"For fuck's sake, punk! People like you are why people like me exist. God, I hate kids."
The Basics
Full Name: Boone Raziel Keating
Age: 31
Birthdate: August Ninth
Gender: Male
Godly Parent: Ares
Personality
Color: Amber
Food: Mashed potatoes
Drink: Whiskey
Music: He dibbles and dabbles.
Character: Mr. Keating comes off as a bitter if not charming man, usually scowling unless given something to smirk about. Despite how much brooding he may exude, however, it's always paired with a sharp wit, sarcastic but funny if you have tough skin. On his good days, he's a fun, clever, sporadic soul prone to sweeping you off on an adventure. On bad days, don't expect him to do much but get out of his bed. He is very confrontational, speaking his mind always, even if most of the things his mind generates is abrasive and hard to swallow. His favorite students are usually the ones who fight back (though he won't show it at the time, much too busy asserting his dominance). If they cry about it, however, there's an entirely different effect. It makes him more angry and less empathetic, as he argues that weakness has no place in a demigod's heart. Frankly, the lad is hard to get along with at times. While these traits are buried much farther than his instigative nature, if you search long enough you'll find that he's a horrible spoil sport, proud and egotistical like a ram. This is something he doesn't like to highlight since he's always hated boasters so much. He likes to think he's simply confident and self-assured, but sure enough, if he ever loses a fight, his ego will be wounded for days. While most are offput by how ridiculously blunt he is, there is a pro that comes with it: honesty. You can count on Boone telling you the truth no matter what, which, as you can imagine, can be both problematic and very reassuring. There's a fire deep inside this child of Ares; he's got a gaze that burns so bright that you might find yourself scorched by it. He's a passionate man, that's plain to see. However, he's had to dilute his stark, powerful emotions over the years. He'd hurt far too many important people by his dangerous lashing out, his temper getting the best of him and filling his life with regret. Yes, behind his sneering patronization and delighted chuckle is locked away a terrible, terrible depression that can get so bad he will truly not have the will to leave his cabin for days. After some serious anger management classes and therapy, he's mastered the art of passive aggression. He is constantly restraining himself from blowing up at others because he can't be STRAIGHT aggressive or else he'll have lost, and if there's anything he hates more than having to hold back the urge to punch someone in the face it's the feeling of defeat that comes along with letting loose his rage. Some of the softer kids would argue that Mr. Keating isn't a great teacher. He'd argue otherwise, and so would most of the staff. He gets results. He may scare the heebiejeebies out of the children, and they may protest and whine the whole way there, but they climb the road to success and master their powers under the pressure that he produces, much like a diamond in the rough. Furthermore, a good deal of his condescension is a a self defensive technique to cover up his compassion for them. It seems like he hates kids but he's really one of the most involved out of all of the counselors. When one gets injured, he's the first to swoop in and scoop them in his arms to bring them to the nurse. He cares quite a bit.
Similarites to Their Godly Parent: While Boone would love to deny this (and does so often), he is remarkably similar to good ol' Ares. He is confrontational when he needn't be, cocky and sure of himself, full of a rage he can't explain, and damn good at strategical battle. He looks to win, and usually does.
History
First Memory: Ha! He's not sure if this is actually the first since memories always get so jumbled, but the one he can remember most vividly always gives him a good laugh. His brother had attempted to steal an oreo from his pudgy little baby grasp and instead of crying like a normal three year old, he growled and chucked the cookie at his brother so hard that he had a black eye for weeks. The thought of a baby doing that has always been rather funny to him.
Relationship with Mortal Parent: As you can imagine, Boone had been a difficult kid to grow up with. Their relationship was strained for much of his life. However, she was really there for him when he needed her most, and he's eternally grateful to her for that.
Biography Well, being the son of the god of War doesn't make for a gentle, timid child. I was absolute hell growing up. As far as I can remember, I've been decking fists and leaving triumpthant. My teenage years were especially bad. I wasn't in a gang, but I might as well have been with how many fist fights I'd get into. I became a target, and therefore, so did my family. My older brother couldn't defend himself the way I could, so I found myself puppy guarding him any time I could. One day, he'd gotten out of my reach and was being mugged by some thugs I'd pissed off. When I'd found him, he was a bloody mess. I carried him home where my mom began to weep and then took him to the hospital. He was ultimately fine, but I was in a rage- positively furious. I tracked down the idiots who'd done this and went at them with all I had. I was yanked off of the chest of the last one still struggling by a police officer before I realized how stupid I'd been. I could have gone to jail for twenty plus years if any of them were to have died. Instead, we got tons of medical bills to pay. Finally, my mom all teary eyed and hurt, told me of who my father was and sent me to Olympus Academy at age fifteen. I was a broody little shit. It's truly laughable how bad ass I thought I was. Only, here, I could get my ass handed to me time and time again. And that I did. I made friends and learned my place in the foodchain. When I was nineteen, I left the academy in the hopes of living a real life.
