Post by Emma O'Brian on Oct 9, 2015 9:15:37 GMT -5
Basics
Name: Emma O’Brian
Nicknames:
Age: 16
Birthday: March 13, 1999
Grade: 11
Power:
Literary Manipulation (Bibliokinesis)
In the most basic sense, Emma has the ability to control books. Any books within 30 feet of her will be affected by emotional changes or her will. She specifically has control over the physical book, meaning that she can control the paper and ink inside the book. She tends to use the books as projectiles to throw at people from any distance, whether it is from a few feet away to across the room. She can also use the books to create a shield to block attacks, but it often functions better if only one person (usually herself) is behind the shield. She can tear pages from the book either by hand or by using this power. She can sharpen the edges of the sheet and shape them so that they can slice through things, but usually, she prefers to use the whole book to launch at someone. She can also manipulate the ink inside the book by “pulling” the ink off the page so to speak. From this, she can create constructs, like sharp objects (daggers, swords, spikes, and the like), creatures (bears, snakes, etc.), and restraints (such as cages or chains).
This power does come with limits, however. Emma can only control books that are up to 30 feet away from where she is standing. Yes, this does count in any direction around her, but 30 feet is the maximum distance that she has good control from. Anything farther than that is less controlled, and due to this, she tries not to stretch her control too long. The books she wants to fight with should at least be in the same room with her, that way she can see what they are doing. She can actively control books, but they are often times when her emotions can either cause a book’s pages ruffle. She can also accidentally completely obliterate a book if she is angry enough, since the pages are affected by her emotions. The ink stays in tact, usually, unless she actively pulls it off the page. It should be noted that she cannot control anything that happens in the story itself (i.e. she cannot make events or people from the story become reality). She only has control over the ink and paper; every other aspect of the book is beyond her control
Enhanced Forgery
Emma has the uncanny ability to mimic other people’s handwriting and writing styles almost perfectly. She learned the skill of forging from an adolescent on the street when she was young, but she seemed to perfect it overnight without much practice. The only thing she has to do to keep this power working properly is read at least one of the author’s pieces. More often than not, she somehow gains access to research about the author as well, just to make her forgery that more accurate. Most of her works are nearly identical to the original; however, she can mess up if she is doing something in a rush. To avoid this, she prefers to work in a quiet place when she is “working on a project”.
Member Group: Battle Front
Canon or not: No thanks. I’m good.
Appearance:
Emma had been described as ‘the prettiest street kid’ before she came to Ashford. Her fair skin gives away her Irish heritage, though her straight, black locks make her look anything but. Her hair used to be longer, but, in an effort to escape detection, she cut her hair to just above her shoulders. She is rather tall and thin for her age, but that does not mean she is frail by any means. She has developed a decent amount of muscle by sneaking in and out of abandoned fitness centers and fighting off bullies and others who tried to harm the group of street children she cared for. She has soft curves, though she tries not to draw too much attention to them. Her large eyes are a grey color with a soft hint of blue to them. She has a slightly heart-shaped face, with high cheekbones and a slightly angled chin. Her expression is often stuck somewhere between concentration and pissed off, since she tends to be on her guard a lot. Still, she carries herself with an air of purpose, allowing her to square her shoulders and stand up to anyone that tries to boss her around.
Emma tends to wear dark colors, like black or grey, when she is not wearing her uniform. Her clothes are closer to the easy-to-access and comfortable end of the spectrum, mainly because she used to live on the street and did not have much to her name. She is, however, girly despite her deceivingly tomboyish attitude. She tries not to draw too much attention to her body, but, because she is rather tall, the skirts she wears end up being a little shorter on her than they are intended to be. Still, she prefers her clothes slightly loose as opposed to tight, and she prefers dark colors as opposed to light ones. She knows that light clothes will make her look “even more pale”. She is also used to wearing dark colors to be able to sneak around in the dark without detection.
