officer_zwingli

OOC:

Name: Georgia
Personal LJ/DW: LJ: mouseyshuffle
Age: 22 (almost)
Contact: AIM: sushimoments
Tumblr: dropbear-hotline

IC:

Character Name: Vash Zwingli
Country represented:

Switzerland
Birthday: 25^th July, 1988
Age: 24

Occupation: Public transport Ticket Inspector
Residence: Apt 601, Regency Apartments

Ten (/12) True Facts About Your Character:

This boy loves crime-fighting, and not just your every day scripted car chase or reality tv house bust either. There's nothing thrilling about sitting in front of the tv. While Vash's parents insisted he get an education (Business Administration, unwillingly), the Swiss then-teen absolutely abhorred the idea of ending up with a desk-job. From a very young age his ambitions were set on the Police Force, and he vowed that from the moment he graduated with a secured 'Plan B', he'd give it his all to become a recruit.

Once Graduation came and went, at 22 years old Vash was set on moving to the US. At the time he was convinced that Hartsbridge- no, the United States- would be the land of Opportunity. It was a vast country with a relatively high crime rate (compared to home) and he was sure that, if he was to make a name for himself anywhere, America would be the place. So Vash Zwingli left his sister (Liechtenstein) and parents behind, with a resolution to keep the peace in a country he knew nothing about.
Equipped with a thick Germanic accent and only enough money to get by, he is just as determined as the day he left Europe.

Only this wasn't the job he had in mind.
He didn’t move to Hartsbridge with a passion for public transport, or a fervent desire to weed out and punish delinquent fare evaders and misfits. It's a good waste of talent. That’s not to say that he doesn’t do his job well though: Vash Zwingli is a well renowned ticker inspector, at least amongst many of the University students. He won’t be swayed by sob stories or faked drowsiness, and if you try to make a run for it he will catch you.
Perhaps Vash takes his job a little too seriously.

Vash was told he was too short, too young, too inexperienced, too everything to become a proper Police officer. Oh, and that he’s not a US citizen. Without an American driver’s license.
The humiliation is sometimes crippling, but he refuses to let it get the better of him. With his head held high Vash takes everything in his stride. He has a stubborn amount of confidence in his own abilities, or rather in the belief that if someone else can do it, then there's no reason why he can't. Asking for help will always be a last resort.

When he’s not working or resting, Vash can either be found at the local gym when he can spend the money, or Western Park when he can’t. Nothing relieves a day of ~~delinquent endurance~~ stress like a run through the parkland woods with his walkman (Eluveitie, The Dandies, and a little bit of dabbling in some American music). Although, while he is very ambitious and goal-driven, Vash will always always stop to listen to the Symphony Orchestra. It brings about another sort of peace of mind, and in such a fast-paced world it is sometimes nice to just stop and listen

Due to his choice of lifestyle, Vash is very rarely one to become close to other people. By the end of a working day his patience is often running thin, and he rarely finds the time or want to join in on community social events. That’s not to say that he is uncaring or at all heartless, despite the air he carries himself with during work – he just prefers to keep to himself. Time is money, after all. He will help out and listen to those who need it, but one should never expect any consolation from him: he doesn't really know how to give it.

Because of that, and because of his relatively short time in Hartsbridge, Vash becomes frustrated very, very easily. He has a very short fuse, and may act flustered or impatient if someone does not understand him or his view point right away. A perfect example of the 'Type A Personality', he may come off as hostile or aggressive, but he doesn't always mean to raise his voice or shout. It certainly does help with getting attention though.
Needless to say, relationships are not his forte.

There is, however, one person he will allow himself to open up to. At all costs, really. His younger sister (Liech), left back in Western Europe with their parents. With their father a watchmaker and their mother a self-taught Chocolatier, Vash considers himself an apt role model for (Liech). He believes that they both have more potential than to follow in the footsteps of their parents, and is determined to prove that to her (and himself) through constant emails, photos and texts. Unfortunately that involves convincing both of them that his job is high-ranked and that soon, soon, he will be accepted into the Police Force.

