〈 PLAYER INFO 〉NAME: Emily (An extremely common name, so I will also answer to "Limey" if this helps avoid confusion.)
AGE: 20
JOURNAL: ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
notsopsychic (kind of doubles as a character journal for another OC)
IM / EMAIL: holycrapflyingapples on Skype
PLURK: Don’t have one (yet) ![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
queenoflimesRETURNING: N/A
〈 CHARACTER INFO 〉CHARACTER NAME: Austin Cheng; formerly called Psion
CHARACTER AGE: 25
CANON ORIGIN: Strictly original.
CHRONOLOGY: It’s been a few years since he left the Sentinels, his own universe’s stricter and more repressive form of a hero organization. Currently he works at the forefront of a small group of benevolent vigilantes.
CLASS: Has many characteristics of an anti-hero; struggles with past trauma, mental instability, drug misuse, and being an asshole— but at the end of the day is a bleeding-heart hero who will often overextend himself in order to help people.
HOUSING: Opt-in for roommates please! Open to having him housed in any city at this point.
BACKGROUND:The story is set in modern-day America with few differences from the real world. Exceptions include the increasingly prevalent existence of superpowers and their resulting social and political conflicts, as well as futuristic technological advancements either made possible by or in reaction to the existence of these powers. Many notable plot points take place in New York City, where the government organization dealing with heroes is based.
Austin grew up in southern California where he was raised by both parents until his father died when he was five and his sister was two. Raised from this point by a mother with un-medicated Bipolar I disorder, he was often forced to parent his sister and eventual half-brother. His powers began developing when he was eight years old, and he was thirteen when he was seized by agents from a government organization (ironically this was the result of a meeting with a social worker to evaluate his mother’s competency). He has not seen his mother (they are angry with each other) or half-brother (who took his departure as abandonment and is now distant) since that day, and tries to limit contact with his sister due to the risky nature of his work, though they talk sometimes on the phone and miss one another greatly.
After being taken by the government he was held against his will and isolated, submitted for various examinations and experiments without his assent. The treatment of those with powers (strong ones especially) in his universe can be described as “fearful objectification”. Heroes are admired yet in many ways kept at arm’s length, seen as a freak show. Even those who don’t pique substantial government interest are required by law to formally register their powers, just in case. When they are not regulated, controlled, or even confined, supers are packaged and made into “superheroes” - part celebrity, part law enforcement. This is what happened to Austin after officials were content that he was marketable and not a significant threat. From ages sixteen to 21 he performed this role and gained a good deal of notoriety as “Psion”, but as the brainwashing slowly undid itself he became more and more discontent with the exploitation and cruelty visited upon him and fellow supers until the day he went missing and never returned.
In leaving the Sentinels he left behind a loved one, possibly forever. Julian Cohen, an on-again-off-again boyfriend and fellow hero, did not agree with the decision to leave, claiming it was too dangerous to attempt. Austin eventually made the decision to leave despite this. However, not a year after his departure, Julian disappeared. The government at first declined to comment, then issued a press release stating that he had gone on “indefinite hiatus” from hero work to lead a quiet life due to medical issues. This made Austin incredibly uneasy, as its finality suggested that the government had either confirmed or presumed him dead. Then again, Austin knew that Julian
did deal with legitimate medical problems related to his powers, while part of him continued to hope that officials were merely covering up Julian’s successful escape. Three years later with no further developments, Austin still searches for him in crowds.
Since his escape he has traded purple Spandex for black clothing which conceals his identity, and has been working as part of an anonymous group of vigilantes (often termed “vigils”) whose goals include defeating villains and fighting crime, but also helping those with powers who have been marginalized. Naturally they have worked against the government and in so doing been labeled a threat. His group is supported and protected under the table by a close friend and current hero/business mogul who on the surface maintains a strong and powerful allegiance with the government.
The public’s reaction to those with powers (often called “supers”, while those without are called “normals”) mirrors the government’s stance: supers are treated with apprehension and considered to be a source of danger and instability, mostly due to stigma based around their powers, but also because many civilians fear getting tangled up with government affairs. Widespread fear of supers leads the public to allowing various cruelties to be visited upon them without much resistance; however, opinion naturally varies from person to person. Heroism is a hot-button issue and makes for contentious dinnertime debate.
