OOC: Application
Name: Ryuacchi
LJ: ryua
Other Characters Played: Ryoji Mochizuki, Riku, Johann Trinity
Series: Saiyuki
Character: Cho Hakkai
Timeline: Right after the latest manga chapter (Saiyuki Reload vol 9, Act 44). His timeline is based on the manga, but with the anime-only scenarios (e.g. Homura arc)
Personality: Among a group of rash, brutal and aggressive young men, Hakkai sticks out like a sore thumb. His traits are nothing like his companions - he is a very nice and rather friendly young man. He is usually the one who talks to strangers in their journey, being the only one with the sufficient politeness to do so.
Hakkai, however, is not someone you can call kind. With his almost ever-present smile, he seems weak and mild. But this two-faced man can be proved as someone very dangerous. He can also be mean in his own little way - Hakkai has a very sharp tongue. He is able to throw insults and threats even while smiling. He does not even hesitate to be that cruel to his own companions (then again, their daily behavior is annoying). This is why Goku and Gojyo sometimes think he is scary - heck, he's the only one who can trash talk Sanzo and get away with it!
However, when Hakkai's smile disappears and a dark glint appears in his eyes, that means Hakkai's really angry. And if he's really angry, he can give Norman Bates a run for his money. He would probably stop at nothing to see that person suffer. (In short, he acts like a psychopath when he's angry) This trait of his is probably what remains of 'Cho Gonou'. It happens in the rarest of times, but when it does, expect to see dead people.
Hakkai still has a lot of similarities with the rest of the group, however. Like the rest of them, he has a special kind of ego that keeps them alive. Like them, the only side he shall be in "from the day [he] was born until the day [he dies]" is himself. And like all of them, he can never ever love again in fear of losing them. However, even the entire Sanzo-ikkou breaks what they say - the four of them share a strong bond of friendship that became tighter ever since they started going to the west. Even they might not admit it, they do care for each other. That's why they all had this silent vow never to get themselves killed, or throw their lives away (because there's someone who believes in them). It might seem that Hakkai breaks this often, doing heroic acts for the protection of the group (it happens so much it almost looks like masochistic), but Hakkai always makes sure that he still comes out alive.
He is an irreplaceable member of the group, even though he constantly nags at his companions due to their immoral behavior. Goku thinks he's the best teacher in the world, and Gojyo could never have a better best friend. As for Sanzo... Well, Sanzo would have killed the other two long before if Hakkai wasn't on this journey.
Even though Hakkai's good at a lot of stuff, he can't seem to stop the bad things that happen around him. He shares this trait with Gojyo, and this is one of the phrases that started their friendship.
On trivial facts, Hakkai is pretty lucky (or just plain good) with card games, especially poker. He also enjoys painting, though his works are reminiscent of ominous symbols from horror manga. He is also interested in testing out health and beauty remedies on other people. While he likes to drink alcoholic drinks, particularly sake, he never (and I mean never) gets drunk. This young man has a lot of surprise under his sleeve - he just recently revealed that he took a correspondence course in lock-picking. Who knows what other odd skills does he have?
Background: Formerly known as Cho Gonou, he was separated from his father and older twin sister at the age of three. He was then under the care of his own mother, until she suddenly disappeared when he was five years old. He then ended up in an orphanage run by Catholic nuns. The rest of the kids are afraid of him - he never sees him smiles, and is rather despondent. Ironically enough, he even says that he doesn't believe in God. He spent most of his time reading books.
Later on, Gonou finally left the orphanage. Then, at the age of fifteen, he was accepted into a research college, where he studied physics and theology. This is also the time he met Kannan, who was also an orphan. They fell in love, and so at the age of 17 they left the college and started to live together in a town nearby. Eventually Gonou discovered that Kannan was in fact his missing, blood-related sister. Nevertheless, their love affair continued, the secret of incest only known to both of them. By this time, Gonou changes, and is no longer the cold person he was before.
