Application for route_29

[bellyshirt]

Character
Name: Luke fon Fabre
Series: Tales of the Abyss
Timeline: Right before waking up in Tataroo Valley with Tear.
Canon Resource Links: Luke @ the Tales wiki!

Personality:

Luke fon Fabre is a needy, entitled manchild.

We'll go backwards from the end, starting with the manchild bit. I only wish this was less literal than it is, if only because it'd be more funny and less tragic: though he appears seventeen, Luke's only been around for seven years, as he's the clone of the original Luke fon Fabre (now calling himself Asch the Bloody).

He doesn't know this, however. As far as he is (and his family/servants are) concerned, he 'lost his memory' seven years ago and had to start from scratch: re-learning to walk, to talk, to write...and even more basic things, like his parents' faces, or how to use the bathroom properly. Not only has Luke in all this time never been allowed to leave his manor, on the pretext that he might be kidnapped again, all of this re-learning was left in the hands of unqualified servants (with the expectation that he would 'get better' eventually). This has left Luke stunted on multiple levels, namely socially and emotionally. For example, he lacks knowledge about geography, politics and history that his compatriots, even those (physically) younger than himself, find utterly basic.

On being 'entitled': as stated above, Luke has never left the manor in all his short life. Even though he is certainly capable of processing experiences and emotions like a normal seventeen-year-old, he lacks the life experience and maturity to do so properly. He's gotten used to having servants wipe his ass (figuratively) for him, and expects everyone else to treat him similarly. His sheltered upbringing is so extreme that, once faced with the outside world, he honestly wonders why people react negatively to his spoiled behaviour. He's used to having servants (and not friends), so he's extremely demanding of others, but takes their sacrifices for granted and offers little in return. He's used to getting away with skipping his tutoring, so he's lazy in almost everything except what interests him, or what advantages him. He's used to having all of his feelings validated, so he can't handle criticism. He has no impulse control and weak moral fibre. In fact, he's used to pretty much getting away with everything, so he's got confidence in spades and little to no self-doubt to compensate.

His arrogance is probably his biggest flaw. He's rude, he's downright mean, and hardly ever feels sorry for his behaviour. (Excuses, though, there's plenty of those to be had.) By the time he's come to realize that he's made a mistake or (god forbid) he's in the wrong, his pride stops him from apologizing or trying to fix things: instead, he pins the blame on others and refuses to acknowledge his own responsibility. And goodness knows he makes mistakes: his lack of social education causes him to get into trouble frequently, such as when he accidentally shoplifts because he presumes that, just like at the manor, paying isn't required.

He just goes on his way, either unaware or uncaring of the bridges he's burning. He's never had true friends (besides Guy, but Guy's his manservant, he doesn't have much of a choice), so he's never met anyone willing to level with him and teach him how to act properly as equals. He's so easily frustrated and impatient that his capacity to form attachments is limited, since he isn't willing to put in the work of maintaining a bond. Most of his relationships (pre-Defining Character Moment, that is) are caused either by necessity or by the other character going out of their way to be nice to him; it's doubtful he even realizes it. He's a bit like one of those high-end chihuahuas who've never seen the ground: when people do start to reach out to him, he snaps and bites.

As for being needy, well, that goes beyond just being dependant on others, which Luke definitely is. It's another trait that links Luke to his upbringing: because people who are willing to treat him like a functioning adult aren't a dime a dozen, when they do show up (especially when they pander to his aggrandized self-importance) he tends to latch onto them like a barnacle. He refers to his (backstabbing) swordmaster as the "only one who ever takes [him] seriously" and presumes the man can do no wrong, up until he falls into the man's trap and gets the crap manipulated out of him. With those he trusts—and while Luke doesn't like indiscriminately, Luke trusts very easily—Luke can be extremely malleable and eager to please, as he is naturally inclined to seek what he sees as 'real' praise and 'real' merit.

This isn't to say that he's entirely lacking in good points: if the latter two-thirds of the game tell us anything, it's that Luke has it in him to be an exceptional human being, should circumstances force him to change. The bases are there: he can be a hard worker (when he wants to), he can be extremely loyal (albeit often to the wrong people...and only when he wants to), and he learns and adapts at a blistering speed (you get it by now). While his moral values aren't anything to write home about, they are there. He legitimately wants to help, even if at first it's only because he's concerned about image. He does legitimately want to make something out of himself, even if he isn't sure how to go about it and tends to rush ahead without asking for advice. Ultimately, Luke is the world's oldest seven-year-old, and pretty much acts like it.

