❛january (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
acperience) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fictionalized2012-01-16 10:58 pm
acperience) wrote in fictionalized2012-01-16 10:58 pm
app; l'arc; caligo
>PLAYER
NAME/HANDLE: January
PERSONAL JOURNAL:acperience
ARE YOU OVER 16? Yes.
CONTACT:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
snowesque
OTHER CHARACTERS: N/A
>CHARACTER
CHARACTER NAME: L'Arc Bright Lagoon
SERIES: Arc Rise Fantasia
After helping to defeat the hoarde of Feldragons, L'Arc encounters a girl named Ryfia, who turns out to be the Imaginal Diva—a priestess of the god Imaginal. Thanks to L'Arc's friend and the second prince of the Empire, Alf, they escort her to her destination, where it's discovered that L'Arc is the 'Child of Eesa'. As such, he must bond with all nine Rogress and present a Law to the god Eesa. In his case, because of Ryfia, the Law he has chosen is that of Imaginal's—one believed to save everyone.
However, things become complicated when Alf also turns out to be a Child of Eesa and chooses Real's Law instead, forcing him and L'Arc to become enemies. Along with that and the Rogress hunt (or rather, race, thanks to Alf's presence), war breaks out, which L'Arc also has to deal with. These conflicts eventually lead him and his friends to realize that Imaginal's Law isn't as perfect as it sounds and that perhaps the gods themselves aren't even needed. After all, Imaginal's Law exists only to save the Divine Race, who make up a small percentage of humans, while wiping out the rest of them. On the other hand, Real's Law isn't any better, as it will destroy the entire world. Consequently, to save everyone, L'Arc must create a third Law: one that will allow both races to live.
CANON POINT: Pre-epilogue
APPEARANCE: Here!
PERSONALITY:
"You've seen right through him, Ryfia. He may put on a tough guy act, but he's really a gentleman at heart!"
L'Arc is a lot of things: a mercenary, Alf's foil, the protagonist—but let's start with the basics.
At his core, L'Arc is your standard Jerk With a Heart of Gold. He's easily the rudest in his party, especially in contrast to the much politer Alf. L'Arc tends to say what's on his mind and isn't above making fun of others. There isn't really anyone safe from his attitude, with the exception of his superiors and his mother. Teacher, friends, the stranger he just met—they're all fair game. It's not to the point where he can't be civil, as he fully can be and will apologize, more often than not, if he feels he's gone too far or messed up. On the other hand, it's not uncommon for others to tell him to mind his manners. It's not him compensating for something, a means of defence, or anything like that, as so much as it is simply being a part of who he is. He's just naturally a jerk, really (even when little!).
He's also rather hot-headed. He tends to get frustrated and yell over small things, as he's not the most patient of people. It doesn't help that he often translates worry and fear into anger, as Ryfia notes, claiming that "[he's] scary sometimes...but [means] well". And so, he sometimes needs others to remind him to stay cool. Even when he's not angry, he can get rash in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, he's not usually worked up to the point where he can't be calmed quickly, meaning that his temper and whatnot, while occasionally causing him to act irrationally, doesn't normally get in the way or screw things up.
Of course, he wouldn't be a Jerk With a Heart of Gold without, well, the heart of gold. In L'Arc's case, it's fairly obvious to anyone who knows him for a decent amount of time, especially if one brushes off his insults and snark. Past his brash exterior, he's really a nice guy inside. L'Arc may grumble ("Protect the weak, blah blah", anyone?), but he'll still help others out and look out for their safety, even if he might need a bit of prodding at times. Overall, he's fairly supportive of all his friends, willing to talk about them about their problems if need be. He may not always know what to say (which he admits) and can thus come across as insensitive, but he does care. He's very devoted to Ryfia in particular, despite his initial annoyance at her quirks, being a bit like a rough, sarcastic version of her Prince Charming. His friends happily exploit this and tease him over it—and his soft side in general. While L'Arc doesn't deny most of the time that he's nicer than he seems, he's visibly embarrassed at having it pointed out and frequently ends the conversation right there and then.
On top of that, the guy was willing to sacrifice himself to save the world—you don't get much more altruistic than that. That being said, L'Arc's not needlessly self-sacrificial, even expressing distaste over the thought earlier in the game. He believes in being concerned about yourself as well.
On that note, as Alf puts it: "Always with the money with you, eh?" L'Arc's a bit of a money grubber, which isn't all that surprising, given that he's a mercenary. Whenever doing a mission, expect money to be a point of interest to him, whether it's negotiating his reward or making sure to collect it. He's also shown to be somewhat thrifty, with a dislike of gambling since it wastes money. However, it never gets to a truly greedy point, in that he doesn't let it cloud his judgment. His pursuement of money doesn't lead to other things/people getting the short stick—he's not that obsessed. He also isn't as concerned with it as he used to be, since his reason for desiring it in the first place has been resolved (though old habits die hard, as he's still definitely not the type to forget to pick up his reward).
—And that reason ties in with why L'Arc's money issue is actually more proof of his noble side as well, rather than evidence against it. When you have an ill mother, you need a doctor. Unfortunately, doctors also cost money. In short, the reason L'Arc works so hard and tries to obtain as much money as he can is to pay for his mother's medical fees, as he loves her dearly. Before Ryfia came along, she was his main motivation, with Alf even commenting how he became a legionnaire for her, despite wanting to create his own mercenary group.
