The legendary star who graduated MIT, Ethan Carter has been in charge of Nova Infinitum since its inception as both its headmaster and president. While he does not usually involve himself in the day to day operations of the school, he occasionally shows to lecture in the physics and biochemistry classes but mostly remains in his office overseeing the school as a whole or in his private lab located in the staff only section of the school. Ethan Carter’s star mark is a simple five pointed with one dot at each point centered on his forehead. Most students who have spoken to Professor Carter report him as an incredibly cordial and upstanding man but after a student returned from an accident on a trip with black star corruption a rumor circulated among the younger students that he intentionally causes the black star corruption in an attempt to control it. Most of the older students say the rumor is completely false however, and say Professor Carter is one of the best possible people to lead Nova Infinitum.
Professor Edwards was the star who played in front of Carnegie Hall when she was young and demonstrates incredible proficiency with all forms of musical instruments, as well as having an excellent singing voice. She has two star marks, both are six points with the top and bottom points being longer than the rest. She has headed up the music department at Nova Infinitum ever since she was hired by Professor Carter a few years after her founding. She is reported to be a fairly tough and difficult teacher but generally rewarding and accepting of her students. Professor Edwards has had a few rumors circulate around her in regards to why she came along to Nova Infinitum - after all, why would someone with her talents take a job that pays less at a school hidden away in New York? - but is generally accepted by most students.
Professor Marshall comes from the United Kingdom where he was the first star reported outside of the United States. His ability allows him to manipulate electrical current and energy with his star mark being a seven pointed one on the back of his neck. Professor Marshall is mostly responsible for teaching engineering classes and leading the engineering department at Nova Infinitum, but reportedly has been working on a secret project with Professor Carter. As Professor Marshall is relatively new at NI - having only been at his post for a few years - not many rumors have circulated about him, but most students report him to be generally unpleasant and grumpy.
Doctor Calvin Adams is unlike other prominent staff members, a non-star. Doctor Adams came to Nova Infinitum primarily to serve as on-site doctor who could take care of student medical needs without needing to fly them out to the nearest town. Doctor Adams is mostly specialized in family medicine but has become proficient in other forms to take care of the diverse set of needs from NI’s staff and students. He also has a number of nurses and some medical students who assist him in efforts. Much like Professor Carter he is reported to be cordial and patient with the students, however rumors have begun circulating that Doctor Adams is actually a Lux Astra plant meant to try to find out if NI is up to anything nefarious. It got so bad at one point that Professor Carter had to speak on it. While Doctor Adams was involved with Lux Astra at one point he is no longer, yet the rumors remain regardless.
The Student Body
Aaliyah Meadows - Uni 2nd Year, history + philosophy. Played by @Aurora Primrose. Adam Edwards - HS 2nd Year, philosophy. Played by @Eclipse Tyrant. Alice Gray - HS 3rd Year, undecided. Played by @Blizz. Echo Gallagher - HS 3rd Year, art + design. Played by @Amethyst. Jinayah Ifriti - HS 1st Year, undecided. Played by @Mistress Dizzy. June Dubois - Uni 2nd Year, biology. Played by @Zoey Boey. Mia Zhong - HS 3rd Year, undecided. Played by @VampireOracle. Morgan Mortirmir - Uni 2nd Year, history + philosophy. Played by @VoID. Naomi Johnson - HS 3rd Year, undecided. Played by @canaryrose. Phoenix Gallagher - Uni 4th Year, clarinet performance. Played by @Amethyst. Roman Duran - Uni 1st Year, undecided. Played by @Infinite Cosmos.
“ If your life is a blank page, that only means you have room to write your story. You have the power to tell that story the way you want to.”
Name: Echo Ace Gallagher
Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Nonbinary, they/them
Age: Sixteen
Year and Degree Program: Currently a junior in high school, Echo will be studying animation and design once they get to university.
Nationality: American, British parentage
Appearance: Standing a little under five feet nothing, Echo is very much not a formidable person. Their frame is fairly average, not notably slender or broad. Their hair is buzzed short, currently dyed an obnoxiously bright turquoise teal. They have grey eyes, wide-set and framed by long lashes and a delicate dusting of freckles along their cheekbones. Their daily makeup is fairly heavy, eyebrows done to match their hair and thick, winged black eyeliner. Often, they wear black lipstick with a holographic topper of some sort. They often wear a multitude of (fake) piercings, on their eyebrows, nose, lip, and ear cartilage. Their attire is mostly black, with occasional neon colors or holographic silver accents. They always can be seen wearing fingerless gloves (with enough frayed threads to make it clear that they were homemade) and platform boots or sneakers. They always wear short sleeved shirts, and have hand-drawn sharpie “tattoos” from both wrists up to the elbows – these designs can be seen to move and change, if one pays close attention.
Location and Notes on Star Mark: Echo’s star marks are seven pointed and vaguely swirled around themselves, one located on the heel of each hand. They’re small and fairly ordinary; what’s notable about them is that recently have swollen up from Echo’s skin, surrounded by redness, and turned a vaguely mottled greyish – some sections of the lines almost white, some nearly black. They are deeply self-conscious about their stars and do everything they can to hide them, especially from the teachers.
Star power: Echo’s power is that of animation – that which they create with their own hands can be made to have a simple intelligence of its own. Usually, this manifests as drawings that animate themselves, though since coming back to the school at the end of this summer, their sculptures and other three-dimensional artworks have been acting out, too, in the form of slight movements. They can’t bring these under control yet, though they’re able to give simple directions to their two-dimensional creations. When not directed, the creations behave in a way that befits their character – a drawing of a sculptor would be seen to work on its masterpiece. These 2d creations can move from whatever surface they were created on and move across other surfaces, and can interact with other objects that Echo draws in, but cannot move in three dimensions.
Personality: Echo is a loud, rambunctious human. They speak their mind and perpetually look as though they’re two minutes away from punching someone, or else running headlong into a risky situation. “Daredevil” would definitely be a word used to describe them. They have a bad habit of saying exactly what they think, including a fair stream of profanity (that frequently has them chastised in class). They never, ever speak of their home life, and they pretend that their elder brother (Phoenix, who also attends Nova Excelsis) is unrelated to them. Echo is often in trouble, but never in enough trouble to be written home about. They are entirely capable of cleaning up their act; they can be the most prim and proper of any of the students, when they want to – which is only when there’s a possibility of their parents hearing about their bad conduct.
They try their hardest to be a positive influence on their friends, however; if you can break past their abrasive façade, you’ll find an incredibly sensitive, loyal friend who always has time to listen and help you solve your problems. They have a remarkably positive outlook on life, and always are kind to their classmates – their rebelliousness seems to be against the institution as much as anything. Echo has many friends, both in their year, older and younger; they’re a fierce protector of anyone younger than them, especially those still figuring themselves out.
