Germaine
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| "I <3 Emo" | |
| Germaine Douglass | |
| Player: | |
| Origin: | Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Defender |
| Security Level: | 35 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Germaine Rhianna Douglass |
| Known Aliases: | Geri |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 17 (or 18...or 21...depends on the ID) |
| Height: | 5'2" |
| Weight: | 100 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Aqua |
| Hair Color: | Pink |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Super heroine, of course! |
| Place of Birth: | London, England |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City, RI (mostly) |
| Marital Status: | single, but seeing someone |
| Known Relatives: | JoBeth Douglass, Mother |
| Known Powers | |
| Rad/Mind | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Empath/Psychic | |
| Equipment | |
| Confidential | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Overview
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To die. Alone. In the rain...
Affiliations
Currently, Germaine works as a liason for the group, As Seen on TV.
Personality
Extremely shy and introverted, Germaine has a tendency to avoid large groups. If you can get her to talk to you, you'll find that she's very difficult to understand and very emo. She's self-conscious about every aspect of her being--especially her super powers. Once she's relaxed a bit, however, she's quite pleasant and a bit mischievous.
Powers
Germaine is a psychic and a healer. These powers began to manifest themselves when she was thirteen--and it, of course, scared her completely. For the past few years, she's been trying to learn to control and harness the powers of her mind and body. (( Rad/Psychic Defender ))
Weaknesses and Limitations
A lack of faith in herself and a semi-self-destructive nature cause Germaine to rush into situations that would normally keep others at bay. With the recent loss of her mother during the Rikti invasion, Germaine feels that the loss was her fault, somehow, and that she should have done more to save her.
Equipment
To get you started, hit edit and replace me.
Character History
England seems a country of naivety and prudishness. But, looks can be deceiving. Sometimes corruption runs deeper than the roots of even the closest family.
Stanley Masters & JoBeth Douglass met in high school--don't all great romance stories start out that way? Sadly, theirs was not a match made in heaven. This high school wasn't your average, run of the mill high school for the teens of London and its surrounding communities. This high school was a high school for the elite--the gifted. These students had an edge in life and this school would teach them how to use it.
That's why Stanley was there.
JoBeth went to a "regular" school. She wasn't smart. She wasn't fast. She wasn't gifted. In fact, her family was from the working middle class and she was fine with that. Stanley was more than fine with that--he was fascinated. He followed JoBeth--stalked her. He tried to keep himself hidden from her sight. He failed. Gifted as he was, he possessed not the art of how not to be seen.
JoBeth began to panic a bit. She was, after all, being stalked by a guy she'd never met. Finally, tired of the fear and dread, she turned and confronted Stanley. "'Oo are you!?" she demanded. Stanley was taken aback a bit by her voice. He'd never heard her speak and cockney was the last thing he thought of her being. It made sense, though...
"I am Stanley Preston Masters. You are JoBeth Marie Douglass. I have been following you for some time--not to scare you, but...to get a chance like this."
"Loike this? What you on abou'?"
"JoBeth, what I'm trying to ask is...will you have dinner with me tonight?"
The girl was stunned. A high-class guy asking her to dinner? There was only one thing she could say: "Are you ou' o' your bloomin' 'ead? Wha'm I gonna wear, for star'ers...second of all, wha' your friends gonna say? Fird of all...well, I don' really have free things, so...those firs' two'll 'ave t' do."
Stanley smiled and reached a hand toward JoBeth. She looked at his hand, then at his face. His hand continued to her cheek. "It's alright. Wear a tee shirt and jeans if you'll be comfortable and I don't care what my friends say. All I care is that you say 'yes.'"
She couldn't argue with his logic. His pleas fell to her heart. She looked him squarely in the face and smiled. Her lips parted and formed the one word she would regret for the rest of her life: "No."
She'd spent years trying to block out the memory of that night. The desire, the lust, the rage, the pain--it all came back to her every time she looked at her daughter. Stanley had gone, of course. Well, not necessarily "of course." He'd wanted to be a part of JoBeth's life and he'd especially wanted to be part of Geramine's life.
That's right. Germaine Rhianna Douglass, born April 6, 1990--or 1989, or 1986, depending on which ID you believe. She loved keeping the men-folk guessing. Besides, it was harmless, mostly. Villians didn't care if she was underage, left-of-age, or what. Heroes--well, she wasn't sure there were any. Chivalry was dead and heroism was a thing of the past. She didn't like comic books, either, so superheroes didn't exist in her paradigm.
