☇lightning, divine puncher of stupid in-laws (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lightstrike) wrote2015-02-13 12:46 pm
lightstrike) wrote2015-02-13 12:46 pm
Entry tags:
Application; Tanagura
OOC INFO
_NAME: Trap
_PLURK:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
payoncave
_AGE: 20+
_CONCURRENT CHARACTERS: n/a
IC INFO
_CHARACTER'S NAME: Lightning, real name Claire Farron
_CANON: Final Fantasy XIII
_CANON POINT: Lightning Returns. Final day, just after saying goodbye to the Eidolons and Mog.
_CHARACTER'S PHYSICAL AGE: 21
_CHARACTER'S MENTAL AGE (IF DIFFERENT): Unknown, but older than 21. Light's mentally (and chronologically) much older than she seems, and it shows sometimes. Time is a wobbly concept in Valhalla, and her mental age would have been changed significantly after seeing the entirety of time through Etro.
_CHARACTER'S HAIR COLOR: "Rose" aka pink.
_TANAGURA (elite) OR MIDAS (mongrel)?: Tanagura
_HOUSING PREFERENCE: none
_LINK TO TEST DRIVE THREAD: Here.
_HISTORY: Her wiki page + Timeline page for all three FFXIII games.
And here's an outline of what she's done in LR from day 1, since the story is dependent on the main quests, and the main quests can be done in any order and on any day:
Days 1&2: opening in Yusnaan + Main Quest 1(Noel) + some Luxerion sidequests (including Vanille's)
Day 3: Main Quest 2 (Snow) + some Yusnaan sidequests
Day 4: part of Main Quest 3 (Angel of Valhalla) + some Wildlands sidequests
Day 5: end of Main Quest 3 (Angel of Valhalla & Caius)
Days 6&7: Main Quest 4 (Fang) + some Dead Dunes sidequests
Day 8: part of Main Quest 5 (Sazh & Dajh) + Moogle sidequests
Day 9: end of Main Quest 5 + all other Wildlands sidequests
Days 10-12: MORE SIDEQUESTIN' 8U
Day 13: she made an extra day COOL LET'S GO TO THE ULTIMATE LAIR
Day 14: VERY. FINAL. DAY!!
Resets also happened about a dozen times-- meaning she used a crystal in the Ark that reset her development, removed all her items except for those she started out with, and deposited her back to day 1 just after stepping into the Ark for the first time with only a sense of deja vu.
_ABILITIES: Here.
_PERSONALITY:
Breaking things down by game to show how her personality has evolved. There's a heavy emphasis on FFXIII because it provides the framework of her character, such as a lot of the little details that the other two games don't show, and the beginnings of her character development.
FFXIII
Lightning was blunt to the point of being downright frosty and intolerant of any kind of bullshit way back then. She was just so disinterested in other people's bullshit that she'd rather work alone than have to deal with them for an extended amount of time. For those whom she couldn't brush off with a simple look, she'd dealt with through biting sarcasm. Some people would think this was what Lightning was like when she loses her temper, but really, when she lost her temper, which was rarely, she really lost it. She'd outright physically assault people back then.
Why was she like that though? There are a few reasons for that. For one, because she had forced herself to grow up quickly and learn how to provide for her sister, she didn't bother fitting being a social butterfly into her list of things to learn. For another, it didn't fit in with her perceived notions of how she should act as both her sister's guardian and as an adult-- she felt it was better to keep an mature face despite her young age and that translated into being cold and blunt. For yet another, they didn't teach social that kind of thing to soldiers unless it was how to show respect to their superiors.
Instead, what she learned from her time in both the academy and the Corps. was how to be strong, independent and self-sufficient, because what good was a soldier that could not fight and protect Cocoon and its people? So a soldier she became, strong, capable and independent with a streak of stubbornness and determination that made her direct superior believe she could be a great officer. And he's right, because Lightning has this air about her that lets people know she's not about to take their bullshit lying down-- or take their bullshit, period. But if she's given enough incentive and experience, she can be a great leader, which of course happens over the course of the game.
