TLV app
User Name/Nick: Neb
User LJ: bubblegumlace
AIM/IM: NebbieQ
E-mail: nebulamastermind [at] gmail.com
Other Characters: none
Character Name: Sloth (alias, Juliet Douglas)
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 anime)
Age: Chronologically four years old. Mentally, emotionally, and physically she resembles a woman in her mid to late thirties.
From When?: After her canon death at the beginning of episode 48 of the 2003 series
Inmate/Warden: Inmate. Before her death Sloth worked as a minion for the show's main villain, and was involved in an overreaching government conspiracy dedicated to her leader's plot for immortality. Not only did she arrange for the deaths of others who got too close to the conspiracy, she also got her hands dirty herself on occasion, and the plot itself required the sacrifice of numerous human lives as part of a complex alchemical ritual. Aside from the lives she took, both directly and indirectly, she also attempted to murder the series' two main protagonists, a pair of boys no older than 15 or 16 years old. While they did interfere with her group's plans, she had a personal stake in this as well, which will be detailed further in the app.
Something else of note: At the end of her canon, she's defeated, and actually close to some kind of redemption, or at least, closure. At her death, she accepted enough of her latent personality traits (more on that later on) to wish luck to the boys she had been trying to kill. One could argue that time on the ship is unnecessary. However, she never actually did anything other than to die, and to be frank, I've always found the whole "redemption through death" trope to be a bit cheap. She made peace with the kids (or sons, depending on how you view 2003!homunculi) who she'd been antagonizing, which is great! Fantastic. But what about her other misdeeds? What about all the other people who's lives she ruined or took away? What about the desperation and unhealthy mental traits that drove her to be this way to begin with? As far as I'm concerned, her death scene was only the first step, and she still has a ways to go before she becomes an ethical, fully actualized individual.
Item: N/A
Abilities/Powers: Canon: As a homunculus, she has near immortality, in the sense that she won’t die of disease, aging, or other human needs. Furthermore, while she doesn’t show them herself (most likely because nobody could get a hit on her while she was in the flesh - more on that in the next paragraph), all homunculi also show regenerative abilities to some degree, being nigh impossible to kill under normal methods.
Homunculi also have their own unique abilities, and Sloth is no exception. In her case, she can transform her body into a watery-like substance. She can either make it completely watery, or something more akin to an amorphous goo. Depending on the circumstances, she may limit it just to her arms and use them to attack, or she can extend it to her entire body. She can also bond with water in the surrounding area and use it to her advantage.
Her powers also defy the laws of physics: while she can use the water around her to regenerate herself or add to her own mass, she can still extend herself more than her mass should allow even without that. It’s kind of fishy for a series where supernatural abilities are based on the first and second law of thermodynamics. This is most likely the result of writers/animators not keeping their shit straight or putting cool fight scenes before accuracy, but considering how alchemy works in this verse, it’s possible that she might be soaking up water vapor from the air. Who knows! It is a mystery.
Anyway, this is how she uses her abilities:
Travel: She can meld herself into the water fully, and travel through it swiftly without worries of exhaustion or drowning. This makes travel across the ocean and other bodies of water both fun and convenient! Land isn’t a problem either, as she can turn amorphous and ooze around Alex Mac style.
Yes, you can take it with you: She can also hold things inside her body as well, both while she’s (mostly) solid or when she’s traveling in the water. In series, she hides a homunculus child in her own body for extended periods of time, and is able to take him with her with no hindrance to herself. However, it’s not clear whether she’s able to protect people in her body from drowning, or if the fact he was a homunculus meant that the kid didn't need to breathe. It also stands to reason that she can store inanimate objects in her body as well.
Water arms: As stated earlier, she can turn her arms into a watery, amorphous, but still somewhat solid substance. She can either use these as whips to harm and keep her opponents back, or tentacles to hold them tight. There was also one wacky moment where she shot her arm out like a cannon. Oh Sloth, you will never get your own action figure.
Damage? What’s that?: Sloth is a dirty, filthy cheater. When someone tries to lay a hit on her, she can turn her body into water to prevent damage occurring to her flesh. However, there is a downside to this: while her watery form prevents her from taking damage, it can also prevent her from acting. She reverts to this state naturally, and if someone attacks swiftly or constantly (such as with a machine gun), she could be unable to fight back. It also doesn’t help that her fighting style is naturally defensive.
Here comes the rain again: Should her watery form be broken up, it’s possible for herself to come back again and reform. Example: when someone defeated her with SCIENCE (did you ever mix sodium and water together? The kid she was trying to murder did, with Sloth acting as the water), the exploded droplets simply fell back down and reformed.
~*~Makovers~*~: She can also alter her appearance somewhat. Her natural state, when she’s not a puddle of goo, looks like a hot goth milf, complete with pale skin, the unnatural purple eyes that signal a homunculus, as well as the red ouroboros tattoo. The dress and gloves she wears also seem to be a part of her party, as her forming into water has no effect on it. Most of the time, though, she changes her looks to appear more human. Her hair is a lighter brown, her skin has a warmer tint to it, and her eyes are green with a normal round pupil. The dress and gloves are also absorbed into her body, so she can wear normal clothes. In this state she resembles Trisha’s physical appearance perfectly. This seems to be the extent of her appearance related abilities, however.
That's it for her abilities as related to her water affinity. Other than this, she has sharp reflexes, and is able to dodge bullets from friendly fire without a scratch on her face while keeping her cover as a human. She's also able to quickly dodge blows and attack swiftly while using her abilities. However, since even the humans in FMA are over the top, it's not clear how strongly her reflexes are connected to her status as a homunculus.
Mentally and emotionally, she's also calm, composed, and able to keep a cool head in dangerous situations. One of her most dangerous traits, though, is her ability to read people and manipulate their emotional triggers. She also has the patience to watch and observe and wait for people to open themselves up.
On the barge: Of course, she won't be able to pull these shenanigans on the boat. Now, I would like her to keep her cosmetic shapeshifting in tact: if she was stuck with the appearance of a homunculus, it would difficult to pass as a human, but if she was stuck with Trisha's appearance 24/7, then that could aggravate her identity issues. Being able to shift appearances back and forth, even if it's in private, would help her to remember just who and what she is. Plus, it could be used to show that more powers could be given with good behavior...or, on the other hand, taken away.
