Post by Emma McDougall on Dec 11, 2016 6:22:13 GMT
Emma Josephine McDougall
FACE CLAIM: Janet Devlin
♦ THE BASICS ♦
AGE: 16
GENDER: Female
ORIENTATION: Confused
POSITION:Student♦ THE ABILITY ♦
POWER: Adhesive Skin Secretion
The skin secretes a substance from the pores that adheres to nearly every surface; organic or inorganic. The strength of adhesion varies on the surface like most adhesives. It also varies depending on emotion, and concentration for Emma. The higher the emotion, or more specifically panic the stronger the adhesive becomes. She can concentrate to make the adhesive stronger, but takes more concentration to make it less.
The substance is left behind on the surface much like duct tape. Depending on the adhesion strength depends on how easily it is removed from the surface. Another variable is how long she holds the object just like the longer tape is left on the more residue left behind. What the surface is made out of is another variable in how well the substance remains behind.
The substance left behind can adhere to other objects, though at her stage she cannot make a lot of the substance volume wise. (Think tape again not glue.) The residue left behind is not as strong as when a part of her body. The longer the substance is separate from her skin the less adhesion properties it contains. With training the ability to secrete more of the substance to use more as a glue is possible.
LIMITATIONS:
-She cannot secrete the substance over her entire body. No mucus membranes secrete it at this time. Areas with thick hair such as on top of her head, eye brows, etc. also do not secrete it.
-She basically can just make the adhesion stronger taking away is much harder. At this time she cannot lessen the strength unless she focuses intently on doing so no distractions, and only by a small fraction.
-The substance is not so strong that it removes skin when trying to dislodge an object. Might sting a little like a band aid or duct tape being removed.
-Fur, hair, velvet, fluffy fabrics, wet surfaces, earth/rocks are all hard or at this time impossible for her to adhere to. If she does manage to cling to fur or hair it's a lose hold easily removed.
SIDE-EFFECTS:
Skin issues are a big problem for her having to use special soaps, lotions, facial cleansers, and make up. She has a intense need to wash her hands often since that is a focal point for her ability. This has lead her to have an issue with cleanliness in general. There are times she scrubs her skin raw with trying to remove the sticky substance.
Since this substance gets left behind on objects she has to replace clothes often, spends a lot of time cleaning, and has to try various remedies/cleaners to remove the secretions. This again has lead her to have a slight obsession with things being clean, and neat. From all the cleaners she uses she tends to get nose bleeds, head aches, and sore throats from inhaling the fumes. Though this means she has learned how to get pretty much anything out of clothing, carpets, and off various surfaces.
Dressing in layers, and covering as much skin as possible has lead to a body image issue. This also inhibits socializing with peers in her discomfort of leaving the stickiness behind.
Things get ruined from the substance, projects get broken, papers ripped, and in trying to remove objects many things get broken. She has become minimalist in her belongings, and very possessive of the few things she owns.♦ THE CHARACTER ♦
HEIGHT: 5'1
HAIR COLOR: Red
EYE COLOR: Blue
MISC:
As much as she would love to get a tattoo, piercing, or dress in fancy clothes none are optional to her. Not old enough for a tattoo, and her parents were not about to let any needle alter the body God gave her. The clothes issue stems from lack of money and her ability repeatedly ruining her clothes. When it comes to clothes she dresses in at least two to three layers to prevent her skin from sticking to random things. Except during the summer, or chilling out alone she tends to wear gloves usually finger-less. Removing gloves with fingers tends to go badly, and she just finds it uncomfortable.
Since all of her clothes come from thrift stores, Goodwill, or garage sales she tends to have an odd look. She does her best to choose colorful, girlie clothes that don't make her look like a frumpy eighty year old lady, but she doesn't always succeed. Also with her upbringing she doesn't wear shirts with any curse words, alcoholic advertising, or inappropriate pictures. Because of her ability she also tends to wear long sleeves, pants, and higher necks.
One obvious bit of her looks is her curly, frizzy, long red hair. She doesn't tend to do much with it usually just leaving it down. Not much effort goes into her hair or product. Honestly she's lucky if the brush makes it through the mass. The ends of her hair are also quite damaged because she tends to chew on them.
PERSONALITY:
Meek is a wonderful word to use when describing Emma. Shy, cautious, submissive, passive, and apologetic are also a few words to nail her with. A reflexive phrase for her is "I'm sorry..." with downcast eyes and a sweet apologetic smile. She does her best to be pleasant, positive, nauseatingly polite, and eager to please everyone no matter how many times the person tends to use her.
Many people tend to think her addle-brained, or stupid as she gets nervous unable to respond or stumbles over her words. She has issues speaking up, or inserting herself into a conversation usually happy to sit and listen more than contribute. All of this has people treating her like a doormat, and often her opinions and wants go unheard.