So yeah, stubborn, determined and aloof. Lightning disliked losing or giving up, and would do what she could to win-- still does, really, though it's now more of a need to survive in order to keep protecting those she loves, but more on that later. But she also had some pride to her, which is also why she's ridiculously stubborn. Saying "I'm sorry" was a difficult thing for her, and will refuse to do so if someone is listening, as evidenced by her ordering Sazh to cover his ears so she could apologize to some kind of automatic/sentient(???) door for harming it when all she wanted to do was enter the Pulse vestige.
She's not always cold and distant though-- she still showed some other emotions under duress, revealing that she's not always in control of herself. It's actually pretty rare that she lashed out in anger even though she tends to do that a lot in-game-- the game simply pushes all of her Berserk Buttons in rapid succession because it's a Final Fantasy game and FF games are known to be a trauma conga line, but in reality, these buttons are few. The things that set her off are just these: messing with Serah, Hope or anyone who's part of her new family, and jerking her around like a puppet on strings. Otherwise, she would not even give a damn.
There's usually a rhyme or reason for what she did though. She had joined the Guardian Corps. and climbed the ranks to protect and provide for Serah because their mother died when they were young. She had taken on "Lightning" in an effort to become a person capable of protecting her sister. Hell, she initially decided to destroy the capital city Eden in order to avenge Serah. And even after abandoning her plan, she still did things for her sister. Even if she does things that don't make sense, in her mind, there will be a reason for that one thing. And no, she wont feel the need to explain herself to anyone.
She's shown some tendencies to be a workaholic though, as evidenced by her disastrous 21st birthday celebration-- she'd become so focused on working and the thought of providing for Serah that she'd actually allowed work to become her first priority. Fortunately, she's learned from this mistake, and now knows better than to let something like work get in between herself and more important things, like her family and friends.
So who are these people she calls family?
Aside from being her loved ones, they're the people that help her realize that she's been going about life all wrong. They help her get in touch with her other side, that other half of the kuudere trope. Lightning is a kind, caring and sensitive person-- she just doesn't give herself a chance to show it. Dedicated-to-the-work, big, badass soldier, remember? But FFXIII forces her to collaborate with people in order to survive, and little by little, she's learned that it's okay to show compassion and trust in others.
She'd learned how to be just a little more friendly, how to be more supportive, how to swallow her pride and anger, and how to actually protect and lead others. She's learning how to socialize, bit by bit, instead of just outright brushing people off with her ice queen routine. For example, she still retained a determination to succeed, but she was not afraid to ask for help from her friends and comrades when she cant do it on her own. Another example would be that she was not going to outright brush off a stranger, but actively pay attention to them. It's not easy doing that for someone who's been independent for a very long time, but she's getting there. Well, she's still pretty stoic, considering her tolerance for bullshit haven't suffered despite character development. That's one thing that will never change, but these people are lucky-- while Lightning's buttons have not changed, she knows of her tendency to lash out, and actively contains herself. Instead of just giving in to the temptation to deck the living daylights out of someone, she just stops and waits for the moment to pass, so she can have a clear head again.
Another thing that will never change is her drive to protect. It's been touched on before, but not really in depth. Why does Lightning feel like she needs to protect? With Serah, it's obvious-- they're family. With Hope, it's because he's young, and she genuinely cares about him. What about the rest of the little l'Cie family she has? It's because she feels responsible for them, and because she genuinely cares. When she cares, it's in her nature to feel it's her duty to take care of them, from which stems the need to protect. She doesn't coddle, no, but as long as she's able, she'd make sure that she can be there for them when they need someone.
In a nutshell, Lightning has learned how to listen properly to her emotions and let them out once in a while instead of keeping them cooped up all the time. She allows herself to express emotion in ways other than to frown or scowl, which means smiling just a little more. This then allowed her to balance her hardened soldier persona and her softer inner nature.
