application | entranceway (wip)

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Name: Alicia.
DW username: swords.
E-Mail: obj3ctionable[at]gmail[dot]com
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Other Characters: n/a


Character Name: Benjamin Wosser
Series: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
Timeline: Post-film.
Canon Resource Link: Canon & Ben!
Character History:

Long story short, Ben has always wanted to be a witch hunter. Granted, he's only about sixteen years old. "Always" isn't that long of a time. Still, he grew up hearing stories of Hansel and Gretel and their feats against evil witches, he collected newsclippings of stories of their heroism, collecting them all in an enormous book. He drew fanart of them, for God's sake. Ben grew up a nerd in every sense of the word.

Also, not for nothing, but he also won the shooting contest in the village fair three years in a row before the events of the film. Whether or not he built that up in order to become a hunter in the future is up in the air, but hey, it's useful.

Ben's first contact with Hansel and Gretel (apart from seeing them save a woman in the village square as he peered at them admirably) comes one night in a tavern. He walks up - politely, of course - and tosses down his scrapbook of carnage and witch-killing, and proceeds to ask them questions. Anything he can about their expertise. And he absorbs it all like a sponge, honestly paying no mind to the way Hansel is gruff about his simple presence in the first place. Unfortunately, the meet and greet was interrupted when a cursed man came in proclaiming the whims of the witch Hansel and Gretel were in town to hunt. Also, the man exploded. Ben got used as Hansel's shield; the whole thing was very messy. But even so, Ben didn't complain, instead giving an enthusiastic, "that was awesome." Look at him, willingly putting up with the horrors of a job that he doesn't even have.

That night, Ben still hung around the tavern after the festivities were over, either hoping to catch a glimpse of the witch hunters, or hoping to continue their conversation (or bombard them with more questions, take your pick). He got a break when the witch Muriel attacked Gretel, knocking her from a building. Foolishly risking being attacked himself, he helped the unconscious Gretel to safekeeping. Meaning his house. He took care of her while she slept, attempting to clean her up (but also being a douchebag teenage boy and not knowing quite how to handle himself when a woman wears a cleavage-bearing shirt) and cooking for her, making sure she wasn't harmed. Again, he professed to her his desire to be a witch hunter, refusing to be swayed when Gretel informed him that this wasn't the life that he wanted to lead.

Once Gretel was reunited with Hansel, Ben helped the latter organize a mission to kill the witches that were plaguing the town. Of course, he did it in the hopes that he would be invited along, and with a little bit of persuasion (i.e. dropping that totally impressive bit of trivia about the gun), he got his wish. Ben was told to keep watch in the woods and handed a gun, told to shoot if the witches ran that way. They did. He got to shoot. Some witches exploded. Ben was super happy about it - he'd finally gotten his wish! Witch hunter achievement unlocked!

During the final confrontation with Muriel, Ben was briefly taken hostage by her, but remained unharmed and sat the battle out until it was all over. Then, after seeing the carnage left in Muriel's house, promptly vomited. That wasn't awesome.

Ben joined Hansel and Gretel on their trips from that point onward, serving as a research assistant and - at least - attempted pep talker. Heaven knows he has enough enthusiasm for it. No word in if they allowed him to use a gun again, though.

Abilities/Special Powers: Ben's human, so he has no special powers or magical abilities. He's a decent shot, a good researcher, and an excellent artist, but as for actual powers, those - don't happen.
Third-Person Sample:

It isn't that Ben dislikes camping. Quite the contrary; he's grown quite used to it, the trees and foliage and animals providing a mostly-pleasant change of pace to his small cottage in his village.

Except the dead ones. He's not fond of those, even now. Especially now, actually, when he holds a dead raccoon by its tail and stares at it with a grimace on his face. Naturally, he'd cooked back home, but he remains unsure when Hansel and Gretel had decided that he was going to be the culinary genius of the group. Surely they have some skills as well, having been technically on the road for as long as they had. Which, in Ben's mind, is basically forever.

Since before he was born. It counts.

He picks up the knife and hesitates before cutting into the creature. It's dead, of course, but there's some instinct that allows him to shoot witches in the head that turns his stomach when he tries to do so much as skin his food. They say there are some species that only eat vegetables. Maybe he'll become like them.

Put simply, this isn't what he had signed up for when he jumped at the chance to tag along witch hunting. It changes nothing; it's still a dream come true, but some aspects are unpleasant. Some aspects are useless. Some aspects leave him feeling unappreciated, like some kind of pack mule, like someone that isn't taken seriously. He's an adult, practically; shouldn't he be given that privilege?

He could surprise them, couldn't he? Put very informally - Hansel and Gretel would be proud - he could throw some science on that shit. Give it to a witch. Kill it from the inside. A regular chemist, specializing in the destruction of witches.

He grins. He'll have to write that down.

First-Person Sample:

Okay, so.

[ he clears his throat. this is very, very serious business, despite the way that he grins in a way that suits his boyishness. ]

I don't know how common it is to make a living this way here, but I actually kill witches. For money. [ a beat. ] I know, I know, it sounds kinda shady, but I promise I'm not a hitman. I'm just putting it out there - if you need anybody, I'm totally your guy.

Unless you're a good witch! There's a difference - white witches and - normal witches, I guess. I - oh man.

Look, maybe I should just offer up shooting lessons instead.