Kain Highwind

Bio
Final Fantasy IV: Let me ease your suffering

Dissidia 012: [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Kain_Highwind/Dissidia Not all roads have a future waiting at their end. But this is mine.]

Kain was taken from Mount Ordeals after a matter of months to join in the battle between Chaos and Cosmos. He fought and fell in many cycles that have since been forgotten, falling for good in the only cycle he remembers: the twelfth. After disappearing forever from that arena, Kain appeared in the Havens.

He arrived exhausted in the desert, still hurting from wounds sustained in that final battle. Mjrn and Zuko were the first people he met, bringing him to safety for healing soon after. He was astonished to find that some others from the war had also been displaced to the Havens, along with some from his own world. After a while, the kingdom of Baron also appeared among the pieces of other worlds that had emerged. In the early days of his time in the Havens, Kain was present for the hatching of firelizards, and at the time three of them imprinted themselves onto him, beginning the first of his little family of dragon-creatures.

A month or so after arrival, a monster attack occurred throughout the world, which Kain fought in alongside several others. Then in the next month, there were the visions of the people/places/things most desired. Kain saw Rosa in his rune, much to his heartache and dismay. The result of the visions were that peopel gained items relating to these visions: Kain's is a hair thing of Rosa's.

A meeting with Dante soon after that didn't go so well, and strengthened Kain's already growing pro-dragon sentiment. Although many people were blaming dragons for their troubles, Kain couldn't bear it, choosing to align himself further with the scaly ones. A bout of random teleportation  soon afterward unfortunately gave Kain yet another meeting with the aggravating Dante. Dante's brother, Vergil, only added fuel to that fire . This led Kain to an ill-fated "demon hunt" in which he attacked Vergil and was severely wounded.

The fairies of the Havens also caused some trouble, when they made flowers grow all over everything. Everything. Everything. Kain got a strong hatred for bees after that incident. Thankfully, a chance for battle presented itself soon after, withIfrit. Kain joined in the fight that ensued.

Oh, and he didn't stop hating on Dante and Vergil, mainly due to their darker nature that reminded him so much of his own.

Sigh, no really. Leave the demons alone, Kain.

This all led to the events in Fortuna, as Vergil was attempting to open a demonic gate. Kain pursued Vergil, leaped through the gate and took a little visit to Hell. In there, he was possessed by a demon, pushing his Dark Self to the surface. From there, he went around backstabbing allies (again) and kidnapping Rosa (again)... eventually he was defeated and the demon in him killed. Kain returned to normal for a little while, sulking and recovering.

The Sparda arrived. The father of Kain's most hated enemies, Dante and Vergil, Kain loathed Sparda immediately, even going as far as splashing him with Holy Water and melting his face a bit. Not the best first impression.

Kain, like many others, was interrogated by fairies and forced to answer many revealing questions later on. He went into stasis soon after, emerging just in time for yet more battle. He continued to defend the dragons openly, and also suffer the consequences of Dante's trolling (such as the various moogle loan sharks sent after him). He was soon after "de-aged" back to a point in the middle of the gods' war, attacking some people in stasis as he believed them to be manikins.

Another crystal experience (this time with trolling, thanks Dante ), and then Kain returned to more confusion. This time, Kain believed himself to the the son of Sparda, and brother to Vergil, Snow and Mjrn... and married to Penelo. It ended almost as one might expect- he felt horrible afterward fo forgetting his true family, and he hated the loss of the false relationship he'd had with Penelo. But from the event, he learned that Sparda in particular wasn't evil- that being a demon didn't mean one was necessarily like the one who'd possessed him. From that point on, he's held nothing but deep respect for the man... the familial feelings didn't quite fade entirely, lingering on in some way in their normal life. Surprisingly, this new sense of understanding applies to Dante as well... to an extent. He still finds Dante irritating, but he has no longer attempted to kill the demonic kind just for existing (though merciless trolling is always still an option). Though this didn't mean Kain really enjoyed turning to a devil himself for a time. This only added to his need to repent for the bad things he's done while under dark influence. Cue more apologies to the world.

Oh, but then Kain again went to battle with a bunch of warriors to save the demon brothers, but soon after turned on them all, revealing himself to be under Druaga's influence. Whoops.

But some good later happened in the new year, when Kain stayed sane and helped deal with another bad dragon, Bune, and was granted a dragon egg to care for.

He later experienced some time transformed into the form of a seahorse, which led to awkward meetings soon after... many others were transformed to various animals at this time as well. Then there were dying havens to explore, a sign of dreadful things happening in the background.

To his dismay, the flowers also returned. It would only get worse when the manikins also made an appearance in the havens. Kain also helped to figure out what was happening to Maranda, joining in to the dragon's defense the moment he heard about it... he couldn't rest knowing something horrible had gotten to her, plus his own dragon group were distressed as well (the fire lizard group had expanded to six by now).

