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Character Base

• Character Name: Sha Gojyo
• Age: 23
• Canon (Date/Year Released)/Canon Point:
• Items Coming Along: Shakujo, a pack of cigarettes, clothes
• Content Warnings for Character: Past child abuse, past child sexual abuse/incest

Character Background

• History: Character history.
• Core Relationships:
- Hakkai
It would be impossible to make a list of core relationships for Gojyo without putting Hakkai at the top. Of the Sanzo Ikkou, these are the two that are always paired off together. These are the duo who always end up sharing a room when they have to split up during their travels. And Gojyo's the man Hakkai spilled his guts to -- literally. 

One day while he was walking home, Gojyo found a man with his guts hanging out of his body bleeding on the side of the road. He picked him up, took him home, did the best he could to patch him up and had a real doctor look at him too. He never asked him for his name, gave up his bed and slept on the couch while Hakkai recovered, and gradually their day to day lives merged. Gojyo went out to drink and gamble as he always did, but he slept around a little less. Hakkai took his gambling winnings and bought actual groceries that weren't beer and instant noodles. He cooked, cleaned, and really gave Gojyo his first look at what a "normal" household might look like. When Gojyo's old buddy Banri comes back and puts Gojyo in a tough position, Hakkai goes so far as to unleash his much hated youkai form to save him. 

When Sanzo comes for Hakkai to force him to face a trial for the crimes he committed before meeting Gojyo, he's told that "Cho Gonou," the man who had been living with him, is now dead. Gojyo's so upset by the news that he cuts his hair before finding out that Gonou was simply forced to give up his previous life and live it now as Hakkai. 

Both of them would readily admit to being the other's best friend. They prioritize each other's well being even above those of the rest of their group. They continue to live together out of no real necessity, continuing their pattern of Hakkai playing housewife. Gojyo still gambles, and occasionally the two take jobs from Sanzo prior to their journey. 

These are two men who have no real reason to have stuck together but have done so anyway. Gojyo never put faith in other people, or himself, before Hakkai. Hakkai is far and away the most important person in Gojyo's life.

- Sanzo Ikkou
Which isn't to negate the importance of the other members of his group. He doesn't really get along with Sanzo, but there is a mutual respect there that keeps things going. If Hakkai brings personal stability to his life, Sanzo is the one who brings the first long-term financial stability to his life. He has a gold card they can use on their travels, yes, but he also provides Gojyo with what's likely his first ever legal payday. When they aren't on some epic journey to India to save the world, he does odd jobs along with Hakkai to keep the area safe from youkai attacks and the like. 

Goku and Gojyo are often seen fighting and wrestling, but Gojyo does genuinely care for the kid. The two act a lot like siblings, with Goku being the younger brother that Gojyo has to ruffle the feathers on to get through the day. They're often comedic relief from the team, providing some much needed levity. 

Beyond this, the group gives his life a drive and a purpose that it had been lacking before. When he was abandoned at the age of twelve, his only drive was to find his brother. Over the years he didn't precisely give up, but found himself surviving on accident. He wasn't out to kill himself, but what he saw through his teen years didn't give him a lot of life goals either. With the Sanzo Ikkou he figures even if he dies on these dumbass missions, it'll have been for a purpose and a good cause. And since everything in his life that's good right now comes from his participation in the group one way or another, he's going to keep with it.

- Sha Jien
There's only one relative that Gojyo's ever had a positive relationship, and that's his half-brother Sha Jien. When they were kids Jien would keep his mother from beating him too badly, distract her so her profound rages didn't have a chance to fully manifest -- by sleeping with her, because he reminded his mother of his father. By all accounts he was the only figure in Gojyo's childhood who cared for him and did his best to look out for him. 

One day his mothers murderous rage couldn't be contained. She grabbed an axe and was finally determined to kill the cursed child she blamed for everything that went wrong in her life. Jien couldn't let it happen. He grabbed a sword and killed his own mother to keep her from killing Gojyo. He saved his brother, but he was sick with himself. He ran out that night, leaving Gojyo alone. 