As for her other homunculus related abilities, I would like her to remain resistant to aging and disease, since this would highlight how unnatural she is. As for everything else, I'd like them to be removed and nerfed completely (this means that if you prick her, yes, she will bleed, and her body would react as a normal human body would). It's not just that she has powerful abilities, but she's also creative with them. As detailed later in the personality section, she drowns a man by shoving her arm down his throat. Even if she's not an active threat (what with having no evil plot to follow at the moment), even minor abilities could make her dangerous. Most importantly, though, is that being trapped on the barge without her powers will force her to think long and hard on what it means to be a homunculus and a human being, which can be used to further her development as an individual.
There's also an OOC concern, as well; she's pretty damn hax, and even after I've looked at accepted apps, I'm still at a loss as to how to depower her and still be acceptable. Taking away her powers solves this problem completely. After I get used to the game atmosphere, I can take my time to decide how and when she should regain her abilities, if at all, in a way that makes sense for both her development and the limitations placed on inmates. I think it would be interesting if she did gradually regain some of her powers eventually, but the details will depend on how her development goes.
Her mental abilities will remain unaffected, and as for her reflexes, like I said earlier I'm unsure how much of that is tied to her being a homunculus. I'm going to say that her reflexes are still sharp, but are limited to what's realistic for a human with combat experience.
In short: she's a creeper who can get under people's skin and has fast, if still human, reaction times. She can't do anything special beyond change her eye, hair, and skin color, and even then she's limited to two options for each. Oh, and she can file your paperwork like nobody's business.
Personality: Before you can get into the details of Sloth’s personality, you have to know what it means to be a homunculus. Homunculi in the 2003 anime are quite different than the ones from the manga/Brotherhood anime (such as King Bradley, aka Wrath), and as a result have a different set of psychological issues. A brief overview can be found here, but they leave out some important details vital to her characterization.
First of all, all the homunculi have memories of the person that they’re based on. Whether they come from the alchemist who created them, something deep within themselves, or something else entirely is up to debate. Regardless, these memories have a deep impact on the homunculi, and their reactions say a great deal about their personality. For example, Envy, one of the oldest homunculi, seems to have the most memories, and not only identifies with his “past life” but also carries a heavy grudge against his “father”. Lust (who is softer than her manga counterpart in many ways) has little memories at first, but events in series reawaken more and convince her that she is the woman she was based on…or, if nothing else, can become that woman with the help of the philosopher’s stone. Sloth, the character I’ll be apping, takes an opposite approach: her memories from Trisha seem to be in opposition to who she feels she is now, and cause a great deal of torment. As a result, she actively works to establish herself as a separate, distinct individual.
There’s also the matter of whether or not the homunculi are the same as those who were supposed to be resurrected. Are they the same person, merely incomplete and awaiting the touch of the philosopher’s stone? Or are they completely different beings, with any similarities the result of their creator’s own memories and desires? The anime doesn’t give a clear answer either way. For the sake of this RP, I will be working under the idea that Sloth is separate woman from Trisha, albeit one who’s heavily influenced by her. I feel that this is the best way to reflect her views and her personal identity.
Now, as for Sloth’s specific memories… in her case, she was the attempted resurrection of a woman named Trisha Elric. During the healing and growth process she went through after her "birth", her mind was flooded with fragments of Trisha’s memories, specifically those of her family: van Hohenheim, her husband and love of her life who eventually left her, and Ed and Al, the children she showered all of her energy, attention, and affection on. When Sloth asked her master about these strange flashes, the only explanation she received is that she’ll understand them after she becomes human (with the help of the Philosopher's stone, of course).
Eventually, though, she managed to piece together enough information to figure out what was going on. The memories, fragmented as they were, were a constant influence in her mind. However, she lacked the emotional energy to match Trisha’s love and dedication. As she described it, she was haunted by endless devotion, yet had none to give. So, she works to make herself as separate from Trisha as possible. Where Trisha was warm and loving, Sloth is cold, ruthless, and manipulative. She even goes so far as to try and kill Trisha’s sons, the Elric brothers. While stopping the boys was part of her master’s plans, this had a personal significance beyond mere orders: she felt that if she could kill them, then she could prove to herself that she isn’t Trisha once and for all. After all, what mother, according to her logic, would kill her own sons?
On the surface, however, there’s no hint to her inner struggle. As a result of her role in the military, amongst the homunculi, and in her master’s conspiracy, she has taken on different personas. First, there’s her basic persona, that of the Fuhrer’s secretary. She’s polite, efficient, industrious, and helpful, if a little distant. This is the face she showed to the world at large, and the mask she's most likely to exhibit upon initial meetings. While in this role, she'll remain civil, but standoffish when it comes to personal matters.
If someone manages to break through, though, they may see a different side of her personality. She'll be warmer, kinder, and more open when it comes to personal issues...though, not by much. She'll talk very little about her own problems (she doesn't want to trouble you), but she'll gladly listen to yours, and provide all the comfort you'll need, especially if you're young and confused. She'll be gentle, but firm, and offer tidbits of guidance and wisdom. In a word, she acts, well, motherly.
Unfortunately, all of that is a sham; her matronly persona is just another mask she wears to hide her true nature and manipulate those around her. Any cracks in her icy shell and shows of openess are all for the benefit of gaining her target's trust and to get in close enough to see how they tick. Now, this act isn't completely artificial; Trisha's memories and personality have given her natural maternal instincts, and she is capable of genuine affection. However, others will always be second to her goals, and she rarely has any attachment to her "children", or, well, anyone else for that matter. In short, she may not be the mother Trisha was, but boy can she fake it.
Now, for accomplices and enemies who know too much to be fooled by the Secretary and the Mother, there's a third persona: the Schemer. Here she’s just as efficient as she is as the secretary, but her respectful obedience is replaced with a cold, commanding air. Despite being one of the youngest homunculi, she still gives them commands with the authority of an experienced leader. Her ruthlessness begins to shine in this role as well, and she gives orders to kidnap and murder with all the moral conflict of a pencil pusher placing a call to accounts receivable. However, when the situation arises, she’s both willing and capable of getting, ah, personally involved. For example, when a conversation with the leader of the mercenaries she hired went south, he threatened to reveal her schemes to the government (the man had no idea how deep the conspiracy ran). Her response was to use her abilities to turn her arm into water and jam it down his throat until he drowned, while she looked out the window and calmly sipped a cup of tea. She couldn't spare enough fucks to turn back and look the guy in the face, that's how little his life meant to her.
