PROFILE

[deathpositive]

In her hands is my heart
And she won't let go 'till it's scarred
Tried to breathe but I can't
'Cause the air she feeds me is damned
Got a touch like a thorn

GENERAL

Name: Zinnia Rebecca Howe
Nickname(s): Zin, Zinnie, Red
Gender/Pronouns: Female | she/her
Birthdate/Age: July 10, 2003 (Cancer/Sagittarius) | 15
Grade: Sophomore
Sexuality: No one is safe now that Zinnia isn't under the watchful eye of her parents.

Major Arcana: Justice (Justice represents the understanding that life is ultimately fair and just. Even though the vagaries of day-to-day life tend to make us doubt this fact, Justice reminds us that there is divine balance. Justice often appears when you are concerned with doing what is right or making sure you receive your due.)
Minor Arcana: Coins

Concept: Tempestuous All-American girl leaves her small pond and embraces death.

APPEARANCE

Height:	5'7"	Hair Color:	Dyed red
Build:	Svelte but strong	Eye Color:	Brown

Zinnia is effortlessly beautiful with the kind of face that looks like it belongs on the cover of Seventeen. Her flowing red locks are naturally dusty blonde, but she thinks ginger suits her better. Zinnia often wears large glasses, but sometimes substitutes for contacts. She presents and dresses like the girl next door promised in teen movies, with just a little pinch of darkness.

Her taste leans hipstery vintage, and she shops frequently at places like Valfre or Modcloth. A lot of her clothing has a little nod to something dark, like skulls, pentagrams, cheeky graphic tees with coffins on them, etc. that she mixes in with the rest of her wardrobe. Flowery blouses paired with a necklace featuring a cat skull. A cute cardigan embroidered with skeletons. Leggings printed with snakes and dead birds. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of style, but close inspection reveals that very little of what she wears is free from some hint of death. She looooooves creepy, macabre necklaces, and has a number of them she cycles though. It's a little on the cutesy side, but she's very committed to it. Zinnia is always eager to "help" friends with their hair and makeup, but make sure you know exactly what kind of makeover she intends to give you. There are two sides to Zinnia's #aesthetic.

PB: Bella Thorne x x x

PERSONALITY

Likes: Being outdoors, graveyards, death aesthetic, horror movies, gory movies, makeup, roughhousing, swimming, showing off, feeling tough, saving the day, praise, admiration, feeling unique and exceptional, attention, karma, seeing people get what they deserve, discussing mortality, natural decomposition, true crime, corpse capers, photographing roadkill

Dislikes: Unfairness, being called a crybaby, sitting still, when people are arguing around her (nevermind that she gets in tons of arguments herself), boys (in a flimsy teenagery 'boys suck' way, even if she has guy friends), falling short, being ignored, embalming, the funeral industry, disrespect, rebels without a cause, cheaters, capitalism
---
Zinnia had every intention of attending high school in Voorheesville, where she was almost guaranteed to one day become head cheerleader, prom queen, and the high school sweetheart of the football captain. She was the all American girl next door, certain to do big things in her small town... before settling down to be a housewife with a dog and 2.5 kids. But then she learned about Finchwood, and all the opportunities it would give her to become what she really wanted to be: the hero.

Zinnia manages to be a white knight and a bit of a bully at the same time. She wants the spotlight, and after she rushes to your aid she expects plenty of praise. Her image is very important to her, which might not be surprising since Zinnia's grown up popular and beloved. She loves attention, especially romantic attention, and she's not shy about seeking it out. Although she's quick to proclaim that boys suck, she also adores having their validation. If any boy gives in to her "charms", he's likely to end up carrying her backpack and being ordered around like a personal assistant. She's yet to act on a slowly blooming attraction to girls, but at Finchwood she's free to adjust her image.

Zinnia's very conscious of how she comes off, and of how people perceive her. Because of that, there's something very cultivated about her image, from her clothes to her hobbies. She wants to be weird, but on her terms. Weird in a way that's beautiful and fun, not unappealing and awkward. Unfortunately, Zinnia's not actually very good at managing her image. She's not her mother, she can't make people love her by chasing perfection. The end result is a girl whose oddness often feels preformative in a very teenagery way. Her interest in the macabre isn't insincere, far from it, but she feels compelled to package herself for the consumption of others.

But despite her polished exterior, Zinnia's a girl ruled by her emotions, and is clearly sensitive and moody. At her best, Zinnia is expressive and easily excited. She approaches new things with gusto, and drags people along with her if they're not careful. Her emotions are all very big, and so it follows thar Zinna's negative emotions are just as big. When upset, it's always a toss up as to whether she'll burst into tears or bite your head off. She's got a razor sharp tongue that she's not afraid to use. Because of this, Zinnia has a well-earned reputation for being bossy and a little screechy, as well as a huge crybaby who turns on the waterworks when things don't go her way.