With that kind of independent lifestyle, it's no wonder that L'Arc grew up faster than others. Despite only being seventeen, he typically acts more like he's twenty. Aside from his temper, he's normally a serious and collected individual. There's a reason that the others tend to follow his lead, besides him being the Child of Eesa—they know that he's capable and generally as bright as the rest of them, despite his age. That's not to say that he's a stick in the mud, though, despite him often complaining about the others' antics. He does have a sense of humour. In fact, he's very snarky, with a smirk often present on his face, but still not exactly someone you'd find frolicking in the fields. His idea of fun tends to involve teasing/bantering with others and a good fight. Otherwise, his work tends to be his life. He's glad to get new missions (because hey, more money!) and initially doesn't seem to have much of a social life. He isn't a complete loner, for he has his fair share of friends and is familiar with plenty of people (even from other towns), but he's not one to make socializing a priority. Neither is romance, for that matter. If it weren't for his rather obvious chemistry and tension with Ryfia, he'd almost appear asexual, as he shows little interest in romantic or sexual affairs. He gets it when people are talking about love, and in fact misinterprets a few questions about having to do with his love life when they (maybe) weren't. Still, despite living with a pretty girl around his age whom he also had a fair amount of chemistry with, he obviously never had anything but platonic feelings towards her.
In any case, while he does have some of the traits, he's not your standard hot-blooded, rebellious hero. Instead, when not annoyed or whatnot to the point of irrationality, he does try to think things through carefully and logically, seeking information when he can. He also understands the need for chains of command and, as said, tries to be respectful to his superiors (though behind their back is a different story), knowing when to be informal and when not to be. As well as that, he's not idealistic to a fault. By no means does he hold anything against the world, but he acknowledges that it isn't an easy place and is indiscriminate in the way it treats people—old, young, girl, boy, it doesn't matter. He's also the kind of person who knows that "an enemy is an enemy", regardless of chivalry or any of those sorts of ideals. He even states that everyone "[gets their] hands dirty at one time or another"—right to a child, no less—demonstrating that he doesn't like to sugarcoat things or shelter others. He's also rather good at threatening people (via dismemberment) to get them to talk, and while whether he's serious or not is another thing, it's the thought that counts.
His maturity particularly shines through in his view of revenge. L'Arc is well aware that revenge is commonly an unwise choice and only starts a cycle of killing, hence why it's not a path that he pursues without thinking. He also takes into account their reasons for what they did (as said, he realizes that the world can be harsh), rather than blindly hating them for it. Furthermore, L'Arc has shown himself to be a rather forgiving person overall, rarely holding notable grudges. Though he doesn't have an explicit policy on this, he doesn't resent the many people who betray his trust and is willing to give his enemies a second chance if they desire it. Even though no one would blame him for wanting to desert his country, he continues to remain loyal to it, even if he can't entirely explain why. He's certainly not the type to abandon others simply because he was wronged. Needless to say, he's really not the bitter type.
Also needless to say, L'Arc is extremely loyal (despite being a mercenary, who aren't expected to have a fixed loyalty). Not to an irrational point, like Alf, but L'Arc never turns his back to people whom he has some kind of allegiance with. Though isolated incidents may seem like a betrayal, particularly regarding the war, he's looking out for all sides in the grand scheme of things. Even when opposing certain friends, he continously tries to reach out to them and make peace with them, even when he's rejected. As comes with being the protagonist, he's the one who wants to save ~everybody~, even if he wouldn't put it in such a mushy manner. It's why his friends follow him—because they know that he tries to find solutions that are beneficial to all of them.
That being said, mature or not, L'Arc can still be a child at times as well. He does have his moments of naivety, particularly regarding love or more 'mature' jokes, which he's occasionally the butt of from his older friends. He doesn't realize his own feelings for Ryfia, even when she admits to liking him, and never noticed that Adele had more than just familial feelings for him. Not only that, but it's fairly easy to toy with his emotions—and fairly easy to tease him, period. As 'cool' as he might normally seem, chances are he'll rise to the bait. In those kinds of situations, he can be somewhat awkward. He's also not above indulging in that teenage idolizing thing of people he respects a lot, despite his usual "I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU" exterior. It's because of this that he wanted to become a mercenary in the first place, as he idolized the legendary mercenary, Leon.
... Granted, he'll probably think twice before idolizing someone now that his image of Leon has shattered to bits. Thanks, Serge.
He's also known for being ridiculously stubborn, even over petty things. No, he doesn't want to attach an Arm Force to his sword—he likes it just the way it is, thank you. No, he doesn't need to use magic (yes, you do, L'Arc). Generally, though, when it comes to those kinds of things, he'll eventually relent, but the fact he was so insistent to begin with tends to inspire exasperation. On the other hand, his obstinacy can also be a good thing. It means that he holds a firm stance in his beliefs, even though his situation calls for people trying to convince him of theirs. He isn't necessarily narrow-minded, but rather, he isn't so easily swayed by others' opinions. He knows what he believes in and sticks with it until he's given information that forces him to rethink things. This is part of why he admits to possibly disliking the gods, as he wants to decide his fate himself. Gods, Rogress, the like—as powerful as they might be, he's not impressed if they can't do anything to help him. Nevertheless, he realizes that he's not always in the right, even at one point dryly calling himself "the only real bad guy around here" after being played as a pawn. He's not stubbornly arrogant; he's just stubborn.
For that matter, he's not really all that cocky to begin with, despite what his brash attitude might have you believe. He doesn't elevate himself as the son of a famous mercenary or one of the most prominent students of another legendary fighter. Nor does he take much pride in his military title (First Sergeant), acknowledging that he doesn't have any actual power with it. Though he has a tendency to steal the spotlight with his charisma, he's fine with being low-key. He's just out to do his own thing, and whether or not it attracts people's attention is another thing entirely.
Again, he isn't narrow-minded, as he states that he likes hearing others' thoughts and opinions, but he is occasionally ignorant and apathetic. He has somewhat of a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "if it doesn't concern me, then I don't care" mindset. This is especially blatant when, for much of the game, he doesn't pay much attention to the entire Child of Eesa issue because he doesn't believe in the gods and is more focused on the possibility of war. It's all religious mumbo jumbo, after all, and has nothing to do with him when he barely understands what it means to have chosen Imaginal's Law—at least, until he realizes that the gods do exist and most definitely affect his life, at which point he becomes more proactive in his role as the Child of Eesa.
