Yukiko

[Year_of_the_Fox]

 It's News Time!

 

About the Subject:

>HellQ

>20Q

>Vignette

>Reputations

Edited November 21, 2014 by Year_of_the_Fox

[Year_of_the_Fox]

Introduction


Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.
Yukiko, a being from the planet Leilaurea

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?
Yuki

What is your full birth name?
I'd prefer not to disclose that (But tranlating it from Leilaurean to GalStandard or English would be something with the equivalent meaning of 'Third Descendant of the Northern Glaciers')

Where do you live?
Motel to motel, ship to ship.

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)?
23, according to the Sol calendar system.

 

 

Physical Traits

What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.
Female

How would you describe your heritage?
Nothing special..

How tall are you?
4'11'' by Sol standards of measure

What is your body type?
Thin

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?
Arid climates and high temperatures

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence?
Hands in pockets, average gait, average speed..

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.
Tan fur, blue eyes with a crystalized iris that looks like I have cataracts, blue hair..

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?
Long, carefully-cut with minor stylization

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?
That's an odd question.. I suppose so, and I'm sure others might..?

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?
Ear piercings seemed like a nice touch to help fit in

Do you resemble anyone famous?
Not that I'm aware of

Do you have a dominant hand?
No

What kind of clothing do you wear?
My fur helps to insulate so I don't particularly need to, but I wear some light jewelry, a simple shirt.. hoodie and jeans.

Do you wear makeup?
Do they make makeup for fur?

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?
I'm afraid I don't quite understand the question, so I don't know..

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people?
Hm, yes. I always try to cool the room a fair bit when I enter. It helps me feel more comfortable. Usually when I work it's not a problem - the temperature is good for electronics, you see - but I suppose I can see how some might dislike it..



History


Where do you come from?
A small town on the planet of Leilaurea. Or, as it's more-widely-known, Delta Cephei 3

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?
Yes, I moved from my home planet into space.

Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?
I suppose I have a soft spot for home even if I've been.. displaced

How do you feel about the place you come from?
Well it's nice I suppose. I miss it.

Where is your home town? What was/is it like?
It's in the northern hemisphere of Leilaurea. It's small, quiet.. a population of about fifteen thousand the last time I was there.

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you?
A lot of them were similar. Some were quite taller, others bore similar appearances to the cervus canadensis or lepus curpaeums, but bipedal. A lot of them were like me. Everything was well until.. well, my powers manifested. Then things went.. downhill.

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life?
Hm.. yes. Controlling ice. Making it from the moisture in the air, carving things from it, creating living creatures. It's a blessing and a curse. In my schooling I also found I had a small gift with working with computers, which helps keep me employed.

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?
High-stress situations used to make my abilities manifest destructively. It was a small town, they didn't know how to handle it. Fortunately I learned how to control it.

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.
When my powers manifested, I'd inadvertently covered my school and everyone in it, in ice. That's when I learned both that I was of the percentage of the population that could manifest these powers and - unfortunately - that it placed me in the upper echelon.

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?
Not any, really. My parents did their best to raise me and I grew up in a nice town. Even if I wanted to get into trouble, there wasn't much trouble to get into.

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?
I went to school in my hometown. When my powers manifested I was transferred to a large city's specialized colege where I learned to control my abilities and the knowledge I'd need to function off-world. I suppose it was pleasant enough, but the thought of the looming displacement.. it made the college years a little hard to handle.

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?
No. I wasn't allowed to take them with me. I only have a necklace my mother gave me for my fourteenth birthday.

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?
I didn't 'decide' to be a hero, really. Computer repair and upgrades is a stable job, but I suppose if someone needs help, I should help them if I'm able. It's the right thing to do, and it helps to never be rusty on my power control.

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?
No, not really..

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?
Not that I can recall..

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?
I mostly keep to myself. I just want to life a nice, stable, normal life.

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?
Next question

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?
No. Technically the only record I'm on is that of my own government's due to my abilities.



Family


What are your biological parents' names?
'Second Son of the Western Accord' and 'Second Descendant of the Northern Glaciers', the English and GalStandard equivalents.

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.
Yes

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?
My father and my mother both had powers similar to my own, though not at my level's. They would work together to create and maintain structures in the town.