Like all people if she finds the right person, or subject matter she can carry on a fine conversation. And when she does finally decide to talk it streams out of her soft and fast, with words and ideas often tripping over each other. Yelling isn't really a thing for her even when excited. Projection and annunciation are two of her issues some words lilted with her parents Irish brogue when emotionally hyped.
Passions include anything coffee flavored or anything to do with coffee. She has a very precious unicorn collection that she keeps out of reach of her power. Poetry and singing are two hobbies she clings to though neither she thinks she is very good at, and keeps both to herself. A big day dreamer she loves to go on walks, head phones in mind wandering. And her biggest passions is her obsessive fan girling for various TV shows: Supernatural, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, and of course, Dr. Who.
SECRET(S):
She hates her family and is glad to be rid of them. Very confused about her "sexuality".♦ THE HISTORY ♦
Growing up in middle income suburbia in the mid-west of the Unite States she lived a fairly mundane life. The only oddity of her childhood was her families intense religious views. It was the word and nothing but the word in her household. Christian music, Christian books, Bible studies, Christian TV (if any), Christian movies all of which having to match her family's particular flavor of Christianity. Even if the entertainment in question was labeled Christian if it conflicted with the 'dogma' of her parents it was banished from their home. She attended a Catholic private school only because it was the only 'Christian' school in the area, and neither parent had time, nor patience, to home school the eight McDougall children.
This lead her to grow up with a very narrow view of the world until she entered middle school. Her father's 'secret' got out of control and this ended with him losing his job. This meant no more private school for Emma. Public school was a huge culture shock from the clothes to the language. Sixth grade was terrifying and very lonely as all the other students grew up together in the same elementary school. She was the religious nut girl, clueless, and with her meek personality easily left out.
Seventh grade things changed drastically with the introduction of Sammy, or Samantha to her mother. The girl came from New York which was as opposite as the small Iowa town as one could get. And for some reason Sammy locked her eyes on Emma and that was the end of it. Samantha became a constant battle with her parents. The girl was wild, uncouth, atheist, and according to her parents, a harlot. With Sammy's hand in hers anything and everything was possible, a thing her parents detested.
As her only friend, her only link to the world outside of the Holy book, Emma clung to Sammy like a life vest in the ocean. She learned to sneak, learned to lie, and the repercussions blossomed on her skin. The harsher the repercussion the longer the sleeve. But nothing mattered as long as Sammy smiled at her.
The summer following she spent most nights locked out of her house unfit to live in a house that loved the Lord. Apparently her parents thought tough love would have their daughter running back into their arms. Instead it had her running right into Sammy's. The girls were inseparable, the best of friends, or so Emma thought.
They spent the summer swimming in the river, drinking far too much coffee, and staying out late every night. Movies, Netflix binge watching shows, and loud music none of which were remotely Christian. As wild as she got it never really got all that out of hand. Cigarettes were gross, alcohol was unobtainable, and the boys had no interest in the weird duo. Everything was new, everything was magical, everything was perfect all because of Sammy.
The magic ended once school started. The long rope she was meant to hang herself with tightened back up, choking her off from happiness. Her father dragged her home locking her in her room until it was time for class, then her mother drove her to school. After school her father picked her up and back into the room she went until morning. Her life became school, home, and church. True she got to see her best friend during school, but there were classes and getting to classes.
But this didn't stop Sammy. A knock on her window one night and the magic was returned to her life. Whispers, and stifled giggles in the safety of her closet meant their friendship could survive. Emma didn't understand that their friendship wasn't standard, wasn't normal, wasn't accepted by more than just her parents. Whispers started following their held hands as they made their way through the halls. Glares aimed their way as they leaned in close heads touching over a magazine. She didn't understand, she didn't know, and sadly, she was the only one who didn't.
Midway into their eighth grade year everything became clear when Sammy decided to take the next step in their 'relationship'. They weren't friends. When did the line get crossed? When did things get so tangled? She didn't know. She didn't know anything.
Morning brought tears when her parents yanked her out of the closet, the irony no longer lost on her. Sammy fought back screaming at them to just leave them alone. Her parents screaming back about how they were going to hell. Family? Friendship? The people who raised her or the girl who loved her? All she could do was cling desperately to the blanket wrapped around her as tears burned their way down her face.
A week later people came to her house. It had taken two days to peel the blanket from her skin. Emma had to go away. Her parents said it was punishment from on high for her sins. The people said she had a gift that she needed to master. Sammy said it was freedom. She didn't know way to say, so she said nothing.
Two years have passed without a word from her family. A year since her last letter from Sammy. Her life revolves around cleaning, school, and trying not to stick to things. What did that night mean? She still doesn't know. Still, she knows nothing.♦ THE PLAYER ♦
USERNAME: 13
AGE GROUP: Late 20's
EXPERIENCE:About as long the age of my character
WHERE DID YOU FIND US? Uh, I believe you e-mailed me? Also, Fate.