Certain situations can cause her calm, detached demeanor to slip. She's capable of being snide, sarcastic, and sadistic, and this shows in situations where she has no need to hide, such as in battle or with allies who know her secret, as well as certain enemies. When she's truly nasty, she combines her motherly traits with her cruel jabs, and delivers both insults and physical blows all while speaking in the same gentle tone of voice she uses to comfort others. When she truly has nothing left to lose, though, that's when the most deeply hidden trait comes out: her vulnerability. Underneath her masks, her schemes, and her cruelties, she's terrified of Trisha's influence. There's this woman inside her head, this kind, giving, damn near perfect woman, who's memories and echoes threaten to override her own personality. Sloth knows that she can't ever be this woman, so these urges and instincts only serve to mock and torment her. One could argue that this is her single, driving motivation: she'll do anything to establish her own identity. Anything.
Of course, that personality is based on her experiences and coping mechanisms as an evil minion. Her defeat has left her with some massive food for thought, and without some kind of master plan to follow, she'll be mostly harmless; while there's blood on her hands, she was never the kind of villain to go on a murder spree for shits and giggles. However, bad habits die hard. Her experiences with her leader, Dante, will leave her cynical towards those in leadership positions, especially those who try to use their power to help her. Her snideness and sarcasm may come to the front more easily, particularly with her warden, and will scoff at most efforts to reform her. On the other hand, though, her manipulative tendencies will stay in tact. While she doesn't have any concrete goals at the moment, she will likely have a strong distrust of others, which will cause her to seek out allies and information on the others on the ship as a way to protect herself. She won't be an active threat, but she still has the potential to be dangerous if she feels she's backed into a corner.
Path to Redemption: First, the good news: at this point, she all ready has one foot in the door regarding personal development. She made peace with the Elric brothers shortly before her death, and thus, it could be argued that she's learned that she doesn't have to murder them horribly to set herself apart as a distinct entity. Plus, the other violent tendencies she displayed were part of her actions as Dante's minion, and without her or her eeevil plot she's far less likely to physically harm others.
Now, the bad news: now that she's alive and well on the barge, she has no idea what to make of her final moments. Was she the one who wished the boys luck, or was that Trisha's influence? While she no longer feels active hate for them, she's now left with more questions than answers. Furthermore, while her identity wan't built on Dante or her plan, it did give her direction. If she's no longer assisting on her search for the stone or attempting to become human, where does that leave her? As a result of these factors, she's left in a state of confusion, frustration, and emotional numbness.
Also, while she was able to make peace with the Elrics, she never came to terms with the other aspects of her life. Old habits die hard, and she's likely to slide back into old mannerisims as a defense mechanism. Her manipulative tendencies will need to be curtailed, and while she's no longer an active threat, she still has the potential to be dangerous if she feels that she or her interests are threatened.
Here's a list of things to keep in mind:
Authority Figures: Dante, her previous master, wasn't exactly the best leader an undead abomination could ask for. She promised Sloth and the other homunculi that once she created the Philosopher's Stone, she would use it to turn them human. However, this was a lie; Dante only had her own interests at heart, and viewed the homunculi as nothing more than emotionless tools to use as she saw fit. When questioned, she was either vague and promised answers or rewards she had no intention of delivering on (for example, when Sloth asked her about the flood of Trisha's memories, Dante told her that she would understand "once she was human"), or was authoritative and tyrannical, with no tolerance for mistakes or rebellion.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR WARDENS: She's not going to trust you, not in the slightest, especially since it was implied that she eventually became wise to Dante's machinations (why she followed her nonetheless, however, is a matter for debate. Perhaps she had no other option. Perhaps Dante's plans were still in line with her own goals. Or perhaps she was just deluding herself). Telling her that you're acting for her own good will only make her wonder what your real goals are, and being ~*~vague and mysterious~*~ will only cement her distrust.
The best way to earn her trust is to be open, honest, and transparent. When you take action, explain the how and why behind it. Granted, her reaction won't be positive at first; she's likely to think it's a bit hokey and over the top, and might even find it a little patronizing. However, consistent openness, when combined with respect towards her, will help her gradually come to trust you.
Tearing off masks: Honesty isn't just a one way street; Sloth also needs to be more open, herself. As stated earlier, her canonpoint will leave her in a state of flux on the barge, and she's likely to backslide into old habits as a defense mechanism. A warden will need to be able to recognize when she's holding back, and how to tell whether any acts of civility or kindness are genuine or simply part of her masks. He or she will also have to keep an eye on her interactions with others, and ensure that she isn't up to her old tricks with other wardens or inmates.
However, surveillance alone won't cause her to open up. A warden will also have to constantly challenge her, both intellectually and morally, and call her on any shenanigans that may arise. While this will annoy and possibly anger her, it will also guarantee that she won't play fake nice. On the plus side, this means she'll be more honest. On the downside, it means that she'll be honest with her negative emotions, and take a snide, acerbic, hostile attitude, and will still be standoffish when it comes to emotional vulnerability and the expression of positive emotions. However, if this approach is balanced with honesty and openness (as described above), she'll at least be in a position where she can begin to be less prickly. It will also put her in a position where she can begin to feel, and express, a more genuine sort of affection towards others.
Not Everyone is Nice (and That's Okay): One of her major sources of internal conflict is that she lacks the emotional energy to keep up with Trisha's influence. It's hinted that the alchemist(s) who create a homunculus might influence them through the memories and feelings they have towards the person they intend to resurrect. While Sloth does have memories that are distinctly Trisha's, she's still been imprinted with an idealized image of her courtesy of two grieving children. The Trisha she knows isn't "Trisha: Fundamentally Good but Still Flawed Human Being", but "Trisha: Perfect Wife and Mother, Second Only to Mother Theresa in Purity and Kindness". It's a tough act to follow. As a result, she's entered a mental zero-sum game: if she can't be like Trisha, then she'll be Trisha's polar opposite. It's the strongest way she can think of to counteract her influence, but since Trisha is a part of her, it will never be truly effective.
