Awesome but ridiculously long OOC characterization meme
This took FOREVER but was actually really awesome and helpful. A lot of these apply to both versions of Cissie, but some have two answers. I'm kind of impressed and surprised at how very separate OTC!Cissie and SWS!Cissie have become in my head. Also, there is not a lot of canon for Cissie, so this is very helpful in sorting out what I've had to create and clarifying things.
[Body and Appearance]
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Cissie is 5'7", so she is average height. She got her height early--she was taller than most people until she hit about 15, then everyone else started growing and she kind of stopped. She is an athlete, so she is in good shape, and is not stick thin. She's got curves and muscles and is pretty much right where she should be.
2. How old is she?
OTC: 17
SWS: 21
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry himself well or does she slouch?
Generally speaking, Cissie has good posture. It's a habit from archery and her mother--she did take etiquette when she was young, after all. (How that is helpful for a superhero I will never know.) If she is slouching, it is because she is uncomfortable or hiding or otherwise unhappy.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
Cissie is very healthy. She has an excellent immune system, takes her vitamins, stays in shape, and is an Olympic-class athlete. She occasionally has pain in her right shoulder from the strain and repetitive movements of archery. (There's a condition known as Archer's Shoulder that may cause her some problems and require surgery in the future, but it wouldn't be for a few more years.) This would affect SWS!Cissie more than OTC!Cissie, purely because she is four years older and has four more years of wear and tear on her shoulder.
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Cissie is fairly graceful and fluid. When she was little, she took all kinds of classes--canon ones include archery (duh), judo, kick-boxing, gymnastics, ballet, drama, voice and "beauty-pageant charm". I tend to substitute etiquette for "charm", but anyway--with things like gymnastics, ballet and charm, she definitely has control over her movements.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror?
Cissie is a pretty blond athlete. She has her moments, but for the most part she has a fairly healthy body-image. She thinks she is pretty, but not gorgeous, and she would point to some of her friends as prettier than her, and she has some insecurities that are not exclusive to her looks.
Also, she is really only comfortable wearing bathing suits around people she really knows--she has some interesting scars from her Arrowette days (not anything like, say, Tim, but). This is mainly thanks to Elias, and the girls there who knew her mother lost custody but not why. Seeing Cissie's scars would lead to conclusions that Cissie wanted to argue, but couldn't really without having some sort of explanation for them. So she tries to avoid those situations.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Cissie is light, but tans pretty well. She definitely has tan lines from standing outside for hours at archery practice.
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style.
Blond, thick, long and healthy. (She pulls it back when she's shooting though, because that was always ridiculous not to.)
9. What color are her eyes?
Blue!
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Cissie has scars from her Arrowette days, most notably a round scar on either side of her left shoulder, where Harm's arrow went through her arm. In OTC, she now also has a scar on that arm from being shot in the arm.
11. What are her chief tension centers?
Her upper body, especially her shoulders. When Cissie gets tense, it's across her shoulders and it radiates out so her entire torso locks up. Also her jaw. Cissie clenches her jaw a lot when she gets tense. If she's tense, you know it when you look at her.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Cissie's clothes are pretty varied. She's just as comfortable in sweatpants and old t-shirts as she is in her school uniform or skirts and pretty clothes. That said, sometimes she likes being a girly-girl and dressing up, since she spends so much time in exercise clothes.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them?
They fit her well and she's comfortable in pretty much anything, except things that show too much skin--see above note about scars and rumor mills. Oh, and the media. Paparazzi and tabloids suck.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
OTC: Cissie wears her Elias uniform to school, and when she's competing, wears shorts or a skirt and a t-shirt/tank top with a sports bra. Also, sneaker. Because she is so over wearing heels while shooting.
SWS: Cissie's jobs here are becoming more complicated. When she's competing or coaching, she wears the same kinds of things as in OTC, but when she's in the bakery, she wears short or jeans and a shirt she doesn't mind getting covered in flour. And an apron, because that's just smart and sanitary.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Cissie is a girl! She wears girl underwear! (That said, she does like boyshorts. And is not fond of thongs.)
[Speech]
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
If she sings, she is an alto, so make of that what you will. (But she doesn't sing very well. She did have voice lessons as a girl, but there has to be something she's not good at. ;) So she knows how, but she's not good.)
