of Nobody. Demyx's subservient Nobodies are the Dancer Nobodies, agile and graceful creatures who pack a potent kick. Despite Demyx having moved on from Organization XIII, these Nobodies still obey him, so he tries to guide those he encounters, finding harmless things for them to do. This can lead to some wild musical numbers and dance parties.
This is also not just a matter of keeping them occupied. Even the most basic Nobody has the ability to grow a heart of their own and become a Somebody again with enough time and effort, so by keeping his Dancers out of trouble, Demyx is giving them their best chance to evolve.
WEAKNESSES
Carefree
While in the Organization, Demyx had a reputation for being lazy. While it's true that he doesn't especially enjoy working up a sweat or getting dirty, considering it gross, it's perhaps more true to say that he hated the work that the Organization had him doing. Demyx dislikes drama and fighting, preferring good times and fun to toil or serving as the lackey of others. Because of this, he can be seen as lacking motivation or a strong work ethic.
Provocateur
On the whole, Demyx loves chill vibes, good times, and getting along with others. That said, he's also quite playful and can be competitive, which means he enjoys getting a rise out of others, playful banter, or even pranks or other hijinks. While relaxed, he is not retiring in nature, and he's always ready to take the opportunity for a big moment, which he has in the past called "Demyx Time." Sometimes, even a little drama is worth it if it's enough fun.
Wants to Belong
Demyx values having a place to belong so much that he went along with Organization XIII's agenda despite hating most of what they had him doing. He cared greatly about keeping their respect, even though in the end he chose nobler allies and abandoned the Organization. In the end, Demyx considers having somewhere to belong a high priority and will go quite a long way, even against his better judgement or comfort, in order to maintain the ties that bind.
