Gizmo

Next-Gen '16 Epiphany - Madison Tyler Madison isn't just training to be a hero, she was born to it. She's part of a long lineage of heroic magic users, among whom are counted monster hunters, respected sages and notable allies to the Master Mages. Her parents are both prominent members of the occult community in her native Chicago and she takes upholding that legacy very seriously. With an impressive control and range of abilities for her age and a confidence that lends itself well to leadership it seems that the family name could not be in better hands. Epiphany is not immune, however, to the lack of perspective that can come with youth. With her dedication comes a certainty of her own righteousness and being a hero requires villains. One of her cousins took part in the raid that sent Raina Sanderson's parents to prisons and appropriately appalled by what she's heard of their crimes she has decided that the rotten apple cannot fall far from the tree. Madison very much sees herself as the protagonist of her story and rallying her friends against their decidedly unheroic classmates as the first of her many good deeds to come. If that means bending a few rules, well, all the greatest heroes know which rules and meant to be bent. Ultimately a good person she is loyal to her friends and quick to oppose genuine injustice when she see it but her pride makes it difficult for her to reconsider her initial assessments of people or think in terms other than 'good' and 'evil'. Notable Appearances: Unstill Life, Final Exam, Maybe It's Alchemy Raptor - Sofia Torrez Though not strictly a metahuman Sofia is gifted in nearly every way a young woman might be: powerfully built, sharply intelligent, quick in both reflexes and wit. Her true strength, however, lies in her determination and hard work. Training with her parents - both non-powered heroes in Mexico City famous enough to be known across the border - she has already mastered multiple martial arts and developed a skill for reproducing moves after seeing them performed only once. Her willingness to help her classmates train has made her well liked and respected, albeit the cause of more than a few bruises. That respect means a lot to Raptor and she sees being the best even without powers as very nearly the whole of her identity. She was annoyed enough to be lumped in with the untrained and unpolished Robin Chevalier before the later realized she had superhuman abilities; afterward that feeling blossomed into true animosity toward the 'cheat'. Sofia would never complain about an unfair playing field out loud but she resents Nighthawk's accomplishments when she has had to work so hard just to keep up with her empowered peers. Pointing out that she doesn't seem to have a problem with other metahumans and is unusually focused on Robin is likely to be met only with gruff denials and a change in subject. As Madison is quick to point out there are other frauds to worry about amongst the student body and Sofia refuses to be distracted from her training. Should an opportunity to prove that she's the best present itself, however, she won't turn it down. Greatness is earned through focus and bold action, after all. Notable Appearances: Unstill Life, Final Exam, The In Crowd Prestige - Celeste le Faye To say that Celeste is a cipher would be an understatement. Asked more than once about the origin of her her pointed ears, ephemeral butterfly-like wings and gleaming black, pupil free eyes she'll give a different explanation each time. A persistent rumour around the Academy has it that le Faye isn't even her real name but given her unerring aim with a bow, talent for mystical 'suggestion' and undeniable good looks the general consensus is that she can call herself whatever she likes. Cool and confident, she dominates any interaction. While only the Headmistress seems to know the specifics of Prestige's past it most certainly involved the fae and as a result the girl has difficulty empathizing with her peers. Instead she has learned to fake her way through the pitfalls of high school life and done so with aplomb. Her social manipulations and calculated micro-aggressions are a defence mechanism as much as anything, though she finds she does enjoy the attention. Cultivating an air of mercurial mystery has helped, as has following Madison's lead; knowing who needs to look bad is an easy way to look good. While not actively malicious Celeste has trouble gauging the appropriate intensity of any response, giving her a reputation as an ice queen during sparring classes. She uses her friends' reactions to gauge herself which can be dangerous when their own judgement may be skewed. Genuinely desiring to be a good person she is unusually attentive during Ethics class but quickly falls back into bad habits when confronted, focusing on whomsoever she perceives to be the most vulnerable in a group. Notable Appearances: Unstill Life, Final Exam, Maybe It's Alchemy Slide - Faiza Saeed Faiza is the best big sister her classmates never had. The first metahuman in a large British Pakistani family she initially struggled to control her friction controlling abilities. Her community rallied around her and proudly sent her off to the Academy when she'd announced her plans to put her gifts to use as a hero. After an adjustment period getting used to dormitory life she quickly endeared herself to the other students with her warm but firm manner, ensuring that they were eating well and not pushing themselves too hard; looking after Sofia alone turned out to be a full time job. Slide is by no means unaware of the looks her hijab gets or the misgivings many seems to have about metahumans but has decided the best strategy is to give those with prejudices no excuses, only proof that they are wrong. This is why she finds those among her peers who flout the rules or can't be bothered to learn to use their abilities safely so frustrating. Take Cathy Clouston, who offers apologies even as she freezes every room she walks into as if her actions didn't reflect on all natural born metahumans. Faiza knows that's unkind and she tries to be patient but she can't shake the feeling that these 'problem children' just need to try harder, for all of their sakes. While she may indulge in a bit of gossip and complaining, Faiza is less likely than her circle of friends to think their more wayward classmates need to be punished or put in their place. She's something of a pacifist at heart and strongly believes in the basic good and dignity in all people... she just wishes some of them would find that good a little more quickly. At the same time she very much values being part of a group and would be reluctant to speak out against her friends unless she thought they were seriously considering crossing a line. Notable Appearances: Unstill Life, The In Crowd