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate?
Cissie speaks fairly evenly, unless she's excited or nervous, when she speeds up. If she's sad, scared or nervous, she slows down and hesitates. Most of the time she talks easily. Cissie likes talking.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Not really.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Definitely English. I think Bonnie would also have invested in Spanish and French. Cissie wants to learn ASL. In SWS, she has.
Oh, and in OTC, she apparently knows some kind of special Bat-specific Morse Code, because Tim taught her and she used it with Dick when they were kidnapped.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
If the situation calls for it, she will speak what she needs to be understood.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words?
Most of the time she thinks about what she has to say, especially important things. But when she gets emotional, she sometimes forgets and blurts things out. She's working on that.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
In most situations, Cissie is pretty eloquent. She is inarticulate when she gets too emotional--happy, sad, scared, hurt, touched, embarrassed, etc.
[Mental and Emotional]
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart?
Cissie is smart! She is book-smart, but she has a certain amount of street-smarts too.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate?
Both. She can think on her feet in times of stress, but she would rather have the time to think.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
Oh, Cissie. Her thought process is... emotional. She tries to be logical and practical, but sometimes this doesn't work. She leans toward optimistic, and she is very good at reading people, especially her friends.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Heh. Okay. Canon says her father died when she was five, so I generally send Cissie to kindergarten at a normal school. I like to think he would counteract some of Bonnie's craziness. But after he died, Bonnie got insurance money and set about her plan to make Cissie the best hero ever. There's not enough hours in a day for a child to take all the classes canon says she took, so. Bonnie homeschooled Cissie after that, so that she would have time for said hero-training. Cissie learned her socialization from kindergarten and those classes. That said, wanted Cissie to succeed and so I don't think her homeschooling suffered too terribly, except that some of the things she focused on might have been different. Bonnie wanted Cissie to be best at everything--I doubt school would be an exception.
When Cissie was fourteen, Bonnie's parental rights were taken away and she was put in a private, all-girls' school. Elias is a good school, and she has good teachers there, and she does well. (But she doesn't enjoy math.) When she first arrived and was still Arrowette, she let her grades slide because she really didn't have anyone to answer to. After quitting, she needed something to focus on so her grades improved. She had more time for school.
OTC: Cissie will be attending Metropolis University as an undeclared major in the fall.
SWS: After high school, she did attend college. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education Teaching and Coaching.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about?
Archery! Cissie also has medical training and has acted as a field nurse, and she likes books. OTC, she wants to learn Sign Language. SWS, she wants to know more about bakeries. ;) And also how she can help YJ without being out in the fields.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert?
More of an extrovert, but she definitely has her introvert moments, especially around people she doesn't know well.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy?
Cissie is generally cheerful, but has been known to get moody. She does have a temper on occasion and tries to keep it in check but isn't perfect about it.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Cissie doesn't handle change very well. She's had too much of it--after her dad's death, and then having to leave her home and go live in a boarding school, and then quitting Arrowette and Young Justice. Never mind what happened after certain good friends died. She's had quite enough of changes. They make her anxious and suspicious, and she tends to be wary. Some changes are good and exciting, though. It does depend on the situation.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react?
React. She's more cautious these days, unless she has reason to take action, and is spurred on by someone else.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight?
Ohhh, tricky. This is complicated. It totally depends on the situation, but her reaction used to be "fight." She's spent a lot of time retraining herself to not fight, and after the night in the woods, she has spent a lot of time afraid to react as she normally would in high-stress situations. She has a hard time with "flight" though, and hates sitting around or not doing anything when something is happening, especially if she knows her friends are in trouble. But, with emotional stuff? ...Yeah, no, still fight, for the most part.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Cissie appreciates jokes, and has a good sense of humor, but she doesn't like stupid humor, or pranks that are harmful. And she's not a huge fan of bathroom humor. But she appreciates jokes and puns, and smart humor!
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them?
Not really.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person?
Her father's death when she was 5, Arrowette, meeting Bart and Max, her mother losing custody and having to move into Elias, joining Young Justice and meeting her friends. Her therapist's death and her subsequent breakdown, quitting heroing. Trying out for the Olympic team, winning a gold medal. Her friends' deaths and resurrections.
