KAITLYN ANNETTE MERCURY
MONSTER WITH THE EARTH OF A HUNDRED NATIONS IN MY SKIN
I'M AT YOUR BACK DOOR
Full Name: Kaitlyn Annette Mercury - formerly Whateley
Nicknames: Kait, Kate, Katie, Kat - generally any non-Kathryn/Katherine based abbreviations you can imagine. 'Kait' is her preference.
Gender: Female
Age: 43
Sexual Orientation:Heterosexual
Usergroup: Neutral (Soon to be X-Men?)
Occupation: Detective First-Grade, currently on leave
Canon or Original: Original
YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE ME
FOR THE LIGHT IN MY EYES IS STRANGE
Powers/Mutation: Through psychic ability or some other means, Kaitlyn is able to produce - and currently, not control - multi-sensory hallucinogenic effects and psychological reactions in others, with tendencies leaning toward those of causing intimidation, fear, terror, and outright horror in those she affects. These naturally affect anyone not related to her by blood in a very mild sense - her husband, for instance, always had a slight feeling of intimidation from his wife; As such it would appear that, when relaxed or calm, the effects of her ability remain mild and, in some cases, ineffective. This explains, by and large, the reasons why her ability took so long to fully display itself, since Kaitlyn usually remained cool under fire, and never became truly agitated until the instance which has seen her put on leave.
The effects of her ability when not applied in a mild form are not well documented, but it is known to affect the mind and senses with increasing severity as her emotional state becomes harsher and more agitated. Visually, her ability makes the environment degrade so that it rots, rusts and corrodes before a person's eyes, and Kaitlyn herself visually decomposes (as do those around her, to a lesser degree), often becoming a pale-fleshed, white-haired, eyeless corpse with a gaping, torn hole for a mouth, and blood running from every orifice, though the effects on the senses are slightly different for every subject. The sense of touch of the person being affected is also privy to these degradations - so the subject feels what they can see; Kait would literally be a cold, bloody corpse to them, and the environment would feel the same way it looks - it would feel rusted, rotten or broken. Scent seems to be affected to match the manner in which the environment and persons around the subject, change, too, with increasing severity in terms of the scents the brain feels the nose is receiving.
Audibly, the subject is affected too; Those around Kaitlyn have often reported a stronger version of a high-pitched whine that gradually fades or becomes somewhat stronger if she gets angrier. This can steadily turn into full-blown static, which progresses to the point where chanting, hissing, and 'demonic voices' and the like can be heard under the static. Sufficient exposure sees the static disappear entirely and the voices become louder and more insistent. Speech from other people to the subject is also distorted whilst under the influence of Kait's ability, becoming an unnatural exaggeration of the natural sound; A young child might become a horrid shriek, a mumbling old person would sound even slower and incredibly unintelligible.
Again, Kaitlyn has zero control over the strength and severity of her 'powers'; In some instances, she has provoked incredibly strong reactions from those around her, to the point that one suspect infamously killed himself whilst effectively under interrogation. Such strong reactions are rare, but the psychological effects of her powers also naturally end up affecting the bodies of subjects in more minor ways; Be it sweating, causing the victim to cry, vomit, or defecate, she has produced a variety of bodily effects commonly associated with reactions to fear.
Skills: As her occupation suggests, Kait is a long-time member of the NYPD, a detective specialising in organised crime, although this occasionally crosses over into other areas due to the nature of organised crime. Naturally, this means she has a strong investigative bent, aided by natural curiosity, plus skills in setting up crime scenes, interrogating suspects and other standard areas of police work. She has, however, been criticised for her occasionally overzealous efforts during cases.
Kait carries - and seldom uses - a standard issue sidearm in her work - The latest Glock 22 model as issued to the force. A skilled shooter when the situation requires it, she also keeps a similar handgun at home - out of sight and reach of her three children.
She is physically fit and stays in consistent shape through personal training and her work; Whilst she doesn't quite measure up to the superheroes working the New York streets these days, she's good enough to stay on her toes and chase down the most elusive of suspects. Jokes about donuts are not tolerated by her, nor are jokes about her three children and their relation to her physical shape.
