Riza Hawkeye (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
queenofthecrosshairs) wrote2012-09-10 08:10 pm
queenofthecrosshairs) wrote2012-09-10 08:10 pm
Entry tags:
Somarium Application
[Player name] Thirteen
[Age] 22
[Personal Journal] I don’t actually have one!
[Other characters currently played] N/A
[Character name] Riza Hawkeye
[Age] Mid-to-late twenties
[Canon] Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
[Point in time taken from canon] During the timespan between episodes 45 and 46, while they are making preparations for the Promised Day
[Background]
Here, have a wiki!
[Personality]
Upon first glance Riza looks like the picture-perfect soldier—strict, disciplined, and respectful. She’s quick to snap to attention and retains all the formalities that one would expect from a career soldier. She takes her duties seriously, and will often scold the members of her team (superior officer included) if she catches them slacking off. She never fails to carry out an order and does so with a calm and almost cool efficiency. The Lieutenant is fiercely loyal to those she trusts, and in turn inspires loyalty in others.
It takes a lot to faze the woman. She can take on strange enemies without batting an eye and is able to quickly adjust her strategy as needed to survive in battle. Both in and outside of battle, she is able to keep her cool. While she may show some slight affectionate annoyance when her coworkers misbehave, she seldom allows herself to give into displays of true anger or grief.
Of course, she isn’t all business all the time. She has a warm side to her, especially when off duty. While she still retains some of her formality, most prominently around other soldiers (always Colonel or sir, never Roy), she can be quite friendly and inviting around others. This most often manifests in quiet ways, small smiles and always being willing to listen if someone needs to talk. Her affections are almost never displayed in blatant ways, likely due in part to both her strained upbringing living only with her manic alchemist father and the effect her tour in the Ishvalan campaign had on her.
Perhaps the only one often seeing her be openly affectionate is her dog, Black Hayate, though that of course came packaged along with her strict method of raising him. And she’s not without a sense of humor. Hers tends mostly to the dry side, making snappy remarks when the moment suits it, especially when in the company of those she knows well, such as the Colonel or her friend Rebecca Catalina.
When she was younger, Riza appeared to be a bit of an idealist; she quickly took to Roy’s dream of making Amestris a better place through joining the military, which played a large part in her determining that she could trust him with the secrets to her father’s flame alchemy. This was also perhaps why she decided to enlist in the military herself. But it wasn’t long before that youthful idealism of hers was somewhat crushed. Her participation in the Ishvalan War of Extermination took a harsh toll on her. She questioned why the military, which was supposed to protect the people, was being ordered to eliminate them instead. When she pulled the trigger, someone was guaranteed to die. The sight of her victims through her scope is not something she can easily forget—nor does she want to. And her guilt during the war was only compounded each time Roy’s alchemy was used in force. As the one who handed him the secrets of the deadly flame alchemy, she felt responsible for the deaths on his hands as well.
While she excels at taking the lives of others, she is by no means fond of it. Though she has a profound guilt for all the lives she has taken, she claims that she has no right to feel sorry for herself. The way she sees it, she was the one who chose this path, she was the one who pulled the trigger each and every time. In a way, she has learned to accept the blood on her hands. Soldiers like her were meant to shoulder these heavy burdens so that the rest of the people could have their chance to live in peace. As long as she continues to be able to protect the people and help the Colonel reach his goal of changing the country, she feels that she is still able to do some good. It’s this hopefulness that allows her to keep a positive attitude despite all that she has seen and done.
Her biggest—and perhaps most striking—weakness is just how devoted she is to Colonel Mustang and his ideals. When faced with a situation in which she had been told he was dead, the normally level-headed Lieutenant nearly fell apart. After firing all of her rounds at the semi-immortal enemy, she simply gave up, and if it hadn’t been for the intervention of Alphonse Elric and the subsequent appearance of a very-much-alive Roy, she simply would have allowed herself to be killed. She’s also promised the Colonel that she would shoot him down should he stray too far from his path, but she’s made it clear that she does not have any intention to continue on living her life once she’s done so. Her fierce dedication to her role as his bodyguard is very much for her own well being, as well as his.
[Abilities]
Riza is a weapons specialist with exceptional skills in both sniping and close range firing. She’s strikingly good at always hitting her mark, living up to both her surname and nickname of “Eye of the Hawk.”
[Other important stuff] Just one small thing: since pets are allowed, I’d like it if her dog Black Hayate would be able to come with her. :3
[Sample post]
[First Person]
- Would you consider yourself a hero or a villain? Why? Neither is an option as well, but still tell why.
Despite being lauded as one, I have no right to call myself a hero after what I’ve done in Ishval. A hero isn’t someone who willingly pulls the trigger to take an innocent life. But I wouldn’t quite call myself a villain, either. The reason I joined the military was to protect the people and help make the country a better place.