However, it's this kind of attitude that lets him move forward with single-minded determination. He lives in the moment, and thus sometimes doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, but he never wastes time crying over his mistakes. He's not the self-doubting type, instead amending his plan if there's a problem and continuing from there. He believes that if you feel that you should do something, then do it and worry about mistakes once you've made one. If he needs more information and it's available, then he'll seek it. If not, then he'll act based on whatever leads he has now and go from there. Though he understands the need for a break every now and then (or at least a chance to think things over), he prefers to not spend his time being idle. It doesn't help that it's usually up to him to solve things, meaning that all he really can do is go around trying to find a solution, with everyone relying on him. He essentially needs this kind of personality to handle that kind of a burden.
Along that line, L'Arc isn't someone you'll often catch moping. While he does have his sad moments, they tend to be on the brief and mild side. Even when his life gets screwed over, he does his best to remain stoic and focus on the task at hand. Four of his friends, including his best friend and makeshift sister, just betrayed him? Well, he's finished his mission, so he still has to report to the prince. Two good friends just died? He knows that he doesn't have the time to mourn them now. There are no tears or breakdown—just a grim acceptance of the facts as he moves on. This is how he reacts to just about everything: with a firm front. If he's going to be vulnerable, then he'd rather it be in private, and even then, he never lets himself cry. He continues to act the way he always does around others, even helping others out with their own problems if need be.
It gets to the point where it seems like he makes an active attempt to appear strong. He tries not to burden his friends with his problems, even when it concerns them. There are moments where he's too okay, crossing the line from being well-adjusted to either faking it or being perhaps a bit emotionally repressed. Even his mother tells him at one point that if he feels like crying, then it's okay to cry, and yet L'Arc still doesn't. However, he does occasionally seem more emotional when alone, indicating he might not always be as strong as he appears. Still, it's not like being upset will solve anything—and he's got his tough guy act to keep up, doesn't he?
Still, L'Arc's confident in himself and, tough guy act aside, doesn't pretend to be someone he isn't. Once more, this is in contrast to Alf, who envies L'Arc for everything. Rarely green-eyed (pun unintended), whether of abilities, Ryfia, or whatnot, L'Arc's assured of what he has in life. Even things like, er, being hated by most of the world don't bring him down, because he still knows who he is. It's also because of this that people follow him, as his confidence in himself gives him a sort of charm.
However, the (mild) exception to his would likely be matters concerning his father, whom he only knows by his legacy. As the son of a Lord Knight, L'Arc perhaps feels a bit like he's living in his shadow. Firstly, two of his friends initially stuck by his side mostly because he was such, which Serge makes clear. Consequently, towards the end, L'Arc tries to confirm whether or not he and Serge are truly friends, showing that he's not entirely apathetic to this kind of thing (though part of this was also because he knew he wouldn't get another chance). Secondly, he expresses some insecurity that he's not as good as his father was. While L'Arc was never really out to become a hero, he feels like he pales in comparison to his old man. He doesn't care much that he's apparently almost the complete opposite in terms of personality, but he seems to believe that he has certain expectations to live up to.
In the end, however, he goes above and beyond anything his father ever did. Despite how many times the world tried to kick him down and despite the prices that were paid over the course of his journey, L'Arc can say that he's satisfied with his life. He lost a lot, but he gained just as much in return, if not more. Choosing to leave everything behind for the sake of the world wasn't a decision he made lightly, but it's not one he regrets. In a way, one could say that L'Arc truly loves the world. He didn't do what he did because he felt obligated by any duty, but because even he acknowledges that he can't really ignore world destruction. Still, if that were all there were to it, then one would expect him to be more bitter about his fate, but he isn't. Again, it was a hard choice to make for him, but it's clear in the epilogue that he believes it to be worth it, in order to protect everyone.
In short, he's kind of an asshole but still the saviour of the world, and so is no less than what you'd expect from a hero.
ABILITIES:
Having trained under a legendary fighter, L'Arc is a very talented swordsman (and presumably fighter in general). He's the jack-of-all-stats, not being the fastest, strongest, or most enduring, but also definitely not a slouch in any of those areas either.
He's also a trained pilot, as part of being a licensed mercenary.
Other abilities of his in canon, while sealed in Caligo, are magic, Rogress summoning, and Excel Acts—i.e. a 'dormant power within', which ranges from enhanced physical abilities to boosting abilities and whatnot.
POSSESSIONS: Nothing but the clothes on his back and a few misc. trinkets that are completely useless in Caligo:
• Code Stone (neutralizes Hozone when placed in Eesa's core)
• Dragon Gem (received in the Lascarde Skywalk, allowed him to survive in areas without Hozone for a while)
• Blue Bracelet (clears blue Aion Unit seals)
• Yellow Bracelet (clears yellow Aion Unit seals)
• Freya's Pass (grants entry into Diamant)
• Resistance Pin (symbol of Resistance members)
>PERSONA
MAJOR ARCANA:
Magician - L'Arc is someone who acts. Throughout the game, he's constantly moving forward and fighting for what he believes in, as well as being backed up by a divine (of sorts) power: the Rogress. It's even because of them that he's able to face Eesa—the god—and defeat her.
Fortune - Ultimately, everything that happened to L'Arc was an odd mixture of coincidences and chance—his encounter with Ryfia, his best friend being the other Child of Eesa, his childhood friend actually being the Real Diva, him secretly being the half-brother of crown prince, etc. Put together, they formed the path that he chose to walk on.
World - In the end, L'Arc truly became a part of the world, with everything he learned and experienced. He made friends from all over the the place—amazing friends, whom he made sure to thank for everything before leaving. Not only that, but he's settled everything he needed to. That's why, five hundred years later, his last words are to go and see the world that he (and Ryfia) protected—because even if it'll be different, it's still his world.