While living together, it seems like the family roles have switched - Kannan being the "husband", and Gonou being the "wife". Kannan was apparently a very masculine woman - she's even challenges cockroaches before smashing them down with a book. Poor Gonou would have to clean up after her. Kannan's also very bad at cooking, while Gonou was good at it. Their characteristics, however, were not stereotypical with their roles - Kannan, while very tough, is actually soft inside. Gonou, on the other hand, wasn't as kind-hearted as her.
In order to be able to live together, Gonou was able to find a job as a school teacher. He proved himself to be quite good with children, and the kids liked their "Gonou-sensei" very much. There was one time he stayed a bit later with them due to their enthusiasm. However, when he came home, he found their place ransacked, and Kannan missing. One of the villagers told him that Kannan was kidnapped by a Hyakugan Maou, a youkai who loves to devour women. Kannan was offered in place of his daughter. In anger, Gonou massacred almost the entire town, the body count piling up to 300. And then, with his bloodied hands, he swore to get Kannan back.
It was a rainy day when it happened. Armed with nothing but a knife, Gonou slayed every single member of Hyakugan Maou's clan, including the centipede youkai himself. After taking away the lives of 999 youkai (yes, it's accurate), he was finally able to find Kannan. She however, said that she cannot go back, since she was raped and was now carrying Hyakugan Maou's child, a half-breed (which, in the world of Shangri-La, was considered as taboo). With Gonou's own knife, Kannan committed suicide in front of his very own eyes.
Enter Chin Yisou, son of Hyakugan Maou and the one of the last survivors of their clan. Planning to avenge his father and their clan, he attacks Gonou, severely wounding his stomach (the scar of that wound still remains and haunts the young man to this day). Chin Yisou then tells a legend that if a human is stained with the blood of a thousand youkai, he also becomes a youkai himself. Knowing that he might be the 1000th, he decided to test it, and even slashed his own arm to spill his blood onto Gonou. The legend was apparently true, as Gonou did become a youkai. He then kills the surprised Chin Yisou (or, at least, he thought he killed him). Finding power limiters to disguise his appearance, he stumbles out of the castle and into a forest nearby, where he is left to die.
...Or, at least, that's what he expected. He was apparently seen by Sha Gojyo, who decided to save him. Shoving his intestines back to his own body, he then gets to find a doctor to take care of him. A week later, Gonou wakes inside Goyjo's room, where the owner introduced himself and told him that he would have to stay for about a month. Gojyo never expected to actually be involved with something that changed his life forever. As Gonou stayed, they talked a lot of times, (even though Gojyo never asked for his name) and even became friends.
Background (continued):By this time, Gonou already had a plan - as soon as he recovers, he would go back to Hyakugan Maou's castle to find Kannan's remains and die beside her. At the day of his departure, however, a Buddhist priest named Genjyo Sanzo knocked on Gojyo's door. Sanzo then said that he was looking for a criminal named Cho Gonou. Gojyo lied, saying that he didn't know him, but Gonou blew up his own cover. After a fight, Gonou begs for them to give him more time and runs away, Sanzo's gun in possession.
As he ran back to the castle, he was intercepted by a surviving member of the Hyakugan Maou tribe. He said that he plans to avenge his friends and family, especially his own brother whose eyes were pulled out by Gonou's very own hands. Gonou replied that they were actually almost even now, and then pulled out his right eyes and threw it to the youkai.
He was about to pull our his other eye out when Sanzo's monkey assistant Son Goku was able to stop him in the nick of time, Sanzo and Gojyo following behind. Sanzo convincing Gonou not to throw his life away, the young man then shot the youkai. The 4 proceeded to go to the castle.
Or, at least, what was left of it. It was apparently burned down to the ground, and nothing remained. Gonou falls into his knees, not being able to "save [Kannan] again". Gojyo was then able to convince Sanzo to recite a sutra for the dead. The priest did so, but not before telling them that will not recite one for the dead - it was for the living.