But, that is a topic for much later in the saga...
JoBeth craddled her daughter to her as the phone rang. It was Stanley. JoBeth cringed as she spoke. He wanted to see them and she knew saying, "no" was not an option. Within the hour, Stanley was on her front doorstep with a smile and two red roses. "For the women of my life," he said with a smile. JoBeth smiled quickly and took the flowers. Stanley took Germaine and held her closely.
JoBeth turned to the kitchen of the small flat and stuck the roses in a vase. "So...you wan'ed t' talk t' me...wha's up?"
"I've been thinking. We should be a proper family, JoBeth. I can provide for you and little Germaine. You'd want for nothing--and you'd get out of this flat. Please, JoBeth?"
She thought about his proposition. Memories of the last time she'd said no to the man rushed back to her. She closed her eyes, clenched her jaw and firmly stated her response. "I do no' think tha' would be a good idea, Stanley. I like i' 'ere an' I am doin' jus' fine wif Germaine. Thank you for th' offer, bu', I have t' decline."
"I really wish you'd reconsider..."
What looked like fire flashed in Stanley's eyes and for the first time in her brief encounters with the man, she was fearful for her life--and the life of her child. "Give 'er back t' me, Stanley, an' ge' ou'."
"...No..."
JoBeth's heart pounded in her throat. How could she have been so stupid! All he wanted was this baby and JoBeth was not about to allow him to ruin their daughter's life. "Stanley, you're scarin' me..."
"Good."
"Stanley, give me back th' baby...please..."
"Say you'll marry me, JoBeth. Say you'll have me for the rest of your life and I shall return Germaine to your arms. Deny me and your life will become a living hell."
"You've gone wrong, Stanley..."
"Do you accept my offer, JoBeth?"
"This is kidnappin', Stanley. I'll 'ave you arrested..."
"Try it. If you do, Germaine will never live to see one and you won't live to see 18."
JoBeth froze. Who was this man! Gone was the demur and sweet Stanley and in his place was a psychotic lunatic who now held their child. JoBeth closed her eyes. All she could see was Germaine and the terror that would be her life should she end up alone with Stanley.
"Alroigh'..." she whispered softly.
Stanley smiled, then softened, walking to her. "See? You made me very angry there for a moment, but it's all over. I forgive you. I love you, JoBeth. Now, we can be a real family. Just you, me, and little Germaine." He wrapped his left arm around JoBeth, craddled Germaine with his right, and kissed both girls on their foreheads. A single, solitary, silent tear slipped from JoBeth's left eye--out of sight of Stanley.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Happy Anniversary, sweetheart," Stanley's sickeningly sacchrine voice cooed to JoBeth. She closed her eyes, her back to him as she cooked. How long had she been trapped in this hell? Twelve years now? She just wished that Stanley were dead. He slipped his arms around her from behind and began nibbling on her neck. She gave no reaction.
"Oi! I'm a child!" The words rang out from a black-haired girl leaning against the side of the enterance to the kitchen.
"Germaine!" JoBeth blushed.
"Germaine," Stanley cooed, eyeing JoBeth visciously. "I'm sorry, love. Why don't you go back to your room and finish your homework like a good girl."
"Don' patronize me...an' I finished me 'omework 'ours ago...." Her voice grated Stanley's nerves. He was disappointed that she'd picked up the dialect of her mother instead of the refinement he'd proffered all these years.
"Well, then...run along and play."
"I don' play. Besoides, I came to 'elp Mum..." she smiled to her father and walked passed him to her mother. "Wha' can I do to 'elp, Mummy?"
JoBeth smiled at her daughter. "Well, you could--" Stanley cut her off with the clear of his throat and the look of icy daggers. Germaine caught it and glared at him. "I'm fine, sweetheart. Why don't you run along and play...like Daddy said."
"'Ow can tha' jerkoff be my dad!" she whispered quickly to her mother. JoBeth smiled sadly and patted Germaine's head.
"I'll tell you when you're older...now, run along."
