APP: Quistis Trepe // Scorched
Out of Character Information
player name: Cassie!
player livejournal: tokyocentricity.
playing here: soulbetween.
where did you find us? Via Mi and Batty! ♥
are you 16 years of age or older?: Yes, ma'ams. ♥
In Character Information
character name: Quistis Trepe.
Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII.
Timeline: About three months post-game.
character's age: 18.
powers, skills, pets and equipment: In her own home world, Quistis was a practitioner of blue magic, which copies, builds on and utilizes enemy skills. This ability persists in Anatole, but operates somewhat differently: she can 'steal' any magic that's been used against her, unless it resulted in her death. Her power with said magic will never be able to exceed that which she was hit with - if someone uses a very restrained or weak basic-level lightning spell that's the magical equivalent of rubbing wool socks on the carpet and touching a doorknob, she's restricted to static electricity with that spell. Consistent with her 'limit break' ability from back home, her blue magic is much more easily accessible when she's severely injured or weakened. At full strength, it would be a futile struggle to attempt to use it.
The people of her homeworld utilized a type of energy-based magic known as 'para-magic,' the power for which could be drawn from various monsters or from the planet itself. Here in Anatole, she'll be able to draw magic from the Sphere's myriad of beasts. (List is here; let me know if anything needs to be changed!) These spells are stocked in limited numbers, and must be restocked when used up.
Her weapon of choice from a fairly young age was a whip; this weapon has evolved over time, but the basic form remained the same. At eighteen, she's an expert with just about any whip you can hand her, but her favourites are tipped with small, heavy blades. She's in excellent physical shape, thanks to being employed as a mercenary in her homeworld, which is inundated with monsters that are frequently encountered outside the boundaries of towns.
A few months prior to her arrival in Anatole, she was plucked from her world and dropped into the wonderful world of Johto, where she spent some time battling, capturing and training Pokémon. By the time she was sucked into Anatole, she was possessed of several mid-level, well-trained Pokémon, and a self-modified training whip with a bladed tip.
canon history: Wiki!
personality: At the age of four, Quistis was orphaned in a war. She spent roughly a year at an orphanage, where she unknowingly met the people who would share her fate later on, and was soon adopted. She didn't spend much time with her new parents, relatively speaking, due to an unexplained conflict. By the time she was ten, she left home for Balamb Garden, a training school for soldiers/mercenaries called SeeD. Garden was a nurturing environment for her ambition and work ethic. When she was fifteen - as young as she was allowed - she became a full-fledged SeeD. Two years later, she was made the youngest SeeD Instructor on record. Given her swift rise to success, she was understandably proud, and became comfortable (perhaps too much so) in her position.
Socially, however, this put her in a difficult position. She was the same age as most of the students she taught, but her position as their superior has put something of a barrier between them. She still has difficulty connecting with people her own age. On the other hand, she tends to be intimidated by older people (being the youngest in her field), especially those in a position of authority, so she's also had trouble connecting with her peers. This is something that she's actively trying to overcome. Since canon events, she's gotten her second wind, and intends to be more assertive and outgoing. She would rather move forward, to become the instructor that she knows she can be, than backward, to become the young woman whom she's trying to outgrow.
After just a short year working as an instructor at the Garden, she suffered a major setback in the form of demotion. Stripped of her instructor's license for 'lack of leadership qualities,' she was operating only as a SeeD, This gave her a chance to 'go back to the basics,' in a way, which has by now helped her immensely - she has come to acknowledge her faults. It was this event that forced her to take a step back and reevaluate herself. Her resolve to earn back her instructor's license and a second chance are the root of her change in attitude.