Biography: Echo has long lived their life in the shadow of their elder brother. The older Gallagher is a prodigious musician, but their family refused any sort of special treatment for him, wishing him to hold the spotlight regardless of his Star status. His star mark had manifested when he was four, but he was not recruited until almost a decade later – he was finally recruited into the Nova Academy for his clarinet playing, having won an international competition against students (even Starred ones) several years older than him across a variety of instruments. Everyone loved Phoenix, and so Echo found themself left by the wayside.
Their stars manifested when they were five years old, but their parents ignored them; after all, they weren’t winning competitions for their art, they could just make it move around. Really, it was just a party trick. Hardly one they needed specialized schooling for.
Once Phoenix began full time at the academy in his seventh-grade year, the family at home started receiving more solicitations. Sibling stars are incredibly rare, and the Academy was jumping at the chance to recruit both of them into the program. Their parents were reluctant, to phrase it nicely – after everything, the Gallaghers just wanted to have one normal child, and put all that Star business behind them. As the year went on, Echo was forbidden from talking to Phoenix or to the Academy representatives, and was ultimately forbidden from continuing to practice art.
Phoenix was supposed to come home for the summer, that first year. He didn’t. Gradually, their parents stopped talking about him entirely, even going so far as to pretend they didn't know who Echo was asking about. Eventually, they stopped asking.
Meanwhile, Echo tried to be a normal kid and get away with practicing their art, spending hours every day drawing; whenever they could get away with it, by flashlight under blankets or on the school bus or on the backs of homework that would never again see the light of day. They grew to be quite good at it, and beyond that, grew to have incredible control over their drawings; they could have their drawings watch and listen to goings-on in the house and report back to them.
Someday, they were going to be good enough that their parents would realize, and would send them to the Academy.
And then, everything went wrong.
They were eleven years old, and they’d managed to get into the art class their new middle school offered. They’d told their mom they were signing up for choir, instead, but wrote down Art at the last second before turning in the form. And they got in. Everything was going perfectly. Their art teacher, well-meaning, called home to tell their parents how incredibly detailed their work really was, and suggest placing them in the AP section next year, with the high schoolers, to better challenge them and their Star power. They came home to a physical fight, their strict but previously cordial father meeting them at the door with a fury they’d never seen before and failed to dodge in the moment. Six years of hiding came undone as their father searched their belongings, uncovering boxes and boxes of old homework, every inch covered in scribbles that frantically ran from his fury. When a variety of other issues – most notably studies they’d done of girls kissing other girls – came to light, and they found themself unable to deny the accusations, they were met with even more violence. Their parents quickly pulled them from the middle school and all their clubs to suddenly be “homeschooled”, trapping them and monitoring them at all times, depriving them of any outside contact and failing to provide for even their basic needs, the situation at home often escalating to physical violence if they provoked someone – or heaven forbid, were found with a drawing utensil.
After the semester of radio silence, their art teacher placed calls to NI, sensing what had happened. What followed was a legal battle that ended with the Academy successfully pulling them from their home (under provisions of the Neglected Stars act recently passed) for the duration of the school year every year.
They tried to reconnect with their brother, and for a while, it seemed to be working brilliantly. Though it had been years since the two had spoken; they hadn’t even seen each other since they were small children. But the siblings found a connection again all the same, at least until they found out their parents had split up. Quietly, in the middle of the school year, their parents had divorced, citing Echo’s education as the reason. In the confusion that followed, Echo tried to break the silence about what their father had done to them; Phoenix wouldn’t hear it. He cut off all contact with them.
The courts had ruled that they must be returned to their home every summer. Every summer it's gotten worse; their mother’s new partner is in every aspect even crueler than their father ever was. But they are strong, and surrounded by a group of strong friends; they won't let themself fall apart yet.
Their step-father nearly killed them this past summer; their mother has been in the habit of ignoring them now, when they’re off drawing, but their stepfather goes into a near murderous rage, reminding them how badly they’ve ruined their mother’s life with their freakish powers even as he hurts them. They were beaten into unconsciousness and hospitalized this summer because of the damage that he did; as soon as their teachers got wind of it, they were collected from the hospital and taken back to the school grounds. Their stars have been stuck in this mottled grey phase, having lightened slightly from nearly pure black over the last few months. They're somewhat of a special case; most Stars to have endured this much would have had their marks turn black, and so they're now being intensely scrutinized by every professor around them, while they try to pretend nothing at all is wrong.
But, to look on the bright side. They’re sixteen now, at least, and have been officially emancipated – their mother did at least that much for them, under pressure from the school more than likely. Now they no longer have to return home, and can stay at school and learn and heal and not have to hide who they are any longer. They just hope it’s not too late to save themself from the instability of the corruption.
Notable Rumors: It has been said that Echo isn’t actually a Star; after all, no one’s seen their mark before. Alternatively, it’s been said that Echo is a corrupt star, but doesn’t want to lose their freedoms like corrupted students do, and so they hide the marks zealously.
Trivia: Their name is not their legal name; however, everyone, even professors, address them by it.
Other: Color code: 40C19D
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.”
Name: Phoenix Alastair Gallagher
Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Male, he/him
Age: 22
Year and Degree Program: Fourth year, music; specifically clarinet and piano performance.
Nationality: American, British parents.
Appearance:Phoenix is a proper gentleman in aesthetic, he’s always just slightly overdressed for the situation, but always in a way of good taste, never tacky. The only non-classically-gentlemanly part of his aesthetic is his hair; since coming to the Institute, he’s had it in a whole myriad of colors and styles, and at the moment it’s a slightly overgrown red-orange ombre with his natural dark roots visible. He’s quite short for a man, 5’6”, with a lightly muscular build, and has particularly long, spindly fingers. His hazel-grey eyes are fairly wide-set, and like his sibling he has very long eyelashes in an otherwise fairly traditionally masculine face. He does have gauged ears from his rebellious teen phase; he went up to a 0 gauge. He once had a lip piercing (also during his rebellious phase) that has since healed over but left a small scar.
Location and Notes on Star Mark: His star mark is pure white, nestled between the prominent tendons of his left wrist – it’s four pointed, much taller than it is wide, with the top and bottom points splitting into two at the tips, vaguely reminiscent of a tuning fork.
Star power: Phoenix’s ability is one that is misleading at first – his power is sonic manipulation. From his fingertips, he can create ripples in a medium that emulate soundwaves. These waves can be focused or diffused to create amplitudes that would be impossible without technological modifications. Touching under his chin, for instance, he can speak painfully loudly or impossibly softly, or modify the pitch of his voice without moving his vocal chords. Similarly, he can amplify or mute sounds around him, amplifying things into his ears or selectively filtering out noise. He can amplify ambient sounds to a painful threshold, or deaden them completely, and from an already amplified sound can make it so loud as to cause damage or so quiet as to be barely detectable. Within his primary instrument, with its open holes, he has the ability to precisely shape the sound, splitting notes into several harmonics at once or reaching pitches impossible within the instrument’s range.