The thing is, Zinnia's perfectionism is always in high gear. When things go awry, she takes it too hard. She's extremely critical of herself as well as others, and needs to learn to cut everyone some slack. She's quick to snap at people for being stupid, but it's mostly because she's projecting. Zinnia is incredibly self-conscious about what she thinks is her own lack of intelligence. The fact that she struggles with numbers and often gets them mixed up is seen as "proof" of her intellectual inferiority. She struts around like she's hot shit, but deep down she worries constantly that everyone is more clever than she is. All this perfectionism does mean that Zinnia is a hard worker, and very careful and precise. Between this and her bossy temperament, it makes Zinnia seem like a highly competent, ambitious girl. This reputation suits her just fine.

Zinnia is a very involved friend. If she likes you, she's always in your business, and if she smells a secret, she won't stop until she's gotten it out of you. She's actually pretty clingy, and tends to be That Friend. You know, the one who thinks your boyfriend is an idiot and you can do better. Outsiders and friends alike can find her impossible to please, but at least friends can benefit from her affection and helpfulness. She's a Fix-It kind of girl when a friend comes to her with a dilemma. Don't tell her you're having a problem unless you want her to blow the lid off everything and try to solve it for you.

Zinnia thinks the world is a just, fair place, or at least that it should be. And when things don't work out that way, she gets angry. The claws come out, and Zinnia is ready to fight for what she thinks is right. She cares about the welfare of others, as well as cutting down those who would endanger that. Cheaters, disloyalty, disrespect and unfairness can easily set off her fiery temper. Her judgement may not always be spot on, but her heart is big and drives her towards heroism, protectiveness, and charity. Right and wrong are important moral imperatives to her, and Zinnia's charmed life makes it easy for her to think this way.

Once Zinnia sinks her teeth into an idea, she's hard to dissuade. Tenacious, strong-willed and with a lot to prove, Zinnia's got a personality that's all or nothing. When she has a goal, her approach is organized, strategic, and often unstoppable. People become obstacles to avoid, scale or destroy. She's absolutely unrestrained in her ambition, and doesn't need to be reminded to shoot for the stars. Zinnia thinks fair is fair, and she has a right to anything and everything if she just works hard enough. Considering how she grew up, this has largely been true. There's not much Zinnia has been denied, so long as she put out effort. Nowadays, this is how she looks at everything. The lead in the school play? Hers. Good grades? Hers. Popularity and reknown? Hers. That hot upperclassman? Well, give her a week and they'll be hers, too.

+ Bold, brave, protector.
+ Driven and ambitious.
+ Organized and strategic.
+ Energetic, expressive, lively.
+ Helpful.
+ Fair, honest, just.
= Perfectionist.
= Emotional.
= Wannabe hero.
= Morbid.
- Image-conscious.
- Attention-seeking.
- Bossy, aggressive, angry.
- Unpredictably emotional.
- Critical, judgemental.
- Clingy and possessive.
- Spoiled.

SKILLS

Jr Medical Examiner: ★★★★★ Zinnia idolizes her father, although the two don't usually see eye-to-eye. All the same, Raymond is happy to talk to his daughter about his work as a coroner, and encourages her fascination with human anatomy and physiology. She also knows a great deal about the decomposition process, the funeral industry, various historical corpse capers, and death-related facts in general. She has a precise, focused mind that suits her scientific inclinations well.

Outdoorswoman: ★★★★☆ Zinnia grew up in a rural small town where local culture revolved around high school football and the great outdoors. She can hike, climb, camp, hunt and fish pretty adeptly, and misses it at boarding school. In more specific terms, Zinnia is competent with basic survival skills, hunting rifles, hunting knives, fishing, skinning/dressing kills and gutting fish. She takes a lot of pride in not being squeamish about handling her own kills.

Performing Arts: ★★★☆☆ Zinnia is a minor triple threat, sporting a sweet soprano, admirable dancing talents, and a charming stage presence. This used to ensure her the lead in every musical back home (including a few stints at the community theater as a child actress) but things aren't so cut and dry at Finchwood. Compared to some of her peers, she's just... alright. Zinnia's talents might be best put to use backstage as the go-to makeup artist.

Photography: ★★★☆☆ Zinnia is a moderately talented photographer, if you're interested in shots of (fake) gore, graveyards, abandoned places, moody portraits and dead animals she finds. She knows how to set up a pretty shot, but her portfolio still screams "goth teen", for better or worse.

Amateur Taxidermy: ★★☆☆☆ She wants to be able to personally taxidermy her family's elderly cat once he passes. Her parents aren't thrilled about the idea. So far, Zinnia's crowning achievement is a little white mouse drinking tea at a dollhouse table.

Horror Makeup: ★★★★★ The crossroads of theater, the macabre and cosmetics, Zinnia has an uncanny talent for horror special effects makeup. Years ago, she found a community of girls on Instagram who taught themselves how to craft horrendous wounds from fake blood and prosthetics, and Zinnia never looked back. Zinnia's a minor celeb on Instagram and YouTube for her good looks and stomach-turning talents. She also loves making up her friends like corpses or monsters and photographing them, so when she asks you to model for her... beware. (x x x - gore warning)

HISTORY

Family:

Dr. Raymond Howe, father, Albany county coroner. A serious, analytical man who thinks his daughter's morbid inclinations are a little silly. He hopes she grows out of it, but still maintains her interest in biology and anatomy. He sometimes teaches classes at the community college.

