Jules Chastain [Civilian]

THE BASICS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Jules is exceptionally tall, even for a Frenchie. They are fair-skinned, with sharp cheekbones and a strong neck. Their eyes are a bright blue, usually emboldened by a faint, blue eyeliner. Their shoulders are fairly broad, and their muscles clearly toned. Long, wavy, golden hair is usually tied behind their neck in a black bow, and occasionally some faint stubble adorns the tip of their chin (though it is more common for them to be clean-shaven). Their lips are thin, and usually coated in a vanilla-mint gloss (one that can often be smelled when they speak). They are never seen without their glasses, and they are always dressed in a suit shirt and black tie when working, along with their customary apron.

PERSONALITY

Jules is a gentle, friendly sort when you first meet them, though the same could be said about most anybody in customer service. They are inviting in both presence and conversation, often making people feel comfortable around them without even realizing it. It's not uncommon for strangers or visitors to the cafe to spill their sorrows to Jules, who will quietly listen with an understanding nod, usually followed by offered sympathies and some soothing tea.

Despite being outwardly friendly and customer-oriented, Jules doesn't take shit from anybody. If customers are being excessively rude or belligerent, or are being unreasonable in their demands, Jules won't hesitate to tell them off and have them leave their store, especially if their vitriol is directed at one of the Frenchie's workers. Not unkindly, of course. Just firmly. And with vague threats of calling the police to escort them out.

They are fiercely loyal to whoever decides to pit their careers with them. They understand the importance of a managerial position, and they do their best to treat everyone with the respect and consideration humans deserve. While Jules has never encountered a financial crisis, it is without a doubt they would rather take a pay cut than have to lay off workers or see their cafe closed.

The closer you get to Jules, though, the more you'll find that they're actually fairly flighty and unattached. They are very noncommittal and have little to no friends, seeming to wholly dedicate themselves to their business and customers. When asked to make plans, it in't uncommon for them to agree to it, only to cancel a few hours before the event starts.

That isn't to say that Jules doesn't know how to let loose and have fun once in a while, though. While serving at the counter they are more reserved, when at home or alone in the shop, they are known to break into bouts of singing or dancing while they cook. They also have a fondness of puns and anti-jokes (rumor has it if you tell them one they haven't heard before, they will give you a free macaron!).

BACKGROUND HISTORY

Julian Louis Chastain was born to a French celebrity hero pair, Cesare Thomas Chastain (Number 3 hero of France, Atomas) and pro-hero/model Elaina Marie Vallier (Number 14, Lumie). The two were in a fairly happy relationship, initially. They met through hero work and eventually married, Elaina retiring from hero work to be a mother, though she eventually returned to her modeling job. 

When the time came that Julian was meant to present with a quirk, most everybody was excited to see what he would present with, being the child of two well-known heroes. It was unfortunate, then, that he didn't present with any. He was x-rayed, and did present with the extra bone most with a quirk exhibit, but he did not seem to have any outstanding ability. While it was the source of occasional harassment, the boy didn't hesitate to stand up for himself (perhaps a bit too much, at his father's encouragement).

During elementary school, Julian exhibited some behaviors that worried his father greatly. He was just as interested in playing with dolls and helping his mother cook than the video games and sports that (in his mind) a boy should be interested in. While most gender barriers had been broken at this time, Cesare had been raised in a very "traditional" family, with a lot of conservative views. Julian's mother, on the other hand, insisted that this was normal, and children should be allowed to enjoy whatever they enjoy. She supported Julian in whatever he wanted to learn or do, with the compromise that he would take fencing lessons to appease his father.

It wasn't until his home economic studies in middle school that Julian discovered his hidden talent. While trying to figure out what had gone wrong with a classmate's cookies, he had tasted them and immediately recognized they added too much salt. He also recognized ... practically every other ingredient on the list, though ... he wondered if that had been because he had just cooked the same cookie earlier that day. So, he decided to test it. Every food he ate for that week on, he tried to focus on the taste and what ingredients it might have. Then, he would ask his mother for the recipe and compare what he tasted to the recipe, until he found that his "guesses" were a near-perfect match every time.