Personality: Phoenix is a little bit cocky and arrogant, a know-it-all and a show-off. He has a lot of false bravado, built up in defense around an internal lack of confidence. He likes to be in control – his attire, his conduct, his whole persona, it’s all carefully calculated; unlike his sibling, he’s very much not one to take risks. He is polite and cordial to everyone, almost annoyingly prim and proper. Phoenix has always been a star (pun intended) student, at the top of the class, at least among those without academic powers, and he takes his studies very seriously. He could also be said to take himself very seriously; he’s not easy to joke with or have much of a friendship with.
Biography: Phoenix Gallagher was his family’s golden boy for his early childhood. At first, it was because he could sing; in third grade, his music teacher gave him a recorder, as they do with all third-graders, and he stunned everyone with his virtuosic performance. But he was unsatisfied with the instrument, and soon graduated to clarinet, and soon began to take the country by storm; six months after first picking up the instrument, he performed the entire Mozart concerto at a school talent show.
The country began to take notice, but his parents were exceptionally secretive about his star mark, and encouraged him to be as well. The rumor didn’t come out for nearly two years; it was forcibly exposed after he won the first prize at the international youth woodwind expo for students 11-18; at just barely 11, he was the youngest ever winner in the history of the competition.
He thought his parents would be proud, but they were just bitter; when the Nova Infinitum representative came to the door to collect him, they nearly didn’t let him go. But eventually they were persuaded. When he got there, he found an incredible opportunity and learning experience.
Phoenix only ever wanted to make them proud.
But the letters and phone calls stopped coming within a few months of his enrollment; he tried to reach out but was met only with radio silence. He shared with his classmates about his sibling, proud of the fact that they had recently manifested a star, too; sibling stars were of particular note to the faculty and other students.
He started piano at the urging of Professor Edwards; she was eager to train him on an instrument that he couldn’t “cheat” with his powers, and his learning there was slow but steady; he’s never loved piano, but now he’s proficient at it. On clarinet, he soon exceeded even Professor Edwards’ expectations, and even the expectations of the world’s greatest clarinetists. But he’s still unsatisfied with his progress. There’s so much more to his power than what he’s been able to learn in the context of his degree.
He was supposed to go home that summer, but he never did. Some part of him hoped he’d get a letter from Echo about enrollment, or might even see them on the campus, but one year went by, and then two, and then three, and soon he gave up hope.
He didn’t see Echo again until his junior year of high school; his younger sibling – scared, broken, and nothing at all like the child he once knew – eager to make his acquaintance again, and for a while, it was good.
His senior year of high school, however, his mother came to his recital. Not his father, but his mother – with another man. He sent a letter home, politely trying to inquire – and again, was met with silence. It wasn’t until the following year that it was confirmed to the two of them that their parents had split up.
Echo took it hard. So did Phoenix, but his sadness was out of sight of everyone. Echo took him aside and told him terrible things about their father; terrible things about the man who had supported him and encouraged him to be his best, Star academy or not.
He couldn’t believe them.
They were upset, understandably so, but he never could have guessed how deeply that schism between them would spread. Echo grew distant; he threw himself into his studies to fill the void and ignore the sudden realization that his family had fallen apart around him.
All he had wanted to do was make them proud.
It’s senior year, now, and he ignores his sibling as they ignore him; he’s to give a recital in a few months and he’s hungry for the chance to prove himself, but he also feels so, so empty. He’s never given anyone the chance to be close to him, not since he stopped being the Star of his family, and it hurts him so, so badly. But it’s too late for him to make connections here, isn’t it? All that’s left is to graduate and find himself a job somewhere. He might stay on as faculty, for all he knows, but he’s not even sure of what he wants to do with his life.
Notable Rumors: Some have said that Phoenix is gay and in denial; after an unfortunate incident his sophomore year that everyone refuses to detail, there's a near-universal pact against dating him, it seems. Some say he likes it that way; some say he's desperate.
Trivia: Phoenix’s clarinet, a number made out of rosewood with gold keys, was custom-made for him and gifted to him by an Italian instrument maker for his senior recital in high school.
Aaliyah is fairly average for her age. Her build is average for females her age and she is slightly taller than the average at around 5’9. Aaliyiah’s skin is also fairly pale. While her natural hair color is a dirty blonde, and her natural eye color is a greenish blue, she often uses her star power to alter these details, usually keeping her hair as a darker brown color. Aaliyah is also typically feminine when it comes to her facial features and other parts of her physical appearance. Aaliyah also mostly wears what could be described as typically feminine clothes wearing a variety of different dresses, skirts, and casual wear typical of someone her age.
Location and Notes on Star Mark:
Aaliyah’s star mark is located at the base of her throat, and is a four pointed star with a dot at the end of the top and bottom marks.
Star power:
Aaliyah is capable of biochemically altering herself and other living beings. This can include a variety of things, such as hormone production. She is also capable of altering cosmetic details, such as hair or eye color, and can with far more difficulty and only to a small degree, alter physical things such as bone structure. Aaliyah is uncorrupted
Personality:
Aaliyah has sometimes been described by her friends as an “element of pure chaos”. Aaliyah is incredibly spontaneous in everything she does and has a tendency to surprise people with how quickly she can change moods or her outward attitude at the time. She is also one of the most extroverted people you can meet, and quick to try to incorporate and make anyone who is lonely or otherwise feeling unaccepted welcome into a group. While her energy, generally happy outward appearance, and overall loyalty and niceness for her friends are usually good she can also quickly flip into moods that are angry or depressive, and during these times will tend to shut other people out. These moods also foreshadow how Aaliyah’s energy tends to be in spikes and isn't something that is a consistent factor
Despite that however, even when at her worst she will usually put her friends' needs before herself and try to help them feel better before she ever helps herself. Aaliyah also tends to be someone who will never back down on anything if she feels she is right, even when it would be better for her to do so. Her brashness and stubbornness are something that has caused her trouble, but has also played part in helping her struggle against those in her life who were unwilling to accept her. Aaliyah is overall, while an incredibly friendly person, also someone who brashness and chaotic nature can be off-putting to those who are not prepared for it.
Biography:
Aaliyah was born in Eastern Texas within early 2013, and would spend most of early life as relatively quiet child, with only the chaos of the star incident in the background to be anything notable. It wasn't later on till middle school where a group of her friends would help her truly discover herself that she would become the chaotic force of extro-vertness that she was known for today. Middle school would also introduce other problems however, as her star mark appeared on her neck. She would be kicked out and end up a friends house, where she experimented with her powers and finished out middle school.
After middle school was over, her middle school would contact Nova Infinium who would offer her a place at the academy and a chance to be somewhere where she could safely be accepted. She gladly accepted the offer and began to experiment more with her powers, altering her hair color. She would gladly take to her studies, using this time to read history books and other works of political science and philosophy that had been denied to her by conservative parents.
Aaliyah would choose to remain at NI for her college program, as the college was quickly becoming one of the best ranked in the nation. She would choose history and philosophy as her program and expressed a desire to remain at NI as a lecturer when she finished her degree.
Notable Rumors:
A rumor was circulated by a few of the high school seniors that Aaliyah had been pressured by some of the athletic coaches to use her power to make the sports team stronger, but she has fiercely denied this rumor.
