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From an early age, Jaden Maxwell had showed a love for cooking and baking, and was surprisingly talented at it too. Even before entering high school, he was able to confidently fry simple meals like eggs and bacon, or even put together mouth-watering chocolate chip muffins for a bake sale. Needless to say, he was very much within his element when making tasty delicacies. The sight and smell of freshly-baked bread and rolls alone was enough to remind him of the good times he had growing up...and that he still had a lot to live for. Wanting to give something back to the locals, he had opened up a small bakery on Riverside. A humble and modest shop that was set up like a square and painted with warm colors such as white and soft browns. Tables and chairs were set up outside and surrounded by rows of bushes with blooming flowers and roses to give off a pleasant, inviting atmosphere. A large billboard was above the oak door displaying a large tree that had a variety of sandwiches and pastries growing on its branches. Plastered on it were the words: "Homegrown Breads. Have A Slice Of Quality." "Thank you, come again!!" Jaden called out to his latest customers as they left the store carrying their orders. He sighed and nodded to himself with a smile before turning back to fill out another order. Even though the bakery was just getting off its feet, it had already attracted a nice amount of business which likely had to do with the delicious food that came in considerable portions yet at very generous prices too. The young man took a moment to himself to look up at a portrait of a younger version of himself sitting with his Aunt and Uncle under the Christmas tree. Warm smiles everywhere. Hopefully, one day they'd be able to be together again...but for now, there were orders to be fulfilled.

Just making this OOC thread to help better expand on ideas and what not.

When it came to walking through an empty park during night fall, the majority of people's opinions fell into one of two categories: The first category said they loved it for how romantic and tranquil it could be, giving certain people a chance to express how they truly felt without fear of being embarrassed in some way. The other category is that it was basically the equivalent of a death trap as there could be any number of seedy, unruly scumbags lying in wait to pounce on unsuspecting victims, beat them to a pulp, and rob them of all their valuables....and believe it or not, that was only if you were lucky. Tonight was a fine example of both categories playing out. A romantic couple whom we will call Shane and Julia had just been enjoying a peaceful night out, going about their business...when a group of hoodlums had approached them, demanding money if they wanted to live. The two had beaten a hasty retreat and managed to lose them within the woods...unfortunately, by the time they had done so, they had ended up well off the beaten trail and in the middle of nowhere. The two had wandered for some time to get back to the trail but to no avail. As time went on, Shane got more and more fed up with their current situation, "Julia, please tell me you got some reception already! I feel like we been wandering for hours and my feet are killing me!" "Oh quit your bellyaching, Shane," Julia rolled her eyes as she checked her phone and cursed to herself, "Darn it! Still nothing! At this rate, we're gonna be stuck out here all night!" "All night?! Please tell me you're joking..." Shane groaned like a kid whom had just had their favorite toy confiscated, "You do realize this is all your fault, right?!" "Excuse me?!" Julia whirled on her boyfriend, eyes blazing with the red fires of fury and indignation, "Oh no, you don't get to blame this all on me, mister! You're the one who thought it was a brilliant idea to go walking through the park in the middle of the night!" "Whoa, whoa, easy there, Julia!" Shane put up his hands, feeling he had said the wrong thing, "We're both just...tired, ok? How about we sit down for five minutes and then we-" Suddenly, the rustling of bushes could be heard around them, "What the..." From them emerged half a dozen men dressed from head to toe in attire that made them blend into the dark scenery so well they were like shadows. "Ah geez...they found us!" "No duh! What was your first clue, Sherlock?!" She and her lover stood back to back as the hoodlums approached, "Shane, I just want you to know before we die...I was the one who ate the last slice of pizza in the fridge the other night." "That's alright, Julia.." Suddenly, it sunk in what she had said, "Wait, you what?!!" However, before the hoodlums could get any closer, that's when IT happened. The plants around them, and even the tree branches, suddenly came to life, lashing out at them, grabbing and hauling them down to the dirt, causing each of the hoodlums to scream and cry out in shock and horror as they hacked away at their attackers with knives and shot them up with