Sighing, Germaine started to walk away. She had taken two steps past Stanley when she felt his strong hand wrap around the upper part of her arm and yank her backwards. "Listen, young lady. I am your father, and you will treat me with respect!" A backhand to the mouth sent Germaine crumpling to the floor in a heap. She held back her tears and just glared upwards at her father. JoBeth screamed and Stanley pointed a warning finger in her direction. He then bent down and picked Germaine up by the waist and stood her up. Moving a lock of her hair from her face, he smiled to her and caressed her cheek. "Dad's sorry, Germaine. But, when you are disrespectful, you need to be punished. Now, please, don't be disrespectful to Daddy anymore, you understand?" She nodded blythely and slinked away to her room.
"Wha' a wanker!" she blurted out when she got into her room, out of his earshot. Wha' does Mummy see in him!?" She flung herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillows and began to cry. It had been too long that she'd been part of his family. She wished him dead--imagined him dead.
A soft knock came to her door. She lifted her head and mumbled, "Come in..." The door pushed open a bit and her mother stuck her head inside.
"Oi! It's jus' me, your Mummy. May I come in?"
Germaine sat up and smiled, "O' course, Mummy!" She cleared a space for her mother to sit down on the bed. JoBeth entered quickly and quietly and closed the door behind her, then walked over to the bed and sat down.
"You wan' t' know why I'm wif your Dad?" She stated. Germaine nodded. "See...a long time ago..." and she launched into the story of how they met and how they ended up married. Germaine's eyes welled with tears and she hugged her mother tightly.
"So, we're trapped, then?" she asked.
"For the momen', luv...bu'...someday, we'll be free..."
Germaine couldn't wait for that someday...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
April 6, 2003. Dear Diary,
Today was the best day of my life and the worst day of my life. Today was the day I both turned 13 and became a woman. Both good things--but, today is also the day my darkest wish came true...
I don't know how it happened. I don't know when it happened. I just know it happened. I was sitting at the table with my Mummy and Stanley and we were talking. I looked at Mummy and she smiled to me. Stanley jumped up and went and got my birthday cake. He set it down in front of me--God, he makes me so sick! What an absolute ass! Anyway, he set my cake down and lit the candles. He tried to make some twisted joke about 13 being an unlucky number and reminded me to make a wish.
So I did.
I wished him dead.
That's my wish every year for as long as I can remember. His voice makes me feel dirty--like someone touched me in a bad way and told me not to tell. I just wish he'd never been in my life. Mummy said it was impossible and that if he hadn't been around, then I wouldn't be here. I'd be fine with that, too. Sometimes, I wish that I'd never been born, but that's another diary entry.
Anyway, I wished him dead and about 30 minutes ago, he just keeled over. We tried to revive him--well, Mummy did. I just stared. Neither of us cried. I think Mummy was relieved, somehow when the doctors said he was gone. I know I was. But...does that make me a murderer? I mean, I wished him dead! Maybe it's just a coincidence...should I turn myself in? What do I do!? Do I tell Mummy that was my wish? I'm starting to wish he were back so I didn't have to deal with this decision, but I'm still really glad he's gone...
- Germaine
That was it. It was over. Stanley Masters reign of terror was over. JoBeth and Germaine were free. Within just a few months, JoBeth had changed her name back to Douglass. Germaine's had always been--a result of being born out of wedlock to a mother determined to keep the father from dominating her child.
The kids at school, however, were not so kind or comforting. There was talk that Germaine had killed her father--it was no secret that she hated him. The boys would make fun of her and mock her. The girls would give her dirty looks. She already looked differently from the others. She'd dyed her hair purple and was wearing all black. Stanley had insisted she go to the refined school--they made fun of her speech. But the worst was yet to come...
A little over a year later, when she was fourteen, Germaine was in the library, studying, when Clarke came over to her and sat down. He stared at her a moment, then began to talk to her. She looked up, annoyed, from her book. "Wha' you wan'?"
"I just wanted to talk to you, Germaine..."
"Whoy?"
Clarke smiled. "Because I kinda like you and I wanted to know if you'd go to dinner with me."
"No."
"Please? I'll buy you flowers and take you anywhere you want to go."
"I don' wan' to, ya berk! Wha' par' o' 'no' did ya no' ge'?"
"The 'no.' No one says 'no' to Clarke Masters."
The name struck a chord. She looked at him closely--deeply into his eyes. Her eyes grew wide and an icy cold tendril ripped through her. She quickly regained her composure and smirked. "Well, ge' used t' disappoin'men'. There's a firs' time for everyfing an' I'm sayin', 'no.'"
