Application for polychromatic
[nick / name]: Cherry
[personal LJ name]: cherryfox
[other characters currently played]: N/A
[e-mail]: nightcrossed[at]gmail[dot]com
[AIM / messenger]: Platinum Ryou
[series]: Tales of the Abyss
[character]: Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear
[character history / background]: {Tales Wiki Entry for Natalia.}
Once upon a time there was a kingdom named Kimlasca Lanvaldear that was ruled by King Ingobert VI and Queen Olivia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear. On one fortuitous day, the queen came to be with child. At the same time a woman named Sylvia Oakland who served as a maid in the castle and followed the Score faithfully was also with child. Sylvia gave birth early to a beautiful daughter named Meryl, however, when Queen Olivia went into labor, the young princess was brought into the world stillborn.
But this is not the end of the story.
For you see, the world knows of a prophecy called the Score which was passed down by Yulia Jue, and anyone who follows its teachings and moves along its path shall see a prosperous future. As such, when Grand Maestro Mohs saw in the Closed Score that the two daughters would be switched, he did everything in his power to make sure it came to pass. Sylvia had been moved into the castle, and her mother, Maggie, assigned as the queen's wet nurse. Mohs then sent two guards to watch Maggie and to drug Sylvia. Under orders, Maggie switched her own granddaughter with the unfortunate little princess.
When Sylvia awakened, she began to panic because she could not find her daughter. She searched the palace grounds and then the city proper for Meryl, but could find no sign of her, and since the drugs had not fully released her from their grasp, Sylvia met with an unfortunate accident and fell into the ocean. To onlookers, it appeared as though she had taken her own life.
Sylvia's husband Badaq, who had been escorting a caravan across the desert, returned to find his wife dead and Meryl gone. Stricken with the grief and heartbreak so prominent in this story, and because following the Score had led to this tragedy, he leaves the kingdom and later joins a man bent on overturning that which has inflicted such pain on the world. For this sad tale and many others have been laid out in the prophecy known as the Score.
However, not every aspect of the story is as sad as this. Young Meryl, promised "a long life and the radiance of stars" grows up as the Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear, having no knowledge of her true origins, and yet she is lovingly tended by the king and queen as well as her true grandmother - known to her as "Nanny". And despite her unusual blonde hair (for the royal line carries red hair, and the queen's is as black as night), few people question it.
A year or two into her life she is engaged to Duke Fabre's son (his wife Susanne and King Ingobert VI are siblings) who is but a year younger than she, and Natalia begins her royal tutelage, being taught all the things a princess and future ruler must know. But the engagement is certainly a glad occurrence, for Luke fon Fabre becomes her first true friend, and without him castle life would be very lonely indeed. At one time or another he aids her in sneaking out of the castle (and breaking her fall), the two of them explore the capital city of Baticul, and a whole new door has opens onto Natalia's world. Luke teaches Natalia to care for their people and assists in her learnings. (Later on, many of these topics likely come from what he is told by Dorian General Van Grants about the outside world.)
When Natalia is only five years old, the Queen dies. The details aren't clear, but this may mark a time when her relationship with her father grows even closer, and the two make visits to her grave. Despite this, her lessons continue.
Within a year Natalia and Luke are joined on their expeditions by Guy Cecil, Luke's servant and playmate. And though Luke starts making a habit of running off to play with Guy instead of Natalia, much to her dismay, it is all in all a happy childhood for Natalia. This happiness reaches its pinnacle when on her 9th birthday, Luke makes a promise (a proposal she calls it) to Natalia that one day when they're older, they will change this country together into a place without war or poverty where people can live happily.
But all good things must come to an end. When Natalia is eleven, Luke is kidnapped. Of course there is a search for him and talk of war, because they believe the Malkuth Empire whom they've had shaky relations with for as far back as anyone can remember is behind it all. In time Luke is eventually found and returned home. However, he has no memories of the past ten years and cannot even walk or feed himself. At first the maids try to keep Natalia away from him for her own well-being, but she finally manages to sneak past them and see her betrothed for herself. The boy she finds is absolutely terrified of her and sits there shaking and whimpering on the edge of his bed. Natalia is quite understandably upset. She goes home, throws her head onto the bedsheets and cries her eyes out. But there is talk of calling off the engagement, and that simply won't do because Luke promised her! And so Natalia swears to herself that she'll help him remember and return him to his former self - much easier said than done of course. Luke has become fussy and has absolutely no interest in learning to read or write whatsoever; Natalia doesn't have the most patience for his childish behavior either. They manage to make a little progress when Luke finally calls her by her name ("Annoying Natalia"), and it gives her hope which she continues to hold onto tightly.
