Michael

x071 - 79 x086 x089 x090 x093 x094 x099 x107 x114

Step Project start, people start arriving → Michael's parents move to the island and have him shortly after. He's specifically born in '79. They are placed in Purple district. VDay Scientist Rebellion → Michael's parents do all they can to stay afloat. Funk Mafia is formed UG is formed → Michael's mother grows increasingly uncomfortable living under FM. Michael's parents divorce over political differences. Michael and his mother move out of Purple and into the Research district. War of 99 → During the bloodshed, Michael loses his closest friend. Michael opens his antique shop with the help of his mother. Present → Michael is still running his shop. The monotony is great, don't bother him.

Michael has never known what life was like off the island. He was born not so long after his parents had settled in their allotted space and, for a very long time, did not ever wonder how other people must live across the ocean. As a child, Michael was bright, sweet, and kind of annoying, but he was allowed to be all of those things; his parents never discouraged him from being anyone but himself. He liked to learn, explore, and ask questions. For the most part, his parents would answer them.

The question asking turned out to be, unfortunately, quite the indicator of what sort of Vibe Michael would have, so at a certain age, he stopped asking as many questions.

He was too young to fully understand most of the political unrest as it slowly extended, but he wasn't stupid; he knew how much it was upsetting his parents and how much they were struggling to keep things cool and normal in his presence. All three of them made it through x089 but whatever love Michael's parents had for each other was starting to waver, especially as Funk Mafia is formed and fully established. His mother, over the next few years, became more and more uncomfortable living in the Purple district and his father disagreed; he thought it was safe there and that they should stay.

After a quick divorce and a deeply uncomfortable move to the Research District, Michael's mother settled into a new job as a seamstress and upholsterer. They made little money on that sort of salary, but it was enough and away from all the stuff she didn't like about Purple. Michael made a few new friends, growing especially close to a nice girl named Abbi. Life carried on as usual after this for a while, with Michael finishing up school and trying to do all the usual things a young man might do to get his life in order. He and Abbi found work together at a convenience store and things were alright for a while.

Abbi died in the conflict of '99. Michael saw it happen, saw who killed her, but he was powerless and unable to do anything about it. There had been so much blood all over the streets. Before this day, Michael had maybe grown a bit shy and easily flustered, but this event obviously changed him. It changed a lot of people.

As time continued, Michael remained a shut-in and stopped being pleasant and sweet. He became terse and impatient, but maybe a little spark of wonder still lives in him enough to open up Out of the Attic with his mother. He'd always loved old things, appreciated a good second-hand shop, and was always interested in the art of restoration. He was no businessman, that was clear, but he would somehow make things work.

Since then, Michael has been healthily repressing all of his trauma and being as unpleasant he can manage without going bankrupt, thus he still works in his little shop to this day.