First, she needs to learn that there's a difference between being a good person and being a nice person. It's possible to be an ethical person with a strongly developed moral code without being all sunshine, rainbows, and sugar cubes. The best way to send this message across is for her to observe and spend time with flawed, but still upstanding individuals, and to see how they balance the different aspects of their personalities.
Second, she needs to learn that everybody has different limits when it comes to emotional energy. She doesn't need to pour her love out to everyone, and it's okay to keep some amount of distance and privacy. However, she can do so while still remaining civil and without lashing out at others. While she does need to learn how to open up, she can do so at her own pace.
That being said, Trisha is a part of her personality, and she does need to learn how to come to terms with her influence. However, she cannot do so until she is confident and secure in her own identity; more detail on how to successfully integrate the two personalities will be given at the end of her path.
Healthy Goals: An unexpected side effect of being a cog in a centuries long government conspiracy: it keeps you busy! She did have a position of some authority over others, and despite her name, she had plenty of things to do. Being reduced to an inmate will not only be an unexpected blow to her pride, but her newfound free time will also give her entirely too much time to brood.
So, in order to keep her mind focused on the positive, she'll need healthy goals to work towards and keep her busy. A job where she can put her intelligence and organizational skills towards productive ends would be optimal. Physical hobbies would also be good for her, as it would help her grow adjusted to her new, solid, and mostly human body, and would allow her to either entertain herself alone or socialize with others at her own pace.
Reconciliation: As stated earlier, Trisha is an integral part of Sloth's personality, even though she fights against it. In order for her to move on, she'll have to accept her influence and work it into her current persona. HOWEVER, this can only be done after she is completely confident in her own identity. She describes Trisha's memories as a hostile force and fears her taking control. In order for her to accept Trisha, she'll have to be secure that she'll still remain her own person if and when she does.
There's also the philosophical matter of whether or not she is Trisha. Is she a completely seperate entity who happens to share her memories? Or is she the same woman, who's been warped by her experiences with death, failed regeneration, and Dante's manipulations? I'm playing her with the former interpretation, but even if the latter holds true, it's a moot point; even if she could be considered a continuation, she's changed too much to return to the way she was. Basically, imagine if the Ship of Theseus was captained by Herbert West.
Either way, she needs to keep a few things in mind. First, she again must realize that the Trisha in her mind is a highly idealized version of her. Nobody can be Trisha. Even Trisha can't be Trisha. She can be her own person, with her own unique virtues. Second, she must realize that she can be warm to others without giving them all of her time and energy. She doesn't need to be a creature of "endless devotion". A little bit of kindness can go a very long way.
While it may be tempting for a Warden to encourage her to let Trisha take over completely, this won't be the correct solution. She can't simply become "good", she nust be a good person while retaining her own individuality. Furthermore, she is incapable of recreating her personality completely, and will only lead to disappointment at best. A warden must be respectful of Sloth's fears and her status as a distinct person, and encourage her to find her own path through life.
History: Sloth's history, courtesy of an FMA fan wiki. Here's an article on Trisha Elric, as well.
Sample Journal Entry: [There's a burst of static followed by the sound of rustling fabric and something scratching against plastic. There's no image, but soon the darkness is replaced with a stunning shot of the wall, before the camera swivels over to...an eye? A bright green eye. It zooms out to reveal the face of a severe-looking woman in her early thirties. She is clearly unamused. When she speaks, her tone is slow, even, and in control]
While I haven't been here for very long, I've managed to catch snippets of conversations on one topic: "redemption". While the concept of reformation is nothing new, the conversations I've observed are oddly philosophical for a prison ship. So, I must ask: who is it that brought us here and what, precisely, is his purpose? It seems strange to bring such an...eclectic group of people together like this without any benefit to himself or his superiors - if he has any, that is.
Sample RP:
Sloth stared at the tank, eyes lidded and back turned to the hustle and bustle of the common area. Others flitted in and out and chatted with one another, but her attention wasn't on them or their attempts at small talk. Her attention was on the shark.
It wasn't anything most people would find interesting. It wasn't a particularly exciting or beautiful creature. She simply watched as it swam to and fro in its tank, seemingly content in its environment.
What a stupid creature, she thought. Does it even realize that its trapped in a tank?
Still, she can't help but envy the thing. For better or for worse, it was at peace with itelf and its surroundings. It was completely in its element, surrounded by nothing but water.
Water...she glances down at her hand, now made of flesh and bone and muscle. She misses when that was illusion instead of fact. She misses melting into the water and becoming a creature of the waves. Once, she was pure flow, with all the force and power of a typhoon or all the calm and serenity of a lake in a cool summer's eve. Now, though, she's just another clumsy, solid beast, and she feels trapped in a way she never thought possible til now.
She looks back up and sneaks a glimpse at her surroundings. The common room is now mostly empty, and those that remain aren't paying any attention to her or the tank. She quickly turns her attention back to the tank and casually places her fingers near the feeding hole. Sloth takes a deep breath and begins to focus-
And she stops herself before she can get anywhere. What a stupid creature, she thinks in disgust. Sloth tucks an errant hair behind her ear as she turns around and walks briskly out of the room.
Special Notes: First of all, there are some key differences between the 2003 adaptation of FMA and the continuity of the manga and second anime. The most important one is the difference between homunculi. While they were a completely different species than humans in the manga continuity, in the 2003 they were the byproduct of human transmutation. Basically: if you try to resurrect your loved one, you'd get some kind of weird superpowered zombie clone instead. Second, while some characters were more or less the same, others were significantly different, which may cause some confusion (for example, while Sloth was the secretary of Bradley, who was known as Pride in her continuity, the Bradley in TLV would not recognize her in the slightest). In short, think of it in the same as as the difference between, say, DC or Marvel comcis canon and their movie adaptations. I'm not sure if the alternate universe distinction would be noted on Sloth's file or not, as we all ready have an inmate from a different version of Amestris.
Second, homunculi in her canon are dependent on a substance called red stones (creative!) As near as I can tell, feeding on them was only done when they're newly created in order to build up their strength and unlock their abilities, and the stones are kept in their body as a source of power (for example, when trapped in a transmutation circle that drained her of her power, she began to throw them up and expel them from her body).
However, as her body is (mostly) human and devoid of the majority of her powers, she will now have to rely on human foodstuffs. It is, however, possible that she may need a new supply of red stones should any of her powers become available to her.