PERSONALITY:Though very intelligent, Austin was never a model student due to his behavior and inability to focus. He has the equivalent of a high school education, except perhaps in the areas of chemistry, computer programming, and mechanical engineering, which are lifelong interests for him (however he has no formal training so it probably isn’t feasible to give him much more than an entry-level job in these areas). On the opposite end, he is tone deaf and has virtually no musical talent.
Over the years he has struggled with emotional issues resulting from his father’s death, his mother’s illness, separation from family, and poor treatment by the government. Subsequently he has endured stresses related to the life-or-death nature of hero work, as well as the the implications of being thrust into celebrity, and has grieved the loss or unknown whereabouts of several friends, most notably his ex-boyfriend Julian.
In addition to this (perhaps partly because of it), he shows symptoms of ADHD-C and cyclothymia (more on this in the final paragraph) and has often had trouble with substance misuse, most notably alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. He smoked cigarettes for several years before concluding that it impaired his physical abilities, and has since switched to e-cigarettes, which he can often be seen using. He drinks coffee practically by the gallon, follows an erratic sleep schedule, and has had regular night terrors for years. Austin has never sought (though occasionally endured) psychological counsel, and does not currently take any (legitimately) prescribed medications. He loathes to be seen by anyone as vulnerable and will usually deny feeling unwell or upset. His view of himself is alternately inflated and abysmal.
Though he does not come across as particularly compassionate— in fact his mannerisms are often gruff and caustic— his mind-reading capabilities allow him special awareness of the issues an individual might be facing. This makes him surprisingly capable at relating to traumatized people and the mentally disturbed. However, to those who can handle it (and many who can’t), he is sardonic often to the point of cruelty. Despite this, many who have spent a good deal of time with him have a surprisingly positive view of him, or at least reach a point of grudging respect. He is a genuine and uncompromisingly principled person who despises what he views as hypocrisy and corruption, and an extremely loyal friend to those he deems deserving. He places an enormous amount of value on human life, and takes it incredibly hard when he feels he could have done more to prevent someone’s death. As a result he has very little patience for those who would endanger the lives of the innocent. His character alignment would certainly be Chaotic Good.
Those who don’t eventually come around to respecting him tend to hate him, and the feeling is almost invariably mutual. He is rather notoriously hot-headed and prideful— not typically a person you want to place in charge of delicate negotiations.
He has extremely limited tolerance for the trappings of bureaucracy; hand him a form to fill out and there is very little likelihood you’ll get it back unless you personally sit with him and watch him do it. His desk is often piled with papers and his work and living areas are generally in some state of chaos. Austin can often seem like a type-A workaholic, but there are two "catches" to this: first, he only spends time on things that interest him. This mostly includes active hero work and things that facilitate it-- for instance he'll often stay up all night plotting to rescue someone or take down a villain. Second, his moods do cycle and he goes through periods of mild depression during which he is less able to keep up with life's demands. When he is not depressed his behavior often falls under the category of "hypomania" and these are the times when he is most productive, working lots and getting little sleep.
POWER: Note: He is one of the more powerful in his universe, so I am on board with toning down his powers if requested. However I think I might prefer to retcon his home-world powers rather than decreasing them upon his arrival, so please let me know! Additionally there are personally-wearable devices in his home verse which prevent one’s mind from being read, and these could definitely be introduced here as well (assuming the power doesn’t get cut or simply reduced to empathy).
Canon powers all fall under the category of "psychic" and have three umbrellas beyond that:
MIND READING/TELEPATHY - Detailed reading of conscious thoughts of other humans in acceptable range, limited reading of animals. Cannot access stored memories or other stored info unless it is brought to the person’s conscious mind (though he can accomplish this by asking a question verbally). He can also communicate words, ideas, and pictures mentally if a person is within range. He cannot predict the future and he is not clairvoyant. Those with psychic powers (himself included) can usually block their minds from being read.
TELEKINESIS - Can move large objects within acceptable range (able to flip a bus on its back with considerable effort) and generate large amount of force (can slash someone’s throat psychically). Can use this force as a sort of shield/deflector of projectiles. The limitation to this power is that it acts somewhat like a physical object; you have to be in its path to be hit by it. There is also a limit to how long he can keep up heavy or sustained use of these powers; think of them like a psychic muscle.