SHADOW:
In the end, one has to wonder if one can really be as well-adjusted as L'Arc appears to be throughout the entire game. As said, part of it seems to be a brave face on his part, or a repression of his emotions. He doesn't have time to be upset, he doesn't want to show vulnerability in front of others, he can't bring everyone's spirits down—whatever the reasons for the situation at hand, it has to get tiring, always having to be strong. However, everyone's counting on him, so he has no choice, right?
On top of that, he forgave those who wronged him, suffered through the deaths of close friends, saved the world—and in return, he gets to, er, sacrifice himself. In short, after all he went through and achieved, he doesn't even really get a happy ending.
And so, his Shadow would be about that—the grief and possible bitterness he tries to reject and suppress. The pressure to stay strong, the fact that he was supposed to be a simple mercenary, unconcerned with things like saving the world or ending a war. Those sorts of issues were Alf's thing, not his. He was supposed to be focused just on making money, and yet he was tangled up in all of this against his will.
Should he not resent the fact that he had to lose everything he had to save everyone? Should he not resent Rastan (for leading his father to his death), or Alf, Adele, Serge, and Leslie (for betraying him), Ryfia (for bringing him into this mess), or Weiss and the Meridian Empire (for using him as a pawn and turning him into a social outcast)?
Overall, his Shadow would be an emotional wreck, incapable of keeping its grief in check (after all, why should it care how it might affect others?) and bitter towards everyone. As well as that, it'd be rather self-centered—the image that L'Arc tries to create for himself, but without the heart of gold that normally goes along with it.
PERSONA: His Persona will take the form and name of Saura, the human form of the leader of the Rogress, with its ultimate form being her Rogress form, Allul. As Allul (in canon, as a boss) specializes in the ice element, deals out both magical and physical attacks (as can L'Arc), and can inflict Silence, the Persona version would be similar.
A basic skill set after a couple of levels would probably be something like this:
• Cleave
• Bufu
• Mabufu
• Makajam
In-game, Allul is an optional Rogress, so this would be under the assumption that L'Arc did obtain her. As the leader of the Rogress, she is the one that L'Arc has the most interaction with (aside from his first Rogress). Either way, she supports L'Arc at the end of the game and helps him to defeat Eesa, despite serving her, knowing that it's for the best.
PERSONA ACQUISTION: Preferably by shaking the gas station attendant's hand! Though L'Arc would be able to accept his Shadow, the traits it would be born from are greatly exaggerated to begin with, so facing it brings no real benefit to him.
>SAMPLES
(For panfandom apps, one of these must be set in the world of Caligo.)
FIRST PERSON ACTION, JOURNAL, OR PHONE SAMPLE: meme thread!
THIRD PERSON SAMPLE:
A year ago, if you'd asked L'Arc what he'd be doing today, he'd have said mercenary work. Even just a few weeks ago, he'd have told you that he'd be sleeping.
He never would've imagined that he'd be washing dishes in a diner, earning his pay in a far more peaceful way than he'd ever known. Apparently, life wasn't done messing with his head just yet.
—Except, whereas meeting Ryfia had made his life more chaotic, this turn of events only made it unbearably dull at times. Perhaps the mercenary life had spoiled him, where every mission was an adventure (even if L'Arc didn't quite see it like that—he was no Cecille), while there were only so many times he could wash a dish without wanting to bang his head repeatedly.
It was almost as bad as school, which he only attended out of even further boredom, to begin with—and because those damn housewives were spreading rumours about him being for not being a student. He didn't see the point in sitting through classes, learning things that he doubted he would even use. He didn't exactly need to know trigonometry to protect the world.
Then again, he had to prepare for the peace sometime, as it was what he and everyone had hoped to achieve back home. On the other hand, there would've been the aftermath to consider. People wouldn't accept the death of their gods so easily, Shelly breaking off ties with the North Noirests brought up issues, and the Empire and Republic had only just achieved an unshaky peace. Work would have to be done to stabilize everything—
L'Arc sighed. That was for the others to take care of, not him. All he had to worry about was the state of the world when he woke up, whether it be better or worse—hopefully better. There was no use worrying about that now, when it wouldn't accomplish anything. In a way, though, that just made him feel worse, as it felt as if he were disconnected from things now. Everything was out of his hands, as he could no longer do anything to help. He'd left behind more than just his friends, family, and home when he went to sleep, it seemed.
He wondered how everyone was doing. His mom was undoubtedly saddened by his disappearance, but he knew she would stay strong, as their talk before his departure had assured him of that. Still, he couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing that he'd left her behind, just as his father had.
Leslie would no doubt be handling the corrupt members of the Senate and the North Noireism controversy with Shelly. Cecille was on the path to becoming a hero, whatever that might entail, waiting for the years to pass by before she could go back to sleep—L'Arc hoped that he'd see at least her again in the future. Serge might've gone back to Ebur to stay with Maria. What was Rastan doing, now that Ignacy was no longer alive and L'Arc didn't need him anymore? Did the people accept Alf as their ruler? Though L'Arc believed that they did, for even if he hadn't ruled them well up until that point, he had been their beloved prince once.
Then, of course, he wondered how Ryfia was doing, and if she was still thinking of him.
("I really like you."
"... Because I'm the Child of Eesa."
"Because you're L'Arc!")
He missed them.
... And he was coming close to moping, wasn't he? Damn it.
"Geez, this is pathetic..." he muttered. A co-worker overheard him.
"Hey, don't be like that. It ain't the most glamorous of jobs, but at least you're getting paid!"
L'Arc blinked. "Huh? Oh... yeah. Sorry."
Better for people to think that he was grumbling about his job (which he would've likely complained about at one point, anyway) than to think that he was missing people he wouldn't even see when he returned home.