Where are your parents now?
Still in the same town, I believe

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?
They stayed in the same area

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).
I used to get along with them. When my abilities manifested.. well..

How do your parents view you now, or how would they?
They've disowned me

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.
No

What was your birth order in the family?
Next question

Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do?
Next question

Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?
Move on please

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?
I only ever knew my parents. I never met my grandparents on either side - I suppose they weren't close, but I suppose I was closest with my mother.

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?
My mother used to be, but..

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.
I suppose they'd see me as a black sheep. Those with my level of ability usually are considered as such.

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.
I don't know my ancestors

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.
No

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?
I suppose I might, but it could be.. hard. Mostly due to incompatible biology and a lack of my knwoledge of the presence of others like me off-world.

What type of person would be your ideal mate?
Oh.. someone kind. Preferrably with a body temperature of fifty degrees or lower at least, with compatible biology.



Relationships


Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.
I used to. But, not anymore.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?
No, not anymore.

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?
I'd like to hope my parents might, but I doubt it now. I'm sure some of my former employers would.

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?
No

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.
No..

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?
Next question

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?
My government forcefully relocated me off-world after my education was completed. Does that count?

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?
Myself, my employers, my parents, my home. In that order.

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?
I trust myself. Soemtimes it's the best and only person you can trust

Who or what do you despise? Why?
My home's laws, because of the results

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?
Valor, kindness, strength of character. I'd like to think I have those qualities in myself.

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?
Closed-mindedness, spitefulnesss. I might.

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why?
No

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?
I never have before, outside of work. I'd like to think I can fit whatever role I need to.

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?
No

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?
No


Personality & Beliefs

Who are your heroes?
I don't have heroes anymore.

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?
Yes, when I was forced off-world

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?
I don't know if I'd describe myself as a hero, I just like to help where help is needed, if I can. it's the right thing to do.

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?
I'd give it up if I found complete stability. A stable job, a stable life, a stable partner..

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?
I'd like to find a stable job

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?
I'd like to find a stable partner, and a stable home. Maybe.. a small, icy moon that's been terraformed to support life.

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?
I have no fears. it was part of my schooling, something they would always drill in. 'Fear is a form of weakness one cannot afford when operating on a galactic scale. You may be witness to sights you'd never have imagined. Creatures you never could have thought possible. If you let fear overtake reason, you might not live to see tomorrow.'

Is there anything you would give you life for?
My ideals

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?
I desire it, since I live paycheck to paycheck, and with it I am miserly. Living off-world means I need to take care of myself, and any dwelling I'd like to make permanent needs appropriate modifications to it.

How do you generally treat others?
Well

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?
Somewhat and yes

Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?
Introverted. I prefer to keep to myself. My self-confidence may appear low, but it shines when it comes down to my work.

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex?
I don't know, I haven't really met one. I seek biological compatibility first, then I consider appearance.

What are your most annoying habits?
Ice puns and terrible jokes in general. The more stressful the situation, the worse the jokes.

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?
Slight contempt for my own people due to my treatment.

What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?
Frost Apples from my home planet were always my favorite. They easily rot at temperatures above 50 degrees farenheit so it's rather hard to get my hands on them due to their price. However, if I get my hands on them, I enjoy them.

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
Bombay Sapphire dry gin. My preferred cocktail is a Bombay Sapphire Bramble.

What is your favorite treat (dessert)?
I consider Ice Apples to be a treat in and of itself, but frozen desserts that incorporate them are nice.

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?
'Hot' foods.

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?
Pale blue, it reminds me of home. Not particularly on the hatred.

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?
I learned to play the piano. it's hard to find a place that *doesn't* have a similar instrument.

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?
Frost Apple Pie

Do you have a favorite animal?
The vulpus legopus

What is your most treasured possession? Why?
My necklace, as it's a gift from my mother

Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?
Roughing it becomes easer when you can craft your own small dwelling and furniture, so I have no strong preference

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?
Work in hot places such as alloy mills

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?
No. Spirituality was never a strong point in my civilization. It was always concordance with nature, and education

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?
Next question

If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization?
Move on, please

Could you kill? Have you killed?
I could if I needed to. I haven't because I haven't needed to

What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?
Homicide in self-defense only seems natural

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?
Self-defense, or, where the continued life of the person would serve as a detriment to society, the world or greater as a whole

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours?
I suppose it would begin with confusion, and it might be different depending on the context..

