Rain O'Fire Frazier
<infobox>
<title source="name"><default>
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<group>
<header>Basic information</header>
<label>Civilian name</label>
<label>Alias(es)</label>
<label>Gender</label>
<label>Worm start</label><default>Unknown</default>
<label>Post-timeskip</label>
<label>Ward start</label>
</group>
<group>
<header>Personal Status</header>
<label>Status</label>
<label>General location</label>
<label>Family</label>
<label>Relationships</label>
<label>Occupation</label>
</group>
<group>
<header>Parahuman Status</header>
<label>Legal status</label>
<label>Team(s)</label>
<label>Previous team(s)</label>
<label>Power</label>
<label>Known classifications</label>
</group>
<group>
<header>Media</header>
<label>First appearance</label>
</group>
</infobox>
Rain O’Fire Frazier,<ref name="II4.7 e77"/> PHO username of5, is a grab-bag cape.<ref name="P.4e1">Heart_Shaped_Pupil: R!
of5: Hi K. Missed you earlier. Am at library with friend. Researching.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: this is friend you’ve talked about ?
of5: She is the friend. She is helping with technical side, searches.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: Hi friend! Thank you for being good to our R!
of5: She at another computer now. I got her bored. I wouldn’t join this chat if she was watching.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: aw
of5: We stumped atm. Everythink links to outside articles. Dead ends. Most stuff I already know.
of5: and I know v. little - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
Personality
Rain denied that he was suffering from Kiss/Kill syndrome with the other members of his group trigger, but admitted that he would take "any help I can get" fighting them.<ref>17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: You need help. You’ve got a case of Kiss/Kill like I never saw and I don’t think they’re reaching for the chapstick.
of5: You’re wrong
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: About the need for help?
of5: It isn’t Kiss/Kill.
of5: I’ll take any help I can get. - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
As the only member of the chatroom group who lived outside the City, he hoped to move there as well, although there were difficulties with this plan.<ref name="P.6e1">Curious_Cephalopod: …the problem is we’re so geographically spread out. even if we discount R.
of5: I’m aiming to move into the city. There are complications
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: your friend
of5: a lot of things. - Glow-worm P.6</ref>
He went through a major shift in his personality because of his trigger.<ref>Interlude 5d II</ref> Initially an angry, broken, and brainwashed member of a cult, Rain grew to see the error in his ways and felt deep regret and shame for his past actions. It was initially believed that this could have been due to cluster cape bleed-through from his cluster mates, but it was eventually proven that his shift in character was genuine.<ref> When we give up our tokens, we give up aspects of ourselves. We change the other. Cradle’s been constantly giving up his tinker ability. To Jonathan and me, then to me alone.
He knew.
Giving us the ability to tinker, and making us into monsters. That’s how we bleed through.
Her hand shook as she touched the barrier.
The most galling part of it all- the Fallen boy had never been given anything. Until now. No bleed-through. Just him. Interlude 12.e II</ref>
Skills
He mentioned that he knew "v. little" about multi-triggers, although he did know some.<ref name="P.4e1"/>
He needed help using Parahumans Online initially.<ref name="P.4e2"/><ref name="P.4e1"/>
Relationships
Rain's friend Erin was good with computers and helped him research.<ref name="P.4e1"/> He said that he was not taking good enough care of her.<ref name = "P.4e4"/> Heart_Shaped_Pupil speculated that this friend was the reason he had not moved to the City.<ref name="P.6e1"/>
He described a Love Lost from his multi-trigger group as a "pretty nasty customer".<ref name = "P.4e4"/>
Capricorn described Rain as his "best friend", and Rain agreed that they got along the best of the Chatroom group. Cap offered to travel to visit Rain and help protect him.<ref name="P.6e1">Cap: do you need me to come? My brother and I can visit, hang out, offer you some backup. I might not remember much about the nuances of the corp team, but I have pride in my ability in a scrap
of5: I appreciate that.