... When, not if. He refused to believe that he'd never see his world again, even if it'd take generations once he did go back. If anything, that made it easier to be patient—to a given degree of 'patient'. He was already waiting for hundreds of years, and so he could wait for however long it took to find a way out of this place.
And then, he'd finally get to see the world that he protected.
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
acperienceARE YOU OVER 16? Yes.
CONTACT:
OTHER CHARACTERS: N/A
>CHARACTER
SERIES: Arc Rise Fantasia
After helping to defeat the hoarde of Feldragons, L'Arc encounters a girl named Ryfia, who turns out to be the Imaginal Diva—a priestess of the god Imaginal. Thanks to L'Arc's friend and the second prince of the Empire, Alf, they escort her to her destination, where it's discovered that L'Arc is the 'Child of Eesa'. As such, he must bond with all nine Rogress and present a Law to the god Eesa. In his case, because of Ryfia, the Law he has chosen is that of Imaginal's—one believed to save everyone.
However, things become complicated when Alf also turns out to be a Child of Eesa and chooses Real's Law instead, forcing him and L'Arc to become enemies. Along with that and the Rogress hunt (or rather, race, thanks to Alf's presence), war breaks out, which L'Arc also has to deal with. These conflicts eventually lead him and his friends to realize that Imaginal's Law isn't as perfect as it sounds and that perhaps the gods themselves aren't even needed. After all, Imaginal's Law exists only to save the Divine Race, who make up a small percentage of humans, while wiping out the rest of them. On the other hand, Real's Law isn't any better, as it will destroy the entire world. Consequently, to save everyone, L'Arc must create a third Law: one that will allow both races to live.
CANON POINT: Pre-epilogue
APPEARANCE: Here!
PERSONALITY:
L'Arc is a lot of things: a mercenary, Alf's foil, the protagonist—but let's start with the basics.
At his core, L'Arc is your standard Jerk With a Heart of Gold. He's easily the rudest in his party, especially in contrast to the much politer Alf. L'Arc tends to say what's on his mind and isn't above making fun of others. There isn't really anyone safe from his attitude, with the exception of his superiors and his mother. Teacher, friends, the stranger he just met—they're all fair game. It's not to the point where he can't be civil, as he fully can be and will apologize, more often than not, if he feels he's gone too far or messed up. On the other hand, it's not uncommon for others to tell him to mind his manners. It's not him compensating for something, a means of defence, or anything like that, as so much as it is simply being a part of who he is. He's just naturally a jerk, really (even when little!).
He's also rather hot-headed. He tends to get frustrated and yell over small things, as he's not the most patient of people. It doesn't help that he often translates worry and fear into anger, as Ryfia notes, claiming that "[he's] scary sometimes...but [means] well". And so, he sometimes needs others to remind him to stay cool. Even when he's not angry, he can get rash in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, he's not usually worked up to the point where he can't be calmed quickly, meaning that his temper and whatnot, while occasionally causing him to act irrationally, doesn't normally get in the way or screw things up.
Of course, he wouldn't be a Jerk With a Heart of Gold without, well, the heart of gold. In L'Arc's case, it's fairly obvious to anyone who knows him for a decent amount of time, especially if one brushes off his insults and snark. Past his brash exterior, he's really a nice guy inside. L'Arc may grumble ("Protect the weak, blah blah", anyone?), but he'll still help others out and look out for their safety, even if he might need a bit of prodding at times. Overall, he's fairly supportive of all his friends, willing to talk about them about their problems if need be. He may not always know what to say (which he admits) and can thus come across as insensitive, but he does care. He's very devoted to Ryfia in particular, despite his initial annoyance at her quirks, being a bit like a rough, sarcastic version of her Prince Charming. His friends happily exploit this and tease him over it—and his soft side in general. While L'Arc doesn't deny most of the time that he's nicer than he seems, he's visibly embarrassed at having it pointed out and frequently ends the conversation right there and then.
On top of that, the guy was willing to sacrifice himself to save the world—you don't get much more altruistic than that. That being said, L'Arc's not needlessly self-sacrificial, even expressing distaste over the thought earlier in the game. He believes in being concerned about yourself as well.
On that note, as Alf puts it: "Always with the money with you, eh?" L'Arc's a bit of a money grubber, which isn't all that surprising, given that he's a mercenary. Whenever doing a mission, expect money to be a point of interest to him, whether it's negotiating his reward or making sure to collect it. He's also shown to be somewhat thrifty, with a dislike of gambling since it wastes money. However, it never gets to a truly greedy point, in that he doesn't let it cloud his judgment. His pursuement of money doesn't lead to other things/people getting the short stick—he's not that obsessed. He also isn't as concerned with it as he used to be, since his reason for desiring it in the first place has been resolved (though old habits die hard, as he's still definitely not the type to forget to pick up his reward).
—And that reason ties in with why L'Arc's money issue is actually more proof of his noble side as well, rather than evidence against it. When you have an ill mother, you need a doctor. Unfortunately, doctors also cost money. In short, the reason L'Arc works so hard and tries to obtain as much money as he can is to pay for his mother's medical fees, as he loves her dearly. Before Ryfia came along, she was his main motivation, with Alf even commenting how he became a legionnaire for her, despite wanting to create his own mercenary group.
With that kind of independent lifestyle, it's no wonder that L'Arc grew up faster than others. Despite only being seventeen, he typically acts more like he's twenty. Aside from his temper, he's normally a serious and collected individual. There's a reason that the others tend to follow his lead, besides him being the Child of Eesa—they know that he's capable and generally as bright as the rest of them, despite his age. That's not to say that he's a stick in the mud, though, despite him often complaining about the others' antics. He does have a sense of humour. In fact, he's very snarky, with a smirk often present on his face, but still not exactly someone you'd find frolicking in the fields. His idea of fun tends to involve teasing/bantering with others and a good fight. Otherwise, his work tends to be his life. He's glad to get new missions (because hey, more money!) and initially doesn't seem to have much of a social life. He isn't a complete loner, for he has his fair share of friends and is familiar with plenty of people (even from other towns), but he's not one to make socializing a priority. Neither is romance, for that matter. If it weren't for his rather obvious chemistry and tension with Ryfia, he'd almost appear asexual, as he shows little interest in romantic or sexual affairs. He gets it when people are talking about love, and in fact misinterprets a few questions about having to do with his love life when they (maybe) weren't. Still, despite living with a pretty girl around his age whom he also had a fair amount of chemistry with, he obviously never had anything but platonic feelings towards her.