Speaking of fire lizards, Kain had the horrific experience of his oldest three coming into mating age, but thankfully there was a solution to deal with those influences. Soon after, he was transformed into a dragon, perhaps the best experience he's ever had. Naturally, that had to be followed by a less pleasant experience, where his memory of falling in battle was shared over the rune. The emergence of zombies was the next major crisis to face the world, which Kain joined in battling. Then, Kain had to deal with his shadow, which forced him to face that darker self, this time in person. Terra aided him in that fight, and although it proved almost too much, they were victorious. Kain also went along to explore the Forbidden Lands with Lightning and others, fighting the gigantic creatures they found there.

Toward the end of the year, the world was invaded by evil slavers/mad scientist types, who captured several from throughout the havens, throwing them into confinement. Kain was among those taken. He was subjected to experimentation throughout the duration of his time there, used in tests, cut up and poked at... and eventually his right arm was removed temporarily, grafted onto Braid, the main villain behind the invasion. Terra and Adell rescused him, and were able to transport him to Veldime to get the limb reattached. The recovery process was a difficult one, lasting to the end of the year and into the beginning of the next. The arm would need more time than usual to fully heal, and his mental state would need the same.

Personality
Kain is aloof, serious, and introverted as seen in both IV and 012. Not even his best friend Cecil always knows what's going on in his head as evidenced by Kain keeping his feelings for Rosa from him in their original game. He's also willing to isolate himself from his homeland and friends at the end of the game in order to strengthen himself on Mount Ordeals. There's also a Dissidia scene in which Jecht implies that many people on their team were worried about his solitary tendencies. He's therefore well-known by anyone familiar with him as being the type who keeps to himself. Often, it's hard for others to understand the real motives behind his actions, such as his seemingly-traitorous plan in Dissidia. Kain's tendency toward emotional repression also makes him seem a very indifferent type of person.

Yet Kain is highly compassionate beneath the surface, and always strives to protect his closest friends. Indeed, it is often for their sakes that he hides how he really feels, so that he doesn't hurt them (like not telling Cecil how he felt about Rosa). Even his plan to knock people out was surprisingly with good intentions- he was trying to save them from permanent death and knew they would rush in to risk it had he told them what he was doing. He will therefore defend loved ones without question when need arises... and will even go to extreme measures to help them.

Indeed, Kain has a strong sense of loyalty for those who have earned it- although it can take a long time to get there. It's mentioned in Dissidia that he's been there for several cycles already, enough time to form bonds with the others and actually consider them as friends. Therefore, he was willing to come to their assistance on many occasions. He jumped in to save Tifa from Ultimecia, for instance, and also refused to tell Exdeath where he'd hidden his downed allies. He also stayed behind alone to fight Exdeath, allowing the others in the party time to get ahead to fight off Manikins heading for Cosmos. Kain also knew that the party would need his help to fight the Manikins... Despite being injured already and being fully aware it meant certain death, Kain went along to fight beside them anyway, showing his courageous side as well as the intense loyalty. He behaved the same in the original game, jumping in to Cecil's defense against the 'king.'

Another detail about Kain is that he's extremely proud of his heritage and nation; this pride makes him seem rather arrogant at times. As a child, he was known to brag about being the son of the Dragoons' Commander... and that's still a very important part of his identity. He cares deeply about his family honor- making his late father proud is one of his ultimate life goals. This strong sense of honor also again extends to close friends and allies. He's an unwavering, loyal supporter of whatever side he happens to be on.

On the battlefield, Kain is at his most confident. He'll often insult and make snide remarks to his enemies, more than willing to put them in their place as he feels they deserve. Indeed, fighting and training are how he spends most of his time. He's known to often take off on solitary trips in order to strengthen his skills. He has the hardened attitude of a warrior, putting his duty above all else. His pride would never allow him to willingly appear weak. If faced with a challenge he stubbornly won't back down. He pushes himself too much at times- twice in Dissidia he's nearly collapsing but still makes himself keep going. He's capable of enacting tactical battle-related plans on his own, or even in collaboration with others, such as the plan he and the Warrior of Light were involved in. There's often some element of risk-taking involved in his way of planning, as Kain even mentions: "I took a risk to believe in a chance, rather than live as a pawn to disappear". He's therefore the type who'd much rather take action through fighting than sit back and do nothing... especially if it means breaking free of a bad situation. Kain also very much takes an "ends justify the means" approach, not afraid to act in ways that might disturb others (or ruin his own reputation) in order to achieve something for the greater good.

