I think we all at some point in our lives give thoughts to what our superpowers might be if we could have them whether it be something as simple as the ability to fly or turn invisible or superstrength or whatnot. It seems the difficulty is avoiding taking on too many powers lest one become a kind of Mary Sue to his/her own private universe (or fictional universe one would wish to inhabit) and not something so awesomely impractical that it wouldn't have much use in one's superheroics or villainy (if that be your inclination).
I find whenever my thinking takes me in such directions that my powers, while vaguely defined, frequently are associated with wind and shadows. I take my greatest (plagiaristic) inspirations for how these powers might manifest from the homunculus Pride in Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Aang, an airbender from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Imagery I associate with these thoughts feels typically defensive. I don't envision myself as strong but rather as nimble, defensive, versatile, and quiet. I see a lot of curves too rather than sharp angles. I guess wind would erode features so smooth structures would feel more fitting and less resistant.
I see the substantiated shadows I employ as my primary, or at least my go-to (or crutch), power. I don't understand how they would work in real life. Cartoons have black shadows so it's easier to see them becoming solid. One thing that is always true is that, like shadows, I never see the points from me where this power emerges. It's always behind me (though it can quickly creep in front of me), emerging bubble-like if it comes out quickly or in a creeping fashion if I'm able to do so at my leisure. I can see it wrapping around me to act like an armor or to be conceal me in dark places or to even be employed as a crude shape-shifting ability. I suppose, if manifested properly, the shadows could also act as pseudo-telekinesis. That is, I could lift someone up or otherwise restrain them with fully substantiated (i.e. solid) tendrils of shadow.
I guess, like Pride, places which are truly dark would upset this power. I would need a source of light to get it started and perhaps also to maintain it. I assume, also like the anime, it has upper and lower limits. Too dark and it cannot emerge; too light and it is overwhelmed and destroyed.
Even though I could fashion the shadows into temporary cutting or stabbing weapons, I don't regularly envision myself doing that except when cornered. Either it takes a lot of effort to use them offensively (something I suspect) or I am simply uncomfortable employing them in that fashion.
Honestly I see the shadowy aspect as a means for intimidation, like the way an animal raises its fur to give off the impression that it is larger than it really is, especially my real body is never seen by my target. I have the substantiation aspect in case that fails but I'm guessing, like a skunk's stinky spray, I would rather not use it. [ASIDE: if I recall correctly, the skunk's spray takes a few days to fully reload after using it so it would much rather use its warning colors than its weapon and face the coming days knowing it is ultimately defenseless if attacked]
In that respect that is what I see my, for lack of a better term, airbending as too: an effort-driven manifestation that I would rather not have to use. On the surface I may use control over the gases around me as another form of intimidation, creating breezes where no breezes ought to be...or outright murder someone by emptying the air in a sphere around their bodies to suffocate them (or oppositely, filling them up like balloons 'til they burst). I feel I must also have control over the air because I typically envision myself in cold places. Whether that's because I've manipulated the temperature around me or that I've based myself in a cold place for comfort is unknown. I don't see why I shouldn't be able to manipulate the temperature of the air, at least to a limited degree, as changes in pressure affect temperature. But then that might be one power too many so I don't know.
I primarily envision its use to forcefully push back anyone who's gotten too close to me. Again, a last ditch move and I always feel like it takes a lot out of me to do so. If able to concentrate I can see me summoning great vortices of air to act as a wall while leaving the area within such a vortex calm and breezeless. It might be possible to use the wind power for limited flight or, more likely, to enhance jumps both vertically and horizontally. It might also allow me to fall from great heights without dying by using blasts of wind at the last moments to slow my descent. Curiously I only ever see the vortices moving counterclockwise: I'm not sure what that means. Ultimately, though, the air manipulation ability may be more of a weakness, acting as a tell of my emotional state.
I associate the air more with my anger than any other emotion and the shadows, with dominance. They could be used both for good or for evil, depending on which allegiance I would hold in whatever comic-book world I might find myself in. I find I'm attracted to these powers as they do not restrict my freedom of movement and as such, when my ability to move is threatened, it is then that they manifest most offensively.
Additionally, the wind I've noticed is used to "inflate" the growing shadow behind me like a cobra's hood providing an area for stabbing tendrils to emerge and/or to protectively cloak me. Also, the shadow appears to be my animus because once emerged, I've noticed my body tends to remain in place as though it can no longer move. I guess like Pride, my body is my shadow's container and if my container were lost, my shadow self (my real self?) would die, thus its protective cloaking.
My emotional state might also affect how the powers are used. That is, if I'm calm, that would be when I have the power over my shadow and when stressed, it would be the wind. Perhaps never both at the same time. In other words, if I'm using wind, I cannot employ my shadows and vice-versa. That actually might make a weird sort of sense, especially since it would weaken me (can't have a hero/villain that's too powerful now!) and cause me to consider strategy as well as for my opponents to consider their plans of attack since if I feel forced to use wind, my substantiated shadows would retract within me. The delay, that is while waiting for the shadows to fully retract since it would not be instantaneous, could also be something an opponent could exploit.
Come to think of it, I don't ever envision myself using both powers simultaneously (although a blast of wind followed by a quickly manifested spear of shadow could result in an effective 1-2 combination).
I think I also prefer not to act offensively because when I envision me taking such actions, they're never particularly accurate. There's either a swirling blast of wind hitting at everything in a ring around me (that's rarely ever taller than I am - the attacks are barely three dimensional) attempting to knock people off their feet or its multiple spears of shadow going only in the general direction of the target. Maybe since the shadows emerge behind me it's difficult to aim them? It could also be a lack of training...it's not like there are classes one could take to learn how to use such powers.
I guess I would most likely be neutral, or attempt to be so, in such comic-book worlds because the powers do little to enhance my physical strength. It wouldn't make much sense to try and go up against a Superman, a Green Lantern, or a Batman. Given my mental state in life, I suppose the temptation to use these powers for evil would be ever-present. I think, if a villain, I would not be the actual supervillain but a top henchman, an emissary of the supervillain. And again, if a hero, I'd probably be the sidekick aiding the actual hero in realizing his/her vision. Regardless of allegiance, I'm not sure if I would ever find myself bound permanently to a side as my desire for freedom may prove overwhelming so attempts to box me in would only make me slip away...
That in of itself is kinda weird. It's my own fantasy and I don't even give myself top billing :-)
Okay, I'm done with my incoherent babbling. At least for today...
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