Registry of the Evolved Database
File #06 Dec 2008 23:36
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 Jessica Alba |
Sydney was born April 28th as Marie Rodriguez in Miami Florida to a very blue collar family. Her dad worked in factory and her mother worked as a waitress. She went to school, got better then average grades. She has two older brothers, and one younger sister. Her life was pretty typical up until she got towards the end of high school. She managed to stay pretty clear of drugs and even land herself a small scholarship to help go to community college. She was going to study business and learn how to make lots of money to get out of the rat hole neighborhood she had known all her life. Her dreams for that got ruined by her brother stealing her savings and college money to help himself to trick out his ride so he and the boys can cruise in style.
That is when Sydney learned that in order to get anywhere in life you have to be willing to screw over anyone and take what you want. Nobody will help or give you a break. And following the rules, like she had done all her life, was for suckers. That is when she Antonio while looking for a new job. He was a slick thug with some polish, but he knew the right people and was able to help take care of her. And she got to learn from watching him. See how they move money and drugs. See them go shooting, and earn a few lessons. After eight months of being with him she started to work with him too. Helping with small mule runs and distracting custom officials while the others slipped goods out of the lots.
Things were going good again. She had some money saved up, was considering college again. Knew how to duck the cops and watch out for herself. She could care less about her good for nothing family. If only should could shake the pain in her gut she kept getting. Antonio thought she was playing at being knocked up, and threatened to dump her. He started to cheat on her and shutting her out of things. The pains kept getting worse until one evening while she was watching TV with her favorite actress and thinking 'why can't I have hair like her' that it happened. The pain sort of just uncoiled and it was like popping a joint or moving a limb you didn't know you had. It felt good and bad at once and she almost blacked out. Once the pain stop she stood up, stared into the face of the actress and screamed. Next thing she knew she woke up in her bed with 'Tony over her looking worried and she thought it was all a dream.
Only it wasn't a dream. It took some practice and doing but she learned she could do something amazing. She could look like other people. It was hard at first. Like flexing a muscle tight and holding it, but immediately she knew the value of this talent. She didn't ask where it came from at first. Just looking online for other stories and poking at some forums. That turned out to be a mistake. Some suits showed up. Looking around for her. Everyone thought they were cops or feds so the crew kept them at distance. But the heat was on and time was running out. She had to make some choices fast. Using her talents she been stealing and practicing to get up some spare cash her boyfriend didn't know. And it was just one such outing that she overheard him talking to some new girl about how he was going to dump Sydney and leave her to take the heat for him with these suit. That settled it.
It was surprisingly easy to steal for the boss taking him for a large haul from a delivery and leave Tony with the bag and evidence. Then it was just a matter of getting a false ID and taking off. Those suits were closing in on her and she is sure they saw her and were following her, after she saw them in the reflection when at the mall shopping. Money in case and keys to a new 67 Mustang she headed out of Florida for the road. That began a year long trip of stealing and building up money. Sometimes she had to cut and run before getting caught. Those suits seemed to always be after her, she was sure they're the FBI by now. But she learned a lot. Worked at educating herself and bettering herself best she could. Honing her abilities through lots of practice, to where she didn't have to copy others but could create new looks by mixing and matching. She kept hearing more and more rumors on some forums and stuff about others. People doing strange things. Burning up but not dying. Flying on their own. Just strange stuff.
It all came to a head about two years ago. Finally 21, not that it mattered, and she was living the good life. She had a large sum of money off shore. She had managed to shake those suits and vengeful marks that came after her if they found a lead on their lost money. Then the bomb happened. The cat was out of the bag and now she knew for a fact there were others like her. So did the world. If ever there was a time to disappear it was no. She boarded a ship and head for international waters while the press will still talking about the devastation in New York
It took work but Sydney was able to get a new identity and life in the islands. Working as a dive guide for 'honest work' and sometimes relieving the nice rich yachts of their extra money. She thought she was free and clear too. Teaching herself to be more self reliant and never having to depend on anyone. Taking lessons for self defense and practicing some shooting. That is when some of the dots started to connect. The suits were back, and she kept hearing about things like 'The Company'. How America was passing a registration bill. She wasn't going to be able to run forever. And all the clues she had seemed to point to New York. Where she could find out more about others like her, and what is going on. Maybe get a way to get these suits after her off her tail for good. Clearly they are up to no good, as she knows their kind. So with new clothes and a surplus of cash she heads back up the coast to go to the ruined city.
