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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8614794" data-attributes="member: 30538">La Dame Bleu<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-k6X6cdt/0/632da203/S/ezgif-2-1bade841b0-S.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Until a short time ago, la Dame Bleu -- Maryse Beaucheme, to use the civilian name that everyone knew and pretended not to know in response to her insistence that her identity was a closely kept secret -- was perhaps the most powerful and most respected superhero of Europe. Respected, but not admired. Her haughty, patronizing manner ensured that she was not well-liked, even in her native Belgium. On the other hand, the worst that anyone could say about her was that she was a snob, and that she often became bored by the less exciting aspects of superheroism, such as cleanup or charity appearances. Her death, during the early stages of the Konan assault, came as a shock, and she was sincerely mourned ... but mostly because it was thought that, had she not died, then other losses of more beloved heroes later in the conflict, such as the Swedish hero Grader or the Austrian Jodler, might have avoided.Born in 1987, Maryse was the only child of Jules Beaucheme and his second wife, Madelca Meusz, a younger sister (or possibly half-sister) of the notorious Gordion Meusz. Madelca displayed none of the gravity-influencing talents of her family, and it is something of a mystery why her daughter possessed such formidable talents of this sort, which she first demonstrated at the age of fourteen. Her father had passed away six years before that, leaving the training of these talents entirely in the hands of her mother, who "encouraged" Maryse to develop all of her abilities -- mental, physical, and extranormal -- to remarkable degrees. From what has since been learned, it seems likely that Madelca intended for her daughter to literally conquer the world on her behalf, simply to show up the main branch of the Meusz family.Fortunately, by the time that she deemed herself ready, at the age of eighteen, Maryse found the notion of ruling the world to be utterly absurd. She was smart enough to realize that she could never administer a global state by herself, and that the handful of individuals whom she trusted -- all servants at the Beaucheme manor -- would likewise be ill-suited to such roles, requiring her to recruit people who might potentially betray her. The whole thing would just be work, work, work, and she gave it up as a bad idea, preferring to indulge herself by engaging in such altruism as suited her whims. (The possibility that she was rebelling against her domineering mother has been suggested.)Regardless, by 2008 she had developed enough of a reputation for competence, if perhaps not for tact, that she was offered membership in the Powerhouse, which she rather rudely declined. It has since been suggested that she expected the group to press the issue, and was offended when they took her first refusal for her final word on the subject. Regardless, her interactions with the other members of the team were at best coldly polite in the aftermath, with much of her spite being directed at the one whom she most frequently encountered: Blakestone, particularly after the formation of the Ultra Girls, who also received a great deal of scornful treatment from la Dame. Later, it would be suggested that she resented the fact that Blakestone had been considered important enough join the Powerhouse while still a teenager.Her history with the Ultra Girls led to an awkward situation when she was forced to swallow her pride and seek help from them in 2015, when la Dame Bleu was attacked with a power nullification ray by alleged Korean agents while visiting Paris, leaving her depowered for nearly a week. It was a miserable experience for all involved, with Maryse and Blakestone almost coming to blows on a few occasions during that long, long week. However, while la Dame departed without uttering a word of thanks after her powers were finally restored, Danielle noted that there had been a moment of hesitation where it seemed that Maryse had almost been about to offer some gratitude. Blakestone just rolled her eyes at that.La Dame Bleu was noted for having a good working relationship with Argus, with a "handler" who was open about his affiliation with the group and did a great deal to keep her feathers unruffled. (This is believed to have involved a lot of flattery.) Because of this, she was quickly advised of the Konan threat and unhesitatingly joined forces with those heroes who were gathered to plan a response. She accompanied Paragon, Super-Giant, Bombast and other