guns. However, for everyone they killed, two more took its place. One thug found himself yanked off his feet by a tree branch and slammed against another of his friends before both found themselves being squeezed together in a bundle of roots and stems. Another whipped out his gun and started shooting at a rapidly approaching pile of moss and vines, but his shots did little to deter the creature from its path as it launched itself through the air, grabbed him and dragged him off into the woods as he screamed bloody murder. The fourth and fifth went after their buddy only to have the ground explode open as a set of giant roots erupted from within to grab and restrain them. The last hoodlum, deciding that any pay to be made wasn't worth losing his life over, turned tail and ran off into the darkness...only for a loud scream to echo through the woods a few seconds later. The incredible thing though is that through this whole nightmarish scene...the pair of lovers were completely unharmed. In fact, it was as if the sentient plants were actively avoiding or even protecting them from their attackers. Despite this, fear still gripped their hearts as they backed away together, until they found their backs against...something. They hesitantly turned their heads and looked up...only to get the shock of their lives. The figure stood silhouetted in darkness and seemed to be wearing some sort of flowing coat over its lean, muscular frame. Its ruby red eyes staring right through them. "P-Please don't hurt us, mister...please, please..." They begged the creature before them. It said nothing...only raised a hand to point behind them, like it were giving a silent signal. The two looked ahead...and saw a new trail that had not been there before. When they looked back...the figure was already gone. Deciding not to stick around, they followed the new trail and before long, were back in the safety of civilization... _________________________________________________ Needless to say, it wasn't long before the pair's story spread like wildfire, and only helped to fuel the growing mystery that had cropped up almost overnight. Videos, pictures, and so on all helped to only create more questions. Who was the mysterious figure hiding out in local parks and in forests all around Freedom City? Where did they come from? What did they want? Just what was the truth behind the shocking behavior of the local wildlife? There was no doubting that quite a few people were kept on edge....It hadn't killed anyone, sure...but was this entity a force for good, truly? Only time would tell...

Power Level: 10 (150/151PP) Unspent Power Points: 1 Trade-Offs: +3 Attack / -3 Damage, +3 Defense / -3 Toughness. In Brief: A human transformed into an avatar for Mother Gaia herself and sworn to protect both humanity and the Earth herself. Catchphrase: Don't really have one...for now. Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTGfvj-QPqE Alternate Identity: Jaden Maxwell Birthplace: Alternate Earth Residence: An abandoned greenhouse he managed to renovate. Base of Operations: Same as residence. Occupation: Works as a Baker at his own shop when not out being a hero or tending to his plant friends. Affiliations: None at the moment, though it's my hope to have him establish a working relationship with various heroes. Family: Has an Aunt and Uncle back on his Earth named Laura and Adrian Maxwell respectively. Description: Age: 20 (DoB: April 17, 1996) Gender: He's a plant elemental. He technically doesn't have one Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5 foot, 10 inches Weight: 200 pounds Eyes: Brown Hair: Jet Black in a crop cut. Appears to have the physique of a young man who engages in modest amounts of exercise with fair skin and the traits listed above. He can typically be seen wearing clothing that fits the climate, such as a blue tank top and brown shorts during warmer months and a hooded coat with boots, hat and gloves when it gets cold. Ever since his transformation into a living plant, he tends to sway between different forms depending on his mood. However, perhaps the one he is mainly seen with is a humanoid figure colored in emerald green with darker section to highlight features like a tunic and pants. His hair is actually white rose petals arranged in a sweeping style with a green eye mask and red eyes. He also wears a type of mantled long coat that shares a similar color scheme to the rest of him. History: Jaden had, for the most part, a normal upbringing growing up. He was born to a loving Mom and Dad who took good care of him for the first few years of his life and he had an Aunt and Uncle who thought the world of him that he frequently visited on the weekends or during the holidays. However, when he was about 7 years old...tragedy struck. One night, he was at his Aunt's place watching cartoons when the phone rang. His Aunt went to answer it only to drop the dish she'd been drying in horror at what the police man on the other end had told her. Mr and Mrs Maxwell had been