OTC: Dating Tim. Being adopted by Roy.
SWS: Dating Bart, deciding to open the bakery, possibly sort of re-joining YJ.
14. What does she fear?
Oh, Cissie. Cissie fears herself. She's doesn't trust herself not to lose control again, even years later. She's afraid of her temper and of turning into her mother without meaning to. She's afraid of losing her friends again, and of losing her family. She's afraid of people she loves dying.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations?
Both Cissies want to be happy. She wants to have a successful archery career, but also to have a family someday--except that she is terrified of becoming her mother.
OTC: Cissie's not sure what she wants for her future, except that she wants to be with Tim and have a family one day, and to continue her archery career. She thinks she might want to coach, because it would mean being able to teach kids what she loves, and in a way that is NOT like her mother's.
SWS: Cissie wants to continue competing and coaching, but she also really wants the bakery to be a success. So she is going to cut back on her coaching, and if ever anything makes her stop competing she will coach instead and focus on the bakery. And she really wants to be with Bart, but it's still early and she doesn't want to think too much about their future yet--she's enjoying the present.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her?
How much she doesn't trust herself, even now.
[Relationships]
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents.
Her relationship with her mother is COMPLICATED. They have come to a kind of peace, and Cissie knows Bonnie loves her, but sometimes Bonnie can still say precisely the wrong thing. They do much better apart and not living together. Cissie is sometimes jealous of Anita and Anita's reincarnated parents, simply because they see more of Bonnie and Bonnie is better with them than she ever was with Cissie while they lived together.
Her father--the man she calls Dad, anyway--died when she was five. She has very good, happy memories of him and she misses him.
She had discovered that Oliver Queen is her biological father. She hasn't met him or told him. In OTC, this is because she is not 18 and is afraid to tell him until she is. In SWS, she is just not sure what she wants. If she even wants a relationship with him, or what she would do if he didn't want one with her--or if he did. (I'm kind of dying to play with this. But I'd rather not be Ollie myself. :P)
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
OTC: Egads, yes. There's Roy, who is definitely her closest sibling, though he is often also a father-figure and it gets complicated. Then there is Connor and Mia, who she hasn't met yet, and recently it was discovered that Bernard Dowd is another half-sibling. Bernard is a friend, though there is occasionally some weirdness, since Bernard kissed Tim drunkenly once, and then dated Tim's alternate.
SWS: Cissie hasn't met any of Ollie's children. So--no, she's still an only child here. With the possible weird exception of Anita and Anita's parents, since her mother is still dating Anita's guardian. (But the Mia thing would also be interesting, given Cissie's irrational jealousy over Speedy.)
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand?
OTC: She is very close to Roy. Roy is her big brother, and sometimes is a father figure, even though she would rather he be exclusively her big brother.
SWS: Cissie really doesn't have family here, except her mother. She has no grandparents or aunts/uncles/cousins in either RP.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them?
Her friends are her family. Which is part of why losing Young Justice was so devastating, and why she had such jealousy issues about the Titans. YJ was--and is--her family.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
The first friend Cissie ever had--aside from any kindergarten friends or casual buddies in her classes--was Bart. In OTC, her best friend is Tim. She might say Cassie or Anita, though, and after Tim, it would be Anita. SWS, her best friend is Cassie, followed closely by Bart. She met her friends through "work." ;)
6. Does she have other close friends?
Yes, of course.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people?
Cissie makes friends easily, but she doesn't necessarily let them in unless she trusts them.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends?
Friends are family.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once?
She is single!
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Not married, so no!
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest?
Her first crush was Tim. ;) Witness The Kiss when she quit YJ. Her latest crush in OTC is Tim! And in SWS, Bart!
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner?
Interestingly, in both OTC and SWS, Cissie's fallen in love with a close friend. So--someone who knows and understands her, and supports her and can deal with her occasional weirdness.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any?
She doesn't have any, but thinks someday she might want them. Even if the idea kind of terrifies her, based on her mother and her grandmother's track records.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies?
Not especially, though there was Turk, the archer who turned in to a werewolf who attacked her who Anita made swear never to go near Cissie again. (Oh, Nair balloons.)
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale?