FFXIII-2
This one had been an emotional rollercoaster for everyone, and Lightning was not an exception even if she only had a few scenes.
She was still the same for the most part. Quiet, strong-willed, so on and so forth-- all her core traits still remained intact. But she had also grown less standoffish, and a whole lot sadder-- and it was a bit obvious from the look on her face. In addition, she felt so old-- she didn't age physically in Valhalla, but she spoke and acted like a tired old soldier during her time as Etro's guardian, like a veteran who'd seen one too many horrors. Like she had seen and experienced so much and was ready to stop at any moment if she was allowed to do so.
The reality of what she'd done as a l'Cie had finally caught up with her. Lightning had also seen the world at different points in time through Etro, which made her guilt even worse, since what Etro had seen included her l'Cie days. She'd done horrible things, and even if she knew she'd done them to survive, her actions still weighed on her mind. Choosing to stay in Valhalla as Etro's guardian as her way of atoning spoke a lot about how she's changed-- before, she wouldn't have thought about that, much less cared. She was not actively looking for forgiveness from anyone she'd wronged, but the guilt was real, and stayed right there because she didn't let it out, along with a lot of other emotions.
Lightning also mourned heavily before becoming crystal, and actually broke down because of her sister's death. It practically broke all her barriers, and caused her to feel overwhelming grief and guilt because she believed it was her fault. She also deemed herself beyond redemption and crystallized herself to keep Serah's soul safe from disappearing into the chaos, and as her final act of redemption. Overall, she was not in a good state mentally and emotionally, and it had only become worse with Serah's death.
The new connections she had made during her time in Etro were with Mog and Noel Kreiss. Mog was weak and seemingly useless, but he still pledged undying loyalty to her, and wanted to do as much as he can for her. That made her like him, despite herself, and knew he would be best as a companion to Serah, and that's a big deal since Lightning is an overprotective big sister. As for Noel, despite having only spoken to him for a few minutes in Valhalla, she knew his past, and knew that he was strong and determined to do what was right. Almost like Snow, in fact, but more somber and with a lot of weight on his shoulders. She knew she could trust him with her sister, and so she did.
LR
Once again, she has changed, but not so much that she's a completely different person this time around. To the casual observer, her attitude more or less resembles her personality back in FFXIII, and they're not wrong. However, they're not completely right either.
First and foremost, Lightning has been hardened by her time as a l'Cie and Etro's protector. Now, she's done mourning, being somber about her past and attempting to atone for her mistakes. She's instead more interested in moving forward, facing the future with her head held high.
Hardened she may be, but she's also more polished. She's still the same for the most part because her core traits just cant be erased, but now she's also more willing to help others-- at first this was because she had to as her divine mission, but eventually began to do so with a genuine want to help them out. She's not about to ask just any stranger straight up if they need help or be nicer to people in general, but she's gotten good at figuring out who needs help the most, and do what she can for them. She's also better with the kids this time around, speaking to them in a softer voice and being generally kinder to them than she is to adults, as she sees them as carrying a spark of hope, which is an important thing that most people lack once they've grown.
This is a big deal, because before she couldn't really give a damn about other people outside of her little circle. But now that she's had to interact with total strangers, she's beginning to understand people just a little more. She's cut down on the biting comments and insults, instead preferring to counter with sarcasm and smart remarks as if making banter instead of trying to flay someone with words. Okay, sure, sometimes it might still happen, but this time around, she hardly does so without reason. Basically, she's not the same standoffish, confrontational person she had been before.
Lightning is also much happier. In the entire game, she has only smiled a handful of times, but she's had cause to smile a lot during the final day, even during the final showdown against Bhunivelze. She's realized her character flaws, especially the one where she tends to hide all the emotions she feels make her weak, since as joy, love, sadness, grief, affection, as well as the need to ask for help. In becoming the Savior and helping people, she's gone on a journey to discover herself as well, and allows herself to now feel, when before she either ignored her emotions or lacked them. Not to say that she'll emote a lot more, but instead she'll admit to herself and her friends that she's feeling a certain way.
