CHARACTER SURVEY (of doom)
Current as of June 2011; after returning to his apartment from the hospital
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? He's at an average 5 feet 8 inches, and somewhat thin, weighing around 132 pounds. He used to be more fit and trained a bit in martial arts and the like (but not to a crazy extent), so he still has a bit of tone. Essentially, he looks like he has a healthy build: not stick-thin, but not quite muscular.
2. How old is he? 17 physically, 20 actually, as of January 4th.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? Generally speaking, he doesn't have fantastic posture, but it's not bad either. It varies depending on his mood--when he's depressed he'll try to shrink a bit, so it'll be worse, and he'll pull his shoulders in as if to protect himself. Lately he's been more confident in himself, so he's more likely to keep his back straight and his head held high, especially if he's in the presence of people he feels know less than him. When angry, he'll keep his back straight and shoulders back with his head low, as if to look out from under his eyebrows.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? He doesn't have any real ongoing illnesses to speak of, physically. When he gets more depressed, he tends to have nightmares and thus is unable to sleep, which worsens his health and suppresses his appetite. He doesn't do a whole lot of physical activity these days, but he's not out of shape, either--just average as far as that goes. He is blind, however, due to the dragon poison that's flowing through his blood.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? He tends to be a bit slow when alone, a little tense and nervous due to not knowing what's around him. He's a bit more relaxed and fluid when around Amaterasu or someone who's helping to guide him somewhere, but it still may be apparent that he's a little unsure of his movements. He's very careful when he's moving around unless he's distracted or panicked, in which case he may be clumsy (even dangerously so considering his blindness). Give him his vision back and he'll walk as if he knows exactly where he's going, even if he doesn't--smoothly and without hesitation.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He's fairly attractive, with a young, slightly androgynous look about him thanks to his relatively narrow jawline and long eyelashes, but his straight nose helps him seem more masculine. Seeing as he can't exactly use a mirror, he can't really say what he perceives--it's been so long since he's seen himself that he's nearly forgotten what he looks like.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? He's got clear, light skin that's not that pale but not exactly tanned. He spends about equal time inside and outside, but lately he may have lost a bit of his color. He has a lot of scars from various times, many light and some more prominent, mostly on his arms, legs, and torso.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. His hair is almost a copper color, a light, almost-reddish brown that's about the only thing that really stands out about him physically--well, it would if he weren't surrounded by people with hair colors like pink, blue and lavender. It's layered on the top and usually spiked up a bit naturally, but when he doesn't comb it it tends to fall into a tangled mess. When he takes care of it, it's soft and healthy-looking, the strands neither fine nor very thick. He has bangs that fall in his face (longer on the sides), and the back of his hair reaches about the middle of his neck. There's a cowlick on the top that always sticks up in a half-curl towards his right.
9. What color are his eyes? Naturally they're a dark brown, almost black, but since he's been blinded, they've been a cloudy white-blue without pupils.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Not really.