In any case, while he does have some of the traits, he's not your standard hot-blooded, rebellious hero. Instead, when not annoyed or whatnot to the point of irrationality, he does try to think things through carefully and logically, seeking information when he can. He also understands the need for chains of command and, as said, tries to be respectful to his superiors (though behind their back is a different story), knowing when to be informal and when not to be. As well as that, he's not idealistic to a fault. By no means does he hold anything against the world, but he acknowledges that it isn't an easy place and is indiscriminate in the way it treats people—old, young, girl, boy, it doesn't matter. He's also the kind of person who knows that "an enemy is an enemy", regardless of chivalry or any of those sorts of ideals. He even states that everyone "[gets their] hands dirty at one time or another"—right to a child, no less—demonstrating that he doesn't like to sugarcoat things or shelter others. He's also rather good at threatening people (via dismemberment) to get them to talk, and while whether he's serious or not is another thing, it's the thought that counts.
His maturity particularly shines through in his view of revenge. L'Arc is well aware that revenge is commonly an unwise choice and only starts a cycle of killing, hence why it's not a path that he pursues without thinking. He also takes into account their reasons for what they did (as said, he realizes that the world can be harsh), rather than blindly hating them for it. Furthermore, L'Arc has shown himself to be a rather forgiving person overall, rarely holding notable grudges. Though he doesn't have an explicit policy on this, he doesn't resent the many people who betray his trust and is willing to give his enemies a second chance if they desire it. Even though no one would blame him for wanting to desert his country, he continues to remain loyal to it, even if he can't entirely explain why. He's certainly not the type to abandon others simply because he was wronged. Needless to say, he's really not the bitter type.
Also needless to say, L'Arc is extremely loyal (despite being a mercenary, who aren't expected to have a fixed loyalty). Not to an irrational point, like Alf, but L'Arc never turns his back to people whom he has some kind of allegiance with. Though isolated incidents may seem like a betrayal, particularly regarding the war, he's looking out for all sides in the grand scheme of things. Even when opposing certain friends, he continously tries to reach out to them and make peace with them, even when he's rejected. As comes with being the protagonist, he's the one who wants to save ~everybody~, even if he wouldn't put it in such a mushy manner. It's why his friends follow him—because they know that he tries to find solutions that are beneficial to all of them.
That being said, mature or not, L'Arc can still be a child at times as well. He does have his moments of naivety, particularly regarding love or more 'mature' jokes, which he's occasionally the butt of from his older friends. He doesn't realize his own feelings for Ryfia, even when she admits to liking him, and never noticed that Adele had more than just familial feelings for him. Not only that, but it's fairly easy to toy with his emotions—and fairly easy to tease him, period. As 'cool' as he might normally seem, chances are he'll rise to the bait. In those kinds of situations, he can be somewhat awkward. He's also not above indulging in that teenage idolizing thing of people he respects a lot, despite his usual "I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU" exterior. It's because of this that he wanted to become a mercenary in the first place, as he idolized the legendary mercenary, Leon.
... Granted, he'll probably think twice before idolizing someone now that his image of Leon has shattered to bits. Thanks, Serge.
He's also known for being ridiculously stubborn, even over petty things. No, he doesn't want to attach an Arm Force to his sword—he likes it just the way it is, thank you. No, he doesn't need to use magic (yes, you do, L'Arc). Generally, though, when it comes to those kinds of things, he'll eventually relent, but the fact he was so insistent to begin with tends to inspire exasperation. On the other hand, his obstinacy can also be a good thing. It means that he holds a firm stance in his beliefs, even though his situation calls for people trying to convince him of theirs. He isn't necessarily narrow-minded, but rather, he isn't so easily swayed by others' opinions. He knows what he believes in and sticks with it until he's given information that forces him to rethink things. This is part of why he admits to possibly disliking the gods, as he wants to decide his fate himself. Gods, Rogress, the like—as powerful as they might be, he's not impressed if they can't do anything to help him. Nevertheless, he realizes that he's not always in the right, even at one point dryly calling himself "the only real bad guy around here" after being played as a pawn. He's not stubbornly arrogant; he's just stubborn.
For that matter, he's not really all that cocky to begin with, despite what his brash attitude might have you believe. He doesn't elevate himself as the son of a famous mercenary or one of the most prominent students of another legendary fighter. Nor does he take much pride in his military title (First Sergeant), acknowledging that he doesn't have any actual power with it. Though he has a tendency to steal the spotlight with his charisma, he's fine with being low-key. He's just out to do his own thing, and whether or not it attracts people's attention is another thing entirely.
Again, he isn't narrow-minded, as he states that he likes hearing others' thoughts and opinions, but he is occasionally ignorant and apathetic. He has somewhat of a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "if it doesn't concern me, then I don't care" mindset. This is especially blatant when, for much of the game, he doesn't pay much attention to the entire Child of Eesa issue because he doesn't believe in the gods and is more focused on the possibility of war. It's all religious mumbo jumbo, after all, and has nothing to do with him when he barely understands what it means to have chosen Imaginal's Law—at least, until he realizes that the gods do exist and most definitely affect his life, at which point he becomes more proactive in his role as the Child of Eesa.