Cap: it could be fun. you’re the closest thing I have to a best friend atm, so we might as well hang at some point.
of5: Oof. Yes. We get along best, out of the group. It would be good in other times, maybe. But I don’t know what vectors they can use to attack or track me. This whole thing is a mess.
Cap: I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with the cluster-trigger clusterfuck - Glow-worm P.6</ref> Rain claimed to be the person who knew Capricorn best.<ref>of5: As the person who knows capricorn best, I’m going to step in and say this convo should end. It’s going to end in hurt feelings. - Glow-worm P.6</ref> Ashley also listens to him.<ref name="II3.3 e678">“This was an idiotic game, and I. Don’t. Play. Games.”
“Count down from ten,” Rain said.
Ashley whirled on him. I left the ground, flying closer, stopping when things didn’t escalate further.
“Count down from ten,” Rain said. “That’s what Mrs. Yamada says, isn’t it? When you’re wound up.”
“It’s fine when she says it.”
“It should be fine when any of us say it,” Rain said. “Count.”
Ashley tensed. I could see it in her shoulders and the way the tendons stood out in her hands.
Everyone was silent.
I waited. Ten seconds passed. Then the fifteenth, then the twentieth.
“Feel better?” Sveta ventured.
Ashley turned, staring Sveta down. “No.”
“Count down from a hundred,” Rain said.
“I’m not going to-”
“Count,” Rain said, his voice soft. “Please. You’ve said before, when you get like this, there’s a part of you that’s saying you don’t want to act this way, and you can’t listen to it. So listen to the numbers first, then listen to that part of you.” - Excerpt from Glare 3.3</ref>
He played videogames gifted to him by Strange_Mammal.<ref name="P.4e2">of5: you know this site. I want search terms to find some people. Articles, anything else. Would need to cover a lot of bases. Normal site search limits # of terms.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: uh. that hard. you want packaged search string
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: i can try
Questionable_Mammal: you’re looking for others in your set?
of5: yes
Questionable_Mammal: I can make attempt. gimme time. you might want to fine tune after.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: aw!
of5: Thanks. I owe you one.
Questionable_Mammal: I got games btw. Will give on next meet.
of5: I owe you two - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
He described Heart_Shaped_Pupil and Strange_Mammal, or possibly the other members of the Chatroom group as a whole, as "good kids".<ref>Heart_Shaped_Pupil: we’ll figure out a plan of action later >:)
of5: Thanks. And thanks again, c.
of5: You’re good kids. - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
He mentioned that he was extremely happy that Kraken_in_a_Jar returned, noting that the balance of the group had been "weird" without her.<ref name="P.8">Glow-worm P.8</ref>
Appearance
Rain is a Caucasian teenager with dark dirty blonde hair dressed in heavily used clothing,<ref name="">Another person had entered the room. A boy, Caucasian, with shoulder-length brown-blond hair. He had a cut under one eye and another cut on the bridge of his nose. His jeans were ripped at the knee and his shirt was baggy, a size too big for him. The sleeves were long, red where the torso was white, and they had been rolled up to the elbow. His sneakers had seen a lot of abuse, by the looks of it. The white parts were brown and grey in a way that made me suspicious that even a thorough cleaning wouldn’t get them purely white again. He looked sixteen or seventeen.
“But yeah, damn, I don’t look good enough in a dress, so I have to concede. Hey Rain,” Tristan said.
“Heya,” the boy who was apparently called ‘Rain’ said. - Excerpt from Flare 2.5</ref> and perpetually healing from different scraps and cuts. He keeps his long hair, per Mama's instructions.<ref name="I4cII e2">Her fingers traced his shoulder-length hair. “I told you to grow your hair long, back then.”
“Yes, mama,” he said.
