Let's make a Super Hero Part 15: How Ami got her Powers, the story

[Hermit]

Sorry for the delay to those who have been waiting. For those who have been with us in this committee run quest to assemble a super hero, I thank you for your patience. For those who wonder what the heck is going on, allow me to recap a bit:

Our heroine is twenty four year old Ami Oshiro (Or Oshiro Ami if you follow the custom of her birth nation) from Japan. She was raised in a loving middle class family, and would somehow inherit great power from one who had come before. The power in question is the control over the earth and stone (Energy Projector archetype with Terra like FX). As Keystone, Ami's main motivation is to uphold the good, for the world has good things and good people in it worth fighting for. Keystone is highly protective of innocents, and will risk her own life to save them. In her secret Identity, she works for multi-millionaire Lexington Octavius Gideon. He is unaware of her super identity, and even more clueless that his chef has strong romantic feelings for him. Feelings she feels she can not act on. Only a trusted few know her dual nature, those few still left up to decide if we wish.

Our heroine has already caught the attention of some. Foxbat has noticed her, and has made a proper nuisance of himself in Keystone's life. More fearsome is the threat from the land of Fairie. The Shadow Queen, for whatever reason, finds Keystone a thorn that must be plucked, nay, not merely removed, but taught a lesson in the most 'Grimm' fashion possible.

Yet this poll is unlike any other, for it will include the all important background/history, at least the details on how Keystone inherited those powers from a predecessor in her own blood line. Keep your eyes open, and read before you vote, because the next three posts after this one will each have a story of how Ami got her powers, and you can only pick one.

Poll coming up, but again, don't vote until you've had a chance to look at the three posts I'll be putting below, please. Thank you.

You will have two days.

[Hermit]

Daughter of the First Ring

Background/History #1: Ami Oshiro was eight when it happened. Hoshi had teased her one too many times, and she lost her temper. A young lady wasn't supposed to do that, but he made her so mad! And then the ground got mad too. The school shook; everyone thought an Earthquake had hit the area, somewhere scared, others waved it off. Hoshi fell down. And Ami?

She couldn't wait to get home to tell her parents she had powers now FINALLY. Her parents were surprised, not by her power, her father's family line had all had power over the earth and stone for generations. Her father could lift rocks with a thought. Her older brother could tunnel, but that was all. Some in the line had merely a 'feeling' they got from the Earth as they walked it. The surprise came from how intense Ami's power was! Never had the power peaked so strongly in one so young, not since times of legend, when the five Clans of Chi, Sui, Ka, Fu, and Ku roamed islands of pearl and jade, or so the stories went. The Oshiros were of the Chi, the Stone that later a Samurai named Miyamoto Musashi would mention (more or less) in his five rings.

Finally, in modern times, a child of the Clan had power of old, yet such power could continue to grow, and possibly, one day, if used near a fault line, cause the destruction of the city! Faced with such dire consequences, the Oshiros did the only they could do! They gave their daughter a very important talk about restraint and control, and then continued to raise her in a caring environment where she was shown much wonder, joy, and love. She grew up to be a loving young woman who was remarkably well adjusted. Sometimes, the answer really IS that simple.

Later, she would head to America to take a job as a personal chef for a wealthy young man. Eventually, it would be revealed that hers was not the only Clan that had gained a descendent of great power in this new age.

[Hermit]

How Oshiro Yoshi learned to smile again

Background/History #2: Ami pushed her great grandfather's wheel chair slowly. The old man stood perched in it like some old bird of prey in its aerie, gazing at every movement. He didn't smile, he so rarely smiled. Sometimes Ami felt as if there were a cloud over his soul, and it saddened her that she could not lift it. He was not the last man to come off the islands after World War II veterans of the Empire were discovered to still be hiding out years after the war was over, but his return was a cause for celebration anyway. When asked why he had never surrendered, Oshiro Yoshi's response was simply "I surrendered a long time ago." The press soon moved onto more enthusiastic and less bitter veterans.

"So, Ami," Her Great Grandfather spoke, "Tell me, now that you are officially a chef, how goes this search for a job?"

"I, I have an offer," Ami admitted, "and it sounds so exciting, different, and it pays well, but…" She paused. Her mother and father had raised her with love, but she knew they were not entirely thrilled at this new job offer. She hesitated wondering what the patriarch of the family would say, "It is in America. Mother and Father would prefer I stay, Uncle believes it is my DUTY to stay, work here, then get a husband, he's… very old fashioned." She hoped she hadn't offended her great grandfather, but it was true. More and more Japanese women had their own ideas of what was right for them, and her Uncle seemed to consider it some sort of treason that they did.

Yoshi craned his neck to look with one wrinkled eye at his descendent, "Duty is over rated."

Ami was so surprised she let go of the wheel chair and nearly let her beloved ancestor roll into a wall. Hastily she caught up, "You…you are telling me this?"