11. What are his chief tension centers? When he gets extremely distressed or tense, he can feel a pain right under his ribcage, and sometimes the stress goes to his right arm, which he has a hard time using anyway. Sometimes if he gets tense enough, it will start trembling uncontrollably. Otherwise, the tension is often in his shoulders.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit? Generally he dresses very casually, with hoodies, t-shirts, jeans, khakis shorts, sandals, sneakers, and occasionally boots or dress-shoes. Occasionally he'll wear a button-up in a casual way, or layer a short sleeved t-shirt on top of a long one. He doesn't like bright colors, and thankfully the City has given him what he'd normally worn before--somewhat subdued colors like olive green, grey, dark red, light blue and brown. Sometimes he'll have a small accent of color like a brighter red or blue, but not often. He wears a lot of scarves in the winter and fall, as well as sweaters. He doesn't like things that restrict him around the neck, so he doesn't often like turtlenecks or ties.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? Generally, yes, he tries to get clothes that he's comfortable in and that fit him well. He doesn't like to wear anything particularly baggy or tight enough to restrict his movement very much. Still, his clothes are a bit closer to "fitted" than most people's usually would be.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? His previous job as a security guard had a uniform consisting of a black, zip-up, high-collared top with blue trim, with similar pants and black boots. The material was light and flexible, allowing him to move around with ease. He still has the thing hiding in the back of his closet somewhere.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Boxers. Silk probably. Plain colors and patterns.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? His voice is a bit deep, with an airy tone that kind of negates most of the masculinity of it. His voice is a bit smooth and generally relaxing to listen to. When he's yelling, he'll lose most of the airiness.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? It depends on his mood; when he's depressed he tends to pause a lot or trail off, and speak in a quiet voice. When in a fair mood, he speaks at an average volume, not too loud or quiet, and doesn't really talk quickly.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? He has a mid-western American accent, aka standard fare American English. Nothing particularly special. No real verbal tics or strange pronunciations, aside from the tendency to stutter when he's nervous or stressed.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? English is his native language. He studied French for a while in junior high and high school, but he doesn't have that much fluency. He can catch the general meaning, but speaking it himself is pretty much out of the question. He knows minute amounts of Japanese and German, but hardly enough to count.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? He doesn't really have anything to switch to, but when he comes across a word or name that's foreign, he'll try to pronounce it how someone from that language/culture would. He does, of course, fail this miserably at times, but he gives it his best shot.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He generally likes to think a bit about what he's going to say before he says it. Sometimes when he doesn't it can lead to disastrous results. Occasionally he has moments of cleverness when the right words come to him, though.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He's not really either way, but it can depend on the situation. In a more formal or serious setting, he'll try to be more articulate to get his point or idea across, but when in a casual situation, he's a little more loose. Generally speaking, however, he uses polite speech and doesn't use a lot of slang. He doesn't drop g's in "ing", use "wanna" or "gonna" or things of that sort. He doesn't tend to shorten names either, out of respect, unless otherwise requested. Surprisingly enough, sometimes when he gets angry (specifically if he's been insulted), he's more eloquent and uses formal speech.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? He's pretty intelligent, and generally loves to learn, having gotten mostly As and Bs in school. He's a lot more book-smart than street-smart, but he understands people fairly well, especially after being around them for a while.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He usually prefers time to deliberate, but he can be rash and use somewhat twisted logic when he's pressed for time or under stress.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? He tries to be more considerate of people's feelings, but tends to be a bit more realistic when thinking about the outcome of something. When using logic, he's usually thinking logically about how people's emotions will be affected or how others may react to something. He likes to plan ahead and have ideas in his head about what others may do.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Some pre-school, then from Kindergarten up to about halfway through his senior year in high school. The last semester was spent with a private tutor, however. So he's almost got a high school diploma, but not quite.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? His dream is to be an architect, and he knows quite a lot about the subject, but he's been unable to do anything with it since he was blinded. He's good at math, and likes languages, but has a hard time with them. He knows the basics of composition in graphic design and the like, though again, he's unable to do much with it at the moment.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert... ish. He enjoys speaking with other people and is very sociable, but aside from close friends, he generally keeps his issues and his thoughts to himself.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? He's somewhat unstable. He's more serious these days, but the melancholy from the past several months can sometimes come over him. For the most part, he's laid back and good-tempered, but he can be easily set off by something and sent into rage (or more rarely, depression; he doesn't let others affect him quite as much in that sense much anymore).
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? He's a bit reserved in the face of new people, but won't hesitate to introduce himself briefly and offer his help. He's mostly relaxed, but is a bit more serious than pleasant, at least for the first few minutes. Still, unless the person is hostile, irritates him, or gives him a bad feeling, he tries to seem personable.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? React, usually.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? It depends. If he's in danger, he'll choose flight. If someone else is in danger, he'll choose fight.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? He has a pretty good sense of humor, but doesn't particularly find bathroom humor funny, and pranks are iffy. Sometimes humor about death will send him into a more serious mood, but he tries to just ignore it. Most everything else, aside from most sexual humor, he'll find funny. Most of the jokes he tends to make are of the sarcastic variety, and he does like to make others laugh if he's in a good mood.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? He's definitely got something, and it's probably PTSD with a smidge of something like bipolar disorder. If he's pushed a little too far on certain topics, he'll have a mental breakdown. As for how he handles them? He kind of doesn't. Generally he needs someone to help him out and reassure him that he's got people who care. It's basically only thanks to his friends that he hasn't broken down completely.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? His fortunate upbringing has given him a sense of entitlement and an a bit of an ego over others, but this pride also helps motivate him to help other people. The disasters that ruined his life have definitely shaped him, breaking that ego a bit and giving him more sympathy for people who are alone--as he often feels he is. I could list everything that's happened in the City, but it would go on forever...
