Daniel, The Lab Rat

@yarshurdee

Image credit: @/yarshurdee

Have you heard the news? Gray Mann, the third Mann sibling, is hiding something in his laboratory, and it's not a robot! Something worse? Should the TFI prepare for another strike?!

Daniel couldn't have imagined such an outcome when he signed a contract with Mann Co. for the position of BLU pyroman, but fate had other plans. Desertion! Betrayal! A pawn in someone else's grand plan to destroy Saxton Hale! A victim of the conflict between rival organizations—Mann Co. and Gray Gravel Company —he managed to escape from the BLU base, which was blown up leaving no one alive, only because he was the one who pulled the lever that night under pressure and manipulation. Even the spy, who had been pretending to be a loyal friend all this time while working for Gray Mann, did not live to see the triumph.

Following the destruction of the BLU Team, Daniel was captured by the Classics and taken to Gray Gravel Company in 1971, where he was interrogated at length about Saxton Hale and the Administrator. He never revealed any information, but his mental health and any common sense were deep fried under red-hot metal. In the timeline when Gray went out to negotiate with Hale, Daniel was dragged into a series of experiments with australium as a disposable material — a LAB RAT, all for the sake of studying the element and ways to maintain Gray's life extending machine.

Now liquid australium flows through his veins, as he is under surveillance, undergoing surgeries and experiments — thanks to which Gray's machine is also improving, prolonging his life. Thank you, Daniel! Gray Mann Co — freshly rebranded Mann Co which was overtaken by Gray — will remember your deeds forever. After all, Gray Mann plans to live for several more centuries. And Dan lives like this - day after day, gray walls, experiments, robots, and completely boring conversations with the RED Medic, who ended up here voluntarily - the madman! But Dan is not discouraged, because he is also here voluntarily too, right? He also hates Mann Co. Of course, they abandoned him! They left him here and are in no hurry to rescue him! And besides, no one actually died! They just left! They left to live a new life and abandoned him here! But that's okay. Daniel wipes the trails of liquid gold dripping from his nose and smiles. Gray needs him, and that's what matters.

Genetically improved human: his spinal cord has been replaced with an analog synthetic prosthesis that runs on australium and australizes cells. This gives him increased regeneration and physical strength.

Non-violent, quite friendly towards the Classics, deeply respects Gray.

Before tortures he was meek and quiet, now he is blunt, excitable, and cocky.

Keep seeing those golden silhouettes of his late BLU comrades, must be australium that messing with his brain.

The Mechs! Clockwork & Adapter

@aerotrueheart

Image credit: @/aerotrueheart

Meet the Mechs!

Robotic teammates who can be modified to fit any occasion! Need an extra Demo cause the other is drunk? The Mechs can be that. Need someone to heal the team cause Medic is too busy pocketing Heavy? They can do that too. Pryo is bored and wants to draw and put stickers on someone? Adapter probably won't allow that, but Clockwork will!

Clockwork: A sentient automaton that's the result of an accident in a Victorian scientists lab. Over the years he's upgraded his robotic body taking on a humanoid form. He's slowly learning that being a person isn't just about your physical form, but the mind itself.

A lover of wind-up toys and antiques from his creation era

Runs on liquid austraium, but shhh! Don't tell the Administrator that!

Adapter: A strange robot that showed up one day and no one was brave enough to tell it to leave. No one knows who made it, where it came from, or if it's sentient by any means. Held together by rusty bolts, poor welds, and duct tape it's an engineering nightmare.