Civilian Form

Name: Willa Jeanne Pottinger
Meaning: willa - protector, jeanne - god is gracious, pottinger - trade name usually given to apothecaries
Age: 17
Birthday: December 5th
Astrology sign: Sagittarius sun, Cancer moon, Libra rising
Height: 5'9"

Likes

Bath soaps, lotions, sprays, and powders: Willa loves her assortment of bathtime and after-shower primping products, and she refuses to stick to just one scent or flavor. While she is admittedly fond of apple-cinnamon, vanilla sugar, and peachy pearblossom, she does like the softer floral varieties like lavender and honeysuckle. Spending so much time in chlorine, Willa makes it a point to take good care of her skin and hair. She just happens to use the good smelling stuff to do so, and much of her pocket money goes to keeping her bathroom and gym bag stocked with her favorites.
Gummi bears: Chewy sweet confections. Gummi bears are Willa's indulgence, and she's been known to keep a monster-sized bag of them in her locker at school to snack on during the day.
Kids: Willa admittedly enjoys kids and likes to talk to them. She likes getting down to their level, talking to them and listening to the responses she gets. For some reason, kids are the only group with whom she's unfailingly patient. She'll wait for the end to a rambling explanation from an eight-year-old, but she can't abide by the same behavior from someone her own age. Also, young kids are free-thinkers and idealistic. They don't know or understand the concept of mental boundaries.
Physics: Not the actual class, but the theories and reasons and applications. Willa's not the sort to enjoy sitting still in lectures, but she excels in lab settings and opportunities to explain why things move or react in certain fashions. Being a diver just makes it even better, since she's able to explain to people why she's able to flip and twist in a specific way. It's a definite asset to her summer swimming instruction.
Underwear: It's only well known among the people in the locker room and one ex-boyfriend, but Willa is an underwear collector. The girl could probably go for a month and a half without needing to do laundry, since she literally has a drawer FULL of panties, briefs, thongs, and everything in between. The brighter and gaudier, the better. Her favorite pairs include a watermelon striped thong and a set of navy blue boy-cut panties patterned with sunflowers. Her bra collection isn't nearly as extensive, but she does like to make sure she matches.
Boys: Yes. Willa likes boys. She loves keeping an eye out for the cute ones, and she's fond of the 'teddy bear' type. This pretty much means that she adores football players, rugby players, hockey players, and any guy with a little padding on an otherwise healthy frame. Unfortunately, liking boys does not equate to wanting one all of the time. She just thinks they're fun to snuggle and goof around with.

Dislikes

Sitting still: Willa is a mover, a multitasker, an on-the-go sort of person. She has to have something to do every waking hour of the day, be it academic, athletic, or otherwise. Her knapsack contains at least two books she's working through, as well as a deck of cards and a little radio with headphones to keep her entertained in case she has to wait somewhere for more than a few minutes. She doesn't mind waiting, but she can't abide by being idle.
Liars: Willa has no patience for those who twist the truth and bend reality to benefit themselves. She is a very loyal and trusting person, and those caught in a lie to her will find themselves the focus of a short and violent tirade. While she claims that she can't hold a grudge, Willa can effectively turn a cold shoulder to those people who have betrayed her in this way. See ex-boyfriend for examples.
Being cold: It's almost laughable, but the girl has to stay warm. Willa generally keeps a cozy sweatshirt on hand for school, and she refuses to wear sandals unless it's blisteringly hot outside.
Conflict: It goes against her temper and impatience, but Willa genuinely hates fighting with people and being in the middle of spats. She'd prefer that everyone just get along and be happy, and she makes it a point to avoid spiteful people whenever possible. Unfortunately, she's drawn to 'interesting' people who like to talk and discuss things, so that often results in her getting into an argument of some sort.
Unethical People: Backstabbers and those who compromise their ethics for material gain are the lowest of the low in Willa's eyes. She's the sort who wants to work for everyone's interests, and sacrificing one person for the good of many doesn't appeal to her at all.
Her feet: Okay, most people might think it's dumb, but Willa absolutely hates her feet. Not because they're too big or too small, but because they're calloused and scarred from years of knocking them against a fiberglass diving board. She makes it a point to wear socks or slippers when she's got people around outside of the pool, and you have to be a really good friend or family to actually see her feet. She's terribly self-conscious about them.