14. What does he fear? Fire. Being alone. Seeing people get hurt because of him. Hurting those he cares about.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? At this point, he really just wants some good friends and to see the people he cares about be happy. But he knows this isn't really probable as long as they're all in the City...
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? Too late. Deep down, he resents others for not having to suffer like he did, and for not giving him the respect and care he feels he deserves. He has violent tendencies that he tends to suppress. A lot. His temper has gotten more out of hand lately.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. He loved them, no question about it. Though they were often busy, he never resented them or had any major quarrels. He misses them dearly and regrets not being able to spend more time with them.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? No.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? He spent a bit of time with his mother's parents when they were alive, but they died before he could form a real relationship with them. His maternal grandfather, an alcoholic, is the reason he refuses to drink.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? He considers Kresnik almost a brother, but wouldn't dare say it. Though they've had a lot of issues, their relationship seems to be mending. He feels safe around Kresnik.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Zack, a sniper, was his best friend for a while, and felt almost like an uncle or brother at times. Strangely enough, he can't remember how they met. He also felt close to Tamaki, whom he met in the City.
6. Does he have other close friends? Many, virtually all of whom have left the City now, or died back in his world. Delilah, although a different version than the one he was originally friends with, is his roommate, and Kaede is a close friend. Amaterasu is his beloved companion and guide-wolf-turned-human.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? For the most part, he makes friends easily, but that friendship can be tested by his somewhat rampant emotions. It's easy for him to make them, but a bit harder for him to keep them.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? He could never decide. (But deep down; family. Seeing as he no longer has any, he doesn't have to make that choice.)
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Single. Was in a relationship with Emeraude before it all came crashing down and she disappeared. He also had a previous relationship from high school that ended well; the two remained friends, having realized they just weren't interested in each other romantically.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? No.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? First crush? Probably one of his friends from junior high. She's either dead or moved away. He may have a bit of a crush on EVERYONE Kaede.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? Considerate of other people, patient... he's not really that picky.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? No. He tries not to think about the future that much, but he kind of wants a daughter.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Kind of, but he likes to think he doesn't have any. Most of SOR back in his world consider him an enemy. Haruken would think of himself as Shinju's rival if he thought the kid was worthy. In the City he'd consider Kaito his rival if he thought the vocaloid worthy of the title. (He doesn't.)
