Roxas (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pullsheavendown) wrote2018-07-08 09:57 pm
pullsheavendown) wrote2018-07-08 09:57 pm
Entry tags:
Application for El Nysa
APPLICATION: Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Handle: Jaina
Contact: jaina.x@gmail.com / PMs okay too
Over 18? Yes.
Characters Played: None currently.
Character Name: Roxas
Series: Kingdom Hearts (video game series)
Canon Point: Post-Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
Character Age: 16.
Background: Wiki background
Personality:
Bump into him today and Roxas can pass for a normal teenager. But his unusual beginning still sets him apart if you get to know him, and it certainly affected the way his personality developed. After being created, he took a while to get a handle on, well, existence. He was able to walk, fight, dress himself, and stay alive since the day he was 'born' from Sora's heart—but all the things related to interacting and connecting with people were unfamiliar, and learning them didn't come easily. As a newly born Nobody, he simply took everything in, processing the sensory input that came with existing independently. As a result, he remains a somewhat quiet person to this day, but he isn't especially shy—Roxas might not actively draw attention to himself or go out of his way to interact with a stranger, but he's capable of holding a conversation without getting flustered.
He's always been a curious person, exploring questions as simple as "what do friends do together" and as complex as "what does it mean to have a heart." Roxas is not overly outgoing, so he tends to deal with his curiosity by gathering experiences, listening to people, and observing the world around him rather than peppering others with questions. He ponders things he doesn't understand in private (in his mind, or writing them down in his diary) or occasionally with the few people he is closest to. However, he most frequently internalizes things that worry or confuse him. In lighter moments, he has a sense of humor that can be sarcastic but never mean-spirited. He can be a little awkward without being completely socially inept and has trouble fully connecting with people, but others tend to find him kind and likeable all the same.
As a friend or ally, Roxas is loyal, but that loyalty is primarily reserved for those he chooses over who circumstances dictate he should be loyal to, and he'll do what his heart tells him is right, even if it brings him trouble. Though he was fairly obedient as a member of the Organization, he looked out for his friends first, going out of his way to hide Xion's temporary inability to summon the Keyblade by doing twice the work in both their names. Another time, he chose his conscience over orders when he came across a fairy in need, although it took longer for him to decide to break the rules and intervene on behalf of a stranger. He's not exactly a hero, who gladly charges in to help anyone who might happen to need it, but a good guy who'd be troubled by turning his back on a bad situation? That's Roxas.
When he was implanted with false memories and placed inside a computer simulation of Twilight Town for a week, his kidnapper claimed to have given Roxas a "new personality," but in practice, Roxas seemed like fundamentally the same person responding to altered circumstances—if he had grown up a normal boy in a normal town, this is who he might have been. He remained a quiet, curious, person who valued friends over everything, showed curiosity and a drive to solve the mysteries he stumbled across, didn't hesitate to stand up for himself when necessary. He was still a little awkward at times, too.
But if his nature is to be a fundamentally good guy who values his emotional connections and simple acts of friendship, nurture has given Roxas a harder edge. The other members of Organization XIII were his primary influences during most of the year he lived independently from Sora, and from them he learned that no matter how much they had in common as Nobodies, no matter that they shared the goal of building Kingdom Hearts and becoming whole—they were still willing to cast him aside when he was no longer a pliable tool they could easily use for their purposes. He didn't like all of them, but he held a basic level of trust for most of them, and learning that trust had never been mutual was an extremely rude awakening. And while he doesn't consciously remember this, they also forced him into a position where he had to fight one of his best friends to the death or be destroyed himself. Roxas won that battle, and it created an insurmountable grudge and deeper capacity for anger, even rage, than ever existed before.
A second major blow came when he uncovered the truth about his "normal" life in the digital town actually being a fake, carefully constructed prison. He had often wondered what life was like for normal people, but the awakening of his true memories and the revelation that his own normal life was a lie was immensely traumatic, stirring up equal amounts of fury and grief. All the happy memories and loved ones he believed he had there were never real, something that became very clear when his digital 'best friends' abruptly ceased to perceive him, driving him to uncover the truth—and this was something the good guys did, all for the sake of waking up Roxas' counterpart Sora. Once again, he was a temporarily useful tool, discarded when his role was done.
