Gael, Verens Estrada
Senses l'alerter d'une nouvelle personne entrant dans les environs, les yeux de Gael regardèrent brièvement à la rive avant de retourner à l'allée près d'elle. Il semblait que son attaque allait assez bien. En fait, Chroma n'avait même pas réussi à rendre compte à ses supérieurs si ses pensées étaient quelque chose à passer, sans parler de ce qu'il pouvait voir de ses actions. Smirk grandissait toujours si légèrement qu'il sentait la lutte de pupille contre son attaque, essayant de s'emparer de lui-même, Gael creuse les exercices et commence à pousser des traces d'agression, d'ennui, d'inquiétude, et encore plus de confusion dans le pupille. Curieusement, il y a eu une certaine résistance, bien qu'il n'y ait aucune preuve que le PRT ait pris des précautions dans l'enseignement des agents de terrain ou des techniques de pupilles pour éviter les agressions psychiques. Après tout, la télépathie n'était pas une capacité terriblement commune, bien que les capes de classe principale l'étaient. Il semblait que personne n'avait même envisagé la possibilité que quelqu'un comme lui existait.
Cela lui a fait sourire pour savoir que la salle n'avait aucune idée de qui était son agresseur ou d'où ils attaquaient. Cela a aidé que le bord de la douleur de l'esprit de la salle l'a nourri. C'était presque comme un haut vraiment, il s'est moqué d'un léger ronflement. Alors qu'il s'occupait de ses muses, il permettait à ses exercices d'accélérer leur rotation et de commencer à « vomir », au sein des incisions psychiques qu'ils faisaient dans l'esprit de Chroma. Il aurait certainement ampli jusqu'à la douleur, ce qui lui ferait sentir comme si des couteaux chauds rouges poignardaient à travers les yeux de Chroma, les temples, le cou et la couronne.
Pendant qu'il faisait cela, il se nourrissait des gens dans son environnement, trouvant leur esprit beaucoup moins résistant à lui. Intéressant, il pensait qu'il commençait à faire des corrélations. Quand il a nourri des suggestions dans leur esprit, il a vu des éclairs d'hésitation, mais quand il l'a essayé sur les capes... résistance et conscience. Il semblait que son pouvoir était plus efficace contre les humains normaux... ou peut-être juste utile d'une manière différente.
Il aurait besoin de travailler là-dessus.
En regardant la scène se dérouler, il a remarqué la décision de Blackout de précipiter Chroma tandis que l'un de ses confrères méchant s'enfuit, l'autre s'approchant du jeune héros de derrière. Au fur et à mesure que Blackout bougeait Gael prit une profonde respiration et laissa ses forets ralentir et s'assouplir. La pression diminuerait considérablement pour Chroma. S'il laissait tomber sa garde, pensait Gael, alors il serait d'autant plus facile de nourrir un coup soudain de désorientation dans son esprit à un moment opportun.
Si Chroma lâchait sa concentration même légèrement Gael frapperait le moment où Blackout et son compatriote invisible s'approchaient, ou le moment où Chroma tentait de jeter sa peinture. S'il n'abandonnait pas, Gael renverserait les forets en place, ainsi que plusieurs constructions psychiques pour écraser les murs extérieurs de l'esprit du pupille. L'un était paralysantment douloureux, tandis que l'autre serait particulièrement gênant compte tenu du moment choisi.
Si son tour désorienté passait par là, il ferait immédiatement le suivi en reprenant ses exercices, les marteaux de l'esprit attaquant à l'unisson. L'acte augmenterait probablement la désorientation, sans parler de lui permettre de percer plus profondément dans la conscience de l'adolescent. S'il savait qu'il ne pourrait pas le briser plus vite qu'il ne pouvait demander des renforts, il savait qu'il pouvait planter les graines pour un développement ultérieur.
Peut-être même mettre une idée dangereuse dans l'esprit fragile de l'artiste arrogant. L'idée a fait briller ses yeux avec une sorte de glorieuse glorieuse. Il allait adorer terroriser cette ville, mais d'abord il devait s'assurer qu'il était à l'abri des griffes de l'autorité.
Ceci à l'esprit, quelle que soit la réaction de Chroma, Gael allait procéder à entrer dans une ruelle entièrement hors de vue pour le groupe, se dirigeant vers une autre rue. Alors qu'il sortait de l'allée, personne n'a même regardé son chemin, malgré la lueur aigüe de ses yeux. Certes, ils l'ont tous à peine remarqué, sinon du tout, car il a fait les suggestions les plus subtiles pour l'ignorer. Il a adoré comment le PRT aurait eu un sacré temps de trouver des témoins à sa présence malgré combien il y avait vraiment.
Aucun d'eux ne se souviendrait de lui parce que pour eux il n'était qu'une autre personne dans la foule. Un autre visage dans une mer de visages. C'était un tour utile. Il poursuivit son chemin, traînant maintenant le méchant qui s'était retiré, mais pas par le même chemin. Il savait qu'ils allaient se retrouver quelque part et, heureusement, l'un d'eux l'avait conduit directement à l'endroit. Les gens étaient si faciles.
