Acoustica

Acoustica
Author	/u/Argerro
Civilian name	Shirley Fleach
Alignment	Hero
Affiliation	Wards (Devilfish)
PRT Classification	Tinker
Born	(2007-08-24) August 24, 2007 Devilfish, Minnesota
Status	NPC

If you asked anyone at Eagle Mountain High School who Shirley Fleach was, that person would probably snicker, unless the person you asked happened to be a teacher, administrator, or member of the “nerd” groups. However, those groups will describe Shirley as an animated, charming, and very active student, if a little goofy.

In costume, Acoustica is still a quiet, reserved, nervous hero. She has gotten into a few scrapes, and has even hit the 5 p.m. Devilfish News. She, along with her Ward partners, have started making waves in town. She was involved with the capture of the, at the time, unknown cape Phix in a case of mistaken identity.

It is known that she is a Tinker capable of sound based technology and weaponry.

Character Sheet

Appearance

Shirley is a 5’ tall, thin teenage girl. She wears earth tone sweaters over button up shirts with big round glasses. She keeps her short, extremely curly, auburn hair neat and medium length. She would not be considered ugly in an aesthetic way, but her lack of confidence overpowers every other facet of her, usually leading her to be slumped over, and making herself as small as possible. No matter what she is wearing she always has a pair of earbuds of her own design that act as regular earbuds, a secondary active hearing protection, and a one way connection to the PRT comms. They look like simple, if very expensive, wireless headphones.

Acoustica wears her techsuit with simple armor built in that covers only her most vital areas, fitted with several of her gidgets and gizmos.If you look at it in the right way it looks vaguely similar to what a composer would wear to a performance. Its black and white, and has a black silk bow tie. She carries a baton that contains even more gadgets. Her ears are covered with a bulkier, more advanced active hearing protection. The mask she wears is reminiscent of the phantom’s in phantom of the opera with a black band-like visor that covers the eye that is uncovered by the mask.

Equipment and Resources

Wealth level: 4

Has a room at her mother's house, though she tends to stay in her shop if she can. Lives in the PHQ dorms as long as there is room for her.

• PRT radio

• Zipties

• Set of handcuffs

• Travel tool-kit

• Pepperspray

• Bulletproof vest-PRT

• Grappling Hook from Phalanx

• Gladius

• Baton

• Taser

Tinker Tech

Soundboard Mk. 2.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = A bodysuit that looks similar to a conductors suit. All black and white, with optional silk bow tie. New body armor has been added to the point that it is bullet proof in key areas. Throughout the suit are hidden buttons and wire connections for suit tech.
• Abilities = This suit doesn’t do much on its own except connect every other piece of tech she has to wear. Much like a motherboard interface with her equipment and houses the onboard VI, Adagio.
• Notes = Has built in hearing protection as well as a home for her onboard VI’s processing. See Adagio Mk. 1.0 for details on the VI.

Vivace Sandals Mk. 1.4

• Creator = Acoustica

• Appearance = This upgrade allows for two different visual modes. The ‘civilian’ version looks like standard white sneakers with high up laces and no discernable branding, but plenty of ‘cushion’. On the bottom of the shoes are several sets of small hexagonal plates and circular insets.

The ‘patrol’ version looks like a more sleek version of her original Vivace Sandals. Several sets of small hexagonal plates and circular inserts point out of the bottom of the boots, with a clean, shiny exterior on top. They look similar to formal dress shoes, but lace up the ankles for better stability.

• Abilities = These shoes let her run up to lower levels of olympic sprinter speed. She can also fall from a three story building without breaking her bones and can even jump a little higher. Within the bottom of her boots are also sonic sensors. These sensors are able to pick up the sonic waves traveling through the ground. This allows her, along with her VI, Adagio, to create a rough seismic map of the area around her. The harder the material she is standing on, the better she can ‘see’. Fairly low range (~30ft radius on concrete), but combines with the opening act to have a longer range with clearer details.

These shoes also can at the push of a button, or order to Adagio, switch its looks on the most basic level, allowing it to blend into a civilian outfit far better. The way it does so is via a very thin layer of show fabric brought over the top of the shiny leather exterior via a ‘zipper’ along the edges.

• Duration = As long as power is available.

• Notes = The two modes, Seismic sense and seismic projection, are incompatible. She wears these out in civilian wear, just in the hidden configuration.

