InsaneJournal

APPEARANCE: The first thing most people notice about Natasha is her eyes. They're a startling blue that most assume are enhanced by contacts (although they're not). The next, if you're lucky to be on the receiving end of it, is her bright smile. Natasha is a pretty girl and she knows it. She has pale skin and dark hair that rests several inches below her shoulders. Natasha is 5'7 and dresses to accentuate every curve. She'll wear whatever makes her look nice - jeans, dresses, t-shirts. As long as it's flattering, it's not off limits.

PERSONALITY: Natasha is someone who knows what she wants, and tends to go for it. Living in Haven, she knows that things aren't likely to change unless you try to change them yourself, and she's been ambitious enough to try and better her life. Natasha knows that she may come across as a bitch, but she doesn't have a lot of patience or time to worry about people who don't understand her. She's strong willed, opinionated, and one who will adapt quickly to any situation, especially if it will benefit her.

She didn't grow up in a household with a lot of affection, and she tends to view relationships as temporary distractions. Natasha has never really been capable of opening herself up to a man, but she's never felt like she was missing out because of it. She's a woman who is content being independent, more focused on moving ahead in her career than finding a man, or waiting for the Council to find one for her.

She is calm in pressure filled situations and she's definitely a take charge kind of woman. She gets things done at any cost as she knows that's expected of her. Natasha can argue with anyone until they relent from exasperation, or she's blue in face. When she's right, she's right and she'll make sure you know it. She's stubborn to a fault, as she has trouble admitting she's wrong even when she knows she is.

Natasha is aware that her ambition and straight forwardness can be off putting, but underneath it, if you get to know her, you'll find she can be vulnerable and caring as well. She likes to laugh and when she does care for someone, she cares deeply even if she finds it hard to show it. It's easier to lower her guard with people she's grown comfortable with, although there aren't many. Natasha simply wants more in life than what her parents had. She's seen what marriage is and it doesn't interest her. Perhaps she's a bit selfish, but Natasha knows for a fact that it's hard to advance in society when you put everyone's needs above your own.

STRENGTHS

Self Reliant - Natasha can take care of herself, in almost any situation. Obviously her ability is one that can deter anyone meaning to cause her harm, but beyond that, she feels like she can do just about anything without help. She's very independent and doesn't like to rely on anyone to help her.

WEAKNESSES

Stubborn - It's hard for Natasha to admit she's wrong, so usually she won't. She rarely backs down from a fight, and will argue until she gets her point across. Natasha is usually aware when she ought to let things go, but it's just not in her nature. She has trouble saying she's sorry, even when she is. It can be frustrating for the people in her life, as it's rare for Natasha to bend or compromise.

Opinionated - Natasha usually has an opinion on everything, and she's someone who will tell you what it is, even if you haven't asked. It's not that she's trying to be tactless, or mean. She's just used to speaking her mind in any given situation. This sometimes gets her in trouble, or turns people off, but she hasn't really been able to learn when to keep her mouth shut yet.

Ambitious - Almost to a fault. Natasha is desperate to better her life, to advance in society and become someone important. She loves her job and wants to be the best at what she does, believing it's the only way to earn respect of the people who can make a better future happen for her. Because of this, she's usually willing to do whatever it takes. Her morals are a little shaky because of this. She's not a bad person, but she's not sure where the line is just yet.

Emotionally Unavailable - It's difficult for Natasha to open herself up to people, especially men. She's not entirely sure what a loving relationship looks like, and she's convinced that the couples she sees who do look like they're in love are just faking it. Natasha hates feeling vulnerable, and she's wary of people who are capable of knocking down her walls.

POWER: Natasha has the power to generate and manipulate illusions of objects or people, allowing her target to see, hear and feel what is not really there. She can alter someone's perception of the world around them, although she cannot alter their perception of her, nor can she change her appearance. Her skills come with limitations, of course. She cannot create an illusion without a visual of the object or person first. Photos can work for this, although there's a higher chance of inaccuracy with the illusion, leading to the possibility that her target will notice and realize it's an illusion.

