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She was getting a little too into the music, singing along and completely unaware of anyone approaching her. Admittedly it wasn't the best system, but it was only her in the garage, and she sure as hell wasn't going to work in silence. But a voice did manage to cut through the tune, and her feet were quick to press against the concrete floor and pull herself out from under the vehicle. Bleached hair was tied up into a bun, brunette roots coming through, and though she didn't wear a mechanic's jumpsuit, her jeans and t-shirt had enough grease to show her dedication.
Catching sight of bright hair and a pretty face immediately brought a soft grin to Emmett's lips. Dirty hands reached for a red rag as she stood, wiping them before she turned down the stereo. "You came to the right place then," Emmett replied. "Car issues are usually my thing." She figured that was obvious, given this was a garage and she was just caught working on a car.
"Hi," she tried again. "So what's the problem?"
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 Pups!
Playby: Lyndsey Gunnulfsen |
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Slow day. It was strange not to have work in the garage. Really, that didn't mean anything because there was always paperwork to be done. A pile of it sat on an old wooden desk in the office connected to the side of the two bay garage. On top of that? A sign with an arrow drawn in fat sharpie pointing towards the garage itself, under it reading In here. Why bother with filing when she could work on her own car?
Boots stuck out from the hot hatch she was currently under, one foot bouncing to the beat of the loud stereo playing some early 80's rock. Joan Jett. Felt like that sort of day.
A little too loud though. Not for Emmett, just for anyone that might make an attempt at communicating with her. It was the reason for the other paper made sign stuck to the mirror of her car for anyone that came in. Yell. Yeah, that should do it.
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Emmett Riley Coupland
FACE CLAIM: Lyndsey Gunnulfsen♦ THE BASICS ♦
AGE: Twenty-four
GENDER: Female
ORIENTATION: Homosexual
POSITION: Local Mechanic and Garage Owner
♦ THE ABILITY ♦
POWER: Enhanced Agility
Emmett's agility is highly advanced for the average person. She has a great sense of coordination and balance, making physical tasks come easier to her than normal. This means she can jump higher and further, sprint short distances quickly, have faster reflexes, and moves more flexibly.
LIMITATIONS:
Emmett is limited to what the human body can handle, just that these things come naturally to her. For example, she can jump high enough to dunk a basket despite her height of 5'4", yet would not be able to jump on top of a building or some other great height. If it is possible for the human body to physically handle it, she can do it. With that said, she has no super abilities.
SIDE-EFFECTS:
Side-effects include extreme fatigue if pushing herself past her own limits, aching muscles and cramps, sore joints, and she is more likely to develop arthritis than the average person. Also, she runs the risk of seriously injuring herself if not paying enough attention. Restlessness can be a common problem for her.
♦ THE FREEFORM ♦
I don't want to talk about him.
Why? Is your relationship with your father all that bad?
We haven't talked in years, so why does it matter? And then I'd ask about the girls he'd date
Behind our backs when mom would stay up late
"Have you thought about joining the softball team?" The asshole sports that she never played, the ones he always asked about. Pretending to be interested. Pretending to care. Fingers tightened around her knees from under the table, the pressure keeping her grounded. Or, at least, it was supposed to. It was a purposeful, verbal stab.
The brunette replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She had no interest in joining a formal team, even for the recreational sports she did choose to play in her free time. "How's Diane?" She asked instead. Fight fire with fire, as they say.
She knew. She even had her name. The woman he did when mom was away for business. Only thirteen, Emmett was still young, but not stupid.
He shrugged too. End of conversation, as they always went.
I know everyone had to leave home, but there's no comfort in knowing you're all in it together. Least not for me.
How'd it happen?
I was fucking around, what else? The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if it's bombs landing at their feet
"You're never gonna make it!"
"Shut up!" Emmett was nothing if she wasn't stubborn. Borderline stupid, even. She was probably going to get in trouble. Most definitely going to get in trouble. Climbing up to the roof of the neighboring high school to change the time - just by a few hours - wasn't exactly anyone's idea of a great plan. But it was epic - and it was everything to give a person status going into high school next year.
What other thirteen year old would try this?
There was a small number of people that followed her, even less that were actually her friends. Most went to egg her on. Others to watch her fail.
"Emmett, don't!" She was there. Her best friend, and she was worried.
"I got this." Emmett shouted down from the small height she managed to already climb. Her mind was already set, she just had to make this jump. Were it not for the adrenaline, she probably would have realized that she couldn't make it. Then again; thirteen and stupid.