The years pass, and though Luke still has only limited interest in learning, Natalia continues her studies, begins to take an active role in politics, and devotes of her time to humanitarian projects. She assists the people of Baticul in finding new jobs and proposes a number of building endeavors; she even journeys to meet with the troops in Chesedonia and help boost their spirits. Despite all this, she visits the Fabre household whenever she can to see how Luke (and Guy) are getting along.
Following one such visit, the defenses of the Fabre household are once again breached. A mysterious female assassin confronts Luke and his sword instructor during their routine practice, and when Luke intervenes, a hyperresonance occurs and the two of them are whisked halfway across the world.
You can just imagine how well the news goes over with the princess. She speaks with Guy about the situation, though she can hardly be angry with him as he's clearly shaken up about it. He informs her that the Duke will probably be sending him off to look for his wayward charge, and that there are already several other groups searching the Kingdom and Malkuth territory. Commandant Grants has also agreed to look for him. Natalia tells Guy that she wishes to join the search, and after he protests, assures him that she will speak with her Father afterwards and protect his life (only not before because she knows the king will forbid her from going), and then proceeds to lay out the plans for a nighttime departure.
But of course, Guy can see the dangers and flaws in her plan and after a talk with Van, he leaves without telling her. Which would mean that Natalia is stuck praying for Luke's safety and metaphorically biting her nails until Luke is found (and thinking up just what she will say to Guy when he returns no doubt). In the meantime Natalia continues her duties and pays visits to Lady Susanne (her aunt) who has fallen ill with worry over her son.
Luke does finally return with an entourage in tow - the Fon Master of Daath as well as some Malkuthian representatives who wish to present His Majesty with a peace treaty. Though unbelievably relieved to see him, Natalia has a few words for both her fiancé and Guy. She also manages to mistake Tear for being one of Luke's servant girls and doesn't leave the most desirable first impression on any of those present. Natalia then offers her condolences about Van, and when Luke discovers he's been arrested on suspicion of being a co-conspirator in his disappearance, begs Natalia to talk to the king and have him released. She finally agrees (so long as Luke will hurry and remember his promise) but leaves in a bit of a huff because such talk makes it seem that Luke's more worried about Van than he is about seeing her. (You know how it is.) Nevertheless, Natalia keeps her word.
The next day Natalia pens a letter requesting Luke's presence at the castle. There the king announces that he has every intention of taking Malkuth up on their offer, but there is another matter which must be dealt with first. It seems there's some trouble at Akzeriuth and Malkuth has asked Kimlasca for aid since due to a poisonous vapor known as miasma blocking the way, the mining town can only be reached from the Kimlascan side. A fonstone is brought forth and Tear is asked to read the Score inscribed thus. In short, it foretells that Luke will lead the journey to Akzeriuth and therefore they ask him to become Kimlasca's goodwill ambassador. Luke finally agrees thanks to a previous conversation with Van, and the ambassadorial group is assembled. Natalia asks for permission to accompany them, but of course her father says it will be impossible. As everyone hurries off to prepare for the journey, Natalia goes in search of Luke to try and devise some plan in which she can be included. Along the way she overhears him taking to the Dorian General and discovers it was Van who kidnapped him seven years ago and that after the Akzeriuth mission he intends to defect to Daath. Well, Natalia certainly can't sit still after learning all that, and so she packs her things and heads off early in the morning to get ahead of the party and meet them along the way.
The group is all set to leave, but they receive news that Ion has been kidnapped and the Oracle Knights are stationed outside the capital. A plan is formulated to dispatch a decoy ship with Van aboard while the others exit the city via an abandoned factory. It is there that Natalia reveals herself to them, and when Luke and the others protest, she uses her newly discovered information as leverage. Luke finally caves and they pinky swear - Natalia can come along with them if she'll keep what she heard a secret. Adventures with spiders and friendly banter ensue, and though Natalia still hasn't done much to better the party's opinion of her, she proves that she does have some redeeming qualities and has managed to humble herself just a little. She also has to be rescued for the first of numerous times throughout the game.
Upon exiting the facility, they come across the God-Generals who are escorting Ion onto a landship. Luke charges forward and attacks the nearest soldier, but when he turns around, everyone discovers that he looks exactly like Luke! The God-Generals escape with Ion and the party is left to wonder precisely what is going on. The mysterious man (later revealed as Asch the Bloody) manages to contact Luke telepathically and tells him that Ion is in the Zao Ruins beneath the desert. And so, the party presses on through heat and sand to rescue the world's religious leader. Unfortunately for Natalia, her mind remains full of unanswered questions and her heart and feet both feel quite heavy since Luke's been trying to get everyone to move with haste. In the depths of the ancient ruins, the party once again meets up with Largo the Black Lion, Sync the Tempest, Asch the Bloody and Fon Master Ion. A battle soon follows and the structures above them begin to crumble...