Trivia:
Aaliyah was one of the most successful members of NI’s high school debate team and has helped coach the program since moving into the college portion of NI.
Name: June Dubois Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Female, She/Her Age:21 Year and Degree Program: Sophomore, Biology Nationality: France Appearance: June is a white woman standing at about 5'6, with long black hair she frequently ties into a ponytail. Her face and facial features have a circular motif, whether it be her disarming, large, light blue eyes or her prominent up-tilted nose, she is a woman of few sharp edges. Usually there is a flower of some kind in her hair, always fresh and never wilting. Often she wears casual clothes like tanktops and jeans, the occasional hoodie. Besides the obvious flower tucked behind her ear, the rest of herself is a muted color pallete. However, she has a preference towards non-abrasive yellows.
Location and Notes on Star Mark: There is a large star, about the size of a DVD, right above her heart and on the edge of her left breast. It is a dark black, with six points long arms sprouting from a small center. When she wears tank tops it can usually be seen poking out. Star power:
June has the power of restoration and alteration, on a micro and macro scale. With the tips of her figures she can shape the makeup of any object. When she so chooses objects become murky, like they are made of gel, and she can change their form with her mind. For example, someone with a gunshot wound can find it healed with a quick touch. The wound can be sealed and the bullet combined into the rest of the body and it will be as good as new. A book that has fallen off of it's shelf will float through the air and nestle itself neatly into where it once was. An apple and an orange can be pressed together into something new and beautiful. A person's hand can be pressed into a brick wall and become one with it. A charred piece of wood restored to the way it once was, or even pressed gently back into the tree trunk to give it back. The transition is usually short and seamless. These were her powers as they were when she was young. The only limits were her imagination, knowledge, and what she could reach with her fingertips. Her knowldge is a key factor- the ability is almost entirely conscious. For example she couldn't rewire a circuit board because she doesn't know how. Most likely she would end up rendering it inert.
Once corrupted, she found new ways to alter the environment around her in more dramatic ways. The gel can ripple and generate force. A piece of concrete wall could be turned 90 degrees upwards or to the side. It can now spread from one object to another, carrying the will of June with it, her energy turning mundane objects into conduits. The smaller and fewer the objects, the easier it is. Water slips easily through her finger tips and other energy sources escape her influence unless contained somehow. Sand, gravel, dirt, can only be influenced by the area around her hand or what solid object she can interact with. But a steel beam can easily be bended and cracked foundations can be restored to their rightful place. A piece of cloth can absorb anything it touches and grow in size. She calls this ability of hers: Knitting.
Everything comes at a cost. On surface level it may seem like Knitting breaks the laws of entropy. It's true this way of manipulating energy is extremely effecient but June has her limits. The most effective way for June to use her abilitity is drain energy from her cardiovascular system. Blood and oxygen. Using her powers for too long, too strenously, such as restoring heavy objects or altering large amounts of matter can result in June essentially bleeding to death without spilling a single drop of her own blood. Heavy breathing, sweat, becoming pale in the face. Due to the nature of the drain she isn't quite sure when she's reached her own limit. Exhaustion will usually mean she wants to withdraw from the situation and find some place to pass out if she has the strength, but she can push herself beyond exhaustion if she so chooses. However, at that point, a massive heart attack is inevitable, the only question is when.
It is possible for June to put off these symptons significantly by siphoning matter and therefore energy from another living creature.
Personality: June Dubois is a sentimental, passionate person. Everything she does is lead by her heart and her emotions. Decisions are spur of the moment based on how she is feeling rather than any consideration of logic or long-term thinking. June says how she is thinking with little regard for decorum but her own feelings are rather easily hurt. Social nuances can escape her but beneath the bluster there is a woman trying to do her best to have people like her, and who wants to please those around her and forge connections. Morality is simple for her. She wants to be nice to nice people and mean to mean people. Asking her hypotheticals is almost entirely useless. She has an oddball sense of humor and tries to find the funny in most situations. She adores animals and flowers. June is not a relaxing person to be around but she can be friendly and attentive to what other people want or need- but boundaries are rarely respected and her clingyness and need for companionship can often drive people away. Experience has given her a usually cynical self-awareness and frequently apologetic nature, spending time with her can reveal that she often wishes she can do or say the right thing but throughout her entire adult life has always seemed to make the wrong choice. This is why a decent percentage of her spur of the moment, passionate decisions is the one to retreat and not risk messing up.
June has an altruism in her but her heart-on-the-sleeve nature means she can be quick to many negative emotions, be they anger, sadness, or fear. Overall she can be seen as a bit of a mess and predictable in her unpredictability. She trusts easily, but is very protective of her own liberty and hates being tricked. Last but not least, she is good with books and knowledge and when she can convince herself to concentrate on learning a subject can pick it up quite easily.
Biography: June was born in France to a Parisian, mechanic father and an English financially inclined mother. June knew she had abilities early on and played with them. Her parents discovered her powers when she combined a frog with a rock and began crying that she couldn't figre out how to free it. She made friends but was easy pickings for bullies considering it was almost guaranteed one would get a reaction out of her.
Her parents loved her very much and were extremely protective. Often she was told to stay indoors, even though June wanted very badly to go play with the other children in the street. June began to rebel and sneak out anyway, and her being influencable she quickly fell in with a bad crowd. Or rather, an extremely rich, extremely popular girl and her clique of followers. It was bad luck that she didn't find a better friend but vulnerable people tend to be detected much easier by bad people than by good people.
For one reason or another, this popular person wanted to exert her power over June and others. Maybe she was biased against the Stars, or perhaps June's mother had slighted her father, or maybe she just hated being insulted. June would never really find out. One day, when June was 14, that vindictive young woman persuaded June into hazing another girl. It was simple, use her power to humiliate the other teenager. The popular girl seemed to be much more creative with June's powers than June was herself, and the result was too much to bear. It was the frog all over again. The popular person slapped June and told her to stop crying, and June became angry. For the first time in her life she lashed out. She grabbed her by the wrist and slapped the wealthy girl across the face by her own hand- only the hand didn't come off her face. Everything was a blur after that. She was the daughter of a respected community leader, and the odd little Star girl had always creeped out the local children. Apparently- June nor her parents weren't aware of such feelings before that fateful night but they erupted or perhaps, were created on that fateful night.
Her parents were killed in one of the many riots that would go onto create Black Stars. June was, after that night, among them. June escaped and was homeless, fleeing her small town to travel to back to Paris. After a few months on the street- being unaware of what to do or who could help her- she was eventually discovered by Child Protection Services who then turned her over to the Welfare system, who upon discovering her abilities was picked up by the Nova Infinitum. For a while her life stabilized and the caretakers there realised she might do better with a bit of medication to mellow her out. It did, but when she turned 18 she was no longer required to take them. Immediately she wanted the liberty of being herself back and stopped taking the pills. Occasionally one of the teachers she trusted more could convince her to take them for important times if they felt it was right for her to do so. So only in the last few years has June Dubois made her truer self known again to her fellow students. Notable Rumors: It has been said that June used her powers to bring her parents back to life as zombies, a twisted mockery of human life. They followed her around and ate the people that had wronged her- apparently. This, of course, isn't true. But it would be false to say that June didn't try to save her parents that night with her powers- long after they had passed away.