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?
There's only one thing important to me, and I'd go through Hell or high water to get it back

How would you react to public humiliation?
I'd flee, uproot my life and move somewhere else

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?
I don't know honestly, and it never has

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?
Is betrayal a crime? It should be..

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?
I'd arrange to be placed in suspended animation until such a time that I could be brought back, attempt to contact my parents, write a will, have it notarized and drink. In that order.



Career & Training


Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?
Tehcnically, yes, from my college

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?
My professors, and it was strictly business

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?
My ice powers, which are genetic

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?
I do freelance computer repair and upgrading. If my skills improve, I hope to write and sell my own software. Perhaps start a software company.

What is your preferred combat style?
Ranged support

Have you ever received any awards or honours?
No

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?
I suppose I'd love to learn more of the business sector so I could make informed investments. And I wish I could live in more *diverse* climates.

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?
I suppose I act as I would around anyone else, and try to improve



Lifestyle & Hobbies


What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?
I wake up, I check my email for job offers, I eat, I go to work, I come home, I spend time with the local fauna, I practice the piano, and have a meal and drink before bed. And, I suppose it's annoying - nobody likes to have their routine upset

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?
I like to spend time with animals. When I found my powers extended to even those off my planet it became a nice hobby. I don't know where I picked it up, I've just always had a special way with them. I think it might be a common thing on my homeworld. I also like playing the piano, a skill I began learning at a young age as my parents wished for me to be well-rounded.

What do you do for fun?
I study computer repair and programming, and spend time with animals. And a little bit of piano, if I have the time.

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?
No

How do you normally dress when not in costume?
I don't have a costume but.. well, a blue hoodie, a blue shirt underneath, jeans, shoes, glasses..

What do you wear to bed most nights?
Nothing

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?
My necklace is a string of what might be considered 'blue pearl'.

Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?
Around my neck

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?
I typically can't ice slide through cities, so I use public transport. Through space, space taxis



Miscellaneous


Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make?
I've considered it. I want to be placed in stasis before or after my death until such a time that I may be revived or healed

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?
Dental records and other biological means I suppose

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?
I've not done anything worth remembering I suppose.. so..

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?
Since learning to control my powers, no. Not anymore. My home world's government and population at large would disagree

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?
My patience

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?
My weakness to certain temperatures or climates

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...
"Chill out. I haven't been banned from Earth maybe, but it's a big universe out there. You'll find your place if you keep working at it."

[Year_of_the_Fox]

20q

1. Where is your hero from?
Leilaurea, the third planet in the Delta Cephei system

2. How would your hero physically describe him/herself? Is this different from how others would?
A mousey mammal with blue hair and eyes. Possibly.

3. Does your hero have distinguishing speech characteristics or recurring mannerisms?
Not really. She tends to keep her hands in her pockets

4. What is your hero's motivation?
Finding stability

5. What are your hero's greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Patience and intelligence, physical limitations

6. What does your hero love? What does your hero hate?
Computers and Ice Apples, Arid climates and high temperatres

7. How would you describe your character's mental and emotional state?
Stable, perhaps some suppressed depression

8. What does your hero fear the most?
Nothing

9. What is your character's greatest ambition?
To find stability

10. How does your hero feel about the state of the world and his/her place in it?
She prefers to think on a smaller scale since she isn't in a position to affect the universe in any meaningful way

11. Does your hero have any prejudices? How does he/she get along with others?
Prejudiced of her own species due to their treatment of her, but she gets along well with others

12. Where do your heroes loyalties lie? In what order?
Self, employers, parents, home. In that order

13. Does your hero have a lover or partner? How do they feel about the hero now?
No

14. Does your hero have a family? What is the relationship there like?
No

15. How would the people closest to your hero describe him or her?
An intelligent, dilligent worker

16. Is your hero a role model?
Possibly

17. How spiritual is your hero? Does your hero follow a relgious tradition?
Not and no

18. Is your hero part of a team, or would he/she like to be? Why?
No, maybe depending on if a team would need her

19. How does your hero feel about the place of metahumans and aliens on Earth?
She *is* an alien

20. If you could give one piece of advice to your hero, what would it be?
You'll find your place, in time

[Year_of_the_Fox]

Displaced and Abandoned: The Yukiko Story

 

The Star System: Delta Cephei

The Type: Binary

The Location: 887 ly from Sol, part of the Cepheus constellation

The Planet: Delta Cephei 3. In GalStandard or English: Leilauria

 

Leilauria. An ice giant once in far orbit around their stars, Varda and Sarr. Moved into a habitable zone by an unknown cosmic event many eons ago. Now, a place of thin clouds overhead, and a gorgeous icy landscape below. A place now of life, as improbable as it may seem.

