Michelle

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Quite good- fit, skilled in grappling. Good shot with a handgun; excellent eyesight. Stocky for her height, sturdy waist, carries herself with a simultaneously proud and 'I'm absolute trash' air.

Body Features

Medium skin tone, plain aside from a number of scars. Black hair.

Facial Features

Oval face shape, eyes are more close-set. Dark brown eyes, strong eyebrows, heavy dark circles under her eyes. Thin, pale lips.

Identifying Characteristics

Bears a number of scars. Most identifying ones are:

• thin one over her nose and slightly down the left cheek

• Thick scar on right bicep from a bullet graze (recent)

• Faint trace of a dog bite on her left calf

• Small burn marks on her left hand (recent)

Physical quirks

Right handed. Always seems to be purposeful when she walks- heavy, long strides, arms tucked close; people tend to get out of the way if they see her approach. Hates anything without pockets or her hands being empty- she's often fiddling with pens or anything in her reach- actually contributed to why she ever had cigarettes in the first place, it was something she could mess with without anyone yelling at her.

Apparel & Accessories

Loves black leather, especially treasures a jacket she's had with her for roughly ten years- true leather was rare in the city, rarer in public markets and at a price she could afford. Also fond of reds and blues, not big on light clothing though. Likes heavy shoes and boots; not big on formal wear but has been tempted by more than a couple of suits...

Specialized Equipment

Still carries her old handcuffs and handgun.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

She had a sister, once.
Michelle was thirteen when her and Anna's parents died, thirteen when she tried to take on whatever work there was so maybe, maybe she could support her sister and stay together... but, it wasn't meant to be. Anna was taken to one home and Michelle shuffled off to another, and that was all there was to it. When Michelle was able to sneak to the home for younger children, she'd seen no sign of Anna. A passing comment indicated that she had suffered complications from the flu that had gone around that previous winter- a simple fact of life, however much it might hurt to hear.
Michelle didn't give up the visits entirely, though- they weren't frequent, but it was another five years before she finally had to call it quits. In all that time, not a hint of her sister, no rumor... no hope. At eighteen, she was sent away- the city had done all it was obligated to, she was on her own. So, like many others desperate for a secure home and means of survival, Michelle applied to the city police. Unlike many others, they actually gave her a chance- and later, a place on the force.
Time became a bit of a blur, then. Years passed, the city shrank and drew in tighter. A new assassin appeared by the Emperor's side, new deaths, an endless cycle of crime and chase and desperation; even injury became part of the rhythm of life. When she wasn't on patrol, Michelle would usually just sprawl on her couch and sleep, or plant herself at the bar and linger until closing time.
She doesn't exactly recall when she was first approached: just that it was before she was twenty-six, and it was some small, severe sort of doctor out of the Vila who'd been sent to help patch her up after a particularly nasty incident. How the city was crumbling, the empire a corpse that refused to crumble- but it might, if there was more help on the inside. There was no real nobility to Michelle's agreement, no grand desire to take down the government that had taken her sister, that made her hunt those as desperate as herself but less lucky and made a leaky roof and bland but certain food an incredible blessing. She was just bored, tired of the same thing, and figured this might at least keep her from falling into a complete stupor.
Michelle passed information for a good several years, fudged paperwork for arrested rebels, relayed what gaps she knew of... but, she wasn't particularly careful with her work, and it came to bite her around the time she'd turned 31. Higher ups had gathered enough evidence that she was a leak, one who'd done enough damage that she had to be dealt with immediately.
Michelle had never given Adrian's existence much thought until the assassin cornered her outside her usual bar. The fight was brutal for both parties, resulting in injury to both: Michelle coming off worse overall, having been grazed by a bullet and sustaining a number of bruises and scrapes from stumbling into walls and falling; Adrian a nasty gash to her side from a broken bottle. Michelle managed to escape, and for the last year as the rest of the rebels put their final plan into action, laid low outside the city. She only returned for a few moments on that final night, having sworn she wanted nothing more than to have one last smoke there, lit by the city as it burnt to the ground.

Gender Identity

Female, though later would identify more with being genderflux or genderfluid, having times where she feels very strongly agender, and most usually somewhere in between. (Uses she/her pronouns in all instances.)

Sexuality

Bisexual

Education

Completed all basic schooling, and later managed to pick up actual world history and geography.

Employment

Police officer; later takes on any odd jobs she can.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Counts joining the force as a crowning glory- even if it was a corrupt, wasteful piece of bureaucracy, she'd managed to pass the rigorous demands and stay on for quite a time. Surviving the homes and managing to get a job at all are rather an accomplishment, really.
Doesn't talk about the incident much, but takes a deep pride and comfort in one incident where her presence indisputably made the difference between life or death- a hostage situation with an official's family, she had managed to slip in and disarm the assailant before any major damage could be done. Most of her accomplishments on the job are mixed in emotion, as Michelle is quite aware of the desperation one can be pushed to... but saving a family and doing it without even killing or seriously maiming the perpetrator, that definitely has to be good- right?

Failures & Embarrassments

Michelle rarely really feels embarrassment, truth be told. Her greatest regret is not being able to take care of Anna after their parents passed, next greatest... the fact that she threw away a good decade and a half or so of her life, though she doesn't beat herself up over it too much.