Canon in Forte Mk. 1.2

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/rh5m8q/updates_and_developments/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/rh5m8q/updates_and_developments/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = Takes the form of what looks like a modern pistol with a blunderbuss muzzle. Has a large speaker inside the head, wired into her suit. Slightly less bulky and with a cleaner machined look than her earlier model. When the Accuratezza Mk. 1.0 is attached it becomes more akin to a sawn-off shotgun with a large barrel.
• Abilities = Similar to police agencies LRAD weapons around the world, this is a short range sound cannon that sends out a blast of sound energy in a cone shape directly in front of it. This blast is deep and booming and, though not loud enough to permanently damage peoples’ hearing, sends out enough force to stun someone and potentially knock them off their feet. Its operational range is 10 feet or less for the force wave, and the sound is nearly as loud as a flashbang.

Capable of attaching the Accuratezza Mk. 1.0 to the front. This takes the Canon and makes the effects more long ranged (~50ft). Instead of a cone shaped blast like a shotgun, it fires in a more cylindrical (roughly the size of someone’s chest) directed blast of energy. Still very loud and able to knock a mundane human down, but not to the point of bursting eardrums. Makes the Canon less usable at close ranges.

• Duration = As long as it has power.
• Notes = The Accuratezza takes a round to attach or remove.

Opening Act Mk. 1.5

• Creator = Acoustica

• Appearance = A matt black hexagonal housing that is 1 foot across and has a specialized tuning fork in the center. When deployed, every corner has a foot for stability on whatever surface it is emplaced. When not deployed, it's only as wide as the hexagon plate and a few inches thick. When not in use it is carried on the small of Acoustica's back.

• Abilities = This emplaced device pings any solid surface it's attached to, determines its resonant frequency, then blasts that frequency, liquefying/exploding the area around the device. It takes a few minutes for this entire process to occur, and when it finds the right frequency, is not quiet at all.

Compared to the older version, this one is far more powerful without taking up any more room. This version, when combined with the Vivace Sandals for sonar mapping, works up to a block away on standard concrete (less effective on looser materials like sand, more effective on denser like steel).

To add into this, this upgrade adds in an anti-seismic feature. It will listen for seismic/sonar waves and, when toggled to this setting, will cancel them out with the same frequency but opposite amplitude. This makes any sound tech affecting the surface inoperable until it stops including Acoustica’s tech. She has plans to upsize this to prevent Earthquakes in the future.

• Duration = As long as it has power

• Notes = The three modes are all mutually exclusive to each other.

Armonioso Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/rh5m8q/updates_and_developments/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = Looks like a small disk, roughly the diameter of a tennis ball.
• Abilities = Can be programmed to produce any sounds that are up to as loud as a yell. When thrown they can stick to surfaces and be triggered with a button on the soundboard. Once triggered the programmed sound will play until the power button is pushed again.
• Duration = Lasts for 24 hours of continuous sound before the internal battery dies.
• Notes = Fairly quick and easy to make, takes a few minutes to program a new sound but she has several on call at any time, can hold up to 5 in Acie’s utility belt. Must be recharged to use after they die.

Forza con Eroico Mk. 1.0 [Upgrade]

• Creator = Acoustica

• Appearance = Modification of the speakers already inset into the Soundboard armor system. They look more uniform, cover more of the body, and look more clean than the first iteration. There are also new additions of motion sensors here or there pointing in every direction along with a few extra hidden directional mics here and there.

• Abilities = Attached to her suit is a set of high quality speakers that, when not on patrol, act as a boombox for the team, and, when on patrol, can act as amplifiers to any broad-range sounds she sends out. These speakers are an armor system designed so that when something is coming within close range of Acoustica, and her VI doesn’t identify it as a friend, the speakers blast in the direction of approach, hopefully stopping whatever attack was coming towards her person. This blast is comparable to her Canon’s force as well as possessing its loudness, hopefully blasting attackers or their weapon away easily.

Also allows for a loud, tinnitus level, unique sonic ping to shoot in any one direction. This ping will then bounce off of whatever it hits and return, providing Adagio with an extremely accurate sonar map in the direction the ping is fired up to a distance of a block, as well as having potential to stun someone from the loud sound, though that is not its purpose.

• Duration = The personal defense aspect can only work a few times per day before needing to recalibrate and cool down. The sonar ping needs a round to work before it can fire again.

