As you walk away from school, you decide to practise with your powers. You have a rough idea of what you can do, but you don't know their limits. You certainly weren't expecting your transformation power to extend to your clothing like it did let alone give you a fake ID, but it did.
You don't know how to control your main power and right now, you lack the funds to support a Tinker power so you put both of those to one side. You would like to test your ability to go unnoticed, but that is something to best test with people that you know and trust.That way if your power fails you, it won't expose you to a bunch of strangers.
That leaves half of your powers. You could test just how rapidly you can make your punches, your ability to master any tool and your transformation power. You aren't really sure how to test that first one and given the odds that it will tire you out, it is probably a good idea to leave that one until the end.
Testing your ability to master tools requires having access to those tools, which means you will need to get some tools for your tests. Which leaves your shape shifting as the first power to test since you just need a private place so you don't get spotted. Not to mention that you already sort of tested it earlier.
You consider seeking out another alley, but you soon realise that you should try to get a mirror. Maybe you can use a changing room? You'll have privacy and a mirror there and hopefully no one will barge in. But going to a clothing store means a lot more walking which you would really rather avoid.
In the end, you can't deny that a changing room would be more effective than an alley, which means more walking for you. Joy. A good number of minutes later and you have walked your sweaty arse to a clothing store on the closest high street. Catching your breath outside, you head on inside and make your way to one of the changing rooms.
You have your privacy and a mirror so now it is time to get started.
Looking into a mirror, you think of taking the role of a teacher again and you shift back into Fionna Brady. Is it intentional that you have become the same teacher as before? Do you have a singular appearance for each role?
You swift back before taking on the role of a police officer and this time the exchange is more extensive. Like the teacher transformation, you become a little older, early twenties this time by your estimate, and your features like your red hair and green eyes remain the same. Your clothing also changes, becoming the uniform of a police officer and not only that, you also gain the assorted equipment of a policewoman. The stab vest and radio is the most obvious, but a quick inspection reveals that you also have handcuffs, a notebook, pens and other tools that the police use.
Not only that, but your level of fitness has changed this time around. Your teacher transformation was as chubby as your regular self, but this policewoman body is clearly capable of meeting the fitness requirements of the job. That's interesting and you suspect that it is because the police officer role requires fitness while the teacher role did not.
Deciding to test your theory, you become a barista then a soldier then a cashier then a lifeguard. Each time, your attire changes to become the uniform and equipment of the role though the soldier lacked any guns even if you did get a knife. The barista and cashier were as fat as your regular self, but the soldier and lifeguard were fit young ladies. Interesting.
What about animals? You have taken upon job roles so far, but can you become a nonhuman creature? You try to become a cat then a dog then a rabbit, but each time, nothing happens. It seems you cannot become an animal so your transformations are likely limited to remaining human.
What about gender? All of your transformations have been female like you so far, but about deliberately taking on a male rule?
You attempt to become a butler, but to your surprise, your power transforms you into a maid, ironic dress and all. Huh, that is interesting. You try to become a prince and end up as a princess who looks like she steps out of a fantasy world minus the fact you are overweight. You decide to try a policeman next and find yourself as the policewoman you become earlier.
Okay, so you are limited to remaining both human and female. Good to know. What else? Ah, you have tried job roles, but what about stereotypes? Can you take the role of a goth? Well, it turns out that you can and boy are you wearing a lot of black. Honestly, black hair and way too much makeup are not your style though you note that this is the first time that your hair has changed colour.
Can you think of any other roles that would change your colours? You try to become a 'dumb blonde' next and as you change, you are thankful that your power doesn't extend to altering your mind. As you look at yourself, you take a moment to admire the downright pretty woman looking back. Your red hair is now blonde of course, but you are somewhat surprised to see that your chubby curves have been replaced by a very different type of curves. You poke your oversized breasts to confirm that yes, you have boobs the size of your head and a butt to match.
