APPLICATION; Time and Tides
character; Laguna Loire
series; Final Fantasy VIII
age; 28
class; Archer
special abilities; Very handy with a machine gun, despite not being a huge fan of fighting. It gets the job done from a safe distance, and there isn’t much monster left to come after you when you’ve finished pumping them full of lead. Aside from having some surprisingly good leadership skills and a knack for writing, there isn’t much else of note.
history; ”It’s like killing two pigs with one stone.”
personality; Laguna is forever cheerful and energetic, a far cry from the more stoic, somber man people might come to expect after hearing tales of his heroism. Friendly, open, and sociable, Laguna is happy to talk (at great length) to just about anyone who’s willing to listen, and often to those who are not. He’s more than a bit of a klutz, both physically and verbally. He’s been known to trip or lose his balance without impetus, and can often be heard quoting tried-and-true bits of wisdom incorrectly, such as “killing two pigs with one stone” or telling his friends to “always expect the unfamiliar” as opposed to unexpected. His friends have always been quick to laugh and correct him, and Laguna usually tries to cover up his embarrassment by changing the subject or directing their attention elsewhere.
He is terrible with directions, and does not listen very well, infamously misquoting Sorceress Adel’s name as “Azel” more than once even as a leader of the resistance movement. He used to have a long-running habit of getting nervous in high-pressure situations, particularly those involving beautiful women, and often cracked and fell victim to leg cramps before he could act. His nervousness has eased somewhat since settling into a more domestic lifestyle in Winhill, but he still has an occasional cramp attack when put on the spot or while under a great deal of stress.
Despite his past occupation as a Galbadian soldier, Laguna is a pacifist by nature. He hates fighting, but understands that sometimes it’s necessary to bear arms for the greater good. Still, he was glad to leave service to Galbadia behind him when Raine took him in. Becoming the monster hunter of Winhill was an easy decision for him; he hated fighting other humans for a living, but was quite happy to keep the monsters at bay to protect the people who had taken care of him during his hour of need. Laguna is both generous and tremendously loyal, putting a lot of stock into his friendships and other relationships. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people he cares about; he would go to the ends of the earth for someone he loved, which he proved when Ellone was kidnapped by Estharian soldiers.
His faith in the people around him, as well as his kind heart and open mind, are all parts of what make him a great leader. He may not be the best choice when it comes to leading someone to a specific location, but he inspires loyalty and courage in the people around him. His easy-going nature makes him easy to relate to, and his own courage knows no bounds - his willingness to brave countless hardships on his way to rescue Ellone was part of what caused the anti-Adel faction to choose him as their leader. Laguna is a faithful friend and ally to any who will have him, so long as their cause is just.
point in canon; After being appointed President of Esthar, just after receiving word of Raine’s death and learning that Ellone has been sent to the orphanage.
place of arrival; Treno
starter task?; No thanks!
first person sample;
Raine,
Leave it to me to get lost at a time like this. I never really was that good at directions; luckily, I’ve got Kiros and Ward along with and I’m a little more willing to accept their help with navigation this time. Time to face the facts, I never pick the right map! Can’t afford to waste time wandering aimlessly while those bastards who took Ellone get ahead of us. Kiros is working on getting us back on the right track.
Wanted to let you know that I’ve got a strong lead, and I’m gonna follow it until I find her. I’ll get our girl back, and bring her home before you know it. Try not to worry yourself sick while we’re gone. I know you’re a worrier, but you’re the strongest of us, too, you know? We’ll all be together again soon. I’m gonna make sure of that.
I won’t make you wait any longer than I have to, promise. Sorry I can’t give you a return address, but we can’t stay in one place more than a day or two or risk losing the trail. I’ll write again as soon as I can, and hopefully I’ll have better news by then. I’d like for the next letter to say that I’ve found her. Just hang on. I love you.
- Laguna
third person sample;
Laguna repeatedly tapped his chin with his index finger, doing his best to appear thoughtful as he ‘considered’ the proposition he had just been presented with. He was surprised at his own ability to keep his calm, actually. Inside, he was panicked, unsure of how to respond. Was this guy serious? He was a straight-laced government-type guy. They weren’t generally in possession of a great sense of humor, were they? Laguna studied the man in front of him. He looked serious enough, that was for sure. Almost like his face might break if he smiled.
Laguna cleared his throat. “President?” he repeated after what had been an uncomfortably long pause. The secretary of state - at least, that’s what he would have been if Esthar hadn’t been ruled by a bloodthirsty dictator of a sorceress with a bad case of man-hands for so many years, at present he was more like a whipping-boy - nodded once to confirm, giving a careful smile that made it look as though he was putting forth a great effort to be patient. Laguna also noted, to his private amusement, that it really did look like the man’s skin might start to crack if he pushed the smile any further.
“… wow. H-ha, you’re not kidding. I mean, what makes you think I’m the guy for the job? I don’t know a lot about government,” Laguna reminded him gently, deciding it was more polite to omit the fact that he had never cared much for political affairs, even as a soldier.
”We can assist you with that. You’re a hero to the people of Esthar. As the man who lead us to victory and successfully imprisoned Adel, there is no one better suited for the job. The people of Esthar are eager to look to you. They all want you for the job.”
“No pressure or anything,” Laguna remarked with a strained laugh, rubbing at the back of his neck as he often did when nervous. Well. When he put it like that, it was hard to say no. He had thrown his lot in with the resistance because their goal fell in line with his. Ousting Adel was a necessity if he wanted to get Ellone back safely. It had started out as an alliance of convenience, but somewhere along the line, their mission had become his, too. Everyone deserved freedom. There at the end, he had been doing it for the people of Esthar just as much as for Ellone.
There were definite perks to be had, too. President of Esthar? That would certainly mean a better quality of life for all of them. Raine might fuss about having to leave Winhill behind, but who was going to stop her from opening a tavern here in Esthar if she wanted to? Nobody told the president’s wife what she could or couldn’t do. Ellone would be able to get the best education money could buy, and he would be able to make sure that neither of them ever wanted for anything. He smiled to himself. Well, old stone-face here had a point. If the people of Esthar wanted him in office, who was he to say no?
“Well, hey.” Laguna’s lips split into an easy grin as he shrugged, turning his hands up. “Sure. I accept. What’s the worst that could happen?”