 

Towering structures, intricately-crafted from ice itself. Rivers of some form of water, unfrozen even at the planet's coldest points. Oceans. Animals. Even trees and various flora dot the landscape, all with the appearance of something as delicate and fragile as glass, but with a true hardiness forged over eons, capable of withstanding even the fiercest of polar winds.

 

A layer of metallic particulate was mixed in with the parts of the upper atmosphere, clouding though not obscuring the vision of space. Indeed, the only places where the suns shine through clearly were the space ports of the larger cities. Tall enough and grand enough to clear the clouds and particulate ahead if only for a moment, to let ships in and out. And, in older times, a way to provide astronomers a clear view of the stars they once needed to travel to the poles to hope to view and measure accurately.

 

Our story, however, takes place at 'Frostfall Point'. A small town towards the poles, nestled comfortably amongst the glaciers there. A population of about fifteen thousand, the town was built as a stopover for astronomers to stay and gather supplies before and after expeditions to the Northern Polar Wastelands. It now exists as a tourist town, one of historical significance more than the place for respite it once was. The northern roads to the Wastelands have been maintained, but hardly used aside from rather eccentric astronomers and scholars, eager to learn the history of the astronomical sciences firsthand by undergoing personal expeditions.

 

There, a mother and a father, their forms sharing characteristics with anthropomorphic Murids of some variety, gave birth to a daughter of similar appearance.

 

She grew up well. Though she was always a quiet child, one that would keep to herself, the size of the town ensured she made a small number of friends as they all attended the same schools. When her powers started manifesting it was treated as a positive thing – her parents had the same powers, it was only natural to assume they'd manifest in her as well - and as such they took it upon themselves to teach her control over them.

 

While concordance with nature was always a strong point of education, she found in spite of a lack of a network of friends in her peers, her ability to speak with animals – a trait found to be most prevalent in others with powers – to be of help. She could always trust them to lend an ear when she needed them to. In her upbringing, she was also taught to play the piano, a skill her parents thought would make her a more well-rounded young lady.

 

And so, things went well. She was excelling in her education, finding she was gifted with computers and programming at her young age. She wasn't the most physically-fit, but was no worse than anyone else. She found she had trouble controlling her powers when her stress and anxiety built up, but it wasn't unusual for one of her age according to her parents.  All she needed to do was close her eyes, concentrate, clear her mind, count to ten. As long as she followed that mantra when she felt the stress building, she'd be alright, and her power would calm down.

 

But as she went through her studies and education, stress was starting to build up. She was nearing high school, a time where she'd have to start growing up, find a clique, a summer job. Her usually quiet and to-herself demeanor – something that wasn't problematic for her in the past – was starting to make her a  target for bullying. She didn't want to alienate herself from her peers by calling attention to it by way of bringing in authority figures, so she as a result internalized the stress from it. Her powers started flaring up again as a result, even sticking to her learned mantra was starting to become ineffective.

 

It was one day during her starting high school level of education, that the bullying became particularly bad. Her powers were starting to flare up as she clenched her school texts, and she kept repeating the mantra to herself. However this only provoked the bullies to lay on the harassment, which began to bore through her mental focus, which caused her powers to manifest even more.

 

Finally, she snapped. With a cry of something akin to 'Just leave me alone!', she let out a large burst of energy. In a flash, the wing of her school she was in – and everyone in it – were covered in a thick layer of jagged ice, freezing everything in place.

 

To her, the silence that had suddenly overtaken the school was deafening. She stood in a stunned silence, looking around at what happened. A light panic set in as she dropped her textbooks, afraid of herself and what she'd done.

 

She took off running, blasting a path open to the outside of the school, and didn't stop running until she got home. Her parents at work, she hurried up to her room, locked herself in, and hid in the closet.