Sydney is fiercely independent. She has been burned in the past by trusting others so is hesitant to do so again. Relying on only herself to survive for a time makes her slow to open up to others. She doesn't like talking about herself, especially her past. She hides behind a mishmash of masks and attitudes that can shift with mercurial speeds quick as she changes appearances. But she is by no means wishing to be a hermit. She likes being able to move through people unknown at times. Playing little games on them sometimes to entertain herself has helped her keep a playful side. She rarely takes most situations serious and as little respect for the idea of personal property that isn't her own.
Sydney has the ability to alter her physical body to drastically alter her appearance. This includes race, gender, hair and eye color, build, and height. However she can not remove or expand more then on foot in either direction for height, and no more variance then fifty pounds in weight. The more extreme she goes with these limits the more her metabolism speeds up requiring her to have to eat more calories. She can normally hold a form that is not pushing her limits for a week. If she is at her limits she does good to go a day. If ever knocked unconscious she reverts to what is believed to be her true form, but there is no way to prove that.
Sydney's powers originated as being able to copycat others. To take on someone's appearance she needs to either touch them for about a minute uninterrupted or get an hours time of good observation on them(This can be done from video recordings). Over time she has learned to mix and match from the people she has copied to have a near limitless 'catalog' of features. Because her power seems to naturally copy even miniscule physical details of someone she is able to fool retinal scans and fingerprints when she does an imitation.
Appendices
Skills
Thief
Sydney has had to make a living as a thief. She's rather good at cat burglary. Slipping in quietly in and out of places. She can pick a lock, bypass the average security system. Is very good at running confidence scams to get the rich to hand over their money.
Sailing
Having lived in the Caribbean for a while she's learned how to navigate a boat and manage things out in the water ways. While no means ready to set sail on a transoceanic voyage she can handle island hopping and a power boat well.
Finances
The hardest part about being a thief is making sure you put the money in the right place. Stuffed on the pillow only works for some. But then you got to deal with international banks. Deposit boxes. Filling out forms and making sure the right taxes are paid. Having lived for a while in the islands and slowly working up a portfolio to keep her comfortable for the slow times Sydney has self taught herself some of the ins and outs of the banking world.
Languages
Having lived in Florida and traveled some she's managed to pick up a few languages besides English. She still tends to speak them with an accent but is fluent in French and Spanish, she can get by if she is careful in Portuguese but only the bare basics.
Fighting
Sometimes things go wrong and they get violent. In order to survive you have to be able to take care of yourself. Sydney can manage this. Lessons from the school of hard knocks and some training in basic martial arts means she can take are of herself against a normal person. She knows how to throw a punch an kick in such a way as to hurt the other guy and not herself.
Guns
Far from a crack shot or natural. Sydney can just point and shoot. Knows how to turn the safety off and load a gun. Check the barrel and the basic care of a pistol. Nothing more. She's spent a little time at a range. The threat of a gun is often enough to keep you alive she has learned.
Imitation
A natural growth from her powers. Sydney has become a really good study in learning and taking on the mannerisms and speech patterns of those she copies. Making it very difficult to spot her when she portrays herself as someone else.
Diving
Sydney is a certified dive instructor. She knows well how to use SCUBA and all the fringe equipment with the hobby. With all the practice she has had she is also a very good swimmer with excellent breath control.
Timeline:
*December 4th, 2008 On A Park Bench Near central park Paul and Sydney have a discussion.
*December 5th, 2008 Doo Wa Ditty On the way from a meal Syd comes across a sudden mural of herself courtesy of Owen.