Cissie is straight, and probably about a one.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her?
Sex is good! And important. She's not like Kon, and she can go without it, but of course she likes it. She has a healthy view on sex, and likes safe sex. She won't have sex with someone she's not in love with, and won't rush into it. In OTC, the only person she's ever had sex with is Tim. In SWS, she did have sex a few times with her ex-boyfriend, but it was after many months of dating. She and Bart haven't gone that far yet, but it is probably a matter of time. ;)
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
She likes kissing, and cuddling and flirting and having fun, or being sweet. Turn offs--she's not a fan of dirty talk.
[Beliefs]
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type?
She has no canon birthday, so she gets mine. ;) August 12th, which makes her a Leo, and in some ways it does, in some ways not.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life?
Ooookay. Bear with me. Cissie is spiritual. I wouldn't say religious. I don't see Bonnie as especially church-going, but when she went to see Cissie after she quit heroing, and wanted her to meet her for the Olympic trials, Bonnie told Cissie that God gave her a gift and she was trying to help her use it. So I tend to think that they at least believe in God. Cissie definitely does, or in some higher power and afterlife. Part of that is because she has to believe that everyone she loves who has died has gone to a better place and she will meet them again someday. (Yes, Kon and Bart are alive again, but her father died when she was very young and Marcy is still dead.)
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
Yes, she does. It's why she quit heroing. It began with her mother, yes, but a lot of it came from her friends and her time with them, too. To compromise it, especially now, it takes a lot. When she nearly killed Marcy's murderer, she had witnessed a videotape of the murder and she kind of snapped. That's the sort of situation she's terrified of.
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from her? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Cissie is tolerant of other beliefs and will listen to what people have to say, but she cannot stand people who do not respect other people's beliefs or who try to force theirs on her. Or who MUST be RIGHT about it. Or, you know, if it's a cult or dangerous.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them?
I can't think of any, really.
[Daily Life]
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Cissie is financially stable. Her father had a good life insurance plan, and she has money from her days on Wendy, the Werewolf Stalker (based on a comment made by the Willow-character about having a crush on Cissie's, I imagine Cissie was the Tara-character). She also has money from various endorsements, sponsors and other agent-type things she's done over the years, and from winning the gold medal in Sydney. In OTC, she's only been to the Olympics once, but because she is older in SWS, she has been to them twice, and I imagine won another gold medal. Because she is that awesome. ;) She's also been coaching in SWS for a while.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her?
Cissie didn't really have social status until the Olympics, despite her mother's best efforts. (And at Elias, she is kind of both an outsider because of her status as the school "ward," and is popular because she's famous.) Being famous was kind of fun at first, but the charm wore off pretty quickly, and the paparazzi got old. Tabloids are worse. (She once threw a shoe at a cameraman.)
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others?
OTC: She splits her time between her room at Elias, and Roy's New York apartment, and is going to get an apartment with Tim in Gotham this summer.
SWS: Cissie lives in a cute, smallish one-bedroom apartment in New York. (After spending four years in a boarding school and another two in a college dorm, Cissie was ready for a place by herself.)
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on?
Archery equipment, clothes, books, DVDs, music.
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else?
OTC: Cissie is a student and an archer. She is good at both and mostly enjoys herself.
SWS: She's an archer, coach and now bakery owner, and is definitely good at the first two. The third remains to be seen. ;) But she likes them all.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time?
She likes her archery, and baking, reading, music, movies and television. She likes being with her friends.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Cissie does not like beans! And has a low tolerance for Roy's chili. ;) (That is, she doesn't love really spicy foods.) Otherwise she has fairly healthy eating habits, loves fruits and vegetables, and will eat most anything at least once. If she's going to skip a meal, it might be breakfast, but she knows she shouldn't. Her alcoholic drinks of choice tend to be fruity and girly. ;)
[Associations]
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? Blue, actually. She likes red, but it's a little too tied to Arrowette.