Oh, and speaking of her friends, things are different with her loved ones too. Lightning has managed to become closer to Noel (and actually get to know him), repair and strengthen ties with Snow, reconnected with Fang and Sazh, and worried over Vanille and her life decisions before managing to save her from her suicidal mission. She's also finally determined how important Odin is to her, and she's realized that he's more than just her steed, but a loyal companion that was always there for her, no matter what she did and who she worked for. Meanwhile, she understands that Lumina is all those parts she's kept hidden away, and in a move worthy of a Persona 4 protagonist, acknowledged her "shadow" in order to become a more well-rounded person.
_ITEMS:
• Clothes on her back aka her default schema.
• Her hammerspace and everything within it (other schemata, unused garbs, cash, healing items, and miscellany).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY CHARACTER IS THE FOLLOWING:
_SENTIENT: Yes
_MENTALLY ADULT: Yes
_CAPABLE OF CONSENT: Yes
_CAPABLE OF SEXUAL AROUSAL: Yes
_NAME: Trap
_PLURK:
_AGE: 20+
_CONCURRENT CHARACTERS: n/a
IC INFO
_CHARACTER'S NAME: Lightning, real name Claire Farron
_CANON: Final Fantasy XIII
_CANON POINT: Lightning Returns. Final day, just after saying goodbye to the Eidolons and Mog.
_CHARACTER'S PHYSICAL AGE: 21
_CHARACTER'S MENTAL AGE (IF DIFFERENT): Unknown, but older than 21. Light's mentally (and chronologically) much older than she seems, and it shows sometimes. Time is a wobbly concept in Valhalla, and her mental age would have been changed significantly after seeing the entirety of time through Etro.
_CHARACTER'S HAIR COLOR: "Rose" aka pink.
_TANAGURA (elite) OR MIDAS (mongrel)?: Tanagura
_HOUSING PREFERENCE: none
_LINK TO TEST DRIVE THREAD: Here.
_HISTORY: Her wiki page + Timeline page for all three FFXIII games.
And here's an outline of what she's done in LR from day 1, since the story is dependent on the main quests, and the main quests can be done in any order and on any day:
Days 1&2: opening in Yusnaan + Main Quest 1(Noel) + some Luxerion sidequests (including Vanille's)
Day 3: Main Quest 2 (Snow) + some Yusnaan sidequests
Day 4: part of Main Quest 3 (Angel of Valhalla) + some Wildlands sidequests
Day 5: end of Main Quest 3 (Angel of Valhalla & Caius)
Days 6&7: Main Quest 4 (Fang) + some Dead Dunes sidequests
Day 8: part of Main Quest 5 (Sazh & Dajh) + Moogle sidequests
Day 9: end of Main Quest 5 + all other Wildlands sidequests
Days 10-12: MORE SIDEQUESTIN' 8U
Day 13: she made an extra day COOL LET'S GO TO THE ULTIMATE LAIR
Day 14: VERY. FINAL. DAY!!
Resets also happened about a dozen times-- meaning she used a crystal in the Ark that reset her development, removed all her items except for those she started out with, and deposited her back to day 1 just after stepping into the Ark for the first time with only a sense of deja vu.
_ABILITIES: Here.
_PERSONALITY:
Breaking things down by game to show how her personality has evolved. There's a heavy emphasis on FFXIII because it provides the framework of her character, such as a lot of the little details that the other two games don't show, and the beginnings of her character development.
FFXIII
Lightning was blunt to the point of being downright frosty and intolerant of any kind of bullshit way back then. She was just so disinterested in other people's bullshit that she'd rather work alone than have to deal with them for an extended amount of time. For those whom she couldn't brush off with a simple look, she'd dealt with through biting sarcasm. Some people would think this was what Lightning was like when she loses her temper, but really, when she lost her temper, which was rarely, she really lost it. She'd outright physically assault people back then.
