Aura
Jacqueline "Jackie" Whitelock is a mutant who possesses incredible mastery over both telepathy and telekinesis. At first developing the ability of empathy at a young age, Jackie could pick up on the feelings of those around her. As she grew older, other, more potent powers manifested which caused her pain and anguish for a number of years as they were uncontrollable. With the help of others, Jackie was able to not only move on with her life but use these talents for the benefit of mankind. Currently working with UNTIL to assist around the globe as a superhuman specialist and psychologist, she is also known as AURA, ready to help the costumed champions of the world fight against villainy.
Contents
Appearance
Jackie Whitelock is a woman in her mid twenties with an offbeat, alluring demeanor, though she possesses an energy about her that puts others at ease almost immediately. She has an attractive, almost modelesque face with high cheeckbones and red, full lips that contrast against her fair complexion. At 5'7", Jackie is a bit taller than the average British woman and weighs 130 lbs, with a thin frame that has still seen the inside of a gym. Her hair is naturally dark black and is worn in a shaggy pixie cut of sorts. It looks rather messy though its obviously the result of some styling on her part to achieve. Jackie is often dressed comfortably in dresses or jeans but is at the ready if the need arises to glam it up. Often she can be found in vintage wear or concert t shirts, sporting everything from Rolling Stones to Radiohead... though during business hours dresses accordingly.
As Aura, Jackie wears a primarily magenta- colored uniform with a low, drooping neckline. It sports a mask which is also magenta in color that allows her lower face and hair to be seen. White fingerless long gloves, a white metal belt and white leggings contrast her outfit's main color. She wears a magenta skirt that falls to a cape of sorts in the back. A white metal neckpiece, connecting to her top, extending into a large white high collar behind her head. A soft purplish- magenta glow can be seen about her which flares up when she aggressively utilizes her telepathic or telekinetic abilities.
History
Jacqueline ("Jackie" or "Jacks" to her friends) Whitelock was born to a lower upper class family in London, England, to ex-rock musician Calvin Whitelock and his wife, former model and 'Page 3 Girl' Linda Whitelock. Jacqueline had a relatively normal childhood for someone whose family still skirted with fame. She was doted on by both parents with love and affection despite her father's ongoing bouts with alcoholism (resulting in his disappearance off and on to several rehab facilities for treatment). Jacqueline was a lovely child and showed a great interest and aptitude in a number of things.
When Jackie turned five, she did not understand it at the time but could instinctively predict how someone was feeling. She could often tell when her mother was upset, or her playmates were possibly lying to her. At such a young age, she was not aware that she was a mutant, the power of empathy revealing itself. It was often noted by her teachers that Jackie was merely well natured and highly attuned to the well being of others, with no alarm was given for what would reveal itself in later years.
When Jackie reached puberty at age eleven, her second power manifested: telepathy. Young Jackie was alarmed, at first scared that there was something terribly wrong with her. It was something she could not drown out... every person, everyone she crossed open their mouths to say one thing, but she would 'hear' something very much different in her mind. It consumed her, and it was at this time she learned of her parents' crumbling relationship through an accidental telepathic scan of her mother during one of her father's absences. Jackie found solace the only way she can, retreating into her own world and throwing herself into a passion for music.
Two years later, at age thirteen, Jackie's life turned upside down with her telekinesis activating. After what was a rough day for a teenager during school, Jackie's anger got the better of her. Her secondary school classroom was destroyed and several children were inadvertently injured from her powers as they were brought forth. Being a child of people who still managed to garner press from time to time, they pounced on this story. Scared for the safety of their daughter and fully aware of the ravaging she would receive through the press, her mother reached out to someone to help. Thankfully, she found such a thing in the United States at a school known as the Bracen Institute, which dealt with children who were born with 'unique gifts'. After quietly paying off several families and media outlets to keep what transpired under wraps, Jackie was taken out of her home to go overseas.