- If you could go back home, would you? Why or why not?
Yes. A very important mission was approaching when I came here, and I worry about what might have happened in my absence. Amestris may have its flaws, but it’s home, and we were working to fix it. I couldn’t forgive myself if the mission failed due to my absence. There were too many lives at stake.
- Someone is trying to rob you! What do you do?
Do a bit of threatening of my own with one of my pistols. And if that fails, well, I’m sure Black Hayate would be more than enough for a petty thief. I’ve trained the little guy well, after all. [She cracks a slight smile.]
- Your country is in the middle of a war. What do you think of it? Do you support it or try to solve it yourself by going on an epic quest? Explain.
I’m no stranger to war. As a soldier I would be expected to carry out my orders and support the war effort, despite my beliefs. No one man can singlehandedly end a war. You either fight to keep your comrades alive, or take the coward’s way out and let them die.
- You are a given a mission. Would you complete it effectively or would you goof off and do something else? Expand a little on the response.
I would complete it in a timely manner as is expected of me, whether it’s something difficult and life threatening or small and frivolous. Unlike a certain colonel I could name…
- Would you prefer being the stalker, or the one being stalked? And what would you do?
It’s in a sniper’s best interest to remain out of sight. If you’re considering tracking a target as ‘stalking,’ your best bet is to find somewhere high with a wide field of sight. Preferably somewhere that allows for a quick exit strategy, if things take a turn for the worse.
[Third Person]
For Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, disassembling and reassembling her weapons was as simple as breathing. Eject the clip, unscrew the base, and lay out each piece for inspection and cleaning. Good maintenance was crucial. No one wanted to find themselves caught in a firefight with a poorly kept gun. And she had to admit that the whole process had a certain calming quality to it as well, a perfect way to spend sleepless nights like this one.
It was late, her work accompanied only by the sound of the wind from the approaching storm front rattling against her small apartment’s window. Hayate slept under the window on a makeshift bed of blankets with a peace that Riza could only wish to obtain. She focused on the gun in front of her, running her fingers along the scarred metal of its slide. The guns were tools, but each one had a unique feel to her, with unique memories.
As she began fitting the pieces of the handgun back together, she thought back to an evening in East City, team Mustang aiding in the hunt for a pair of loose criminals who were skilled in the use of throwing knives. Rather unfortunately for the pursuing soldiers, the two of them were just as quick as they were dangerous. It had taken them the better part of the night to corner them in the warehouse district, and their constant dodge-and-attack method of fighting had caused Riza to burn through most of the handgun’s clip with little success. As she had pursued one of the criminals around a corner to where his partner was tangling with the Colonel, she fired off her remaining two rounds and finally got in a successful hit to the back of his leg. The wounded man stumbled, but he already had his sights—and his weapon—trained on the preoccupied Flame Alchemist.
She would be too late if she took the time to unholster her revolver to get a shot in, but there had been another way to stop the attack. She called out a head’s up to the colonel, made a quick calculation for the trajectory, and launched her empty handgun into the air to intercept the blade in its flight. The look on his face as he turned and saw the two weapons flying past him was priceless, and the Lieutenant was quick to jokingly tell him, "You shouldn't leave your back wide open, sir," when the battle was finally through. She and the rest of the team took pleasure in teasing the colonel about the incident for a week straight afterwards.
She smiled at the memory and set the reassembled gun off to the side. Her eyes glanced down at the rifle leaning against the side of the table waiting for its own inspection. There were other memories associated with this one.
The feel of the dry desert air pressing in on her, the smothering feeling of the cloak that concealed her from both the sun and prying enemy eyes. The air was filled with staggered gunshots, screams of pain and anger and anguish, indistinguishable between Amestrian and Ishvalan. The resounding crack! that followed when she pulled the trigger, the recoiling weapon pressing painfully into her shoulder as clouds of smoke rose from fires in the distance.
A clap of thunder startled her from the memory, and it took her a moment to realize that her hand had instinctively moved for the gun at the noise. A shaky sigh escaped her lips.
She lifted the gun and laid it across the table, running her hands along its length. There were better things to associate with the rifle—things like cheerful boasting at the academy shooting range with Rebecca and the rest of the cadets, or even the surprisingly pleasant memories of first learning to shoot.
Those were the thoughts she needed tonight.
[Why do you want to play this character in Somarium?] There’s just something about playing a war-ravaged soldier that appeals to me, as it's an interesting balance of action and emotional introspection. It would be really interesting to get inside her head and see how she’d react to different situations. As for bringing her to Somarium itself—I’m a real sucker for anything dream-related.
[Which rule was your favorite and why?] The rules pertaining to handling ooc characters. It’s good that you encourage people to offer crit first and foremost!
