Clyde unmasked.
"I'll be blown to bits before I even collect my pay..."
Clyde Arrowny, known as the assassin Shadow, is a member of SM Crew (although the most loner of the bunch, surpassing even Shadow the Hedgehog), an affiliate of the Returners, and the father of Relm Arrowny.
History[]
Life as a Train Robber[]
Very little is known about Clyde's earlier days. The earliest records of his life detail him as a young man in his early twenties, living the life of a train robber alongside his best friend, Baram. The two were actually quite successful, and eventually gained noteriety as the Shadow Bandits. Unfortunately for them, however, the Gestahl Empire caught on to their trail, and set up an ambush at one heist spot... the ambush succeeded, mortally wounding Baram and severely injuring Clyde. When Baram asked Clyde to off him so the empire wouldn't get him, however... Clyde couldn't do it, instead leaving Baram to his unknown fate. The wounded Clyde eventually made his way to Thamasa...
A Short Lived Peace[]
...Where he finally collapsed, outside the house of a young mage named Julia and her father, Strago. Despite the "No Magic Around Outsiders" rule, Julia used her restorative powers to heal Clyde's external injuries, and took him into their home to allow him to recover. After his recovery, Clyde learned of where he was, as well as the nature of the town he was in. He elected to pay the town back by becoming its guardian. Eventually, Clyde and Julia fell in love, and were married. Roughly a year and a half later, during which time Clyde, Julia and Strago had adopted a doberman pup whom they named Interceptor, Julia learned she was pregnant. While Clyde was overjoyed, complications arose that ultimately resulted in Julia's death in childbirth. Clyde was devestated. Realizing that, in his mind, he could never be a proper father to a mage daughter without magic abilities of his own, Clyde would, a couple years after Julia died, leave Thamasa, leaving his daughter, Relm, in the hands of her grandfather. Interceptor would follow him...
Interceptor, along with a chibi rendition of Shadow.
The Assassin, Shadow[]
Becoming a wanderer, Clyde would eventually take on the garb of a black dressed ninja, and call himself Shadow, in tribute to Baram. Killing all his emotions, Clyde, now Shadow, became an assassin for hire, coming and going as the wind, stopping his travels only to get the best quality food for his one remaining friend, Interceptor. Many years later, the fated day would come when he would meet Sabin Rene Figaro, and assist him, as well as Cyan Garramonde, through an Imperial Base as well as the Phantom Train, which to this day Clyde fondly remembers Sabin suplexing the train itself. ("I admit... the only reason I didn't feel shocked then was because my emotions at the time were dead.") Later, he would be hired by the empire, a chance Shadow secretly saw as an opportunity to avenge Baram, to escort Locke Cole, Terra Branford, Celes Chere, and Leo Christophe to Thamasa. Shadow was able to keep his composure as Locke and Terra spoke with Strago, but then a little girl entered the room; one whom Interceptor, normally a vicious attack dog, immediately took a liking to. For the first time in years, although none could see it... Clyde smiled that day. Its no wonder he saved everyone from a burning mansion, even if he claims it was for his dog.
Saving the World[]
Realizing that Kefka and Gestahl, after their betrayal of Leo, endangered the world itself, Shadow left Interceptor, who had been wounded during the battle the day before, in Thamasa, choosing to face the psychos on the Floating Continent himself. He failed, but the Returners showed up just in time. Joining them, Clyde fought through the Floating Continent, but chose to leave after defeating Atma Weapon, deciding that the Returners had the better odds of defeating Kefka and Gestahl.Unfortunately, bad things happened, and while Clyde chose to intervene and attempt to seal Kefka on the continent, the world was doomed. Thankfully, the Returners waited for Shadow to rejoin mere moments before the Apocolypse began in earnest. One year later, Locke Cole showed up in the Dragon's Neck Colisseum with the Striker, a dagger capable of killing even the most armored fiends in one blow. Clyde officially joined the Returners at that point, seeing to the death of Kefka alongside Strago, Sabin, Relm, and anyone else he had come to call friends and family. That didn't stop him from attempting to let himself die with Kefka's Tower... and were it not for the intervention of a certain super mage...
Wandering with Locke, Revelations[]
Amazed to still be alive, Clyde wandered, until Locke found him, just as amazed to see him alive as Clyde himself was. Clyde decided to join Locke as a Treasure Hunter. Eventually, both would join up with SM, at which point Clyde saw that Mikey, the one who had saved him, was good friends with both Sabin and Relm. Finally, after so many long years, Clyde decided, "No more running." and, after several instances of shadowing her for protection whenever she took part in an ITW game, finally revealed himself to Relm... whom accepted him completely. Finally, Clyde no longer had to run. He had finally found his place. Despite this, he became a semi-wanderer on Strago's behest, being told that he should redeem himself for not only his days as an assassin, but also as a train robber...
Weapons and Abilities[]
Weapons[]
- Striker
- Kunai
- Throwing Stars
- Any unneeded weapon, he can throw
Abilities[]
- Speed and Stealth: As a ninja assassin, Clyde has the speed and stealth skills of a ninja. Hes also capable of the usual ninja feats, such as running on water.
- Insane Throwing Powers: Clyde can throw literally any weapon with suprisingly effective results. Even a simple wooden staff can be thrown by him for extreme damage.
- Magicite Enabled Magic: Like all Returners, Clyde has some magical power in him after their adventure. Though magic was thought to have vanished, it really didn't; Clyde has access to the level 1 and 2 versions of Fire, Thunder and Blizzard, as well as a level 1 cure, and assassination (status) type magics such as Bio, Blind and Silence.
Allies and Enemies[]
Allies[]
- Relm Arrowny (Daughter, though she doesn't know it)
- Interceptor (Faithful Canine Companion)
- Strago Magus (Father In Law)
- Sabin Rene Figaro
- Locke Cole
- Other Returners
SM Crew- Mikey Lenetia
and Friends - Baram (Deceased)
- Julia Magus-Arrowny (Wife, Deceased)
Enemies[]
- Kefka Palazzo
- Others Unknown; he tends to keep his thoughts to himself...