Trivia: June's favorite flower is the rose, or the daisy, and her favorite color is red and blue. One time, June stopped someone from falling off a ladder by touching him on the way down and restoring his denhim overalls to the position they just were: ontop of the ladder. She doesn't have any tattoos of piercings now, but she has used her powers to give herself some. She combined the cover of her favorite book into her shoulder blade for a while, which worked, and belly button piercings and the like were super easy to do. But she outgrew that phase when no one was super impressed or even creeped out. But if you want, she can help give people piercings and tattoos. She's even done tattoo removal a few times for other people.
June can speak French and English exceptionally well, having grown up and spent a lot of time in a bi-lingual home. She has a slight french accent when she speaks english and vice-versa.
Other: She can use her powers on herself, but it's generally much more difficult and limited. Healing wounds can be painful and if she slips up she could end up making the damage worse. It's much easier to heal other people. Therapy is something she has considered but she doesn't like the schedules and the removal of freedom to be herself. Plus, in the past, it hasn't been as effective since she tends to just tell the therapist what she thinks they would like to hear.
Name: Morgan Mortirmir Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Male, He/Him Age: 20 Year and Degree Program: History & Philosophy double major, with a minor in Political Science Nationality: American-Greek. Father was from Athens. Grew up in Boston. Appearance: Black hair, brown eyes. Pale white skin, a sharp nose and a bookish dispostion. Tall and rail-thin; delicate hands and long fingers. cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/i… Location and Notes on Star Mark: Large five-pointed star on the palm of his right hand. It is pale white -- but this is actually just a scar he inflicted upon himself to hide his real star, which is jet black and located on the sole of his left foot. Star power: Small-scale energy manipulation. Such as creating a flame similar to that of one made by a lighter above his finger, or a spark of electricity. This was the extent of his power before his star became corrupted; presently he is now capable of significantly stronger manipulations, though this is unknown to all save himself. Without external resources available, Morgan can conjure a fireball or small bolt of lightning, though this is extremely costly to him as every evocation requires an energy source — usually derived from his own body's reserves. Sugar and fat reserves are typically burned for his power, and as a consequence Morgan has significant trouble putting on weight. He has also developed a voracious appetite and an infamous sweet tooth in order to replenish his body's reserves. Personality: An introvert by nature, Morgan is seen as bookish and somewhat of a prude by his peers. He is highly sensitive, socially awkward, and has difficulty connecting with others. However, Morgan has a serious, assiduous demeanour and a sharp intellect. He cares deeply about the subjects he studies, and his ultimate and most secret passion is gaining the ability to affect societal change. Biography: Originally born into a loving household, Morgan was a quiet child. His father was Greek, having immigrated to Boston from Athens, and his Mother was a local. Morgan was a prodigious reader from a young age, consuming any and all text lain before him. Fiction, comics, dictionaries — it didn't matter. He read them all with the same appetite, though over time he gravitated towards historical topics. His father owned a successful construction company and thus their family enjoyed a comfortable life. This allowed them to enroll Morgan into several famous preparatory schools in the Boston area, where his interest in history was heavily encouraged. He found out about his star and its power shortly afterwards, and from then on had the personal tutelage and supervision of many so-called "experts" on the subject of star power, all hired by his affluent parents.
This all changed after the financial collapse of 2008. His father's company went bankrupt, and Morgan's family was forced to sell their home to make ends meet. His father swiftly became an alcoholic, and took out his anger on Morgan by beating him senseless from the slightest provocation, imagined or otherwise. This deeply scarred Morgan, and it was during these years that his star turned jet black. He became even more of a recluse, even more devoted to his studies. He experimented with his abilities, finding them significantly stronger than before. After a particularly bad beating from his father one night, Morgan snapped and struck his father with a bolt of lightning. Morgan promptly fainted from the excessive energy consumption, and his father was hospitalized. His parents, even his gentle mother, were from then on terrified of him. It came as no surprise to Morgan that he was soon enrolled into the Nova Excelsis Institute with a scholarship — doubtlessly his parents had sought any means to rid themselves of him. He has since studied at Nova Excelsis for four years.
Notable Rumors: He is rumoured to have a terrible relationship with his parents, and to have also written several textbooks under a pen name. Trivia: Morgan embarasses easily. He also speaks Greek and Latin, the latter having been self-taught. He loves Roman history.
Year and Degree Program: Transfered to this school for her 3rd year, after two years of normal high school. Doesn’t have a set future path yet. Nationality: American
Appearance: Her skin is pale and rough, and that goes for most of her body too since she’s been a pretty active person throughout life. She’s of an average height and keeps her brunette hair almost boyishly short in an odd, messy cut with a few locks of hair swooping to the side. Alice typically wears comfortable things like an old jacket or pants that don’t hug her legs very tight.
Location and Notes on Star Mark: It can be found on the inner part of her right wrist, just before the heel of her hand. It has four jagged, but radially symmetrical points. It is a dirty shade of white, a little darker than most, but not black in the slightest.
Star power: Electrokinesis. Alice is a living conduit of electrical energy, and can generate a seemingly endless amount of it. In short, she controls lightning. The problems lie in the type of clothing she is wearing. If she is wearing something covered in lots of metal, she has to be more careful, and while she can’t hurt herself with her own energy, Alice can be harmed by something like a stun gun, or any other outside source.
Ever since her star began to darken, her lightning took on a shade of blue and seemed to hold more energy, this has never been something she took advantage of to hurt others, if anything it gave her more incentive to hide it.
Personality: Alice is a tough and stone-faces hardass who doesn’t put up with people who tell her to be more “ladylike” or “less unsavory” or any other sort of nonsensical role society wants her to fulfill. Alice tends to base her respect for others more on their actual personality and major actions rather than their age or their social status, which is something else she doesn’t care for in the least. While she may seem like little more than a really bitter girl, she actually has a very kind heart. She’s just had to be fierce a lot in life.
Biography: Alice grew up in a rough situation, with a rather...traditional mother who tried to dictate everything about her life ranging from her clothes to her behavior, even to the way she spoke and who she interacted with. The only time she wasn’t trying to live some kind of vicarious life through her daughter was when Alice was out on the streets of the neighborhood with friends that her mother thankfully didn’t know well enough to “approve” of.
These friends were some of the only people Alice ever talked to, in fact most of them very rarely strayed outside the circle since the whole town was full of people like Alice’s mother. All of them were aware of Alice’s star and the astounding power it gave her, and often the kids could be seen in an abandoned building helping Alice figure out ways to control it.