Gonou then willingly went with Sanzo back to the temple to receive his punishment. Gojyo was then informed that the final decision was to kill Gonou. It was not a literal death, however (Buddhism forbids the act of killing), rather a second chance at life, by having a new name. Thus Cho Gonou "died", and Cho Hakkai was "born".
For 3 years Hakkai lived with Gojyo, once again claiming the "feminine" jobs of the household. He also takes a couple of errands for Sanzo, sometimes even bringing Gojyo along with it. He is also a 'freeter'. as well as a part-time tutor (he frequently visits Sanzo to teach Goku). By this time he was also able to get used to his artificial right eye, though it was nearly blind. Later on, Hakkai was able to meet Hakuryuu, a dragon that can transform into a jeep. He became an extremely loyal pet to Hakkai.
Enter main story. Now, the land of Shangri-La was always considered as peaceful. It is the only place where humans and youkai - who were called monsters areas outside Shangri-La - lived in peace. The balance, however, was disrupted. In India in the west, a group of human scientists and youkai collaborated to revive Gyummaoh, an ox youkai who refused to live with humans and was therefore killed by the order of the heavens 500 years ago. Resurrecting him required the fusion of human science and demon magic, a practice as forbidden as the mating of the two species. This creates the Minus Wave that spread across Shangri-La, disrupting the balance. The most obvious effects of this wave was most of the youkai going insane, though recent events might claim a more complicated process. Thus, Genjyo Sanzo was instructed with a mission - to go to the West, to India, where they must stop the resurrection. He was also instructed to go along with 3 "partially youkai" companions. They were Goku, Gojyo and, of course, Hakkai.
During their journey, Hakkai did (once again) the motherly, feminine roles - he cooks, he cleans, and he makes sure the other three won't kill each other off. He also does most of the organizing (sometimes with Sanzo), taking care of their supplies and and keeping track of their location. He is also the team's driver, being Hakuryuu's owner. Later on, he also becomes the team's healer, using kikou jutsu/Qigong techniques.
Background (continued): Of course, it won't be an interesting journey without the frequent roadblocks. The Sanzo-ikkou (as they were famously called) always gets their daily dosing of Gyuumaou's assassins, which were easily and quickly dealt with. It is probably because of Sanzo's scripture, one of the 5 scriptures guarded by the Sanzos (the highest ranking priests) and also one of the keys to resurrecting Gyuumaou. That, and the legend (this time false) that states that those who eat the flesh of a Sanzo become immortal, causes all of those attacks.
There are other detours, however, that cannot be defeated with one single blow. One of them is Kougaiji and 3 other youkai who follow him loyally. He works for the other side and aims to revive Gyuumaou, but with completely other reasons. (Seriously, Kougaiji's more of a hero than any of the Sanzo-ikkou). Their frequent meetings, however, seem more friendly than hostile, and they seem to look more like sparring matches, one paired up with another. Hakkai's is Yaone, Kougaiji's alchemist/herbalist. Coincidentally, Yaone has a personality identical to Hakkai's, and that she even looks somewhat like Kannan. She was also an offering to Hyakugan Maou before Kougaiji saved her (Hakkai doesn't know that fact, though). Because of this, they tend not to hurt each other - they sometimes even help each other when a new adversity comes in the way.
Another one of these detours came in the form of a self-shikigamied Chin Yisou, who came back to break Hakkai down. However, Hakkai was able to face him and his own past. Other formidable opponents included the half-god, half-human Homura, and self-proclaimed "Kami-sama". Another one was Hazel Grosse, a priest from the west who can revive people, and plans to eradicate all youkai. His racial discrimination, however, seems to change slightly after meeting the Sanzo-ikkou.
