OOC Information
Name: Colleen
LJ:
lumatiContact:
Aim: Mercurial Whimsy
E-mail: Earthboundstarlight@hotail.com
Plurk: Achingly
Characters played at Discedo: N/A
IC Information
Name: Rinoa Heartilly
Canon: Final Fantasy VIIII
Timeline: After the SeeD ball, but before Squall and the other SeeDs show up in Timber.
Canon Resource Link:
Wiki LinkPersonality:
The only daughter of General Fury Caraway, it could be assumed from her family's upper-middle class roots that Rinoa is just a vain, selfish girl, but that couldn't be more wrong. Admittedly she is a little naive about the workings of the world, but she has grown up to become a rather open, caring, and joyful person. Due to her comfortable (some would say privileged) upbringing she's very open about her opinions, speaking her mind without reservation. She's not about to tell someone that they look ugly or anything like that mind. It's more she's unafraid to call a jerk a jerk and things of that nature. She believes very strongly in the power of caring and has faith in the fact that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a deep impact on people. It's this belief in the good in people that will eventually her to try and restrict Sorceress Edea's power with an Odine bracelet instead of outright killing her.
Despite her mother's untimely death when she wasn't quite five years old, Rinoa takes after her mother quite a bit in both looks and personality. The Heartilly women are shown to have rather spunky personalities and rather strong-willed temperaments. While she's currently at odd sorts with her father due to a number of things (including their wildly differing stances on Galbadian control over places like Timber), she's unfortunately just as stubborn as her father. This would explain why she's so determined to distance herself from him, though deep down she wouldn't know what to do if something bad happened to her father.
A well educated girl, Rinoa's favorite hobby is reading and she's been a rather voracious reader over the years. Initially it's likely that this hobby is what introduces her to the problems going on in Galbadia that would eventually trigger the events that lead up to her running away from home. Concerned over the state of world events, she goes to Timber and joins one of the many resistance movements there. Perhaps she's hoping that she could find a way to change the world or at least find a way to make Galbadia a better place for everyone who lives there.
That said, Rinoa isn't all noble all the time. She really is just a normal girl which means she has her flaws too. Rinoa isn't a morning person, she'd honestly rather sleep in when possible. She's got a bit of a temper too. Cross her and she might scratch or kick out in retaliation just ask the forest owls! This is why there isn't a single Forest Owl who likes the prospect of waking her up in the morning. Her stubbornness, which can be a good quality sometimes is also a down fall as it sometimes causes her to ignore sound advice from more experienced people from time to time.
She's also a little clingy and certainly has a few abandonment issues of her own. She doesn't like being alone for long periods of time. She's not above childish tactics like pretending to hypnotize people and she seems to require the occasional physical reassurance too. Hold her hand, give her a hug, anything to remind her that she's not alone and that everything is going to be okay. Even if it's not certain that it'll be alright it doesn't matter, just the contact alone helps her keep going.
Note: For the most part I've tried to keep this section true to the glimpses we've seen of her by this point in the game, fleshing it out with facts that are learned retroactively but that apply to how she is at this point in time. Character growth gained during the course of the game has been left out since she hasn't actually experienced this yet. (I've got a version that has those bits in it though if it should be required.)
Powers & Abilities:
Rinoa is a special character in Final Fantasy VIII, because she doesn't have the fancy training that the rest of the cast does. For all intents purposes she's a fairly normal girl living out some extra-ordinary circumstances. Once in party she shows an aptitude for magic, but since I'm taking her from before that point she won't actually know that she's got any particular talent for that area.
In battle she uses a Blaster Edge. A Blaster Edge is a unique bladed projectile weapon that functions in a way that can be compared to a boomerang. She doesn't really possess any other abilities unless you count her remarkable bravery and head-strong stubbornness.
Unrelated to combat, but it's also shown that she's got no talent for crafty things as her model train looked more like a model wreck. I typically compound this by stating that she's also a terrible cook thanks to her childhood of luxury, but it's based on head canon and not stated fact.