"Oh yes, I am telling you…" and Yoshi gave a smile, one bitter, and full of pain, but a smile nonetheless, "Come with me, to the park. Have you ever heard of a hero named Master of Mountains?"

"Not well," She admitted. Yoshi nodded, and informed her.

The old man told her of a young Japanese hero, with the power to command the rocks themselves. He told of past battles with brightly garbed men of power from the lands of the Allies. Some Yoshi spoke of with admiration, others he seemed less than impressed. Oshiro Ami was an intelligent woman, it did not take her long to realize her great grandfather was speaking of his own story.

"You were Master of Mountains?" She was stunned.

"Don't interrupt," Yoshi gave a snort, then his features softened, "Yes. I had gained great powers from defeating an Earth Spirit of great might, it was more fortune than skill, and I do not want to get into details now. He offered me anything to spare his life, and I did not trust him, so I asked for the power he had so he could not hurt me if he broke his word. When war broke out, I decided to do my duty…I had no idea what duty would ask of me then. I was young. I equated duty with glory and honor. Now, let me continue?"

"Sorry Great Grandfather," Ami gave a slight nod of her head, now enraptured. She's never been able to hold still during story time as a child, and realized with some embarrassment that in some ways she still hadn't grown up.

Oshiro Yoshi returned to the tale. It was not a pretty one, the wonders of golden age costumes were no match for the horrors of war, and the story soon took a darker turn. Master of Mountains had been assigned to protect a facility in China from attack by a Soviet Golden Aged super who had stumbled too close. The battle between the men of power was fierce, and there was no denying the Russian fought like the bear that was his country's symbol. So fierce was the fighting, that eventually it ended up IN the facility.

"That's where I first saw what Unit 731 was working on," Yoshi said bitterly from his wheel chair, "I had no love for the Chinese, the Russians, or the Americans, but the things that went on in there… if I had thought gouging out my eyes would take the vision from my mind, I would have done it. I am not sure I can describe, but if you will be brave, I will try."

And he did. By the time he was done Ami felt as if she'd throw up. "What did you do?"

"I did my duty," Yoshi said, and described the fight where Master of Mountains drove a sharp shard of stone through the brave heart of the invader. After the battle, the angry young Champion of Japan demanded to know what was going on. "I was told that was not my concern, that if I truly was a modern Samuraii in my heart, I would obey unquestioning. I was under orders to tell no one, on orders from my superiors. I would do my duty."

Yosh was an old man, but he still had energy to spit to the side, "I should have killed myself in front of them. That would have taught them, yes?" another bitter smile but it quickly faded, "Instead, I left. I found that small island, and I stayed there. If they could not find me, they could not order me. I had listened to the orders of others so long; I could no longer hear my own heart. It felt dead."

"Oh great grandfather," Ami put her arms around him gently, and the old man bore the embrace with sad dignity, "I don't know what I would have done in your place."

"I do," The old man said with surety, "You would have stopped them. You would have brought them to the Emperor and asked if he knew. You would not have fought for such ugliness."

"There are –some- things worth fighting for, Great Grandfather, the innocent, the helpless, the children," Ami replied with conviction, feeling a bit cheesy as she said it, but she felt it, "It is just so easy to lose sight of that sometimes."

"Not for you, Ami. Your eyes are so clear I…" Then the old man did grin, the first non bitter smile she'd seen, "Yes, of course. Great Granddaughter, will you take a gift from me?"

"If you wish, but…"

He interrupted, "That will suffice." He took her hand, and suddenly the ground shook even as Ami was nearly overcome with a rush of energy filling her every vein. Old man and young woman had something pass between them, a gift first won in battle, and now given freely.

"Great Grandfather?" She choked out. Ami felt if she lifted her hand, stones might dance.

"A gift, to take on your journey to America. It will grow stronger with time. Use it, do not use it, but whatever you do, I ask you not to do what is your duty, but what is right with it," He said, "And know that there is often a difference."
Ami could only nod.

And from that day forth, everyone noticed that Oshiro Yoshi was smiling a great deal.

[Hermit]

The Greedy Man and the Golden Geese
Background/History #3: Doctor Hashi Endo injected his pregnant daughter as she lay groggily on the table. She was his most direct line, and her husband had a strong chance for mutation. Endo was a mutant himself, but a frustrated one. His only power was to sense the mutation in others, though, he had learned in his years as a geneticist how to graft a gene sequence from one to another. There was only one problem, REJECTION. For a time, Hashi could use the mutation he had 'borrowed' and in his alter ego of "Doctor Ascendance" commit many crimes, in the end, it would always fade, and repeated takes from the same source were rejected all the quicker by his body. What he needed, he realized, was a more compatible mutation. Three daughters had Hashi Endo. If he could induce mutations in their wombs, then surely whatever sons or daughters were born of them would be more compatible. It was a plan that could not fail.