When he brought this up to his parents, they, along with the school counselors, determined this to be his quirk, and presented it as such. It was then that Julian decided he wanted to go into the culinary arts as a career, much to his father's chagrin. 

Eventually, come his teenage years, Julian had started to realize that he was uncomfortable with the idea of being a male. It was an odd feeling he was unfamiliar with, one he discussed at length with his mom. She was very understanding, and offered to help walk them through different genders, to see what they felt fit them best. Over the course of a few months, they experimented with being female (only at school and when their father wasn't around), and with being genderfluid, but neither felt right to them. 

It was during this period of experimentation that conflicts between Cesare and Elaina grew more and more frequent, as both had vastly different ideas on how Jules should be raised. Eventually, things boiled over when it came to light that Elaina had been helping Jules explore their sexuality, and the two decided to part ways. The divorce was fairly uneventful, as Jules was given the option to choose speak on their behalf as to which parent they wanted to live with, and Cesare conceded that, if Julian wanted to live with their mother, it was their decision to do so, though he made it very clear he would not be very involved in Jules' life from then on.

Other than an increase in bullying and harassment, high school passed fairly uneventfully for Jules. Now free from their obligation to take fencing classes, they enrolled in an advanced program to have their Associates complete before finishing high school, and eventually moved on to get a Bachelor's in Culinary Sciences.

For an additional year, Jules worked as a barista at a coffee shop in order to save money, dreaming that, one day, they would be able to own a cafe of their own. It was around this time that Cesare eventually found a second woman he wanted to marry. 

One day, Jules and their mother received a letter in the mail, with a check enclosed for ten million euros, signed by Cesare. In the letter, the pro hero stated his request to have his family leave France, as he no longer wished to be associated with them. The check was to be cashed only if they agreed to leave, and the money could be used to relocate anywhere in the world.

While Elaina was fairly appalled at the idea, Jules begged her to take Cesare up on his offer. With this money, they argued, they could go anywhere in the world they wanted, be anyone they wanted to be, and they could finally open a cafe of their own. Eventually, Elaina agreed, on the condition that Jules would visit her in Canada every once in a while, and that they would make the most of their dream.

THE ARMORY

N/A   Jules does not participate in combat. 

QUIRK & SKILLS

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True Taste

TYPE: Emitter

RANK/LEVEL: E-

SUMMARY:

After ingesting a food the user is familiar with when the quirk is active, users of this quirk would be able to determine a what types of basic ingredients were used and, if the user has been exposed to the food enough, the amount of ingredients used. The more times they have tried the food/more varieties they have tried, the more they are able to determine about the food, and more accurate the information they receive.

WEAKNESSES/LIMITATIONS:

This quirk is only as effective as the user's prior experience allows. If the user has never tasted yogurt, tasting yogurt for the first time will tell them little to nothing of the ingredients list. Specifics like brand of ingredients are unidentifiable, unless the ingredients' brand has a specific taste. Additionally, the user is unable to determine how the food was cooked/what order the ingredients were cooked in. Users of this quirk are sensitive to certain strong tastes when the quirk is activated (spicy, bitter, sour, etc), which can lead to some unpleasant experiences.

RANK/LEVEL: B+

SUMMARY:

Jules excels at cooking, but pastries, in particular, are their specialty. Cookies, cakes, croissants, crème brûlée, and so much more ... 

RANK/LEVEL: A-

SUMMARY:

After spending most of their high school years, college years, and beyond in a cafe, Jules has become an expert in brewing and steeping various kinds of coffee and tea.

RANK/LEVEL: D+

SUMMARY:

A skill acquired thanks to their lessons as a child, though Jules is fairly out of practice, as they haven't taken lessons in years. 

czmAvery

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