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? Mostly heterosexual, but he may find himself attracted to men. 2.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? He doesn't think he's ready, and he'd be right. He's too emotionally unstable to handle that kind of thing right now.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? He may not know it yet, but someone's hands on his hips, or tracing a finger down his spine will do the trick. Also, being restricted by having weight on top of him, especially if it makes it difficult for him to breathe I mean... but only if he's interested in that person.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? He's a Capricorn. I have no clue.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? He's a bit spiritual, but not religious. He doesn't pray or anything, and he really only thinks about the soul and things like that when serious or somewhat depressed.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Yes, he's always had a sort of code to never hurt others. Of course... that's already been compromised. He's kind of given up on it now, but he'll avoid hurting anyone if he can. When he can't, he'll only aim to disable, not harm for no reason. Unless he's pissed off or has a grudge against the person, in which case, only his physical weakness will hold him back.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? He doesn't really care that much, but he'll gladly learn about them if someone offers to teach him.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? He hates people who manipulate others for their own benefit... people who hurt those he cares about... sex offenders... sexists/racists/etc... mostly nothing that's not really justified. However, he can get really easily upset at alcoholics or people who use drugs without considering their situation.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Upper-class. He was pretty wealthy, but if he were to return back to his world now, he'd just be alright. Most of his parents' money is being held for when he turns 18.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? As for social status, he's just a regular guy with money, really. When it changed and he was a guy with money he couldn't access, as well as no friends or family... It should be apparent how it affected him.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others? In the City, he lives in an apartment, and he keeps it well organized out of necessity. He used to share it with Rune, but now he lives with Delilah and Ammy. To him it's pretty much home now, and he feels comfortable in it. When he was a bit younger, he lived in a nice-sized house with his parents, not quite a mansion but spacious and well-decorated nonetheless, but it was a bit empty with his parents usually working. After the tragedy, he moved into a small apartment where his legal guardian worked, which he had to himself. He didn't think of it as much other than a place to sleep and think.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Again, back in his world. Books, music, movies... the occasional trinket or game. Sometimes he'd buy architectural models or kits with which to build one. For a rich guy he didn't spend a lot himself, though his parents tended to spoil him.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else? In the City, nothing, obviously. Back in his world he was a security guard. He never really enjoyed it--it was the means to an end, i.e. revenge. However, he no longer has the drive to do that, and would likely try to ask if he could do something else to pay his legal guardian back.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? Architecture was his main interest, but now-a-days he really only reads and listens to music. He takes walks with Ammy, talks with friends, and likes to swim when he gets the opportunity.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? Sometimes he'll skip meals, but he usually has two or three a day. The times he goes out to eat and cooks for himself are about 50/50. He doesn't drink alcohol at all, and drinks more tea than most people. He doesn't avoid much, but doesn't exactly venture out into the culinary world much either.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Olive green.
2. Smell? Bread.
3. Time of day? Noon.
4. Season? Autumn.
5. Book? Sherlock Holmes.
6. Music? Alternative rock.
7. Place? The beach.
8. Substance? Sand.
9. Plant? Ailanthus tree.
10. Animal? Hokkaido inu.
END
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Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? He's at an average 5 feet 8 inches, and somewhat thin, weighing around 132 pounds. He used to be more fit and trained a bit in martial arts and the like (but not to a crazy extent), so he still has a bit of tone. Essentially, he looks like he has a healthy build: not stick-thin, but not quite muscular.
2. How old is he? 17 physically, 20 actually, as of January 4th.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? Generally speaking, he doesn't have fantastic posture, but it's not bad either. It varies depending on his mood--when he's depressed he'll try to shrink a bit, so it'll be worse, and he'll pull his shoulders in as if to protect himself. Lately he's been more confident in himself, so he's more likely to keep his back straight and his head held high, especially if he's in the presence of people he feels know less than him. When angry, he'll keep his back straight and shoulders back with his head low, as if to look out from under his eyebrows.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? He doesn't have any real ongoing illnesses to speak of, physically. When he gets more depressed, he tends to have nightmares and thus is unable to sleep, which worsens his health and suppresses his appetite. He doesn't do a whole lot of physical activity these days, but he's not out of shape, either--just average as far as that goes. He is blind, however, due to the dragon poison that's flowing through his blood.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? He tends to be a bit slow when alone, a little tense and nervous due to not knowing what's around him. He's a bit more relaxed and fluid when around Amaterasu or someone who's helping to guide him somewhere, but it still may be apparent that he's a little unsure of his movements. He's very careful when he's moving around unless he's distracted or panicked, in which case he may be clumsy (even dangerously so considering his blindness). Give him his vision back and he'll walk as if he knows exactly where he's going, even if he doesn't--smoothly and without hesitation.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He's fairly attractive, with a young, slightly androgynous look about him thanks to his relatively narrow jawline and long eyelashes, but his straight nose helps him seem more masculine. Seeing as he can't exactly use a mirror, he can't really say what he perceives--it's been so long since he's seen himself that he's nearly forgotten what he looks like.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? He's got clear, light skin that's not that pale but not exactly tanned. He spends about equal time inside and outside, but lately he may have lost a bit of his color. He has a lot of scars from various times, many light and some more prominent, mostly on his arms, legs, and torso.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. His hair is almost a copper color, a light, almost-reddish brown that's about the only thing that really stands out about him physically--well, it would if he weren't surrounded by people with hair colors like pink, blue and lavender. It's layered on the top and usually spiked up a bit naturally, but when he doesn't comb it it tends to fall into a tangled mess. When he takes care of it, it's soft and healthy-looking, the strands neither fine nor very thick. He has bangs that fall in his face (longer on the sides), and the back of his hair reaches about the middle of his neck. There's a cowlick on the top that always sticks up in a half-curl towards his right.
