Nalrok's RP Prompts: Concept Revamp RP!

Hello there, my Virtue friends,
I've come to write with you again.
Because ideas softly forming,
Made for RP brainstorming.

Okay, no more Simon and Garfunkel foolishness for me. Today's topic is not necessarily a thing done by your character, but a way for you to take an old toon and give them new life! Or, at the very least, you can delve into something you haven't delved into for a while! Here goes.

The name Tiffany Gates was well know in Paragon City. The Gates finical empire began in Steel Canyon in the 1940s and grew into a multi national conglomerate by the year 2000. Walter James Gates, owned the company Omega Dynamics, the Gateway to humanity's future which currently Tiffany was the heir to, along with her older brother Franklin. Her brother was her senior by 5 years and he was already married, with a wife and two strong sons to carry on the family name. Meanwhile, Tiffany was one of Paragon City's most eligible bachelorettes. She was hounded by photographers and sociality reporters no matter where she went. This was the life Tiffany allowed everyone to see, the airhead heiress, out to spend her daddy's money. She has a lush penthouse apartment in Steel Canyon, a waterfront Beach house in Talos Island and a Yacht that cruised the watter ways around Paragon, and sometimes the East Coast. Tiffany cultivated the socialite image almost exactly the same way her grandmother, Betty Van Mark, had during the 40s, when she was the heroine Velvet Phantom.


One day, the young firebrand Tiffany was up in her father's attic, in his house outside of Paragon, where his mother lived. Tiffany would often visit her to go riding, as she loved to ride. She had come across and old trunk and uncovered the very first Velvet Phantom costume. Then she found the scrapbook and journal that uncovered the rest of the double life her grandmother had led. At age 14 Tiffany had spoken with her grandmother and learned all about The Velvet Phantom. Already an accomplished gymnast and brown belt in karate, she knew what she wanted to do with her life. The next 10 years Tiffany studied criminology, different martial arts styles, psychology, and a host of other subjects outside of her normal schoolwork. That she allowed to appear to suffer, she was already building the outside shell others would perceive. The airhead, the socialite that the world would get to see. The she was confronted, not by her father as she had suspected, but by her mother.
Lilian Gates knew her daughter, she watched her and she was once a Van Mark herself. Just before Tiffany was going to move into her Steel Canyon apartment Lilian came to her room.


“Tiffany,” the older woman said as she knocked on the door and walked in. She was dressed conservatively in a jacket, with a skirt and tastefully done in tans and browns. Her strawberry blond hair was tied in a bun. Her gray eyes, which matched those of her daughter stared at her.
Tiffany was dressed in an old Paragon City University t-shirt, with shorts and sneakers, sans socks. Her own brown hair was pulled up into a short pony tail. Her round glasses sat on her nose as she peered at her mother coming in. She has just packed her collection of stuffed animals, another part of the look she was crafting.
“Yes Mother,” she said, standing on the far side of her 4 poster bed. She still repected her parents, and besides this was behind closed doors.
“I know what you're doing,” she said simply, deciding on a blunt frontal approach.
“Yeah me too,” Tiffany answered, “I'm moving out.”
'That's not what I am talking about and you know it young lady.” already her ire was up. Lilian couldn't help it, she felt strongly about this. “She's my mother, you don't think I ever heard the stories before?”
Tiffany choose not to answer, instead she closed the duffel bag and hoisted it over her shoulder. She started to step around her mother, who blocked her path.
“Don't be an idiot Tiffany,” she said sternly, “you're going to get yourself killed.”
Tiffany sighed and put down the duffel bag, She stood there a moment, facing her mother, whom she topped by a good 4-5 inches.
“Mom, I know what I am doing.” she said confidently. “I've studied, I have prepared as best as I can. I am not taking on this lightly.”
“But you don't have any powers,” Lilian said in a serious voice, “Good god Tiffany you'll end up in the hospital if you're lucky.”
“Ni ether did Grandma.” Tiffany retorted.
“That was a different time,” she shot back, “Now there are so many. Even the street thugs have powers. Those Freak...things...”
“Freakshow” Tiffany corrected.
“Whatever” her mother said angrily. “My point is they will kill you. Sooner or later you won't be fast enough or make some kind of minor mistake and that's it.”
“You don't understand.” She said, reaching for her bag again.
“What's to understand?” Lilian said, her voice raised in anger now, “That my daughter has a death wish?”
“No!” now Tiffany's voice was raised as well, she shot her mother a look or fury. “That I want to make a difference. That I was to help protect people. That I don't just want to marry into money as my only accomplishment!”
Her mother looked as if she had been slapped in the face. Tiffany stared at her, wanting to say something. To take back what she said. But, as her mother turned and stormed out of her room she already knew it was too late.