User LJ: bubblegumlace
AIM/IM: NebbieQ
E-mail: nebulamastermind [at] gmail.com
Other Characters: none
Character Name: Sloth (alias, Juliet Douglas)
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 anime)
Age: Chronologically four years old. Mentally, emotionally, and physically she resembles a woman in her mid to late thirties.
From When?: After her canon death at the beginning of episode 48 of the 2003 series
Inmate/Warden: Inmate. Before her death Sloth worked as a minion for the show's main villain, and was involved in an overreaching government conspiracy dedicated to her leader's plot for immortality. Not only did she arrange for the deaths of others who got too close to the conspiracy, she also got her hands dirty herself on occasion, and the plot itself required the sacrifice of numerous human lives as part of a complex alchemical ritual. Aside from the lives she took, both directly and indirectly, she also attempted to murder the series' two main protagonists, a pair of boys no older than 15 or 16 years old. While they did interfere with her group's plans, she had a personal stake in this as well, which will be detailed further in the app.
Something else of note: At the end of her canon, she's defeated, and actually close to some kind of redemption, or at least, closure. At her death, she accepted enough of her latent personality traits (more on that later on) to wish luck to the boys she had been trying to kill. One could argue that time on the ship is unnecessary. However, she never actually did anything other than to die, and to be frank, I've always found the whole "redemption through death" trope to be a bit cheap. She made peace with the kids (or sons, depending on how you view 2003!homunculi) who she'd been antagonizing, which is great! Fantastic. But what about her other misdeeds? What about all the other people who's lives she ruined or took away? What about the desperation and unhealthy mental traits that drove her to be this way to begin with? As far as I'm concerned, her death scene was only the first step, and she still has a ways to go before she becomes an ethical, fully actualized individual.
Item: N/A
Abilities/Powers: Canon: As a homunculus, she has near immortality, in the sense that she won’t die of disease, aging, or other human needs. Furthermore, while she doesn’t show them herself (most likely because nobody could get a hit on her while she was in the flesh - more on that in the next paragraph), all homunculi also show regenerative abilities to some degree, being nigh impossible to kill under normal methods.
Homunculi also have their own unique abilities, and Sloth is no exception. In her case, she can transform her body into a watery-like substance. She can either make it completely watery, or something more akin to an amorphous goo. Depending on the circumstances, she may limit it just to her arms and use them to attack, or she can extend it to her entire body. She can also bond with water in the surrounding area and use it to her advantage.
Her powers also defy the laws of physics: while she can use the water around her to regenerate herself or add to her own mass, she can still extend herself more than her mass should allow even without that. It’s kind of fishy for a series where supernatural abilities are based on the first and second law of thermodynamics. This is most likely the result of writers/animators not keeping their shit straight or putting cool fight scenes before accuracy, but considering how alchemy works in this verse, it’s possible that she might be soaking up water vapor from the air. Who knows! It is a mystery.
Anyway, this is how she uses her abilities:
Travel: She can meld herself into the water fully, and travel through it swiftly without worries of exhaustion or drowning. This makes travel across the ocean and other bodies of water both fun and convenient! Land isn’t a problem either, as she can turn amorphous and ooze around Alex Mac style.
Yes, you can take it with you: She can also hold things inside her body as well, both while she’s (mostly) solid or when she’s traveling in the water. In series, she hides a homunculus child in her own body for extended periods of time, and is able to take him with her with no hindrance to herself. However, it’s not clear whether she’s able to protect people in her body from drowning, or if the fact he was a homunculus meant that the kid didn't need to breathe. It also stands to reason that she can store inanimate objects in her body as well.
Water arms: As stated earlier, she can turn her arms into a watery, amorphous, but still somewhat solid substance. She can either use these as whips to harm and keep her opponents back, or tentacles to hold them tight. There was also one wacky moment where she shot her arm out like a cannon. Oh Sloth, you will never get your own action figure.
Damage? What’s that?: Sloth is a dirty, filthy cheater. When someone tries to lay a hit on her, she can turn her body into water to prevent damage occurring to her flesh. However, there is a downside to this: while her watery form prevents her from taking damage, it can also prevent her from acting. She reverts to this state naturally, and if someone attacks swiftly or constantly (such as with a machine gun), she could be unable to fight back. It also doesn’t help that her fighting style is naturally defensive.
Here comes the rain again: Should her watery form be broken up, it’s possible for herself to come back again and reform. Example: when someone defeated her with SCIENCE (did you ever mix sodium and water together? The kid she was trying to murder did, with Sloth acting as the water), the exploded droplets simply fell back down and reformed.
~*~Makovers~*~: She can also alter her appearance somewhat. Her natural state, when she’s not a puddle of goo, looks like a hot goth milf, complete with pale skin, the unnatural purple eyes that signal a homunculus, as well as the red ouroboros tattoo. The dress and gloves she wears also seem to be a part of her party, as her forming into water has no effect on it. Most of the time, though, she changes her looks to appear more human. Her hair is a lighter brown, her skin has a warmer tint to it, and her eyes are green with a normal round pupil. The dress and gloves are also absorbed into her body, so she can wear normal clothes. In this state she resembles Trisha’s physical appearance perfectly. This seems to be the extent of her appearance related abilities, however.
That's it for her abilities as related to her water affinity. Other than this, she has sharp reflexes, and is able to dodge bullets from friendly fire without a scratch on her face while keeping her cover as a human. She's also able to quickly dodge blows and attack swiftly while using her abilities. However, since even the humans in FMA are over the top, it's not clear how strongly her reflexes are connected to her status as a homunculus.
Mentally and emotionally, she's also calm, composed, and able to keep a cool head in dangerous situations. One of her most dangerous traits, though, is her ability to read people and manipulate their emotional triggers. She also has the patience to watch and observe and wait for people to open themselves up.
On the barge: Of course, she won't be able to pull these shenanigans on the boat. Now, I would like her to keep her cosmetic shapeshifting in tact: if she was stuck with the appearance of a homunculus, it would difficult to pass as a human, but if she was stuck with Trisha's appearance 24/7, then that could aggravate her identity issues. Being able to shift appearances back and forth, even if it's in private, would help her to remember just who and what she is. Plus, it could be used to show that more powers could be given with good behavior...or, on the other hand, taken away.