2. Smell? Cotton, like the "clean linen" candles. Also lilac/lavender smells.
3. Time of day? Late evening, when everything is golden.
4. Season? Summer.
5. Book? The Outlaws of Sherwood, by Robin McKinley. Yes.
6. Music? Idina Menzel.
7. Place? She likes places that are hers--her room at Elias, her apartment, her room. Safe places.
8. Substance? Um--going to pretend that says "element" and go with Earth. She's grounded.
9. Plant? Lilacs
10. Animal? Horse
[Body and Appearance]
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Cissie is 5'7", so she is average height. She got her height early--she was taller than most people until she hit about 15, then everyone else started growing and she kind of stopped. She is an athlete, so she is in good shape, and is not stick thin. She's got curves and muscles and is pretty much right where she should be.
2. How old is she?
OTC: 17
SWS: 21
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry himself well or does she slouch?
Generally speaking, Cissie has good posture. It's a habit from archery and her mother--she did take etiquette when she was young, after all. (How that is helpful for a superhero I will never know.) If she is slouching, it is because she is uncomfortable or hiding or otherwise unhappy.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
Cissie is very healthy. She has an excellent immune system, takes her vitamins, stays in shape, and is an Olympic-class athlete. She occasionally has pain in her right shoulder from the strain and repetitive movements of archery. (There's a condition known as Archer's Shoulder that may cause her some problems and require surgery in the future, but it wouldn't be for a few more years.) This would affect SWS!Cissie more than OTC!Cissie, purely because she is four years older and has four more years of wear and tear on her shoulder.
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Cissie is fairly graceful and fluid. When she was little, she took all kinds of classes--canon ones include archery (duh), judo, kick-boxing, gymnastics, ballet, drama, voice and "beauty-pageant charm". I tend to substitute etiquette for "charm", but anyway--with things like gymnastics, ballet and charm, she definitely has control over her movements.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror?
Cissie is a pretty blond athlete. She has her moments, but for the most part she has a fairly healthy body-image. She thinks she is pretty, but not gorgeous, and she would point to some of her friends as prettier than her, and she has some insecurities that are not exclusive to her looks.
Also, she is really only comfortable wearing bathing suits around people she really knows--she has some interesting scars from her Arrowette days (not anything like, say, Tim, but). This is mainly thanks to Elias, and the girls there who knew her mother lost custody but not why. Seeing Cissie's scars would lead to conclusions that Cissie wanted to argue, but couldn't really without having some sort of explanation for them. So she tries to avoid those situations.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Cissie is light, but tans pretty well. She definitely has tan lines from standing outside for hours at archery practice.
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style.
Blond, thick, long and healthy. (She pulls it back when she's shooting though, because that was always ridiculous not to.)
9. What color are her eyes?
Blue!
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Cissie has scars from her Arrowette days, most notably a round scar on either side of her left shoulder, where Harm's arrow went through her arm. In OTC, she now also has a scar on that arm from being shot in the arm.
11. What are her chief tension centers?
Her upper body, especially her shoulders. When Cissie gets tense, it's across her shoulders and it radiates out so her entire torso locks up. Also her jaw. Cissie clenches her jaw a lot when she gets tense. If she's tense, you know it when you look at her.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Cissie's clothes are pretty varied. She's just as comfortable in sweatpants and old t-shirts as she is in her school uniform or skirts and pretty clothes. That said, sometimes she likes being a girly-girl and dressing up, since she spends so much time in exercise clothes.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them?
They fit her well and she's comfortable in pretty much anything, except things that show too much skin--see above note about scars and rumor mills. Oh, and the media. Paparazzi and tabloids suck.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
OTC: Cissie wears her Elias uniform to school, and when she's competing, wears shorts or a skirt and a t-shirt/tank top with a sports bra. Also, sneaker. Because she is so over wearing heels while shooting.
SWS: Cissie's jobs here are becoming more complicated. When she's competing or coaching, she wears the same kinds of things as in OTC, but when she's in the bakery, she wears short or jeans and a shirt she doesn't mind getting covered in flour. And an apron, because that's just smart and sanitary.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Cissie is a girl! She wears girl underwear! (That said, she does like boyshorts. And is not fond of thongs.)
[Speech]
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
If she sings, she is an alto, so make of that what you will. (But she doesn't sing very well. She did have voice lessons as a girl, but there has to be something she's not good at. ;) So she knows how, but she's not good.)
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate?