There are also a lot more troublesome issues going on below the surface than Kain lets on. He isn't always an easy person to be around, and forms deep grudges. He dwells on issues, going into long periods of brooding and reflection. Kain is extremely unforgiving of faults, especially his own. Deep down, his self-confidence actually isn't quite as strong as he would have others believe... especially when it comes to matters that don't involve fighting. His feelings for Rosa, for instance, still torment him and he's not very good at understanding relationships in general. When he feels guilty, it weighs on him for a long time. Remorse for his past is a major driving force behind his actions, and it's never far from his mind. In some sense, this could be a reason why he was so willing to get himself labeled a 'traitor' for the greater good: even without all of his memories, he believed his own life to be less important than the others. He even goes so far as to resign himself to not making it to see the next cycle, as he tells Golbez.

Kain is more susceptible to mind control and brainwashing than most people. Mentally, he's therefore much weaker than he appears. His habit of keeping his thoughts to himself can work against him. He's more likely to seethe and obsess about something than express it rationally. Such emotion can easily be turned against him. He also has trouble handling his feelings, and will often bury them until they boil over in an unhealthy way. He can be cruel underneath that quiet exterior as well and often puts up a very cold front to deliberately push people away. This can make him seem quite unapproachable overall.

His darker side is usually kept under control (but thanks to Golbez/Zemus stirring it up in the past, it's a problem that he can't always ignore). He fears being controlled as he was before, thus has grown much more suspicious of others' motives. There's also the fact that his darker self is still not beaten yet, and it's a constant struggle for him to contain it. If someone gives him the approval he thinks he deserves, he might be very willing to follow their cause, whether it be good or evil. He's deeply ashamed by these mental weaknesses. Thus it is an issue which he hasn't fully confronted or worked through yet. Jealousy is another of Kain's worst characteristics, making him obsessed with proving himself against impossible standards. He constantly makes comparisons of himself against others, attempting to surpass them... which often frustrates him if he isn't able to meet such lofty goals. His hidden feelings for Rosa and jealousy of Cecil ultimately weakened his resolve and drove him to his betrayal.

Abilities
Kain's weapon of choice is a spear or lance. He's called a "Tactical Striker" in 012, which refers to his ability to leap through the air and target his enemies. His specialty is airborne combat, the wind being the element he's the strongest with. He fights well on the ground, as well, but obviously is most comfortable in open spaces... so if he's stuck in close quarters (think Phantom Train) he wouldn't be able to fight to his best ability. Being covered in metal, he also would be weak against lightning-based magic. He's much more of a physical fighter tough guy than anything else.

Main attacks:


 * Air attacks: 


 * Jump- Kain ascends to great heights and comes down to jab at enemies below; his favorite, main attack
 * Lance Barrage- slashes opponent and charges to stab or knock them away
 * Crashing Dive- downward slash followed by slashing or knocking the enemy downward
 * Celestial Shooter- upward slash and slamming or knocking the enemy away with the lance
 * Sky Rave- downward flipping and spinning at the enemy to drive them down
 * Rising Drive- flip and spin to drive the enemy up


 * Ground attacks:


 * Gungnir- he throws the lance at his enemy


 * Spiral Blow- charge and strike the opponent


 * Lance Burst- stab the opponent and kick them into the air
 * Air OR Ground: 


 * Cyclone- involves shooting a blast of wind at the opponent
 * Dragon's Fang- impale opponent with the lance
 * Augments:


 * Cry- bursting into tears lowers an enemy's defense
 * Phoenix- being KO'd will raise any downed allies
 * Darkness (gained from Odin, August 2012)
 * EX Mode / EX Burst (desperation attacks):


 * Holy Strength- Kain's EX Mode, a temporary transformation that Kain will only rarely undergo... a desperation move or Limit Break, for those familiar with other FF games. In this his armor turns a lighter blue and he gains the ability to perform two stronger moves. Note that this isn't likely to happen much... only in a really important battle, most likely.
 * Lancet- strike from below an opponent to cause damage and restore his own health for however much damage he deals
 * Dragoon's Pride- his EX Burst, a powerful, incredibly high jump that deals ultimate damage upon his enemy

Companions
Zephyr: a female dragon, born 1/29/13

Several Fire Lizards:
 * Alnilam ("Al"): small, swift, and easily distracted, the laziest of Kain's lizards and also the most affectionate, born 1/29/12Dragonpetting.jpg
 * Bellatrix: the most playful, born 6/21/13
 * Meissa: green, smartest and most gossipy, born 1/29/12
 * Mintaka ("Min"): has a tough, loner personality- much like her human, born 6/21/13
 * Rigel: brown, loves to eat, born 6/21/13
 * Saiph: bronze, the largest and strongest of his lizard group, and the leader, born 1/29/12

What you should know?
Although his home kingdom, Baron, is present in the Havens, Kain actively avoids traveling there. He still feels he doesn't deserve to return.

Kain is still on his quest to find redemption for all of the betrayal.

Has a talking penis.

Birthday: October 30

Important artifacts:
 * One of Rosa's hair things, gained from a rune vison, March 2012
 * Glowing gem from Crystal City, given to him after the slaver incident, December 2013