Gojyo's got a lot of feelings about Jien and they're all mixed. This is the person who looked out for him, who put himself through hell to keep Gojyo from having to. He saved his life. But he also abandoned him as a kid and put him in a position where he had to raise himself on the streets. They met again on the battlefield, Jien now calling himself Dokugakuji. Though they're on opposite sides, the fondness between the two of them is still clear.

Character Personality Through Key Moments

(2+) Positive Experiences:
For all that he tries to pretend otherwise, Gojyo is soft hearted. This is seems to be a part of who he is naturally as we see it as early on as his interactions with his step-mother. Despite her repeatedly abusing him, verbally and physically, he tries to think of ways to cheer her up. Maybe if she were happier she'd be nicer. He buys her flowers to that end, not that it has any impact in the long run. 

We also see this as soon as he decides to rescue Hakkai from the side of the road. He has no reason to, and it'd be far easier for him to just keep on walking than take on the burdens of someone else's problems. But he doesn't. He takes him home and makes sure that he's healed up, and then lets him continue to crash at his place. The guy doesn't seem to have anywhere else to go, and Gojyo knows how that feels. 

This is again shown with Banri, a friend that has routinely screwed him over, but when he's kidnapped in his place and nearly killed he's willing to die regardless. Even knowing that Banri is the one who set him up, they'd been friends. Banri had gotten him through the roughest part of his teen years. He'd be dead a dozen times over by now if not for Banri. 

--

Gojyo is also loyal to his team due to his desire to belong. Growing up he clung to whatever group might have him, starting with his biological family. His bond with his brother was strong, and he kept trying over and over again to make one with his mother. As a teenager he immediately stuck with Banri's gang because they took him on and made him feel wanted. With the Sanzo Ikkou it's more or less the same. He's loyal to Hakkai for reasons mentioned above, he's loyal to Goku because he's like a little brother to him, and he's loyal to Sanzo because of his gold card. The various failures or rejections from these groups hasn't made him jaded in this way, interestingly enough. If anything it's made him more determined to find the space where he fits and sit there for awhile. And for now at least, he has.


(2+) Negative Experiences:

Where Gojyo is jaded, however, is in the realm of trusting others as it impacts his own self esteem. In essence, he has mommy issues. Oh, he has no problem with his self image. He loves his legs in particular, by the way. He's a charmer with a reputation as something of a neighborhood Lothario in the areas he spends any real amount of time in. He loves seducing women, making sure they both have a good time, and moving on with his life. Connections beyond that are rather difficult for him, and Freud would have a field day with this man because it all goes back to his mother. His real mother died when he was so young he doesn't remember her, leaving his step mother as the only real parental figure in his life. And as you've already read, that didn't go very well for him. Women can be fun, but at the end of the day he struggles to identify anything about him that's worthy of real, actual love. Or, well, he would struggle if he gave it any real thought, something he very pointedly avoids. 

--

Gojyo is also apathetic. Before meeting Hakkai, frankly it's a miracle that he managed to keep himself alive. His fridge was basically just beer, the cans of which became his ash trays. He never cleaned, barely kept his clothing washed, and his only real income came from gambling at the local bar. This leads to a haphazard kind of lifestyle that can be very dangerous. Gojyo has no desire to kill himself, but he can go through prolonged periods of time where he just doesn't care enough to do the things necessary to keep himself at a decent level of living. He wouldn't even call it depression (though an actual psychiatrist might think differently), more apathy. If he doesn't see something in his life that seems worth it, he doesn't feel the need to put any effort into it.

Deer Country Attributes

• Canon Powers: As a half demon, or hanyou, he's a little sturdier than the average human. He heals twice as fast, his vision is half again as good as a human's, he's a little quicker. He can also summon shakujo out of thin air, though I'm not sure how/if that would translate here. 
• Blood Type: Vileblood
• Omen: White rabbit
• Blessed Day: March 9
• Patron Pthumerian: Moss King
• Blood Power Manifestation: Poison resistance, the ability to poison people with his blood (but not secretions). Healing and numbing effects as well. 

Writing Samples

One: Deer TDM
Two: Bakerstreet

The Player

• Player Name: Natalie
• Player Age: 38
• Player Contact: Plurk: Zully
• Permissions: Here. Please make sure this includes our permissions requirements.

Other Characters

Adam W: saltyadam

Link to Character 1 overall AC: Link