Alice and her friends were biking their way home after school one evening when she arrived at home to find her mother exasperated. Talking about how someone had started a rumor about Alice having a star. Her mother took this to be true and Alice didn’t know it was a rumor. The other kids witnessed the entire spectacle and did their best to feign ignorance, but her mother still pried. When her mother tried to save face in front of these kids by asking more politely than usual what Alice’s “gift” was, Alice refused. So naturally her mother demanded an answer, threatening to harm Alice if she didn’t elaborate
Alice simply told her that it was none of her business, and her friends backed her up, but that caused her mother to run up to the closest one she could get a hold of and try to pour as much verbal abuse into him as she could in such short time. This scene sparked something in Alice, both literally and metaphorically as she rather forcefully shoved her mother a good foot away from her friend into the ground, in an instant a brilliant ball of sparks and arcing energy spiral into her hand. Alice was on the defensive as she stood between her mother and her friend, more than willing to blast the narcissistic asshole if she didn’t watch herself.
This entire incident prompted Alice and her friends to report her mother to the school’s guidance counselor the next day. They got CPS involved, and by extension the Nova Infinitum. They told Alice that she had a choice between a foster home and the school for starred children. They also told her that her oh so wonderful mother didn’t get a choice. Alice talked with her friends, and learned that she was the only one in the group who though a foster home was better. They all wanted her to go, knowing that the cycle would no doubt repeat. Alice trusted them, and chose the school. From that day she never saw her mother again, and could only hope her friends could see better days too.
Notable Rumors: Some people think her star is totally black, but it isn’t.
Trivia: She listens to some pretty uncommon music.
Name: Naomi Johnson Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Female; she/her Age: 16 Year and Degree Program: Naomi is a high school junior at NI. She doesn't really know what she wants to study once she graduates into the university program. Nationality: American Appearance: Naomi is a pale, freckled girl with hair the vibrant orange of fire. Her hair is long, reaching almost to the small of her back when it's down. Usually, it's tied back into two twin braids, placed over her shoulders. Her hair ties are always matching and never garish- always black, brown, or beige. Occasionally, on days where she wants to feel pretty, she'll elect to wear a headband. Her eyes are a deep brown. A tall girl, Naomi is 5 foot 11 inches and 145 pounds- a height that ensures she will never be able to confident wearing heels. There are a few burn marks on her forearms, and some where she might put her hands on her face when resting her face in her hands.
Her fashion sense is very understated. Most often, she wears unoffensive t-shirts with jeans. The t-shirts usually have some kind of corny slogan or design on them, or are from some sort of Bible camp. She always wears her t-shirts with an unbuttoned plaid shirt. She prefers boot-cut jeans by far, and usually wears a belt along with them. Tennis shoes and boots are her go-to footwear. But, probably her most defining piece of clothing is her gloves. Flame-retardant heat-resistant brown leather gloves are always seen on her hands while she's in public. Beyond that, she can usually be seen with a saxophone case in hand. She wears a necklace with a cross hanging on the chain. Location and Notes on Star Mark: She has one Star Mark on her outer thigh. It's white, and has seven points. She has another on the heel of her hand, which also has seven points. Star power: Naomi's power is fairly simple. She has a kind of low-level pyrokinesis. She can't actually create fire, but she can heat up her body (especially her hands and feet) to the point of melting metal. That is, if she really tries. On a casual level, she'll often leave burn marks on objects and even other people after touching them. It's a great source of guilt to her. She can even burn herself, and she often does it accidentally when her gloves are off. Her forearms and her neck are a testament to this, as places that she frequently touches. Keeping herself hot for an increased time causes her significant pain and can exhaust her quickly. With practice, she's drawn out the time limits, but it still causes her distress to do so. Personality:
Shy
Nerdy
Melancholy
Witty
Kind
Gullible
Bookish
Intelligent
Polite
Biography: She couldn't have been more than 5 when her Star Mark showed up. One day it just appeared- no rhyme or reason to it. Little 5-year-old Naomi thought nothing of it. It was only a pretty mark on her thigh, like the stars she drew at school in art class. However, the adults in her life did not think the same way. One day, at the community pool with her best friend, her best friend's mother was cleaning up a little cut on her knee when she spotted the star on Naomi's thigh. She screamed and dropped her like a rock, taking her daughter and getting far away from her. She called Naomi's mother, and the nightmare started.
Even before the Star Mark, Naomi's family had been evangelical born-again Christians. Naomi was the first child of what would eventually be six children, and her siblings' lives were influenced by Naomi's oddities dramatically. As soon as she heard about the mark, about Naomi's powers, her mom fell on the floor and wept. She believed that God was punishing their family, punishing her for wrongdoings. That, somehow, Naomi had been touched by Satan. Later, through countless online forums and Facebook groups, she was led to believe that Star Marks were caused by vaccinations. None of Naomi's younger siblings would ever be vaccinated, and her own vaccinations stopped when she was only 5.
After her mother found out, it was private school after private school, youth group after youth group, Bible camp after Bible camp. She was always on some kind of diet, whether it was raw foods or paleo or keto. Her mother said, almost fanatically, that it would "cure" her of her "illness". That, because of Naomi's dedication to God, He would take away her affliction and make her whole again. And Naomi believed it. She prayed and prayed and prayed for it to be taken away, for her to be whole again. But prayers and diets and treatments didn't work. Nothing worked. Eventually, for her 12th birthday, Naomi's mother gave her her gloves, defeated.
If her own family's fear of her wasn't enough, Naomi also had to contend with other people's fear of her, too. Upon learning that she was a Star, teachers and pastors and students shied away from her. They didn't talk to her, refused to touch her. And how could they not? Once, while brushing past a nun while she was in Catholic school, she gave the woman such a horrible burn that she ended up in the hospital. That was the end of that school. Sometimes, teachers would scream at her, and other students, too.
It got to be the worst when she was about 14, going through the thick of puberty. One autumn day, she woke up to find another Star Mark, this time on her hand. She cried and cried and cried. She prayed for it to go away, but it did not. When she went to her mother that morning so that she could take her to school, she tried to hide the mark as best as she could, but her mother saw it anyways, and went into a full-on rage. She screamed that Naomi was ungrateful, that she wasn't trying hard enough, that she was a dirty sinner. She tearfully tried to apologize, laying her hand on her mother's in an attempt to calm the woman down. But then, belatedly, she realized that she had taken her gloves off. Being focused on her emotions and not paying much attention to her hands, she gave her mother a burn so bad that she screamed loud enough to puncture the eardrums of everyone in the car. That was the angriest Naomi had ever seen her mother. In a fit of rage, she cussed at her daughter and slapped her across the face. She then forced her to get out of the car and walk to school by herself.
That night, she tearfully confessed everything to the leader of her youth group. Deeply concerned, the leader called CPS, who then called NI. But that wasn't before the leader told her something she wouldn't ever forget- "God has given you a blessing, Naomi. What your mother preaches is not God- it is her own fear." That night, Naomi went home and couldn't stop thinking about it. She woke up the next morning and went to school, where she found two NI representatives waiting for her in the principal's office. They interviewed her, and she told them every little bit. Shamefully, of course. She feared them- harbingers of the end, her mother called them. They seemed nice enough, though. They removed her from her home ("Take that Satan's child with you, I don't care," her mother said, glaring). And then they took her to the Institute.
