witchesreign application
Name: Anduin
Journal: revolves
Contact: By PM or email, by revolves at live dot com
OC or AU: AU
Character Name: Claire Farron - "Lightning"
Series: Final Fantasy XIII
Gender: Female
Age: 21
Requested Sponsor: N/A, likely would have been Lapis Lazuli or Sapphire as a cadet.
Entry position (Cadet, SeeD, Instructor, other): Instructor; MOV 101 & WTR 302
Appearance:
At 5'7", Claire is fairly tall for a woman, with green-blue eyes and pale pink hair. Because of her training and work as a PSICOM officer, her lean frame is very much the body of an athlete who works hard on keeping herself in shape- as a result, she never slouches, preferring to carry herself with deliberate purpose. However, despite that and her serious nature in general, in many ways her overall look could be considered unusual for someone so dedicated to her job as a military woman. Her wavy hair is kept long and layered into her face and on the sides, and is often either simply swept over one shoulder or tied back very loosely (EDIT: this is changed in-game now, see here). She's also definitely not above vanity and symbolism, since she also has a navel piercing, wears some light makeup... and always has on a miniskirt, even in battle.
Her status as a Sanctum l'Cie chosen by Barthandelus is marked by a Brand on the upper left of her chest (the stereotypical 'heart' position), appearing as a slightly raised, black design that slowly changes over time. Here is what it would look like back on her world, although in this game it will be stopped and burned out white like the Pulse l'Cie's near the end of the game.
History:
Original universe history
Condensed version of AU events
World History:
As she's from an AU that changes a single, person-based event and flowers out like mad from there, the world that Claire is from is exactly the same as that of the Final Fantasy XIII game. In general, it's much like the world of FFVIII and others (you know, with the regular Final Fantasy staples like chocobos and a dude named Cid somewhere), but is technologically advanced to almost a ridiculous degree. A thing called AMP (Antimatter Manipulation Principle) is the basis for much of their technology and is in everywhere, from holograms, inexplicably floating things, huge television screens... and arguably the most important for mention here, the technology called manadrives which allow imitating magic. There's also things like buildings made almost entirely of clear material, and even the areas full of what's more or less considered useless trash includes stuff like semi-sentient robots and lights with apparently self-sustaining power sources.
That said, the people of Cocoon are sheltered and spoiled where they are, kept within the cage where their every need is cared for. It's been centuries upon centuries since any of them have set foot on Gran Pulse below, which is considered a hell and more or less uninhabitable by normal humans- a general misconception fostered by the fal'Cie in charge. Even after the year spent in the world of witchesreign, it's still pretty likely that Claire will be continuing to adapt, honestly, especially given her stubbornness.
More information about Cocoon in general can be found here. As for Gran Pulse, Claire is unfamiliar with it save for what's believed within Cocoon.
Abilities & Physical Abnormalities:
As a l'Cie, Claire is quite a bit stronger and faster than the 'average' human, her status magically enhancing the abilities she'd grown even before being Branded. Due to this, she can jump extremely high with little effort, maneuver and attack much quicker than most enemies can even react, and weather blows and spells that would rapidly undo anything weaker.
Actual magic is also a crucial part of this, and offensively Claire is not to be taken lightly- after all, her stated mission is to take down multiple Pulse l'Cie who are already formidable by themselves, and therefore, she's particularly specialized for doing so. In addition, since her master is Barthandelus, who was alive and kicking as opposed to Anima, the fal'Cie that was killed right after Branding the group in the original canon, being powered up is not an issue.
She has access to four of the elements - Water, Fire, Blizzard, and Aero - up through their second-level -ra levels, and Thunder up through the third-tier Thundaga. When she becomes a l'Cie, she also begins using a gunblade more, which is as it sounds, a combination of sword and gun, a transforming weapon that has fallen in and out of favor over the centuries. Plus, she is capable of channeling magic through it (or any sword, for that matter) to pack a little extra elemental punch for all of her regular basic-level spells save for Aero.
Like the fal'Cie, an interesting manifestation of her power is the ability to create barriers. Like Cid Raines demonstrates in-game, they're generally in the shape of the Sanctum l'Cie's symbol and the Brand on her chest, iridescent and very hard to break so long as she is able to maintain the concentration to keep them up.
In addition, she also possesses a strong propensity towards inflicting those enjoyable things called 'status effects'- particularly Daze/Dazega (like 'Stop,' target(s) cannot move or take any sort of action), Slow, and Pain (target cannot use physical abilities, although the name gives away more about what it actually does), as well as using Dispel to remove protective magical 'buffs.' Her abilities here are obviously formed around the concept of holding those she opposes in place, either for attacking herself or for putting them at the mercy of others.
In the context of the game, she's essentially a ~specialized~ Ravager/Commando/Saboteur with just a dash of Medic. She can heal, but it's not developed any further than what is equivalent to the first level 'Cure' spell in-game. Naturally, she primarily uses it only on herself as well.