Natasha cannot generate illusions for anyone who is not within her line of vision. She is capable of creating a large scale illusion for multiple people, but this puts a strain on her physically and mentally. The longer she holds the illusion, the more she is likely to suffer from migraines, or physical illness. The illusion will only collapse if she dismisses the illusion herself, if her target leaves her line of sight, or if she is distracted or injured while casting the illusion.

She also has a different kind of skill with illusion manipulation, although she rarely uses it due to it's nature. Natasha is capable of pain illusion. When maintaining eye contact with a target, she's capable of tricking her mind into believing they are in physical pain. This does not actually cause pain or injury to the target, but is quite effective in taking them down. This ability is harder for Natasha to perform, because it requires eye contact, and it also causes her extreme nausea when the illusion is over.

SPECIAL SKILLS/ABILITIES: If you want something done, you ask Natasha. She's is driven and determined and won't take no for an answer. The majority of the time, she gets her way. She's also a hell of a cook. She loves doing it and can usually throw something together that's quick and tastes amazing.

Born to a middle class family in the Aurora District. Natasha was trouble from the get go. A difficult child, she caught on early that the marriage between her mother and father wasn't ideal. It wasn't that they fought, or hated one another outright. But there was a polite coolness between them for as long as Natasha could remember. While her parents weren't the most affectionate people, they were fair. They never raised a hand to Natasha, nor did they treat her badly. They made sure she was fed, dressed and educated, which Natasha figures was what they considered their jobs as parents to be.

Her mother and father tried for a second child, but it never happened. The older Natasha got without a sibling, the more strained the marriage between her parents became. It was around adolescence when Natasha's ability of illusion kicked in, as well as her rebellious streak. She often skipped school, shrugged off punishment and used her powers to mess with her fellow students and teachers. Looking back, Natasha supposes she acted out to get attention, although her parents were more likely to blame one another for Natasha's behavior than Natasha herself. In school, Natasha was bright enough, but she wasn't overly ambitious. She liked having fun, not worrying about what 'career path' she was going to pursue after school. After a few years, her father finally sat her down and informed her that if she didn't shape up and find a respectable career path, the Council would do it for her. Knowing Natasha hated being told what to do, even by the Council, it seemed to work and she started taking her schooling more seriously.

By the time she was seventeen, Natasha was doing better in school, and was honing her skills. She turned eighteen and, eager to move out and be on her own, applied for housing. She was approved and placed roommate, which was better than having to live with her parents and be subjected to their increasingly hostile marriage. Her career was a question mark, but apparently her skills and personality had caught the attention of a few higher ranking officials. She got a job working in the City Hall doing administrative work for a couple of years, which piqued her interest in politics and Haven law. She might have been middle class, and she still hated being bossed around, but she was working for the upper class, people who were capable of introducing Natasha to a completely different world from the Aurora district.

After a couple of years of respectable work, Natasha was told she was leaving City Hall to become an assistant to Councilwoman Helena Vandermeer. Natasha soon learned the woman found Natasha's powers to be quite useful, and despite butting heads with Vandermeer on occasion, the two formed a tolerable working relationship. Natasha even began to respect the woman, feeling her own ambitions to become someone spark due to her work beneath Vandermeer.

Natasha continued to work for Helena through her twenties, and she became fully ensconced in the workings of The Council. Obviously she wasn't privy to everything, and she was still considered 'beneath' them, but Natasha felt like she could someday belong. She wanted to make a name for herself, and she was willing to do whatever it took. Natasha had very few boundaries in terms of her ambition and pleasing the Council.

Lately, she's felt lucky enough to avoid being betrothed while so many of her friends are being married off. She's come to believe Vandermeer depends on and appreciates her too much to pair her off. She's also come to believe that when the day does come (because it comes for everyone), that the Council will reward Natasha's years of service by pairing her up with a respectable man from the upper class. She has no idea just yet how wrong she is.

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