on their way home from a business trip when a drunk driver slammed into them, killing both parents at once. Needless to say, it was like Jaden's entire world had come crumbling down in the course of just one night. After the funeral, Jaden was taken in by his Aunt and Uncle and it quickly became evident that despite the fact that they treated him well, that life was not going to be easy since both relatives were in their elderly years and they did not have too much money. As such, Jaden had to learn at a young age to pitch in and be self-sufficient, helping his folks around the house and gradually learned skills such as cooking, cleaning dishes and even pulling weeds out of the garden. It didn't help that they ended up having to move twice even before he got into high school. Life was difficult but it wasn't bad by any means as the young lad excelled in his classes and enjoyed helping others with their work. He took on a part-time job at one point to help his folks too. Of course, he sometimes let himself get lost in video games and anime as he got older. Eventually, he graduated from high school to the delight of his Aunt and Uncle and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. However, that's when his life took a most unexpected turn. During one summer, he took part in a field trip set up by a club he use to be part of that were planting trees in an area that had recently been decimated by a wildfire. During the program, Jaden caught sight of a bear cub that had slipped into the water and was now heading down the stream towards a waterfall. Without thinking, he risked his life to save the cub and return it to its family. Despite not thinking much of it, someone else took notice of his act... That night, he was visited by a voice in his dreams. The voice introduced itself as Gaia, Spirit Of The Earth. It had watched the man's act and, despite its usual indifference towards humans, had been intrigued by his selfless act despite the fact he had risked his life and got no reward out of it. He explained that he didn't do it for a reward but because it was the right thing to do and that he didn't want anyone else to endure the pain of lost loved ones. Growing ever more intrigued with him, the spirit handed him what she called the "Seed Of Gaia" and that she would give him the chance to prove to her that humans and the Earth could co-exist together. With that, the dream ended...Jaden thought no more of it. One night though, he was in his room, doing some reading when he heard a commotion downstairs. Going to check, he saw several men in black suits ransacking the place while holding his Aunt and Uncle at knife point. For a brief moment, he felt like a small boy all over again, like history was about to repeat itself...but not if he had anything to say about it. When the men saw him, they shot the young man on the spot...only for his wound to heal up within seconds, causing all those present to freeze in shock. Anger fueling his actions, Jaden's power activated and vines broke through the windows and floorboards, disarming the men and slamming their bodies against the walls over and over again with enough force to shatter the plaster. However, just when it looked like he was ready to do the unthinkable and take their lives...his Aunt and Uncle's voices brought him back to reality. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing and wondering what he had become. His folks consoled him as the would-be murderers were taken into custody, likely traumatized for life by the ordeal. The police asked questions but nobody was in the mood to give the actual story. After having some time to calm down, and being reminded that his Aunt and Uncle still loved him, it was decided that he needed to learn control since the world was likely not ready for an individual like Jaden. As such, the next week or so saw him practicing with his new abilities and growing quite adept at them. His body underwent more changes until he instinctively created a new identity for himself to go with his new form. It was around this point that an event happened that awoke his inner hero and made him realize that his powers were meant for bigger things. A powerful Fae had come to his town by the name of Glastig and, true to the myths surrounding her, went about luring in unsuspecting men and draining them of their blood, leaving lifeless corpses in her wake, meant to gather strength as her followers constructed the pieces for a gate that would open a way to the Fae Realm and allow her army to come through. After several close calls, and having his family's lives endangered and discovering that his supposed girlfriend was a dirty coward willing to sell him out to secure her own future as a journalist, Evergreen cornered and exposed Glastig, in the process destroying the gate and closing one of the links to the Fae Realm for good. One lengthy battle later, Glastig was defeated. Evergreen refused to kill her...but that didn't mean he or Gaia let her off the hook either. In