Personality
Use at least six positive and negative characteristics and give a one sentence explanation. Also include at least one strength and one weakness.[/b]- Once Emma and another person trust each other, the normally surly young woman can be one of the most loyal people in the world. Anyone who considers her a friend can count on her no matter what.
Positive:
* Street Smart- Emma was in and out of school throughout her childhood and adolescence, and she is honestly not very “book smart”. She is, however, street smart. She follows her instincts and can get herself and others out of a situation, if need be. She is usually the first person to have a “feeling that something isn’t right” and often becomes the de facto leader because of this.
* Creative- Emma is not an artist or a musician. However, she does consider herself creative in that she can find all kinds of ways to get out of a situation. She can use pretty much anything to do a task or get out of a bad situation. She is pretty good at improvising and making things up on the spot too.
* Observant- Emma is always paying attention. Because of this, many people say she is observant, because she will often notice or sense things that some other people would not. She tends to verbalize her observations, which can catch people off guard, especially if she did not address the group too much before.
* Protective- Emma deeply cares for those with whom she has developed a connection. Due to this, she often will rush recklessly to the aid of a friend. She will do anything and everything she can to help, even if it means putting herself in harm’s way.
* Independent- Emma can pretty much function on her own. She does not really rely on other people for much and provides herself with the things she needs. Of course, she is aware that she needs to belong somewhere, but she still does not really care what other people think of her.[/ul]
Negative:
* Short Fuse- Emma is pretty easy to anger or irritate. Just one word that is taken as a threat or something said in a way she finds threatening could earn someone a punch (or a book) to the face.
* Defensive- Emma keeps her guard up constantly. Some may say she is hypervigilant at times, but she often says it’s “because I’m used to it”. She also tends to defend her point of view vehemently during a debate, almost seeming offended that her values are challenged. She tends to not let people into her life unless they have found a way in, and that is often difficult.
* Sarcastic- Emma has many ways to keep people away from her, and one her favorite things to use is sarcasm. She will often make sarcastic and sometimes even mean comments to stop people from “bothering” her. Keeping people at a distance is her ultimate goal.
* Scheming- Emma likes to have fun. However, her type of fun often blurs boundaries and often strays into slightly criminal territory. Sure, she likes pranks and such, but she is a little more devious than eggs in someone’s pillowcase. She prefers tricking people into locking themselves into closets or setting traps for people to fall into, just for a good laugh.
* Tactless- Emma tends to say whatever she’s thinking. She does not really care if anyone’s feelings are hurt. Some people accuse her of being rude because of this, but she prefers to think that she has poor social grace.[/ul]
Likes:
* Outdoors- Emma lived outside for long chunks of time in her life. Most of the time, it was in the city, but that does not mean she does not appreciate nature. As a matter of fact, she loves the outdoors and will often be more comfortable sleeping in the grass than on a mattress.
* Fruits- Emma is not very fond of vegetables, but she loves all kinds of fruits. Apples, melons, peaches, grapes, berries; she pretty much loves them all. Of course, she is only used to the ones in Ireland, but, if she encounters new fruits, she will most likely want to try them.
* Coffee- Emma loves coffee. She needs at least a little bit in her throughout the day. Otherwise, she is extremely cranky and irritable all day long.[/ul]
Dislikes:
* Being confined- Emma hates being stuck in one place. She will often get up and pace the room if the door is locked. In more extreme cases, she will attempt to break down the door or pick the lock. She also starts to fidget if she is talking to someone for too long.
* Naive people- Emma is not very fond of people who trust others too much. She believes that everyone should have at least a little bit of doubt or hesitancy when dealing with other people. She will often roll her eyes when she overhears a conversation where she can sense naivety.
