Character Profile
Name; Christina AKA Chris, Cherry, or Watcher
Journal; cherrywatcher
Timezone; EST
Email; cherrywatching@gmail.com
AIM/MSN; CherryWatcher
Character Name; Yuuko Ichihara
Series/Fandom; xxxHolic
Personality; Yuuko Ichihara is a rather eccentric woman known best by her uncanny ability to pop up from seemingly nowhere with a cheerful smile and a cryptic answer to how and why she is there. Miss Ichihara is also is a bit of a pleasure-seeker enjoying fine wines, good food, and the tobacco in her pipe along with an extensive and lovely wardrobe. Even without the various things she collects through her shop she is a bit of a pack rat and doesn't believe in throwing anything away for it will always have some sort of use in the future.
While Yuuko is very cheerful and easily entertained on the outside she does show signs of loneliness due to her position. Being a Wish Granter isn't easy and she will do all that is in her power to care for and protect those who are under her wing. Nothing is without it's price and she can never give without taking something in return.
Strengths/Abilities; Yuuko's most apparent ability is her ability to grant wishes. For a price, of course. Nothing is ever free and the price could range from something as simple as a coat button to precious memories of those you love depending how you yourself value the wish so be careful what you wish for. She's willing to negotiate of course, but be wary of the outcome of your wish.
Miss Ichihara also has an exceedingly high alcohol tolerance. She could potentially drink a sake spirit under the table with how much of the substance she consumes on an average day.
Weaknesses; Her wish granting abilities mean that she can't give anything without taking something in return. This includes advice, services, and even an ear to listen on. In most cases these things can be easily rectified by someone simply offering her something to drink, conversation, or company in return. Unfortunately when things get more dire, such as keeping a loved one out of harm's way or offering them protection, the prices can get painfully high as her abilities rely greatly on the value all parties involved in the transaction place on it.
A high tolerance from alcohol means she gets the hangovers from hell due to excessive tolerance. The condition of her liver is currently in question.
Background; Living in her quaint little shop in a nameless city in Japan, Yuuko spends her days smoking, drinking, and overall having a good time. In her past she worked with Clow Reed to create twin creatures called 'Mokona' for the purpose of aiding a group of dimensional travelers on a quest for special feathers containing the memories of a young princess. She rather disliked Clow, but loved the work and eventually set up her shop for a special (as yet unrevealed) purpose and began to collect various goods from her customers in exchange for services rendered.
Eventually a young boy name Watanuki Kimihiro came into her shop by coincidence (only not) and was eventually talked into Yuuko granting his wish for the spirits that plagued him to leave him alone. Since he had nothing else that he himself deemed to be of equal value to granting this wish the only way for him to pay for it was for her to work for him. But Watanuki was special, his coming foreseen by her and Clow and she gladly took him under her wing, gently guiding him to find friends and to grow as a person. At the same time that group of dimensional travelers showed up and she handed off the white mokona to them, the black mokona becoming her new favorite drinking partner in the meantime.
But all the while she was working against Fei Wong Reed who sought to revive a person from the dead through means that would ultimately prove disastrous if he wasn't stopped.
Personal Note: Since the series is currently unfinished I plan on being rather vague on the exact point in time she comes from. I hope this is okay with you modly types?
Samples
Third-person sample; Yuuko sat on the cobblestones mourning the loss of the three bottles of sake she'd gone to bed with had on her when she'd been tossed out of the airship. How rude! Handling a lady so roughly! Someone needed to teach them some manners.
Didn't they know she had a business to run? A maid protege to take care of? A Mokona and two little girls to feed and clothe and care for? A group of travelers she was playing AAA for? What was wrong with these people?!
Oh well. Things like this were surprisingly common when one was aware of just how many worlds were out there. She'd briefly allowed herself to forget that experiences like these were quite common and most people just either forgot or never spoke of them again. How silly of her! People getting snatched up and grouped together in a place caught between dimensions or slipping into the cracks in another world for a variety of reasons was actually quite common. Nefarious reasons, boredom, entertainment, power, hunger, just plain bad luck (or good luck depending on how things turned out) before being randomly sent back were all the possible reasons someone could be taken here.
Well, it didn't matter. Surely she could find someone who would require her services and give her sake in return. Until then she had her trusty pipe, a book of matches, and a vial of tobacco. Smoking was just as relaxing as drinking!
Luxurious black hair and surprisingly immaculate silks shining in the sunlight through the bars around the city, she stood and turned on her heel, heading into the city of Paradisim to find both customers and answers.
[Note: Yes, she just described every RP out there. >>]
First-person sample; My, my, my this is certainly interesting!
It takes a lot to take me by surprise and I must say this certainly takes the cake! Whoever managed to get into my shop, knock me out or did I have that extra glass of brandy?, and then managed to cart me off to another world altogether must be powerful indeed.
Hmmm... What's this? Broken glass?
...
YOU JERKS! THAT WAS ALL THE ALCOHOL I HAD ON ME AND NOW IT'S GONE TO WASTE! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LESS ROUGH WITH IT!!! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS OFFENSE WHEN I FIND YOU OR MY NAME ISN'T YUUKO ICHIHARA!!! Which it isn't, but technicalities. Technicalities.
Sakeeeee...
Hmmmm... I wonder if anyone will require my services while I'm here...