[character abilities]: {List of Artes.}
According to Natalia herself, she is a master of Lanvaldearian-style archery and an able healer - which also makes her a seventh fonist. Despite her skills with the bow, however, Natalia has a tendency to freeze up when danger comes her way and often has to be saved by the other party members - at least in the beginning. Her curiosity leads her to inquiring into and discovering new things (namely search points), she's prone to tripping over rocks, and her cooking is basically lethal.
And by lethal we do indeed mean a one-hit K.O. She's an absolute terror in the kitchen: she chops vegetables with a hand so heavy it could easily sever an arm, tries to cast healing artes on burnt food, and has a habit of experimenting with ingredients. That apple flavor you taste? It's actually an apple gel (a healing item) that she added to the soup. Even her dishes that turn out looking normal are toxic. So be warned never to eat them under any circumstances.
[character personality]:
Anise: She sure looked like a princess, didn't she? Pretty clothes, royal bearing, elegant speech... I guess that's the upper class for you. A little boisterous, too.
Raised as a princess, Natalia embodies many of the qualities one might expect of a member of the royal household. She behaves and speaks in a very proper way, dresses elegantly, and exudes confidence and pride in her country. In formal situations, Natalia seems to consider her words and actions and how they'll reflect on her country and whether or not she'll slight the person she's speaking with. This doesn't mean that she doesn't form strong opinions, however, and she will gladly share them in a more relaxed atmosphere or to someone she trusts.
Natalia is rather spoiled, though, having lived in a castle all her life and even maids to bathe and dress her much of the time. She has moments where she behaves childishly or responds in a petty manner when she doesn't get her way. Natalia also has a tendency of getting jealous easily, a trait Guy alludes to several times on the party's way back to Baticul. Funnily, most in-game examples are complete misunderstandings, such as when she jumps to conclusions about Tear being a maid, or later when Noir teases her by saying that Asch "sure knows how to treat a lady". Luke describes and often complains about her being a nag.
Despite Natalia's overbearing tendencies, many of her actions are done out of love. In fact, half the reason Natalia is such a royal pain is because she's earnestly trying to help Luke regain his memories, learn what's necessary of him, and return to the way he used to be. It was Natalia who took a leading role in trying to re-teach him how to read and write, and though she had to endure an abundance of tantrums (and likely had a few of her own), she didn't give up, and was pleased despite the progress being small. Natalia even had devised a plan to sneak out of the castle and join the search for him, but of course that fell through. (No names, thank you.)
She's done a great deal for her country as well, including finding jobs for the unemployed and helping to build a port and a hospital. Natalia honestly seems to care for her people, and they reciprocate this feeling (later proven when they come to her rescue with very little direction from the Dark Wings), not because of who she is, but because of her actions. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty or her hair out of place when there is someone in need of her help, and in such situations becomes almost reckless. When Luke told her to get away from the afflicted in Akzeriuth, that they're "dirty" and "you might catch something", she's pretty much outraged and snaps back: "What's dirty? What am I going to catch?! Don't say such stupid things!"
Having only limited experience in the outside world, Natalia is naturally curious and eager to learn all that she can. However, this also means she's quite gullible and may easily fall for some rather amazing stories, such as the one Anise concocts to explain Dorian General Grants' skills and appearance. Because, yes, eyebrows shoot lasers and beards grant one magical powers. (Not in this fandom.)
Natalia happens to be fond of adventure and romance. Honestly, she can be a bit of a sap... Such as her comments to Luke on how "wouldn't it be romantic if the first thing you remembered was your promise to me?" As a child, one of her favorite books was "Lady Thief 001: The Star of Ispania" who is described as a mysterious female thief and a master of disguise. Natalia claims to have always looked up to this character and when given the opportunity to dress in a similar way during a particular sidequest, she gets just a little too into it. She is also very fond of ghost stories.
Interestingly, Natalia has very few strong female influences in her life - the two that come to mind are her wetnurse, Maggie, and Lady Susanne whom she is known to pay visits to in her father's stead.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Pre-Akzeriuth; Confrontation in Zao Ruins.
[journal post]:
Greetings citizens and fellow travelers. My name is Natalia, and if you could perhaps offer me a moment of your time, I would be most grateful. As it turns out, a number of my traveling companions have turned up missing, and I am in need of your assistance in locating them.
[Of course, she cannot reveal their names for political reasons, but she will try to describe them as best she can.]