Hobbies

Diving: Willa is a competitive springboard diver on the Grand Bend Park High swimming and diving team, and has been diving since the age of ten. She's rather good at it (despite the long limbs she's got to throw around) and she loves the artfulness of her sport. Lately, she's been a bit annoyed with her mother for trying to push her to be even more competitive to prepare for college athletics. When diving starts to become a chore and stops being fun, Willa will most likely quit, with very few apologies to anyone but herself.
Volunteer work: Two days a week after school, Willa makes it a point to volunteer with kids at the local elementary school. She prefers working with the younger kids (second grade through fifth grade), helping them with their math and science homework. In the summers, she spends a month working with a day camp hosted by the city's Parks and Recreation department. She's given swimming lessons for the past two summers, and she's already planning to give diving lessons the next summer if enough kids show interest.
Other hobbies (as in those that don't suck up all of her free time outside of school) include reading juicy novels and trashy magazines, shopping, and boy-watching.

Appearance

Hair: Dark chocolate curls frame her face and hang to her shoulders in almost-corkscrew variety, the frizz kept in check by countless styling products and a stylish bandana on the 'bad' days. She generally wears it loose, although she has been known to wear it in fluffy pigtails for her summer camp sessions.
Eyes: Honey hazel in color and rather round, Willa's eyes are extremely expressive. Framed by thick lashes and dutifully well-kept eyebrows, her eyes contrast with her dark complexion and lend an exotic sense to her appearance.
Face: Willa's face is oval-shaped, with a round nose and a gentle curve to her cheeks and chin. She has a creamy latte complexion, even-toned and acne-free thanks to her fastidious primping and cleaning as well as her mother's incredible genetics.
Build: At just under 150 lbs, Willa has a fair amount of muscle on her frame thanks to years of training for her sport. She has wide hips and sports a C-cup, and has a curve to her tummy that no amount of exercise ever seems to get rid of. While she wouldn't be described as thin, she certainly exudes the aura of one who takes care of her figure while not starving herself.
Carriage: Willa carries herself with confidence, chin held high and hips swaying in a decidely feminine gait. She walks with a fast-paced rhythm, rarely slouching. She looks ahead, not at the ground, and her arms swing in time with her step. Willa will also hop, skip, and use other spirited methods of movement when the mood strikes. And... she smiles. A lot.
Clothing: Willa sticks to denims and khakis, not always following style and convention despite her mother's insistence. School clothes usually consist of a white longsleeved shirt underneath some diving shirt with a witty saying or one of her many Jamaican shirts that she's kept from her visits to her grandparents over the years. She usually wears one of her many pairs of beat-up sneakers, and rarely goes anywhere without some sort of hoodie or pullover to stay warm. Dressing up usually means skirts and tops that play up her waist and hips, and Willa goes for bright and vibrant colors when she wants to be a little more formal. Ears are pierced once, and she usually wears some sort of gold hoop in each ear. Any other jewelry is probably handmade, one or two colorful clay beads caught in woven leather or hemp.

Personality

Willa has a certain spirit to her, enthusiastic and joyful and utterly embracing of society in all of its forms. She is optimistic and hopeful in nearly every situation, almost to the point of being idealistic. In Willa's eyes, everyone is equal regardless of race or creed or any of a million other defining qualities. She utterly embraces People and finds them fascinating and wholly good until proven otherwise. In this respect, she is rather naive, and she tends to believe that any stranger is mostly good until proven otherwise. A corollary to this is that she will believe her friends and defend them with her dying breath, unless confronted with undeniable evidence that said friend was lying. She has a certain degree of blind faith and trust in those she cares about, and Willa's faith in her loved ones is nigh unshakeable.

She is impulsive and outspoken, cheerfully blunt and honest in nearly any situation. She is expressive, willing to say what's on her mind without a moment's hesitation. Willa doesn't mince words or sugarcoat opinions around most people, which can cause problems. She can give an honest assessment and not bat an eye, but she'll squirm uncomfortably if she's hurt someone's feelings and spend quite some time trying to patch things up. Willa likes to keep people happy, and she often forgets that can sometimes involve holding one's tongue and keeping one's opinions to oneself.

Advocate of the underdog and a personal cheerleader to those she's befriended, Willa is loyal and uplifting. While she herself needs a push to get going on a project, she has no problem getting into a project headed by someone else and finding ways to move it along. Willa is a better team player than a team leader, but she is a forever vocal member. She makes it a point to remind people of their strengths and help them to focus on what's ahead in the most positive ways that she knows how. Willa can often forget about the details of a project; she's more of a big picture sort of girl.

At the same time, she can be quick to judge those who don't embrace the same broad social views that she does. Those who aren't as open-minded and accepting of the majority of her 'love everyone' ideals usually wind up being branded as ignorant, backwards, and stupid. Willa's patience for mankind wears out when it comes to bigotry and those who live to cause others undue pain, and her want to maintain order and harmony dissolves into a need to preach equality and fairness at the top of her lungs. Willa's dislike of conflict is often overpowered by her impulsive personality, as her idealism and a general willingness to compromise are often superceded by her inability to walk away from a problematic person and just let the comments go. For all of her dislike of conflict, Willa sometimes is just unable to shut her mouth and leave the room. Part of her -has- to have that last word.

