Embershell

Paloma Melanie "Paola" Wells Gutiérezz, aka Embershell, is a former protege of Multi Sharp and an independent hero/vigilante.

Origins
Paloma was born on October 28th, 2000 to a Peruvian-born-Welsh father and a French-born-English mother. Both parents died when she was 6 and she had faint memories of them. She was raised by her uncle who rescued her from being kidnapped from a drug cartel. Not wanting to hide the truth for a long time, he told her that her parents were among the police force who did their best to save the hostages but lost their lives along with the cartel.

By age 10, the young Embershell was following in her uncle's footsteps to become a fighter and a police officer. Thanks to some of her parents money that left behind, her uncle sent her to the United Kingdom to study as an international student. She also learnt more English and perfected it to the accent with her hardworking skills and managed to pass through secondary school. During Year 12, her funds were running low and decided to work part time in Liverpool and Manchester before dropping out.

First year
In February 2016, a friend of Paola's decided to travel to Chicago, Illinois to have fun after she won the lottery ticket, having lots of fun with her group of friends. On her final night of stay, Paola witnessed a vigilante clad in black beat up some thugs close to the road of her hotel. She decided to stay behind while her friends returned to England, asking her uncle to help extend her visa for another few months as she would stay in the US for a while. She also witnessed multiple attempts of the vigilante busting crime rings, which she indirectly came close to beating some up when the vigilante left (who was observing her actions from the shadows).

A month later, she eventually met the vigilante now known as Multi Sharp, who trained her and took her on missions across the city which were quite successful as they developed a bond with one another. However her luck turned down as she, her teammates and their mentor found themselves caught up in the raid at Springfield during a dark night on May 26th. While her team did their best to stop it, they were killed in the effort. As Sharp cautioned her to run away, she tried to hold back and not wanting to leave him behind as he was injured. Paola threw a custom bomb across the goods as it caught on fire, causing the warehouse to explode.

Eventually she met the man who had rescued Sharp, a passerby doctor known as Doctor Elite, while the latter was still unconscious. She traded information and told good things about her mentor, but cautioned the doctor not to warn Sharp about it as she was gone and set out to be her own hero. This would be a best kept secret for years to come while both of them exchanged messages when Sharp was not aware of.

Second year
In the aftermath, Paola returned to Peru to work and became a vigilante in her own hometown for most of 2017. She also started to grow powers and revealed it to her uncle at one point, who was supportive of it. After Doc had revealed he was part of a newly assembled team and introduced her to the leader, Powerhouse, who thought she was a good fit. Realizing Sharp was on the team as a leader as well,. In reality, Paola was still dealing with her own powers. Although the team was officially revealed to the public in early 2018, she refused their offer a week prior, realizing she needed to keep her existence away in secret. However, Powerhouse cut her a deal in order to learn about herself, as she became a undercover agent engaging in narcotics, but stopped until July 2018 after she took down most of these groups.

Third year
By February 2019, Paola was forging her career and had nearly given up the superhero lifestyle for a year, wanting to focus on a regular life and her uncle was in the final stage of cancer. Before his death, Paola wore her suit for the last time as he gave him the location of the cartel who killed her parents/his brother and hoping it would be revenge for them. She eventually tracked the cartel in Chimbote, where she gave them a hard beating and was close to killing the two leaders who murdered her parents. She held back as she wasn't a killer, but paralyzed both men from the waist down as they couldn't commit any crimes. She also blew up the cartel's drugs and saved the hostages

Returning to the hospital where her uncle was about to pass away, Paola told her that they had avenged their family with help from the National Police of Peru. Both shared their last moments and a tearful embrace as her uncle congratulated her and was able to see Paola's success as a hero as he died on February 23rd. Days after his funeral, she told Doc and Powerhouse about the family passing, as they sent her gifts in mourning as she thanked them. She cut off contact with both men, only telling them to call her once if there was any emergency, stating she would also be doing it for Sharp. Paola eventually buried her suit and belongings under her uncle's basement where she lived at the house he once owned.

Fourth year
On April 2020, when Doctor Elite had a major shuffle with his powers, she was forced to come into contact and her identity was compromised as Powerhouse exposed her information to Multi Sharp. She arrived in the FF base in her suit, fully geared up. Embershell explains the situation, as she would only do this for the emergency Through the course of their mission, Paola reveals she had a crush on Jon when she first met him back in 2016, to which he reciprocated with similar feelings in their journey. He brought up the experience of losing his old friend, Ed Stein, while she talked about her uncle, who also passed away from cancer. Paola kisses him on the lips after consoling each other, much to Doc, and 's approval. Jon says they can work on their relationship after being apart for 4 years and he invites her to stay in his apartment, to which she agrees. A week later, Paola starts to hang out around with Sonny, who grows to like her. She also makes amends with Ben, and intends to join the Flickr Fighters.

By October, Paola was interning as Jon's assistant at his company, which his colleague friends teased about their relationship since he was single for most of the time, and she plays along with it.

Personality
Paola is a wild spirit, often dashing, bold and with some aggressiveness.

During the, she starts to let her guard down, with some constant clashes with her friends and her eventual boyfriend. Paola shows more of her softer side eventually.

Paola has been described as a "fiery cute" just like her hair colour by her boyfriend, which he says is unpredictable and dashing yet adorable.

Powers and abilities
Master combatant: Trained by her uncle when she was 8 along with classes she took during her period of stay in England, Embershell was capable of holding back against numerous enemies on her own. Her former mentor, Multi Sharp, has once mentionned about engaging in a simulation of captive hostages when she was 15 in secret, managing to save all of them within a time limit. Paola is proficient in Krav Maga, capoeira, jiu-jitsu (taught by her uncle), Arnis/escrima, boxing and Taekwondo (which was taught by Sharp). She later learned Muay Thai and Silat in 2019.

Mental prowess: Much to Sharp's discipline, Paola learnt meditation and self control as well as to keep her temper and fear in control despite some of her outbursts and explosive personality.

Expert with explosives: Having a knowledge of how to make bombs instead of guns, Paola was also to devise explosives, including EMPs and C4s. But due to her experiences and code of no killing, Paola has resorted to only using flashbangs and bombs that would only injure people.

Equipment
Embershell suit: The suit is composed of tactical plates, mainly in the chest and is similar to a policeman/SWAT/riot gear. With consulting from her uncle, she also has armor light on her full body in order to guarantee mobility. It also comes with a tool belt which she hides her flashbangs and gear. She also wears a removable hooded mask and goggles to conceal her identity as well as to see through objects/walls/materials.

Bombs: Devised, custom bombs, dynamites, C4 etc. in various shapes and sizes, can be lethal and non lethal (and is able to switch in between). In order to maintain her presence and distract enemies, Paola often uses flashbangs, or to disable technology, EMPs.

Garrote: A weapon which is used to strangle enemies and knock them out. Sharp helped modify Paola's garrote so she could stealthily take out enemies.