Naomi has attended NI since she was in her freshman year, and she's quite the model student. She gets all As, and participates steadfastly in marching band as a saxophone, in the debate team, and in a handful of clubs. She misses her family, but she's happier away from the fear and the hate. Notable Rumors: There are a couple of theories that classmates have about Naomi. The first is that she's secretly a lesbian. The second is that she's a horrifically homophobic person. Another, much nastier rumor is that Naomi is secretly a black star, given that she hides her hands under gloves and doesn't show much skin. Of course, this is not true. Trivia: Naomi is a sax in the marching band of NI. She's pretty good at it. She's also a fairly decent member of the debate team, and a member of the Book Club and the Christian Club on campus. She speaks Spanish fairly fluently. She listens to a lot of gospel music, but has started to branch out into indie. Her favorite is Hozier.
Name: Jinayah Ifriti Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Non-binary - they/them Age: 14 Year and Degree Program: HS Freshman Nationality: American (half black, half Japanese) Appearance: 4'9, 90 pounds soaking wet, scrawny. Brown skin, black hair in a short, shaggy cut; dark brown eyes. Tends to wear masculine clothing. Location and Notes on Star Mark: A black star, 7 pointed, hidden just behind their right ear. Star power:
Jin’s ability is to control and “speak” to electronics. So far, they have only been able to use it to shut down video cameras and computers and the occasional ATM, but their power basically extends to anything with a microchip. As long as it has a power source and can turn on, Jin will be able to mess with it. To Jin, each device has it’s own voice and personality, and it’s unclear if this is real, or Jin’s mental interpretation of what their power does.
On the most dangerous side, Jin is probably going to be fully capable of launching nuclear missiles without any codes or keys.
Personality: Jin is cold shouldered and abrasive, after years of living on their own and having to fend for themselves. They will not make friends easily, and is honestly waiting for the dream-bubble to burst and the school to dump them back on the street.
Biography: Jin was born to a father who hid his star ability (precognition), and a normal mother. Jin’s father Richard, a beat cop in Chicago, successfully hid his power for the most part, despite using it almost daily. Everyone thought he just had good police instinct – able to tell a bad situation before it happened, catching criminals as if he knew where they were going to run, things like that. It wasn’t until baby Jinayah was born with a star of their own that the news came out and turned their lives upside down.
When Jin was about 10 years old, they experienced a home invasion by a crazed gunman who was convinced Stars needed to die lest they take over the planet. Both Jin’s parents were shot by this man. Jin managed to escape, but was so terrified and traumatized that they took to the streets of Chicago and was lost to the usual star scrutiny for nearly 5 years. Jin turned up trying to rob an ATM, and was swiftly arrested. However, instead of going to prison, the authorities announced that Jin was going to Nova Infinitum.
Notable Rumors: Jin killed a man. (False.) Jin has a criminal record and has been arrested more than once. (True – unless the school has the power to expunge that?)
Trivia: The engineering professor might take Jin under his wing, so to speak, because they have a ton of potential. Despite not having cracked a book in years, Jin’s grasp of high-level mathematical concepts rivals some of the university students.
Jin loves to tinker with things, and will fix computers and phones for money.
Other: Jin has undiagnosed dyslexia, and detests reading. Jin has also been out of school since elementary, and has some large knowledge gaps.
Name:Roman Duran Gender / Preferred Pronouns:Male, he/him Age: 18 Year and Degree Program: Freshman in university, undecided on degree program Nationality: American with Egyptian ancestry Appearance:
Roman stands at a tall 6'4", with a trimmed build. Strong jawline, olive colored skin, dark hair and often an stoic expression. That is not to say he doesn't like to have fun. His normal expression is just more...stoic. While clothed, he does not have tattoos or excessively visible scars.
Location and Notes on Star Mark:A medium sized eight point star, located at the back of his right hand. Pale white in overall color with a thin yellow dot in the middle.
Star Power:Gravitational manipulation. He can either reduce or increase the impact of gravity on things smaller than the size of his palm. When trying to manipulate the impact of gravity on organic matter, like other humans, his control is very spotty and the increase or decrease can fluctuate wildly.
Personality:Generally outgoing, mostly upbeat. Fiercely loyal to those he considers his friends. Would rather shy away from action but will not hesitate to act if he sees harm coming his friend's way.
Biography: Roman is your run of the mill college student. More worried about living his best life than getting good grades. Despite his stoic expression, he enjoys the company of his fellow students.
Being born to a lineage that may or may not be traced back to antiquity has shone a light on his personal life that he doesn't often enjoy. Though the money and toys that it comes with are nice from time to time.
His star manifested itself from birth. However, it wasn't until he was thirteen that his actual powers emerged.
He was just in the yard, playing and running around as thirteen year old boys do. The next thing he knows the ball he just threw is floating upwards, not its regularly planned trajectory. He panicked, of course. Scrambling around slightly, he tried jumping and reaching for the ball. To no avail. After a few more failed swipes, the ball came flying down, much faster than expected. The ball left a mark in the ground like a stud in mud. Roman then ran in the house, acting as if nothing happened.
Of course, his mother saw this. Knowing exactly what happened and what is going to continue happening, his parents used their connections to get Roman admitted to NI and hoped that they can help him learn, hone, and control his powers.
Notable Rumors: It is rumored that he hails from a long line of kings and pharaohs in antiquity. But, who really knows anymore? Trivia: He is a huge video game enthusiast. Other: Anything else?
Name: Adam Edwards Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Male Age: 16 Year and Degree Program: Tenth grade, Philosophy Nationality: Russian. Appearance: Adam is tall, lean and pale from a life spent indoors. He has messy, ink black hair and grey eyes. He has a small scar on his left hand. A black tattoo reading “No.13” in Russian is on his right wrist. Location and Notes on Star Mark: A white starburst across his back, between his shoulder blades. It has thirteen points. Star power: Adam has superhuman physical capabilities, such as being able to throw things twice his size. He can also bend metal with ease, and run farther and longer than any normal person. Think MCU Captain America. Personality: Adam is a withdrawn individual. He prefers to watch people from a distance. Adam prefers to remain indoors, brooding. He is quiet, rarely speaking until spoken to. Adam also is obedient, seldom disobeying authority figures. Not a troublemaker. He is polite, almost formal. Almost mechanical. Despite this, if provoked he will not hesitate to throw someone into a wall. He has a sweet spot for ice cream, especially vanilla. So far, he hasn’t made friends or gone out of his way to socialize with other students. Biography: Exactly how Adam ended up on the streets is unknown. Even he doesn’t remember much more than vague memories of family. Adam was later raised by a laboratory after being picked up off the streets of Moscow. There, Adam’s abilities were ruthlessly tested. Outside of testing, he lived in a boxlike cell with barely any room for a bed. Once, he attacked a guard and attempted to escape. After that, he was confined in solitary for a month. As a result of the discipline of the lab. he grew into a quiet young man with little visible personality. Eventually the lab was discovered, and Adam was freed. He was sent to Nova Infinitum at the age of twelve, and since then has lived a relatively normal life under Nova’s auspices. He occasionally tries to find any information about his family, but has had no luck so far. He has calmed down since his time in the lab, but is still easily startled. Adam so far has been a stellar student, progressing in leaps and bounds, and is dedicated to his schoolwork. He’s been a solid A student. Notable Rumors: “He’s a robot in disguise.” “Adam can’t swim.” “I bet he’s gay.” Trivia: Always wins at Rock, Paper, Scissors. Reads faster than anyone else, with near-perfect memory. Other: A steadfast friend.