• Notes = Works in conjunction with Adagio’s mapping software

Lasciare Suonare Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = A black metal disk, roughly the size of a baseball.
• Abilities = When thrown, they stick to a person. After a trigger command is sent from Acoustica’s suit they will activate, vibrating at a frequency that is close to the resonant frequency of human bone. This effectively acts as a very painful deterrent that is less than lethal, usually causing whomever it is caught on to collapse to the floor.
• Duration = They will continue to vibrate until Acoustic shuts them off or the power dies after an hour.
• Notes = She can carry 4 on her regular toolbelt.

Canto Col Comp Mk. 1.0 [New]

• Creator = Acoustica

• Appearance = a small black hexagon, roughly three inches across. When deployed the hexagon plate stands on a gimballed arm.

• Abilities = This object, when thrown, sticks to the surface it lands on. When working in conjunction with Adagio it, along with any other copies thrown in the same area, can aim at any and all targets in the area, limited to one target per mine.

When activated, they will project one of the Fortissimissimo Plates’ programmed frequencies between “just an LRAD, bone, steel, armor plates, and infrasound”. These are far weaker than the larger plates used in sonic turrets by about ⅓ as well as being shorter range with their effective distance being 15-20 feet. However, with multiple mines aiming at the same target they harmonize and become more than the sum of their parts. 3 mines aiming at one target are more effective than 1 full sized plate, as an example.

• Duration = Can last 4 hours at full power before the battery dies.

• Notes = She can carry 4 in her toolbelt.

Fortissimissimo Plate Mk. 1.5

• Source =https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = Looks like a black hexagonal plate attached to whatever control system is commanding it.
• Abilities = The black plate, based off of the confiscated Sonic Screamer of Rockstar’s, projects a loud, powerful, and highly directed soundwave. Can be programmed with various frequencies, but the most common frequency that it would stay on is the resonant frequency of human bone, but bulletproof armor plates and steel are also available.
• Duration = As long as it has power.
• Notes = Is not portable, must be connected to a larger power network like a vehicle or building.

Fugue con Sonore Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = On the back of her suit, built to go around the powerpack, is a set of miniaturized Fortissimissimo Plate Mk. 1.5 as well as a few smaller ones hidden on the arms and legs. All of these plates are on gimballing arms.
• Abilities = The sound plating attached to the back, legs, and arms all act as a levitation module. Still fairly rough in how they work and it needs testing in the field, but this is based on the Rockstar Sonospheres’ levitation. This levitation allows her body to become lighter than air and move up to a jogging speed through the air without assistance.
• Duration = As long as there is power.
• Notes = When in use it cancels out any sound reception or projection tech attached to her suit.

Tech Gifted to Others

Deciso col Pugno Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica for PHQ
• Appearance = When not deployed it looks like a standard ceiling camera. When deployed a group of six black Fortissimissimo plates surrounding the camera on a moving head.
• Abilities = When a security alert is activated anywhere in the PRT HQ the camera deploys and readies itself to actively defend against threats connected to the central security system as well as the Phalanx droid network. When deployed, it will signal for the droid network to scan for threats, and fire the sonic screamer plates at the threat. See Fortissimissimo Plate Mk. 1.5.

Near every camera, inside the head of maintenance's office, the Protectorate Captain's Office, and the Director's office is a keypad that allows for a safe shutdown of individual or multiple camera turrets. Each of these keypads requires a specific password known only to the personnel meant to be inside the said offices, and five trusted maintenance personnel. The first incorrect passcode will result in a warning, the second failed attempt will lead to a security alert being activated, and the turrets deploying.

In the event of an emergency, the Protectorate captain has a passcode for a voice activated shutoff.

The standard mode for the plates is similar to that of an LRAD. Loud, targetted, and very miserable. With higher security alerts the more painful, and more harmful, frequencies will be deployed.

• Duration = These will fire until they are destroyed or the threat is neutralized.
• Notes = Connected to the PHQ power system and controlled by an AI provided by Phalanx’s. X10 in key chokepoints of the PHQ

Largamente Esultazione (Broad Exaltation) Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica for PRT
• Appearance = A retrofitted van, plain black in color, but with a PRT logo on the side. Not standard issue. Looks like a regular transport van with thick heavy tires when not deployed. When deployed, a multi-headed Fortissimissimo Plate turret pops out of the top. The turret has three cameras, able to see in every direction, and it has twenty individual plates.
• Abilities = This van acts as a mobile turret, capable of covering a large area and handling a large number of individual enemies. It has room for a driver, a passenger, and one person in the back that controls the weapon system and acts as a final failsafe. The van has the vast majority of the unnecessary stuff removed in favor of welded armor plating and electrical networking for the weapon system. The turret has twenty individual screamer plates that are each controlled by the onboard VI from Phalanx. This allows the VI to utilize its IFF and target up to twenty individuals. Each plate is effective up to a block away and able to neutralize a target in a less than lethal way with the frequency of human bone. Capable of using more harmful frequencies, such as armor plating, and steel.