Personality:
A prime example of a rising PSICOM officer, the self that Claire Farron presents to the world is well-trained: passionate but generally serious, hard-working and perceptive... and though she's perfectly obedient to her superiors, she also very much remains an independent thinker. She's strong, good at what she does, and knows it. When it comes to being honest, she would rather keep silent than sound uncertain or lie, and finds it hard to forgive anyone who would dare be dishonest to her or show obvious weakness of character.
At the same time, that ridiculously strong, stony exterior conceals a formidable well of insecurity; deep-down, Claire is still very much a human and a young woman. She is loyal to her home and her people and would never want them all destroyed- at their core, her intentions are good. Of course, she's more or less completely friendless and pretty disconnected from other people because of it. Her secrets are all her own and even when she's at her best, accomplishing what she's supposed to do, the question of whether or not anyone else is on her side is hard to imagine an affirmative to... particularly after she's made into a l'Cie.
Following this, she's the slightest bit 'unstable,' as people who spend their life being the best at fighting an imaginary enemy - and then having thinly-veiled betrayal heaped on her - are bound to be, and when she loses control of the situation, it's not pretty. Her temper is a force to be reckoned with all on its own, and she's undoubtedly often stubborn to a fault. Once she's got her mind set on something, it is extremely hard to convince her to see otherwise.
As implied, since she's an officer in PSICOM, hatred for anything Pulse-related has been especially hard-wired into Claire's mind. Considering in this case her mother did not die when she was fifteen, taking care of Serah was never quite as important to Claire as it was to Lightning in actual canon, and it's worth noting that her hard personality comes not from deciding to be a new person as a teenager, but from being trained in the military in general. However, perhaps most importantly, if she could have done something to keep her younger sister from being corrupted by Pulse, changed things so that she wasn't hunting her own family and having to kill people who, even if they are the 'pinnacle of evil' now, were once Cocoon citizens... she would. Purging people to get to Pulsian threats is a necessary evil, but not something she particularly enjoys.
At the end of the day, Claire would also prefer not to be such a slave to Barthandelus and the Sanctum l'Cie too. She's smart and can sense something is wrong even if she's unlikely to ever address it willingly herself. Why Brand her, of all people? As dedicated as she is, one of those sworn enemies is her little sister, who until she waltzed through the door of the Palamecia's bridge with the others, had been the one thing in the world that Claire had loved more than anything. As confident as she tries to act, her bitterness is a stark reality. She's loyal, but the truth of the matter is that she had a promising career in front of her, and because she was made a Sanctum l'Cie, that has been taken from her.
She also likes jewelry and wearing miniskirts.
What are your plans for the character in-game?
Confuse the hell out of the already-present XIII characters? :|
More seriously, this is probably best answered in covering the motivations Claire will have for sticking around Garden, especially in an instructor position. She'll desperately want to go back to her own world, to properly finish saving Cocoon from the threats against it- complete what she believes is her Focus, destroy the remaining Pulsian threat, and... well, spend the next whoever knows how long locked in crystal stasis, she guesses. She'll know that if anyone figures out a way that she can use to get back, staying close to the SeeD organization is probably the best way to find out about it as soon as possible.
Of course... considering her Brand is halted there and such, she's essentially been given a 'second chance.' She could be much worse off than holding a pretty promising job that's not too different than the one she held back home, and I can see her having been groomed into a teaching position eventually 'back home' if stuff hadn't happened too.
Lastly on her reasons... well, having heard that there's Pulse l'Cie about, she'll certainly want to come and keep an eye on them, although speculating on how that might turn out is near impossible. For example, depending on how her first interactions with others go, she may conceal exactly what makes her different than the Lightning the people she knows are familiar with... and they may just figure it out as soon as they meet. It's bound to be interesting no matter what happens, I'm sure.
I also look forward to seeing this version of 'Lightning' interact with other characters regardless of canonmate status too. Derp.
Anything else?
So how 'bout that time she spent hanging around out of sight? After coming down from her likely-epic indignation at being misplaced from her home and all, being disgusted at being on another world, etc., she likely threw herself at studying and getting through all the classes required for becoming a SeeD, focusing on what she's pretty much already good at- officially specializing in Firearms/Projectiles, though she would have hit the Bladed Weapons classes too for sure, and at least the intermediate leveled Martial Arts, Attack/Recovery Magic, and that kind of thing. If possible, she would have insisted on testing out of whatever she could (as in... really, if she were forced to take the compulsory introductory weapons class, she would have just driven everyone batty).
TL;DR, battle stuff = especially high grades out of her, would have taken up all her time. The girl is a bit crazy like that. Chances are she might have helped 'tutor' others in the classes she had already finished, too. 8|
She wouldn't have made many friends at all, though- allies, maybe, if someone proved themselves competent, but it's doubtful she opened up much at all. After graduating, she would have spent some time doing SeeD stuff away from the school proper and then... well, see the 'plans' section above for why she decided to return as an instructor.