Her sneaker managed to hit the opposite edge, but balance wasn't in the young girl's favor as she topped backwards. Instinct took over when she used the small plane she had footing on to kick back. It gave her enough force to reach for a horizontal bar, and she took hold. What felt like luck was so much more than that to the awestruck students watching from below.
As well as the cops that just pulled in to investigate the ruckus.
Emmett never did make it to the clock face. Or even to her first year of high school at Roosevelt High. She was busy being scolded and then told she had to leave Oregon the next day. She didn't even know where to point to Montana on a map.
I like it, and I mean I'm good at it, you know? I didn't think I'd be good at anything.
When did you first start working on cars?
When mine broke down.
Find a little fight in those eyes
And awaken to light across the sky
A month after she bought the damn thing, and here it was, broken down on the highway. No warranty. No money.
Gritted teeth and a clench fists, a booted foot kicked at the black paint of her car door. "Fuck!" A harsh, uneven breath. "Fuck you!"
It was stupid to get angry, but it was stupid for this to happen, too. After paying for a tow, she had pennies to work with. Finding someone to fix it? That'd be impossible. But hard work washing dishes turned pennies into nickles. Any job would do, and soon she had enough. At least for the parts.
Returning to the car she abandoned in Bellefonte's parking lot, dark eyes narrowed on the engine as she lifted the hood. This wouldn't be too hard, right?
It was really shitty when my parents finally broke it off.
The separation must have bothered you.
No, it bothered her. With the deafening sound
We watched them all go down
A divorce. Really, she'd seen it coming for years. But did they have to wait until Christmas break to announce it? It was something to be said in person, her mother explained. It still felt fresh. An open wound that refused to heal. She could see it in the water that lined her mother's eyes.
Sixteen, and she had no idea what to do. How to bring comfort to the strongest person she knew.
So she hugged her. Held her as she cried. Parted lips wished to offer something, wanting to say that it was okay. But it wasn't okay. It hadn't been for years.
After graduating, I went back home to Oregon. Not Portland though, closer to the coast.
Do you find it strange that Bellefonte relocated to the same town?
Fuck yeah I do. I mean, how weird is that? But it's kind of nice, being in the meta hub I guess.
There's something here
It calls to me
There it was. Emmett leaned against her car, parked just outside of the grounds. So they really did move it. Huh.
She had heard the news of the relocation, but it was stranger seeing the damn place. It didn't look familiar, but there were loads of memories that came with the name alone. High school felt like ages ago, even if it really wasn't. Amazing what a few years could do to perspective. So much had changed. She went from barely graduating to being a fully licensed mechanic.
She had to wonder if some of the teachers came with the move - she imagined they would have. Would things change now that they were in a new town? A new state? Honestly, she couldn't blame the move from Montana.
Never having pulled the keys from the ignition, she circled back around to the drivers seat. Her curiosity wasn't enough to bring her looking inside.
And you've been in the garage ever since?
You know it. Frye retired, 'bout a year ago, so now it's just a one woman show. I mean, I live above the garage. Everything I could want is right there.
Everything?
Most everything. You know how it is. I promise you this
A little's enough
"Frye's Auto." Six AM. There was always someone that needed something. Damn her for keeping her phone right next to the bed. She sounded half asleep, because well, she was. "Emergency tow? Yeah, I can do that." God, why did she advertise for that? Right. Money.
Barely awake, she reached over to grab a pen and paper. "Yeah. Yeah." Emmett could only hope she'd be able to read her own handwriting once she'd woken up more. "I can be there in twenty."
Disgruntled, the mechanic still pulled herself out of bed and reached for a pair of jeans left abandoned on the floor. They were clean, or at least clean enough for her standards. Next: coffee. God, she needed coffee.
It only took minutes before she was ready. Before someone else stirred under the covers. Shit. She knew she was forgetting something.
"Hey there." Emmett pulled her arms through the sleeves of her jacket, fingers curling around the collar to adjust it against her shoulders. The woman in question looked confused, and if not just as tired as Emmett. "There's coffee on. I gotta run though, so feel free to show yourself out whenever."
She tossed up a hand, dismissing herself as she walked out. "Cool meeting you!"
♦ THE PLAYER ♦
USERNAME: Sai
AGE GROUP: Time is an irrelevant human construct.
EXPERIENCE: See above.
WHERE DID YOU FIND US? I think you guys found me first.
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