• Duration = As long as the van has power.
• Notes = See Fortissimissimo Plate Mk. 1.5 for description on the plates.

Vibrato con Amore Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/t6a01a/swords_and_shoes_acoustica/
• Creator = Acoustica fo Phalanx
• Appearance = A dull golden gladius that was ripped straight from Phalanx’s armory. Upon the hilt is a black metal case that goes around the hand, much like a rapier’s basket.
• Abilities = The black case houses a sonic projector attached directly to the tang of the gladius, causing it to vibrate at a high frequency. This vibration allows for much easier cutting, to the point that organic materials can be cut through like warm butter. Rings slightly when swung through the air.
• Duration = Without a power source it is still a sharp sword, but it will no longer vibrate. Connects to Phalanx’s suit power.
• Notes = Gift to Phalanx for services rendered

Sempre Guerriero Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tcvo1g/ears_armor_knees_and_toes/
• Creator = Acoustica for Ammonite
• Appearance = Four small implants, one for each foot and ear, containing sensors for detecting sound waves. Once implanted, invisible.
• Abilities = Allows for a seismic sense from the feet that can ‘see’ for about 30 feet in any direction through solid surfaces. Denser surfaces are clearer than softer ones. (I.E. Titanium flooring would be very clear, sand would render the sense next to useless) The ear sensors allow for clearer, more powerful hearing, able to pickout a single person’s heartbeat from 20 feet away.
• Duration = Until the base suit is destroyed, can be maintained by Ammonite or Acoustica
• Notes = See Anima con Appassionato Mk. 1.0

Anima con Appassionato Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tcvo1g/ears_armor_knees_and_toes/
• Creator = Acoustica for Ammonite
• Appearance = A set of four small speakers that can be affixed onto an outer suit for Ammonite.
• Abilities = This speaker can send out a powerful ‘ping’ in whatever direction it is facing. Doesn’t do any force damage, but if someone placed their ear in front of it tinnitus might be the result. This ping acts like radar or sonar, when it is sent out, the sensors in the feet and ears start listening for the specific sound of the returning ping. This gives Ammonite a long range, accurate sonar mapping in a single direction. While this is happening, the ear sensors aren’t able to listen to mundane chatter, limiting his hearing for a short period.
• Duration = Until broken off of the armor it emplaced or destroyed, can be maintained by Acoustica or Ammonite.
• Notes = N/A

Basso Continuo Mk. 1.0

• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/tqwcgz/late_nights_and_stolen_tech_make_acostica_very/
• Creator = Acoustica for Phalanx , Ammonite, and Zipdash
• Appearance = A clamp with a large speaker/receiver in the head.
• Abilities = This device clamps onto the armor or body it is attached to. When activated, this device essentially listens for resonant frequencies or high vibrations, and when it detects such a frequency produces a sound with the same amplitude but inverted phase. This cancels out the harmful frequency, protecting what it is attached to.

• Duration = 12 hours, or as long as the power of whatever armor it is attached to lasts.
• Notes = x8

Gifted Tinker Tech

Power Pack Mk.1

• Image = https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/92/d2/7292d2a33cff7c3e6c3b00707fa34fd8.jpg
• Source = https://www.reddit.com/r/wormrp/comments/t70n3s/turning_up_the_power/
• Creator = Acoustica
• Appearance = This is a chestplate, painted to match the coloring of Acoustica’s suit, that fits on with thick straps. The back has a bar going up the spine that glows to show the power currently in its capacitor banks.
• Abilities = Thermoelectric Power Generation: The pack takes heat from the environment, and which is circled through it through any future cooling systems, and uses it to generate power.

Photovoltaic Power Generation: The pack generates power from ambient light. If extra power is needed, larger panels may be folded out from the back, though doing so will expose them to potential harm and somewhat compromise what defense the pack does provide.

Crystalline Supercapacitor Bank: Stores the power generated by the back, or supplied to it from external sources. Should be able to store enough power to run Acoustica's suit and systems at moderate to high load for up to four hours, and at minimum to light load for 36 hours with absolutely no inputs, longer for moderate to high load, and indefinitely for minimum to light load if power generation systems are active. If breached, capacitors are designed to fail in such a way as to be non-hazardous, decomposing into a gritty sludge which will evaporate over time as opposed to exploding or dumping their charge into the surroundings.