FINALLY, it's also worth noting for the sake of "just in case" that sections of this app are based off bits and pieces pulled off the information for thestormishere, who is the 'normal' version of Lightning that I usually play. |D;
Complete TWO out of the FOUR options.
i) IC Questionnaire
What do you prefer to be known as?
[ ... Frooown. ] Back home, it was 'Lieutenent Farron,' but... whatever title you choose to give me will work for now. [ A very brief beat of silence. ] As would 'Lightning.'
How old are you?
Twenty-one.
Do you have any history in combat?
Yes. [ Flatly. ]
If so, have you ever killed?
Yes. [ Also flat, matter-of-fact, and without inflection or hesitation. ]
i) How do you feel when you get involved in some project that calls for immediate and rapid activity?
[ Feel? ] That's part of my job description. If I didn't like it I doubt I'd be very good at it.
ii) Do you organize and initiate leisure activities?
No. My free time is mine alone.
iii) What role do you take when working in a group?
Whatever's needed of me. ... I'm comfortable with taking charge, if nobody else is. Back home I was a commissioned officer. [ Amongst other things. Perhaps a bit pointed there? ]
iv) How talkative are you around other people?
I say what needs to be said. I don't really see the need for anything else.
v) What three things would you want to have with you on a desert island? State your reasoning.
[ Calculated pause- she has to think about this one. ] I'd have to know the limit. [ A slight smirk. ] Easy answer is a vehicle capable of escaping the island. Barring that... it would depend on the island. A means to secure food would probably be most important regardless, as well as a... way to signal for rescue.
... My decision would require more information.
[ Assuming this question comes from before she has the chance to acclimate to this new world, note that she does come from a place which is coddled, to say the least. Things like... needing much shelter from the elements would be a reasonably unknown concept to her. ]
vi) Is it important to be liked by a wide range of people?
... Not particularly. [ She sounds a bit bored at that, looking away with apparent disinterest even if the question stings slightly. ] As long as they know I'm doing what's necessary, it makes no difference to me.
vii) When the odds are against you, is it worth taking a chance?
If the goal is worth the risk, then yes. ... That is to say, if strategy provides no other better option, then yes.
viii) Do you consider yourself to be an impulsive person?
No. [ ... She totally is, though. ]
ix) Would you agree that planning things ahead takes the fun out of life?
[ What is up with these questions...? ] No.
x) Do you like surprises?
Not really. [ If they're good, maybe. ]
xi) Do you sometimes wonder if there is something wrong with you?
... I'm not insecure, if that's what you're asking.
xii) Do you consider yourself to be smarter than your superiors, and disagree with their decisions?
[ Definitely a bit annoyed by now. ] Even if I did, it's not my place to argue against orders.
xiii) Lastly, how do you feel about cabbages?
I don't... have any strong feelings either way.
ii) Prose sample (can be general or a response to the post's prompt).
The view outside the Palamecia this afternoon wasn't particularly exciting, was it? Just clouds, the occasional silver shine of the light reflecting off a nearby satellite airship flying alongside... entirely mundane things, if you'd ever spent more than five or ten minutes looking out when the ship was at cruising speed. Boring.
Fortunately, Claire Farron had little interest in anything else at the moment, other than the rather exciting mess that was unfolding inside the airship instead. The woman's hands gripped the railing as the entire structure seemed to shudder, tilting almost sickeningly, unnaturally for something so large, but though for all the sirens and agitated voices of the pilots and administrators and manadrive mechanics attempting to keep the great airship afloat... Claire was calm. Expression set, posture straight and balanced, she was ready.
For all the trouble these Pulse l'Cie, had given her and the rest of the Cocoon, the formidable terror running about currently unrestrained, for all the innocent lives they'd sent to waste... hopefully this would put an end to it.
Her bootsteps were sharp as she turned and strode to the center of the area. "Out! Get out!" she ordered, and made a severe gesture at the men who stopped to gape at her like she'd... just insisted they leave their posts when the finest airship within Cocoon was quickly looking to fall out of the sky. The wide arc of brilliant purple energy that crackled in the air a moment later quickly persuaded them, however; it wasn't long before Claire - Lightning - was alone while the airship rocked around her.
And as the main door was blasted open, her hand went to the handle of the gunblade holstered behind her, a now-familiar presence against her gloved palm. She would finish this, once and for all. For the sake of every human life living within the floating shell of Cocoon, she had to.
....
It's just that she never could have truly prepared herself for what came running in through that door- the five Pulse l'Cie, anger practically glowing in them... and the face of her little sister among them. Immediately Claire froze, pale eyes wide, for the moment her gunblade and intentions completely forgotten.
"Serah?"