Mistress Sekhmet

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Mistress Sekhmet is a Magic Scrapper and a modern physical aspect of the Egyptian goddess herself. Harbored in the body of a woman named Natisha Read, the human has had to contend with control over her own person against that of a deity she is all too familiar with...

Contents 1 Appearance 2 Personality 3 Abilities 4 History 4.1 Sekhmet 4.2 Natisha 4.3 Union 4.4 Virtue 5 Relationships 6 Footnotes

Appearance

Natisha's appearance may vary widely, based on circumstance between herself and Sekhmet. Natisha stands at an appreciable six feet, brown hair, blue eyes, light tan. She typically wears her archaeologist outfit, with a tan duster hat, full moon shades, a red belly shirt with the Eye of Horus printed, a tan vest and shorts, gloves, boots and her backpack. Her designated hero outfit that she occasionally dresses is more revealing and red, with facepaint, a tattered shoulder cape and a partial skull motif. Sekhmet herself stands mighty at 8 feet with dark skin, leonine features^[14] and fierce golden eyes. What little she dresses in is crimson, as well as golden jewelry and sometimes a headdress. On her body she bears a manifestation of the sun disk. Sometimes she assumes her own human form, with a slightly reduced height, silvery, determined eyes and a blunt haircut. She will often dress in a red outfit reminiscent to Natisha's own hero outfit, or sometimes a casual shirt and khakis.

Personality

The embodiment of Sekhmet is a proud and dutiful warrior, unwavering conviction and devotion to her cause and allies - damning and merciless to her enemies. While her temperament can be as fiery as her ability, she can be just as level and calm with her peers, almost humbled by her weakened status but no less firm and warm. Natisha early on was concerned, jumpy and hasty by her sudden position, being thrust into heroism, but she has been no less genial, friendly and of somewhat sharp wit, querying on the world around her, as well as a bit of a bookworm and enthusiast of old magic and history. Her powerlessness in the past helped drive her to do a little more in her life with her newfound opportunity. For a time, however, she started to become less stable as the obligation overwhelmed her, having to deal with death and blood regularly, and the differing views of solutions between the more idealistic Natisha and the more vigilant Sekhmet caused further tension. After taking a long break, Natisha has since more mellowed out, less phased by acting out or making bold moves. The experience since her arrival to Paragon City has made her more confident and laid-back.

Abilities

Attributes
	Statistic	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
	Fortitude
	Stamina
	Speed
	Melee
	Blasts
	Support
	Control

Sekhmet has always been at the peak of physical perfection, even while her power has waned over ages of dormancy, but she has gradually grown power back. Her nigh-immortality shows in this aspect, which may have carried to Natisha as well. She's not impervious to damage, but she is highly durable, able to endure harsh blows by will alone. She is further strong and fast, blazing across the ground and scorching her enemies with her mastery over flames, in the form of fireballs and swords. Occasionally she can fly but often chooses to dash instead. Originally, these abilities carried only to Sekhmet, leaving Natisha substantially less powerful, but gradually the powers have permeated between them, eventually to the point where Natisha can carry her powers just as well, even without Sekhmet's direct influence.

History

Sekhmet

At one time, the goddess Sekhmet, One Before Whom Evil Trembles, was unmatched to the people of Egypt. It was said her breath created the deserts by which she tread, blazing the sands behind her as she guided the pharaohs and delivered her judgement. She commanded the hearts, minds and souls of the people, and led her subordinates triumphantly, of the most prominent consorts being the sphinx Khafra. At a time she even bore her own deity sons, Nefertem and Maahes. Her prominence in the living lasted for the entire three thousand years of the kingdom's existence, right to its end. When it ended, when belief faded, so did Sekhmet. Eventually going dormant, it appeared her work was done.

Natisha

Natisha Bridget Read was born in 1988, in Leeds, to a family that had long since followed Egyptology. Growing up, she was more or less a complete nerd and bookworm, particularly underdeveloped and unable to defend herself effectively against the physical and verbal abuse that other students dealt upon her, threatening to leave her a social pariah. In spite of the bullying, she never gave up her passion, and to make something of herself with it, although she also aspired to be a little more able to defend herself.

She kept up her grades to outstanding levels; after graduating from college she went on the path of anthropology and archaeology, obtaining a career as a museum curator, able to handle what she loved regularly. One day, she observed remnants of busted relics, recovered from an unidentified pharaoh's tomb that had been recently ransacked quite hastily by thieves. The damage done to such priceless Egyptian artifacts filled her with anger; if she could she'd teach a lesson to whoever devastated the tomb she would have.

It may have been these feelings, this pent-up frustration that she had kept to herself for years, that set off what was to come, as neither the staff nor the thieves had realized the pharaoh's curse - a call to Sekhmet herself for those who violate his tomb. As Natisha carefully observed a fractured artifact, what appeared to be a relic of a sacred sun disk, it began to glow - at first it was subtle but then it burst forth with light like the sun itself, near-blinding a shocked Natisha. However, she couldn't drop it; in fact, as a seemingly unnatural force radiated outward, she found herself pulled towards it. It was too much to resist; as she pressed it against her chest, she was engulfed in light and flame...