9. What color are his eyes? Naturally they're a dark brown, almost black, but since he's been blinded, they've been a cloudy white-blue without pupils.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Not really.
11. What are his chief tension centers? When he gets extremely distressed or tense, he can feel a pain right under his ribcage, and sometimes the stress goes to his right arm, which he has a hard time using anyway. Sometimes if he gets tense enough, it will start trembling uncontrollably. Otherwise, the tension is often in his shoulders.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit? Generally he dresses very casually, with hoodies, t-shirts, jeans, khakis shorts, sandals, sneakers, and occasionally boots or dress-shoes. Occasionally he'll wear a button-up in a casual way, or layer a short sleeved t-shirt on top of a long one. He doesn't like bright colors, and thankfully the City has given him what he'd normally worn before--somewhat subdued colors like olive green, grey, dark red, light blue and brown. Sometimes he'll have a small accent of color like a brighter red or blue, but not often. He wears a lot of scarves in the winter and fall, as well as sweaters. He doesn't like things that restrict him around the neck, so he doesn't often like turtlenecks or ties.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? Generally, yes, he tries to get clothes that he's comfortable in and that fit him well. He doesn't like to wear anything particularly baggy or tight enough to restrict his movement very much. Still, his clothes are a bit closer to "fitted" than most people's usually would be.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? His previous job as a security guard had a uniform consisting of a black, zip-up, high-collared top with blue trim, with similar pants and black boots. The material was light and flexible, allowing him to move around with ease. He still has the thing hiding in the back of his closet somewhere.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Boxers. Silk probably. Plain colors and patterns.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? His voice is a bit deep, with an airy tone that kind of negates most of the masculinity of it. His voice is a bit smooth and generally relaxing to listen to. When he's yelling, he'll lose most of the airiness.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? It depends on his mood; when he's depressed he tends to pause a lot or trail off, and speak in a quiet voice. When in a fair mood, he speaks at an average volume, not too loud or quiet, and doesn't really talk quickly.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? He has a mid-western American accent, aka standard fare American English. Nothing particularly special. No real verbal tics or strange pronunciations, aside from the tendency to stutter when he's nervous or stressed.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? English is his native language. He studied French for a while in junior high and high school, but he doesn't have that much fluency. He can catch the general meaning, but speaking it himself is pretty much out of the question. He knows minute amounts of Japanese and German, but hardly enough to count.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? He doesn't really have anything to switch to, but when he comes across a word or name that's foreign, he'll try to pronounce it how someone from that language/culture would. He does, of course, fail this miserably at times, but he gives it his best shot.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He generally likes to think a bit about what he's going to say before he says it. Sometimes when he doesn't it can lead to disastrous results. Occasionally he has moments of cleverness when the right words come to him, though.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He's not really either way, but it can depend on the situation. In a more formal or serious setting, he'll try to be more articulate to get his point or idea across, but when in a casual situation, he's a little more loose. Generally speaking, however, he uses polite speech and doesn't use a lot of slang. He doesn't drop g's in "ing", use "wanna" or "gonna" or things of that sort. He doesn't tend to shorten names either, out of respect, unless otherwise requested. Surprisingly enough, sometimes when he gets angry (specifically if he's been insulted), he's more eloquent and uses formal speech.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? He's pretty intelligent, and generally loves to learn, having gotten mostly As and Bs in school. He's a lot more book-smart than street-smart, but he understands people fairly well, especially after being around them for a while.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He usually prefers time to deliberate, but he can be rash and use somewhat twisted logic when he's pressed for time or under stress.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? He tries to be more considerate of people's feelings, but tends to be a bit more realistic when thinking about the outcome of something. When using logic, he's usually thinking logically about how people's emotions will be affected or how others may react to something. He likes to plan ahead and have ideas in his head about what others may do.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Some pre-school, then from Kindergarten up to about halfway through his senior year in high school. The last semester was spent with a private tutor, however. So he's almost got a high school diploma, but not quite.