Cissie speaks fairly evenly, unless she's excited or nervous, when she speeds up. If she's sad, scared or nervous, she slows down and hesitates. Most of the time she talks easily. Cissie likes talking.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Not really.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Definitely English. I think Bonnie would also have invested in Spanish and French. Cissie wants to learn ASL. In SWS, she has.
Oh, and in OTC, she apparently knows some kind of special Bat-specific Morse Code, because Tim taught her and she used it with Dick when they were kidnapped.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
If the situation calls for it, she will speak what she needs to be understood.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words?
Most of the time she thinks about what she has to say, especially important things. But when she gets emotional, she sometimes forgets and blurts things out. She's working on that.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
In most situations, Cissie is pretty eloquent. She is inarticulate when she gets too emotional--happy, sad, scared, hurt, touched, embarrassed, etc.
[Mental and Emotional]
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart?
Cissie is smart! She is book-smart, but she has a certain amount of street-smarts too.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate?
Both. She can think on her feet in times of stress, but she would rather have the time to think.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
Oh, Cissie. Her thought process is... emotional. She tries to be logical and practical, but sometimes this doesn't work. She leans toward optimistic, and she is very good at reading people, especially her friends.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Heh. Okay. Canon says her father died when she was five, so I generally send Cissie to kindergarten at a normal school. I like to think he would counteract some of Bonnie's craziness. But after he died, Bonnie got insurance money and set about her plan to make Cissie the best hero ever. There's not enough hours in a day for a child to take all the classes canon says she took, so. Bonnie homeschooled Cissie after that, so that she would have time for said hero-training. Cissie learned her socialization from kindergarten and those classes. That said, wanted Cissie to succeed and so I don't think her homeschooling suffered too terribly, except that some of the things she focused on might have been different. Bonnie wanted Cissie to be best at everything--I doubt school would be an exception.
When Cissie was fourteen, Bonnie's parental rights were taken away and she was put in a private, all-girls' school. Elias is a good school, and she has good teachers there, and she does well. (But she doesn't enjoy math.) When she first arrived and was still Arrowette, she let her grades slide because she really didn't have anyone to answer to. After quitting, she needed something to focus on so her grades improved. She had more time for school.
OTC: Cissie will be attending Metropolis University as an undeclared major in the fall.
SWS: After high school, she did attend college. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education Teaching and Coaching.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about?
Archery! Cissie also has medical training and has acted as a field nurse, and she likes books. OTC, she wants to learn Sign Language. SWS, she wants to know more about bakeries. ;) And also how she can help YJ without being out in the fields.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert?
More of an extrovert, but she definitely has her introvert moments, especially around people she doesn't know well.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy?
Cissie is generally cheerful, but has been known to get moody. She does have a temper on occasion and tries to keep it in check but isn't perfect about it.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Cissie doesn't handle change very well. She's had too much of it--after her dad's death, and then having to leave her home and go live in a boarding school, and then quitting Arrowette and Young Justice. Never mind what happened after certain good friends died. She's had quite enough of changes. They make her anxious and suspicious, and she tends to be wary. Some changes are good and exciting, though. It does depend on the situation.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react?
React. She's more cautious these days, unless she has reason to take action, and is spurred on by someone else.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight?
Ohhh, tricky. This is complicated. It totally depends on the situation, but her reaction used to be "fight." She's spent a lot of time retraining herself to not fight, and after the night in the woods, she has spent a lot of time afraid to react as she normally would in high-stress situations. She has a hard time with "flight" though, and hates sitting around or not doing anything when something is happening, especially if she knows her friends are in trouble. But, with emotional stuff? ...Yeah, no, still fight, for the most part.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Cissie appreciates jokes, and has a good sense of humor, but she doesn't like stupid humor, or pranks that are harmful. And she's not a huge fan of bathroom humor. But she appreciates jokes and puns, and smart humor!
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them?
Not really.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person?
Her father's death when she was 5, Arrowette, meeting Bart and Max, her mother losing custody and having to move into Elias, joining Young Justice and meeting her friends. Her therapist's death and her subsequent breakdown, quitting heroing. Trying out for the Olympic team, winning a gold medal. Her friends' deaths and resurrections.
OTC: Dating Tim. Being adopted by Roy.
SWS: Dating Bart, deciding to open the bakery, possibly sort of re-joining YJ.