Among their number are a red-haired male carrying a sword, a blond manservant, a green-haired youth in white robes, an older gentleman wearing glasses, a girl with her hair pulled up in two ribbons and a large plush doll, and a plain girl in a brown dress. If you have seen or spoken with any of these persons, please notify me at once. You may reach me through means of this device or, if you would prefer, you're welcome to approach me in the city square. I thank you in advance for your cooperation.
[third person / log sample]:
Natalia walked slowly through the square, not searching for any place in particular, but rather for faces she knew. At first she thought that perhaps she had fainted from heat stroke, that the others had brought her along and then taken a ferry from Chesedonia, but this wasn't the center of trade, and there were no flags or markings to indicate either nation or the autonomous state of Daath. And besides, they wouldn't have left her behind, would they? Surely not! And if they had, she certainly had a thing or two to say about it.
The situation in Akzeriuth was a pressing matter, but even so, Natalia felt they would have at least left some form of correspondence if they had gone ahead without her. As for this place, the people who had spoken to her seemed kind, even if the city itself was indeed... strange. Whenever Natalia found herself alone for an extended period of time, an incessant ticking would invade her thoughts and make it difficult to concentrate. She had a lot to think about, it seemed. Natalia found herself questioning just how well she understood those dearest to her. Did Luke really intend to defect to Daath despite his duties to Kimlasca? Had she been too hard on him? Perhaps most worrying of all was the shocking attitude he'd taken up about his role as goodwill ambassador. Natalia was indeed proud of the designation, but Luke kept hurrying them along, hardly giving anyone a chance to discuss the situation. It was a wonder they hadn't exhausted their supply of gels halfway through the factory. Perhaps she would have to speak to him about it - a reminder that the Fon Master and the citizens of Akzeriuth were their priorities at the moment - not Van. Natalia was no longer sure what to think of that man.
And then there were the God-Generals. Just what were they planning and-- and why did that swordsman look so very much like Luke? Natalia tried to dismiss it as mere coincidence, but even as she tried, she found it quite impossible. There had to be a reason why they shared such an uncanny resemblance, and it would continue to bother her until she knew why.
Hearing footsteps, Natalia lifted her head, temporarily abandoning her thoughts as she turned on her heels to face the person approaching her. "Who's there?"
[third person / log sample]:
Natalia's feet were already in motion, hurrying her across the cobblestones with little regard for anything else. Her attention focused quickly on the pained expression of a middle-aged man, and then to the hand clutching his side. Thank goodness he wouldn't have to suffer for long!
"Are you all right? Here, let me heal you!" Natalia knelt down hastily, her hands already stretching out to rest gently on the back of his palm, carefully prodding it out of the way so that she could get a better look at the wound. She'd listened through plenty of lessons on healing artes and she was confident in her ability, but even so, a tinge of worry creeped into her chest. These were her people, her responsibility. She wished to do everything she could for them, and yet that task was immense. She didn't want a single person to slip through the cracks, unnoticed or unhelped. Or afraid.
How would she ever manage to become a princess worthy of them? To keep her promise of building a country that would bring smiles to its inhabitants? After all, she could never manage to be everywhere at once, and if the court had their way, she'd be spending even more of her time locked away in the castle. Surely that was no way to properly run things, and Natalia had no intention of becoming a stranger to her subjects.
"You're going to be fine. This may take a little while, so please, hold still for just a moment longer." she reassured him quietly, already opening her fon slots to call upon the seventh fonons which drifted around her and allowing them to collect in her fingertips. She spoke softly, asking questions about his family and profession, and whether the pain were receding. He worked at the port, she discovered, with a passion for the sea and an unmistakable fondness for his children. Listening to him warmed her heart and brought a smile to her lips.
She paused occasionally to check her progress and murmur calm reassurances; the injury was slowly closing. But inside, Natalia wondered if she was doing enough, whether she would ever be able to do enough. Kimlasca and Malkuth still teetered on the brink of war, held back only by Daath's influence, and it troubled her greatly. At present there was no way to promise peace to anyone, not unless the nations agreed to sit down together for discussion. There were taxes, land claims, and long-held grudges to consider as well. And also funding - even given the size of the royal treasury, the budget was being stretched.
Regardless, she could not - would not - fail them. It might take years, even decades, but little by little she would somehow find a way to turn Kimlasca into a safe and happy kingdom. And perhaps by that time...
Natalia felt the flow of fonons decrease, allowed her hands to settle in her lap, and offered her patient an encouraging smile. "There, all done. Do you still feel pain anywhere, Mr. Gardner? That was quite a fall you took."