Clarke was shocked. Someone was saying no and was actually meaning it! He reached a hand for Germaine. She anticipated the move and smashed it with a large book. Clarke cried out in pain and surprise. She stood and began to run. Clarke stood and began to give chace.
Frantic, Germaine exited the library, Clarke in pursuit. Everyone watched. No one helped. It was as if they'd been riveted to their chairs--or frozen in time. Germaine ran, not looking back. Her mind was void of all thoughts except to get to safety--or, at least relative safety.
Clarke's mind, however, was active--highly active. He was thinking about how he was going to catch her and what he was going to do with her once he did. Stanley may have died, but his soul was reincarnated and he wanted revenge. His brain wrapped around the atrocities that lay in store for Germaine, should his hands touch her again.
She stopped and turned. Fixed in place, she stared at her pursuer and let out a silent, mental scream. She was surprised by what happened. Clarke stopped running and fell backward. She did it again. He writhed in pain. A smile began to creep over her face and she walked forward, again hitting the crumpled boy with a mental scream. Standing over top of him, she looked down at him. He was weak and nearly dead. She smiled, then stopped. Her mouth fell open slightly and she gaped. Had she done this? Had she nearly killed this boy? She looked around. A horrified crowd of her peers had gathered. They stared at her. She looked around. Something hit her in the back of the head. She turned. Another something hit her in the cheek, drawing blood. She stared at the kids. They were throwing things at her!
"Wai'!" She cried.
"Freak!" called out a couple of the kids.
"Ow! You're 'ur'in' me!"
"Well, look what you did to him!" "Yeah!" "You're a murderer!" "Let's get her!" The crowd was beginning to turn on her. These were the same students that watched Clarke provoke her. And now, they were ready to destroy her.
"But, I don'...I didn'..." Tears welled up in her eyes and she turned and took off running. She ran till her persueres gave up. Then, she ran further. She ran past her home--in fact, she didn't go home that night. She stayed on the streets.
The next day, she made a trip to the salon. She dyed her hair black underneathe and blonde on top. She went to the store and bought some make up and paled her already fair skin. She drew dark circles around her eyes and gave herself black lips. When she showed up at JoBeth's doorstep, JoBeth was shocked.
"Oi! Wha' 'appened t' you!?"
"Mummy...I..." she couldn't find the words to say. "Mummy...I'm not goin' back to school." JoBeth couldn't believe her ears. "I can't. The kids there 'ate me. An' af'er yesterd'y, there's no way I can go back..."
"Wha' 'appened, love?" JoBeth put her arms around her daughter and held her close. "Tell me wha' 'appened. I promise I won' be mad."
Germaine began to cry. She sobbed onto her mother's shoulder and related what had happened with Clarke and the other kids. "Mummy, I swear i' was Stanley. I swear i'! 'e 'ad tha' same ways abou' 'im..."
"Shhhhh-shhhh...I's alroigh', baby girl. Everyfin's gonna be alroigh'..." JoBeth craddled her daughter to her, unsure of what all the words of the child meant. "We'll sen' you to a diff'ren' school. I should 'ave taken you ou' of tha' school the minute your fafer died. It was 'is idea an' 'is money wha' kep' you there."
"I don' wanna go back...can' I jus' stay 'ere an' sudy on me own?"
JoBeth thought about that option long and hard. "Le' me do some research, love. We'll see wha' we can do, okay?"
"Okay, Mummy. I love you..." Germaine kissed her mother's cheek and slipped away from her to go into the recesses of her room.
School did not come the next day or the day after. She began to study on her own--a few things, anyway. Finally, her mother decided that home-schooling would be the best option and guided her daughter through her work. She also knew that Germaine needed to harnass the powers that she apparently had. JoBeth began to look into that, as well. For the next two years, Germaine trained in her powers and studied her work.
That's when she fell in with the "good guys," well, so to speak. She'd met a guy named Shecky and wished that he had been her father. She looked at him like a father. Respected and trusted him. Shecky asked her to come to his wedding and that's where she met a handsome man named Rackham.
The two of them became very close and began dating within a few weeks. When the Rikti invasion hit, however, the bonds of their love were tested--Germaine's mother had been killed. Rackham did more to support Germaine than she'd ever imagined possible--even going with her to England for the funeral.
She and Rackham work together to remove the threat of the Rikti from Paragon City and their own lives...
Origin
To get you started, hit edit and replace me.