Why was she like that though? There are a few reasons for that. For one, because she had forced herself to grow up quickly and learn how to provide for her sister, she didn't bother fitting being a social butterfly into her list of things to learn. For another, it didn't fit in with her perceived notions of how she should act as both her sister's guardian and as an adult-- she felt it was better to keep an mature face despite her young age and that translated into being cold and blunt. For yet another, they didn't teach social that kind of thing to soldiers unless it was how to show respect to their superiors.
Instead, what she learned from her time in both the academy and the Corps. was how to be strong, independent and self-sufficient, because what good was a soldier that could not fight and protect Cocoon and its people? So a soldier she became, strong, capable and independent with a streak of stubbornness and determination that made her direct superior believe she could be a great officer. And he's right, because Lightning has this air about her that lets people know she's not about to take their bullshit lying down-- or take their bullshit, period. But if she's given enough incentive and experience, she can be a great leader, which of course happens over the course of the game.
So yeah, stubborn, determined and aloof. Lightning disliked losing or giving up, and would do what she could to win-- still does, really, though it's now more of a need to survive in order to keep protecting those she loves, but more on that later. But she also had some pride to her, which is also why she's ridiculously stubborn. Saying "I'm sorry" was a difficult thing for her, and will refuse to do so if someone is listening, as evidenced by her ordering Sazh to cover his ears so she could apologize to some kind of automatic/sentient(???) door for harming it when all she wanted to do was enter the Pulse vestige.
She's not always cold and distant though-- she still showed some other emotions under duress, revealing that she's not always in control of herself. It's actually pretty rare that she lashed out in anger even though she tends to do that a lot in-game-- the game simply pushes all of her Berserk Buttons in rapid succession because it's a Final Fantasy game and FF games are known to be a trauma conga line, but in reality, these buttons are few. The things that set her off are just these: messing with Serah, Hope or anyone who's part of her new family, and jerking her around like a puppet on strings. Otherwise, she would not even give a damn.
There's usually a rhyme or reason for what she did though. She had joined the Guardian Corps. and climbed the ranks to protect and provide for Serah because their mother died when they were young. She had taken on "Lightning" in an effort to become a person capable of protecting her sister. Hell, she initially decided to destroy the capital city Eden in order to avenge Serah. And even after abandoning her plan, she still did things for her sister. Even if she does things that don't make sense, in her mind, there will be a reason for that one thing. And no, she wont feel the need to explain herself to anyone.
She's shown some tendencies to be a workaholic though, as evidenced by her disastrous 21st birthday celebration-- she'd become so focused on working and the thought of providing for Serah that she'd actually allowed work to become her first priority. Fortunately, she's learned from this mistake, and now knows better than to let something like work get in between herself and more important things, like her family and friends.
So who are these people she calls family?
☇ Serah Farron: Obviously it's got to be Serah, first and foremost. They're sisters, and for years they were all the other had. Serah is Lightning's main driving force in her life, which shows that despite all the problems in their relationship, Lightning still loves her and would never truly abandon her. She's protective of her sister, and is very willing to do anything to keep her safe, short of sacrificing the rest of her loved ones for her.
☇ Hope Estheim: At first he was an annoying, weak little child who was only dragging her down. But then he proved that he could be stronger than he seemed, and Lightning began to think of him as yet another person she wanted to protect with all her heart, and come to the point that her affection for him is both sisterly and motherly at the same time. She also had never expected to actually think of him as her emotional support during their l'Cie days, but that's what happened.
☇ Snow Villiers: Also known as the guy she hated in the beginning because SerahSerahSerah. He didn't leave a good impression on her after all. However, the more he matured, the more she believed that he's a good fit for her sister, becoming the only other person she'd trust to take care of Serah. She still does want to deck him for being a dumbass every now and then, but nowadays that's not about to stop her from viewing him as a friend and future brother-in-law.