* Boredom- Emma hates having nothing to do. She will often start any number of fidgeting behaviors, such as tapping her fingers or toes, twirling writing utensils between her fingers, or idly playing with her hair, when she is bored.[/ul]
Extra: Emma is a rather sassy, rebellious, and guarded Irishwoman. She often keeps people at a distance because she has issues with trust. The loss of her parents as a child had a huge impact on her life, and, because of this, she also has some slight abandonment problems. She tries to keep a distance between herself and other people because she is convinced that one of two things will happen. Either they will leave her, just like everyone else has, or they will betray her and she will have to cut them off. She will become very angry when she is confronted by someone she used to know well and trusted in the past.It is not uncommon for her to scream at or even to launch books at said people. She does not appear to be very friendly at first, but she is polite at least, though that politeness quickly fades if her patience is low (which it usually is). She has been described as a grump’ in the past and seems to be in a sour mood 85% of the time. Some of this may come from the fact that she used to be a caretaker for a rag-tag group of street children, and the only way to keep them safe was to appear as strong as possible. She tends to ignore authority entirely and do exactly the opposite of what it stated. It is not uncommon for her to make fun of authority figures and play pranks on them, just to laugh.
She also has a thick Irish accent, which can sometimes make her speech hard to understand. A lot of people who are not used to the accent have a very hard time understanding her when she is yelling or angry. And, contrary to popular belief, she does not know a word of Gaelic. She speaks English mostly, though she will occasionally slip into a bit of French if she is trying to insult someone without them knowing that she did so.
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History
Family Members/guardians: Patrick O’Brian (Father, 35, Deceased); Cara O’Brian (Mother, 30, Deceased)
History:
Patrick and Cara O’Brian actually met through Cara’s sister, who worked with Patrick at a local store. Patrick was in love with Cara at first sight, but it took her some time to come around, since she had come out of an abusive relationship the previous year. Once she did, though, they were very happy together. They existed not just as a couple, but separately as well, and that was what made their relationship work so well. One could pick up and go and the other would simply say ‘have a good time’. They dated for three or four years before getting married. Their marriage was much like their dating relationship, and, while there were occasional fights, they were always able to resolve them. The only thing they were really missing was a child, which they both really wanted. They were about to give up on trying 5 years into their marriage when Cara was informed she was pregnant during a routine check-up at the doctor. The couple was very excited and started preparing for their baby eagerly.
Emma O’Brian was brought into the world on March 13 of 1999, nearly a month before she was actually due. She was mostly healthy, but she was put in the NICU for observation. Once it was determined that she was healthy enough to go home, the proud parents took their daughter home. The infant adjusted to her new environment rather quickly and was a pleasant little thing. She only fussed when she needed the essentials and when she was passed around too much at parties Both the McClain and the O’Brian families were thrilled to finally have a little girl born into the family, because, oddly enough, on both sides, all of Emma’s cousins were boys. Patrick and Cara were overjoyed to have little Emma in their life and, despite the struggles of being first-time parents, they would not have wanted anything to be different.
Emma had a hard time interacting with her peers when she went to school, but it had nothing to do with her parents. She was more interested in reading the books in her preschool classroom than playing with the other children. This worried her mother a bit, but her father did not seem to mind much. He reassured Cara that Emma would eventually branch out and talk to other kids. She just needed to get to know the environment better. Of course, this theory was debunked when a girl tried to force Emma to play dolls with her and the book that Emma had been holding smacked the girl in the face. Her parents scolded her for the incident, and so did the teacher, and the little girl was upset initially, but she explained it was because the book moved on its own. The teacher thought the little girl was unwell, and suggested that her parents get her psychologically tested. The only thing the test revealed that Emma had above average intelligence, and, thankfully, this appeased the school and the teacher. Little Emma was confused by why books moved when she wanted them to, but she kept the gift a secret.
Other than books trying to fly around the room or ink monsters trying to escape from the pages of the book, Emma had a relatively normal childhood until about the age of 6. Her parents were tragically killed in a bank robbery while she was with a baby sitter. When the young woman found out about what happened, she was not really sure what to do. On one hand, she felt the little girl deserved to know what happened, but, on the other, she also knew that it would traumatize her if she found out. So, she quietly took the girl to her aunt and uncle’s house. Once they arrived, Emma’s aunt and uncle explained the situation to her and tried to get her to talk, but all she did was slam the door in their faces and cry in her room. She spent a few years with her aunt and uncle before running away from home and living on the street.