As for her other homunculus related abilities, I would like her to remain resistant to aging and disease, since this would highlight how unnatural she is. As for everything else, I'd like them to be removed and nerfed completely (this means that if you prick her, yes, she will bleed, and her body would react as a normal human body would). It's not just that she has powerful abilities, but she's also creative with them. As detailed later in the personality section, she drowns a man by shoving her arm down his throat. Even if she's not an active threat (what with having no evil plot to follow at the moment), even minor abilities could make her dangerous. Most importantly, though, is that being trapped on the barge without her powers will force her to think long and hard on what it means to be a homunculus and a human being, which can be used to further her development as an individual.
There's also an OOC concern, as well; she's pretty damn hax, and even after I've looked at accepted apps, I'm still at a loss as to how to depower her and still be acceptable. Taking away her powers solves this problem completely. After I get used to the game atmosphere, I can take my time to decide how and when she should regain her abilities, if at all, in a way that makes sense for both her development and the limitations placed on inmates. I think it would be interesting if she did gradually regain some of her powers eventually, but the details will depend on how her development goes.
Her mental abilities will remain unaffected, and as for her reflexes, like I said earlier I'm unsure how much of that is tied to her being a homunculus. I'm going to say that her reflexes are still sharp, but are limited to what's realistic for a human with combat experience.
In short: she's a creeper who can get under people's skin and has fast, if still human, reaction times. She can't do anything special beyond change her eye, hair, and skin color, and even then she's limited to two options for each. Oh, and she can file your paperwork like nobody's business.
Personality: Before you can get into the details of Sloth’s personality, you have to know what it means to be a homunculus. Homunculi in the 2003 anime are quite different than the ones from the manga/Brotherhood anime (such as King Bradley, aka Wrath), and as a result have a different set of psychological issues. A brief overview can be found here, but they leave out some important details vital to her characterization.
First of all, all the homunculi have memories of the person that they’re based on. Whether they come from the alchemist who created them, something deep within themselves, or something else entirely is up to debate. Regardless, these memories have a deep impact on the homunculi, and their reactions say a great deal about their personality. For example, Envy, one of the oldest homunculi, seems to have the most memories, and not only identifies with his “past life” but also carries a heavy grudge against his “father”. Lust (who is softer than her manga counterpart in many ways) has little memories at first, but events in series reawaken more and convince her that she is the woman she was based on…or, if nothing else, can become that woman with the help of the philosopher’s stone. Sloth, the character I’ll be apping, takes an opposite approach: her memories from Trisha seem to be in opposition to who she feels she is now, and cause a great deal of torment. As a result, she actively works to establish herself as a separate, distinct individual.
There’s also the matter of whether or not the homunculi are the same as those who were supposed to be resurrected. Are they the same person, merely incomplete and awaiting the touch of the philosopher’s stone? Or are they completely different beings, with any similarities the result of their creator’s own memories and desires? The anime doesn’t give a clear answer either way. For the sake of this RP, I will be working under the idea that Sloth is separate woman from Trisha, albeit one who’s heavily influenced by her. I feel that this is the best way to reflect her views and her personal identity.
Now, as for Sloth’s specific memories… in her case, she was the attempted resurrection of a woman named Trisha Elric. During the healing and growth process she went through after her "birth", her mind was flooded with fragments of Trisha’s memories, specifically those of her family: van Hohenheim, her husband and love of her life who eventually left her, and Ed and Al, the children she showered all of her energy, attention, and affection on. When Sloth asked her master about these strange flashes, the only explanation she received is that she’ll understand them after she becomes human (with the help of the Philosopher's stone, of course).
Eventually, though, she managed to piece together enough information to figure out what was going on. The memories, fragmented as they were, were a constant influence in her mind. However, she lacked the emotional energy to match Trisha’s love and dedication. As she described it, she was haunted by endless devotion, yet had none to give. So, she works to make herself as separate from Trisha as possible. Where Trisha was warm and loving, Sloth is cold, ruthless, and manipulative. She even goes so far as to try and kill Trisha’s sons, the Elric brothers. While stopping the boys was part of her master’s plans, this had a personal significance beyond mere orders: she felt that if she could kill them, then she could prove to herself that she isn’t Trisha once and for all. After all, what mother, according to her logic, would kill her own sons?
On the surface, however, there’s no hint to her inner struggle. As a result of her role in the military, amongst the homunculi, and in her master’s conspiracy, she has taken on different personas. First, there’s her basic persona, that of the Fuhrer’s secretary. She’s polite, efficient, industrious, and helpful, if a little distant. This is the face she showed to the world at large, and the mask she's most likely to exhibit upon initial meetings. While in this role, she'll remain civil, but standoffish when it comes to personal matters.
If someone manages to break through, though, they may see a different side of her personality. She'll be warmer, kinder, and more open when it comes to personal issues...though, not by much. She'll talk very little about her own problems (she doesn't want to trouble you), but she'll gladly listen to yours, and provide all the comfort you'll need, especially if you're young and confused. She'll be gentle, but firm, and offer tidbits of guidance and wisdom. In a word, she acts, well, motherly.
Unfortunately, all of that is a sham; her matronly persona is just another mask she wears to hide her true nature and manipulate those around her. Any cracks in her icy shell and shows of openess are all for the benefit of gaining her target's trust and to get in close enough to see how they tick. Now, this act isn't completely artificial; Trisha's memories and personality have given her natural maternal instincts, and she is capable of genuine affection. However, others will always be second to her goals, and she rarely has any attachment to her "children", or, well, anyone else for that matter. In short, she may not be the mother Trisha was, but boy can she fake it.
Now, for accomplices and enemies who know too much to be fooled by the Secretary and the Mother, there's a third persona: the Schemer. Here she’s just as efficient as she is as the secretary, but her respectful obedience is replaced with a cold, commanding air. Despite being one of the youngest homunculi, she still gives them commands with the authority of an experienced leader. Her ruthlessness begins to shine in this role as well, and she gives orders to kidnap and murder with all the moral conflict of a pencil pusher placing a call to accounts receivable. However, when the situation arises, she’s both willing and capable of getting, ah, personally involved. For example, when a conversation with the leader of the mercenaries she hired went south, he threatened to reveal her schemes to the government (the man had no idea how deep the conspiracy ran). Her response was to use her abilities to turn her arm into water and jam it down his throat until he drowned, while she looked out the window and calmly sipped a cup of tea. She couldn't spare enough fucks to turn back and look the guy in the face, that's how little his life meant to her.