spaceworthy fighters into battle when the Konan fleet arrived in orbit, and accounted for three of the mass driver-equipped cruisers before she came under coordinated fire from their gunships. Stunned by the first barrage, her shield dropped and she was nearly torn apart by the second.Blakestone found herself strangely bereft when she learned of the death of her rival. After the affair was over, she took it on herself to travel to Beaucheme manor and express her regrets. Her meeting with the elderly Madelca was, if possible, even more unpleasant than any of her interactions with Maryse had been, as the old woman seemed quite certain that la Dame was only faking her death to annoy her. The narcissism that Madelca displayed was horrifyingly reminiscent of behaviors that Blakestone had seen in her own mother, and she sought to escape quickly. However, she also met some elderly servants who were sincerely mourning the death, and learned from them that Maryse had genuinely envied the happiness Blakestone had been able to find in her life, and also regretted that her upbringing had left her often unable to express any of her actual feelings in a public manner.Unsure how to take any of this, Blakestone returned to her House of Riddles, and made a point of telling those whom she loved how much they meant to her, something that she has also had difficulties doing in the past. It may be said, then, that la Dame Bleu won a great victory even after she left the field.La Dame Bleu -- PL 13Abilities:STR 3 | STA 4 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 5 | AWE 3 | PRE 3Powers:Gravity Control: Perception Range Move Object 7 (3 tons) - 21 pointsGravitic Shield: Linked Sustained Protection 14, Impervious 12; Linked Sustained Immunity 10 (life support); Deflect 8, Limited to physical - 44 points Gravity Techniques: Array (27 points)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Advanced Gravity Control: Enhanced Perception Range Move Object 13 (25 kilotons), Concentration - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gravitic Blast: Ranged Damage 13, Precise - 27 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gravitic Drag: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 13 (Resisted and Overcome by Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobilized), Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gravitic Pulse: Linked Burst Area Damage 9; Linked Close Burst Area Move Object 9, Limited Direction (away from self) - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gravitic Whip: Ranged Damage 11, Indirect 4; Enhanced Advantage 1 (Improved Trip) - 1 point</li> </ul>Transatmospheric Flight: Flight 8 (500 MPH); Enhanced Flight 7 (64,000 MPH), Distracting; Movement 1 (environmental adaptation [zero gravity])  - 27 pointsAdvantages:Benefit 4 (multimillionaire), Connections, Defensive Attack, Extraordinary Effort, Improved Defense, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Well-informed.Skills:Expertise: Science 3 (+8), Expertise: High Society 4 (+9), Intimidation 7 (+10), Perception 3 (+6), Ranged Combat: Gravity Powers 7 (+11), Stealth 2 (+6), Technology 2 (+7)Offense:Initiative +4Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 3)Gravitic Blast +11 (Ranged Damage 13)Gravitic Drag +11 (Ranged Affliction 13, Resisted by Strength)Gravitic Whip +11 (Ranged Damage 11)Gravity Pulse -- (Burst Area Damage 9 and Move Object 9)Defense:Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 7, Toughness 18/4, Will 11Totals:Abilities 64 + Powers 123 + Advantages 10 + Skills 10 + Defenses 15 = 222 pointsOffensive PL: 12Defensive PL: 13Resistance PL: 9Skills PL: 4Complications:Thrills--Motivation. Delusion ("I have a secret identity, despite doing nothing to disguise myself.") Easily Bored. Utter Snob.Note: Should stats for the PL 11 "Year One" version of la Dame Bleu be needed, modify as follows: reduce STR, STA, AGL, DEX and FGT by 1 rank each; drop Improved Defense; reduce Sustained Protection to 13 ranks and Deflect to 6 ranks; reduce Gravity Mastery Array to 22 points and drop Gravitic Pulse (reduce most slots to 11 ranks and Gravitic Whip to 8 ranks); reduce Enhanced Flight to 5 ranks; reduce Dodge to 6, Will to 8.<a href="https://youtu.be/Cr-SqRWImmI" target="_blank">One track mind, one track heart</a><a href="https://youtu.be/Cr-SqRWImmI" target="_blank">If I fail, I'll fall apart</a><a href="https://youtu.be/Cr-SqRWImmI" target="_blank">Maybe it is all a test</a><a href="https://youtu.be/Cr-SqRWImmI" target="_blank">'Cause, I feel like I'm the worst</a><a href="https://youtu.be/Cr-SqRWImmI" target="_blank">So I always act like I'm the best</a></blockquote>

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