Some weeks later, some lost memories of her childhood, from a time before her parents, were revived. She remembered her time at the orphanage, and came to realize that the strong feelings she'd long since harboured for one of her students - long a source of internal conflict for her, especially since it crashed on a less-than-favourable note - was nothing more than a misunderstood familial bond. She had lived with the boy at the orphanage, and tried to be a guiding figure for him. This endeavour came to nothing, both back then and more recently, manifesting in her failure as an instructor. With the pressure and anxiety of that failed relationship somewhat lessened, Quistis was able to more easily accept the student's developing relationship with someone else. She learned to operate independently from her emotions - something that she'd had trouble with in the past, which had been severely limiting her contributions to their little saving-the-world party.
While she's an excellent teacher, her ability to guide students with a firm hand is considerably lacking. Because of this, while her leadership skills and tactical prowess are sound in battle, they seem to falter in the classroom. Her capabilities in battle, however, are among her stronger points. She's a brilliant tactician and highly intelligent, qualities which shine frequently in a strategic card game in her home world, which she is considered to be highly skilled at. She's also quite brave; she doesn't shy away from physical conflict or danger. In fact, she will, when necessary, put herself in danger to protect her students. She handles responsibility admirably, rarely breaking stride.
If it weren't for her lack of assertiveness, she would have made an excellent instructor, but Quistis hates to be 'the bad guy,' and is often reluctant to discipline where she should. She wants to be liked, and will sometimes even compromise her better judgment or avoid social conflict to accomplish this end. Her emotions tend to get the better of her, often to the point of interfering with her duties as a SeeD.
All of this said and done, Quistis is a very rational and level person. She has high ambitions and is driven and goal-oriented. There's often a divergence in her personality; she's just as emotionally reactive as she is logical, which can leave her ill at ease, but she's capable of pitting these two parts against one another and balancing them out. She also walks a balance between friendly and somewhat self-conscious; she's quite sociable, but still a bit reluctant to reach out. When approached, however, she proves to be amiable and typically easygoing, ready to listen and eager to talk. She's in no way cold, but she can be hard - the world she comes from is riddled with monsters, she's been trained to kill, and she's seen plenty of battle. Quistis is a tough girl who knows her shortcomings and is consciously working to eliminate them.
why do you feel this character would be appropriate to the setting? See above: world full of monsters, trained to kill, seen plenty of battle. Anyplace outside the cities in her homeworld (and occasionally within the cities) was inundated with random encounters that were quite often life-and-death situations. She also helped save the world from an evil sorceress at the ripe young age of eighteen.
Previously Played Information
previous game: route_29!
length of time there: Aaaalmost three months, but I'm not planning to drop her there anytime soon.
important development and/or events in your previous game: She came to Route fresh off the worldsaving train, so she was still straddling the fence between 'rattled, exhausted and jaded' and 'hysterically relieved.' Johto proved to be much mellower, easier to deal with - there was almost no pressure, and she met a number of new friends, traveled a bit and learned to battle with Pokémon.
notes: Pokémon! She has them. She also picked up a handful of new friends, but no one who was more than that, and strengthened her relationship with Rinoa greatly.
Writing Samples
Network Post Sample: [ The video turns on, shooting from just a few feet off the ground and catching an upward view of Quistis. She only notices once she's finished coiling up her whip, but when she catches sight of it, she smiles cursorily. ]
Afternoon, Anatole. I have a request to make.
I've gotten my fill of the deer here amidst the hunting grounds, and I'm looking for more of a challenge. It's been a while since I've had a decent fight, and... I guess I'd gotten used to it.
[ She's still walking, the camera bobbing along as well, but keeping steadily on her face and even zooming in to catch her brief thoughtful expression. ]
There are monsters a bit further into the mist, aren't there? I'd like to check it out, but I'd rather not go alone. This place is far too dangerous. I'd like to organize a hunting party of sorts, if anyone else is interested. Do let me know?
[ Now she reaches down and picks up the cameraman, taking the camera from his paws and turning it so that it catches the both of them - Quistis and her Riolu - before it shuts off. ]
Third Person Sample:
Anything else? ...Anything else? :D