[Where did you hear about Somarium?] Ed’s player suggested we come here over on ATP!
[Any questions?] Nope!
[Age] 22
[Personal Journal] I don’t actually have one!
[Other characters currently played] N/A
[Character name] Riza Hawkeye
[Age] Mid-to-late twenties
[Canon] Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
[Point in time taken from canon] During the timespan between episodes 45 and 46, while they are making preparations for the Promised Day
[Background]
Here, have a wiki!
[Personality]
Upon first glance Riza looks like the picture-perfect soldier—strict, disciplined, and respectful. She’s quick to snap to attention and retains all the formalities that one would expect from a career soldier. She takes her duties seriously, and will often scold the members of her team (superior officer included) if she catches them slacking off. She never fails to carry out an order and does so with a calm and almost cool efficiency. The Lieutenant is fiercely loyal to those she trusts, and in turn inspires loyalty in others.
It takes a lot to faze the woman. She can take on strange enemies without batting an eye and is able to quickly adjust her strategy as needed to survive in battle. Both in and outside of battle, she is able to keep her cool. While she may show some slight affectionate annoyance when her coworkers misbehave, she seldom allows herself to give into displays of true anger or grief.
Of course, she isn’t all business all the time. She has a warm side to her, especially when off duty. While she still retains some of her formality, most prominently around other soldiers (always Colonel or sir, never Roy), she can be quite friendly and inviting around others. This most often manifests in quiet ways, small smiles and always being willing to listen if someone needs to talk. Her affections are almost never displayed in blatant ways, likely due in part to both her strained upbringing living only with her manic alchemist father and the effect her tour in the Ishvalan campaign had on her.
Perhaps the only one often seeing her be openly affectionate is her dog, Black Hayate, though that of course came packaged along with her strict method of raising him. And she’s not without a sense of humor. Hers tends mostly to the dry side, making snappy remarks when the moment suits it, especially when in the company of those she knows well, such as the Colonel or her friend Rebecca Catalina.
When she was younger, Riza appeared to be a bit of an idealist; she quickly took to Roy’s dream of making Amestris a better place through joining the military, which played a large part in her determining that she could trust him with the secrets to her father’s flame alchemy. This was also perhaps why she decided to enlist in the military herself. But it wasn’t long before that youthful idealism of hers was somewhat crushed. Her participation in the Ishvalan War of Extermination took a harsh toll on her. She questioned why the military, which was supposed to protect the people, was being ordered to eliminate them instead. When she pulled the trigger, someone was guaranteed to die. The sight of her victims through her scope is not something she can easily forget—nor does she want to. And her guilt during the war was only compounded each time Roy’s alchemy was used in force. As the one who handed him the secrets of the deadly flame alchemy, she felt responsible for the deaths on his hands as well.
While she excels at taking the lives of others, she is by no means fond of it. Though she has a profound guilt for all the lives she has taken, she claims that she has no right to feel sorry for herself. The way she sees it, she was the one who chose this path, she was the one who pulled the trigger each and every time. In a way, she has learned to accept the blood on her hands. Soldiers like her were meant to shoulder these heavy burdens so that the rest of the people could have their chance to live in peace. As long as she continues to be able to protect the people and help the Colonel reach his goal of changing the country, she feels that she is still able to do some good. It’s this hopefulness that allows her to keep a positive attitude despite all that she has seen and done.
Her biggest—and perhaps most striking—weakness is just how devoted she is to Colonel Mustang and his ideals. When faced with a situation in which she had been told he was dead, the normally level-headed Lieutenant nearly fell apart. After firing all of her rounds at the semi-immortal enemy, she simply gave up, and if it hadn’t been for the intervention of Alphonse Elric and the subsequent appearance of a very-much-alive Roy, she simply would have allowed herself to be killed. She’s also promised the Colonel that she would shoot him down should he stray too far from his path, but she’s made it clear that she does not have any intention to continue on living her life once she’s done so. Her fierce dedication to her role as his bodyguard is very much for her own well being, as well as his.
[Abilities]
Riza is a weapons specialist with exceptional skills in both sniping and close range firing. She’s strikingly good at always hitting her mark, living up to both her surname and nickname of “Eye of the Hawk.”
[Other important stuff] Just one small thing: since pets are allowed, I’d like it if her dog Black Hayate would be able to come with her. :3
[Sample post]
[First Person]
- Would you consider yourself a hero or a villain? Why? Neither is an option as well, but still tell why.
Despite being lauded as one, I have no right to call myself a hero after what I’ve done in Ishval. A hero isn’t someone who willingly pulls the trigger to take an innocent life. But I wouldn’t quite call myself a villain, either. The reason I joined the military was to protect the people and help make the country a better place.
- If you could go back home, would you? Why or why not?