Note: As she won't have Angelo, I haven't written any details about combine. I can of course add them in if the mods feel it's necessary.
What items will they be bringing with them to Discedo? I'd like for Rinoa to have her blaster edge, which is just a basic model given her point in the game. Other than that the big thing is a simple silver necklace that her mother's wedding ring is on. Her clothes would be a nice perk too, no one likes to waner around naked, right?
Posting Samples
Third-Person Sample:
He hadn't been at the ball. Staring at the countryside as it sped past her window, Rinoa sighed and leaned forward to rest her chin on the palm of one hand. Why hadn't he been at the ball? It wasn't like Seifer to make a promise and then not keep it. Had something happened?
"The big meanie. I waited for ages and he never showed up!"
She'd give him a piece of her mind the next time that she saw him. Not only had it nearly put her mission in jeopardy, she'd spent most of the dance looking for him when she could have been enjoying herself! He'd better have a good reason for this.
"Awwe. I only got to dance once."
At least the stranger had been cute, so it's not like her entire evening had been a loss. Not to mention Cid had generously agreed to help the Owls! Still Rinoa couldn't help but feel a little put out by the entire event. She'd wanted to dance with Seifer, darn it! Talk about mixed signals. Just how was she supposed to translate this? It was fun, smell you later? It was times like this that Rinoa wished she had some girl friends. The other Owls were great, but she couldn't really talk to Watts or Zone about things like crushes. She'd tried that once and they'd gotten all huffy and weird. Apparently their princess wasn't allowed to like a guy that way.
Ugh. Princess. Maybe one of these days they'd stop calling her that. When they did maybe they could get rid of that pedestal too while they were at it. It's not exactly comfortable being the Princess that they pampered when all she wanted was to be part of the team.
"I hope Seifer's one of the SeeDs they send! Then I can give him a real piece of my mind!"
The very idea made her feel better, but if it was at the thought of chewing Seifer out or seeing him again even she doesn't even know. The lady in a funny hat who was across from her sniffed and gave her a disapproving look. Apparently she doesn't approve of unaccompanied young women who talk to themselves. Rinoa wrinkled her nose in answer before sticking her tongue out playfully. The outraged gasp was almost enough to make her laugh. Some people really need to lighten up and enjoy life a little. That lady clearly wasn't an exception. Waving at her Rinoa offered her a small, apologetic smile that seemed to mollify the stranger well enough.
Train of thought over she turned her attention back to the window and watching the scenery flash past. Oh please say they'd get to Timber soon. This train thing could get really boring after a while!
First-Person Sample:
Wow. This place is kind of a wreck.
[Walking along the street, Rinoa looks at all the different buildings with wide eyes.]
What happened here? It looks kinda like those old pictures I've seen in history books.
[She reaches out curiously, poking at a nearby building curiously only to watch as a piece of the brick breaks off and tumbles to the ground. This is too weird.]
This has to be a dream, right? This isn't Timber. [She continues walking almost aimlessly as she tries to figure out if there's anything familiar in this desolate landscape. Nope, nothing. Tired of walking around in this dusty unfamiliar place she turns her attention to the weird she'd found earlier.]
Use this, huh? Well they could have left me another note telling me how to use it or at least what it does!
[Which leaves the universal fail safe of button mashing to come into play.]
One of these buttons has to do something, right?
[The other owls would be so proud of her superior button mashing technique, truly. Oh hey look there's a light that just turned on!]
Did I get it? Is it on? I hope I didn't break it! Something tells me I can't just go to a store and by a new one.
[She moves the device curiously, tilting her head as she examines it. Since the video is likely on by now people can have a lovely view of a single dark eye as Rinoa eyeballs the device curiously.]
What's this thing do anyway?
[When nothing answers immediately she gives up, sticks the device in her pocket, and goes back to exploring. Enjoy the dark everyone!]