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? His dream is to be an architect, and he knows quite a lot about the subject, but he's been unable to do anything with it since he was blinded. He's good at math, and likes languages, but has a hard time with them. He knows the basics of composition in graphic design and the like, though again, he's unable to do much with it at the moment.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert... ish. He enjoys speaking with other people and is very sociable, but aside from close friends, he generally keeps his issues and his thoughts to himself.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? He's somewhat unstable. He's more serious these days, but the melancholy from the past several months can sometimes come over him. For the most part, he's laid back and good-tempered, but he can be easily set off by something and sent into rage (or more rarely, depression; he doesn't let others affect him quite as much in that sense much anymore).
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? He's a bit reserved in the face of new people, but won't hesitate to introduce himself briefly and offer his help. He's mostly relaxed, but is a bit more serious than pleasant, at least for the first few minutes. Still, unless the person is hostile, irritates him, or gives him a bad feeling, he tries to seem personable.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? React, usually.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? It depends. If he's in danger, he'll choose flight. If someone else is in danger, he'll choose fight.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? He has a pretty good sense of humor, but doesn't particularly find bathroom humor funny, and pranks are iffy. Sometimes humor about death will send him into a more serious mood, but he tries to just ignore it. Most everything else, aside from most sexual humor, he'll find funny. Most of the jokes he tends to make are of the sarcastic variety, and he does like to make others laugh if he's in a good mood.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? He's definitely got something, and it's probably PTSD with a smidge of something like bipolar disorder. If he's pushed a little too far on certain topics, he'll have a mental breakdown. As for how he handles them? He kind of doesn't. Generally he needs someone to help him out and reassure him that he's got people who care. It's basically only thanks to his friends that he hasn't broken down completely.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? His fortunate upbringing has given him a sense of entitlement and an a bit of an ego over others, but this pride also helps motivate him to help other people. The disasters that ruined his life have definitely shaped him, breaking that ego a bit and giving him more sympathy for people who are alone--as he often feels he is. I could list everything that's happened in the City, but it would go on forever...
14. What does he fear? Fire. Being alone. Seeing people get hurt because of him. Hurting those he cares about.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? At this point, he really just wants some good friends and to see the people he cares about be happy. But he knows this isn't really probable as long as they're all in the City...
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? Too late. Deep down, he resents others for not having to suffer like he did, and for not giving him the respect and care he feels he deserves. He has violent tendencies that he tends to suppress. A lot. His temper has gotten more out of hand lately.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. He loved them, no question about it. Though they were often busy, he never resented them or had any major quarrels. He misses them dearly and regrets not being able to spend more time with them.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? No.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? He spent a bit of time with his mother's parents when they were alive, but they died before he could form a real relationship with them. His maternal grandfather, an alcoholic, is the reason he refuses to drink.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? He considers Kresnik almost a brother, but wouldn't dare say it. Though they've had a lot of issues, their relationship seems to be mending. He feels safe around Kresnik.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Zack, a sniper, was his best friend for a while, and felt almost like an uncle or brother at times. Strangely enough, he can't remember how they met. He also felt close to Tamaki, whom he met in the City.
6. Does he have other close friends? Many, virtually all of whom have left the City now, or died back in his world. Delilah, although a different version than the one he was originally friends with, is his roommate, and Kaede is a close friend. Amaterasu is his beloved companion and guide-wolf-turned-human.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? For the most part, he makes friends easily, but that friendship can be tested by his somewhat rampant emotions. It's easy for him to make them, but a bit harder for him to keep them.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? He could never decide. (But deep down; family. Seeing as he no longer has any, he doesn't have to make that choice.)