Personality: Before she found out she was a mutant. Kaitlyn Mercury felt her life was fairly standard, albeit with a handful of blessings; Her role as a detective is one of these. The second love of her life, Kaitlyn is dedicated to her work, but not to the degree it consumes her life. She is always careful (or was always careful) to assign time to her children as they have been growing up. At the same time, this dedication does occasionally override everything else for her. She doesn't necessarily become frustrated over a case, but she will become overly determined and single-minded in trying to wrap things up. As mentioned above, she has a smart, moderate approach to the work, and easily applies her mind to clues and information, and also to working with suspects and witnesses; Kait is careful to apply the right attitude to the right person, and works gently with people who deserve it, whilst alternately turning the screws quite severely with those who have aggravated or disgusted her. Despite the various horrors of being a New York detective - she has seen sights that would make the events of say, Se7en look like a cake walk - she actively enjoys her job. Kait feels like she makes something of a difference in people's lives, or at least rights some wrongs.
She has, however, been reprimanded on occasion for her attitude toward some suspects, and the current leave she's been put on has her incredibly frustrated, since there's very little to do with her time. Kait does, also, feel that she is being treated unfairly and that this has something to do with her being a mutant.
Speaking of unfair treatment - how about husbands? Kaitlyn has jokingly proposed murdering her soon-to-be ex-spouse when talking with her oldest daughter, but at the same time, doesn't understand this new and sudden bout of bigotry from a man she has loved for years, especially since he showed no trace of it beforehand; Part of her has deducted that it is likely that he felt entirely differently when it didn't affect him directly. Regardless, the current situation has left her heartbroken, and yet, despite the suggestions of her daughter and her friends, she has not taken any measure to spite Daniel, be it sleeping with another man or asking for outrageous terms in their ongoing divorce. Simply put, she doesn't want to get divorced, and at the moment, simply finds herself running out of opportunities. Kaitlyn hopes, to some degree, that he will see sense and come back, but this seems increasingly unlikely. It aggravates and annoys her to not have someone in the role he played - which was genuinely someone to love and to care for, but also someone who loved and cared for her in ways her three children did not. It used to be that she could listen to his voice for hours on end as he read the latest draft of his current book to her, or that she could speak about the minute frustrations of her workplace with him. Kaitlyn, not one to usually believe in such things, almost felt they were soul mates; She has none of that now, which is naturally upsetting, even if she chooses to not let it show.
She has always been somewhat distant from her two younger children, but her oldest daughter, Catherine - who has stayed with her whilst her parents have separated - is someone with whom Kaitlyn shares a very, very strong relationship. Whilst not entirely understanding or keeping up with some of the things the eighteen year old brings up, the two often have humorous and delightful discussions that Kaitlyn loves. Because of her connection with her daughter, Kaitlyn likely finds it easier to deal with teenagers than a great deal of people her age do. It is through Catherine that Kait has maintained something of her quirky side - a side that loves conspiracy theories and fantasy and horror. She has a strong liking for bizarre stories, such as those surrounding UFOs and alien abductions and the like, has her own theories surrounding the JFK assassination, and thoroughly enjoys stories by the likes of Stephen King, his son Joe Hill, and naturally, Lovecraft. Her grandfather, perceived as a complete oddball by his community, perhaps reinforced this love of the unusual in Kaitlyn before she died. It is perhaps because of her grandfather and his unusual nature that Kait is not especially surprised that she is a mutant.
Make of that what you will, but Kaitlyn has never had a problem with mutants. She isn't especially perturbed or concerned that she is one now, and presumably has been for years - to the point where the name she has assigned herself - 'Monster' - is more an act of self-deprecation and humour than being genuinely distraught over her current status. She would like to know more - as in, genuine specifics - about the nature of her so-called 'power', but she isn't looking upon it as some sort of curse, merely something that is currently inhibiting her from working effectively. She views her newfound status quo and the effects it has brought about as somewhat separate, since in her mind, her husband's capacity to just up sticks and leave her was there all along and if not her status as a mutant, then something else would have triggered it.