☇ Oerba Yun Fang: Despite being the last of her fellow l'Cie that she meets, Lightning sees a kindred spirit in Fang-- they're both looking after people who are important to them, and are very willing to do whatever it takes to see them safe. So despite the overall differences in personality, the want to protect someone is something Lightning can appreciate in Fang. And she's not a bad person to be around either, because while she's a little too happy to get into a fight, Lightning knows Fang's going to have her back even if she doesn't ask.
☇ Sazh Katzoy: Originally an annoyance and a disposable ally of convenience, Sazh eventually became someone she wouldn't leave behind, especially when he revealed why he was fighting. Lightning finds that he's the most stable of the group, which is a really good thing, considering someone has to keep their head while everyone else, Lightning included, go crazy.
☇ Oerba Dia Vanille: She may not know Vanille as well as she knows the rest, but she's still one of them. She took care of Hope when everything started, she's Fang's most important person, and she accompanied Sazh when she and Hope abandoned them. Vanille's a lot stronger than she looks, and Lightning can appreciate that.
Aside from being her loved ones, they're the people that help her realize that she's been going about life all wrong. They help her get in touch with her other side, that other half of the kuudere trope. Lightning is a kind, caring and sensitive person-- she just doesn't give herself a chance to show it. Dedicated-to-the-work, big, badass soldier, remember? But FFXIII forces her to collaborate with people in order to survive, and little by little, she's learned that it's okay to show compassion and trust in others.
She'd learned how to be just a little more friendly, how to be more supportive, how to swallow her pride and anger, and how to actually protect and lead others. She's learning how to socialize, bit by bit, instead of just outright brushing people off with her ice queen routine. For example, she still retained a determination to succeed, but she was not afraid to ask for help from her friends and comrades when she cant do it on her own. Another example would be that she was not going to outright brush off a stranger, but actively pay attention to them. It's not easy doing that for someone who's been independent for a very long time, but she's getting there. Well, she's still pretty stoic, considering her tolerance for bullshit haven't suffered despite character development. That's one thing that will never change, but these people are lucky-- while Lightning's buttons have not changed, she knows of her tendency to lash out, and actively contains herself. Instead of just giving in to the temptation to deck the living daylights out of someone, she just stops and waits for the moment to pass, so she can have a clear head again.
Another thing that will never change is her drive to protect. It's been touched on before, but not really in depth. Why does Lightning feel like she needs to protect? With Serah, it's obvious-- they're family. With Hope, it's because he's young, and she genuinely cares about him. What about the rest of the little l'Cie family she has? It's because she feels responsible for them, and because she genuinely cares. When she cares, it's in her nature to feel it's her duty to take care of them, from which stems the need to protect. She doesn't coddle, no, but as long as she's able, she'd make sure that she can be there for them when they need someone.
In a nutshell, Lightning has learned how to listen properly to her emotions and let them out once in a while instead of keeping them cooped up all the time. She allows herself to express emotion in ways other than to frown or scowl, which means smiling just a little more. This then allowed her to balance her hardened soldier persona and her softer inner nature.
FFXIII-2
This one had been an emotional rollercoaster for everyone, and Lightning was not an exception even if she only had a few scenes.
She was still the same for the most part. Quiet, strong-willed, so on and so forth-- all her core traits still remained intact. But she had also grown less standoffish, and a whole lot sadder-- and it was a bit obvious from the look on her face. In addition, she felt so old-- she didn't age physically in Valhalla, but she spoke and acted like a tired old soldier during her time as Etro's guardian, like a veteran who'd seen one too many horrors. Like she had seen and experienced so much and was ready to stop at any moment if she was allowed to do so.
The reality of what she'd done as a l'Cie had finally caught up with her. Lightning had also seen the world at different points in time through Etro, which made her guilt even worse, since what Etro had seen included her l'Cie days. She'd done horrible things, and even if she knew she'd done them to survive, her actions still weighed on her mind. Choosing to stay in Valhalla as Etro's guardian as her way of atoning spoke a lot about how she's changed-- before, she wouldn't have thought about that, much less cared. She was not actively looking for forgiveness from anyone she'd wronged, but the guilt was real, and stayed right there because she didn't let it out, along with a lot of other emotions.