14. What does she fear?
Oh, Cissie. Cissie fears herself. She's doesn't trust herself not to lose control again, even years later. She's afraid of her temper and of turning into her mother without meaning to. She's afraid of losing her friends again, and of losing her family. She's afraid of people she loves dying.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations?
Both Cissies want to be happy. She wants to have a successful archery career, but also to have a family someday--except that she is terrified of becoming her mother.
OTC: Cissie's not sure what she wants for her future, except that she wants to be with Tim and have a family one day, and to continue her archery career. She thinks she might want to coach, because it would mean being able to teach kids what she loves, and in a way that is NOT like her mother's.
SWS: Cissie wants to continue competing and coaching, but she also really wants the bakery to be a success. So she is going to cut back on her coaching, and if ever anything makes her stop competing she will coach instead and focus on the bakery. And she really wants to be with Bart, but it's still early and she doesn't want to think too much about their future yet--she's enjoying the present.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her?
How much she doesn't trust herself, even now.
[Relationships]
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents.
Her relationship with her mother is COMPLICATED. They have come to a kind of peace, and Cissie knows Bonnie loves her, but sometimes Bonnie can still say precisely the wrong thing. They do much better apart and not living together. Cissie is sometimes jealous of Anita and Anita's reincarnated parents, simply because they see more of Bonnie and Bonnie is better with them than she ever was with Cissie while they lived together.
Her father--the man she calls Dad, anyway--died when she was five. She has very good, happy memories of him and she misses him.
She had discovered that Oliver Queen is her biological father. She hasn't met him or told him. In OTC, this is because she is not 18 and is afraid to tell him until she is. In SWS, she is just not sure what she wants. If she even wants a relationship with him, or what she would do if he didn't want one with her--or if he did. (I'm kind of dying to play with this. But I'd rather not be Ollie myself. :P)
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
OTC: Egads, yes. There's Roy, who is definitely her closest sibling, though he is often also a father-figure and it gets complicated. Then there is Connor and Mia, who she hasn't met yet, and recently it was discovered that Bernard Dowd is another half-sibling. Bernard is a friend, though there is occasionally some weirdness, since Bernard kissed Tim drunkenly once, and then dated Tim's alternate.
SWS: Cissie hasn't met any of Ollie's children. So--no, she's still an only child here. With the possible weird exception of Anita and Anita's parents, since her mother is still dating Anita's guardian. (But the Mia thing would also be interesting, given Cissie's irrational jealousy over Speedy.)
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand?
OTC: She is very close to Roy. Roy is her big brother, and sometimes is a father figure, even though she would rather he be exclusively her big brother.
SWS: Cissie really doesn't have family here, except her mother. She has no grandparents or aunts/uncles/cousins in either RP.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them?
Her friends are her family. Which is part of why losing Young Justice was so devastating, and why she had such jealousy issues about the Titans. YJ was--and is--her family.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
The first friend Cissie ever had--aside from any kindergarten friends or casual buddies in her classes--was Bart. In OTC, her best friend is Tim. She might say Cassie or Anita, though, and after Tim, it would be Anita. SWS, her best friend is Cassie, followed closely by Bart. She met her friends through "work." ;)
6. Does she have other close friends?
Yes, of course.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people?
Cissie makes friends easily, but she doesn't necessarily let them in unless she trusts them.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends?
Friends are family.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once?
She is single!
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Not married, so no!
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest?
Her first crush was Tim. ;) Witness The Kiss when she quit YJ. Her latest crush in OTC is Tim! And in SWS, Bart!
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner?
Interestingly, in both OTC and SWS, Cissie's fallen in love with a close friend. So--someone who knows and understands her, and supports her and can deal with her occasional weirdness.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any?
She doesn't have any, but thinks someday she might want them. Even if the idea kind of terrifies her, based on her mother and her grandmother's track records.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies?
Not especially, though there was Turk, the archer who turned in to a werewolf who attacked her who Anita made swear never to go near Cissie again. (Oh, Nair balloons.)
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale?
Cissie is straight, and probably about a one.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her?