 

Her parents arrived home at night, accompanied by the police and a government official. An investigation had been swiftly called forth and taken place at the school. Though the local constabulary was baffled – it was something they'd never seen before – the government investigator they called had immediately recognized the signs. It only took looking at the books dropped and comparing them with school records to to find the culprit was her, and her parents were immediately found and briefed on the situation.

 

The crew arrived at the residence, as it was the first place commonly-checked when such a development occured at such a young age. In order to ensure a repeat of earlier wouldn't occur, her parents were sent in to draw her in, and found her hiding in her closet, crying. They retrieved her from the closet, and a family hug was had. A brief conversation between them then transpired, about how some people needed to talk to them, some calming, a lot of hugging. When she was calm enough, she was led into the living room. The presence of the officers was intimidating, the force often being joined by the larger, burlier members of society what usually shared appearance with the Sol system's Cervus Canadensis or some variety thereof, but the government official seemed much kinder in his suit. He himself appeared rather thin as a rail, though quite tall. Not as tall as the officers, but taller than the average citizen in their town, which mixed with the black suit gave off a slightly-intimidating aura. He was a white-furred Mustela Erminea, and definitely had a kinder appearance with the hat and sunglasses off.

 

He introduced himself as 'The Unyielding Gentleman', a federal agent from 'Terra Megalopolita', the capital city of Leilaurea and home to some of the largest places of learning, and only place permitted to have incoming off-world traffic. A discussion between himself and the family was had. Phrases were thrown around, such as 'This is a very special young lady' and 'We need her to come with us, so she can learn of the wonderful gift she has'. These were mostly to keep her calm and happy from the praise, though her parents – not unfamiliar to the stories about those with her daughter's powers – knew the truth behind the words of the official. 'This is a very special young lady' meant 'She's a potential threat to our society' and 'We need her to come with us, so she can learn of the wonderful gift she has' meant 'I need to take her with me, she needs all the time she has to function in Galactic society'.

 

The kind words brought her out of her nervous silence, relaxed her. They weren't mad? They wanted to teach her to be even better at things? It was great! She asked her mother near-immediately after he finished his explanation if she should go, not noticing the rather grim looks on their faces. Her father, knowing they couldn't exactly say 'No' regardless of whether or not they wanted to, reached a hand over to gently pat her on the head between her ears, letting out a small sigh and an 'Of course you can, honey'.

 

The official stood, and placed his hat back on, relieved that everything had gone so smoothly. He instructed her that she could take only one thing with her – the schools she needed to attend had a uniform that would be provided – and they had to leave quickly. She of course, chose a beaded necklace, a gift given to her by her mother upon her junior high graduation. She gave her parents one last hug, before leaving rather excitedly with the official, not knowing then that she never again would see her parents.

 

And so they traveled, to the capital city. The government hovercar pulled into a large, rather secure looking structure. Though it appeared to be crafted from ice, the inside was some sort of metallic alloy – something structures of the planet were rarely crafted from due to its ability to suit ice structures for a long time. When she was escorted into the facility, she went through a temperature adjustment chamber. It rose to an uncomfortably-hot level rather quickly, the shock of which caused her to pass out.

 

She awoke in the structure's medical facility. The temperature was better, she felt, but still to hot for her. Instinctively, she tried to use her power to cool down the room a bit, however the powers failed to manifest. And so there she lay, looking around the room. It was an advanced facility.. she was hooked up to machines.. some she'd never seen before, but they seem to be pumping some sort of intravenous fluid into her. Maybe that's why she was feeling better? The rest of the room appeared rather sparse and utilitarian, with oddly-paneled walls which were made with something she didn't recognize, though in reality it was paneled with heat-absorbing ceramic tile.

 

A nurse came to check on her. She asked about why it was so hot, where she was, and so on, but she only received vague answers in response, and a promise that she would grow accustomed to it over time.

 

 

And so it began. What started as an excitement-filled journey, swiftly became a metaphoric and slightly-literal hell. She wasn't allowed to leave, wasn't allowed contact with her parents or any others she knew, wasn't allowed personal effects aside from the one she brought. On her birthdays and holidays, she was given recorded messages from her parents, a method of keeping her in good spirits by giving her something to look forward to. However, her education came first, and on the bright side it at least was centered around the aspects found most promising in her – her skills with technology. The longer she lived in the warmer climate, the more she grew accustomed to it, and her control over her powers grew. Even if they seemed to use the carrot and stick method largely – increasing the temperature when they flared up and letting her use them freely if she managed to do so in a responsible way – it was quite effective. She also learned about the things required to live in a galactic society – GalStandard, galactic law expected of all citizens to follow, off-world currency etc.