“Do you remember why? Any boy of mine that does anything to catch my eye, good or bad, I have them do it. [...] The girls know it, but the boys sometimes need to learn it. I’m content to let either be my soldiers, but that requires zeal. Not everyone has it. Not everyone cleaves to their role and position. Everyone has responsibilities, and it takes a soldier to obey. [...] The hair is to remind you that if you won’t be a soldier for the families, we’ll have you be a slut. We’ll get children out of you. If you fail at that, if they’re sickly or disobedient, we’ll geld you like we would any of the farm animals.” - Excerpt from Interlude 4c II</ref> He later cut it short when he got the chance.<ref>Rain sat past the divider, facing down the tribunal. He’d cut his hair. - Excerpt from Torch 7.1</ref>
Erin, under considerable stress, compared him favorably to Nick Cage at the same age.<ref name="5d e7">Once I started thinking like that, I started thinking about how you looked nice. Kind of 90’s bad boy, with the long hair, ripped jeans and flannel, very Bender in Breakfast Club, except you’re way more attractive than Nick Cage.”
“You’re rambling, and-”
“I’m terrified,” she said. - Exerpt from Interlude 5d II</ref>
He was often visibly scraped and tired, to the point that Victoria thought it unusual to see him not looking beaten up.<ref>Rain walked up until he was beside me, double-tapping and removing the necklace that powered his identity, and setting the backpack with its heavy battery onto the table by the door as the second ‘skin’ fell away. Now his ordinary scruffy self, he ran fingers through his snow-damp hair. Odd, to see him with no visible scrapes or scuffs, no lines under his eyes. He looked simultaneously younger and older. He also, I noted, had a bit of stubble, and it wasn’t sixteen year old wannabe stubble. His jacket was lighter than the weather warranted, but he wore multiple layers- a mix of clothes I’d seen him in before and new ones. He met my eyes. - Excerpt from Polarize 10.4</ref>
When operating as a cape he wore a raggedy, hooded costume with a metal mask like a robot.<ref name="I4b II e1"> - Excerpt from Interlude 4b II</ref> He later updated his mask to resemble a circuit-board, with glowing red lines, and acquired similar gloves.<ref>Sveta opened the door. Rain and Swansong were putting their masks on. Circuit-board face, with circuits cutting fissure-like zig-zags, gloves doing much the same, all black, with lines that glowed dully with a red light from within. A slight change from before. A hooded costume top covered his hair, which wasn’t new. - Excerpt from Polarize 10.5</ref>
Abilities and Powers
Had a background of living rough and away from civilization acquiring skills not seen in urban circles,<ref>Interlude 4b II</ref> and talents.<ref name="5.6">“There’s a lot of unusual happening with him lately, I don’t know what conclusions to draw from that,” Tristan said. “He gives himself a hard time because he doesn’t realize that he has a lot of inner strength and a lot of general talents the rest of us don’t have. I think he’s capable enough to come out of this intact, barring the worst case scenarios.” - Excerpt from Shadow 5.6</ref> Regardless of this he is socially adept.<ref name="II3.4 e1">“He’s a guy, a little older than me. Glasses. He’s the person with the tinker power. I haven’t picked up much about him, but he doesn’t interact with people much. Less than Snag or the woman, and Snag is an asshole and the woman is mute, so that should tell you something.”
“There’s an advantage in that,” Tristan said. “If they aren’t socially adroit and you are-”
“I’m not,” Rain said.
“You’re better off than they are and that counts for something,” Tristan said. - Excerpt from Glare 3.4</ref>
Claimed his powers were fairly mediocre; a blaster power that makes people or objects he shoots with it fragile for a brief time, the tinker ability to make low-quality prosthetics, the ability to spread small amounts of guilt and doubt over an area, and a preternatural ability to catch his balance.<ref name="II2.6">Flare 2.6</ref>
In addition to his powers, he and the other members of his group shared dreams.
Blaster Power
Rain's primary ability was a blaster power that renders the target fragile.<ref>“The powers wax, wane, and shuffle around. I try to keep track. He was loaded to bear on that day, if I’m remembering right. The only power he didn’t have a lot of was mine, and maybe a little bit less of his own.”
“Right,” I said. “Which is yours?”