Modular Port System: The pack is designed to accept a large variety of inputs and outputs, and its overall design is meant to be easily modifiable.

• Duration = Until lost or destroyed. Takes some maintenance from either Acoustica or Ammonite
• Notes = Provides some protection, though it's not designed specifically to do so. Should be able to take a few hits and get generally knocked around.

Adagio Mk. 2.0 [Update]

• Creator = Acoustica

• Appearance = A pair of earbuds that look like hearing aids, a pair of mics with stick pads and a black rectangular box that is a few inches long. Everything looks like medical equipment of some sort. The black visor inset into a white Phantom of the Opera half-mask is removable and attaches directly to the earbuds in her ears. The visor is opaque and nonreflective and has her prescription prebuilt into the system.

She also has a pair of are large, thin, roundrimmed spectacles that look completely mundane except for slightly too thick limbs holding most of the tech. Connects directly to the earbuds

• Abilities = The earbuds connect directly to her VI’s messaging and auditory system, allowing for contacting Console, listening to music, and recording the sounds within the vicinity. They also act as a secondary layer of active hearing protection controlled by Adagio who filters all sounds before transmitting them.

The black visor gives Acoustica access to her HUD, see Adagio’s Avatar, read texts, emails, etc, and any other visual data the VI provides.

The two mics are nearly mundane, except that they are very sensitive to the most minute changes. These two mics would be stuck over Acie’s heart and lungs to constantly listen to her vital signs.

The rectangular case acts like a battery for the mics, and as a constant place for her VI to reside even without her suit. This allows her access to all of her VI capabilities even while out of costume.

The glasses act just like the visor in as far as both providing corrected vision as well as allowing Adagio to provide visual information over them, such as maps or alerts.

Below are all of the various modules that came either preprogrammed or was added after the fact to suit Acoustica.

• Personal Assistance Module = Notes, alarms, reminders, internet and database searches. All the functions of a modern smartphone or a real life secretary.

• Targeting and Flight Assistance Module = Trajectory calculations/predictions for the grappling hook, the sound spread for the Canon, targeting for any emplaced weapons, momentum for her levitation module, and stabilizing the flight module, making it smoother and easier to control. Accuracy increases with knowledge of the user, their weapons, and their powers.

• Vital Signs Monitor = Uses the two vital signs microphones on Shirley’s chest monitoring her heart. She has Adagio constantly listening to Acoustica to learn how her body sounds in any situation. As time goes on it will be able to call for Console if she gets knocked out, is losing too much blood, or has her heart stopped.

• Communications Module = Manage communication systems, Phone, Radio, Wifi, Email, basically any system that can connect to the hardware it's based out of.

• IFF Module- Track who on the various sensors is an ally, civilian, enemy, along with numerous other types of information. She hands anyone who goes out on patrol with her a mundane battery speaker tag that lasts for 12 hours playing a certain, randomized, imperceptible tone that identifies them to Adagio. At the time it also has a fairly limited library of various species gaits, strides, weights, as well as the same for various sizes and shapes of humans.

Can differentiate between a large dog and a cat instead of just seeing a four-legged creature walking within the radius. Can tell the difference between a child and an adult, if someone has a limp, and their rough size.

Over time the library will naturally evolve and get better via more exposure to more people. Eventually it might be able to identify people based off of their gait and speed, etc.

• 3D Mapping Module- When working in conjunction with the Vivace Sandals and Forza con Eroico it can collect the sonar data and create a fairly accurate 3 dimensional minimap on the visor. The map won't show every possible detail and is highly dependent on the sonic conductivity of the material she is receiving data from.

• Emergency Alert Module- Constantly listens for a battery of very specific sounds that are kept within a constantly updating library. These sounds include, but are not limited to, gunshots, alarms, sirens, explosions, and all manner of other emergency sounds. This module will alert Acoustica to the sound, estimated distance and direction, and what type of sound it is (pistol round versus rifle round versus a fire alarm)

• Duration = 24 hour battery life each.

• Notes = Her school would receive word that she got into an accident and needs to wear hearing aids as well as a heart monitor. She has 2 battery packs for exchanging on the fly. She also keeps forks of Adagio with various parts removed for specific purposes, such as the IFF on the Sound Wagon's turrets.

The avatar looks like a roman legionary with a wolf tail and ears. She has the ability to communicate with console and other Phalanx intelligences.