Name: Mia Zhong Gender / Preferred Pronouns: Female, she/her Age: 17 (February 3) Year and Degree Program: High-school Junior, undecided Nationality: Chinese-American
Appearance:
Dark brown hair cropped just past chin length, long bangs swept carefully along her forehead. Deep brown eyes, a delicate nose and pointed chin. Mia is a pretty girl, slim and compactly muscular from all her gymnastics and cheer leading practice. She stands at five foot eight (perfect posture, of course!), but often appears taller thanks to the multiple pairs of high heels or heeled boots she owns.
Mia has a good dose of fashion sense. She knows what clothes to pair together in order to create a comfortable but good-looking outfit that will bring her through a long school day. Tank top first (so as not to violate the dress code), then a loose crop top over it and long skinny jeans. White blouse and delicately patterned skirt. Belted dress with long meshed sleeves. Short shorts only come out on weekends or holidays. She also loves long cardigans and light scarves.
Location and Notes on Star Mark: A singular star just above her navel about the size of a quarter. It is a brilliant white, well visible against her light brown skin, with eight points in total. It has four main large points and four smaller ones spaced in between.
Star power: Mia's star power enables her to turn objects or parts of an object intangible. The appearance of the object will remain as if nothing has happened, defying science more than it already is because even if, say, a wall were made intangible, that area still wouldn't let in light from the adjoining room or outdoors. It's like an illusion--there are no giveaway hints, so it's impossible to tell whether something is intangible or not until someone leans against it and goes right through. With the exception of herself, her power doesn't work on other humans or animals.
Making herself intangible forms the approximate upper edge of her power. She has trouble making things with a larger area intangible without slipping up--while she might be able to hold it for a few seconds, any longer and parts of the object may start flickering uncontrollably between solid and not. She must also see or touch what she is rendering intangible when she activates it and afterwards remain in short range of it.
Overuse of her power gives her headaches and achy bones. Often when she's tired or just extremely upset, feeling strong emotions will cause her to mess up her control... something that has ended in her falling through floors before.
Personality: A princess. Often her first impression comes off aloof and somewhat snotty, due to her immaculate wardrobe and upright posture. She's easy to laugh things off and dismiss matters, and likes to slide in a sarcastic comment or two in her conversations.
However, she's generally a decent person and open to socialize, though her attention span seems a bit short. She hasn't made it a secret that she's not crazy about grades; she'd rather practice a new routine or have some fun instead of study for the next test. Live your life full is her mentality. Some people get the impression that she doesn't care about anything or anyone deeply at all--calling her distant. Shallow. Snob. Others love it--she's beautiful, mysterious, captivating, if not a bit...
Off-putting? She's extremely, almost creepily, observant of others. A long, carefully aimed knowing look has been enough to send a few freshmen into nervous sweats. She also rarely seems to touch people. Most have accepted this and give her her space, but those who try to grab her arm or go in for a hug will often find she's made that part of herself intangible.
Despite this, she still has a large friend group. Maybe not close friends, but they're good enough for her. She's a princess up high, and all she's missing is her crown.
Biography: There's not much to tell about Mia. Her father immigrated to the United States from China before she was born, met her mother-to-be, fell in love. She was born a year later, her little sister three years after. They were a middle class family with a steady income, living not lavishly but comfortably.
As the oldest, her parents saw her fit to take on a lot of responsibility, so she learned to shoulder it young.
"Take good care of your younger sister." "It's time for you to learn how to contribute to the household." "Remember, homework before play. When's your next test?"
Everything was normal. She grew up a little anxious, a little eager to please, a little lonely. But mostly, it was okay. She didn't have a very close relationship with her sister, for in the eyes of a nine or ten year old they were worlds apart, but they were okay too.
Her star appeared when she was eleven, and that's when the trouble started. Her parents would have preferred she have gotten a more useful, less prankster-like ability, but for the most part they were fine with it. They didn't care, as long as she kept up her grades and appearances. But Mia... she wasn't okay with it. It made her nervous. She was different, now. Not like the other kids. And they made fun of her.
And...
Within a month, she proved she couldn't control it. She fell through things when she was too sad, mad, or even overly happy. Then she would sometimes flicker in and out of intangibility for hours, unable to grasp hold of the panic that always enveloped her when these things happened, the catastrophe only ending when she exhausted herself enough to fall asleep and her intangibility shut off. She would wake the next morning, head pounding, bones still aching, and know that she couldn't be sad, or mad, or happy today, because if she was then the whole thing might start all over.
After that first month of trial, her parents pulled her out of school. Homeschooling helped, a little, but she still struggled. It was proof that a child's emotions were powerful and volatile. Her parents had never realized before that Mia, their good little girl, felt so strongly. She'd never shown it.
After half a year, just as Mia turned twelve, her parents gave up on their notions that Mia could continue normally. Resigned, they put her in Nova Infintium's middle school program, and hoped the teachers there could do better.
Notable Rumors:
“Do you remember the name Ethan Parker?” “Maybe, I dunno. Why?” “Come on. Rumored to be Mia’s secret lover and boyfriend? Most average guy but with that cool windy power? “Okay, okay, I remember, what's the point? They were bland. We only have a minute before some teacher comes storming.” “No one has seen him this year, and it's been a month. He should be with us in sophomore. He loved it here.” “So…” “Remember they had that big fight end of last year? Word is Mia thought he was going to reveal some big secret of hers, so she turned the earth under him intangible so he fell in, and then made it solid again. Trapping him in there so he suffocated to death.” “She can't do that. That's scandalous.” “You think she can't? She's stronger than she looks. And meaner. Cheerleader girls always are. Ruthless.” “So what was her secret?” “No one knows, dumbo. That's why she killed Ethan.”
“You know what? Mia Zhong is a ghost.” “Now that's funny. Ha. Ha. Good try.” “No, I mean seriously. Has anyone ever touched her?” “Of course someone's touched her!” “Nope. Think harder. They always go right through.” “Maybe she's just touch averse. What about shaking hands?” “She doesn't do that.” “Well, shit.” Nervous laughter. “Now you got me thinking.”
Trivia: She ended her routine at cheerleader tryouts by backflipping and sinking into the ground. No one can agree whether it was for show or because she got so nervous she lost control at that last moment. She entered the institute's programs when she was twelve.