Yes. A very important mission was approaching when I came here, and I worry about what might have happened in my absence. Amestris may have its flaws, but it’s home, and we were working to fix it. I couldn’t forgive myself if the mission failed due to my absence. There were too many lives at stake.
- Someone is trying to rob you! What do you do?
Do a bit of threatening of my own with one of my pistols. And if that fails, well, I’m sure Black Hayate would be more than enough for a petty thief. I’ve trained the little guy well, after all. [She cracks a slight smile.]
- Your country is in the middle of a war. What do you think of it? Do you support it or try to solve it yourself by going on an epic quest? Explain.
I’m no stranger to war. As a soldier I would be expected to carry out my orders and support the war effort, despite my beliefs. No one man can singlehandedly end a war. You either fight to keep your comrades alive, or take the coward’s way out and let them die.
- You are a given a mission. Would you complete it effectively or would you goof off and do something else? Expand a little on the response.
I would complete it in a timely manner as is expected of me, whether it’s something difficult and life threatening or small and frivolous. Unlike a certain colonel I could name…
- Would you prefer being the stalker, or the one being stalked? And what would you do?
It’s in a sniper’s best interest to remain out of sight. If you’re considering tracking a target as ‘stalking,’ your best bet is to find somewhere high with a wide field of sight. Preferably somewhere that allows for a quick exit strategy, if things take a turn for the worse.
[Third Person]
For Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, disassembling and reassembling her weapons was as simple as breathing. Eject the clip, unscrew the base, and lay out each piece for inspection and cleaning. Good maintenance was crucial. No one wanted to find themselves caught in a firefight with a poorly kept gun. And she had to admit that the whole process had a certain calming quality to it as well, a perfect way to spend sleepless nights like this one.
It was late, her work accompanied only by the sound of the wind from the approaching storm front rattling against her small apartment’s window. Hayate slept under the window on a makeshift bed of blankets with a peace that Riza could only wish to obtain. She focused on the gun in front of her, running her fingers along the scarred metal of its slide. The guns were tools, but each one had a unique feel to her, with unique memories.
As she began fitting the pieces of the handgun back together, she thought back to an evening in East City, team Mustang aiding in the hunt for a pair of loose criminals who were skilled in the use of throwing knives. Rather unfortunately for the pursuing soldiers, the two of them were just as quick as they were dangerous. It had taken them the better part of the night to corner them in the warehouse district, and their constant dodge-and-attack method of fighting had caused Riza to burn through most of the handgun’s clip with little success. As she had pursued one of the criminals around a corner to where his partner was tangling with the Colonel, she fired off her remaining two rounds and finally got in a successful hit to the back of his leg. The wounded man stumbled, but he already had his sights—and his weapon—trained on the preoccupied Flame Alchemist.
She would be too late if she took the time to unholster her revolver to get a shot in, but there had been another way to stop the attack. She called out a head’s up to the colonel, made a quick calculation for the trajectory, and launched her empty handgun into the air to intercept the blade in its flight. The look on his face as he turned and saw the two weapons flying past him was priceless, and the Lieutenant was quick to jokingly tell him, "You shouldn't leave your back wide open, sir," when the battle was finally through. She and the rest of the team took pleasure in teasing the colonel about the incident for a week straight afterwards.
She smiled at the memory and set the reassembled gun off to the side. Her eyes glanced down at the rifle leaning against the side of the table waiting for its own inspection. There were other memories associated with this one.
The feel of the dry desert air pressing in on her, the smothering feeling of the cloak that concealed her from both the sun and prying enemy eyes. The air was filled with staggered gunshots, screams of pain and anger and anguish, indistinguishable between Amestrian and Ishvalan. The resounding crack! that followed when she pulled the trigger, the recoiling weapon pressing painfully into her shoulder as clouds of smoke rose from fires in the distance.
A clap of thunder startled her from the memory, and it took her a moment to realize that her hand had instinctively moved for the gun at the noise. A shaky sigh escaped her lips.
She lifted the gun and laid it across the table, running her hands along its length. There were better things to associate with the rifle—things like cheerful boasting at the academy shooting range with Rebecca and the rest of the cadets, or even the surprisingly pleasant memories of first learning to shoot.
Those were the thoughts she needed tonight.
[Why do you want to play this character in Somarium?] There’s just something about playing a war-ravaged soldier that appeals to me, as it's an interesting balance of action and emotional introspection. It would be really interesting to get inside her head and see how she’d react to different situations. As for bringing her to Somarium itself—I’m a real sucker for anything dream-related.
[Which rule was your favorite and why?] The rules pertaining to handling ooc characters. It’s good that you encourage people to offer crit first and foremost!
[Where did you hear about Somarium?] Ed’s player suggested we come here over on ATP!
[Any questions?] Nope!