Perhaps, he mused, he would truly luck out, and all of his descendents would have at least some mutation, and he could pluck from the plums among them. Then he would truly ascend, and Japan would be his!

Such was not to be, while all three of the villain's daughters would indeed give birth to future mutants, "Doctor Ascendance" would later be captured by a Japanese superhero before if he could see if his schemes would bear fruit and his theory truly work. Three cousins grew up blissfully unaware that they had been seen by their grandfather as merely a crop to pluck from.

One of his daughters, Keiko, married a good and honorable man by the last name of Oshiro. When her father's villainy was exposed, Jun Oshiro stood by his wife through that difficult time. Both were unaware of what had been done to their daughter before she was even born…at least at first. Even from his cell, her father tried to stay in contact. How is Ami? How old is Ami? Has Ami been going through any… changes? It set her to shiver.

When Ami began to become a young woman, her mutant powers started to manifest. The Oshiros raised their daughter with love and assured her they would all help her through this. Keiko and Jun made sure their daughter learned right from wrong, the traits of compassion, and kindness. Jun was a good man, such lessons came from him with every step he took in life, but Keiko had greater incentive. She did not want her daughter to turn into another Hashi. With effort, discipline, but most of all love and patience, Ami gained control over her powers. She thought little of being a mutant, and her life was basically angst free.

Then, years later, with her daughter a professional cook and ready to move out on her own, Keiko Oshiro received news. Her father had been released from prison.

Ami Oshiro never did understand why her mother was suddenly so gung ho about that job offer in the United States. Both Keiko and her husband had decided the further their girl was from Endo, the better. Hashi's golden goose had flown to the Western World.

He would follow, but that is another tale.

[Hermit]

And DONE

Please excuse the typos, especially that annoying 'k' in the thread title. That's what I get for trying to type too hastily again.

[Lord Fyre]

I feel that the third storyline ties up the poll options best. It could also open up the possibliites for an additional hunted if points are still needed. :thumbup:

[teh bunneh]

Ooh, tough choice. I like origins #1 and #2. Can't decide between them yet.

[Hermit]

I feel that the third storyline ties up the poll options best. It could also open up the possibilities for an additional hunted if points are still needed. :thumbup:

Well, it's my hope that anyone of these stories could be used to rationalize Hunted, DNPCs, Distinctive Features, etc. :)

[aylwin13]

I went with #2, since I loves me some legacy heroes. Also, because in it Ami is the "boy scout" type of character that all of mine are. Fighting the good fight, Hero Code of honor, etc.

[ghost-angel]

Awww damn, No.2 had me all choked up.

[aylwin13]

Awww damn, No.2 had me all choked up.
Whew, I wasn't the only one. And I'm reading this at work, too. :o

[Log-Man]

I loved number two. :thumbup:



If I could suggest a rider... ;)

[Hermit]

Well, it would seem Yoshi is a hit. :) I almost had him die as he passed the power on, but I figured I MIGHT want to keep him around as potential plot hook or even a DNPC if #2 wins.

Sorry #1 wasn't longer, figured it fit the 'everyone in the family has a little of the stuff' motif some wanted. Also, the five clans could easily be fleshed out as needed.

#3 was put up in part because I didn't want ALL the 'inherited her powers from an ancestor' to be mystical in nature. This gave those of us who wanted it a more sci fi choice.

[Hermit]

If I could suggest a rider... ;)

We're at the races?

[Hermit]

Mmm, not much commentary, but it looks like as of this post, #2 is decidedly ahead.

[Legatus]

Number 2!

I felt so much sympathy for the old man. Hermit, that was such good read. Thank you! :)

First one was okay too and had the opportunity of introducing lots of characters and story lines around that clan theme. But I had to choose the second option because of good storytelling.:thumbup:

[Narratio]

I loved #2, but had to vote for #3 as it provides more thread hook.

[BobGreenwade]

I went for #2 for all the reasons as stated above. And there's plenty of potential plot hooks as Ami enters the world of her grandfather's heroism (in the same way that Wally West inherited so many of his uncle Barry's enemies when he became the Flash).

[Comic]

You are far, far too talented.

[Hermit]

Thank you guys for the praise. BTW, if you liked more than one idea, please feel free to use as many or as few of them as you wish for your own campaigns with as little or much tweaking as you feel needed. Lord knows many of you have given me perfectly wonderful inspirations in the past which I used freely

[gmurie]

So are you going to make this hero yet?

I've already made up stats for her.... :rolleyes:

[Hermit]

Time's not up yet. We could get 25 votes tomorrow for #1 for all I know ;)

[quozaxx]

So what's next: Personality?

[Enforcer84]

If I ever publish. I want you to write for me. Nice work on all three stories Herm.