The 10-year-old snuck in and out of stores and shops around her Irish homeland, providing mostly for herself. It was not until she was saved by a young man by the name of Aiden that she realized there were other people like her on the street. The two of them spent a year or two together, keeping warm in various shelters and stealing food for one another, until Aiden mysteriously disappeared while Emma was raiding a store’s stock one day. She was disappointed that he had left, but she also knew that she could not let it bother her too much. The world made it clear to her that she was meant to be on her own; or, at least, that was what she believed until she met a small group of younger street children who were begging for food. Emma felt sympathetic instantly and promised to take care of them. She became like their mother, making sure they had enough to eat and drink and even teaching them, despite the fact that she was actually catching herself up on reading and trying to master writing. She finally ended up doing so by watching an older teenager who was also on the street forge works of literature. The young woman picked up the skill fast and, in nearly two weeks, no one could tell the difference between an original manuscript from the author and Emma’s uncanny forgery.
For a while, the little street family lived off the profits of Emma’s forgeries. They started sleeping in small, family-owned bed and breakfasts at night. She made sure the children ate their fill in the morning, because the population of displaced and homeless people in the small towns they visited were growing, and she did not want the young ones to get hurt. She got into a couple street fights, but it was usually only in self-defense. Usually, she used a book to beat up the person who threatened her, the children, or both. She still did not understand why the object bended to her will, but she was not going to question it too much. It certainly kept creepy people away from them, and that was what mattered to her. At night, she would sneak out of their place of residence for the night and practice with her powers. She started with just the paper and binding at first, using the book as both a projectile and a small shield. Then, after she realized she could control the ink, she started taking the black substance off the pages and shaping it into creatures like snakes or weapons like knives. She made sure to practice in a secluded area, knowing that there was probably going to be punishment in store for her if she was found out. She started to wonder if her talent in forgery might be related to ability to control books, but she never found out the answer because she was caught in the act of selling a forgery.
Emma’s capture was a touch dramatic, even for her. It all started when she found a manuscript on the ground outside a bookstore. Apparently, it was the finished draft that an author was bringing to his agent, who happened to own the bookstore. She became really excited and took it back to the area where she and the children were camping out until closer to the night time. She forged the book in a matter of hours and headed out into the street, offering the book for “a decent price”. Some undercover police stopped to ask her about the book, pretending to be potential buyers. They did not realize it, but they were actually looking for Emma. She claimed it was a “first edition” and that the author “wanted a decent price for it since such a thing is so rare”. Of course, the police did not buy her story one bit and she was arrested on the spot. She was led by the camp, where the children saw her in handcuffs and cried. She was able to keep herself together until she was locked in a cell. She cried during the night, but she eventually fell asleep curled up on the cement floor of the cell.
The next morning, she was rudely awakened by the guard, who had brought her aunt and uncle that she had not seen in over 6 years, to visit. The dark-haired young woman glared at her relatives, refusing to say anything. They pleaded with her to come home, but she refused, stating that she would be “better off” without them. After some quiet discussion with Emma sitting there, her aunt and uncle decided to send her to Ashford, though they did not call the school that. Instead, they told her they were sending her to a boarding school to teach her maturity and responsibility. She was not pleased about this one bit and fought the authority who took her to the school every step of the way. Not long after she arrived, she met a few students and made friends with them. They told her about a group on the school campus who were fighting for the gifted to be free and she expressed interest in joining. The students did not really know much about the group besides their purpose, so Emma did research and snooping, two things she is very good at, and was able to figure out where the group operated from. She expressed her interest in joining to members that she found hanging around the tower. She is determined to prove herself worthy of being one of them and trains frequently on her own as well as with the trainers.
Behind the Character
Name: Lily, Lilly, Alexis, etc.
Chatango Name: waterlilly19
RP Experience: A long time
How did you find us?: You’re seriously still asking me this question?
RP Sample: See Camila, Felicia, or Damien. I’m too lazy
