A family photo

Marino's first project - Mr. Hat!

Entrant's Name: Toudi

Entrant's Website (optional): -

Character's Name: Marino Nett

Age: 46

Occupation: Puppeteer/Doll maker&seller

Brief Physical Description: At first glance you'd think that he's big, strong, has decent muscles as well as a wide chest... and that's exactly what he wants you to think! Marino wears a special frame (the same type he uses for his dolls) under his suit to make that impression. In reality though he's as slim as a rake due to not going outside too much as a kid. However the puppeteer can boast about his beautiful grey hair. He stands at 6'1" and always dresses elegantly.

Brief Personality Description: Marino was always cheery, vital, patient, eloquent, talkative, always optimistic and obsessed with dolls/mannequins/puppets. Unfortunately everything changed (except the latter of course) after his beloved wife's mysterious death... The truth behind her death is not known to date but it is thought that it was a suicide. Although before reaching that conclusion everyone accused the puppeteer of being the murderer. Since then he has been a total wreck until a special little someone suddenly appeared in his life and saved him from going insane...

Connection to canon characters (if applicable): After the trial concerning Archie Buff's death, Marino decided to adopt the victim's daughter, Armie Buff. The doll seller knew way too well how it feels like to be all alone and he didn't want her to suffer in the same way. He started filling the required documents on the spot and he knows that it was the best decision he has made in his entire life. As an adoptive father Marino's happier than ever! Thanks to Armie he even managed to go back to his state from before his wife's death!

Brief Background: Marino was born in Montpellier (France). His mother (Jolie Bellerose-Nett) was French and his father (Norberto Nett) was Italian. At the age of 4, his father started his own business - a doll shop. Norberto used to spend all days in his workshop making dolls and mannequins. For young Marino it was so fascinating that he preferred watching his father doing his job to playing outside with friends. When he was 23 he inherited his dad's shop and two years later he met his future wife - Lorena Moreau - they got married soon. Marino was the happiest man alive despite the fact that Lorena was infertile. Everything was perfect for him until that fateful night came 16 years later... At about 2 AM Lorena drank a cup of poisoned coffee after she'd locked up herself in her husband's shop. Nobody knows why she'd do that or who'd have a motive to poison her but since it was in Marino's shop and only he had the keys everyone suspected him. After years of trials he was eventually found not guilty but couldn't live there anymore because of the rumors so he moved to America. He became an entirely different person but his business grew more and more. However one day the puppeteer heard about Archie Buff's death and intrigued by it he went to watch the trial which was the next day. That's where Marino met Armie and finally started a happy life once again without more disasters... or so he thought.

THE POSED TURNABOUT
A year after the beginning of a new chapter in Marino's life there happened another tragedy - several murders which at first glance were unconnected. The victims were at different age, different genders and marital statuses. The only connection between them was right in the puppeteer's workshop - the day before each murder the mannequins at the shop window were posed exactly as the consecutive victims found the next mornings... The police believes that the workshop owner is the culprit since Marino visited each victim the day they were murdered. He did indeed meet them - but only to deliver custom ordered dolls. Unfortunately nobody believes him. Can Wright Anything Agency allow to sentence an innocent man and deprive Armie of yet another daddy?

Trivia:
-You can read his name as "marionette"
- Despite being French he has an italian name because his mother thought it'd be more suitable for him since he was very similar to his father who was Italian
- Mr.Hat is Marino's first made puppet and when he saw it during one of Trucy's magic tricks he cried with happiness
- His head is in the shape of a mannequin's and also has dimples around his eyes like one
- Each doll in his shop was given a name, personality and... a rank! Armie just couldn't resist
- Before his wife's death Marino's hair was black but due to the stress it's colour changed into grey

P.S If you're interested in the whole turnabout I can write it soon ;) I know I can't draw, please have mercy ;-;