You can change your colouration, but what about race? Can you become a different race? You spend the next few minutes becoming a Chinese woman than a Japanese one than an Indian one before finally becoming an Arabic woman. Each time you gained both the stereotypical colouring of the chosen race whilst your clothing became the cultural dress. The Chinese woman got a Cheongsam while the Japanese one got a kimono and the Indian woman got a sari. Even now as an Arab woman, you are wearing a hijab with your modest and concealing dress.
As you decide you want to make a cute Muslim lady, you wonder what would happen if you took an non-racial role? Would you say an Arab or would you become that role as yourself? Since you are testing, you decide to try being a police officer again and to your mild surprise, you remain as an Arab woman even as you become a policewoman. You look the same as before when you were a policewoman except you are Arabic instead of Irish and you are still wearing that cute hijab.
As you wonder what else you can do, your stomach rumbles. You realise that you are more than a little hungry, you glance at your phone and are surprised to see that it is already lunch time. Oh how the time flies.
Sticking your phone away, you prepare to turn back to normal so you can head home to make yourself lunch before something occurs to you. You check your wallet where you find both a fake ID calling yourself Farah Karim and enough cash to buy yourself a quick bite to eat if you wanted. You could stick to your original plan, but part of you want to grab a bite to eat as Farah. The thrill of going out in public as someone else and having lunch without anybody realising it is you just has something appealing to you.
What do you do for lunch?
[ ] Eat out as Farah the Arabic Policewoman.
[ ] Head home and have lunch as yourself.
[ ] Write-in. Subject to QM veto.
You are a sixteen year old girl of Irish descent and a working class background. You aren't a genius, but your smarts and work ethic have made up the difference to do well in class until your final year of secondary school. You had a mental breakdown on the first day back at school following the Christmas holidays, resulting in triggering and becoming a hero.
Your current goals in life are to get into a college, preferably a good one, and to kill that racist monster Charles Rainbridge.
You are an attractive if chubby redhead young lady who has a natural talent for getting along with others. You have also allowed your fitness to get away with you thanks to your overfocus on academics, resulting in an overweight and physical unimpressive body.
Primary Power (Thinker): Thinker ability to have an eureka moment where you have a moment of clarity or breakthrough towards trying to figure something out. Except it isn't a real eureka moment because your power only grants you the final result and nothing on how you came to that conclusion, giving you an answer without understanding. You cannot pull an answer out of thin air, but so long as it is technically possible, you can do it. The more relevant information that you have, the easier it is to get an answer while working on minimal information is an instant Thinker headache. Minor Power (Tinker): You feel the urge to make things, but you have no idea what sort of things. Minor Power (Thinker): You gain instant mastery of any tool you are wielding so long as you are holding the item in question. Mastery is instinctive and lasts as long as you are using the item. Minor Power (Stranger): You go unnoticed with people either not realising you are there or if that isn't possible, they assume that you are allowed to be present. If you draw undue attention to yourself, then the effect breaks. Minor Power (Changer): You can physically transform to fit a role. This grants only a physical transformation with no knowledge, skill or memories nor any ability to convince people of your chosen role. Transformation is limited to being a human female and only diverges from your regular self when necessary for the role. Minor Power (Striker): You can make close-ranged attacks in rapid succession, faster than what is humanly possible.
***
Sorry about how long this took. I could have gotten this done yesterday, but I ended up binge-reading a new fanfic instead. Anyway, here is Finn experimenting with her changer power. I did plan to have her also test her striker power and tool mastery power, but the update got away from me and I didn't want to make it too long so here we are.
Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to.
Minor Power (Changer): You can physically transform to fit a role. This grants only a physical transformation with no knowledge, skill or memories nor any ability to convince people of your chosen role. Transformation is limited to being a human female and only diverages from your regular self when necessary for the role.
Minor standard-Worm nitpick: The power categories are supposed to be guidelines for PRT-agents and/or Protectorate/Wards-heroes on how to deal with the parahuman. As such, this power would most certainly be considered a Stranger power. Even if you use the pretty common "power dynamics" use of power classifications, this feels strange as a Changer power, those tend to either only change the body of the parahuman or absorb the clothes they are wearing, actually changing the outfit is, again, more in the territory of Stranger powers.