Physical Appearance: Kaitlyn maintains an appearance that doesn't outright state her occupation as a plainclothes detective, but makes sense once you know she is one. Her blonde hair - which is relatively sunny but has strains of caramel in there - is usually kept at shoulder length and pinned back after experience in having a suspect try and use her longer hair against her. Even pinned, however, it proves to be somewhat unruly and wild at times, coming down across her face to obscure her eyes. Elsewhere, Kait has well-defined features, with strong cheekbones and what has been described as a 'noble' chin, although she doesn't entirely see it, and striking eyes; Blue, these often contribute to her overly friendly appearance, or can make her something of a nightmare during an interrogation, since they can switch from soft and pleasant to fierce in seconds. Thin and yet broad lips often contribute to some variant of a smile, rounding off the package.
A thin neck tops a relatively average or standard body. By no means is Kaitlyn unattractive, but her confidence in herself has never been incredibly high since she had her first daughter. Regardless, her body type is just.. Standard. It's not athletic or voluptuous or muscular, but she is clearly in shape and maintains a fine, firm body. She has rather strong arms with a pinch more muscle than you might expect of her - for which she thanks the ceaseless number of suspects who will take off an run at a moment's notice, resulting in lots and lots and lots of having to haul herself up and over things. Kait is also notably tall, a trait she seems not to have inherited from her mother, whom she has largely taken after in terms of her appearance. Aside from this, Kaitlyn again feels she is almost confoundingly average, which her (ex)husband often suggested was just her grenade-fishing for compliments. Notably, she walks with a slight limp thanks to an on-the-job injury early in her career; Something of a
noodle incident, as the term goes, she was actually hit by a car driven by a rookie officer.
In terms of dressing, Kait aims for no particular style of dress, but maintains a wardrobe respectful of her position as a detective; If the situation requires she wear a suit, then she naturally has several to choose from - and her tastes lean toward trousers over skirts, as a note. Usually, however, she plays the part of a plainclothes detective with ease, dressing in somewhat clichéd leather jackets - of which she has a small collection, t-shirts, blouses and the like. Jeans are usually black, albeit not fully dyed, and she often wears boots with a mix of comfort and the capability to run in mind. She doesn't often wear jewellery, although she notably still wears her wedding ring out of some hope that things might make a turn for the better. And if not, she reasons, then it's still one good-looking ring.
Play by: Cate Blanchett
History: Kait was born in the rather sleepy town of Dunwich in the state of New England. A quiet town, she was born to a rather notorious family - the Whateleys - whose reputation was exceedingly poor to their neighbours and in general; Her father went missing before she was born, her mother displayed consistent signs of abuse from other family members, and the grandfather of the family ranted and raved and had a history of being in and out of various psychiatric facilities and institutions. The crown jewel of their family's notoriety was a man named Wilbur - possibly a cousin or uncle of several generations ago, who was mauled to death by a guard dog whilst breaking into a library's Special Collections decades ago.
Kaitlyn was also meant to have a twin sister, revealed by the various scans during her mother's pregnancy, but she died as she was born; As such, Kaitlyn was given what would've been her sister's name as her middle - Annette - which, she feels, is part of why it is a rather odd fit and almost conflicts with her first name. Regardless, she too displayed signs of being somewhat odd, like the rest of her family, but at the same time, she was intelligent and bright, quick to learn and eager to do so. The usual childhood elements came into play, such as imaginary friends and the like, but otherwise, she was a relatively ordinary girl. Eventually, her mother opted to move once her father had passed, and Kait was taken to New York.
Compared to sleepy Dunwich, New York was vibrant and exciting. Kaitlyn indulged herself in films and books and the various sights the city had to offer, genuinely coming to love it as if she were born there. It was her love of films that eventually led her to decide that she wanted to be a police officer, at around the age of ten. Partially considering it to be a phase that would pass, her mother nonetheless considered it a respectable job and encouraged Kait; If someone had told Kaitlyn that being a cop wasn't exactly the thrilling stuff Dirty Harry and it's sequels made it out to be, she might have reconsidered on the spot, but the Callahan flicks and the deluge of action-cop material as she grew up merely cemented the idea. Childhood drawings currently kept in storage enthusiastically display her passion for the concept at the time, as do various school reports.
Progressing into High School, Kait began to nurture a liking for conspiracy theories and other rather unusual ideas about the paranormal and supernatural, though she was clear-headed enough not to become too much of a believer. That said, she still has some personal favourites in terms of conspiracy theories that she secretly nurtures to the current day. In High School, she began directing her studies toward becoming a police officer, and after school, she progressed to studying Criminology. This contributed well to her eventual enrolment as an officer. She progressed flawlessly through training, and served as a standard officer for several years. It was around this time, when she was about twenty-two or so, that she met her future husband - Daniel Mercury. He didn't exactly have a stunning job - he was a store worker when she met him, with a degree in Literature and aspirations of being a writer.