I went to college, got a girlfriend who would turn into a wife, a group of friends, and tried being happy. But I just couldn't. There was an anger I couldn't explain to myself, to anyone. I took it out on all those who were around me. Penelope was her name. She was truly the light of my life- the only good thing I'd ever done was marry her. I still don't know why she stuck around. She was a beautiful thing with long red hair, so much smarter than me and so much kinder. She had the biggest heart I'd ever known. I loved her. I love her now. At the time, I felt like her compassion towards me was too much like charity. I hated feeling like she was trying to "fix" me. We'd fight all the time about it, usually ending in her crying and screaming at me. I'd leave the house, usually cheat on her out of spite, and then come back feeling like a piece of shit where we'd make up. One day, it wasn't quite so simple. By turn of events, she was pregnant. I still remember how she told me with those glittering, hopeful eyes. To her, this could be our savior. To me, our demise. I explained to her for the first time about my parent, and how our child was doomed to live a cursed life. I begged her to abort. She thought I was mad- absolutely loony. How would you react if your husband told you he was the son of Ares and he wanted to kill your newborn child? She was very quiet for a long, long time before she finally let out in the most defeated voice I'd ever heard from her mouth, "I want a divorce, Boone." I fought and protested and sobbed and begged on my knees but she wouldn't even look at me, her eyes glossed over with her own tears and a distant look on her face- the look of "my husband is gone". She only repeated it once more, "I want a divorce." I raged. I was insane. I was kicking over tables and shattering all of our valuables, making a bloody mess out of everything. Our home was desecrated. Now it was her turn to beg, clinging to me as I'd pick up vases and shatter them against the walls, shrieking at me to stop. "YOU'RE ACTING CRAZY, BOONE." she shouted. It was like a trigger. Suddenly, I had her pinned against the wall, hands above her head. "Don't you ever say that again." I had whispered in her face. It was the first time in our ten years of being together that I'd be even somewhat violent towards her. She cringed and shied her face away, refusing to look at me. "There's nothing left for us." I spat, simply out of my own blinding anger. I let her out of my grasp. She left the house, got in her car, and left me to sit in the broken rubble of our happy home. It was the last time I ever saw her. While I was waiting for her to return so we could make up and I could tell her I was sorry and that I was excited for the baby, Penelope, and my unborn child, got hit by a semi because of her reckless driving.
That's when the depression hit in. I didn't so much as clean a scrap of the mess I'd made. I hermitted in my house for weeks. I'd planned to kill myself by the end of the month. I had nothing left, after all, and this was before I was able to harness the fierce waves of emotion my ancestry brought. My mom came. I'm not sure how she found me or really knew, but she took care of me for a little bit before she was sending me off to the academy just like the old days. I was among friends again- people who literally babied me until I was strong enough to work for myself. They'd have to feed me, throw me in the shower. I might as well have been dead. But, after therapy that was forced on me, and some time with hobbies that could keep my mind off of things, I became new again- whole. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't still think about it but at least I don't let the feelings consume me anymore. Soon, they told me that I had to be contributing something to the academy. After protesting on my part, I finally took on the slot of educator. Funny, inn'it? Crazy Boone teaching your children? I think it's suiting that I'm the Power Control Teacher. I've been there, after all. I've come to take pride in my work. I truly owe everything I have to the Academy. The two times in my life I needed direction more than anything else, they gave me that and so much more.
A very blunt timeline of events:
Abel was fifteen when he went to the academy as a student. When he was nineteen, he left and went to college. He got married while still in college at age 20. He finished college at age 22. He worked and was happily married until he was 24. Then, his wife left him and she and his unborn child died in a car crash. That same year, he was dragged to the Academy. At age 25, he became the Power Control teacher. He's been the teacher there for seven years and is now 32.