“Uh. Mine is a blaster power,” Rain said. “It’s pretty mediocre. I shoot things or people and they’re vulnerable to being broken for a short while after. To put it simply.” - Excerpt from Flare 2.6</ref> He creates a slightly bent blade of silver light in his hand, which curves in the air when he throws it, like a boomerang. The blades create long silver lines of fragility on the target; if the target is struck, they split along the line. This power is not Manton Limited,<ref name="II3.4">Glare 3.4</ref> but when it does hit a target, it will affect any covering it has before affecting the flesh, such as clothing.<ref name="I4b II e935">Instead, fabric draped over Rain’s head.
“Replace it,” his uncle said. Perhaps the eleventh and twelfth words Rain had ever heard the man say to him.
Rain reached up and pulled the fabric away. The plaid shirt. Sliced across the middle. His uncle was fine, because-
Because, Rain realized, closing his eyes, the power only affected one thing at a time. It would hit clothes first, the person second. - Excerpt from Interlude 4b II</ref> The blades glow strong enough to be an adequate replacement for a phone light.<ref>Blinding 11.6</ref>
On one occasion, he suggested that this was the only one of his abilities that got a "boost" sometimes as part of the multitrigger schedule.<ref>“My blaster power can get a bump some days. My others, no. They stay at about that power level. The others change it up more, they’ll act on days they’re strong.” - Excerpt from Flare 2.6</ref> However, this wasn't entirely true: he received a boost to this power every five days, but did get boosts to the others according to a longer, more complex schedule. On the days when his blaster power was boosted, the blades he could throw were larger, faster and more numerous, and the lines lasted 10-20% longer.<ref name="II3.4"/>
Tinkering
Rain was able to create fragile, physically weak prosthetic limbs.<ref>“I’ve got a tinker power, I make extra arms and hands. They’re not very good. Barely above what I’d be able to make on my own, fragile enough that if you grab something wrong they can break, no strength, ugly. The prosthetic focus is part of why I was introduced to the group, I think.
[...]
I wasn’t much help, because I’m a really bad tinker,” Rain said. - Flare 2.6</ref>
He is able to perform basic maintenance on Ashley's arms but cannot completely repair them.<ref>Torch 7.3</ref>
'Balance'
Rain described this ability as allowing him to "catch my balance or secure my footing more easily [...] lets me turn on a dime or keep from falling over."<ref name="II2.6"/> He later elaborated that it effectively let him stop and freeze in position no matter what inertia he is under.<ref name="4.2 e2">He stepped back, then jogged a few steps, stopping mid-run, as if he’d frozen in time. He hadn’t, though. While suspended at an angle someone else would have tipped over, he twisted around and put a foot out to one side. He moved in another direction, back to his board.
“Any limitations? If I used my full strength and threw you, would you only slow down?”
“No. I’d stop. If I timed it right, I could fall from a plane, hit terminal velocity and then stop myself just before hitting the ground. It’s- it’d be useful then, it’s useful if I want to not fall over or if I want to maneuver a bit. But it’s not that amazing as powers go.”
He wasn’t lying, then. Not about that. There were uses, but it did sound somewhat limited for even a secondary power.
He seemed to read something in my expression, because he had further protests, “It’s really not that amazing. I have to wait between each use of it, and it’s not something I can build a name or identity around. The emotion power has no impact or visual side to it, so it’s out too.” - Excerpt from Shade 4.2</ref>
He could use it to step out of a moving train and immediately come to a dead stop on landing, or to stand on a slope without slipping.<ref>He climbed over the railing and jumped, while the train was going well over a hundred miles an hour.