From what Kaitlyn remembers, she liked him largely because of his unusual surname, at first.
They didn't have much time for each other as Kaitlyn was rather intent on proving herself to her superiors, but what time they did have, she thoroughly enjoyed. They did standard things a couple did, but it seemed bereft of the arguments and the in-fighting that plagued many of her friends' relationships. Kait noted that, at times, Daniel seemed a little.. Intimidated by her; When quizzed on this, he usually gave some manner of joking reply about her being a cop, so he was naturally intimidated. They eventually realised they were in love, and on the first leap year in the time she'd known him, Kaitlyn proposed to Dan. He was hesitant - perhaps a little embarrassed about being proposed to, but accepted. A quiet ceremony followed, and Kaitlyn received something of a surprise when she received her first promotion to detective shortly afterward.
True to her investigative bent, she began to note that, at times, people were hesitant to be around her - in a similar fashion to Daniel somehow being intimidated by her. She thought little of it, proceeding to carry on working as well as she could. She found that she was something of a natural when it came to interrogations and playing the bad cop in the familiar routine. It was a good job, and after a few years, she received a promotion, moving up a grade to become a second class detective. At the same time, she became pregnant. Initially concerned, fearing that she wouldn't have time for them - and partially not wanting to give up her career - Daniel went on to assure her that they would make it work.
And work it did. Kaitlyn gave birth and spent several months with Catherine, her new little girl, before she returned to work. Despite the problems that could have arisen from balancing work as a detective and being a new mother, they made it work, as Daniel had assured her before Catherine was born. Kait continued to note, more and more, however, that people seemed increasingly intimidated around her - her husband included. When she was agitated from her time at work, it seemed worse. The only one curiously free from the effect was her daughter. Kaitlyn eventually shrugged it off as not being important, or something she was imagining. Years passed, Kait received another promotion, and eventually became pregnant again when she was thirty five - this time giving birth to twins; a boy and a girl, this time, who were named Vincent and Anna, respectively. Her first daughter at this point was ten years old, and to a degree, proved invaluable in helping out, as Daniel was increasingly busy with his writing and deadlines.
Life continued on as usual; Kait turned down a further promotion because she enjoyed the field she was working in, but things took a dark turn when she was forty-two.
A particularly troubling case led her to become particularly agitated at a suspect she was interrogating - In fact, she was probably angrier than she'd ever been. She couldn't even recount what happened if she tried - one second, she was embroiled in an argument with the suspect, and the next, he was screaming and howling in terror; Placed in a cell, the seething Cait observed him for a few moments, and the bizarre change in attitude continued; The suspect proceeded to kill himself in his terror by violently smashing his skull into a concrete wall before the cell could be reopened. What's more, the officers she was working with began to suffer from the same problem, too; It was more subtle, but after being subdued, they all reported unusual, sinister voices and noises that no-one else heard, could smell something akin to burning flesh and suffered from visual hallucinations that distorted their perception, and that of Kait in particular.
Excuses were made at first, like a severe gas leak or rupture - some chemical based cause that could produce those effects. But nothing matched up, and the finger was eventually pointed at Kait; Blood tests, scans, samples of all kinds were taken, and one conclusion was drawn;
Kaitlyn Mercury was a mutant.
She wasn't terribly surprised by this, given her grandfather's nutty attitude toward things amongst other elements, but she was concerned about the type of mutation she had. Her husband reacted less favourably and moved out of their apartment, taking their eight year old children with him; Catherine, now eighteen, slapped him when he tried to take her, too. It seemed that separation was on the cards, as she quickly received paperwork through demanding she grant him a divorce on the grounds that he was 'misled as to what he was marrying'. Kait has since been embroiled in a long legal battle for her children - who, like their older sister, are unaffected by mom's so-called 'powers' - and a divorce that she fears may cost her the earth if she ends up with a judge unsympathetic to mutants.
In the meantime, she genuinely would just love someone with a heart of gold to come along and explain this 'mutant' thing to her.
RP Sample: 
Monster, Kaitlyn Mercury