Predictably, these experiences have left him with a fair amount of bitterness and anger. For him, this is a double-edged sword—he's used anger as fuel to help him escape from the Organization and fight for his existence even from the inside of Sora's heart, but it's also easier for a savvy opponent to use that anger against him, either by goading him or taking advantage of a mind clouded by fury. Additionally, while it's only occurred in some specific circumstances, he's more prone to violence—upon discovering the truth about the digital town, he destroyed DiZ's computers and then tried to attack the man himself while declaring his hatred. These experiences also mean that Roxas is much less likely to fully accept others at face value. He isn't paranoid or a complete cynic, but having seen how easily some people can use and take advantage of others, he will be much warier of extending complete trust without good reason.
Learning the truth about who he is—a fragment of someone else who was never meant to exist on his own, the shadow of Sora, who others would always choose over Roxas—severely shook his sense of identity. While once he had many questions—how did he get here? What made him so special? Where did he learn to use the Keyblade?—upon being forcibly absorbed into Sora, they coalesced into a single question: Why him and not me?
This led to Roxas showing just how determined he can be by challenging Sora from inside his heart, making a last stand to reclaim his identity and take control of their shared existence. Knowing who Sora was by then didn't make him any less angry, or prompt him to do anything but attack aggressively, but during the battle (which Sora won), Roxas was able to finally reach an understanding of why Sora mattered so much to the people who chose him over Roxas. It was his capacity to connect with other people, to build connections between his hearts and theirs. It didn't make what happened to Roxas okay, but knowing that Sora was a worthy person brought Roxas a measure of peace. If he couldn't be glad that he'd been forced to assimilate with his original self, he could at least be glad that his other self was a good one. During his most recent canon appearance shortly before his pull point, Roxas shows that this sense of understanding remains. He knows that their circumstances could have ended up the other way around, but he also appears to accept that other things matter as much as his personal tragedy.
After going through a lengthy emotional wringer and gaining some understanding and perspective, existing in El Nysa will present a genuine opportunity for Roxas. He might be there for an awful reason, and he might be more limited in where he can go, but in many ways he'll have more freedom than he ever has before. Who does he want to be if he's no longer defined as Number XIII or as a piece of Sora who must be used to complete him? The fact that he can ask this question and seek an answer will make it worthwhile, regardless of what answer he might eventually find.
Powers/Abilities:
Power Nerfs (if applicable):
Inventory:
Incentives: Roxas' continued existence as an independent being is more than enough for him. He understands why he was forced to assimilate with Sora, but he wants to live his own life, and he'll choose cooperation with the Orbiters over sleep in a pod or in Sora's heart any day.
OOC
Handle: Jaina
Contact: jaina.x@gmail.com / PMs okay too
Over 18? Yes.
Characters Played: None currently.
THE CHARACTER
Character Name: Roxas
Series: Kingdom Hearts (video game series)
Canon Point: Post-Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
Character Age: 16.
Background: Wiki background
Personality:
Bump into him today and Roxas can pass for a normal teenager. But his unusual beginning still sets him apart if you get to know him, and it certainly affected the way his personality developed. After being created, he took a while to get a handle on, well, existence. He was able to walk, fight, dress himself, and stay alive since the day he was 'born' from Sora's heart—but all the things related to interacting and connecting with people were unfamiliar, and learning them didn't come easily. As a newly born Nobody, he simply took everything in, processing the sensory input that came with existing independently. As a result, he remains a somewhat quiet person to this day, but he isn't especially shy—Roxas might not actively draw attention to himself or go out of his way to interact with a stranger, but he's capable of holding a conversation without getting flustered.