Lightning also mourned heavily before becoming crystal, and actually broke down because of her sister's death. It practically broke all her barriers, and caused her to feel overwhelming grief and guilt because she believed it was her fault. She also deemed herself beyond redemption and crystallized herself to keep Serah's soul safe from disappearing into the chaos, and as her final act of redemption. Overall, she was not in a good state mentally and emotionally, and it had only become worse with Serah's death.
The new connections she had made during her time in Etro were with Mog and Noel Kreiss. Mog was weak and seemingly useless, but he still pledged undying loyalty to her, and wanted to do as much as he can for her. That made her like him, despite herself, and knew he would be best as a companion to Serah, and that's a big deal since Lightning is an overprotective big sister. As for Noel, despite having only spoken to him for a few minutes in Valhalla, she knew his past, and knew that he was strong and determined to do what was right. Almost like Snow, in fact, but more somber and with a lot of weight on his shoulders. She knew she could trust him with her sister, and so she did.
LR
Once again, she has changed, but not so much that she's a completely different person this time around. To the casual observer, her attitude more or less resembles her personality back in FFXIII, and they're not wrong. However, they're not completely right either.
First and foremost, Lightning has been hardened by her time as a l'Cie and Etro's protector. Now, she's done mourning, being somber about her past and attempting to atone for her mistakes. She's instead more interested in moving forward, facing the future with her head held high.
Hardened she may be, but she's also more polished. She's still the same for the most part because her core traits just cant be erased, but now she's also more willing to help others-- at first this was because she had to as her divine mission, but eventually began to do so with a genuine want to help them out. She's not about to ask just any stranger straight up if they need help or be nicer to people in general, but she's gotten good at figuring out who needs help the most, and do what she can for them. She's also better with the kids this time around, speaking to them in a softer voice and being generally kinder to them than she is to adults, as she sees them as carrying a spark of hope, which is an important thing that most people lack once they've grown.
This is a big deal, because before she couldn't really give a damn about other people outside of her little circle. But now that she's had to interact with total strangers, she's beginning to understand people just a little more. She's cut down on the biting comments and insults, instead preferring to counter with sarcasm and smart remarks as if making banter instead of trying to flay someone with words. Okay, sure, sometimes it might still happen, but this time around, she hardly does so without reason. Basically, she's not the same standoffish, confrontational person she had been before.
Lightning is also much happier. In the entire game, she has only smiled a handful of times, but she's had cause to smile a lot during the final day, even during the final showdown against Bhunivelze. She's realized her character flaws, especially the one where she tends to hide all the emotions she feels make her weak, since as joy, love, sadness, grief, affection, as well as the need to ask for help. In becoming the Savior and helping people, she's gone on a journey to discover herself as well, and allows herself to now feel, when before she either ignored her emotions or lacked them. Not to say that she'll emote a lot more, but instead she'll admit to herself and her friends that she's feeling a certain way.
Oh, and speaking of her friends, things are different with her loved ones too. Lightning has managed to become closer to Noel (and actually get to know him), repair and strengthen ties with Snow, reconnected with Fang and Sazh, and worried over Vanille and her life decisions before managing to save her from her suicidal mission. She's also finally determined how important Odin is to her, and she's realized that he's more than just her steed, but a loyal companion that was always there for her, no matter what she did and who she worked for. Meanwhile, she understands that Lumina is all those parts she's kept hidden away, and in a move worthy of a Persona 4 protagonist, acknowledged her "shadow" in order to become a more well-rounded person.
_ITEMS:
• Clothes on her back aka her default schema.
• Her hammerspace and everything within it (other schemata, unused garbs, cash, healing items, and miscellany).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY CHARACTER IS THE FOLLOWING:
_SENTIENT: Yes
_MENTALLY ADULT: Yes
_CAPABLE OF CONSENT: Yes
_CAPABLE OF SEXUAL AROUSAL: Yes