an event that still haunts him, Gaia, manifesting physically, transformed Glastig into a plant entity...and then Evergreen transformed the fallen Fae into a tree for the rest of her days. Victory was his...but at the price of never again reclaiming a normal life or his humanity as the power he had inherited had transformed him completely. Not helping matters is, upon realizing his girlfriend didn't love him and had betrayed him, broke up with her, leaving him somewhat downtrodden. As if all that were not enough, his new powers had changed the very concept of his existence somehow and thus made him fundamentally incompatible with his home reality. He was slowly fading out of existence, and time was running out... Thankfully, Gaia provided a solution in using her connections to transfee him over to another parallel Earth where he could remain until a more permanent solution could be discovered. After agonizing over the decision and, realizing other heroes were starting to appear on his Earth to take up the torch, decided it was for the best, bid good-bye to his loved ones and was thus whisked off to the other Earth...an Earth very similar to our own yet very different... What adventures await from here? And how will his experiences change him? Only time will tell... Personality & Motivation: Jaden is for all intents and purposes a rather easygoing and calm individual. He enjoys life for what it is and tries not to worry too much about the future. Growing up with his Aunt and Uncle bestowed on him the values of hard work and independence, as such when he commits himself to something he tends to see it through, regardless of the consequences. Being a fanboy of anything related to anime or video games, when he runs into someone who shares what he is into, he can get surprisingly passionate and ecstatic, to the point that he briefly stops acting his age and behaves like a kid in a candy store. Inspired by the comics he read growing up, he has a strong sense of justice and morals and tries to see the good in people along with being willing to stand up for those who can't do so for themselves. He does not want to see anyone else suffer the tragedy of lost loved ones, but that does not mean he is blind to the real world either. He is aware that unfortunate things happen regardless of what one does in life but does not see that as a reason to do nothing either. He does have a fun-loving side to him too, sometimes using his power to pull off jokes or pranks on his friends all in good fun. Powers & Tactics: Evergreen has not had much in terms of professional training with his abilities...ok, to be more exact, none at all, other than what he's learned through practice and experience. His favored tactics seem to scale to the threat. As such, unless it is not possible, he'll use his plant friends to scout an area before moving in to take out a group, utilizing his plant powers from long range to wear them down before moving in to mop up the leftovers with some hand to hand combat. He also prefers to avoid using lethal force unless it's a situation where it's required. Power Descriptions: Being an avatar for Mother Gaia means Evergreen has total control over any and all forms of plant life and thus can call upon their aid whenever he wishes. His uses for it range from simply calling upon vines and roots to constrict and crush his targets to turning giant sunflowers and watermelons into turrets that shoot seeds as bullets. However, because his original body has been transformed into plant matter, his strength, agility, and endurance are no longer trapped within human limits, allowing him to pull off feats that, although not up to the level of traditional physical-based powerhouses, is still enough to seem superhuman, and he even has a radar-like sense that allows him to commune with other plants. Having a body made up of plant matter also means he has total control over its shape and flexibility, allowing him to morph his limbs into various kinds of weaponry such as hammer fists, spiked maces, blades, and so on, and can even alter his appearance to varying degrees. He is immune to poisons and disease and does not age at all, being virtually immortal. Complications: Fire And Ice: Evergreen maybe extremely powerful but that strength comes with a hefty number of weaknesses. Not the least of which is having a severe weakness to extreme heat and cold. His creations will either burst into flames or eventually freeze solid if exposed to these elements for too long and he himself is not safe from them and he will likely maintain his distance unless otherwise. Usage of these elements is perhaps one of the only ways to permanently destroy his physical form, or at the very least incapacitate him. Also, this could make it difficult for him to work with individuals who have said abilities. Sun And Water Dependence: Another weakness is that Evergreen derives much of his power from his connection to the sun and the water. As such, while he is stronger during the day and/or near