Hands out to his side, his bag in one hand, other empty, his feet touched the slope, and he stopped. No momentum, nothing to suggest he’d been on a speeding train a matter of seconds ago. The fact he stood on a slope didn’t seem to matter, as he didn’t slide, slip, or fall. - Glare 3.5</ref> It has a cool down time and can not be used continuously.<ref name="4.2 e2"/>
Emotion Power
Rain's emotion power spread mild guilt and doubt over an area. Capricorn noted that it was possible not to notice being under its' effects.<ref name="II2.6"/>
Victoria figured out that this ability could be used as a Pavlovian response. That is, mistakes made while under the influcence of this power seem even worse, so the people under the effect will strive even harder not to make those mistakes again. <ref>Blinding 11.8</ref>
Trigger Group
- Main article: Rain's Cluster
Rain claims that the powers in his group wax and wane according to a complex pattern, although his are never very strong.<ref name="II2.6"/> Specifically, he receives a boost to his primary power every five days, and the day after a random member of the group receives a boost to a random power.<ref name="II3.4"/>
While searching for the other members of their group trigger Rain used the following keywords, among others: sever, prosthetic, emotion, acrobatics, mover power, emotion-affecting, claws.<ref name="P.4">Glow-worm P.4</ref> One member of the multi-trigger group displayed the ability to run on walls, an emotion-affecting roar, and wielded tinker-like metal claws with which they that could tear down doors and other barricades with ease.<ref name = "P.4e4"/> Another, Snag, displayed advanced prosthetic limbs that doubled as weapons that delivered an intense emotional "charge", and the mover ability to "leap" long distances without moving his limbs. However, Rain noted that Snag's powers would have been muddled-around that day, and his mover power was usually the strongest.<ref name="II2.6"/>
Every night, every member of the group saw the others in their dreams. In the dream visions they were unmasked, and it was possible for Rain to pick up clues about the others' situations and plans.
Equipment
Of5 made use of a library computer to browse the internet<ref name="P.4e1"/> that was located in a different town.<ref>of5: I might have to go to ground. I may not be able to travel to the next town to use library hookup until our next meeting. - Glow-worm P.6 </ref> The connection was slow enough that he had difficulty using the PHO chat.<ref>of5: getting off chat. friend blames slow connection through node. - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
History
Background
His parents were early members of the Fallen, even changing his name to fit with their religious theme.<ref name="II4.7 e77">“They had your whole childhood to work on you,” Erin said.
“Doesn’t excuse it,” Rain said.
“No. But it explains it,” she said.
“Your whole life?” I asked. My first time speaking in this conversation, maybe. I wasn’t sure – I was in a different mode.
“My parents were early adopters, mostly on the fringe. They got more into it as it grew. Renamed me early enough I don’t remember my original name. Rain O’Fire Frazier.” - Excerpt from Shade 4.7</ref> Originally they belonged to McVeay branch, but Rain got traded away to Mathers<ref>“Were you Crowley?”
“McVeay, kind of. My aunt and uncle were more into it than my parents, I think. We had irregular visits to or- or by some intense, religious people that everyone listened to. A lot changed as we moved around, sometimes we camped, sometimes it was trailers, but a few things were constant, like religious services, extended family being there, and those intense, scary people. Then I was sent to the Mathers, along with my aunt and uncle. A bunch of the original people I know from childhood were already there- or here. Are still here.” - Excerpt from Pitch 6.7</ref>.
March speculated that of5 was a member of a recent group trigger that took place at a mall, and included a man,<ref>Flare 2.6</ref> a woman and two unidentified boys. March currently surmised<ref name="P.4e4"/> that of5 was one of the boys, who they nicknamed the "runt", and who the others were coordinating against.<ref name="P.4e3"/>
At some point he met up with the other members of the Chatroom group.
Glow-worm
On August 20th of Y1, he used a library computer to search Parahumans Online for information on multi-triggers, making several comments on old threads whose links had been broken by Gold Morning.<ref name="P.4"/> His friend helped him with this work. When she got bored, he entered a chatroom with several other parahumans he worked with<ref name="P.4e1"/> and asked them for help.
He was approached online by March,<ref>Decryption of the code used in the chapter on Reddit</ref> who offered him information on multi-triggers, and provided info and speculation regarding which group-trigger he was a part of and what the other members were up to.<ref name="P.4e3">17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: You’re clearly looking for info on multis.
of5: Yes
of5: I am.