Certain situations can cause her calm, detached demeanor to slip. She's capable of being snide, sarcastic, and sadistic, and this shows in situations where she has no need to hide, such as in battle or with allies who know her secret, as well as certain enemies. When she's truly nasty, she combines her motherly traits with her cruel jabs, and delivers both insults and physical blows all while speaking in the same gentle tone of voice she uses to comfort others. When she truly has nothing left to lose, though, that's when the most deeply hidden trait comes out: her vulnerability. Underneath her masks, her schemes, and her cruelties, she's terrified of Trisha's influence. There's this woman inside her head, this kind, giving, damn near perfect woman, who's memories and echoes threaten to override her own personality. Sloth knows that she can't ever be this woman, so these urges and instincts only serve to mock and torment her. One could argue that this is her single, driving motivation: she'll do anything to establish her own identity. Anything.
Of course, that personality is based on her experiences and coping mechanisms as an evil minion. Her defeat has left her with some massive food for thought, and without some kind of master plan to follow, she'll be mostly harmless; while there's blood on her hands, she was never the kind of villain to go on a murder spree for shits and giggles. However, bad habits die hard. Her experiences with her leader, Dante, will leave her cynical towards those in leadership positions, especially those who try to use their power to help her. Her snideness and sarcasm may come to the front more easily, particularly with her warden, and will scoff at most efforts to reform her. On the other hand, though, her manipulative tendencies will stay in tact. While she doesn't have any concrete goals at the moment, she will likely have a strong distrust of others, which will cause her to seek out allies and information on the others on the ship as a way to protect herself. She won't be an active threat, but she still has the potential to be dangerous if she feels she's backed into a corner.
Path to Redemption: First, the good news: at this point, she all ready has one foot in the door regarding personal development. She made peace with the Elric brothers shortly before her death, and thus, it could be argued that she's learned that she doesn't have to murder them horribly to set herself apart as a distinct entity. Plus, the other violent tendencies she displayed were part of her actions as Dante's minion, and without her or her eeevil plot she's far less likely to physically harm others.
Now, the bad news: now that she's alive and well on the barge, she has no idea what to make of her final moments. Was she the one who wished the boys luck, or was that Trisha's influence? While she no longer feels active hate for them, she's now left with more questions than answers. Furthermore, while her identity wan't built on Dante or her plan, it did give her direction. If she's no longer assisting on her search for the stone or attempting to become human, where does that leave her? As a result of these factors, she's left in a state of confusion, frustration, and emotional numbness.
Also, while she was able to make peace with the Elrics, she never came to terms with the other aspects of her life. Old habits die hard, and she's likely to slide back into old mannerisims as a defense mechanism. Her manipulative tendencies will need to be curtailed, and while she's no longer an active threat, she still has the potential to be dangerous if she feels that she or her interests are threatened.
Here's a list of things to keep in mind:
Authority Figures: Dante, her previous master, wasn't exactly the best leader an undead abomination could ask for. She promised Sloth and the other homunculi that once she created the Philosopher's Stone, she would use it to turn them human. However, this was a lie; Dante only had her own interests at heart, and viewed the homunculi as nothing more than emotionless tools to use as she saw fit. When questioned, she was either vague and promised answers or rewards she had no intention of delivering on (for example, when Sloth asked her about the flood of Trisha's memories, Dante told her that she would understand "once she was human"), or was authoritative and tyrannical, with no tolerance for mistakes or rebellion.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR WARDENS: She's not going to trust you, not in the slightest, especially since it was implied that she eventually became wise to Dante's machinations (why she followed her nonetheless, however, is a matter for debate. Perhaps she had no other option. Perhaps Dante's plans were still in line with her own goals. Or perhaps she was just deluding herself). Telling her that you're acting for her own good will only make her wonder what your real goals are, and being ~*~vague and mysterious~*~ will only cement her distrust.
The best way to earn her trust is to be open, honest, and transparent. When you take action, explain the how and why behind it. Granted, her reaction won't be positive at first; she's likely to think it's a bit hokey and over the top, and might even find it a little patronizing. However, consistent openness, when combined with respect towards her, will help her gradually come to trust you.
Tearing off masks: Honesty isn't just a one way street; Sloth also needs to be more open, herself. As stated earlier, her canonpoint will leave her in a state of flux on the barge, and she's likely to backslide into old habits as a defense mechanism. A warden will need to be able to recognize when she's holding back, and how to tell whether any acts of civility or kindness are genuine or simply part of her masks. He or she will also have to keep an eye on her interactions with others, and ensure that she isn't up to her old tricks with other wardens or inmates.
However, surveillance alone won't cause her to open up. A warden will also have to constantly challenge her, both intellectually and morally, and call her on any shenanigans that may arise. While this will annoy and possibly anger her, it will also guarantee that she won't play fake nice. On the plus side, this means she'll be more honest. On the downside, it means that she'll be honest with her negative emotions, and take a snide, acerbic, hostile attitude, and will still be standoffish when it comes to emotional vulnerability and the expression of positive emotions. However, if this approach is balanced with honesty and openness (as described above), she'll at least be in a position where she can begin to be less prickly. It will also put her in a position where she can begin to feel, and express, a more genuine sort of affection towards others.
Not Everyone is Nice (and That's Okay): One of her major sources of internal conflict is that she lacks the emotional energy to keep up with Trisha's influence. It's hinted that the alchemist(s) who create a homunculus might influence them through the memories and feelings they have towards the person they intend to resurrect. While Sloth does have memories that are distinctly Trisha's, she's still been imprinted with an idealized image of her courtesy of two grieving children. The Trisha she knows isn't "Trisha: Fundamentally Good but Still Flawed Human Being", but "Trisha: Perfect Wife and Mother, Second Only to Mother Theresa in Purity and Kindness". It's a tough act to follow. As a result, she's entered a mental zero-sum game: if she can't be like Trisha, then she'll be Trisha's polar opposite. It's the strongest way she can think of to counteract her influence, but since Trisha is a part of her, it will never be truly effective.