Alors qu'il s'approchait de l'emplacement de la camionnette, car il savait qu'il y avait une camionnette, Gael considérait ce qu'il ferait à son arrivée. Il devrait se joindre à eux? Ils avaient clairement besoin de quelqu'un pour les diriger après tout. Le blackout, malgré son pouvoir gênant, était apparemment incompétent. Ça ne l'a pas surpris vraiment, beaucoup de gens l'ont été. Il savait qu'il pouvait les aider à mieux coordonner les emplois et qu'ils pouvaient lui donner une réputation et une sécurité en nombre. En plus... il pourrait donner la priorité à leur esprit sur leurs pouvoirs et, ce faisant, finira par se gagner un groupe de marionnettes d'une utilité unique.
En théorie, ce serait facile, mais dans la pratique... les choses n'ont jamais été aussi simples. Il avait déjà eu des gens qui l'avaient attrapé. La question était, pourrait-il l'empêcher de se reproduire et pourrait-il éviter la puissance de Blackout l'arrêter.
La réponse était probablement oui. Pour l'instant, tout ce qu'il savait, c'était qu'il avait besoin d'une équipe et de ressources.
Il semblait que l'équipe devait passer en premier. Dans cet esprit, il s'arrêta au bord de l'allée où il savait que le van était situé. Il n'avait pas besoin de regarder à l'intérieur pour savoir que la cape qu'il avait suivi était là. Maintenant, il n'avait besoin que d'attendre et d'espérer que Blackout n'était pas si inutile que de se faire capturer. Si ce n'était que temporairement, il aurait besoin de la cape pour le simple fait qu'il semblait être la figure unificatrice du groupe.
Si Blackout était retiré de l'image, ils se dissoudraient. Il fallait qu'ils lui ressemblent d'abord. Après ça, peut-être qu'il pourrait se débarrasser de Blackout.
Il l'a mis sur son itinéraire pour plus tard.
Gael, Verens Estrada

Theme
His real name is unknown to the public.
Gender:
Male.
Appearance:
Of relatively average build for a teenage boy of 19, Gael stands at 5'6 and weighs roughly 175 lbs. When not out in the guise of Scour, Gael wears blue contacts. His eyes, as such, tend to take on a purple coloration due to the light pink and purple blending with the contacts. He carries around sunglasses as well and never wears the shirt with the 'eye emblem' on it.
Cape Alias:
Nightfall.
This name is one he's given himself. However, should the PRT name him something else he is unlikely to correct them. After all, this name alludes to the true nature of his ability, which is something that most are unlikely to fully grasp.
Affiliation:
Villain/Criminal.
Biography:
Growing up in a broken family, Gael quickly came to know the manipulative and unhealthy side of humanity. Even as a young child he watched his mother and father fight and bicker, sometimes striking one another. At first it was frightening, but as time went on he grew used to their dispositions and learned to deal with them. While some children might cower or run, Gael learned to manipulate his parents to get what he wanted and as he grew older this began to extend to others around him. However while he could manipulate his peers and his parents, school authorities served to be...less accepting of his behavior and so, one day in highschool and at the age of 16 his parents, James and Sarah received a call from one of their son's teachers.
All was well when his parents came to school to pick the boy up and bring him home, but upon leaving the building and arriving back home the two practically went ballistic on Gael, with his mother screaming at him and his father eventually growing so angry with his lack of response, punching him hard enough to knock him off his feet.
So unaccustomed to people retaliating to him was Gael that he hit a low point. He felt tears run down his face as he glared back up at his father, his head still reeling. The man glowered right back at him and, gritting his teeth, kicked Gael in the stomach. By now his mother began yelling at James, calling the punishment overboard, but Gael had long become deaf to them. A feeling of weakness and inexplicable anger built up in him till it rose to a peak and then suddenly it was as if everything went cold.
As his parents argued, the adolescent rose to his feet behind them, his face bruised and stomach aching from his father's blows. However, a small grin was on his face as he stared at his parents argue and then outright begin striking one another. Noticing his son's grin, James ceased the struggle with his wife and approached his son yelling at him, “Do you think this is funny!? You could have been expelled. After all your mom and I do for you, you pull some shit like this and then have the gall to grin at me like that!” His father raised his fist when Gael did not respond, but never went through with the strike as before he could it would seem as if all the color in the man's face would drain away at which point he crumpled down to his knees.
Afraid, Gael's mother went to the man, pleading with him to explain what was wrong. All the while Gael smirked down at them smugly. He wasn't sure how he had done it, but he knew it was his fault that his father had lost all his will to fight just then. The same happened to his mother as she looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Immediately a look of terror entered her eyes as she saw the eerie glow of her son's eyes and the strange lines of light that had spread from them. She tried to push herself away from him, which incited a small chuckle from Gael before he raised his hand, knowing what to do by instinct alone, and immediately his mother collapsed, unconscious.
- - - - -
In the days following the event, Gael's parents wouldn't even look at him, but due to the influence of his ability, had no will to contact anyone for help. Using this to his advantage he continued to highschool eventually graduating only a year later as he excelled far beyond his peers.