Dahlia Howe, mother, Voorheesville sheriff. A pillar of the community. Dahlia is at every community event, makes the family volunteer once a month. Everyone in town knows her name and face. She enjoys her good reputation, and thinks it's key to doing her job. Dahlia likes their image as the ideal family, as well as the fact that her kids don't challenge it.

Forrest Howe, younger brother, 12. Forrest feels overshadowed by his popular older sister, and the two bicker a lot.

Hometown: Voorheesville, New York

It was a small town murder that brought Dahlia and Raymond together. Through their combined work as cop and coroner, the suspicious death of a local man was revealed to be a poisoning. Raymond asked Dahlia out for drinks the night of the arrest.

Five years later, the pair were married and welcoming their first child into the world: Zinnia. She was a bright, bubbly little girl with a flashbang temper, but her parents doted on her because she was smart and she was pretty. Their life was idyllic, worthy of greeting cards and magazines. Dahlia was universally adored by the town as the young new sheriff, and Raymond earned enough money to move the family into the perfect colonial house. Zinnia was loved, too. Teachers adored her wit, and her schoolmates flocked to her as a leader.

Puberty hit, and Zinnia matured fast. She took to all the things a rural girl should. Cheerleading, hunting, fishing, camping, makeup, clothes, boys. Her mother was always concerned about her image, and so was Zinnia. She wanted to be the ideal girl, and she was... at least outwardly. Middle school was a breeze for Zinnia, who got good grades, was always cast as the lead in plays, and never had a shortage of admirers. She was well on her way to becoming the Queen Bee of Clayton A. Bouton High School. Whenever she worked hard, life rewarded her.

But there was more to Zinnia than being pretty and popular, because she was weird. Moreso, she wanted to be weird. Boys found it charming that she was out snapping photos in graveyards, and that was nice, but she loved it more when they were turned off by her fascination with taxidermy and corpses. It felt provocative to tell her middle school sweetheart she wanted to go on a date to a body farm. It was a thrill when he didn't call her back. She felt special, like she was too much for these regular boys to handle. But Zinnia was a little too good at alienating people, and ended up with very few friends. She became unattainable, unapproachable.

Zinnia began to feel smothered (... and lonely) in Voorheesville. She imagined a future there, graduating high school, going to college, marrying some boy, having children, growing old, dying. It felt too simple, and Zinnia began to think small town life was going to cheat her of the greatness she was certain resided inside her.

Zinnia learned about Finchwood at the perfect time in her life. A prestigious boarding school out of state could be her escape, and once the truth was revealed, it felt like destiny had been dropped in her lap. She was special, she was a hero. She was going to save the world! And so she took off for Maine, enthusiastic to start high school somewhere bigger and better. Somewhere that suited her.

Unfortunately, Zinnia's first year at Finchwood was a shocking change. No longer was she the most beautiful, most talented, most unusual person. In fact, the school was full of strange, fascinating people. For once, Zinnia did not feel remarkable. She was briefly tempted to forget all about Finchwood and go back to Voorheesville where she would never have to feel plain or stupid again, but leading an average life sounds like a death sentence.

COMBAT

Persona: Menadel, Angel of Work, can remedy exhaustion, coldness and isolation, cure those who seek glory and success at any cost.
Element: Earth

ACADEMICS

Core Classes: English*, Mathematics, Science*, Social Studies, Training.

Elective Classes: Art, Life Skills, Philosophy

Clubs:

• Athletics: Zinnia would rather be hiking than playing soccer, but what she lacks in experience she makes up for in zeal and bull-headedness.
  
• Print: Zinnia writes an advice column, and also covers events around school as well as whatever miscellaneous topics need attention. She's a charming writer with an effervescent voice, but can be more than a bit biased. She's also a contributing photographer. Flint often has to ask her for, uh, fewer shots of the moon and Finchwood at night cloaked in fog. Zinnia keeps suggesting they feature an obituary section for local townies, but no one has taken her up on the offer.
  
• Drama: While she'd love to be center stage, Zinnia really shines while applying stage makeup. She can make you pop under those bright lights. She keeps pushing to do a production where she can really show off her skills (i.e. brutal horror makeup).
  
• Gardening: Zinnia likes working with her hands, and while she doesn't have a specific passion for horticulture, she dutifully tends to her plot. And also bothers all the quiet kids that seem to flock to the rooftop garden.

General Performance: Never as good as she wants. Zinnia achieves mostly A's and a few B's through hard work and enthusiasm, and she's very careful and precise in her work. However, Zinnia often struggles with numbers, or when a subject doesn't interest her. She's very passionate about science and social studies, but math frustrates her and art bores her when she can't pursue her own projects. She envies peers who seem to breeze through classes while her hard work leaves her a step or two behind them. Zinnia's convinced she isn't very smart, because if she were, she would be getting perfect grades without any problems.

OOC

Player: Meggie
Email: what.it.seems (at) gmail
CDJ: swashbuckler
Other Contact: Dropbox!
Time Zone: Mountain