Also "diverages" should be "diverges"
That said, this looks interesting, and I'm looking forward to seeing were it goes!
For now:
[X] Head home and have lunch as yourself.
-[X] Try to eat healthy - you've already noticed that your fitness sucks, a no-go for any aspiring hero. Changing your diet shall be your first step on the road to a top-notch body!
Minor standard-Worm nitpick: The power categories are supposed to be guidelines for PRT-agents and/or Protectorate/Wards-heroes on how to deal with the parahuman. As such, this power would most certainly be considered a Stranger power. Even if you use the pretty common "power dynamics" use of power classifications, this feels strange as a Changer power, those tend to either only change the body of the parahuman or absorb the clothes they are wearing, actually changing the outfit is, again, more in the territory of Stranger powers.
While the PRT and co would certainly consider this power to be a Stranger and the primary power is a Stranger power, Finn's minor power functions as a Changer power even if there are lingering Stranger aspects of it. Because of this, I am counting it as a Changer power for now. I consider it to be like how Dragon is considered a Tinker due to how others view her power despite the fact she has actually has a Thinker power not a Tinker power.
While the PRT and co would certainly consider this power to be a Stranger and the primary power is a Stranger power, Finn's minor power functions as a Changer power even if there are lingering Stranger aspects of it. Because of this, I am counting it as a Changer power for now. I consider it to be like how Dragon is considered a Tinker due to how others view her power despite the fact she has actually has a Thinker power not a Tinker power.
Yeah, I got that you're using the categories more in the vein of "how does the power function", and I don't want to tell you how to run your quest.
Just wanted to let you know that even then, as I understand it, a Changer power would not include changing and/or granting equipment. The way a Changer power would implement "you get a new outfit" is via some form of "you grow your body hair into new clothes" or "skinflaps take on texture and color of clothes" or something along these lines - Changer powers change the body of their user to achieve effects, and even then it's only supposed to be effects that stem from the new nature of the users body (which is why Hookwolf is a pure Changer/Brute (his metal form does nothing special besides being made out of moving metal) and Acidbath is a Breaker/Changer (since his altered form is not only made of acid, it also displays characteristics that are beyond it's physical nature, like the ability to move faster that a typical car)).
So in this case a "pure" Changer form of the power would let Finn change into different bodies, but would leave her equipment/clothes alone. On the other hand, it should let her use the muscles/fitness of any form she assumes, since those would be true, physical changes, and not mere illusions.
Aaaanyways, hope I'm not annoying with this :s
It's just something I've seen very often and find especially vexing in a quest, since people might assume different things when reading a power label...
It's just something I've seen very often and find especially vexing in a quest, since people might assume different things when reading a power label...
Personally, I think it comes down to the vague nature of the power system and how it isn't something that the powers neatly fit into, but an attempt to describe a variety of different powers that don't operate on consistent rules. There aren't any clear cut definitions and it comes down to personal interpretation.
My take is that Finn's transformations don't neatly fit into the Changer category in how they work, but they fit into it better than any of the other categories.
[X] Head home and have lunch as yourself.
-[X] Try to eat healthy - you've already noticed that your fitness sucks, a no-go for any aspiring hero. Changing your diet shall be your first step on the road to a top-notch body!
As tempting as the idea of eating out as someone else is, it is probably too risky for you to do on your first day having real powers. Sighing, you decide to take it safe and not play about with your powers until you are ready to handle the consequences of any fallout. Still, that doesn't mean you have to turn back straight away because God knows there is no way in hell that you are walking back as yourself when you can do so as fit and raring to go policewoman.
Of course, you need to make sure that nobody knows the discrepancy between Finn Blaney walking in and Farah Karim walking out. No people might notice, but you don't know if your power extends to electronics. You make your way into the staff area until you find a computer, hoping to log on. If the shop has any IT security amongst the staff, you will have a problem, but hopefully the retail staff will be lazy or apathetic enough to not practise proper IT safety.