Skills and Specializations

Though it is not a part of her power, she has a knack for electrical engineering and the back end of theatrical production such as camerawork, a bit of artistic design (though she is not great at it), and costume work.

She has the technical skill of a decently trained adult when playing either the piano or violin, though she will refuse to do so if she can get out of it.

She took a self-defense class during her Ward onboarding process at her parent’s demand.

At Phalanx's demand she took, and passed, college level Architectural Engineering courses so she doesnt accidentally bring down buildings.

She is a licensed EMT after taking a four month long course due to Rockstar bleeding all over her in a hallway.

Mentality

Shirley is the epitome of adorkable. She is quiet and reserved in “traditional” social functions, but when in her element, and around those she shares a connection with she cannot shut up. She will get hyper-fixated on a topic and will enthusiastically rant about said topic for hours if allowed. She is a little lonely, if she stops to think about it, but unless someone is persecuting her for her nature, she seems to be happy in the background. Musicals hold a special place in her heart, as does the chess club and robotics, but musicals especially. To the point where she would spend her life working on theatre productions if she could.

She is not much different when in costume, but it is very obvious that when not around her team she happily will melt into the background while they take charge. Despite her powers, and being a part of the Wards, she’s still a mostly non-violent individual. When forced to fight she would dislike hurting someone to the absolute highest of her abilities, but if needs must she shall try and knock out whoever she is fighting against.

The only time she ever really shows any initiative is when an authority figure is seen to be doing what she considers doubting her abilities. She loathes to be seen as defenseless, and even more-so as a child. Whenever someone she sees as an authority does so, she usually reacts badly by speaking out, acting irrationally, or getting annoyed.

Power

Trigger type: Single, Natural

Acoustica is a tinker focused on wavelengths and frequencies with the specialization leaning heavily into harmonics, resonance, and wave interference. With her tech she can create tools that use, measure, and produce waves that affect the world around her. Because of the way her tech works, she has to combine gadgets carefully as not every wave reacts well with others. She has not realized that her specialization allows for other types of waves besides sound waves as sound and music is all she really knows.

Some gadgets just cannot sync well with each other, like sound dampening and trying to heighten another sound, leading to massively decreased effects or even no effect at all, like the two mutually exclusive functions of the Vivace Sandals. Some gadgets can work side by side and not interfere or support each other, like the Vivace Sandsls and Canon, this is because they affect completely different areas. And finally, in a rare circumstance, two different gadgets work in harmony with each other, magnifying each other’s effects. The Opening Act matches well with the Vivace Sandals’ receivers allowing a much more detailed seismic map of an even larger area since it adds so much extra energy to the system.

In practice this means that she can't use everything all at once and needs to strategize what tools will actually work well with each other in the heat of the moment.

Backstory

Shirley had always loved classical music. Her entire life had her home filled to bursting with the gentle waves of the violin and the great crescendos of the grand piano in her parlor.Shirley’s mother had been a genius in the musical field, A true virtuoso of her craft with the violin and piano. She was set to become world famous with her daughter never wanting for a thing.

Sadly, following a collision between her car and a bus, Shirley's mother lost her hearing of all but the absolute lowest of pitches. Shirley, 10 at the time, had to witness her brilliant shining star of a mother lose every passion left to her aside from Shirley herself. And seeing her mother break like that hurt. It hurt every part of her. She could no longer hear her mother pour her soul out on a stage, or spend long hours discussing the science of sound.

Following a brief depressive period, her mother rose up to a manic high. Her new purpose in life was to live vicariously through her child. Suddenly, instead of playing with her robotic kits and the like, she would spend twelve hours a day studying the pursuit of musical perfection. Violin lessons, piano lessons, special tutors from the local college, and anything else you could imagine. Shirley, eager to see her mother happy again tried, damn did she try, for three and a half years, but violin doesn’t intrigue her, the piano has become the bane of her existence. The sounds that once gave her solace and a pure childlike joy are now hated, and every time Shirley was perceived to be doing worse than absolute perfection her mother would fall back into a depression. Faced with the choice of keeping up a charade for decades or seeing her mother wither away is what finally broke Shirley. TRIGGER

Suddenly, all of the science behind the music she has been hearing made sense, and when asking herself how to get out of going back to violin practice, she had ideas of a violin that plays itself, or a hearing aid that lets her mother hear again so that she never had to touch a instrument again, or…or…

Over the course of a month, she spent her nights building up her suit so that she could just…stop. Seeing the soundboard finished, she finally realizes what’s going on, and walks herself to city hall to apply for the Wards.