Willa is an emotionally complex person, yet she manages to verbalize her feelings rather easily to her family and close friends. If she's sad, she can tell you why and how and even what might be able to cheer her up. The same goes for anger, and she doesn't hold back much. While she's certainly the sort to hold back on her own feelings if she doesn't consider you close enough to disclose that information, anyone in that circle of trust will hear everything, and in fairly accurate detail. Shyness and timidity are not part of Willa's everyday range of emotions; however, glee, inquisitiveness, and empathy make daily appearances. Verbal and vibrant, Willa lets her imagination run wild when describing how she feels, and she tries to explain other people's emotions in such terms.

Diving is important to Willa... it's her talent, it's her groove, it's her thing. It has been her one true love for seven years, and she loves the way she feels taking off from the board and controlling her body in the air. It's both an art and a science, and Willa loves the duality of it. Yes, she's had sprains and strains and scars from it, but she gains so much satisfaction from playing around that such sacrifices seem small. She's not keen on using her 'play' to get her to a university, and she doesn't think she'll enjoy it as much if she has to do it for a reason other than it simply makes her happy. On a similar vein, she assumes that those who play for money and coach must love their sports. Idealist again.

Willa loves to have fun, which usualy involves lots of people, lots of music and dancing, and no real need to watch her language. Verbally and physically impulsive, she is the sort of cheerfully catcall people from across the way and kiss strangers on the cheek on a dare. Her sense of humor is loud and in-your-face and plays upon intelligence, and she laughs loudly and fully. She does not laugh at the expense of other people, and she is quick to point out that something isn't funny when it pokes fun at someone or something.

Willa has grown up with a certain amount of freedom. Freedom to choose, freedom to speak, freedom to help, they're all vital to her. She doesn't subscribe to anarchy, but she is a firm believer in making sure that people have choices and the ability to chase dreams and desires. This freedom and need to be independent also extends to her love life. Often intimacy poses a problem, and feeling tied down to a person doesn't sit well with her. Honesty keeps her from pursuing multiple relationships at the same time, and she'd never cheat on someone. Still, she's the sort of girl who has romantic friendships, but nothing more intimate in the short term. It not that she's not interested, it's just not a high priority... and after the incident her sophomore year, Willa's not sure if she wants to be bothered with a boy of her own just yet. Still, she subscribes to the "Some Day My Prince Will Come" theory, and figures that she'll be married on the beach, in Kingston, Jamaica, at sunrise. Just not yet.

Willa's social idealism can be hard to follow, as it involves a lot of what she considers to be common sense coupled with her people-loving brand of justice and equality. In a conflict where Willa is neither instigator nor defender, she is very much the peacemaker, translating each side of the story so that each party can better understand the other argument. She can see multiple sides to an issue, as long as she is not directly involved. Once her emotions take over, Willa becomes blinded and reverts to her own trademark social justice mindset, siding with whomever seems the most 'fair.'

History - Present

Geraldine and Arthur Pottinger started their little family a few years after they married, with their first child being a certain Willa Jeanne delivered by Cesarian section exactly on her due date. She was a relatively easy baby, save for a slew of diaper rashes and ear infections that kept her extremely inexperienced parents running to the pediatrician and calling up their own parents for advice on what to do with their darling Willa. Luckily, Geri and Artie wised up after their daughter's first year and became a little less over-protective, learning not to reach for the doctor's number every time she sneezed.

By the time Willa was five, her parents had learned that they needed to tire their daughter out thoroughly if they wanted to get a good night's sleep. With Artie working as a producer for the local jazz radio station and Geri teaching part-time at the community college, it was imperative that they find some kind of outlet for Willa's exuberance. Music classes proved futile, as Willa wouldn't sit still long enough to learn to read notes. Gymnastics seemed better, and that managed to take up the better part of kindergarten and first grade after school and on Saturday mornings. Watching the Olympic trials for swimming and diving soon had Willa leaping off the back of the couch, 'splashing' into pillows for a few weeks before Geri found out that the local YMCA gave swimming lessons. Willa took to the water like an otter, happily tiring herself out going back and forth in the lap lanes and learning how to flip and twist off the boards.

Both Artie and Geri made it a point to volunteer their time with local groups... Artie had his fundraisers for the radio station, and Geri was always working with different cultural fairs and organizations. By the time she was ten, Willa had attended at least twenty food drives. six Walks for Something or Other, and even acted as a junior hostess for the radio station's annual fundraiser gala. Giving one's time to help others was second nature to Willa, and she soon found herself happily in her dad's shadow for all sorts of events that the radio station would sponsor. Once she started high school, Willa begged her parents to let her work the summer camps run by the Grand Bend Parks and Recreation department.