bodies of water, the opposite is also true since as the light wanes, that power diminishes. Not enough to make him completely helpless, but enough that an enemy could eventually gain the upper hand by severing him off from the source of his strength, which can be done by facing him within enclosed spaces and what not. Corruption: Similarly to another hero themed around the environment, pollution is another way to get the upper hand on Evergreen in that although he is immune to things like poison and disease, actual pollution such as oil can have a detrimental affect on his physiology if he gets too close to it. Also, although it may partially due to his transformation, he does not have a high opinion of people who shamelessly pollute and destroy the environment for no good reason. A Stranger In A Familiar Land: One of Evergreen's reasons for coming to this other Earth was to get away from everything and find some peace of mind. However, an alien world like this makes it sometimes difficult for him to fit in. After spending so much time as a solo hero, he is eager to meet others like himself but at the same time can occasionally be unsure how to handle himself, and having such a vast new, yet familiar, world to explore and interact with can be a daunting task at times. Doesn't Like Attention: Jaden has never been one to enjoy being the center of attention as although he is friendly and well-behaved the events since his transformation, and said transformation itself, have left him in a bit more of a rut than he is use to, and even getting a girlfriend doesn't really appeal to him much at the moment. However, if he intends to be a proper hero on this Earth, he may have to get use to stepping out into the spotlight... My Hidden Self: Although Jaden has revealed it to very few people, he is actually the kind of man whom is in touch with his feminine side, to the point that they use their abilities to crossdress and take on forms that have more of an androgynous and/or feminine appeal. This side of him is one mostly enjoyed in secret as he knows how judgmental society can be at times, and does feel some hints of secret shame, even if it is not really hurting anyone. Morality: Evergreen is an extremely moral individual who is well aware of what his powers are capable of and the responsibility that goes with them. As such, he tends to limit himself when facing his enemies, wanting to bring them in alive rather than severely harm them. He tends to also question himself and what the right course of action is in certain situations, especially in his struggles to maintain balance between the human world and the natural world, even if that means inconveniencing progress on one side of the spectrum or the other, and having some degree of honor means he will prioritize saving lives over pursuing the villain. Abilities: 14+10+14+4+2 =44 pp STR 24 (+7) DEX 20 (+5) CON 24 (+7) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 12 (+1) Combat: +12 +12= 24 pp ATK +6 (+9 Melee, +10 Ranged Plant Control, +13 Melee Plant Control) DEF +13 (+6 Base, +3 Flat-Footed, +7 Dodge Focus) Init: +9 Grapple: +20 Saves: +2 +5 = 7 pp TOU +7 (+7 Con) FORT +7 (+7 Con) REF +7 (+5 Dex, +2) WILL +7 (+2 Wis, +5) Skills: 40 r=10 pp Climb 3 (+10) Knowledge: Life Sciences 10 (+10) Medicine 3 (+5) Notice 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Stealth 5 (+10) Survival 3 (+5) Feats: +2 +3 +2 +7 +1 +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 = 22 PP Attack Specialization (Plant Control) 2 Attack Focus 3 (Melee) Attractive 2 Dodge Focus 7 Improved Initiative Luck 2 Move-By Action Power Attack Skill Mastery (Sense Motive, Notice, Life Sciences, Survival) Takedown Attack Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Powers: 27 + 3 + 4 + 9 = 43 pp Descriptors: All plant Plant Control Array 10 (20 PP, Array, Feats: Alternate Powers 7) [27 PP] Base Power: Create Object 8 (Feats: Innate, Precise,Tether) 19/20 Alternate Power: Snare 10 (Root Attack) 20/20 Alternate Power: Paralyze 7 (Spore Swarm) 14/20 Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Flower Blaster) 20/20 Alternate Power: Teleport 10 (200,000 Miles. Flaw: Medium (Plants), Extra: Accurate) 20/20 Alternate Power: ESP 6 (Visual And Audio Cues; Flaw: Medium (Plants), Feat: Subtle 2) 14/20 Alternate Power: Strike 7 (Feat: Variable Descriptor 1(bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), Extended Reach 2, Accurate, Precise, Penetrating 5, , Improved Critical ) 19/20 Alternate Power: Healing 8 (Healing Fruit Sprouts; Feats: Stabilize, Persistent) 18/20 Flight 3 (50 MPH) [3 PP] Immunity (Aging, Disease, Poison, Suffocation [breathes CO2, immune to choking/blocked airways]) [4 PP] Morph 3 (Disguise +15, any form) [9 PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 22 Toughness Damage Strike Touch DC 22 Toughness Damage Spore Swarm Touch DC 17 Toughness Paralyze Root Attack Ranged DC 20 Toughness Snare Totals: Abilities 44 + Combat 24 + Saves 7 + Skills 10/40 + Feats 22 + Powers 43 = 150/151 PP