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Single. Was in a relationship with Emeraude before it all came crashing down and she disappeared. He also had a previous relationship from high school that ended well; the two remained friends, having realized they just weren't interested in each other romantically.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? No.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? First crush? Probably one of his friends from junior high. She's either dead or moved away. He may have a bit of a crush on EVERYONE Kaede.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? Considerate of other people, patient... he's not really that picky.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? No. He tries not to think about the future that much, but he kind of wants a daughter.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Kind of, but he likes to think he doesn't have any. Most of SOR back in his world consider him an enemy. Haruken would think of himself as Shinju's rival if he thought the kid was worthy. In the City he'd consider Kaito his rival if he thought the vocaloid worthy of the title. (He doesn't.)
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? Mostly heterosexual, but he may find himself attracted to men. 2.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? He doesn't think he's ready, and he'd be right. He's too emotionally unstable to handle that kind of thing right now.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? He may not know it yet, but someone's hands on his hips, or tracing a finger down his spine will do the trick. Also, being restricted by having weight on top of him, especially if it makes it difficult for him to breathe I mean... but only if he's interested in that person.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? He's a Capricorn. I have no clue.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? He's a bit spiritual, but not religious. He doesn't pray or anything, and he really only thinks about the soul and things like that when serious or somewhat depressed.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Yes, he's always had a sort of code to never hurt others. Of course... that's already been compromised. He's kind of given up on it now, but he'll avoid hurting anyone if he can. When he can't, he'll only aim to disable, not harm for no reason. Unless he's pissed off or has a grudge against the person, in which case, only his physical weakness will hold him back.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? He doesn't really care that much, but he'll gladly learn about them if someone offers to teach him.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? He hates people who manipulate others for their own benefit... people who hurt those he cares about... sex offenders... sexists/racists/etc... mostly nothing that's not really justified. However, he can get really easily upset at alcoholics or people who use drugs without considering their situation.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Upper-class. He was pretty wealthy, but if he were to return back to his world now, he'd just be alright. Most of his parents' money is being held for when he turns 18.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? As for social status, he's just a regular guy with money, really. When it changed and he was a guy with money he couldn't access, as well as no friends or family... It should be apparent how it affected him.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others? In the City, he lives in an apartment, and he keeps it well organized out of necessity. He used to share it with Rune, but now he lives with Delilah and Ammy. To him it's pretty much home now, and he feels comfortable in it. When he was a bit younger, he lived in a nice-sized house with his parents, not quite a mansion but spacious and well-decorated nonetheless, but it was a bit empty with his parents usually working. After the tragedy, he moved into a small apartment where his legal guardian worked, which he had to himself. He didn't think of it as much other than a place to sleep and think.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Again, back in his world. Books, music, movies... the occasional trinket or game. Sometimes he'd buy architectural models or kits with which to build one. For a rich guy he didn't spend a lot himself, though his parents tended to spoil him.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else? In the City, nothing, obviously. Back in his world he was a security guard. He never really enjoyed it--it was the means to an end, i.e. revenge. However, he no longer has the drive to do that, and would likely try to ask if he could do something else to pay his legal guardian back.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? Architecture was his main interest, but now-a-days he really only reads and listens to music. He takes walks with Ammy, talks with friends, and likes to swim when he gets the opportunity.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? Sometimes he'll skip meals, but he usually has two or three a day. The times he goes out to eat and cooks for himself are about 50/50. He doesn't drink alcohol at all, and drinks more tea than most people. He doesn't avoid much, but doesn't exactly venture out into the culinary world much either.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Olive green.
2. Smell? Bread.
3. Time of day? Noon.
4. Season? Autumn.
5. Book? Sherlock Holmes.
6. Music? Alternative rock.
7. Place? The beach.
8. Substance? Sand.
9. Plant? Ailanthus tree.
10. Animal? Hokkaido inu.
END
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