EDIT: added a background because the gun was blending in too much without one. Image was originally transparent.

Madness Combat oc, Dust Devil. I had plans for her, but my interests shifted around. Drawn in Procreate over my original sketch

Bio:

Started off as a member of a group of criminals called “The Jackalopes” known for their speed. Dust Devil was one of the best marksmen in the group, surpassed only by their gangleader. However, over time Dust Devil began to realize that very leader, Twister, was a cruel woman manipulating the other members and the crimes were becoming increasingly violent. The crimes ad gone from mere cattle rustling to kidnapping for ransom, murders, and roadside robberies. The final straw was when a young boy was kidnapped, and when it turned out the family was unable to pay, Twister shot the boy’s legs “to make him dance”. Dust Devil intervened, and she and the boy barely escaped with their lives.

After their escape, Dust Devil went to the hospital with the boy, but was captured by The Sheriff as a result. In the jailhouse, the two struck a deal: Dust Devil’s marksmanship was well known. If she would work for The Sheriff, he would “convince” (bribe) the judge to give her a pardon, and she would have a roof over her head, an income, and protection from The Jackalopes. She agreed, and took her new role very seriously, though was often frustrated by the yellow-bellied Sheriff, who had given her the nickname “Dusty”

She when Sheriff joined the AAHW, she noticed the organization used similar manipulation techniques to Twister, and deemed the organization “screwy.” When she couldn’t convince Sheriff they were bad news, she walked out and told him to, “Call me when your stubborn self finally realizes it for yourself, and I’ll help you get away so we can get back to business” not realizing he would die before then. She underestimated how quickly things would escalate, and Sheriff’s stubbornness.

She blamed herself pretty heavily for Sheriff’s death, since she left in response to him allying with AAHW. Oddly, she placed almost no blame on Hank himself, because she suspected that AAHW intentionally provoked him to go after Sheriff….that and it would be incredibly stupid to try and go after Hank in any capacity.

When she reunited with Sheriff after Project Nexus, she didn’t even know he was alive. She showed up to Nexus City with the intention of delivering some crop seeds to the city low on food (to help them become self-sufficient and no longer starving) to increase her chances of being let in, and then offer her services as a zombie-slayer to earn a living as she had done in other surviving settlements. Sheriff let her in automatically, accepted the seeds, and put her in his personal ranks rather than letting her zombie-hunt for her meals. He basically saved her life a second time.

Other tidbits about her:

• Dusty initially HATED when Sheriff gave her that nickname, but it eventually grew on her, and she began using it freely, especially since she wanted to try and distance herself from her criminal past a bit.
• She is very self conscious about how the people perceive her. She knows she isn’t trusted because of her past, and prior the the events of the series, has on multiple occasions been confronted by someone she wronged. She stayed by Sheriff to lessen her chances of incidents, especially after someone had the balls to actually start a fist fight with her. The boy she saved and his family, however, completely forgave her and have openly defended her. The boy was never able to walk again after the damage Twister did to his legs.
• She often bumps into walls. The Jackalopes all stayed in tents, so it wasn’t a big deal if she bumped into the sides of the tent. She was not prepared for the pain of bumping her elbow into a corner really hard.
• Her real name is actually Rosaline. Sheriff is the only person she ever told.
• As far as Dusty is concerned, she owes Sheriff her life. She was under the impression she was going to either rot in jail the rest or her life or die saving that kid. Sheriff instead gave her a second chance. As frustrated as she was with his cowardly behavior, he had earned her loyalty, and they quickly became the only friends each of them had. This played heavily into her self-blame for Sheriff’s death.
• Dusty rides a motorcycle, specifically a small Honda Rebel.
• The remaining Jackalopes all became zombies, although Twister retained a level of sentience, like Tricky without all the superpowers.
• Dusty’s accuracy with a gun is very well known. She might not be a killing machine like Hank, but she doesn’t miss when she aims her gun.
• Dusty specializes in zombie eradication, thanks in part to her already noteworthy aim. She doesn’t do melee combat well, though.
• Dusty absolutely would run from a Mag unless she were cornered and had no other choice but to fight. That is one enemy she does NOT want to deal with. She would also struggle with most Soldats.
• You know how Mother Gothel treated and manipulated Rapunzel in Tangled? That’s basically how Twister treated Dusty. Pretend to be sweet and loving, but regularly put her down and manipulate Dusty into doing things she never wanted.
• Dusty is DUMBFOUNDED by Sheriff’s personality change after the events of Project Nexus. “Excuse me? Sheriff? Is that REALLY you? When did you grow a spine? What? Where did all this courage come from? Why didn’t it happen sooner?”
• Prior to Madness Combat, she and Sheriff at one point attempted a romantic relationship, but it didn’t work out. It only lasted a couple days before their personalities clashed, and Dusty became worried about the gossip going around about the two (with some people going as far as to outright claim she “offered herself up” in exchange for Sheriff getting her pardoned). After they reunited, they kept things platonic for the sake of professionalism, but Sheriff still has feelings and wants to try again. Dusty doubts the two would even have time to try again, considering the mess Nexus City is in.

Bonus:

My original sketch