Recently, Goku was suddenly attacked right in front of Sanzo by an unknown enemy. He was mortally wounded, and he was bleeding so fast Hakkai couldn't keep up with it. Enraged, Sanzo leaves them in pursuit of a possible culprit. Meanwhile, Hakkai decided that the only way to save Goku is to take full use of the Seiten Taisei's (Goku's true yet berserk form) regenerative powers, even though he might attack them. Nevertheless, they removed his power limiter. As expected, he did attack. Even with Hazel's help, Hakkai and Gojyo cannot restrain him. In the end, Hakkai was forced to remove his own power limiters and attack the Seiten Taisei with full strength. He succeeded, but he almost died. Sanzo saw the aftermath of the battle, and then wordlessly left the group to join Hazel.
No longer having a purpose to continue their journey, Hakkai and the others now tried to find jobs to get money. Due to his companions' rather uncivilized acts, they were forced to travel with no food nor water, fainting in the middle of the desert. They woke up, and ended up working in a small youkai village, where they were actually welcomed (they do have youkai blood in their veins). As they stay prolonged, Hakaki realized that there might be more to the Minus Wave - the youkai discrimination was already happening before the incident. After a war ensured between the youkai village and a human village nearby, the three realized that they can never truly side on any of the two races, they decided to find Sanzo and continue their journey.
They were able to find him, in the nick of time. He was in a bad condition, after finding Ukoku Sanzo (a heretical Sanzo priest and the one responsible for attacking Goku). After saving Sanzo, the four of them confronted Ukoku - the fight was about to begin.
Sample Journal Post:
So this is a communication device. How convenient.
To anyone who's been reading this, I would like to ask a couple of things about this place. I have never been here you see, and it might be useful to know this place in case we might end up here again.
As of the moment, here are the most important things I have to know:
1. The name of this place, and its location on the map. It's also convenient if there's a map of this place as well.
2. Any important buildings around, such as restaurants, hospitals, inns, and the like.
3. Whatever happened to this place, if you don't mind asking. It looks like the aftermath of some attack.
I would appreciate any kind of help. Also, if you spot a priest with blond hair, a young boy with brown hair and golden eyes, and another man with long red hair and eyes, please note me. I apologize in advance for anything bad they might say or do.
Sample RP:
"Well, this is surprising."
Hakkai calmly stood up as emerald eyes looked around his surroundings. It didn't seem to look like Shangri-La at all - it looked more like a ghost town outside the land. Only his clothing seemed to be the bright colors at the moment. "Another detour... Sanzo's not going to like this. Ahahaha..." He chuckled nervously to himself, trying to organize his thoughts. His train of thought, however, was interrupted by a soft, yet familiar cry. Hakkai looked over to his left - there was his pet dragon.
"Hakuryuu!" He said, his smile appearing again. The white dragon flew slowly to the young man before resting once again on his lap. Hakkai chuckled, petting him. "I'm glad you're safe. Did you see the others?" Hakuryuu shook his head, leaving Hakkai to sigh as his hand instinctively placed itself to its thinking position. He didn't go here by his own accord, so who was responsible...?
Ukoku? The healer shook his head. No, the priest's power seemed to be far worse than this. He would have concluded that a youkai did it, but he didn't even felt the slightest tinge of youryoku when this happened. Besides, he can feel people and other living thinks inhabiting the place - this can't be an illusion.
He sighed again. He can't do this right now, not without any clues. The best thing to do would to find the others, but he wasn't even sure if they were there. "I'm sure Gojyo and Goku can take care of themselves, but Sanzo..." he just healed the priest's neck bone a few minutes ago - he can't survive in here.
It was then he realized that he was holding something metal in his hand. Hakkai curiously looked at it. It wasn't something he had or seen before. After playing with it a little, he hypothesized that it was some kind of communicator or something. "Well, this seems to be a good place to start." He said, typing away a notice.
Note: If this application needs more work, I would be grateful if you could specify what seems wrong or lacking in it. :)