Applying with scholarship and financial aid to a rather prestigious college in Chicago, Gael convinced his largely subservient parents to move, and so they did. This puts us in the present time where merely using his abilities on “mundanes,” has grown boring to him.
As such he's begun going on outings, mainly at night, to stir up trouble in hope of attracting local do-gooders so he can break them too. He's not sure where he's going, but if it's anything like the last year or so, then it can only be more fun and to Gael that's really all that matters. Even if his idea of fun is...skewed.
Personality:
In short Gael is a manipulative, egocentric personality with narcissistic tendencies and a relatively small capacity for empathy. He uses people to achieve his ends, he's two faced and he lies more easily than he tells the truth. One might call him a social chameleon and they'd be right in saying as such, because it is often that he either blends in or instead chooses to use his charisma to create his own clique. Still, Gael is not all bad, as few are, and is rather a damaged boy with a lot of very bad habits and a closed heart.
Rather than face his flaws and insecurities he has long since locked them away, instead retaliating with a cold anger when questioned or confronted about how he treats people. He is stubborn, indignant and, well, arrogant not to mention he has a superiority complex. Overall he's what most would consider a toxic personality and really, they're right. Nonetheless, if perhaps he got some help for his issues he could improve. Until then he's only going to get worse and his rapidly growing intellect is going to make his decline into the darker end of the moral spectrum hell for everyone around him.
Residence:
Gael lives in his parent's house in the suburbs of Chicago.
Parental status:
While his Mother and Father are both alive, they are essentially puppets to him, set on a sort of autopilot which allows them to appear fairly normal to others.
Costume:
He tends to wear a black hoodie with a matching T-shirt beneath. On the shirt is a stylistic drawing of an eye. He wears black jeans and no mask. Instead his hoodie or his ability often obscures his identity. Gael carries his cellphone, which he's had jury rigged and set up with 20 lock screens unless he turns that setting off. He wears a pair of gloves so his fingerprints are never left behind. Additionally he carries a bottle of pepper spray.
Power:
Gael's ability focuses around an invisible aura, which he can utilize to siphon psychic energy, mentally draining humans and weakening the powers of parahumans before affecting their mind as well. This energy, once obtained, is assimilated by Gael by way of a secondary nervous system which stores and allocates his additional mental capacity. Personality traits are retained within psychic energy causing Gael's mind to be more of a hivemind than a normal human one. Aside from this is Gael's capacity to harness psychic energy he has gathered and focus it to attack the minds of others, penetrating their thoughts and weakening them. Conversely he might bolster or enhance communication with teammates should he use his power more constructively. Nonetheless, perhaps the most dangerous aspect of his ability is the result of prolonged exposure as over time one's suggestibility to Gael is increased while the capacity for conscious thought and decision making is decreased. While indeed a frightening prospect, this is something that would take days, weeks, or even months to achieve at best with the longest being years.
While the above details the majority of his ability's manifestation, Gael's perception was also effected by his trigger event, from that day on allowing him to see both his own aura and those of others. He can do this either with his eyes or by making contact with his aura. However doing so with just his aura will only notify him of an individual's mental state, whereas his eyes will tell him whether an individual is human or parahuman. A smoother aura is indicative of a more stable psyche whereas a rougher or scattered aura indicate an unstable or less stable one. Parahumans, in addition to possessing an aura texture also have colored auras while normal humans are perceived as gray scale. Brighter colors denote non-physical abilities, the brighter the color the more potent the ability while darker colors indicate more physical abilities. Neutral colors are somewhere in between the two or are abilities that cannot be clearly defined by either category. The color, aside from its brightness, seems to indicate the nature of the person more than it does the nature of their ability.
Notes: Gael's abilities can be subverted by the occasional Stranger-type ability. Being aware of his ability, its effect on you, or being averse to him in general makes you more resistant to his influence. Individuals with Thinker or Trump abilities are most resistant to him, with some Thinkers perhaps being entirely immune. However, power nullification does not work on him once you enter his field of influence—though it does make one more resistant to him. Gael is capable of siphoning psychic energy via direct physical contact, this method is the most efficient and as such drains people faster.
Power range:
Gael's ability, while possessing a relatively large area of effect, does not have a conventional range. Instead his area of influence, when unaltered, is a sphere with a 10 meter radius. Gael can redistribute the volume of these sphere thus altering its shape and allowing him to extend his range up to roughly 2.6 miles if he were to condense it into a single hyper-thin string.
Power safeguards:
While Gael's ability does not guard him against much it does make him largely immune to abilities that would seek to influence the mind. Additionally it gives him some measure of resistance to Trump abilities. Beyond this Gael's ability only makes him truly immune to two things, these being sensory overload and psychological breakdowns. This is largely due to the nature of his trigger event.
PRT ranking:
Thinker: 7.
Master: 5.
Shaker: 4.
Striker: 4.
Trump: 3.
Weapons:
Gael carries a light, but durable baton that can extend and retract. Its minimum size is roughly 1.5 feet, while its max length when extended is 6 feet. The end of the baton has a sharp point and the baton will lock in place when opened unless pressure is applied on the handle.