He's always been a curious person, exploring questions as simple as "what do friends do together" and as complex as "what does it mean to have a heart." Roxas is not overly outgoing, so he tends to deal with his curiosity by gathering experiences, listening to people, and observing the world around him rather than peppering others with questions. He ponders things he doesn't understand in private (in his mind, or writing them down in his diary) or occasionally with the few people he is closest to. However, he most frequently internalizes things that worry or confuse him. In lighter moments, he has a sense of humor that can be sarcastic but never mean-spirited. He can be a little awkward without being completely socially inept and has trouble fully connecting with people, but others tend to find him kind and likeable all the same.
As a friend or ally, Roxas is loyal, but that loyalty is primarily reserved for those he chooses over who circumstances dictate he should be loyal to, and he'll do what his heart tells him is right, even if it brings him trouble. Though he was fairly obedient as a member of the Organization, he looked out for his friends first, going out of his way to hide Xion's temporary inability to summon the Keyblade by doing twice the work in both their names. Another time, he chose his conscience over orders when he came across a fairy in need, although it took longer for him to decide to break the rules and intervene on behalf of a stranger. He's not exactly a hero, who gladly charges in to help anyone who might happen to need it, but a good guy who'd be troubled by turning his back on a bad situation? That's Roxas.
When he was implanted with false memories and placed inside a computer simulation of Twilight Town for a week, his kidnapper claimed to have given Roxas a "new personality," but in practice, Roxas seemed like fundamentally the same person responding to altered circumstances—if he had grown up a normal boy in a normal town, this is who he might have been. He remained a quiet, curious, person who valued friends over everything, showed curiosity and a drive to solve the mysteries he stumbled across, didn't hesitate to stand up for himself when necessary. He was still a little awkward at times, too.
But if his nature is to be a fundamentally good guy who values his emotional connections and simple acts of friendship, nurture has given Roxas a harder edge. The other members of Organization XIII were his primary influences during most of the year he lived independently from Sora, and from them he learned that no matter how much they had in common as Nobodies, no matter that they shared the goal of building Kingdom Hearts and becoming whole—they were still willing to cast him aside when he was no longer a pliable tool they could easily use for their purposes. He didn't like all of them, but he held a basic level of trust for most of them, and learning that trust had never been mutual was an extremely rude awakening. And while he doesn't consciously remember this, they also forced him into a position where he had to fight one of his best friends to the death or be destroyed himself. Roxas won that battle, and it created an insurmountable grudge and deeper capacity for anger, even rage, than ever existed before.
A second major blow came when he uncovered the truth about his "normal" life in the digital town actually being a fake, carefully constructed prison. He had often wondered what life was like for normal people, but the awakening of his true memories and the revelation that his own normal life was a lie was immensely traumatic, stirring up equal amounts of fury and grief. All the happy memories and loved ones he believed he had there were never real, something that became very clear when his digital 'best friends' abruptly ceased to perceive him, driving him to uncover the truth—and this was something the good guys did, all for the sake of waking up Roxas' counterpart Sora. Once again, he was a temporarily useful tool, discarded when his role was done.
Predictably, these experiences have left him with a fair amount of bitterness and anger. For him, this is a double-edged sword—he's used anger as fuel to help him escape from the Organization and fight for his existence even from the inside of Sora's heart, but it's also easier for a savvy opponent to use that anger against him, either by goading him or taking advantage of a mind clouded by fury. Additionally, while it's only occurred in some specific circumstances, he's more prone to violence—upon discovering the truth about the digital town, he destroyed DiZ's computers and then tried to attack the man himself while declaring his hatred. These experiences also mean that Roxas is much less likely to fully accept others at face value. He isn't paranoid or a complete cynic, but having seen how easily some people can use and take advantage of others, he will be much warier of extending complete trust without good reason.
Learning the truth about who he is—a fragment of someone else who was never meant to exist on his own, the shadow of Sora, who others would always choose over Roxas—severely shook his sense of identity. While once he had many questions—how did he get here? What made him so special? Where did he learn to use the Keyblade?—upon being forcibly absorbed into Sora, they coalesced into a single question: Why him and not me?