And it turns out that you're in luck as you find a staff computer. The previous user left themselves logged in and there aren't any passcodes though you doubt that would be a problem if there were. As you sit down at the computer, you feel another of your powers activating as the machine registers as a tool that you are using.
To your annoyance, it works like your main power where you have knowledge without understanding. You just know what to do without knowing why to do that, just that it will work. And to irritate you further, it does work as you easily switch your current profile to one of a manager and access the security footage. You erase it from shortly before your arrival and set the cameras to be off for the next half an hour, which will be plenty of time for you to exit.
Satisfied that you have sufficiently covered your tracks, you get up and head home. You won't go right up to the house as Farah, but you can make most of the journey back before becoming Finn again. Then you'll only have a small walk home as your fat and overweight self.
Hmm, should you be concerned that you aren't thinking of yourself as Finn all the time? That you view your normal self as a separate person to your transformed self? Or is it just an aspect of your power that you will just have to live with? If only you knew an expert that you could consult. As things are, you will have to go off whatever you have learnt over the years and what you can find online.
Your journey home is uneventful and you find an alley to transform in that is only a couple of blocks away from your house. You let yourself in and after making yourself a light lunch, you have a boring afternoon doing your studies, only using your power a couple of times to figure out something you weren't getting on your own. As evening approaches, you find yourself having to deal with your family as the school day and workday comes to an end.
How does Finn get on with her family? No plan voting.
[ ] Finn is close to her immediate family.
[ ] Finn is on good terms with her immediate family.
[ ] Finn has mixed feelings about her family.
[ ] Finn dislikes her immediate family.
[ ] Finn hates her immediate family.
How many siblings does Finn have? Use plan voting. Please indicate how many of each type you want such as two older brothers or three younger sisters.
[ ] Older sister.
[ ] Older brother.
[ ] Younger brother.
[ ] Younger sister.
[ ] None.
You are a sixteen year old girl of Irish descent and a working class background. You aren't a genius, but your smarts and work ethic have made up the difference to do well in class until your final year of secondary school. You had a mental breakdown on the first day back at school following the Christmas holidays, resulting in triggering and becoming a hero.
Your current goals in life are to get into a college, preferably a good one, and to kill that racist monster Charles Rainbridge.
You are an attractive if chubby redhead young lady who has a natural talent for getting along with others. You have also allowed your fitness to get away with you thanks to your overfocus on academics, resulting in an overweight and physical unimpressive body.
Primary Power (Thinker): Thinker ability to have an eureka moment where you have a moment of clarity or breakthrough towards trying to figure something out. Except it isn't a real eureka moment because your power only grants you the final result and nothing on how you came to that conclusion, giving you an answer without understanding. You cannot pull an answer out of thin air, but so long as it is technically possible, you can do it. The more relevant information that you have, the easier it is to get an answer while working on minimal information is an instant Thinker headache. Minor Power (Tinker): You feel the urge to make things, but you have no idea what sort of things. Minor Power (Thinker): You gain instant mastery of any tool you are wielding so long as you are holding the item in question. Like your main power, the mastery is instinctive without understanding and lasts as long as you are using the item. Minor Power (Stranger): You go unnoticed with people either not realising you are there or if that isn't possible, they assume that you are allowed to be present. If you draw undue attention to yourself, then the effect breaks. Minor Power (Changer): You can physically transform to fit a role. This grants only a physical transformation with no knowledge, skill or memories nor any ability to convince people of your chosen role. Transformation is limited to being a human female and only diverges from your regular self when necessary for the role. Minor Power (Striker): You can make close-ranged attacks in rapid succession, faster than what is humanly possible.
***
And with the vote to not doing anything interesting, we reach the point where you vote on the Blaney family or at least Finn's part of it. This isn't a high stakes vote, but it will an important one as it will shape a good part of Finn's home life and character. Like does she comes from a large family or is an only child? And how well or poorly she gets on with her family? Finn could be trying to escape her relatives or she might be motivated by a desire to help them out or she might just be indifferent towards them.
Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to.