However, it's this kind of attitude that lets him move forward with single-minded determination. He lives in the moment, and thus sometimes doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, but he never wastes time crying over his mistakes. He's not the self-doubting type, instead amending his plan if there's a problem and continuing from there. He believes that if you feel that you should do something, then do it and worry about mistakes once you've made one. If he needs more information and it's available, then he'll seek it. If not, then he'll act based on whatever leads he has now and go from there. Though he understands the need for a break every now and then (or at least a chance to think things over), he prefers to not spend his time being idle. It doesn't help that it's usually up to him to solve things, meaning that all he really can do is go around trying to find a solution, with everyone relying on him. He essentially needs this kind of personality to handle that kind of a burden.
Along that line, L'Arc isn't someone you'll often catch moping. While he does have his sad moments, they tend to be on the brief and mild side. Even when his life gets screwed over, he does his best to remain stoic and focus on the task at hand. Four of his friends, including his best friend and makeshift sister, just betrayed him? Well, he's finished his mission, so he still has to report to the prince. Two good friends just died? He knows that he doesn't have the time to mourn them now. There are no tears or breakdown—just a grim acceptance of the facts as he moves on. This is how he reacts to just about everything: with a firm front. If he's going to be vulnerable, then he'd rather it be in private, and even then, he never lets himself cry. He continues to act the way he always does around others, even helping others out with their own problems if need be.
It gets to the point where it seems like he makes an active attempt to appear strong. He tries not to burden his friends with his problems, even when it concerns them. There are moments where he's too okay, crossing the line from being well-adjusted to either faking it or being perhaps a bit emotionally repressed. Even his mother tells him at one point that if he feels like crying, then it's okay to cry, and yet L'Arc still doesn't. However, he does occasionally seem more emotional when alone, indicating he might not always be as strong as he appears. Still, it's not like being upset will solve anything—and he's got his tough guy act to keep up, doesn't he?
Still, L'Arc's confident in himself and, tough guy act aside, doesn't pretend to be someone he isn't. Once more, this is in contrast to Alf, who envies L'Arc for everything. Rarely green-eyed (pun unintended), whether of abilities, Ryfia, or whatnot, L'Arc's assured of what he has in life. Even things like, er, being hated by most of the world don't bring him down, because he still knows who he is. It's also because of this that people follow him, as his confidence in himself gives him a sort of charm.
However, the (mild) exception to his would likely be matters concerning his father, whom he only knows by his legacy. As the son of a Lord Knight, L'Arc perhaps feels a bit like he's living in his shadow. Firstly, two of his friends initially stuck by his side mostly because he was such, which Serge makes clear. Consequently, towards the end, L'Arc tries to confirm whether or not he and Serge are truly friends, showing that he's not entirely apathetic to this kind of thing (though part of this was also because he knew he wouldn't get another chance). Secondly, he expresses some insecurity that he's not as good as his father was. While L'Arc was never really out to become a hero, he feels like he pales in comparison to his old man. He doesn't care much that he's apparently almost the complete opposite in terms of personality, but he seems to believe that he has certain expectations to live up to.
In the end, however, he goes above and beyond anything his father ever did. Despite how many times the world tried to kick him down and despite the prices that were paid over the course of his journey, L'Arc can say that he's satisfied with his life. He lost a lot, but he gained just as much in return, if not more. Choosing to leave everything behind for the sake of the world wasn't a decision he made lightly, but it's not one he regrets. In a way, one could say that L'Arc truly loves the world. He didn't do what he did because he felt obligated by any duty, but because even he acknowledges that he can't really ignore world destruction. Still, if that were all there were to it, then one would expect him to be more bitter about his fate, but he isn't. Again, it was a hard choice to make for him, but it's clear in the epilogue that he believes it to be worth it, in order to protect everyone.
In short, he's kind of an asshole but still the saviour of the world, and so is no less than what you'd expect from a hero.
ABILITIES:
Having trained under a legendary fighter, L'Arc is a very talented swordsman (and presumably fighter in general). He's the jack-of-all-stats, not being the fastest, strongest, or most enduring, but also definitely not a slouch in any of those areas either.
He's also a trained pilot, as part of being a licensed mercenary.
Other abilities of his in canon, while sealed in Caligo, are magic, Rogress summoning, and Excel Acts—i.e. a 'dormant power within', which ranges from enhanced physical abilities to boosting abilities and whatnot.
POSSESSIONS: Nothing but the clothes on his back and a few misc. trinkets that are completely useless in Caligo:
• Code Stone (neutralizes Hozone when placed in Eesa's core)
• Dragon Gem (received in the Lascarde Skywalk, allowed him to survive in areas without Hozone for a while)
• Blue Bracelet (clears blue Aion Unit seals)
• Yellow Bracelet (clears yellow Aion Unit seals)
• Freya's Pass (grants entry into Diamant)
• Resistance Pin (symbol of Resistance members)
>PERSONA
Magician - L'Arc is someone who acts. Throughout the game, he's constantly moving forward and fighting for what he believes in, as well as being backed up by a divine (of sorts) power: the Rogress. It's even because of them that he's able to face Eesa—the god—and defeat her.
(action — determination — personal power)
Fortune - Ultimately, everything that happened to L'Arc was an odd mixture of coincidences and chance—his encounter with Ryfia, his best friend being the other Child of Eesa, his childhood friend actually being the Real Diva, him secretly being the half-brother of crown prince, etc. Put together, they formed the path that he chose to walk on.
(opportunities — fate — new developments)
World - In the end, L'Arc truly became a part of the world, with everything he learned and experienced. He made friends from all over the the place—amazing friends, whom he made sure to thank for everything before leaving. Not only that, but he's settled everything he needed to. That's why, five hundred years later, his last words are to go and see the world that he (and Ryfia) protected—because even if it'll be different, it's still his world.
