time for : stupid meta about how kate’s phasing works , since i’ve never really defined it !
phasing ( v ) : the ability to play with , interrupt , or otherwise skew another person’s perceptions , specifically in relation to oneself . i.e. to change one’s appearance in the eyes of another .
to utilise this ability is to change someone’s view of the world . it is a specific form of telepathy- using one’s own mind to play with another’s , to change the way that someone’s brain perceives the world around them .
kate’s specific way of using this can range from literally erasing herself from someone’s perception ( thus making herself invisible ) , all the way down to simply blurring some part of her- depending on her reasons for phasing , different variations will occur : to obscure herself , she can blur , distort , or even erase her face and / or body ; to draw attention , she can literally exude light && colour , change the brightness of her features , appear to be a source of light ( think lightbulbs , fires , the stereotypical depiction of angels ) . as it’s a very personal && one - to - one experience , only those she directly focuses her power upon see her change- onlookers do not , && thus her manipulation appears very similar to a HALLUCINATION , or shared hallucination in the case of multiple ‘ victims ’ . when visible , these people can see her as anything from a slightly blurred person ( as if looking through someone else’s glasses ; think harding meyer or chuck close’s work ) to a distortion of human shape ( certain features repeated , inflated , or misplaced , eyes on foreheads / cheeks / necks && such ; think francis picabia , kees van dongen , once again harding meyer ) to an entirely formless being , a mess of swirls && shapes , or just plain colours as opposed to anything even vaguely resembling a human shape ( think pablo picasso , frank auerbach , && shin kwangho’s more obscure portaits ; andré masson’s work ) .
the more severe the change , the more emotionally && physically draining it is . and it is- prolonged && extensive use of any of her powers can leave her bed - ridden for days ( this is rare , && usually only occurs if she has used her powers in a specific , strong burst for entire days ) . shorter strong bursts or long weak bursts can both lead to less brutal side - effects , much like the depictions of telepaths / telekinetics due to the fact that it’s a MENTAL ABILITY- bloody noses && ears , physically weakened body , fainting spells , short periods of confusion && delirium , && occasionally temporary , short term memory loss .
dicedup posted this