This led to Roxas showing just how determined he can be by challenging Sora from inside his heart, making a last stand to reclaim his identity and take control of their shared existence. Knowing who Sora was by then didn't make him any less angry, or prompt him to do anything but attack aggressively, but during the battle (which Sora won), Roxas was able to finally reach an understanding of why Sora mattered so much to the people who chose him over Roxas. It was his capacity to connect with other people, to build connections between his hearts and theirs. It didn't make what happened to Roxas okay, but knowing that Sora was a worthy person brought Roxas a measure of peace. If he couldn't be glad that he'd been forced to assimilate with his original self, he could at least be glad that his other self was a good one. During his most recent canon appearance shortly before his pull point, Roxas shows that this sense of understanding remains. He knows that their circumstances could have ended up the other way around, but he also appears to accept that other things matter as much as his personal tragedy.
After going through a lengthy emotional wringer and gaining some understanding and perspective, existing in El Nysa will present a genuine opportunity for Roxas. He might be there for an awful reason, and he might be more limited in where he can go, but in many ways he'll have more freedom than he ever has before. Who does he want to be if he's no longer defined as Number XIII or as a piece of Sora who must be used to complete him? The fact that he can ask this question and seek an answer will make it worthwhile, regardless of what answer he might eventually find.
Powers/Abilities:
- Keyblade — Roxas can summon a pair of Keyblades, a magical weapon shaped like a key that disappears when he dismisses it or someone else tries to take it from him. Along with being used as a sword, the Keyblade can unlock any lock, whether it is physical or electronic. It can also theoretically lock and unlock actual worlds and transform into a rideable glider, though Roxas does not know how to do this and the ability will be nerfed so he never will. If Heartless were to appear in-game, the Keyblade could also release their captive hearts.
- Dark Corridors — Roxas can summon Corridors of Darkness that allow him to quickly travel between two points in space. These points can be close together or between worlds. Over-use of the corridors without protection will result in the darkness eating away at a person's existence, but short exposures are not overly dangerous. This will be partially nerfed.
- Magic — Roxas can use forms of magic that are standard to his universe: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Cure, and Aero. They are capable of inflicting elemental damage to targets, providing an extra amount of defense or healing injuries to varying degrees based on the strength of the spell.
- Light — Like other humanoid Nobodies, Roxas has an elemental/magical alignment: light. Rather than using it to cast spells, he primarily uses it in the form of fast-moving, laser-like pillars. (Example gif.) This kind of magic is more intense and dangerous than the other magic he can use, but it also takes a larger amount of energy and mental discipline.
- Video Game Acrobatics — This isn't a truly superhuman ability, but as an action-RPG protagonist, Roxas can jump, take falls, do flippy shit to a greater degree than a normal human. Essentially, he'll never need to see a chiropractor or a joints specialist, but in general he's still as physically vulnerable as any normal teenager.
- Nobody Control — Like any humanoid Nobody, Roxas is capable of enforcing his will upon lesser, non-humanoid Nobodies, which act as minions to their more powerful counterparts. Irrelevant unless any appear in-game, but the ability still exists.
Power Nerfs (if applicable):
- Roxas' Keyblade will not be able to lock or unlock worlds or achieve the ability to transform into a glider.
- Magic spells will use up Roxas' energy. Just as he can't fight indefinitely without eventually growing physically exhausted, he won't be able to cast endless magic. Excessive use of spells will require that he rest before being able to use more magic. The more powerful the magic, the faster he will run through his energy reserves.
- Dark corridors will not open to other worlds or bodies in space. If Roxas uses one to travel to a place he has not been, he must have a very good idea of exactly where he is going; if he doesn't, he will randomly emerge in a different location than intended, ranging from feet to miles away. This will also occur if he tries to use them to reach a plot- or mod-restricted location that characters may not access.
Inventory:
- Roxas' black coat, which protects him from the darkness and is incredibly good at hiding his face. It's so dark under that hood.
- A pair of summonable Keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion.
Incentives: Roxas' continued existence as an independent being is more than enough for him. He understands why he was forced to assimilate with Sora, but he wants to live his own life, and he'll choose cooperation with the Orbiters over sleep in a pod or in Sora's heart any day.