Created by Sam Soper 

 

 

 

 

 

- Was in gymnastics for ten years (quit when entering High School)

- Is currently a senior in High School

- Is enrolled in advanced classes (Math and Science)

- Father is a medical researcher and Mother is a doctor

 

During the summer prior to her senior year in High School, Abigail Lee Vanderhoff was approached by her father to try out a new type of Flu vaccine that he was working on in private which was supposed to evolve with the new Influenza viruses. Abby agreed, and the new vaccine was injected into her, laced with radioactive isotopes for tracing it through her body. When it was discovered that the Flu vaccine did not mutate with the Influenza virus, her father scrapped the project.

 

During the last month of summer vacation, Abby, her three-year-old brother Matt, and her mother went to a science convention which was giving away free ice cream. Only after the trio had tasted the free treat was it announced that a bio-terrorist going by Epidemic had infected the ice cream with a self-made virus to test it on the fair goers.

 

Once all the infected had been taken to the hospital, the virus was named Necromyosis Collifcation for its role in killing off muscle cells (starting at the fingers) and replacing them with collagen scars. It killed most of the infected within five days. Surprisingly, those who had been inoculated with the Flu vaccine previously (including Abby, her mother, and Matt) had bodies that seemed to be able to slow down the deaths of muscles, but not stop the virus completely.

 

The research team, lead by Abby’s father, were hard at work trying to perfect a new sort of anti-viral, anti-bacterial substance. With the extra time, they were able to create the first version of the Pathophagic virus. When the Pathophags entered the victims’ bodies it was discovered that, without laboratory help, their virus was unable to replicate itself, and died quickly before they could do much damage to the ever-multiplying Necromyosis Collification virus. People began to get worse and worse as the killer virus began to mutate beyond the Flu vaccine. As the second weeks passed, so did Abby’s younger brother.

 

However, Abby herself was becoming steadily better. Unbeknownst to anyone else, one Abby’s own pathophags had eaten a viral cell with a radioactive particle attached to it. This caused the pathophag to mutate, and was able to generate copies of itself quickly and had a much longer lifespan. Abby quickly regained her health, astounding the doctors and research team. They said it was due to Abby’s age, level of fitness, and the constant supply of Pathophags that kept her alive. However, there was little time to celebrate- the next few days the rest of the infected died off, including Abby’s mother.

 

Abby was sent home to recover and to try to recover most of the function in her fingers (due to the virus killing off so many muscle cells). It was during this time that another mutation occurred in the Pathophags- their bodies expelled a neon-green, clay-like waste into the empty areas over her fingers. After a few days the muscles, bones, and other tissues in her fingers had been completely replaced by the clay-like substance. Her father ran secret tests, and it was only then that they found out Abby’s reason for surviving.

 

Abby learned to control her odd digits and discovered her powers during the last days of summer vacation. Covering the disfiguration with gloves and skin-toned latex at school, Abby managed to avert suspicion from herself. For, during the next few weeks, a teen hero appeared, vowing to save people from the pain of loss, and to bring Epidemic to justice.

 

Malady was born.

 

 

 

Pathophags- A special virus that actually eats other pathogens (diseases and such).

-Ability to absorb all forms of diseases (cancers, viruses, bacteria) from surfaces, liquids, and the air by touch. These particles are then consumed by the Pathophags and converted into a neon-green clay-like substance that is deposited in her fingers.

 

Finger Morphing- Ability to change her fingers into different forms: four inch claws (one per finger), twenty-feet-long whips (one per finger), twenty-five-foot-long claws used to scale buildings (one per hand), and similar shapes

 

DNA Memory- Ability to, with conscious thought, absorb DNA from cells and store the information in certain memory cells, which she then can use to compare DNA samples to find guilty parties (like a DNA lab on the go) 

 

Cape- Malady’s cape is specially designed to repel all disinfectants and doesn’t absorb heat well, so it remains cool in overly warm environments. It’s long enough for Malady to shield herself when she’s crouching.

 

  

 

Disinfectants- Any sort of disinfectant will burn Malady on contact with any portion of her skin. The longer is remains on and the greater the amount poured determines the severity of the injuries (if great enough, it can cause death). If she swallows one cup or more of disinfectants, it will kill her. Less than that and she becomes less and less ill, depending on the amount. 

Thermophobia-Malady experiences anxiety and panic attacks when she nears heated objects. This is due to Pathophags needing to be kept at a temperature between 102 degrees and 94 degrees at all times. Surprise contact with heat on her finger results in sharp pain. Eating overly hot foods causes immense pain.

 

  

 

I live in North Dakota and, like my creation, have Thermophobia. Not much else to say.