Our Gal Friday
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
This character was created for RP purposes by user:TBurtonlvr
| |
| "If you even THINK of committing a crime, I'll know" | |
| Our Gal Friday | |
| Player: @Burtonfan | |
| Origin: | Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Blaster |
| Security Level: | 8 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Monica Stratton |
| Known Aliases: | Firecracker Annie |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 5'5'' |
| Weight: | 104 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Blonde |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Caucasian |
| Occupation: | Detective Sergeant |
| Place of Birth: | Steel Canyon, Paragon City |
| Base of Operations: | Kings Row |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Mary Stratton (mother-deceased), Robert Stratton (father-MIA) |
| Known Powers | |
| telepathy & telekinesis | |
| Known Abilities | |
| sharp-shooter | |
| Equipment | |
| 2/8 chamber revolvers & gun holsters with additional ammo. | |
| ' | |
Contents |
Overview: The Golden Age of Comics
At their height, comics were a mass medium. Titles had circulation in the millions, and nearly every child and G.I. read comics regularly. The U.S. involvement in World War II, the dropping of the atom bomb, and the start of the Cold War in 1945 only resulted in a popular surge of tremendously diverse genres. From war titles, western, and crime. To humor, romance, and spy fiction comic books as well. These titles were pretty much a way of helping youth cope with (and in some cases, prey upon) their fears of war and atomic energy. Even Superman's weakness to kryptonite recalled the dangers of atomic radiation. With so much tension and unease, comics were a great escape from uncertainty and despair. Showing above ordinary citizens with amazing powers and gifts taking on colorful and crazied baddies usually bent on 'World Domination'. More often then not, these heroes never killed or maimed their villains, had a very strict moral code, and were never flawed in any way.
So, without further ado...
Meet Monica Stratton
Background
Monica was born in Steel Canyon on April 7, 1917 to Mary (a housewife), and Robert (A beat cop in Steel) Stratton. There they lived in a glorious high-rise in the center of Royal Overlook.
When she was still an infant, Monica's mother lost her battle with cancer, leaving her to be raised by her wise cracking no nonsense father. Monica's relationship with her father was a very close one. She was a 'Daddy's Girl' and proud of it. So much so, that by the age of seven it was impossible for Robert to get a baby sitter when he had to work his shift. Monica would terrorize the sitters until they would eventually give in and take her to her father. About this time, Steel was going into a very dark direction, with crime and such on the rise. Robert began to feel better having his daughter with him at the station then at home with a stranger. Monica pretty much spent her adolescence growing up in her father's precinct. The boys in blue at Precinct 47 began to look upon her as their own flesh and blood. At age 12, against her father's wishes, she had a few of the guys teach her how to shoot a gun. Her first day on the firing range she nailed every target that 'Boys' put in front of her. Some were even getting very competitive and setting up impossible shots, which she nailed with amazing accuracy. From that day on the men in her father's district started referring to her as 'Firecracker Annie'. A play on the infamous 'Annie Oakley', because of how accurate her shots were. She loved the sensation of shooting a gun, and from that moment on spent almost all of her free time at the firing range, perfecting her aim.
She was just a teenager when 'Brass Monday' occurred in 1932. An event that would forever shape the kind of woman Monica would grow up to become. She was a freshman in high school when Nemesis' legions flooded into Steel. While being evacuated home, several of the school transports were caught in the Frey. Monica was aboard one of them. She watched helplessly as shop owners and residents were pulled into the streets and shot in cold blood. Thats when the legions turned their attention on the school transports. Many were destroyed, resulting in Monica losing some very close friends. Under such terrifying duress, her psionic mutant abilities became active. As the transports were being bombed, Monica was envisioning herself and her classmates safe in a bunker away from harm and completely untouchable. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, they were safe. Her transport had been protected from the destruction under an invisible shield. Unknowingly, Monica had successfully put up a psionic barrier around the entire transport. She stood there panicked and in disbelief over what she had just accomplished. However, before any of her fellow classmates had the chance to realize what she had done, Statesman had arrived on the scene. He quicky dismembered all the legions gear and equipment, rendering the legion helpless. Monica's classmates, still unfamiliar with superheroes and their powers, accredited Statesman for saving their lives. Even in her state of shock, Monica watched Statesman with awe.
After the attacks, and when Monica was safe at home that night, alone in her room, she replayed the incident over in her head. Remembering the shield she had put up around herself and her classmates. More importantly, she remembered the sense of security and relief she'd felt once Statesman had arrived. She vowed then and there to do all she could to make sure no one ever felt as lost, hopeless or as scared as she had that day.
Making good on this promise, Monica researched all she could on her psionic powers, and while alone at the shooting range she would secretly practice with them. It was during these experiments that she learned not only could she create psi-shields, but that she could move objects with just a thought. This is where she got the idea to hone in on the bullets in her gun, discharging her rounds wildly, she mentally controlled where the bullets would land. No matter how off her physical aim, she could mentally direct the bullets to hit their targets. Making her deadly with a gun, though she swore she would never fire upon anyone with the intent to kill.
Meanwhile, her father was recieving glorious praise. Largely due to his bravery and leadership during 'Brass Monday'. Robert Stratton was promoted to Police Chief Commissioner of Paragon City. Working in direct conjunction with elected officials, one of his main appointed tasks was helping in cleaning up the streets of Kings Row. He rebuilt the police department and reactivated the detectives squad. Crime was starting to see it's first major decrease in over 10 years, gangs were slowly being broken down, and drug trafficking had all but slowed to a crawl. Still, Row remained a Den of Thieves and would take a lot more police presence and money to truly restore the area to it's formal glory.
After graduating High school, Monica attended Paragon Police Academy where she would graduate with honors. Still very much a 'Daddy' Girl', she decided she could best aid her city by joining the other men and women serving in King's Row. It was here, while on a call one night, that her psionic powers heightened even further. A woman, high, and holding her infant son, was threatening to jump off the top of a building in Freedom Plaza. While secretly trying to concentrate on the woman to hold her in place, she began to have thoughts that she realized were not her own. She then realized that these thoughts were not in her own voice. It soon became apparent that she had entered into the mind of the crazed woman. She then made her way onto the roof. Once in place she used her powers to send suggestions to the woman, and verbally reinforcing the woman and child's safety. After a nerve wracking 30 minutes she was able to coach the woman down with a few powerful mental suggestions. Once again, Monica set out to train herself how to better control her new found ability.
From here she really soared at her job. Using her power of telepathy to enter into the minds of suspects that refused to talk, or when vital information was needed. With her brilliant training and the information obtained from suspects, she was able to aid her Kings Row detective division to bring down a few local gangs, and stop a major drug transfer coming in from the Isles. With these acts she had gained the trust and respect of the locals and her fellow officers. It was not long before all her hard work was rewarded and she was promoted to Detective Sergeant of the Kings Row Police Department. It was here that she met Detective Becktrees, and the two quickly became infatuated with each other. A romance was soon started and one year later they were engaged to be married.
The future was full of possibilities in Monica's mind. She had dreams of following in her father's footsteps and utilizing superheroes to once and for all clean up Paragon and help keep everyone in it safe and healthy. She had a loving fiancé and an adoring father, whom she spent every weekend with. Monica Stratton could want for nothing more in her life.
Our Gal Friday is Born