The next few years at the Bracen Institute were a difficult transition for the young Jackie. Quiet, reserved, and more intent on being alone now more than ever, the instructors diligently worked with Jackie. It wasn't easy as her powers, especially her telekinetic ones, proved dangerous to wield in those first few years. Jackie took care to ensure that she maintained a level head about most things and remained focused on her studies, or else bad things often followed in her wake. With the care given to her at the Institute, however, Jackie slowly came out of her shell as she took control over her powers. By age eighteen she graduated with a new found understanding and purpose as she now could more or less wield her abilities proficiently.
With her powers enabling her an advantage over understanding human nature and emotion, Jackie went to university back in Great Britain. She earned a degree in psychology, and in this time she looked more into the world wide peace keeping organization known as UNTIL. Fortunately she was accepted and took her place within its ranks. Using her degree to work as a counselor and psychologist for meta human affairs, she also took on another guise: that of a costumed heroine known as Aura. She spent the next few years in their Great Britain branch before being relocated back to the United States in Millennium City. Her task was to work alongside several agencies and super heroic groups that abound in the area, most notably the Protectors of the World. While she is not a charter member, she remains on hand as a reservist and official liaison to keep them functioning and mentally fit... while sometimes joining in to kick evil's ass, when necessary.
Personality
Jackie is a fun, engaging young woman who is an intent listener, but not afraid to 'tell it like it is' if the need arises. This demeanor allows her to do a good job in her chosen profession as she displays a great deal of care and concern for others. Although she prefers to avoid confrontation and can be quite passive overall she is also highly astute at pointing out things that concern her. She is somewhat of a tomboy, even in her twenties, and prefers the company of men as friends as opposed to women. Several times her open sense of self and her friendliness has created mixed signals to her male acquaintances though she's quick to respond appropriately. Jackie enjoys British humor and can be rather self deprecating at times in jest. While she's aware of her outward attractiveness, its not something she concerns herself with much, preferring to be rather low key. She's probably one of the best people to have by your side if you want someone to talk to... it's not just a job, it's a way of life for her.
Powers & Skills
Aura's mutant ability allows her empathic, telepathic and telekinetic powers. While the empathic abilities are always 'on', her other powers when in use create a purplish-pink glow which ebb and flow depending on how strong she is using it (hence her name, 'Aura').
Aura's primary passive ability is empathy. This allows her at all times to effectively sense a person's overall demeanor. It could just tell her that someone is happy, or angry, or confused. Aura has no control over this power and as such it is constantly active. While this is not the most powerful of abilities in the super heroic world, it can establish if someone is human versus android, possibly alien or not of this plane. Aura uses this talent mainly in conjunction with her psychologist training, allowing her to better establish a rapport with those she assists and help them deal wit their issues in the most responsive and direct manner.
Aura's second talent, which she manifested at age eleven, is telepathy. Aura can read thought and discern others' intent. Many people have been trained to prevent attacks or intrusions on their mind, which Aura often feels is a 'fun game' to figure out how to access them. She can directly mindlink several individuals at once, removing the need for communication devices when all parties are in a mile or so of each other. The ability to attack the mind itself is also an ability Aura possesses, though it's not something she always feels comfortable doing as she views it as a severe intrusion of one's person. She can and does, however, have the power to create short bursts of energy which stun others which she has no qualms with doing in the field of combat. Aura can also telepathically heal others wounds to a degree by cutting off pain receptors and allowing the brain to instantly go into a mode that regenerates itself. Aura can 'sense' others thoughts in combat, allowing her to be one step ahead of them in fights. While she lacks enhanced physical attributes, this nonetheless provides her a comparative ability to act before the enemy does. If necessary, she can even submit others to her will and 'charm' them to cooperate in planting suggestion, but it is also a talent she uses as a last resort. She is not above slight mental subjection though to the enemy (ie the 'Jedi Mind Trick'). Jackie also has the uncanny ability to temporarily pull skills from a person's mind. For example, she could pull the ability to know how to fly a plane from a pilot. This talent is only temporary, resetting itself when she sleeps, her mind releasing the information during a time of rest.