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: I can provide.
[...]
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: You’re part of the new cluster from the mall.
of5: No comment.
[...]
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: The one I talked to said there’s a woman, two boys, and him. I’m going to assume you’re the one I’ve termed the runt. The smallest, easiest target.
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: The woman is gathering funds to hire mercenaries and come after you. The one I talked to hired an information broker to find you. Her name is Tattletale. She’s good. She has resources. including the mercenaries I just mentioned. She’s also preoccupied for now.
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: A favor from me to you.
17593Q183H17953R9713E714693: That leaves you & the last one. It sounds like all 3 are coordinating vs. you. - Excerpt
from Glow-worm P.4</ref> He took seriously at least one piece of March's information, that the others of his multi-trigger were working with Tattletale.<ref name="P.7e1"/>
With Strange_Mammal's help, he found a news story on one member of his multi-trigger.<ref name = "P.4e4">The second individual seems to be a grab-bag cape. She was a woman with a fanged mask covering her lower face, and a form-fitting dress with a slit up the side of one leg. She displayed a mover power [fourth term] with the ability to run on walls. She produced an emotion-affecting [third term] roar, which broke the ranks of one of the cooperating teams, and had metal claws [second term] which looked to be of tinker make. These claws may have been what enabled her to tear [First term not met, but within allowance] down doors and other barricades with the ease she did.
[...]
of5: Thank you, c.
Questionable_Mammal: I thought that one result looked good
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: pretty nasty customer
of5: It is. She is.
Heart_Shaped_Pupil: are you looking after your friend?
of5: not nearly enough - Excerpt from Glow-worm P.4</ref>
On August 22nd, Rain mentioned in the chat that he had "some indications that some people are after me. More than they were the day before yesterday." He forcibly defused a brewing argument between Capricorn and Strange_Mammal.<ref name="P.6">Glow-worm P.6</ref>
Heart_Shaped_Pupil discovered that Tattletale was off-world, offering of5 a reprieve from the possibilities her allies would attack him.<ref name="P.7e1">Heart_Shaped_Pupil: Tattletale is out of town. They probbaly won’t attack without her around to act. There is a repreive. I got some info on her late last night too
Cap: that’s great. hopefully he swings by the library and we can let him know.
[...]
Cap: good work on the tattletale info. strategy will be so key if R ends up in trouble. you a champ. - Glow-worm P.7</ref> On August 23rd, he mentioned that "someone put a hit out on me ... Nothing is happening just yet" to the newly-returned Sveta.<ref name="P.8"/>
Early-Ward
Met a new member of the team who turned out that she had met a Member of his multitrigger group.
Showed up too late to take part in the training exercise but was able to corral Ashley when she had an outburst.
Panicked when his groups spying revealed that his trigger group was coming for him and planned Rain's prolonged death. He was convinced by Tristan and Byron to come clean to the rest of the group. Rain did.
Afterward he had an interview with Mama Mathers, poor boy.
During the fight with The Fallen, Rain gets into a skirmish with Snag. Shortly after Snag impales himself on Rains broken tinker arms, Rain uses his power on Snag to create lines inside of Snag's body. Snag moves, thus killing himself and knocking the living cluster members unconscious.<ref>Shadow Interlude 5.y: “No,” the boy said.
Snag took a step forward. With his second step, he brought his one intact arm up, and drove it down in a heavy punch. The boy let himself be hit, only bringing his arms up to shield himself.
The impact, dampened as it was, vibrated through Snag’s body. He felt the line at his neck rupture. The blood from his head and neck flowed down and out through the open wound, which extended from shoulderblade to clavicle. With the blood, he felt his thoughts struggle, and he dropped to the ground.- Excerpt from Interlude 5y II</ref>
Post-Fallen fall
Took part in the meeting with the Undersiders over hologram.
He turned himself in to face justice after the Portal sabotage.
Fanart Gallery
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Illustration by Uberpigeon on reddit
References
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