Vash keeps track of everything in a very systematic manner. A constant companion is his breast-pocket notebook, which can contain anything from the cost of that priced-to-clear laptop to his day’s grocery list, to the time it took him to jog around Western Park and home again. It started as a means to track his improvement, and became multipurpose about three days in.

Time is money, and money is very important, especially when living on Vash’s wages. He has no qualms about buying the cheapest, no-name brand material if it means saving a few extra dollars for the apartment's monthly rent (which always seems to be increasing). Yes, he may have a secondary Swiss bank account, but Vash prefers to treat that as his ‘Insurance.’ As a rule of thumb, money earned in the US is money spent in the US, and this will often have him eating incredibly cheap meals and leftovers. Although if he can avoid it, he would rather not admit to taking such frugal measures.

Vash has come to accept that it will take him another 3 years to qualify for a US citizenship, and he will do anything to pass the time around work. This may sometimes include becoming a late night Parkour enthusiast, but only on the more painfully boring days. This hobby stemmed from a childhood pastime of trying to run up walls and scale trees... but didn't all kids like to pretend that they were a highly sought after mercenary?

No, Vash cannot yodel. Yes, he knows how to Folk Dance, but that doesn’t mean he will. Ever.

Writing Sample:

Congested roads weaved and dipped between buildings that seemed to reach for the sky, as the small city of Hartsbridge woke to a morning much like any other.
A far-off clock chimed in 8 o'clock, gracing those that heard it with a four beat count into what could only be described as a horridly beautiful symphony. An off-key melody performed by its very own unsuspecting residents; the screech of tyres, of trains, the high-pitched jests of sleepy eyed students, the hustle-and-bustle of workers and tourists alike...all clashing and molding into something that sounded very much American.

But the city's appreciative audience was small, one man to be exact, positioned on the cusp of Western Park furthest from St Talmann District.
Vash Zwingli, 22 year old Swiss citizen and Hartsbridge's newest music maker. Well, figuratively at least.

He breathed it in. It was nothing like Bern; here life felt frantic, hectic, loud. Vash knew then that it was the perfect place to start his career, however long that may take. Because how could there ever be a shortage of jobs in a country so vast and so...unruly? Populated.

With that thought he turned to direct his pace back towards the more forested area of Western Park.
The city's once booming resonance immedaitely drowned down to a distant hum as it gave way to a different sort of laughter.
Children, birds and pets...Vash took a moment to close his eyes. He could almost imagine himself back home, standing above the River Aare with the Bernese Alps behind him.

He was grateful for the park. Joining the country's protection services was one thing, but being able to endure the world he was striving so hard to protect was going to be a whole different ball game.

Reaching into his pocket for his walkman Vash broke into a run.
He could do this. He would do this.

One smartass American at a time.

IC SURVEY

1.) Introduce yourself in a few sentences! Grüezi, my name is Vash Zwingli. I am 24 years old and graduated from the University of Bern with a Business Administration Degree. It’s nice to meet you.

2.) What's your greatest dream in life? I would like to join the Police Force.

3.) What is your biggest pet peeve? Pretentious and arrogant people.

4.) Why did you come to Hartsbridge? I was convinced that it was for an opportunity that I could not find in Bern, but now I am not so sure.

5.) Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? Why? I’d like to think of myself as a rationalist.

6.) Do you prefer functionality or style, and why? Functionality. It is much easier to wear, and I don’t believe I am trying to impress anyone.

7.) What are two of your best qualities? Two of your worst? I can speak English, German, French and basic Italian. I am also a very ambitious person. As for worst qualities…well…I suppose I’m not very good at conversations, or understanding Americans.

8.) What was your childhood like? Did you get along well with any siblings you had? What about your parents?

I got along very well with my sister. She is very important to me and I hope that she looks up to me. Besides that my childhood was…uneventful? Quiet, definitely.

9.) What is your happiest memory? That would be the first proper Christkindli spent with my sister. We went around Bern visiting homes with a basket of gifts and—well, that’s not something that needs sharing.

10.) Describe yourself physically.
5’6, medium build, blonde hair, green eyes, European.

(**Liech will get a temp. name as soon as the game starts :') )