Strengths/Weaknesses:

☒ Bratty: would you like some cheese with your whine?
☒ Immature: it's also never his fault.
☒ Socially inept: tact?? Who needs it! Not Luke.
☒ Socially uneducated: how do I shot buying things???
☒ Spoiled: he's been raised by maids and servants. The whole 'living on his own' thing is new.
☒ Lazy: effort is haaaard.
☒ Temperamental: Luke has almost no impulse control, and this especially shows itself when he's angry.

☐ Malleable: his lack of socialization makes Luke particularly open-minded, but also very easy to manipulate.

☑ Physically fit: surprise surprise, the six-pack isn't a lie. Luke can handle himself.
☑ Quick learner: when Luke bothers to actually put any effort into anything, that is.

Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Team Rocket
Starter: Zorua

Luke's a clone, so the Zorua's a play on that. I chose Zorua instead of Ditto both to emphasize the magical (or at least, incredibly...unscientific) nature of Luke's cloning and the fact that his only resemblance to his original, Asch, is a surface one. Yes, they are ~perfect isofons~ (Sunny will know what I'm talking about), but they couldn't be more different in both skills and demeanour, so I chose Zorua knowing that its transformation, unlike Ditto's, broke under pressure.

Password: Raspberry Lemonade

Samples
First Person Sample:

[The feed opens to...an Abra. A sleeping Abra. Pretty normal Abra, actually. The camera follows the rise and fall of its little chest with an assiduity that almost seems alarming.]

I am gonna get this little sucker.

[That whisper would be Luke, who pointedly sets the camera down, presumably so that Johto can see how awesome his capture of his Abra will be. Somewhere close by, Zorua makes a long-suffering sound.

--and there Luke rushes forward, going in for the grab, only for the Abra to make its escape and leave him faceplanting against the ground.]

[A moment of silence, please. Zorua giggles.]

[Luke glowers at his pokemon, red-faced and expression flinty.]

This stupid thing's been running from me all morning! Why won't it stay in one place like a normal pokemon?!

[Someone might wanna mention that...that isn't the same Abra.]

Third Person Sample:

It had taken a while to get the hang of it, and a lot of near-misses. He hadn't wanted to at all, at first. He'd been insulted, in fact, to be asked to stoop so low, but the first time he'd returned to base with his spoils and seen his supervisor's eyes alight with...something, something that could have been pleasant surprise, I underestimated you, his pride had swelled and his ego had taken care of the rest.

Now, they had this down.

Luke waited by the pokemart, watching people go by, ticking them off as he went. This one too hurried, that one too slow, this one too flashy, that one too old... He wished they could just get this over with so he could get back to base. It was hot, and his long sleeves were doing nothing to help, the cheap shirt itchy against skin that had only ever felt the caress of the highest-quality fabric. With his hair swept up under a baseball cap, he was far less noticeable, but no less sweaty for his trouble—

—Ah, there. She was middle-aged, casually dressed, but still young and pretty enough for his purposes. She was a few steps past him when she went down, tripping over her own heels. Her cry of pain almost immediately brought a few good samaritans running: oh, please, ma'am, let me help you, the pokemon center's just down the road. She whimpered.

He didn't waste much time. He moved quickly, fingers nimble: he knew the different clasps, how to unlock them, tiny spheres disappearing into his sleeve. And then he knelt.

"C'mon, auntie, watch where you're going for once," he huffed, sliding his hand on her arm. The woman looked at him, and nodded fretfully, letting him help her up. He did his best to look apologetic to the two men. "Sorry, she's pretty clumsy. We were supposed to meet here, but I guess I'll take her to the center. Thanks for your help."

As far as he was concerned, he deserved some kind of award. That had gone pretty smoothly, and now he was already two over quota, which was totally gonna net him a bonus.

"You totally overdid it," he accused under his breath. Zorua huffed in protest, making a show of 'limping'. He had a bad feeling about this.

They got twenty, thirty steps away--

"Hey, my pokeballs! Stop, thief!"

Okay, so they didn't quite have it down pat, yet.

"Run!" He hissed. They bolted. There was the acrid scent of smoke, and then Zorua shifted and there were two of them, going in opposite directions. Sure, they still had the act to fix, but their exits were flawless.