Natisha's mind had been pulled under. When the chaos subsided, where Natisha stood had now given way to a might, towering leonine humanoid, dressed scantily in red garb, fire radiating from where she stood. She stretched and roared out loud, like an announcement heralding her arrival - in a new aspect, Sekhmet had returned, and she had sensed change in the world. In her absence, it had become a world unbalanced, locked in conflict, and evil seemed nigh-omnipresent. She knew her job was not done then, and she had a lot of work to do. She would blaze across the earth again, striking back at villains wherever they stood.

First, however... she would find the raiders who ransacked that sacred tomb...

Union

One thing was especially clear to Sekhmet; she was weak - greatly weakened by the ages spent in dormancy, also knowing her human vessel, and she needed to find the right place to build her power back, perhaps someday to reach to previous stature and separate from the vessel of Natisha. Her quest naturally took her to Paragon City, a strange, strange place where gods like her seemed to walk among the mortals, and evil was around every corner. Thus, she took action, hunting and striking down urban threats. It wasn't long until she met Tiana Tigress, another huntress from a faraway place, seeking rite of passage, as well as her friend, and outgoing ice fairy calling herself the "Fairy of the Lake" (Yes). In Tiana she saw kindred spirits, and in Cirno she saw a blissful companion.

It went as this way for a time until, without warning, Natisha's mind took control, forcing her form back into play. By this time, at least four months had passed, and Natisha had no memory of it, none before she was engulfed by that light. Frightened and confused, she could hardly believe Tiana and Cirno's claims that she had been a heroine in Paragon, let alone the fact that she had been Sekhmet. It didn't take long to dawn upon her that she had found an artifact of Sekhmet and had awoken her. It hadn't left her any less shaken by what she had been suddenly thrust into, and the lack of control couldn't bring Sekhmet back at will. As a result, she had work to do, but was completely out of her element, with nowhere to go. Fortunately, Tiana and Cirno wouldn't let her go unguided.

It was also fortunate that Sekhmet's presence had soon began to influence Natisha, making her more durable, stronger and capable of exceptional athletic feats. She still could do little more than support Tiana with a baseball bat until the fire powers started to permeate as well. Slowly, gradually, with Tiana's guidance, she was able to control aspects of this, but still to a much lesser extent. Once Sekhmet took over again, it became something of a power struggle between the two forces; Sekhmet did what she had to do, while Natisha had to come to terms with being what she considered a superhero, and the difference in moral choices between herself and Sekhmet. Through bonding with Tiana, she knew what she had to do and even was eager sometimes; she had her opportunity to get stronger and make a name of herself, and aspiring to be more like Tiana the latter even made her a 'hunting' outfit, helping to train the confused girl. As Sekhmet again grew stronger she felt the need to form her own Supergroup, or cult, The Eyes of Ra, to rally support in the quest to level the presence of evil in society. Their base of operations was an underground ruin located by Natisha underneath Skyway City, refurnished to suit their needs. Sekhmet herself was somewhat humbled by events, and her feeling of grandeur had someone faded as her time in Paragon City continued; she wasn't a mortal, but she wasn't exactly the goddess she was anymore, and the odds were she never would be, as the faith she had garnered from the Kingdom of Egypt would probably never be obtained again.

Inevitably, this halcyon wasn't to last. Tensions mounted as Natisha started becoming overwhelmed by this obligation, and she started to reconsider her stance. Faith sunk again, and the ruins used as the Eyes' base caved in, nearly taking out Cirno. Thus, the Eyes dissolved. Sekhmet decided she needed to sleep once more, Tiana returned to her homeland, and Natisha took an extended break from officially being a hero. Cirno didn't know how to return to her own home and stayed by Natisha's side.

Virtue

Natisha didn't decide to sit and rot. She reclaimed her career as an archaeologist and has operated primarily in Faultline, with Cirno helping her out. They went on many adventures, and despite not being an active hero, the job has turned out to be very physically involving, with criminals as an ongoing hazard, forcing her to fight. Over half a year had passed, and by that time Natisha had shifted gears, growing more confident and level-headed. She had also retained her control over abilities and at this point had more control than ever, strangely even as Sekhmet laid dormant. She had grown exceptionally as well, taller and more athletic, truly able to fend for herself.

On one slow day on job, Cirno and Natisha decided to break away a bit with a taste of heroism, feeling comfortable at giving it a shot once more. It was through this capacity while fighting Council that they once again met with Tiana Tigress, recently returned to city after passing rites to adulthood. Their activity together picked up once again, and Tiana had invited the two to her current supergroup affiliate, the Unnatural Union; as the base of operations wasn't particularly easy on the eyes, Natisha opted to continue to rest at the suite apartment she had obtained in Founders' Falls. Tiana and Cirno were quick to make the call at living in Natisha's as roommates, much to her chagrin.

Currently, the aspect of Sekhmet has yet to make a re-appearance.

Relationships

Footnotes