HEALING - Though it's not lightning-quick, he heals considerably faster than most from wounds and illnesses, due to his ability to drain energy from his surroundings. This means that he can come back from injuries many would not survive, though there are definitely limits to this. The downside to his power is that those spending time near him when he is sick will often find themselves weakened - he can consciously control the draining to a fairly good degree, but only while awake. (When he was a preteen his family learned not to keep plants or small animals in his room when he was home sick.) He can also intentionally drain energy from others, or send his own energy to others-- which of course has the downside of draining
him. Physical contact enhances the flow of energy, no matter its direction.
(FURTHER WEAKNESSES: Since his power comes from his mind, all of his abilities are severely weakened by depressant drugs. This includes but is not limited to alcohol, narcotics, and benzodiazepines (Xanax for instance). Stronger stimulant drugs (cocaine, amphetamines) make his powers perhaps marginally stronger, but have the unfortunate effect of rendering them shaky and unpredictable. He's built up such a tolerance to coffee and cigarettes that it takes something a bit more potent to produce noticeable effects.)
〈 CHARACTER SAMPLES 〉COMMUNITY POST (VOICE) SAMPLE: (Video)
[Austin’s hand brushes the back of his neck and then rests there, gaze averted.]
So… the reason I jumped out of a moving car and then ran down an alley
and then may or may not have spent a few days dumpster diving for a living… [Clears his throat.] …is because I thought you guys were assholes.
[He looks up to face the camera, hand slipping back down to rest next to him.] But now that I know that you’re, um,
not. I’d like that free housing and healthcare and shit. [A nod and a slight grin of self-awareness.] That sounds pretty good. Still not sure about pledging my allegiance, but I’ll look into it.
[Spends a moment staring off into space. His brain is still exhausted from the past few days. He looks back at the camera.]
I like the flying cars. That's a nice touch. The phones are cool. [A brief glance at his wrist.] The tattoo is maybe a little much. [Brow furrows.] Are you
sure they're not tracking devices?
[Opens his mouth to say something else, then pauses and starts over.]
So, yeah. I'll be taking my time deciding about the swearing in.
LOGS POST (PROSE) SAMPLE:Austin woke with a muffled yell and sat up, covered in sweat. The angle of the light filtering through the blinds confused him. No, no, this wasn’t right— he jumped out of bed and only as his feet hit the floor did he remember…
oh…
Heropa.
He sank back to sit on the edge of the bed and placed his head in his hands, pushing the hair out of his face. “Fuck.” He inhaled and exhaled almost mechanically. In, out. In, out. For a few moments he leaned over, holding his stomach, but the feeling passed. He cringed, hands moving back to his face, and he screwed his eyes shut in the darkness and groaned softly.
After a few minutes he rose from the bed and padded downstairs to the kitchen. The sweat on his neck and back cooled quickly as he flicked on the light and made his way to the counter. The clock on the microwave read 4:35 AM as he went through the motions of making a new pot of coffee. After he hit Start he went back up the stairs to grab his cigarette off its charger.
Sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee in one hand and cigarette in the other, he stared blankly at the pantry shelves across from him and took a drag, blowing a cloud of vapor into the otherwise still air. It had been a long time since he'd felt this stuck in the past. Must be something to do with the shock of being here, he thought. Whatever it was, his insides felt like a canyon blown straight through with a cold chill of longing for familiar arms. Normally he tried to move on, but tonight he allowed himself to wallow, pulling out memories like photo albums. It felt good to see Julie again, even if only in his mind's eye. Even if he'd regret it tomorrow morning when daylight would illuminate the empty side of his bed.
Four fucking years. Wasn't it supposed to get easier?
He felt his head throb and stood up to get a glass of water, then settled back into the wooden dining chair. Maybe he just wouldn't go back to bed at all. It was already five in the morning. Maybe he'd go sit on the back porch and see a Florida sunrise.
He drained his water glass and then stood, poured himself another cup of coffee, and stepped out the back door of the house. Relocated to a comfy deck chair, he leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling. The outdoor air smelled good, and its humid but subdued warmth was a welcome break from the powerful southern air conditioning. He took another drag from his cigarette, watching its blue tip light up like a firefly in his peripheral vision.
FINAL NOTES:Austin’s userpics are my own work, and may not convey all necessary information about his appearance, so I’ll put a description here. He is a thin, lanky 6 feet 3 inches, and mostly of Chinese descent (though American-born and 1/4 white). His skin is on the pale side with yellow undertones; he has very dark brown eyes and straight black hair which he tends to wear somewhere between his ears and shoulders. He is typically clean-shaven (growing facial hair does not work out well for him).
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