Aura's most potent physical ability is telekinesis. Jackie's telekinetic powers manifested at age 13 and were originally wildly uncontrollable. With great amounts of training, Aura has been able to rein in her use of this power, though she often does not use it to its full potential due to her own fears of its use. Aura is more of a defensive fighter, often establishing shields and such to protect others. She can design impenetrable fields around both herself and others in a nearby area. This is not to say that she lacks proper offensive abilities... far from it. Aura has been trained to use her power to lift and throw extremely heavy objects, forcefully use a person's body against itself and other talents. She can traverse great speeds and distances, creating a frictionless aura about herself to protect her from harm. This talent can extend to others as well, allowing her to bring along several others as long as she is close.
Aura has several skills at her disposal to aid her. She has received triage training and has standard UNTIL training. Aura tends not to need to use it, but she graduated top of her class in unarmed combat training and second in marksmanship. While these pale in ability to those heroes that dedicate themselves to such endeavors, she is no slouch either against 'foot soldier' type adversaries if and when she needs to show off such traits. Aura often uses techniques she has learned as a psychologist to help her and others deal with high stress situations.
Weaknesses
Aura has a few weaknesses that the enemy can (and has) exploited:
- Ineffective Powers: Aura's empathic and telepathic abilities do not work on creatures lacking sentience. For example, the undead and robotic entities are immune to these traits. Alien life forms may be too foreign for her to understand without spending time to acclimate properly to their mental patterns.
- Only A Human: While Aura has several mutant powers at her disposal, she also lacks the enhanced physical attributes many enjoy. She can be easily removed from combat if her mental faculties are not prepared for a fight.
- My glasses! I can't find my glasses!: Jackie is near sighted, requiring contacts or glasses to see.
- Dedication to Duty/ Fear of Abilities: Aura is actually a vastly powerful mutant, though she tempers her abilities greatly. She does not use her telepathic traits invasively unless it is the enemy, and even then holds back. Aura's telekinetic upper limits have not been explored properly due to them being wildly chaotic as they escalate and are extremely unpredictable. She tends to go with an 'average' use of her powers as the norm, not wanting to put herself or others in possible danger.
Aura's opinions on members of the super heroic community:
Trivia
- Obviously takes some inspiration from heroes like Jean Grey/ Marvel Girl.
- The name 'Jacqueline/ Jackie' is actually a homage to one of my favorite heroines (also British, mind you), Marvel Comics' Spitfire.
- Loves to go to the shooting range to release stress.
- Huge music fan with all kinds of interests as far as genre, but moreso older bands than current offerings. Enjoys live concerts, especially reggae and punk shows.
- Plays piano, bass guitar and drums.
- Still retains communication with several instructors of the Bracen Institute.
- Has some training in ballet.
- It is her dream to visit Graceland, though she's not a huge Elvis fan.
- Though she's comfortable in social settings, has a tendency to be a loner when off the clock. The reason for this is that she enjoys the ability to not have to block out anyone's thoughts or feelings.
- Speaks with a rather faint south english upperclass accent. Spending her teenage years in the United States has lessened its inflection.
- Has a penchant for eating junk food when stressed out.
- Has had a string of extremely bad relationships, due in equal parts to her powers and being tragically unlucky. Often falls for the 'loser' and 'bad boy' types... while she can be great at dispensing help, she's often poor at taking that advice herself.
Comments
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Art Gallery
- Aurafin.jpg
by Daggerpoint
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| Team Leader Sparrowhawk | ||
| Field Leaders: Captain Adamant • Peacemaker • Razira • Thundrax | ||
| Protectors Charter Members: African Violet • Atomac • Blue Cyclone • Blue Pheasant • Citizen 13 • Cosmic Glory • Fahrenheit • Gold Rush • Hydro Light Of Being • Lucky Shot • Marauder • Mercuriel • Oni • Sinsonte Azul • Tesseract • Wildeye • Witchery Way | ||
| Protectors Reserve Members: Aura • Noble • Psion • Wolfgirl | ||