Mental Trauma

Astonishingly well adjusted, all things considered. Unresolved grief and a shitty cycle led to her developing some severely flawed coping mechanisms though, over-indulging in what vices she could in an attempt to find some comfort and pleasure from life. She suffers some confusion and lack of direction once the city fell- even though the rebellion was a bit better, they had no place for her once things had ended; more than anything Michelle's greatest traumas are a lingering sense that people and the world in general only want you so long as you can give them something, and then it'll leave you chewed up and bewildered once it's gotten all it wants.

Intellectual Characteristics

Fairly average- best at learning through experience.

Morality & Philosophy

People'll use you and leave you. You don't owe them shit, and don't expect anyone to owe you either.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

To get on with life. To matter to someone and to do something that matters, however great or small.

Virtues & Personality perks

Definitely an exciting person to be around, good at a party when she's better at showing restraint. Decent with people, can show remarkably good conflict resolution and de-escalation if you can get her into Official Of The Law mode. Adventurous and often willing to try something new. And if you can get past the... many, many layers she's built up, she can be quite affectionate, as gentle in love as she can be rough.

Vices & Personality flaws

Easily slips into flawed coping mechanisms- overindulgence and lack of moderation more than anything, her tendency to run hours at a gym was driven by just as poor motivation as the long nights spent in a bar. Doesn't like to get emotionally attached, drove away more than a few flames who grew too close for comfort; gets combative and confrontational. Doesn't like to feel that she owes anyone anything- and conversely, she doesn't like to take help unless she is absolutely desperate.

Social

Family Ties

One sister, thought to be deceased.
(In fact: Anna was singled out as a candidate for specialized instruction not long after her initial placement, and was moved to another home soon after. She proved a good student- a quick, obedient learner, easily cowed against questioning what she was told. As was the custom for such candidates, Anna was also given a new name: Adrian.)

Social Aptitude

A commanding, (mostly) uncompromising presence. She is good at appearing completely sure and certain in most any situation, rarely backing down when challenged. She's not... charismatic so much as she just carries a powerful air of authority, that she's going to go ahead with things whether you care or help or approve. She's not all that extroverted, but not quite an introvert- being alone is deeply unpleasant for her; and while she isn't super fond of them, she can tolerate large crowds alright. Her ideal is just being left alone in the corner of a bar for several hours, or something of similar effect.
Blunt and rather unrefined in terms of etiquette- she makes an effort when things are more high-class, but it takes a lot to get her to agree to that kinda thing in the first place. She isn't exactly egotistical- she knows she's only a small part of a great, overall indifferent universe; she expects nothing from anyone- and does her best to ensure others realize not to expect anything from her.
Enjoys flirting, though she's only ever gone for short stands- the couple attempts at a longer relationship fizzled rather spectacularly; though Michelle leans more to the idea of 'totalitarian regimes don't leave anyone well equipped to be in a relationship' as a leading factor. Never would admit it, but she does hope that she might be able to start something longer...

Speech

Fairly short and pointed, often comes across as exasperated. Doesn't like much pretense and tries to cut to the chase as quickly as possible.

Relationships

Michelle

Sister (Vital)

Towards Adrian

0

Frank

---

Adrian

Sister (Vital)

Towards Michelle

0

Honest

---

History

Michelle never had much reason to pay the Emperor's new assassin much mind, when she emerged on the scene. She fit the usual look- tall, dark, scary and silent, what else was to be expected? Michelle kept focused on her work, first for the city and later the rebellion, focused on the close realities far from the gilded elite... until her slip-ups led to their paths crossing.
Michelle had nothing but contempt for Adrian after that- she'd been jumped and nearly killed, and for what? For trying to just finish the job emperors long past had started? She never sought the assassin out, though she did have to be held back at least once when spotting Adrian among the rebellion's little community once things had quieted down. More than once she was heard saying that she'd gladly take Adrian on a rematch any day, see how well she did without dirty sneak attacks and her weapons now.
It was a chance, joking comment some time later that planted the idea in Michelle's mind. That if Anna were grown... well, Adrian's looks weren't too far off. And there had been rumors- well, rumors once, confirmed fact with documents stolen- that the government would single out likely children, raising them up to be perfectly loyal to the state and ready to fill in positions as needed to keep the machine running...

Nicknames & Petnames

(When children): Anne, Shorty.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Despite not growing up together for long, they developed a remarkably similar fashion sense?

Shared Acquaintances

Reza

Wealth & Financial state

Was decently off in the city, able to have an apartment with two rooms and consistent utilities; and her job assured her adequate food access. Never had many possessions- a couple pieces of furniture, a few sturdy sets of clothes and her jacket were her grandest purchases.
After the city fell, she scrapes by; connections in the rebellion set her up with a place to stay and a small savings so she wasn't completely screwed, but she no longer has regular work and things can be spotty.

Year of Birth

970 PR 32 Years old

Spouses

Siblings

Eyes

Dark brown, sharp and bright. (Has rather striking lashes, too)

Hair

Sleek black, rather fine, kept a little bit above or past her shoulders.

Height

5'11

Character Prototype

Y'know Naomi Misora from Death Note? Yeah I might've cribbed some of her appearance & the cop idea... |D