Sex is good! And important. She's not like Kon, and she can go without it, but of course she likes it. She has a healthy view on sex, and likes safe sex. She won't have sex with someone she's not in love with, and won't rush into it. In OTC, the only person she's ever had sex with is Tim. In SWS, she did have sex a few times with her ex-boyfriend, but it was after many months of dating. She and Bart haven't gone that far yet, but it is probably a matter of time. ;)
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
She likes kissing, and cuddling and flirting and having fun, or being sweet. Turn offs--she's not a fan of dirty talk.
[Beliefs]
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type?
She has no canon birthday, so she gets mine. ;) August 12th, which makes her a Leo, and in some ways it does, in some ways not.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life?
Ooookay. Bear with me. Cissie is spiritual. I wouldn't say religious. I don't see Bonnie as especially church-going, but when she went to see Cissie after she quit heroing, and wanted her to meet her for the Olympic trials, Bonnie told Cissie that God gave her a gift and she was trying to help her use it. So I tend to think that they at least believe in God. Cissie definitely does, or in some higher power and afterlife. Part of that is because she has to believe that everyone she loves who has died has gone to a better place and she will meet them again someday. (Yes, Kon and Bart are alive again, but her father died when she was very young and Marcy is still dead.)
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
Yes, she does. It's why she quit heroing. It began with her mother, yes, but a lot of it came from her friends and her time with them, too. To compromise it, especially now, it takes a lot. When she nearly killed Marcy's murderer, she had witnessed a videotape of the murder and she kind of snapped. That's the sort of situation she's terrified of.
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from her? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Cissie is tolerant of other beliefs and will listen to what people have to say, but she cannot stand people who do not respect other people's beliefs or who try to force theirs on her. Or who MUST be RIGHT about it. Or, you know, if it's a cult or dangerous.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them?
I can't think of any, really.
[Daily Life]
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Cissie is financially stable. Her father had a good life insurance plan, and she has money from her days on Wendy, the Werewolf Stalker (based on a comment made by the Willow-character about having a crush on Cissie's, I imagine Cissie was the Tara-character). She also has money from various endorsements, sponsors and other agent-type things she's done over the years, and from winning the gold medal in Sydney. In OTC, she's only been to the Olympics once, but because she is older in SWS, she has been to them twice, and I imagine won another gold medal. Because she is that awesome. ;) She's also been coaching in SWS for a while.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her?
Cissie didn't really have social status until the Olympics, despite her mother's best efforts. (And at Elias, she is kind of both an outsider because of her status as the school "ward," and is popular because she's famous.) Being famous was kind of fun at first, but the charm wore off pretty quickly, and the paparazzi got old. Tabloids are worse. (She once threw a shoe at a cameraman.)
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others?
OTC: She splits her time between her room at Elias, and Roy's New York apartment, and is going to get an apartment with Tim in Gotham this summer.
SWS: Cissie lives in a cute, smallish one-bedroom apartment in New York. (After spending four years in a boarding school and another two in a college dorm, Cissie was ready for a place by herself.)
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on?
Archery equipment, clothes, books, DVDs, music.
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else?
OTC: Cissie is a student and an archer. She is good at both and mostly enjoys herself.
SWS: She's an archer, coach and now bakery owner, and is definitely good at the first two. The third remains to be seen. ;) But she likes them all.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time?
She likes her archery, and baking, reading, music, movies and television. She likes being with her friends.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Cissie does not like beans! And has a low tolerance for Roy's chili. ;) (That is, she doesn't love really spicy foods.) Otherwise she has fairly healthy eating habits, loves fruits and vegetables, and will eat most anything at least once. If she's going to skip a meal, it might be breakfast, but she knows she shouldn't. Her alcoholic drinks of choice tend to be fruity and girly. ;)
[Associations]
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? Blue, actually. She likes red, but it's a little too tied to Arrowette.
2. Smell? Cotton, like the "clean linen" candles. Also lilac/lavender smells.
3. Time of day? Late evening, when everything is golden.
4. Season? Summer.
5. Book? The Outlaws of Sherwood, by Robin McKinley. Yes.
6. Music? Idina Menzel.
7. Place? She likes places that are hers--her room at Elias, her apartment, her room. Safe places.
8. Substance? Um--going to pretend that says "element" and go with Earth. She's grounded.
9. Plant? Lilacs
10. Animal? Horse