 

And, years later, she was facing graduation and off-world placement. It was both a relief and a bit of depression. There was no ceremony, no seeing her parents even after the long years. She was immediately to be given a choice of systems that had societies she would fit well in and locations she could generally live in with no or little accommodation. She had grown accustomed to this now, and was arguably worse-off for it. But, at least she could be free to pursue what she wanted, to live where she'd like, as long as it was far away from her home.

 

Though really no choice would be the best, she chose Alpha Centauri 2. The planet there had a cooler, rainy atmosphere, and it was a bit easier to find work there as the system was just out of the way enough from the rest of the Lon Republic, but close enough to be not inconveniencing if she needed to travel from the system.

 

She left, and in time, grew to never look back on the place that forced this upon her. On her journey to Alpha Centauri, she was encouraged to learn languages and things of culture she would feel relevant to  her need to make a life there. Instead, she chose to learn about any gathered information relating to Sol, a star system closest to her destination of Alpha Centauri 2. It didn't matter really – the beings which inhabited the planet she was going to spoke GalStandard and communicated via text to speech anyway. Though the information was limited, she learned a little bit about Earthfrom the intercepted Voyager 1 and Pioneer probes, and television broadcasts from Earth, learning some Japanese out of an interest in its culture. She took the name 'Yukiko', a Japanese name meaning 'Child of the Snow', to help dissociate herself from her planet and ease the transition, while having a name that fit her. Her government arranged with the local government for temporary housing in one of the space stations. She was assisted in using her technological skills to gain employment, however she was unhappy with where she was set up, and thus left to start her freelancing work, hopeful to eventually at least find a stable job in a place she'd like to live.

 

Her swift work and calm, polite demeanor became a way to ensure she was always hired for freelance work, and that she would have enough money to keep food on the table and a roof over her head until she could find what she was looking for.

 

She started light hero work while she was on the job, troubleshooting the issues a server farm was having in a small company. While she was repairing and rewiring, there was a small explosion, and fire broke out in the building a floor above her. The halon fire suppression systems failed to operate – a fact that was later discovered to be due to sabotage by a former employee who went on to start the fire – and was raging enough to place the entire building in danger. She wished to flee the building to protect herself, however there might be others in the building unable to escape or that were unconscious from the explosion.

 

She was always taught by her parents that – if there is someone in need of help and you have the power to help them – you should. That you'd want them to do the same to you, and if you put yourself out there as one willing to take risks to help others you can be treated in kind.

 

So, she nodded with a certain resolve and ran to the stairs. Knowing she was working for a tech company, she grabbed a large halon fire extinguisher from the server room's utility closet and donned a full oxygen mask and tank, hurrying upstairs. She opened the door. Fortunately, the emergency stairs for the building were located on the far side, so she wasn't met immediately by the raging inferno or taken aback by the smoke. She extended a hand that wasn't holding the extinguisher, causing the temperature in the office to plummet so that she may more safely-approach the fire. She took the extinguisher in both hands and carefully closed in, using it to put out the fire as she made a line for another part of the office. She made a quick sweep to make sure the floor was cleared – it usually was at this hour – and went down another set of stairs to the basement. She found the sabotaged console that regulated the building's halogen dispersal system, and made quick work of 'unlocking' it from the software's perspective. There was a distinct noise, as above her on the first floor, the fire was extinguished.

 

Not wanting to be discovered on the scene lest it was thought she was the culprit, she made a quick retreat to the server room again, keeping the oxygen mask on and replacing the extinguisher. She was found by the fire department, and questioned outside the building about what she'd heard.

 

Since then, she'd engaged in 'light' hero work whenever she found the opportunity, mostly concerning fire fighting or freezing criminals as they tried to make her escape. However, this work has not become a main aspect of her life. She still works freelance, still travels, still makes ends meet, still spends time with the local fauna. However, helping those in need in she can has helped to give her the bit of light her life needed, something to help put her anxiety over being away from home behind her.