Growing up, Willa never lacked attention from either of her parents, and she managed to make enough friends through diving and school activities. She entered her "oh, BOYS!!!" phase in eighth grade, giggly and inocuously flirty once she got to high school. She managed a few dates here and there, winding up with a football player for a boyfriend halfway through her sophomore year. Inexperienced, willing to please, and willing to learn, Willa was utterly devoted to the boy and spent more than a few afternoons curled up in his parents' lavish basement, getting to know each other rather, um, intimately. Yeah.

And then, she found him feeling up one of the swimmers in the locker room after he'd come to the meet to supposedly cheer her on, days shy of the one year mark. It turned out that he'd been seeing the lithe little swimmer on the side, and Willa took great care to tell him exactly what she thought of his lying and sleeping around in the presence of his teammates and several cheerleaders after the following night's game. Suitably jaded but not completely turned away from the idea of another boyfriend, Willa has become just a little more conscious of what she'd like in a guy, and that she's going to keep a better eye on the next one, whenever he comes along.

So, here she is in her senior year, a rather good athlete and an honors student thanks to studying and a genuine love of mathematics and physics, and she's pretty happy. She's not all that keen on college searching, and she's been slacking about applying places. Any state school is fine for now, but she's pretty sure that she'd like to be a teacher or some kind of 'full-time volunteer' for kids. Basically, Willa's happy and dragging her feet, because she likes living in the present and needs a kick in the pants every so often to think more than a few days ahead.

History - Past

I'd like to wait a bit for more players. Some loyal darling who's probably well-acquainted with the Princes and enjoys playing matchmaker, maybe? Poor thing probably -hates- the Knight of Pentacles. Squashed True Love™ flat and all that stuff. Back in the day, she'd have been the philanthropist and cheery little visitor flitting back and forth between many of the other soldiers.

Soldier Form

Soldier Name: Sun, with no need to shorten it. YAY!
Sphere of Power: Enlightenment and vitality
Uniform Colours: Sunflower gold (FFD700) primary, with crimson (DC143C) as secondary

Uniform: Sun's outfit consists simply of two pieces of sunflower gold cloth hemmed in crimson thread (think silky-soft microfiber) that tie across her breasts (wide band, knotted in the back) and about her hips in a short (mid-thigh) sarong. A thin gold circlet of gold filigree done to resemble a wreath of laurel rests in her hair, while a pair of gold anklets and a pair of gold bracelets are worn, each bearing a single sunflower charm. She gets no other clothing. No shoes, either. Trying to go for minimal coverage.

Team/Alignment: Fool's Team. Loyally so. Conflict's bad, but someone hurting your friend and mocking true love and happiness is worse.

Transformation: Arcananum mutatio, Sun! Willa gives the card a quick flip outwards with her left hand, prompting it to become a three meter long, one meter wide swath of crimson-red cloth. The banner is waved over her head in a slow arc, east to west, as her figure glows sun-bright, clothes disappearing in the brilliant light. As her hand completes the arc, the banner wraps about her figure, turning bright sunflower gold and becoming the two pieces of cloth about her bust and waist. The glow fades outwards to her head and extremities, forming the gold filigree wreath, bracelets, and anklets.

Powers
Brilliant Enervation (vitality - offense)
To cast this, Sun points at her enemy with her left hand as a small crimson burst shoots towards him or her. As soon as the burst lands, the target takes on a crimson glow. At this point, Sun calls out, "Brilliant Enervation" while making a two-fisted grasping motion in the direction of the target. Immediately, the target feels fatigued, dizzy, and may even fall over, depending upon his or her current state. This strength and endurance is then absorbed by Sun (manifesting itself in the crimson glow of her fists), allowing her to continue her fighting. She may perform this attack five times per fight at intervals of one minute each, but the amount of energy drained decreases by a third each time (with the initial hit draining 2/3 of the first target's energy). She is limited to a range of ten meters with this attack.

Shining Elucidation (enlightenment - defense)
To cast this, Sun calls out, "Shining Elucidation" and places her left hand flat on the upper chest one of her team members. A golden sphere of light races forward, imbuing the target with a warm glow. For the next five minutes, the target gains insight into the strengths and weaknesses of his/her opponents. This increases accuracy (somehow, that bum knee looks a lot more appealing, or the one claustrophobic gets hit with a binding attack on the first try) and allows the target to have a better clue as to where his/her opponent will try to hit next. She cannot cast this in the middle of battle, as it takes thirty seconds for the power to fully affect the target's accuracy and ability to analyze the battle situation. Sun may use this on one target every ten minutes.

Writing Test: Willa opened her locker, using her English text to conceal her new bag of gummi bears from any potential hallway beggars.

Willa was created by V. for Mystics of Tarot, which is owned by Adelaide.