Three weeks later Velvet Phantom made her debut as a heroine in Paragon City. She stopped a gang of Hellions and eventually uncovered a plot they had working with some city official.
Six years had passed since that day. Tiffany continued as Velvet Phantom, her costume was her own now. Latex, with kevlar weaves a large cape that hid her get silhouette against ranged attacks and a host of gadgets she used in her daily struggle against crime. She had taken the Velvet Knight identity further then her grandmother ever had. Recently she had met someone. That of course had never been part of the plan. She wasn't sure she could be involved with someone and be Velvet Phantom as well. Fortunately that someone she had met, had met her as Velvet Phantom. That of course is what made all of this so complicated. Many things did of course, not the least of which was that she had a life as Tiffany that was extremely public. She needed someone to talk to, someone she trusted and who knew her. She had thought about her grandmother of course. But she was so old now, a lot of times she was lost in her own past now a days. So here she was, outside her parent's window, dressed in the old costume. She had come from a celebration that honored the heroes of the Golden Age, she wanted to make sure her Grandmother was well represented. Now she crouched on a ledge across from her parent's balcony, starting at the window with the light on. Tiffany had just about convinced herself to leave when the door to the balcony opened and her mother walked out into the night air. She stood there, looking out over the skyline of Founder's Falls. She was just standing there when her eyes were drawn to the spot where Tiffany crouched. Then their eyes met and each was frozen in time, unsure of what to say or do. Her mother mouthed the word “Tiffany” but didn't say it aloud. Velvet Phantom nodded just once. Her mother then turned and opened the door. She walked inside and stood there. With it open, a clear invitation. Velvet Phantom cleared the space in a single leap and quietly entered the room. To her astonishment the walls were covered in framed headlines about Velvet Phantom. There were also photos of her as Tiffany at some charity event or nightclub. And there were three scrapbooks sitting a place of honor on a large table. A framed photograph of Tiffany and once of the rare half glimpsed pictures of Velvet Phantom that the papers managed to capture. The lighting in the room was soft, comfortable. Velvet Phantom stood in the doorway looking at the older woman, tears forming in her eyes. She took off her mask, and stared at her mother.
“Mom....I-I..” she began but emotion choked the words off.
The older woman simply stepped forward and embraced her daughter. The two of them just held onto each other, tears flowing freely from them both. After a time they pulled apart, looking at each other.
“Mom..” Tiffany started again.
“I am so proud of you.” she said before Tiffany could say anymore. “Honey, you have done more then I could've ever imagined.”
“I-I'm sorry about...” she started again.
“There is nothing to be sorry about Tiffany.” she said sternly. “You are my daughter, and I love you. I have always loved you and I will always love you. Nothing will ever change that sweetie.”
Tiffany again hugged her mother close.
“I love you too mom.” she said into her mother's shoulder. “I never stopped loving you.”
Her mother patted her back a moment, and they broke their embrace.
“I know Tiffany.” she said in a quiet voice. “We've both let too much time pass. Let's not do that again.”
Tiffany sniffed, and nodded laughing lightly.
The two sat in the room, each catching the other up on the past 7 years. They fell into conversation easily, as only a mother and daughter can. Tiffany shared her fears, and her mother listened, offering advice where she thought she could. Finally Tiffany came to it.
“Mom, I've met someone.” Tiffany said, sitting on a chair, leaning forward, her beret no longer on her head, but in her hands, twisted a bit. “And.....I'm not sure if I can do what I do being with someone.”
“Do you care for them Tiffany?” her mother asked.
“I think so yeah.” she answered, “I mean we just met tonight. But, it was.....intense. If you know what I mean?”
“Is it a man or a woman Tiffany?” her mother asked.
“Does it make any difference?” she said back.
“Not at all dear.” her mother said. “I just wanted a frame of reference.”
The two women talked well into the night. And although Velvet Phantom left without a clear answer, she was of light heart. She had her mother back.


((Okay went to the Golden Age Festival on Saturday and got to RP an older toon of mine I considered more an OOC one who just did CoH content. Imagen my surprise at how much life she had in her. So, this prompt is very well timed. And, as a tribute to Rosie, I will make sure I keep up with your prompts as well. ))