"CLEARED FOR COMBAT DEPLOYMENT."

Full Name: Ashley Leon Gray
Nickname: Ash (preferred)
Age: 25 | December 25th
Body: 6'8 | 203cm / ~300lbs | ~136kg | Muscular
Occupation: R.E.C.S. Soldier / Mechanic
Personality: Blunt - Reserved - Self-destructive - Selfless
Sin: Wrath | Virtue: Diligence | Tarot: Ten of Swords
Likes: Cars, working, video games (especially Doom 1993), comic books, metal music
Dislikes: Being forced to talk, talking about personal things, social gatherings, tight crowded spaces, being separated from Michael
Hobbies: Working on cars, playing the guitar, driving
Playlist | Gallery

Ash comes off as very standoffish, aloof, or even scary to most people around him. It doesn't help that he isn't very talkative, often giving blunt, short responses, and is always frowning. But that's not intentional. Beneath the rough exterior is a kind person who'd do anything for the people around him. He will listen to someone for hours, give them the shirt off of his back, protect them at any costs even if it's his life. He doesn't think he's a good person at all, though. He believes he is a horrible, terrible person who doesn't deserve anything good in the world. He feels immense guilt for his past actions, and feels like it's impossible to redeem himself. Everything awful happening to him now and in the future is deserved, and he is a burden to everyone who is unlucky enough to be involved in his life. He is especially terrified of turning out like his father.

Ash is prone to impulsivity and bouts of rage. He often lashes out, both at others and at himself. Holes in walls, broken objects, self-inflicted cigarette burns, going on multi-day binge drinking and drug sprees. He feels like he is unable to control himself, and he isolates himself as a result.

He's capable of ruthless, brutal or even cruel methods. He would do anything to protect others, and getting revenge for those he cares about. However, when it comes to himself, he couldn't care less. He loathes himself. It would take an incredible amount of bending to get him to break. But break he will. He deserves to suffer. He's beyond saving.

He has had immense difficulty adjusting back to civilian life. He's constantly on guard. He thrives in tough situations and life-or-death conditions... These situations are the only times where Ash feels like he's truly in his element. It's where he really belongs.

All in all, Ash is a broken, troubled man, who deeply wants a different life, but feels undeserving of one. He feels like an outsider; a monster walking among people.

On Michael: Ash is younger than Michael by two minutes. Growing up, Michael was the typical "big brother", taking charge of the two of them and dragging Ash around as they got into trouble-- this quality persisted into adulthood, and Ash is perfectly fine in stasis unless Michael makes a big change for the both of them.

They have always been together. Through thick and thin and throughout their lowest moments. Growing up, they were never far apart. Even in their adulthood, the two of them get anxious if they haven't seen or talked to each other throughout the day. They have a deeply enmeshed relationship, and find it difficult to think of themselves independently without the other. They have tiny social circles, and prefer to spend time together than with other people. No one gets them besides the other.

Ash had attempted to live on his own to no success. He can't function on his own, a combination of his mental health and substance abuse issues as well as not wanting to be without his brother. He is enabled completely by Michael, even if frustrations arise between them. Michael would never let Ash truly take the consequences of his actions. Michael will always provide him financial help and make excuses for him, and will always bail him out, and will even go so far as to deny that there is even a problem in the first place. They are comfortable with each other, and have no wish to change the other...

Ash will never be as close to anyone else as he is with Michael. Ash will always look to Michael for guidance and structure-- but Ash feels like he is a drain on his twin, and feels regret for Michael being "stuck" with him. Ash loves him dearly, and would do anything and everything for him.

Background: Ashley and Michael were born in Paradise City's outer district on Christmas Day, to Holly Carlisle and Charles Gray. Their unwanted birth made Holly and Charles's already strained relationship even more strenuous. The twins were neglected, and they grew up in very poor and dirty living conditions.

Their father was verbally and physically abusive towards the twins and their mother. Instead of providing for his family, Charles spend his meager income on drugs, alcohol, and women, often partaking in these vices without care for what the twins could potentially witness.

What their parents had in common was being very vocal about how the twins were unwanted and had ruined both of their lives. Holly was also verbally and physically abusive towards them, and would lash out at them violently if they tried to seek out any attention or affection from her. She stayed at home while Charles worked, but hated this, and preferred to be alone. Then one day when Charles had left, so did she, and she never came back. Life had went on, but the severity of the abuse increased with each passing year.

Throughout their school years, they were seen as nothing but delinquents. They were bruised and hungry, and very angry. The twins got into fights often, disrupted class, stole food and money from other students, had poor grades, and were absent for days at a time. Angry calls home only made their situation worse.They had no friends and were ostracized by their peers; The twins had a negative reputation among teachers and students alike-- being seen as "weird" and antisocial, as well as being prone to outbursts and having poor hygiene. They avoided their father as much as possible, staying out on the streets until very late at night, and sneaking in and out of the house through their bedroom window. They often stole food and money from strangers and stores. When they were around fifteen, they stopped going to school entirely and ran away from home. They would never see their father again.

Times were rough, but at least Ash and Mike were together, interwoven so tightly that you couldn't see where one ended and the other began. They were never far apart; They were the only lifeline in each other's lives. Soon they found a group of homeless teens just like them: neglected, abandoned, fallen through the cracks. Together they stole anything that wasn't nailed down and squatted in rundown buildings. During this time, Ash became addicted to drugs, beginning a decade long habit that he still hasn't quit.

They were in and out of juvenile detention. As they got older, their crimes escalated, culminating in grand theft auto, which Ash and Mike were ultimately arrested for. As prisoners, their only choice was a program funded by Red Eyes to "rehabilitate" troubled criminals: They were forced to enlist in the army.

After a few years in the army, the twins were personally selected for the Red Eyes Security Corps (R.E.C.S.) for their prowess and strength. Once again, they had no choice. They were shipped out of Paradise City to Red Eyes's underground facility outside of the city's walls. There, they were subject to grueling tests and training-- they must be able to push themselves to their limits, they must be able to resist any form of torture, and they must be able to follow any order. In the R.E.C.S., Red Eyes's orders are law, and they do not tolerate failure in any form. They're glorified prisoners, just in a different uniform.

Doing anything to further Red Eyes's mission, they were often sent on dangerous operations in the fog-covered wastes, each one more punishing than the last. Their other duties included the guarding of classified Red Eyes facilities, asset protection, and handling any threats, whether they be external or internal. They were excellent soldiers, and Ash especially became a personal favorite of The General.

bad dogs get put down, but you know that, don't you?