First, she needs to learn that there's a difference between being a good person and being a nice person. It's possible to be an ethical person with a strongly developed moral code without being all sunshine, rainbows, and sugar cubes. The best way to send this message across is for her to observe and spend time with flawed, but still upstanding individuals, and to see how they balance the different aspects of their personalities.
Second, she needs to learn that everybody has different limits when it comes to emotional energy. She doesn't need to pour her love out to everyone, and it's okay to keep some amount of distance and privacy. However, she can do so while still remaining civil and without lashing out at others. While she does need to learn how to open up, she can do so at her own pace.
That being said, Trisha is a part of her personality, and she does need to learn how to come to terms with her influence. However, she cannot do so until she is confident and secure in her own identity; more detail on how to successfully integrate the two personalities will be given at the end of her path.
Healthy Goals: An unexpected side effect of being a cog in a centuries long government conspiracy: it keeps you busy! She did have a position of some authority over others, and despite her name, she had plenty of things to do. Being reduced to an inmate will not only be an unexpected blow to her pride, but her newfound free time will also give her entirely too much time to brood.
So, in order to keep her mind focused on the positive, she'll need healthy goals to work towards and keep her busy. A job where she can put her intelligence and organizational skills towards productive ends would be optimal. Physical hobbies would also be good for her, as it would help her grow adjusted to her new, solid, and mostly human body, and would allow her to either entertain herself alone or socialize with others at her own pace.
Reconciliation: As stated earlier, Trisha is an integral part of Sloth's personality, even though she fights against it. In order for her to move on, she'll have to accept her influence and work it into her current persona. HOWEVER, this can only be done after she is completely confident in her own identity. She describes Trisha's memories as a hostile force and fears her taking control. In order for her to accept Trisha, she'll have to be secure that she'll still remain her own person if and when she does.
There's also the philosophical matter of whether or not she is Trisha. Is she a completely seperate entity who happens to share her memories? Or is she the same woman, who's been warped by her experiences with death, failed regeneration, and Dante's manipulations? I'm playing her with the former interpretation, but even if the latter holds true, it's a moot point; even if she could be considered a continuation, she's changed too much to return to the way she was. Basically, imagine if the Ship of Theseus was captained by Herbert West.
Either way, she needs to keep a few things in mind. First, she again must realize that the Trisha in her mind is a highly idealized version of her. Nobody can be Trisha. Even Trisha can't be Trisha. She can be her own person, with her own unique virtues. Second, she must realize that she can be warm to others without giving them all of her time and energy. She doesn't need to be a creature of "endless devotion". A little bit of kindness can go a very long way.
While it may be tempting for a Warden to encourage her to let Trisha take over completely, this won't be the correct solution. She can't simply become "good", she nust be a good person while retaining her own individuality. Furthermore, she is incapable of recreating her personality completely, and will only lead to disappointment at best. A warden must be respectful of Sloth's fears and her status as a distinct person, and encourage her to find her own path through life.
History: Sloth's history, courtesy of an FMA fan wiki. Here's an article on Trisha Elric, as well.
Sample Journal Entry: [There's a burst of static followed by the sound of rustling fabric and something scratching against plastic. There's no image, but soon the darkness is replaced with a stunning shot of the wall, before the camera swivels over to...an eye? A bright green eye. It zooms out to reveal the face of a severe-looking woman in her early thirties. She is clearly unamused. When she speaks, her tone is slow, even, and in control]
While I haven't been here for very long, I've managed to catch snippets of conversations on one topic: "redemption". While the concept of reformation is nothing new, the conversations I've observed are oddly philosophical for a prison ship. So, I must ask: who is it that brought us here and what, precisely, is his purpose? It seems strange to bring such an...eclectic group of people together like this without any benefit to himself or his superiors - if he has any, that is.
Sample RP:
Sloth stared at the tank, eyes lidded and back turned to the hustle and bustle of the common area. Others flitted in and out and chatted with one another, but her attention wasn't on them or their attempts at small talk. Her attention was on the shark.
It wasn't anything most people would find interesting. It wasn't a particularly exciting or beautiful creature. She simply watched as it swam to and fro in its tank, seemingly content in its environment.
What a stupid creature, she thought. Does it even realize that its trapped in a tank?
Still, she can't help but envy the thing. For better or for worse, it was at peace with itelf and its surroundings. It was completely in its element, surrounded by nothing but water.
Water...she glances down at her hand, now made of flesh and bone and muscle. She misses when that was illusion instead of fact. She misses melting into the water and becoming a creature of the waves. Once, she was pure flow, with all the force and power of a typhoon or all the calm and serenity of a lake in a cool summer's eve. Now, though, she's just another clumsy, solid beast, and she feels trapped in a way she never thought possible til now.
She looks back up and sneaks a glimpse at her surroundings. The common room is now mostly empty, and those that remain aren't paying any attention to her or the tank. She quickly turns her attention back to the tank and casually places her fingers near the feeding hole. Sloth takes a deep breath and begins to focus-
And she stops herself before she can get anywhere. What a stupid creature, she thinks in disgust. Sloth tucks an errant hair behind her ear as she turns around and walks briskly out of the room.
Special Notes: First of all, there are some key differences between the 2003 adaptation of FMA and the continuity of the manga and second anime. The most important one is the difference between homunculi. While they were a completely different species than humans in the manga continuity, in the 2003 they were the byproduct of human transmutation. Basically: if you try to resurrect your loved one, you'd get some kind of weird superpowered zombie clone instead. Second, while some characters were more or less the same, others were significantly different, which may cause some confusion (for example, while Sloth was the secretary of Bradley, who was known as Pride in her continuity, the Bradley in TLV would not recognize her in the slightest). In short, think of it in the same as as the difference between, say, DC or Marvel comcis canon and their movie adaptations. I'm not sure if the alternate universe distinction would be noted on Sloth's file or not, as we all ready have an inmate from a different version of Amestris.
Second, homunculi in her canon are dependent on a substance called red stones (creative!) As near as I can tell, feeding on them was only done when they're newly created in order to build up their strength and unlock their abilities, and the stones are kept in their body as a source of power (for example, when trapped in a transmutation circle that drained her of her power, she began to throw them up and expel them from her body).
However, as her body is (mostly) human and devoid of the majority of her powers, she will now have to rely on human foodstuffs. It is, however, possible that she may need a new supply of red stones should any of her powers become available to her.