(fulfillment — accomplishment — integration)
SHADOW:
In the end, one has to wonder if one can really be as well-adjusted as L'Arc appears to be throughout the entire game. As said, part of it seems to be a brave face on his part, or a repression of his emotions. He doesn't have time to be upset, he doesn't want to show vulnerability in front of others, he can't bring everyone's spirits down—whatever the reasons for the situation at hand, it has to get tiring, always having to be strong. However, everyone's counting on him, so he has no choice, right?
On top of that, he forgave those who wronged him, suffered through the deaths of close friends, saved the world—and in return, he gets to, er, sacrifice himself. In short, after all he went through and achieved, he doesn't even really get a happy ending.
And so, his Shadow would be about that—the grief and possible bitterness he tries to reject and suppress. The pressure to stay strong, the fact that he was supposed to be a simple mercenary, unconcerned with things like saving the world or ending a war. Those sorts of issues were Alf's thing, not his. He was supposed to be focused just on making money, and yet he was tangled up in all of this against his will.
Should he not resent the fact that he had to lose everything he had to save everyone? Should he not resent Rastan (for leading his father to his death), or Alf, Adele, Serge, and Leslie (for betraying him), Ryfia (for bringing him into this mess), or Weiss and the Meridian Empire (for using him as a pawn and turning him into a social outcast)?
Overall, his Shadow would be an emotional wreck, incapable of keeping its grief in check (after all, why should it care how it might affect others?) and bitter towards everyone. As well as that, it'd be rather self-centered—the image that L'Arc tries to create for himself, but without the heart of gold that normally goes along with it.
PERSONA: His Persona will take the form and name of Saura, the human form of the leader of the Rogress, with its ultimate form being her Rogress form, Allul. As Allul (in canon, as a boss) specializes in the ice element, deals out both magical and physical attacks (as can L'Arc), and can inflict Silence, the Persona version would be similar.
A basic skill set after a couple of levels would probably be something like this:
• Cleave
• Bufu
• Mabufu
• Makajam
In-game, Allul is an optional Rogress, so this would be under the assumption that L'Arc did obtain her. As the leader of the Rogress, she is the one that L'Arc has the most interaction with (aside from his first Rogress). Either way, she supports L'Arc at the end of the game and helps him to defeat Eesa, despite serving her, knowing that it's for the best.
PERSONA ACQUISTION: Preferably by shaking the gas station attendant's hand! Though L'Arc would be able to accept his Shadow, the traits it would be born from are greatly exaggerated to begin with, so facing it brings no real benefit to him.
>SAMPLES
(For panfandom apps, one of these must be set in the world of Caligo.)
THIRD PERSON SAMPLE:
A year ago, if you'd asked L'Arc what he'd be doing today, he'd have said mercenary work. Even just a few weeks ago, he'd have told you that he'd be sleeping.
He never would've imagined that he'd be washing dishes in a diner, earning his pay in a far more peaceful way than he'd ever known. Apparently, life wasn't done messing with his head just yet.
—Except, whereas meeting Ryfia had made his life more chaotic, this turn of events only made it unbearably dull at times. Perhaps the mercenary life had spoiled him, where every mission was an adventure (even if L'Arc didn't quite see it like that—he was no Cecille), while there were only so many times he could wash a dish without wanting to bang his head repeatedly.
It was almost as bad as school, which he only attended out of even further boredom, to begin with—and because those damn housewives were spreading rumours about him being for not being a student. He didn't see the point in sitting through classes, learning things that he doubted he would even use. He didn't exactly need to know trigonometry to protect the world.
Then again, he had to prepare for the peace sometime, as it was what he and everyone had hoped to achieve back home. On the other hand, there would've been the aftermath to consider. People wouldn't accept the death of their gods so easily, Shelly breaking off ties with the North Noirests brought up issues, and the Empire and Republic had only just achieved an unshaky peace. Work would have to be done to stabilize everything—
L'Arc sighed. That was for the others to take care of, not him. All he had to worry about was the state of the world when he woke up, whether it be better or worse—hopefully better. There was no use worrying about that now, when it wouldn't accomplish anything. In a way, though, that just made him feel worse, as it felt as if he were disconnected from things now. Everything was out of his hands, as he could no longer do anything to help. He'd left behind more than just his friends, family, and home when he went to sleep, it seemed.
He wondered how everyone was doing. His mom was undoubtedly saddened by his disappearance, but he knew she would stay strong, as their talk before his departure had assured him of that. Still, he couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing that he'd left her behind, just as his father had.
Leslie would no doubt be handling the corrupt members of the Senate and the North Noireism controversy with Shelly. Cecille was on the path to becoming a hero, whatever that might entail, waiting for the years to pass by before she could go back to sleep—L'Arc hoped that he'd see at least her again in the future. Serge might've gone back to Ebur to stay with Maria. What was Rastan doing, now that Ignacy was no longer alive and L'Arc didn't need him anymore? Did the people accept Alf as their ruler? Though L'Arc believed that they did, for even if he hadn't ruled them well up until that point, he had been their beloved prince once.
Then, of course, he wondered how Ryfia was doing, and if she was still thinking of him.
("I really like you."
"... Because I'm the Child of Eesa."
"Because you're L'Arc!")
He missed them.
... And he was coming close to moping, wasn't he? Damn it.
"Geez, this is pathetic..." he muttered. A co-worker overheard him.
"Hey, don't be like that. It ain't the most glamorous of jobs, but at least you're getting paid!"
L'Arc blinked. "Huh? Oh... yeah. Sorry."
Better for people to think that he was grumbling about his job (which he would've likely complained about at one point, anyway) than to think that he was missing people he wouldn't even see when he returned home.
... When, not if. He refused to believe that he'd never see his world again, even if it'd take generations once he did go back. If anything, that made it easier to be patient—to a given degree of 'patient'. He was already waiting for hundreds of years, and so he could wait for however long it took to find a way out of this place.
And then, he'd finally get to see the world that he protected.